JBL as a manager?

[I am Mr. Excitement]

To be honest I dont want to see JBL do another match I know there was a thread not to long ago talking about JBL doing another match. Last time he was in a match he looked terrible, he's getting old and fat. But there's one thing he has that not a lot of people have, mic skills. Though JBL may not have another match I would personally love to see him as a manager for a heel of course. JBL as a heel was one of the greatest heels in WWE history. I mean when I used to watch this guy I legitimately hated this guy, you don't just hate a guy you don't know but I hated him because he would diss people on the stick. He's always been good at cutting promos and him being on commentary saves us from the amateur hour clowns Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole. So my question is would you like to see JBL manage some younger talent in the future? and if so who?

Answers, discuss, comments, opinions...

 

[Mustang Sally]

He's always been good at cutting promos ...

Has he? I'm not sure. When we first met him, he was a rough, tough cowboy and any promos involved simple threats delivered to his and Simmons' next opponents. By the way his mouth moved and due to his lack of body english while speaking, I don't think he was yelling, and I don't know how effective he would be if he did.

As John Bradshaw Layfield (a mega-switch in persona if there ever was one) he again wasn't the loud, threatening type. Even as his back injury worsened and his body grew more marshmallow-y, he remained fairly sedate in his mic work, choosing to let his actions speak louder than his words.

JBL as a manager? We don't know how he'd do because we've never had the opportunity to see him function in that role. Sitting at ringside commentating on what's going on in the ring is different from standing in the ring (or near it), delivering loud, bellicose pronouncements in the manner of Zeb Coulter or Paul Heyman. Would JBL be able to handle that? The only way to know is to try it.

Even so, if a new manager position is going to be created, I would think Booker T. would be next in line, sooner than JBL. But being a manager is outside the scope of anything Bradshaw has done before and how he'd handle it is something I can honestly say......that I honestly can't say.

 

[MWRedskins]

no i dont want to see him as a manager. maybe as a general manager, but not a manager, but i personally love where he is now. he's the MVP of the commentary table. King's not bad and Cole is good now that he's not as over the top as he was, but JBL as a heel announcer is great. he's not as loud and over the top as Cole is and unlike Cole as a heel, he's very funny with his one liners that he sometimes uses. JBL should stay where is he, but if he gets moved off commentary, then i hope it's as a GM, not a manager.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

JBL would be a great General Manager, in my opinion. He could play right into WWE's new Corporation storyline. But the truth is, I like him as an announcer. That's the best role for him right now.

As for the guys in the poll, Swagger is fine with Zeb Coulter. Cesaro should have never dumped Aksana. Roman Reigns should get Armando Alejandro Estrada. And Ryback would have been great with Vickie Guerrero if they had gone that route.

WWE has plenty of potential managers without needing JBL to fulfill that role. I fantasize about the day that Paul Heyman, Zeb Coulter, Teddy Long, Booker T, Arn Anderson, William Regal, David Otunga, Scott Stanford, Armando Estrada and Vickie Guerrero are all managing different superstars. That would be the day.

 

[hatehabsforever]

I would have no interest in seeing JBL as either a manager or as a General Manager for one simple reason, he's perfect exactly where he is. He's a terrific heel announcer and his presence at the announce table would be missed if he left there. As Sally stated, he's never functioned as a manager before, so there's no guarantee he would be effective in that role. It's not worth the risk to decimate the announce table just to try him out as a manager on a whim.

I wouldn't want him to be the GM either. Personally I think the whole notion of having a general manager is absurd and they should abolish the position altogether. Let Vince or Triple H announce the matches for the evening, rather than have a silly figurehead who ends up being subservient to these guys in the end anyway.

 

[SSJPhenom]

I think that this is a very interesting notion.

Honestly, I would love to see JBL as the manager for Ryback. I think that he would be able to help Ryback out a lot. Especially as a heel and especially in Ryback's current role as a bully. JBL was always this kind of cowboy bully when he switched from Bradshaw to JBL. So I think he would work out great as the manager for Ryback. It would definitely make Ryback a little more interesting and let's not forget that you could have JBL helping him get wins all of the time. So I think that it would work out great.

Having said that, however, I love JBL as the heel commentator and I think that he is awesome in that role. Not only is he awesome in that role, IMO he's the best commentator that the WWE has by a mile. So unless they had one hell of a storyline set up for JBL to be anyone's manager, it would make more sense to just leave him where he's at.

