The Ominous Thoughts News Report 6.24.07
Posted by Sam Caplan on 06.24.2007
My thoughts on Konnan and Ron Killings leaving TNA, a preview of tonight's Vengeance PPV, and a special message from STU!!
Well, I'm back with yet another edition of The Ominous Thoughts News Report, and though I've got a little message to deliver, that can wait until the end of the column. It's also going to be a slightly abbreviated column, but you'll find out why later. For now, let's look at...
The Real News
In my neverending efforts to talk about anything BUT the Vince McMahon death angle, I'd like to talk about the news that Konnan and Ron Killings are apparently both done with TNA. Let's start with Ron Killings: he had asked for his release prior to Slammiversary, and has not yet been known to have been granted that release as of this writing. The major problem is that he was said to be unhappy with the direction of his character for some time now. I can't say I blame him, the movie parody thing was funny, but something that should be relegated to one of the lower card joke guys, not a former two time World Champion. You know, my feelings are a little mixed on Killings. On the one hand he's a great worker, he can definitely talk, and he's shown in the past that he has the ability to deliver a heavy promo when need be. But for some reason, there's always seemed to be something lacking with him. I can't put my finger on it, but he just never seemed to have that "it" factor that gives him the aura of a true main eventer. It could be because of the way he's been booked, sure, but he's just not a guy I feel like I can get behind and believe as a legit main eventer. I consider him to be a lot like Chris Benoit in that Benoit's a top notch worker and can get a good match out of nearly everyone but, and I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for saying this, just doesn't have that "it" factor that can make him the real deal as a top guy even though he can probably outwork everyone else in the company.
As for Konnan, his story's a little different. While he has also been unhappy with the way he's been handled, another factor is that he thought TNA was going to help with the costs of his recent kidney transplant, but says that they backed out on him. Another factor is that AAA, the Mexican promotion in which Konnan is part of management, is considering expanding their operations into the United States, and the feeling within TNA was that if it came down to making the choice, Konnan would likely go with AAA over TNA. Konnan also has not been granted his release as of this writing, but was also thought to be done with the company. For what it's worth, TNA management has been very aware that their relationship with Konnan could come to an end at any time and had been deemphasizing him as of late in preparation of such an event. Homicide is being planned to be the mouthpiece of LAX going forward, and LAX is expected to get a renewed push in the aftermath of Konnan's departure.
I have mixed feelings about Konnan's departure. On the one hand, I think that Konnan was a vital element on the creation of LAX and that while they're both great workers, Homicide and Hernandez would have had a hard time getting as over as they did if they didn't have Konnan cutting the promos he was cutting as their manager. On the other hand, there is only so much you can take of "I hate whitey and they're holding the Latinos down" before it gets repetitive and starts to lose its meaning and relevance. One of the main complaints about Jim Cornette in Ring Of Honor last year was that his promos where he would say "I'm sick of minorities claiming that white people are holding them down when the reality is that they're just not good enough to compete" was that they became repetitive and it got to the point where some people would dread hearing him talk. Go read some of Brad Garoon and Jacob Ziegler's ROH DVD reviews from any show Cornette was on in the second half of 2006, they definitely felt that way and tell you so. Another thing is that LAX are two-time NWA World Tag Team Champions, and I think at one point they held the title for like five or six months straight. After a run like that, how can Konnan keep doing his one promo over and over? Like what, you held what your company considers the top tag title in the industry for half a year, and you're still being held down? It just doesn't work once they're dominant champions, see what I'm saying?
At the end of the day, I don't think either Killings or Konnan were that important to TNA's storylines that they're going to be a major loss, especially since neither has any real possibility of being picked up and pushed to the moon by WWE. This is probably not the popular opinion, but I also feel like TNA got as much out of both of them as there was to give. It's just business as usual.
