How do you see Miz?

[Old School Coco]

Without naming names, I've seen a couple of ardent Miz fans on this board claim that Miz is often afforded less respect than the likes of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan because Miz was a reality star rather than an indy darling. While I agree that Punk and Bryan have benefited from their pre-WWE reputations, I don't think Miz's reality star days hinder him now like they did on day one. I know that when I think of the Miz today, my first thoughts are of a sub par wrestler who I wish could bring it in the ring like he can bring it on the mic. Miz being a former reality star doesn't enter into my consciousness until someone else brings it up, and that someone else is usually a fan of the guy making him out to be a victim.

My question to you: Do you still think of Miz primarily as a reality star who can't hack it as a wrestler? Or do you think of Miz as a wrestler first?

I know how I feel on the matter. But the general consensus interests me.

[Todd]

I think of him as a wrestler. I think he has worked hard enough to have earned the right to be called a wrestler and nothing else.

I quite like him in many respects, I just wish he was good.

[Old School Coco]

I think of him as a wrestler. I think he has worked hard enough to have earned the right to be called a wrestler and nothing else.

I quite like him in many respects, I just wish he was good.

Basically my opinion as well. He's been around long enough, accomplished enough, and worked hard enough that he now stinks of professional wrestling.

I wish he was better, but he's a wrestler first in my book. The reality star thing isn't even a factor any more.

[Falcone]

Exactly. The reality star thing is just brought up by people looking for reasons to hate on him, which is stupid (because, let's be honest, there's plenty of other reasons to hate him.)

I saw a recent shoot with Jim Cornette where he actually said he doesn't think The Miz is for real and is only in it to get famous for TV.

[HilaryFan]

I am not a Miz fan, people know this. I still think of him as a wrestler though, his reality tv past means jack shit to me.

Hes just a very, very mediocre wrestler

[Djm]

The options in this poll are clearly done by design and meant to lead the voter one way or the other.

I see the Miz as a former reality TV star who BECAME a wrestler, which doesn't fit under either of these.

[Old School Coco]

I saw a recent shoot with Jim Cornette where he actually said he doesn't think The Miz is for real and is only in it to get famous for TV.

Cornette's from the dark ages. I'm surprised he knows what television is.

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The options in this poll are clearly done by design and meant to lead the voter one way or the other.

I see the Miz as a former reality TV star who BECAME a wrestler, which doesn't fit under either of these.

I think I get what you're trying to say. I think it fits closest with the intent of my first poll option.

[Emperor]

What everyone else said. I think of him as a wrestler, just not a very good one. However, outside the ring, he does everything brilliantly.

[Blindy]

Option 1. Us Mizfits(Fans ) can admit Miz isn't the best in-ring wrestler but he isn't god awful the way people describe him. His critics overexaggerate how bad he is in the ring IMO. He's not Khali or Mongo bad I mean....he's just not the best wrestler in the ring. He's a very good promo worker when given the freedom to and he's by all accounts a professional and carries himself without a problem outside the ring(DUI's, weed, twitter problems etc.) and he's come a long way but he's not perfect.

[Old School Coco]

His critics overexaggerate how bad he is in the ring IMO.

I don't think so. I think most of his critics would say that he's somewhat sloppy and isn't capable of telling a story that lives up to his ability to build a match on the mic. I don't think either of those are exaggerations.

[Blindy]

I don't think so. I think most of his critics would say that he's somewhat sloppy and isn't capable of telling a story that lives up to his ability to build a match on the mic. I don't think either of those are exaggerations.

But they also say he isn't athletic, is stiff movement wise in the ring and looks lost in the ring when he's one of the better wrestlers in working a crowd.

As for Cornette, I usually like him but Cornette plays favorites with his OVW boys. He's probably mad that Miz has had more success than his boy, Morrison in all honesty. Miz is very serious about wrestling.

[The Main Event]

I saw a recent shoot with Jim Cornette where he actually said he doesn't think The Miz is for real and is only in it to get famous for TV.

If that was true he'd have left while he was at the peak of the WWE, waiting until shortly after his title reign.

[Old School Coco]

But they also say he isn't athletic, is stiff movement wise in the ring and looks lost in the ring when he's one of the better wrestlers in working a crowd.

If Miz were one of the better wrestlers working a crowd in the ring, I doubt half of his critics would exist.

I agree with the statements regarding athleticism, stiff movements, and looking lost though.

Not that athleticism is a huge deal. CM Punk and Chris Jericho are far from the most natural athletes in the world. In fact I'd rank both on the sloppy, sand-baggy side.

[Todd]

But they also say he isn't athletic, is stiff movement wise in the ring and looks lost in the ring when he's one of the better wrestlers in working a crowd.

His athleticism is not a problem and not holding him back whatsoever. He is stodgy with his movement but it's acceptable. But the one about him being lost in the ring, that is justified. He has no idea how to build from spot to spot, the heat a spot gains is sapped away in the transition with Miz.

[Blindy]

If Miz were one of the better wrestlers working a crowd in the ring, I doubt half of his critics would exist.

I agree with the statements regarding athleticism, stiff movements, and looking lost though.

