The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[dvdWarrior]

I wouldn't even touch Benjamin or Paul Burchil, I fail to see what benefit they would bring. The roster has talent, and has name value. They'd be better pickings for a company like ROH.

 

I gotta admit, an event headlined by Benjamin vs. Aries would be a DVD I'd go for ASAP. And yes, TNA has too many people already. Not just too many either, but WAY too many.

 

I think they could use Micky though.

[Hyde Hill]

Wouldn't sign Katie. She didn't accomplish anything in the WWE and the K.O. and TNA roster in general is bloated with guys to "prove themselves"

 

there is an opening on the KO roster for one person after the absence of Kong, and it should go to Mickie because she'd be the smarter choice.

 

I wouldn't even touch Benjamin or Paul Burchil, I fail to see what benefit they would bring. The roster has talent, and has name value. They'd be better pickings for a company like ROH.

 

They lost more then just Kong though, the KO roster is pretty slim atm especially considering LVE can not do anything but stand and be generic pretty. And yes they would need to make room for Shelton, hell they need to make room atm period on the male side of things.

[Guest Instant Classic]

oh come on now. they have tried, for years, 10 to be exact to push shelton to anything above UMC.

 

At some point, it comes down to a guy not having the "it" factor to main event. Shelton has never connected with the crowd. that's half the job.

 

He's had multiple gimmicks, and a multitude of air time. He doesn't connect with a live audience enough to ME, and nothing is going to change that.

 

He's a phenomenal athlete and a decent worker, but he has the charisma of a sponge.

 

I think he could be a good pickup for TNA though, he'd be lights out in the cage matches, and they could hide his lack of M/E ability there by letting him just be a crazy athlete and showcasing the X-division.

 

James would be the much better pickup though, she can really go, connects with the fans, and they need a good high energy face. Heck they could just steal the piggy james storyline, and do it better with the REAL beautiful people instead of mccool's lame rip off version

 

How did they try to push Shelton? He was on an amazing roll with his victory over Triple H years ago but in the typical fashion at the time, Triple H squashed him and killed all of Shelton's momentum and heat. Shelton could have been an instant main eventer for the WWE but Hunter's selfishness and politics killed him off like so many who suffered from Hunter during that time period. There are many others with far less skill and talent than Shelton who were pushed a lot farther. A good booker can make a star out of anyone, and Shelton's only missing tool was mic work. It should have been far too easy to get him to the top and they dropped the ball massively with him.

[fatallylost]

oh come on now. they have tried, for years, 10 to be exact to push shelton to anything above UMC.

 

At some point, it comes down to a guy not having the "it" factor to main event. Shelton has never connected with the crowd. that's half the job.

 

He's had multiple gimmicks, and a multitude of air time. He doesn't connect with a live audience enough to ME, and nothing is going to change that.

 

He's a phenomenal athlete and a decent worker, but he has the charisma of a sponge.

 

I think he could be a good pickup for TNA though, he'd be lights out in the cage matches, and they could hide his lack of M/E ability there by letting him just be a crazy athlete and showcasing the X-division.

 

James would be the much better pickup though, she can really go, connects with the fans, and they need a good high energy face. Heck they could just steal the piggy james storyline, and do it better with the REAL beautiful people instead of mccool's lame rip off version

 

No better gimmick in the world that Mama Benjamin. Yup.

[Self]

Wouldn't sign Katie. She didn't accomplish anything in the WWE and the K.O. and TNA roster in general is bloated with guys to "prove themselves"

 

Pope was a guy who "didn't accomplish anything in the WWE" either, but he's worked out pretty well for TNA. I'm not saying Katie Lea is of Pope caliber, but then again, maybe she is. I can't tell from her WWE work, because they didn't give her anything to do. I'd be interested in seeing her in another promotion, and I feel the Knockout division needs 'something' to kick it off again.

 

Although as I posted a few days ago, what I feel they need is a strong babyface, and Mickie fits more naturally in that role.

