Kasey
Connoiseur of the MILF
The only thing I could even think of when it comes to a rationale for the irrational booking of Cornette involving Angle and LAX is that he's just not afraid of LAX and doesn't see them as being a more credible menace. Either way, I like this whole thing better than the Dusty Rhodes and Zybysko schticks. Those were so old-hat I wanted to take a time machine back to 1985 where those storylines would actually work. I just hope Russo can inject some logic into what he's got going on within this next year. I don't totally want to knock the guy because he's had to tie up some loose ends that others had started and basically start over fresh after doing so. I think six months down the road, we'll have a much better view of whether his changes are a success or a flat out f**k-up.
I've seen a lot of Styles' matches, and I do believe he's worth the hype and is one of the best American workers in the game today. The thing is that if he doesn't have the proper time to tell his story in the ring, and more importantly doesn't have the right person to tell it with, then you get the same kind of situation that CM Punk is in. You know that talent is there because you've seen great matches and insane crowds that the guys have both controlled, but the television transition really screws over their gameplans.
I don't know about Cena. I've seen some of his UPW stuff that I honestly was bored to death with. It's probably just in what you like, I guess. I can honestly say, though, that I didn't even see why WWE would want to sign him in the first place, but then again, I'm pretty damn high maintenance when it comes to what I like in wrestling.
Man, I miss Lesnar. I watched some of his Japanese matches and promos and it breaks my heart to know that he could be in Batista's spot and Batista could be doing nothing at present, but Brock had to go nuts and play football?!? Like one of my favorites of all time says... "DAMN."
I honestly think that HHH has kept most of his talent intact and can wrestle a solid match. HBK, on the other hand, has become a routine man who lost all of his creativity that he used to display on a weekly basis back in his original run (and in limited encounters in the new run). Looking back, I wish he'd have stayed retired. VKM (specifically BG) has lost some of their step with regards to their speed, but I still find most of what they do in the ring more unique than what the current DX boys do. There was a time honestly when I could say that Dogg and Ass helped get HHH over because he was still a pre-steroid midcard schmo that hadn't yet humped the bosses' daughter, even if he was talented. I almost never thought I'd see the DX members end up on opposite sides of the fence. Time is a funny thing.
Whether or not VKM is a success/flop is strictly a matter of your like or dislike in their message and/or sense of humor. I love watching them poke fun at WWE. Their angle is obviously a success as DX has ceased doing the goofball bull$hit routine and taken an abruptly serious course. Hell, Michaels was against doing the angle to begin with because DX clashes with his newfound religious beliefs. The new DX pisses me off because I'd like to see Michaels and HHH's last couple of years used in something that's actually more relevant than a quick generation of T-shirt units. I think of their match at WMXX and it pisses me off to no end because they were awesome that night and I think that is definitely along the lines of how they should be used. Pushing the envelope and upping the level of competition. Not being wasted in slapstick. I see all the potential in the world with both companies, but WWE is limping into 2007 and TNA is still without a concrete direction.
E.Y. is on the undercard and isn't significant to the overall scheme of things (even if I do think he doesn't work half bad). The Jackass thing was the biggest misstep for that division that I've ever seen and I'm glad it died a quiet death. Roode has a boatload of potential but he's kind of like Steve Austin in that he has the tools, but he hasn't found his niche yet. That still doesn't make his dumbass gimmick any cooler. Aries' current work is just a homogenized version of Graham, Ventura, and Savage all rolled into one. I still think that he's being given the go-ahead within the near future as they're trying to establish his character, but I've yet to see where they can take a character with that lack of depth that Austin has. That takes nothing away from how well he can work, though. He should be one of TNA's key players in the next two years, if you ask me. Sting was brought in for quick TV ratings and to get the slot on Spike, which happened. He wasn't rammed down everyone's throats week in and week out and has only wrestled a handful of times since being back. Do I think he was a credible champion this time around? Not really, and that's coming from a HUGE Sting mark. I do think that he was never intended to hold the belt for long anyway and was just given the last title as penance for coming in and helping them get on Spike.
