wrestling / Columns
Your News, My Views 5.15.07
Introduction…and Things I want to talk about~!
Welcome to the weekly dose of news and views that you crave. I, as always am you host Larry Csonka. How are we all doing today children? I really only have one question for you…
WHAT’S CAUSIN’ ALL THIS? WOOOOOOOOO~!
The Dusty DVD is awesome. It fucking talks; seriously, it has a button, you push and DUSTY SPEAKS. So worth the cash right there. We had a great family day on Saturday, and those are just becoming so great and I am glad I now have Saturdays off. Let’s get to work, lots of stuff to discuss.
Sacrifice Podcast~!
That’s right, I have some new technology and PODCASTING is back. It’s me and the wife discussing TNA Sacrifice, SCRIMPS, The Tudors and More!
Check it out by downloading it HERE~!
FUCKING…
BROCK…
RETURNS~!
Today in Wrestling History:
Births and Deaths:
TNA stories, scuttlebutt and rumors:
Your News: TNA has received their new “TNA” World Title and Tag Title belts. They have also ordered a new X-Division title, so it appears as if the change from “NWA” titles to “TNA” titles could happen at anytime, even at Sunday’s Sacrifice show. The other big positive of the move is that TNA can license replicas of their titles. This is something that WWE makes a lot of money on.
My Views: They debuted the new stuff at the tapings last night, so I am curious to see what they look like. TNA basically plans to just start calling them TNA Titles and make the change quietly, which is best for them probably.
Your News: The Bashams are going as “Basham” and “Damaja” in TNA because those were their previous gimmicks in OVW, and they are not trademarked by WWE.
My Views: Makes sense, and the other thing is that THEY WERE NOT BROTHERS. They were guys in a BLOOD FEUD in OVW, and one of Vince’s assistants said, “You know, if we shave their heads, they would look alike” and they were made a tag team. Granted, they were a good tag team, but still, it sucked that they were used and abused the way they were in WWE. But they are in TNA and I am excited as I think they can add a lot to the tag division. And damn, they looked “WELL” on Impact.
Your News: TNA has a new special up at www.shoptna.com. For $59.99 you will get the autograph special, with signed photos of Sting, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage, as well as t-shirts for all three, the Final Resolution 2007 DVD and the Sting DVD TNA produced last year for $59.99.
My Views: I thought this was a misprint, so I headed over to the site to check it. Let’s see what we get:
-One Each: signed photos of Sting, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage (3 Autographs)
-One Each: Sting, Kurt Angle and Christian Cage T-Shirts (3 Shirts)
-The Final Resolution 2007 DVD
-The Sting DVD
Ok, well the DVD’s, even on sale, will run you $30 total. The shirts run $20 a piece, so that is $60. The autographs are sketchy to price, as they have personal value for collectors, but you’re getting $100 of shot for $60, that is sweet. Trust me, if I had not spent so much cash this month of various things, I actually would have picked this up. Check out the TAN Deals section, you’ll find some good shit there kids.
Your News: TNA will be running a house show at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island on Saturday, June 23rd, 2007. Tickets go on sale on May 18th.
-Tickets went on sale yesterday for the promotion’s 6.03.07 debut in Puerto Rico. The promotion expects to do well since Dutch Mantel knows what the audience likes and the fact that they have LAX, who will be natural faces there.
-Confirmed talent for the 6.15.07 Sheffield, Alabama house show are: NWA champion Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, LAX, Eric Young, Jeff Jarrett, Christopher Daniels, Jay Lethal, Alex Shelley, Robert Roode with Ms. Brooks, Chris Harris, James Storm, Gail Kim, Jackie Moore, Chris Sabin and Petey Williams.
My Views: They are running some tent shows up in the NE area as well. Some joked about them being tent shows, but in that area, these shows are actually famous. WWE has and still runs them, and Bill Cosby is a mainstay at these things. This just isn’t old carny wrestling under a tent shit. Overall as we have talked about before, and will continue to, this is good stuff for TNA. Stacked talent for Sheffield with Cage, Angle, JOE, AJ, JJ, Daniels, LAX all of top, plus the greatness of guys like Shelley and Young make this look like a tremendous show. This is good for TNA.
