TNA: A Gathering Darkness

[Dandriel]

Time: October, 2005 I'd finally done it, made my dreams come true. Through carefully made connections, and careful machinations, I was now in control of a major wrestling promotion. In the previous year, I'd joined TNA's street team, and made myself stand out through careful suggestions for promotional idea. I'd done it all, even picked wrestlers up at the airport and taken them to their hotels. I'd helped set up the ring, and helped break it down afterwards. Every weekend for almost a year. Inevitably, I became at least a casual friend to some of workers, as well as many of the production crew. I began to mention some of my booking ideas at the bar, when a handful of us would be out drinking. Eventually, word got back to Dixie Carter and Jerry Jarrett about my ideas. They'd made me head booker about five months ago, and then the unthinkable happened. Jerry had a heart attack. I can remember where I was when I got the phone call from Dixie. Thankfully, Jerry made a full recovery, but a little bit of the old man's fire seemed to have gone out. He tried coming back to the job, but with TNA temporarily off of television, he thought it was time for a change. I don't know what made him do it, but he offered to sell me his part-ownership of TNA, on the condition that I not fire his son. Somehow, I managed to get the funds to pay his asking price, and suddenly found myself in charge of a major wrestling fed. That's where we're at right now. I'm sitting backstage at the taping for TNA Xplosion, and I couldn't be more nervous. I'm sitting here with the booking sheet in my hands, and they're shaking. Everyone keeps telling me things are going to go fine, (Especially Abyss, who is a remarkably supportive fellow, I must say,)...but I'm still nervous. I'm a 30 year old man, now in charge of the second-largest fed in the United States. I'm playing with the big boys now. Well...here goes nothing... [FONT=Palatino Linotype]Next update-Week 1 Xplosion- coming soon-watch this space.....[/FONT]

[KaySeeDubya]

Interesting. I'll read this.

[Dandriel]

I still had an hour before showtime, and I double checked the names on my booking sheet. There was a good mix of younger future-stars and old names that once headlined for the WWE. I had a solid foundation. THE UNDERCARD: (Enhancement Talent and Openers) [COLOR=Blue]Faces:[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]Cassidy Riley, Jerelle Clark, Mikey Batts[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]Heels[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]A-1, Lex Lovett, Eric Young, Johnny Devine[/COLOR] I can't really say that I saw any future talent this far down on my roster, though you really wouldn't expect to. THE MIDCARD: (Lower Midcard and Midcard) [COLOR=Blue]Faces[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]Andy Douglas, Chase Stevens,Lance Hoyt, Sonjay Dutt,Shark Boy,Shocker, Zach Gowen[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]Heels[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]David Young, Roderick Young, Alex Shelley, Austin Aries, Bobby Roode, Chris Sabin, Matt Bentley, Petey Williams, Samoa Joe[/COLOR] I could see several future main-eventers in this particular pack, guys who could carry our company far into the future. I just have to book them the right way. THE MAIN EVENT: (Upper Midcard and Main Eventers) [COLOR=Blue]Faces[/COLOR] [COLOR=Blue]James Storm, Ron Killings, Jerry Lynn, Jeff Hardy, Sonny Siaki, Apolo, Chris Harris, Elix Skipper, AJ Styles, Brother Ray Deadly, Brother Devon Deadly, B.G. James, Raven, Konnan[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]Heels[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red]Sean Waltman, Monty Brown, Simon Diamond, Christopher Daniels, Abyss, Rhino, Kip James, Shane Douglas, Jeff Jarrett[/COLOR] The main event scene was so crowded...it would be nearly impossible to break a new guy into the top of the card. Just looking at it, I saw way too many older guys holding onto "their spot". All I can hope is that they'll graciously step down a notch. The real trick is to use up their star power while making new guys shine, until one day fans are rooting for a new generation of grappler without even realizing it. I make a few changes to the card, mostly cosmetic. The fans are filing in, and there's an electric charge backstage. The boys are getting worked up, ready to go out and perform. God, I hope they cheer. [COLOR=YellowGreen]Editorial note-The next update really will be the first Xplosion; I just felt this little segment told the story a little better than simply jumping into the card.[/COLOR]

