BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2003 Dutch Mantel will be starting Monday as booker for NWA TNA. Rumors of this have been going around for one week but were confirmed by someone very close to the situation that the deal is done unless there is a last minute snafu. Mantel is finishing up this week with IWA. wrestlingobserver.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bort Report post Posted September 18, 2003 big news, i wonder why he left the IWA as they were doing pretty good numbers down there, i wonder how long it is before he is replaced by jarret or russo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2003 I assume this is a result of Jarrett going down and working for IWA a couple times. He also brought back Abyss from IWA (great move I say) and they were going to use Ricky Bandares as the masked man with Raven...but changed as no one would know who he is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2003 I wonder if he will have full control over the booking or still have to work with Russo and the Jarretts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted September 18, 2003 I wonder if he will have full control over the booking or still have to work with Russo and the Jarretts. Watching the show from week to week... I'm fairly certain that no one has complete control over any facet of the booking. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted September 19, 2003 Kinda like WWE... One week it's Stephanie laden...and next week it has Heyman's prints all over it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 It's more sloppy than the WWE, I think. In WWE the end result for everyone booking is always the same: Get X wrestler over. (X wrestler is usually the same couple guys every week too...so it's not too confusing) In TNA it's all over the place...because they try to get and keep everyone over...which results in run ins and cheap victories match after match, week after week. On one hand...I like that pretty much everyone in TNA is always doing SOMETHING...but it gets real messy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 Here is what Dutch Mantell has to say about it: Okay before this gets out of hand... I'm taking a position with TNA and still working with IWA. I'm doing a liaison between the two companies. There is a void between companies in today's market and hopefully this can benefit both companies. I will still be helping Savio and Luke with their big shows and will be traveling back and forth between the two companies, but I will be spending most of my time in Nashville. But as for me leaving cold turkey, that's not accurate. Negotiations have been underway for about 6 weeks now. I came to an agreement with Panda about 10 days ago. I discussed the offer with Victor Quinones and Savio and all is well. As you know in the wrestling business... moving is a staple of the business but with the business having imploded there are few opportunities left for people to take. I find TNA to be a diamond in the rough waiting to be uncovered. Now whether that can be made to happen... that's why we play the game. You can't win unless you play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony149 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 Kinda like WWE... One week it's Stephanie laden...and next week it has Heyman's prints all over it I like it that way. IMO it keeps the format from becoming too predictable, like the way the "15 minute promo" on RAW became for so many years. But like Bps said, it can become messy. While I would like to see the Jarretts and Russo on the same page, it helps that they aren't kissing each others asses or scared about speaking their mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted September 19, 2003 Uncle Zebekiah? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Doyo Report post Posted September 19, 2003 They need to fire Russo now. I actually think Russo can be good in a limited role to come up with some comedy angles, but TNA is losing money - so trim the fat and dump Russo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Gary Busey Report post Posted September 19, 2003 Is this guy any good? I'm not familiar with him or the IWA at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 (edited) He has been drawing huge ratings and crowds to the shows in Puerto Rico and have almost put their competitors WWC out of business, so he must be doing something right. Edited September 19, 2003 by BoboBrazil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 I found a good article on Dutch here http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/news/...lt.asp?aID=8303 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corey_Lazarus 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 I'm interested in seeing from IWA now. Just to see if Mantel's booking is any good (I hope this past Wednesday's show wasn't Mantel booking). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BoboBrazil 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 It says Mantell starts Monday, so you probably won't notice his input until the week after this upcoming show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silence 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2003 It says Mantell starts Monday, so you probably won't notice his input until the week after this upcoming show. Kind of like Russo in Week 5 (which is when the shows became hit-or-miss of course), the week after he became the TNA booker? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Doyo Report post Posted September 20, 2003 Ultimate Warrior, Dutch, and Sting: more Dutch: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted September 20, 2003 Here's the wording from teh Torch site...which should please some people: -Dutch Mantell is taking over as the main booker of TNA, essentially replacing Vince Russo. We'll have more on this situation in the Torch Newsletter and perhaps later in the VIP Powell Report email. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dvkorn Report post Posted September 22, 2003 The LAW website pimped Dirty Dutch as one of the best bookers out there, if not the best... *Dutch Mantel of IWA Puerto Rico is leaving that company to come in as the head booker for NWA TNA. WWF fans may remember Mantel as Uncle Zebekiah, who managed Justin Hawk Bradshaw once upon a time. Mantel is one of the best bookers out there, maybe the best. He understands the value of booking long term and should be a huge asset to NWA TNA. http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/news/wre...t.asp?aID=17840 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
