TNA News:

[Playboy]

I totally agree. The most silly sounding thing is when they promote someone as the 12 time World Champion. Or 17 time Tag Team Champion. It doesn't sound very appealing to me. Now the main events are really just to see an action packed match. Not who's gonna be the Champ. I watch wrestling everytime it's on. I have no clue all the title belts they have now? 

That's what I loved about the WWE in particular in the 80's. For example, I remember when Savage had the IC title. He held it for a little over a year before being defeated by Steamboat at WM3. When Steamboat got that pin, everyone not only saw a great match but it made the storyline that much more real and less predicable. Same with when Honky Tonk Man fought Beefcake at WM4. A lot of people thought that Honky would lose but he retained and squeeked by.

Now if Cena loses the title, i'm willing to bet the deed to my house he will win it back at the next PPV. Thats just too predictable. Titles change hands like I change my underwear. No value or respect anymore. Back in the day, you had to be deserving and you had to pay your dues and in some promotions like NWA, you had to put down a 25G deposit if you were given a title. Respect went out the window. Look at these lackluster champs we have now. Jack Swagger? Sheamus, who hasn't been in the business long enough to merit a cup of coffee? Its a joke.

[Montague]

Eric Bischoff was on Monday Night Mayhem (mondaynightmayhem.com) and answered many questions from fans on his Facebook.
 
When asked about the creative team at TNA, Bischoff mentioned that there were a lot of people involved: headed by Russo, and that Ferrara/Conway are involved. Bischoff is in and out, while Hogan and Carter have their say. He said with any corporate network, there is no one person that has sole control on the entertainment business with the exception of Vince McMahon - but not so much now due to WWE being part of a public company and the time it is now.
 
He said networks have the final say and it's their job to manage around it.
 
He then says Russo is doing a "phenomenal job", that fans hope Bischoff bad mouths Russo, that fans want a civil war, wanting to cheer one guy and hoping for another's demise. He noted fans want an internally fractured situation that they can all talk about to point fingers at because that would make it interesting to people.
 
Bischoff says out of any team, that this team is more fun to work with than any team he worked with before. He says Russo is passionate, that there's nothing wrong with being passionate, and he's very open minded despite what people read about him, what people like to repeat about him. He said people change, situations change for Russo, and for him. He said he's spending more time with the creative team because he's having a lot of fun working with them. Bischoff said he wouldn't spend time with them nor is he required to if he wasn't having fun. He closed it by saying that the TNA product will continue to evolve.



credit: Wrestlezone.com

[Playboy]

Eric Bischoff was on Monday Night Mayhem (mondaynightmayhem.com) and answered many questions from fans on his Facebook.
 
When asked about the creative team at TNA, Bischoff mentioned that there were a lot of people involved: headed by Russo, and that Ferrara/Conway are involved. Bischoff is in and out, while Hogan and Carter have their say. He said with any corporate network, there is no one person that has sole control on the entertainment business with the exception of Vince McMahon - but not so much now due to WWE being part of a public company and the time it is now.
 
He said networks have the final say and it's their job to manage around it.
 
He then says Russo is doing a "phenomenal job", that fans hope Bischoff bad mouths Russo, that fans want a civil war, wanting to cheer one guy and hoping for another's demise. He noted fans want an internally fractured situation that they can all talk about to point fingers at because that would make it interesting to people.
 
Bischoff says out of any team, that this team is more fun to work with than any team he worked with before. He says Russo is passionate, that there's nothing wrong with being passionate, and he's very open minded despite what people read about him, what people like to repeat about him. He said people change, situations change for Russo, and for him. He said he's spending more time with the creative team because he's having a lot of fun working with them. Bischoff said he wouldn't spend time with them nor is he required to if he wasn't having fun. He closed it by saying that the TNA product will continue to evolve.



credit: Wrestlezone.com

And this is why WWE is successful. Other organizations have "too many chiefs & not enough indians".

[Montague]

WWE also has an ACTIVE owner - something Ted Turner was not.

Dixie is also an active owner in her company, and that is why I predict TNA will improve.
I’m not saying they’ll beat the Fed the way WCW did - they may never even reach the same level…
But, I do expect them to improve.

[The Showstoppa]

And this is why WWE is successful. Other organizations have "too many chiefs & not enough indians".

I see that as THE problem in wrestling over the last 15 years.  You have one guys vision of what he wants it to be, which on most occasions has sucked ass.

[Playboy]

WWE also has an ACTIVE owner - something Ted Turner was not.

Dixie is also an active owner in her company, and that is why I predict TNA will improve.
I’m not saying they’ll beat the Fed the way WCW did - they may never even reach the same level…
But, I do expect them to improve.

The beauty with TNA is that Dixie is willing to learn to improve her product and if it means signing guys / agents backstage like Ed Ferrerra & Vince Russo, Bishoff, Hogan, Flair, then so be it. The key here is not letting ANY of them take over so to speak and so far its been good.

[Montague]

And that’s one of the best reasons to move IMPACT! back to Thursdays.
The only reason to air head to head against RAW is to compete with RAW, which is the same trap WCW fell into during the “Monday Night Wars” when they started doing things simply to copy WWF's shows.

