OFFICIAL: Vince Russo and TNA Part Ways

[Rayne]

Dude do you just stay here on Wrestlezone ?There are plenty of sites or Wrestling talk shows that constantly bash Tna !Just to name a few The Law, Pwtorch ,PwInsider .

You're posting on WrestleZone, to people that are responding to this thread on WrestleZone. What do other sites have to do with this discussion? I am referring to what happens here.

I am assuming you are not crazy enough to be responding to posters in other forums using another sites forum.

Staying Ahead?What I mean is not Reading Impact spoilers but giving away storylines and Heel and face turns.But now do you see these type of spoilers no and if you do then where ?Dirtsheets used to routinely give away storylines not anymore.

Fair enough. You answered one of my questions reasonably; the level of giveaways is not nearly as high as it was in the mid '90s. Now, as I asked in my original reply,

Who the hell is using swerve in the negative sense?

How is staying ahead of the dirt sheets important towards making money?

How is simply being unpredictable a good thing? Bobby Roode could take a shit in the middle of the ring on Thursday, and I certainly wouldn't be able to predict it, but it wouldn't make any money.

Give me what I want and then what?What about the million to two million other fans why I'm I special ?Everybody can't and will not get exactly what they want because it's impossible to please everybody .So if you're going to watch it why not try and enjoy everything?

1) Fans do not have a responsibility to enjoy a television show. This is becoming a more popular talking point around here, and it's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. You don't have to try and like something you don't like because you're already watching TV anyways. Only a professional wrestling fan would think an idea this insane would be rational.
2) Your assumption is that every single person is going to have a different take on what they want, and that attempting to please one person will leave two million other fans unhappy. This is the premise of your argument and it is wrong. The idea is to please as many people as you possibly can, not tell them "hey, just like it". Yes, the fans have a right to demand something they'd like to see, because if they aren't entertained then they don't have to watch.

My first post wasn't a sympathy cry for Tna or Russo .But a post to point out the wrongful criticism that this company continues to receive now when it's warranted then fine but when they get criticised for things that the critic missed or flat got wrong then that's what hard to accept .

Which has to do with this thread how, again? A sympathy cry for Russo would have actually been more on-topic than this, as you lashed out against people wantonly bashing TNA/IW when there was no one doing that in this thread.

 

[snoopy]

1st Those are popular Pro Wrestling news sites or Talk Shows as a Wrestling fan those sites are the only sites to read Wrestling news and opinions!

2nd If you go to these sites and there was something that happened unexpectedly instead of saying it was upredictible they called it the Russo Swerve! But in the late 90's when Russo was writing the Attitude era it was being praised as unpredictable !

3rd. Well I don't know but Vince Mcmahon is firing people for giving away storylines and Eric Bischoff is constantly at war with these dirtsheet writers, that shit must effect something or why wouldn't all forms entertainment just readily put there scripts and future plans on the Internet! By your logic it doesn't effect anything lets just throw it out there who cares huh?

4th. It's not simply being unpredictable ! It's the whole package and no matter what package you offer if I can predict match after match then you become boring ! Just look at the WWE Cena wins everytime drives fans away but if Cena loses orPunk does an inpromptu promo on how the WWE sucks then fans are excited wondering what's going to happen next.

5th. Damn dude how is it possible to please everybody and don't assume you know what they say when assume! And No not two million fans unhappy but what I see as entertaining might not be your cup of tea . That's all, you said you don't like the garret bischoff storyline I don't mind it, it's okay to me!Your tastes are obviously different then mind . It's about giving things a chance and not having a predetermined idea that it's going to suck!

6th. I lashed out people with the power of influence and would you please get the hell out your tight ass bubble ! This thread is about a creative writer change in Tna, And there's plenty of people with Influence that on the fence fans read or listen to! So if one of those fans is contemplating giving Tna, a try , The negative write ups or blogs and talk shows could cause that fan to reconsider. Cause Tna not to grow their ratings and fanbase and which in turn could cause a man to lose his job.

