We had the "firing", is it time to move on from....

[chicagokmc]

Brad Maddox, after his beatdown for interfering in the Shield/Evolution program, was "fired yesterday. Hmmm...I had forgotten Maddox was even around until the announcers mentioned last week that he was the one who let the Shield come to the ring as guest commentators. And who didn't know what his fate was going to be once we were told he did something directly defying HHH? His tenure as Raw GM was less than memorable. But in the current set up, the GM position in general hasn't been useful. With the Authority on TV almost every episode, the GM role is nothing more than a mid manager stooge who either follow direct orders from the McMahons or is guided to make the decisions that the McMahons want made. Even weak Corporate Kane was seen as more important and higher ranking than the GM.

Is it time to just phase out the position of program General Manager? I think as long as we're in the Authority era, it just isn't needed. Plus we've already been thru several iterations of "Who's going to be the next GM?" including months of matches being booked by a laptop. I don't think GM search will hold interest any more. Thoughts?

 

[OYDK]

Well, I think you hit the nail on the head. A GM is not needed as long as The Authority are regulars on Raw and Smackdown because there is really no point... Anything the GM does can just be refuted by HHH and Steph so why even hire one when you can just make all the decisions yourself? The only way having a GM works is, if the GM is given equal amount or MORE power than The Authority because then we actually have a power struggle similar to Shawn Michaels' brief tenure as WWF Commish, but keeping the GM as The Authorities lapdog? Pass.

 

[laodaron]

Sting sans facepaint coming in as the New Face GM as a counter to The Authority culminating with a HHH vs. Sting at WM31 is the only way that I would accept a new Raw GM.

 

[ECPirate37]

Sting sans facepaint coming in as the New Face GM as a counter to The Authority culminating with a HHH vs. Sting at WM31 is the only way that I would accept a new Raw GM.

GREAT Idea! I always thought Sting was the best GM that Impact has had. At this stage of his career, that is a brilliant way to book him.

 

[Attitude_Era_Guy]

Well, there is no point in GMs if the Authority makes every single decision.
_______________________________________________________________
RVD, CM Punk, and Chris Jericho.

 

[MCMG]

The Authority are fine in the role they do but having an extra person gives them more options. Having Maddox, for example, is useful. It means things can go against The Authority and in favour of face wrestlers. A few months ago they were trying act as both heel and face and it didn't work.

Even during the Attitude Era when McMahon was on top there was often a commissioner giving them better options. I don't think they would "fire" Maddox without having a plan. He is useful and this could end his career so they must have a new manager in mind. I really fear it will be Hogan. It would be horrible, of course, but I could see them doing it.

The GM position can be useful but I understand not having one. If it was someone like William Regal or Booker T, I would be interested but that's about it. Hogan or Vickie would be the worst thing they could do.

 

[chicagokmc]

I understand from a storyline standpoint why they have that position. HHH/Steph are upper management and the GM who books matches and other lower level things is really a mid management role. I just don't think it needs to be an on air role any more. We don't need to be subjected to a GM search and we don't need a flunky on camera every week parroting the Authority or trying to defy the Authority and ending up on the bad end of a Kane beatdown.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Personally, I'm burned out on the GM angle. It's one that's been consistently going on in multiple promotions for years and there's just nothing fresh to be done with it. Considering that Triple H & Stephanie are on television regularly and have been for the better part of a year, I see no reason for a GM. All that Brad Maddox & Vickie Guerrero have been in their presence are a couple of sniveling toadies/gofers and I just don't see what purpose it serves. It's not like seeing them treated like medieval serfs or being smacked around on the orders of Trips and/or Stephanie makes them look sympathetic or puts heat on The Authority.

 

[rbv13]

I've been spent on the GM position for five or ten years now. Its always the same old shit.

However if they must bring Flair and Sting in, and this is a big if, I guess I could stand each taking over the GM role of RAW and SD!. If they could have power to protect their Brands it might tickle a few nut sacks. If they must use them I'm ok, not in love, with it.

 

[Dagger Dias]

It is definitely time to move on from the General Manager characters. Between Trips, Stephanie, and Kane, there is no need for one. Maddox really brought nothing to the table as General Manager that Kane couldn't do as the Director of Operations. Then you have Vickie Guerrero who has more than worn out their welcome in the GM position. Going forward the only authority figure (for lack of a better word) we need are the members of The Authority. The GM thing ran its course, let's just move on now.

