TNA's Roster

[Guest Coffey]

**EDIT** Sorry for the somewhat misleading title, I tried to go back and edit it, but I don't have the options. This is not a news thread concerning something that happened to the TNA roster.

 

If you could "cut the scraps," so to speak, what would your final roster be? Not counting announcers & commentators. Who would you leave?

 

Here's what I've cut it down to:

• Abyss
• "The Alpha Male" Monty Brown
• Raven
• Jerry Lynn
• Jeff Jarrett
• Ron "The Truth" Killings
• AJ Styles
• "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels
• "Ace in the Hole" Sonny Siaki
• Petey Williams
• Bobby Roode
• James Storm
• Chris Harris
• Michael Shane
• Konnan
• Jeff Hardy
• "Primetime" Elix Skipper
• Chris Sabin
• Kid Kash
• Shark Boy
• D-Ray 3000
• Alex Shelley
• "Irish" Pat Kenney
• Sonjay Dutt
• Johnny Swinger
• Mikey Batts
• Jerrelle Clark
• Andy Douglas
• Chase Stevens
• Onyx
• David Young
• Traci

I hate the Elite Guard, but I see potential in Onyx. He has a good look too. Same with David Young, although that could've already been blown. Pat Kenney could always just go back to being Simon Diamond. Sonjay is still green, but he could be good down the road. Same reason why I kept Mikey Batts, Jerrelle Clark, Alex Shelley & Petey Williams around. They don't suck, they just need to slow down and be more careful so that they don't blow spots ala Amazing Red. I expect big things from Bobby Roode. He reminds me a lot of Rick Rude. Johnny Swinger is decent. Abyss could be huge. Konnan, Jeff Hardy & Raven are around for some name value. I kept Traci around, because as I've said in the past, I think she could be really big. Trish Stratus size big. She could be TNA's woman. THE TNA woman.

 

Some other people were kept around to fill up some tag teams and keep the roster a decent enough size to actually put on shows.

 

Here's who I cut:

• Eric Young
• Amazing Red
• Johnny Devine
• Eric Watts
• Goldylocks
• Scott D'Amore
• Kazarian
• BG James
• Dusty Rhodes
• Larry Zybysko
• "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
• Vince Russo
• Dallas
• Glen Gilberti

Kazarian is not getting any better, has no personality and is boring as shit. He should've starting showing signs of improvement already if he was going to be anything special. Glenn Gilberti's career ended when he agreed to be Disco Inferno in WCW. Dallas is nothing. A clone of a clone. I actually like Scott D'Amore, but he really doesn't have a big role to fill. Dusty Rhodes & Larry Zybysko should've never been around. Vince Russo shouldn't be on camera ever. Shane Douglas was not too special in the ring to begin with, but he's absolutely a disaster when trying to act enthused being a "reporter." BG James doesn't bring anything to the table anymore. His name value ran out in WWF, it was over before he even got fired. Eric Watts is bad. Repeated failed pushes should tell you something. Goldylocks should've never came back after she disappeared for awhile. Her Cruella De Vil gimmick obviously didn't get over as no one cares about her. Johnny Devine & Eric Young just don't stand out. Amazing Red is too damn sloppy. He's like Jeff Hardy without the drugs and lack of motivation excuses.

 

If TNA brings anyone else in, they should be wrestlers. They have enough none wrestlers as it is. Don't bring in people like Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk. Bring in people like Kanyon. Where's Low Ki? Zero-One I assume?

 

I omitted Team Japan and Mexico because they're not aren't around too much any more. Although admittedly most of them suck.

 

Who all am I forgetting? Is Big Vito & Trinity still around? What about Desire?

 

Anyway, the point of this thread is, basically, to talk about the talent situation. Whom do ya'll like, whom do ya'll dislike? Who should stay, who should go? Who should be pushed, who shouldn't? Who is in need of a new direction?

 

It's easy for all of us to be so negative and just say that the product sucks, but we can still have some discussion going on. That's what this thread is for. Discussion of TNA. It's like a few of the recent threads that we've had molded into one big TNA State of the Address thread. Something that's not about ratings or hurricanes or Impact spoilers.

 

Have at it.

[Guest Coffey]

One thing I was thinking about, and I guess this could be somewhat "fantasy booking" but I'd like to see Abyss as the unstoppable monster at the top of the card (A.K.A. the TNA Heavyweight Champion) being chased by the up and coming babyface, which, in this case, would be Sonny Siaki. Sonny Siaki whom would be managed by Traci.

 

Drop Jeff Jarrett down to the midcard and have him give some rub to people like Bobby Roode, Onyx & David Young.

 

Move Kid Kash up to the upper midcard and have him get in the ring with people like Monty Brown & Konnan. Kash is a good enough bumper and has enough heat to make people care. It'd be better than Brown squashing jobbers...and maybe people could get behind Konnan again like they used to when he was in the Wolfpac.

 

I'd give the X-Division title to Christopher Daniels.

