So, is anybody besides me going to watch (read: TiVo) this? I've got a sneaking suspicion this will end up being "ECW on TNN: Part Deux", but I want to give it a chance anyway. The six-sided ring sounds intriguing, but does it seems like something that will cater to anybody style of wrestling? Is there anything an X-division performer can do with extra corners? What kind of matchups will we get? Re-runs of the PPV matches (that would be good.) Totally different matchups launching the rising stars like (Amazing) Red? Interview segments with Fairplay?
What determines success with this show, and what would convince you to watch it again next week?
Jeff Jarrett won the world title tonight, to the surprise of no one.
If TNA insists on centering the show around Vince Russo, then Impact has the potential to be even worse than ECW on TNN. They have original ideas, but that isn't always a good thing (i.e. Changing Simon Diamond to Irish Pat Kenney and having the Disco Inferno go under his real name and become serious).
The problem is that TNA has no real star power to carry a one-hour show. AJ Styles or Ron Killings as World Champion could have drawn in a new audience, willing to see young, fresh stars. Having Jarrett walk into the first show as champ will just give fans the impression that this is a WCW rehash. After all, Jarrett didn't exactly set arenas on fire during WCW's dying days.
The focus NEEDS to go back to the X Division and the X title. Highlight stars like Chris Sabin and let them show off their skills in a six-sided ring. At the very least, it'll draw curiosity.
Maybe if I pawn this thing, I can finally pay off that damn collection agency!
Jonny Fairplay needs to be given some sort of segment. After all, he did give them a HUGE plug on the Survivor finale.
Jarrett as world champ again ... geez, I'm starting to think he's as bad as Triple H now. If they wanted someone who is more of a "household name" to walk into Impact as champ, at least give it Raven. He more than deserves to be the champ.
Originally posted by It's FalseThe problem is that TNA has no real star power to carry a one-hour show. AJ Styles or Ron Killings as World Champion could have drawn in a new audience, willing to see young, fresh stars.
Maybe, until some of the viewing public remember that Killings was the infamous K-Kwik.
Originally posted by Aldo D 2112I'll be attending the live tapings from time to time, seeing that Universal Florida is about 80 minutes from where I live.
As for Jeff Jarrett becoming champion again... *yawn*
From time to time? I think this will be lucky to last 3 months. Just from reading the Observer they know going in that this is going to lose money so they are banking on expanded bye rates for the ppvs. The show is only one hour in a horrible time slot that isn't even standard for the whole country (in Philly we are getting it at 12 on Saturday nights). I agree with Super Shane Spear as I think this is going to be just like the ECW show except worse. They will be lucky to pull in a .5.
I'll be taping it, if only so that I can have more wrestling to fastforward through on a boring Friday evening. (But hopefully the show is fastforward-proof.) If the show is any good, I might just stop taping Smackdown!.
"ScreamingHeadGuy, don't fear the wang. Know the wang. Embrace the wang. BE the wang....." - heed the wisdom of DEAN
Originally posted by Packman V2Maybe, until some of the viewing public remember that Killings was the infamous K-Kwik.
Oh come on, no one remembers K-Kwik.
I can't help but think this six-sided ring is going to do more harm than good. I keep harkening back to when Vince McMahon decided he could change football for the better. Things are the way they are because people like them the way they are. I'm afraid this might make TNA look like a cheesy backyard group with a roof over their heads rather than a legitimate #2 promotion.
Comparing the show to ECW on TNN is a bit harsh. Let's not forget that going to TNN made ECW tone down a lot of what made ECW popular in the first place, or the fact that ECW went into that deal with zero star power. Taz left, the Dudleyz left, RVD got hurt. Their show was built around pushing Rhino and slapdash matches with no purpose involving guys like Hot Commodity. Forgive me if I don't watch in awe as "Confederate Currency" Chris Hamrick battles Nova. TNA will be able to dance with what brung 'em - the X guys - and still has all the star power they ever had intact. They should do better than ECW did.
The Toronto Maple Leafs: Hockey's equivalent of the Chicago Cubs, but easier to hate.
Originally posted by Packman V2Maybe, until some of the viewing public remember that Killings was the infamous K-Kwik.
Oh come on, no one remembers K-Kwik.
I can't help but think this six-sided ring is going to do more harm than good. I keep harkening back to when Vince McMahon decided he could change football for the better. Things are the way they are because people like them the way they are. I'm afraid this might make TNA look like a cheesy backyard group with a roof over their heads rather than a legitimate #2 promotion.
Comparing the show to ECW on TNN is a bit harsh. Let's not forget that going to TNN made ECW tone down a lot of what made ECW popular in the first place, or the fact that ECW went into that deal with zero star power. Taz left, the Dudleyz left, RVD got hurt. Their show was built around pushing Rhino and slapdash matches with no purpose involving guys like Hot Commodity. Forgive me if I don't watch in awe as "Confederate Currency" Chris Hamrick battles Nova. TNA will be able to dance with what brung 'em - the X guys - and still has all the star power they ever had intact. They should do better than ECW did.
Unfortunately, I do. And every time I think of him or Road Dogg, "Get Rowdy" starts going through my brain...and it friggin hurts man.
