TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL OF TNA WRESTLING

I try to avoid mass negativity on here. It slips out at times, but that is simply a personal opinion that isn't able to be delivered in a negative light haha This time though I care not. It is nearly impossible to approach things positively in TNA. Beyond the talent, who are good but in the wrong place at the wrong time, it has been and is a mountain of garbage.

The title says, to be a fly on the wall of TNA Wrestling, and right now I would really like to be. Reports are stating that Dixie Carter is looking for investors and partners to help keep TNA afloat. The reports are also saying that she is looking to maintain a 51% majority ownership. This is why I want to be that proverbial fly on the wall, as I really am curious as to how Ditsy is selling this idea to people. Her own fathers company, Panda Energy, pulled out financially about half a decade ago so how can she ask others to give her their money and expect a return? I am curious as to who and what she blames TNA's failures on, because she clearly isn't saying that it was her. It is easy to think of possible scapegoats. Jeff Jarrett and the whole Kurt and Karen thing years ago, his backing out of the company. Vince Russo fooling her and creatively destroying her company. Spike TV. Hulk Hogan & Eric Bischoff. Any talent who didn't get over. Vince McMahon. Etc. Etc. But, nothing was Ditsy Carter's fault though hahaha
WrestlingInc.com is reporting that there are a few investors lined up despite Ditsy wanting to stay in charge. But, things are so bad financially that she might have to settle for a much less of a role and give control to others. How bad? She owes one of those investors for having put up the cash for recent tapings, and if she doesn't pay up by a certain date she loses her controlling stake.

In summary, Ditsy buys a new but thriving company from Jeff Jarrett. Despite all the talent and Daddy's money, ev-er-y-thi-ng fell apart. And is so bad at business, she is about to lose control of her company instead of negotiating a way to at least give it away. I will always feel for the people below her who will possibly lose a job if things don't work out (with or without her). But, since WWE has been scooping up TNA made talent (AJ Styles, Samoa Joe) or at least teasing at it with some (Robert Roode) I like others aren't suffering too much by all of this. Also like many others, a smirk grows on my face at the thoughts of Dixie proving how Ditsy she really is and then never being seen again.

MORE WRESTLING THAN ANYTHING ELSE

If there are any "regulars" out there, you may wonder why so many more wrestling than anything else entries. Well, that is simply because professional wrestling never stops. I've said before what the WWE has become is truly sports entertainment.  Unlike other television shows and sports, there isn't an off-season in wrestling. Sure, we may get a pre-taped RAW if Christmas lands on a Monday, but we still get something.

With sports entertainment, there is also many other things to talk about then RAW or Smackdown!, even though there are things to talk about there on a weekly basis. There is the past, the present, the future of each superstar and diva (sorry, wrestlers and womens wrestlers), which include things like character direction, who they should face, who they should face again because it was amazing before. There is the direction of the WWE and the rest of the promotions out there. There are countless rumors and incidents to talk about. Countless "what if..." and "should be"s on every level of the business.
This time of year is Wrestlemania season, so there is even more things to talk about. This years event and it's card, how it should be, how things will turn out. Opinions on how things did go down, the next nights RAW. Plus, there is 31 previous Wrestlemania's and the matches they contained or should have.
I don't get this from anything else. Television shows usually only last so long before they are cancelled, or simply decide to end their runs. Television also functions as "seasons", so we only get half a years worth really, and nowadays with the breaks during the season. Movies are similar, except there is usually a 2-3 year gap between films, and that is if there is even a follow-up film. And revamps are highly possible (looking at you Spider-Man). With comic books it all depends on what you read and how publishing schedules work out. Even then, you are likely looking at a monthly wait for the next issue. Plus, now even the comic books are in a near constant revamp and relaunch mode.

With wrestling the worst that really happens are injuries or sudden character changes or firings, but even all of that gives fans something to talk about. So, if anyone was curious as to why the wrestling posts are heavier than anything else, that is why. Or if you don't care, I completely understand haha

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES I WOULD LOVE TO READ

When I mean autobiographies, I mean both the life story and the tell-all stories.  Legitimate ones, which are always hard to really tell, unless you actually knew the person and "was there". And in the world of professional wrestling and sports entertainment, there are a few names that come to mind who I would love to read about in the manner stated. Truths, debunkings of myths and legends, unknown stuff that would've been newsworthy.