 

I'm bored, so I'm using TSM as my form of entertainment.

[Guest Staravenger]

I'd probably add David Young and D-Ray 3000 to my list along with pretty much everyone on yours. Young was never anything special to begin with, and has been jobbed out to EVERYONE. D-Ray is just too damn annoying, mainly because I'm not much for comedy wrestlers.

 

On the fence are Konnan (exactly how is he more important than BG James?), Pat Kenney, and Johnny Swinger. As singles wrestlers, Diamond/Kenney and Swinger do nothing for me. Either team them up again or ditch them.

[Guest Coffey]

Exactly how is [Konnan] more important than BG James?

Personal bias. I've always thought that Konnan had a good look for wrestling. Especially after he bulked up and got the new tattoos. I think James is holding him back. Konnan can wrestle circles around Road Dogg, but that doesn't matter when he's in Ron Killings shadow and wrestling in tag team matches that don't mean anything.

 

Konnan has a good moveset. He can hit a certain demographic of the fanbase (much like Rey Misterio and Eddy Guerrero do for WWE) and he has shown in the past that he's more than capable of getting over.

 

James has been over in the past. I know that. I can't deny that. I can deny that he is even average in the ring...and that he has any value left whatsoever.

 

I still see potential in Konnan, and I don't see it in James.

 

I like D-Ray 3000. He's good for the "family oriented" appeal that TNA seems to want to give off. Besides, when he's with Sharkboy, it gives them both something to do, and adds another tag team to that scene, which is depleted. Sometimes it's good to be able to have some comedy on a card. Especially when you have established people that can come out and be laughed at, instead of trying to change someone into doing, which is one thing WWE always do. When they run out of ideas for someone, they try to make them funny.

 

Simon & Swinger are another tag team as well, plus I think they're both above average workers. Diamond is a good talker too.

[2GOLD 0]

I'd keep Red and cut Hardy.

 

Least I've seen Red put on a good match in his lifetime and at least he's fun to watch. Hardy is not fun and I still don't believe he cares one bit about what he is doing. I highly doubt Hardy will EVER care about wrestling again. Plus I see the little "drug" thing as a problem and a better reason to cut him. His name value has worn off anyway so just keeping him employed to keep him employed feels weak.

 

I'll take the high flying fun guy with the cool finisher over glow paint bored guy any day of the year. Better yet, I'd cut them both and bring in some Indys who actually care and might develop into something someday.

 

Also you've kept and cut Eric Young....so which is it?

[The Niggardly King 0]

Is D'Lo Brown still with TNA, because you didn't even mention him Coffey.

 

My Roster Would Be:

 

Abyss

Monty Brown

Raven

Jeff Jarrett

D'Lo Brown

Ron Killings

AJ Styles

Christopher Daniels

Sonny Siaki

Petey Williams

Bobby Roode

Eric Young

James Storm

Chris Harris

Michael Shane

Konnan

Kazarian

Elix Skipper

Chris Sabin

Kid Kash

Shark Boy

D-Ray 3000

Alex Shelley

"Irish" Pat Kenney

Sonjay Dutt

Mikey Batts

Jerrelle Clark

Andy Douglas

David Young

Traci

Eric Young

BG James

Also, bring in some other people, like Low Ki, Trent Acid, etc.

 

And as far as booking

 

Try to also bring in some new people. Christopher Daniels would proabilly be the 2nd wrestler in TNA history to hold all the championships. Once he wins the TNA Heavyweight Title, I'd feud him with Styles, Killings, Ki, and Abyss.

 

Upper Midcard would have Kash, Monty Brown, Raven, D'Lo Brown, and Michael Shane.

 

Midcard would have Jarett in it for a while, finally putting people over, like Elix Skipper, and Pat Kenney.

 

X Champ would be Sonjay Dutt

 

Tag Champs would be Shark Boy and D-Ray 3000

[Guest BrokenWings]

Johnny Devine is the most talented member of Team Canada, and simply hasn't been given the opportunity to showcase it. The simple fact you cut him before Konnan is insane.

 

I think Simon Diamond / Pat Kenney is done unless they reform the Swinger/Diamond team, but even then I'm not sure they could get fans to care about him again. The neverending NYC/Irish feud has killed everyone involved, basically.

 

I'd cut D-Ray 3000, as for the most part I despise comedy characters, and even then there are better one's out there. He's painfully average at best in the ring, and I just don't see anything redeeming about him.

 

I'd have kept Scott D'Amore as he's a great heel manager, which adds a little demension to the matches if done properly as well.

[Silence 0]

I'd have kept Scott D'Amore as he's a great heel manager, which adds a little demension to the matches if done properly as well.

That "bark" he does needs to go, though. It just sounds moronic.

[Guest Staravenger]

I'd have kept Scott D'Amore as he's a great heel manager, which adds a little demension to the matches if done properly as well.

That "bark" he does needs to go, though. It just sounds moronic.

What do you expect? He's Canadian.