I really believe that TNA stands a better chance with making their own product than copying WWE.

[The Showstoppa]

The beauty with TNA is that Dixie is willing to learn to improve her product and if it means signing guys / agents backstage like Ed Ferrerra & Vince Russo, Bishoff, Hogan, Flair, then so be it. The key here is not letting ANY of them take over so to speak and so far its been good.

100% agree.  And Monty is right also, TNA should grow as there own product at this point.

[MCWAY]

That's what I loved about the WWE in particular in the 80's. For example, I remember when Savage had the IC title. He held it for a little over a year before being defeated by Steamboat at WM3. When Steamboat got that pin, everyone not only saw a great match but it made the storyline that much more real and less predicable. Same with when Honky Tonk Man fought Beefcake at WM4. A lot of people thought that Honky would lose but he retained and squeeked by.

Now if Cena loses the title, i'm willing to bet the deed to my house he will win it back at the next PPV. Thats just too predictable. Titles change hands like I change my underwear. No value or respect anymore. Back in the day, you had to be deserving and you had to pay your dues and in some promotions like NWA, you had to put down a 25G deposit if you were given a title. Respect went out the window. Look at these lackluster champs we have now. Jack Swagger? Sheamus, who hasn't been in the business long enough to merit a cup of coffee? Its a joke.

How so? One minute, people complained about the same guys (Cena, Helmsley, Orton) getting the belt. They said that it's time to give the new guys a shot.

Yet, when Sheamus beat Cena for the WWE title, these same folks were HOWLING (especially on YouTube) that Sheamus didn't deserve it and that he only got the strap, because he and Helmsley are buddies.

I don't get it.

[Playboy]

How so? One minute, people complained about the same guys (Cena, Helmsley, Orton) getting the belt. They said that it's time to give the new guys a shot.

Yet, when Sheamus beat Cena for the WWE title, these same folks were HOWLING (especially on YouTube) that Sheamus didn't deserve it and that he only got the strap, because he and Helmsley are buddies.

I don't get it.

Yet more proof that the product has become increasingly stale over the years. Cena is the WWE's main guy right now. He should keep the belt period. Not lose it every other week and win it back 10 times. Putting the title on Sheamus was ridiculous. He hasn't even been in the company long enough to merit a cup of coffee let alone a title run.

[Montague]

I wonder if part of the problem is not that the belt changes hands or stays on the same wreslters…
The problem may be the wrestlers themselves.

Pro-wrestling hasn’t had much in the way of champions that the fans really get into - I’m referring to guys like Austin, Rock, Foley, HHH (from 10 yrs. ago), etc.
Cena’s music gets an enormous pop, but once he’s in the ring, fans don’t know if they want to boo him or cheer him - usually they end up doing both.

There are some very talented mat workers on the roster, but the general absence of character and charisma, as well as the staleness/lameness of storylines leave fans indifferent and dissatisfied with those who are given the ball. 

We’ve said on here many times that the titles don’t mean anything anymore.
The same can be said for much of the talent pool.

[funk51]

I wonder if part of the problem is not that the belt changes hands or stays on the same wreslters…
The problem may be the wrestlers themselves.

Pro-wrestling hasn’t had much in the way of champions that the fans really get into - I’m referring to guys like Austin, Rock, Foley, HHH (from 10 yrs. ago), etc.
Cena’s music gets an enormous pop, but once he’s in the ring, fans don’t know if they want to boo him or cheer him - usually they end up doing both.

There are some very talented mat workers on the roster, but the general absence of character and charisma, as well as the staleness/lameness of storylines leave fans indifferent and dissatisfied with those who are given the ball. 

We’ve said on here many times that the titles don’t mean anything anymore.
The same can be said for much of the talent pool.

here's a sign of the times most of the nxt rookies? have a better look than their pro mentors and are more accomplished in the ring. if you go on youtube you'll see that daniel bryan aka bryan danielson wrestled cena on velocity back in 2003 cena won but bryan was the much better ring worker. skip sheffield was on the tuff enuff that produced the mizz who has thebetter look and is the better ring worker? he was known as the silverback on tuff enuff. sheamus is triple h's training partner and drew mcintyre is also a friend of hhh, so who gets the push?

[MCWAY]

Yet more proof that the product has become increasingly stale over the years. Cena is the WWE's main guy right now. He should keep the belt period. Not lose it every other week and win it back 10 times. Putting the title on Sheamus was ridiculous. He hasn't even been in the company long enough to merit a cup of coffee let alone a title run.

Cena's third WWE title reign lasted for over a year. Yet, you had people complaining about that. In fact, of the 30 months between WrestleMania 21 and No Mercy 2007, Cena spent 26 of those as WWE Champion (including that year-plus reign from Sep '06 to Oct '07).

As for Sheamus' short tenure, before winning the title, this isn't the first time this has happened. Remember how quickly Brock Lesnar won the title.

