THE GREEN TEABAGGER

TNA is an organization that seems to have many, many, many problems.  Too much to list in a single column.  In fact, someone could probably---and likely will eventually----write an entire book on TNA's problems.  One of them, as was pointed out in last week's Hot Threads column was that TNA likes to screw up advertising and marketing.  This week's botch is a bit more subtle and is about TNA's latest DVD Release.  "Mick Foley: Hardcore Legend."

You hear that and probably think "They're going to have Mick Foley's most brutal hardcore matches?  Doesn't WWE own every last one of them?"  And outside of that Foley-Flair match from a while back while Foley bled like a stuck pig and Flair bled like....well, Flair, he hasn't had that many memorable hardcore matches in TNA.  But that's not even the weird part.  Here's the advertising trailer and the comments from the boards...



Anthony.Analog: I wonder if they're hiring. Aside from the in ring talent they either don't use, or use poorly... it seems you needs absolutely no discernible talent to work there. Sounds like a damn easy paycheck to me.

Mike Johns:  I'm actually at a loss here of what's wrong. Is it calling the DVD "Mick Foley: Hadrcore Legend" right after you have Kurt basically trash the entire of idea of Mick being remembered as that because "that's not who he is"? Is it Mick coming off like Bono? Is it the "major retailers" line? Or am I just WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY off?
-----The Chosen 1: Nah you're right it's both those things, but more the first one.

"I'm actually afraid that Barack will be remembered as the first black president, because he's so much more than that, that doesn't define him. Barack Obama: First Black President available now..."

Plus there's nothing "hardcore" about what they show from the DVD, they show him in 3rd world countries building schools and stuff.

Mike Johns:  supposedly, the DVD is just Mick doing the Bono thing. No matches. The name is just odd, though. You'd think it'd be Behind the Scenes with Foley or the Foley You Don't Know, or Mick Foley is Just A Really Nice Guy, or "Suck It, Bono!" or something.
-----RowdyRodimus: There's a few matches and a bit more to the "documentary" (30 mins is not a doc. in my opinion), but really, who wants to watch Mick Foley build a house in Darfur? I know he cares about the less fortunate, but this is supposed to be a wrestling DVD, not a promo piece for Unicef.

Canadian Bulldog:  It would have been the easiest thing in the world for them to sell this to people as a new Mick Foley DVD, with clips of his bloody matches against Sting and Ric Flair... and then include the interviews and bonus footage as "extras" without really mentioning that on the disc. Foley kind of sells himself at this stage... but TNA found a way to make his brand less appealing.


Some interesting tidbits in the TNA News Thread this week like Jay Lethal no longer being in TNA...

The Chosen 1: Remember a year ago when everyone was talking about how Flair was putting him over and how it would lead to him breaking out...

Mike Johns: Can't say Jay being let go is a shocker at this point. Had a solid chance last year, and it just didn't happen for him.  Odd how TNA talks up wanting to rebuild the X, then lets Jay go, you know?

Squeaky:  After that great angle with Ric Flair, maybe it was the week after, he jobbed clean to Jeff Hardy...and that was that.

......and the potentially sad news that Desmond Wolfe (Nigel McGuiness to everyone else) may have to retire due to injuries.....

Mike Johns:  When Nigel was originally set to go to WWE, they found something in his physical, and backed off of him like the plague. It never went public what exactly it was they found, just that they found something that made them want to back off of Nigel. Thus, TNA swoops in and picks him up.

It's been speculated that Nigel's long, long, LONG sabbatical, beginning at No Surrender last year when he and Magnus got pulled off the show and replaced with Generation Me was related to this somehow, but, once again, because the thing that made WWE back off of Nigel was never made public, we may never know for sure.

I imagine his time before TNA, and seeing how he worked, may have led to some severe head injuries, or, at the very least, some severe compounded injuries, but if that were the case, you'd think Nigel would make this information public, especially if he was going to be out for this long once he "made it" to Prime Time. But, maybe he wouldn't.

Kind of make you wonder, if this story is legit, what it is that's keeping Nigel on the shelf.

