Since we here at With Spandex are the foremost proponents of WCW on the internet, it obviously pleases us any time some dyed-in-the-wool WCW personalities make the media rounds. The latest to pop up on the radar is the longtime voice of WCW, play-by-play man Tony Schiavone.
On Thursday, Schiavone had both an AMA session on Reddit and an interview with the Sporting News. It’s safe to say Thursday was one of the greatest days in the history of our sport.
In the Sporting News interview, Schiavone talked about his decision to return to WCW after spending just one year doing commentary for WWE, in 1989. He says it was a tough decision for him, and although he and Vince McMahon have been cordial in the years since WCW folded, he believes there may be some personal animosity on Vince’s part that prevented him from ever returning to WWE.
“I left after one year there and I think he was very upset with me for leaving,” Schiavone said. “I shouldn’t have left. It was a terrible mistake to leave but I made a decision based on what my family needed at that time. I always thought he was angry with me for that. I know we talked after that and he was very nice to me but I just always got the feeling that me leaving really ticked him off. I may be wrong.”
He elaborated on his contact with WWE during his Reddit AMA, and also revealed that while he feels his commentary days are done, he wouldn’t mind working as a producer for WWE. I mean, sure, who wouldn’t want that gig?
“Back then, when we first folded, they never contacted me. I contacted them, but they never returned my calls. Later, they contacted me to come up to do some work for their DVD and I was very busy and turned it down. I did go and do some work for the Monday Night Wars. If they asked me to be an announcer, I’d turn it down. That point has passed. I don’t think I have it in me anymore. I would go back as a producer.”
Schiavone certainly took his licks from fans during the Monday night wars, but man alive, has time ever shown him to be a truly fantastic lead commentator. Imagine if he had been the one to follow up Jim Ross’ play-by-play duties rather than the torch being passed to Michael Cole. Ah well, no use crying over spilled commentators. Just spread the word to your friends: Tony Schiavone ruled.
