TNA News:

[Montague]

I remember times when the I.C. strap meant even more than the big belt.
In fact, at one time, the intercontinental title was a prelude to a heavyweight championship run.

I remember Edge feeling slighted for not getting the H.W. belt right away after his I.C. program – and he even sighted the fact that THAT is what the I.C. title “means.”

Well…it used to, anyway…

Plenty of deserving workers held that title without ever graduating to the big belt – Steamboat, Hennig, Snuka, Davey – to name a few.

[Montague]

The following is a new message from the official TNA Facebook page:

"Effective immediately, TNA Wrestling has elected to terminate the services of Todd Clem p/k/a Bubba the Love Sponge."



Ha!
I remember a time when Hulk "the main man" Hogan could swing favors for anyone.

Stay in control, Dixie!
Don't give absolute power to any of these egomaniacs!!!
Keep learning.
Keep improving.

[funk51]

The following is a new message from the official TNA Facebook page:

"Effective immediately, TNA Wrestling has elected to terminate the services of Todd Clem p/k/a Bubba the Love Sponge."



Ha!
I remember a time when Hulk "the main man" Hogan could swing favors for anyone.

Stay in control, Dixie!
Don't give absolute power to any of these egomaniacs!!!
Keep learning.
Keep improving.

good move he contributed next to nothing.

[Montague]

good move he contributed next to nothing.

Yep.
And long gone are the days when talent-less guys were kept around simply because they were Hulk Bollea’s buddy.

Welcome to REALITY, kids!!

[The Showstoppa]

I remember times when the I.C. strap meant even more than the big belt.
In fact, at one time, the intercontinental title was a prelude to a heavyweight championship run.

I remember Edge feeling slighted for not getting the H.W. belt right away after his I.C. program – and he even sighted the fact that THAT is what the I.C. title “means.”

Well…it used to, anyway…

Plenty of deserving workers held that title without ever graduating to the big belt – Steamboat, Hennig, Snuka, Davey – to name a few.

Very true.....like the US title and the Missouri State title back in the old NWA.

[Playboy]

I hate the fact that titles don't mean anything anymore. That has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves that the titles change hands like I change my underwear.

[The Showstoppa]

I hate the fact that titles don't mean anything anymore. That has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves that the titles change hands like I change my underwear.

Yep.  It kills building up heat so that a match actually means something. 

[Playboy]

Yep.  It kills building up heat so that a match actually means something. 

It's brutal. Fuck, if they did this 20 years ago, Flair would be the 54th time world champion. Back then, you didn't get a title unless you deserved it. Unless you could draw and unless you paid your dues. Not like now....Jack Swagger....world champion. Joke.

[Thin Lizzy]

It's brutal. Fuck, if they did this 20 years ago, Flair would be the 54th time world champion. Back then, you didn't get a title unless you deserved it. Unless you could draw and unless you paid your dues. Not like now....Jack Swagger....world champion. Joke.

Vince has changed the nature of the beast. His business model is to sell the WWE brand and not so much the individual wrestlers. By having the title change hands so often, no one wrestler can hold Vince over a barrell

[The Showstoppa]

Vince has changed the nature of the beast. His business model is to sell the WWE brand and not so much the individual wrestlers. By having the title change hands so often, no one wrestler can hold Vince over a barrell

True and yet another reason to hate VKM.....like I need one.

[Montague]

Vince has changed the nature of the beast. His business model is to sell the WWE brand and not so much the individual wrestlers. By having the title change hands so often, no one wrestler can hold Vince over a barrell

That’s a great observation, and a very true and accurate one as well.
The old man actually started this practice shortly after acquiring the Fed from his dad.

The signs on the marquee used to simply read the names of the wrestlers & the matches on that card.
Vince soon replaced the wrestlers’ names with three big letters: W – W – F.

At minimum, this sent a strong subliminal message to everyone.
It told the wrestlers that the company (Vince) was bigger than they were, and it suggested to everyone else that it was the WWF “machine” selling out arenas – NOT the individual talent.

It took perceived power away from the wrestlers because they were no longer “the drawing force,” but rather a small, expendable part of a company that was billed over them.

[Playboy]

That’s a great observation, and a very true and accurate one as well.
The old man actually started this practice shortly after acquiring the Fed from his dad.

The signs on the marquee used to simply read the names of the wrestlers & the matches on that card.
Vince soon replaced the wrestlers’ names with three big letters: W – W – F.

At minimum, this sent a strong subliminal message to everyone.
It told the wrestlers that the company (Vince) was bigger than they were, and it suggested to everyone else that it was the WWF “machine” selling out arenas – NOT the individual talent.

It took perceived power away from the wrestlers because they were no longer “the drawing force,” but rather a small, expendable part of a company that was billed over them.

Which in turn bit Vince in the ass when wrestlers started jumping shipt to WCW for triple the pay. I loved it when Madusa showed up on Nitro with the womens title and through it in the trash can on national tv. What a beautiful shot to Vince's way over inflated ego.

[Montague]

Well, it looks like TNA IMPACT! is headed back to Thursday nights.
Personally, I think it’s a good move for them, as now they can focus on building & improving without being too consumed with competing head-to-head against someone they obviously weren't ready to.

