J.R. & Cole Swap Brands

[BlueBlazer718]

if you listen to the broadcast closly you can tell that mike adamle knew cole was the next pick. Tazz sya now it is mick jr and cole, and mike says no cole is now on, then stops himself..they new...no surprise...jr doesnt really care...nothing is real that is televised..so if u also think mcmahon is hurt the watch battle dome!!!

 

[Slim Pickns]

Im really kinda diggin this. Shows an amount of unpredictability with the WWE, and ability to change itself. It seems as if everyone's biggest gripes as of late has been the WWE being stale. Well, big changes here. And if the JR and Trips moves stay solid, this is major things moving forward for SD!, as both JR and Trips bring huge amounts of Star Quality and credibility to SD!. great move.

Great point NorCal. People are always crying that the WWE is stale and never does anything to change. When they do something like this, everyone bitches about them changing what they are comfortable with.

I love this move because its simple, but it also give RAW's broadcast new life. I'm being dead serious here, I bet a lot of you will like RAW more just because the broadcast feel fresh with Cold instead of Ross. Plus, with HHH moving to Smackdown (if he stays) as well as Hardy drawing his assload of fans, Smackdown is moving towards being RAW's equal rather than the B show. Ross just adds to that movement.

 

[tbbucs]

I was very happy to see this happen. This is a business after all and the branding has created a loyalty for some fans. I watch Raw regularly and very rarely watch SD! but will follow it through the news here on WZ. The WWE is always trying to get new viewers and the reality is that the talent is what will keep people watching Raw, not the announcers. JR commentating is like comfort food for me; it doesn't seem like wrestling without him. So I will start to watch SD! again, if for nothing else, just to continually enjoy JR's commentary.

 

[simpsons_fanatic742]

I don't hate the move to bring JR to SD! and Cole to RAW. If anything, it's going to freshen up the broadcasts. It's also going to bring a different feeling to each show, hopefully a good feeling. Sure JR is the voice of RAW, but I think that since SD! got really good after the draft, that JR will work nicely there. I'm not familiar with Cole as much because I don't really watch SD!, but he can't be that bad and I think he could work well with King.

Overall, a fresh change and one that I think will work quite nicely.

 

[Jack bruce]

if you listen to the broadcast closly you can tell that mike adamle knew cole was the next pick. Tazz sya now it is mick jr and cole, and mike says no cole is now on, then stops himself..they new...no surprise...jr doesnt really care...nothing is real that is televised..so if u also think mcmahon is hurt the watch battle dome!!!

dude omg i lost respect for you that quick ok listen.

1.dude its not rocket science, everyone who had a brain knew cole was going to raw, just when jr went to smackdown come on use your brain now.

2. yeah he was pissed everyone knew when they saw his face i mean you shouldve know when he sayed under his breath "you know what im just gonna get up and be nice" when it was announced.

I could go all day but im getting pissed evn more.

 

[Roody Poo]

Like King Jake said, Lawler sucks. I loved his commentary when he would always root for the heels. Nowadays he's pretty boring, but I still like the Lawler-J.R. matchup.

Like anything else, I think this'll just take some getting used to. We've grown accustomed to the RAW announce team for like 10 years.

It was definitely surprising - WWE always says that 'all Superstars, Divas, and announcers are available in the Draft,' but the announcers never go anywhere.

 

[Frank the Frowner]

I'm fine with changing up the announce teams. I just wish that it was Lawler and Foley that were traded.

Raw is the flagship show, and JR is the voice of wrestling. He should be on Raw, no matter what. Cole is good when he has someone good to play off of. The problem with that is the fact that the King hasn't been good since the Attitude Era, and I can't see the two meshing together at all. Tazz and JBL both meshed with Cole real well. And for my own selfish reasons, I wish JR was still on Raw. I only watch Raw and ECW, and Raw now has a bunch of people I didn't watch Smackdown for (Batista, Mysterio, and Cole).

