Whats the deal with Taz?

[The Shockmaster]

For the past year it had seemed that both Taz and Tenay were both face commentators, but over over the past few weeks Taz has shown a slight change in character. I have noticed more and more that Taz seems to disagree to some extent with anything that Tenay has to say.

I would say it started around the point where Somoa Joe entered the deception storyline before Bound For Glory. Since then on that matter as well as Generation Me's go for the title and Hogan and Bishoffs takeover Taz seems to find some reasoning for the heel side of the argument. Not that he is in total favor of there reasoning but seems not to totally despise there heelish actions.

Do you think that this could be leading to a possible heel turn for Taz or just the fact that he analyzes heel and face actions is just another attribute to Taz's commentary to make it more interesting in comparison to Tenay's very face persona.

 

[Kiefer-Zeus]

Taz going heel wouldn't make sense because last week Taz saved Angle from getting beat on more by Jarrett!

 

[PhD]

While we're at it, what's the deal with airline food?

But seriously, it's part of the general malaise of pro wrestling commentary; no one really wants to commit to a full-on heel-face dynamic between two commentators, so instead one is instructed to play devil's advocate to make a feud seem more interesting than it actually is. Taz is basically a c-leaugue Michael Cole if you look at it this way.

 

[snoopy]

I think Taz is trying to whole on to his spot. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a storyline to eventually replace Tenay with Joey Styles who's contract is up in The WWE fairly soon!

 

[Big Smack]

RVD is looking for one of his EV2 guys to have joined w Bischoff when maybe its Taz? Not sure what Taz would bring other than a heel announcer. I did enjoy more of Impact! tonight than usual. Reaction is just a waste, make it 30 minutes or just get rid of it.

 

[Sting's Bat]

Hope not Taz wouldnt be a very good heel commentator due to his constant screw ups, He makes Striker look great by comparason.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It sounded to me like they're simply trying to add a bit of heel flavor to Taz, who knows if it'll work or not? But to listen to him support the actions of certain heel characters or situations while condemning others is basically what WWE's done with Matt Striker and, over the past several months, Michael Cole.

Who knows? TNA might just abandon this thing with Taz last week and pretend that it never took place.

 

[boywithatoy]

I was thinking this the other day as well but I then thought knowing how tna has been lately, that I wouldn't be at all surprised if they swerved us and had Tenay go heel - yes, he's been with TNA from the start but he was also ec-wcw too

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Taz going heel wouldn't make sense because last week Taz saved Angle from getting beat on more by Jarrett!

Abyss attacked hardy just before the BFG PPV, jarrett claimed that nash and sting had their own agenda and were only in it for the money when they confronted him. It's not enough to look at somebody's actions and say they won't turn.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

It has been getting INCREASINGLY heated during the shows, and it was pretty good stuff they came out with, especially tenay, so I would actually route for it being taz joining the immortals in some way. You notice taz stood by when angle was attacked not stopping jarrett whereas tenay did all he could when he confronted jarrett, he can't stand up to the guys but taz could. Taz seems more likely to me but it's hard to call which way it may go, plus to have your play by play guy go heel, never heard of that before, very hard to execute and i don't know if TNA have the long-term intuition to pull it off.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I was thinking this the other day as well but I then thought knowing how tna has been lately, that I wouldn't be at all surprised if they swerved us and had Tenay go heel - yes, he's been with TNA from the start but he was also ec-wcw too

I really cannot see TNA dropping that earth shattering bombshell on us. Mike Tenay going heel would have little or no effect on the company. I don't think many of the fans could give two shits whether Tenay was a face or a heel. Taz on the other hand could pull off a decent heel persona. I have always liked the banter that goes on between a face commentator and his heel partner, like it was with JR and King in the Attitude era, or how Michael Cole is now.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I think Tenay and Taz are bickering because everyone else in the TNA locker room is bickering now. I think it is all apart of Bischoff and Hogan's plan to create chaos in TNA and cause people to turn against each other. I don't think that this means Taz will turn heel. Especially after he stopped Jarrett for attacking Angle a few weeks ago.

 

[The Wrestler`s Wrestler]

I don't know whats going on with Taz and quite frankly I couldn't give a $h!t If it results in Taz being kicked off the booth and being replaced with Don West, Yes that's right I SAID IT DON WEST then I for one am behind it. Heel Don West behind the booth was SOOOO refreshing when EVERYONE commentating wanted to be Mr goody two shoes while commentating

 

[Wolf Pac]

I personally hope Taz goes heel. The TNA announce team could use some flavour as right now it's just plain & bland as fuck. Taz would be like Jerry Lawler in the Attitude Era, he'd make funny ass cracks weekly. If you remember back in 2000, Taz was hilarious as a heel ring announcer during his feud with Lawler, he'll surely do a good job as a heel commentator, would be the only good thing TNA has done in a while.

Tenay can just keep accusing Taz of being crooked, in truth though Taz is not which would explain why Taz helped Angle against Jarrett but Taz finally snaps at Tenay one Impact, probably locks the Tazmission on him and does join Immortals since the faces wont believe him.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Since BFG, in certain segments of Impact shows, Taz and Tenay have been bickering with each other over issues connected to Immortals/Fortune, with Taz generally becoming agitated by Tenay asking Taz to explain himself, mis-quoting him etc.

There have been some threads concerning these two and whether or not they do a good job etc, so what do people make of this on-going situation?

Should Taz become a heel commentator, and if so, how should TNA handle it?

Will TNA draft in a third commentator to keep Taz and Tenay from getting too heated? If so, who do you think could pull it off?

Personally I think that Taz could pull this off well and as a domino effect it could make Tenay become a bit more passionate in his delivery. Saying that, I'm not bashing Tenay, I do like him, but since Taz became a commentator the two of them have been continually jovial with each other and this could freshen things up.
Thoughts?

*didn't see this thread had been started, apologies to The Shockmaster.

 

[ABMorales787]

He's not going heel. He's going... Dear God why? Real. I made a rhyme.

He's acting from a more realistic perspective, like a real color commentator should. In WWE and TNA, the color commentator tends to be a guy with wrestling experience. Who the play-by-play analyst will go for hindsight. In WWE you have Matt Striker and Jerry Lawler. In TNA you have Taz. When he speaks of a wrestler's actions, he seems to talk from his point of view. A wrestling vet's point of view. "What would I do to get ahead?" He praised Generation Me for standing up and trying to make a statement. At the same time, he cut off Jeff Jarrett after Jarrett hurt Angle's neck. Because Taz has that experience. He praises the intelligence of The Immortal's and their scheme to take over TNA but denounced Jeff Jarrett's action on Angle and Joe. Because it's how he see's it. Not because he's turning heel. Basically, it makes the commentary sound more realistic and unscripted. i guess this is what Hogan meant by "shooting more". I've been enjoying the more unscripted nature of the broadcast booth. It's beneficial. The commentator are more enthralled to the product and we don't get moment's like this:

 

[Calderownz]

Taz does a few things. He plays Devil's Advocate (which actual sports commentators normally do), giving fans both perspectives. Also, TNA, I assume, wants to have a bit of friction. Far more interesting when there is SOME edge to the commentating team. Historically, that's just common in wrestling.