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]Tuesday, Week 1, October 2005-TNA Xplosion[/FONT] The show opens with TNA debuting a new announcing format. Along with Don West and Mike Tenay, fans will note that Jeremy Borash is helping out as well. The team quickly inform fans that "moments ago" Christopher Daniels challenged AJ Styles to a non-title match. If Daniels wins, he will get to face AJ one on one at Bound for Glory for the X Division title. -------------------------------------------------------------- The cameras quickly cut backstage, to James "The Sinister Minister" Mitchell. Mitchell: For too long, I have been standing in the ashes and the rubble of the fallen New Church. For too long, I have been waiting for history to repeat itself, and my acolytes to return to me. But today is a rebirth for the emissaries of the Underworld, and tonight, another will join me!He cackles madly, and the camera cuts back to the announcers' table. ---- Mike Tenay: You never really know what to expect from James Mitchell, folks, but I think we should ALL watch our backs. He's a legendary manipulator and manager, whose clients, or acolytes, as he apparently now prefers...well, they always have a high level of success. ---- Don West:You're right Mike, but the question on my mind is this: Are they successful because of James Mitchell, or is it something darker granting them power? ------ Mike Tenay:-I'd rather not speculate on that. ------ Jeremy Borash: I know I don't want to find out. The announcers all look a bit uneasy. ------------------------------------------------ The cameras cut backstage, and Alex Shelley is now cutting a rather standard promo against his upcoming opponent, Shark Boy. [COLOR=YellowGreen]Editorial note:I'm not going to write detailed promos for every wrestler, unless it really adds to the story as a whole.[/COLOR] ------------------------------- [COLOR=Red]Alex Shelley[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]Shark Boy[/COLOR] by a rope-assisted pinfall. ------------------------------- A hype video for "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles plays for the audience, showcasing his daredevil style. ------------------------------------------- [COLOR=Red]Christopher Daniels[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]AJ Styles[/COLOR] The match was a very back-and-forth affair, with each man coming dangerously close to pinning the other several times. But just as it seemed AJ Styles had taken the upper hand for the final time, someone ran down to the ring.... Don West: Oh my goodness...is that?? Mike Tenay: The Sinister Minister, James Mitchell! Christopher Daniels must be his new client! And indeed, Mike Tenay was correct. Distracting the referee, Mitchell prevented a pinfall being counted after Styles had delivered the Styles Clash to Daniels. Enraged, AJ Styles charged to the ropes, trying to get his hands on James Mitchell, which gave Christopher Daniels time to recover and hit the Angel's Wings, and get the pinfall. James Mitchell runs into the ring, laughing maniacally as he raises the hand of "The Fallen Angel" in victory. Jeremy Borash: TNA Bound for Glory...Daniels and Styles ONE MORE TIME! Mike Tenay: Daniels and Mitchell united? What does this mean for TNA? With the experience of James Mitchell at his side, can Daniels even be defeated? Don West: If there's anyone who can do it, it's AJ Styles; he's done it before. ----------------------------------------- Another hype video is played, this time it's for Team 3D, primarily highlighting their status as tag legends. --------------------- [COLOR=Blue]Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon Deadly)[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]The Naturals (Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens)[/COLOR] for the World Tag Team Championship. This really wasn't much of a contest. Though it was a clean fight, Team 3D was clearly superior in every way. After the match, the "Deadly" Boys*cough* made their way into the crowd to celebrate their title victory. Mike Tenay: Team 3D have now captured another tag title, and their first in TNA! They are possibly the greatest tag team in the history of professional wrestling! Don West:I don't think there's a "possibly" about it, Mike. -------------------------------- Jeff Jarrett is cutting a promo in the back... Jarrett: Raven, I don't think you're ready to hold this title again. Hell, as easily as I took it from you a couple of weeks ago in Canada, I think you wanted to drop the belt to me! You're gonna have to PROVE to me that you want this thing before I give you another real shot at it. So if you have the guts, Raven, meet me in the ring. You beat me, you have your shot at Bound for Glory! ----------------------------------- [COLOR=Blue]Raven[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Red]Jeff Jarrett[/COLOR] for a shot at Bound For Glory. This was a physical match up, mostly brawling, with Raven coming up victorious. As Raven celebrated, however, he turned his back on Jarrett and... Don West: Raven! Look OUT! Jeremy Borash: (muttering)He can't hear you, Don. Jarrett smashes his guitar over Raven's head; Raven falls in a heap to the canvas. The show closes with Jarrett standing over Raven's fallen body,a sneer on his face.

