Catch Mark Madden each week on Chair Shot Reality
TOO MUCH KING-COLE
Too many times, bookers/promoters put performers in awkward situations to see how much they’ll take. To see how far a wrestler will go in the name of company loyalty or, more, accurately, to keep his/her job.
That’s clearly what’s happening to Jerry Lawler.
Keeping his feud with Michael Cole going long after interest had died down is one thing. Frequently invoking the relatively recent death of his mother is quite another.
If I’m Lawler, I don’t do it. It doesn’t matter if Lawler is “OK with it.” Lawler shouldn’t be asked to do it, period. Some things matter more than a friggin’ wrestling angle, or the greater glory of WWE. It’s not like the mention of Lawler’s mother sells one extra ticket or PPV.
This feud died once Cole wrestled. Once we saw Cole’s total lack of athleticism, that was the death knell. Plus, the citizens seem to have cooled on his character. Cole came out of the gate strong. But now it’s same old, same old.
You’ve got to watch for collateral damage, too. Spending too much time in a feud between two announcers isn’t doing anything positive for Jack Swagger.
WWE should have Natalya referee a match between Lawler and Cole. It would be the first-ever Nat King Cole match. I’m pretty sure I stole that from somewhere.
WHO’S THE LITTLE KID WITH P.S.?
Michael Hayes managing Tyson Kidd is a good idea…in theory. Kidd can’t talk; Hayes can. Kidd is inexperienced; Hayes is a legend. Kidd can work; Hayes can help refine that.
But once you see them together, it’s a joke. Hayes is too much bigger than Kidd. It looks like Hayes is taking his son to the playground. (They got playgrounds on Bad Street?) The last thing a manager should do is make his protégé look minuscule and less dangerous. Guilty on both counts.
Remember when DDMe managed Badd Company in the AWA? DDMe used to TOWER over Diamond and Tanaka. It looked SILLY, i.e., provided the template for DDMe’s career.
Anyway, Kidd needs more than a manager. He needs to be in a tag team, too. Vince would have to go REALLY old-school to make Tyson Kidd useful.
That said, Vince seems committed to giving managers a try. Arn Anderson is next out of the chute. Arn will be great. He can talk, he’s the right size, he can work, he’s still in shape. Arn could be one of the best managers EVER.
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