TNA to run celebrity angle

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

A.J. Pierzynski, the catcher on the World Series champion Chicago White Sox, along with strength coach Dale Torborg, will be appearing and likely shooting an angle at Tuesday's TNA tapings in Orlando.

 

The angle will air on TNA's 12/8 prime time TV special on Spike. It will start with Pierzyski coming out to give White Sox memorabilia to Styles, Chris Sabin and Sonjay Dutt.

 

The idea for the angle came when a broadcaster on ESPN called Pierzynski "The Phenomenal" A.J. Pierzynski, after A.J. Styles. TNA attempted to build an angle out of it. Torborg wrestled for WCW for several years, and is friends with Mike Tenay of TNA creative and there have been ideas proposed for him in the past.

 

From Meltzer.

 

Can someone who cares about baseball tell me if this will mean anything at all in terms of ratings? Is this White Sox player well known at all?

[BUTT]

OH MAN THE DEMON'S GONNA BE THERE TOO

[strummer]

AJ is not a star by any means. He got his first real dose of celebrity during the post season for the famous "dropped" third strike. He's not an ALL Star player. For what it's worth he's known as probably the biggest douchebag in the game.

[Guest Desperate Housewife]

I assume this guy will feud with Jarrett?

[Hunter's Torn Quad]

AJ is not a star by any means.  He got his first real dose of celebrity during the post season for the famous "dropped" third strike. He's not an ALL Star player. For what it's worth he's known as probably the biggest douchebag in the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, basically it's going to mean fuck all?

[Guest Leelee]

That's horrible...

 

Pierzynski is a jobber baseball player, who gained 15 minutes of fame for being lucky that an ump screwed up.

 

If TNA is paying any money for this, they're idiots.

[USC Wuz Robbed!]

As a White Sox fan, it's quite telling that I don't care about the angle at all. It will do nothing for either side.

[razazteca]

Did Toby Keith or the NASCAR "celebrities" improve the buyrate of the weekly PPVs?

[Failed Bridge]

he's known as probably the biggest douchebag in the game.

That's Barry Bonds

[strummer]

Bonds didn't knee a trainer in the balls for no reason. AJ is a dick.

[Failed Bridge]

Bonds did however blame the media for all of his problems, called Boston "a city of racists", and have an affair on his wife.

 

Of course I guess Urbina trumps all that since he tried to set his farmhands on fire and then massacre them with a machette (now there's a wrestling angle!).

[Steviekick]

Bonds didn't knee a trainer in the balls for no reason. AJ is a dick.

 

 

Maybe that is his finisher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Guest [censored]]

good to see they have decided to use the WCW guide to detroying a wrestling company. chapter 7, bring in "celebrities" in attempt to attract viewers who don't care about wrestling while turning off those that do.

 

Oh well atleast unlike WCW i'm not really emotionally invested in TNA.

[Guest Leelee]

Except I don't see this attracting any viewers.

[Guest [censored]]

Except I don't see this attracting any viewers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yes that was the case with WCW as well. go figure

[St. Gabe]

He has his eyes closed in my sig...This wont draw anyone, but it might be cool to watch.

[slimm44]

Yeah Jeff Hammond was a huge draw!!! lol, sounds interesting, I guess I'll have to see how it plays out since reading the news didnt explain any kind of angle/feud

[Guest Leelee]

I really miss WCW Motorsports. And Lee Marshal. And Will Sasso, the only worthwhile celebrity that should be used in wrestling.

[Astro101]

I'm an Astros fan, so if Pierzynski gets powerbombed, well...it won't make up for the World Series, but it'll have to do.

 

But maybe TNA is just really banking on the fact that ESPN will just pick up on this and have a little highlight on SportsCenter. Publicity is still publicity.

[Fro]

AJ is one of the better catchers in MLB for his career... probably top 6 or 7, although he's not a huge star like a Piazza or Pudge yet.

 

He had an off year with the White Sox as he usually hits over .300.

 

It's not like he's wrestling and whatever he's involved in will advance an angle and perhaps get some publicity for TNA.

 

I think the real money in "sports" crossovers right now would be if someone could get Terell Owens for an angle, although that would still be nowhere near WWF using Tyson for WM 14.

[Slayer]

He'll come in so TNA wrestlers can mock his goofy chin and unspellable last name

[RedJed]

This reminds me when they brought in Urlacher, and the Tennessee Titans, etc, etc, just to try to get a cheap SportCenter plug. Did those sports players help before? Not really. They need to be reaching far further than this if they are trying to tie in their product to other mainstream sports/media. This just seems low rent to me and pretty pointless and it was all based off of a SportsCenter comment about this "other" AJ. Pretty weak.

[razazteca]

TNA needs to hire Scott Van Pelt.

[Guest Zarock]

Watch those ratings soar fellas!

[claydude14]

As a White Sox fan, and a TNA fan, this is a can't miss angle! Except I'd watch the TNA special either way, and this will just take up time. Oh well, I'll be marking for it.

[Cuban Linx]

All i remember as far as getting publicity out of the Urlacher thing was comments about how stupid he was for risking injury getting involved in some crappy wrestling angle. Certainly nothing positive out of it anyway. I don't see this being anything different, and Pierzynski is hardly any sort of notable 'star' anyway.

 

Maybe if Samoa Joe gets revenge for that trainer and knees AJ directly in the balls i'll care, but even then probably not.

[Guest Bulwark]

Am I the only one who liked "The Demon?"

 

...Probably.

 

And I'm not even a KISS fan.

 

Huh? AJ who? Uh... As long as it's a one shot deal and it doesn't lead to a match, it's fine with me.

[razazteca]

Best DamnDarn Celebrity Angle Period?!?!?!!?

[Jericholic82]

Torborg also appeared in WCW as The MVP (most violent player) in which he had his face painted like a red baseball IIRC and before that he had a racing car driver gimmick as well