justtxyank

TNA is definitely bigger than ECW. ECW barely had a national television show. The majority of their viewership came from tape trading, they didn't do much touring (any?) and it wasn't really until WOW Magazine started pimping them that they gained any national exposure with common fans after the invasion of WWF.

I'm not going to respond to that child, but I will to you. I see what you are saying, but my point is that TNA is not a good reference by which to measure the industry. They are #2 by default, not because they are actually big. When WCW went out of business in 2001, the wrestling industry was still peaked. The second biggest promotion would have been what, World Wrestling All Stars or something silly like that? But, just like with TNA, they were only second because the only real competitive Number 2 company in the last 20+ years was gone. The industry is down right now, but TNA doesn't prove that. They are a growing regional/cult promotion that benefits from having a wealthy owner. WCW could come back tomorrow and they would instantly be the second biggest company just because of brand power. That was what I was trying to illustrate.

Well, at the risk of mocking your intelligence, may I please suggest you read the context of the post I was responding to? The poster was comparing the networks that were showing TNA vs the networks that were showing WCW in 2000 despite both being the number 2 company in North America. I pointed out that this is not a good comparison because even though both were/are the number 2 promotion in their respective time frame, WCW was a much larger company with a more prestigious national (heck, global) brand than TNA. I think anyone who read my post following the post before it would realize I was talking about size, company prestige, etc. as opposed to the product. Please, start following along if you want to get along here.

Woof. Vince McMahon hates professional wrestling.

The Nasty Boys may have been awful at the ppv (I didn't get to see it) and they may not be relevant, but let's please stop undermining what they used to be. The idea that they were never talented or never over is ridiculous. They were a very good brawling tag team and they were over all the way through about 1996. It wasn't until Sags got hurt and Knobs started going solo that I grew to loathe seeing him on my television.

I wasn't talking about the product.

Even though TNA is the number 2 company in America, they are not the equivalent of WCW, even in its dying days.

To be fair here Hyde, you are a TNA loyalist. I am someone who isn't a committed fan of either company at this point explaining to you the things that turn me off of TNA. You think they add to the product, so I'm happy for you that your enjoyment is enriched. Mine is harmed though and the fans, and the atmosphere of the Impact Zone in general, help make TNA look minor league to me and turn me off.

Haha OK well fair enough then.

Want to summarize as I can't listen to audio on this computer?

It was posted at wrestlezone, among other places I believe. Like I said though, this group wants desperately to be a part of the show and they actually think of themselves as being "over" with the wrestlers. LMFAO

Wow. I'd forgotten exactly how bad that statement was Lazor. They make it hard to enjoy TNA for me.

No. You probably weren't aware that there was a group of wrestling fans that were so stupid they would give themselves a name and intentionally try to be famous for being the cool fans on a staged wrestling show. I don't think anyone should have to apologize for not knowing something that stupid was really, well, real. If I told you "hey, there is this group of young adults who go to every taping of a fake sporting event, wear specific clothing, bring specific signs, chant specific things, boo specific things, etc. all with the intent of being recognized by other fans of this staged event" would you believe me?

I am specifically referring to the group of fans in the Impact Zone that start a lot of these chants. You could call them a geek pocket. They have a name for themselves. They call themselves "The Crucial Crew" and make a point to wear specific clothing, specific signs, etc. so that they are recognizable on television. Their chants are about making themselves part of the show, not about showing true appreciation for the product they get to witness. Edit: And unfortunately it is this group of outspoken fans that generally start the chants and control how a crowd reacts to things.

The "What" chants are very stupid as well, but we are talking about TNA not the E. The fans in the Impact Zone detract from the product.

Yeah the chants are normally awesome you're right. Like during basically every TNA match where someone jumps off a rope and the crowd starts a "This is awesome!" chant or "TNA! TNA! TNA!". The TNA crowd is pathetic. They are trying to get themselves over like the old ECW crowd and it's painfully obvious. I can't wait until the day TNA never puts on a show for those guys again.

I forgot to mention this here, but when Styles was cutting a promo about girls recently the crowd started crapping on him with a "You are married" (or something like that) chant. To me that is a perfect example of that small group of TNA fans hurting the show. The chants are fine (though overdone) but when you are doing it intentionally to hurt the product it is ridiculous.

Actually I want to buy it in part for the NB vs 3D.

I'd like to but I don't want to pay for it.

I don't think they draw the historically knowledgeable crowd anymore. Most of us stay home. Edit: It's also been A LONG TIME since Bret was relevant in the WWF. A lot of his WCW work is foreign to people and even the fans of WCW aren't really watching that much anymore. So for all practical purposes, it's been 12 years since he's been overly relevant. As much as the fans of the 90s loved him, we have to realize that time is long gone. It would be like Harley Race returning to WCW in like 2000.

Hogan trying to act like a 20 year old drives me crazy.

I'd actually love to see Macho Man back on tv. Love that guy.

Fair enough. OK, not going to argue about whether Foley was over before he converted to Goofy. Getting a few main event matches doesn't mean the promoter is taking you seriously as a legit main eventer. Austin could main event against anybody in 1998 and sell out as he was on of the best draws in the history of the business. It's fine if you disagree with me, but Foley has stated this himself that it took him going off the HIAC for Vince to believe in him.

He wasn't main eventing because he was fat and ugly though, not because of overness. Vince was afraid that Foley would fail as a main eventer. Foley himself has stated this. He said that no matter how crowd's reacted to him, Vince never took him seriously until he went off the HIAC.

Foley got over by being Cactus Jack and then Mankind in the WWF. By the time he became goofy Mankind he was already over, Vince just wasn't sure he could carry a strap.