TNA: In the Zone for 8/31/06
Hey guys and gals… I’m writing to you this week from the heart. Wrestling is going through some odd times right now, and I fear that I’ve lost my way. I would like a little feedback about this. There was a time when I would refuse to watch a show if it wasn’t entertaining. I’m not talking about just TNA here, but all of wrestling. When the same storylines get rehashed EVERY f’n week, I get a used to get a little pissed. Nowadays, I just swallow the line of garbage that the promoters feed me, and I hardly complain. When ONCE AGAIN guys like AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels get left bloody, and are made to look like chumps. When ONCE AGAIN Vince McMahon books himself over the talented guys that work for him. When ONCE AGAIN Jeff Jarrett pulls the purse strings in TNA, to get his hands on the title. When ONCE AGAIN mediocre stars debut on a show that is supposed to be EXTREME!! When ONCE AGAIN Mick Foley is made to look like a fool on a show he helped make famous. When ONCE AGAIN the real stars in TNA are overlooked to bring in guys like Sting and Steiner (though I do admit to marking out for Sting). When ONCE AGAIN we see a double standard in the WWE as RVD is suspended, and Sabu is rewarded, after they were both caught being “naughty”.
ONCE AGAIN is one time too many. I am tired of this shit. I think that it might take some doing, but if we write emails and letters telling the bookers (not his Highness, I meant the promoters) what we really want to see, we might be rewarded. I don’t think they are just putting on these shows to amuse themselves. I think that they really believe that people want to see this shit, and that we’ll keep tuning in. Well, if they won’t listen, maybe we SHOULDN’T. A few weeks of the key demographic going outside, or reading a book (that’s the thing with pages) might wake some people up to what we really want to see.
TNA gets a lot of things right. They are doing well with the X-Division, but I still see it as in its infancy. If they would kick it up a notch, and focus less on contrived spots, and more on guys like Jay Lethal, it might last. The six-sided ring is innovative. A “Border Brawl” is NOT. Konnan said that this “Border Brawl” was LAX’s specialty. How is something I have NEVER heard of a specialty? Can a match be a specialty when it is booked as the “first ever” border brawl? It was a street-fight, plain and simple. Call it what it is.
We are losing The Truth. We have lost Monte Brown, and Nash was never even really here in the first place. How does this affect the shape of TNA? Ron Killings is a guy that has SUPERSTAR written all over him, and just because Jarrett didn’t like him, he feels himself being squeezed out, so he asks for a release. Jarrett doesn’t give a damn what people want to see. He cares about keeping his ego fed. Monte? He didn’t want to do the job to a worker who was obviously getting over with the fans. That is not the way of a team player. So he’s history. You know what, he had been asked to lose the Serengeti gimmick, and try to be more realistic, and he refused. Well, he can go the way of Brock Lesner for all I f*cking care. Monte is another fevered ego gone from TNA. No big loss. Nash? Well, the guy has been so hurt, and out of action for SO long, that I no longer expect him to carry a match, and that’s sad. The thing is, that is not now, nor has it EVER been Nash’s strong point. Kevin Nash is entertaining! He can work a crowd like almost no one can. He can make us love him, hate him, or wanna BE him. Very few wrestlers are as versatile, in a storyline sense, as Kevin Nash. Sure, his wrestling days are behind him, but he could still take new stars (guys like Lance Hoyt or Alex Shelley) straight to the top! TNA missed the ball by letting Nash go. They fell into a trap that said if the guy can’t wrestle, he’s worthless. Well friends, Nash hasn’t been able to wrestle for years, and he’s FAR from worthless. I wish someone had told HIM that before he got so banged up, but it’s the damn truth.
Which brings me to Kurt Angle. Kurt Angle may be the most dedicated professional wrestler of all time. He is NOT a “Sportz Entertainer” or any other such nonsense. He is a guy that has dedicated his life to the craft of tying people up in knots, and making us cheer (or boo) him. Like Nash, he is another of these guys that can play any role, both as an in-ring worker, or a non-combatant role. If he was too beat-up to wrestle, then why didn’t the WWE put him into a similar role to the one Shane Douglas plays in TNA? Why waste what might very well be your number one asset?
