The Happy-Go-Sucky Wrestling Report: 04.22.09

Believe it or not, I actually watched a TNA pay-per-view on Sunday night! Ok so I didn’t actually PAY to watch it, given I had a friend who paid for it and let me hang out, but I still managed to watch it. A lot of people seemed to hate Lockdown but I didn’t think it was half bad, given it was booked like it was 1997 although I have to say that the Philadelphia crowd really disappointed me this time around.

Anyway, just thought I’d get the TNAholics anonymous admission out of me before I moved on with the column. My sinuses are bugging me so Cue Banner!

News: Jeff Hardy could be leaving the WWE. Jeff’s current contract expires in 2-4 months. It is said that he does not want to wrestle for another company, but just wants to live life on his own terms.

Happy: I’m not one to judge but as I’m writing this opinionated column, I have to speculate here. And the only way I can speculate is to assume that by “living life on his own terms” means he misses being able to freely use drugs without having to worry about losing his job. What else could it mean?

If this is the case, then I’m glad Jeff will be leaving the WWE for multiple reasons. First, if he does in fact leave the WWE, then I’m glad he’s leaving without harming the company. Getting strike 3 for bad drug use would have got out all over the place and harmed the already beaten and bloody image of professional wrestling as it is.

Second, rather than continue to remain in the spotlight of the kids, he can walk away and do his thing without all his young fans knowing why. That is of course until they’re old enough to get on 411wrestling.com and read about why their hero quit.

Third, if he REALLY wants to go back to his own lifestyle that bad, then I say good riddance.

I’ve tried for years to remain positive about Jeff Hardy’s career and I’ve struggled with it since his last suspension early in 2008. And despite the fact that happened well over a year ago and he found his way to the very top of the mountain in the WWE, I still remained skeptical. And apparently, my gut instinct was right. This story, if the story holds true of course, is proof enough to me that Jeff Hardy does NOT belong in wrestling. And not just the WWE, but ANY wrestling organization and for that matter, does not belong in the minds of anyone but himself.

Go Sucky: Unlike many of you, I enjoyed Jeff Hardy’s work in the ring. There’s nothing wrong with having a guy that does a lot of spots to keep the show exciting. As much as I like a good, duke em out, mat wrestling match, I need a good spot to get me through some shows, and Jeff Hardy was usually the guy I could rely on for that.

We also have to remind ourselves that the WWE is focusing heavily on the kids now, and Jeff Hardy was a guy that could catch the attention of younger fans with his odd fashion sense and of course, the high flying spots. This was a guy the WWE really needed to expand its young audience and had trusted its main event with.

And it’s not the WWE’s fault here. They’ve tried to get him to sign a long term contract and perhaps Jeff is having cold feet about signing over his life for the next few years knowing that he won’t be able to go back to his old lifestyle anytime soon. The WWE even offered Jeff a one year deal so that they could at least keep him going through Wrestlemania 26 but Jeff STILL hasn’t signed it.

Does Jeff need that lifestyle back so badly that he’s willing to give up EVERYTHING for it? I mean it’s not a matter of “I want to go back to that life eventually”, it seems it’s more like “I want to go back to that life RIGHT Now!”

There are so many frustrating angles I could take this. But sadly, my sinuses are keeping me from forming full thoughts. So to put it in a nutshell, if this story holds true, I’d much rather see Jeff Hardy leave wrestling all together than to sit here and wait for him to get strike 3. Get a grip Jeff. Get a grip.

By the way, after writing this, Jeff Hardy posted a note on his Facebook page saying that this is a rumor and it May Not Be True.

If it wasn’t true, wouldn’t you be quick to shoot it down?

News: Mick Foley is the new TNA Champion.

Happy: I had only wished that Mike Tenay or Don West had ended TNA Lockdown with “That’ll put butts in seats”.

I think at this point, we had to expect it was going to happen, whether we as the IWC enjoy it or not. But it doesn’t seem like having Foley as the TNA Champ is such a bad thing from a business standpoint.

Ever since Foley got involved with the actual wrestling portion of TNA, TNA’s ratings have gone up. Last month, TNA broke their ratings record at least twice, all while TNA built up Mick Foley vs. Sting at Lockdown. It’s hard to argue that despite the poor opinion on our end, that Foley is working for TNA. If Impact scores a rating of 1.4 or higher this week, then I can’t help but to believe that it’s all about Foley.

As for Sting vs. Mick Foley, I thought it was a great match given their ages. I was really impressed to see Sting go “hardcore” and take hits from that barbed wire bat all the while dishing out some hardcore hits himself. Both men proved to me on Sunday night that they still have it. I’ll even go as far as saying that I’m excited to see Impact on Thursday to see the backlash from Foley vs. Sting. I don’t think there’s really anything else that interests me in the show but that enough will in fact, “put butts in seats”…on their couch.

