Would Matt Striker be a Better Announcer Choice Than Taz?

[dwith]

Personally I like Matt. He's a smart guy and a decent wrestler with a voice.

Would I like to see him replace Taz in TNA as an announcer? Definitely!!!

Taz can't do anything because of his neck, and is very boring in my opinion.
Matt Striker can go, so you would always have that possibility of a wrestler getting into the face of an announcer and possibly seeing something happen. Makes for better programming in my view.

I am kind of sick of here TAZ say you can't touch me, I'm Teflon. I fricken hate it.

Matt Striker and the professor would be a more ideal announcing team.

Personally I think a team of Jeremy Borash and Matt striker could be golden.

So your thoughts on Matt Striker being a good fit for announcing on TNA IMPACT.?

 

[silrock316]

I assume that this thread will not be that popular so I will chime in for the helluv it.

I am a Philly boy and use to respect Tazz but he has basically been worthless for a decade now. I agree with you on Tazz. I basically don't like him. I think he is corny as can be.

I agree on Striker as well. Its not common these days to have announcers that are intelligent when it comes to in ring ability. Striker knows the moves and is a good talker.

I am for Striker joining the Impact announce team. Simply put.

 

[SuperTaco]

I think Matt Striker would be a great fit in TNA and an improvement over Taz. As you said, he is a smart man with a good voice. That alone is better than what Taz is offering, especially lately. As a bonus, Striker is a capable wrestler who can get physical. I don't see why Matt wouldn't be a better option.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

No... Matt Striker is a play by play guy, not a colour guy. It wouldn't be good, the same way Borash and Tenay aren't good together. Because they're too similar and never disagree on anything.

So the only way Striker would fit in TNA is if he replaced Tenay, which would never happen since Tenay has been with the company since day 1. Yes Taz is shit, but Striker would not be a good replacement for him at all.

 

[thebarber]

of course, Matt Striker livesd and breathes pro wrestling. He has been shackled in WWE, TNA could really use his expertise and knowledge. Taz phones it in these days, has for a while.

 

[JGlass]

A Fisher-Price Speak-N-Say would be a better announcer choice than Taz.

Matt Striker suffered from Joey Styles syndrome from time to time (over stepping his role and becoming an annoying caricature), but he's not the worst guy to ever wear a headset. I think he could be a pretty decent asset to any wrestling company.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Someone foretold a 'Striker to TNA' thread, unsurprising that they weren't wrong.

Taz needs direction, not a replacement. He does frequently wander off point and just bumbles his way through words until Tenay gets him back on track.

A complaint of Vince McMahon used to be that he would be constantly yelling into the commentators' headsets, telling them what to say and when to say it etc. It seemed that this was doing more harm than good, until Michael Cole became a heel out of seemingly nowhere and is now doing a good job as the voice of this era's WWE.

Taz without the McMahon leash has shown himself to be a distraction and directionless commentator at times but still contains the know-how and skills to be a great heel commentator.

Replacing him with Matt Striker will do nothing to push TNA forward. The audience are used to Taz, so set him up as the voice that people want to hear be proved wrong rather than replace him with someone who can give details about where a move originated from and what it is known as in Japanese or Mexican.

 

[Pedigree1]

First of all I might be in the minority here but i do like Taz but fact is he has been worthless for quite some time now. "You cant Touch Me Im Teflon (Which I think means its because of his neck he would break faster than a flute whine glass?) Anyway,Striker provides insight,knowledge of wrestlers pass and knows his craft.. Striker,would make an awesome addition to the announce team. Problem is,Tenay would have to go (Which is fine by me because fact is,Tenay to me has lost his love and passion for the business.. If Striker did replace him,Matt would absolutely bury Taz..

Taz seems to wonder off at times babbling about nothing.. So Unfortunately Tenay,would have to go in order for striker to be a commentator.. Tenay and Matt wouldnt work because they would never ever disagree on anything and that would get annoying awfully fast..

 

[Jaffa]

Just some food for thought here: What if Striker would rather be wrestling than announcing anyway?

