- 01/05/2010 (2:15:27 am)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
…
By Brett Schwan (1/5)
If the old adage "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" is true, then TNA is screwed.
On what was supposed to be the night that TNA changed forever and the night the wrestling world was never to be the same, TNA proved that not only could they not step up to the plate, but they barely could bunt the ball.
Let's just look at some of the ridiculousness that took place.
You know you're in trouble when Bubba The Love Sponge interviews a fan outside and the fan talks about how he wants to see WRESTLING. "Wrestling the way it used to be when I was young. Wrestling like when Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior wrestled." That's right, the first fan they talk to on this monumental occasion thinks Hogan and Warrior could wrestle.
The opening match was not only inside a cage structure that could barely be seen into on television but it was a sure way to shoot yourself in the foot. Nothing like having a cage match end in some kind of DQ and have your entire audience start chanting "Bull$hit!" on live tv. So you blow the match, piss off the fans then decide this would be a good opportunity to bring back Jeff Hardy to basically do nothing. Brilliant! Was it nice to see Hardy back on tv? Sure, if you're a fan. Was it necessary to have him come in an build up nothing though?
For no apparent reason, random former WWE stars just appeared on the show. Val Venis, Orlando Jordan, Shannon Moore, The Nasty Boys, plus several other all appeared but really served no purpose. I'm sure they'll be thrown into meaningless matches to "earn their spot" in the weeks to come. However, they really had no impact (pun intended) on this show.
The (cough) Beautiful People played strip poker for ratings. It wasn't all that funny. It didn't have much stripping. It didn't need to be on the show. Allegedly, Angelina Love was backstage but never used.
ODB pinned Tara and at the 2 count, my screen quickly switched to a shot of the damn cage from the previous match. I never saw the three count or the pull of the tights. That happened to several others I spoke to as well. Gotta love TNA. Notice how I didn't ask why they insist on switching the belt back and forth between just these two women.
Backstage, random people were attacked. We never found out who attacked them. Honestly, I don't think anyone cared nor will they remember by the time TNA returns in 10 days.
Ric Flair showed up, shook some hands and walked into AJ Styles locker room. Way to ruin a potential surprise. It ends up Flair came out and watched about 5 minutes of AJ v Kurt then left. Wow, that was earthshattering. You bring in RIC FLAIR and do that?? TNA never ceases to amaze me.
For 45 minutes we kept seeing footage of Hogan, in his limo, "just minutes away". Hogan finally arrived, entered the ring, and stated "I've been in the back all day talking to the young guys." Hmmm. Then who the hell were the cameras following in that limo you just allegedly arrived in?
Hogan pretty much said nothing of any importance during his 20 minutes in the ring. Hall and Waltman added nothing of interest. Bischoff did the same. If this was the start of the new era I think the era will be over real fast.
Bischoff and Hogan did tear up the format and come up with their own for the remainder of the show. They kept the Knockout Tag Match as scheduled. They changed Abyss v Rhino to Abyss v Samoa Joe but never mentioned that maybe it was because Rhino was attacked in the back. They had Hernandez and Morgan destroy Raven and Richards in seconds, again for no apparent reason. At least we got to see Daffney.
Oh yeah, Sting was there. Doing pretty much nothing. Plus they put the Pope over Wolfe. Ugh.
Foley spent the whole night trying to get in since he was "banned". He finally got in and Hogan, who was out on the ramp putting over AJ and Kurt, ran to the back when he heard. Foley was attacked by Hall and Waltman in Bischoff's office. Hogan arrived and the show faded to black by zooming in on Hogan's confused face. Twenty bucks says Hogan saves Foley in 2 weeks (even though it's being taped on Tuesday). However, by then who will care?
I know I'm missing a lot of other stupid mistakes, but I'm writing all this from memory.
I really was hoping that TNA would somehow stand up to the challenge and produce a flawless show (or at least one with just a few flaws) that started some great storylines, introduced some new wrestlers and angles, or did anything to increase my interest in their product (other than watching it just for the comedic aspects that aren't part of their plan). The potential was there. Maybe it's a case of too many cooks spoil the broth. Maybe it's a case of whoever has the final say doesn't know what the hell they are doing. Maybe it's a case of someone on the inside just trying to gradually destroy the company from within.