 

[Rayne]

1st Those are popular Pro Wrestling news sites or Talk Shows as a Wrestling fan those sites are the only sites to read Wrestling news and opinions!

I entirely disagree, and once again, this has nothing to do with the fact that we are on this thread, debating people who are posting here. Are you really, actually, responding to people who aren't posting on these boards???

2nd If you go to these sites and there was something that happened unexpectedly instead of saying it was upredictible they called it the Russo Swerve! But in the late 90's when Russo was writing the Attitude era it was being praised as unpredictable !

We are not on these other sites. Those people are not speaking here, or responding to this thread. Thus, who were you addressing in your original response?

I do not care one bit what a random unattributed poster on another board says when it comes to discussion here. Nor will anyone else.

3rd. Well I don't know but Vince Mcmahon is firing people for giving away storylines and Eric Bischoff is constantly at war with these dirtsheet writers, that shit must effect something or why wouldn't all forms entertainment just readily put there scripts and future plans on the Internet! By your logic it doesn't effect anything lets just throw it out there who cares huh?

No, that's not my logic. I hate when people use that line, because they never use my logic. I didn't even make any case about unpredictability, I merely asked you to explain your argument that a lack of predictability was TNA/IW's best asset by explaining how it made money. Your response is that I obviously think scripts should be published in advance, which does not explain at all how unpredictability is a great thing.

For what it's worth, I don't think absolute unpredictability is necessary to professional wrestling. Yes, you protect your internal secrets, just like any other company. And just like any other company, secrets leak, so you keep the leaks small and controllable, as opposed to large and unmanageable. I don't make any case about total predictability.

4th. It's not simply being unpredictable ! It's the whole package and no matter what package you offer if I can predict match after match then you become boring ! Just look at the WWE Cena wins everytime drives fans away but if Cena loses orPunk does an inpromptu promo on how the WWE sucks then fans are excited wondering what's going to happen next.

I'm not at all sure what you're addressing here.

6th. Damn dude how is it possible to please everybody and don't assume you know what they say when assume! And No not two million fans unhappy but what I see as entertaining might not be your cup of tea . That's all, you said you don't like the garret bischoff storyline I don't mind it, it's okay to me!Your tastes are obviously different then mind . It's about giving things a chance and not having a predetermined idea that it's going to suck!

And the idea is to please as many people as possible. Yes, our cups of tea are different. I'm understanding why you might like the current Bischoff storyline. But the root of consumerism is "give me what I want", and your argument is that fans shouldn't complain if they don't like something; they should simply attempt to keep liking it and keep silent.

That's insane.

How is it possible to please as many people as possible? Market research and analysis, which is a field only a couple of hundred years old.

7th. I lashed out people with the power of influence and would you please get the hell out your tight ass bubble ! This thread is about a creative writer change in Tna, And there's plenty of people with Influence that on the fence fans read or listen to! So if one of those fans is contemplating giving Tna, a try , The negative write ups or blogs and talk shows could cause that fan to reconsider. Cause Tna not to grow their ratings and fanbase and which in turn could cause a man to lose his job.

This thread is about a creative writer change in TNA/IW. Then you went off the rail and accused people of blindly attacking the company, which no one was doing in this thread.

Fans do not have a duty to promote professional wrestling if they don't like it. I don't think this should have to be such an overstated point, but apparently, it does. If someone doesn't like what they see, they are free to express that. Yeah, it could cause a fan to reconsider what they want to watch. This is called "user review", and has been going on since they invented the television.

If people don't think it's good, they are under no obligation to help promote TNA/IW by pretending they like it. The idea of disagreeing with something you don't like shouldn't be this difficult of a concept to get past.

 

[snoopy]

1st No! I'm responding to why a man was fired and giving my opinion as to why his detractors lack of thought contributed to him being replaced!

2nd. I'm addressing the whole situation not just Russo's out, but why is he out!

3rd Unpredictiblity isn't Tna best asset but it's essential to putting on a compiling thought provoking show. My opinion .