Speaking of balls being dropped, what is with people defecting from TNA to go back to the big E? Is it just money? Sabu is gone. Hardy is gone. We’ll probably see the Team 3D (the Dudleys) back there in the future. James Mitchell has even been trying to get a job. Hell, I expect to see Jeremy Borash waiting outside of the arena to get a few words with Vince. (If the WWE was smart, they’d hire Mike Tenay. The Professor would be a GREAT replacement for Michael Cole. Imagine him sitting next to JBL on Smackdown. You know you want to.
Which brings me to this week’s show. We start off with clips of what’s been going on lately. Then LAX comes out to dedicate their title victory in a very baby face way.
BANG. Light bulb moment! I finally realize what they are doing here, and I LOVE it. They are creating a Latino Hart Foundation. Yeah, middle-class white America is supposed to boo LAX, but they are being portrayed as heroes to their own people. As opposed to being bad guys to all, this is a great way to work an angle.
Anyway, Daniels and Styles interrupt LAX, making them heels to the Latino viewers, and announce that they are taking their titles back, and doing it in a big fashion. Tag Team Ultimate X is ON. I only have one problem with this match. They have been trying to move AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels away from their X-Div roots, but now they need to pull out an ace to win, and they fall back on Ultimate X. So, great concept for a match, but they need to be more consistent.
Next up we get an X-Division Tag Team match, Champ Senshi and Petey Williams versus Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal. The action is fast, as you might expect, but that isn’t the real story here. (I should patent that line) Senshi stands by to watch Petey get pounded and pinned by Sabin. Petey was great in this match, but his partner just throws him away. Perhaps this could be the beginning of a face turn for Petey? Not a full-blown goody-two-shoes turn, but more along the lines of a Chris Benoit turn. Still mean, still full of attitude, but on the side of justice. Could be refreshing for the Canadian Destroyer.
Oh, and I loved the modified Tree of Woe, with Senshi trapped behind Williams. I’ve never seen that done before, and this X-Division is SUPPOSED to be about innovation, after all.
We get more of this crap with Bobby Roode. Dude, you aren’t Mr. Perfect. Kurt Hennig is dead, and I despise ANYONE who tries to take his place. No one can. Rick Rude is dead, and you can’t have his place in my heart either. Not by faking it. You want it? Earn that shit, f*cker. I’ll give you the chance, but you better get your ass out there and wrestle and shut the hell up.
Next up is Eric “Now residing in an unknown location” Young. He’s taking on Shark-Boy! This is the opposite example of what I was just talking about. EY is not the biggest or the baddest, but he began this Don’t Fire Eric campaign, and the crowd ATE IT UP. Hell, he even gave Shark-Boy the Sharkbite, and the fans loved him for it. Eric picks up the win, and then picks up Shark-Boy. This “Good Sport” gimmick is really getting over, as opposed to Roode, who just isn’t. Now, I know that they are playing different sides of the Face/Heel fence, but getting over is getting over. Period.
Of course TNA immediately drops away from Eric’s victory celebration to bring us more of “Homeless” Earl Hebner. The crowd doesn’t care. The continue to chant “Don’t Fire Eric!”
Captain Charisma, Christian Cage is in the back, talking to (who else) Jeremy Borash. He invites anyone to step up to be taught a lesson, and Ron Killings does. While I think that they should have worked the Rhino angle a little more, I think that this will be a great feud. And Killings needs a spot close to the top like this to keep him from pushing for that release. I do NOT want to see the Suntanned Superman be just another waste of talent. TNA needs to let this man run with the ball. He and Quad C will work well together, I think. They are of a similar size, their looks contrast nicely, and their styles should mesh well.
Next up we get Abyss versus Runt in a 10,000-thumbtack match. This is basically a squash, but at least Runt never gives up his fire. Afterward, Raven comes out and shoves Abyss off the stage, and through two tables covered in tacks. Next up, we will have a 100,000-thumbtack match. I dunno… I got nothing. I like Raven.
Finally JJ comes out to “publicly execute” Sting’s contract. I almost fast forward through this stupid shit, but I’m glad I don’t. I almost missed the ringing of the red phone! It’s not Commissioner Gordon, though. It’s Jim Cornette. He claims that he is going to give Jarrett a polygraph next week. Great. Lets waste more TV time.
Well, another show is in the can, and I have ranted about as much as I can. This week had some great performances, and some great interviews. I have to say that I did see eye to eye with one guy over all, and for that reason, Eric Young is In the Zone.
Later,
Dougie
icarusfallz@yahoo.com