[ColtCabana]

How did they try to push Shelton? He was on an amazing roll with his victory over Triple H years ago but in the typical fashion at the time, Triple H squashed him and killed all of Shelton's momentum and heat. Shelton could have been an instant main eventer for the WWE but Hunter's selfishness and politics killed him off like so many who suffered from Hunter during that time period. There are many others with far less skill and talent than Shelton who were pushed a lot farther. A good booker can make a star out of anyone, and Shelton's only missing tool was mic work. It should have been far too easy to get him to the top and they dropped the ball massively with him.

 

It would have been good if Shelton was given a manager to help him in this area. If Shelton does sign for TNA hopefully they put him with Ric Flair who I think could help him alot. A 4 Horseman type group of Flair (the manager), AJ Styles (the star), Benjamin & Haas (the tag team) and Matt Morgan (the muscle) would be something I'd try and do in TNA.

[crownsy]

No better gimmick in the world that Mama Benjamin. Yup.

 

Right, because no WWE worker has EVER had a terrible gimmick and made it to the M/E later. Everyone who's been popular there had only one gimmick, and it was inherently awesome

 

From some of the post here, you would think i called shelton the scum of the earth. All i said was i see the WWE's point because he is NOT M/E material, and rumors say he was getting paid alot (realitivly) because he's a ten year vet in the mid card.

 

Oh, wait, as has been pointed out, he's technically a 9 and 4 month vet, not counting his time in developmental, my mistake.

 

but you know what? that's fine, it's not some personal insult to the man as you would think reading the replies.

 

As the more rational posts above me have pointed out, not everyone has it in them to be a M/e'er. IT takes a crazy combonation of in-ring skill (which SB has) mic and charisma, presence and yes, luck.

 

Shelton doesn't have what it takes to be a M/E in a big company, and he was getting paid to much to leave him stagnant in the mid card. For a money making endevor, thats an easy cut when the guy is getting older.

 

Again, I like shelton too, but he's not this M/E talent who vince/WWE screwed over and buired as some of the posts above me are trying to prove. He is what he is, a good UMC. TNA should trim out some of it's dead weight and pick him up.

 

At best, they hit something with him storyline wise and he slides into their UMC picture nicely. Heck, if you really want to try to push him, throw him in a feud with Kurt once he gets back.

 

At the worst he can do what he does for the WWE in high risk matches. Destination X has his name all over it

 

He's a good UMC who;s hit his ceiling, nothing wrong with that, and I hope TNA picks him up because i enjoy watching his high spots and his work vs other high fliers.

[jwt13]

does anyone else see team laycool on WWE as a copy of TBP

[TracyBrooksFan]

does anyone else see team laycool on WWE as a copy of TBP

 

yeah but TBP is so much better

[TommyDreamerFan]

Pope was a guy who "didn't accomplish anything in the WWE" either, but he's worked out pretty well for TNA. I'm not saying Katie Lea is of Pope caliber, but then again, maybe she is. I can't tell from her WWE work, because they didn't give her anything to do. I'd be interested in seeing her in another promotion, and I feel the Knockout division needs 'something' to kick it off again.

 

Although as I posted a few days ago, what I feel they need is a strong babyface, and Mickie fits more naturally in that role.

 

Your right, it wasn't like Pope was the focus of the ECW Brand as a major heel for a while... Leading a stable of the New Breed against the beloved ECW Orignals at wrestlemania. All the while showing off great ability and charisma.

 

Meanwhile Katie Lea, GOD DAMN! SHE ACCOMPANIED PAUL BURCHIL TO THE RING! SIGN HER! SIGN HER!

[The Final Countdown]

Meanwhile Katie Lea, GOD DAMN! SHE ACCOMPANIED PAUL BURCHIL TO THE RING! SIGN HER! SIGN HER!

If that's all you've seen of her, you're in no position to judge what she can do.

[TracyBrooksFan]

If that's all you've seen of her, you're in no position to judge what she can do.

