WWE News: Jonathan Coachman discusses his relationship with Vince McMahon
What's the story?
The Coach, Jonathan Coachman, was a guest on Busted Open Radio on Sirius XM this week discussing several topics about his time with the WWE and ESPN. One subject, in particular, that was discussed was Coach's relationship with Vince McMahon.
In case you didn't know...
Coachman began his professional wrestling career as a backstage interviewer at the height of the Attitude Era in 1999. Many of the first segments in the WWE with The Coach were with The Rock - who would go out of his way to humiliate him.
The heart of the matter...
When it came to working with Vince McMahon, the former RAW General Manager stated that he would be difficult to work with at times, but there is nobody he would rather work with. Everything that he learned from Vince helped him work at ESPN for 10 years.
One of the main things that Coach learned from Vince was to do what is right for business and never burn any bridges.
Unsurprisingly, he also mentioned that Vince decides to show his love and affection in odd ways. When a joke gets you arrested and jailed, then you know that Vince has the utmost respect for you. Regarding leadership, Coach said:
"As far as leadership goes, I don't know if there is a better leader, because you always know which direction you're going. It may not always be the right direction, but you know which direction you're going."
The final subject that Coach discussed was what talented stars should and need to do, in order to get over with the WWE. Using The New Day as a great example, he said:
"There was no waste of time proposing ideas to him. He loves hungry talent. If you don't want to sit on the sidelines, come prepared and pitch him ideas. Take The New Day for example.
"These are three guys whose careers were basically over, and here they come with this act, and Vince signed off on it. He is a guy who you better be prepared to talk to, don't stumble over yourself and have your thoughts together."
What's next?
After leaving ESPN this past October, Jonathan Coachman's future is unknown at present. However, one can assume that a role in some capacity with the WWE is on the table for the 42-year-old.
Author's take
The Coach revealed some great insight into working with the chairman of the board and from his comments, you can tell just how much passion Vince has when it comes to his company.
The story he told about The New Day was equally an effective one. A great message for wrestlers on the roster who feel they're in a rut or their career is stalling, they can challenge themselves and improve their stock over time when least expected.