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| Shane Heimberger talks TNA going into the Monday Night Wars |
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Simply put, the "new" TNA has yet to catch on, and I truly wonder if they will ever gain their footing. In my opinion, for what its worth, many of the signings (namely Flair & Hogan) are good signings, from the standpoint that they are two names that the general public perceive ( rightly so) as the top names of the previous generation. That said, the very idea that these two industry legends are being thrown into this match with very little/bad build up, and on free television, kinda boggles the mind. You almost have to sign the best known names available if you want to be considered "big league" and "challenge" the WWE, but the issues here are so much deeper and, upon examination, will not change. Booking is alot like ice cream- there are various flavors and tastes, and everyone will not agree on whats the best, but alot of people will disagree on anothers preference. This has been said a million times, but its worth repeating, that you cannot start anew if the old still hold the pencil. Two months into the new regime, this show still comes across as a mishmash of bad skits and lackluster interviews, with the focus falling too squarely on rushing potential money angles, fresh matchups, and gimmick matches that have no rhyme or reason onto tv. If TNA is trying to turn the corner and truly compete, they need to ask themselves if they are willing to make the adjustments, or do they want to be a vanity promotion for the stars of yesteryear? I don't begrudge Hulk Hogan getting his one last big payday, or Ric Flair the opportunity to make a living in his profession, but figuring out how to use these two, in addition to Foley,Angle, RVD(?) and others, plus showcasing their up and coming future and new stars, is a task that clearly Vince Russo is not up to- not yesterday, not today, not ever. Not that he is solely to blame. Jeff Jarrett has always been a good worker and a good promo, but, no matter what the Impact Zone says, he isnt a tier one guy. If I owned 48% or whatever, and the decision needed to be made that I could make real money for the first time in 8 years or play top babyface for alot less, I'd like to think the decision would be simple. 1996-98 was a great time for the business, but that shipped has sailed. We all focus on what worked for us during the highest of times. but tastes change, times change, and pretending to be frozen in time will only reflect in your currents successes or failures. Shane Heimberger |
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