TNA notes from observer site

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

--Jerry Jarrett remains in the hospital due to apparent heart problems. Jarrett was light headed and his heart was racing when he was rushed from the Fairgrounds yesterday afternoon to the hospital by ambulance. He arrived with a badly accelerated heart rate, which at last word was under control with medication. He will be in the hospital for at least a few days and won't be back to work for at least a little while.

 

--A.J. Styles needed six stitches above the right eyefrom a hardway juice from Jeff Jarrett's guitar shot. He was taken to the hospital after the show, stitched up, and released. He didn't suffer a concussion and will be wrestling his scheduled IWA match with Petey Williams this weekend.

 

--The Sonjay Dutt-Amazing Red match nearly didn't take place as Dutt was suffering bad back spasms from an automobile accident, but after being worked on by the trainer all afternoon, he did the match.

 

--From all live reports, next week's show, which has all been taped, is a strong show, due to Ultimate X, some good spots in the ladder match, and a strong gauntlet match as well as one great tag match that was taped a week ago. It will be weird to view because matches were taped out of order. The matches taped last night had great heat, and the matches taped the previous week didn't.

[Astro101 0]

Man, I reallly wanna see the X cup next week. Sucks that my satellite's still out. Guess I'll wait for that Video On Demand thing.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Should be good. Why? Because Team NWA fucking rules. Seriously. Lynn is the epitome of X-Division, be it in spotfest form in the beginning or the slowed-down form we have now, and deserves more credit in TNA, despite not getting along with the Jarretts. Sabin is the future, just as his name suggests, and he's already learning at an incredible rate for somebody in the business for only three years. Skipper is good in tag matches, which he seems to only have been in this time, as he can come in, hit his spots, and then leave. Daniels is just fucking amazing, as there's really nothing the guy can't do: he can go spotty, he can go technical, he can sell like a mother, and he's charismatic to boot.

 

Team Japan needs to impress me, because I'm not familiar with any of them besides Nosawa, and I dislike Nosawa's work greatly.

 

Team Mexico is...eh. Hector Garza I like because he's got this natural charisma to him, and he's good at wrestling, just not the X-Division style. Abismo Negro is bland and awful, considering he always tries to fly and can't do it well due to his size. Mr. Aguila ain't too bad, but he's definitely let himself go in the few years he's been gone from the WWF. Heavy Metal is a poor substitution for Juvi, but that's what visa problems do for you, I guess. It's not that he's bad, per se, as much as he's not too good.

 

Team Canada...well, let me say this: I don't like a single worker on the team. Petey Williams can't work the X-Division style, Bobby Rude is an old-school wrestler that doesn't fly at all, Johnny Devine is also an old-school wrestler...and I have no idea who the fourth guy is. Honestly. I forget his name, because he doesn't stand out one bit.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Laz

Team Canada...well, let me say this: I don't like a single worker on the team. Petey Williams can't work the X-Division style, Bobby Rude is an old-school wrestler that doesn't fly at all, Johnny Devine is also an old-school wrestler...and I have no idea who the fourth guy is. Honestly. I forget his name, because he doesn't stand out one bit.

 

Eric Young is the last Team Canada guy that you didn't know. Surprisingly he's wrestled on TNA befored any of the X-Cup stuff too if you remember. And just in case you were wondering, he wasn't anything special then anyways.

[Guest Jesse]

Sabin is the future, just as his name suggests, and he's already learning at an incredible rate for somebody in the business for only three years.

Isn't "The Future" Kazarian's nickname?

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Sabin is the future, just as his name suggests, and he's already learning at an incredible rate for somebody in the business for only three years.

Isn't "The Future" Kazarian's nickname?

It's both their nicknames.

 

*Remembers the "Battle of the Futures"

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Yeah, I remember that feud. AND HOW MUCH IT FUCKING SUCKED! And it was all Kazarian's fault, too. The guy's charisma is practically in the negative regions. He has a cool moveset, and that's about it, really.

 

Ah, Eric Young.

 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Fuck Eric Young.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Ah, Eric Young.

 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Fuck Eric Young.

glad I could help out.....hehehe

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Anytime, DK. Anytime.

 

And it all comes back to TNA not wanting their wrestlers (whose contracts stated nothing about not being able to work RoH or other indies) working for another company that has a larger fanbase, makes money, and routinely puts on better shows and allows the workers to do whatever they want to in the ring as long as the finish remains the same. Yep...Teddy Hart carried Team Canada on his back.

