Voices on the Breeze: An Appreciation for Wrestling Commentators

When people think of wrestling, the first thing that comes to mind is the wrestlers themselves.

I mean, why not?

They are the athletes who spend every waking moment of their days trying to entertain the fans who love and respect them so much.

Wrestlers deserve all the recognition in the world for what they do, but what about the others?

The commentators.

You may think, "OK, so what? They just say what we're all seeing." Think about it for a moment.

Could you really imagine wrestling without the voices and characters behind the booth, giving us memorable hooks, classic comedy, and tragic turns of events?

I know I certainly couldn't.

These men helped draw me into wrestling in the first place. They helped me to believe what I was seeing.

The beginning of commentary

One of the first major teams in wrestling history was the legendary WWF combination of Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura in the early 1980's. Both were retired in-ring competitors, they brought knowledge, wisdom and personal memories to the table.

These two commentators became the blueprint for almost every team that has been featured since. The classic Heel/Face sidings started with these men.

Monsoon was the voice of the fans, the voice of reason. He was able to relate to the stars in a way that had never been seen before, as he had the charisma and wit that pulled people in close and made them hang on his every word.

As with chalk and cheese, every face needs a heel, and this was no exception. On the other side of the announcer's table was the colourful Jesse 'The Body' Ventura. His commentary style was a direct extension from his own wrestling persona, yet he would still give credit where it was due to many of the younger stars of tomorrow.

With the intense chemistry that these two possessed, it was no surprise that many current commentators cite them as their inspiration and the basis of their work.

Seriousness, comedy, arguments, and laughs. These two shared them all with the fans. Something that was appreciated then, and something that is still appreciated now.

Memorable commentators and teams

Every wrestling promotion has their own unique announcer teams. Some used to fly solo, others were part of three-man teams, but that never took away from what they did.

Some of them were better than others (Looking at you, Mike Adamle!), but they were all important in their own little ways:

Joey Styles

The original voice of ECW. The innovator of the "OH MY GOD."

In the beginning, he was the sole commentator for much of ECW's tenure of the wrestling scene. He gained the honour of being the first man to commentate on a full PPV by himself. 

Yet, he could still hold his own.

His insightful stories, his natural ability and his world famous catchphrase made him one of the most recognisable voices in the professional wrestling world.

At the start of the current ECW revival, he was brought back to his announcing post with a partner in Tazz.

They helped to catch the timeless essence of ECW's spirit and share it with today's more unknowing fans, trying to keep the memory of ECW alive for future generations.

He was the perfect compliment to Tazz's brutal style of commentary, developing his own voice in a cramped world. This, I thank him for.

Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan

WCW's main announcing team usually featured one or all of these men at some point or another.

That was one of the only things that WCW fans could be sure of.

They represented a new breed of commentator. Although still focused on the match at hand, they would also play a part in many of WCW's finest moments, as well as their biggest slip ups.

They all brought their own different style to the broadcast booth: Heenan's experience of the business, Tenay's unparalleled intellect and Schiavone's freshness made for a memorable show every time.

All three men were also prone to gaffes, making them comedic as half of the wrestlers that were featured.

Bobby Heenan's tantrum on set that led to him facing the opposite way half the evening was a classic moment.

But then, so was Schaivone's now famous "That'll put butts on seats" remark to Mick Foley winning the WWF title. Bet he won't forget that in a hurry.

Mike Tenay and Don West

Another promotion, another partner for Tenay, but this one was full of attitude and in-your-face arrogance. TNA's past, current and future commentators have had the privilege of calling every match in the history of TNA, from the King of the Mountain matches to the Knockouts.

It was Mike Tenay who had the honour of documenting the Hogan/TNA collision to all the fans in the asylum. It is Don West who has my ear drums bleeding every five minutes with shouts of "That was freakin' INSANE!" for every elbow that was hit.

Yet, when these two are together, they have an incredible chemistry that has made viewers stick to them like glue, listening to almost every word that they pass between each other.

There are hints of sarcasm and wit, moments of stupidity, and sheer humility that have most people like myself anticipating their every move.

You may not like them, but you have to respect them.

JR and The King

If there was a recipe for the greatest announcer team of all time, then these two legends would be the end product.

Ever since I started watching wrestling, JR and Jerry Lawler have provided me with some of the most memorable WWE moments that i have ever heard.  

Recreating the original magic of Monsoon and Ventura, this team has hooked everybody with their amusing stories, creative ideas, and downright perfect calling of match psychology.

Could you imagine Wrestlemania without a whole farm of puppies and government mules?

They can both play the face and the heel with pinpoint accuracy. They can both play off the fans and more importantly, each other, to provide the best commentary ever to grace our screens.

Together, they personify the meaning of the term "announcer team", and we wouldn't have it any other way. So think about it the next time you switch on wrestling, whether it be WWE, TNA, ROH, or some other promotion.

Is it just the wrestlers who tell the story?

Is it just the wrestlers who hone their craft?

Is it just the wrestlers who provide memories of a lifetime?

Or is the commentary team that need their long overdue credit?

Would wrestling be the same if announce teams weren't there? If they didn't work their butts off to give us their side of the story too?

It's time that they got what they deserved, and that's a thank you for the memories.