quote:

WrestleMania is nearly upon us, but the WWE doesn't need me to sell their "Superbowl".

What intrigues me next week is the possibility that a big name gets involved in the industry, one with history, experience and deep pockets.

Some of that history is the same that lead us to TNA: which once boasted of a Kings of Wrestling (not the Hero/Castagnoli version) that was a bit disconcerting, and which did lead to drama, Dixie Carter and Vince Russo.

So I’m a little less exuberant about Jeff Jarrett, but intrigued nonetheless.

I’m intrigued because Jarrett has the background, the experience and the tie to Toby Keith that could make his endeavor more meaningful than most. I’m intrigued because if Jarrett is in, he could be motivated to be successful. He must be motivated, because the landscape already has a few promotions in existence already that are either going through the motions, pretending to be what they are not, and then another layer of solid but relatively unknowns that can’t seem to get the traction, can’t get anywhere near the notice, of a fan base that is so unlike the 1990’s that it is frightening.

The landscape of professional wrestling is scary because we’re living in an industry that is so used to the monolithic WWE, for a decade and a half, that all other wrestling is illegitimate in the eyes of the mainstream fans.There are so many aspects about a professional wrestling promotion that the best intents and an excellence in one or two aspects cannot spell success.

Having a strong cable TV station doesn’t guarantee success (ask TNA).

Having a roster of excellence doesn’t guarantee mainstream attention (ask ROH).

Having a mix of creativity and passion hasn’t attracted bigger audiences (ask CHIKARA).

To me, the one thing a promotion needs in this day, is something different in its approach. Credibility is a joke in professional wrestling, because credibility was one of the first victims of Vincent K. McMahon, and credibility isn’t even a zombie in this modern era.

Brock Lesnar could provide it, but who’s really thinking that he’d break the vaunted Streak?

It’s hard to talk credibility because too many fans have no conception of it. I claim some understanding of it, because of my talks with Bruno Sammartino, and without spelling out his levels of disgust or criticisms or annoyances, I’ve learned from his mastery.
Professional wrestling is a performance, but it requires layers beyond just what goes on in the ring. In Old School lingo, that concept of kayfabe was so important, obviously because the practitioners of this form of “magic” wanted to guard their secret.

But above that, there was a definite sense of approaching the fundamental concept of professional wrestling with a respect that just doesn’t seem to matter anymore. That lack of respect is so telling at every point of interaction, from the talent that won’t play along with the charade, from this generation of fans that never truly participated in it, from the support cast that themselves sneer at things, and worst of all, those so-called creative types that just don’t get it.

Professional wrestling these days is a TV show.

It’s all about filling time, playing with a static roster, running away from sports and credibility and pretending to be professional wrestling, when far too many decision makers don’t get it.

There’s more to be said, more to rant about, but at the same time, my intent was to suggest some “draft picks” for a Jeff Jarrett promotion. I wanted to go all ESPN with this, with the grades that would annoy many (ala Bill Polian), with the selections much like an expansion team (no more than 2 from any promotion, pretending that they are established teams), and with an eye to building a solid roster.

But that’s the mentality of a modern day approach to the sport, even if I approach it from sports references.

Putting together a strong cast of talent isn’t a guarantee of success. If it was, then ROH would have made waves years ago, instead of seeing so many of its talent make waves in bigger oceans. Putting together a strong cast of talent didn’t do all that much for the NWA in the 1980’s. WCW had an extremely strong cast of talent in the mid to late 1990’s, and that exploded/imploded because and then because of it.

I’ve said for years that TNA in the mid to late 00’s had probably the best assemblage of former Champions, recent Champions and acclaimed talents. And where did that get TNA?

The problem with professional wrestling is that the modern version is way too static (despite the piles and piles of names that never had a chance, barely got a chance and failed in their chances despite their best efforts). The problem is that professional wrestling is built on ridiculous notions of parity, and too many faces all at the same level, and an amazingly short-sighted notion that talent gets their turn.

But then again, no one really gets their turn, and despite the negative (how can I work the planet “Qward” into this) booking that sees Daniel Bryan succeed despite having every opposite-professional wrestling-common sense notion being involved, I’m not sure if any fan actually thinks Bryan gets any longevity in any potential Championship run.

So, to cut short my “Draft” picks, here’s a list of guy’s I’d want to put on my roster. The almost all of these could be a centerpiece to a new promotion, with the right opponents, the proper booking and allowing them to run with their talents, attitude or look.

Uhaa Nation, Samoa Joe, Chuck Taylor, Michael Elgin, Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder, Michael Bennett, AR Fox, YAMATO, Kota Ibushi.
Sure, there are role players I’d suggest, guys like Jimmy Jacobs or Roderick Strong or even crazy ones like Marion Fontaine or sentimental favorites like Gregory Irons.

By the way, I list Zack Ryder because I know he would make the most of any opportunity.

I also list some top notch smaller Japanese guys for building a lighter weight Champion (throw in Ricochet and Johnny Gargano as well), and I absolutely avoided the nonsense of suggesting top New Japan names, because that ain’t going to happen.
But who could be a top pick, if I were choosing someone to build a promotion around?

Sting
Long-term, foolish. Short-term he could be someone that could get some mainstream recognition. Obviously the problem with Sting is that he’s more likely to cash in a more sure check from the WWE and go out with their good graces. The other problem is that he didn’t do much for TNA, and he basically put over Magnus to the chirping sounds of crickets.

Kurt Angle
Kurt is still one of the best on most of the days, and by most scuttlebutt, probably has the ties to Jarrett to land a top role. Angle remains great, but also has that scary side of his career that should not be ignored. Angle would be a better choice than Sting, since he has that elusive “credibility” and his size allows a lot more interaction with whomever would be a long term focus.

Takeshi Morishima
I’ve always been a fan of the big, ole Terry Gordy lookalike from Japan, and Morishima has a definite size and different approach that would set him apart. He could be a monster heel that launches another Champion with a short term or long term run. Size and ability gives him “credibility” and the big positive is that he is not a mainstream name, he does have the legacy of his Ring of Honor run to get the smart crowd behind him, and would likely have the motivation necessary to make a splash.