And... possibly mention that the Best of Nigel in ROH is available as a Bonus Disc alongside the 2010 Survival of the Fittest show, in case some of you have never seen the truly awesome that is Nigel outside of TNA.  Or, at the very least, look up Nigel vs. Danielson, Pure Title vs. ROH Title from 2006. You'll thank me.

James Bullock: Like Mike said, we don't know what made him decide to retire (if it's true), but it sucks that such a great career was cut short. I could go on and on about how much of a great wrestler Nigel was/is, but I'd just rather say I hope it's nothing too serious that it'll take away from him living a fulfilling life.

Kid Chameleon: I've read interviews in the past with McGuiness talking about wrestling on as ROH champ with some horrendous injuries and as you say WWE had a real interest at one point but back out after a medical.  Hopefully Nigel has decided to "do an Edge" and retire on medical advice, because if he has been rehabbing and training to get back in the ring and now he's suddenly retiring then whatever problem he has may have gotten much much worse.

....and news on my favorite screamer Daffney's on-going legal action against TNA.

Mike Johns: I recently came across this, with more details on the Daffney lawsuit, and what led up to it.

http://www.cagesideseats.com/2011/4/21/2125160/the-sad-story-of-shannon-daffney-spruill

galaxy: Daffney posted this on her twitter too, so it would seem this is her story too.  And I knew Terry Taylor was a huge scumbag dating back to Sunny's story about how he called her and told her TNA wouldn't be sending her Candido's last paycheck because, since they weren't married, TNA could legally get away with doing so. They sent her a ham instead.
-----RowdyRodimus: It makes sense they would do that since TNA is full of pigs (and I like TNA better than WWE as a program, so that is saying something)

Life in TNA sure is, well.........I actually can't come up with a nice word for it so I'm just going say It's f**ked up down in Orlando.  If you want to comment on TNA or come to its defense (and it is HARD to defend TNA on a lot of things), you should sign up and register for the Wrestling Insanity Message Boards and maybe one of us Hot Threads columnists will quote something you say.  No really, your comments matter to us!  If people don't comment on the boards, we can't do the Hot Threads articles!  We always need material!  Post!  Post!  Post!

THE GREAT WHITE DOPE

This past week on Raw was the always exciting/nerd-raging WWE Draft. It was sure to be everything and nothing that was wanted. There would be moments of shock, excitement, complete boredom, that one random segment that drags on forever and you hope people don't see you watching it because you don't want to try to explain it all, and everything in-between. This was an event for Miss Cleo, also. The WWI Forums had everyone talking in this one. Psychics, thieves, judges, millionaires, C-list celebrities, independent wrestlers, and anyone free on a Monday night whose remote broke when they hit the USA network and were too lazy to change the channel by hand. Seriously, what is this, the stone age? We're not savages.

First up the WWI Forums come up with the "Internet Smark odds" to find out just who is going where.

Sprout1883

Morrison & Kidd to SmackDown

Mike Johns

Um... Daniel Bryan goes to SmackDown because... his number came up that week?

Shooting

I'm guessing Swagger, Drew, Reks and Show are going to RAW. To SD I see Goldust, Skip, Khali and Ted DiBiase. Plus Kelly and Fox will swap places

JohnnyCraze

I can see Del Rio being drafted to raw and Cena neing drafted to smackdown. Why, I don't know.

            Aaron Wood

            You don't know, because you really know it won't happen. There is literally zero      chance of John Cena being moved to Smackdown, and just about as much chance             of Del Rio being moved to RAW.

            The single thing this draft is for is to shore up the Smackdown main event scene,      especially the babyface side. Of all of the "established" main eventers, the only          one likely to move is Randy Orton, to be the top babyface, and possibly CM Punk.

                        JohnnyCraze

                        Hey, anything's possible.....

                                    Aaron Wood

                                    Not that.

The Chosen 1

Del Rio will probably most likely go to RAW and R-Truth will go to SD to try and recreate what they did a few years ago.
Sheamus and/or Daniel Bryan to SD.
Santino to SD? Mark Henry?
Kane to RAW and a Heel Turn.
John Morrison to SD
and Zack Ryder to RAW from Superstars

Kid Chameleon

Rey is so stale on Smackdown it's unreal, i would like to see him go to Raw to freshen him up also i think latino fans will always watch for Del Rio heel or not

Exx

I'm thinking Sheamus and Barrett flip so they can do the whole titles moving to different shows thing they like to do every couple years.