 

true Katie Lea is very talented

[TommyDreamerFan]

If that's all you've seen of her, you're in no position to judge what she can do.

 

Me:'Ello Brick Wall!

Brick Wall: 'Ello TDF!

Me: Mighty fine day we havin'! May I join you for tea and biscuit?

Brick: Why you certainly may TDF, you certainly may!

*Canned Clapping*

 

<.< and that concludes Masterpiece Sarcasm Theater.

 

My point is, she accomplished nothing on a national scale. I don't see what she could bring to TNA that any other talented Jane Doe from the indy scene could do. Obviously Mickie is the more valuable of the two, I don't know what there is really to debate about.

[Stennick]

Your right, it wasn't like Pope was the focus of the ECW Brand as a major heel for a while... Leading a stable of the New Breed against the beloved ECW Orignals at wrestlemania. All the while showing off great ability and charisma.

 

Meanwhile Katie Lea, GOD DAMN! SHE ACCOMPANIED PAUL BURCHIL TO THE RING! SIGN HER! SIGN HER!

 

You realize that Elijah Burke was employed by the WWE for over TWO years. He debut in July of 06 left in November of 08 thats what nearly 2 1/2 years and in those two years he won TWENTY count them TWENTY televised matches. He never won a pay per view match, he never held a title. 29 pay per views were aired while he was part of the WWE roster he was on THREE of those pay per views, he won exactly ZERO of those pay per view matches.

 

How exactly did Elijah go about displaying great charisma and skill. He was on a television show that was getting roughly the same ratings as TNA. Less than a third of the WWE's audience was tuning into ECW so although he may have been displaying it to the ECW viewing audience that audience was roughly the same size as the TNA audience.

 

Elijah was skilled and charsimatic yes, I liked the guy even when he was in ECW but the fact is he lost all the time. He was there to make the guys like Dreamer, Balls, Sandman and others look good and that was his only purpose. Once they wrapped the Originals storyline he went on an incredible losing streak.

 

Its not like the guy was pushed to the moon and featured heavily. During the same time that Burke was on ECW a guy by the name of CM Punk was on the show, in fact the two fueded and Punk won nearly every encounter. Punk was given promo time, etc. If Burke would have gotten the punk push with hype videos, a big winning streak, some pay per view matches, a title win then yes I'd say that Burke was featured heavily however that was anything but the case. The guy was on three pay per views he lost every outing, he never really left ECW where they were doing 1.0's or below for most of the time he was featured on the show and he never got close to winning a championship and only had one signficant storyline the whole time he was there. It takes more than than "leading" a lame duck stable in a throw away match at Wrestlemania to be considered memorable.

 

As far as Katie Lea goes the reason you would pick her up over jane doe on the indy scene is experiance. You want somebody that has the look, has the skill, and has the experiance of being on television each and every week and performing at the highest possible level. I understand that all you know of her is hanging out with Paul but you have to look past someone's push.

 

You've watched pro wrestling long enough to know that people are looked over all the time and thought to be talentless only to go on and accomplish big things in one form or another. I bet your an ECW guy look at Raven. The guy was in the WWF as Johnny Polo, he was Flamingo in the WCW his pushes and characters were awful when he went to ECW I'm sure if the internet was in full force back then there would have been people that said "why are they bringing this guy in he's accomplished nothing on the national scene might as well bring in some talented john doe from the indy scene". The same could be said for Elijah his character in the WWF was fairly forgettable his push was to be cannon fodder for the ECW originals on their C Brand. He came to TNA reinvented himself and has gotten legibility over and in my opinion is their top babyface not named Rob Van Dam. Don't look at what someone "has accomplished" look at what they COULD accomplish. Wasn't your boy Dreamer thought of as a pretty boy who couldn't hack it when he first came to ECW? Did they look at what he had accomplished or did they have faith in what he COULD accomplish?

