The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks: 08.21.09
Posted by John Meehan on 08.21.2009
It's the biggest party of the Summer! And Kurt Angle will cry if he wants to.
Welcome back, folks. And thanks for tuning in for your regularly scheduled week-end dose of intrawebz 'rasslin optimism as we wind our way down the home stretch toward SummerSlam 2009. And in spite of nonsensical storylines and dead-end guest host cameos, we're nearing the end of the summer which means that there really isn't a better time than this each year to start paying close attention to the goings-on within the squared circle (you do realize that the unofficial "Road to WrestleMania" kicks off no later than Monday morning, right)?
Plenty of drama to wrap up the dog days of summer this week -- so let's cut the small talk and get right to it, yes?
Rock & Roll.
The SELL of the week goes to Jeff Hardy, who hammered home the effects of last week's show-ending beatdown by moving at half speed all week long on this week's Smackdown! (Never thought I'd be praising Jeff Hardy for "showing up in no condition to perform" -- but here we are). But Hardy didn't just go about his normal moveset in slo-mo. Instead, he sold the offense of his main event opponents (The Hart Dynasty) with an added sense of desperation so as to underscore just how much pain he was in. Check out his tumble from the top rope and dead-weight realism at 1:31 into this video.
The TELL of the week goes to The Miz, who climbed the top rope and took a glancing spinkick in the forearms from Evan Bourne for his troubles -- but tumbled out of the ring and sold the impact as if he'd been decked squarely in the jaw nonetheless. This week was replete with botches from all over (Cristy Hemme and SoJo, Mickie and Gail, the camera work on the finish of the tag match at Hard Justice) -- but injuries and bad camera angles happen, while there was really no hiding the fact that Miz's face was nowhere near Evan's flying feet.
The Pope D'Angelo Dinero - The man formerly known as Elijah Burke made his official onscreen debut with TNA Wrestling this past Sunday, where he competed in a losing (though impressive) effort as part of the Steel Asylum X Division match. Dinero was last seen competing under his real name as a part of WWE's ECW "New Breed" prior to his release from the company last November.
Longtime readers of this column will recall that I'm a big fan of The Silver-Tongued Pugilist. At the time of his release from WWE, I said that "Elijah Burke is a phenomenal talent with a great look, a killer moveset, and a natural ability behind the microphone," and that this former ECW star was "clearly the biggest loss of the latest round of [WWE] roster cuts" when the company decided to let him go last fall.
The good news for TNA fans?
Burke hadn't been seen on WWE programming since May 30 of last year, which gives him plenty of time to wash the stench of a recent WWE pink slip off of himself in order to appear fresh and marketable to the new audience. This signing is a great pickup for TNA Wrestling, and "D'Angelo Dinero" has all the makings of a bona fide star if they handle him properly.
(Heck, he's already off to a better start than Shannon Moore, "The Punisher" Andrew Martin, Doug Basham & The Damaja, and so many other WWE-jects who merely landed TNA screen time simply because of their WWE pedigree).
For what it's worth, though --
When looking at the column from last November that discussed Burke's release from WWE, I couldn't help but notice this fun little trivia tidbit about the "ECW 2.o" relaunch along the way. Now -- almost one year later -- its interesting to see just how radically the landscape of WWE's third brand has changed. Take a look!
GRATUITOUS SELF-REFERENTIAL FLASHBACK:November 14, 2008
Hard to believe that a scant two and a half years ago, Burke was the veritable face of the "New Breed Unleashed" relaunch of ECW -- alongside such fellow performers as The Sandman, Kelly Kelly, RVD, Sabu, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Mike Knox, CM Punk, Paul Heyman, Danny & Doug Basham, Balls Mahony, Kevin Thorne, Ariel, and Marcus Cor Von... all of whom no longer perform for the ECW brand. [This] leaves only Burke and Tommy Dreamer (and Matt Striker -- now a commentator) as the sole remaining "ECW 2.o Originals" who were with the brand at the time of its relaunch and still remain members of the current ECW roster.
