“The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work.” – Agha Hasan Abedi
The 1980s are considered by many to be the golden age of the WWF. An argument could be made that it certainly is one of, if not the best era of professional wrestling. If one were to make that argument, it would most certainly need to bring up the pro wrestling manager as a contributing factor.
Bobby Heenan, Jim Cornette, Jimmy Hart, Mr. Fuji, Gary Hart, J.J Dillon, Missy Hyatt and more. Many more actually, too many to name here without this turning into just a long list of men and women who helped shaped the personalities and even the product of professional wrestling in the 1980s, not just in the World Wrestling Federation.
In the 1990s managers still had a place in the business, but certainly not as prominently. As professional wrestling moved into the new millennium, managers became passé, and were seen as a nuisance instead of an asset. Expendable instead of exceptional.
Now here we stand in 2014. A new era has begun in WWE. There has been a shift in tone, in philosophy. This new way of thinking feels fresh and new, but also has some distinct markings of tradition and nostalgia. Tag teams have seen a resurgence. There’s more emphasis on in ring story telling, and there are familiar faces at ringside once again. In fact, WWE’s current manager roster may be the most diverse collection of characters of any era! Let’s take a look at this incredible cast of important supporting players.
Let us begin with the veteran managers, Paul Heyman and Zeb Colter. Their biggest selling point is experience. These are managers who have mastered the craft. Those who can generate attention for their clients by only a few words or even just a glance. These men know how to create heat and then put it onto the wrestlers, a delicate balancing act that only the best of the business know how to do. Zeb Colter took Jack Swagger from a struggling mid card act, to wrestling for the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 29. As for Paul Heyman, well, if you don’t know what his client Brock Lesnar has done then welcome back to earth, you’ve got lots to catch up on!
Of course, we can’t forget the ladies now can we? Valets the likes of Sensational Sherri Martel, Luna Vachon, and Ivory would be proud of today’s women who often times juggle the demands of both in ring performer as well as manager. Currently there are three women who fall into this category in WWE: Layla, Summer Rae, and Emma. All three are nice to look at, but aren’t afraid to get rough when they need to. They are the perfect element for creating a multi layered story that involves both a wrestler and their charge getting involved.
While we’re on the subject of playing rough, let’s not forget an important manager category that is always overlooked, and perfected even less so: the role of bodyguard. From Bob Orton to Diesel, these enforcers were not only there in case things got rough, they were usually the reason it happened! These managers are often silent but deadly, and serve as an insurance policy or secret weapon to the highest bidder. They tend not to be easy on the eyes, or any other part of your anatomy they choose to bruise or break in order to secure a win for their boss. Of course, the most recent example of this type of manager has been the exception that proves the rule. Tamina Snuka was a huge part of AJ Lee’s Diva Championship reign that lasted many, many months and she was effective as a loyal protector to AJ when needed (and even when she wasn’t!) she added lots of drama to AJ Lee, and given Lee’s personality, that is saying something.
Of course, not every manager or valet needs to get physical. Some are simply inspiring enough to motivate their charge on to victory. No greater example of this was the first lady of the WWF, Miss Elizabeth. Although she didn’t get involved very often, she was very effective at guiding the career of more than a few legendary talents. On the flip side of that coin was the devious Tammy “Sunny” Sytch. Sunny was a little more willing to pull a foot or throw in an object here or there, but mainly she used her powers of distraction to ensure victory. Today’s modern equivalent has to be the Russian vixen known as Lana. A man bear like Rusev needs little to no protection, but a leggy trophy awarded to you for victory is sometimes more tempting than gold. Lana uses her lips for more than just temptation and makes sure that the WWE Universe hates Rusev for all the right reasons, including being paired up with a woman worth defecting for.
The last category we’ll study is a strange one, but that fits perfectly because our last managers are a little strange. Emphasis on the little. Of course, I’m referring to the hyperactive mascot for Los Matadores, El Torrito and the always energetic Hornswoggle! There have been a number of professional wrestling mascots over the years, and the majority of them tend to fall into the role of hype man or woman. Men like Jimmy Hart or Bill Alfonso were notorious for being the kind of manager that forced you to pay attention to their clients, while The Genius or Paul Bearer were outlandish characters that showed a clear connection to the man, woman, or team they were managing. El Torrito and Hornswoggle fit this category like a pair of tiny gloves. Torrito is the perfect cheerleader, getting fans excited about his team, while Hornswoggle has been an advocate (and reflection of) all his partners including Finlay, DX, and recently 3MB.
For years it was believed that the art of management in professional wrestling, certainly in WWE, was dead. Now, like a zombie, it has crawled out of its grave to walk the earth once more, intent on infecting the WWE Universe with long lasting memories and emotions. What does the future hold for the art of managing in WWE? Well, many of the talent on this list came from NXT, further proof that WWE is starting to recognize the importance tradition will play in the coming years. A future that looks quite bright, if properly managed.
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Who is your #FavoriteWWEManager? Who is the #BestManagerEver? Which #ManagerStyle is your favorite from the ones I talked about in this article? Sound off in the comments or anywhere else you like, but please, leave the megaphone and cane at home.
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