7 Essential Questions pertaining to TNA - Russo, Changes, Titles, Best Moments

[Marty2Hotty]

Talon messaged me to help out on another website and sent me 7 questions. I answered them, and was wondering what everyone else thinks of the questions, what they would do, and what you think of my answers:

1. What do you think of TNA's current product?

I think TNA has strong shows. I do think they cater a bit to the online fans with the emphasis of wrestling and wrestling-type stories and lacking in the entertainment/comedy aspect of the show that I felt TNA can really do well on. The current product has typical wrestling feuds and are really structured. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. But in wrestling, you need that unpredictability and spontaneity factor that TNA currently does not really have. They do a strong job of utilizing the talent. But I do think the product needs additional swerves and a stronger big story. They have a lot of recognizable names, do too much wrestling, and do not really have a publicity stunt to get people really paying attention. Sting, Nash, Jarrett, Steiner, Rhino, Christian, Team 3D, Voodoo Kin Mafia, Booker T, Kurt Angle, Christy Hemme, Mick Foley: these are examples of the recognizable names you have on TNA. Top that with all the young stars: I think you have one hell of a roster, you have great production values, but the product can be more crazier and intense, in my opinion.

2. Would you introduce a new title to TNA, if so what title would that be?

I always agreed with Vince Russo that the title was a prop to help get the wrestlers and stories over. I do not know what type of belt TNA can add to the mix. They have a Knockouts, Tag title, X Title, Heavyweight title. They could add a mid card title.

3. Who on TNA's roster is dead weight, if you had control who would go and who would replace them?

Jim Cornette. I would have Ernest "The Cat" Miller replace him. Or I would have Vince Russo/Glenn Gilbertti take over the power role.

4. You are offered up to 90 minutes of programming every week for extra TNA TV. Do you take them up on the offer and what kind of show would you introduce?

Yes, I would take up on the offer. 30 minutes will be dedicated to Spin Cycle. The next 60 minutes would be a sub-TNA Impact type show. I would emphasize the entertainment, reality aspect of wrestling. It would break kayfabe more and really take wrestling to the next level in terms of how you expect characters/stories would traditionally be.

5. Should TNA "Fire Russo"?

No. They should have him write the show fully in order for the rating to go up. Do not listen to any Russo naysayers. If Russo had his way, the product would be much more interesting than it is now. He does script the shows but the show is far from being what his "vision" truly is. His vision was given potential when he wrote in the WWF and for a lot of WCW.

6. What in your opinion was the best time period, era in TNA's 6 year history. The mold for how you see TNA's product at near perfection?

During late 2006 when VKM started and they were doing Sting/Christian/Abyss' story. VKM generated such a buzz online and the stories with Sting/Abyss was far from being a "I want the belt". Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe had that focus of who could beat who. To top that off, you had some humour with Eric Young trying to slim down to be in the bikini contest. Late 2007 also had some great comedy with the Thanksgiving show, the Deal or No Deal show, the show where Christian needed to find a partner, the show where we were taken to Shark Boy's house, to AJ's house: I think these were the elite of TNA. The shows had something going on for all characters, had comedy, was a variety-comedy-entertainment wrestling show that didn't take itself too seriously. Add a "big" angle done well and intense (like Russo would do in WCW/WWF) and you have an award winning formula.

7. Creatively where would you take TNA in the future? What needs to be done to improve the show?

Reality, comedy, do not be afraid to try new things. If breaking kayfabe, doing more worked shoots, doing weekly swerves (like most TV shows) done well, controversial dialogue/characters, publicity stunts done well, entertainment, do not take wrestling too seriously, push the limits in language/characters and get people talking about your show. %*+* on WWF on TNA - show the world that you don't give a damn about how a traditional wrestling show is supposed to be - especially to the online fans who are afraid of change. Do things differently. Lower the amount of typical wrestling that had already been seen and do gimmick matches if you want to. Try new things on a weekly basis. Let Russo write. That is all you need to do.


---\

THoughts? What are your answers, what's your thoughts on mine? Glenn feel free to answer as well

 

[Sticky]

1. What do you think of TNA's current product?

There's no-body else (expect ROH) to challenge TNA as the 2nd big-name (ish) wrestling promotion. There product is only going to get bigger with more international tours. TNA have got the biggest cruiserweight division in America (now that WWE killed thier Cruiserweight Division dead), they've got quite a decent tag team division with LAX, MCMG, Beer Money and 3D headlining the division and the heavyweight division is average though with Joe, Christian, AJ, Angle, Sting, Rhino etc. they have a good claim against WWE where they managed to get a five-star rating match since 2002 before WWE could in the post-WWF era.

There only problems is that they keep on having too many gimmick matches and boring ones to that extent (Elevation X, Black Tie Brawl and Chain Match, Fan's Revenge match) though it hasn't been all bad matches (King Of The Mountain, Ultimate X and Monster's Ball), plus there storylines are terrible and many people would blame Russo for it. (more on that later) There roster has got talent but are misused. Plus TNA has been more like WCW 2000 most of the time. (mainly because it's near full to the brim with former WCW wrestlers)

2. Would you introduce a new title to TNA, if so what title would that be?

atm, I don't think TNA need another title, but the NWA World Heavyweight title and FIP title has worked for ROH as 2nd tier titles, so a mid-card of some sorts could work for TNA. A sort of Intercontiental Title for TNA.

