hollywood
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Post by hollywood on Dec 22, 2008 12:37:53 GMT -5
Lance Storm regularly answers email questions on just about anything. This is just a handful of questions he answered concerning TNA. As always, I think he's pretty spot on.
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Q: Who in your opinion leads the way now in women’s wrestling across the board and why? Secondly who has the most potential to step up to the plate and carry the banner ?
A: I don’t think anyone is carrying it at present. I think Gail Kim was when she was in TNA. The Knockout’s in TNA were leaps and bounds ahead of anything WWE was doing with the women. They have fallen off the cliff somewhat since Gail left and WWE still has very little direction with the women. The problem is it isn’t that they need a banner carrier as much as they need the company to give the women a direction and focus. If there is no banner offered up, no one will be able to carry it.
Q: I know you constantly bash TNA (and mostly, rightfully so). I think it would be in their best interests though, to hire people who hate their product so it can be turned around. The only two people who come to mind are you and Paul Heyman. Would you ever work in TNA in booking/agent role? If so, what would be your first act? And (you probably get asked this one a lot), do you think Paul Heyman could rescue the shipwreck that is TNA?
A: The thing people need to realize is that TNA doesn’t think they need turning around. They don’t want to hear criticism nor do they want help changing their product.
Q: Why does TNA Frontline have double the amount of members that the Main Event Mafia has? Is this to further illustrate how inferior they are?
A: As far as I can figure it does, yah.
Q: Why would you turn the one, young, charismatic team, who consistently provide entertaining matches, and can be considered TNA originals, heel? They are the one team who are at odds with everything that the Main Event Mafia stand for, why would you want the audience to boo the Motor City Machine-guns?
A: I wouldn’t. The MCMG’s would be a top baby face duo if I were in charge. They would also be featured in 10+ minute matches on TV frequently.
Q: Have you ever heard the crowd actually chant 'Frontline', even when Brother Ray was confronting Angle in the ring they were chanting 'TNA', which seems a little redundant considering.
A: Frontline is a bit tough to chant. Considering the Angle I think the crowd chanting TNA would be a good thing.
Q: Do you personally believe that ratings and buy-rates would increase if things had more of a "believable" feel ?
A: Yes I do. When TNA did the serious push for the last Joe – Angle match the buy rate more than doubled.
--taken from StormWrestling.com
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KLRA
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Post by KLRA on Dec 22, 2008 13:40:56 GMT -5
Storm is spot on in saying that TNA believes they don't have a problem. It's what bothers me most about the company because they can be THAT MUCH BETTER.
I agree that the main event area of TNA needs a more serious feel to it (the Joe/Angle match from Lockdown being a good example), but the lower card can be kept more 'loose' if you catch my drift.
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 22, 2008 13:49:50 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE!
Plus, that Gun question was such a load of Grade A BS.
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hollywood
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Post by hollywood on Dec 22, 2008 13:54:40 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE! That might've been true the first time around. But the last time was like their fifth match. I think the "It's F'N JOE VS ANGLE" aura had long since burned off by then. Look no further than their previous meeting with Karen Angle "SWERVING US ALL!!!"
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 22, 2008 13:56:19 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE! That might've been true the first time around. But the last time was like their fifth match. I think the "It's F'N JOE VS ANGLE" aura had long since burned off by then. Oh. Thought he was talking about the first match for some reason.
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hollywood
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Post by hollywood on Dec 22, 2008 14:02:27 GMT -5
That might've been true the first time around. But the last time was like their fifth match. I think the "It's F'N JOE VS ANGLE" aura had long since burned off by then. Oh. Thought he was talking about the first match for some reason. He'd probably make the same argument for that one, too. Of course, then you could easily use the IT'S JOE/ANGLE reasoning there. And, though I'd still say Lance's point was valid, you'd be right.
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Post by derrtaysouth95 on Dec 22, 2008 15:38:30 GMT -5
See, if TNA would admit they just might have a problem (RUSSO).....and then choose to take action on this problem (FIRING OF RUSSO).....things would improve (NO RUSSO).
Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.
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hollywood
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Post by hollywood on Dec 22, 2008 15:41:39 GMT -5
See, if TNA would admit they just might have a problem (RUSSO).....and then choose to take action on this problem (FIRING OF RUSSO).....things would improve (NO RUSSO). Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. I forget exactly how many stages of depression there are. But whatever the number, TNA's been firmly in the Denial stage for the past few years.
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 22, 2008 15:49:24 GMT -5
See, if TNA would admit they just might have a problem (RUSSO).....and then choose to take action on this problem (FIRING OF RUSSO).....things would improve (NO RUSSO). Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. Right, cause Russo is the only person who is doing anything wrong in TNA, is is the only person who decides what' on TV. He runs everything in every division and makes sure to bury all the favorites of the fans.
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metylerca
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Post by metylerca on Dec 22, 2008 15:51:39 GMT -5
See, if TNA would admit they just might have a problem (RUSSO).....and then choose to take action on this problem (FIRING OF RUSSO).....things would improve (NO RUSSO). Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. Right, cause Russo is the only person who is doing anything wrong in TNA, is is the only person who decides what' on TV. He runs everything in every division and makes sure to bury all the favorites of the fans. ...Well as long as you admit to it... But honestly, the whole 'Russo kills TNA' thing is a little unwarranted. There are plenty of other people who make TNA what it is today, so it's a group mentality that just so happens to provide mediocrity.
