A letter to...

[AdamDevine]

Dear Mark Madden,

Who are you and what crawled inside of you and died?

Thanks,
Adam

Now, am I the only one that finds his rants (because that's all they are) extremely annoying? All he does is point out flaws in TNA and compares them to WWE! First of all, I understand TNA isn't perfect, but they're a relatively new company whereas WWE has been around since 1952 to get their shit together, so excuse me if I give TNA the benefit of the doubt. You can't do anything but commend TNA for trying to be different and stand out. Now Mr. Madden, I don't think I'd have as big of problem with your "rants" if you did mention a few positives or at least ways positive/sensible ways TNA could improve. I thought you might go there today with the Ric Flair comment, but of course you can't write a "rant" without throwing in a jab or two at TNA and saying that no one will buy their PPV. That's crap and everyone must realize it. Even if you just realize the steps TNA has made since the beginning, signing with Spike, HD, the brief experiment with moving to Mondays, ect... Hmm...how long did it take WWE to move to HD? 60 some years? Wow. That's an awful long time. I'm kidding by the way about that! But with that being said, what do you folks think? Am I in the wrong for feeling like that? Does anyone else feel the same? Thank you for your time.

 

[Redweasel]

I actually don't even read Madden anymore just because of this fact. I already know that all he is going to do is bash TNA and tell us how it will never have any sucess. Blah, blah, blah.

 

[webby_15-0]

ive never read one of Madden's articles before because i simply couldn't be bothered but now you mention that he rants about TNA, well maybe i may give it a read so i can nod and agree.

 

[Roy L. Flush]

There is a reason Mark Madden was a commentator for WCW, loved by most wrestlers, hosts the highest rated sports talk radio should in Pittsburgh, gets paid to write articles for websites and newspapers, has an IQ of 167, and makes a HELL of a lot of money. You say how you hate what he writes, but go on to mention that you read it anyway. Whether you love him or hate him, what he says is right and most of all entertaining.

 

[brighamosity]

As annoying as he is, I do enjoy his rants. It's a guilty pleasure.

 

[Redweasel]

He may indeed be smart as hell, and was great in WCW, but to go on the same rant week after week? It gets old fast. How about changing it up a bit? I get it already. TNA sucks. Ok, you've made your point. Get on with it. You'd think if he was so intelligent he could come up with another topic.

 

[Bud78]

Say what you want but he is exactly right. TNA has the old case of too many chiefs and not enough indians. There are just too many people in charge. You have Bischoff and Hogan "running" the company but Dixie is the owner and has her ass in everything. Then Jeff Jarrett is still around who started the damn thing, then you have Sting, Nash, 3D, Kurt Angle, who all think they are bigger than the show (Kurt is). It's just too much, it's like mid 90's WCW, the wrestling is good but they just fuck shit up on a weekly basis.

 

[Redweasel]

Hell, I'm not even saying he's wrong, I'm just wishing Mark would change the diatribe up a bit. Like I said before I've stopped reading his articles all together because I already know what it's going to be about. Surely a man of his intelligence can find a different topic in the wrestling world to write about. It's not like he is telling us anything we don't know already.

Ok, I've beat this dog to death long enough. I think you guys get how I stand on this.

 

[Cmac3311]

I also agree with Mark Madden... It's not that I hate TNA, it's just the fact that half of the stuff they broadcast is laughable. Now I used to love TNA but when the Main Event Mafia came in, shit got silly for me... I mean it was like WCW version 2.0... I loved WCW but that was 10 years ago...

The X-Division has become really watered down over the last few years and I missed the spot fest style matches it produced, AJ Styles should not be a carbon Flair copy and the booking is god awful.... MCMG isn't on tv half the time (and their #1 contenders) yet Ink Inc. and the Band dominated the airwaves every week??? Another thing... Does security have to break up every fight, every week, in every storyline? Hulk Hogan is in 7-8 segments?

If TNA creates more consistent story lines, better character development and if they get the fuck out of the Impact Zone I can see them growing as a company... D'angelo Dinero is the shit, Samoa Joe is a rare big man in this business and Angle and AJ are phenomenal performers...

 

[AdamDevine]

I've come up with the best way to describe Mark Madden. He's the John Cena of blogging. John Cena uses the same five moves, Mr. Madden complains about the same five things time after time. But seriously, TNA appears to be trying and I for one enjoy Impact. The women's division is hott and far better than WWE. TNA has put on great matches in the last couple months. The Amazing Red/Kurt Angle match was spectacular and this weeks RVD/Somoa Joe was off the hook. Easily those two matches were better than any matches on RAW those weeks.

 

[sergcavs]

Ok I understand your slight anger but the fact of the matter is that HE like all of us has an opinion. While you may love TNA maybe he hates it. It doesnt really matter, if you know he's right or wrong you shouldnt really be bothered by his opinions. Let the guy speak his mind and just deal with.
THATS THE TRUTH THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT.........THE TRUTH

 

[sergcavs]

And just to make it known I like TNA and WWE. I watch both every week but I think each show is better than the other in certain aspects. For example, I like TNA still having blood and actually having some really good WRESTLING matches. However, I like WWE storylines a lot more. They are very consistent with their storylines and they can deal with surprises such as injuries or even deaths. I don't think that TNA could really deal with a real surprise meaning something they didnt anticipate at all. WWE and TNA are both good but TNA has some potential to be as good as WWE if they just fix their minor flaws. They have a talented roster but when will they finally find good management and good writers?

