TNA News and Notes: WON 7/24/06

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Victory Road:

 

Thumbs up: 50 (54.9%)

Thumbs down: 27 (29.7%)

Thumbs in the middle: 14 (15.4%)

 

Dave called VR a mediocre PPV “from a promotion that can’t gain position in the crowd PPV marketplace producing anything less than very good to excellent”.

 

Says TNA has changed from a promotion that made its name by consistently putting on the best PPV matches anywhere to being more personality and storyline based, with almost no booking done based on whether the match produced will be anything above average. Dave says that generally the storyline and personality stuff is what draws, but doing that makes the promotion seem like WWE with lesser stars and there are three WWE brands. Dave says TNA has lost their niche.

 

Dave said that apart from the LAX tag match unexpectedly stealing the show, there was nothing memorable about it. Said the crowd was once again burned out from having to wait so long in the sun to get in. A lot of the regular fans didn’t go because they used to get a special line and the best seats, but that got taken away, so most of the people are park guests. One person there said that the lines to get in were the shortest for any PPV in a long time.

 

In regard to the main event and Sting’s big comeback, he said the lack of reaction to his return and his big win was depressing. He called Joe the crowd favorite and that they appeared to see Sting winning as “Joe not winning”. Dave points out that Sting’s deal has not got long to go, and with them building to Sting vs. Jarrett all year then the time to go to it is now. Says Joe has more time and the more they build to his title run the more it will mean. Said there was no real storyline for Joe, and said he came across as an afterthought, when the fans reacted to him as the biggest star on the show. Says that after the lengthy build up, now they are hitting the singles match program with Sting and Jarrett, that there doesn’t appear to be any interest in it.

 

The feedback to the Observer, which has been very consistently matched how TNA’s PPV’s have wound up drawing, was down 23% on the very low levels it had already reached as of late, and is less than half the level it was at when Sting first arrived. Dave thinks a lot of it is down to TNA no longer ending PPV’s with a MOTY-level bout, which was their lone calling card in getting people to pay for a PPV in an already crowded market. Dave thinks a lot of it is also down to the amount of competition, and that competition among viewers with similar interests for more high profile seemingly more important events. Dave says he can’t think of a single category where a TNA PPV delivers better than anything a bigger promotion does.

 

Dave was also bothered to a degree about the lack of instant replays. He said there a lot of high risk moves on the PPV, and showing them again not only gets the spots over but the wrestlers over too, and with the lack of replays, he doesn’t know if anybody got over with them.

 

The PPV drew the usual full house of 900 fans.

 

Right now, Hard Justice will see: Sting vs. Jarrett for the NWA Title most likely with Christian and Scott Steiner in their respective corners, Styles and Daniels vs. Homicide and Hernandez for the tag titles, Joe vs. Rhino vs. Monty Brown, Sirelda vs. Gail Kim and Kevin Nash vs. Chris Sabin, but Dave says that may be changed to a tag match involving Jerry Lynn because Sabin ‘shockingly’ hasn’t gotten over a bit in this angle, which was meant to be for him). There might also be something with the James Gang as faces against AMW and Sen Shi against Dutt or Lethal and possible The Naturals against Shelly and Devine.

 

Naturals vs. Skipper and Diamond: *. Called Shane Douglas’s insulting of Flair bad timing with Flair having just popped a rating and tearing the house down five nights before.

Rhino vs. Monty Brown: *1/4. Says it was clear they were going to start a win streak for Brown so they likely changed the finish from him going over to a DDQ as Rhino got himself over with fans and management with his anti-ECW promo’s, and this was not the time to beat him.

Homicide and Hernandez vs. Sonjay Dutt and Ron Killings: ***1/2. Said instead of dropping Dutt down Hernandez “just heaved him halfway to Tampa”.

Said the segment with Team Canada was good but that it went too long. Also said that Young was acting a lot like Eugene and “I already saw Eugene and how nuts everyone was for him and how well that played out”.

Sen Shi vs. Frankie Kazarian: **1/2. Incognito was meant to be in the match but TNA couldn’t contact him for some reason. Called the match cold because Kazarian did nothing to be the babyface and didn’t do much in the comeback.

Raven vs. Zbyszko: DUD. Said Larry has gained 30lbs since Morphoplex went out of business but luckily his stall doesn’t need good cardio.

On the Nash promo, Dave said the only memorable thing was Nash using a line from Seinfeld 14 years ago. Dave also said Nash was mocking Hogan’s promo’s to try and be cool. “As if we don’t get enough DX for one week with 40-year-olds trying to act like high schoolers that TNA copies it with someone closing in on 50. Well, at least Nash looks younger than his age, which can’t be said for the other two.

Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal vs. Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley: *1/2. “Nash was either trying to sell and doing it in a most unbelievable fashion or was trying to sell in a most unbelievable fashion.” Said the idea of the program was to get Sabin over as an X-Division star, but to no shock at all he’s just gotten buried and for all the reason everybody knew about going in.

James Gang and Abyss vs. Team 3D and Brother Runt: **3/4. Penzer got ‘reamed out’ for announcing Abyss at 248.

Styles and Daniels and Sirelda vs. AMW and Gail Kim: **3/4. Said the match wasn’t bad but not as good as it’s been the last few months. Said the first half was mostly comedy and that the momentum was killed whenever Sirelda was in. Dave called the second half of the match very good.