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]Notes to the World[/FONT] Man, I'm really relieved that I've gotten my first show under my belt. Things went fairly smoothly, but judging by the way the crowd acted, they were expecting more gimmicky angles and such. That's really not my thing, especially since we've only got a couple of hours a week in tv time. We've got far better workers than the WWE, on average, so why shouldn't the show be about them? I've discussed some things with our staff, and we're in agreement we need to tone down the "sports entertainment" part of our program and make something that's uniquely TNA. (Beyond our ring...which is most definitely unique.) Our new ad campaign, now blitzing Spike TV airwaves, is aimed at explaining it all to the fans, along with our slogan, "TNA: On the Cutting Edge of Wrestling". I'm hoping we really catch on across the country. There's no point in trying to directly compete with the WWE right now, so we're not going to try. Going head to head with them would slaughter us. We have to provide the fans with a viable alternative, which is what I'm working on right now. ..................................................... Wednesday, Week 1, October 2005 I gave Traci Brooks her unconditional release today; I don't think she was surprised at all. Pretty much since day one, I haven't really been a Traci fan. We still wish her the best of luck and all. ------------------------------------------- Thursday, Week 1, October 2005 I spoke with Jeff Tardy today....errr...Jeff Hardy today. He showed up rather late to the Xplosion taping. Granted, he knew he didn't have to work, but we like to have several workers around for a meet-and-greet with the fans, as well as for dark matches. I spoke with him, and he swore up and down that it wouldn't happen again. I hope he doesn't. Things like that can keep a young talent mired in the midcard ranks for years. -------------------------------------------------- Friday, Week 1, October 2005 It's a nightmare. I can't believe it happened. I'd read the rumours online, but figured it was simply the internet fanboys starting trouble. Then Jeff walked into my office and confirmed them all. My world champion, Jeff Jarrett....leaving. He's leaving me for AAA....the frickin' Mexican leagues! I suppose somehow it's better than him leaving for the WWE (like that'll ever happen again!), but it still hurts. We get him for one episode of Impact on Spike. I can't help but see a parallel with the Dudleys leaving ECW after only one episode on TNN. I asked JJ if his dad knew...JJ said yeah, but I think he was fibbing.They offered him some cushy head booker job. I wonder how long it'll be until he's booked himself into a title feud. (I'm betting less than three months.) I guess I'm not going to get much sleep tonight. I've got one day to figure out how to book myself out of this nightmare. God, I hope I can pull this off.