Lets not forget that not only did he originally join WWE as an active competitor but he also just wrestled an indy show the night before. So what if he would rather be wrestling in ROH or Japan than being a commentator at TNA even if TNA wanted him in the first place (something none of us know). Now someone might say but he could wrestle in TNA, TNA has a pretty big roster as it is I doubt they would want another guy on the roster who wouldn't be wrestling that much due to the already large size of the current TNA roster.

 

[Rayne]

Striker was a passable announcer, but nothing amazing. He's not a guy you're going to redo your announce booth for. Taz has been mediocre at best in TNA, but replacing him with Matt Striker would be a lateral move, and it would appear lately that TNA isn't looking to hire every WWE employee that drives out of Stamford.

Would he be a better announcer than Taz? He already has been. Is it likely that we'll see him in the TNA announce booth? Never say never, but I will say not very likely.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't see how he could be any worse than Taz. That's not to say that Taz doesn't have his moments but, as I've said in other posts, he & Tenay remind me too much of Lawler & Cole in WWE. Sometimes, they're more interested in cracking some sort of lame joke or arguing amongst themselves over something that it helps give the impression that whatever match they happen to be calling has no relevance whatsoever.

Personally, I thought Striker did an okay job as commentator in WWE. A lot of fans did rag on the guy, sometimes justifiably so, but I thought a lot of it had to do with the fact that people were more upset that it wasn't Jim Ross. Like in WWE, however, I have a feeling that Striker would be told to follow the basic formula that TNA has generally adopted as well.

So yeah, I don't see how Striker could do any worse than Taz. Taz does have the credibility of being a former wrestler of some relevance, however. Like a lot of former ECW wrestlers, Taz has ridden his ECW legacy to earn a steady paycheck and Striker doesn't have that degree of credibility.

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

I really like Striker. I thought he did a great job while he was on commentary in WWE and it was a shame when they stopped him doing it. He showed passion for wrestling and actually knew what he was talking about. Should TNA look to hire Striker as an announcer? I don't know. On the one hand he's a good announcer and is entertaining without taking any attention away from the match, but on the other hand if it's not broken, why fix it? I don't dislike Taz, although he may not be the best announcer ever, he certainly isn't as bad as a lot of people make out. He may bring a lot of the same but that may not be entirely his fault as he can only make the best of what TNA tells him to do.

But Striker also offers a few more things other than announcing. There's always the possibility of Striker being a wrestler. He's not the best wrestler ever but he's not bad and he's pretty entertaining. Or he could be a manager for a wrestler if they aren't the best on the mic because he can definitely talk. After he stopped being an announcer for WWE, he was doing backstage interviews so that's always an option although that also is currently not needed. But Striker could be used as some kind of backstage character.

Overall Striker is very versatile in what he can do in the company, I'm sure he'll be entertaining in whatever he is chosen to be. Whether TNA hire him just as a announcer or something else I think TNA can only benefit from having Striker being a part of their company. So for me TNA should hire Striker.

 

[CMbrose Punk]

I was hoping Tenay would retire and that they brought in Todd Kennely to replace him, but it seems they're keeping that shriveled prune around awhile longer. The "Professor" was barely tolerable back in WCW when Schiavone did most of the talking. Now in TNA, I just can't stand him. Taz was better on Smackdown simply because Cole is better than Tenay. Would Matt Striker be a good replacement for Taz? No because the problem is really with Tenay. Taz isn't great by any means, or even relatively good, but replacing him isn't going to help the product at all as long as Tenay is still around. I enjoyed Striker on commentary and it sucks that he was better at his job than McMahon wanted him to be. Hopefully he can find a new place for himself in wrestling, as he seems really passionate about it, but I don't think TNA's going to be that place.

 

[Legendd]

Tazz is horrible, and yeah Striker has more knowledge, and seems way more smarter than Tazz

 

[SaveUsCMPunk]

If Striker joins TNA as an announcer or interviewer, I really hope they don't give us the *****fied version of Matt Striker that takes shit from everyone. (Which WWE has been giving us.) The guy can be a wrestler, manager, announcer and an interviewer. Personally, I'd like to see the heel Matt Striker that we've been deprived of for like four or five years.