 

[MC_Live]

The Authority figure in general is overplayed. I think WWE should to go back to 80's era bosses (i.e. President Jack Tunney) where the boss was seldom seen or heard from, and only occasionally made himself known to settle certain disputes. The on screen authority figure was good and useful till about 2006. Vince was good. Mick Foley and William Regal were good Commissioners, and Bischoff, Heyman, and even Austin were good GM's. Since then the role has really fallen by the wayside. Maddox and Guerrero have been completely useless lackeys for Triple H and Stephanie for about a year now. I can accept Triple H, Stephanie, and Vince as on screen authority figures since they own most of the company stock. But other than them, there is no need for any other figure such as a GM.

 

[kadroan]

They should get rid of GM's period. Hell Vickie isn't even a presence on Smackdown as GM. They're just figureheads these days since The Authority runs WWE.

I'm guessing Kane is no longer Director of Operations because they never explained in depth the future of his position.

 

[dhines1671]

The WWE likes to keep a GM even with The Authority around. House shows is the main reason. The GM can come out and say by order of the COO HHH, and Stephanie McMahon, one of the principal owns of the WWE: blah blah blah.

HHH and Steph don't have to appear in BFE, USA.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It's time to but they won't... the fact they are polling means they are not done with it and this is clearly Hogan's future role but over the whole WWE rather than one show...

I'm ambivalent over it, when it's done well like Regal or Bischoff/Heyman it's a brilliant device. When it's done badly like the Authority, Vicki/Teddy/Maddox/everyone for the last 5 years then it's a barrier to good TV.

Personally I think the right thing to do is make Sting the authority figure, get him hin on that basis as a "new broom" with no grudges etc... even do it as Steve Borden. Once he gets pushed to the limit then he can be Sting and "use" his power to make whatever match he has before resigning.

The problem is that it's basically become a shortcut rather than them thinking of logical and exciting stories. Jack Tunney got wheeled out 3 or 4 times in 5 years... Monsoon/Piper/Slaughter a little bit more often but guys like Regal made the role work both times... shutting down RAW was a masterpiece as was moments like the "besmirching" but Regal was never a barrier or making it about him, he was there as a device... Bischoff and Heyman's rivalry at the draft is another example of how it CAN be done brilliantly. But the genie is out of the bottle now, we know it's the Trips and Steph show... we know if they ever get Shane back he'll probably be the "president" but the problem is that the McMahon's like starring in their own show... till they get over that we're gonna be stuck with GM's being hired and fired.

 

[Jericho91]

This is the problem with this stupid "Creative" team. They can't be organized with people's roles for the show and lack consistency as usual. Brad Is the most boring Raw GM I've ever seen in my life. He's barely involved on a weekly basis and isn't anywhere near portrayed as a person that can take charge like how Bischoff, Paul Heyman, Kurt Angle or Stone Cold did back in their times. I rather have Vince show up and yell YOU'RE FIRED instead of Stephanie's boring crap. If you watch a clip on how Kurt Angle got fired and compare it to today's pathetic unentertaining segment of a GM getting fired you'll notice how the level of entertainment went from very high to the lowest bottom of the pit. I'm sure a lot of fans even forgot he was a GM. Very pointless angle and it never helped Brad Maddox gain anything from the audience in general.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I like the idea of having a figurehead "run" the show, being a puppet for The Authority. It has a real conspiracy feel to it. The problem is, the entire position becomes useless, because Triple H and Stephanie are kayfabe running the day-to-day operations of Raw and Smackdown. They're already effectively the new GMs.

 

[bioshock]

I never have been a fan of the GM role, I'd prefer something like Jack Tunney in a kayfabe "president" role thats unbias. Maybe put a solid legend in that role, like Ted Dibiase, Pat Paterson, or which ever old timer they could find, besides a goof like Foley.

But since I don't think that will happen again, I wouldn't mind if Vince finally returned, as a face to say hes sick of Triple H and Steph running rough shot over everyone, so hes going to name the next GM, names someone like HBK and gives him as much control as possible. Let that all build into something big.