Good Job, Vince Russo!

[Tech N9ne]

I am watching this week's TNA Impact right now on DVR and I am at the beginning of the Abyss/Moore Casket Match. I don't know why, but this question just popped in my head............

Has anyone ever said, "Good job, Vince Russo!" without being sarcastic?

Seriously when talking about TNA's past product, TNA's current product, and his WCW days, when have you ever seen a post or an article where someone commended what Vince Russo contributed?

I truly cannot think of one single time where I have seen that statement.

What about you? If you have seen that statement, what was it regarding?

 

[Spidey Revivey]

What about you? If you have seen that statement, what was it regarding?

(negatively speaking)
It was regarding the infamous "Fingerpoke Of Doom". Though it wasn't all of his fault, he was so ragged for it that any other guy would've probably quit their day job.

(positively speaking)
I haven't.

In all honesty, I don't consider every-little-thing that happens in TNA or happened in TNA/WWF all Russo's fault. Sure the guy came up with some pretty bad ideas, but those were still ideas that needed the go-ahead from the head of the companies.

I don't like his work personally, but I'm of sound mind not to point fingers at individuals either when things turn to shit.

And to answer your question no I've never found myself saying or even thinking that.

 

[Gansher]

I would never really say it mostly because I know what the guy likes to do and truly, I'm not a fan of his types of storylines.

 

[harrythem]

(negatively speaking)
It was regarding the infamous "Fingerpoke Of Doom". Though it wasn't all of his fault, he was so ragged for it that any other guy would've probably quit their day job.

You must be one of the only guys that have heard him get blamed for the finger poke of doom...considering he was working for WWF when it happened.

I've heard it said positively. Back when it was TNA vs SEX. When TNA was small time his character fit perfectly in the storyline. It was even referred to as "a big time character" if that makes sense. So, yeah, he gets praise for that.

Also got praise for his attempts at elevating talent in WCW (although his methods with the NBT's got hammered, and quite rightly)

Russo's a lot like the other Vince in reverse. If something bad happens in TNA, it's Russo's fault, if something good happens then someone else did it.

 

[d_henderson1810]

I've given Vince Russo credit for things in the past.

One thing people forget is that he was head writer in WWF during most wrestling fans' greatest period- the Attitude Era. He was head writer in 1998-99, so he would have had a big hand in writing a lot of the Austin-McMahon storyline, which is considered by most posters as their favourite time in wrestling.

I know "Stone Cold" and Vince made the storyline work, through their personalities and such, and would have had a large say over the storyline, but Russo, as head writer, must have had a huge influence as well. But most CHOOSE to forget that.

Also, I enjoyed Vince Russo in WCW. Firstly, as the "Powers-That-Be". I had to tune into WCW every week, to see how he would humiliate the superstars, for his own pleasure, that week.

I liked his second stint too, where he and Bischoff set off the "New Bloods" and "The Million-Dollar Club" storyline. He even tried to push under-utilised talent (like Booker T and Jeff Jarrett), and stood up to Hulk Hogan and his cronies. However, he was undermined by people in the company, who wanted to protect their positions.

He was also blamed for WCW folding, but I think it was dying before he got there, and nothing anyone could have done could have saved it. It had hemorraged before he got there.

I think the backlash against Vince Russo comes because a lot of people in wrestling don't like him. I have heard that he is a prick. So, maybe he is criticised, because he doesn't get along with others, more than any quality of writing.

It has also become a bit of a sport to blame Vince Russo for everything (like it is now a sport to "boo" John Cena). People do it now, and probably have forgotten why. It's just become "cool" to knock things about wrestling these days.

 

[Malenko316]

Here's the thing, has Russo come up with some of the most shit bits of writing in the history of the wrestling biz? yes. Did he do it in isolation? No. Whether it's in WWF/E with Austin/VKM, in WCW with, well pretty much everything, or in TNA with again, pretty much everything - he's not been the only guy in the room when those ideas were put forward. Whether it's been Bischoff, Hogan, VKM, Dixie, SMH, Cornette or Madden - someone else had to say yes or agree to give the guy free rein.