Courtney Taylor - backstage announcer "Courtney Taylor" made her WWE debut this week on Tuesday night's ECW broadcast. She appears to be filling the regular backstage interviewer role that had previously been managed by Gregory Helms (who we'll talk about immediately below). Taylor (real name: Beverly Mullins) -- a onetime Hooters Girl and Playboy model -- was signed to a developmental contract with WWE in February of last year, and has been training with their Florida Championship Wrestling territory since that time.
Looking for her NOT SAFE FOR WORK Playboy pics, you say? Click here.
The Hurricane - WWE's resident superhero "The Hurricane" made his official in-ring return as a competitor this week, looking great in a hard-fought contest that saw him besting fellow ECW superstar Paul Birchill to re-introduce him to the Land of Extreme. Interestingly -- as ECW commentator Matt Striker pointed out -- his WWE profile bills The Hurricane as a separate performer altogether from his well-known alter-ego in Gregory Helms. This lends credence to the notion that WWE intends to continue the "mystery identity" storyline of the caped crusader for some time longer.
As his website bio reads:
"More recently, The Hurricane swooped into the Land of the Extreme, where his true identity remains a well-guarded secret – though some of his opponents believe there to be a striking similarity between ECW's superhero and the show's resident reporter, Gregory Helms."
Fair enough, and I'm as willing to suspend my disbelief as the next guy.
Only problem is? Somebody apparently forgot to clue poor old Tony Chimmel in on the "mystery competitor" storyline and the all-important name change. Listen closely in the final seconds of this video to see what I'm talking about...
Sigh. Forgive Mee for showing my age here, for a second -- but where's Howard Finkel when you need him?!
Eugene - recently re-hired WWE superstar Nick Dinsmore (a.k.a. "Eugene" ) was suddenly and unceremoniously released from his latest WWE contract this week after just one appearance on Monday Night RAW. In an about-face that would make Hade Vansen blush, Vince McMahon himself made the decision to give Dinsmore the axe just weeks after rehiring the guy after seeing that the former WWE mainstay had put on some unsightly weight since his last stint with the company several years ago. While McMahon has always been image conscious (and with good reason, too... it is an ENTERTAINMENT company, ya' know) -- word has it that the boss has grown increasingly temperamental and prone to making key assesments based on first impressions, of late, and thus "Eugene" never really stood a chance.
Fact is --
"Eugene" was never hired to look like the best physical specimen in the bunch, but Vince saw his increasingly flabby physique as a sign that the man behind the gimmick wasn't particularly serious about his craft or worth the effort that it would take the company to get him back to a point of onscreen marketability. And given the circumstances that surrounded Dinsmore's rather high-profile termination a few years back, it's hard to blame the boss for his hesitation in giving the guy a second chance.
Sure, people can change and all. But not everybody out there is Andy Reid.
Hopefully, this sudden dismissal won't eliminate the outright possibility of seeing Dinsmore under a WWE contract again sometime in the future. Scrap the gimmick and keep him off TV if you must, but the guy is a tremendous in-ring talent, and can be used to great effect in an offscreen role as a trainer.
Don West - longtime TNA commentator Don West has been removed from his position at the company's announce table and replaced by former WWE commentator Taz. While no word has been given for the sudden decision to move Taz away from his role as Samoa Joe's "mystery advisor" as of yet -- all will (presumably) be explained when this change formally takes place starting with the Aug. 20 episode of iMPACT! (which will air shortly after this column's submission deadline).
Word has it that Don West will continue to be employed by TNA Wrestling, and that he has been internally promoted to assume new (though yet-undisclosed) duties in the company's marketing and merchandise department.
For now?
I certainly have a LOT of questions on the matter which I hope will be addressed on TNA programming in short order. For one, Don West has been consistently entertaining (arguably delivering his best work to date) since his "heel turn" several months ago. And Taz(z?) -- while certainly no slouch in terms of his own commentator abilities (when he actually WANTS to work, mind you) -- likewise seems to have been plucked from a perfectly good storyline in favor of his new position behind an announce table.
Hopefully, TNA will spin some sort of viable onscreen storyline for this rather surprising turn of events in short order. Obviously, there will be much more about this story to report (both in kayfabe terms and in regards to its backstage implications) immediately following the Aug. 20 episode of iMPACT! -- so stay tuned to 411 for more details emerge.