La Sombra
Rey Mysterio is just not on my list. Sorry. But there are a lot of talented Luchadores, with La Sombra being Dave Meltzer’s favorite, and rightly so with his talent, potential and … well, size. Tying into the Hispanic market and that cultural affinity for professional wrestling is quite important. Having a guy who can be acrobatic, have a distinctly different style and has big match experience are all big plusses.

CM Punk
My initial take on Punk was no way. Too much of a mainstream figure, too far removed from his ROH days, but after further review, if Punk wants it, he would be motivated. Could he be gotten at a price that would be meaningful to both sides? That’s the big question. His style is too much of the same, but his resonance with the WWE as the undercurrent of fan discontent (whether or not something big happens with Bryan) could get the attention of a percentage of the WWE Universe, which would make him more valuable than most other options.

quote:

TNAsylum Vision Statement
Dear Readers,

Due to professional obligations the past few months, TNAsylum has not been running at full capacity. With that said, our 4-Year Anniversary is coming up in May and we have every intention of changing that. Our anniversary will celebrate our site's growth and history and will include giving out the second ever TNAsylum Pioneer Award.

TNAsylum is proud to be a site of firsts. We were the first TNA-exclusive site to focus heavily on columns. We were one of the first TNAsylum-exclusive sites to provide weekly IMPACT Wrestling coverage. Many TNA Writers around the net got their start at TNAsylum first.. We were also one of the first sites to present Weekly Discussion posts. We hope this pattern will continue way past 2014.

I like to describe TNAsylum as a "TNA buffet." People who come to our site should expect a wide variety of news, columns, coverage and other features related to TNA. If someone strictly wants news then they can click on it. If they want columns then we have a large number of excellent writers on our team. If they don't like spoilers, they don't have to click on them. We are providing them the choice if they like it. We are making it available to you and not forcing you to read anything you don't want to.

Another distinct feature of our site is our community. The TNAsylum community is unique in that we cater to TNA fans and not TNA fanboys. We understand that building a site for TNA fans should be enough. We shouldn't have to tell our readers what they are allowed to like or not.

We will be focusing on two major components from now on: Tolerance and Constructive Criticism. We understand that we have so many different types of TNA Fans. We aren't looking for trolls (we have one on staff) but people who actually enjoy the product in some form. If you don't enjoy the product or don't foresee yourself enjoying the product in the near future, our site isn't for you. As a matter of fact, I would suggest that you take a break from watching the show.

We want fans of all types. We also want readers who can show tolerance of other opinions. It can be a difficult task to understand that not every opinion is the same for some people but we discourage that thought. We don't allow personal attacks but constructive discussion.

This brings me to the second component: constructive criticism. We don't expect you to love everything about TNA. We know that TNA isn't all sunshine and rainbows and that there are things certain fans enjoy or don't. Entertainment is subjective and we recognize that. With that said, any criticism you have of the product needs to be constructive. This means you have to detail why you don't like something or why something doesn't work for you. There won't be any "TNA is dying" arguments or crapping on someone else because of their opinion.

We are proud of our wide set of features as well as what we have accomplished in our four-year history. We will continue to celebrate the life of TNA as well as the opinion of our readers. After all, there is only one "TNA Haven."

quote:

“We love. We hate. We die forever late. In Willow’s way…” These are the words that ended every promo that introduced Jeff Hardy’s Willow persona to the Impact fans leading to Lockdown. Some fans didn’t know what to expect while other fans that have followed Hardy since the OMEGA days at least had an idea. Personally I think Willow has exceeded my expectations thus far. So here’s what we got as of now.

As we all of have seen from his first promos we have a darker character than the fan friendly Jeff Hardy. A maniacal laugh that will send chills down your spine and a new look that goes along with it. While some have been critical of his in-ring attire to me it makes perfect sense. Sure you could say he’s wearing the same thing he would as Jeff Hardy just with the Willow mask. However I look at it that no matter how crazy Willow gets the in-ring attire is just a reminder that Jeff Hardy is still in there. As far as Willow’s skull trench coat and black and white umbrella most fans seem to like it. Myself included.

It’s been said that actions speak louder than words. In the case of Willow both speak pretty loud. His words have left those that he was talking to both mesmerized and perplexed. His actions pretty much mirror those same reactions. Willow is not looking for wins at this point but to bring revenge to those who have wronged him. For example look at what he did to Rockstar Spud.





He got his revenge on Spud for costing him the title. Obviously the win didn't matter as much as making him pay for what he did. This later led to EC3 getting involved and we all know how that turned out more recently. Not the best for those guys. Definitely not a good idea to go after Willow in his own backyard.

What does the future hold for Willow? Where does he go after he gets revenge on all those that wronged him? As we saw from last night's Impact he's obviously not finished with Rockstar Spud. Will he become the next World Heavyweight Champion? Maybe but even if he doesn't get that shot I’m fine with it. I can see some more feuds for Willow along with more of his violent attacks. You know that’s not going to settle well with some of the others which will create some interesting stories down the road.

Willow has been a very enjoyable persona for me to watch on Impact thus far. I had seen him in OMEGA and knew what he was capable of so I had no doubt he would come across well on Impact. I just didn't know how well. Just as Jeff Hardy is and so is his persona of Willow you have to expect the unexpected. One thing for sure is that it will be done in Willow’s way.

quote:

Thomas W Hinkle ‏@Thomas_Hinkle 10m

@TNADixie @SpikeTV STAY AWAY FROM TNA WRESTLING, YOU, HOGAN AND BISCHOFF TRIED TO KILL TNA, MVP IS HERE TO BRING BACK TNA WRESTLING!

quote:

Eric Abramov ‏@eric_abramov 1h

@TNADixie @SpikeTV well tna certainly does not feel the same without you im looking forward to seeing you return to impact

quote:

ricky carter ‏@Cmack69KS1 4h

@TNADixie bring back the six sided ring... Separate @IMPACTWRESTLING from that Weak Wrestling Entertainment

quote:

Hellraiser ‏@ritalongfellow 7h

@The305MVP @TNADixie i would like to join tna but i need to train first can you help me?

quote:

Christina Eisenhart ‏@ChristinaEisenh 22h

@TNADixie @SpikeTV ugh you being on tna makes me want to stop watching it seriously it was better with out u



Jesse Penner ‏@penjess 10h

@ChristinaEisenh @TNADixie @SpikeTV Hate is stupid, especially toward someone made TNA great from now to the beginning. On camera or not

quote:

Christian German ‏@Champion_523 13h

@TNADixie guess what


Christian German ‏@Champion_523 13h

@TNADixie hey Dixie

Skinty McEdger posted:

TNAMecca.

