Was Hardy Wasted on iMPACT!?

[sislater69]

First off, I apologize if this has been discussed elsewhere..

I just finished watching this weeks Impact and was rather concerned with the state of Jeff Hardy. I may be reading too much into it, maybe it was camera angles, blame anything you like and please tell me if I'm wrong but I will tell you what I thought I saw...

Jeff Hardy entered the Impact zone twice during the show, during the opening segment, and for the main event. Both times it appeared as though he stumbled down the ramp. The first time he then cut a promo on Anderson and Morgan, and basically talked gibberish.. I know, It's Hardy, that's what he does. I understand he has never been that great on the mic but he seems worse than usual.

Then after tagging out immediately at the beginning of the main event (on the orders of Morgan and Anderson perhaps?), he seemed to clown around a lot more than usual. While Kaz was in the ring there was a distant look in Hardy's eyes (again, I know not that unusual), and appeared to be having a hard time standing up.

We all know about the current ongong court case, and his history (and present and future?) with drugs, and about the problems at the most recent PPV. But did you see Hardy on Impact this week? Am I wrong? And, should TNA now seriously consider Hardy's future?

 

[Cats Pajamas]

I hope it was just coincidence, but, if he actually was then he'll probably be in the same condition next week. People who drink at work seem to think they're incognito and don't know when to cut the crap. If he was, which again I sure as hell hope not, they should be considering his future before he swantons somebody's head by accident. Now, with my little lecture out of the way, I can't wait to go home and tie a few on myself. Goodnight all!

 

[UnBEARaBULLfan]

It's called a gimick, its just part of the character he is portraying the new shoot style stuff Hogan was talking about everybody thinks of him as a drug addict so he's playing the part.

 

[dizzle1119]

I didn't see anything from Hardy last night that would lead me to believe he was under the influence.

I just think the guy is trying some new "things". He's never been a talking heel, so there will be some growing pains. He'll do things that don't work before he figures out things that do.

People are quick to point out ANY odd behavior from Hardy due to his "real life" problems. You really can't blame people for presupposing things, especially when so many weird things have happened with Jeff and Matt recently, but I really don't think the guy was stoned on Impact.

TNA does a lot of things wrong, but I honestly don't believe they'd let a stoned dude wrestle at a TV taping. If Hardy was stoned, and he hurt someone, it would be bad news for TNA, their parent company and wrestling in general. I don't think they'd allow that to happen. They may take a "what you do on your free time is your business" approach to Hardy, but no way would they let him work while under the influence...

 

[Nicole13Edge/HardyFan]

I think you are looking way to much into this. It is just apart of his gimmick. Jeff is supposed to be acting like a guy that doesn't care about anything but winning the title and keeping it and he is supposed to be conceited. Thats the way his charatcer has been since he was put in the stable immortal.

Now I love Jeff Hardy always have always will so I think its a gimmick, hes drinking and drugs day are behind him I think. Also I read that someone said that Jeff sucks on the mic and thats not true I think that he is great on the mic. So anyways its a gimmick and Jeff is doing his gimmick well.

 

[Dzone]

It may be a gimmick and all but he did legitly look drunk/drugged *lol*. If it was a part of his gimmick I'd like to see less "semi-falling-down-the-ramp" and more "freak-who-talks-to-himself-in-the-corner-of-a-dark-room"...

 

[It's Damn Real!]

How the hell would any of us know that by watching a broadcast? Did he fall over, piss his pants and have his eyes roll into the back of his head? Did they perform a drug test on him on the spot and confirm he tested positive for a controlled substance? Frankly, who cares? So long as Hardy is capable of standing, wrestling and/or delivering a successful promo, what business is it of ours what he does with his personal life?

If you ask me, this is a clear-cut case of fans seeing what they want to see, and not necessarily what's actually there.

You want a role model? Go find CM Punk or any ex-member of his Straight Edge Society.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

NO. I don't think Hardy was wasted during last night's Impact broadcast he looked fine, he delivered his promo well and look fine in the ring during the Main Event tag match. Hardy was Not Wasted.

 

[Carpathian Florist]

I don't think Hardy stumbles when he makes his entrance, it seems more like a mockery of the way he walks to me. During the tag match he mocked his little hand sign/dance routine he used to do as a face, I think that's what he's doing with his walk as well.

 

[LuvDaBoo]

It's part of the gimmick. He does the whole stumbling thing on purpose, he's always does some weird, quirky gesture when going to the ring. And the whole mic thing... that's just Hardy.

 

[sislater69]

How the hell would any of us know that by watching a broadcast? Did he fall over, piss his pants and have his eyes roll into the back of his head? Did they perform a drug test on him on the spot and confirm he tested positive for a controlled substance? Frankly, who cares? So long as Hardy is capable of standing, wrestling and/or delivering a successful promo, what business is it of ours what he does with his personal life?

If you ask me, this is a clear-cut case of fans seeing what they want to see, and not necessarily what's actually there.

You want a role model? Go find CM Punk or any ex-member of his Straight Edge Society.

OK, wow, sorry. Like I said in the original post, this is just what I saw. Be that right or wrong, it was an opinion.

