The good news there is that TNA has plenty of potential new stars in people like Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, and A.J. Styles. While TNA fans are already familiar with these names, the larger audience still doesn't know them. What TNA does with these talents is crucial. So far, however, the signs are a mixed bag.
Styles is their current champion, but has also been given a character makeover as a heel who has been paired with Ric Flair. While Flair is probably the best teacher a young guy like Styles could have as far as nurturing the total wrestling package of in-ring skills and the ability to talk smack on a mike — Styles should also be given the chance to develop into an original character on his own. Right now, they seem to be fashioning him as a Flair clone.
Meanwhile, Christopher Daniels, who has had many great yet under-watched matches with Styles and others, appears to be moving down the card. I haven't seen much of Samoa Joe — an all too rare combination of size and skill in the wrestling game — at all since Hogan and Bischoff arrived.
I want to see TNA succeed. Not because I favor them over WWE, but because the return of a real competitor means that the quality of the product can only get better. But these are disturbing signs, especially given the history of Hogan and Bischoff's last run at the top together in WCW.
Hopefully, they will work out the kinks and TNA will emerge as a legitimate player in a new Monday Night Wars. This would be nothing but good news for wrestling fans.
Bur for the present, WCW appears to be back and its new name is TNA.
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Article comments
1 - Jonathan Sullivan
WWE has botched the Bret Hart storyline to the point of where I don't even care about it anymore. TNA is still a mess of crazy booking and bringing in stars like The Nasty Boys and turning AJ into the new Nature Boy is not helping, but this past Thursday's show was actually pretty good compared to 2009 as a whole. Jury's out.
I was a diehard WCW fan from 1992 until the final Nitro in 2001 and it scares me how much TNA looks like it's going down the same road.
2 - Glen Boyd
I'm with you Jon. It doesn't surprise me that WWE is botching the can't miss Bret Hart storyline so far...they had a similarly can't miss WCW Invasion angle handed to them ten years ago and botched it on the very first night (I was there at the Tacoma Dome that night). Since then they've pretty ruined much ECW, after one initial great PPV (the first One Night Stand).
As for TNA...I think it could work if they did it right, but so far it's so convoluted I can't even figure out who is who and what is what in terms of storyline and characters. Hogan and Bischoff so far look like a business-as-usual, prop up our friends, give minor pushes to a select few others, and bury the rest regime, and Russo seems to be literally be flying by the seat of his pants in terms of booking and storylines.
I have hopes this can revive wrestling, but I can assure you I'm not holding my breath.
-Glen
3 - Will
How can something be botched after ONE week?
4 - Nick
"How can something be botched after ONE week?"
Good question,....easy answer:
Just watch TNA & WWE and you'll understand.
5 - Glen Boyd
I'm willing to give them both a chance. I'm just not very encouraged by what I've seen thus far.
This Monday's Raw show has Hart back, and hopefully will advance that storyline. As for TNA, I'd just like to see the Hogan and Bischoff characters better defined one way for the other. Hogan's dressed in NWO black and his entrance music is very NWO'ish and Bischoff is as smarmy as ever -- yet I still get this weird feeling they are supposed to be babyfaces, which to me makes no sense.
Hopefully the coming weeks will reveal a better laid out story. We'll see...
By the way, the Observer just linked this article. So if either Dave or Bryan are reading, thanx guys!
-Glen
6 - Glen Boyd
The "Orlando Screwjob" deal with Styles, Flair, and Hebner (!) was pretty hilarious though...at least in a stupid, this could only happen in wrestling sort of way anyway.
-Glen
7 - Nick
"By the way, the Observer just linked this article. So if either Dave or Bryan are reading, thanx guys!"
Yep, this is how I found this! :)
"Bur for the present, WCW appears to be back and its new name is TNA."
Yep, and as long as Russo has anything to do with the booking in any shape or form AND as long as Hogan & Eric have ANY say, it will never live up to its potential.
I don't mind them (Hogan & Eric) not being clear cut heels or faces (50-60 % of workers should be "'tweeners" anyways with the remaining roster split into true faces and heels...allows for more variety in the match ups and is not 'stuck in the past super hero vs super villian' booking,) but they CANNOT be on compleate opposite sides of the spectrumpromo wise when they are both on camera at the same time.
8 - Ewan
TNA seems to be testing the waters to see how fans react to Hogan/Eric and The Band first before also defining their heel/face status in a climax. This is fine with me since it builds suspense as to how everything will pan out with these legendary key players. They shouldn't spoil this like the chickenheaded WWE did with the wcw/ecw Invasion situation.
9 - judith hedger
Why is Kurt Angle and Mick Foley on T N A Wrestling last week?
10 - Glen Boyd
They've both been with TNA for awhile now Judith.
-Glen