Sting vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christian vs. Scott Steiner: **1/4. Said the problem with the match was Steiner being the focal point after Sting got taken out and that he was struggling very badly, and the most noticeable since joining. Said the crowd wasn’t into the match at all. Said Joe and Christian were both good.

 

Other News:

 

James Mitchell is under contract until May and says he’s very happy in TNA. He said there was no contact between him and WWE.

 

There is heat amongst the wrestlers over Andy Douglas getting out of cutting his hair. The story is that Bob Ryder, who has almost no respect anymore, convinced Jeff Jarrett that the hair cut wasn’t needed. The booking committee wanted to give them a new push with a new look. They had minor haircuts as a concession but they look almost the same as before. (From me: Yes, the booking committee decided what they wanted happening but Jeff decided to change it. It might have been something minor, but if Jeff is willing to step in on something like a haircut, just think what he’ll be like when the committee make the call to have Jarrett put over Joe for the title)

 

Some of those at TV looking for work were Brian Lee, Sean Waltman and Lance Hoyt.

 

Joe was unhappy at the tapings. He had a large welt under his eye from a potato shot from Steiner. He was arguing with D’Amore about something in front of the wrestlers, D’Amore was on at Joe for something else and Joe was yelling back. Eventually, they calmed things down and D’Amore apologized.

 

Monty Brown and Sen Shi have not signed new deals, but with Brown it might not even be considered a big issue. With Sen Shi, there was something in the deal he did not agree to. He was also unhappy at TV. He wasn’t happy about his PPV match not getting advertised and that he apparently only found about the match on the internet. He was also unhappy about, not only just working an Xplosion match at the TV taping, but also having to put over Sonjay Dutt.

 

A rep from ESPN India was at the taping interviewing wrestlers for the station. He said ratings for TNA on the station are huge, and talked about TNA maybe touring there.

 

Vignettes start soon for the Bobby Roode singles push. The angle will be that all the top managers are after him.

 

Team 3D won’t be used for a while as their contract is running low on dates.

 

The story behind the James Gang taking Eric Young under their wing is that they want the James Gang as faces and because they are the highest paid they need them over. In actuality, apparently, the hope is that it’s Young who gives them a rub from being so over himself.

[Guest DRH 502]

You know, I hope Joe was mad about Steiner potatoing him. Serves him right really...

 

"How about some meat with them potatos sonny boy??"

[Guest Oblivious Heel]

Naturals vs. Skipper and Diamond: *. Called Shane Douglas’s insulting of Flair bad timing with Flair having just popped a rating and tearing the house down five nights before.

 

Dave will never remove his tongue from Flair's ass/

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Naturals vs. Skipper and Diamond: *. Called Shane Douglas’s insulting of Flair bad timing with Flair having just popped a rating and tearing the house down five nights before.

 

Dave will never remove his tongue from Flair's ass/

Except the match with Show was shockingly good, and I'd be willing to bet that it was the highest rated segment of the show.

[Carnival 0]

(From me: Yes, the booking committee decided what they wanted happening but Jeff decided to change it. It might have been something minor, but if Jeff is willing to step in on something like a haircut, just think what he’ll be like when the committee make the call to have Jarrett put over Joe for the title)

I LOL'd.

[RedJed 0]

Naturals vs. Skipper and Diamond: *. Called Shane Douglas’s insulting of Flair bad timing with Flair having just popped a rating and tearing the house down five nights before.

 

Dave will never remove his tongue from Flair's ass/

Except the match with Show was shockingly good, and I'd be willing to bet that it was the highest rated segment of the show.

 

That match WAS entertaining as all hell, so Flair does deserve credit there. Has nothing to do with a Meltz bias. The Douglas promo DID come off low-rent and borderline pathetic considering there is ZERO interest in Flair/Douglas anymore.

[GODSON 0]

Naturals vs. Skipper and Diamond: *. Called Shane Douglas’s insulting of Flair bad timing with Flair having just popped a rating and tearing the house down five nights before.

 

Dave will never remove his tongue from Flair's ass/

Except the match with Show was shockingly good, and I'd be willing to bet that it was the highest rated segment of the show.

 

That match WAS entertaining as all hell, so Flair does deserve credit there. Has nothing to do with a Meltz bias. The Douglas promo DID come off low-rent and borderline pathetic considering there is ZERO interest in Flair/Douglas anymore.

 

I think you and meltzer took the Douglas comment too far. It was a very small remark/cheapshot.

[luke-o 0]

First off, im glad they decided to continue to push the naturlas even though he didnt want to cut his hair (fag).

 

Second, this whole Joe thing backstage with D'Amore pisses me off. He really is the top guy in this company and hes moaning? same goes for Senshi.

 

Oh, and thank god Monty might be out of TNA. I.Am.Glad.

[Bruce Blank 0]

Considering D'Amore later apologized it could easily have been Joe standing up for something with D'Amore coming off as the ass.

 

I love how he moans about the potato from Steiner - "JOE IS GONNA KIL"-*POW!!* Awww, oh my eye, my freaking eye *sob*sob*

 

LOL

[DangerousDamon 0]

I don't think it said anything about Joe complaining about getting potatoed.

[luke-o 0]

I love how he moans about the potato from Steiner - "JOE IS GONNA KIL"-*POW!!* Awww, oh my eye, my freaking eye *sob*sob*

 

Just as JBL said at ONSII, "you guys are so hardocre, but last year i punched some fat guy in the face and got called a bully. Yeah, thats hardcore!"