Not that athleticism is a huge deal. CM Punk and Chris Jericho are far from the most natural athletes in the world. In fact I'd rank both on the sloppy, sand-baggy side.

He's shown some athleticism...I mean this isn't Shelton Benjamin or Kofi Kingston but the slide he does to get back in the ring from the outside takes some athleticism.

Miz can't lead a match though...he's like Orton in that regard for me. If put with someone ala Bryan/Cena/Punk/Jericho/Christian he can do his part quite well.

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His athleticism is not a problem and not holding him back whatsoever. He is stodgy with his movement but it's acceptable. But the one about him being lost in the ring, that is justified. He has no idea how to build from spot to spot, the heat a spot gains is sapped away in the transition with Miz.

I see it more as working the crowd hence the pausing....you rush things too fast, the fans get kinda lost.

I can admit Miz really focuses on trying to get the fans involved and to boo/cheer....maybe a little too much over working the technical stuff.

[Old School Coco]

He's shown some athleticism...I mean this isn't Shelton Benjamin or Kofi Kingston but the slide he does to get back in the ring from the outside takes some athleticism.

You're stretching, Blindy.

If put with someone ala Bryan/Cena/Punk/Christian he can do his part quite well.

Call me crazy, but I think Miz and Punk are shit together. No chemistry from what I've seen.

[Blindy]

Call me crazy, but I think Miz and Punk are shit together. No chemistry from what I've seen.

They haven't wrestled against each other much and after what just happened before, I don't think we'll see em for a while

[Todd]

I see it more as working the crowd hence the pausing....you rush things too fast, the fans get kinda lost.

I can admit Miz really focuses on trying to get the fans involved and to boo/cheer....maybe a little too much over working the technical stuff.

Like I said earlier, I like a lot about him. Everything I want him to be, I can tell, he wants to be as well. Working the crowd is a fine line though. If you don't work them at all then you risk losing the heat in the match. If you work them too much then you appear more interested in them than the match and that creates a problem, because the fans don't buy your legitimacy in trying to win the match. It's a very fine line and it comes with experience. Miz works them far too much. He's doing it for all right reasons, and getting all the wrong results.

He could benefit from a mentor. And I don't mean on TV, I mean backstage. Have Patterson take him under his wing or something. The most impressed I've ever been with him was a match against Jerry Lawler, because Lawler lead him to do all the right things and when that is the case, Miz has a lot to offer, because if nothing else, he is a charismatic fellow.

[Blindy]

Like I said earlier, I like a lot about him. Everything I want him to be, I can tell, he wants to be as well. Working the crowd is a fine line though. If you don't work them at all then you risk losing the heat in the match. If you work them too much then you appear more interested in them than the match and that creates a problem, because the fans don't buy your legitimacy in trying to win the match. It's a very fine line and it comes with experience. Miz works them far too much. He's doing it for all right reasons, and getting all the wrong results.

He could benefit from a mentor. And I don't mean on TV, I mean backstage. Have Patterson take him under his wing or something. The most impressed I've ever been with him was a match against Jerry Lawler, because Lawler lead him to do all the right things and when that is the case, Miz has a lot to offer, because if nothing else, he is a charismatic fellow.

I can't argue with that point at all...you hit it on the head. I think Miz sees himself as an entertainer 1st, wrestler 2nd and I don't know if that changes....since the WWEntertainment does have, well quite a bit of entertainment.

By all accounts, Jericho has taken Miz under his wing...hence why Miz's heel character in his solo run really took stuff from a page of heel Jericho minus the bitterness. Jericho really likes Miz and said like 2 years back he's one of the best youngsters in the company. Maybe because they are both the "Party goer" types

I think Lawler and Miz worked well is because not just Lawler knows what he's doing in the ring from years of experience but because both work a slow, methodical style that meshed well. Lawler due to his age and stamina could not go crazy in the ring, which works well with Miz who has his limitations.

[Todd]

I just hope that when he is pushed to improve his wrestling ability, he doesn't think he needs to go off and learn a bunch of submission holds or suplexes. He needs greater character and authority in the ring, to carry himself with the sort of presence that he carries himself with on the mic. If he can match those two things up, we're talking about a main event player.

I'll be honest, he's been here a while, and I don't see him ever getting that good. As always, I hope I'm wrong.

[thalbleib]

Miz is a former reality TV star?

[Blindy]

Miz is a former reality TV star?

[thalbleib]

Cool. I've never watched Real World, not even a single episode.

[Krimzon]

Solid heel.
Terrible face.
Mediocre ring ability.
Good charisma.
Mistake-prone.

He's basically average.

[KLockard23]

He sucks.

I usually exaggerate my dislike for The Miz because it's my own humorous way of expressing how much I don't like him, but I truly wouldn't be able to care less if he ended up gone from the WWE roster (which obviously isn't happening anytime soon.) He reminds me of both a reality TV star and a college frat boy. I'm reminded of the Mean Street Posse in regards to the latter. You would have never bought any of them as world champion, would you?

And I can assure people that Cornette doesn't dislike him simply because he's more successful than his 'boy', John Morrison. Because Cena, Batista and Orton were also all trained by Cornette and company back in OVW, and they're all bigger stars than The Miz is (although Batista would later piss off Cornette by saying he didn't learn anything in OVW.)