WrasslorMonkey posted:

A laptop killing Warrior? Now that's just silly.

TomWaitsForNoMan posted:

Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Now take my hands, if we be friends,
And tell me what my loving knuckles say.

quote:

Ring of Honor Wrestling DVD Review: Jay Lethal - Lethal Injection

Sunday, 27 April 2014 13:49


ROH Wrestling: Jay Lethal

Reviewed by Joe Babinsack

Ring of Honor's Jay Lethal: Lethal Injection is a two disc set, featuring nine matches from 2003-2005 and 11 matches between 2011-2012. To keep it focused, I'm focusing on the first disc.

ROH has produced a large number of compilations over the past year, and I understand that compilations by an indie promotion are meant to capitalize on former names now thriving on other (bigger) stages, but the underlying criticism I have about ROH's compilations is that watching the best of the best almost always gets repetitive. Plus, it's awkward to watch the old, then follow the new, and realize that there is a difference.

Wading through the stack of stuff and the stack of compilations, I realize that Lethal and his recent "turn" and new association with Truth Martini puts him in relevance. He's a guy that has world class talent, a body of work and excellence, and a backstory that a lot of current fans may not know. A very good choice to review, indeed.

Lethal, as the ROH hardcores know, was initially in a faction called Special K and went by the name Hydro. It was a raver-inspired bunch of spoiled brats with athleticism and a big bodyguard, but Hydro was the one touted as the best. His ascension from that faction to a player in the ROH promotion isn't just an interesting one, but a brilliant one and the main points are here on this DVD.
Lethal, as a key member of Special K, comes forth from a match from very early 2003, and really shows his potential, but also highlights probably one of the best incarnations of a young group of heels (aside from FIP's YRR) in a long time.

(Yeah, throw EVOLUTION in my face. I'm no-selling it. It's not the same thing.)

What I like about this glimpse at Special K is the underlying indifference of this faction, spurning the “honor” of ROH, spurring a sense of “heelishness” that makes you want to see them get their due, and with their bodyguard named Slugger – who appears to be an interesting cross of 911 and Mr. Hughes with dreadlocks – there’s a great dynamic of a bunch of young punks protected by a monster.

Along the way, the announce crew does a brilliant job of establishing the group, the potential of that guy named Hydro, and the sheer anarchy of this faction. But before we go further, there’s a sign in the back of the arena, and it is monumental: "We don't imitate, we innovate."

Wow… that is eyebrow-raising. It really hits me as across the industry, we live in an era where professional wrestling is content, not creative; where professional wrestling is following the leader, not establishing an alternative; where professional wrestling still clings to a booking concept three generations of fans outdated, and constantly rejects any notion of starting a new cycle.

Sure, ROH isn’t so likely to put the belt on Cheeseburger, but the way this business works, I wouldn’t be so surprised. The main point is that a decade ago, there was creativity in professional wrestling, especially as presented by Ring of Honor circa 2003-2005, had a mid-card storyline in place that would eventual elevate a fresh young face to main event status.

This storyline is based on having a strong champion, based on having a tier of elite wrestlers, and based on the development of this story, the investment of time and talk, the involvement of the fans, and the inevitable establishment of Jay Lethal. Can a Hydro become a Jay Lethal in 2014? My pessimism rises to mind, but let’s take a look at some of the main points in that development and how it happened in ROH a decade removed.

Special K vs The Ring Crew Express & The Outcast Killaz

This is a pretty good example of Special K in action, focusing on the talent of Hydro, in a ring full of good talent and innovative talent and otherwise forgettable names. I really enjoyed the enthusiasm of the announce crew and their focus on innovation (the atypical dives, the interesting twists on things, a sunset flip powerbomb that looked a lot like the Canadian Destroyer and a variant of the F-5), on the shenanigans of Special K and the presence of Slugger. Special K as a heel faction stirs up the emotions and the potentials, but that’s a path long forgotten. The pin was clever and visual, which are two things that aren’t said these days all that much.

Hydro vs Alex Shelley

Many may have forgotten the initial version of Generation Next and Alex Shelley as the head honcho. In 2004, Hydro proved himself by hanging with Shelley, and what was awesome was the way the crowd rallied behind a guy who was with another heel group, but who was getting a bit of a spotlight and was getting some steam from all the accolades. That, plus he can really go. Another match with really strong commentating: spelling out the story on both sides of the match, getting into the details, and overall, a sense that Hydro is becoming more and more serious in his approach, distancing himself from the raver crew.

Hydro vs CM Punk

The key here is that Hydro shames punk into a match, on a night where Punk just embarrassed the promotion and its tag team titles. The storytelling was great, from the interplay to the announcing to the ability of the soon-to-be Jay lethal to hang with Punk and make him make the match. All this before the match even begins.

And it continued when the match starts, as Hydro plays to the Code of Honor, and shake hands for the first time. His growth is touted by the announce crew and the build of the match. It doesn’t matter that this is a domination by a top tier talent in ROH. Actually, it does matter. The story is told in the ring and by the talking: "you don't get noticed wrestling guys your level, or lower". How true, how true.

What ROH established at this time (in mid 2004) is a pecking order. Samoa Joe as Champion; CM Punk as a top indie player; a number of guys jockeying for position, and Hydro as a guy who went to the top of the food chain, and demanded a match. This is the way to establish a name as a rising star. This was a time when CM Punk was all about intimidating, and Hydro stood up to him. We saw Punk wipe the mat with jobbers, but Hydro proved he was rising up the pecking order.

As an aside, CM Punk was messing with Ricky Steamboat, and chasing Samoa Joe, the crew suggests that he may be looking ahead, but in the ring, Hydro was taking everything Punk had, and survived, survived, survived. In doing so, it told a chapter in a much bigger picture, and it got the attention of the fans, and more importantly, as seen in promos following.
That’s the kind of connection so sorely missing these days.

