Pros and Cons of Mick Foley, Daniel Bryan Being Named Raw, SmackDown GM's

Mick Foley and Daniel Bryan were named the new general managers of Raw and SmackDown respectively, on July 18. The move came as a pleasant surprise to many fans, who were surely anticipating something big on the night before the WWE Draft.

They were not disappointed.

Now the debate begins as those same fans decide if all of this is a good idea. That's because while the excitement level is high, there's always a reason to be skeptical. The last brand split did not work, and some are surely wondering if that will be the case now.

Perhaps even two babyface GM's won't be able to help this time.

Both Bryan and Foley are indeed fan favorites, and both received a warm welcome during their introductions on the July 18 Raw. The split is off to a good start, as fans are being somewhat catered to from the beginning.

After all, why complicate things with one or two heel general managers that the top faces must constantly fight against?

The Authority versus everyone else is not going to work anymore, so this is the absolute best option. So while there's always a reason to be cautious, it does seem that WWE is opening on a great note with Foley and Bryan.

But there's nothing wrong with looking at both sides.

The Pros

This is precisely what fans need.

Triple H was believed to be the new general manager for Raw, because of Stephanie McMahon. This makes sense on the surface, of course, and if it had happened, it would not have been a surprise. 

But it would have been the wrong move.

The Authority running Raw into the ground again is not the answer. It's not just a sentiment used by babyfaces while in character, it's the absolute truth. Every week, a face like Bryan, or Big Show, or the Rhodes brothers, would fight against all odds, only to be destroyed by the end of the program.

The same thing happened every week.

Despite who fought against them, no one could take them down. This was not only illogical; it was also a waste of time. So the fact that Foley was the choice to run Raw may be surprising, but at least it's something fresh.

The same could be said of SmackDown, where WWE could have taken the safe route and chosen Teddy Long, or even Vickie Guerrero. Instead, the company went with the underdog, and Bryan is so loved that fans will watch on Tuesdays no matter who the top stars are in the ring.

Again, it's something fresh.

The fact that both men are faces only helps here. Heels have no common sense, so in that way, fans could never relate to them. Stephanie and Hunter holding down Bryan, the most popular Superstar since CM Punk, makes no sense. 

Popular Superstars equals ratings, which equals money. Why would they ever want Daniel out of the company?

But that is not a concern now. Mick and Daniel will be open-minded; they will weigh the good and bad of every situation and, most importantly, pop the crowd. It's not always about giving fans everything they want, but that can't ever be the last option.

Now it certainly won't be.

Bryan is back on TV, and that's a good thing. He deserves this spot, he's earned the right to have the spotlight again, and he will be an excellent fit on SmackDown live. Foley is an old favorite. He's one of the best mic workers in WWE history, and he will be funny yet relevant on Raw.

This is what happens when WWE actually puts some thought into an angle, and this angle is much too important to screw up.

The Cons

The problem here is simple: fans have seen this before.

Foley's act is not new, and while he may be entertaining, he's outdated. There can be no payoff here because everyone knows that this will not be a long-term spot for him. He's involved with the WWE Network now, and that is likely the only reason he's heading back to TV for this.

Then there's working with Stephanie.

No matter how much good Mick does on Raw, he will be shot down at every turn. Stephanie can claim that she has full trust in her GM, but nothing will be further from the truth. Eventually, Triple H will be back in the fold, and that could lead to The Game vs. Cactus Jack, possibly even at WrestleMania 33.

It may seem like a stretch to some, but perhaps not to WWE. So why go down that road again?

The Authority will win, because that's how it goes. Neither Foley nor Bryan will be able to change that, and when it comes to the Yes man, how could fans believe that the same fate would not befall him as it would Mick?

Shane is a face right now, and he's saying all the right things. But he is Vince McMahon's son, and he will eventually go back to his heel roots. When that happens, he will turn on Daniel and leave him for dead in the middle of the ring. 

So while the GM choices may seem new, they're actually predictable.

The underlying problem is that WWE believes the antagonist must be in charge while the protagonists must fight for their lives. It's been the formula since Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mister McMahon during The Attitude Era, and it's the same formula that will eventually come back to haunt the fans now.

How exactly would Daniel Bryan and Mick Foley fit into that formula?

But while the negatives exist, they cannot overtake the excitement that has set in thanks to the GM announcements on Raw. WWE is indeed attempting to get started in the right direction, and while anything can happen, there is reason to be relieved. This is not the same company that The Authority ruled; this is a company headed to bigger and better things.

It's a new day for WWE, and both Mick Foley and Daniel Bryan are key to making it all work.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.