Smackdown General Manager Booker T spoke with Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald this week. Here are some highlights.

Grading His Performance As An Announcer: “I give myself a C, maybe a C+, maybe. That job is a job you’ve got to learn on the job and literally study on a weekly basis. You’ve literally got to stay in tune to what’s going on in life as well, just to stay fresh.

“Being a commentator is something I jumped into headfirst, not knowing exactly what I was getting myself into. I looked at it as a learning experience. I never tried to put myself over Michael Cole or Josh Mathews or tried to make myself the voice of Smackdown or anything like that.”

Finding Out He Would Be SmackDown’s New GM: “Vince McMahon gave me the news, and my initial thoughts were ‘OK.’ More than anything it was a great honor to be named general manager of Smackdown by Vince McMahon, a guy who I respect so much, a guy I learned from, a guy who’s mentored me so many years. It was a great, great day for me. It really was.”

What He Can Learn From Previous General Managers: “I can learn a lot from John Laurinaitis. He was a stern G.M. He made some crazy, stupid decisions, but sometimes he made some really good decisions. He went out and upheld the position as far as being real serious about it.

“Vickie Guerrero, she went out and entertained to the utmost. That’s what this job is going to entail. I have to go out and entertain the fans. I got to give them the best show on Friday night I possibly can give ‘em. Everybody knows the personality of Booker T. Everybody knows I’m a little offbeat sometimes. It’s going to be great. Friday Night SmackDown, you can look forward to some highly entertaining content.”

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