You Americans should feel so happy. You are getting a nationwide alternative. Us Canadians at 3PM have an option of watching Men's Tennis or Horse racing
I was flipping through the radio dial and purely by accident I stopped at Sports byline with Ron Barr and they were playing a lot of promotion for Foxsportnet and TNA Impact during the breaks.
(edited by Net Hack Slasher on 4.6.04 0518) smark/net attack wienerville advisory stays at BLUE alert - Guarded (With Benoit & Eddie being World & WWE champions you'd expect all's be right but couldn't do it due to Trish/Y2J character switches & whats the deal with JBL PPV main event)- 5/6
Originally posted by BigVitoMark Forgive me if I don't watch in awe as "Confederate Currency" Chris Hamrick battles Nova.
I liked the Hamrick vs Nova matches. As long as they come strong with crazy ass X Division stuff, and save the angles for Wednesdays, they'll find an audience. Ladders are good, Triple J is bad. Clockwork Orange House of Fun is good, Tom Arnold and John Salley in a wrestling match is bad. And for the love of pete, give Jonny Fairplay something to do.
(edited by thecubsfan on 4.6.04 0840) Rock, rock on!
I've already got my VCR all set up and ready to go. What I'm wondering now is, should I have Impact and the PPVs in chronological order on the same tapes, or should I keep them separate? OH! DECISIONS!
I totally agree with Mr. False; Jarrett going in with the belt is baffling to me...UNLESS they're going to give it to a young hot fresh guy (like Styles, and NOT, I think like Raven or Killings, each of whom have baggage of their own) right away in order to say (all symbolically) "Look! Out with the boring 'old guard!' In with the NEW!" -- but I'm dubious.
(Regardless of how that goes -- why did they give it to Killings for a couple of weeks? That seems kinda goofy.)
Anyway. I'm interested in the 6-sided ring. Isn't that what AAA uses? Hopefully that's a sign that we'll be getting lots of Garza and His Pals. I am worried that the wrestlers are just going to be all over the place on the show trying to figure out how it works. I'm imagining Daniels hurting himself trying to do the Best Moonsault Ever, for instance...
The idea, silly or not, is to start off with an established name as champion, and wrestling fans do know his name. Whether or not they take him seriously is another matter. I do think it's good to have a heel champion right away, because they have a wealth of babyface challengers with Styles, Harris, Raven and Killings, and with one of them as the champion, the chasers are Jarrett and Abyss and that's really about it. They've done a horrible job making heels.
Truly COMPETING with WWE is going to take years more or one huge money mark. It's nice that they're on free TV, though. Hooray wrestling.
Originally posted by Super Shane SpearIs there anything an X-division performer can do with extra corners?
The springboard possibilites are endless. Someone call Sick Boy.
Originally posted by Karlos the JackalAnyway. I'm interested in the 6-sided ring. Isn't that what AAA uses? Hopefully that's a sign that we'll be getting lots of Garza and His Pals. I am worried that the wrestlers are just going to be all over the place on the show trying to figure out how it works. I'm imagining Daniels hurting himself trying to do the Best Moonsault Ever, for instance...
It'll be an adjustment, to say the least. But Daniels and the others are pros and I'm confident that they'll be able to make the transition. I think it'd be worth the transition time if it means bringing in the AAA stars. With Styles and Sabin, it'll eventually get to the point where the promotion will want to move them up to the heavyweight division. The AAA stars can become permanent X Division staples and no one will mind.
On another note, it also seems that TNA is interested in ROH's Samoa Joe, with his ROH commitments being among the only deal breakers at the moment. If TNA can bring him in, then that could help solve their heel problem, because Joe's a machine in that ring.
Maybe if I pawn this thing, I can finally pay off that damn collection agency!
First of all I think Jarrett is a fine champion, people know who he is, if they're trying to attract new watchers, then they aren't tired of Jarrett because they haven't been watching all this time. And the people who are already watching TNA aren't going to be leaving any time soon. If you have Ron Killings as your champion then you're not going to get any new fans, since A) nobody knows him B) he's horrible in the ring and C) he's horrible out of the ring. D) His "dancing" is horrible E) his "rapping" is horrible.
I don't think Jarrett is a bad choice. Maybe Raven would be better since he's more known than the rest of the roster, and a new champion for the people who already watch. Plus he's the best in TNA at telling stories, cutting interviews, and having feuds.
Second, I just watched Impact, and it was better than any episode of ECW on TNN that I ever saw.
SPOILERS BELOW
Mostly in ring action, and good action at that, with just one interview with Dusty/Jarrett. No recap crap other than their commercials. America's Most Wanted won the tag titles back and AJ Styles won a four man X Division match to get a X Division title shot on Wednesday. So it looks like they're going back to AJ as X Champion and AMW as Tag Champions. I think it's a great move, having they're best and most popular guys, holding the titles. It also might mean going back to putting a big focus on the X Division which is a great move. Abyss, had a squash match against Shark Boy, which wasn't bad, it wasn't really long enough to be bad, and it establish the fact that Abyss is the monster of TNA. ANd the show started off with a good six man tag of Team Canada (Williams, Rude, Young) vs. Sondjay Dutt, Amazing Red, and Hector Garza. I also liked the six sided ring. Didn't seem to hinder anyone's wrestling, but didn't necerssarily heighten anything either, but looked nice. Like i said it was WAY better than any ECW on TNN I saw, actually it was better than any hour of Smackdown I've seen lately too.