The Final Word On WWE Vengeance 2007
WWE Vengeance is tonight, and AS ALWAYS, 411 will have live coverage starting with the preshow at 7:30 pm. This show is being billed as a Night Of Champions, with every title in WWE being defended...we think. Deuce and Domino are said to be defending the WWE Tag Team Title, but it was a last minute thing and no opponents have been announced that I know of. But other than that, let's look at the rest of the card.
The top match will be a five way WWE Title Match featuring John Cena defending the title against four former World Champions: Mick Foley, King Booker, Bobby Lashley, and Randy Orton. Lots of big names here, and it would seem that Cena's odds of retaining are slim. I think that of all the challengers, Bobby Lashley would probably be the strongest choice to win the title, but I think a much cooler scenario would be to have Mick Foley get the title. For one, not many people consider him a likely champion at this point (or even during his career, for that matter), but that's what would make the scenario perfect. Mick Foley has lost nearly every match he's been a part of from 2000 on, so people would be shocked to see him win the title, but would probably be like "Oh, he'll lose his first title defense", and then you can have him just keep beating people to make him credible again until Cena finally gets the belt back. Well, *I* think it would be cool.
There are also two other World Title matches which will headline Vengeance, the first being for the World Title as Edge defends against Batista in what is being billed as Batista's last chance at the title during Edge's reign. Thank god, let's hope this is it and he's forced to spend time in midcard purgatory for a change. Also, Chris Benoit will face CM Punk for the vacant ECW World Title. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Punk win the title, but I just think that now's the wrong time for it, Benoit should go over and Punk can spend the next few months chasing him.
MVP will defend his newly won US Title against Ric Flair, and I think that it's pretty tragic that nobody on the 411 panel picked Flair to win. My, how times change. Santino Marella defends the IC Title against Umaga, the man he won the title from. Can we say "quick squash and new champion? GOOOOOOOOOOD. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch defend the World Tag Team Title against the Hardys, and I think it would be a good move to put the title back on Matt and Jeff. The fans love them and I think it's good money to continue the Hardy Reunion Tour a little while longer. With the two titles nobody cares about, Chavo Guerrero, Jr defends the Cruiserweight Title against Jimmy Wang Yang and Melina defends the Women's Title against Candice Michelle. Whatever.
Again, our live coverage starts tonight with the preshow at 7:30 pm, so follow along with Larry Csonka if you don't buy the show...or even if you do and just want to see what Larry has to say about it!
Zac Calhoun takes a look at WWE's two Tag Team Titles in The Ripple Effect.
Sat & Uncle Trunx give the High Road/Low Road of the King Of The Mountain match.
Joe Estee's got the Keys To The Game for tonight's five way WWE Title match.
Phill Feltham comes up with an interesting scenario for an Edge-Torrie Wilson wedding in The Quick Talkdown.
By buddy Ari Berenstein sings the praises of one Austin Aries in Column Of Honor.
Finally, for the last time, it's MASSIVE SELF PIMPING! I go head on with Jacob Ziegler in Buy Or Sell, finish up my look back at ROH in 2006 in That Was Then, and then talk ECW and TNA in Friendly Competition!
* * *
What's that? Why was I self-pimping for the final time? Well, the answer is that this is going to be my final edition of The Ominous Thoughts News Report. It's not that I'm burnt out or reeling from all the negative emails I get (and there's plenty of those), it's just that things have changed in my personal life recently, and between this news report, That Was Then, Friendly Competition, and the frequent side projects I get involved with, I just don't have enough time to do everything and do a good job at it. I feel like I'd contribute more to the site by letting the news report go to somebody who has enough time to do a good, proper job at it. The job's already taken, and though I have no idea who will be taking the helm, I wish them all the best and hope that they're able to make it work where I feel I was not. I do want to thank everyone who's ever written in to the news report, whether positive or negative, for reading and thinking enough of what I wrote to write in and tell me about it, it was something I definitely appreciated. I'll still be around doing That Was Then and Friendly Competition, but I hope that all my loyal readers (if there were any) will keep reading next Sunday and beyond. Thanks again for reading, and I'll see you on Friday for That Was Then.