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]Saturday, Week 1, October 2005-Impact[/FONT] The show opens with the announce team looking rather subdued. Mike Tenay: Welcome to TNA Impact, fans; and if you're like me, you've been hearing the rumours about our world champion, Jeff Jarrett all week. I think the question that's on everyone's mind is 'Can it possibly be true?' Don West: I hope not, given all that he's done for TNA, Mike, but you know that we can't really trust Jarrett. Jeremy Borash: Hopefully, we'll get our answer by the end of the night. Mike Tenay: I'm sure we will, and in our main event we've got a dandy of a match. It's gonna be Raven teaming with young Jeff Hardy against Jeff Jarrett and "The Problem Solver" Simon Diamond. Don West: I'm sure Raven is itching for revenge after last week's post-match assault by Jarrett, but I can't help but wonder if Raven's fully recovered. --------------------------- A video package is played hyping Samoa Joe, showcasing his stiff work and his cold and calculating ring work. --------------------------- [COLOR=Red]Samoa Joe[/COLOR] d. [COLOR=Blue]Lance Hoyt[/COLOR] Samoa Joe defeated Lance Hoyt in a fairly mundane, but solid opening match. --------------------------- After the commercial, James Mitchell, Abyss, and Christopher Daniels head out to the ring. James Mitchell: Ladies and gentlemen, we are here to announce our presence in TNA. This is not a new incarnation of the New Church, this is the formation of The Army of Darkness! They get the titles, and I get the souls! We will be waging a war against all who oppose our rightful place in this federation, and we WILL BE VICTORIOUS! Our numbers will swell, and we will consume TNA in a cloak of evil that will never be removed! This is notice to everyone present, you can join us, or you can be destroyed! As the trio celebrate their new alliance in the ring, the announcers discuss amongst themselves. Mike Tenay: I think AJ Styles might have something to say about this, gentlemen. Don West: You're right, but can AJ overcome these odds at Bound for Glory? I mean, I know he's the phenom, but this is just too much for any one man. Jeremy Borash: Yeah...this is NOT good for anyone here in TNA, let alone AJ. Mike Tenay: Well, we'll get a preview, as up next it's The Army of Darkness vs. AJ styles and Apolo! --------------------------- [COLOR=Red]Christopher Daniels and Abyss[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]AJ Styles and Apolo[/COLOR] A good back and forth match with Abyss and Apolo providing the power, while Styles and Daniels provided the speed and agility. Once again, however, James Mitchell proved the deciding factor, tripping Apolo as he came off the ropes, leading to Abyss landing the Black Hole slam and gaining the pinfall. ------------ After the match, Daniels and Abyss absolutely destroy Styles and Apolo, leaving them motionless in the ring. Don West: Well...*sigh*...I think we have our answer, gentlemen. Mike Tenay: I'm afraid you may be right, my friend. This certainly does not bode well for AJ Styles. ----------------------------- A hype video plays for the main event-Jeff Jarrett and Simon Diamond vs Raven and Jeff Hardy. --------------------------- [COLOR=Red]Jeff Jarrett and Simon Diamond[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]Raven and Jeff Hardy[/COLOR] Raven looked hurt for the better part of the match, and Jeff Hardy was left in the ring for a majority of the time, leading to an eventual pinfall by Simon Diamond. ------------------- Raven is being helped to the back by the referees, unable to walk entirely on his own, when Jeff Jarrett picks up the microphone. Jarrett: I rest my case, Raven. I rest my case. I have proven myself over you twice in a row. You're not championship caliber, you're not hardcore. You're not anything. Raven tries to get back to ringside, but the referees (and now a couple secuirity guards) restrain him, and escort him to the back. Jarrett now turns his attention to the fans. Jarrett:I've beaten everybody in this company. Hell, I MADE this company. But you know what? I'm tired of wasting my life for you fans. All you internet fanboys were right. I'm off to greener pastures! No more of working in front of you white trash idiots who don't appreciate me. I'm headed south of the border! Just senoritas and maragaritas for the rest of my life. And I'm taking THIS with me! (JJ gestures to the world title) All of you can kiss my ASS! Don West:No! You monster! Somebody's gotta stop him! Mike Tenay: This is the darkest day in TNA history! Get security out here! Someone's got to do something! This is the most storied title in wrestling history, and Jarrett's stealing it! ---------------------------------- But in fact, nobody does anything, and JJ walks up the aisle unchallenged, being booed by the fans. But the camera follows him backstage, as he laughs to himself and whistles "La Cucaracha". Out of nowhere, Raven charges, slamming him into the wall. They brawl for a minute, then Jarrett drops Raven with a belt shot, running out of the building. Raven quickly follows, and they end up in the parking lot, where JJ stops a fan's car, tosses him out, and drives off. Following suit, Raven does the same, laying down rubber as they both race off into the night. Mike Tenay: Fans, keep your fingers crossed that Raven catches Jeff Jarrett and gets our title back! We'll have more news on this situation next week.