 

Soon, I guess I'll have to polish off my "FJJ" campaign...

[Guest MikeSC]

Anytime, DK. Anytime.

 

And it all comes back to TNA not wanting their wrestlers (whose contracts stated nothing about not being able to work RoH or other indies) working for another company that has a larger fanbase, makes money, and routinely puts on better shows and allows the workers to do whatever they want to in the ring as long as the finish remains the same. Yep...Teddy Hart carried Team Canada on his back.

 

Soon, I guess I'll have to polish off my "FJJ" campaign...

Well, I had my name on the apparently defuncty TNS board for a reason, Corey.

 

People bitch CONSTANTLY about how the WWE make workers work their "Style" --- but TNA seems to get a free pass from most on this area. There are guys in TNA who I have NO desire to see if they're any better than they've shown (see Kazarian, Frankie) simply because their TNA work is so blase that the idea of SEEKING out their matches is more painful than making a Bob Backlund comp tape for somebody (which I did --- and which was painful to watch).

-=Mike

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

People bitch CONSTANTLY about how the WWE make workers work their "Style" --- but TNA seems to get a free pass from most on this area. There are guys in TNA who I have NO desire to see if they're any better than they've shown (see Kazarian, Frankie) simply because their TNA work is so blase that the idea of SEEKING out their matches is more painful than making a Bob Backlund comp tape for somebody (which I did --- and which was painful to watch).

-=Mike

Mike, I don't really know if it's a case of them not being able to work "their style" as much as it is TNA not giving guys efficient time to work their kind of match. I agree that TNA gets a pass on this WAY too much. I know that is the reason why AJ was so vocal in his interviews about working in ROH, because they actually give talent enough time to work their matches and other feds don't.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

It's mostly the style. If you need more than 10 minutes to have a match that can be considered "good," then you're not too good of a worker (at least yet). You need to be able to go the distance, no matter if it's 100 yards or 10 feet, dig?

 

And TNA does get too much of a freebie on this one, namely because they do allow their guys to do a little more than what WWE does. But notice how the WWE style has produced more classic matches in the past year than TNA has...

[Guest MikeSC]

People bitch CONSTANTLY about how the WWE make workers work their "Style" --- but TNA seems to get a free pass from most on this area. There are guys in TNA who I have NO desire to see if they're any better than they've shown (see Kazarian, Frankie) simply because their TNA work is so blase that the idea of SEEKING out their matches is more painful than making a Bob Backlund comp tape for somebody (which I did --- and which was painful to watch).

              -=Mike

Mike, I don't really know if it's a case of them not being able to work "their style" as much as it is TNA not giving guys efficient time to work their kind of match. I agree that TNA gets a pass on this WAY too much. I know that is the reason why AJ was so vocal in his interviews about working in ROH, because they actually give talent enough time to work their matches and other feds don't.

Thing is, if you go back and watch, say, the X Division DVD and compare it to the Dutt/Red series --- the differences in the style are exceptionally noticeable.

 

If they have these guys tone down the spots to incorporate psychology --- then I'd be ALL for it.

 

But they aren't. They're toning down --- and that's it. The matches still tend to lack any semblance of psychology.

 

Heck, the reason the first X Cup got such rave reviews is that was one of the few shows where the restrictions seemed to be removed and most of the guys worked their usual style (well, in the case of Negro, that was probably bad).

-=Mike

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

It's mostly the style. If you need more than 10 minutes to have a match that can be considered "good," then you're not too good of a worker (at least yet). You need to be able to go the distance, no matter if it's 100 yards or 10 feet, dig?

 

Here's also another point I was thinking of, maybe it's a motivational problem because of this as well. If a guy is given 10 minutes or less to do a match, how motivated can you really be? Would you want to go out there and totally put everything on the line if the company refuses to give you at least 10 measily(sp?) minutes to go out and do it? Maybe that is where the problem lies.

 

And TNA does get too much of a freebie on this one, namely because they do allow their guys to do a little more than what WWE does. But notice how the WWE style has produced more classic matches in the past year than TNA has...

