Who Should TNA Fire?

[Boring]

I don't trust TNA personnel.

I don't like the positions that Taz, Al Snow, Team 3D, and Tommy Dreamer have been in recently. How can I like the idea that a group from a monetarily unsuccessful promotion from 20 years ago is the top announcer, agent, star (last year) and on again off again booking guy? A promotion that had cult success just because they were "hardcore" and though the production wasn't great, still copy righted popular songs. If all these guys were let go, I would not miss them.

Next is Dave Lagana. Aside from being a Smackdown writer, a show most WWE fans don't even care to see, or ROH writer, a show not known for it's promos, or a writer for one episode of friends, the episode with 6 acquaintances in it, the only other notable thing about Lagana is that some dude accused him of sexual favors for a push. Today, TNA doesn't need a writer of one episode of a comedy, they need someone who can write captivating drama. People who can play the part would help, but for now, I have to say Lagana ain't the man for the job.

Lastly, is the Big John guy. Gaburnik or whatever. He wants to give 400k or so to Alberto Del Rio and they want to make him a cornerstone/face of the company? Gimme a break. Screw that. This guy does not sink up well with my preferences in wrestling. Say what you want about Vince Russo, but that dude tried. If you gave him piss, he at least tried to convince you you were drinking lemonade. I don't want Russo back, cause he can't write captivating only shocking anyway, but I know this Big John, ex-WWE guy is not the answer either along with the rest of the WWE trained announcer, Taz and agent, Snow.

I don't even care to fire anyone from the roster because they are so inconsiquential at the moment. So who would you fire?

 

[Kamala316]

The one that sticks out the most to me is Taz, which sucks because I was a huge fan of his work back in the day. Over the past few months, it has been apparent that Taz has "mailed it in" with respect to his commentary work. There have been numerous times on TNA programming where Taz just goes on some random diatribe that has absolutely nothing to do with the in-ring product, storyline, etc. In some cases, he's even forgotten (mid-sentence) what he was talking about, probably not the best choice for one of your "voices of the company". At the end of the day, a commentator's job is to help tell the "story" / get talent over, and in Taz's case, it's not even close; he needs to go.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

So you're going to clean house? I mean, that's fine and all, but there's a pretty sizable problem that's going to come of this that you don't seem willing to talk about, or don't seem to have a plan for. Who is replacing them?

This is the right question to ask. Asking people who they would fire is easy. Everyone thinks they know who isn't doing the job right. Few think they know who would.

I'm far more interested in a discussion centered around who I would hire than who I would fire.

 

[Rayne]

I'm far more interested in a discussion centered around who I would hire than who I would fire.

Yup. I never like these "who should get fired" threads, because they always turn into lists of either performers people don't like, or people reading seven levels deep into a front page post that says Guy A is the secret political dealer in Promotion B.

However, this would be a good time for TNA to hire a fresh promotional/marketing team, even outsourcing that if necessary- and by definition, that means firing some people whose names I don't know. It's not a "they haven't done their jobs" issue (well, it kinda is), but TNA is in need of people with different ideas right now, as they're headed in a new direction because the old ideas didn't pan out. Get people freshly motivated to improve the brand.

Taking a company in a new direction is a good time to change up the staff and get people committed to the new vision, but it's the personnel backstage that needs to change, the by-and-large nameless people, not the performers on stage.

 

[Boring]

Taking a company in a new direction is a good time to change up the staff and get people committed to the new vision, but it's the personnel backstage that needs to change, the by-and-large nameless people, not the performers on stage.

This is exactly my point.

I do want to clean house and I think now is the best time to do so!
I don't have any names to hire, because I want those fresh faces. While hiring guys like Jim Ross/Paul Heyman is interesting, I don't want to see anymore officials who've worked the soul crushing WWE schedule and learned under Vince McMahon. If you worked years for that company 300 days a year, it's hard for you to not pick up their traits. Dreamer/Snow both trained WWE trainers/Agents. Taz, WWE trained announcer with Vince in his ear all those years. They've had Cornette, Pritchard, Hogan, Bischoff, and a long line of names backstage who've also worked WWE backstage and while some of it was successful I think it'd be interesting to go in a new direction.

With that being said, I realize that finding someone suitable who doesn't have WWE experience might not be possible, but I think it's worth a shot and would probably help with cost cutting.

One of my picks to replace Tazz would be Colt Cabana. If not Cabana, then someone who can be a witty/hilarious heel the likes of Jesse Ventura, Bobby Heenan. These are just ideas, but the point is that I want a big personality doing the color. He's not my favorite, but maybe give Christopher Daniels a shot? He's pretty witty I just don't know if fans will be as drawn to what he's saying, cause his promos never seemed to get over as well as they should of.

As for creative, I'd like to see TNA maybe give Scott Hall an advisor type role. He's a guy EVERYONE says has a great mind for the business and I don't find him to be deeply influenced by Vince McMahon. I know he's a risk, but that's why I'd have him in that role Vince Russo was recently in where he would just communicate ideas with the front office. He's a jerk, so anything to make that less of an issue and to benefit from his ideas seems promising.

As for agents, that shouldn't be that hard. Someone relatively young and fresh who has a large wrestling vocabulary as far as styles and matches are concerned. Like a guy well aware of the japanese, lucha, x-division and old school storytelling styles and giving us a mix when needed who also knows how to tone it down and preaches selling.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Yup. I never like these "who should get fired" threads, because they always turn into lists of either performers people don't like, or people reading seven levels deep into a front page post that says Guy A is the secret political dealer in Promotion B.