They are about to celebrate their 5th year, and with them pulling guys from other companies, they need to give them more work, and need to have more shows in order to grow. It’s the natural evolution of things, and I for one am happy to see it. June is a very exciting month for TNA the company, the wrestlers and **GASP** the fans. Yeah, contrary to popular belief TNA has fans. I know the haters would like to make you think otherwise, but they do. Trust me, I am a fan of the promotion and probably will be for a long time, but they have done some stupid shit since October or so. Well let me say they have done stupid shit all through the tenure, like any company, but particularly when the Messiah of Glory Vinnie Ru returned.
The good news is that they have made it five years. Sure you can ague that they have only made it because they have someone willing the lose money as a tax write off, BUT, the fact remains that they are still here. ECW died and IS dead. WCW died, dead. But for the last 5-years we have had TNA, and ROH. TNA has TV, they have PPV and ROH is getting some PPV. While we may not agree with everything they do, we should be thankful that we have this/these companies. Yeah, rock the fuck on.
Your News: There was no serious injury coming out of the Chris Harris vs. James Storm Texas Death Match at the TNA PPV last night. They were both banged up afterwards but nothing serious.
My Views: Thank goodness. It was a great match, sick blood and stiff shots and bumps. Good to hear everyone involved is fine.
Your News: TNA is considering putting out a DVD titled “TNA: Year One” which would be a documentary style look at TNA’s first year.
My Views: I think that they should. I also still think they should put out “The Asylum Years” on DVD. Shit, use that stuff and make some coin people!
Your News: TNA has released The Naturals, Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas. No word on why the two have been released.
My Views: The reason why is that Andy Douglas is an asshole and that after MANY, MANY tries at running with them as a top team, they never improved and in the end, they were NOT over. And if you cannot be over with the Orlando Crowd, heel or face, then you’re fucked. It sucks, I don‘t know if they peaked, or if they just refused to work harder, but they were with the company 4-years and given tons of opportunities, and well they blew it. They’ll be an Indy Team forever, the E won’t want them, they are small which is the first thing they hate. Plus they have the Majors Brothers, so no need for another team with that appearance. See ya.
…Intermission…
LINKZ~!
You all need to learn more about PURO. So read The Navigation Log as well as Destiny!
…AND I’M BAAAAAAACK!…
WWE/ECW news, notes and happenings to the EXTREME:
Your News: WWE held their 2007 shareholders meeting today in Connecticut. Vince McMahon addressed many questions from the audience. Highlights are below. My Thoughts in Bold.
– Said that WWE had a good year but that he wasn’t satisfied and never will be. He said that some things they tried didn’t work but that happens and that their goal is always to look to the long term.
Good, they should never be happy. When you get complacent, like they did right after the failed Invasion and they started to suck a cock.
– Talked about WWE Films. He really blasted Lionsgate for how they marketed The Condemned, basically blaming them for the film’s lack of success. He went as far as to say that they “sabatoged” the film. He said that they never promoted Steve Austin as the star, never properly explained what the story was about in the poster and trailers, and said that nobody outside of the WWE fanbase knew about the film. He put over 20th Century Fox for the job they did on The Marine. He said that WWE is close to reaching a new deal with Fox, which will see two theatrical releases and several DVD releases. He said that he doesn’t want to do anymore R rated films. He also said that with their current financial model for films, it is very hard for them to lose money on any of them.
Well, I am sure that there is some truth to this, because outside of WWE programming pushing the movie, I didn’t see a lot of Lion’s Gate promotion. But you can’t place all the blame on them. It was rated R, so they alienated a part of their audience. Austin isn’t active anymore, so honestly, doesn’t have the huge following he once did. And really, it didn’t look like a MUST SEE movie. I’ll see it, but apparently not everyone wanted too.
– He talked about WWE expanding into MMA, saying that they considered it but have decided against it. He said that MMA is everywhere it can be right now and that it will burn out soon. He said that MMA has no major stars and that it is difficult to invest in a fighter because all that investment can be undone if he loses or gets knocked out. He said the upside isn’t there for MMA or boxing in terms of WWE going in those directions.
“He said that MMA has no major stars and that it is difficult to invest in a fighter because all that investment can be undone if he loses or gets knocked out.” And that is why I am glad that you are not getting into MMA, because you know both jack and shit about it. If there are no stars, why did Shamrock and Tito do 700,000 buys? Why did Chuck and Tito do 1.2 million buys, DOMESTIC? Because the market well and have built stars. You know, I wish that when people didn’t know about things that they wouldn’t talk about them.
– He talked about the XFL, saying that the failure has not humbled him. He once again said that if NBC had not of backed out, the league would have been a success. He said that NBC backing out made all their other TV partners nervous and caused the demise of the league.
