TNAfan123 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 According to sources, TNA Creative team member Wayne Cowan (former wrestler Dutch Mantel) and TNA Agent Savio Vega have been released by TNA. Dutch Mantel was very close to Jeff Jarrett. He had been with TNA since 2003. His departure leaves the creative team without a veteran 'wrestling mind'. This is a big departure for sure. Savio Vega was brought in as an agent last year after Scott D'Amore's departure and had been working closely with the Knockouts. He was very close with Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel as well. There are many who are questioning Jeff Jarrett's status with the company as well. These are both huge shakeups within TNA. http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/stories/Breaking_News_2_Major_TNA_Firings.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CQI13 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 The great wrestling mind that came up with that horrible Abyss vs Sting program (fighting in the cemetery was it)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FINisher Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hive Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Too bad it wasn't Russo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownsy Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Too bad it wasn't Russo. we can still dream hive, we can dream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde Hill Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Well with Dutch gone the writing is on the wall for Russo hopefully. Still be intresting to see who will be called up to the team and if they possibly (re-)sign guys to ad to the team. Also seems the whole Dixie is pissed with Jarret thing is not a work then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CQI13 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Or maybe it still is and these guys were on the block anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praguepride Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 WIFOM FTW TNA! I heart acronyms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazorbeak Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Dutch wasn't great but I'm surprised Vega's already out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisen-verse Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Maybe this could be the beginning of a creative shift? We can only hope I guess. The problem is, TNA needs to find new innovative minds, however, ones that can also interact well with the veterans on the roster. Without the big names they wouldn't have a TV show right now... So you don't want to completely alienate them. With that being said though... It'll be interesting to see who they put in place with Dutch leaving. Maybe Russo is out now? Maybe Jarrett may see an even lesser role? Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 TNA has been critically panned for ages. Wrestling fans worldwide and (I hear) the majority of the TNA wrestlers have been calling for a shift in the power structure for years... and despite all of that, nothing was done. Granted, the TV ratings have slowly climbed, but PPV buy-rates have been terrible, with the odd cage-themed exception. Now Kurt Angle throws a hissy fit about his ex-wife shacking up with a co-worker, and people are getting canned left & right. Perhaps the ends justify the means, but the whole thing leaves me feeling... um... not good. It sounds to me like these people aren't being fired over job performance or the quality of the product, but because of personal and political issues. Of course, this post assumes everything the wrestling newz sites have reported is on the level, which I'm not entirely sure it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisen-verse Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 TNA has been critically panned for ages. Wrestling fans worldwide and (I hear) the majority of the TNA wrestlers have been calling for a shift in the power structure for years... and despite all of that, nothing was done. Granted, the TV ratings have slowly climbed, but PPV buy-rates have been terrible, with the odd cage-themed exception. Now Kurt Angle throws a hissy fit about his ex-wife shacking up with a co-worker, and people are getting canned left & right. Perhaps the ends justify the means, but the whole thing leaves me feeling... um... not good. It sounds to me like these people aren't being fired over job performance or the quality of the product, but because of personal and political issues. Of course, this post assumes everything the wrestling newz sites have reported is on the level, which I'm not entirely sure it is. Yea, PWinsider.com doesn't have anything on the matter? At least that I can see. You're right about the personal politics versus job performance. Is it too much to ask for a wrestling company that's innovative, impactful, and looking to start a new generation versus going with the old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tristram Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I'd mark out big time if Russo went and bang in comes Heyman. That guy has a great wrestling mind, to be able to hold together ECW on minimal to zero capital whatsoever as well as he did and put together great shows week in week out as they did... genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNAfan123 Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/stories/Big_Backstage_News_On_Paul_Heyman__TNA.shtml I find it intresting. Also the same website says there will be more relases soon ( Good bye Russo hopfully.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevermore Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I'd mark out big time if Russo went and bang in comes Heyman. That guy has a great wrestling mind, to be able to hold together ECW on minimal to zero capital whatsoever as well as he did and put together great shows week in week out as they did... genius. Heyman booking for TNA seems to be a common topic as of late. Now, I'd love to see it but, to me, it's extremely unlikely. I'm pretty sure the guy has no wife/kids and, therefore, hardly needs a lucrative wage. I mean, by his own admission, he turned down a very generous offer from the McMahons for him to go back to booking the development territories. He even intimated he would've been paid more than most of the headline brand writers.There is the potential for a lot of tension with many of the guys on the roster. Most notably, Angle is said to be becoming the big backstage player around there and he famously has described Heyman as an "incompetent idiot" regarding the crucifixion angle.Most importantly, what does he have to gain? Turning TNA around might be a struggle that he would enjoy but, undoubtedly, has the potential to tarnish his legacy. When you think about it, the guy is a legend. I don't know his WCW work but have heard on many occassions that he was a phenomenal manager. then he gave that gig up to become a booker and, practically single-handedly, turned a fairly meaningless fraction of the NWA, left over from the