 

There are countless success stories in pro wrestling where their shouldn't be. Austin, Rock, Goldberg, Foley the list goes on of people who were thought by one person to be expendiable only to go somewhere else and with someone else's vision turn into huge stars. I don't recall anyone debating Mickie or Katie, Mickey is clearly at this point got the edge in nearly every area but I don't remember someone putting a gun to their head saying "you can only pick one".

[Self]

Your right, it wasn't like Pope was the focus of the ECW Brand as a major heel for a while... Leading a stable of the New Breed against the beloved ECW Orignals at wrestlemania. All the while showing off great ability and charisma.

 

Meanwhile Katie Lea, GOD DAMN! SHE ACCOMPANIED PAUL BURCHIL TO THE RING! SIGN HER! SIGN HER!

 

Pope admittedly showed more in WWE than Katie Lea did, and the chances she's another Pope are slim... but there's a chance. I like wrestling that takes risks, that tries new things, that gives chances to underutilized or brand new people (NXT is currently my favorite show) rather than trotting out the same tired old characters because they've "achieved on a national level" (although Katie Lea also has the WWE-reject stench on her, as opposed to a fresh new indy girl). So as I said in my original post "I'd be interesting in seeing (Katie Lea) in another promotion". Maybe TNA. Maybe SHIMMER. I don't think anyone said "SIGN HER! SIGN HER!" like she's a sure thing. It's a gamble. I'm just saying I'd be interesting in seeing what she can do off of the leash.

 

Just my preferences. Not saying what anyone "should" do. Just what I'd personally find more interesting.

 

EDIT: Big thumbs up to Stennick's post. Long, but good.

[lazorbeak]

How did they try to push Shelton? He was on an amazing roll with his victory over Triple H years ago but in the typical fashion at the time, Triple H squashed him and killed all of Shelton's momentum and heat. Shelton could have been an instant main eventer for the WWE but Hunter's selfishness and politics killed him off like so many who suffered from Hunter during that time period. There are many others with far less skill and talent than Shelton who were pushed a lot farther. A good booker can make a star out of anyone, and Shelton's only missing tool was mic work. It should have been far too easy to get him to the top and they dropped the ball massively with him.

 

How did they try to push Shelton? Is this a trick question? An 8 month reign as Intercontinental champion? Wins over guys like Chris Jericho, Ric Flair, and Triple H? Seriously you are not describing what happened at all. Shelton was being pushed, beat Triple H several times, beat Flair at Backlash, and was in the middle of a feud with Orton when he put himself on the shelf through injury in a match with Garrison/Lance Cade. Then he came back and immediately started picking up win after win over Chris Jericho and won the IC title, which he would win again 2 more times between 2004 and 2006. After nostalgia re-team with Charlie Haas #1 failed, he went to ECW, where he was still pushed pretty strongly, then he went to Smackdown where won the US Title from Matt Hardy. I'm still not seeing where anyone buried him.

 

So yeah, while Triple H may have done some damage to a few careers (Jericho, RVD, Booker T), all of those guys ended up winning world titles anyway (or again, in Jericho's case). So it's not the big bad Triple H's fault that Shelton isn't a main eventer, just like it's not Triple H's fault that Shelton's never been comfortable on the mic and struggles to get the fans to care about him as a babyface or a heel.

[Blackman]

Mickie wont leave wrestling she has said music a side job her passion is wrestling so if she comes to TNA it will help the KO division

 

TNA - one of the only 'good' things about it - doesn't require its talent to be 'all about the wrestling'. So she can have a good movie career there. Then again, WWE induces a certain passion in its talent, which makes them better at what they do then TNA.

[Hyde Hill]

TNA - one of the only 'good' things about it - doesn't require its talent to be 'all about the wrestling'. So she can have a good movie career there. Then again, WWE induces a certain passion in its talent, which makes them better at what they do then TNA.

 

Well the non nastalgia dudes in TNA have that same passion in TNA imho so I do not know where you are getting this. And TNA gets that passion out of its workers with a lot less political and cutthroat backstage style then the E so in some respects they do it better.

