Michael Cole is Atrocious

[WWE*FAN*CB]

Ok, this is getting ridiulous. Day after day internet wresting news sites continue to bash Michael Cole every sing day..and now we have a thread about it? THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH COLE AS A ANNOUNCER. He does his job everysingle monday night and the show goes on. Who cares if he says an occasional "Oh my!" or "Vintage x!", it just adds to the broadcast. Do you tune into RAW to hear the annoucers or watch wrestling? Obvouisly WWE and Vince McMahon is happy with Cole and thats not going to change. SO SHUT UP ABOUT IT...DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECUASE THERES NOT A THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT COLE BEING THE ANNOUCER! It stupid and selfish of you to call him atrocious, maybe its the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[Dagger Dias]

One of my friends actually jokes around by saying that if, for whatever reason, he ever ended up in charge of WWE that the first thing he would do as the man in charge would be to fire Cole. He pretends to be at the press conference where he'd take over and says things like "Thank you everyone for allowing me this opportunity and I'm excited for all the changes that will be made. By the way, Michael Cole, you're fired".... it's really funny. Just thought I'd share that since it's relevant to this thread.

Now then, onto my thoughts. I don't hate Cole or find him atrocious.... but he is awfully cheesy. I can't ever take the man seriously these days. "You're watching the longest running weekly episodic television show in history!" makes me bust out laughing, and "Vintage!" makes me roll my eyes. I say just move Matthews up to Raw, he's much better than Cole could ever hope to be. I'm not sure who I'd replace him with on NXT.... maybe Striker could do announcing whenever he's not hosting, such as during the actual matches. I don't hate Cole, he's much better than Adamle.... but I dislike him because he cannot be taken seriously. Yet he's the play-by-play guy for the flagship brand, that's obviously an issue that WWE should fix at some point.

 

[skotch]

Ok, this is getting ridiulous. Day after day internet wresting news sites continue to bash Michael Cole every sing day..and now we have a thread about it? THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH COLE AS A ANNOUNCER. He does his job everysingle monday night and the show goes on. Who cares if he says an occasional "Oh my!" or "Vintage x!", it just adds to the broadcast. Do you tune into RAW to hear the annoucers or watch wrestling? Obvouisly WWE and Vince McMahon is happy with Cole and thats not going to change. SO SHUT UP ABOUT IT...DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECUASE THERES NOT A THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT COLE BEING THE ANNOUCER! It stupid and selfish of you to call him atrocious, maybe its the pot calling the kettle black.

Just because you like him, doesn't mean we all need to. So relax, we aren't debating world politics or health care reform, we are talking about Michael Cole. If you think him saying "vintage" adds to the broadcast, your entitled to your opinion. In my opinion, when he says vintage I cringe because it's him being annoying. I turn into Raw to watch the show and not the announcing but you fail to realize announcing is part of the show. And obviously people don't like him because he is one of the few broadcasters in sports that actually take you OUT of the show. I think Striker is just as bad if not worse...

TO THE MODS: SORRY ABOUT THE LARGE SIG ITS BEING REPLACED!

 

[The Doctor]

Michael Cole is atrocious...on Raw. He sounds boring, forced, and above all, artificial. He lends no excitement to RAW at all.

However, on NXT it's a different story. Cole on NXT is funny and entertaining. His banter with Josh Matthews sounds interesting and natural, and is often one of the best parts of the show. He sounds like he legitimately dislikes how much love the IWC has for Daniel Bryan, and Matthews is matching him every step of the way with retorts and comebacks. It really hearkens back to the old days of commentating. And adding in a guest commentator like Jericho just makes it better.

Cole's terribleness on RAW makes it easy for someone (like Bryan) to rip on him and get a pop from the crowd. But that's really the only good thing about his RAW performance.

What Cole needs to do is bring his NXT persona to RAW, and let it flourish. He could become a lot more tolerable than he is right now.

 

[goldbergiswrestling]

I like Cole, King has gone down hill horribly and Cole is the only real good commentater left, I think the best comentary in WWE today is on NXT, but most importantly I dont get how anybody can complain about Michael Cole when we have to listen to Matt Striker weekly

 

[mral82]

there is nothing wrong with Michael Cole at all. Yes at times on RAW he's kinda bland and boring but on NXT he's a helluva lot better cause he sounded real and not scripted. That's the difference RAW's scripted but NXT is their reality based wrestling show. I bet BTS Cole likes Daniel Bryan but on air he's a hater due to it's supposed to like a reality show which will be the one who makes the decision with the pro's to determine the Next WWE Superstar. Cole and Lawler attitude era SD! was better than go back and watch them episodes. It's not Cole's fault it's Lawler and McMahon's fault that we get this Cole. Cause JR said he liked being on SD! cause Lawler is such an idiot. I hope Shawn comes back and takes Lawler's place on commentary as a Cole-Michaels team would be great to hear.