I would love to know who in TNA thought, after seeing what happened with WCW, that hiring the guy was a good idea? Whether the ideas were genius or BS, they were always going to be based on a formula that pisses off 50% of the audience - and it seems they were going to be the same ideas that pissed off people 15yrs ago.

If you know a guy's record then you have to have structure that either supports it, or at least minimises the damage. In WCW he didn't have it and it seems he doesn't have in TNA either. But again, I come back to the point, he's not the only guy in the room making up shit. It's just people have him marked becos of previous endevours and becos he seems to draw fire from people around him on a personal level. Now whether the guy is as much of an ******** as Cornette and others think, the IWC will never really know, but it there's seldom smoke without fire.

It's basically like a group of guys standing over a dead body (TNA/WCW), all covered in blood, so its safe to assume all were involved. But if you have a guy with previous convictions, you're inclined to suspect him more - even if in the end it turns out to the primary fault of someone else (Hogan/Eric B etc).

 

[jaceynightheat]

I feel like a lot of TNA is rehashed from ideas & a jumble. But I'm not sure how much can be blamed on Russo.

I don't get why Fortune & Immortal are the same group. That could be 2 different story lines to help bring attention to more super stars.

I think The Pope is an interesting super star & someone who could be the TNA guy for years to come. Global Elite was pretty cool, Eric Young really shined through.

Actually originally The Band vs Hogan seemed like an interesting idea. But then things happened and Hogan is Hollywood again. Not sure why someone who isn't wrestling is suppose to be a main bad guy. I think he serves much better as a good guy & someone to hype up TNA.

I hate "real" storylines in pro wrestling. Why admit it's fake on the program? It's silly. Shoot stuff makes no sense. The only time it ever worked was when Scott Hall showed up on WCW for the first time.

Edit:

I also don't understand why there are random gimmick matches. Shouldn't there be a build up to it?

 

[Perfected123]

Some may disagree, but i could praise him for SOME of TNA's current product. I really enjoyed last night's iMPACT, i thought it was the best one in a while. There was actual wrestling in this episode, which people have been complaining about, a mixture of matches like Shannon Moore vs Abyss, were Shannon did not just get man handled, had a fairly even match. I am also beggining to enjoy the whole Jarrett angle. So yeah, i could praise him for some of TNA's today product.

 

[dman1373]

Of course he did good things, but he has done some of the most ******ed things too. Like putting the belt on Jeff Jarret. Fucking stupid, or just all of those storylines that make absolutely no sense.

 

[hewittor]

You guys always say the same shit. I don't know why I read this stuff...Oh year it's cause wrestlezone.com is the best. There has been terrible ideas left in right all over wrestling (rasslin' wear i'm from) for years. WWE strikes out left and right since the beginning of time (see Ted Jr and the Repo Man).

So why do u guys always pick on TNA, I know because you just don't want to admit that it's the better (and non PG) show right now. I don't care what you say about my post...

THE TRUTH IS TNA IS BETTER RIGHT NOW....TNA IS BETTER RIGHT NOW.

If you don't like what I have to say...guess what WHO CARES!

 

[It's Damn Real!]

It doesn't happen often, but I congratulated him fully following the culmination of the MEM v. Frontline angle, as he finally proved that the Millionare's Club v. New Blood story could work when the egos from the Millionare's Club don't actually get in the way and allow the New Blood to get over.

That angle did a lot of good for a lot of the homegrown guys, especially Styles and Lethal, and Russo deserves credit for it, just as he deserves credit for a lot of things that go right in the company that he's never acknowledged for.

It's like they always say, when it comes to planes, you only ever hear about the crashes. No one cares about the hundreds of stories of their daily successes. Same goes for Russo.

 

[theiceman]

The thing that makes it so tricky to commend Vince Russo on anything is the fact that as fans, we actually don't know which storylines are Russo's doing and which ones he had little or nothing to do with. On the flip side, it's also tricky to bash Russo unless you've actually been behind the scenes and know for a fact which storylines Russo could be credited for.

