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TNA News: Kurt Angle vents frustration with TNA Creative, calls 2011 a "subpar year" for TNA, says he's considering retirement

Jan 10, 2012 - 1:50:53 PM
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By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

AngleKurtArt_130GG_49.jpg
One of TNA's top stars, Kurt Angle, vented his frustration with the TNA creative team process and called 2011 a "subpar year" for TNA during an interview on the Busted Open satellite radio show . Angle slipped in complements for Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and Vince Russo, but said the finished product of their creative effort last year did not mesh in his eyes.

"I think we did a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong," Angle said. "The most important thing I'd say is the lack of communication within the writing and creative team. When you have a written show and you present that to everybody and then they start changing things and it becomes a watered down version of what the writer wanted in the first place. Now you don'’t know which way to go.

"We do have a lot of chefs in the kitchen. I think that is the hardest part for our company because when Vince Russo is writing the show and you have Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff and a few other people and other TNA writers changing it up the last second, which I don’'t disagree with what Hogan says, I agree with him 100 percent. But, we need to regroup earlier, maybe a week earlier and get it done, change it up, make sure we have the right changes so that we can keep going with the storyline the right way."

Angle also looked ahead to correcting mistakes in 2012: "So, I think 2011 was a very confusing year, so this is what we are going to capitalize on in 2012. We are not going to make the same mistakes. I think Hulk Hogan will get with to Vince Russo quicker, Eric Bischoff will get with Vince Russo quicker. We will get the show written, get it done a week earlier instead the day of the show, and changing it up. It was just very frustrating. Because I'’m a little bit of part of everything in TNA and I watch what’'s going on and sometimes I get a little bit frustrated when I see what Vince Russo is trying to do and I see what the outcome is."

Regarding his career, Angle said he's thinking about retirement, which Angle has talked about in the past, but he's closer to that point and wants to make sure a newer star can take his place.

"We’'re starting to get to the point where these guys (younger stars) are going to start full-time and Kurt Angle and Sting can dwindle off and retire. That’'s what we need to happen and that’'s what’'s happening right now and I’'m glad because I don'’t want to leave TNA and leave an open spot there. I can't wrestle forever. As a matter of fact, I am already talking about retirement. It’'s about making guys and putting them in my spot and making sure they are secure there before I leave."

Concerning the up-and-coming stars, Angle expressed frustration with TNA's handling of A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe. He said TNA has "not done Joe justice" and if they don't turn Joe back into a main-eventer now, "it will never happen." On Styles as a main-eventer, Angle said, "A.J. Styles was there for a while. And then we pulled him down, which I didn'’t agree with."

FYI: Busted Open with Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca can be heard every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2:00-4:00 EST on Sirius 94, XM 208.

Caldwell's Analysis: Angle captured one of the biggest creative obstacles for TNA - trying to establish the non-Attitude Era stars as credible stars in today's era after starting/stopping with the likes of Joe, Styles, and others. Starting 2012 with a PPV main event finish of Robert Roode kicking the referee to avoid a loss to Jeff Hardy fits Roode's heel character, but doesn't do anything to elevate him in the eyes of viewers and make him seem like a credible star. The main thing this next generation of wrestlers in WWE and TNA are missing is credibility due to the short-sighted nature of wrestling writing in 2011/2012. It would be one thing if Roode were an established star with tons of credibility trying to avoid losing to build heat for the re-match, but when he needs credibility and needs to be established as a star with a resume of good, solid victories, it stunts Roode's growth as top heel champion.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]


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