10 Ways WWE Can Save Its Floundering Product

10. New Commentary Teams

I think a lot of people really underestimate how wrestling commentary can affect your enjoyment, or lack thereof, when you watch a show. Right now, the team of Michael Cole, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and JBL just isn't cutting it for me, and I know I'm nowhere near the only person who feels that way. I've been very tough on Michael Cole in the past, but if I'm being completely honest, he really isn't all that bad when he just calls matches and isn't playing a completely over-the-top heel character that made people mute their televisions every Monday night, if not tune out altogether. Sure, he continues to have some issues conveying genuine-sounding emotion like Jim Ross used to do, but he's serviceable in his role. Jerry Lawler has been on a decline for a long, long time now. Even the biggest Lawler supporters would admit his commentary was much better when he was a heel than when he's a face. On top of that, his humor is more suited for Attitude Era viewing. When you add that up, he is almost completely neutered in his current role. To his credit, though, he remains as over as ever with live crowds all over the globe, and that might make it tough to remove him. JBL, though... man... JBL has been downright atrocious since returning to the proverbial booth. He repeats the same lines over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, argues with everything that Cole or Lawler say (no matter if they're being pro-face or pro-heel with what they're saying), sounds like a robot who is reading cue cards, and isn't bringing anything relevant to the table. In his first stint on commentary, he was much better. Sure, he was a loudmouth who liked to argue, fitting his reputation as a bully, but he had passion, and he was good as the "commentator who used to wrestle, so he can provide a different insight as to why wrestlers do what they do". This time around, it really seems like he's just there to collect a pay check. He has to go. Now that the New Age Outlaws aren't wrestling anymore, I think it's beyond time for Road Dogg to join the commentary team. During the recent NAO nostalgia run, the D-O-Double-G proved that he is still one of the better "talkers" on the roster, and he continues to have a sharp wit about him that could/would/should translate well on commentary. He can replace JBL if the company insists on having a three-man team. I also love William Regal for the job, as his commentary on NXT is fantastic, and his style would probably mesh better with Lawler than Road Dogg, who is often using similar styles of humor, but with Dogg already on the road every Monday night, he'd be an easier transition. Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton do a good job on NXT, as well, and I wouldn't mind giving them a chance to handle the duties on Smackdown, perhaps with Road Dogg again. This would give us some fresh commentary, have less opportunities to see things get stale, and perhaps would be a start to making WWE programming more enjoyable again.