Michael Cole (wrestling): Difference between revisions
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==WWF/WWE Career== |
==WWF/WWE Career== |
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Coulthard came to the World Wrestling Federation in [[1997]] and started using the stage name Michael Cole. He became the host of the old ''[[WWF LiveWire|LiveWire]]'' show alongside [[Jim Cornette]] and a backstage interviewer. In [[1999]], Cole became the regular play-by-play announcer for ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'' subbing for Jim Ross when Ross became stricken with an episode of [[Bell's palsy]]. When the promotion's new ''SmackDown!'' television program debuted later that year, Cole was chosen to be the show's play-by-play announcer. Originally his broadcast partner was [[Jerry "The King" Lawler]] but Lawler was replaced by [[Tazz]] |
Coulthard came to the World Wrestling Federation in [[1997]] and started using the stage name Michael Cole. He became the host of the old ''[[WWF LiveWire|LiveWire]]'' show alongside [[Jim Cornette]] and a backstage interviewer. In [[1999]], Cole became the regular play-by-play announcer for ''[[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]]'' subbing for Jim Ross when Ross became stricken with an episode of [[Bell's palsy]]. When the promotion's new ''SmackDown!'' television program debuted later that year, Cole was chosen to be the show's play-by-play announcer. Originally his broadcast partner was [[Jerry "The King" Lawler]] but Lawler was replaced by [[Tazz]] during the WWF vs. WCW/ECW [[The Invasion|invasion storyline]]. Tazz gave Cole the [[nickname]] "The Big Dog", but the name was immediately dropped after three weeks. Cole also had a stint doing commentary on ''SmackDown!'''s old sister show ''[[WWE Velocity]]''. |
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As announcer, Cole is rarely involved in [[angle (professional wrestling)|storylines]]. However, he has had minor roles in storylines involving [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], [[John Cena]] and [[Jon Heidenreich|Heidenreich]]. He also appeared in the ''[[Taxi Driver]]'' [[parody]] trailer in promotion of ''[[WrestleMania 21]]''. |
As announcer, Cole is rarely involved in [[angle (professional wrestling)|storylines]]. However, he has had minor roles in storylines involving [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], [[John Cena]] and [[Jon Heidenreich|Heidenreich]]. He also appeared in the ''[[Taxi Driver]]'' [[parody]] trailer in promotion of ''[[WrestleMania 21]]''. |
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Revision as of 22:01, 17 November 2006
| Michael Sean Coulthard | |
|---|---|
| File:Michael cole.jpg | |
| Born | December 8 1968 Sharon, Connecticut |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Michael Cole |
| Billed height | 5 ft (152 cm) 7 |
| Billed weight | 176 lb (80 kg) |
| Debut | 1997 |
Michael Sean Coulthard (born December 8 1968) better known by his stage name of Michael Cole is the current play-by-play announcer for World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown!. John "Bradshaw" Layfield is his color commentator.
Journalism career
Prior to becoming a WWF announcer, Coulthard was a journalist with CBS Radio. In 1993, he was sent to the Branch Davidian church in Waco to cover the entire 51-day siege and resulting conflagration.
In 1994, Coulthard was sent to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina for what was supposedly a six-week assignment covering the war-time siege by Serbian forces, but it turned out to be a nine-month stay, which would change his life. He would report daily from the city, narrowly escaping bullets and bombs. His documentary, titled Voices of Bosnia, has won several awards.
Experienced in covering tragic events, in 1995 Coulthard was sent to Oklahoma City after the bombing by Timothy McVeigh at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which took the lives of 168 people.
Coulthard also covered three presidential elections - in 1988 with Michael Dukakis, in 1992 with Bill Clinton, and in 1996 with Steve Forbes and Bob Dole.
WWF/WWE Career
Coulthard came to the World Wrestling Federation in 1997 and started using the stage name Michael Cole. He became the host of the old LiveWire show alongside Jim Cornette and a backstage interviewer. In 1999, Cole became the regular play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Raw subbing for Jim Ross when Ross became stricken with an episode of Bell's palsy. When the promotion's new SmackDown! television program debuted later that year, Cole was chosen to be the show's play-by-play announcer. Originally his broadcast partner was Jerry "The King" Lawler but Lawler was replaced by Tazz during the WWF vs. WCW/ECW invasion storyline. Tazz gave Cole the nickname "The Big Dog", but the name was immediately dropped after three weeks. Cole also had a stint doing commentary on SmackDown!'s old sister show WWE Velocity.
As announcer, Cole is rarely involved in storylines. However, he has had minor roles in storylines involving Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena and Heidenreich. He also appeared in the Taxi Driver parody trailer in promotion of WrestleMania 21.
Cole was a commentator at the 2006 Royal Rumble match because Ross, who had commentated the last three Royal Rumble matches with Tazz, had been "fired" in the storylines and replaced by former ECW play-by-play man Joey Styles. Cole commentated in Styles's place.
On February 3 2006, it was announced that he and Tazz were starting a radio show on Howard Stern's Howard 101 radio station on Sirius, airing Thursday - Sunday at 8pm. The show was a trial run that only lasted a couple of weeks.
On April 26 2006, WWE announced that Cole would become a Managing Editor for WWE.com. Shortly after Cole became Managing Editor for WWE.com, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon told shareholders in a meeting held on September 14 that he believes that the website "sucks". In response, Cole replied on WWE.com about updated content for the website: a broadband network with original web-only shows have been scheduled for October, with a new mobile offering, a re-vamped subscription site and more exclusive videos and photos. Cole went on to say that "So in summary, the web site does suck, compared to where we are going to take it, but it won’t suck for long. Wish I could say the same for the boss." Whether Cole's final comment about McMahon was either kayfabe or legit is unclear. [1]
On the June 9 edition of SmackDown!, Cole's broadcast partner Tazz defected to ECW, leaving Cole at that moment without a broadcast partner. At ECW One Night Stand 2006 John "Bradshaw" Layfield announced he would replace Tazz as color commentator. This proved true five days later when he appeared on that weeks edition of SmackDown! as Cole's new broadcast partner.
External links