None - In a welcome development, there are no major injuries to report regarding currently active wrestlers over the past seven days.
Kurt Angle - TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle was arrested this past weekend near his home in Pittsburgh, Pa. following charges that he had violated a protection of abuse order obtained by his on-again/off-again, live-in girlfriend Trenesha Biggers (a.k.a. TNA's Rhaka Kahn). The Olympic Gold Medalist was charged with harassment, possession of two syringes of Human Growth Hormone, and driving on a suspended license. Angle spent nine hours in jail, but posted bail later in the day and managed to attend the Hard Justice pay per view as scheduled on Sunday evening. A hearing has been set for the morning of Sept. 15.
In a tearful and humanizing interview with local ABC affiliate WTAE 4, Angle gave his side of the story and maintained his innocence, calling his arrest "the lowest point" in his life, and claiming to have video proof that he was nowhere near the scene of the alleged crime. To view the video in its entirety (or hear the audio at least -- the video feed has been somewhat spotty), click here.
(Seriously, do yourself the favor and listen to the audio. It is tremendously insightful and goes a long way in clearing up a LOT of the half-truths and misquoted soundbytes that have surrounded this issue from both sides).
Obviously --
This arrest doesn't look good for Kurt Angle or TNA Wrestling at the outset. He's had a well-documented history of drug and alcohol problems, and "innocent until proven guilty" may well be the rule in a court of law, but the court of public opinion is an entirely different story. It's no secret that pro wrestling has long suffered a notorious rap for drug and domestic abuse, and this latest charge certainly hits close to home -- especially in the wake of the Benoit family tragedy of just two short summers ago.
That said --
There are a few things in this case that could work in Angle's favor:
There are no reported physical signs of abuse.
Angle claims to have surveillance footage of his vehicle at a separate location during the time of the alleged incident.
Angle maintains that he has a valid doctor's perscription for the HGH syringes found in his vehicle, and that the drugs were used for rehabilitation purposes only.
Angle's ex-wife Karen Smedley (TNA's Karen Angle) has actually come out in support of her ex-husband, maintaining that Kurt had shown no previous history of domestic violence during the course of their ten-year marriage.
MeeThinks?
If there is any one silver lining in this ordeal, its that Kurt Angle has gone on record as saying that the experience has been the single lowest point in his life. And that includes his broken neck, his divorce, and his well-documented history of addiction to prescription pills. If nothing else, this latest round of drama could well prove to be the straw that breaks the camel's back in finally giving Kurt Angle that long-overdue "wake-up call" he needs in order to get his head on straight and clean his life back up in short order before it's too late.
Bearing this in mind...
Angle's latest run-in with the law could end up giving TNA Wrestling good reason to second-guess their decision to give the guy the lion's share of their television time. What's more, Angle's legal troubles could end up costing him any influence he may have been gaining in TNA's backstage arena -- which likewise could end up seeing "cooler heads prevail" as Jeff Jarrett is quietly reintroduced to the TNA fold.
Heck --
As crazy and conspiracy theorist as it may sound, a private show of support Kurt's way from Jeff Jarrett could definitely help to mend the fences between these two real-life rivals in the long run. In spite of their differences, Kurt has already gone on record in total support of his ex-wife's behavior during this crisis, and one has to believe that the Olympic Gold Medalist would be similarly moved by a vote of confidence from the man who hired him to be a part of TNA Wrestling when he had no other options in the first place.
Obviously, there is much more to come on this story, and this week's iMPACT! could go a long way in shedding some light on where all this is ultimately headed. As always, stay tuned to 411 as more details emerge.
Main Event Mafia Retains at Hard Justice "All the Gold in TNA" Once Again Resides with Kurt Angle & Company
Well okay, maybe not "all the gold" (unless Cody Deaner is the newest member of the Mafia)...
But "all of the MEN's titles" (provided we remember that the IWGP belts aren't TNA's property)...