 

[H33LTurn]

I've always been interested in seeing JBL work as a manager. He's incredibly enthusiastic, charismatic, and definitely has the recognition to get someone over. I hadn't thought about who he should be managing, but Cesaro was a great superstar to bring up. JBL needs a legitimate, no nonsense guy if this is going to work out. Putting him with someone like Cesaro would be a great way to accomplish just that. Cesaro could always turn on JBL in the future and become a face.

 

[Rhodes2TheFuture3313]

I believe JBL would be a Great. Yes. GREAT Manager for a superstar. Who? That is the real question. However, I have to agree w/the masses. JBL is awesome on commentary. He does an excellent job of helping to put talent over in the ring. So maybe in the future, but right now keep him where he is. IF it ain't broke. Don't fix it.

 

[berlinbrawler]

Hell yes. However, while he would certainly do great managing a wrestler or a team, I would want JBL to be a GENERAL manager of either RAW or Smackdown. Been waiting for him to take on that role for years.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

I personally would like to see it Happen. I enjoy JBL as announcer and if he could transfer what he does at the announce table into being a manager I think he would be golden. As for who he should manage, I would like to see him take on somebody that is not really doing anything at the moment like Alex Riley or Ted DiBiase, JR and do for them what Paul Hayman has done for Curtis Axle.

 

[GeneralKarim]

I would have no interest in seeing JBL as either a manager or as a General Manager for one simple reason, he's perfect exactly where he is. He's a terrific heel announcer and his presence at the announce table would be missed if he left there. As Sally stated, he's never functioned as a manager before, so there's no guarantee he would be effective in that role. It's not worth the risk to decimate the announce table just to try him out as a manager on a whim.

I wouldn't want him to be the GM either. Personally I think the whole notion of having a general manager is absurd and they should abolish the position altogether. Let Vince or Triple H announce the matches for the evening, rather than have a silly figurehead who ends up being subservient to these guys in the end anyway.

Totally agree.He has a good position at the casting table, he adds so much to the commentary. I mean he is not the best or anything but, I cant handle hearing Josh/Michael Cole or MC/Jerry for too long before cancer starts showing in my ears.

At first I considered the GM thing, I think he could be a pretty entertaining heel GM, but at the same time, i just cant take the GM position seriously anymore.For me personally it doesnt accomplish anything more than a few more segments too fill up time.Tho I have to say I am surpsied how good the uncharismatic stiff Laurinitis act became after a while.


I dont want him as a manager, but if I were to want it, I would give it to Ryback. I mean weeks before hell in a cell you could just see how it was going to be a trainwreck.( I think 99% of people knew WWE didnt have to balls to do something good with him at hell in a cell ). He aint doing nothing right now and its said that they will give him another push, but I dont really buy into that, that much.

He's not bad on the mic but I think JBL could talk some good trashtalk for him.

Anyway I'm rambling.Just keep him as it is.There might be options but he is best suited for caster's role atm.

 

[Dagger Dias]

This is something I would be interested in seeing in the future. JBL is excellent on the mic. He is one of the few heels that was SO good at what he did, he legitimately made you want to pay money to see a face defeat him. I can't say that about many heels in recent years. He is great at what he does now too on the announcing team, although if given the opportunity I think he could do well as a heel manager too. Say what you will about his matches, but his heel promos are very good.

We need more heel managers to assist heels that are struggling to get over. JBL would be an ideal candidate for such a role. He could make the fans HATE the heels he helps. Not in the way Vickie does where we want him to no longer be on our screen, but in the traditional heel way, where we want to pay money to see the faces defeat the heels. It's worth looking into in the future as there's plenty of heels on the roster he would be able to help.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Keep him behind the commentary booth.

JBL is far more entertaining, when he's calling matches as a color commentator. He plays the heel role to perfection, while providing the insight of a veteran on each match.

And more importantly, he provides a much needed breath of fresh air on Raw, breaking up the monotony of King telling horrendous, corny jokes, and Cole doing his best to pander/and or laugh at them. He's also great to listen to on Smackdown (JBL does enough to help me forget about the dreadful and unbearable days of Matt Striker and Todd Grisham on Smackdown commentary).

I'm not saying JBL couldn't excel in a manager role, because I'm sure he could, but he's more valuable as a commentator.

 

[MCMG]

In the long run JBL would be a fantastic heel manager. The problem for me is that the commentary has been quite average in recent months. JBL is fantastic, Cole is better as a heel and I don't think Lawler will be with company for much longer.

If they can get Lawler of TV, Riley onto full-time commentary and make Cole a "heel" commentator then we could have JBL as a manger but until then he is needed elsewhere.

I like the idea of him managing Roman Reigns. We haven't seen a lot of him on the mic and that might well be his only weakness. JBL would help to cover that up and ensures that he improves.