Why am I so excited about Foley as champ? Because now, with Foley as champ, Foley has the chance to do what he does best. Put young guys over. Foley is and always will be a transitional champ and at this point and will lose the title in a couple weeks, and that’s ok given that Sting really put some prestige on that title, holding it longer than anyone has since the title became the TNA World Title. So it’s exciting to see in a couple weeks to see if TNA and Vince Russo will actually put someone over with Foley and create their own version of Randy Orton or Edge. But it can’t be rushed and I really hope that TNA will continue to capitalize on the popularity of Mick Foley so that their ratings will continue to rise after his contract expires, which I believe is sometime this summer.

Go Sucky: I had hoped that when Sting dropped that title, he would actually drop it to someone who would actually go to house shows and defend it. I seriously doubt we’re going to see Mick Foley hit the road anytime soon and wrestle 3 or 4 times a week. It’s been 6 long months since a Live Event crowd got to see that TNA World Title in person, and that’s just too long.

Then there’s that old “quit putting over the older wrestlers” argument. I’m tired of even trying to get that one across anymore.

Then there’s that long title reign for Sting again. In fact, it was Sting’s longest career World Title run in his long, illustrious career. That itself would have been a storyline to put a young, TNA wrestler over with. Instead, it’s Mick Foley ending it and it’s doubtful that either Sting or Mick Foley will be wrestling in 2010, much less later this fall.

TNA is clearly living in the now, and not preparing for its future.

News: Bobby Lashley debuted at TNA Lockdown.

Happy: I’ve always liked Bobby Lashley. Bobby Lashley the wrestler, not Bobby Lashley the speaker.

Now before we begin the terms “WWE has been” or “Throwaway Talent”, I have to give credit to TNA for actually finding a guy who’s under the age of 35 this time. Bobby Lashley is a young guy. He’s fit and athletic and fits the TNA Heavyweight mold quite well. This is a guy, if he does ever indeed sign a contract and wrestle full time, that TNA can build its future around.

I compare Bobby Lashley’s TNA potential to that of Matt Morgan’s. Neither of them were in the WWE long enough to really make a difference or really make it count. Lashley wrestled at one Wrestlemania in the semi-spotlight but that’s pretty much already been forgotten. Morgan’s career in the WWE ended when the creative mind that came up with the stuttering gimmick smoked crack and came up with the idea.

Now, if Lashley is indeed considered a “former world champion”, then that makes him eligible to join The Main Event Mafia. Which is also not such a bad thing. In the MEM, he can just wrestle. He can be the muscle of the Main Event Mafia while guys like Kurt Angle can be the mouthpiece. That’s a perfect fit right there.

Go Sucky: So Bobby. I’m sure TNA learned their lesson about contracts and letting wrestlers on their show without having signed a contract (see Andrew Martin). I’m sure you signed a big, hefty, contract.

Right Bobby?

The fact that TNA allowed Bobby Lashley on their show without having signed a contract is just dangerous. I mean hell, look at the WWE, Jeff Hardy’s contract doesn’t expire until around July and they are jobbing him out to his own brother left and right because he won’t sign an extension. But TNA allows Lashley to show up at one of their semi important pay-per-views? Are you kidding me?

The fact of the matter is this. Bobby Lashley doesn’t plan on wrestling full time in TNA. He’s more concerned with his MMA career. TNA on the other hand, has more WWE garbage talent than it has room for, and TNA originals like Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt are gone. So why does one or both parties even bother with this?

Did anyone actually order the pay-per-view to see who the former world champs would be? And if so, did anyone throw a beer bottle through their TV when they found out it was Stevie Richards and Bobby Lashley?

I have to say, if Bobby Lashley never steps into a TNA ring, and they only used him to get people to buy the PPV, they are going to have to do some ‘splaining. And quick.

News: Shad Gaspard, one half of Cryme Tyme posted the following blog on his Myspace Page.

1. Is it true WWE wants to release you and keep JTG?

No. I don’t know who started this dumb shit, but it’s not true. I don’t read wrestling news websites or magazine (excluding WWE Magazine) for one simple reason. They are bullshit. Just like you all before I got into WWE I did read them, but ones I got in I learned that the people who write and control these publications aren’t reporters or journalist, they are ass holes who write 5% fact and 95% bull shit (I’m being generic). Their sources usually give them half info so they have to make up the rest and they always contradict what they print later. I remember reading an article from PWI saying WWE was going to release Batista and put Golddust with a new group HHH was going to start. Really PWI? …I have read articles about my friends and other that are just dumb. And we don’t respond to them because we know they are not true. So the next time you read “PWBull Shit”, or “Lords of I Don’t Know What’s Going On”, just know that what you read on their web pages is 5% fact and 95% bullshit.