However, this would be a good time for TNA to hire a fresh promotional/marketing team, even outsourcing that if necessary- and by definition, that means firing some people whose names I don't know. It's not a "they haven't done their jobs" issue (well, it kinda is), but TNA is in need of people with different ideas right now, as they're headed in a new direction because the old ideas didn't pan out. Get people freshly motivated to improve the brand.

Taking a company in a new direction is a good time to change up the staff and get people committed to the new vision, but it's the personnel backstage that needs to change, the by-and-large nameless people, not the performers on stage.

Exactly. It's low-hanging fruit, anyway, and as a Moderator, it's a pain because it just invites the "lemme list everyone I hate for no discernible reason" people to... well, list everyone they hate for no discernible reason.

I'd imagine there were serious budget constraints on what sort of branding and PR/marketing routes they were able to take (I work for one of the largest on the planet), but that's an avenue this brand could absolutely benefit from, even if it's from a lesser company simply because they are ideas not coming from internal TNA, who like them or not, have lost the benefit of doubt. Even those with great ideas are now, fairly or not, lumped in with those with poor ones because the poor ones had a louder voice... clearly.

They have a great relationship with YourFightPage.com, who handle all their promotional graphics, etc, and I presume work hand-in-hand with their in-house graphics team(s). Step II to this equation would be then partnering that platform with the right PR/Marketing group to really reach out across the aisles to grab as many eyeballs and ears as possible leading into January 7th.

To be honest, the one avenue I think they're skimping on, despite the Carter interview coming up on JR's "Ross Report" is the podcast realm. I'd imagine it costs zero to get guys booked onto those broadcasts, so why aren't the major names in TNA, namely Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle and Gail Kim (among others) not making their rounds across Jericho, JR and Austin, as well as any other avenues open to them? That's a great way to chalk up some chatter before you go live. It's a great path to reinforcing where to find the new channel, what the new product is promising, etc.

 

[BuriedByCena]

If it was up to me, Dixie Carter would be fired. But since that can't happen, I am BEGGING TNA to not let her appear on TNA TV anymore. She is not entertaining. She is annoying. She is not a good heel character. She makes me cringe and tune out when she appears on the TV screen.

I also agree with getting rid of the WWE rejects. There is too many of them. I don't mind Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson or Bully Ray as they are good enough and have been around long enough. But the other losers like Tommy Dreamer, Taz, Al Snow, D-von and Fatt Lardy should not be there. It's too much. It cheapers TNA's product. I would much rather have new faces than has been's/never were's on the roster.

 

[Boring]

To be honest, the one avenue I think they're skimping on, despite the Carter interview coming up on JR's "Ross Report" is the podcast realm. I'd imagine it costs zero to get guys booked onto those broadcasts, so why aren't the major names in TNA, namely Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle and Gail Kim (among others) not making their rounds across Jericho, JR and Austin, as well as any other avenues open to them? That's a great way to chalk up some chatter before you go live. It's a great path to reinforcing where to find the new channel, what the new product is promising, etc.

I said the same thing about podcasts in my "Does the TNA roster lack ambition" thread. I can't help but think there is a complacency issue from the performers all around.

As for the topic of this thread, it has to do with timing. With TNA going to a new channel and talking about re-branding, I would of liked to seen them made some changes. I didn't mention any wrestlers and maybe should of made the topic exclusively about management, agents, bookers, writers etc.

What's the use of acquiring wrestlers when your booking/writing/match planning all stink, which I personally believe. For as held back and handcuffed WWE performers are, they still manage to put on quality matches, promos, etc. Dean Ambrose has said he hasn't liked one promo he's given in WWE and yet he's becoming a top guy. Now that can be him just being overly critical of himself but I have a problem with his promos because they're nothing like his indy and NXT promos and they're all scripted which he doesn't like. Not only are his promos WWE manufactured, but they have him wrestling/acting differently as well.

Whenever I see a guy like that I'm like "man, if he can be this good controlled by the WWE, imagine his potential in TNA and the freedom he would have!" But I'm learning more and more that that's not the case.

 

[FromGlasgow]

Basically you want to fire anyone who ever worked for ECW, Didn't Team 3D leave anyway recently and as far as I know does Tommy Dreamer even work there? Doesn't he run his own house of hardcore company? Also I can't see how firing an agent would save TNA, Also the problem with the comentary is there doesn't seem to be a lot of great wrestling commentators out there not under contract from WWE and capable at the moment, With the exceptions of maybe Jim Ross but can't see him being interested in the job. I would say they need to hire rather than fire especially now with the rumoured second weekly show for TNA.

 

[Adam X]

So you're going to clean house? I mean, that's fine and all, but there's a pretty sizable problem that's going to come of this that you don't seem willing to talk about, or don't seem to have a plan for. Who is replacing them?

This is the right question to ask. Asking people who they would fire is easy. Everyone thinks they know who isn't doing the job right. Few think they know who would.

I'm far more interested in a discussion centered around who I would hire than who I would fire.

Chris Hero and a few others who RoH is barely doing anything with.

Maybe lure away Rhett and reform ANX. They just need to learn to do SOMETHING with some of the guys they have.

King should be the face of the X Division and there should be an X Division not dicking around with it or putting it on the Zach Gowan clone which I know is coming.

Basically overhaul creative but give your roster something to do.

 

[Planet_Velvet]

With the change in networks, I think it's too early to think about firing anyone. See how the move plays out. See how it affects the stars that you have. See who adapts and who doesn't. After that, the "who should they fire" process would be a whole lot easier.

 

[GameOver]

everyone except Bobby Roode