The Ghost of bps21

They'll keep doing it because every year they get on the cover of one of the most popular magazines in the country...and one that markets to the right demographic at that. It's smart business. ...and it doesn't take up a large chunk of the show anyway...plus...not every match can be a high crowd energy match or they'll have nothing left for by the end.

I would agree with that. I have yet to see a response to a house show that wasn't a thumbs up. I took a couple nonwrestling friends to BFG in Detroit and they both had a blast, and one of them asked me not that long ago if they were coming around at any point because he wanted to go again. Me...I'd go even if I had a bad experience...because I can pretty much sit through anything...but getting a guy who likes to joke on me because I look forward to watching wrestling to have a good time...that's how you make some money. Of course...they haven't come anywhere near Buffalo...and they haven't returned to Detriot either.

180 minutes? That's an hour less than the show itself was.

No...I know...I just wrote that because I wanted to bitch about having to leave for drug court in a minute.

I was planning on writing a preview when I get back from super happy fun drug court... so...yipee!!

I made a punter and don't know what I'm doing. The above is the extent of my goal line blitz experience.

He's worth every penny at 3.5 million. They had mainstream coverage of their product...that came off in a pretty positive light...as opposed to the usual steroid, wrestlers dying early and Benoit killing people. Good investment. ...and he also ruled in that match.

I got a PS3 today just because I figured I was going to get a blue ray player anyway. Is there any games to recommend? I already have a 360 and since I'm an achievement whore I would play games on it over PS3 if they were multiplatform. I get the feeling I won't be gaming much on it...

The Dodgers existed before Los Angeles.

Bring back Jerean. We never even got to scratch the surface of the greatness that was Jerean.

Sweet. It's cool that it's free. I would have bought it just because it's such a cool song.

Yes. But then they wen't ahead and changed Angle's character anyway and have done the serious build to Joe/Angle. So maybe the fact that people have generally liked that move has swayed Jarrett to think differently on it.

Yeah...the first thing I thought when I read it was it wasn't really SPOILERIFIC!!! but that's why I just made sure to write that Raw was must see tonight.

III Just for the greatness of Piper and the magnitude of the event. 17 because it's the best ever 24 because Flair's retirement is either my favorite Mania moment ever...or second after Austin/Hart. It would be 20...but with Eddie dead and Benoit...Benoit it just doesn't FEEL the same anymore.

The problem that I have with the big guy winning the X title is that it really just makes the little guys seem ineffective. Joe dominated everyone...and then he never even lost the damn thing. I know they were going for his winning streak...but looking back on it...it would have been much cooler if an X guy finally toppled Joe for the title instead of Angle doing it.

Another Flair/Sting match would have been cool. But I kind of like that the last time they did it it was the last match in the history of their company. That's the way it should be.

TNA: We ruin your career (but...we're profitable now!)

Really positive write up from ESPN on Mayweather/Show

He books the Knockouts. ... Which is also the best thing on the show and their best ratings grabber...

*Reads Spoiler* ... Raw is a must watch tonight. *Pumped and pissed he has to work till midnight*

Why? Who'd he piss off?

Clearly any financial success is due to smart business decisions and not the product. Buyrates are down. Ratings don't move. But the company itself keeps expanding. House shows, more tv clearance, better tv deal, video game, etc... It's awesome that Panda isn't having to bail the company out...because there's no real reason to fear them pulling the plug on TNA anymore.

The move to a more serious product excites me. It seemed before that only Angle was really pushing for it...and now that Jarrett is seemingly on board (and just looking at Angle/Joe for Lockdown they're doing some of it) that's pretty much everyone who's say matters. Russo can't beat the coowner and the top star.

If that's the situation....I'd rather they just reban Anglesault. No more Mike. Please.

