Man, the Elevation X scares me. I had some vertigo just watching Styles cut promo from atop it. I compare the chances of "having a good match" with the chances of "somebody actually getting seriously hurt" and I just don't think I like the odds. Well, a match without a gimmick is like a chicken without a beak.
LAX vs. Team 3D: This is the "Belting Pot" (pfft) match -- basically, a lumberjacks-with-leather-straps match, Latinos vs. Italians. Well, a match without a gimmick is like a pizza without cheese. LAX loses after getting close to no offense -- seriously, I'm pretty sure that Hernandez actually hit no moves at all. (Homicide hit a couple, but they were entirely ineffective.)
Sting cuts a promo -- he's going to take on Abyss in a Last Rites match, where in order to win, you have to strap your opponent to a "Death Bed," whereupon he'll be raise up to...uh, Heaven, apparently, where he'll get to decide how to live his life? Or something? I'm not entirely sure. Well, a match without a gimmick is like a monkey without a fez.
Lance Hoyt & VKM vs. Roode Inc. & James Storm: I'm furious that Kip insulting and berating Christie Hemme for weeks and tearing her clothes off makes him a good guy. Seriously, fuck that. There's some comedy and then Hoyt falls down and is pinned by Storm. Chris Harris comes out after wards and chases Storm off.
Andre Rison comes out to talk with Don West about Pros vs. Joes just long for Abyss to come out and Black Hole Slam him. Russo should hire Rison and change his first name to "Terra."
Contract signing (YAY!) between Steiner and Angle -- Angle says that he's here to help TNA grow and be better, while Steiner is here to rape TNA of every cent he can get. After the papers are signed, Steiner headbutts Angle -- while wearing the chain mail! AWESOME. Angle bleeds a bunch. Tomko and Cage run out to add to the beating -- no one comes out to save Angle.
Jerry Lynn vs. Austin Starr vs. Jay Lethal vs. Senshi vs. Sonjay Dutt: This is for a title shot against Sabin at the PPV, and it is, of course, a ladder match. Well, a match without a gimmick is like a pirate without syphilis. This could've been a really good 15-minute spotfest on the PPV -- it's not like there's any storyline AT ALL going on in the X Division, so why rush this? Anyway, Jerry Lynn wins. Bob Backlund comes out to congratulate him, and ends up putting Starr in the chickenwing again.
And so there was that.
--K
(edited by Karlos the Jackal on 23.2.07 0206) Last 5 movies seen: Jericho (1937) *** - Pan's Labyrinth **** - Flushed Away **** - Babel *** - The Prestige ****
We're getting Backlund/Starr at Destination X, aren't we. Good lord.
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
I only saw the first 30 minutes and then switched to 30 Rock. I thought AJ actually cut a pretty good heel promo this week. He played the heel role well, acting like he is the greatest thing going today, and then totally wuss out when the hero arrives. It reminded me slightly (just slightly, now) of the Rock from his 1st heel run where he acted like a bad ass until he heard the glass shatter for Austin's music.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
If I was wrestling, You could never pay me enough to do the elevation X thing. No way in hell. Ever. The way it looks, you don't have a whole lot of room for error, or you're not only falling off the top, but you're gonna land on the ropes or the floor or the pole. Innovative is one thing, suicidal is another. And Rhino is gonna gore AJ off the thing? Wouldn't that mean he'd fall off as well? They honestly give him no common sense at all.
Very boring show, even Macho Lethal Part Deux couldn't get my interest in it.
(edited by Packman V2 on 23.2.07 0744)
Co-Winner of the 2006 Time Magazine Person of the Year Award
Wait, so the Elevation X structure is essentially two thin strips of wood mounted in a cross above the ring? And the bout ends when one guy gets slammed into the ring below? How the Hell is this gonna be any kind of match?
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
Originally posted by devinemanIs it just me or are TNA starting to dub in crowd audio on their shows?
As I was watching it, many people were getting awesome heat while the audience seemed to be stood around doing nothing.
I noticed it early into the Sting/Abyss angle, a few months back. Sting's mic picked up a faraway kid's voice clear as a bell. There was no other noise to block the sound, and the broadcast was running canned white noise from the audience.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
I would assume TNA feels like they have to alter the crowd noise, the fans tend to pretty much cheer everyone, heel or face. The exception was always Jarrett. It is probably difficult to get AJ over as a face if most of the crowd still cheers for him. Likewise for LAX.
I really don't care for the manipulation, but I guess it is necessary in the business. Lord knows TNA wouldn't be the first to do this.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
Besides the danger factor of Elevation X, what a guy to waste (Styles) on a match like this when he could be putting on an excellent match with any number of other people. Even just a straight-up match with Rhino would lead to a far more watchable match. I think back to the matches Styles had with Joe and Daniels not long after Joe arrived in TNA, and it's sad that they're wasting him in something like this.
AJ has been an awesome heel ever since he turned, he and Christian and the Paparazzi skits are the only reason to watch right now. But yeah he's wasted on the Elevation X match and if there is some big spot you know he's the one doing it and well...TNA just might lose one of their few reasons to watch.
That being said I'll probably watch the next ppv. I'm interested what Angle can do with Steiner after Steiner did pretty well his last appearance. Christian and Joe could be really good too. And though AJ/Rhino and Sting/Abyss have yet another gimmick match they have good chemistry.
I am dreading whatever happens with Aries/Backlund though, what a waste. I know some think Aries is overrated but he's a perfectly good wrestler against the talent in the X Division but instead they got him feuding with Backlund. Ugh. Also the X Division match isn't all that inspiring. I'm sure Sabin and Lynn will have an ok match but get Shelley, Senshi, Daniels, and Aries into the title mix already.
I don't see what all the fuss is about this Elevation X match. It looks to me like it's just a scaffold match in the shape of an X. Which means it'll end the same way 99% of all scaffold matches end. One guy will be hanging from the scaffold by his arms and then drop and make it look like he just died. It's about an 8 foot drop, so I wouldn't worry all that much.
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