Pat McAfee's genuine enthusiasm makes him WWE's most 'watchable' announcer
When WWE chose Pat McAfee to be one of their color commentators, many fans were highly skeptical. And rightly so.
The former NFL punter had no real background in professional wrestling and was merely a fan. Also, some members of the viewing audience saw him as not only clownish but boorish. His hyperactive personality definitely rubbed some people the wrong way.
McAfee played professional football for eight seasons and won a Super Bowl ring with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006. He then transitioned to broadcasting, where his bombastic personality and quirky sense of humor made him a star.
His podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, became a huge hit and a must-listen for guys who are into 'jock talk.'
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McAfee became more famous as a broadcaster than he ever was as a pro athlete, yet he still possesses the legitimacy of having played at the highest level. He's big on the biggest stage of all and reached the highest level.
For Pat McAfee, being part of WWE would be a whole new ballgame
There were a lot of questions swirling around Pat McAfee when he was hired by The Worldwide Leader in Sports. Many in the WWE Universe figured it would be a short-lived and failed experiment.
But McAfee has been quite the opposite.
The self-admitted 'loud mouth' has taken many of the elements of his show and applied them to what he does on Friday Night SmackDown. He's brash, he's goofy, and he makes no apologies. While that may irritate some fans, it brings a healthy dose of something the WWE announce team has needed for a long time now: ENERGY.
While every other broadcaster under Vince McMahon's watch is basically reciting the tag lines they have been handed to them, McAfee seems to just be riffing. The other broadcasters appear to be plastic and artificial; they're all the same guy but in a different suit. Meanwhile, McAfee comes off as genuine.
McAfee seems like he's out there just having a good time like the fans are. That kind of 'normalcy' makes him very relatable.
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Whether you like McAfee or not, there's no doubting he's more fun and entertaining than any of his colleagues right now. He's a 'guy's guy' who you could see yourself having beers and smoking cigars with.
That's what makes him so good. Because he's a genuine article and not some photocopy of all the other broadcasters on the WWE roster. That's what all the great announcers over the years have been: real.
So while Pat McAfee may not necessarily be your cup of tea, there's one thing for certain: he will not hold back, and he will always be himself. That's why he's so much fun to watch.
What do you think of Pat McAfee's time as a color commentator for WWE? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.