Jay Lethal vs Low Ki

Thus begins an interesting sidebar to the Jay Lethal saga: his feud with Low Ki. Here, he’s the protégé of Samoa Joe, and Low Ki is the guy who is a level above, who is no stepping stone, but a foe to be conquered. Oh yeah, and the leading up to Jay Lethal is in the promos before this match. In that era of professional wrestling, that’s still a building block for a long term program.

Jay Lethal & Samoa Joe vs Nigel McGuiness & John Walters

The Pure Title becomes an interesting point of contention in the commentary here, as Joe sees it as a way that diminishes his Title, and the rules aren’t any less controversial to him. It’s interesting that the announce crew can talk about things that lead to longer term conflicts, not just what’s in store for the current match, all the while not distracting from the current match. Solid tag team action, with the always interesting Nigel McGuiness and the interesting glimpse at John Walters, who looks more like a typical Indie guy than I remember, but also had a different sort of style, which obviously played into his Pure Title reign.

Jay Lethal vs Spanky

Now the Pure Title is in Spanky’s hands, and Lethal is challenging. How will Samoa Joe react? Well, that’s the culmination of this disc. Here, Lethal takes the big step to establishing himself as a player. It’s well over two years since the first match on this compilation, and it’s not rushed at all, and with each match, the development of Jay Lethal is evident. Following is Jay Lethal & Samoa Joe vs Low Ki & Homicide, a tag match of brutality and some really dangerous spots. At this time we know Lethal is the real deal, as do the fans.

Which leads to Lethal vs Low Ki (a Fight Without Honor, at Glory by Honor IV (Sept 2005)). Can Lethal finally dethrone his nemesis? How can he with Julius Smokes at ringside? But does he have the fans? Does Samoa Joe have his back? So many questions, but look at that word count!

Jay Lethal vs Samoa Joe

And then there’s the culmination of every good protégé story, or so I’ve learned, and the match between student and teacher ensues. While I’ll let the reader buy the DVD to see this very good match, the story of the match is a story in the ring, with Lethal having a game plan, and an expectation in everyone’s mind that it will either be a Muscle Buster or a Dragon Suplex at the end.
I’ve always liked Lethal, and he’s a guy with that quality called “fire”, which shines from day one. From his time as Black Machismo to his return to his ill-fated unfortunately necessary creatively inspired recent heel turn, he’s proven to be a guy that a promotion can build around.

But realize that factions, tiers of talent and layered storylines can make a talent like Jay Lethal even better.

triplexpac posted:

sticklefifer posted:

His father dying, yes, but a honeymoon isn't really unforeseen. It actually isn't really a good idea for a major star to get married on Mania week, but it's not like I'm going to criticize him for that.

Abrasive Obelisk posted:

What's the biggest?

rovert posted:

So glad they won't cover Global Force Wrestling. The more paranoid and isolationist the better from a lolz POV.

rovert posted:

Having a panic attack here:
http://www.tnamecca.com

Where's the comment section gone? Do you have to sign up for an account now?

quote:

REPORT: Kazarian Finished with TNA

Richard Gray of Wrestling News World is reporting that Kazarian finished up with the company as the One Night Only PPV taping this past weekend was his last with TNA. This is not surprising as we expected his contract to expire soon. Kazarian will soon join Christopher Daniels in free agency. In a way, I'm glad this day has come as the entire process has been one big distraction for TNA fans. Bad Influence can now move on to the next phase of their career and TNA can do so as well.

Bard Maddox posted:

Massively overrated by really annoying fans who won't stop talking about him?

SylvainMustach posted:

That's awful. Beyond none of these men looking alike, at least one of them, Caprice, wears tights whereas the other two, if I remember correctly, exclusively wear trunks these days.

quote:

For months now, we have all heard the rumors that Spike may not be renewing their TV deal with TNA. In fact, it is said that many in TNA were concerned over WWE’s deal with NBC Universal expiring because Spike was rumored to be looking to bring WWE back to the Viacom family. We now know that those concerns are over as WWE has reached a new deal with NBC Universal, but backstage morale in TNA is still said to be low due to the cost-cutting measures and (mainly) the lacking sense of security over TNA’s deal with Spike ending this fall. TNA is being proactive in the hopes of a Spike renewal by signing with the United Talent Agency (UTA) to help retain and create new television opportunities. But let’s just say that Spike doesn’t want to re-sign TNA to a deal. Is it really all THAT bad?

Let’s be honest. Spike hasn’t exactly treated Impact with the manner of respect it deserves for a while now. The 2-hour time slot TNA fills on Thursday nights was basically one long promotional ad for Bellator for seemingly all of 2013. The cross-promotion between TNA and Bellator was (and still is) incredibly one-sided as Impact was used to promote Bellator fights, but never once did I see Bellator promote anything TNA. (Having a Knockout be a ring girl for a fight doesn’t count!) Hell, the bust known as *sigh* “#August1Warning,” which was revealed to be Tito Ortiz, was just another promotional tool for Bellator to hype up the scheduled fight between Ortiz and Rampage Jackson, except this one actually played out as an angle on TNA TV.

If I were Dixie Carter, or anyone else in TNA, I would be jumping to say goodbye to Spike the first chance I had. I know what you’re thinking. “If TNA doesn’t have a TV deal, they’ll certainly go out of business before the end of the year!” Not so, and here’s why.

First, TNA found growth when they were on Fox Sports Net (FSN) back in 2004 while airing at different times and days depending on which FSN channel it was airing on. When Impact was streamed online during the summer of 2005 while they were in-between leaving FSN and debuting on Spike, they did not lose any momentum. With the technology that we have now versus ten years ago, TNA going online-only isn’t that bad of an idea. Imagine a TNA app (similar to the WWE Network) that would allow users to stream Impact from any device. They could create their own time slot and live stream from wherever. The “Free-Per-View” events could take place on a weekend instead of filling up an Impact taping, and they could also expand shows like Spin Cycle and Impact 365 on the app. In 2014, there’s no reason that not having a TV deal means closing up shop.