[Magus 0]

Honestly, just about everyone in TNA can add to the show. Vince Russo, Goldilocks, and to a certain extent Jeremy Borash are the only people who are 100% useless. Everyone else just needs to be used better. This isn't the best roster in the world by a stretch, but its decent. Here's how I'd use some of TNA's more "useless" talents and make them more entertaining:

 

James/Konnan: other than AMW, what face tag teams does TNA have? They do drag down Truth, but they've gotten better also. I say put them up against good opponents who can help hide their weaknesses and they're fine.

Erik Watts: he can talk, and he's okay in small doses. Put him with someone as their manager.

Simon/Swinger: a great team, but terrible in singles. Team them back up and let Simon do the talking.

Glen Gilberti: put him in a suit and he'd be a decent heel manager.

Kazarian: not great, but he's just there to be Michael Shane's sidekick. Keep him there and keep the spotlight on Shane.

Eric Young: break him away from Team Canada. This guy should be fueding with Shark Boy and D-Ray on Impact. He plays a decent heel, just not good enough to be midcard.

Dusty/Larry: they're legends, but they're not the end-all-be-all that TNA makes them out to be. Use them sparingly to give the rub to the TNA talents.

Shane Douglas: give him Don West's spot. Tenay/Douglas would be a great announcing team.

Don West: give him Douglas' spot. West's enthousiasm would add to the interviews.

Dallas: he's a bodygaurd, no big deal. As long as they don't give him the World Title like WWF did with Nash, he won't be a problem.

Amazing Red: he was once a bright spot of the X Division, now he's nothing. Use him to elevate other X Division wrestlers.

The Elite Gaurd: TNA fucked this team over huge. Put Hernandez somewhere else and Collyer/Onyx would be a kickass tag team.

Jeff Hardy: special attraction, nothing more. He's not main event; he's barely midcard. Let him do his thing, but don't put him on center stage.

Jeff Jarrett: can hardly do shit anymore, but he owns the company. JJ wants to carry TNA so bad he's going to kill the company to do it. That's fine with me, but if I was calling the shots, I'd retire him in a match against Raven and bring him back as the DOA. He'd be the only nonwrestler/authority figure, and he would NOT be involved in the angles. He'd make a few decisions and he'd be a megalomaniacal heel, but wouldn't fued with anybody in particular. Case closed.

[Guest Staravenger]

Jeremy Borash does a lot of work backstage, helping with production, talent scouting, etc. etc.

 

Besides, who would be the ring announcer? A fan, or the crappy dude who does Xplosion matches?

[Magus 0]

Jeremy Borash does a lot of work backstage, helping with production, talent scouting, etc. etc.

So he's to blame, huh?

 

Borash has a job because he's buddies with Jarrett. Not much else to it, really. Almost anybody could be a ring announcer, so its not like JB is being paid for an invaluable service.

[Placebo Effect 0]

Jeremy Borash does a lot of work backstage, helping with production, talent scouting, etc. etc.

So he's to blame, huh?

 

Borash has a job because he's buddies with Jarrett. Not much else to it, really. Almost anybody could be a ring announcer, so its not like JB is being paid for an invaluable service.

Keep this in mind.

 

Up until a certain point, Borash was one of the only guys TNA had who did video editing and such for Xplosion, video packages, etc.

 

Back when TNA had the PPVs, the PPV would end at 10 PM, and the next day by 5 PM, Borash had Xplosion finished so it could get out to the syndicators.

 

The Jarrett connection did help, but he's not worthless.

[cmpunk04 0]

The problem with Borash is that he should be kept as a ring announcer only. Judging by the last few Impact shows he is still doing certain video packages for the show. His are not a patch on Sahadi's work and if Sahadi is being paid top money he should be doing all the video work for TNA. Borash's stuff looks amatur compared to his stuff.

[Magus 0]

I appreciate that Borash did the videos for most of TNA's existence. But now that TNA has Sahadi, Borash has crossed the threshold and is now COMPLETELY worthless.

[Placebo Effect 0]

I appreciate that Borash did the videos for most of TNA's existence. But now that TNA has Sahadi, Borash has crossed the threshold and is now COMPLETELY worthless.

TNA is a cheap company. I somehow doubt that they're paying Sahidi to do every video package and put together every segue segment and such.

[Guest Coffey]

OK, so let's change the topic.

 

What's TNA doing wrong? It's been done, but not in this thread!

 

I think both the wrong people went over in the first round of the number 1 contenders tournament for Victory Road. I think Raven and Abyss should've both won. Monty Brown winning is A LOT better than Jeff Hardy winning, but I still don't agree with it.

 

~BUMP~

[Placebo Effect 0]

OK, so let's change the topic.

 

What's TNA doing wrong? It's been done, but not in this thread!

What AREN'T they doing wrong?

[Guest Coffey]

You can't answer a question with a question. That's not fair and puts too much pressure on me...and I don't respond well to PRESSURE.