 

The answer to this is simple. The upper level guys(Eddie, Benoit, Trips to an extent, HBK, Jericho) all have more experience putting together bigger matches. Thus the reason why the WWE puts on more classic matches. TNA just doesn't have the guys with main event experience and they refuse to push people(I'm thinking Christopher Daniels) that could easily Main Event for them and it would work.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

True, true. I still think that the best main event TNA could hope for would be Harris (who is easily carried, despite being a medicore wrestler himself), Truth (can hold is own but can't carry, and is incredibly charismatic and sells like a mother), Daniels (experience, ability to improvise and carry, charismatic and sells better than anybody on the roster), and Styles (their [non-Jarrett] golden boy). Raven and JJ will have to be fazed out. Raven can stay longer than Jarrett, because the fans still respond to him, and he has a lot to offer the younger workers. Jarrett doesn't.

[Guest MikeSC]

And TNA does get too much of a freebie on this one, namely because they do allow their guys to do a little more than what WWE does. But notice how the WWE style has produced more classic matches in the past year than TNA has...

 

The answer to this is simple. The upper level guys(Eddie, Benoit, Trips to an extent, HBK, Jericho) all have more experience putting together bigger matches. Thus the reason why the WWE puts on more classic matches. TNA just doesn't have the guys with main event experience and they refuse to push people(I'm thinking Christopher Daniels) that could easily Main Event for them and it would work.

And this is their Catch-22.

 

Why won't they ME Daniels?

 

Because he won't commit to them and forego his Japanese commitments.

 

Why won't he commit?

 

They don't pay him well and they don't let him do what he needs to do to make a match work in TNA.

-=Mike

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Laz

True, true. I still think that the best main event TNA could hope for would be Harris (who is easily carried, despite being a medicore wrestler himself), Truth (can hold is own but can't carry, and is incredibly charismatic and sells like a mother), Daniels (experience, ability to improvise and carry, charismatic and sells better than anybody on the roster), and Styles (their [non-Jarrett] golden boy). Raven and JJ will have to be fazed out. Raven can stay longer than Jarrett, because the fans still respond to him, and he has a lot to offer the younger workers. Jarrett doesn't.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. These are the core guys that could really set up a half decent Main Event picture for them. Honestly as much as I hate JJ, could still be used in a heel capacity if he isn't on the show everyweek and still be effective in the process. Also, even if JJ and Raven do get fazed out of the ME picture they could be an asset to the midcard as well(especially to get the younder guys over).

 

 

And this is their Catch-22.

 

Why won't they ME Daniels?

 

Because he won't commit to them and forego his Japanese commitments.

 

Why won't he commit?

 

They don't pay him well and they don't let him do what he needs to do to make a match work in TNA.

=Mike

 

I really don't know if they won't ME Daniels because of his Japan committments. Considering that I would imagine that if they wanted him to quit, he would have no choice in the matter. Plus, I'm not saying to give Daniels the title and give him a dominate year long run either. I am just saying to give him a ME program once in a while can't hurt their product, that's for sure.

[Guest MikeSC]

And this is their Catch-22.

 

Why won't they ME Daniels?

 

Because he won't commit to them and forego his Japanese commitments.

 

Why won't he commit?

 

They don't pay him well and they don't let him do what he needs to do to make a match work in TNA.

=Mike

 

I really don't know if they won't ME Daniels because of his Japan committments. Considering that I would imagine that if they wanted him to quit, he would have no choice in the matter. Plus, I'm not saying to give Daniels the title and give him a dominate year long run either. I am just saying to give him a ME program once in a while can't hurt their product, that's for sure.

They couldn't really tell him he can't work as he'd simply work for Japan and not work for TNA whatsoever.

-=Mike

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

And this is their Catch-22.

 

Why won't they ME Daniels?

 

Because he won't commit to them and forego his Japanese commitments.

 

Why won't he commit?

 

They don't pay him well and they don't let him do what he needs to do to make a match work in TNA.

=Mike

 

I really don't know if they won't ME Daniels because of his Japan committments. Considering that I would imagine that if they wanted him to quit, he would have no choice in the matter. Plus, I'm not saying to give Daniels the title and give him a dominate year long run either. I am just saying to give him a ME program once in a while can't hurt their product, that's for sure.

They couldn't really tell him he can't work as he'd simply work for Japan and not work for TNA whatsoever.

-=Mike

I am not arguing that point. I was just saying that they COULD limit him if they wanted. It probably would cause a problem, but they could still do it.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

It will be REALLY interesting to see what happens the next time contract negotiations (or renegotiations, as it were) come up...

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I agree Laz, as I tend to think a lot of workers are going to tell them to fuck off.......