Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 24, 2018 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 24, 2018 We've had discussions on the best authority figures before, but I'm hoping by focusing solely on General Managers, this might be a little different. It's only General Managers in consideration - no Commissioners, no Presidents, no Chairmen or Owners or guest hosts or anything else! And you can only judge them based on their career as a General Manager. Doesn't matter how good a wrestler / commentator / anything else they were or are, it's only their time as a GM that matters. And it can only be for a particular show - someone might have been a great SmackDown GM but shit on Raw, or vice versa. I'm hoping this'll make it an interesting decision to make...  For reminders, here's all the GMs there's been in WWE. See how many you remember. Raw Eric Bischoff (2002-2005) Steve Austin (2003) Mick Foley (2003, 2016-2017) Jonathan Coachman (2007) William Regal (2007-2008) Mike Adamle (2008) Shane McMahon (2008, 2016) Stephanie McMahon (2008-2009, 2016) Vickie Guerrero (2009) Bret Hart (2010) Hornswoggle via a laptop (2010-2011) John Laurinaitis (2011-2012) AJ Lee (2012) Brad Maddox (2013-2014) Kurt Angle (2017-present) SmackDown Stephanie McMahon (2002-2003) Paul Heyman (2003-2004) Kurt Angle (2004) Theodore Long (2004-2007, 2009-2012) Vickie Guerrero (2007-2009, 2011, 2013-2014) John Laurinaitis (2012) Booker T (2012-2013) Daniel Bryan (2016-present) ECW Armando Estrada (2007-2008) Theodore Long (2008-2009) Tiffany (2009-2010) NXT William Regal (2014-present) 205 Live Drake Maverick (2018-present)   That was more than I thought. I remember really liking Paul Heyman's time as SmackDown GM, but I think that was more enjoying the show than enjoying Heyman as GM. So I'd probably pick the obvious answers and have William Regal's runs on Raw and in NXT. On Raw, where the GM's a focal point for so much of the storyline antics, he made it more interesting than probably anyone else except Bischoff managed. But the position the way it's been on Raw for the past 15 years feels so old hat and pointless these days, Regal's subtle reinvention of it in NXT has resulted in probably the perfect authority figure. Short segments, never interferes too much but only when it's important, everyone respects him. They've got it spot on there.  Defenders of Teddy Long and Brad Maddox, speak thee up now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrasslin Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Tiffany will take this in a landslide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted March 24, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 24, 2018 Probably against the grain, but I did enjoy Mike Adamle when he finally embraced the bumbling, cheesy image he put across with his early mistakes. Adamle Originals FTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Your Fight Site Posted March 24, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 24, 2018 William Regal. No contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosler28 Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Regal for Raw and Teddy Long SD. Between those 2. Maybe Regal just ahead as he had comical backstage segments with Tajiri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Your Fight Site Posted March 24, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 24, 2018 12 minutes ago, Rosler28 said: Regal for Raw and Teddy Long SD. Between those 2. Maybe Regal just ahead as he had comical backstage segments with Tajiri Criteria is their career as a GM, not commissioner  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosler28 Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 6 minutes ago, Your Fight Site said: Criteria is their career as a GM, not commissioner  Whoops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrodyGraham Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Regal is the best over all. Foley would be up there for his first run if his second hadn't been so wretched. I'm really enjoying Drake Maverick and his semi comic gimmick of being simultaneously super chipper and all business, but it's early days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members PunkStep Posted March 24, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 24, 2018 Yeah it's Regal for me, he has struck the right balance in the role both as Raw Commissioner and NXT general manager. He genuinely comes across as somebody trying to run a show rather than an idiot that never has anything planned, never upstages the talent, can switch between serious and comedy with ease and is convincing as somebody knowledgeable to do the job in real life, if you want a sense of legitimacy in the role. Also good: Foley (2000), Bischoff, Heyman. Vickie had her moments, as did the anonymous Raw GM- if only to get heat on Maggle. AJ Lee and Brad Maddox as GM- the fuck was that all about?? I forgot about their tenures until I read that list. The rest range from ok to downright awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 24, 2018 Author Awards Moderator Share Posted March 24, 2018 I limited this to GMs purely so nobody mentioned Foley in 2000 - he was Commissioner not GM! Different thing! Well, it’s the exact same thing really, but different name! Name! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Tommy! Posted March 24, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 24, 2018 Willy Regal, switching the bloody lights off and generally being bloody ace. That said I do love a tag team match, playa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 I always enjoyed Stephanie as gm in 02 on smackdown unlike today she wasn’t overbearing as a sort of face also love regal now on nxt what a gm should be not shoved down our throats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Maestro Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 I didn't watch the Regal era of bring a GM so I'd pick Bischoff as my favourite. Such a smarmy heel and perfect in his role. Potentially, the anonymous GM could have been something great until the Hornswoggle reveal. Vickie had her moments too. The worst have got to be Big Johnny and Brad Maddox. Awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby dazzler Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Mick Foley was also the first, last and only GM of Saturday Morning Slam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted March 25, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 25, 2018 14 hours ago, Tommy! said: Willy Regal, switching the bloody lights off and generally being bloody ace. Wow, I’d completely forgotten about that. Wasn’t he getting mega heat week in and week out, only for everything to go tits up when he got busted for drugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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