Vince McMahon

There are so many things that he could tell us. Ranging from a simple was the "glass ceiling" real, to the more corruptible like did you pay off some people to get Jimmy Snuka away with killing someone? That's just the stuff he had his hands in/on. Add all the things that he may have been privy too which also range from basic to massive.

Hulk Hogan

I always feel the good ol' Hulkster is never honest, or when he is you can never tell as he does seem to bend and alter truths. Or so it appears. So, basically have him on a lie detector and ask him every question that comes to mind from who has he screwed over, to is he really a racist. Everything and anything.

Paul Heyman

I would say put him on a lie detector too, but Paul at least makes things entertaining. Another person who would be nice to ask anything and everything. He's been around the business a long time and has had his hands in a lot of things, and his eyes and ears wide open the entire time.

Jim Ross

Another person who has been around the business for a long time and has likely seen and heard a lot of things, that he may never tell simply to protect friends, or because Vince would destroy him haha

Pat Patterson

He has been around a long time, and has been involved in controversy himself. Did he sexually harrass that guy nobody cares about? Or were he the victim of discrimination? I would like to believe he wasn't involved with what Terry Garvin was. But, it is a story worse than Benoit (if you consider possible brain damage Benoit had).

There are others I would like to see unload. Even people I haven't thought of, but would have another perspective on things that have happened in professional wrestling like The Fink. The hard part is always figuring out fact from fiction, but from the mouth type things are always better....so we have someone to pin it on when we are wrong haha

TIMES WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED & IT BACKFIRED IN WRESTLING

Just saw a highlight of when John Cena pinned JBL to win the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21. I remembered how that was something majority wanted, and how we couldn't wait for Cena to be drafted to RAW. That was truly the start of the John Cena we see today, as the "Thuganomics" gimmick began to be rolled back. It wasn't the first nor the last time things wouldn't turn out how we wanted them, or at least how I felt about them. Examples would be...

Goldberg V Brock Lesner

Two beasts locking horns on the grandest stage of them all. The type of match that could've even been the main event if a different time. Problem was both Goldberg and Lesner were making their last appearances for WWE (Brock of course later returned), and weren't looking to go in in style. What we were left with was a below mediocre match, and the highlight being Stone Cold Steve Austin hitting both with Stone Cold Stunners after the match concluded. That was only cool because it was as close as we'd get to Austin V Goldberg, and Lesner flipping the crowd which now feels like a "Watch what I am going to become, biotches!".

The Invasion

I'll be honest, this is only disappointing in hindsight. During that time, sure it was obvious big WCW names weren't there, but we did get guys like Booker  T and Diamond Dallas Page in a WWE ring. A dream match for me was The Rock V Booker T (sorry, DDP), and w got that. For some of that talent, it was probably best that nWo (Hogan, Hall, Nash) and others came later. Gave them an opportunity to show Vince and WWE Universe what they had.

Ultimate Warrior V Hulk Hogan

The first time, not the second. Nobody asked, nor deserved that. I am not even knocking the quality of match. Warrior didn't last long as champ, when he could have been bigger than Hogan. No offense to the memory of the Warrior, but Hogan is a bigger name. Love or hate him. I can't really remember Warriors run as champ either, his IC run yes, as the main man, no.

Zack Ryder Got A Push

You can replace Zack with a few names really, and it isn't that they got a push, or that said push was a flop and it was their fault. No, sometimes it is a simple case of fans get behind someone, WWE finally notices and orhastrates a push, and then creative expects them to turn sh!t into gold. That can happen, but shouldn't be needed. Ryder's deal with Kane and Brie Bella was a no-win situation. Ironically, if WWE kept ignoring him, he would probably be at least a Intercontinental/United States title contender if not holder.

I know most of the reasons for why these things turned out the way they did, and I understand them. It doesn't take away the disappointment though. WWE did do a pretty good job at "saving" things like The Invasion. That has to be said. For a business that plans and plans, they are pretty good at recovering on the fly.

HEEL TURN COMING?