JohnnyCraze

I could see Orton and Cena going to smackdown with Del Rio and Christian coming to raw

TheGreatWhiteDope

Dolph Ziggler looks like the adult version of Evan Bourne

            Aaron Wood

            You bloody right. I should have had him.

And now after all that speculation, the draft begins. The "Told you, I got that one right. Na-na-na-ne-bo-bo" begins as well. So does the excitement, the randomness, and the slight disappointments. Sometimes all at once.

JT

Hey look a Koslov sighting. He's in the Battle Royal!

*prediction of the draft award*

Wolfchild

I predict this weeks draft will disappoint someone in some regard.

            The Green Teabagger

            Probably Zach Ryder when he doesn't get drafted away from Superstars.

The Green Teabagger

Big Show reversed the COBRA~!! Big Show reversed the COBRA~!! OMG Big Show reversed the COBRA~!!

JohnnyCraze

I would love to see Bourne and Kingston in a match

Wolfchild

Okay, Now I really wanna see a Kofi/Bourne match

Shooting

wow RAW lost its star

Wolfchild

So... By default, Raw just lost the Rock appearing as well I guess?

TheGreatWhiteDope

ummmmm....Cena will be the last draft choice of the night after Smackdown clean sweeps away Orton and a few others.

Hellsinger

Wait if Cena is going to Smackdown how much you wanna bet so is the Miz?

Average

This guy is a lot better than that guy JoMo was blabbering on and on with last week.

JT

R-Truth is awesome! That is all!

Xriya

Very Solid Promo.. Thumbs up!

Wolfchild

Look, It's Eve. What are the chances Micheal Cole interrupts this match by reminding us he's gonna wrestler JR?

            The Green Teabagger

            110%

ZAH

Interesting...with Rey and Sin Cara on the same show. I didn't think they'd do that. But really, where Mysterio has never been on RAW and is probably nearing the end of his career, this probably makes sense for him.

But what does this do for Sin Cara? And does Del Rio still get drafted to RAW?? Does RAW now get broadcasted on Telemundo???

Average

I haven't seen hardly any of Rhodes since he's gone to S!, but wow I liked that bit. Was it a little Orton-esque or am I projecting?

*the twitter petition we need to get started AND work on....just a tad. I mean, everyone deserves a shot at something every once in awhile. So jump on this guys. Let's get this trending on Twitter. #LaylaGiveCoreyAChance*

TheGreatWhiteDope

So....what can we do to just try to get me 1 date with Layla? I mean...just 1. Nothing too big. We should make this happen.

Wolfchild

So Kofi's the Smackdown MVP tonight.

The Green Teabagger

So whose the top face on Raw right now? Daniel Bryan? John Morrison? Rey Rey?

Wolfchild

Okay, didn't see that one coming. Especially after Cena. At this rate, Zack Ryder's could actually turn face and be a number one contender...

Yep, saw the Sin Cara switch coming..

JohnnyCraze

So, if raw wins and it gets Christian and Del Rio, what does Aaron owe me!?

JT

He is Alberto Del Rio and he's been drafted to RAW!!!!!!!!

And now after all the excitement came the final draft pick. Which brought with it something that people expected from the start. So....here we go...

Wolfchild

LAME

JohnnyCraze

Wait, what?? That was a waste of a pick.

JT

That was the most retarded ****ing thing I've ever seen.

Cena to Smackdown only to be drafted back in the same night. B*******.

The Chosen 1

I kinda had that sneaky feeling Cena would go back to RAW JUST because he was the #1 Pick... but whatever they had to do the drafted back in forth on the same night deal EVENTUALLY at one of these so it's fine... but they should have at least had it been 2 Picks for RAW so that it wasn't such a let down... Rey first and THEN Cena would have atleast made that match not feel so pointless.

Drewcifer

I'm thinking I may be a little burnt out on wrestling...

Mike Johns

So... why did we draft Cena to SD just to redraft him to RAW? Just to spark some interest in the Draft you were already watching?