 

[Swarles Barkley]

I do suggest. Have you watched JR lately? He was terrible. Half the time he got the Twist of Fate and Whisper in the Wind mixed up. Lawler didn't help him out any with his terrible commentating. Early JR was great and later JR hasn't come close to that.

JR didn't live up to his own lofty standards, but that does not mean he was terrible. It's not just about calling moves (Joey Styles did that better than any announcer in the history of televised wrestling) but about conveying emotion. Cole conveys zero enthusiasm. JR made the matches feel important. He's the Howard Cosell of pro wrestling.

How many guys have lamented JR not calling their match? Foley wished that JR had called his first WWF title victory, Bret wished JR would've called his match at Mania this year. Those are just two examples.

How many guys have said that JR is the greatest to ever do it? Guys skills deteriorate over time, which is what has happened to Jim Ross. I'll take JR at his worst over Cole every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[WWE*FAN*CB]

Just because you like him, doesn't mean we all need to. So relax, we aren't debating world politics or health care reform, we are talking about Michael Cole. If you think him saying "vintage" adds to the broadcast, your entitled to your opinion. In my opinion, when he says vintage I cringe because it's him being annoying. I turn into Raw to watch the show and not the announcing but you fail to realize announcing is part of the show. And obviously people don't like him because he is one of the few broadcasters in sports that actually take you OUT of the show. I think Striker is just as bad if not worse...

TO THE MODS: SORRY ABOUT THE LARGE SIG ITS BEING REPLACED!

Yeah, your entitiled to your opinion as well, but this topic is stupid. Like I said before can we change the annoucing? Can we? NO. So why waste time talking about something we cant change. Cole has been in the WWE for a long time and will be in for a while to come. Get over it. My only soulution to the whiners about the annoucing is to mute your TV while watching RAW. Get over it, becuase theres not a thing any of you can do about it. By the way ..Striker, worst announcer? WOW.

 

[The Doctor]

Yeah, your entitiled to your opinion as well, but this topic is stupid. Like I said before can we change the annoucing? Can we? NO. So why waste time talking about something we cant change. Cole has been in the WWE for a long time and will be in for a while to come. Get over it. My only soulution to the whiners about the annoucing is to mute your TV while watching RAW. Get over it, becuase theres not a thing any of you can do about it. By the way ..Striker, worst announcer? WOW.

Great, there's nothing we can do about it. I get that. However, we are FANS, and as FANS we reserve to right to discuss and complain about things that we dislike. We know we can't do anything about it but it's still fun to discuss what we believe will make the shows better. It's part of what being a FAN is all about.

The majority of the board dislikes Michael Cole's RAW commentary but finds NXT's commentary humorous and fun. Several of us want his heel persona to carry to RAW, as it's the only time we find him more than just not-annoying. It's the only time some think he's actually good.

 

[WWE*FAN*CB]

Great, there's nothing we can do about it. I get that. However, we are FANS, and as FANS we reserve to right to discuss and complain about things that we dislike. We know we can't do anything about it but it's still fun to discuss what we believe will make the shows better. It's part of what being a FAN is all about.

The majority of the board dislikes Michael Cole's RAW commentary but finds NXT's commentary humorous and fun. Several of us want his heel persona to carry to RAW, as it's the only time we find him more than just not-annoying. It's the only time some think he's actually good.

Oh, excuse you me i didnt know it was "fun" to sit here and bash people all day. Dont even say you guys want him to carry his heel tactics over to RAW becuase all yall will do is whine and complain like always. He is the commentator what good as fans, to sit and talk about it when nothing will change? Whine, whine, whine is all you guys do. If you dont like how the product is dont watch it. Enought said. If you dont like the announcing, thers a mute button. Enough said. Its easier said then done, do any of you think yall can do what Cole does every single week with Vince in your ear on live television? Nope, didnt think so.

 

[Very_Silver_Owns]

At least his better then JR...Jim Ross couldn't tell the difference between the WWE title and the World heavyweight title...he always mixed the two up...how can you call the World heavyweight title the WWE title and the WWE title the World heavyweight title ? worst commentator ever

 

[Hawkeye]

I think michael cole is a great commentator.His commentating makes it easy to tell when a match is dragging and he knows how to talk us out of the rut.

I absolutely enjoy Matt Striker more than any other commentator though. He goes from using $5000 words to singing along with truth and saying things like 'What's good now huh?' I love every bit of it...I like striker-grisham because they sound like they're best friends but I wonder what a striker-cole pairing would be like?