But anyway --
The end result of Hard Justice saw the Main Event Mafia successfully retaining the TNA Tag Team Championships (Booker T & Scott Steiner) and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship (Kurt Angle). Along the way, the stable picked up the TNA Legends Championship (Kevin Nash) and the TNA X-Division Championship (Samoa Joe), while their rulebreaking associates in The British Invasion (Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams) retained the IWGP tag straps.
In other words -- life is good if you're a rulebreaker in TNA.
In theory, the Main Event Mafia dominance will continue as the company now sets its sights on September's No Surrender PPV (there's a "submission-themed PPV" if there ever was one!). Cracks in the armor will then begin to appear and the storyline will come to ultimate fruition as TNA builds its home stretch toward their flagship pay-per-view offering with Bound for Glory in October.
"In theory," mind you.
The momentum has swung in full support of TNA's resident crop of rulebreakers, and there has never been a time better than now to build and pull the trigger on a triumphant band of heroes to unseat the older stars of the Main Event Mafia. This would bring the Main Event Mafia angle to its logical conclusion (where better to end the "biggest storyline of the year" than at the "biggest PPV of the year"?), and it would begin TNA's new booking year with a fresh cast of characters to carry the torch right where the Mafia last left it.
The trick is -- TNA NEEDS to pull the trigger on these new performers and storylines no later than Bound For Glory. Because if AJ, Daniels, Beer Money Inc., Matt Morgan and Samoa Joe don't find a way to escape from the shadow of the Main Event Mafia storyline sooner than later, then they're liable to find themselves sitting on the sidelines (or seeking work with another employer) until Nash, Booker and the rest of the gang finally decides to hang up the boots.
William Regal Founds a Faction on ECW Upstart Stable Gives Koslov and Big Zeke New Direction in the Land of Extreme
Last week, we discussed William Regal's "also-ran" status as a number one contender as well as the wheel-spinning undercard squashfest that had been the slow burn between ECW's Vladimir Koslov and Ezekiel Jackson. At the time, I said:
Fans appear to be growing increasingly restless (apathetic?) toward this whole Jackson/Koslov program. For the better part of a month now, the two behemoths have run roughshod over local jobbers and engaged in a "cold war" of sorts. Sadly, their momentum appears to be a simple case of "rinse and repeat" booking -- with each new week's ECW on SyFy broadcast feeling more and more like the last.
...
For Regal's sake, here's hoping that WWE uses the precious television time they have left to make this number one contender seem like a worthy opponent to a white-hot ECW Champion. There isn't much time for this, mind you -- but it'd be a real shame if fans filed out toward the concession stands during the ECW Championship match at SummerSlam simply because the number one contender is still too "new" to the title picture to be taken seriously.
In a matter of dumb luck or happy circumstance, it would appear that the ECW booking committee finally came to their senses and managed to pull the trigger on each of these programs as we'd suspected above. By doing so, William Regal now finds himself as the leader of an intriguing trio of brawlers that -- if united -- could well prove to be the single most dominant force on the ECW brand since it was revived in 2006.
Sure it's still only Vladimir Koslov and Ezekiel Jackson. But suddenly it feels as if the ECW Championship is actually in a real state of peril, as Christian could find himself the victim of a numbers game (TM Michael Cole) in order to put the gold into the ranks of William Regal's newest (and yet-unnamed) band of rulebreakers. It's not exactly Michaels vs. Jericho, I'll grant you -- but it's infinitely more engaging than "experienced veteran with no real direction gets a pity run with a third-tier championship."
'Sup, Chavito?
This week's random 'rasslin reference comes to us from none other than the Great American Patriot, Stephen Colbert. On Monday's show, the WristStrong pioneer discussed the latest round of political wranglings and what news pundits need to do in order to save this great nation from itself.
Looking for a bailout solution? Wait till 3:50 into the video for The Grandaddy of Them All:
That'll do it for Mee this week. SummerSlam is this weekend (hey look! A wrestling columnist actually managed to go AN ENTIRE COLUMN without making a "SummerFest" joke) -- so stay tuned for what could well be the end of an era or the dawn of a brand new main event landscape on over in Smackdown! territory. 'Till next time, enjoy the show and the dog days of Summer, and always stay positive.