I'd also like to take this time to direct any readers of this particular column to the great " Re-booked " article/comic/greatness that was made by Hot Threads co-writer Jessie Brazil. It's a really good look at an easier way to do the Lawler/Cole Wrestlemania match. Now for a Hot Threads Exclusive. Did you know there was a vote between staff members as to who would do the "Re-booked" comic? Well for the first time ever you get to see the work that Jessie beat to do such a fantastic column. The final vote? 10 ½ - ½ (I couldn't choose one over the other).

"Jeff Hardy vs. Sting" Re-booked by Corey "TheGreatWhiteDope" Letson (This legit took me, at least, 25 minutes to draw)

So you, the readers, can choose the real winner.

This Week in WWI Forum History

And here we go again people. This time we're looking at April 18^th-April 25^th. Through the insanity years this has had some pretty interesting things happen. And there is no better place to start than with an insane, homicidal, suicidal, genocidal maniac SABU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right, in 2006 Sabu signed himself a year-long contract to work for the WWE. Also setting up for the re-launch of ECW in the next few months. So how did the insanity take it all back then?

Sabu signs to the WWE for a 1-year deal

Inedible Hulk

I don't think WWE Sabu or WWECW in general are going to live up to my expectations, even after I lower them quite a bit. Only time will tell though.

Tenchi

I'm gonna hold judgement until the day after the first ECW show after ONS II.

Papi

I saw this coming, especially after Lockdown with Sabu getting destroyed by Joe.

Hopefully he's getting a big payday; he deserves one after all abuse he's put his body through over the years. He shouldn't be wrestling much longer.

*Small hints years ago award*

Tenchi

Does Sabu still have any outstanding commitments with TNA? They've still not taken down his bio from their roster page as of yet. Normally, as soon as something like this happens, they're off the site within minutes. Just seems a little odd for them to be that slow on the uptake.

NozeNuggets

Suicidal, Homicidal and Genocidal, coming to ECW ONS 2006.

You think they'll sign New Jack?

And on the same day as Sabu signing, or right around the same time, Brock Lesnar and the WWE came to an agreement. That's right, the no-compete clause that Lesnar went to court for was settled this week. And as a great talent that he was the WWI Forums were buzzing with how this would all play out. Even bringing up TNA as competition.

Brock Lesnar and WWE reach an agreement in no-compete clause

Brandon Bones

I wonders if Lesnar will bring the IWGP belt with him to an MMA fight ala the way Dan Severn used to do in early UFC.

All the same this is waaaay overdue. But what did the WWE get out of it?

Victorsosa

They kept him out of TNA. That's worth a lot more than it might sound like to Vince.

            The Green Teabagger

            Agreed.
            When Brock Lesnar is on in the ring, there are few better....except maybe one          certain TNA wrestler....oh, what's his name....they keep booking him as a heel,   and keeps getting face pop.......fans chant something about him killing someone......fuck, what's his name? Oh yeah, SAMOA JOE.
            Lesnar-Joe would make a boatload of cash for whomever got it first, and Vince       knows that. He's crazy, not dumb.

                        GNU World Order

                        I would buy a house simply to mortgage the bastard so I could watch that                            match.

Fritobandet

The only thing I ever wanted Brock to do is kill HHH on Raw and now I really don't think that is going to happen.

ZAH

Lesnar's a happy camper right now.

TrentK

Godammit...I miss Brock...I want to see him shove someone down some stairs again. -_-

Papi
Brock was the only hope I had for TNA. Well, Brock and Heyman.

Looks like neither one of them is happening now.

Daryll The Hitman

So he can't work for any wrestling company based in the US? Or just not on any wrestling cards in the US? If it's the latter, what's to stop TNA from booking Samoa Joe Vs. Brock Lesnar in Toronto?

*Turned out to be kinda ho-hum actually*

Exx

Just imagine Brock on the ultimate fighter.

Legend Killer

So does this mean we won't see Brock Lesnar job to Matt Hardy?

And of course we have the biggest news from 2006.

