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

[Skinsley]

I watch both and I have to honestly say that yes....they are but the damage to their reputations that they are doing will be totally wiped out with a single WWE appearance.

Any negative thoughts about Ric Flair will dissapear as soon as he collects his four horsemen HOF induction and the same for the other two.

So whatever they are doing for TNA right now.... which is good things nomatter how you look at it. In the long run will do nothing but benefit all three parties.

My only gripe is that Kurt Angle still has so much to offer WWE that he really isnt doing himself any favours being so loyal to a company that will welcome him back with open arms when he finally is ready to slow down.

 

[AwesomeRko]

Kurt Angle I think certainly in an on-screen capacity is still amazing, just about everything he touches is 5-star, the match against Hardy for example at Victory Road was easily the best on the PPV and one of the finest I have seen in ages. He isn't as good on the promo side as he was a couple of years back but is still not bad and his sheer presence and in-ring ability more than make up for it. He has been TNA's standard bearer for years now and has been a tremendous servant to them.

As far as Sting and Hogan go I completely agree with you that they should not be tarnishing their reputations and legacy by actively wrestling when they no longer really can. It's not just them I cringe when I see people like Sgt Slaughter and Hacksaw Jim Duggan do it in WWE too, it's pretty embarassing to a degree.

As of late they have barely beein in the ring however and I have no problem with Hogan remaining as an on-screen presence, whether as a manager or a gm etc. He is still a big draw, still has some charisma and if used correctly can be a great asset to TNA or any wrestling company. What young superstar brimming with promise wouldn't get a boost from being involved with Hogan in a managerial or other capacity?

I would be inclined to say the same for Flair if it were not for the massive send off he justly recieved from the WWE. I personally feel he kind of threw it back in the face of them and all the fans who wished him well that night by joining TNA so soon, that is just a personal issue on my part. That aside I think Flair like Hogan is still capable of contributing a lot in an on-screen non-wrestling capacity.

 

[Kong]

All 3 are doing what every other wrestler does.....flaming out until they are doing shows at the VA or die.

I thought Kamala was a monster heel back in the day. Did he sully his reputation? He was doing shit shows for $40 till his leg fell off.

These guys know nothing else. Granted they are WAY bigger than effing Kamala, but the same applies. At least some old guy doing VA shows is doing it because he loves wrestling.

These guys had such a spotlight on them they can never step away. None of them can handle when people no longer cheer. I cant imagine what it must feel like to these guys but I imagine its pretty close to sex.

Would you step away from having sex? I wouldnt. So I totally understand what drives them.

 

[iwinulose]

Kurt Angle has killed his reputation by being a cocky little asshole who can't control himself. He run's everyone down and act's like he is everyone's superior, he then say's his twitter was hacked (other then his most recent rant when he mentioned HBK and Stone Cold he admitted it was him doing that). He has hurt his rep completely.

Hulk Hogan has been acting like a asshole within the past year and he should have retired a long time ago, sure maybe he has helped TNA behind the scenes to some extent but did he really need to get back into the ring again? Plus he has been acting like asshole towards a few guy's. However i still respect him but wish he wasn't so senile at times.........

Ric Flair has aparently burned..... No blew up all his bridges other then TNA. He should have retired after that match with HBK (well sooner to be entirely honest), well he should have retired sooner then that but whatever details. His rep is shot but it's only because he isn't making overly bright ideas at the moment, i mean he shouldn't have gotten into the ring with sting last year, my dad and i were watching that match and literally wincing everytime he took a bump (especially the one off the top rope.....).

 

[mschif11]

Kurt Angle just needs to stop running his mouth and stay off twitter but other than that, no. He is still one of the best in ring workers in the business. Put that together with is ability to give a promo, he's the best.

Ric Flair is old but still a joy to watch. I do believe he should of stopped after the HBK match but you can't blame the man for wanting to do what he loves. So no on him to. He just needs to calm the hell down sometimes or he will actually have a heart-attack.

Hogan is Hogan. People are going to love him no matter what he does. As wrestler lets be honest not very good, but is an icon in this industry. So nothing he does professionally could ruin him. But personally the man is a joke. With all the bullshit with his family, the crap he says, and now a god damn sex tape. The man needs to just stay inside (without an camera) and only leave to work wrestling.

 

[waylon p]

Outside of the IWC, I do not think Kurt angle has hurt his rep with the twitter stuff, and hus D.U.I will be forgotten soon.

Hogan had little reputation worth saving when he got to TNA, and has probably not affected it at all since his arrival.

Ric flair hurt his legacy badly when he returned to WWF and started jobbing, but managed to get a large part of it back with the help of the boss's son in law. He has tarnished it more at TNA, but I have faith he can salvage it.