 

[The Doctor]

Oh, excuse you me i didnt know it was "fun" to sit here and bash people all day. Dont even say you guys want him to carry his heel tactics over to RAW becuase all yall will do is whine and complain like always. He is the commentator what good as fans, to sit and talk about it when nothing will change? Whine, whine, whine is all you guys do. If you dont like how the product is dont watch it. Enought said. If you dont like the announcing, thers a mute button. Enough said. Its easier said then done, do any of you think yall can do what Cole does every single week with Vince in your ear on live television? Nope, didnt think so.

We complain because we as fans want change. Even if nothing happens, it helps to get it out in the open. A forum is a place for people to express their views on the products they are fans of. Why did you even join if you're going to tell everyone with a dissenting viewpoint to siddown and shaddup?

I'll have you know that I am a WWE fan. As a fan, I feel I can say whatever the hell I want about the product, especially if there is something about it I don't like. I happen to love Cole's commentary on NXT and want it on RAW. It may happen, it may not. But talking about it is just a way for me, as a fan, to express my views.

I don't care if I can or cannot do what Cole does on live television with Vince shouting in my ear. We don't even know if Vince's shouting is all that bad, as we have never sat behind that headset. Lawler has stated in interviews that he has never been shouted at.

Is Cole not shouted at during NXT, which is more often than not Live? Doesn't that mean he is doing exactly what he does on RAW, commentating on a live TV show with a wrinkly old man shouting in his ears? Why then is he entertaining on NXT yet atrocious on RAW?

We shouldn't have to change a channel or mute the television. We are fans of WWE and it should be a show we enjoy to watch. We all have ideas on how to make the show better, and forums are the best way for like-minded groups to get together and talk.

 

[skotch]

Yeah, your entitiled to your opinion as well, but this topic is stupid. Like I said before can we change the annoucing? Can we? NO. So why waste time talking about something we cant change. Cole has been in the WWE for a long time and will be in for a while to come. Get over it. My only soulution to the whiners about the annoucing is to mute your TV while watching RAW. Get over it, becuase theres not a thing any of you can do about it. By the way ..Striker, worst announcer? WOW.

So really what your saying is "if there is nothing you can do about it" you shouldn't criticize it. I hate to break it to you but if that was the case and people actually believed that, this (or any) forum wouldn't exist at all. WE CAN'T CONTROL ANY OF IT... from the storylines to the announcing to the theme music. We are the audience.

However maybe more importantly, what your failing to see, is when we STOP talking about it then it means WE DON'T CARE ANYMORE. And I don't think any company, including WWE, wants you to stop caring about it. So the Michael Cole sucks threads will continue, as will every other thread which contain the opinions of fans.

Sorry that's just the way it is, and if you don't like it then don't comment on those threads. And yes, Matt Striker is the worst commentator in WWE history but that's a discussion for another time and another thread (and judging on your opinion of threads on commentators, you shouldn't go to).

 

[KING_OF_KINGS_SHOWSTOPPER]

please send michael cole back to smackdown were he belongs. cole is a big screw up on raw. week in and week out u hear him ramble on and on. i think bobby the brain would have done a better job, or heck even jessy the body. jessy the body was a great announcer, heck ill even spring for vince to come back out there. what u all think?

 

[Hawkeye]

Showstopper, i like your thinking. Get someone else on Raw. Personally I don't know ANYTHING ABOUT Bobby,Jessie, or Vince on commentary, because I didn't start watching WWE until smackdown debuted. However I know me some Cole, and they never should have taken him off SD, that was HIS announce table.

 

[skotch]

please send michael cole back to smackdown were he belongs. cole is a big screw up on raw. week in and week out u hear him ramble on and on. i think bobby the brain would have done a better job, or heck even jessy the body. jessy the body was a great announcer, heck ill even spring for vince to come back out there. what u all think?

My friend, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is the best of all time. He shouldn't even be in the same paragraph as Michael Cole! I don't think we'll be seeing any of the old faces like Vince or Jesse Ventura, I think you'll see guys like Abraham Washington or the last ECW color guy as the next "call-ups". I wouldn't mind an older wrestler coming back to do color like when Macho Man or Mr. Perfect used to do in the mid 90's. JBL was great at it in my opinion, always made what was going on seem important. When Jericho retires (hopefully not anytime soon), he would be perfect as well.

 

[Rebecca]

It's no secret that Cole is a blind nationalist to the WWE Universe. I'd prefer Matthews in his role on Raw simply because Matthews, unlike most of the commentators other than Striker, knows what the fuck he's talking about when it comes to new age wrestling. With that being said, I do think Cole's simply a voiced opinion of the masses. While it's horrifying how naive and closed minded Cole may very well be (and he's proven this before NXT), he's most definitely the voice of the WWE loyal. He's got blinders on for the company that wont let him see other promotions, or the bad within his own. He's a tool, and just an actor filling a role that should have gone to somebody else. I won't lie though, I do have a soft spot for the man because he shook my hand at a WWE event, and I do like Cole's role on NXT. It's no secret that Cole's little more than a mouthpiece for McMahon's ego, I generally believe Cole stands behind every ignorant thing that comes out of his mouth. Maybe that's why it's so amusing to me, because the colors every IWC'er knew Cole had are now showing on NXT. Although while saying that, I'm enjoying getting vexed with him every monday and tuesday night.