WWE brings back ECW full-time

*How young and naive I truly was. It's a shame really. Also, I didn't understand that you only really need one exclamation point.*

TheGreatWhiteDope

HOLY ****
HOLY ****
HOLY ****
HOLY ****!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course Franchise will say no, they cant get half the guys in TNA....but hey...they can get some old guys and build new ECW stars, but it better ****ing be ECW not this WWE ECW b*******

Tenchi

Well, if Heyman and Dreamer are booking it, I'd say it's gonna be pretty damn authentic.

Rammykun

I smell WWE ECW b******* all over this. It will be a watered down version of the product we've come to love, it comes as a shock they want to do this, I mean, look at what happened at the Invasion angle some years back, if thats the case, I dont see this having legs to stand up on for very long...

TheGreatWhiteDope

If Gertner isn't back, then **** it

Exx

This probably spells the end of OVW. If Heyman really is in charge, it could be good stuff, just don't expect it to be like the old ECW was.

And next week we're going to take a broader look at the WWI forum years between 2006-2008 throughout TNA, ROH, and WWE. But what a crazy month April has always been for wrestling. Don't forget to join Club WWI to listen to hundreds of hours of audio about anything and everything in wrestling. Join the conversation by getting on the forums. Come see what all the fuss is about. And while you're there go and join the WWI Wrestling Fantasy game. It's kind of like Fantasy Football, but for wrestling and stuff.

SQUEAKY

When you join CLUBWWI , do it for the right reasons. Do it for the insight.   Do it for the humor.   Do it because you're just so vain you can't stand the thought of not hearing yourself performing an audio you just finished a couple of hours ago.   Yes children it's too late for me, but you have nothing but good and reasonable reasons for signing up.   Like JG doing an audio about #2 this week!    

James Guttman: It's been a long night for James Guttman and now he's here to talk about some of the things that are on his mind as he tends to a one month old including the strange Tough Enough departure and the Survivor Heroes vs. Villains connection that he just can't shake. Plus, a call for someone - anyone - to come along and challenge TNA's spot as the #2 wrestling promotion in the United States, what James would do if he had his choice of any wrestling company to write for, the one glaring reason why TNA will have trouble ever really challenging WWE, how the window of opportunity has closed, Daffney's lawsuit and what it says about the company's real situation, lack of trying on the Indy level to take TNA's spot, why bringing in foreign stars for good matches doesn't make you a promoter, great matches vs. epic matches, and more.

Squeaky: Buying ROH would be my 'big lottery splurge'.

My question for you is, do you think ROH is shooting themselves in the foot with their 'high work rate?' Never mind the poor production. I mean do you think having regular 15-20 minute matches burn out the mainstream audience you were talking about?

I remember going to work after getting 45 minutes of sleep with my son. I feel ya man.

Mike Johns: Vince Russo has not only taken credit for the TNA name, but explained that the name was intentional, because they were looking to be more risque and 'adult content' from the beginning. Which would explain why men came out in Penis Costumes on the first show.

I agree 1000% on Indys not having the balls to go after TNA's spot. There's no reason why ROH shouldn't. Instead, they're too intent on fighting DG:USA/Evolve because of some long-forgotten heat between Sapolsky and Carey Silken that doesn't help anyone.

DG isn't rising above it, either. It'd be nice to see them do so, but, even if they did, they're too intent on the foreign talent and the workrate deal.

SHIMMER will be mainstream the day women outdraw the Hs and Cenas of the world. At the current rate of growth in wrestling, that'll happen about 100 years after wrestling dies out completely.

And, for fuck's sake - production value. No one is going to have a prayer of taking TNA out without getting out of the garage half-assing on a mincam and DVD-R production values. That's what guys at the bare-bones local level guys who shouldn't even have TV but do because Sports Time Ohio has virtually no original programming, and will give a spot to anyone with a tape who's willing to pay them for the TV time and can provide weekly content. It shouldn't be the so-called "#1 All-Women's Wrestling Promotion in the World" (Yes, WSU, I'm talking about you) or the "Evolution of American Wrestling" (all things Sapolsky, these days).

If the AVGN, Spoony, and the Nostalgia Critic can all outdo you in production with 1/18 of the budget, and I can out do you with 1/495 the budget using nothing more than still photos and public domain media, you're not going to beat TNA.

