Go All The Way

[Jack-Hammer]

The title of this thread is the same as the second part of Mark Madden's latest article. The first part has him doing his usual stuff with bashing TNA, Dixie Carter, Hogan, Bischoff, Russo and he's added both the Hardys on it. Anyhow, it doesn't have much to do with the second part which reads as follows:

The Jeff Jarrett-Kurt Angle give-and-take on Impact! bothered me. Insulting Karen Angle/Jarrett/Buczkowski/Gildon doesn’t bug me. I knew what she was all about long before Kurt did. Never trust a stripper, let alone marry one. But were Kurt and Karen’s kids watching?

But if the children aren’t a concern, why not take this further?

Kurt’s taking time off. During his absence, put Karen back on TV with Jarrett. Make it crystal-clear that they’re having sex, and were doing so even when Kurt and Karen were married. Don’t leave the situation to Internet innuendo. Karen should cut promos saying Jarrett is nailing her better than Kurt ever did. Kurt returns and asks Jarrett if he was banging Karen while his wife was still alive.

If you’re going to indulge in human cockfighting, GO ALL THE WAY. That way it’s not just for Vince Russo’s private amusement. The audience is SUPPOSED to be in on it. Subtlety is subtlety. Reality is reality.

If you don’t want to do it that way – the way that could, y’know, IMPACT THE VIEWERSHIP – then don’t mention it at all. What’s the point?

Too much of today’s booking is about inside stuff. About working the boys. Russo believes that shoot issues feed into on-screen emotion. That’s nonsense. Idiotic. It just makes everyone involved feel awkward.

Steve Austin and Vince McMahon didn’t really hate each other. The nWo wasn’t really an invading army from WWE. But reality TV is much easier to write than a drama or sitcom, because it requires one-tenth the creativity.

That should be on Russo’s tombstone – he had one-tenth the creativity.

I am not for ANY of this. Not what was said on IMPACT!, not what’s suggested above. Why does Kurt Angle need to expose a sordid chapter of his private life? He’s the best all-around performer in wrestling. I would think that gives a booker enough to work with.

Know why Russo goes this route? Because he LIKES to. He ENJOYS making people squirm. What a phony-ass hypocrite of a Christian. I bet Jesus is so proud.

Then again, He probably isn’t watching TNA. Like most people.

I thought the Jarrett/Angle situation on last week's iMPACT! was the real highlight of the show because of the real life situation and tension that exists between the two. Madden also brought up something that I've wondered about myself, that is regarding the issue with Kurt & Karen Angle's children and were they watching iMPACT! that night. Even though the actual word "****" was bleeped out, you could still read Angle's lips and know fully well what he was saying. I'm not sure off the top of my head how old Angle's kids are but I have to wonder what they thought of their father calling their mother a **** on national television. Even if they didn't see it, there's little doubt that they had to have had friends tell them about it, or text it or email them or talk about it at school or whatever. Also, even if the kids were told about what was going to happen beforehand, this could still have a negative effect.

However, my real point is that I have to agree with Madden's general point on this. Last week, they aired a little bit of their dirty laundry and invited all of us to watch. If they want to keep this thing ultimately going with Angle and Jarrett on a personal level, then I agree that they need to go all the way with this. They started down the road with this already and if they're not going to go all the way, then I think they should just veer off to the next exit. After all, if the overall general welfare of Angle's kids or even Jarrett's kids since Karen is engaged to their dad isn't being taken into account, then I think TNA should go nuts with this.

Personally, I'm tired of all the shit about how TNA's stuff is more "mature" or "adult" and all this than WWE, yet we don't see any example of it beyond overt usage of blood that's lost its effect and a few dirty words that pop up here and there. I'm not buying into that crap. I think this could be a great way, however, for TNA to actually back up what it says by going all out with this. Not necessarily doing all the things that Madden says, or maybe doing exactly what he said in the article. At any rate, there'd be no doubt that it could be a very "adult" storyline if they want to go that route. Personally, I'd love to see it because it'd legitimately be edgy and mature instead of just paying lip service to those terms.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I don't think that the feud [ if there is one ] will be ruined if they don't go "all the way", but if they DO go all the way it's going to be some Main Event stuff.