[Guest Instant Classic]

yeah but TBP is so much better

 

The funny thing is while the E is sort of ripping off TBP I don't think they are aware that TBP are a direct slam on the Divas.

[TommyDreamerFan]

You realize that Elijah Burke was employed by the WWE for over TWO years. He debut in July of 06 left in November of 08 thats what nearly 2 1/2 years and in those two years he won TWENTY count them TWENTY televised matches. He never won a pay per view match, he never held a title. 29 pay per views were aired while he was part of the WWE roster he was on THREE of those pay per views, he won exactly ZERO of those pay per view matches.

 

How exactly did Elijah go about displaying great charisma and skill. He was on a television show that was getting roughly the same ratings as TNA. Less than a third of the WWE's audience was tuning into ECW so although he may have been displaying it to the ECW viewing audience that audience was roughly the same size as the TNA audience.

 

Elijah was skilled and charsimatic yes, I liked the guy even when he was in ECW but the fact is he lost all the time. He was there to make the guys like Dreamer, Balls, Sandman and others look good and that was his only purpose. Once they wrapped the Originals storyline he went on an incredible losing streak.

 

Its not like the guy was pushed to the moon and featured heavily. During the same time that Burke was on ECW a guy by the name of CM Punk was on the show, in fact the two fueded and Punk won nearly every encounter. Punk was given promo time, etc. If Burke would have gotten the punk push with hype videos, a big winning streak, some pay per view matches, a title win then yes I'd say that Burke was featured heavily however that was anything but the case. The guy was on three pay per views he lost every outing, he never really left ECW where they were doing 1.0's or below for most of the time he was featured on the show and he never got close to winning a championship and only had one signficant storyline the whole time he was there. It takes more than than "leading" a lame duck stable in a throw away match at Wrestlemania to be considered memorable.

 

As far as Katie Lea goes the reason you would pick her up over jane doe on the indy scene is experiance. You want somebody that has the look, has the skill, and has the experiance of being on television each and every week and performing at the highest possible level. I understand that all you know of her is hanging out with Paul but you have to look past someone's push.

 

You've watched pro wrestling long enough to know that people are looked over all the time and thought to be talentless only to go on and accomplish big things in one form or another. I bet your an ECW guy look at Raven. The guy was in the WWF as Johnny Polo, he was Flamingo in the WCW his pushes and characters were awful when he went to ECW I'm sure if the internet was in full force back then there would have been people that said "why are they bringing this guy in he's accomplished nothing on the national scene might as well bring in some talented john doe from the indy scene". The same could be said for Elijah his character in the WWF was fairly forgettable his push was to be cannon fodder for the ECW originals on their C Brand. He came to TNA reinvented himself and has gotten legibility over and in my opinion is their top babyface not named Rob Van Dam. Don't look at what someone "has accomplished" look at what they COULD accomplish. Wasn't your boy Dreamer thought of as a pretty boy who couldn't hack it when he first came to ECW? Did they look at what he had accomplished or did they have faith in what he COULD accomplish?

 

There are countless success stories in pro wrestling where their shouldn't be. Austin, Rock, Goldberg, Foley the list goes on of people who were thought by one person to be expendiable only to go somewhere else and with someone else's vision turn into huge stars. I don't recall anyone debating Mickie or Katie, Mickey is clearly at this point got the edge in nearly every area but I don't remember someone putting a gun to their head saying "you can only pick one".

 

I'm sure you raid Shimmer and find a woman with jsut as much experince too, and they'd work cheaper.

 

Burke still did a hell of a lot more and showed a lot more potential. I'd like to know where your pulling the "he only won 20 matches" statistic from cause I seriously doubt you commit it to memory.

 

Gun to your head, choice between Signing Mickie and signing Katie who you going to choose?

