"Hulk Hogan stated on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show today that he recently met with Jerry and Jeff Jarrett about coming in and working for NWA: TNA. No other details were given.
Hogan has also been in talks with New Japan recently about working a show for them."
Depending on Hogan's asking price, I'd say that would be a smart move for the Jarretts. The buyrates would most surely increase for an appearance by the Hulkster.
"This is U.S. History, I see the globe right there." -- Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Oh Hell No. WWE can get away with pushing Hogan around a little and getting some J.O.Bs outta him-do you REALLY think Hogan's gonna do anything outside of squishing AJ and swanning around with the title belt for ten months at a time if he signs for TNA? I sure as Hell can't see him laying down for ANYBODY affiliated with the company.
And Lo, The Urine Shall Flow Freely In The Aisles, As Small Children And Frail Old Ladies Flee Before The Brutality, The Might, The Sheer Viciousness...Of ~EVIL COACH~!
I wonder how Vince Russo feels about this? If Hogan jumps aboard, that could mean he walks.
And here's a scary thought. The pieces would be in place for ANOTHER Hogan/Piper match. Work...rate? What that?
LS: You're sure going into the women's locker room will get us on TV? GD: Absolutely! And if it doesn't, I've got Max Mini ready to come out of retirement. HE'LL get us on Raw! Nothing spells ratings like MIDGETS!
I know that whole Russo/Jarrett/Hogan thing is a real mess ... but business is business ... if it fattens all their pockets, I think people will put their differences aside.
I'm a Hogan fan, but I don't wanna see him squash guys likes AJ, Raven, Jerry Lynn, etc. I think a couple of appearances could get NWA the attention they need.
"This is U.S. History, I see the globe right there." -- Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
You can't blame Jarrett (and maybe even Russo) for trying to talk to Hogan. There could actually a lot of benefits:
(1) His name recognition would be great publicity for TNA, much better than anyone else they've had today. Love him or hate him, look at the exposure he gave WCW. (2) If Hogan still wants to wrestle/be on a wrestling show, his options are getting kind of slim, save for some work in Japan. (3) Everyone (Russo, Hogan, Jarrett) are in place to finally pay off the WCW angle, if all of them agree to be sports about it. Though none of them are really known for doing what's good for the business 9 times out of 10. (4) Hogan-Piper match? Sure, on a WWE pay-per-view, its pretty damn lame. But I'd bet that TNA could get more buys for that match than any combination of AJ Styles, Raven, Douglas or Jarrett. Some people may mistake it for `Heroes of Wrestling II'. (5) Let's face it: in six months or less, you're going to be seeing Nash and Hall looking for work *anyways*, so why not start planting the seeds for another nWo reunion? Of course, you'd have to call the tNaWo or something, but still....
An EXCLUSIVE JAM-PACKED interview with The EPA? An open letter to Brock Lesnor that he has no doubt read by now? The very latest Ring of Horror news? All this, plus commemorating this week in history in the latest Inside The Ropes!!!
------------------------------------------------------------ The official Inside The Ropes archive!!!
"I wear it for the thousands who have died, believen' that the Lord was on their side. I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died, believen' that we all were on their side." RIP Johnny Cash
Originally posted by Scott SummetsWhy is Nash going to be looking for work?
I'm just working under the assumption WWE won't want an oft-injured useless over the hill worker on their roster much longer (see also Hogan, Hulk) and when it comes times to renew contracts, Big Daddy Cool probably won't be at the front of the line.
I could certainly be wrong...
An EXCLUSIVE JAM-PACKED interview with The EPA? An open letter to Brock Lesnor that he has no doubt read by now? The very latest Ring of Horror news? All this, plus commemorating this week in history in the latest Inside The Ropes!!!
------------------------------------------------------------ The official Inside The Ropes archive!!!
Doesn't Hogan still have his legal wranglings with Russo? Surely a move to sign up witha promotion in which Russo is a prominent part of will hurt any legal case he has going? (Does he still have it going?)
Originally posted by CripDoesn't Hogan still have his legal wranglings with Russo? Surely a move to sign up witha promotion in which Russo is a prominent part of will hurt any legal case he has going? (Does he still have it going?)
The case ended about a month a half to two months ago, I believe. Hogan lost, as it was decided that the verbal attack was towards the character Hulk Hogan, not Terry Bollea.
"The Universe is shaped exactly like the Earth- if you go straight long enough you end up where you were."
So did Hogan sue Russo for calling him old, bald and washed-up? AHAHAHAHAHA! Christ, he could clean up on some of the guys who hang around on here...
And Lo, The Urine Shall Flow Freely In The Aisles, As Small Children And Frail Old Ladies Flee Before The Brutality, The Might, The Sheer Viciousness...Of ~EVIL COACH~!
Yeah, I think that was the gist of it...the judge threw it out on the grounds that everything that was said could have been done so within the context of a wrestling storyline...in other words, the judge didn't like the work/shoot idea any better than most of the rest of us.
Look on the bright side, if they do bring in Hogan and he ends up fighting Piper then won't that keep him from making AJ Styles, Raven, etc job to him. Not that it really matters. I like AJ STyles as much as the next guy but let's be honest, he'd be lucky just to be in the ring with Hogan. Besides if Hogan does win the title and give Raven, AJ etc the biggest match of their careers then they atleast have Sting to count on to take the belt back. Which is another matchup that will draw more than any of their current main eventers.
