Earl Hebner’s Slow Count

I think one of the most underrated irritating things from the Attitude Era is Earl Hebner telegraphing the finish of a match by making the three count roughly twice as slow as his usual cadence. I realize he was doing this for dramatic effect, but God it rubs me the wrong way.

I seem to remember some discussion of the slow count at the time, but the Network has gotten me all lathered up about it again. Say this for the current crop of refs – I don't know any of them, which is good because it means none of them are drawing attention away from where it should be.

Unless you're Tommy Young, no referee should be the focus of the match. Anyone who gets knocked unconscious for 10 minutes by a clothesline doesn't warrant a name anyway. And yes, I HATED that slow count shit as well.