[Stennick]

onlineworldofwrestling it has a recap of every televised match he had since debut. If I'm TNA I'd never have that gun to my head I'll hire them both they never have showed restraint in the past hiring people why would they start now and honestly Katie may stick around longer than Micky. Micky's been going a long time right now what five years or so on the WWE's schedule, she's set to release an album she just got put through hell the last year with being mocked on television every week. She's the very definition of burnout meanwhile like you said Katies done not much more than stand around so she's ready to go, fresh, and hungry for the experiance so I go with Katie I'm not saying she's more talented just who would be the better pick up.

[TommyDreamerFan]

onlineworldofwrestling it has a recap of every televised match he had since debut. If I'm TNA I'd never have that gun to my head I'll hire them both they never have showed restraint in the past hiring people why would they start now and honestly Katie may stick around longer than Micky. Micky's been going a long time right now what five years or so on the WWE's schedule, she's set to release an album she just got put through hell the last year with being mocked on television every week. She's the very definition of burnout meanwhile like you said Katies done not much more than stand around so she's ready to go, fresh, and hungry for the experiance so I go with Katie I'm not saying she's more talented just who would be the better pick up.

 

 

1. That is both sad and awesome at the same time.

 

2. Micky's not burned out until she states herself as much.

 

3. Whoever you could raid from Shimmer would probably be just as talented and fresh, and would work cheaper.

[Stennick]

They wouldn't have the experiance of working television every week. There is something to be said for the experiance AND the fact of tuning in and one of their Knockouts beats Katie Lea its going to mean more to Joe Fan than if they beat some nameless girl we've never heard of.

 

Thats is how you get more popular right? Or atleast a tried and true method. You have someone you want to get "over" pin someone who's already recognized on a national basis as well as someone who has the experiance to make said win look good on television. To me its a no brainer there is a reason when jobs post in the wanted ad you will read "must have experiance" its an invaluable asset to any company to have people that are good at their job as well as experianced.

 

As far as Mickey being burned out I don't know if she is or isn't but the risk is there. Has Jeff Hardy ever said he was burned out? Have any pro wrestlers ever said it? No they just burn out, flake out and stop caring about what their doing. I'm not saying Mickey WOULD do this but the risk is there more so with Katie who's hardly done anything as of late. So if me as the employer is comparing the two thats the basis in which I would do it. Mickey's been on the road virtually ever day for the last five years she's come from that hell environment in the WWE where she was asked to virtually carry an entire division for a while and then mocked pubicaly on national t.v about a non existent weight issue. That combine with a music album coming out soon and I give the edge to Katie.

 

the website is both sad and awesome but to be fair the website has been around longer than Elijah has been a pro wrestler so its not hard to go in there and update it each and every week with a team of guys doing the updates. Kind of neat to pick a wrestler and look back on him. Like Batista and think he started out as D Von's bodyguard.

[The Final Countdown]

Me:'Ello Brick Wall!

Brick Wall: 'Ello TDF!

Me: Mighty fine day we havin'! May I join you for tea and biscuit?

Brick: Why you certainly may TDF, you certainly may!

*Canned Clapping*

 

<.< and that concludes Masterpiece Sarcasm Theater.

 

My point is, she accomplished nothing on a national scale. I don't see what she could bring to TNA that any other talented Jane Doe from the indy scene could do. Obviously Mickie is the more valuable of the two, I don't know what there is really to debate about.

I did not say anything about her being a more valuable pickup than Mickie, so I don't know why you even threw that in in response to my post. I definitely think Mickie has more to offer TNA than Katie Lea, so as long as she's still motivated. But it doesn't have to be an either/or proposition; they could easily bring both in. I don't think Katie Lea would be all that expensive. Their KO division is looking a little thin anyway, especially considering they have both singles and tag belts. Are there more talented women in SHIMMER? Sure. But we all know TNA loves to pick up the WWE's cast-offs, and even though Katie Lea didn't really do anything of relevance in WWE, she's still far more well known to the average fan than anyone from SHIMMER.

[Hyde Hill]

Yep and Katie Lea can really go in the ring, its not like they would be picking up Ashley Massaro or someone like that, both not very over or good in the ring.