TNA Academy At The Asylum Week 1

[BoboBrazil 0]

TNA's official wrestling school, The Academy At The Asylum, opened this week with the first "Gut Check" tryouts.

 

TNA Academy Head Trainer Scott D'Amore worked with trainees on both days, putting them to the test to see if they had what it took to make it in the wrestling business. After two days of learning the ropes, trainees were evaluated on Tuesday night to determine who would advance to the Academy training program...and who would go home.

 

Two students passed the initial "Gut Check" and will be returning to the Asylum for the training program. If they can survive the next six months, they will be the first graduates of the Academy At The Asylum and will compete for TNA.

 

In addition to D'Amore, TNA competitors Glenn Gilberti, Chris Vaughn and Rick Santel as well as backstage producer Bill Banks were on hand to assist in the evaluation process. Students also had the opportunity to speak on camera about their Gut Check experience, the footage of which will air on TNA programming in the upcoming weeks.

 

Wrestling legend Terry Taylor, who joins D'Amore as the other Head Trainer, was not in attendance as he is recuperating from recent surgery. Taylor will be returning to the Academy in time for next week's training sessions.

[Guest Nanks]

So they've cut the field down to two people already and are expecting it to run for 6 months??? Doesn't seem too bright.

 

Furthermore, what does a "gut check" consist of?? Skinfolds or something?

[Placebo Effect 0]

Hopefully they'll learn from WCW's mistakes and not confuse talent with being able to do 20000 squat thrusts, and run 18 miles, like Buddy Parker did at the Power Plant.

[Placebo Effect 0]

So they've cut the field down to two people already and are expecting it to run for 6 months??? Doesn't seem too bright.

 

Furthermore, what does a "gut check" consist of?? Skinfolds or something?

Thanks to the demand, they're apparently having quite a few gut checks. And with the enormous price tag they're putting on the training, having 10-15 guys in the end would work out very well for them.

[BoboBrazil 0]

I wonder what their criteria is for choosing guys. This could be really great for TNA if they can last long enough to reap the benefits. Having a pool of homegrown talent ready to come up on call like WWE has would be really nice. Oh yeah and I can't wait to see this footage.

[Guest MikeSC]

TNA's official wrestling school, The Academy At The Asylum, opened this week with the first "Gut Check" tryouts.

 

TNA Academy Head Trainer Scott D'Amore worked with trainees on both days, putting them to the test to see if they had what it took to make it in the wrestling business. After two days of learning the ropes, trainees were evaluated on Tuesday night to determine who would advance to the Academy training program...and who would go home.

 

Two students passed the initial "Gut Check" and will be returning to the Asylum for the training program. If they can survive the next six months, they will be the first graduates of the Academy At The Asylum and will compete for TNA.

 

In addition to D'Amore, TNA competitors Glenn Gilberti, Chris Vaughn and Rick Santel as well as backstage producer Bill Banks were on hand to assist in the evaluation process. Students also had the opportunity to speak on camera about their Gut Check experience, the footage of which will air on TNA programming in the upcoming weeks.

 

Wrestling legend Terry Taylor, who joins D'Amore as the other Head Trainer, was not in attendance as he is recuperating from recent surgery. Taylor will be returning to the Academy in time for next week's training sessions.

Oooh, it's like Tough Enough.

 

A concept, mind you, Konnan has already mocked on-air.

-=Mike

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

[Guest MikeSC]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

Agreed. I had to recap that show for Wrestleline.com and I was STUNNED when they picked Nidia over her.

 

I think Season 2, though, killed the concept. God knows Jackie Myles and Jackie Gayda have turned out to be such in-ring gems.

-=Mike

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

Agreed. I had to recap that show for Wrestleline.com and I was STUNNED when they picked Nidia over her.

 

I think Season 2, though, killed the concept. God knows Jackie Myles and Jackie Gayda have turned out to be such in-ring gems.

-=Mike

To be fair though, at least Nidia's still in the business trying to learn, last i heard Taylor had gotten the shits and quit the business. It's also a shame that season 2 made such a mockery of the whole concept of the show, as season 3 was really good and Matt Cappotelli and John Hennigan were deserving winners.

[Guest MikeSC]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

Agreed. I had to recap that show for Wrestleline.com and I was STUNNED when they picked Nidia over her.

 

I think Season 2, though, killed the concept. God knows Jackie Myles and Jackie Gayda have turned out to be such in-ring gems.

-=Mike

To be fair though, at least Nidia's still in the business trying to learn, last i heard Taylor had gotten the shits and quit the business. It's also a shame that season 2 made such a mockery of the whole concept of the show, as season 3 was really good and Matt Cappotelli and John Hennigan were deserving winners.