Yeah, he wasn’t humbled, that’s why people said he was going insane back then and his family was worried for his health. Also, he is delusional in thinking that it would have been a success, people set their opinion, they associated it with him and it got the negative stigma and they tuned out.
– Said the brand extension will continue despite the tri-branded PPVs. Said that injuries forced them to adapt.
The brand extension is fucked because of this. The wrong execution of the right idea, and Edge is a shining example of why this should have worked. He has been off of Smackdown for a long while, the injuries happen and he jumps, wins the title and NOW you have this:
Edge vs. Taker
vs. Kennedy
vs. Benoit
vs. Rey
vs. Booker
vs. Henry
Right there you have 18months to 2-years of the top booked. Why? Because he has been gone for so long and this is all fresh.
– Said that the ECW brand has not met his expectations. He did add that it takes time to build a brand and that ECW has a bright future.
And when you sabotage it, it also takes longer.
– He put over WWE’s international plans, saying they want to get more involved in South America and China, and that Linda McMahon is going to China in July.
Smart.
– Said that WWE has tested high definition and will be going to it within the next year.
Shocking, as they hated the HD tests because it “Exposed” them.
– Said there will be an upcoming WWE event called “Night of Champions” where every match will be a title match.
This PPV was called Backlash. Also MEMO TO ASSHOLE that keeps emailing me about WM, see, if you plan ahead, Every match CAN be a title match. Once again, I am right, and you fail at life.
– Said that PPV is headed in a direction where everyone will eventually watch them online or through other digital means and that the middle man of PPV providers will be eliminated.
That would suck, I like watching on my TV.
– Said that the cable companies are happy with WWE 24/7 but that WWE hasn’t put enough energy behind it yet.
I need to get that, it is supposedly available through my provider now.
– He said that there is an effort going on in the company right now to delegate more of his duties to other people because it isn’t wise to have so much responsibility fall completely on him. He said that if your last name is McMahon or Levesque, you have a good chance at succeeding him.
Smart, you never know when his heart will explode. Roids and 80-hour work weeks are a BAD combo.
– Said he doesn’t have time to do a book on his life.
Damn, that would be interesting if he would be honest.
– Said that WWE is trying to get back to the fundamentals inside the ring and that the in-ring product will be a place of big improvement over the next year.
Tremendous news.
– Put over WWE’s production and said they will continue to get better in that department.
Their production is great, and if they can get better, that will be an amazing thing.
– Said that TNA can succeed as a “niche product” but added that their biggest mistake would be to try and compete with WWE. He said he doesn’t have time to watch their product. Said that TNA needs to produce a different product to succeed.
TNA can be more than a niche product, so he is wrong there. But he is dead on in saying what you, I and others have said. TNA needs to produce a different product to succeed, not be WWE-Lite.
– Said that using celebrities has its place but only sometimes, since promoting celebrities takes away from promoting regular wrestlers. He mentioned how WCW never had success using celebrities.
Agreed totally.
– Said that he “doubts” WWE will ever follow the route of other major American companies and work with companies in terrorist states.
Terrorist States? WTF? Are Japan and Mexico Terrorist States now?
Your News:World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. today announced the promotion of Stephanie McMahon Levesque to Executive Vice President, Talent and Creative Writing. In her new role, she is responsible for overseeing the creative writing process for all television and pay-per-view programming and manages the talent relations department.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. today announced the promotion of John Laurinaitis to Senior Vice President, Talent Relations. He reports to Stephanie McMahon Levesque, Executive Vice President, Talent and Creative Writing.
My Views: Well, honestly, that has been coming for a while. It has basically been this way, this is just now making it official.
Your News: According to WWE.com: After an extensive MRI at the Birmingham, Ala. offices of Dr. James Andrews, WWE’s Dr. Ferdinand Rios now reports that the SmackDown Superstar’s triceps tendon “was not torn from the bone as originally reported and will not require surgery.” Kennedy still has bad swelling and with the severity of Kennedy’s hematoma, he is still looking to be out for 6-8 weeks.
With Mr. Kennedy now only expected to miss 6-8 weeks, expect another major change in the Smackdown plans. WWE will likely keep Kennedy on TV doing interviews and run-ins while he is injured. The Smackdown taping next week should indicate the new direction.