 

[GameOver]

1. U dont even watch the product so you shouldnt judge.. TNA is doing wicked things and is out shining WWE in many different ways... In all Honestly the product is way better then WWE.

2. Kurt Angle is still having amazing matches in TNA, and the stars there really make him shine as well..

3. Hulk Hogan knows his place... and the only time aside from the one time u mentioned him being in the ring is when he faced sting .. which is fine by me and in england and only cause the fans wanted him in the ring... Hogan is not stupid and he knows his place now adays... And if WWE had the Balls and money to give this man i am sure he would of stayed there... He is helping TNA weather or not people want to believe it...

4. Ric Flair has taken on more of a Bobby Hennan role now in TNA and is doing what he can... I have no issues with his current statues in TNA... But u have stated u only watched it in the begining like 2 years ago... The product has seriously cahnged since then and if u dont watch then u shouldnt judge...

Also If Ric Flair Needs to work .. then who r we 2 judge... If any man has given there lives for this bussniess and needs to work.. then at least TNA stepped up and is helping them.. What did WWE do asides from give them a ring and say see u later we dont need u in the wrestling ring.. we understand u r Broke but good luck... If rIc Flair wants to work then let him work.... Like I said TNA offered them somthing..... What did WWE Do???

WWE signed them to Legends contract where they were paid to basically do nothing other then appearances and occasional onscreen stuff.

I do watch the product and that's your opinion, TNA is somewhat better then it has been but like WWE they've taken things that were working and canned them. No way in hell is it better then or will it ever be better then WWE.
The only thing TNA does better is the X-Division and the Women's division and they are both shells of there former self.

Kurt Angle makes an embarrasment of himself everytime he opens his mouth now, think the drugs have finally taken there toll on his mind. Can he still wrestle? absolutely but his mic work leaves alot to be desired as of late.

Hulk Hogan - tarnished his reputation years ago so being in TNA isn't making it any worse, it's the people he associated with and his family that are the real embaressments.

Ric Flair - Will never change and since he's apparently perpetually broke he needs to work, but WWE was providing him with an easy paycheck being an ambassador, but the calling to be in the ring whether he was wrestling or not was stronger then his desire to retire.

Can't fault either of them for that but i do think in TNA both he and Hogan have become a joke.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

It's what it is, unless you're scouring the forums of the IWC like this one, most people really could give a shit about anything that Hogan, Angle and Flair have done to their reputations. They only care about what's on the TV screen and nothing else. You see boys and girls, the real problem isn't how bad the reputations of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Kurt Angle have gotten. The real problem is how much the collective lot of us IWC folks really give a shit about such a topic.

I've met all three men and to be honest, I appreciated their cordial treatment of me as a fan, however at the age of 30 years old, I know better than to think these men to be beacons of perfection. By the time you're my age, if you have any sense of rationality you learn to realize that these people are far from being shining examples of infallibility, because in the first place no human being is capable of that. Throw in the fact that these men are in an ego driven business, then forget it. So for the younger folks posting on this thread (especially those 18 and younger), I'll give a free pass to vent on this one and take it to heart.

But anybody well into their 20s and over, get real...human beings have just more of the capacity of being less than savory creatures than they have of being honest to goodness great people. Especially ones who are in an entertainment/athletic field which is driven more by ego than anything else.

But anyway, that's my two cents.

 

[Xumer]

One of AC/DC's more underrated songs. Regarding Angle, he can still go in the ring so no I don't think he's tarnishing anything. What he posts on twitter will always be a MUCH MORE secondary issue for me. As far as Flair and Hogan there isn't much they ever could do to tarnish their legacies. As far as wrestlers go, they both achieved god status years ago. I am an old school Flair mark but I've always hated hogan and wouldn't mind seeing him go away forever but I cannot deny the impact he had on the sport.

 

[New Hot Fed]

I don't understand why they don't use Flair as a big time manager/spokesman. He would be great with Bobby Roode. When Ric crank it up, there's nobody better to generate excitement, look at the stuff he did with Jay Lethal. Just don't use him as a wrestler but use him. What's the point of having him on TNA's payroll if all you're gonna do with him is managing freakin Gunner and being involved with Carrott Bischoff. The guy can talk let him talk.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Ric flair hurt his legacy badly when he returned to WWF and started jobbing....