In the end, I think it all comes down to Triple H. I think he agreed to move to Smackdown, but only under the condition that JR went as well. Why wouldn't he want him on Smackdown? He's the best commentator possibly in the history of the company... of course he'd want him calling his matches.

 

[The Big Red Monster]

This was indeed a major change.

1. King with be able to way outta control with the whol "puppies" thing seeing that he has a man-bitch for a partner now.

2. As soon as J.R. got up from the table the look on King's face was "Uh-oh, if J.R. is gone people are gonna start noticeing I'm gettin fat".

 

[No Count Pup]

Smackdown needs a boost. In order for the show to flourish, it needs more star power. Putting Jim Ross and Triple H on the broadcast is a bold move that instantly improves the blue brand.

Was the move a demotion for Jim Ross? Not really. WWE made it up to him. They put Triple H on the show. There's no way Ross can claim that he's on a "B" show. I believe that because Triple H would never wrestle on a second rate program. Triple H wants Smackdown to beat Raw. Its a challenge; Ross and Triple H are equal to the task.

The Ross draft is shameful without Triple H. Fortunately, WWE took care of good ol' JR and Smackdown.

 

[Saiquan]

Seeing how they really don't wrestle on Raw, I most definently will be watching Smackdown for the upcoming weeks. JR is the best damn announcer that lived. That is the only reason you watch is because you hear the announcers talk. So just imagine it beng dead silence while you are watching wrestling. Thats what happened when they replaced Styles and thats whats happening know with Michael Cole.

 

[cacheton]

If it was up to me, Cole and JBL or even Cole and Tazz would've been calling Raw a long time ago.
Lawler has really gotten unbearable in general. The best Raw announcing in the last 10 years came when he quit for his ex wife.
Heyman and JR were a great combo.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I love how J.R. apparently had a bitch fit because he moved brands. Does he honestly think Vince gives a shit? He's been trying to get rid of him for years. How many times has he been fired now? If Vince wanted to keep J.R. then he wouldn't constantly be trying to replace him.

J.R. used to be great. Now he's not. Maybe it's old age. Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore. People bash Cole. But he's no worse than Ross is now.

 

[Rusty]

I love how J.R. apparently had a bitch fit because he moved brands. Does he honestly think Vince gives a shit? He's been trying to get rid of him for years. How many times has he been fired now? If Vince wanted to keep J.R. then he wouldn't constantly be trying to replace him.

J.R. used to be great. Now he's not. Maybe it's old age. Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore. People bash Cole. But he's no worse than Ross is now.

I agree. I personally like Cole more than Jim Ross because lately, J.R just doesnt have the same enthusiasm in his voice than what he did years ago. I recently watched the HBK vs Undertaker Hell in a Cell match from last decade and J.R actually sounded like he did give a shit about the match that was going on.

I personally like the change as the same commentators on the same show week after week get boring after a while.

 

[kylexxx]

In the end, I think it all comes down to Triple H. I think he agreed to move to Smackdown, but only under the condition that JR went as well. Why wouldn't he want him on Smackdown? He's the best commentator possibly in the history of the company... of course he'd want him calling his matches.

I love it how triple H copes the blame for everything that happens in the E. Vince is trying to make smackdown as star studded and big as possible for the move to MNTV, HHH did not move JR.

Back on topic, I'm all for this swap and hope it builds foley as a commentator, I love have mick mentioned going to raw to learn from JR the smackdown before the draft and JR landed in the seat next to him.

 

[S.B. Anderson]

Personally i think its time there was a full shake up of all things WWE from announcers through to the way the shows are presented.

J.R. - ive loved this guy for years, but waht ever way you look at it, his hyperbole is now old hat and needs to be toned down. Moving him to Smackdown is wwe's way of forcing him out.

Lawler - The puppies the puppies...this guy has gone past his best and should also be moved.