TNA likes to mix kayfabe with real life, right? They like to play the crowd, include real life situations in their storylines -- well dig away TNA, there's lots to work with here!

I agree that TNA should capitalize on it. Clearly Angle was fine with Double J's comment, and that's commendable. As far as his kids go ... well ... who knows, maybe they hate their mother too. I wouldn't like my mother much if she ran off with one of my dad's colleagues. Angle's got a cock eyed family and one would figure that the kids have a weird mentality as well -- but fuck the kids, I wanna be entertained dammit!

TNA should just go bat shit with this. Fuck it. It's good TV. I love it when feuds get real personal, especially when they ... cross the line. The fans were so into it too, chanting "Kick his ass" after he made that comment. It caught me off guard too. Half of my brain was going "What a douche!" and the other one went "Fuck yeah, bitch!".

One thing that makes me think that they'll go nuts with this is the fact that Angle himself took some personal shots at Double J. You know, about how he held people down and how basically TNA was focused around Jarett all this time. I'm not too sure if I'm believing the dirt sheets much, but from what I've seen of TNA back in the day -- it damn sure looks like he WAS stomping people and glorifying himself in his own company.

Hopefully TNA will do the right thing and ... mess with their personal lives. If not -- that's fine, as long as we see their stellar promo work so far get even better and a fine ass wrestling match as a pay-off -- it's all good with me.

 

[a0161613]

The first problem I have with this is Karen Angle cutting promos. That is also the second and third problem I have with this.

She doesn't need to come back to TNA.

This interaction was a highlight of the show. I thought it was great. I don't think that they need to push this "adult" but being brutal, stiff and forceful like their segment was. That kind of believable action with natural chemistry and the good story behind it will hook fans.

If we get a repeat of the great matches from a couple of years ago then I will be very happy.

 

[TheBWO]

IF Karen Angle comes back to TNA, ....we all know what will happen. She will interfere in Angle's match almost each and every time, costing him the win. Angle will either a) hire someone else (ideal to bring back Awesome Kong), or b), there will be a volatile PPV that at the end, the swerve will happen and Karen will be back with Kurt (for TV's sake).

I have to admit, when the whole Edge/Matt Hardy thing was going on, I was tuned in like a kid watching his first porno. I couldn't wait to see how personal it was going to get---The Hardy's DVD helped too, but it was hard (for me, at the time) to really distinguish what was real, and what was storyline. Here's my deal: IF--and I can't stress how big that word is--high as the Empire State Building---IF TNA does this right there is a good story to be had, and possibly intriguing TV. I'm SO hoping that with Bruce Pritchard in the folds that his two cent opinion will not go unnoticed as to how to do things in regards to this angle. I honestly feel that because it's no secret what has gone on behind the scenes that this could really be one violent angle. Think about it....to the blue collar crowd, ---who HASN'T thought of lighting up your current wife's/girlfriends ex-boyfriend/husband? Of course, like the usual TNA diagram, this will probably play out longer than a normal angle. I just hope that if they decide to go six-eight months with it, they keep it FRESH!

 

[shattered dreams]

Ever since it seemed Angle and Jarrett had buried the hatchet I have been anticipating this very question. How far would they be willing to delve into this situation in a worked variety? Say what you will about Karen Angle, she was pretty over in her time with TNA and it would be can't miss tv for a while if she was part of this story. The easy answer to the question is only as much as Angle is legitimately comfortable with. The success of these "worked shoots" TNA has been using is that they are either manufactured or resolved. If all Angle is comfortable with is one reference on impact to heat up a feud then that is plenty. How far would all the way be? Since someone brought his daughter up that is how far. What if they want to build up her tv exposure and essentially play out a divorced dispute over her on tv? First, her "evil" mom and jeff have turned her against her Dad, but the story culminates with Kurt winning back her affections. Basically a twist on the sandman-raven angle, an angle WWE wussed out on bringing back in the mysterio-punk feud.