Second, TNA isn’t nearly as bad off as the fine internet folks made us believe last year. They are cost-cutting, yes, but TNA has signed many existing and new talents to multi-year deals, so they obviously are not as in the red as we thought. Also, it seems that TNA’s days in the Impact Zone are over as Dixie Carter tweeted that the most recent set of Impact tapings were the last at Universal Studios.

If TNA is going to try going on the road for Impact again after New York City, live streaming Impact could definitely play well into their hands if a deal with Spike or any other network isn’t reached by the fall. It also gives them a chance to make a profit from ticket sales for Impact, and personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing TNA “reboot” from a production standpoint.

For instance, if you’re leaving Universal and taking Impact on the road, don’t book arenas you can’t fill to the max. It was quite embarrassing to see those half-empty arenas last summer. It’s time to go small. For example, look at the Full Sail Live venue for NXT or the venues that Ring of Honor books. They are small, but they pack them in full of rabid wrestling fans, which plays off big time on TV. Granted, TNA already books venues like this for their house shows and they don’t sell out, but remember that these are house shows. If TNA was to have the cameras there for Impact, be it on TV or online, they would sell out.

The best part about leaving Universal and taking Impact on the road is that TNA wouldn’t necessarily have to move to do so. I’m sure there is a small venue in the Orlando area that could hold Impact; and as I mentioned above, TNA could make a profit from ticket sales as I’m sure the Impact Zone faithful would attend. Not to mention those that wouldn’t have to pay Universal admission to see the show. If not Orlando, then see about going “home” to Nashville. ROH ran the Asylum not too long ago, and they packed the house. TNA could certainly do the same seeing how it’s their hometown. The time has come for Impact to spread its wings and do so the right way.

TNA has taken the proactive steps to develop a new TV deal and there’s a good chance they’ll get one somewhere (Please be FS1) before the fall. But that, of course, isn’t a guarantee. Having the Plan B I listed above (or one similar) could give TNA the boost it needs to become the force in wrestling that it once was. A new golden age of TNA is within reach. Like I said before, if Spike doesn’t want to renew, would it really be all THAT bad?

I think not.


Originally posted at Fans Talk Wrestling
Posted By JSO

DarkstarIV posted:

So Vince Russo reviewed RAW. It was pretty bog standard review, until...


God bless Vince Russo and his insanity.

There are other choice quotes but I'll let you read them yourself.

http://www.pyroandballyhoo.com/bro-freakin-easter-bunny-raw/

HulkaMatt posted:

Bobby Lashley is a product of WWE hype and the exact type of wrestler TNA fans would bash WWE for pushing 7 years ago, so seeing them praise him today really is something else.

quote:

It’s amazing when a creative person uses the most of an artform, with a unique style, and transforms a larger-than-life story into a brilliant piece of art, all the while capturing the humanity of one of the largest human celebrities of the professional wrestling industry.
Andre the Giant: Life and Legend is written and illustrated by Box BrownWhat fascinates me about this Graphic Novel (to use the modern/current/ mainstream lingo) is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
But then again, we are talking about Andre the Giant, a larger than life persona in this crazy business called professional wrestling, large enough to transcend to the mainstream, large enough to overwhelm all the warts and scars and imperfections of his character.
As an old school comic book fan, well versed in the more realistic genre of that industry, I see a lot of interesting approaches and a brilliant handling of what is otherwise a pastiche of stories of and about Andre. We see lots of names, lots of cameos and a lot of very interesting takes on the Giant’s life, many of which go beyond the obvious.
For example, one might anticipate a story about Andre’s life to focus on the drinking: tall-tales about Andre’s ability to imbibe alcohol populate every professional wrestling book featuring a name from the 1960’s -1990’s. But Box Brown’s take on those stories is to permeate the story without overwhelming it, and humanize Andre’s apparent alcoholism by showing it at various stages of his life, peppering it with poignant insight and letting it soak into the reader’s mind.
As a professional wrestling fan, well versed in the backgrounds of all the names and promotions and styles portrayed in this comic, I see a lot of fascinating glimpses of Andre, albeit a few told by in-credible sources. Then again, Dave Meltzer’s name is all over the back notes.
In that regard, I know Box Brown has well researched the stories, interviewed some big names, watched some insightful videos and truly comes across as a fan, albeit one that started in the early 1990’s and quite frankly plays fast and loose with the concept and understanding of kayfabe.
Who, these days, really understands that concept?
I hate to be one of those internet reviewers that disses anyone who tries to understand this business. So I will applaud his efforts and minimize the criticisms. Brown touches very close in talking about magicians and not revealing the secret, but then he goes a bit too far in not understanding that the business, the work, that the very nature of professional wrestling isn’t about lying on every imaginable level, but it’s about building credibility and steadfastly protecting the business.
Yeah, that’s a quaint, long forgotten concept.
One thing that I found a bit irksome is Brown leading off with Hulk Hogan talking up Andre.
I understand where he’s coming from.
Box Brown, that is.
Hogan is beyond understanding, except for a sneer, a look of utter disdain, a glance at a pathetic figure who lied his way to mainstream prominence, all the while trashing the talents who came before him, all the while pretending that he was a master of the artform because of his mainstream prominence, all the while establishing his credibility on a foundation of crap so deep that his ability to stay afloat in it actually does bespeak a talent far superior to anyone in the industry.
Of course, this is from someone who whole-heartedly cheered what seemed to be Andre pinning Hogan in that climactic match at the Silverdome, and I’m not so sure that Box Brown did justice to that moment.
I think Brown gives too much credit to Hogan, in too many ways, but I digress, to steal a line from Peter David (comic book writer extraordinaire).
Which takes me to the comic book side, and while I’d love to slam (am I not doing so) Stan Lee as the Hulk Hogan of the comic book world (Kirby rules! and ask Mark Evanier if you don’t understand), let me keep the rants under control.
Box Brown takes me back to the days of reading indie stuff, including Peter Bagge, who not so ironically wrote and drew a comic called Hate, which seems like such a quaint concept, especially since it was all about some loner type who didn’t ever fit in, excepting that the protagonist wasn’t over seven foot tall, a world traveler and a uniquely qualified performer in a strange amalgamation of sports and entertainment.
That’s the world of indie comics I loved. It was a time when the comic book industry had a place for different styles and different approaches and much unlike professional wrestling, the fans welcomed it when “indie” meant different, not more of the same.
What I love about this book is that it progresses rather slowly, but along the way spells out the way Andre interacted with the world. As a child, he was just a big (huge!) kid, already having his brush with fame, the inherent difficulty of his size, but in at the core just wanting to be normal.
That’s part of the internal theme.
Another theme is the humanity of the man-giant, as a euphemism for some ugly sides of his character. From his racism that spurred Bad News Brown/Allen to tell the bus driver on a Japanese tour to pull over to his awkward my-life-on-the-road-is-more-important-than-my-daughter attitude, Andre wasn’t the perfect and happy giant of his Princess Bride character.
It does seem like he and Allen Coage ultimately came to an understanding, and inevitably the heel turn was forgiven and the aging Andre had a final, poignant moment on the then WWF’s TV, but his relationship with his daughter never seems to have been made right, and his relatively early passing (ironically while too many wrestlers were enlarging their hearts, his wasn’t large enough for his body) just had him fade away.
To me, there are many parts to this story, many pages of an artist adhering to the craft, and a huge relevance to professional wrestling in the disconnect between modern and Andre era, between the crass and rapid storytelling of today and the simplified, dignified and in depth nature of taking one’s time and doing it right.
In the end, those parts make an altogether impressive whole. Weirdly, I marked out for the Terry Funk page, but didn’t quite get the point. I also (being the Friend of Bruno I am) saw several sidebars that could have been told, and some realities overlooked (Hogan was the jobber to Andre, Andre’s drawing power was much more closer to the portrayal of his Montreal days than the mythical assumptions) but the subtle and less-than-subtle acknowledgements throughout, and in the notes, make this wrestling cynic smile.
My thanks to First Second and Gina Gagliano for the review copy of Andre the Giant: Life and Legend (Written/Illustrated by Box Brown). This Graphic Novel is priced at $17.99, and likely available at comic book stores and those other places that sell books and pretend to be comic book stores, too.
Read this book for an understanding of Andre Roussimoff that few other stories can ever match.

