What is TNAs Financial Situation?

[Guest Coffey]

Good post, Corey. And although it was damn near a satire, and horribly written in all lower case, I do agree with a lot of Banky's points. Granted he said them more bluntly and negatively than I would've.

[luke-o 0]

Uhhh, i like the company.

 

For one main reason, there giving me a reason NOT to watch WWE. I can't stand the company, its been goin downhill since 2001. But finally there is a promotion that i can watch that will give me 1) great matches 2) great wrestlers and 3) consistently good PPVs.

 

OK, i'm NOT a Monty fan, never have been, never will be. The guy needs to do a lot more in ring work before he's going to get that title run, and he does need to work on his promos.

 

But, I refuse to let people compare Abyss to Mankind/Kane. I myself made that comment when i first saw him, but now i dont think hes like those guys, because I really like this character. He is an unstopable machine and thats cool. Especially since he never says anything. Plus I AM a big James Mitchell fan, always have been, always will be.

 

As for JJ. I'm not going to jump on the "i hate jarret" band wagon becuase i don't. Yeah, he was a mid carder in WWE (but lets face it, who isnt these days) and he was top dog in WCW during there worst times, but that was 6 years ago now, lets take a change in attitude. Raven was a mid card act in WWE and WCW but when he was champ in TNA we all cheered (I cheered extra loud because i fuckin love Raven, always have, always will). And before anyone says anything, i know he was ECW champion, but that was 10 years ago. So why the diffrent attitude?

 

Either way, I love this company and believe they can go far. Maybe not topple WWE, but at least be some sort of threat to them.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

The different attitude towards Raven is that he wasn't on top of a DYING company and FORCED down our throats. When he was on top of ECW it was growing and prospering, and he was pushed to the top because he was that over. When he was an upper-midcarder in WCW it was during WCW's most successful times (early '98, just before people caught on that the WWF had the better overall show). He was never given much of a chance to catch on in the WWF/WWE outside of a "hardcore" match here or there and commentary during Heat.

 

So, Jarrett's been given multiple opportunities to become a legitimate main eventer and has failed constantly at it, whereas Raven has made himself watchable consistently throughout his career. That's why there's the different attitude towards Raven than Jarrett.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Whatever main event success JJ had in WWF and WCW can be attributed to him being pals with the head booker, Russo. In WWF, McMahon recognized that Jarrett wasn't going to be anything more than an IC level star, and wouldn't let him get any further up the card. Now, Vince McMahon holds back A LOT of guys, but in Jarrett's case, its justifiable. Everything Jeff's done since then proves it. They tried to get him over in WCW and it didn't work, mostly because of Russo shoving him down the fans' throats in shitty Russo-quality matches and stories. Jeff's success in the indies (WWA, etc.) was built merely on the fact that he was a main eventer of a shitty wrestling show (WCW Nitro) and the fact that McMahon owned EVERYONE else due to buying WCW. And ever since, Jeff's been trying to put himself over to prove that he, or any pro wrestler, doesn't need McMahon's stamp of approval to be a star. I can commend that, as VKM holds far too much sway on the business. However, Jeff's quest to prove his worth hasn't helped anyone but himself, and even with an entire company built around him (and face it, TNA is just that), Jeff still isn't as big a star as a Foley, an Austin, or even a DDP. McMahon was actually right about holding this one back. If there are guys who CAN be stars but can't seem to get there, I'm sure they'd be told "go start your own company if you wanna be the star". Well, Jeff did that, and he's still not a big name no matter how many titles he's held or main events he's worked. Roddy Piper and Scott Hall never held world titles and weren't permanent ME'ers, and yet they're bigger stars than Jeff Jarrett. Point made, rant over.

 

Jarrett : Russo :: DDP : Bischoff

 

I'll agree that JJ isn't as big of a star as Austin or Foley, but to say that DDP is a bigger star is inaccurate, and to ignore the fact that DDP only got his initial push because of his relationship with Bischoff is unfair.

[luke-o 0]

Thanks for clearing that up with me Corey, that does make more sense.

[Magus 0]

Jarrett : Russo :: DDP : Bischoff

 

I'll agree that JJ isn't as big of a star as Austin or Foley, but to say that DDP is a bigger star is inaccurate, and to ignore the fact that DDP only got his initial push because of his relationship with Bischoff is unfair.

 

Quite true, but I'd still consider Page a bigger name/draw/star than Jarrett. Maybe that's opinion. Page was considerably more over during his run in WCW than Jarrett's EVER been, and that's why I made that comparison. He has a ton more charisma than Jarrett, and even though he can no longer work at the level he once did (and his horrible run in WWF), the fans still respect him. I don't think they do the same with JJ.

