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4.11.2008

Tha iMPACT! Playback: Face Tha Consequences

In the past I’ve had articles that were split 50/50 between love and hate of the product that TNA gives us week in and week out. Their live show was head and shoulders above anything they’ve done since the weekly PPV days. The past few shows were nowhere near.

I’ve also compared them to a mom and pop store trying to hang with the chain stores. I still think that is a very fitting comparison considering that TNA is still run like a mom and pop. They don’t take the risks they should to compete, no risk no reward my friends.

Other companies on TV, now just one, has several people that can draw. You put Shawn Michaels on an Indy show, people will get turned away. Same can be said for several guys, whereas in TNA there aren’t that many stand alone draws.

One problem I see with TNA is that they don’t let guys get over. Billy Gunn stated that Robert Roode could be huge, but not in TNA because TNA doesn’t know how to develop talent. Roode is coming along nicely, but that’s his work with Booker. TNA has a shitload of great workers, but we honestly don’t know if they’re good mic guys or marketable because they don’t get that chance.

Remove from your head the former Fed and WCW guys, Kurt, Booker, Christian, the Dudley’s, Nash, Steiner, Tomko, Sting, Billy and Road Dogg, Rhino, and Matt Morgan and tell me who TNA has that would truly draw. Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and Robert Roode are the only ones that would draw a consistent sellout at an Indy show.

Petey Williams is finally getting over as a character. That’s good for him. I hated the hair cutting gimmick though. I think hair cutting is something that should only happen in wrestling as a hair vs. hair match, but it does go with the story, but I’m hoping TNA doesn’t take too long to turn Petey, but I hope they don’t rush it either.

Consequences Creed is a name they’ve been hyping for weeks and if you’ll remember even brought him in as a member of Team Pacman when he teamed with Killings late last year. That match wasn’t fresh in my mind, but I did have certain expectations for him.

He lived up to them in that short match with Jimmy Rave. There were a few things that really impressed me other than his athletic ability. In the time he was in the ring with Rave he showed some knowledge of psychology. He worked the match. He just didn’t go out there and wrestle in it.

For those of you that follow Tha iMPACT Playback weekly you know how big a proponent of the TNA Rough Cuts I am. They are making this personal, not a straight promo. They make the upcoming match promising, and the payoff will actually mean something.

Keeping with promos, in one segment Sting and Nash both cut great promos. You may disagree, but I think they were incredibly solid and meaningful. Sting cut a promo about love and passion and there being nothing else. A wrestler’s promo and one that matters.

Kevin Nash cut a promo that was from the other end of the spectrum, but it went hand in hand with Sting’s and it too made a meaningful point. Whereas Sting is in it for the passion and it’s for wrestling, Nash is in it for the money.

I’m not going to work you guys and say that I have an impeccable memory, but when it comes to wrestling I usually remember my shit. When Nash was doing his initial challenge of Jarrett for the NWA strap he was talking about it being about the gold and the money, but then he had a medical problem, but they are showing consistency.

TNA seemingly pushed three guys towards the world title picture tonight. It can’t just be Angle, Joe and Steiner. Kip James threw his name in the hat, and while nothing may ever come of it, at least he put it out there. Nash said he’d go where the money is, and he previously said that the TNA title was where the money is.

Sting too basically entered his name into the fray. Lockdown will see Angle taking on Joe and the winner taking on Steiner the following month, and then the following month you’ve got Nash and Sting and Kip James with a very outside shot at the champ.

TNA did a lot of things right again, but they still just aren’t there. Broaden your horizons, do things outside of the norm, target a different audience, do something, because until you do, you’ll always be mom & pop, and WCW in the making.

Tha Results…
*Consequences Creed def. Jimmy Rave w/Christy Hemme & Lance Hoyt
*Steiner & Williams def. MCMG
*Roxxi Leveaux def. Angelina Love
*Super Eric def. Black Reign
*Sting & Nash def. Team 3D via Disqualification


4 comments: on "Tha iMPACT! Playback: Face Tha Consequences"

Anonymous said...

yea i love the promo with sting and nash.pretty dope to do it in that way alos.
but yea im going to order lockdown this one seems a bit promising even if for the bad promos. im excited for the queen of the cage match also. and that promo was dope

Anonymous said...

Here in the u.K we don't get iMPACT until Sat, but from what your written I'm really looking forward to the Sting/Nash Promos.

I can't say I watch iMPACT as religously as I do the E shows because it just doesn't have the same umph that the E does. However the solid build up they seem to be putting behind the Cage/Tomko feud and the hopes I have of Angle getting flattened by Joe keep me hooked enough that I sky+ (pvr) the show each week and watch it on fast forward atleast.

D.J.B. said...

Srr, I agree, I wont be ordering LockDown because I won't be in town, but I'll do my best to catch it at some point before iMPACT airs. Lockdown intrigues me, and I really want to see what happens with it. TNA is actually quite strong in the promo aspect, but there are too many of them and too little of "action" and I use that loosely because Jeff Jarrett thinks the story to tell in the ring is action. Just give me action while you tell me a story. Dance with who brung ya TNA, dance with who brung ya. X-Division and by God wrestling.

Shammy in all honesty we're about on the same page. If I do happen to catch TNA while it's airing that's good but I set it to DVR(at least we call it DVR here in the states) and I'll watch it on fast forward unless it's a promo or a match that immediately catches my eye.

To be honest, the first segment, all the promo's and the consequences creed match are all I'd put it on play mode to watch.

By the way Shammy you've given me an idea and expect due credit in my ECW article next week.

Anonymous said...

Ohh i'm all excited now!!! roll on ECW.

Actually this is probably the most excited i've been about ECW for a long time and it's nothing to do with the show!