Fauxhawk Express posted:

Is it sad that I Ctrl+F'd for "bruno" before trying to read that?

Fauxhawk Express posted:

I just reupped my F4W/WON subscription last week after 2 years or so, and I love how on the site, that article has no indication of the author in the link and no byline. That can't be an accident.

sportsgenius86 posted:

"Ironically, the mid 2000s ABC series LOST is one I've recently found. They say the apple always falls far from the tree, which is where LOST opens as Jack Shepherd, played by Matthew Fox who is not in-coincidentally a native of Pennsylvania, home of Bruno Sammartino, who I often am proudly referred to as a friend of. Shepherd is in a jungle not unlike that of Mowgli's in a popular Rudyard Kipling narrative."

HulkaMatt posted:

Pretty sure 1,100-1,200 is regarded as max capacity in the ballroom if you have practically no setup like ROH, and set up a couple hundred seats on the stage.

SylvainMustach posted:

From the ever lovely TNAMecca:

Their current product is a lot like the Attitude Era!


Jericho Vs. Young? Will we see it in our lifetime? no, we won't

quote:

On Wrestling: Three Ways To Turn TNA Wrestling Around

Wednesday, 04 June 2014 16:00


Submitted By Joe Babinsack

Nobody’s asking me, but TNA could really use some suggestions. Even though the chances of them using potentially interesting avenues of this artform called professional wrestling for profitable purposes is slim-to-none, (well, in part because of the same), I figured I’d toss out a few ideas.

There is a distinct theme to these ideas which is to strip away a lot of the nonsense and get back to basics (matchmaking, letting personalities and talent shine, let the wrestling do the talking and not have wrestlers do the talking). The other theme is that TNA actually does have talent to spotlight, so why not shine that spotlight on notable talents. I know professional wrestling these days is mostly filler, but sometimes I get that crazy notion that it should be a lot more than just that. I also know championships are tokens, props and playthings and not serious these days, but I’m stubborn in that way, too.

Idea #1

The first thing I’d do is build the promotion around a guy that could be considered a serious athlete, a dangerous individual, and someone who once commanded respect, and despite TNA’s obliviousness and efforts, still retains enough momentum that he could break free. That guy has a pretty good name, even if too many people cannot pronounce the first one correctly: Samoa Joe.

For some reason, there’s a cool chant that resonates in my brain, which isn’t non-violent, and yet remains simplistic enough for that concept called a catchphrase, and this was one that so many fans spontaneously erupted with during that shining era of ROH, and the first year or so of Joe’s tenure with TNA. I’m sure my hardcore peeps know what I’m talking about.

The problem today is that Joe’s not been the “killer” for too long, and no transition or incremental storytelling is likely to bring him back, without a great visual, a connection to the past, a solid reason to break Joe away from the mundane and the mediocrity that TNA can only aspire to escape. Many may see this as a take on the Dungeon of Doom, but I see it as an advanced level of the same.

Getting to this point should take some time with TNA, which hopefully means at least a two hour show of references, if not two months, but my attention to the attention spans of creative types who should know better suggests that I’m already asking too much. Getting to the point, we see Joe ushered off to a darkened room; invited, cajoled and prodded along the way to get him there. The darkness is lit by torches. We glimpse the trappings of Polynesia, the rumblings of culturally correct music, and an imposing figure with his back turned.

When he turns around, we can only assume that it is one of the famed and historic Wild Samoans. Maybe it is, maybe politics prevent it, but tying Joe back to the history and lineage of that famed family is important on many levels. Perhaps Joe is indifferent, but this is a defining moment, and the promo that venerable Samoan delivers, inciting Joe to his glory, to his potential and to the glory of Samoa is one for the ages.

We no longer see Samoa Joe as a guy lost in the card, but a Samoan Suplex Machine, and a man on a mission. To make it really work, the first guy he runs into (probably the next week) mocks or laughs. This would be someone recognizable. And Joe destroys him. At this point, we know TNA doesn’t want him in the ring, hurting their talent, so for months he’s fed unknowns, and for months he destroys them. Joe clamors for competition, the fans get behind him, and eventually he gets names, chances and on the veritable path of rage (cue Taz), he destroys every person in every short match and becomes the Heavyweight Champion.