Cole - This man is a n utter joke and to move him to any of the shows is an insult to the wrestling fans who are forced to listen to his crap every week.

WcW whether you liked it or not, its announcers managed to add that bit of realism to waht was happening...in the opening segments you would here things from Schiavane such as "Its monday Nitro, and we have had commings & goings all day long, but finally we can confirm that the executive committee have sanctioned (Insert said match)"

They talked with realism throughout the show (Except in the last 12 months when it wasa joke).

This i believe is the way WWE should go, and take out a couple of the needless PPV that offer nothing to the product, such as GAB, N-o-C etc.

Just my thoughts, but to be honest as i see it right now, WWe is starting to make the same mistakes that WCW made.

 

[RBH]

I love how J.R. apparently had a bitch fit because he moved brands. Does he honestly think Vince gives a shit? He's been trying to get rid of him for years. How many times has he been fired now? If Vince wanted to keep J.R. then he wouldn't constantly be trying to replace him.

J.R. used to be great. Now he's not. Maybe it's old age. Or maybe he just doesn't care anymore. People bash Cole. But he's no worse than Ross is now.

JR broke an unwritten rule that every member of WWE has to follow while working for Vince: Do not get too confortable or secure. What that means is basically he said he did not want to go to Smackdown. What happens? He goes to Smackdown. Amazing as that sounds the same thing happened to Maria and Batista and Rey Mysterio who all did not want to leave their respective shows. Triple-H even did not want to go to Smackdown and he got traded. It does not matter who you are. Seniority or Family means nothing to Vince. It is all about the money. He wants the ratings and the money to improve for his company. Smackdown has been on the downturn the last couple years and JR can help get it up. It seems like they are piling the oldies on Smackdown and younger athletes sans Shawn Michaels on Raw.

 

[Miko]

JR does get mistreated by Vince, but I dont feel sorry for the guy, having seen how much he allegedly earns I'd take all that shit from Vince as well.

JR will be good for Smackdown, just like Cole will be good for RAW, its a good change in my opinion as it freshens the shows up with different voices, I was thrilled when this change happened as it really shows the direction the WWE is going in.
Also seeing how Cole will be JR's long term successor it makes sense to move him to the "A" Show

 

[smackdown27]

Hello Everyone,

I've just joined the forum and what better way to start than a draft related thread.

While most people in this thread appreciate the announcers move, there have been some who didn't much like the live audience at recent WWE shows.

I personally find it ridiculous that people who rarely watch SMACKDOWN insult Michael Cole. Ask a guy like me who hasn't missed a SMACKDOWN broadcast since 2002 and I would tell ya that Michael Cole is much more professional and better than Jim Ross. While JR is pretty slow and sometimes boring, Cole is much faster and precise with his commentary.

People who watch SMACKDOWN every week would tell you that Cole hardly makes an error during commentary while JR is often confused with his. You need an example, I will give you a couple.

1. Since the World Heavyweight Championship moved to SMACKDOWN in 2005, JR has been referring to their champion as the "Heavyweight Champion of The World" instead of the World Heavyweight Champion while he never had trouble saying that when the WHC was on RAW (it was an effort to downplay the champion on his opposite brand).

2. JR confused lots of people when he called Jeff Hardy's Whisper of The Wind move as the "Twist of Fate" for 3 straight weeks (even kids know those names).

Other than that, JR has also been heard calling JBL the former World Heavyweight Champion (just because JBL belonged to SMACKDOWN at the time) which is incorrect while Cole has always referred to Kane as the former WWE Champion despite the WWE Championship being on RAW.

The bottom line is that Michael Cole is active, correct and enthusiastic commentator and if you ask me, I would rather want Cole back to SD than Ross to RAW as Cole is much more suited to the "more wrestling and less talk" environment of SMACKDOWN and I would like Tazz to partner him and either Lawler or Foley to go to ECW to Partner Adamle.