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Post by cabbageboy on Jul 18, 2016 17:58:13 GMT -5
Thing is, TNA already had guys like Nash and Steiner who were funnier than Booker. Nash already had the "Legend who doesn't give a crap" slot filled.
As far as RVD goes, I'm actually a bit baffled as to all the hate here. In retrospect RVD was a bad fit for the absurd Bischoff/Hogan/Russo booking of that era. Say what you will but Van Dam hasn't spent a ton of his career in terrible storylines. Until TNA really the only actively bad storyline he was in that I can think of was his peripheral involvement in Kane's 2003 nonsense. In other words from about 1996-2010 the guy was involved in very few horrible storylines that made him look bad. In TNA he was in seemingly 5 or 6.
I have mentioned this in other threads but how would we view RVD's TNA stint if they hadn't burned through his dates in foolish fashion and they actually manged to build properly to him vs. Angle at a major PPV? It seemed like an obvious direction after RVD won the title and Angle did the whole Top 10 storyline.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 18, 2016 18:04:35 GMT -5
Thing is, TNA already had guys like Nash and Steiner who were funnier than Booker. Nash already had the "Legend who doesn't give a crap" slot filled. As far as RVD goes, I'm actually a bit baffled as to all the hate here. In retrospect RVD was a bad fit for the absurd Bischoff/Hogan/Russo booking of that era. Say what you will but Van Dam hasn't spent a ton of his career in terrible storylines. Until TNA really the only actively bad storyline he was in that I can think of was his peripheral involvement in Kane's 2003 nonsense. In other words from about 1996-2010 the guy was involved in very few horrible storylines that made him look bad. In TNA he was in seemingly 5 or 6. I have mentioned this in other threads but how would we view RVD's TNA stint if they hadn't burned through his dates in foolish fashion and they actually manged to build properly to him vs. Angle at a major PPV? It seemed like an obvious direction after RVD won the title and Angle did the whole Top 10 storyline.You can apply that to 20 diff people in that company and maybe they would be in better shape today in regards to doing shit properly and not on impulse. As mentioned earlier the heat was on RVD back then because he was clearly being lazy and then said he wouldn't drop the belt unless it was to a guy in the attitude era.
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Post by The Trashman on Jul 18, 2016 20:41:47 GMT -5
RVD brought more eyes to the product. I dont even remember really hearing about Booker being there until the MEM.
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Post by Lupin the Third on Jul 18, 2016 20:43:23 GMT -5
ROB VAN DAM!!!!!
THE WHOLE F'N SHOW!!!!
ROB VAN DAM!!!!
I REALLY HAVE TO PEE!!!!!
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Post by sonofsharknado on Jul 18, 2016 20:50:26 GMT -5
I'll go with RVD just because Booker was hilarious when he stopped giving a f*** and treated everything like a joke. Also, RVD had a significantly bigger upside than Booker and TNA still wasted him. RVD proved he had zero upside when he didn't give a single f*** against anyone except his AE boyz, and said in interviews that he and Hardy were rock stars and more popular than the entire roster, and wasn't going to drop the title to anyone not from the Attitude Era.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Jul 18, 2016 20:57:33 GMT -5
I'll go with RVD just because Booker was hilarious when he stopped giving a f*** and treated everything like a joke. Also, RVD had a significantly bigger upside than Booker and TNA still wasted him. Pretty much. When RVD phones it in, it's not fun to watch because he's an electrifying high flyer by nature (goofy stoner personality aside). When Booker doesn't care he can improv some funny stuff, like his King Booker antics.
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Post by The Tank on Jul 18, 2016 21:10:29 GMT -5
Book's nonsense was harmless when it wasn't hilarious. Time-consuming, at worst.
Rob Van Dam's "I don't give a f*** about this place" attitude and getting the keys to the castle handed to him at the same time pissed me off so much, him winning the title was the last TNA show I watched.
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Post by Fauxnaki on Jul 19, 2016 10:35:55 GMT -5
The booking was shit for both. But I'm sure rvd sold more merch and seemed more important to the show where all I remember from booker was the dumb accent he put on and being a very interchangeable part of the main event event mafia
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 19, 2016 10:40:57 GMT -5
Book's nonsense was harmless when it wasn't hilarious. Time-consuming, at worst. Rob Van Dam's "I don't give a f*** about this place" attitude and getting the keys to the castle handed to him at the same time pissed me off so much, him winning the title was the last TNA show I watched. As I said in a earlier post I wonder if AJ is still pissed at him for not hooking the leg after the frog splash. They sacrificed AJ for RVD and then he proceeded to get lazy.
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Post by cabbageboy on Jul 19, 2016 14:25:52 GMT -5
Isn't being mad about that sort of thing 6 years later a little ridiculous? Saying TNA sacrificed AJ for RVD is also dubious since AJ was in the midst of doing his whole 2nd rate Flair shtick that was killing him anyway. It was really a matter of who Styles was jobbing to: RVD or Jeff Hardy. TNA went with the guy who had a minor pot bust in 2006 over the guy in much more serious trouble with the law (which is a sad commentary if you think about it).
