Is Michael Cole Hall of Fame worthy?

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Ok, so I was just watching last night's edition of Raw on youtube today. I listened to the opening part, where every week, Michael Cole would say, "I am Michael Cole sitting alongside WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler..." That got me wondering.

At the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in 2007, we saw long time broadcast colleagues Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler both get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Over the years, we've seen many commentators and/or interviewers get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Including the likes of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Gorilla Monsoon, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and Gordon Solie. Though Michael Cole is the only full-time commentator from that particular list, you get my point.

I admit that Michael Cole might get annoying after a while with his "vintage" and "the longest running weekly episodic television show in history" and whatnot. But you have to admit that he seems very devoted to his profession and it looks like he loves what he's doing. That's what really counts.

While, Michael Cole is nowhere near the caliber of Jim Ross (or Jerry Lawler), he is still a veteran journalist and commentator. Do you think that should be enough to save him a spot into the WWE Hall of Fame? Or do you think me even thinking about Michael Cole being Hall of Famer is just flat out dumb? What are your thoughts?

 

[johnbragg]

If he goes to ESPN tommorrow, I'd say no. But more likely, Cole will be Hall of Fame worthy based on tenure. He's been on a top show for ten years, and could easily go another 20 or even 30 years. However, I expect that his HOF induction will come with his retirement. His persona isn't flamboyant, isn't designed to attract attention to Michael Cole. His background is in journalism, not pro wrestling.

For most of the other commentators listed, "play-by-play" or "commentator" won't be in the first line of their obituaries. For a lot of them, announcing was a way to keep doing their character when they couldn't wrestle anymore.

Gordon Solie and JR are the only ones from the list whose obituaries will/did list "TV wrestling announcer" in the first sentence. And both had more distinctive styles than Cole. But Cole will get the HOF as a gold watch.

There's not much of a storyline boost to giving Cole the HOF while he's still active. I don't think he's polarizing enough that the HOF would annoy his detractors, and his supporters aren't enthusiastic enough to be excited that he gets the HOF.

It would be like inducting Lilian Garcia. Competent but not interesting.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I bet he will be in the HOF (Johnny Rodz was a lifelong jobber and he made it because of his devotion), but I don't think he actually deserves to be there.

I look at it this way, now in the Pro Football HOF (No I'm not trying to compare the WWE to Pro Football) just because you were devoted to a team or the NFL doesn't make you worthy of being in the HOF, if that were the case the Pro Football HOF would be full of no name O-Lineman, its like saying Morton Andersen deserves to be in the HOF more than Barry Sanders because he played for 24 seasons where Sanders played for 9, although Sanders did way more in his 9 years than Andersen did in his 24, not the greatest example but it does get my point across.

Its what you do in your respected profession that should make the decision if you deserve to be in the HOF. In regards to Michael Cole he has not done enough as an in ring announcer, interviewer, commentator, ect. to deserve to be in the HOF. I have never been impressed with Cole since he started back in '97, frankly I have often dreamed of the WWE replacing him because Cole is just not very good at what he does. He's dedicated, he's devoted, he's a professional, but he has not done enough as an announcer, interviewer,ect. to deserve a spot in the HOF because frankly, he SUCKS!

 

[Southwind]

I think he will be a hall of famer based on tenure but not overall talent and ability.

He was the voice of Smackdown and got that show up and running while he's not as good as Ross or Lawler or even Heenan he is still a loyal and productive employee.

He has been in the WWE for a very long time and deserves a spot in the hall of fame provided he never leaves the company.

He's not first ballot hall of fame material (sports terms) and I could certainly understand somebodies argument against his induction. But just tell me if the voice of Smackdown! doesn't belong than what non-wrestler or contributor does ?

 

[Sean Valjean]

I personally don't think he should get in. He's extremely annoying at times, but overall, an OKAY announcer at best; not HOF worthy, just okay. But the WWE HoF is a bit of a joke, so he'll probably get in based on tenure; though they'll probably try to sell his announcing as among the best ever.

Who knows, maybe he'll even get a huge, Flair-esque send-off with highlight packages of his career, colleagues talking up his career, and "vintage" chants echoing throughout the arena. Hehe, I crack myself up, I swear...

 

[CKDaimen]

You know I gotta give you credit, this is a very interesting topic and I'm interested to see what people think. To answer your question I don't see why not. If his career ended today, I think he should get the nod. A decade is not chicken scratch. I realize that a decade from 1999-2009 went by faster than say a decade from 1989-1999, but Cole has been around a lot longer than it seems. He has called many classic bouts and was the voice of Smackdown for what seems like an eternity. So why not?

