The General Consensus of Bill Mercer

[PDRMatt]

Lately I've been watching 1983 WCCW TV and his commentary is mostly unbearable. It's to the point sometimes where it's so bad, he takes away from what's going in the ring. I understand that he was a commentator for other Dallas sports, which makes him seem credible in the eyes of the fans in that area, but that's where you have to draw the line. He has a Bob Caudle feel to him, but unlike Caudle, most of Mercer's folksy commentary is instead either just nonsense or worded incorrectly. It's like his brain is completely confused and never knows which words to use when he speaks. He very rarely calls moves correctly. I'm sure he's a nice man and I'm not insulting his character, but he comes across as a real odd ball. So I'm wondering, what is the general consensus of Bill Mercer on PWO? Where would you rank him among other PBP commentators?

[PeteF3]

Not good, no. His cohort Marc Lowrance was much better, though Lowrance I don't recall getting *really* good until the latter part of the decade. Lowrance was never going to be a moves encyclopedia or break down the pressure points of the figure four, but he could sell you on buying a ticket or get over an angle or despicable heel act like nobody's business.

 

Mercer did have very good chemistry when interviewing the Freebirds, I'll give him that.

[Lee]

I always liked him well enough in that he was fairly professional and easy on the ears, but then I grew up on Gorilla Monsoon and it took me a while once I started to get "smart" to get my head around the fact that he wasn't particularly well regarded.

 

I imagine Mercer is like Ed Whelan for those who grew up on Stampede; When he's "your" guy, he's untouchable, and to everyone else he's antiquated.

[KrisZ]

Terrible but entertaining at times

[KB8]

I wouldn't really say he was good, but I don't remember his nonsense actively taking me out of a match the same way Boesch's rambly gibberish did on the Mid-South set.

[Mad Dog]

He's kind of just static to me. He's not good but he's not so terrible that he detracts from the product.

[Blazer]

He actually had a legit sports broadcasting resume. He worked as a White Sox announcer in the 70s, I believe. He was a professional. I didn't dislike him. Sort of have a nostalgic regard for him though, much the same as Bruno and Gorilla.

[flyonthewall2983]

From what I've seen and heard which admittedly is not much, Bill was better on-camera than calling the action.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I liked Bill Mercer because he had a great voice for what he was doing. As mentioned, he was not a great match announcer, but his show wrap arounds were always good.

[victory]

Back in the 80's I never realized how bad he was. Calling a piledriver an atomic drop and an atomic drop a piledriver can be quite comical to say the least. I will admit to still liking him despite his faults.