My Views: This is good news for him. They HAD to take the MITB off of him, because they didn’t want Batista with the title. Edge is a VAST improvement. He will recover and be back soon enough and can be a presence on TV still, which is a bonus.
Your News: WWE released both Rob Conway and Too Cold Scorpio.
My Views: Well, of Conway this was an instance of a guy never getting a chance to showcase his true talent. Such a waste as he and Dinsmore should have been helping the tag division. Scorpio just collected cash for a few overseas and house shows, and limited developmental work. Again a shame as he could have added to Smackdown or ECW.
AND tell me To Cold as MVP’s crazy uncle wouldn’t have ruled, especially with him teaching young MVP this:
Independent News…and maybe some MMA
Your News: Too Cold Scorpio returns to his adopted home, Pro Wrestling Unplugged, on May 19 for “Pride, Pain, & Punishment” at the New Alhambra Arena, 7 Ritner ST in Philadelphia, PA (bell time 7:30 pm). Too Cold Scorpio will also run a clinic in the afternoon of Saturday, May 19 from 3-5 pm. Cost is $25 and walk-ins are welcome on a first come, first serve basis.
My Views: Well damn, Scorpio just got himself back out there didn’t he? He probably expected this and had some shit all set up and ready to go, which for him is a good thing. For $25, it is VERY worth the price to hear what he has to say and get some training.
Your News: The NWA plans to hold a tournament this summer, spanning over several events to crown a new NWA World Champion. The top names being suggested for the new champion are Bryan Danielson, Brent Albright and Claudio Castagnoli.
My Views: I think this is a good plan, I mean, why blow in one night what you can use to get a few big nights of attendance. First of all, while there will be some “low level guys” from Bob’s New York NWA in there, if they do 16-men and are able to have 10 STRONG Indy names, then you’re good. 10 names I say, sure, let’s see what I can come up with:
Bryan Danielson
Brent Albright
Claudio Castagnoli
Chris Hero
Mike Quackenbush
Human Tornado
Necro Butcher
Roderick Strong (Current FIP Champion)
Sean Waltman (Current NWA Heritage Champion)
El Generico (Current PWG Champion)
If you can get Strong, Watman and Generico you can play that THESE champions are looking for more gold, and what better than to challenge for the “legendary” NWA Title. Plus Waltman, love him or hate him, is a name people know. Hero, Quack, Tornado and Butcher are big names on the scene and people know who they are. I am sure someone like Babi Slymm will get in there since he had a big part of that NWA Show on MAVTV. But with those 10 guys you could do some damage as far as good matches. Shit, try and get Scorpio and Conway in there as well. It could be fun, don’t know if it will mean much in the long run, but it could be fun. If Danielson, Albright or Claudio win it, ROH would be smart to play on that for PPV and have a show with an ROH, FIP and NWA title match all on the show.
Your News: http://one.revver.com/watch/267425/flv/affiliate/87879
NWA™ Executive Director, Robert K. Trokich announces that the storied National Wrestling Alliance® has ended its 5 year relationship with TNA Entertainment, LLC. Trobich also stripped Christian Cage and Team 3-D of the NWA™ branded Championships. A title tourney is being planned to establish a new NWA™ Worlds Heavyweight Champion.
My Views: It is official. TNA has also finally changed the belts as of the taping. So long NWA title, I’ll miss you.
Your News:Ring of Honor is set to tape their second PPV in Chicago Ridge, IL on Saturday, June 23rd. Confirmed matches for the show include Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA and ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoes vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico.
ROH champion Takeshi Morishima, Roderick Strong, Davey Richards, Rocky Romero, Naomichi Marufuji, Matt Cross, Erick Stevens, Delirious, Brent Albright, BJ Whitmer, Adam Pearce, Shane Hagadorn, Chris Hero, Larry Sweeney, Tank Toland, Jimmy Rave, Matt Sydal, Nigel McGuinness, Claudio Castagnoli, Jimmy Jacobs and Lacey will all be appearing on the show as well
My Views: They are smart. NY is a HUGE and good market for them and the building promises a hot crowd. Same for Chicago. Even if the shows are not blow away, hot crowds ALWAYS help, so good moves here.
Reader Feedback and Rants!
From John –
Hi Larry, I just wanted to write to let you know how much I appreciate your coverage of TNA news.
I also had a question. I thought that I had read a few years ago that Jeff Jarrett had bought an option on the NWA title or something along those lines (I think the NWA needed money or something) and that was to last in the neighborhood of 10 years? I can’t remember more details, but I’m wondering if you have any knowledge or insight on this and if that deal is voided with the split or does Jeff still have some involvement?