Also, on TNA - I've put off audios on the topic of How to Save TNA for almost a year now because I have ZERO answers. I think Heyman had the right idea last year when he was saying it'd take two to three years just to get TNA to a point where business could even begin to turn around. Too much damage has been done.

James Guttman: Thing is, the wrestling is all just a red herring. Even with WWE eliminating the word, it's still the main thing they do. The trick isn't to find who can do the most stuff and have the most believable matches. It's who can get people to buy the next show and keep them coming back once it's over. ROH has always felt like a small market that excluded more fans than it included. If they can focus on building characters and using some more mainstream talent in an interesting way, they can have 20 minute bouts all day long. When you do it with two milk and steak guys from the Indy scene with no backstory, you can't.  

The plus is that many fans haven't been exposed to ROH so it's a blank slate to many fans, as opposed to TNA which has burned too many potential viewers. I think TNA is starting to hit that point that WCW hit after Bret Hart debuted. The fans have lost faith in the company's execution of big things. Once a company hits that point, they could bring in Goldberg, Garfield, and Gandhi and people will still shrug their shoulders.

Squeaky: That's why Bischoff mentioned keeping WCW off of television for a while after he bought it with the idea of introducing it almost as a new company. Could that same re-boot work for TNA?

As far as production goes, I just watching the 2011 King of the Trios, and when the video quality and really match cinematography blows away what ROH is doing, that really says something.

Mike Johns: On a TNA reboot? I'd doubt it. Not unless you change the name, half the roster, the announce team, and virtually every aesthetic, down to themes, filming location, sets and the like. In other words, actually be a completely different company - sure.  

Part of TNA's problem, especially in the beginning, and still haunts it now is that virtually everyone associated with it worked for WCW. Same camera and light crews, a lot of the same talent, the same writers, Mike Tenay, most of the office, the ring announcer, the production team... it really just felt like WCW changed its name, swapped a few talents out, lost Hogan and Flair to WWE, and even used the NWA Title, which WCW once recognized as its top championship. The meme that TNA = WCW is about as close to fact as you can get.

Chikara has probably half the budget of ROH or DG, and yeah - blows them away. Scary almost. If I didn't honestly think the show would go over the head of non-nerds, I'd recommend Chikara over almost everything else. But, 123 Kid deal aside, it's the kind of show where you have to be willing to accept guys in ant suits, whatever the hell Tursas is supposed to be, and that it's not weird to see men and women treated as equals, athletically speaking, in the ring. Because if you're going in thinking SDR can't kick Mike Quackenbush's ass simply because of gender, this show's going to throw you. It may go over on a network like Comedy Central, but even then, I don't know if Chikara is going to work for everyone.

After all, if it could, Kaijou Big Battle would have been bigger.

RowdyRodimus: I know it's not a good time slot at all, but I think Chikara would go over like a billion bucks on Adult Swim. It's full of nerds who watch it, many of which are stoners as well and if they can get almost a million people watching Squidbillies at 12:30am I'm sure they could get a good amount of wrestling fans (and non fans) watching at 10 or 11 pm.

James Guttman: Nothing out there in their current incarnations are going to appeal to the masses. The only ones really trying for mainstream fans outside WWE are TNA and they're playing follow the leader more than anything. Chikara and DGUSA are both great for the audience they have but are, almost by definition, not for the general public. Both companies appeal to a small audience, but one that will run away if things suddenly become more mainstream.

ROH is the best possibility because they've had TV in the past - even if it wasn't the most well known stations. Plus, they've come close to reaching out through stars like Flair, Foley, Hardy, Steamboat, and others. Add in that they aren't really a gimmicky company and you can make the changes that are needed to really bring in new viewers. It would take a good investment, but there are definite ways that could guarantee Ring of Honor immediately would make a splash in the business. We all used to talk about how easy it would be for TNA to knock WWE from their top spot if they just did things right. For ROH to knock TNA from #2 would take far less and could happen within a year easily.

TheGreatWhiteDope: Chikara is built in a unique way I think could possibly work main-stream. Maybe just less-nerd it?

They do things in seasons, with a huge story arc playing out over it. It's highly story based, and they have a few over-arching storylines that go throughout seasons.