[alvarez16]

good diary, i'll follow!

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]Notes to the World[/FONT] [FONT=Impact]Monday, Week 2, October 2005[/FONT] Saturday's show was hard, really. I agonized over the ending for quite awhile, not sure of what to do. In the end, what it really came down to was what Jeff Jarrett meant to this company. Whether anyone likes or dislikes him or his style of wrestling is really immaterial. Whether anyone likes it or not, there wouldn't be a TNA today if the Jarrett family was not involved with it. In deference to him, and to the short history of TNA, it was my call to let him leave the building a champion. Whether I made the right call or not remains to be seen. --------------------------------- olks are rather upset with the rating. Here's a news flash: GIVE US A BETTER FREAKING TIMESLOT IF YOU WANT GOOD RATINGS! More and more of my professional career seems to be parallelling ECW, and it's not in a good way. I've tried and tried to explain to the idiots from Spike Television that we're not the WWE, and we don't have their fanbase. If they wanted WWE-like ratings, they never should have let the big boys go. I'm trying to avoid a Paul Heyman-like plunge into career suicide over this one, but it's eating at me. ------------------------------------ The business end of things took precedence today. I formally released Armando Quintero, one of our spanish announce team. Quite frankly, it seemed almost silly to keep him on the payroll. Gail Kim was another casualty of my pseudo cost cutting. I just can't book women, I'll admit. We don't have a womens' title in our fed, and we don't have a viable womens' division to support a title. Not to mention, I have a new signing who'll debut within the week, probably at Impact. Trust me, everyone will soon forget about Gail Kim and her (lack of) talent and (lack of) good looks. And officially at 3 pm today, Jeff Jarrett and TNA officially parted company. I thanked him for all of his hard work for the company, and assured him that there was always a place for him here in the TNA family. ----------------- I guess that's about it for my little "notes to the world"; I hope everyone tunes in to Xplosion on Tuesday night for our first post-Jarrett show. (The life of my federation depends on it.) [COLOR=YellowGreen]Editorial note- Thanks to those of you who actually take the time to read this diary and to those of you who've given me the words of encouragement. I look forward to entertaining you guys more in the future. (Or at least giving you something to read whilst you're really bored.)[/COLOR]