I wish I could remember more details of the situation, but reading about the split triggered this in my memory. If you have any info on this and would be able to share it, I’d appreciate it or if I’m full of shit and you want to tell me that that’s okay too.
From Matt –
I’m a long time reader of your work, first time writer mainly because I’ve
never really had a reason to write you. I usually take the stand of only
writing someone if I have a criticism, but I just had to tell you that the
5/11/07 Wrestling 4R’s may be your best one yet. You actually had me
laughing out loud (I refuse to write “lol” because I think it’s stupid and
lazy) with the lines about Missy Hyatt and Boogeyman running the ropes like
a retarded basset hound.I also completely agree with you on your opinions of Impact. When the show
first debuted on Spike, it was my priority wrestling show. For a while I
would actually go out of my way to catch Impact, many times watching both
the original airing and the replay, but lately I’ve just given up on it. I
wasn’t as skeptical as many were about Russo coming into TNA, but goddamn,
if Russo was a superhero he’d have the power of killing a wrestling fan’s
patience and optimism. It seems like the steady downward spiral of TNA can
be traced all the way back to the show directly after Vince’s return (and
Angle’s debut, come to think of it, but I don’t think any blame should be
placed on him; he’s a worker, not a writer). But the other day something
occurred to me: why in the hell does Russo have a job while the former mad
genius of ECW has simply vanished off the face of the Earth? There are many
people in the business who simply can’t stand Paul Heyman as a person, but
even they have to admit that he has one of the greatest wrestling minds of
all time while Vinny R.’s booking is starting to show how washed up he
really is. I’m seriously starting to think that he just uses a manatee tank
ala Family Guy to come up with ideas. Week after week, they just keep
throwing random shit at the wall and only a small fraction makes any kind of
sense at all. Don’t even get me started on VKM… ah, hell, I’m starting to
ramble. This was just supposed to be a quick little compliment message but I
got all caught up in the Russo bashing. Sorry bout that. Anyway, just wanted
to say I loved the column and am looking forward to many, many more.BTW, if you haven’t picked it up yet, the Ric Flair and the 4 Horsemen DVD
is boss. I didn’t even get into wrestling until about ’92, so getting the
chance to look back at the original badasses of pro wrestling was a real
treat. I was a fan of the Horsemen circa-94, but they couldn’t hold a candle
to the original line-up. Those Horsemen didn’t give a FUCK, they’d roll on
your ass no matter where you were. Arn and Ole would kick the shit out of
you at your birthday party at Fudrucker’s in front of your mom, while Flair
and Tully were banging your girlfriend on their private jet. Awesome,
awesome DVD, although the whole baiting the guys to rip on each other kinda
taints the whole thing.
From long time friend of the column, MANU –
Ya know what’s wrong? For the first time since I moved to NC (2000…..or 1999, if you want to count my 8 month co-op up/down here), I’m not attending a WWE show within reasonable driving distance. I’ve attended every WWE and WCW show that’s come to Raleigh, Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and charlotte (and one in Huntsville, AL, different state, but it happened in this time period while I was home for xmas), starting with King of the Ring 1999 (Austin vs. McMahon’s, ladder match) and ending with the upcoming raw house show in Raleigh on…………June 17th (sorry, had to look it up, because I don’t care enough to know the date even though I have tickets….and I had to set a reminder on my phone so I don’t forget). Tickets for the SD/ECW taping in charlotte went on sale today, presale a few days ago, and I didn’t buy one. As much as I like SD, I’m just not willing to drive 2 (or 2.5) hours to see a WWE show anymore, especially not if I have to drive by myself. My “reasonable driving distance” just got shortened to 1 hour (f’ville, Raleigh, WS…hehe, I just said f’ville…..). That’s wrong, when a fan for over 20 years isn’t willing to make a short 2 hour drive to see wrestling live anymore.
And finally from Victor on Edge –
I think Edge should be wrestler of the week, and here is a little historical nugget I don’t know if anyone is aware of:
Edge is the first wrestler to win both the RAW and Smackdown versions of the Triple Crown.
RAW Triple Crown–WWE, Intercontinental, World Tag Team Titles.
Smackdown Triple Crown–World, United States, WWE Tag Team Titles.At some point Edge has held them all, and is the only one to do so.
All he needs is an ECW Championship to make a clean sweep.