Idea #2

Instead of aping Daniel Bryan, TNA should feature a guy with similar talent, drive and size, but refocus the X Division around him, and establish a lighter weight class and avoid the size issues and that way feature a more indie-centric workrate. The obvious person is Austin Aries, and the obvious approach is to unleash Aries on all levels.

The less-than-obvious approach is to also use Aries to make a lot of references and teases about a former (ROH) world champion, and get the wrestling fandom riled up about that punk kid. TNA should be trying to re-establish its connections to wrestling fans of different eras and regions and styles, but should be focusing on a guy who can be that central character.

Aries can pull it off on so many levels, and to establish him as a guy who knows wrestling, knows its future, and can speak as the present day top dog, all the while calling out his friends and former associates, all the while using his wits and his talents, but most importantly while being the lynchpin of an X Division that is built upon his level of talent, and knocking those who proclaim themselves “Best in the World”. TNA has enough ties to Japan and Mexico and could use the Indie scene to establish Aries as the “Best in the World” or some other moniker of his choosing.

Idea #3

Tag teams are again on the decline, even though so many thought this concept was on the rise. There’s obviously one team in TNA that can re-establish the concept, even though they are well into being sucked into the black hole of TNA’s uncreativity. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards can still, if left to their own devices, put themselves on the map and put tag team wrestling back as a respectable approach to this brand of sports entertainment.

Like with the X Division (and heavyweight), TNA could focus on bringing in “names” and building them up, and having the Wolves knock them down. The overall picture for TNA should be focusing on champions, paying those champions to be the best, and bringing in other talent to make sure things get interesting and interesting on an ongoing basis. I know that’s crazy talk, "old school" mentality and so many would say it will never work.

Too bad no one’s really tried it in twenty years.

epitasis posted:

???

Sir Jebus posted:

I can see why he'd ask that.

quote:

Hey Dave,

I'm going to skip the Best of the Night / Worst of the Night and giving you my thumbs. It's all irrelevant. I was an avid ROH fan from the company's inception and watched/followed it religiously until shortly after the departure of Gabe Sapolsky. I didn't stop watching ROH because of an allegiance to a booker, I stopped because frankly it got to the point that once you've seen one ROH show, you've seen them all. So tonight, Ring of Honor made its debut on traditional live Sunday pay per view and I learned that not a single thing has changed in the many years since I stopped following it. Tonight's show was exactly every single ROH show you have ever seen: The production quality was sub-par, the entrance music was generic garage-band crap, the announcing was terrible, the booking lacked intelligence, the audio was terrible, the crowd was self serving, and every single wrestler on the show tried to steal the show to their own detriment (with the exception of two men - Kazarian and Daniels).

Let's talk production:
TNA is a terribly run company with terrible booking, but they LOOK like a professional wrestling company that cares about not looking second rate. The same can not be said about ROH and Sinclair. The lighting for ROH's big debut on PPV was terrible, the shadows in the ring are distracting and when the ringside camera men shoot into the ring you are blinded by these spotlights that are set up in the four corners of the ringside area. To make matters worse, they would show clips of their recent show in New York, which had a fully lit arena and it looked 10 times better. Advice to ROH, make room in your budget for production because image is everything and quite frankly the image ROH portrays is that of a second rate company.

Let's talk booking:
I paid $25 pay per view and there wasn't a single storyline or feud that came to an end, no bang for my buck. This was cookie cutter booking at it's best, and it shows that whoever is calling the shots these days doesn't have a single imaginative idea in their mind. If truth martini's body guard stopped Truth from running away before the match, what would cause her to break the handcuffs at the end of the match so he could escape? So Martini escapes the wrath of Taven, no payoff. Roderick Strong and Alexander had a decent match, but once again Strong continues to disrespect the young guy that just beat him at his own game, no payoff. Steen and Young a decent match, and after the passionate speech from Steen he is left laying by Young, No Payoff. reDRagon beats Bad Influence using a number of underhanded tactics, yet the grizzled veterans shook their hands and let them know they weren't done with them...once again no payoff. My biggest gripe with the booking on this show was the entire main event. Early in the show they show a video from a recent event in which Cole and Bennett tied Elgin up cut his hair and then put HIS WIFE in a figure four leg lock. So before their big Grudge Match...Elgin offers to shake this man's hand...ARE YOU loving KIDDING ME?!?!?! In what universe is one man hurting your wife and humiliating you and then you offer to shake his hand prior to your big match?

Let's talk working:
Can someone please show these guys how to sell in the ring? Maybe Kazarian could show them how it's done because he sold an arm injury during his match and they USED it as part of the finish...BRILLIANT!!!! Flash forward to the main event, in the final moments of this absolute overbooked circus of a war for the world title, Adam Cole decides to attack the leg of Elgin. So after like 3 moves on Elgin's leg, the guy starts selling like he will never be able to walk again. He stumbles across the ring and Cole kicks him in the face to start the final sequence in which Elgin miraculously regains full strength of his lower body and hits three power bombs for the win. The truth is, 90 percent of these guys don't care about selling, they don't care about psychology, they don't care about telling a story, they care about feeding the idiots in the crowd that only care about watching flips and high spots. Wrestling is like painting, the good stuff takes time and in the end the picture is clear or interesting. ROH matches are the equivalent of an artist taking a bucket of paint and just throwing it at the canvas and seeing what the end result is.

My Final Take Away:
ROH is what it always has been...pro wrestling on crack. I don't feel like they stole $25 from me, but I don't feel obliged to purchase their next pay per view offering or television show because I have about 45 DVD's from their earlier days that have identical shows. ROH is a company filled with guys who really only care about catching the attention of the bigger wrestling promotions. It's an independent promotion and from what I saw tonight, they will be viewed in that light for the foreseeable future.

