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WWE News
WWE News: Another announcing shuffle in WWE at tonight's Smackdown/ECW taping (w/Keller Analysis) Aug 5, 2008 - 8:33:30 PM
Matt Striker has joined Tod Grisham on commentary for tonight's ECW telecast. Tazz has shifted to announcing Smackdown with Jim Ross. This probably isn't a permanent change, but until ECW airs, it won't be clear. It's probably a case of Mick Foley sitting out a week to sell the angle with Edge last week. It could also be a tryout for Striker should Foley leave WWE when his contract expired this fall (details of which prowrestling.net reported first this week).
Keller's Analysis:: Grisham benefited from working with a polished, experienced pro like Tazz in his first week as a national play-by-play host, and now he's thrown into a situation with an inexperienced color commentator in Striker. Not an ideal situation. Why not just have Tazz do double-duty? Ross and Tazz should be a good pairing. It'll be the third announcer Tazz has worked with for a full program in a three week span. If Foley leaves WWE this fall, the Ross/Tazz announcing that airs on Friday could end up being a rehearsal of sorts and a sign of things to come. Meanwhile, it could be something that saves Striker's job in the long-run were WWE to ever lose interest in him as a wrestler/manager, but sees value in him as a utility color commentator or even a replacement for Tazz on ECW should Tazz move to Smackdown permanently.
[Thanks to PWTorch reader Kevin Hensley]
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