These web sites are going to probably start writing a lot of bull shit about me because I’m saying this and it’s all true. So this is what I say to you as wrestling fans. Don’t buy into there bull; enjoy the entertainment of professional wrestling. Let it take you to a place where you just want to cheer, boo, and feel excitement. And if these web sites have a problem with what I am saying I challenge them to step up there game, do some real reporting/ journalism, take real fan poles (PWI) on best “” of 20?? (Don’t just make your friends #1), name your sources (If they are so credible), and stop printing crap. Now I know they wont but the ball is in there court.

On the rag much big Shad?

I chose to put this in here because I actually agree with Shad. Mostly.

A few years ago, I had a chance to write for Pro Wrestling Illustrated. PWI is a very kayfabe magazine and it just didn’t seem like the write fit for me given I like to search for the truth behind the curtain, not become a part of the show. I don’t remember the bit with Golddust but I do remember at one point that The Hurricane and Edge were all being rumored to join Evolution at one point.

Here’s the bad part for Shad. This little rant is going to get pasted on EVERY SINGLE wrestling news site on the Internet. And I’m sure that’s exactly what he wanted. Because he thought he was making a point. And maybe he did, but that point is going to be lost on the IWC.

Sadly, there are a LOT of Cryme Tyme fans in the IWC. I was reading along with 411mania, like many of you were, during the WWE Supplemental draft when Shad was drafted over to Smackdown from Raw while JTG was left on Raw for a LONG time. Many people were getting REALLY upset at the idea that Cryme Tyme was getting broken up and many people felt that JTG, not Shad was going to get “future endeavored”.

I do not read very many negative comments about Cryme Tyme as a tag team, although I’m sure I will now that I’ve said that. The fact that Shad just went off on a medium that for the most part, supports him and hopes for success for him, is going to come back and bite him. There are vengeful people out there and he’s just opened a floodgate of nerds looking for his head on a pole.

I’ve watched Shad for a long time now. Since he was in Ohio Valley Wrestling, wrestling as Da Beast. Hell, I even did an entire column on him years ago when I was still writing The Crystal Ball. I’ve been a fan for awhile and I’m really hoping to see him wear tag team gold soon, but he’s going to have to keep his mouth shut. It’s unprofessional.

Trust me Shad, I’ve learned this the hard way. Do not feed the trolls!

News: The debut of WWE Superstars on WGN got a 0.9 rating, while TNA Impact got a 1.3.

Happy: That’s pretty good for a show that’s debuting for the first time with little advertising on the busiest night for television.

Does this mean that TNA has officially beaten the WWE in the ratings? Of course not. For one, totally different time slots. Second, Impact is deeply rooted in its time slot and has been for a few years now. TNA’s audience is loyal. Third, if I recall, Impact’s debut on Spike TV drew far less than 0.9, and TNA was STUCK on 0.9 for a very long time.

The comparison of those two numbers does encourage me. Last week, I was concerned that wrestling fans would go through overexposure. I mean, there are a TON of wrestling shows out there right now, and now, there’s THREE HOURS of wrestling on Thursday. The fact that Superstars was just a few listeners away from equaling its normal ECW rating and TNA didn’t lose any numbers is really encouraging.

Go Sucky: Part of me is a bit disappointed in the low rating for Superstars. There were a ton of great matches on Superstars and I think it was lost due to overexposure and weak advertising. In fact, I had no idea who was wrestling on Superstars without reading about it here on 411mania.

With 4 shows now, the WWE needs to do more advertising about Superstars on its other shows. When I heard about this show, I thought the WWE should air it on Wednesdays, given that’s the only day of the week that there isn’t any wrestling on TV. That way we are assured no burnouts or daily overdose. But that’s just my opinion.

Rapid Fire!

News: Despite not debuting at Lockdown like many thought, Taz is still expected to join TNA soon as Samoa Joe’s mentor.

How many mentors does Samoa Joe need to kill before he gets some respect?

News: Mike Adamle was on the Big Ten Quad with Eddie George, which was mostly to discuss college football. Adamle put over wrestlers as tremendous athletes, and also stated he was waiting to “get written back in”.

Not happenin’ Mikey. Good try though. I have to admit though, once Tazz left, I was scared that he may get another chance. I’d rather have Josh Matthews and his bleeding nose any day over Adamle.

News: Angelina Love suffered from a concussion during her match at TNA Lockdown.

She would have suffered a lot more had Kong not missed that top rope flip.

News: Monday Night Raw scored a 3.7 cable rating.

Wait hold up. I thought the Internet was supposed to ruin wrestling’s ratings!? How did a taped show get the same number as last week’s show?? Hrmmmm….

And with that, I am out of here. Until next week my friends, may my sinus cavities quit swelling, and may your lives be Happy…or Go Sucky!