Would he be better than Taz? Maybe. Taz isn't bad though. I don't feel that Taz is terrible in his role like some do. I do kind of miss the whole "Let the pigeons loose" deal, but find it kind of amusing how he rags on Velvet.

 

[jimmyrave]

I think Taz is terrible and anyone would be better than him. Hell, pick a random fan from the crowd and he might do better than Taz. The guy has no passion, just going through the motions and doesn't enhance the product.

I believe Matt Striker would be better, for obvious reasons. But i wouldn't hold my breath waiting for to hear him on the Impact broadcast. There are likely backstage politics that would support Taz and Tenay being in positions, maybe the old guards from ECW and WCW.

 

[jimmyrave]

Striker would also work as a manager, he seem to play the heel character quite well and is passionate about the business. I say TNA should give this guy a short term contract and see what he can bring. I also agree with CMbrose that Tenay is terrible, if I can get ride of only one, it would be Tenay over Taz.

He has the most annoying voice and it's worse when he shouts, trying to generate excitement/passion, it's comical. I'm sure Tenay would work better behind the scenes. Everytime fans tune into Impact, they see two old, fat and annoying guys welcoming them, no wonder the ratings are down.

 

[Con T.]

I think some of you are underselling just how shite Matt Striker was.

Let remind you;

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[YOUTUBE]RGIXjxP1NQE[/YOUTUBE]

That's the type of commentary I'd be embarrassed for if I were running an indy fed. There's absolutely no need for Matt Striker to come anywhere near TNA.

Oh? He can replace Taz? Well, do answer this for me.

Why in the fuck would you not use Jeremy Borash when you have him on the roster?

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

In the WWE, he wasn't able to be as good as he wanted to be on commentary. Striker's a knowledgeable guy when it comes to commentary and he can add some great insight and background when needed - something Taz simply doesn't nor ever has done.

When Striker was crappy, it wasn't because of him - it was because of what he was told to say and how he conveyed what was said. He wasn't allowed to go into detail about backgrounds of wrestlers that are little known. Vince is in his own bubble and creates his own reality, and that didn't set well with Striker, which is why he was relegated to doing occasional background work before he left.

So in short - yes Matt Striker would be a much better choice than Taz at this point.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Taz will always be my all-time favourite wrestler, but his wrestling career has been over for a decade. As a commentator, the only time I ever found him to be good was back in 2002-2003. I thought he was pretty good at informing the audience about wrestling moves and what kind of an impact it has on the anatomy and that sort of knowledge. I also liked the exchange of words between him and Michael Cole. Unfortunately, he has fallen off since then and has wandered into foreign territory with his misconstrued and in many ways, corny ramblings. I was one of the few people that was actually excited and interested when the news hit that Taz was coming to TNA. I already knew beforehand that his wrestling career was over and that his physical capacity would be vastly limited due to his injuries and his retirement. However, there was still a part of me that really crossed fingers for a possible one or two matches (sort of a Taz vs Jerry Lawler 2006, except actually physical in the ring). They gave him a kickass intro theme and video, but the hype was overcompensated for a mere commentating role. I did think his managerial role was good and should have continued. I'm not a fan of his commentary at this point, and will choose to remember him for his hungry wrestling days in ECW. Vintage! With that all being said, I do think Matt Striker would be a better replacement and should be able to fill in the gaps of Taz's incompetence in delivering consistent savvy information. And, I wouldn't mind seeing Matt Striker get in the ring himself from time to time.

 

[MrHashasheen]

Oh? He can replace Taz? Well, do answer this for me.

Why in the fuck would you not use Jeremy Borash when you have him on the roster?

Borash is already running around doing interviews, ring announcing, encouraging the fans to go to the stands, and half a dozen other things each show. Man's a damn workhorse.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I was reading that Taz contract may be coming to an end, and he made a tweet that speculated he could be interested in going back to WWE.

