Hey everyone. I have moved back to my old time slot of Friday, but I’ll now be up every other week. You know, it used to be easier to do this column. I was reading some of my old columns, and back in those days, there was actual NEWS to report! Hell, in one week ALONE, I covered several new signings, Flair mouthing off, 3 major injuries (Lita, Eugene, RVD), Garza being deported, Jake Roberts arrested for cocaine possession, and the list goes on. These days, I’m really grasping at straws. Well, with very little news, I’ll just have to find something else to rail against.
News
Story
Nashville, TN (May 17, 2005) – TNA Entertainment, LCC is pleased to announce today that “Phenomenal” AJ Styles & “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels have signed long term contracts with the company through 2008.
“We are thrilled to have two of the brightest young stars in professional wrestling committed to our company for the long term,” said Dixie Carter, President TNA Entertainment. “AJ and Christopher have been an important part of TNA’s success from beginning.”
TNA is in the process of signing all of its talent to long term agreements.
June 19th 2005 marks TNA Wrestling’s third year anniversary which will be celebrated with the “Slammiversary” pay-per-view event.
AJ Styles is the current NWA World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Jeff Jarrett this past Sunday on “Hard Justice”.
Christopher Daniels is the current X-Division champion. Daniels retained his title after a victory over Shocker this past Sunday on “Hard Justice”.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling “iMPACT!” airs Fridays at 4PM on FSN (check local listings) with a Saturday midnight(local) replay and a Thursday night 2AM replay. TNA “Xplosion” is a syndicated program (check local listings).
credit: tnawrestling.com
One Asshole’s Opinion
Good for them, and by “them” I mean both TNA and Styles & Daniels. I’m happy for TNA that they were able to secure two of their best performers to long-term deals, and I’m happy that Styles & Daniels were rewarded for their performances with job security (assuming, of course, that TNA stays afloat).
Story
According to many sources, Diamond Dallas Page has left TNA. DDP is done as of Hard Justice this past sunday. TNA feels that this is not a huge loss as they were unhappy that DDP did not want to put over Monty Brown without a run-in from Phi-Delta Slam.
It is said that DDP’s status was in jeopardy due to the political power with Dusty Rhodes (who Page credits for helping make him a star) stepping down as booker. There really wasn’t much left for DDP to do in the company except put over new talent.
credit: pwinsider.com
One Asshole’s Opinion
Good. Screw him. When you have no purpose but to put over talent, and you won’t do that, then you are worthless. Glad you came out of retirement, Page.
Story
Apparently a member of the media told the PWTorch.com reader that he heard from Brock Lesnar that he is on better terms with Vince McMahon. Let the speculation that he will be showing up at the Sunday PPV begin…
credit: pwtorch.com
One Asshole’s Opinion
Ugh.
Story
UPN announced its Fall 2005 schedule this morning, with “WWE SmackDown!”
being moved to the Friday 8-10pm timeslot, making room for a two-hour block of comedies on Thursdays.
These comedies will include “Everybody Loves Chris” produced by Chris Rock, “Eve” and “Cuts” moved from other timeslots, and “Love Inc.” starring Shannen Doherty. They will go up against Survivor and CSI on CBS, Joey/Will & Grace/The Apprentice on NBC, Alias and Night Stalker on ABC, and Smallville and Everwood on The WB, with FOX announcing its lineup later today (currently airing on FOX in that timeslot is The O.C. and random programming in hour two).
There has been speculation all year whether or not UPN will renew its contract with WWE after it expires at the end of the 2005-2006 season. Some analysts are saying that since WWE fans will follow Smackdown to any day/time, it’s better to put it up against virtually no competition on Friday, while it tries to compete with the other networks’ big lineups on Thursday. Some have also said that this isn’t a good sign for Smackdown’s renewal hopes, as Friday audiences are traditionally lower for young viewers, which are Smackdown’s target demographic. We’ll have more on this when it is available.
One Asshole’s Opinion
Well, I think this is a dumb move, as Smackdown has been on Thursday night for YEARS. However, it doesn’t affect me, personally, because I still don’t get UPN. *grumble, grumble*
The Adventure of Links
Gordi always has something interesting for you to read.
gloomchen, as always, is required reading.
Hyatte shows up!
David Ditch covers puro.
Hevia suffers
from the lack of news, too.
Hatton still
has the best Raw report on the Net.
For your DC Comics fix, read Tim’s Who’s Who in the DCU and DC News and Views.
And, I would be remiss if I didn’t pimp myself. This week, I reviewed The
Outsiders and Gotham
Central. Give ’em a look!
TNA Top Five List
Okay, I said I needed something to rail against, what with the lack of news, so Lambert…it’s
going to be you. Sorry.
First, though, I need to reiterate: anyone I spout off against…it’s not personal. I don’t know you. All I know is your “online persona” and whatever opinions you write down. In the same way, you don’t know me (except Iain)…just my opinions. And make no mistake, I don’t consider my opinions better or more relevant than anyone else’s…just different. That’s why my headings are labeled “One Asshole’s Opinion,” because who am I to dictate absolutes?
