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ASK PWTORCH STAFF for 10/10: Will Rock have more of a feud with Rusev? Why is the Wyatt Family on the back-burned? Is Big Show the best giant of all-time? What's wrong with Michael Cole's announcing?

Oct 10, 2014 - 9:25:12 PM
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Pro Wrestling Torch was established in 1987 by Wade Keller. One of the primary traits PWTorch has been credited with over the years is assembling the best and most diverse staff of columnists with broad knowledge, but also areas of specialty where they have a particularly strong grasp of history. Every day PWTorch.com presents that team of writers answering your questions, some of which are fact-based and others of which are opinion-based. Either way, we've got you covered with Bruce Mitchell, Pat McNeill, Sean Radican, Greg Parks, James Caldwell, and Wade Keller. Collectively they have over 80 years working for the Torch, writing about wrestling and studying industry history and trends.

If you have a question you'd like us to respond to, send your question to askpwtorch@gmail.com. I, along with the Torch staff, will address you questions in this feature and also the “Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel” edition which is also published most days here at PWTorch.

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PWTorch reader Iain from Edinburgh, Scotland asks: Hi guys. Many thanks for answering my last question. I hope you can answer this one, too. The poor commentary on WWE programming has been a long standing and much bemoaned issue. Without doubt the product is being damaged by the lack of passion shown by Michael Cole et al. Would there ever be a point where, say, Cole would express Gorilla Monsoon or Jim Ross levels of moral outrage over a heel cheating or Rusev & Lana running down the USA without being told to by his producer simply because he knows that's what's missing and what a particular angle needs? Or if he did that, would he get hooked at the next commercial break? I just think it's potentially such an important part of the stories that simply is not being utilized these days. Thanks for all your hard work over the years, guys, with hopefully many more to come.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I've seen Michael Cole be very good when produced a certain way. And when produced differently, I've seen him come off very poorly, along with the rest of the announce team when they're not produced properly. I think it all comes down to Vince McMahon being in their headsets and producing them the way he sees fit and, right now, the announce team is coming across terribly. If you want to hear Cole at the top of his game, listen to his call of Mick Foley's first title win on Raw. It was brilliant and passionate and everything his announcing is missing today. I wrote about how the announce team damaged the Bo Dallas character to WWE's audience watching at home. JBL championed Dallas as a hero as he should as a heel commentator, but Cole and Lawler didn't express any outrage. I agree that the announcers should express more outrage when a heel cheats or when Lana & Rusev are in the ring cutting a promo, but it simply doesn't happen often enough and it's damaging their product.

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: Look, Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn like Michael Cole. But Cole didn't get to where he is today by second-guessing his bosses too often. I agree that WWE needs an announcer who is the "voice of the fans" and expresses outrage at what the heels are doing. But Vince McMahon doesn't see pro wrestling that way. Unfortunately, Jerry Lawler is left to do that job, and he's often fighting an uphill battle.

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PWTorch reader Phil L. asks: As always, you guys do a fine job with the site. I have a non-NXT question (imagine that!). What are your thoughts on the Paul Wight's place in wrestling history? Multi-time world champ, a huge guy that has been able to pull off impressive and agile moves for a guy of his size, a character that's evolved with the changing times, a team player. Is he the best giant ever? He probably hasn't drawn money like Andre did, but is a much better wrestler with similar charisma. Where does he stand in your eyes?

PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill answers: Paul Wight has been wrestling for almost 20 years. He is one of the WCW imports who managed to learn the WWE style. However, the one time WWE put him on top as its main guy, Vince McMahon changed his mind, and went back to Triple H within 60 days. Both WCW and WWE have used Show as a main eventer who occasionally ends up in the top feud. I think Show has done a lot of things well, but I don't think he's the best giant ever. WWE hasn't really treated Show like a giant. They've treated him like a really big guy. Plus, the promotion hasn't protected Show's mystique in the same way they protect, say, The Rock or The Undertaker.

PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell answers: Off the top of my head - better, more effective Giants at the box office and/or in the ring than Big Show - Don Leo Jonathan, Killer Kowalski, Andre, Giant Baba, Ernie Ladd, Vader, Stan Hansen, and Bruiser Brody... Big Show was and is an effective semi-main eventer who, unfortunately for his career, couldn't stay fresh by traveling around to different major league promotions after a short stay in each. Since he was on TV for years all the time, his size became much more ho-hum. For the most part he did a good job adjusting to the demands of his era, but he doesn't even enter in to the conversation of greatest big man ever.

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PWTorch reader R. Jack asks: Is the Rock's return a one time deal, or is he here to feud with Rusev?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: Without knowing for sure, I would say it's a one-time deal.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: It would be a pretty good WrestleMania 31 match for Rock. He could beat the foreign menace in a triumphant WrestleMania moment that doesn't involve the World Title (he shouldn't be in the mix anymore since he's obviously a huge movie star just occasionally showing up in WWE). He and Lana had a great chemistry playing off of each other on Monday, so I'd like to see more of it. And he could work a "safe" match where he wouldn't be at any more risk of an injury than many other basic recreational activities since the spectacle of it would be enough rather than having to deliver a full-fledged main event match. All of that said, I think it was a one-off. I think Rock has better things - i.e. more lucrative - than working a third or fourth from the top match at WrestleMania.

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PWTorch reader Cody B. asks: Do you think Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt Family are on the back burner because they are a three man team and the WWE wants to play out the break up of the Shield as the best three man stable today? Would a long-bearded Kevin Steen make a good member of the Wyatt family?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: I don't know if that's the reason the Wyatts have taken a back seat. They've been at the forefront of some major feuds lately, so maybe WWE is just rotating through with other guys, as they are wont to do. I wouldn't put Steen with the Wyatts. I don't really see the fit there.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I'm more open to Steen in the Wyatts than Greg, but I think Steen is probably going to carve out his own niche given how strong of a personality he has. The Wyatts were kind of out of the mix for a few weeks, but mostly to figure out what to do and build some anticipation. I think Bray is a gimmick that's better coming in fits and stops. If he's on every week wrestling and cutting promos, it overexposes his creepy mystique and he becomes too ordinary. I'm intrigued by the vignettes the last two weeks for Harper and Rowan.

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