Sorry, the hillbilly in me gets out every now and then!
TNA is getting it's highest ratings ever lately. As a fan, I'm pretty happy with the product these days. I'm going to tell you the things I like best about it, and also the things I don't like.
THE MEM
The Main Event Mafia has one of the most awesome entrances I've seen in a long time, even better than that of the legendary NWO, if you ask me! I did think it was a bit too early to have dissention in the ranks, what with Sting and Kurt kind of feuding, though. But I get the tease.
STING
At this point in Sting's career, I think he needs to drop all gimmicks and just be Steve Borden. I think this is what is going to work best for him now, just to be himself. In my opinion, this will be a very fresh approach, one that the fans will highly appreciate from the man called Sting. And I do think a face turn is quite inevitable.
THE LEGEND'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Great concept. I don't think it is being handled the right way, though.
One of the things I enjoyed the most about TNA when it started were the surprise guests, such as the Moondog. I think TNA should reinstate the one-night contract that would allow non-roster wrestlers to come in and gain a little exposure and give the fans a thrill as well. The Legend's Championship should be a championship for, say, Tommy Rich to come in a challenge AJ Styles for. Now that's a match I would love to see! Get the drift there?
QUEEN DEBORAH RETURNS?
No. Wait, let me put it this way. NO. TNA has too bad of a habit of trying to resurrect gimmicks that have been done to death as it is. I don't see that letting her come back will benefit TNA in the least. Even though Jeff and Deborah were good together way back when, Jeff doesn't need her at all now, nor does TNA.
JENNA MORASCA AND DANNY BONADUCE
I don't see this working either. You can't bring outsiders in and turn them into viable, believable competitors. Survivor is not the same as TNA and Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Wrestling was a joke. Why does TNA keep trying to bring people like this in?
SAMOA JOE
Man, I do love the new, crazy Joe! I think the knife and hanging up Bashir and caning him was a little much, though. Those kind of things would really bother some people and, when you are trying to get new fans, I don't think you need to do anything that is going to turn people off. I've watched wrestling for a very long time, so I'm kind of use to seeing stuff like that, but if I hadn't ever watched wrestling and turned on TNA and saw something like that, I would make it a point NOT to watch again. I just think TNA management should take that into consideration.
ODB
Why did TNA feel like they needed to waste all that time on a One Night With ODB contest? If you are going to put forth some effort on promoting ODB, teach her how to wrestle. She's got the size and the personality, but she can't wrestle her way out of a hole.
TNA FACTIONS
Main Event Mafia, Frontline, The Beautiful People....I thought there should have been one more, and it should have been formed after Al Snow made his appearance at GENESIS. I don't know why TNA did not use Al after GENESIS, because a prime opportunity was missed to create another great TNA faction that should have been made up of Al, Mick Foley and Jeff Jarrett, called, oh maybe, The Pioneers? We could even include Jim Cornette in that group. No wait, I've got a better name: The Regulators! Whatcha think?
WHAT I THINK TNA NEEDS TO DO AWAY WITH
Let's start with this announcer feud. While I liked the concept at first, it's really not going anywhere, and there's nowhere to go with it. Mike Tenay and Don West are not trained to settle anything in the ring. So this is a very limited storyline, in my opinion. The announcers keep things running smoothly in a wrestling show; they keep the focus on the action, and that's what you want, not to throw the focus on turmoil at the announce table.
ABYSS has kind of been turned into a wuss of late, and that is a mistake that needs to be rectified ASAP! He needs to be the monster he was meant to be and he doesn't need a girlfriend. I see Abyss being so monstrous and uncontrollable that he is brought out to the ring in chains by handlers. And more often than not, he breaks the chains and goes berzerk! I do have praise for Chris Parks, though. He is an invaluable asset to TNA and I hope he's paid well.
TNA does not need the Randy Savage clone that's running around by the name of JAY LETHAL. Because, number one, there is only one Randy Savage, and number two, I think Jay Lethal could be a great asset to TNA in his own right as Jay Lethal. He definitely doesn't need to channel Randy Savage in any way, shape or form.
VINCE RUSSO is not needed in TNA either. For anything. Period. No, I take that back. He is a good on-air character. A good nemesis for Jeff Jarrett. And if TNA insists on keeping him around, that's all his role should be.
THE GOOD THINGS IN TNA
One of the best things TNA has got going for them, but they just don't use him correctly (in my opinion only, of course) is Kevin Nash. At this point I feel it would be a good thing for Nash to make the transition from wrestler to wrestling manager. Good wrestling managers seem to be a thing of the past. I remember them all: Paul Jones, Paul Ellering, Jim Cornette, Paul E. Dangerously, and Paul Mitchell, just to name a few. TNA needs some good wrestling managers.
THE X DIVISION
The X Divison took some hard hits in the past, like when someone had the bright idea to add Kevin Nash to the X division, and then waste camera time on the X division and Nash playing all these stupid games. That almost RUINED the X division. And now TNA lets Petey Williams go? COME ON! Concentrate on building the X division back up! I think the biggest ticket to that is new X division talent. Maybe Billy Kidman? Brian Kendrick? Or some undiscovered hungry young lion?
MICK FOLEY
Six words: it works, it works, IT WORKS! I got an idea from the last episode of IMPACT too. Could it be time for a Mick Foley-Jeff Jarrett feud? I know, I know, Jeff doesn't want to be an active wrestler anymore.
YEAH, RIGHT! I believe that. NOT! Speaking of Jeff, I do have a question for him.
When are you going to execute some major payback on Kurt Angle for what he did to you at GENESIS? He's just NOT a better wrestler than you are. You need to kick his can, but good!
I SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST
But of course, anyone who knows me knows that I'm partial....but I LOVE that Jeff Jarrett has embraced his position as the original TNA founder! That's the way it should have been all along. And it IS NOT too VKM like either!
THINGS TNA COULD DO THAT WOULD MAKE THEM EVEN BETTER
The first thing would be to strengthen the tag team division. The tag division has never been as strong as it could be or should be. While Beer Money is still a good team, they are just not America's Most Wanted. I definitely think Chris Harris needs to be brought back into the picture. If you all down at TNA want to make your fans happy, bringing Chris back would do it.
Maybe TNA should also consider bringing back the cage dancers. At least for the ppvs, even if not for TV. Just a thought...
One of the biggest improvements that could be made is to make the storylines longer. Things just play out too quickly. I've seen great storylines get cut off at the nose, so to speak, because they weren't given ample time to play out. And I believe the fans would like to see more ring action and less soap opera drama. That's the thing that impressed me the most about the first TNA ppv that I ordered. While I didn't know any of the talent on the first show, the in-ring action was unbeatable and it was enough to keep me coming back for more. I suspect TNA has forgotten its roots, I respectfully say. Well, let this be my reminder to TNA management about what TNA was built on, and it wasn't name talent or soap opera drama. Or celebrities, even though the first show had Toby Keith on it, his appearance was just like a...bonus...it wasn't a building block.
In closing, I'll say again, I'm very happy with the TNA product right now. I'm happy that Jeff's back, and I hope he's through the biggest part of his hurt now. I know he looks absolutely HOTTER than he ever did! And I'm looking for my next TNA show to attend. In May, TNA is scheduled to be in Greenville, NC and Fayetteville, NC. Maybe I can make one of those shows. Maybe Jeff will be there too!
Send me some feedback at tnau-vicki@hotmail.com.
Chow ya'll!!