 

[wrestling fan 666]

Not to knock his mic skills and his tenure with the WWE, but I feel he shouldn't just because he really has no legitimate gimmick to make him stand out. But that's just my opinion. Never the less, he'll still get in for loyalty and tenure. I just feel that people like Bruno Samartino, Bob Backlund, and even Ivan Koloff deserve to be in. No offense to Howard Finkel, but come on. It's like putting Lillian Garcia in there over past champions. I do realize that they probably wouldn't show; but it would be a sign of respect for the business and the work they had provided. Sadly, I bet the Brooklyn Brawler will get in before any of them.

 

[CKDaimen]

Michael Cole is a very good announcer. I wouldn't say great, but he is very good. I don't see any flaw in his emotion, clarity, and enthusiasm. The simple fact that people still say Cole isn't good 10 years after he has maintained his spot when we know how anal McMahon is when it comes to announcing is proof of one thing: Cole entered wrestling at the wrong time. If Cole entered the WWE in the early 90s or late 80s, we wouldn't be questioning him. But alas, Cole entered the WWE in the Smark era, so he, like every other employee is prone to be criticized by smarks. Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, and most other commentators entered the WWE pre-smark era or had established careers pre-smark era. The only commentator who should be safe from smarks is Matt Stryker and that's because he is ridiculously good.

Cole is a very good announcer with long tenure. Yes, he should be in the Hall of Fame, but at the same time, if he isn't in the Hall of Fame, that wouldn't be a travesty.

 

[drobs85]

michael cole is in all seriousness a much better commentator than lawler and especially jim ross. For starters ross talks out the side of his mouth and sounds like his nose is stopped up, and just talks about "trepisius muscles" that we all no arent being damaged by a particular move.. Jerry lawler just makes whooaah sound effects the whole match, but that gets you in the hall of fame. Come on people. Just go to youtube and just listen to cole announces alot of the ppv matches. Everytime cole announces it gets my attention. There job is to get the viewers to watch. Cole talks clearly, explains the story lines and especially sells the moves. Watch the batista undertaker match from wrestlemania, batista vs undertaker from cyber sunday. austin vs the rock, the list goes on. Cole first ballot, he was even better than monsoon and okurland. I watched alot of those two commentate back then, cole is much better and doesnt get his respect.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

There is NO WAY Michael Cole needs to be near the HOF. Cole would have to be in the WWE another 10 or more years before he should even be considered. And there are plenty of reasons why...and I will name them in this post.

1) He can't think on his feet

The likes of Gordon Solie, Lance Russell, Jim Ross, and even Tony Schiavone have made most of us spoiled as far as wrestling commentary's concerned. Michael Cole basically repeats what he hears on his headset and has always done that. He's a puppet. That's all. Just a weak-looking body to sit there and be an interpreter for Vince McMahon. To me, he never told a good story and was never someone I'd consider an elite commentator.

2) He's bad at his job

Besides his inability to improvise, he's just flat out awful at his job. I never liked him from day one. Certain people 'have it', and to be honest, I think his previous relationship with Stephanie McMahon had something to do with him getting his original job as backstage interviewer. I may be wrong so don't chastise me over it, but I do know they had a relationship before she met Triple H. Plus his catchphrases are awful. Even if Vince feeds them to him, Cole should know what sounds good or not. And he doesn't.

3) Other people are more deserving

Obviously, there's tons more deserving people than Cole. And even more deserving commentators. Lance Russell, Tony Schiavone, and Bob Caudle are more deserving than Cole, and Schiavone isn't exactly Gordon Solie either. Bottom line is Cole doesn't need to be near the HOF and if the WWE cares about the meaning of the honor, they'll keep him away from it.

 

[The_Killswitch]

He has been in the business for 11 years now..surely thats worthy of Hall of Fame.
But it wouldnt be anytime soon..maybe at wrestlemania 30 or 35..
He reminds me of a nerd growen up..weve seen him be the comedy spot in the attitude era and transformed to the "charasmatic" color commentator we see on Raw now.

But yea "vintage" "Oh my god I swear I never.." spots get annoying.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

Humm, good question. I think he's borderline right now. The thing working against Cole is that he took JR's spot on Raw. I know Vince was trying to go younger and in hindsight, I can understand what Vince was thinking putting Cole on Raw & JR on Smackdown!, and I think for the most part, Michael Cole has done a fantastic job, all things considered. So with all that said, I'd give him about 3 more years and then I'd have a definite answer. But if I had to answer today, knowing what I know now and taking everything into account, I'd have to say no. Not yet. I mean, realistically speaking, it'd be overkill to have your 3 top announcers all in the HOF anyway.

