Post by hollywood on Oct 29, 2009 10:33:09 GMT -5
Hogan, Bischoff and TNA
October 28, 2009
I’ve been meaning to get a commentary up for a while, but I haven’t had anything jump out at me that I absolutely needed to talk about. That is no longer the case with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff signing with TNA. This is a pretty damn big story and I’ve already been flooded with email asking me what I think about the whole thing.
Believe it or not I’m pretty optimistic about the situation. This doesn’t appear to be the most common view as most people I’ve talked to point out that this is just the next step toward employing all the people responsible for the down fall of WCW and there will soon be a huge influx of Hogan’s buddies from the 80s. While that is of course a possibility, I’m choosing to look on the bright side for TNA and hope for the best.
Considering my past views of TNA, this optimistic approach may seem like a new direction for me, but I don’t think that it is. I’ve always wanted TNA to succeed and I’ve always maintained my support of their extremely talented locker room. My complaints of TNA have always been directed towards TNA’s creative team (Primarily Vince Russo) and the fact that they (he) somehow manages to book a show so infuriating and nonsensical that I’ve had to completely quit watching despite many of my favourite performers being featured on the show.
So while there are some potential down sides to the addition of Hogan and Bischoff to TNA, there are several potential up sides as well, and I’m going to keep my fingers crossed for more of the latter and less of the former.
The biggest upside, at least from my perspective is the potential demotion or firing of Vince Russo from the top spot as the driving creative force in TNA. There is existing heat between Hogan and Russo, and Russo was fired by TNA once in the past in hopes of acquiring Hulk Hogan, so a future parting of the ways is a definite possibility. Say what you want about Eric Bischoff and the demise of WCW, but Eric Bischoff is an extremely competitive guy who has no doubt learns from past mistakes, and I’d take him over Vince Russo as the driving creative force any day of the week.
Hulk Hogan has as much name value as anyone in this business so his presence should draw more attention to the company and get more people checking out TNA. TNA needs more viewers and Hogan’s name might get them some much needed exposure. Add to that the probable reduction in Vince Russo’s creative control and the product will almost certainly improve. As long as TNA maintains and features their talented young stars like, AJ, Daniels, MCMG, Beer Money, etc. (you know all the guys and girls I mean) and we don’t see The Nasty Boys as TNA Tag Champs, Brutus Beefcake as the Legends Champ and Hulk Hogan as TNA Champ, this can only be a positive move.
Only time will tell whether this will be the case or not but at least for now Hogan and Bischoff have created enough buzz to get me interested in checking out TNA once again, something I haven’t done in several months.
There is supposed to be one more huge announcement coming out of this with the leading possibilities (at least based on Internet rumors) being: Impact moving to Monday Nights to restart the Monday Night wars, and Shane McMahon joining the company. I could see the move to Monday nights as a possibility, but do not believe for one second Shane McMahon resigned from WWE to join TNA. Shane joining TNA would be the ultimate F-You do his Dad, and while a fight between father and son big enough to make Shane say F-You is always possible, you don’t resign and give 3 months notice after a F-You kind of fight.
One other possibility for the big announcement that one of my students joked about today, that I liked the sound of, is that TNA is going to switch to a 4-sided ring. I can hear Mike Tenay’s pitch now about how the New 4-sided ring is so much more dangerous than the old 6-sided ring because the corners of this new ring are so much sharper. No more obtuse angled corners in TNA we’ve got straight up right angles here in TNA. Maybe they can base a concept PPV on it.
Lance Storm
October 28, 2009
I’ve been meaning to get a commentary up for a while, but I haven’t had anything jump out at me that I absolutely needed to talk about. That is no longer the case with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff signing with TNA. This is a pretty damn big story and I’ve already been flooded with email asking me what I think about the whole thing.
Believe it or not I’m pretty optimistic about the situation. This doesn’t appear to be the most common view as most people I’ve talked to point out that this is just the next step toward employing all the people responsible for the down fall of WCW and there will soon be a huge influx of Hogan’s buddies from the 80s. While that is of course a possibility, I’m choosing to look on the bright side for TNA and hope for the best.
Considering my past views of TNA, this optimistic approach may seem like a new direction for me, but I don’t think that it is. I’ve always wanted TNA to succeed and I’ve always maintained my support of their extremely talented locker room. My complaints of TNA have always been directed towards TNA’s creative team (Primarily Vince Russo) and the fact that they (he) somehow manages to book a show so infuriating and nonsensical that I’ve had to completely quit watching despite many of my favourite performers being featured on the show.
So while there are some potential down sides to the addition of Hogan and Bischoff to TNA, there are several potential up sides as well, and I’m going to keep my fingers crossed for more of the latter and less of the former.
The biggest upside, at least from my perspective is the potential demotion or firing of Vince Russo from the top spot as the driving creative force in TNA. There is existing heat between Hogan and Russo, and Russo was fired by TNA once in the past in hopes of acquiring Hulk Hogan, so a future parting of the ways is a definite possibility. Say what you want about Eric Bischoff and the demise of WCW, but Eric Bischoff is an extremely competitive guy who has no doubt learns from past mistakes, and I’d take him over Vince Russo as the driving creative force any day of the week.
Hulk Hogan has as much name value as anyone in this business so his presence should draw more attention to the company and get more people checking out TNA. TNA needs more viewers and Hogan’s name might get them some much needed exposure. Add to that the probable reduction in Vince Russo’s creative control and the product will almost certainly improve. As long as TNA maintains and features their talented young stars like, AJ, Daniels, MCMG, Beer Money, etc. (you know all the guys and girls I mean) and we don’t see The Nasty Boys as TNA Tag Champs, Brutus Beefcake as the Legends Champ and Hulk Hogan as TNA Champ, this can only be a positive move.
Only time will tell whether this will be the case or not but at least for now Hogan and Bischoff have created enough buzz to get me interested in checking out TNA once again, something I haven’t done in several months.
There is supposed to be one more huge announcement coming out of this with the leading possibilities (at least based on Internet rumors) being: Impact moving to Monday Nights to restart the Monday Night wars, and Shane McMahon joining the company. I could see the move to Monday nights as a possibility, but do not believe for one second Shane McMahon resigned from WWE to join TNA. Shane joining TNA would be the ultimate F-You do his Dad, and while a fight between father and son big enough to make Shane say F-You is always possible, you don’t resign and give 3 months notice after a F-You kind of fight.
One other possibility for the big announcement that one of my students joked about today, that I liked the sound of, is that TNA is going to switch to a 4-sided ring. I can hear Mike Tenay’s pitch now about how the New 4-sided ring is so much more dangerous than the old 6-sided ring because the corners of this new ring are so much sharper. No more obtuse angled corners in TNA we’ve got straight up right angles here in TNA. Maybe they can base a concept PPV on it.
Lance Storm