Taz tweet.

Couple of big wrestling shows in my "hometown" of Brooklyn! #RedHookNearBarclay — TAZ (@OfficialTAZ) June 26, 2013

and I saw this on TNAinsider.com

The mention of Barclay is obviously a reference to the Barclays Center, which will host WWE Raw for the first time on 7/15.

What is interesting about that comment is that in asking around to TNA sources this evening, PWInsider confirmed that Taz's current deal with the company is set to expire in just a few weeks. TNA is running Brooklyn on 7/5, but Taz did not specifically reference that date or venue, MCU Field, at all - instead cryptically making a reference to the Monday Night Raw taping.

Thanks for fourm member The P1 for the tip!

UPDATE: Taz has removed his Twitter comment making a cryptic reference to next month's WWE Raw taping in Brooklyn, NY.

One source contacted PWInsider.com stating that Taz's final contracted appearance for the promotion could be as soon as this Saturday's TNA Impact Wrestling taping in Las Vegas, which will tape episodes airing on 7/4 and 7/11.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I was reading that Taz contract may be coming to an end, and he made a tweet that speculated he could be interested in going back to WWE.

Taz tweet.


and I saw this on TNAinsider.com

Too sweet.

In with Striker, out with Taz? I say go for it. Matt Striker will add something that neither Taz nor Tenay know how to and that's EXCITEMENT. I can't tell you how many times my blood boils when someone like Kurt Angle hits his Olympic Slam and all we get is a nonchalant "Olympic Slam" by Tenay or "Oh" by Taz, OR absolutely nothing.

I watch the show as a casual fan, not a smark and things like that kill it for me and take me out of the experience. Matt Striker is passionate and knowledgeable and should compliment Tenay nicely. Taz, on the other hand, tends to make too many jokes. Normally I'm fine with comedy from announcers, it's why I loved Lawler back in the day, but Taz does it in important match spots, during serious matches.

I hope Taz leaves because clearly TNA has a boner for him and won't remove him from the air. Hopefully Striker follows suit. He can't be worse than Taz.

 

[Haight]

The problem with Striker as a replacement for Taz is that his personality does not lend itself to being a convincing heel. He just seems like too much of a nice guy, when what we really need is a full blown asshole...both for comedic relief as well as something to focus on during the boring matches. I don't want to hear two guys acting like best friends in the booth. This ain't basketball okay? No need to get too technical with the minutae of the match. Sometimes you need a guy who will order a pizza mid-match...or interfere with a match, or piss on Professor's parade when he gets too serious. We're
all wrestling fans here. We know the moves. Do we really need to be spoon-fed
every bit of in ring action? Now I agree that in high profile matches, it's a time
to get serious...so you bring Todd back in. in fact thats it. You reserve a guy like
Todd for those 'serious' matches. Problem solved.

I'm not saying that Taz is the best example of heel commentary. In fact I'm all for bringing in a replacement, but the replacement has got to follow the heel template
because I don't want to be bored to tears. I would like to see the replacement be able
to take bumps, be a little more spontaneous and have his heel persona be an extension of of his own personality.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I don't know about a better choice, because both are pretty shit all around.

Two main things that annoy me about Taz are his constant urges to crack these corny jokes, and his tacky sense of humor. And as a member of Aces & Eights, he's become more obnoxious and unbearable on commentary than ever, to the point where I actually feel the need to change the channel sometimes.

Matt Striker was equally annoying, as this intellectual and preppy geek with a rich vocabulary. Not 100% sure about this, because I never read anything about it, but from where I was sitting, it sounded like Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole were legit annoyed/pissed off by Striker during his commentary for CM Punk VS Rey Mysterio in that hair VS joining Straightedge Society match on PPV a while ago. Striker's antics and constant hysterical acts were just as annoying as Taz's shenanigans.

So I wouldn't see the point of bringing Striker in, if he won't be the the noticeable upgrade TNA might be looking for.