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]Tuesday, Week 2, October 2005-TNA Xplosion[/FONT] The show opens with the standard shot of the three man announce team at their table. Mike Tenay: Welcome to TNA Xplosion, I'm Mike Tenay, along with my partners Jeremy Borash and Don West, we're going to bring you another exciting night of Total Nonstop Action! We have just received word as well that Larry Zbysko, commissioner of TNA, will be here tonight for an EXTREMELY important announcement regarding our world title situation. (The screen cuts to a graphic of Larry Zbysko and a picture of the world title belt.) Don West: I hope SOMEONE settles this issue; it's been pandemonium since Saturday night, when Jarrett ran off with the belt! Mike Tenay: Okay...I've just been informed that the Commissioner has entered the building, and will be out to speak with the fans after our first match. ---------------------------------------------------------- Three-way elimination match [COLOR=Red]Alex Shelley[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]Andy Douglas and Shark Boy[/COLOR] Alex Shelley pinned Andy Douglas first, quickly following up with a pin on Shark Boy. ------------------------------------------------------- Mike Tenay: And here comes Commissioner Zbysko! Music hits, and Larry Zbysko walks down to the ring, grabbing a microphone on his way in. Zbysko: First of all, to all the fans of TNA, I have good news; Raven was able to recover the belt, and it's in a safe place. But we've got a bit of a situation on our hands; who do we make the champion? If we were the WWE (a chorus of boos can be heard) we would simply give it to Triple H. But we're not, and so to avoid insulting your intelligence, we're going to have an eight man tournament, leading up to the finals at Bound For Glory! In our first match, it's going to be Jerry Lynn vs. Simon Diamond, and in our second, it's the man who may have saved our professional reputation, Raven, vs. Monty Brown! To avoid any of the other four men being attacked, and potentially eliminated before Impact, I will only announce them live Saturday night, so everyone better stay tuned! (He laughs, and leaves the ring.) Mike Tenay: What an HISTORIC annoucement! A title tournament for the NWA Title, and we get the first two matches right here live TONIGHT! Don West: And who knows who the other four in the tournament are? This is incredible! Jeremy Borash: *muttering* Zbysko knows, Don...he just mentioned it actually. ------------------------------------------ Cut to a hype video for the upcoming match- AJ Styles vs Shawn Waltman, which highlights their high flying styles and their fame in the lighter weight classes. ---------------------------------------- [FONT=Impact]X DIVISION TITLE MATCH[/FONT] [COLOR=Blue]AJ Styles (champion)[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Red]Sean Waltman[/COLOR] The two competitors are having a quality match, until Christopher Daniels runs in and attacks AJ Styles. The ref awards the match to AJ by disqualification, and AJ also fights Daniels off in the process. -------------------------------- Simon Diamond is in the back, and cuts a pretty standard promo vs Jerry Lynn. --------------------------------- [FONT=Impact]FIRST ROUND TOURNAMENT MATCH[/FONT] [COLOR=Red]Simon Diamond[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Blue]Jerry Lynn[/COLOR] Simon defeated Lynn in what appeared to be a fairly straightforward manner, but upon watching the replay..... Mike Tenay: Wait...look, Lynn got his foot on the ropes right before the ref's hand counted "three"! Oh no....the ref didn't see it! Jeremy Borash: He was looking at Lynn's shoulders, not his feet! Give him a break! Mike Tenay: Give him a break?! Now there's a bit of a shadow cast over THE ENTIRE TOURNAMENT! I really hope Commissioner Zbysko is watching this tape. ---------------------------------------- In the back, Raven cuts a typically borderline-nonsensical promo against Monty Brown, using lots of very big words. Words that I can't even define, and I'm pretty smart....so we're gonna just skip it. Suffice it to say that it was cool, and many fans cheered.(And yes, it ended with "Quoth the Raven, nevermore!) -=---------------------------------------- [FONT=Impact]FIRST ROUND TOURNAMENT MATCH[/FONT] [COLOR=Blue]Raven[/COLOR] d [COLOR=Red]Monty Brown[/COLOR] Raven absolutely dominated Monty Brown, looking outright superior in the process. It was an easy match up for Raven. Mike Tenay: We have one semifinal match set-It's going to be Raven vs. Simon Diamond, who put a real hurting on him in the tag match last Saturday! I can't wait for Raven to get his hands on Diamond! Don West: You're right, Mike. it looks like Simon Diamond has a heckuva problem to solve in the semifinal match. *he laughs* Mike Tenay: To all of our fans, have a great night, and we'll see you next time, live on TNA Impact!

[Ajstylesfan1978]

nice diary i will continue to read this.

[Woodsmeister]

not a monty brown fan then?

[Dandriel]

Nope...I think he's kind of annoying, really. Sure, the pounce looks impressive, but I'm just not a fan. Next update sometime soon...though there's potentially a hurricane coming my way, so lack of power may be an issue. Thanks again for all the interest. :)

[JeremyThomas]

Good stuff so far, I'm liking. Will keep an eye on this one for sure. --Jer

[aaronman]

Pretty cool man. :)

[Jericho Rules]

I like. Interesting way to let Jarrett leave the company, but kinda nice in the same way, as he did have a huge hand in building TNA. I'm wondering if you're going to write out more detailed match reports for the PPVs. I think it would be better if you did, but if not, I'll still be reading. :D

[Ultima]

Nice start. Love the "If we were WWE, we'd just give it to Triple H" comment.