Did he roll over, piss, etc.. no. Should we care? Well, yes we should care.

Do we want to see people, entertainers or otherwise, piss their lives away? no.

This has all happened far too often. To say 'why should we care?' is exactly what is wrong with this fucking business. Did you care when Eddie Guerrero died? What about the Von Erichs? Crash Holly? Or how about Brian Pillman, Umaga, Davey Boy Smith, Test? Fuck I could go on for a long time.

Simple answer is 'no'. You don't give a shit because you had your entertainment value out of them, so fuck 'em. right?

 

[MoneyMack]

I dont know if he was wasted or not- honestly. But there is NO way he should be pretending to be drunk or stoned for a character/gimmick! That would be totally rediculous! If he's doing that- what does that really say about TNA? Thier champ is doing a "druggy" gimmick? Come on! No way!

The thing about Hardy that I noticed lastnite- was how horrible he is on the mic when he's "live" and out in front of the crowd. When he came out at the start of Impact, when Morgan & Anderson were in the ring...the 2 of them started pretty much making fun of him. Everything he said out there was like he was working off a script, with the "married bitching couple" stuff (which im sure he was off a script- no harm in that i guess) But when Morgan and Anderson started ad-libbing on him, he didnt know what to do! It was comical! As Jeff 1st started talking, once he came out...Ken whispered something to Matt. I wouldnt doubt it it was something like: "lets fuck with him a lil bit & see if he can even react to it"

First- Morgan calls him Hogans little bitch boy. The only thing he can come back with is "oohh" and and chuckle of sorts.

Second- Anderson tells him his makeup is running and he responds with "real clever"

Lastly- Morgan says: hot topic wants their belt back, Hardy responds with "that was sweet" & goes right back into- "come on ken, matt is working you" RIGHT back to his script!

What kinda heel sits there and takes that from 2 faces? One that doesnt know how, or isnt quick-witted enough to come back with anything that isnt in his "script". Cuz if you notice, right after Matt & Ken made those comments- Jeff went right back to the script! To me it seemed pretty obvious. He could have at least seemed pissed about it, & not laugh at himself, no? That would be the LEAST he coulda done, as a heel!

By the way- Hardy got hardly any reaction from the crowd for anything he was sayin. Altho- he did get more boo's when he 1st walked out, then i've ever heard him get before. (which was probably requested of the fans, by TNA before the show started) But that really isnt saying much anyway- cuz he rarely gets boo'd to begin with.

And the ending: Hardy says something about con-men and this is what its all about(as he holds up the belt) He pauses (waiting for a reaction from the fans) and gets NOTHING! Then ends with "be there or be triangular... YOUR WELCOME PUNKS!" That got little to no reaction also. Is that a catchphrase? Reeally???

I remember watching this "back & forth ad-lib" between the 3 of them thinking: THIS is exactly why Hardy was the wrong choice for this role in Immortal.

Sorry Hardy fans- This guy totally sucks now! Drug or no drugs! He's nothing more then someone that fans used to love- cuz he would risk his body with dangerous moves from high places. Other then that- hes nothing more then...well...Matt Hardy! Which makes both of them, no better then say: Colin Delany???

 

[It's Damn Real!]

OK, wow, sorry. Like I said in the original post, this is just what I saw. Be that right or wrong, it was an opinion.

Did he roll over, piss, etc.. no. Should we care? Well, yes we should care.

Do we want to see people, entertainers or otherwise, piss their lives away? no.

This has all happened far too often. To say 'why should we care?' is exactly what is wrong with this fucking business. Did you care when Eddie Guerrero died? What about the Von Erichs? Crash Holly? Or how about Brian Pillman, Umaga, Davey Boy Smith, Test? Fuck I could go on for a long time.

Simple answer is 'no'. You don't give a shit because you had your entertainment value out of them, so fuck 'em. right?

This has nothing to do with caring about the welfare of the performers we watch. I actually do care about them, I just don't think it's my place to tell them otherwise. If Hardy wants to drug it up and TNA lets him, that's on TNA, not on me.

For the record too, I don't think he was fucked up — I think you saw him do what's been atypical Hardy-like things (hence, "Charismatic Enigma" — keyword being enigma), and then simply presume it was because he was jacked on meth because of the fact he's on trial right now.

 

[LSN80]

I think you're reading waqy too much into this buddy. I didn't see any of the "things" you did from Hardy, what I saw was a guy whose been playing his gimmick extremely well. He spoke clearly, and concisely, and cut two promos, not one. He got over the idea of there being dissention between Morgan and Anderson in a direct manner.

When I first read the title, I thought you were going to ask if he was used too infrequently. This just seems wildly speculative regarding Hardy and him being on drugs. I don't need a guy to be a role model or perfect in real life to entertain me, in fact, wrestling is a great escape from that stigma at times. I certainly care about his well being, but its not my place to judge him about what he does. That's for TNA to do. Obviously he's doing fine, as he's their World Champion.

So no, I didn't see Hardy as being "wasted" on Impact last night, whether it be literally or figuratively. He did his job within the paramaters of which he's required. This is much ado about nothing, honestly.