4th Your question was how is simply being unpredictable a good thing


5th No I'm not telling you not to complain, I'm saying that Pro Wrestling is a year round business and soon as something that you don't like comes it will go and be replaced with something you might like or something worse so why complain about things everytime something you don't like pops up. It's bound to happen so why get worked up iit's not going to last , because there's not many storylines that do ,so just focus on the ones that interest you.And that's why I said I didn't mind the Garret Bischoff storyline , Not that I liked it!

Right all forms of business tries to please as many consumers as possible but the reality is everybody isn't going to be onboard with everything they try that's should go without saying it's bound to happen but that doesn't mean that the plan should scrapped either maybe there's a good and satisfying end or maybe not , But one things for sure they shouldn't scrap it until it's finished !

6th Ok what the hell I'm I missing, is this forum for members to talk about everything or just what's contained strictly in this small bubble ? Now I get there's no spoilers but WTF!

Again I don't give a rats ass about accurate reporting but it's the inaccurate ones where you watch a show and the fan/critic missed a segement or completely miss understood what the writer was trying to convey it happens on this site and others that's all, and if you don't think that kind of stuff contributed to his firing then I don't know ? that's all I'm saying! THANK YOU I'M DONE!

By the way I did all this typing and replying using a PS3! so I couldn't respond like he did but hey I made the best of it! THANKS RAYNE FOR THE CONVERSATION!

 

[New Hot Fed]

Boy the wrestling fans are slow and it's sad! I Tna is doing great right now with their unpredictable booking and people just can't stand it. Tna and the WWE have finally gotten the upper hand on the dirtsheets and wrestling fans and critics don't know what the hell to do!

If people think that Tna booking is going to change their kidding themselves! Just look AAO PPV , That was a great show booked to perfection , It solved some questions and opened up some new ones so people can be excited for thursdays Impact Wrestling episode . And yet people still complain about the booking?

Tna is doing so many things right but the main thing their doing right, is staying ahead of the dirtsheets ! And fans and critics just haven't figured it out!It's funny how unpredictability has become a negative for Pro Wrestling and they've even given it a negative word "SWERVE''.

Wheter it's Bobby Roode losing at Bound for Glory 'when evetybody thought he would win' or James Storm winning the title on Impact ,the wrestling Insider had no clue! They couldn't predict it so Tna booking sucked, which I find to be ridiculous logic ,But that's the state of the Pro Wrestling Industry and some of it's fans,Give me what I want and if you don't you suck and I will not watch again until you do.

TNA/IW is doing well right now creatively but I wouldn't say it's because of their unpredictability. It's working right now BECAUSE they got rid of the multiple swerves and always giving the title to someone else. Post BFG they focused on Roode and have pushed him to the moon and have followed on that path.

If anything maybe they have bad ratings because it's a little too predictable, perhaps?

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Dinnngg dooong the witch is deeeaaad

I have LONG said TNA has the proper talent to make more noise than they do, its just neigh on impossible to become engrossed or attached to their programming because of how hair brained albeit utterly predictable (somehow, TNA has made that combination possible) their booking is.

WELL. Russo is gone now, so it appears their main roadblock is removed...Appears....Im excited sure, but lets all recall...RUSSO was the most hugest awesome booker ever before he came to WCW, and we figured out he only functioned well with the Vince Mcmahon filter on him. Who is to say Lagana wont be the same way? Or....dare I say it...worse? Impossible, you say? Well it just so happens TNA's tagline is "fucking up things that are impossible to fuck up since 2006" sooooo. You never know.

For now though, I am utterly brimming with optimism. Hopefully this works out well for them.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

@TNADixie:

TNA and Vince Russo have mutually parted ways as of this week. The separation is amicable and professional.

Finally official, per Dixie Carter's Twitter account.