[Playboy]

Well, it looks like TNA IMPACT! is headed back to Thursday nights.
Personally, I think it’s a good move for them, as now they can focus on building & improving without being too consumed with competing head-to-head against someone they obviously weren't ready to.

I totally agree. They should not even worry or try to compete with WWE at this point because they simply can't. TNA needs to work on making their own product better and not worry about competing with WWE. Dixie Carter is learning and doing well and is well liked back stage by the wrestlers.

[Montague]

Yeah.
I, personally, think Dixie's doing a fine job.
She's made some mistakes along the way, but everyone has to - it's part of the process.
It's how you learn & respond to those mistakes that matters.

One thing I do recommend is that – while she not try to compete head to head with WWE – she should still pay attention to their product to study trends and learn from their mistakes the way Vince did with WCW.

[MCWAY]

That’s a great observation, and a very true and accurate one as well.
The old man actually started this practice shortly after acquiring the Fed from his dad.

The signs on the marquee used to simply read the names of the wrestlers & the matches on that card.
Vince soon replaced the wrestlers’ names with three big letters: W – W – F.

At minimum, this sent a strong subliminal message to everyone.
It told the wrestlers that the company (Vince) was bigger than they were, and it suggested to everyone else that it was the WWF “machine” selling out arenas – NOT the individual talent.

It took perceived power away from the wrestlers because they were no longer “the drawing force,” but rather a small, expendable part of a company that was billed over them.

That's only partially true. Vince started doing that AFTER Hulk Hogan left for WCW. Prior to that, all the eggs were in Hogan's yellow-and-red baskets. He was the major draw. Any match involving him was a "main event match". That's why WWF had those "double main event" cards, whenever Hogan wasn't involved in the world title match (i.e SummerSlam 1990, WrestleMaina 8, and WrestleMania 9).

[Montague]

That's only partially true.

Which part?

The marquees started changing during Snuka & Murraco’s last big feud. Piper details that in his book & several interviews.
He was pissed because he’d finally made it to “New York” (as the Fed was often called then), and instead of seeing his name in lights, it simply read: WWF.

[Playboy]

That's only partially true. Vince started doing that AFTER Hulk Hogan left for WCW. Prior to that, all the eggs were in Hogan's yellow-and-red baskets. He was the major draw. Any match involving him was a "main event match". That's why WWF had those "double main event" cards, whenever Hogan wasn't involved in the world title match (i.e SummerSlam 1990, WrestleMaina 8, and WrestleMania 9).

Bullseye. According to Dave Meltzer's wrestling report, any wrestler working a program with Hogan in the eighties was making 70,000 dollars per week (yes you read that correctly) in house gate bonuses. Back then the WWE had two tours. The "A" tour and the "B" tour and anyone who was on the "A" tour would share in Hogans drawing power. I've always said that Hogan MADE wrestling. Everyone else came in second place.

[funk51]

Bullseye. According to Dave Meltzer's wrestling report, any wrestler working a program with Hogan in the eighties was making 70,000 dollars per week (yes you read that correctly) in house gate bonuses. Back then the WWE had two tours. The "A" tour and the "B" tour and anyone who was on the "A" tour would share in Hogans drawing power. I've always said that Hogan MADE wrestling. Everyone else came in second place.

i wonder what that 70 K would be in 2010 dollars?

[Playboy]

i wonder what that 70 K would be in 2010 dollars?

Either way that is a ton of dough. Back then guys who fueded with Hogan would fued with him for like 3-4 months + before moving on to the next thing. 3-4 months plus of 70g's is damn good by me. I want in on that "A" tour 

[Playboy]

Another great post. It will never go back to the way it was. VKM is the Boss.

Kind of makes you wonder though...how long will it last? Sooner or later people are just gonna say, "F**K it" and change the channel to watch football, baseball or Hockey. Stale product only lasts so long.

[MCWAY]

Bullseye. According to Dave Meltzer's wrestling report, any wrestler working a program with Hogan in the eighties was making 70,000 dollars per week (yes you read that correctly) in house gate bonuses. Back then the WWE had two tours. The "A" tour and the "B" tour and anyone who was on the "A" tour would share in Hogans drawing power. I've always said that Hogan MADE wrestling. Everyone else came in second place.

Hulk Hogan vs. "The Genius" Lanny Poffo....MAIN EVENT!!

[The Showstoppa]

Bullseye. According to Dave Meltzer's wrestling report, any wrestler working a program with Hogan in the eighties was making 70,000 dollars per week (yes you read that correctly) in house gate bonuses. Back then the WWE had two tours. The "A" tour and the "B" tour and anyone who was on the "A" tour would share in Hogans drawing power. I've always said that Hogan MADE wrestling suck. Everyone else came in second place.

Fixed it for you bro.   

Hogan made a lot of people in wrestling a lot of money, but at the expense of the sport moving further and further away from what made it worth watching.

[Playboy]

Fixed it for you bro.   

Hogan made a lot of people in wrestling a lot of money, but at the expense of the sport moving further and further away from what made it worth watching.

Hogan still is the man. 

[Playboy]

I never looked at it this way. Really just thought that it changed hands so much to keep the pace fast and interesting? I mean when Hogan Wrestled you knew he wasn't gonna loose. That's why that toilet Ultimate Warrior match was so shocking.

Depends. If a guy loses the title every 3-6 months or so its one thing. But every single PPV someone is winning a new title. It gets silly after a while.