From weekly ppvs, to Fox Sports daytime, to monthly ppvs, to Internet tv, to late night Spike, to prime time Spike, to 2 hour primetime Spike... To LIVE 2 hour prime time Spike... Tomorrow is the first ever live Impact broadcast and this is its thread. We'll do a little blast from the way way past (like...nearly over 4 years now) and I'll write a preview. The NWA TNA Week 301 Preview Alex Shelley vs. Johnny Devine According to TNAwrestling.com, this match will open the live Impact. The winner gets a spot in the Xscape match for the X division title at Lockdown. Shelley had better win. The Xscape match (currently featuring Lethal, Dutt and Curry Man) becomes infinitely cooler if the Motor City Machineguns are in it. I'd think that's where they'd be heading with this...even if they are in the doghouse. Something tells me Devine won't be winning the first match of the live era. Match could be real good if they give them time. I'm mainly wondering if going live will affect their TERRIBLE habit of interrupting every match over 3 minutes with a commercial break. So I expect it to get 6 minutes with a 4 minute commercial break. Maybe I shouldn't be that negative. They opened their first primetime Impact with Joe and Daniels getting some time. Of course...this isn't Joe and Daniels. Rough Cut part 4 We'll also get another edition of Rough Cut with BG and Kip James. I've generally liked these. It's different, and I like that there finding a new way of getting a story accross rather than just having them run in on each other. Plus...it's kept them out of the ring. Of course the "payoff" is them actually getting into the ring...so...yeah. I think that Lockdown should be treated as a last chance for these guys. They've found a way to build to their match that doesn't suck...now they just have to go out and NOT suck ass. If they do they should just be let go on the spot. ...they probably will... Karen Angle interview Pass. Actually...no...just pass. Scott Steiner, Petey Williams & Rhaka Khan vs. LAX & Salinas I like Steiner and Petey together. I like LAX. Then I realize that none of them have a match on the PPV. Did you know that LAX were the #1 contenders to the TNA tag titles? And Steiner has shots at both the TNA and X titles? Yeah...I don't know either. Awesome Kong vs. ??? Ah, ??? returns. This will be voted on by viewers through TNA's website during the broadcast. Not a bad idea considering it might retain viewers who interacted...and the women draw the highest ratings anyway. They haven't bothered to tell us who the people up for the vote are. If Gail Kim is in the voting...everyone should vote for her. Kim vs. Kong rules. Sting Returns He's back to work limited dates. One of which will be in the Lethal Lockdown. Which is what he'll be telling us tomorrow. Joe/Angle hype: Frank Trigg They're really trying to put over this Angle vs. Joe match as being MMA style aren't they? We've had the Angle MMA challenge...and now MMA fighter Frank Trigg will be LIVE in the Impact zone to offer thoughts on the Joe/Angle main event. I kinda like it. And I kinda don't. I dig that they're trying to make Angle/Joe feel bigger, and different and special. On the other hand...everyone's still afraid that this isn't going to all go down clean in the end. I think TNA is doing all this stuff to kind of wink at the viewer and say "Hey...this time we promise" and if they follow through that's a big thumbs up. If they screw it up...well they don't have that much credability left with fans and it'd be all gone. Samoa Joe Interview Joe has a pretaped interview from his "training" in California for the Angle match. He says he won't be back in the Impact zone until he is TNA world champion. I like that...but of course...ONLY IF HE WINS. I'll be honest. I think Joe is winning that match. But can you imagine how many things just go wrong if he doesn't? They're apparently drawing their best house ever to Lockdown...and not only do you kill the town...but your show ends with people pelting the ring with garbage. Of course...they've done that before too... Kurt Angle vs. Tomko & AJ Styles More of Angle's preparation for Joe. He says he wants real competition so he's facing Tomko and Styles in 4 one minute rounds. I'm fine with all of this but they've kind of got to be careful. Tomko can't really look weak. Angle definitely can't look weak. Styles can look as weak as they want...but then they go too far into Angle/AJ and I start to get scared that Karen will mess around in Joe/Angle at Lockdown. Angle vs. Styles is definitely on the horizon...I just won't like it if they take away from the Lockdown build to start it now. Other Stuff: The video on TNAwrestling.com teases that the "biggest main event in Impact history" will be televised uncut and commercial free. Um..what main event? They can't be serious with Angle and his stooges being that big. The clip offers no insight to what the match is...so we'll assume that its not that (since it was previously announced). As for what it is...who knows. Lots of people aren't wrestling on this show that are in prominant roles at Lockdown (Sting, Christian, Rhino, 3D, Nash) and Tomko and AJ and Angle can always pull double duty since theirs is a sparring session anyway. I'll be really disapointed if it's just the Angle sparring session. ... Anyway...discuss and such. I have to work during LIVE Impact tomorrow...so I won't be watching until after midnight on my DVR.