 

I didn't know that DDP/Bischoff had that sort of relationship. I think that counts, and it goes to show you that that's the only way anyone could've gotten through the glass ceiling in WCW, but I still think Page will always be a bigger star than JJ. Maybe that's opinion, but I could never consider those two in the same league.

 

 

Also, I agree with everything Corey's said. As far as the Raven/JJ comparison goes, Raven is a superior talent, plain and simple. He's a better worker than Jeff, he has a creative mind for angles, he's more over with the fans, and he's EASILY one of the top ten talkers EVER.

[Guest Coffey]

Page is a good example of how just having a good move can get you over. People LOVED the Diamond Cutter.

[Steviekick 0]

Page was neighbors with Bischoff. The two were fairly tight.

[Jingus 0]

Page insists that he and Bischoff were neighbors on accident, that they happened to buy houses that were on the same street at the same time. Which is possible, since they're both rich, both lived in the same city, and both moved around a lot. The argument could go either way.

 

Did Bischoff's friendship help DDP? Sure. Was it the only thing that made him a star? Fuck no. Page is a tall, muscular guy who has that "star" look. He's a very capable wrestler when he gets to call the shots (look at the miracle he dragged out of Goldberg at Halloween Havoc 98), and he had one of the best finishers in wrestling, period. Page was going to be a star in the wrestling business even if Bischoff was never born.

 

And oh yeah, Abyss: yes, he is CLEARLY a Kane/Mankind ripoff. Even moreso if you've ever seen the original gear he had when he first debuted the character. I like his work, and he executes the gimmick well, but don't kid yourself as to where the inspiration for it came from.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Wait, I thought DDP & Bischoff were friends from their days in the AWA, which is what got Page's foot in the door in WCW in the first place, as a manager. And it was his friendship with Bischoff that gave him the chance to actually wrestle. And then to be pushed as a superhuman babyface, even though he was a 40+ year old guy with an outdated look. "Muscular"? "Star look"? We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, Jingus. (There's also the rumors that the Bischoffs & Pages were swingers & into wife-swapping, but I don't believe those are true)

 

And if DDP would have been a star even without Bischoff's help, why was he only a manager in the AWA even though their talent pool was almost completely empty?

 

And, to bring this closer to being back on subject, I think that Abyss is establishsed enough that he's not a Kane/Mankind ripoff anymore. Kind of like how Demolition evolved into being more than a Road Warriors rip-off.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I agree on Abyss...he was definitely a Kane/ManKind rip off at first, but he has evolved somewhat. I think he needs to get a new outfit though...maybe a new mask of some kind. New viewers who tune in are just going to say "oh, this guy is a ripoff of how Kane used to be, screw this," and then change the channel. The less of a "rip-off fed" TNA looks like, the better in the long run.

 

As far as DDP...I'm sure being friends with Bischoff helped him to a point. At the same time, he was super over in '97-'98 even before he got his super push to the World Title, and I think it had more to do with his promos, charisma, and finisher than anything else. Remember when he wrestled Hogan on Nitro for the title, and it seemed like the roof was going to explode off the place because it looked like DDP might win? You don't get that kind of reaction just from being friends with the booker (look at Jeff Jarrett as the opposite example of this).

[Steviekick 0]

Abyss really does need a new look. Best way would be to have him put someone over in a brutal PPV match (like Joe, Rhyno, or even Monty), and then have him come back a few weeks later with a new look and mask.

[Dangerous A 0]

Perhaps he should just lose the mask. As intense as he is, I'm assuming his facial expressions are going to follow suit. Perhaps do something with his hair and wa-la: new look.

[luke-o 0]

Maybe, but i think a new mask is the way forward.

[2GOLD 0]

Maybe, but i think a new mask is the way forward.

 

Keep the mask on him. Abyss's gimmick is he's a monster. Vader and Kane without the mask have something in common, they just both became really big dumb guys. The monster mystique was gone. Abyss needs a new mask but I wouldn't send him out with a haircut and no mask.

[Jingus 0]

I've seen his face... keep the mask on.

[Dangerous A 0]

I've seen his face... keep the mask on.

 

 

What exactly is the deal though? Is it he has the most unexpressive face ever? If he's ugly, that would just help put him over more as a monster wouldn't it? I dont' know, I haven't seen his face. Just wondering why should he keep it on is all.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

It's TOO ugly. Not monster ugly, just RETARDED ugly.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

[Dangerous A 0]

That looks like an old pic that Porter posted. From that pic, he sort of looks gay, but I see potential.

 

 

Judging from that and how his hair is now, I see potential for a good psycho character and I'd love to see his facial expressions when he is selling.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

In my opinion, without a mask, they almost have to portray him as a retarded monster heel, someone that's being manipulated. With a mask, there's more than one way to portray him. Just my opinion.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Maybe he could go with more of an old school "Destroyer" type wrestling mask and new tights. Though that would probably look kind of weird.