Posted By: Guest#0850 (Guest) on August 20, 2009 at 11:17 PM
I am not defending the dreadful match between Mickie/Gail on RAW, but shouldn't we gave them a break as Gail reportedly got knocked loopy mid-way through the match. Supposedly, she got a concussion, thus being out on her feet until the final bell. It is like getting all over Brock for not doing a proper finish for WM XIX. A little slack maybe?
Posted By: JUSTINW (Guest) on August 20, 2009 at 11:39 PM
It is like getting all over Brock for not doing a proper finish for WM XIX. A little slack maybe?
Posted By: JUSTINW (Guest) on August 20, 2009 at 11:39 PM
It is NOTHING like that!
Posted By: Guest#5442 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 12:21 AM
great column great work on getting that kurt angle interview hes been one of my favorite wrestlers for awhile so i appreciate that and it shows he wont be charged with anything
Posted By: Alex (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 01:07 AM
Those whiffed shots always make me miss the days of Gorilla/Venture on commentary. Gorilla would be all over that stuff.
"Looks like that kick missed by a mile Jess, I don't know why he fell down"
"Maybe he's just playin possum Gene-o"
They would have sold that woman's match by exposing the totally missed "Mick Kick" but they would have went all out explaining how Gail wasn't expecting the forearm shot and the shot your not expecting can turn your lights out quicker than the flashiest big move.
Posted By: VintageMiss (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 01:29 AM
After watching that interview, I believe Kurt Angle is innocent. I can't believe a guilty man would cry like that, if he did it.
Also I hate when the IWC rips into TNA for signing "WWE-jects", especially when their beloved "Attitude Era" was ushered in by WCW rejects(Austin, Foley, Triple H, and Undertaker) I guess that means the "Attitude Era" sucked because of all the rejects right? Yeah I didn't think anyone in the IWC would agree with that.
Posted By: JWestmoreland (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 02:08 AM
"Only problem is? Somebody apparently forgot to clue poor old Tony Chimmel in on the "mystery competitor" storyline and the all-important name change. Listen closely in the final seconds of this video to see what I'm talking about..."
I wouldn't be too hard on Chimmel about ruining The Hurricane's identity; I noticed that the name HURRICANE HELMS is still prominently displayed beneath the Titan Tron during Helms' entrance. It's baffling how often the WWE just refuses to give that extra inch in the name of plot consistancy.
Posted By: Lance O' Leary (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 02:31 AM
Or play up the fact that Gail KOed herself. "That's why they call it high risk Michael."
Posted By: mlsq42 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 02:47 AM
Andy Reid?!
You know about Sunderland? Well there you go.
Posted By: Meehan is a Mackem (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 05:36 AM
Let's not be too hard on Chimmel about calling him Hurricane Helms, his identity can't be too much of a secret when it says it in huge letters under the 'Tron DURING HIS ENTRANCE.
Posted By: Bender (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 08:00 AM
you almost made it through the entire column without making a summer-fest joke. Where would the wwe be without Eugene. Remember musical chairs for a title shot. Ok, neither did I until I saw it on the best of Raw DVD.
Posted By: Matt Dawson (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 09:28 AM
"SummerSlam is this weekend (hey look! A wrestling columnist actually managed to go AN ENTIRE COLUMN without making a "SummerFest" joke)"
Thank you for that John, if I had to read one more "SummerFest... I mean Slam" joke, I was going to throw up twice.
Posted By: CyberSocko (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 10:02 AM
rearding The Hurricane...even at the very beginning of his entrance, the screen below the titantron says Hurricane Helms and he is introduced that way. Way to screw up his "identity"!!!
Posted By: guest (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 10:36 AM
1) Kim/James was fine until the finish.
2) Either Angle is the greatest actor ever, or he's telling the truth. I hope he uses this situation to turn things around.
Posted By: MDK (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Hey Meehan, how can you get on Tony Chimmel about the Hurricane Helms thing, when it says that right on his Titantron!!! He has been referred to as such since his return.