I do agree that there is a veritable who's who of TNA talent that isn't utilized as much as I'd like. There are also some guys who I think should never be televised or booked on Impact ever again. My two prime candidates are Norman Smiley and Lance Hoyt. Smiley was never worth airtime in WCW, and Hoyt is the poor man's Diesel.
I've seen a lot of Styles' matches, and I do believe he's worth the hype and is one of the best American workers in the game today. The thing is that if he doesn't have the proper time to tell his story in the ring, and more importantly doesn't have the right person to tell it with, then you get the same kind of situation that CM Punk is in. You know that talent is there because you've seen great matches and insane crowds that the guys have both controlled, but the television transition really screws over their gameplans.
I don't know about Cena. I've seen some of his UPW stuff that I honestly was bored to death with. It's probably just in what you like, I guess. I can honestly say, though, that I didn't even see why WWE would want to sign him in the first place, but then again, I'm pretty damn high maintenance when it comes to what I like in wrestling.
Man, I miss Lesnar. I watched some of his Japanese matches and promos and it breaks my heart to know that he could be in Batista's spot and Batista could be doing nothing at present, but Brock had to go nuts and play football?!? Like one of my favorites of all time says... "DAMN."
I honestly think that HHH has kept most of his talent intact and can wrestle a solid match. HBK, on the other hand, has become a routine man who lost all of his creativity that he used to display on a weekly basis back in his original run (and in limited encounters in the new run). Looking back, I wish he'd have stayed retired. VKM (specifically BG) has lost some of their step with regards to their speed, but I still find most of what they do in the ring more unique than what the current DX boys do. There was a time honestly when I could say that Dogg and Ass helped get HHH over because he was still a pre-steroid midcard schmo that hadn't yet humped the bosses' daughter, even if he was talented. I almost never thought I'd see the DX members end up on opposite sides of the fence. Time is a funny thing.
Whether or not VKM is a success/flop is strictly a matter of your like or dislike in their message and/or sense of humor. I love watching them poke fun at WWE. Their angle is obviously a success as DX has ceased doing the goofball bull$hit routine and taken an abruptly serious course. Hell, Michaels was against doing the angle to begin with because DX clashes with his newfound religious beliefs. The new DX pisses me off because I'd like to see Michaels and HHH's last couple of years used in something that's actually more relevant than a quick generation of T-shirt units. I think of their match at WMXX and it pisses me off to no end because they were awesome that night and I think that is definitely along the lines of how they should be used. Pushing the envelope and upping the level of competition. Not being wasted in slapstick. I see all the potential in the world with both companies, but WWE is limping into 2007 and TNA is still without a concrete direction.
E.Y. is on the undercard and isn't significant to the overall scheme of things (even if I do think he doesn't work half bad). The Jackass thing was the biggest misstep for that division that I've ever seen and I'm glad it died a quiet death. Roode has a boatload of potential but he's kind of like Steve Austin in that he has the tools, but he hasn't found his niche yet. That still doesn't make his dumbass gimmick any cooler. Aries' current work is just a homogenized version of Graham, Ventura, and Savage all rolled into one. I still think that he's being given the go-ahead within the near future as they're trying to establish his character, but I've yet to see where they can take a character with that lack of depth that Austin has. That takes nothing away from how well he can work, though. He should be one of TNA's key players in the next two years, if you ask me. Sting was brought in for quick TV ratings and to get the slot on Spike, which happened. He wasn't rammed down everyone's throats week in and week out and has only wrestled a handful of times since being back. Do I think he was a credible champion this time around? Not really, and that's coming from a HUGE Sting mark. I do think that he was never intended to hold the belt for long anyway and was just given the last title as penance for coming in and helping them get on Spike.
I do agree that there is a veritable who's who of TNA talent that isn't utilized as much as I'd like. There are also some guys who I think should never be televised or booked on Impact ever again. My two prime candidates are Norman Smiley and Lance Hoyt. Smiley was never worth airtime in WCW, and Hoyt is the poor man's Diesel.