 

[Suneeboy]

Cole shouldn't go to the Hall of Fame. He has not earned the respect of the hardcore wrestling fan. He still gets booed when he comes out for TV Tapings. He'll get booed at the HOF. He needs to put at least 10-15 years more before this conversation should even come up.

He has no charisma, he doesn't tell a good story, and he just doesn't sound like a wrestling commentator. JR, Shiavone, Monsoon, Heenan, hell even Mike Tenay...those are wrestling voices. We accept Cole because he's been around for a long time, but he needs to earn more respect from the fans before he can get in.

 

[shafe_41]

It's quite simple. Is he deserving? Not so much. But will he get in eventually? It's likely. I mean I believe The Coach is more deserving because I remember so many skits and interviews that involved The Coach that were just downright hilarious and memorable. But Cole has been in the business longer. Even though he is pretty awful, you have to remember who is in the HOF. I mean... Koko B. Ware. I'm not taking anything away from Koko... but he never even held a title, and was pretty much just a glorified squash man/jobber his whole career. Even though he was an active competitor... it was Koko B. Ware. I mean really...

Cole's gonna be with the E for quite awhile I believe so we will probably see him in the HOF. Not because he deserves it, but because he's a loyal company guy at heart that probably kisses Vince's ass on a daily... nay... hourly basis. I don't believe Cole is a terrible terrible announcer, I just believe everybody the E has ever had behind the table... is better. Everybody has their "thing," and "vintage" is Cole's thing regardless of how annoying it may be. He doesn't deserve it, he doesn't need it, it doesn't need him, but he'll be there someday.

 

[jazzua]

Good topic. He shouldn't be anywhere close to a HOF inductee, but he probably will be. He's definately a commentator who I feel doesn't really bring anything special to the business. He has never captivated me. JR used to do that on a weekly basis. The main difference between Cole and the greats was already brought up by Lariat, he has absolutely no ability to be spontaneous. All of his lines sound rehearsed. When thinking of great lines, I always think of JR saying, "Who's your daddy Undertaker!!" To me, that is what Cole doesn't have. That ability to leave an imprint on a match with one line. His tenure will probably see him inducted but at this point he really doesn't deserve it. Who knows, in 15 years he will probably be thought of in high regards by many, but right now I feel like he would just be taking the place of a worthy wrestler at the table.

 

[Tha Jigga Man]

I feel Cole will eventually be HOF bound once he retires or at least close to retirement. he has alot of yrs under his belt but def needs to stick around alot more & an continue to grow an improve, to be considered HOF worthy. He has always been percieved as the "geeky guy" that gets bullied around by the likes of DX, The rock, Stone cold. for instance look at the 10th ann. of smackdown when he got so drunk that he threw up an was getting picked on an laughed at! i feel that his character is based off of your typical highschool geek that tries to fit in an be hip/respected but always gets beat on or goofed on. an quite honestly during most of the segments (esp during the attitude era) involving cole & the rock, dx, stone cold, it def got alot of laughs out of me. I feel after all the beatings an insults he has taken by wrestlers in various segments, along with his dedication for the business, he will earn a spot in the HOF. lets face it i mean you have to give the guy credit. cole is a small scrouny guy idc how fake people think wrestling is, for a guy his size to take bumps an get tossed around like a rag doll by wrestlers like stone cold the rock hhh, i give him credit.
I didnt really enjoy his commentating when he started off, but i feel now he has got the hang of it and he def is one of the better commentators of todays era. VINTAGE COLE = HOF 2050!?!?!

just wanted to add that i dont necessarily feel he deserves it, but like many of u have stated he will get it more so due to his dedication. if for any reason he does get inducted in my eyes it should be a little reward for all the beatings the guy has gotten throughout his career an not so much his work at ringside . its a shame that most their lines are given to them now a days. I loved it back when jr an jerry king got to add their own little twist. but i imagine everything is scripted b/c of the Pg rating. they need to watch what they say. always got a kick out of Jerry King when he'd have outbursts about the PUPPIES!!haha

 

[Black Snow]

No. The only reason Cole would go in the Hall of Fame is because he's been around for a long time. J.R. might get annoying at times with his cliches but he at least seems genuinely interested in the product. King doesn't seem interested anymore. He's faking it. But at least there was a long stretch of time where it seemed like he loved his job. Also, his heel routine was brilliant.