Heck, go back in the day. Undertaker won the title, just a year after being in WWE. Of course, he was a transitional champion used to step up the Flair-Hogan match at WrestleMania 8 (which never happened).

[Playboy]

Cena's third WWE title reign lasted for over a year. Yet, you had people complaining about that. In fact, of the 30 months between WrestleMania 21 and No Mercy 2007, Cena spent 26 of those as WWE Champion (including that year-plus reign from Sep '06 to Oct '07).

As for Sheamus' short tenure, before winning the title, this isn't the first time this has happened. Remember how quickly Brock Lesnar won the title.

Heck, go back in the day. Undertaker won the title, just a year after being in WWE. Of course, he was a transitional champion used to step up the Flair-Hogan match at WrestleMania 8 (which never happened).

The product right now is verys tale and the roster is hurting. People who shouldn't be getting title runs are which is not right. Wrestlers themselves admitted this on numerous dvd's.

[Playboy]

Well boys, i'm off to Raw this Monday......will see what happens...

Cheers 

[Montague]

I hope you get your money's worth.
I have a feeling this will be a good show.
Enjoy!

[Montague]

According to the Wrestling Observer, Christopher Daniels has not committed to any pro wrestling bookings after July as he is reportedly in serious talks with TNA about a new deal which would see him return to the company.

[MCWAY]

The product right now is verys tale and the roster is hurting. People who shouldn't be getting title runs are which is not right. Wrestlers themselves admitted this on numerous dvd's.

Who/what determines exactly who "deserves" a title and who doesn't? For all the complaints about how today's stars aren't like those from the "Attitude" era or the "New Generation" era, I can guarantee you there are people who once thought that those stars didn't deserve their runs.

I remember thinking how weird it was when Bret Hart became WWF champion. It just didn't sound right or look right. And Shawn Michaels, a mid-carder and perennial tag-team guy, now a #1 contender? That was even stranger to me.

And, I distinctly recall how much people were howling when The Rock first got his big push (as the happy-go-lucky Rocky Maivia). People were wailing about that then as they now wail about guys like Cena today, especially when Rocky beat Helmsley for the IC belt. They went nuts (that's how those "Rocky Sucks" chants started).

That's why I didn't have an issue with Sheamus being WWE champion. In fact, I liked it. And, it's not due to being an anti-Cena guy. But, it makes for good rivalry. Sheamus seems to be the one guy who has Cena's number.

[MCWAY]

I wonder if part of the problem is not that the belt changes hands or stays on the same wreslters…
The problem may be the wrestlers themselves.

Pro-wrestling hasn’t had much in the way of champions that the fans really get into - I’m referring to guys like Austin, Rock, Foley, HHH (from 10 yrs. ago), etc.
Cena’s music gets an enormous pop, but once he’s in the ring, fans don’t know if they want to boo him or cheer him - usually they end up doing both.

There are some very talented mat workers on the roster, but the general absence of character and charisma, as well as the staleness/lameness of storylines leave fans indifferent and dissatisfied with those who are given the ball.  

We’ve said on here many times that the titles don’t mean anything anymore.
The same can be said for much of the talent pool.

That simply takes time to develop the talent and the characters. Again, Austin and Rock weren't exactly world-beaters and trend-setters, when they arrived in WWE.

The fans were luke warm to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (Remember Austin's "Ringmaster" character, the persona of which he kept, even after the name change). Don't forget how the fans loathed "Rocky Maivia", the happy-go-lucky 3rd-generation guy, especially after he beat the American blueblood, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, for the IC title.

Heck, while watching an episode of WWF SuperStars in 1992, the British Bulldog (who was beating up a jobber) congratulated Bret Hart on winning the WWF title, during the promo box they used to have during the matches on the upper-left hand corner of the screen.

I remember my reaction...."WHAT THE HECK!!?? How is Bret Hart WWF Champion!!?? What in the WORLD IS GOING ON HERE!!??" It just felt weird.

It took time to develop Austin, Rock, and Helmsley. Yet, they got straps early into their careers. The same will hold true for guys like Sheamus and Swagger.

[Montague]

It took time to develop Austin, Rock, and Helmsley. Yet, they got straps early into their careers. The same will hold true for guys like Sheamus and Swagger.

"MAY" hold true...
They may stand a chance, but nothing is guaranteed.

[Playboy]

On a new note, Booker T has just re-signed with TNA.

[Montague]

Yeah, I just read that he made a surprise appearance at a TNA event few nights ago.
So they re-signed him?

I really thought he was headed back to the Fed.

[Playboy]

Yeah, I just read that he made a surprise appearance at a TNA event few nights ago.
So they re-signed him?

I really thought he was headed back to the Fed.

They sure did.

[The Showstoppa]

Speaking of Booker T, has anybody heard anything about Stevie Ray at all?  Would be kinda cool to see a Harlem Heat reunion in TNA.

[Playboy]

Speaking of Booker T, has anybody heard anything about Stevie Ray at all?  Would be kinda cool to see a Harlem Heat reunion in TNA.

Stevie Ray retired fully from wrestling once WCW went under and was bought out by Vince McMahon.