 

[SickJames]

He's the most annoying person on the planet to listen to.

Really? More than Jillian Hall?

...but really, the issue is he isnt the voice of Raw he is the voice of Smackdown! and needs to go back to the blue show because he was better there in 1999- the early 2000's

best years imo and when he use to get picked on by DX and Rock I believe

was funny

 

[El AlcoHALLic]

Yes cole doesn't mess up the names of the moves because he calls every single one of them "Throw" "Hold" or "Manuever"

He's supposed to be the face on Raw yet he gets one of the loudest heel pops when he comes out. Not because he's a heel, but even the casual fans think he's a pile of garbage.

 

[XgringolocoX]

Micheal Cole..youuu're FFFIIIRRRED! Vintage McMahon

but really, I don't mind Cole all too much. I actually enjoy his NXT stuff. It's fresh. That is the face/heel commentary you've all been bitchin to get back. So shut the fuck up and listen to what you asked for.
RAW needs to dump Lawler and bring back......no not JR......JB motherfuckin L!!!!! He was GOLD on commentary. I think he'd get a favorable reaction and could do an excelent face to Cole's heel. Bradshaw is also plenty smart enough to keep Cole on his toes. THAT would be great wrestling commentary.

 

[bioshock]

But bioshock, that's the thing. WWE is not a sporting event, it's entertainment, and the primary goal of the commentators should be to tell the stories. I mean sure, they should be calling the moves in the ring obviously, but they can't act just like every match is the same without commenting on the storyline behind it, how the competitors feel about each other, and so on. It's a much different environment, and thus I don't feel like you should be expecting the same commentary format as you would get in a baseball or football game. I don't see how Ross or anyone else is different from Cole in this respect, either.

No. What it is is though the history of the WWF it was all about mimicking it and not only that then you had play by play and a color guy, not 2 color guys. Besides that point then WWE needs to quit comparing them selfs to the NFL, NBA, NCAA, MLB and many other sports if it doesn't want to be compared to them, I sure don't hear WWE comparing its self to the newest tv sitcom, or movie. As they said a few weeks back "Wrestlemania is our version of the Superbowl"? Well i expect it to represent its self like the Superbowl then, and not some 3 ring circus that in its own right makes the Superbowl look bad for have been compared to it.

And yeah hes like the guy version of Jillian Hall. Hes that bad.

 

[The Champ]

Well, they don't want to compare themselves to the circus either, but the fact may be that they're more like a circus than a football game. And the fact that "entertainment" is in their name and they refer to their wrestlers as "superstars" is probably admission enough. It's one of the most athletic things you can watch, so it's like a sport in that respect, but it's also basically a male soap opera, which they're obviously not going to actually say out loud. And all I'm saying is that you can't expect something with so many complicated plots and guys with characters that seem like they belong in comic books to have the same style of commentary as you would have in a sporting event. But they can't not have commentators, because there is still that sporting aspect to it. I don't know, this business is complicated stuff.

 

[VintageWWE]

All the comments about Cole not calling moves during a match are uncalled for. Stop loving in the past, no one calls every move in a match anymore. This is how announcing is this day and age, they call the story not the match. If anyone watches the early years of SD you will here Cole call almost every move. So it's not his fault that moves aren't being called anymore it's Vince's fault. I myself have never understood why people criticize Cole so much. His announcing with Taz and JBL were rather good and everyone knows because you keep saying he should go back to SD. We all know SD was where Cole did his best announcing. The problem is not Cole it's Lawler. Face it Lawler makes Cole look bad and he even made JR look bad in his later years.

 

[skotch]

All the comments about Cole not calling moves during a match are uncalled for. Stop loving in the past, no one calls every move in a match anymore. This is how announcing is this day and age, they call the story not the match. If anyone watches the early years of SD you will here Cole call almost every move. So it's not his fault that moves aren't being called anymore it's Vince's fault. I myself have never understood why people criticize Cole so much. His announcing with Taz and JBL were rather good and everyone knows because you keep saying he should go back to SD. We all know SD was where Cole did his best announcing. The problem is not Cole it's Lawler. Face it Lawler makes Cole look bad and he even made JR look bad in his later years.

It's not what he doesn't say that's annoying. It's what he does say. The blame can't be put on King either, its the subtle Cole-isms that seem to diminish viewing enjoyment, which he does all on his own.