Why I Love Wrestling: Paul Heyman
Throughout the history of professional wrestling there have been Wrestlers and there have been Managers/Valets. In the early days, Managers played a much larger role in the presentation of the story than they do today. They spoke for the wrestlers when the wrestlers could not have or should not have. They interfered during the match to help their man win, usually with a referee distraction or some sort of foreign object (brass knuckles, powder, a loaded tennis racket, etc). They served to advance the storyline and give the fans someone to vilify, to boo, to hurl insults at. And, when the fued was winding down, they served as someone for the babyface to get revenge on through an over-dramatized punch of the bracket.
But, after awhile, the Managers and Valets seemed to all but disappear. Where once there were names such as Slick Rick, Sensational (sometimes Queen) Sherri, Mr. Fuji, the Sinister Minister, the quintessential stud muffin Joel Gertner, and the legendary Bobby the Brain Heenan, today they are few and far between. The current focus in the business is on men and women who can not only go in the ring but who can also go on the mic. The Manager as a concept has somewhat fallen by the wayside. Except for Paul Heyman.
Paul Heyman is not only the best manager working in professional wrestling today, he is the greatest of all time. He is the man responsible for ECW. He is the man responsible for the best years Smackdown ever had. He is the man responsible for introducing the US audience to some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He is also the man responsible for keeping the Manager role alive. There has never been anyone better on the mic than Paul Heyman. Presented below are a few clips of his promos. His storytelling is impeccable, his ability to go off script unmatched, and his general feel for the crowd incredible. Whenever a show is bad, Paul Heyman is the bright spot. Check him out below and let us know what you think.