Did you catch the unwelcome debut of Mike Adamle as the new ECW play-by-play announcer? I really considered not writing about it. I thought, maybe if I ignore Mike Adamle he’ll just go away and Joey Styles will come back and everything will be right with the universe.

Unfortunately, it’s three days later and there are no rumors of sacking Mike Adamle. The worst announcer in the history of WWE, nay, in the history of televised wrestling, is here to stay. If you missed his horrendous commentary on this week’s ECW, check out this replay (which is one of the funniest wrestling clips I’ve seen):

Even Jim Ross felt compelled to weigh in on Mike Adamle’s appalling ECW debut:

The uproar that many wrestling fans have displayed over Mike Adamle replacing Joey Styles as the play by play voice of ECW is one of the more far reaching and passionate displays of opinion in recent memory. I find it to be a really good thing that Joey has so many, and deservedly so, fans of his work that he has cultivated since the days of the original ECW. Two points here…some saying that Joe leaving ECW definitively says that the “ECW as we knew it is finally gone” seems like a day late and a dollar short. The original ECW “passed away” long ago, for better or for worse, and a new televised wrestling vehicle called ECW is now being broadcast. Secondly, others have predicted that the ECW TV rating will drop because of Adamle. That assumption is highly unlikely. Announcers rarely influence the ratings, even though I would love to say that they do as it might mean a little more “cheese on my Whopper” come pay day.

Former ECW owner Paul Heyman shared his insights into Vince McMahon’s decision to fill Joey Styles’ shoes with Adamle:

Mike Adamle couldn’t have done a more p***-poor job at announcing if he tried.

No self-sabotage could have been that consistent. Adamle called “WWE” just “WW”. He called Tazz “The Tazz.” He mispronounced names, couldn’t call holds, and his announcing debut was generally regarded as one of the worst in the history of broadcasting.

Now here’s a little secret. SHHHHHHHH…. don’t tell anyone.

For everyone who is so up in arms, screaming “we need to tell Vince what we think!” and “This guy’s a total disaster,” I have a scoop for you, and you’re not going to like it.

Adamle is horrible. No one likes him. People at home actually loathe his presence on the show. AND THAT’S EXACTLY THE SORT OF PASSIONATE RESPONSE VINCE McMAHON IS LOOKING FOR!!!

Heyman’s theory is that Vince McMahon is counting on Mike Adamle’s disgraceful performance to draw in viewers. He explains:

So Vince’s big idea for ECW is the train-wreck mentality! I can just see Vince right now, believing every word he himself says. “This guy is so bad, how can anyone NOT watch the show?” And he means it.

Vince actually believes that Mike Adamle is so mind-bogglingly awful, so ill-prepared, so horribly wrong for the show, that people will never be able to turn the dial. It’s the Britney Spears mentality. Is she wearing her panties today? Uh oh, she’s driving on the highway. Someone call the gossip blogs!

So, will Mike Adamle become the announcer you love to hate? Aiming for that is probably his best bet at this point.

Anyway, we wish Joey Styles the very best in his new position working on WWE.com. The ECW audience will be acutely aware of his absence for a long time to come.