3. Who on TNA's roster is dead weight, if you had control who would go and who would replace them?

I have to disagree with you with Jim Cornette, he's the best non-wrestler in TNA's roster for a while (expect James Mitchell) He's given the best lines, example was when he described the Knockout division as products a while ago was the best way to describe them. Though some of the dead weight in TNA is Shark Boy and Eric Young, they have useless gimmicks and Shark Boy is basically treated as a jobber for 6 years and to be given the Stone Cold gimmick was a stupid idea and has gotten dull and normal in 2 months time. I would replace them with Stevie Richards (that's only if he isn't treated as a jobber, which is unlikely, it would be at least decent to be a mid-carder) and Monty Brown, I would like to see him return to TNA at least he would be used better than Young and his storylines.

4. You are offered up to 90 minutes of programming every week for extra TNA TV. Do you take them up on the offer and what kind of show would you introduce?

Yes, i would and do more better quality wrestling matches and less storyline related, definatly think of a new interview segment and i agree with the spin cycle thing but not for a full 30 mintues maybe for 10 mintues on each topic after a while in the show.

5. Should TNA "Fire Russo"?

Yes, he was criticed as part as WCW's downfall and if most of the fans chant "fire Russo" at some gimmick matches that indicated that he should go. It seems Russo hasn't been his best since his WWF-days

6. What in your opinion was the best time period, era in TNA's 6 year history. The mold for how you see TNA's product at near perfection?

2005-2006 was the best years for TNA, at Slammversary 05, the KOTM match was the best one with the wildcard Raven winning the title, AJ-Abyss match at Lockdown was decent, Rhino won three matches in a row at BFG and the NWA World title at the same time and they had one of the best storylines in recent years with AJ vs Joe vs Daniels which started at Unbreakable and highlighted the X Division in TNA: Daniels was the heel and reigning X Division champion and the longest reigning of the title, AJ was looking to get the title he should have retained at Destination X (More later) and Joe was the undefeated and wildcard in a cruiserweight title match and of course recieved the 5-star match and AJ won the match and Daniels reaction after the match was well summed up. After it Joe went on a storyline of disrespecting the unwritten X Division code (as oppose of defending the written Code of Honor in ROH), playing the heel in the role and AJ moved into the defender of the code role in the feud with Daniels looking at signs of turing face and pre-AJ/Daniels tag team when Joe tired to injuried both wrestlers which lead to two more triple threat matches (one of them being a Ultimate X match) where Joe was the reigning X Division champion and lost the title to Daniels. In the heart of that feud was Daniels being the key man in it, he was mixed in a feud with Styles beforehand at Destination X when Daniels attempted to win the title for the first time and AJ was the champ at the time in a Ultimate X challege, AJ had the match won but the ref was down and Daniels stole the win away from AJ and the title and a rare Iron man match at BFG 05 where Daniels was so desperate to beat AJ in a single match for the title that at 30-mintues it ended 2-2 and Daniels wanted 5-mintues overtime then Styles won the match it's an overall good feud.

7. Creatively where would you take TNA in the future? What needs to be done to improve the show?

Lower gimmick matches. (you only need 3-4 odd not 7-10+) Plus more house shows would be good.

 

[Moneymaker_90]

1. What do you think of TNA's current product?

TNA is a heartbreaker. They have so much potential but so few intelligence. I'm going to breakdown this in 2 points. First, TNA has a huge marketing problem. They can't brand their wrestlers, their show or anything for that matter. This is a big part to grow. Nowadays if you ask someone who doesn't watch wrestling regularly they can tell you the name of certain wrestlers like Cena, Edge, Taker, Jericho. If you ask them about TNA they ask you what that is. The second problem is incohearance. TNA makes advancements that should never be done. An example of this is that time when Angle had all the titles, they talked to Angle and decided to put Lethal over clean. Great decision right? But later that night they put Lethal in a jobber role trying to stop Joe and getting his ass kicked. When I saw that I just found it unbealivable. Later that night Angle was bitching about it too, because he just put a guy he believed over for absolutely nothing.

2. Would you introduce a new title to TNA, if so what title would that be?

For a long time I believe that TNA has the need for a mid-card title. They need that to put guys over. Another example: Roode and Storm would be great candidates for title, but since it doesn't exist TNA had to send them to tag-team division so that their push didn't come to a sudden stop.

3. Who on TNA's roster is dead weight, if you had control who would go and who would replace them?

Eric Young. I never saw anything special about this guy and I never understood why creative liked him so much. He's doing nothing over there.

4. You are offered up to 90 minutes of programming every week for extra TNA TV. Do you take them up on the offer and what kind of show would you introduce?

Altough I like the idea of half hour Spin Cycle, the other 60 minutes should be wrestling. Put a little of the x-division on display because I think if the x-division had decent storylines and more time for their matches it could bring more audience for TNA.

5. Should TNA "Fire Russo"?

I hope nobody feels attacked by this but this is simply stupid. If the fans don't like a match they immediatly blame Russo, but in reality they don't know if he is the one that came up with the idea. Besides everything that happens in TNA must have the final say of Mr. Jarrett but I don't hear anybody blame him.

6. What in your opinion was the best time period, era in TNA's 6 year history. The mold for how you see TNA's product at near perfection?

This is difficult to say but I would risk about now. TNA is building a big storyline for their 1st time (I don't consider the Angle/Joe for all the titles a big storline) which means their are finally understanding what is needed to get people behind the product. Besides they have a great female division centered on the beutiful people and their tag division is picking up interest again.

7. Creatively where would you take TNA in the future? What needs to be done to improve the show?

TNa has to make more sense in the creative decisions. They can't give a big push to a guy and then suddenly take him of TV to possibly to a ridiculous gimmick. They have to literally cross the line, not just say it. They have to push every limit possible so that they can mark themselves as a different and better wrestling company.