Michael Cole-- Effective Heel or Annoying Little Twit?

Most would agree that the current WWE roster is running very thin.  It is a tell-tale sign when the two heels getting the most heat are a ring announcer and a female manager whose tag line is "Excuse me!"  Both get strong reactions but are they the right reactions?  Michael Cole: is he effective or is he a cheap heat magnet?

HER:  This topic is so easy for me.  Michael Cole is cheap heat personified.  I understand the concept WWE is trying to get across with him.  It's just going on forever.  He's past the point of being good heat for me.  Now, he's just annoying and I want him OFF my screen.

HIM:  I would have to disagree and say that Michael Cole has become a legitimate heel.  The thing about Cole's effectiveness that is hard to comprehend is his position in the company.  What I mean is, we usually associate heels with wrestlers, managers, or valets.  Never in the history of wrestling have we seen a commentator (who is supposed to be as unbiased as the referee, ring announcer, or bell ringer) become one of the most hated people on tv.  That's the shock appeal of it, it's so untraditional that many aren't sure how to accept it or what to do with it.

HER:  I grew up old school.  I've seen effective heel commentators.  I've watched Jesse the Body, Bobby the Brain Heenan, Jerry Lawler, and others play the heel commentator quite well.  Cole was intriguing to watch in the beginning.  I was willing to play along.  Somewhere along the way he took over my entire viewing time.  I am not a big fan of the frat boy either... whatever his name is.  I want Lawler and Jim Ross back.  Those two can call a match and make it mean something.  I don't want Michael Cole using every second of air time to get himself over.

HIM:  The fact is "old school" is simply not the angle that the WWE chooses to take now.  You see, Cole has become a heel almost out of necessity.  For whatever reason, today's WWE fan is not so easily influenced by anyone.  WWE would love for Cena to be their flag-ship, but they can't make that happen.  Heck, they are even starting to cheer The Miz.  I don't know if the fans are smarter now or if they just think for themselves, but I give the creative genius of Vince McMahon all due credit.  He's got to find somebody the fans will boo, and he's not afraid to let it be someone that most would never use in that role.

HER:  The problem I forsee is the thin line between wanting to see the heel get what it coming to him and just not caring.  The Michael Cole stuff has gone on too long.  Yeah, it would have been GREAT to see Lawler beat him at WrestleMania and let that be done.  Now, I just want to turn the channel when he is on.  That should not be the reaction your top heel gets.  Vince should want to build ratings, not lose them.

HIM:  I don't know if I totally agree with that.  My thought is the fact that you are taking a position of utter hatred for Michael Cole shows that he is, indeed, accomplishing his mission of being a top heel.  Whoever the other heels in the WWE might be are not getting the publicity that Cole is getting.  I don't see this angle going away.  I think Vince knows that he has a legitimate guy that people will watch just to see if he "gets his" this week.  I mean, the segment with him and Lawler was hilarious, and I bet that he will come out Monday night and continue to terrorize Lawler.  While this happens, the average fan will not turn the channel but will stay glued to see what Lawler can do to him this week.

HER:  I don't know that I agree the segment was hilarious.  Granted, I can't give a complete review of it.  I didn't watch it.  I don't watch Michael Cole.  However, by the accounts I've heard he resorted to cheap heat.  He goaded Lawler about his dead mother.  Now, I have no problem if he cleared that with Lawler first. I just find it a very cheap, not creative way, to get heat.  I don't like Michael Cole.  He doesn't make me want to watch RAW.  I usually walk away during his segments.  I don't love to hate Michael Cole.  I just don't want to see him on my tv.  I find him annoying.  I find him to be a mediocre announcer who was, at best, able to muddle his way through a match.  I think Swagger is wasted in his role as Cole's bodyguard.  What does it really mean for Jack Swagger to beat up two Hall of Fame announcers?  I am frankly getting bored by Michael Cole and Jack Swagger.  If they were to suddenly leave the WWE, I would not miss them.  Maybe then the creative genius of Vince McMahon would man up, realize he made a mistake, and bring back the best announcing team to get over his product, Ross and Lawler.

HIM: Alas, there is finally agreement in the divided house.  I concede that Michael Cole is a mediocre announcer at best.  Luckily for him, his role is not to announce anymore.  His role is to be the number one heel in all of sports entertainment.  As a heel, he is bigger than Vickie, Alberto, Miz, CM Punk, and the Corre all rolled into one.  As this article clearly proves, people love to disdain Michael Cole, and in my opinion, that is what a heel does.  He makes the public despise him.  Congrats to Vince on finding the most ominous heel of all time.  And I also give credit to Cole for being really good at his job.... as previously stated, not his commentary.

HER:  My advice to Vince would be a little different.  You, my friend, are in trouble when you have to utilize an announcer for your most over heel in the company.  Again, my feelings would be different if I didn't want to turn off the tv when he comes on.  It would be a different view point if I was interested enough to want to see Cole get what was coming to him.  Alas, I just don't care.  I use his segments to channel surf.  Is that really what your intention is during the Michael Cole segments?  Give me Ross and Lawler to announce.  If you want Cole as a heel, then make him a manager.  I want my announcers to enhance my wrestling not try to become the show.

Coming Soon: Michael Cole-- Effective Heel or Annoying Cheap Heat?

Join us tomorrow as we debate Michael Cole's effectiveness in his heel role in WWE.