Brent Gillett
Madison, Wisconsin

rovert posted:

I've been rumbled:

rovert posted:

I apologise for passing them off as something they are not. I am sorry guys.

quote:

DVD Review: Breaking Kayfabe With Troy "Shane Douglas" Martin

Thursday, 03 July 2014 05:00


By Joe Babinsack

As anyone should imagine, a shoot interview with Troy Martin, better known to the hardcore world as Shane Douglas, is full of controversy, strong opinions and difficult (personal) subjects. I found the interview quite interesting, but writing about it isn’t as easy as I figured.

There are aspects of reviewing that always cause some twisting and turning and finding the proper perspective. As I told Sean Oliver when I got the message about access to this documentary, Shane’s a Western Pennsylvania talent. I know I reach a bit to call myself talented, but I am a Western Pennsylvania kid, grew up in the same sort of rust belt steel mill towns, went to the same sort of schools, and even spent some time in Beaver County, where Martin taught one of my sisters-in-law, and where my wife hails from.

Perspective and cynicism are often conflicting concepts. I know that when I joked about a guy with a sign begging for food, his family in tow, I figured he makes more money than me. My wife cried because she saw the small kids. Being a professional wrestling fan makes you question everything. Sometimes it isn’t fun to look back and realize how jaded you are, but then again how much cool-aid you can drink.

Those conflicts abound in watching and reviewing Breaking Kayfabe with Troy Martin (available on DVD and On-Demand).

I’d never call Shane a personal hero, but I’ve had more than a few conversations with him. Once was when TNA was getting started and I wasn’t jaded to Dixie and Shane was pitching their potential, another time was when I helped conduct an Internet interview with him (with a lot of audience participation… “chat session”, we may have called those things), and I still remember that time at the Beaver County Mall when I saw him, and did my typically ‘maybe I shouldn’t go up and talk’ shtick (he did just break the Pitbull’s neck).

The other thing about Shane, which the details seems to be sidestepped here, is that he’s seemingly someone who takes the other fork in the road, when in hindsight he should have taken the other. Lord knows I have that same gut instinct of doing the opposite of what appears to be the obvious step. Whether its Shane or Troy or a combination of wrestling/reality, I get what he says about that oppositional tendency.

Coincidentally, I am usually always at odds with fellow Beaver County guy Mark Madden. Those who know Shane well know that he’s gotten a heck of a lot of mileage out of Ric Flair. Those who know know that Madden wrote Flair’s book and if there’s anyone that hates Flair, it’s some guy that lives in Western Pennsylvania. Well, Shane has spent more than two decades proclaiming it. (Stick with me to the punch line, I just have to give that one away).

But enough meandering, even though I think I’ve spelled out enough conflicts and coincidences and comparable conditions.

Several major subjects form the bulk of this two hour extravaganza (I think the wrapping-up, with the music motif and the expected Deep Purple reference and the obvious KISS stories, is rather trivial). One subject mostly set aside was how Martin kicked his habits and beat his personal demons, but that was handled with a previous DVD by Kayfabe Commentaries. But the main subjects are his involvement in promotions, including a new one, his stories about teaching public education in Western Pennsylvania, his life history, his schooling, breaking in and a lot about his family.

Much of the detail is left for the viewer to watch. I’m not one for heading into the depth of details of his childhood and the scars of divorce, the deaths of his father and sister, or the peculiar details of his marriage. Strangely enough, this is one DVD where the bleeps came out, and came out to cover the name of his ex. There is obviously a lot of intense issues with that, many are explained, but these are better left for watching.

For the intense wrestling fan, there is a lot more than the personal, even though the perspective is what makes these details more important. We learn so much about Martin that the Douglas persona becomes more understandable, that his career decisions and choices – his path to being a professional wrestler all the while not having the need, not having to be stuck in that business – play into his reputation. One comment really stood out, one where he notes that people in this business are “great liars, even to ourselves”.

There’s a definite sense of psychology involved here, with Troy talking about obligations and responsibility. There’s a definite drive of his related to fear of failure. This plays through his talk about promotions he’s been involved with, his life, and his career. All this is fascinating, but then again, more so if interested in Shane Douglas the wrestler, if interested in Troy Martin the person.

What I tout as the fascinating part of the discussion comes as the hard part. When Martin talks heels and babyfaces, about how Bruno and Ivan worked in a cage, about how he broke in and learned the ropes, learned his place in the business, learned that he didn’t need professional wrestling because he had a trade – all this is solid, all this kept my attention because of that curious mix of Douglas as Martin as Shane Douglas.

He definitely shines with “the Franchise” attitude. But then, where does the Franchise start, and where does it end?

The discussions about promoters, promoting and the problems involved are very much interesting. I was astonished to learn how much TNA lost over the years, as I’ve heard the rumors, expected the worst, but Martin names a number. His take on independent contractors is very problematic for this industry, although I definitely welcome his point of view and feel that this industry would be best served by true independent contracting, not the employees but we’ll call them something else approach these days. The logic that wrestlers work on contract, pick-and-choose their employer and have any sense of control isn’t just laughable...even with a Shane Douglas cackle.

His take is based on his understanding, and they seem complete and compelling. Where things get difficult for me is the talk about this new promotion he’s involved with, the billionaire backer, the business oriented approach, the healthcare, the 401ks, the various differences, the 22-35 hours of content that will be delivered.

All this (setting aside the responsibilities and the realities of the wrestling industry today, which I see that Martin has a great sense of things and a great take on things, which gives him great credibility) leads to another direction.

With most interviews of most guys in this business, there’s the work and the shoot and a café au lait blend of it all. After watching this and learning much, and glimpsing parts of Douglas/Martin that I don’t think I would have thought revealed, I reflect back and start my wondering, start my damnably jaded self towards thinking about it all, start to put my wrestling reviewer hat on, and I start down that dreaded path of not liking where I am going. When I heard the clinching comment, I was marking out.

When I think back upon it, all I know is that it wasn’t Martin telling really funny joke about what St. Peter would tell him at the Pearly Gates, and the response being that he wasn’t the only one that hated Ric Flair. I know that was Shane Douglas talking, and I realize I can’t figure out if he suddenly made a cameo, or if he was lurking in the shadows all along.

triplexpac posted:

lol this guy thinks that having smaller guys fight bigger opponents is a bad idea. Uhhhhh it's only been in storytelling since the BIBLE but yeah, lets not have them cross paths anymore.