 

[Lowdown]

Well being that he was replaced as head creative/writer a while back, I'm not expecting too much to be different. All I can say is I've been pleased in the product as of late and hope TNA continues to progress. Was never a fan of what Russo brought to the table in WCW, but he was hit and miss with me in TNA. Chances are he could be back later on down the line; if that's the case though, I'd rather him not be in charge of creative.

 

[MB1025]

He was not really replaced. He was still the head writer. Prichard became the head of creative. So Russo wrote the show and Prichard would have to filter it.

 

[Chrome]

Jim Cornette comments
http://www.tnawrestlingnews.com/headlines/jim-cornette-responds-to-russos-firing-impact/

Jim Cornette issued the following tweet when he found out Vince Russo was fired by TNA: “Have I died?!?!?!”

More details on TNA's creative shake up regarding Russo, Bischoff, Lagana, and Prichard http://www.tnawrestlingnews.com/top-stories/major-update-russo-fired-bischoffs-power-more/

Here are some new details on the TNA creative team shake-up:

* Dave Lagana was working on helping with pre-taped segments only at the TNA PPV. It doesn’t appear as if he has been promoted or is replacing Vince Russo yet.

* Russo was not at the show and it does appear as if changes to the creative team are in the works. No official announcement on anything has been made to the wrestlers or staff.

* It appears as if the lackluster ratings for the recent iMPACT! shows in London, England may have been the final straw to cause changes.

* Eric Bischoff would have been part of the decision to get Vince Russo out of power within the TNA creative team. The feeling backstage right now is that Russo is out and that he won’t be retained in any capacity with TNA.

* Russo’s exit would likely result in Bischoff having more power. Bischoff has consistently disagreed with Russo on TNA’s booking and storylines.

* As of now, Bruce Prichard is still head of TNA’s creative team. Wherever Dave Lagana ends up, it’ll be below Prichard and Bischoff.

* At this point, it seems as if Lagana’s role won’t really be expanding. He has downplayed his role, another sign that he hasn’t been promoted.

Source(s): PWTorch & PWinsider

I am optimistic as hell right now, no wonder TNA story telling has been much better the last 90 days. I hope these are good times to come.

I approve this move, Booking has been horrible for the last 5 years or so until recently. MUCH needed step in the right direction by TNA.

However Bischoff with more control? I don't know how to feel about that right now.. too optimistic currently over the Russo firing..

 

[GrandSword]

I've always been a Russo detractor. TNA was going so well until he arrived in 2006 and all of a sudden we got the Abyss shot his father storyline ...

In any case TNA needs fresh eyes and fresh ideas. Russo was still stuck in his attitude era type storytelling, where we need to be in 2012, where current young, relevant guys like the Motor City Machine Guns can shine.

The only problem is Bischoff and Hogan are still part of TNA. Hogan was an old man 15years ago... I really am not sure that the removal of Russo will mean anything with those too still in the mix. I guess we'll have to wait and see. The curent product has been solid, has that been due to Russo being on the outs? Perhaps, but then again, they are blaming him for the recent drop in ratings for the England shows...

So who knows really...

 

[MB1025]

TNA appears to have promoted Dave Lagana to the position of "Director of Creative Writing at TNA Wrestling." Lagana is currently using that job title on his personal social networking accounts. Bruce Prichard remains the head of creative with the title of Senior Vice President of Programming and Talent Relations.

Prowrestling.net

This what updated a few minutes ago.

 

[Self High 5]

Hooray. The meglomaniac freak is gone! May he never return.

Now, to bring in Heyman. Nah, just kidding. TNA need to continue what they've been doing the last few months and build a solid, but simple show, before they go trying any fancy new shit again.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I think it is good that Russo is gone, and hopefully this can bring in some new/fresh ideas to TNA.

why are people against Hogan and Bischoff? what specifically have they done wrong in TNA or in WCW to think they shouldn't be in TNA now?
if I remember correctly it was Bischoff who was the one that brought in Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to WCW, using their real names instead of characters, and had the idea of nWo. that was GOLD for WCW and what pushed them over the top to get better ratings than WWE. Bischoff was the one in control of WCW at the time. that was maybe the most exciting time in wrestling history, at least it was for me. every single week you didn't know what to expect. I remember numerous shows where there was something surprising to end the show. that's good TV.
I'm sure some could say that Bischoff was the reason WCW died, but that is incorrect. what killed WCW was the AOL/Time Warner merger and the new people coming in that had no interest in being part of a wrestling company. Bischoff himself even wanted to buy the company, but they instead sold it to McMahon. that wasn't Bischoff's fault.