 

[AdamDevine]

Yeah Serg, it's not so much anger as annoyance, I'm not angry because I understand everyone is entitled to their opinion, hence me typing on a forum. Like you I watch Raw, Impact, and NXT(I don't get Smackdown). I would say that Impact has better wrestling and the Nexus storyline is compelling to say the least. I would say you and I are on the same page. Question, has anyone ever taken the average age of the companies? Many times I've seen people say about the old guys in TNA but in WWE you have the Undertaker, HHH, and until recently Shawn Michaels. As opposed to TNA having Sting, Jeff Jarrett, and Kevin Nash. I'd be very interested in the average age of the two.

 

[LigerBomb]

Most of the time the man is very accurate with his take on the state of the business and the companies that operate within it. You don't have to like or agree with him, much in the same way he doesn't have to say something nice or positive about TNA. It's his personal opinion which just happens to be closer to right than wrong.
He did however criticized WWE plenty of times in this latest editorial and took them to task for not letting Flair be all he could be promo-wise during his tenure in WWE. In this instance he favorably sided with TNA over WWE. Though this is more to do with his opinion on Flair's personal abilities.
He also made mention of the fact that WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes is void of charisma and should stick to ONLY Flair chops to illicit a crowd reaction. This is another "knock" on WWE, (though once again more in line with specific talent). He then continues to talk about the personality problems of RVD and Jeff Hardy and how they need the machine to help boost their otherwise bland, laid-back characterizations (talent shortcomings yet again, though I suppose this can be a TNA booking error). Next he encourages TNA to do something against the grain and the opposite of WWE and use licensed music for their talents entrances.
Only after thanking JR for some nice comment posted on his blog does Madden then make mention of the supposed problems TNA management/ownership may have as their "corporate family" structure may not be conducive to long term business success. ETC., ETC., ETC.
Bottom line the man by and large talks about the people in the companies and their specific problems not the company as a whole. Nor does he say WWE is out and out better or that they are without fault.
Lastly, with regards to Madden never offering ways to improve TNA: you're flat out wrong. That's literally all he does. By pointing out flaws, failures and problems, he goes pretty far in offering up advice to the company on what NOT TO DO and what mistakes NOT TO REPEAT. And if that way of offering advice doesn't sink in he most certainly peppers his pieces with ways to make things work. In this editorial alone he advises TNA bookers to bring life to bland characters, invest in popualar music for their talent, lure Heyman in with creative control, and perhaps not view your employees as "family" especially at the cost of a profitable business.
Personally I think you Madden haters have to read the man's work with a bit clearer perspective and realize that he sensationalizes his writing to attract an audience i.e. it's his "gimmick" to piss off the s/marks and fanboys by writing in the style of a "smug know-it-all heel".

 

[MachoMadness1988]

I have to agree, he is very annoying. I used to read his articles, and they got very old very fast. ALL he does is shit on TNA. His articles on Wrestlezone are very repetitive....if you've read one, you've read them all.

He reminds me so much of Bubba the "Love Sponge". It seems like his whole game plan is that if he can get people to stop watching TNA with his articles, or not give it a chance, he is happy. Doesn't that seem fucked up? The wrestling world would be better if TNA does good. He must be really bitter about his time in wrestling or something? (I know he says he isn't)

but whatever I just won't read them. I'll admit I read the lastest one because I also thought he was actually going to say something good about TNA. Son of a bitch got me.....

 

[The Main Event]

the most stupid guy i ever seen is mark madden ..
hey marky .. try to fik ur self up .. u just talk .. while TNA walk .. so stick that in the back of ur mind and smoke it .

 

[xN Starksx]

Uhhhh.. Here's a thought. If you don't like what he has to say, don't read it? Did you think about that one? While, I don't agree with every single thing that he talks about in his blog, it's at least entertaining. So what if he single's out TNA for the most part? He obviously sees that they have a lot of stuff going wrong right now, and nine times out of ten.. He's right. Sure, TNA has a couple things I enjoy right now.. But, it's few and far between.

But, seriously.. If he offends the TNA fanboys so much, he's clearly doing his job. You want to stop it? Stop giving his columns so many views. But, people wont.. Because then what would they have to complain about? One day, you'll realize.. He's right. Stick that in your pipe, and smoke it. I say, pipe, 'cause it would be hard to smoke it.. in the back of your head..

 

[Jack-Hammer]

On one hand, some of Mark Madden's articles are on the repetitive side. However, that doesn't mean that he isn't right a lot of the time and doesn't make excellent points. Madden criticizes TNA Wrestling a lot, easily as much as he used to come down on the WWE. Everybody is entitled to their opinions on anything and everything, but the hate that he gets is on two fronts I believe.

On one front, Madden does come off as an annoyingly arrogant know-it-all sometimes. Whether it's who he actually is or if it's just his writing style, who knows. That type of personality can get under someone's skin. On the other front, Madden gets a lot of hate by smarks and fanboys that can't take the idea of anyone criticizing their favorite wrestling company whether it be ROH, TNA, WWE or whatever. And, I believe there's a possibility that not all the ill feelings towards Madden are because of his harsh criticisms. I think some of it stems from the possibility that some of his articles wind up making even the most diehard marks acknowledge, even if it's only to themselves, the same criticisms he points out about their favorite company. After all, there are a lot of wrestling fans that view certain wrestlers or wrestling companies through rose colored glasses and that they can do no wrong.

Personally, I'd say more of the hate lies in the latter than the former. Madden often is pretty accurate on his take of the wrestling business. One may not always agree with his stance, of course, but that doesn't mean that the criticisms he makes aren't legitimate.

 

[The Gribbler]

I would be lying if I said that Madden wasn't the biggest arrogant self serving SOB that still has a job. But at the same time I still read everything he writes because he is entertaining.

And pertaining to this weeks article... I agreed with every point he made.

So sometimes he harps on certain points...but that doesnt make him wrong.

Just My Opinion