Internet reports can't be trusted by reporters with the complete truth unless they're coming directly from a source in the business. From what i've seen in books and interviews, Vince Russo is an extremely creative person that doesn't have the same fire for the business that he used to in his WWF days. Russo's work, as i've read and heard about, needs to be simplified. He's an idea man that tries to think of things for even the lowest wrestlers on the card to do, but his problem is that he tries to do too much.

It's really not up to a reporter to commend Vince Russo on his work, they're just reporting the news. It's not up to us as fans to commend Russo himself either because we don't know what he's had his hands on. It's his employer's job to compliment him and praise him.

 

[MisterRob]

It doesn't happen often, but I congratulated him fully following the culmination of the MEM v. Frontline angle, as he finally proved that the Millionare's Club v. New Blood story could work when the egos from the Millionare's Club don't actually get in the way and allow the New Blood to get over.

That angle did a lot of good for a lot of the homegrown guys, especially Styles and Lethal, and Russo deserves credit for it, just as he deserves credit for a lot of things that go right in the company that he's never acknowledged for.

When the hell did this happen? That storyline was an utter failure and got no one over. You could argue AJ Syles, I may give you that one, but where is he right now? Nowhere. Who else got over during that storyline that's even remotely anywhere in TNA right now? The main event mafia storyline wasn't successful at making any major stars out of any major young guys, and then it just fizzled right out. It gave a bunch of older guys the spotlight, then it combined them with World Elite in a super group (sounds kind of like Immortal/Fortune, huh?) and then it just kind of fizzled out before really even ending. Good job, Vince Russo!


---


As for the thread topic, no I can't remember a time where Vince Russo was seriously praised for anything. But, has there really been much to praise him over in TNA? On top of that, no one really knows what kind of control he has in the process backstage or what stuff he's personally writing.. is it everything, or is it just parts? Either way I think you'd have to go back to the Attitude Era to say good job Russo and actually mean it.

 

[TUFFY54]

Vince Russo has always had one huge problem that affects the way he books wrestling. He doesn't think anyone actually likes pro wrestling. It's really kind of bizzare. Russo has always felt like two guys feuding and building towards a great match isn't enough. I belive he is very insucure about himself and what he does for a living. Russo is almost never happy with a straight up good match to end a feud. There always has to be a turn, betrayal, backstabing, interference, or unneeded gimmick.

Vince Russo thinks a cage match for a world title is boring. He thinks a cage match where someone gets put in a straight jacket that was hanging from the top of the cage after there manager/best friend turned on them to cost them the match is great. That sums up Vince Russo.

The worst thing about Russo is that he always, and I mean ALWAYS, thinks that a shoot interview is the only way to hype a match. By the end of WCW, people were shooting on each other and using real names and personal issues to build up a damn cruiserweight match that was going to open a ppv.

In the end, I think Russo is just embarased by what he does for a living. He doesnt want to admite that people will pay money just to sit and watch two guys fake fight, so he has to make everything exteremely over the top.

To answere your question, no, I've never heard someone say "Good job Vince Russo". However, I'm sure he deserved it a few times.

 

[LSN80]

I have. Last time I checked, Russo was the head of the TNA creative team that produced Final Resolution 09, and Turning Point 09. Both co-main events were fantastic, 4+ star matches.

Turning Point was co-main evented by Desmond Wolfe vs Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe vs AJ vs Daniels. Final Resolution was 3 Stages of Pain with Wolfe vs Angle again, and Daniels vs AJ for the title. Both matches solidified AJ as a legitimate champion, and the booking up to, in and after subtly hinted at AJ's heel turn. Not only were they fantastic PPV's, but the Impact's in between were well done.

It was great booking throughout the months of November and December, and that credit has to go to Russo. So, good job Vince.

 

[realdealasshole]

The worst main event type of storyline I've ever seen in the history of wrestling came in the form of they at bound for glory coming in nonsensical fashion and attempting to recreate the NWO over a decade later. Fact is, that idea wreaked of Bischoff and Hogan.