Now, on to the topic at hand. In his previously-linked column, Lambert wrote a top five list of why TNA is better than WWE. That’s all well and good and all, but the thing is, (in my opinion) the whole list is crap. ;-) Allow me to expand on that, point by point, with Lambert in quotes and me in bold.
5. Tag Teams: Name some WWE Tag Teams. Hurricane and Rosey, Regal and Tajiri, La Resistance, MNM and that’s about all I got. Okay, I can also name the Bashams, the Heart Throbs, Holly & Haas, and Maven & Dean, among others.Now who does TNA have? The Naturals, Team Canada (6 different combos), Siaki and Apolo, 3LK (3 different combos), Jobber Teams (yet they team consistently), and America’s Most Wanted (Arguably the best Team in wrestling.) That looks like pretty much the same amount, if not less (you can hardly count all the combos of a stable). Then again, you missed several TNA teams (Phi Delta Slam, the Harrises, et al). TNA actually cares about their tag team division. How can you tell that they “care about their tag division”? Hell, WWE just had a tag team turmoil match, showcasing all of their teams. The WWE just teams together random people in order to give them TV times and keep the fans happy (Example: Rey and Eddie.) I wouldn’t say that the team-ups are “random,” and what does it matter if they have a team name and matching trunks? 3LK were just “thrown together”…it just so happens that they’re still together now. Siaki & Apolo are just “thrown together.” Hell, even America’s Most Wanted was just “thrown together,” but they became one of the better teams out there. The tag titles actually mean something in TNA, they are throw away titles in the WWE. What, exactly, do they mean in TNA, and how do you know this?
4. PPVs: Now I’m not saying TNA has better PPVs than the WWE quality wise (although that could be debated) I’m talking about the little things. WWE charges 35 bucks for a PPV that lasts from 8-10:40. TNA charges 30 bucks for a PPV that lasts from 8-10:55. TNA charges less and really gives you more. More what? More Jarrett in the main event with a washed-up has-been? More WWE castoffs? Also on TNA PPVs you can always bank on a match that is almost worth the 30 bucks. No match is worth $30. Sorry! See, TNA does the little things better. What little things? You didn’t mention ANY!
3. Finishers: Two Words, Canadian Destroyer. Almost everyone will agree that the Canadian Destroyer is the coolest move in wrestling. What’s the best finisher in the WWE? I honestly don’t know. Everything seems so basic in the WWE. 20 people use the Powerbomb as a finisher, the guy who had the title for a year almost uses a Clothesline, and the current WWE Champ uses a DVD Slam. In TNA you have cool looking moves like the Destroyer, The Spiral Tap, Angel Wings, anything Elix Skipper does, and some other cool finisher. Still, Canadian Destroyer rules all. I’m honestly not sure what this is trying to prove except that WWE-style and TNA-style wrestling are different. There are pros and cons to each style. I mean, sure, the moves in TNA look really cool and flashy…but also extremely fake and convoluted. I love the stacked-up-superplex/powerbomb-with-9-people spot as much as the next guy, but come on.
The Canadian Destroyer is damn cool, though.
2. The Fans: Now most of this may have to do with the fact the TNA is in the same building every week but oh well. The TNA fans give me the same feeling that the ECW fans used too. Stupid things get over huge with TNA fans. Konnan takes off his shoe and throws it at his opponent, the whole crowd takes off their shoes. The Chris Candido chants at Hard Justice during the Naturals match just seemed so perfect. Of course you can’t forget DUELING CHANTS! It’s awesome to watch AJ Styles vs Petey Williams and here the crowd go “Lets go AJ” “Lets go Petey” The respect that the fans have for the workers is tremendous. WWE has had dueling chants quite a bit lately, actually (Cena/Batista, Jericho/Benjamin, etc.). The respect they have is debatable, though…”You f*cked up” is hardly a respectable chant.
1. Athletes: AJ Styles, Chris Sabin, Petey Williams, Christopher Daniels, really anyone in the X Division are great athletes. The WWE has Benoit, Jericho, Angle, Eddie, Christian, Shelton and that’s all I got. The things the X Division workers do in the ring are amazing. Did you see Final Resolution? When Sabin dropkicked AJ off the wires and AJ flipped inside out. Oh man that bump was sweeter than the move. TNA has guys that do things in the ring that WWE guys like Triple H could only dream of. If you truly think that the WWE only has 6 athletes, you are sadly mistaken (and that’s NOT an opinion). You seem to be talking about “gymnasts,” not athletes. Triple H is just as much an athlete as AJ Styles, even if he doesn’t do 8 backflips off the top rope; arial maneuvers do not an athlete make. Jerelle Clark can do all sorts of flippy-floppy, amazing gymnastic moves. But he will NEVER master the nuances of professional wrestling the way Ric Flair has…and Flair is a man who only goes to the top rope to get thrown off. As an additional point, WWE’s Cruiserweights could put on X-Division style matches if they were allowed to, but WWE is very safety-conscious now (can’t blame them, really).
Face it…while the X-Division is indeed exciting and innovative, TNA is still outclassed by WWE.
Let me know what you though via e-mail or IM, and I’ll see you here in two weeks.
AIM = GoldenAce 007