Forgive me for wandering, but a thread a while ago highlighted how Hogan had made millions from the business and thus was more successful than Mick Foley, et al. I'd post a link, but well you all know me well enough by now to know that I'm just too much of an asshole for that.
So, my point is this:
If Hogan is this millionaire then why is he stuffing around risking what is left of his health in what is essentially a small time promotion, at his age and in his condition?
If I had his alleged money at his age my life would involve:
Somewhere with lots of sun and no cold; Drinks with umbrella's in them; And lots of chicks with big'ns, and baby they wouldn't be valets.
As far as NWA-TNA are concerned I can only see positives. Hogan won't ast long enough to become a REAL problem and he'll bring more casual fans to the promotion raising their exposure, etc.
Where does it say Hogan is going to sign with NWA-TNA for X amount of time for X amount of dollars? I don't see that anywhere. I could see a one maybe two shot deal, but Hogan isn't going to ink a long term deal with TNA.
Even if it did happen, and it won't, Hogan has more checkers on the wrong end of the scale at this point in his career, even when dealing with a promotion like TNA. We all know he was a horrible worker in 94, but he still could draw. That wore off by 96, so they reinvented him and he was fresh for about a year and he drew once again, but damn that wore off to an extent it killed the promotion. Him and The Rock drew the big buy rate for WM18, but didn't really carry over to subsequent PPVs. If advertised, it would increase buy rates initially. But Hogan by himself can't draw long term. Who takes him seriously?
Now, if Hogan agreed to a good long term program where he would pass the torch to the next generation, then it might be worth the debt. But... I think you'd have a better chance of getting a marble up mt everest with a spoon.
Besides this is Bubba the Love Sponge, I'd be careful to how much you read into a Bubba the Love Sponge rumor.
Originally posted by If I was a rich manForgive me for wandering, but a thread a while ago highlighted how Hogan had made millions from the business and thus was more successful than Mick Foley, et al. I'd post a link, but well you all know me well enough by now to know that I'm just too much of an asshole for that.
So, my point is this:
If Hogan is this millionaire then why is he stuffing around risking what is left of his health in what is essentially a small time promotion, at his age and in his condition?
If I had his alleged money at his age my life would involve:
Somewhere with lots of sun and no cold; Drinks with umbrella's in them; And lots of chicks with big'ns, and baby they wouldn't be valets.
As far as NWA-TNA are concerned I can only see positives. Hogan won't ast long enough to become a REAL problem and he'll bring more casual fans to the promotion raising their exposure, etc.
/2 cents
The same reasons many athletes hang on past their prime. They love it.
Jarret could use this opportunity to sign Randy Savage also.He could book Savage to have a "rap concert" ala The Rock. Have Hogan storm the ring and squash Savage setting up a match for those two.Thus taking away a possible confrontation between Hogan and Savage at WrestlemaniaXX.
Someone asked who takes Hogan seriously anymore. Maybe network people do. Hulk could *definitely* help them get a TV deal. He could legitimize the promotion in their eyes.
And I got to say, I've never ordered TNA before but I would tune in for Macho / Hulk.
I'm gonna suggest something that might get me banned: If NWA-TNA can offer an X division spotlighting the young guns who merge varying styles and attitudes, why can't the fed also offer a Legends Division giving us both a small showcase for the older but healthy names we grew up with and a physical link to the NWA tradition?
They already played with this cameos by Dusty, Nikita, Steamboat, Eaton, Morton, Race and others. Why not beef it up? Give us one match a week where these guys can put on a show, make some dough and remind the audience that you don't *have* to do complicated choreography and risk your fool neck to put on a good show? Doesn't have to be any longer then ten minutes on a weekly 120-minute PPV. If Hogan's presence can provide the momentum for such a showcase, then let him on the show. He'll again make it possible for these guys to pick up a paycheck.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Because they are pretty much irrelevant to making any kind of interesting, long-term promotion. Rather than living off of the legends of past promotions that have died out, TNA should just concentrate on being the best TNA it can be. By loading the shows with legend after legend and-inevitably-placing all the focus on them, you're pretty much saying "Hey! Remember when these two guys fought at WrestleMania V? Well here it is fifteen years later, and they're ten years past their prime, so what not shell out ten bucks for dredging up old memories by watching a match that's one tenth as good as you remember?" It's trading on the past to make a quick buck that never lasts, and that, coupled with the clash of overblown egos that such a plan would cause (limiting them to ten minutes? Come ON) rules it out as a positive for a fledgling group like TNA.
Man, I sounded REALLY like Keith there, didn't I?
And Lo, The Urine Shall Flow Freely In The Aisles, As Small Children And Frail Old Ladies Flee Before The Brutality, The Might, The Sheer Viciousness...Of ~EVIL COACH~!
My brother's response: Hey, you deserved it. RVD called you personally to ask you to order Survivor Series and you didn't. :-P [There was actually a message on my machine from Rob Van Dam, asking me to order Survivor Series.