[cabbageboy 0]

I actually quite like Abyss. Sure he's derivative of all the WWF monster types like Kane, Mankind, and so on but he's at least kinda cool. After the Sabu barbed wire match and the Rhino matches though I've concluded that Abyss needs to leave ECW guys alone.

 

The problem with TNA is that, yes, there aren't any really interesting storylines. Add to it that far too much of the roster is full of smallish, bland white dudes. Sure, guys like Austin Aries and Roderick Strong are capable workers, but they just look like the sort of bland jobbers that would be getting squashed by Dino Bravo on a 1988 Superstars show.

 

I can see why WWE signed Heyman to a new deal. He's made me at least CARE about the goings on in OVW. It's hard to explain but when I see OVW's show I may not have necessarily seen great in ring action, but I feel like week to week there's something happening. I guess part of it is because OVW doesn't have a huge roster, so they can focus on a few top guys and really create some feuds.

 

It might sound odd but TNA almost has too big of a roster. Especially for a 1 hour show. I mean hell, I remember entire 1 hour ECW shows that were nothing more than RVD vs. Lynn and maybe another undercard match. Just a couple of things, and just a few guys to hone in on and care about. TNA is all over the place....we have Jarrett's insanely large heel faction and the various intricacies of it. There's the top X division feud and then the entire X roster. Then you have guys who don't quite fit into anything at the moment.

 

I think most fans would really enjoy TNA if they saw a 3 hour PPV. I actually appreciated the old Nashville weekly PPVs since they had to attempt a more serialized week to week style of booking to get you to order again. The main problem is that over the 4 years of TNA's existance I've never seen things change in particular. Jeff Jarrett is still in the title scene, center of attention. AMW are still screwing around in the tag division. AJ Styles is still feuding with whoever over the X title.

 

In the end, they need a really kick ass booker to take over. Somebody like Heyman if he wasn't already with WWE.

[BUTT 0]

Whatever main event success JJ had in WWF and WCW can be attributed to him being pals with the head booker, Russo. In WWF, McMahon recognized that Jarrett wasn't going to be anything more than an IC level star, and wouldn't let him get any further up the card. Now, Vince McMahon holds back A LOT of guys, but in Jarrett's case, its justifiable. Everything Jeff's done since then proves it. They tried to get him over in WCW and it didn't work, mostly because of Russo shoving him down the fans' throats in shitty Russo-quality matches and stories. Jeff's success in the indies (WWA, etc.) was built merely on the fact that he was a main eventer of a shitty wrestling show (WCW Nitro) and the fact that McMahon owned EVERYONE else due to buying WCW. And ever since, Jeff's been trying to put himself over to prove that he, or any pro wrestler, doesn't need McMahon's stamp of approval to be a star. I can commend that, as VKM holds far too much sway on the business. However, Jeff's quest to prove his worth hasn't helped anyone but himself, and even with an entire company built around him (and face it, TNA is just that), Jeff still isn't as big a star as a Foley, an Austin, or even a DDP. McMahon was actually right about holding this one back. If there are guys who CAN be stars but can't seem to get there, I'm sure they'd be told "go start your own company if you wanna be the star". Well, Jeff did that, and he's still not a big name no matter how many titles he's held or main events he's worked. Roddy Piper and Scott Hall never held world titles and weren't permanent ME'ers, and yet they're bigger stars than Jeff Jarrett. Point made, rant over.

 

Jarrett : Russo :: DDP : Bischoff

 

I'll agree that JJ isn't as big of a star as Austin or Foley, but to say that DDP is a bigger star is inaccurate, and to ignore the fact that DDP only got his initial push because of his relationship with Bischoff is unfair.

 

Hey, DDP was on Hollywood Squares. And he teamed with two major celebrities. Back in the boom period, he was a big name.

[Guest Coffey]

Judging from that and how his hair is now, I see potential for a good psycho character and I'd love to see his facial expressions when he is selling.

Abyss is one of the only good characters in ALL of TNA. Don't encourage anyone to fuck him up. Just stop.

[Adam 0]

Keep the mask on.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Keep the mask on Abyss, or maybe change the mask slightly. I think ripping off Slipknot's lead guitarist, Mick, wouldn't be too bad an idea. Or maybe one of the members of Mushroomhead. Make the mask something that LOOKS scary itself.

[Steviekick 0]

Either one of those mask styles is fine. Actually, the switch from the current mask to one more like Mick from Slipknot's would work because its similar. Both have the grating in front of the mouth.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Keeping the mask on is imperitive. Does this: look like a psychotic killer?

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Abyss is NOT a Kane ripoff. He is NOT a Mankind ripoff. He is a ripoff of one man, and one man only...

 

 

THE MASTER BLASTER