ROH possibly could though. James, have you ever tried to contact Cary Silken about this kinda thing? The guy seems very open to talk.

James Guttman: That's not a bad idea at all, GWD. I might just do that...

DUM DUM DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMM!!!!

OUT OF CONTEXT COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

Mike Johns: You do just say these things to screw with people, right?

This has been the OUT OF CONTEXT COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

In other news, the collective Internet holds its breath with the news that Charles Montgomery Punk may not be renewing his WWE contract.   Apparently Punk wants to take time off to travel Europe so he can learn how to be a douche on Twitter in even more languages.

James Bullock: Funny Alvarez mentioned Punk since this news hit the net today.  

CM Punk has been offered a new long-term WWE contract, but at this time he has not signed and could be leaving the company when his current contract expires in a few months. There has been talk about the possibility for some time, but during the European tour, discussion of Punk's exit heated up. As mentioned, Punk has not signed the new offer, citing "burnout with being on the road for years and unhappiness with his position in the company over the last year." A WWE office source had the following to say on the situation...

"When you look at how the company brands it's characters, Punk is never among the top 5-8 names that are promoted or pushed. It's Cena, Orton, Miz, Undertaker, Rey, now Alberto, etc. these days and Punk is sort of floating right under there. He didn't fit into the youth drive a few months back but he's not treated like a top veteran either. He's just there, doing his job and while everyone knows he delivers, he's never really treated like someone who does. He's never dropped the ball but we don't give it to him really, either. He's treated like a guy, but not THE guy. For a driven guy like him who's made wrestling his entire world, it's got to drive him crazy. Now, the excuse will be don't push Punk because he might be leaving, but the reality is the environment and situation is what is probably making him want to leave to begin with. Either it gets fixed or it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, just like it did when Batista walked out."

Credit: Pwinsider.com  

sprout1883: Fair enough on Punk's part I'd say.

The bloke gets proper Heel heat and done right a face turn would be equally good.

He's almost like the Y2J or he who shall not be named of a few years ago. Considered a solid upper mid carder, and a go to guy to slot into any feud somewhere and gets an odd flirtation with the top.

When you consider how Miz has been booked as a heel champ, Punk could be that so much better.  

Not only that factor in Straight-Edge and what a good image that can be for the company, and is convenient for WWE to use when/if they want...

Kid Chameleon: If Punk walks, as it seems to be the case, he's a fucking clown who believes in his own and the IWC's hype and this is coming from a big CM Punk mark.

sprout1883: I agree as a fellow Punk mark in addition to what I posted above.

He would be silly to pack in WWE and the money he does make even if I beleive he has a point regarding his position

Drewcifer: Geez, are we all CM Punk marks here?  

If he does leave, at least we can take comfort in knowing that Zack Ryder will still be around.

Aaron Wood: Meh, the CM Punk think will end up as a bargaining chip. Can't see him going. He's not stupid enough to do TNA and I can't see him going back to the indies now. I'd bet he'll get time off and then come back fresh. And hell, this isn't going to happen for some time yet.

Squeaky: This. When I first read this I though "Oh, his contract is coming up and he's leveraging for more money."

Punk isn't going anywhere. The whole burnout thing is a joke. He doesn't want to be an actor, MMA fighter, or even a nice person. He just wants to be a wrestler. Period.

And his point about not getting a push is right on, but he's an abrasive person who never backs down, so not playing the political game isn't doing him any favors.

TheGreatWhiteDope: Look, whatever. Let's say Punk has invested and saved his money wisely over the past 5-6 years. I'm sure his contract over the last 2-3 years has been pretty nice. I mean the guy has a loft in Chicago. He's not exactly spending millions, you know?

Maybe he is reminiscent of the indy schedule right now? Weekends working, mon-thur/fri at home. All his main friends (Cabana, etc) are all there. He could make top dollar and just get paid to wrestle. ROH would take him back in a heartbeat.

Punk maybe has the financial security to do it. Also, I wanna see him debut in Chicago on May 21st.

You may say the TheGreatWhiteDope (real name Rajislov Blanco Dopania) is a dreamer, but he's not the only one.   I hope someday you will join us, and our Punk delusions can live as one.