Cole? He's a robot. He just sits there and does what he's told to do. His enthusiasm doesn't come across as remotely legit. The only time he seemed to be emotionally invested was when he and Tazz were on SD and he felt that he deserved better than his spot. SD was number two and he resented that along with Tazz. He moves to RAW and immediately puts it in cruise control.

Cole is just another gelatinous, parasitic tapeworm. >_>

 

[pun2003hh]

Michael Cole gets trashed by the IWC community and for the most part its rightfully so, though not his fault. But for people to say that Cole has always been awful is really doing him a disservice. Yes, his commentary is dribble nowadays, but when you have a 65 year old billionaire who signs your paychecks barking at you through a headset to do it his way, you are only going to be as good as they allow you.

But turn the clock back say 5-6 years ago. Michael Cole was one of the most effective and exciting announcers during the 03-05 years. He wasn't saying vintage every 5 minutes, he wasn't ignoring the matches to have meaningless banter with his color commentator, and he wasn't apart of some goofy skit or storyline. He was the announcer that actually called the moves in the ring, and when he spouted facts, he was accurate. His voice showed enthusiasm and you could tell he had a passion. When JR, as good as he is, began slipping, Cole was the guy you heard over some of the biggest matches of those years. Proof? I'll use Wrestlemania 19 as an example. Listen to his commentary during the Lesnar v Angle main event, the Hogan v McMahon match, and even the triple threat tag match. At that time, no one was better.

So does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Today, no, but Cole is nowhere near the end of his career. He is still a relatively young guy when comparing to other announcers who have a 10+ year career. Add another 10 years and hopefully an end to the PG era so they can loosen the grip off of their announcers, and we may see Michael Cole return to form.


On a side note, if you give him nothing else, give the guy credit for the ass whopping he took from Steve Austin back in 2001. I remember when Austin grabbed him from behind the announce table and started throwing him around like a rag doll. VINTAGE MICHAEL COLE! (boooo me)

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

You can't really blame Michael Cole for the repetitive stuff he says and his robotic tone because that's what Vince McMahon wants. He wants his commentators and analysts to commentate and analyze a certain way and Cole doesn't want to do anything to put him in bad graces with the boss. So don't direct your hatred at Michael Cole when rather it should be directed to Vince McMahon.

I believe Cole will get in the Hall of Fame someday if he stays another 10 or 15 years. He's been around for the longest time and usually wrestlers or commentators with longevity usually get into the Hall of Fame.

 

[XgringolocoX]

While I agree with the previous posters that he will probably get in at some point (retirement maybe) solely due to time served, I don't think he's worthy. I mean no disrespect to the guy, I just don't think his work cuts the mustard.
Many wrestlers have mentioned that JR is thier chosen commentator for thier matches, not one has said the same for Cole. That in of itself should keep him out.
I don't hate his work perse, it's just not at the level of Hall of Fame.
Beside, if every past worker gets in where's the honor and exclusivity?

EDIT: Cole getting in should mean Barry Horawitz (sp?) gets in as well. Just sayin....

 

[taker321]

Michael Cole Is The Worst Commentator In WWE history with his old saying,
"Now That's Vintage..." whoever the wrestler is plus he always makes mistakes.

he is too clutsy for sure and he will never make it to the hall of fame. hell COACH would be a better inductee than Michael Cole.

 

[Miah]

Cole is to announcing what Chavo is to wrestling: a model of longevity. Not really doing anything special, and certainly not the first newsworthy item for the IWC, but Cole has been pulling in a paycheck for a VERY long time, and he's done it all in terms of holding a mic, or wearing a headset. I honestly feel that his approach has gotten a bit stale since his first few years, and yes, I'm getting sick of hearing the same five lines you hear each week that Vince and Steph keep feeding through his earpiece (the "weekly, episodic" line, "vintage" whoever, and for God sakes..."smart, sexy, and powerful divas?" please...), but he's at least better than the Grish. I'd say Cole's got another 5-7 years, and yes, he will get into the HOF. And depending on whether Tazz is out of his TNA coma by then or not, he should be the one to induct him. I know I might catch some heat for the Chavo comment, but let's be honest, even dating back to the Pepe days in WcW, he's been on all of our TV screens in some way for a good 12 years. Someone made reference to Johnny Rodz in this thread, and I'd say Chavo is his generations Rodz. But I'm off topic lol. Cole will get in, however, I think he's a body with a voice at best.

 

[The Bar Room Drunk]

I wouldnt say hes Chavo of the commentating world, More JBL. Yeah no one liked him and hes talentless but he will be remembered. Will he be put in The Hall of fame, I dont think so. Very few commentaters get put in and I think JR and King will be.