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KLRA
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Post by KLRA on Dec 22, 2008 16:03:00 GMT -5
Right, cause Russo is the only person who is doing anything wrong in TNA, is is the only person who decides what' on TV. He runs everything in every division and makes sure to bury all the favorites of the fans. ...Well as long as you admit to it... But honestly, the whole 'Russo kills TNA' thing is a little unwarranted. There are plenty of other people who make TNA what it is today, so it's a group mentality that just so happens to provide mediocrity. Pretty much, yeah. The whole collective of the creative process needs to reevaluate their product. They have a core audience that's not going to waver no matter what they do. Now it's time to experiment to see if they can do anything different to draw more fans in.
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chairshotshurthead
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Post by chairshotshurthead on Dec 22, 2008 18:26:16 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE! Plus, that Gun question was such a load of Grade A BS. Except for the fact that the buyrate for every Joe/Angle match after the first one was lower than the previous one. 35,000 for Turning Point 2006 (Joe vs. Angle) 34,000 for Final Resolution 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) 26,000 for Hard Justice 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) Their usual buyrate is more in the 15,000 numbers. But when they did Joe/Angle with a serious build, all of a sudden the buyrate was doubled on that PPV. Did somewhere around 30,000 I believe. Strange how that works, isn't it?
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Post by Cyno on Dec 22, 2008 18:42:54 GMT -5
From everything I've read about TNA's creative process from former wrestlers and backstage folks, Dutch Mantell is far more to blame for the crap on TV than Russo is. Russo, although not blameless, is just a convenient scapegoat given how he booked WCW and TNA's early days.
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Post by Michael Coello on Dec 22, 2008 18:54:43 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE! Plus, that Gun question was such a load of Grade A BS. Except for the fact that the buyrate for every Joe/Angle match after the first one was lower than the previous one. 35,000 for Turning Point 2006 (Joe vs. Angle) 34,000 for Final Resolution 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) 26,000 for Hard Justice 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) Their usual buyrate is more in the 15,000 numbers. But when they did Joe/Angle with a serious build, all of a sudden the buyrate was doubled on that PPV. Did somewhere around 30,000 I believe. Strange how that works, isn't it? Yeah, thanks for trashing me when I already said I made a mistake. Really appreciated that.....
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Post by GaTechGrad on Dec 22, 2008 19:01:03 GMT -5
Oh goodness... not another Lance Storm TNA rant thread... *sigh*
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Post by mysterydriver on Dec 22, 2008 19:03:40 GMT -5
In all honesty, if people want to chant for the release of someone in creative, it should be Dutch Mantel.
He's the reason that Raven's Serotonin group never got off the ground and that is straight from Matt "Martyr" Bentley's mouth.
He was also the one credited with the "infamous" Abyss/Mesias storyline and the revolving stories such as Daddy Mitchell being the one shot despite the fact that he said Abyss came to him following the shooting...
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chairshotshurthead
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Post by chairshotshurthead on Dec 22, 2008 20:20:39 GMT -5
Except for the fact that the buyrate for every Joe/Angle match after the first one was lower than the previous one. 35,000 for Turning Point 2006 (Joe vs. Angle) 34,000 for Final Resolution 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) 26,000 for Hard Justice 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) Their usual buyrate is more in the 15,000 numbers. But when they did Joe/Angle with a serious build, all of a sudden the buyrate was doubled on that PPV. Did somewhere around 30,000 I believe. Strange how that works, isn't it? Yeah, thanks for trashing me when I already said I made a mistake. Really appreciated that..... Just pointing out the facts dude.
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Post by HMARK Center on Dec 22, 2008 21:09:27 GMT -5
I wish there was some way of knowing immediately who's booking which segment. So many problems I've heard about have been directly tied to Dutch Mantell, who, unfortunately, Jarrett seems very loyal to.
I do agree that Impact bogs itself by not feeling like it can be something more, when it clearly can. First step, in my book? Stop commentating on every single thing like you're explaining it for the first time. Not for nothing, but they've been on Spike over 3 years now, and the excessive talking takes away from the seriousness or drama, or even comedy, or many moments. You don't need to always refer to Samoa Joe as the "Samoan Submission Machine" on commentary, let the ring announcer do that.
As for serious builds, TNA has improved in that department at the main event level considerably in the past year, starting with the build to Joe dethroning Angle at Lockdown. There's still a lot more they can do to build an "epic" feel around their different feuds, though. Again, no commentating over promos for the key feuds would be step one. Secondly, they shouldn't be afraid to try different things with a serious feud; promos don't always have to be followed by pull-apart fights with security guards involved, or beatdowns, or whatever, and there are ways to escalate a feud beyond losing via interference or things like that. Be creative.
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Post by Jared Jammer on Dec 22, 2008 22:55:36 GMT -5
Dude, Joe/Angle didn't get buyrates cause it was "real", it got the buyrates CAUSE IT WAS F'N JOE VS ANGLE! Plus, that Gun question was such a load of Grade A BS. Except for the fact that the buyrate for every Joe/Angle match after the first one was lower than the previous one. 35,000 for Turning Point 2006 (Joe vs. Angle) 34,000 for Final Resolution 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) 26,000 for Hard Justice 2007 (Joe vs. Angle) Their usual buyrate is more in the 15,000 numbers. But when they did Joe/Angle with a serious build, all of a sudden the buyrate was doubled on that PPV. Did somewhere around 30,000 I believe. Strange how that works, isn't it? Not really. If anything it confirms what he said - Joe vs Angle is gonna draw big regardless, in the 25,000-35,000 range.
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hollywood
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Post by hollywood on Dec 22, 2008 23:43:04 GMT -5
Oh goodness... not another Lance Storm TNA rant thread... *sigh* It's actually not a rant. It's just what it says it is... Q & A.
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