Hurricane knows its Gregory Helms. The fans know its Gregory Helms. Paul Burchill sure as hell knows who it is under the mask too. The angle they are playing is this:
"I know who you are. All these people know who you are. For you to come out here in this goofy outfit is an insult to our intelligence. You wanna pretend? Go ahead, but I'm gonna kick your ass for real."
The only problem is that they weren't bright enough to give him a mic to say all that. Better yet, isn't that why he is paired up with Katie Lea? To be his mouthpiece?
Posted By: Polish Post (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Hey, Tony Chimmel not only referred to him as Hurricane Helms at the end but he did it at the beginning too. Also, if you look at the entrance way as he is coming to the ring, the video on the entrance way wall says Hurricane Helms also.
Posted By: Guest#1011 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 11:23 AM
"After watching that interview, I believe Kurt Angle is innocent. I can't believe a guilty man would cry like that, if he did it.
Also I hate when the IWC rips into TNA for signing "WWE-jects", especially when their beloved "Attitude Era" was ushered in by WCW rejects(Austin, Foley, Triple H, and Undertaker) I guess that means the "Attitude Era" sucked because of all the rejects right? Yeah I didn't think anyone in the IWC would agree with that."
a) Love the complete randomness of the two thoughts.
b) WCW was widely criticized at the time for letting those guys go. It wasn't a Billy Gunn, or a Trevor Murdoch that was picked up. It was STEVE AUSTIN. CACTUS JACK. And save it with the Undertaker, he was in the WWF for 7 years before Attitude started. You must be one of those guys that claims WCW "made" AJ Styles, too.
Posted By: Guest#8429 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Guest#8429 -
I think there is some truth to what JayWestMoreLand said though. Your logic seems to be that the WWE "creates" anybody that walks through their doors, but you refuse to give WCW some credit for discovering and developing their talent. This is an old WWE/WWF bias that's still played out today with the TNA/WWE rival.
Wrestlers used to travel a LOT between WCW and WWF and certainly some have had more success in one organization over another, but I think you can only go as far as to state their degree of success and not lay claims over who "made someone". Did the WWF make Ricky Steamboat? Rick Rude certainly had better matches and more success in the WCW, but was he a "WWF reject" too?
In reality, it's mostly the wrestlers themselves that come up with the characters anyways (Steve Austin came up with the idea for his character in ECW, not in the WWF, they wanted "The Ringmaster") and the WWF has always been more character driven and into giving guys a whole new persona when they sign up so that they can trademark the rights in case it's a winner -- but for every great one they've come across there have been lots of stinkers too.
More importantly -- this is exactly how the WWF and WCW came to prominence (by stealing well known talent and promoting them to positions of power).
The online wrestling community always bitches about this when another organization brings in known talent from the WWF (Hogan, Hart, Savage, Nash, Hall and now with Angle, Tazz) but they always pat the WWF on the back when they bring in talent from another organization, calling it a masterful coup.
The bottom line is that names sell TV time -- TNA may need tomorrow's stars in order to survive in the future, but they need established talent to sell their TV program to those who've yet to discover them. You have to be very careful about when you turn over the keys to your new talent completely -- you try it out with a title win and you see if your mainstream audience response. If they don't respond well, you move the title back and you try something else. The WWE is no stranger to this either, they operate on the same principle. The Hogan/Savage --> Hart/Michaels transition was a PAINFUL one that almost bankrupted the company by 1997. WrestleMania 13 had a 0.73 buyrate. They were able to survive it, but a young company like TNA probably couldn't survive that much of a downturn in their business before they establish themselves as a reliable ratings earner, which is exactly what they've been doing over the past two years. I'm not particularly a fan of TNA, but if nothing else they are carving out a place for themselves with their consistent ratings, which are better then ECW's ratings during the late 90s wrestling boom.
Posted By: nwa88 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 01:21 PM
Kurt is innocent.
Posted By: MBD (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 02:44 PM
nwa88, perfectly written statement.
Also, to all of those people who think that jumping to the WWE is the best move for a person's career, just look at the "veteran who has no direction while holding a third-tier championship". That along should convince anyone in TNA that it's just better to stay where they are.
