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The finish of TNA’s Spike debut saw Team 3D(ya,
I know) Nash, Jarrett, B.G. James (ya, I know) and Konnan
in the ring at the closing bell. All older, slower and
fatter than when they worked the big shows. (except
Rhino, who’s just square..ier)
Did the last image work? Was it the sign off you wanted
on their first televised mission statement?
If it was WWE, and the year was 1999 the answer would
a definite…all depends. Would you get excited
about a RAW main event with Jarrett, Nash, B.G. James,
and others in it? In the year 2005 I’m talking
now. So, if it’s not good enough for WWE, who’s
hardly setting the world on fire at the moment either,
why should TNA fans be excited about it?
In time, given a new audience, there’s no knowing
what some of the young WWE off casts can achieve. The
old guard however, has to change. Invention doesn’t
need to be born from necessity. It can be born from
trial and error, previous, or plain old common sense.
Freshness, newness and novelty doesn’t make up
for sensibility, planning and foresight. TNA had three
years to iron out the kinks, make the calls and plan
their direction. Their debut Spike show wasn’t
a rushed decision either. TNA aimed for certain wrestlers
to come in but it didn’t work out. It seems they
kept the script that was supposed to involve Foley and
subbed him with Nash.
There’s no intrigue in Nash anymore. There was
a little in how the Dudleys would appear on TNA. Then
they did, with nothing new, and now I don’t care
again. I would however, watch good wrestling morning,
noon and night and never tire of it. TNA has the ability
to present both. They chose the safe, familiar names
to see us to the door.
Where will TNA’s Heavyweight Division be when
the veneer wears off? When the varnish and shine wipes
away, who is going to want to see Jarrett v Rhino? Nash
v Raven? Team 3D v B.G James and The Outlaw? Konnan/Jarrett/Nash
Triple Threat anyone?
TNA had that famous ‘one shot to make a first
impression’ last night. They went for name value
as a finishing pitch. They should have been mindful
that name value, as a first impression, can work both
ways.
I don’t think Jarrett, Nash and company stir up
an image of Total Non Stop Action. Not in a wrestling
ring anyway.
TNA could have taken the bold move of finishing the
show with Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles or Samoa Joe.
They could have sprinkled the ‘names’ throughout
other parts of the show. TNA could have masked their
colours to the mast and signed off a new era in professional
wrestling.
It’s way too early to call if TNA have those kind
of balls or not. They certainly won’t find them
in a pair of orange jeans. But find them I hope they
do.
If TNA is serious about offering an alternative they
should be doing what WWE refuses to do and that’s
'let those who can go, go.' Their last PPV was inspired
because of the taste left in your mouth. It was no coincidence
that Jarrett or Nash didn’t headline that PPV.
"A bad ending can kill a good script. A good ending
can save almost anything."
I understand the need for familiar faces on a brand
new show. I understand the stock, that curious WWE fans
who were watching, might put into name value. But lets
face it, Kevin Nash isn’t Mick Foley. Konnan isn’t
Chris Jericho. And Team 3-D isn’t Matt Hardy circa
two thousand and "we want Matt" either.
The problem was, as a first impression, no one in the
last segment was doing anything different than they’ve
done for the last six years. Jarrett, boring. Nash,
couldn’t care. Team 3D, same stale act, and so
on. Different time, different company, different opportunity.
Same acts, same results. Click.
The reason WWE fans would tune in at all is to see something
that wasn’t WWE related. The reason curious ECW,
WCW, ROH fans would tune in at all is to see something
that wasn’t WWE scarred.
Let’s not forget what the letters T.N.A.
stand for.
Total Non Stop Action. I used a full stop there
because those words and Kevin Nash have never ever been
used in the same sentence. Ever.
As much as we as fans crave for another wrestling ‘war’
it won’t be found in Nash, Jarrett, Team 3-D,
Raven, Rhino, and any of the other former WWEers. TNA
only strikes a chord when they play the tune differently.
"….yeah I knew we were taking it. People
heard that hook and left the radio on. We needed all
the help we could get. I mean man, who the fuck ever
heard of Vanilla Ice back then?" –
Vanilla Ice-1999, talking about the hook "sampled"
from ‘Under Pressure’ and used on ‘Ice,
Ice Baby.’
E-Mail Paul at:
Paul@WorldWrestlingInsanity.com
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***
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© 2005 All content contained
here Copyright 2005 by James Guttman
World Wrestling Insanity is not
affiliated with any wrestling promotion.
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