Taylor quit? I thought she was trying to work in Japan. Bummer.

-=Mike

[Guest DeathBecomesYou]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

Agreed. I had to recap that show for Wrestleline.com and I was STUNNED when they picked Nidia over her.

 

I think Season 2, though, killed the concept. God knows Jackie Myles and Jackie Gayda have turned out to be such in-ring gems.

-=Mike

To be fair though, at least Nidia's still in the business trying to learn, last i heard Taylor had gotten the shits and quit the business. It's also a shame that season 2 made such a mockery of the whole concept of the show, as season 3 was really good and Matt Cappotelli and John Hennigan were deserving winners.

Taylor quit? I thought she was trying to work in Japan. Bummer.

-=Mike

I'm not completely sure, I know she did a few tours to Japan, but last I heard she'd gotten fed up and quit.

[Guest MikeSC]

I liked Tough Enough season 1.

 

The problems started when they picked Nidia over Taylor...who was CLEARLY more talented in every possible way.

Agreed. I had to recap that show for Wrestleline.com and I was STUNNED when they picked Nidia over her.

 

I think Season 2, though, killed the concept. God knows Jackie Myles and Jackie Gayda have turned out to be such in-ring gems.

-=Mike

To be fair though, at least Nidia's still in the business trying to learn, last i heard Taylor had gotten the shits and quit the business. It's also a shame that season 2 made such a mockery of the whole concept of the show, as season 3 was really good and Matt Cappotelli and John Hennigan were deserving winners.

Taylor quit? I thought she was trying to work in Japan. Bummer.

-=Mike

I'm not completely sure, I know she did a few tours to Japan, but last I heard she'd gotten fed up and quit.

Bummer. She was cute.

-=Mike

...I won't say talented as I don't think we saw more than 2 minutes combined of any of the cast doing anything wrestling-related.

[Tawren 0]

The two guys from TE2 should have won. They were so much better than the girls. Both Kenny and Jake deserved it more, plus they had talent and Jake was a fucking monster.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

The two guys from TE2 should have won. They were so much better than the girls. Both Kenny and Jake deserved it more, plus they had talent and Jake was a fucking monster.

I remember on Exacess or whatever they called it when it was a callin show. But, they have Big on the air trying to explain why they picked who they did for TE2 and Jake called in and damn was that dude PISSED about them winning and was going off on Big.

[SuperJerk 0]

I remember on Exacess or whatever they called it when it was a callin show. But, they have Big on the air trying to explain why they picked who they did for TE2 and Jake called in and damn was that dude PISSED about them winning and was going off on Big.

It was on a very early episode of Confidential (Mean Gene was there).

 

Jake couldn't get it through his thick ugly skull that the intention wasn't to pick two girls all along, but that (for whatever reason) Big, Snow, and the rest legitimately thought the two women were better.

 

The problem with TE was that Matt Morgan dropped out early with an injury, Hawk quit because of his mental disorder, and the one other kid with any potential skill ("Danimal") was bounced because he couldn't cut a promo.

 

After those three left, there was nothing but crap to choose from.

 

Jackie, of course, was only picked because she stuck-out the knee injury.

 

Hopefully they'll learn from WCW's mistakes and not confuse talent with being able to do 20000 squat thrusts, and run 18 miles, like Buddy Parker did at the Power Plant.

It seemed like TE2 also made that mistake.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Kenny looked like an infinitely better worker than either Jackie or Linda. I think he got fucked over. Jake, though, sod on him.

 

Augh. If only Danimal and Hawk made it to the end and won.

[Guest sean pyro]

What happen to that TE guy that was with CZW for a while?

 

Is he still there? duke was real buddy buddy with Josh Mathews.

[Placebo Effect 0]

What happen to that TE guy that was with CZW for a while?

 

Is he still there? duke was real buddy buddy with Josh Mathews.

Greg Matthews, according to some, just recently left CZW. He's had a fucked up back for a little while, but was still going strong and developing quite nicely.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

The problem with TE was that Matt Morgan dropped out early with an injury, Hawk quit because of his mental disorder, and the one other kid with any potential skill ("Danimal") was bounced because he couldn't cut a promo.

See that right there pissed me off about TE2 the most. On the ep he was cut everyone was talking about how great Danny was and how he would become a great wrestler. So why do they cut him? Because he can't cut a promo. Yeah Austin and Rock could cut a promo the minute the first talked into a mic. The guys got potential the ring work on that and worry about his mic skills later.