Posted By: JR (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 03:00 PM
Meehan... I must say that you are without a doubt my favorite 411 writer since the glory days of Chris Hyatte.
You are unique in your own right as he was.
I enjoy a break from the same negativity that has seemed to plague the IWC since the late 90's.
It's time we had a voice that isn't just trashing hyatte.blogspot dot come on everything and everything and calls it like they see it.
Thanks for the refreshing articles and the cool little features.
Here's to your continued success and long life for 411.
Posted By: A Meefan (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 07:40 PM
Dear GOD someone find out who nwa88 is and GIVE HIM A COLUMN ON THIS SITE!!!!!
That is the greatest comment ever on this site and it didn't get smarky or juvenile at all.
Some of you reading need to take a look and learn what it means to really enjoy this form of entertainment that we have all loved.
At 37 I have seen a lot of wrestling from the late 70's until now and I can say that most of what the IWC calls great would never have made it through the time frame I have been a fan.
Without Hogan/Andre there would be no Steamboat/Savage match to remember fondly.
B'lieve dat sucka
Posted By: Teddy Long (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 07:51 PM
nwa88 has probably posted one of the best written comments I've ever seen on 411...ever!
Posted By: da juice (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 09:05 PM
Thanks for the nice comments! It's always nice to get compliments like that. I'll edit it better next time haha.
Posted By: nwa88 (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 10:24 PM
I feel bad for assuming Kurt was guilty. I genuinely feel bad for the guy, now.
Posted By: Marcus (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 11:56 PM
I thought the main event of Wrestlemania 13 was Taker v Sid, I believe Bret took on Austin that evening as well.
Posted By: Guest#9449 (Guest) on August 22, 2009 at 04:19 PM
Ok, seriously, someone on this site has to find out who NWA88 is. That was better written and more thought out than 90% of the columns on this site.
Posted By: Guest#4626 (Guest) on August 22, 2009 at 04:55 PM
Also, to all of those people who think that jumping to the WWE is the best move for a person's career, just look at the "veteran who has no direction while holding a third-tier championship". That along should convince anyone in TNA that it's just better to stay where they are.
Posted By: JR (Guest) on August 21, 2009 at 03:00 PM
I'm assuming you're refering to Christian in which could not disagree more strongly. ECW is a show that has been steadily improving since it's inception and Christian has found his footing as the face of the company. His work has been outstanding lately, from his series with Swagger to his hardcore matches against Dreamer. He's even shown that he can elevate new talent while keeping himself strong in the process with his surprisingly good outing against Zach Ryder, which is no small achievment in a company that needs to start making new stars immediatly. Christian should have a bright WWE future if anyone is paying attention to the how good a job he's done since his return, and I assume by the consistency of his push that this is the case.
I think it's a mistake to deride ECW for being a third-tier company. While that may ultimately be it's place in the WWE hierchy, it doesn't really dictate the entertainment level of the show. Now that it's been cast in the role of introducing new FCW transfers to the WWE audience, it's taken on a fresh and less predictable feel. Christian makes a perfect champion for such a federation because he has enough experience carry the title but he's still relatively new to the top so he's nowhere near wearing out his welcome (like, for example, a certain slew of Hs).
I personally prefer ECW to TNA so from my perspective Christian couldn't have made a better decision. This isn't even considering the likelyhood that Christian's current role in TNA would almost certainly be nowhere near the height of the profile he received during his admittedly good first year in the company. I'm willing to bet he would have either swerved into the Main Event Mafia and would be in an uninspiring B-feud or he'd be leading the Machine Guns against the Eric Young stable and receiving a max of ten minutes of TV time each week. I'm much more interested in seeing what Christian does to counter Regal's new Evil Allied Powers stable.
Posted By: Beard Money (Guest) on August 22, 2009 at 08:52 PM
thanks for the obscure Leslie Gore reference early on.
She gets Johnny to come back later. See "now it's Judy's turn to cry" etc..
Posted By: big daddy gunner (Guest) on August 23, 2009 at 07:52 AM
Copyright � 2011 411mania.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
Click here for our privacy policy. Please help us serve you better, fill out our survey.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to our terms of use.
