Tha "iMPACT!" Dispatch

Ladies and gentlemen of Tha O-ster Nation, I would like propose a toast. So everyone, raise your glass high (remember, everyone, twice on the top, once on the bottom, once on the top) and let's hear it for nostalgia.

Let's hear it for the days when the wrestling mattered, and when your weekly televised programming was used to develop hot angles involving your top belts and top talent instead of having random matches take place.

Let's hear it for the days when, to be a main eventer, you had to deserve it. Let's hear it for a time and a place where the superstars who deserved to get over, got over.

By this point, you should know that I'm not fooling anybody. I'm not talking about WWF from the 80's, I'm talking about TNA.

First and foremost, let's talk Robert Roode. I was concerned that when Jeff Jarrett went away, so too did the push of Roode. For the moment, it would seem that this is not the case. Bobby is still getting a pay-per-view match, and although he will most likely lose to end this storyline, it should be a great match and will hopefully give him some much needed extra exposure.

It's amazing how, back in November, I was skeptical about this storyline, and remained that way all the way through mid-April, but now, it seems like everything for Robert Roode is falling perfectly into place.

Christopher Daniels is headed towards a big angle with Sting, which hopefully will serve as the launching pad needed to get this guy into the main event. My only problem is that Rhino was made to look weak again last night. I realize that he's already got credibility, and that TNA can throw him into the title picture at any time and fans will buy it. But still, you should rotate who puts over the young talent.

Speaking of guys who are in spots they shouldn't be in, what's the deal with Bob Backlund? I realize that the guy was an amazing technical wrestler in his day, and that he's still in phenomenal shape for a guy his age, but a match against Alex Shelley does nothing to elevate Shelley - a guy who is retardedly over.

Note to TNA - this is no longer 2004, he is no longer the "baby bear" that fans shit on. Fans like this guy. he's over, he's got charisma, and he should be in a storyline for the X Division title. Alex Shelley is what WWE wishes John Cena could be.

Quick side note - earlier this week, John Cena and Ron Killings bumped into each other at an airport. According to reports, they had a brief staredown before going their separate ways. Expect WWE to find some way to take a cheap shot at The Truth in the near future.

Getting back to my original toast, one thing we cannot cheer for is TNA's ability to book on the fly. With Jeff Jarrett taking some personal time off, TNA needed to find someone to replace him in the qualifying match tonight against AJ Styles. So, you would think that TNA would pick a hot face, like Eric Young or Jay Lethal. No dice. We got Tomko.

Tomko? Are you friggin' serious?! First of all, that gives you an all-heel main event, which is hard to push. Secondly, what the hell is that overgrown pile, Tomko doing in a main event anyway? The guy is over like Frank's fling with Maria, and has nothing to offer in the ring. If he was just a little taller, he could join Team Drizzling Shits.

As for the match itself, Styles went over. No big surprise there. What is surprising, however, is this - many months ago, I wrote an article saying that a match featuring Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle, Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, and Christian Cage would be one of the greatest matches of all time. Don't look now, O-sters, but we have three fifths of that puzzle complete!

With WWE offering matches like John Cena VS. The Great Khali, it's impossible not to like what TNA's doing right now.

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