That's an interesting speculation, but looked at in a real-world context, I don't know if it's accurate. After all the accomplishments in an amazing career, reality dictates that a person loses his natural ability as he grows older. With almost everyone else, they retire and look back at a job well done. In Flair's case, he's wrestled on; so doesn't it make sense that he wouldn't be able to perform at the heights he had attained as a younger man? Okay, so he lost a lot of matches while still being revered by the fans. What's wrong with that? I admit I wished he would've wrestled with a shirt on; it wouldn't have been as depressing to look at him stylin' and profilin' around the ring with his upper body hanging out like wet laundry on a clothesline. Still, he was Ric Flair and if he was losing.....well, that's what a man in his 50's would do if he were fighting guys in their 20's, no?

At least Hogan hasn't been parading himself around the ring as a wrestler in TNA....not much, anyway. Yes, he still seems to think of himself as an icon in the wrestling world and has, imo, tarnished his legend by not having evolved one bit as a character, but at least he hasn't used his apparently enormous influence to install himself as TNA champion.....not yet, anyway.

As for Kurt Angle, I'll say what I've said since he left WWE; it's not that he's ruined his reputation as much as wasted his career working in a second-rate wrestling company. The plaudits given Angle in this topic are all deserved; he's one of the best of all time. But being that great implies that the great one would be better served (and would better serve his fans) by performing on the largest stage available to showcase his greatness. Both Angle and Sting have chosen to display their skills in a place where only a fraction of the people who follow wrestling can see them.

To those of you who need to inform me that these guys are free to work wherever they want, I say: you're absolutely right. They're free to, but it's discouraging and wasteful that they would do it the way they have. If you were a baseball player and a major league team wanted you, why would you choose to stay in Double A ball?

 

[ABMorales787]

I have just been informed that Kurt Angle has a legacy. I'm shocked. To the extent of my knowledge, all he's done is win a gold medal with a "broken freakin' neck" and have a laundry list of great in-ring performances. Outside of that? Not much. Unless you count Twitter. Kurt's legacy is based on what he does in the ring, as long as he's on a national TV set wrestling, that's all he needs to be remembered.

However if we look at one Hulk Hogan, he's a different case. This is the man who wrestled Jay Leno and Karl Malone on back to back PPV's, made you learn what a Suburban Commando was and was made into a Saturday morning cartoon. Is it wrong that he's working backstage and taking a minor onscreen role? Well, of course not. He's past the need to compete so seeing him handing out orders or going to a signing session to tell you how awesome TNA is Brother is not something that would make you think "he's tarnishing his greatness". Getting in the ring constantly despite there being no need is though. Aside from his match with Sting at Bound For Glory, there's no need for him to get physical.

Then you see Ric Flair. Yeah, he's broke. Yeah, he acts like a goof. But if you like what he's doing, why complain? Ric Flair just nabbed TNA their FIRST EVER crossover with the WWE. The result of just plain ol' having him around payed off and has allowed TNA to possibly work to have a steady relationship with WWE. I'm not saying they'll have interpromotional stuff, but anything besides occasional mudslinging is a step up for them.

They all have important roles, and if anyone see's them with a tarnished image, it's their own fault for the way they act.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

How in holy hell has Kurt Angle ruined his reputation when the guy, who has a surgically repaired neck, has done all that there is to do in the wrestling business, has nothing left to prove is still sticking around due to his own determination, in an attempt to both help TNA's brand and develop young stars within the company. How the hell is that ruining his reputation? The guy is a legend of professional wrestling and he wasn't even a professional wrestler to begin. You say Kurt Angle's name and people, who aren't trying to get a laugh or two, instantly remember classic matches the guy has had in and outside of TNA.

Hulk Hogan is a different case. Hogan is the most prominent name in the history of professional wrestling, the guy may not be the most liked within or outside the business but the fact remains he is still a legend, that put wrestling into the mainstream eye and helped develop it into what it is today. There is a chance that we may not be here posting stuff on this forum, right now, if it wasn't for Hulk Hogan helping catapult Vince McMahon's company forward, creating the money for the company that he did.

Hulk Hogan may be in his fifties and he may do things he shouldn't, e.g. make sex-tapes, do reality television shows, say some pretty outlandish stuff. But the guy is a legend and if he wants to stick around in professional wrestling and be on-screen, it is his fucking right to, he has done a lot more for the business than a lot of other guys, he barely gets in the ring or gets physical and when he does, he does it because the IWC aren't the only people watching the product, some of the casual fans or those who are hardcore wrestling fans but choose to alianate themselves from the B.S of some Internet wrestling "fanatics" actually enjoy when Hogan gets in the ring because it's nostalgia.

And then Ric Flair is the guy I preach about.