territory days, into a a national, nay, international sensation. People may be WCW/WWF fans but people LOVED ECW. It didn't matter that it was "hardcore". It mattered that it was different and a constantly evolving product: it was so very original. He basically invented the attitude era for Vince, launched the (North American) careers of countless deserving workers, introduced Lucha Libre to the US and made traditional mat wrestling acceptable to the mainstream again. More than that, though, ECW still lives on. Firstly, it is still chanted in certain arenas while Vince McMahon still considers those three letters to be important and influential enough for him to want to keep them as a brand name. So, in view of money not being a major object for him, the inevitable backstage issues that could arise, the fact that he's achieved as much as any promoter in history... plus, the fact that he surely wouldn't be given full, creative control... I just can't see it happening. Shame, though. I'd become a TNA watcher again in an instant! Quote The Raven Nevermore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde Hill Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Its on PWI Elite so only paying people can see what they think. As said before Heyman is a long shot but I don't think his issues would be with Angle as that was a long time ago and that whole he wants backstage control etc is the most worked part of it all. What Heyman needs is motivation as you say in point 3 so Dixie would really need to give a good sell or he needs a hook/passion for something. Still him as headbooker assisted by others and Panda/Dixie handling the finances would be a good fit. Otherwise I would be curious what a D'Amore + Cornette combo could come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eisen-verse Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Cornette I honestly respect Cornette for the wrestling mind that he has... but, with that being said, I really believe that TNA needs a voice of innovation... And I don't see his booking process as being anywhere near that. It would end up focused primarily on traditional stylings. Anything would be better then what they have now though. ha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde Hill Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 That's why I added D'Amore to the mix as he is more modern focused given his past record and the way he focused on the X-Division. Still will it be very innovative probably not but it will always be at least logical and decent. But apart from Heyman and Sapolsky who is with DG now, who would fit the bill? Or they have to use an "unproven". Maybe Scott Levy aka Raven? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazorbeak Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I honestly respect Cornette for the wrestling mind that he has... but, with that being said, I really believe that TNA needs a voice of innovation... And I don't see his booking process as being anywhere near that. It would end up focused primarily on traditional stylings. Anything would be better then what they have now though. ha. Tradition can work though: if you tell simple, good stories with talented workers, everybody can come out of it ahead. They don't have to book the late 1980's all over again, but basic stuff like gimmick matches being used to settle out of control feuds, people earning title shots for what they do in the ring, and more variety (and less Kurt Angle hanging out backstage) could instantly improve TNA by leaps and bounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappyboy Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Tradition can work though: if you tell simple, good stories with talented workers, everybody can come out of it ahead. They don't have to book the late 1980's all over again, but basic stuff like gimmick matches being used to settle out of control feuds, people earning title shots for what they do in the ring, and more variety (and less Kurt Angle hanging out backstage) could instantly improve TNA by leaps and bounds. Agreed. Not to mention it would carve TNA more of a niche in the market place than just trying to be a WWE clone. Although they do seem to offer a more complete version of it than the E does. You'd have the E for the SE crowd. You'd have RoH for diehard cult contigency. And TNA (or I would hope TNW under that plan) for the more traditional audience. It would be more of a something for everyone appeal to the industry that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheepy Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Russo lite is what I'd look for. A lot of the ideas and storys that TNA have come up with should work they just have a habit of a) going over the top and b) poorly executing them. Russo is probably one of the best story tellers in the business at the moment, sadly he just doesn't have a clue how to book and when to let the wrestling take centre stage. Completely out of the left field, I wouldn't mind seeing what Foley would do if he was given a chance (although the guy I'd really love to see given a shot as a booker is Jericho - for a guy with as much experience as him he also seems to have a strong idea for what makes a compelling storyline). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde Hill Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 On the ongoing Heyman too TNA topic, here is an update: http://http://www.tnawrestlingnews.com/headlines/251240210.shtml Take it for what you will. The site is kinda hit and miss just like TNA imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjfla Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Heyman is just what TNA needs but no way it happens. #1 The older guys would be gone in a minute minus Kurt and Steiner.Kurt would be Heyman's Champ as he can actually wrestling and talk. Steiner could survive just as a wackjob/bodyguard type #2 Not sure Paul wants to come back. He does not need the cash and doubtful he would put up with all the backstage crap. Heyman does best when the owner owns and lets him run his own thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 TNA should stop looking backwards and look for the future. I don't just mean wrestlers. I mean creative too. Heyman & Russo did the business in the 90's, but it's 2009. Move on. Find someone with a fresh, new slant on the product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slack Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 TNA should stop looking backwards and look for the future. I don't just mean wrestlers. I mean creative too. Heyman & Russo did the business in the 90's, but it's 2009. Move on. Find someone with a fresh, new slant on the product. I agree. As much as I loved ECW, isn't there ANYONE else out there? Sure, bringing in Paul E. would be big news, but people will want to see ECW 2.0 There has to be someone, or a group out there that has fresh ideas that can balance with what works. Wrestling needs new blood, not only in the ring, but on the creative side as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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