Another Look at JBL?

[It's Damn Real!]

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that TNA has been wanting to bring former WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) into the company for some time now – dating back especially toward the initial decision to go head-to-head with Monday Night RAW back in January in the first place.

While Dixie Carter and JBL*– who met personally – are said to have got along very well, it's being said by "sources" close to JBL that he's not expected to end up in TNA, as he previously declined the offer extended to him back in January to begin with.

Now, I know JBL "retired" from wrestling back in 2009 following a 21-second loss to Rey Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania XXV, and I do realize that the focus initially may have also been centered around garnering mutual exposure and another media outlet/investment for his now defunct angel investment in former OVW founder Danny Davis' Louisville, Kentucky based Vyper Fight League, but it begs the question whether or not JBL still has retaining value, especially to a back-to-taped and back-to-Thursdays TNA?

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That said, it's Q&A Time!

• What do you think about the idea of JBL to TNA?

• Would he have helped with the initial push to go head-to-head on Monday nights at all?

• Does he still have retaining value to the company now, and should he still be a pursuing interest for Carter & TNA?

• If he did in fact join TNA, in what facet would you like to see him brought in? What role specifically should he work as an on-air character (or backstage)?

 

[BernacK6]

JBL is done wrestling. That is where he should stay. TNA is too much of a mess on its own to throw someone like JBL into the mix, where he would demand a place at the top reserved for someone else who deserves it more.

 

[Fight]

Unless it's someone like the rock, I see no need for tna to hire any more people. They need to work with what they have, develop their characters and bring substance to the show and follow up week after week.

 

[Vintage Nick]

• What do you think about the idea of JBL to TNA?

Eh, not quite sure. I don't think he'd join though because he seems quite happy with what he's doing at the moment.

• Would he have helped with the initial push to go head-to-head on Monday nights at all?

Probably not. As the sources have said, he declined to join when TNA started going head-to-head on Monday Nights. He possibly knew it was suicide.

• Does he still have retaining value to the company now, and should he still be a pursuing interest for Carter & TNA?

As a heel magnet, maybe. The second part of the question, however, is JBL's choice and at this point I don't know what he'll do.

• If he did in fact join TNA, in what facet would you like to see him brought in? What role specifically should he work as an on-air character (or backstage)?
__________________

I'd prefer seeing him as a manager for a heel wrestler, or do some backstage training for the younger guys.

Still, I'd rather not see him come to TNA if he was to be in a wrestling role. He, like Flair, should just stick to managing and stay out of the ring.

 

[hatehabsforever]

JBL isn't going anywhere near TNA in my opinion, nor should he. He's retired and I imagine is financially secure. Physically he's not exactly in prime condition, plushe's likely even more out of shape now than he was toward his last days in WWE. If JBL goes anywhere it will be back to the WWE, possibly as the mystery GM, although I actually doubt this as well.

I imagine he's out of the business altogether, and he's certainly not going to go down with the Titanic.

Although it does make for interesting speculation. Maybe Dixie and Jarrett can tease the naive viewers with more misleading false promises implying a JBL coup. It would be in keeping with Carter's strategy of the last few months.

 

[realdealasshole]

The only reason I would bring in JBL if i were TNA is because he's a business man and that's something they're majorly lacking. But even then that's a risk. The man is a psycho bully backstage to anyone he doesn't like.

 

[4-Real]

Well, I think it's a little late for JBL to be brought into TNA. Were they to have struck a deal with him back when they were competing with the 'E, that wouldn't have been so bad, since he brought to the table name quality and star power. But given the story lines TNA is working with right now, it may actually be a bad time to bring the guy in.

Don't get me wrong, TNA hiring Layfield wouldn't be the worst move they've made. Hell, I'm all for it. However, if they are still interested in the guy, I would wait at least 6 months to put him on TV, IF that's what they're interested in doing. If they want his help backstage, that may not be a bad idea. We've seen Tommy Dreamer been given the reigns for this ECW storyline, and should he do well, he may be given even more responsibility in the future. What makes him so great? Well, in football. A guy who's played the game has a better idea of what's going on than a guy who hasn't. Thus why you see a lot of coaches being former players. Was Vince Russo a former wrestler? No, he was not. Could that lead to the reasoning behind his shitty storylines? Maybe. Anyway, I'm ranting. JBL would make a fine agent or something in that capacity for TNA. Will he take up their offer, however? I don't know, probably not due to popular belief and his sources.

 

[INDYjon22]

I don't think it is worth it. JBL was a decent wrestler and a good personality but now a days he has aged just to much and he is a shell of his former self. That would mean he can't really wrestle. I mean I am sure they could get a couple of matches out of him but I can't imagine them to be any good.

In fact, if TNA brought him in I would say it would have to be as a commentator and while I am not against that idea I think TNA is pretty set with Taz and Mike Tenay. JBL would be a nice fit on that broadcast team but I just don't see TNA doing it. Maybe, he could work as a backstage interviewer or maybe even a manager but I don't think either would really be worth it in the end for TNA.

My advice is that TNA should save their money for someone who could be more useful. I like JBL but he just doesn't bring enough to the table for TNA to buy into him when the money they would be shelling towards him could go towards someone more beneficial to the company.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I doubt we will ever see JBL in TNA anytime soon, but anything can happen. If he does decide to come to TNA, I doubt we will see him in the ring. I always thought JBL was a great heel. He might not have been the greatest wrestler in the world as far as his arsenal is concerned since he is more of a brawler. I would put him on commentary as a heel with Taz and let him be himself. He could possibly be a manager of someone in Fortune. He would make a pretty damn good manager of Beer Money in my opinion. They both love the money and the alcohol and are from the city/ country.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

The only way I could see JBL coming to Tna would either be as a commentator or a heel manger. With that being said I would not bring him in and have Tna save the money it would take to pay him and spend it on something that could be more useful to the company.