"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair can stay in the business until he drops for all I care, cause much like Hulk Hogan he has done enough and should have earned enough respect to choose what he should and shouldn't do. If he wants to stay and manage people in TNA and occasionally wrestle, it's his choice, and as the guy who busted his ass through the 70's, 80's, 90's and most part of the 00's as a top level guy he should have earned the respect from fans to just allow the guy to do what he does without criticism. Cause while Hogan was busting his ass in the WWF in the 80's, Ric Flair was busting his ass in NWA putting that Championship on the map and even making it, at that time, the most prestiged wrestling Championship in the world.

Some wrestling fans need to take their heads out of their asses and show some more respect for the business they so fondly wish to throw their unlogical, asinine opinions about, cause for people who claim to know so much about it, and want to post on a wrestling forum their fantasical wrestling angles to "improve the business" or "save an angle", the lack of respect they have for the people that have brought the business to where it is is ghastly.

So please, shut the fuck up and fuck the hell off, none of them have ruined their reputations and they all have legacies.

/end rant.

 

[JJYanks121]

I have just been informed that Kurt Angle has a legacy. I'm shocked. To the extent of my knowledge, all he's done is win a gold medal with a "broken freakin' neck" and have a laundry list of great in-ring performances. Outside of that? Not much. Unless you count Twitter. Kurt's legacy is based on what he does in the ring, as long as he's on a national TV set wrestling, that's all he needs to be remembered.

However if we look at one Hulk Hogan, he's a different case. This is the man who wrestled Jay Leno and Karl Malone on back to back PPV's, made you learn what a Suburban Commando was and was made into a Saturday morning cartoon. Is it wrong that he's working backstage and taking a minor onscreen role? Well, of course not. He's past the need to compete so seeing him handing out orders or going to a signing session to tell you how awesome TNA is Brother is not something that would make you think "he's tarnishing his greatness". Getting in the ring constantly despite there being no need is though. Aside from his match with Sting at Bound For Glory, there's no need for him to get physical.

Then you see Ric Flair. Yeah, he's broke. Yeah, he acts like a goof. But if you like what he's doing, why complain? Ric Flair just nabbed TNA their FIRST EVER crossover with the WWE. The result of just plain ol' having him around payed off and has allowed TNA to possibly work to have a steady relationship with WWE. I'm not saying they'll have interpromotional stuff, but anything besides occasional mudslinging is a step up for them.

They all have important roles, and if anyone see's them with a tarnished image, it's their own fault for the way they act.

I just want to respond to the part about Angle. It's not just the twitter stuff at all. It's the addiction and the DUI's and the whole lifestyle that scares people. Thing is, your legacy is NOT just what you do in a ring. I know it's an extreme case, but Chris Benoit's legacy is not just what he did in a ring despite being a better (yeah I said better) in ring performer than Angle. His legacy is in the deterioration of his life and the terrible consequences of it.

Another example is Dynamite Kid. Great great wrestler with a horrible legacy. Why? Asshole of a man who most people don't feel sorry for despite being unable to walk at like 50 due to injuries. What you do as a person CAN tarnish your legacy and for him it did.

For Kurt, it's a slippery slope. G-d forbid if something were to happen to him, his legacy changes. I've been fearing it for years actually. The look in his eyes these days is downright scary. It's almost Benoit-like in that you often see lifelessness. Yes, he still goes out there and performs well, but at what cost? The thing with Angle is that we as fans can't let fandom get in the way. It could end up costing this guy his life because his body is no longer in the right shape to wrestle professionally. I've been within 3 feet of the guy and I almost wanted to break down. It was sad seeing him walk the way he did. I hope nothing happens but I do fear the worst for him. That said, his legacy is already hurting due to the off screen stuff and you can't ignore that. He's a big star so what you do throughout your life matters. If John Cena got caught with drugs, his legacy would be hurt wouldn't it? So why does Kurt's get to stay intact when he's had numerous public drug problems ranging from DUI's to possible domestic violence. At some point we can't just say "well he wrestles well so he can be a drug addicted douche." No excuse. Scott Hall couldn't get away with it and neither can Angle.

As for the others........eh. It's hard to watch anyone after their prime try and do what they used to do. However, time is a healer of that. Ric may look ridiculous now but luckily for him he's only doing it part time. Michael Jordan came back with the Wizards and was good but not great anymore. It was kind of sad but time has sort of erased that time from people's memories. People remember Jordan being the greatest ever on the Bulls, nothing else. As long as Ric or Hulk don't do anything too stupid, I'd think their legacies are fine. That said, both are great wrestlers but are viewed as messes as far as being human beings. That's their legacy and that hasn't changed for a long time. So yeah, their legacies haven't changed based on TNA. Them guys developed whatever demons they had a long time ago.

 

[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...

 

[ABMorales787]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.