Joey Styles: A Recollection of his 2005-2006 RAW Tenure

[SpoodBeest]

You remember him right? Joey Styles the famed ECW announcer with the catchphrase that everyone seems to remember (OH MY GOD!) After Jim Ross was taking time off for what may have been a bell's palsy attack but I am not sure. Joey Styles was brought in at Taboo Tuesday 2005 as a part of the official "new" play-by-play announcer for RAW. Previously to this he was used as the play-by-play commentator for the first ever ECW One Night Stand show. As a commentator of RAW I always thought Joey's work was superb and that he did an outstanding job in Jim Ross' absence. But as I look back I think in a way he was kind of given the short end of the stick.

As a great as Joey was, he was still just a replacement for Ross who inevitably going to come back full time eventually. But even when he wasn't ready to return to television full time, he was still able to call two pay-per-views. Styles, while he got to call the Edge vs. Foley match at Mania 22, he was basically cut from the rest of the show. Even though I thought Joey could have made the show just as good with his commentating skills but he was bumped. Since it was WrestleMania and Ross had been calling it forever at that point, it made sense so I just let it go. Then Joey got bumped from Backlash, which wasn't a major show and again Jim Ross called the show instead. Did they really think Joey didn't cut it when it came to calling a pay-per-view event? I could understand WrestleMania, but Backlash I still cannot understand why they couldn't let him at least call that.

Then of course they had him humiliated by the Spirit Squad and Jerry Lawler, before he got angry and went on to "shoot" on the WWE, before "quitting" his position on RAW. Jim Ross then returned full time shortly afterwards. Now looking back on that short time that Joey was a RAW commentator do you think he was given the short end of the stick on a few occasions? Or do you think he was always given fair treatment during the time he was Jim Ross' replacement? And on a final note what do you think of Joey as a commentator and did you enjoy the work he did for WWE during that time period and even for the brief time he called the ECW brand.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

Looking back, I for one, was always a Styles fan. I think it was a bit of a raw deal (pardon the pun) that he got being on RAW. I think he was in a better element than King who was always wanting to be focused on 'puppies' and the silly end of matches. Joey Styles was one to make sure you never forgot the importance of why the match was taking place, and to give you a little background into each parties' past achievements. I just don't think that RAW was the right fit for him and it probably was due to the impending return of ECW that is why it worked in his favor when he did the 'shoot' on WWE and announcing on Raw. Which in the end worked out the best for us Hardcore fans who loved hearing the infamous 'oh my god!' all the time with him and Tazz on commentary.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

I was at the Raw when Joey got up and walked off. I had no idea what was going on, obviously since I couldn't hear it, but I remember thinking, thank God. Not because I didn't like Joey, cause I really didn't, I just felt like he wasn't really good for Raw and Raw wasn't good for him either.

 

[Travaje]

I thought he did a good job, all things considering. He was never going to be ECW good on RAW, but he did have his moments. The one match that sticks in my mind that he called was Edge vs. Ric Flair ladder match for the WWE title. Flair slapped the figure four on Lita, and Joey says "Figure Four! Figure Four leglock and he's gonna break Lita's leg!" Joey was classic that night. The other thing that stuck out was that Jerry Lawler trying stealing Joey's thunder every chance he could by saying "OMG" before Joey could. I've never looked at Jerry the same way since.

I don't think Joey has any regrets or ill will, he does still work for the company, so I don't really read into it any more than what it was.

 

[gameshowfreak]

anyone who watched the old ecw will remember Joey called PPVs solo. and is still the only one to ever do so. The problem was simply what Joey said in his "shoot", his commentary style was not what wwe wanted and he had to adapt (I thought he did so really well given the circumstances). Also, I heard Joey was NOT getting lines fed to him through the headset while commentating (don't know if that's true or not) so yeah, my vote: he was given the short stick and really I wish he was still commentating today on either NXT or Smackdown (believe it or not I don't mind Micheal Cole)

 

[supersrc]

I wasnt a big ecw fan never watched more then 5 minutes of it, but the first time I heard styles in wwe I was in awe. He is a great play by play if not the best, with all due respect to good ole jr, styles style was new (to me) and was great he actually kept up with the action, I wish more people would call it like him. Styles made the matches more on the edge of your seat too I think, him keepin up with the action kinda helps keep your attention, kinda like someone reading out loud what your reading.

 

[Musiq]

I might catch some heat because of this, but I always thought that Joey Styles was better than Jim Ross. Joey made the matches more interesting for me & he came with more energy.
Nowadays Jim Ross stumbles over words or is calling a wrestler by the wrong name. If Jerry Lawler is correcting you, then you know you messed up bad lol
So yea I do think he got a raw deal, and was upset at the way they wrote him off. Yeah he got to "shoot", but the whole spirit squad thing & Lawler pushing him, was just like a slap in the face if you ask me.
Now they got Michael Cole doing the play by play...give me a break.

Joey Styles ALWAYS came with it, and just added something to the commentary for me.

That's just me though

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think Joey Styles should still be commentating today in the WWE or TNA today.

He is by far superior to Todd Grisham and Michael Cole, and actually knows alot about the wrestling business. The way WWE expects commentators to call the action is ridiculous, Joey Styles is easily the best around and has been since JR started to decline in the early 2000s

Maybe we could see him in TNA replacing Mike Tenay at some point if he ever chooses to leave his office WWE role?