 

[Shakin' Abe]

This is the problem. Who else does Angle have to feud with in TNA? He's done it all and this gets the title hunt off him for a while and lets the other talent have the spot light, not that Angle doesn't deserve it! Can the personal stuff go too far? Only if it bothers the parties involved because the fans will eat it up. Say what you will about Karen but I still think she's HOT!!!!!

 

[Rckstrtmmy]

There is NO TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO. This is ridiculous if there really was tension between the two Angle wouldn't be working in Jarrett's company. Period. But I actually agree with Madden on this one...don't just hint at it, use it. Go with it. RUN with it. This could be an awesome angle if they do it right...which they probably won't. But it's something every man can relate to and it's an angle that actually has an edge which is something WWE fans are looking for. It could actually get some people interested in TNA imo.

 

[LSN80]

Meh. I personally HATE the idea, and I usually agree with Madden. Tommy Dreamer and his wife were universally bashed(by Madden too0 for having their kids at ringside during their match at HardCore Justice. I don't think it matters what you tell the kids in advance, if they hear mom called a "****' on tv, that affects them. I get that Kurt and Karen were done before Jeff started banging her, so there's no tension between the two, but there's a fine line between using "real life" issues to advance a storyline, and doing damage to innocent kids who likely can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality at their ages.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Personally I think this is enough. I hope Karen doesn't come back, not because she can't play her part, she very well can but with her introduction, this feud will suffer from overexposure.

See if they keep Karen off-tv, there is always that realm that she's moved on and wants nothing to do with the storyline, while these two duke it out. THIS is what gives it that real-edge. If they all converge in the ring, for me, kayfabe is blown.

But if she stays home and these two have at it, it will give their verbal spar more potent venom. The Angle-Jarrett on Impact! was so well done. The cuffing to Taz's interference, everything, come off brilliantly.

Hopefully, when Kurt's healed up, they get the ball rolling again and keep it between these two guys only.

The other thing is the only way two huge heel factions can be watchable on a weekly basis if there are solid other feuds going on as well. This is one.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

There is NO TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO. This is ridiculous if there really was tension between the two Angle wouldn't be working in Jarrett's company. Period.

TNA isn't Jeff Jarrett's company anymore. Roughly 80% of it belongs to Bob Carter, Dixie Carter's father. You don't remember last summer when all this drama started between Kurt Angle, his ex & Jeff Jarrett? Angle was so pissed that he all but threatened to quit if Dixie Carter didn't get Jeff Jarrett out of TNA. Cooler heads did prevail to some degree, but somebody did all but disappear from TNA altogether for most of the second half of 2009. I'll give you a hint: it wasn't Kurt Angle. Having to be around and/or work with people you don't like is sometimes part of what being a professional is all about, whether that be in wrestling or any other job in life.

 

[ABMorales787]

TNA isn't Jeff Jarrett's company anymore. Roughly 80% of it belongs to Bob Carter, Dixie Carter's father. You don't remember last summer when all this drama started between Kurt Angle, his ex & Jeff Jarrett? Angle was so pissed that he all but threatened to quit if Dixie Carter didn't get Jeff Jarrett out of TNA. Cooler heads did prevail to some degree, but somebody did all but disappear from TNA altogether for most of the second half of 2009. I'll give you a hint: it wasn't Kurt Angle. Having to be around and/or work with people you don't like is sometimes part of what being a professional is all about, whether that be in wrestling or any other job in life.

It's been noted that the two have gotten along perfectly well lately. I've been looking for it for a while, but it was once reported that Kurt Angle was Jeff's best man at Jeff and Karen's wedding. I don't know if it's true, but the point is they are just ribbing each other. Secondly, it was done to write Kurt off TV for a while.

However should they come back to the Jarrett/Angle scenario, I would prefer a lower volume on the realism. I'm not really interested in a story about a man being screwed off his career devolving into a soap opera about Karen Angle's love life. "Going all the way" would sully the potential of another great feud between these two guys. It should be about Jarrett's revenge and Angle forced to retire. Not Karen Angle.