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Post by Can you afford to pay me, Gah on Jul 19, 2016 14:33:08 GMT -5
RVD pissed me off way more then Booker T. I guess it was more the booking then anything because RVD guy the key to the castle and was lazy. That whole winning the title against AJ the next night after a big PPV without built or hype is why TNA PPVs never draw because they never mean anything. Instead the next PPV was built around the rematch. Of course why build the PPV around the first time meeting? Nah the rematch will sell it. His whole run was a waste.
At less Booker T wasn't shoved in as World Champion. While he phoned it in he still did ok as the side member of MEM.
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Post by Ted Sheckler on Jul 19, 2016 17:31:30 GMT -5
Did RVD "beat" Sting or was it just a DQ because Sting was beating the hell out of him? I can't remember. I honestly forgot that this was RVD's debut, what stupid booking. Na RVD beat Sting by pinfall. They did some quick bullshit then Sting got up and beat the hell out of him. Yeah, I remember RVD's debut. Don't quite understand why they want that way. Obviously they wanted Sting to look good and solidify that he's now a heel but they also wanted RVD to look good hence why they had him win. Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to hype a surprise signing. Have RVD come out, cut a promo, say he's in TNA and he's ready for anyone only to be jumped from behind by Sting and beaten with the bat? Hell, you could have RVD talk about dream matches and boom Sting comes out, staredown and then as RVD turns his back he's attacked. Next week you have people tuning in to know why Sting did what he did, you have them tuning in for RVD's thoughts and revenge whilst you can probably build an episode of Impact around RVD having his debut match in the company in the main event much later on down the track. TNA has never been great at building to things though. They love to just give everything to the audience right away.
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Post by Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast on Jul 19, 2016 18:32:48 GMT -5
Booker never got a "Restart the Match" "No!" chant
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Post by JTG Fan on Jul 19, 2016 19:59:53 GMT -5
Easily Booker to me. RVD's World Title reign, while inconsequential, was actually pretty good. So even though it was only 5-6 months out of a two year or so run, it was still better than Booker in TNA. Booker phoned in every bit of his TNA run.
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 19, 2016 22:15:33 GMT -5
Na RVD beat Sting by pinfall. They did some quick bullshit then Sting got up and beat the hell out of him. Yeah, I remember RVD's debut. Don't quite understand why they want that way. Obviously they wanted Sting to look good and solidify that he's now a heel but they also wanted RVD to look good hence why they had him win. Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to hype a surprise signing. Have RVD come out, cut a promo, say he's in TNA and he's ready for anyone only to be jumped from behind by Sting and beaten with the bat? Hell, you could have RVD talk about dream matches and boom Sting comes out, staredown and then as RVD turns his back he's attacked. Next week you have people tuning in to know why Sting did what he did, you have them tuning in for RVD's thoughts and revenge whilst you can probably build an episode of Impact around RVD having his debut match in the company in the main event much later on down the track. TNA has never been great at building to things though. They love to just give everything to the audience right away. I can only answer with the answer I know best TNA lacks common sense
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ICBM
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Post by ICBM on Jul 20, 2016 6:25:00 GMT -5
Booker let Bobby Rhoode get some serious heat on him at a time where Rhoode's heel push was starting to flounder a little. Booker was also a part of the faction that made TNA the most money and garnered its highest ratings (MEM) but those are the only two things I can say they got out of him worth remembering.
RVD worked a dream match and won the world title. He also was key in a high spot segment with Sting, but that only helped one side. Past that he didn't do much either.
Splitting the hairs, I'd say RVD was the bigger waste of funds
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Jul 20, 2016 10:54:05 GMT -5
Booker let Bobby Rhoode get some serious heat on him at a time where Rhoode's heel push was starting to flounder a little. Booker was also a part of the faction that made TNA the most money and garnered its highest ratings (MEM) but those are the only two things I can say they got out of him worth remembering. RVD worked a dream match and won the world title. He also was key in a high spot segment with Sting, but that only helped one side. Past that he didn't do much either. Splitting the hairs, I'd say RVD was the bigger waste of funds What's this about heat on Roode?
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Post by sunnytaker on Jul 20, 2016 15:57:16 GMT -5
RVD easily. Gave him the world title, took it off him in the dumbest way possible to appease his ego Wasn't that because TNA squandered his dates? Since his contract listed him as having X number of dates and they blew through them immediately. yeah I recall hearing that too. he only had a couple dates left on his contract for the year and he had only been there 3 months or so at that point and didn't they just start a new feud with him for the belt at the same time. then someone actually read the thing and he lost the belt almost immediately right after that so he wouldn't Lesnar the title. though of course lesnar's MIA run with the belt was long after this.
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Post by Slingshot Suplay on Jul 20, 2016 16:29:55 GMT -5
It took a while for RVD to really get going. I mean after all, he wasn't a full time wrestler for almost 3 years. Two months in, he was back into form when he got the belt and had some great matches with AJ and Jeff Hardy.
I can't remember anything positive about Booker T's run.
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Post by Mozenrath on Jul 20, 2016 17:13:55 GMT -5
Booker was probably cheaper, so there's that.
That said, Sting attacking RVD from ringside is possibly the funniest thing from that era of TNA, so I have a hard time not appreciating that much.
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