I'm also sure some can bring up in TNA how Hogan/Bischoff started the Immortal angle. but can you blame them? it was similar to what was done in WCW with nWo. maybe they thought they could have similar success. they used a well recognizable name in Jeff Hardy to turn heel and be the champion. I do think there were things that could have/should have been done differently. start right at the top with the name, Immortal? no, bad. but overall it was a potentially good idea. imagine if they could have had this Bully Ray in the group from the beginning, as say the enforcer with Hardy.

I have to give Hogan a lot of credit for getting rid of that ridiculous 6 sided ring. that was just stupid. professional wrestling is done in a 4 sided ring, period. it should especially stay that way when you have many wrestlers back and forth from different companies.

I also think it should be remembered that TNA wrestling is a television show first, with wrestling. story lines/promos are just as important a what happens inside the ring. if you didn't have drama and excitement to bring in/keep the general viewers, then TNA would be dead.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Glorious in my view. It's too bad this didn't happen years ago as Russo is someone that has most definitely been bogging TNA down. I read a little while ago that his son, who also works for the company, has given his notice too.

I wonder how long it will be before Russo and/or his son gives an interview to some dirtsheet or writes a blog or whatever in which he'll spew an endless string of criticism and hate towards TNA. After all, it's the fashionable thing to do these days in wrestling. Maybe we'll be surprised and see Russo take the high road and conduct himself with class. It'd be refreshing to see.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Aparantly the changes in booking for the last few months was because Russo had lost considerable power.

 

[suffolkspur]

Quite frankly i couldnt care less if Russo has been fired. Ive long been watching TNA develop and at the times the booking has been frustratring however there has been many a story that has been developed when Russo must have been head writer that i have enjoyed.

I will say that i have seen more consistent storytelling in the last few months which has led to a much more improved Impact. If Russo being gone helps this continue then great.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I'm sure this is a headline many TNA fans and casual fans have been wanting to see for years, but Russo was never the main guy responsible for the show. There has either been Dutch Mantell, Jim Cornette, Dixie Carter, Bischoff, Hogan, and now Bruce Pritchard and Dava Lagana. Hogan changed the main event outcome at Bound For Glory. I really don't feel Russo leaving will have any major change in TNA. It seems like they have had some good shows over the past few months.

I think Russo has had little say on how Impact has been booked since Hogan and Bischoff arrived. It seems like there are always 4 or 5 people that have the ultimate say on how Impact is booked even though they have different positions within the company. So I'm not going to rejoice since Russo in my opinion hasn't made much of a difference. As long as TNA continues on the right path then I won't complain.

 

[shattered dreams]

Russo gets a bad rap but I do think he was burnt out and it could be time for TNA to benefit from a new perspective. I doubt there will be some big change though as I think most of this new structure has already informally been in place for a while. Should win them some IWC points though. At some point his baggage wasn't going to be worth it in his diminished role. I guess we reached that point.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Interesting development. If you've followed Russo throughout his career, you'd know nothing lasts. Great idea man, not so much when it comes to being in charge.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know what his actual role was within TNA. For a long time, the stories reeked of Russo (out of control, heel turns every six seconds, lots of screaming and backstage brawls, etc). Lately, not so much.

TNA has been much more under control as of late, and I'm not sure who gets the credit for that. Things aren't so crazy, so based upon my knowledge of wrestling history, I'd say Russo's influence had dwindled recently. Who knows, though.

Either way, I don't care. I started liking much of what TNA was doing months before Russo was canned, so I guess I can't say this is the turning of a corner.