In other words, at least Russo isn't the worst around.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I know why he isn't really going to get praise. Even if he made the best storyline ever tommorrow, he is always going to be attributed as the man that killed WCW and people are never going to forgive him for getting wrestling in the state it is in since then ie no fresh product because no competition. It was russo who did that himself, and wrestling fans don't forget these things. And above all else, the man's a dick anyway.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

You guys always say the same shit. I don't know why I read this stuff...Oh year it's cause wrestlezone.com is the best. There has been terrible ideas left in right all over wrestling (rasslin' wear i'm from) for years. WWE strikes out left and right since the beginning of time (see Ted Jr and the Repo Man).

So why do u guys always pick on TNA, I know because you just don't want to admit that it's the better (and non PG) show right now. I don't care what you say about my post...

THE TRUTH IS TNA IS BETTER RIGHT NOW....TNA IS BETTER RIGHT NOW.

If you don't like what I have to say...guess what WHO CARES!

I don't know if TNA is better right now. In fact, I got to change the channel on some of the stupid stuff it has.

Yes, WWE does strike out on things, but they also hit a good amount of homeruns to make some good money.

People rip on TNA because well, they do some stupid stuff. I mean, was the GEN ME and Motor City Machine Guns a good fight on reaction? Well yes, did it devalue wrestling? That match should of been a last man standing match on a Pay-per-view or should of main evented TNA that night. Instead, they put it on reaction, and tried to be "unique."

TNA right now, has the talent, I'm not going to argue that, but they need someone to unravel that company, and present it better. The fact it's still in the impact zone, devalues that show. The crowd devalues that show, and some of the talent devalues that show.

Is impact better then Raw or Smackdown. The ratings and big dollars seem to say no. Can Raw and Smackdown improve. Good chance they could, but then again, it's making big dollars right now.

Does a bloody Ric Flair, and dropping cuss-words left and right help TNA. No, they just had an awful pay-per-view.

Anyways, back to the question at hand. Has anyone given Vince Russo a compliment. Well, of course he has gotten several compliments. He is still employed for crying out loud, so someone thinks he is doing his job. Does it mean, we should right a book on him on wrestling genius? Dear God no, He had some good stuff for a couple years, and WCW tried to make him their savior, and it all went to hell. That's what it came down to. He tried to bring the attitude era to WCW, most of the guys didn't like it. In fact, he has made wrestling a tougher show with his "shoots" and "real-life" feuds. It's like that horrific magician who had to reveal the magic tricks. He made it harder for up and coming magicians, and it hurt their cash flow.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I do think that Vince Russo does get unjustified criticsm sometimes. Like every other person, Russo is going to have his share of good ideas and bad ideas. In the WWF, he may have had some good ideas that Vince didn't agree with so they didn't make it on to television. There were times that he and Vince both agreed that some ideas sounded good in theory. They made it onto television and were absolute shit. That's just how it goes.

In Russo's case when it comes to WCW, he didn't have anyone to filter him quite frankly and he needed that. Just about whatever he wanted to run on WCW television ran and most of what I saw was just really awful in my opinion. Quality is always subjective and that applies to Russo as well. He may have had ideas that most of us might have liked but he himself didn't like them, so he didn't go with them.

When it comes to TNA, the stuff that Russo put out isn't as bad as the WCW stuff but I definitely wouldn't call the vast majority of it good either. There are several boring, holdover feuds going on in TNA at the moment, the X-Division is in shambles, it seems that the tag team division, at least to me, is starting to lose some steam and there's yet another nWo-themed faction/power struggle/take over angle going on in TNA. Russo loves that stuff.

Russo does get unfairly blamed for the death of WCW. His ideas did bring down the quality of the show, but it was ultimately corporate executives that killed it even though it was still drawing pretty decent numbers. If someone doesn't like the ideas he's putting out now, I think that's just fine. As I said, quality is subjective. But if the guy is just getting residual hate left over from WCW, then that's not really fair.