 

[hatehabsforever]

I look at JBL to TNA along much of the same line of thinking as anyone else being fast-tracked into TNA to be their saviour or to bring them instant credibility or to make them immediately competitive. This has been discussed to death by many people in many threads in these forums, whether they be TNA proponents or TNA critics (with or without an armageddon-like philosophy ") ).

I just wish TNA would focus on building upon the nucleus of what they already have, rather than continuously adding, and adding, and adding, which typically involves adding to the quantity on the roster rather than adding to the quality of it. Rather than trying to find the next big thing all the time, and tweeting about it if not downright lying about it, why not just take what they have and build it into the strong product that it has the potential to be?

They have been adding and adding for the entire year of 2010, and it's really gotten them nowhere. There's continuous speculation about Benjamin, or Haas, or Helms, or Carlito, or whoever. Now there's the ECW thing, which I feel is a terrible idea, diluting their talent even further with more old and out of shape guys.

JBL would just be more of the same. He's not good enough at this stage of the game to make a significant difference (not sure if he ever really was). I don't think he would have contributed that much in the "war" that was raged in January, and he'd contribute less now. Forget him, and forget the empty promises and misleading promises of what's in store, and fix what you already have.

Because if not, such apocalyptic posts will turn out to be accurate in the end.

 

[Hitman-1998-Hargreaves]

1: I Like The Sound Jbl To Impact ! Because The Need A Two Face . Legend Type . Wrestler
2: Yes .. Defaintly There Were JBL Addtics And There Were Hate Soicetys .
3:Yes ... He Should Sign . 110 %
4:As A Wrestler .. And His Own Trio . Like The Cabient But With Kendrick And Wolfee .



"AM A WRESTLING GOD "

 

[Ferbian]

• What do you think about the idea of JBL to TNA?

Could work. I don't see it happening though. JBL has retired. If he wanted to wrestle I don't see why he wouldn't be back in the one place he made himself famous in. WWE.

JBL could probably be a great heel attraction in TNA. We got a lot of those already in there though. But he could definitely spice it up. He is a great talent on the microphone and not too shabby in the ring. He could serve the purpose of world champion as well as putting over talent. Both would work very well.

• Would he have helped with the initial push to go head-to-head on Monday nights at all?

Not by a mile. JBL isn't that much of a draw. He's a good talent that's all. But he was never truly the guy to carry the company. He was never truly the guy to be drawing the ratings.

JBL would probably never have stepped into the ring as a wrestler either way. He's older now. He had officially retired a years period before that (minus a few months I know). So he would've made a decent announcer most possibly. Other than that is highly unlikely.

• Does he still have retaining value to the company now, and should he still be a pursuing interest for Carter & TNA?

No. He didn't have any retaining value before anyway. As I mentioned he would've been a decent guy to push talent. But most likely he would've been an announcer. And last time I checked. Announcers doesn't draw.

JBL is past his period of being a noteworthy talent. He's more in the position to stay retired. Be an on-screen character or an announcer. And then sit and wait for the Hall of Fame to eventually happen.

• If he did in fact join TNA, in what facet would you like to see him brought in? What role specifically should he work as an on-air character (or backstage)?

On air obviously. I've stated this a various amount of times in this thread already. He could work all of them really. He could probably still go in the ring. But it's unlikely that he'll be doing it. Especially when he has WWE lurking to possibly bring him back if he wanted.

He could also have worked as an on-screen character or announcer. Which are probably the better places for him to work.

He would be decent backstage. But if you have a guy who could be a top heel lie JBL wandering around the company. Then you're not gonna let him stay backstage if he can still go.

 

[Morris The Grey]

In the short time that JBL was a commentator on Smackdown he was the best commentator I ever heard. No matter what, JR or Cole or Tenay could never relate as to how much a move, fall, or injury hurts; JBL could. His heel style was funny to but he was the best because he put over the in ring action or strategies of the wrestlers. I'm 100% for him to be a commentator.

As for announcer, I don't think so but anything is better than Borash.

 

[shattered dreams]

I doubt this whole rumor. JBL is tight with Vince, physically not able to wrestle much and has plenty of money. Maybe if he wanted to bring some of his cash into the equation then I would consider him but I just find the whole thing unlikely. If he wants to work in wrestling, even as a commentator (something I think he said he disliked in spite of being great at it), then I do not see why he would choose TNA over WWE. If he did come to TNA for some reason, I could see him doing well in any role except another backstage power that does not wrestle. TNA already has too many guys in this role and they need less not more.

 

[gd]

I'd squeal like a little girl if JBL came back. Well, maybe not, but something similar is likely. I'm a big JBL fan. I miss him more and more each and every day. He was the tops man, the tops.

If he came into TNA, I doubt it'd be in the full time wrestler role. I picture him as a Ric Flair type guy, but not as shit. Wouldn't he be a much better leader of fortune? I'd think so. I also reckon he could help with the backstage stuff as he seems like a smart fellow.

I dobut he would've changed much had he arrived on Monday's though. He ain't that great.

 

[darkman_96]

No thankyou there is no way i want to see that fatty anywhere near tna. in his last days in wwe he was even out of shape.

plus what would his character be, would he even be elibible for the tna title. They dont even give James Storm a go and hes a day 1 veteran.

Also there is no room for him there.