[MrTootles]

Really cool diary. I like the "Notes to the World" posts.

[Dandriel]

[FONT=Impact]NOTES TO THE WORLD[/FONT] ----------------------------------- I have to say that I'm happy with the way the last show went; the crowd was really hot, and to top it off, we had a couple of matches that really showcased what TNA is about. I'm starting to think that there's money to be made in a Sean Waltman/ AJ Styles feud in a month or so. Their match had this incredible chemistry that you had to see to believe. I almost wish I hadn't booked Daniels to run in until after the match. I know AJ is most likely the most talented guy on our roster, but this really was the match of the night, in my opinion. I never thought that I'd see Waltman show flashes of his "Lightning Kid" days again. --------------------------- I went out for drinks with Simon Diamond on Thursday...I can't help but feel bad for him. If you read any of the wrestling sites, you know what I'm talking about-he and Dawn Marie broke up earlier this week. It's really rough for him, since he's got a bun in her oven, but the stresses of being on the road 300 days a year or more finally broke their relationship. -------------------------------- More drinks on Friday, this time joined by Sonny Siaki. He and Desire broke up too, though thankfully there's no children involved. Friday was kind of a melancholy evening, with three single men getting sloppy drunk. Not exactly the image I want to present to the world, but at the same time one that occurs from time to time. ------------------------------------------- Saturday, about an hour before showtime: Wow...I walked in on Jimmy Hart freaking out over the phone with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Apparently, Jim Duggan wanted a job here in TNA, and was hoping that Jimmy might be able to pull some strings. Well, I'd flatly turned Jimmy down, and "Ol' Hacksaw" seemed to be taking it rather hard. I'm not going to go into exactly what was said between the two of them, but suffice it to say that they're no longer friends. ---------------------------------------- And now showtime's looming. [COLOR=YellowGreen]Editorial note: We have power back up, so I'll be updating again this weekend. To answer Jerichorules' question...I try to avoid match commentary as I don't do it particularly well. If there's a particular moment in a match that I feel is useful to draw attention to, then I will do so. (I am still tweaking my particular style, especially in regard to match commentary, so keep reading. :) )[/COLOR]

[Jericho Rules]

Nice, looking forward to the next show. :)

[juggaloninjalee]

I like this diary. TNA wouldn't go this route because Jarrett wouldn't leave. That is why this is so good. If Jarrett left espescially for Mexico this would probably happen I guess lol. I could see him going out with the title but he would probably want to lose it to a guy like AJ because JJ is a true professional I think. Is the Army of Darkness going to grow any bigger? I hope so and I hope it does try to establish TNA dominance. Those are my thoughts... -JNL

[aaronman]

I like this too, great twist with JJ leaving. Can't wait to see how that develops TNA now they're main star has left. :)

[theunholyicon]

I don't like how you just had The Deadly Boys go over The Naturals so easily, as they have been one of TNAs most dominant, stable, and consistent tag teams as of late. But its a great diary, keep it up.

[jonlawson]

Oh, btw, using TNA in my game, I started with $500,000 after my first PPV I checked my financial situation,....$9,000,000! I freaked! My titles at the moment are Team 3D of course, tag-team...X-Division champ is Christian *renamed for my own purposes* and I brought Eddie back, he took the World heavyweight title from Jarrett and it was, of course, an A* match! Jarrett has since taken a backstage worker job,...his overness is getting worked over due to the fact that the handsome booker of TNA :D has made him job to almost all of my openers :D rude, crude but deserved I think

[NickC13573]

how did u get it to 9 mil after 1 PPV?

[jonlawson]

I don't know, a glitch maybe? It shocked the **** out of me that's for sure, but I'm not complaining! I'm at 12 million in two months now