Whatever it may be, TNA dropped the ball in a huge way. If anyone tuned in tonight for the first time, I wouldn't expect them to be tuning in again in a week and a half when Impact returns.
Brett A. Schwan
The Wrestling Clothesline
Hey there Georgiann
I watched both of the new years first Monday night wrestling shows by using the recall button on my remote and switching the channels back and forth as commercials hit. I definitely had a tough time keeping up with both of the segments back and forth like that because I was drawn in by the Shawn Michaels and Brett Hart history on WWE's program and on TNA's program getting to see the superstars that were making their way to TNA for one of its biggest nights since it started on TV before Monday Night RAW even began had me drawn in as well. TNA definitely wanted to steal the ratings to steal the night and in my opinion did so by presenting Hogan to their viewers not to long after Raw started and at the start of TNA's second hour instead of right off the bat like Raw Did with Bret Hart. and because they held out until the second hour I was split on who to watch more of, thus the reason I kept hitting the recall button during those two segments and also my wife had control of the other tv to watch the new bachelor show.
Let the Monday Night Wars Begin TNA 1 - WWE 0
"Get Me A Format! Get Me A Segment!"
Vince, old. Almost everyone tonight, old.
Bret having to say scripted crap, sad. Having to refer to fans as "the WWE Universe" was embarrassing for him(and I'll ask him by week's end, guarantied). Give him props after the stroke for being able to do all of that and take the kick and sell it; but the whole thing felt old. Granted, this time they're not waiting two years to bring Tyson in but neither entity has what they had in '97.
TNA a total cluster mess. Where to start. A few good matches; but a misuse of talent overall. Flair wasted. What was the purpose of Jarrett and Daniels getting interrrupted? Zero purpose.
Hogan going back and forth between heel and face and perhaps the worst(and most repetitive) promos of his career. He's beginning to look like leathery Ann Calvello during her last years, God rest her soul. He was a complete and ancient FLOP. Big thumbs down for the show and is Nigel/Wolf on his way out losing to a midcarder when he was just destroying Angle a few weeks ago? A MESS.
No "this ain't your daddy's wrestling." It's worse. It's your grandfather's wrestling because that's what most of them look like: Hogan, Flair, Vince, etc. Neither of the Nasty Boys can even walk. Hogan had a hard time just moving(not just moving his jaws). At least Hogan didn't have them take the title off AJ which seemed the thing since he's so close with Angle. I fear for the young guys because despite the hot air, I think we can look forward to more of the fat and old Neidhart types going over Black Machismo type crap. The only saving grace of Bischoff and the old and fat nWo '10 was Waltman surprisingly. And Bischoff can still talk and wasn't smirking and f'ing things up the way Hall was. Get rid of that loser once and for all. The end segment with Mick was ok but can they just go ahead and fire Borash. Yet another of Hogan's pals:Bubba was a total useless sponge. And en-total, maybe that's why TNA pretapes and post produces the hell out of their shows. Orlando Jordan and the Nasties screwing up and sputtering thru their horrendous promos? Saggs is a bit rusty. Thank goodness for Tivo/DVR and pause fast forward if we ever have to endure 5+ hours of that crap again. No way, Jose. TNA is "WCWing" down the toilet faster than even Bryan Alvarez and Death of TNA can cover it(what took WCW months and years seemingly took TNA one night). I'm looking forward to Pride also-rans on Spike every Friday in contrast.
How many lines did Hogan say repeatedly besides "we're making history," etc. Painful to the point of some that it should've been the cause of drinking games for anyone still watching. Poor Taz and Tenay having to do his shrill shill(well, Tenay doing his screaming thing. Louder doesn't equal quality or better). Sheesh.
Give me old Mid Atlantic or Georgia Championship Wrestling tv tapes any day. Anyone's old, pre-1984 tv. A best of Rogers Corners anyone? I'd give my eye teeth for that in opposition to what we all sat thru tonight.
Take Bret out of the equation, and it was the Same Old S from the Weep. Now Jericho did carry his little seg with Bret.