Probably beating the proverbial dead horse again, but John Cena. Heel turn. The reason I am thinking about it again, is that his next World Championship will be his 16th. The is Nature Boy Ric Flair's thing. Even if Naitch came out and publicly endorsed everything with the utmost sincerity, we could see Daniel Bryan level of fan reaction. The women and children can cheer all they want, they will be drowned out by booing half of crowds everywhere.

John has said that technically he is already a heel since there are the jeers among the cheers. And has also said that if he went heel via a throwback of sorts, those who booed would begin to cheer. Both are very likely true in a sense. His heel ways would "lose kids" and men would cheer when they should boo. However, it dawned on me that he could go heel and possibly be the one capable of putting Roman Reigns over like they are trying.

Whether it be at Wrestlemania 32, or maybe even the RAW that follows, but Cena somehow screws Reigns out of winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H. It is then revealed that he has joined The Authority. To put the heel turn through the roof, Cena's 16th World Title would simply be handed to him. This works if there is a brand split and the title is divided again, remember when Bischoff rewarded Triple H (ironically) the World Heavyweight Title after Brock Lesner took the WWE Championship to Smackdown!? Trips got massive heat for both being handed the title, and for those who think everything is simply because of who he married (morons, tbh. position now? likely ya. inring? rewatch history). With Cena, that heat could be amplified for being the current face of WWE.
Fans did boo Hogan during his nWo turn, and we was able to "return to the kids" after. This could also help get someone like Roman Reigns over once fans simply want anyone to take the title from Cena. Since they seem against having Reigns make the turn a la The Rock.
To make things possibly uber hot, start things at or RAW after Wrerstlemania 32, then possibly have Lesner end title reign #16 at Summerslam or Survivor Series, and with help of The Authority win it back for #17 next night on RAW. Forget tying Ric Flair, imagine the reaction to #17. Then at Wrestlemania 33, Reigns ends the reign.

Now, that is all banking on the fans simply hating Cena to the point that they will take Reigns no matter how Vince prefers to push him. Might be easy to think of Bray Wyatt as a heel who could get Reigns over, but fans love him too much for that to work yet. Bray's best bet to really go heel is be the guy who screws over and feuds with the people that the fans love.

MOMENTS IN WRESTLING I LIKED, OTHERS HATED

I'm not normal, but not one to always have to go against the grain either. There are moments I am with the general opinion, and there are times I am against it. In terms of bad moments in wrestling or sports entertainment, here are my opposing opinions...

End Of The Streak

Either one. Goldberg's and Undertaker's. Both finishes worked for me, and made sense. First with Goldberg, was there really any other way to end the streak? They went with a run-in and a taser/cattle prod. The problem was that they had no idea how to use Goldberg after that. Ending showed it took 2 men and a weapon that takes down cattle to beat him.

With Taker, it is a "if they're gonna do it, this is how" type deal for me. Didn't want The Undertaker's Wrestlemania Undefeated Streak to end, but if it was then I am glad it was Brock Lesner. Reasons being, Lesner is a legit badass, freak of nature, however you want to put it. Who else could handle the heat that would come with being the 1 in 21-1? Brock gives zero sh!ts about what we think, especially in the real world. Then there is the "what if...?" aspect of if someone else did it. What if their careers are cut short due to injury or personal problems? It would end up being a waste.

Katie Vick

I'm joking, I'm joking haha Although they could have simply referenced it, and it might have worked...probably not but jeezbus haha

Finger Poke Of Doom

Hold on a minute, I enjoyed the initial moment of it. I thought it was part of a bigger storyline. Not just reuniting of the nWo. Perhaps if someone came out and said that things weren't happening that way, and brought out say Goldberg and face both Hogan and Nash for the title. He destroys them, and turns tables on Scott Hall going to the well too many times. I don't know, again the initial moment made me go, "Ohhh, sh!t." and then it turned into, "this is sh!t".

Chris Benoit Tribute

It was the last moment Chris Benoit was cast in a positive light or really even mentioned again. Now, I am absolutely no way condoning what happened. Even with the chance that it was purely brain damage related (which is hard to fully press judgment, as we are all capable of that with a damaged brain), I am not saying we need to honor Chris Benoit, I am just picking a moment in time where a great wrestler was remembered or honored for a final time. Benoit the wrestler? Legendary. The person? Will never know for sure.

