Are Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan & Ric Flair Ruining Their Reputations?

[KJ]

Originally Posted by Gore Illa

I'll answer your question with a question. Would Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair with Kurt Angle as the special referee in a Lethal Lockdown match be as big a deal as Triple H vs. Undertaker with Shawn Michaels as the special referee in a Hell In A Cell Match is?

I don't know? Is there a difference between two wrestlers who are unable to compete and two that are in the twilight of their career? Hogan and Flair are on TV as much as they can, while Trips and Taker can take a year long vacation, zip Kool-Aid, come back, rehash the same stuff from last year and all is hunkydory.

I think your answer says everything that needs to be said about the prestige and pedestal (or lack of prestige and pedestal) TNA puts it's superstars on.

I don't really care about the "prestige and pedestal" TNA or WWE gives. I'd take Sting vs Hogan once over Triple H vs Undertaker/Shawn Michaels four years in a row. The first time was awesome, but every time after that... Well let's say I got dizzy from how much my eyes rolled. At least I can and did enjoy the story and mark out in the end even if the match is crap in Sting and Hogan's case. Saves me the trouble watching 3 guys take turns stroking their egos and talking about some "end of an era" crap 4 years straight.

You notice, nobody is asking if HBK, Triple H, and Taker are hurting their reputation...

No. But they definably ask when will they move on from this ever continuing pissing contest.

[komotion]

To make this short:

Angle isn't hurting at all. I don't pay attention to twitter, so I know nothing about what people are talking about there. The man has a couple of good years left and as long as he keeps progressing as he has, then more power to him. Good wrestler.

Hogan and Flair have already hurt themselves. From what I've heard, flair has toned it down, but bringing his ring into a story line was about like taking the women's title to WCW. Hogan, on the other hand, has hurt himself not only in the ring but outside as well. Everyone knows too much about the man now and most people don't like what they've seen. Plus he isn't a very good business man. Too many failed expenditures like the little-people's wrestling has shown me how great his business idea's are. Granted he did some good for TNA when he first arrived (maybe even saved it) but from the outset he has held back some really good stars and has made some changes that I would question.

Sorry, guess that was longer than I thought it'd be.

[itssoeasy123]

I do think that Flair ruined everything that the WWE did with his retirement. The gave him a unbelievable send-off, and he could have just signed a Legends contract. But, he had trouble with his family, and now he desperately needs the money, which is sad.

With Kurt Angle though, that's another story. The guy had 2 DUI's, he stalked his girlfriend, his wrestling skills have deteriorated, everyone he faces ends up worse than they were before, and he's had multiple drunken tirades on twitter. Worst of all, he thinks he's going to make it into the Olympics.

[New Hot Fed]

Originally Posted by Gore Illa

I'll answer your question with a question. Would Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair with Kurt Angle as the special referee in a Lethal Lockdown match be as big a deal as Triple H vs. Undertaker with Shawn Michaels as the special referee in a Hell In A Cell Match is?

I think your answer says everything that needs to be said about the prestige and pedestal (or lack of prestige and pedestal) TNA puts it's superstars on.

You notice, nobody is asking if HBK, Triple H, and Taker are hurting their reputation...

That's because Hogan and Flair are far older. They hardly can go anymore.

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by DugoutDan17

Hogan stated he wasn’t there to wrestle and like I said I turn on the TV and I find him in the middle of the ring pissing blood it doesn’t matter if he has had one match or fifty it’s still a LIE!! Just another fine example of someone who just lies about all sorts of shit he says one thing today then it changes tomorrow etc,

You are incorrect. Hogan never said that he was going to wrestle. When asked what his role was going to be, Hogan stated, many times that he didn't know what his role (on screen) was going to be. He said that there was nothing in his contract stating that he HAD to wrestle and therefore were no current plans for him to wrestle. But he never said that he absolutely would not wrestle. In fact, on the question on if he would be wrestling he stated, "never say never" and, "We'll see what happens."

So your claim that Hogan lied about it the the REAL lie.

[Gore Illa]

Originally Posted by The Killjoy

I don't know? Is there a difference between two wrestlers who are unable to compete and two that are in the twilight of their career? Hogan and Flair are on TV as much as they can, while Trips and Taker can take a year long vacation, zip Kool-Aid, come back, rehash the same stuff from last year and all is hunkydory.

I really don't know what you said here, but the point I'm trying to make is that TNA needs to give Flair/Angle/Hogan/anyone in that company over 40 who was once a headliner/relevant in the main event that year long vacation...

I don't really care about the "prestige and pedestal" TNA or WWE gives. I'd take Sting vs Hogan once over Triple H vs Undertaker/Shawn Michaels four years in a row. The first time was awesome, but every time after that... Well let's say I got dizzy from how much my eyes rolled. At least I can and did enjoy the story and mark out in the end even if the match is crap in Sting and Hogan's case. Saves me the trouble watching 3 guys take turns stroking their egos and talking about some "end of an era" crap 4 years straight.

Prestige is everything. It's mentalities like this that will keep TNA number two. Subtle things like lighting, wrestling w/ or w/o shirts, how long entrance music lasts, etc. is the difference between some sloppy show and a presentation that the WWE usually gives. Also, the thing is, WWE knows how to rehash storylines without rehashing them . . . for example, we've seen HHH v. HBK before, we've seen HBK v. Taker before, we've seen Taker v. HHH before, but the WWE knows how to take certain elements and add them to make a match "new". People love when HBK, Taker, HHH come back to TV, because they don't do it so frequently, unlike TNA.

That Hogan v. Sting > Taker v. HBK stuff is opinion. I'm more of a facts type of person. The fact is, there is definitely more hype in this match than the last match TNA put on involving Angle/Sting/Flair.

No. But they definably ask when will they move on from this ever continuing pissing contest.

Ironic. A TNA fan calling what the WWE does for business a pissing contest. WWE does it because they're trying to give their fans a show. If you noticed HHH, Taker, and HBK don't crave for the spotlight on every single Raw of the year.

Half the dudes in TNA are their for 1 or more of the following 3 reasons:

1. Paycheck

2. To Stroke Their Ego

3. They couldn't make it anywhere else/They couldn't make it in the WWE

[Gore Illa]

Originally Posted by New Hot Fed

That's because Hogan and Flair are far older. They hardly can go anymore.

Which is exactly why they shouldn't still be getting major TV time.

[AwesomeRko]

I agree that Flair and Hogan shouldn't necessarily be wrestling matches at least not on a regular basis, yet they haven't really. I think they are fine in the management/GM role wich they have been occupying they still have a lot of charisma, fan appeal and star power which can help out younger stars over without necessarily having to wrestle them. I mean any young star is going to get a pretty sizeable boost by having either of these men regularly interact with them in some form.

You just have to look at Sting/Roode to see that, prior to their match just the interaction and tension between them really helped to push Roode to become in my eyes the best champion in either brand over the past six months and possibly TNA's best ever, the match was unneccessary.

As far as Angle goes he is still great, granted his promo-work isn't what it was but he can still outwrestle 99% of the WWE/TNA roster, still puts on 5 star matches (Jeff Hardy Victory Road most recently) regularly and can make anyone look great. He has plenty of mileage in the tank yet.