The Invasion

When it first appeared to be guys like Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak at Wrestlemania X-7, I was like "crap." I liked seeing Chavo and Lance Storm, but it didn't seem like much. But, then pieces began to reveal themselves, and I was actually pleased with the "final roster" of WCW and ECW's Alliance. Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Kris Kanyon, RVD, Lance Storm, Sean O'Haire, etc. were the guys that were actually working on WCW every week up until the end. The big stars minus Steiner, were come and go mostly, and not at all near the end.

There are others, I simply cannot think of them at the moment, so perhaps for a future entry. Till then...

WWE. WHAT HAS IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS

Majority of the IWC tend to have more negative things to say than positive. Which is okay. Negativity tends to attract more attention. However, this time around we'll try to focus on the good. Why not? WWE does do a pretty good job of things if you think about it. Once again there is an "injury bug" floating around, taking out all levels of performers. And although we may not always agree or "approve", they keep things going despite the depleted roster.

The Bellas

Yes, one could say they are where they are because of who they are with. Hard not to given each Bella has adopted some of their significant others style into their own. But, regardless of where it has come from, Nikki and Brie have become legendary compared to The Bella Twins of yesteryear. May be late giving the props, with Nikki rehabbing after neck surgery and Brie likely to follow Daniel into retirement and start their family, but still giving props. Some may scoff at this, but easy to compare them to WWE HOF Trish Stratus. Who also began as purely eye candy, and developed quite the formidable in-ring game.

The Women's/Divas Division

Regardless of what you prefer to call it, WWE has begun to truly bring female performers to the forefront. Not just that, it has zero to do with appearance. Beauty is always a matter of opinion, but viewers are left with no option but to judge these women based on in-ring ability. Sure, one can argue that we can thank people like Ronda Rousey for all of this, but honestly all the thanks falls on the females in WWE and NXT for showing they are just as good as, and in some cases better, than the men.

Concussions

Daniel Bryan retiring sucked. But, as most would agree it was for the best. And we may see this happen more and more often in the future. Hopefully independent companies will deny performers who are "outted" as being "unfit" for in-ring performances. We now have a higher chance of meeting and seeing our favorites after they are retired. Comic-Cons, Signings....Hall Of Fame Inductions. We may never know what truly happened with Chris Benoit, but a lot of things suggest it was from concussions and the damage they do to the brain. We will likely never (and real fans know just how rare it is to use that word in this business) see Benoit inducted. We've lost too many to the addictions, time to praise WWE for trying to eliminate losing any to concussions.

Bleeding

This one may get some flack. Understandably. Blood added some realism to the product. However, during and for awhile after the Attitude Era, there was blood everywhere. The independents were just ridiculous in some cases. Promotions that truly didn't understand ECW's product, instead only imitating and escalating the violence. No story, just blood. With WWE "eliminating" blood actually helps the product.  Have we seen "color"? Yes. And after they stopped pausing the matches, it made bleeding more meaningful. Like in the golden years of the 1980's and early 90's, where "color" was usually reserved for the main event (with exceptions). Flair and Hogan almost always had those rights reserved.

NXT And WWE Performance Center

Triple H gets the credit for this, but it is amazing in many ways and good for the business as well as WWE. The territory days are dead, and other promotions are...good and bad for ones career. Sorry TNA fans, but Jarrett has a new promotion, and AJ n Joe are in WWE. Now, independent stars and undiscovered talent have a place to learn, improve, and prove they are WWE worthy. Even the developed talent have a place to shake off the ring rust after injury or make improvement on their characters before returning to the main roster. Sure, there will still be "cuts", but now there is at least a chance the hopefuls have opportunity to improve before being future endeavored.

You may have noticed that the "product" itself wasn't really mentioned. That is because it is also something that is a matter of opinion. Again with the injury bug, WWE is doing pretty good quality wise. FAstlane jjust happened last night, and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship wasn't up for grabs and things were pretty good. Even the obvious "let's try The New Day out as baby faces for a second".