TV REPORTS TNA IMPACT ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS 2/12 Caldwell, Parks, Shanks rate and review
Feb 14, 2009 - 12:33:51 PM
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James Caldwell, Torch Assistant Editor (3.5)
By the time it came to the main event "match" of Sting potentially taking a dive for Kurt Angle, it was obvious why the TV ratings dropped like a rock from the beginning of the show. There was simply too much Mafia throughout this show. It's one thing if they're in a position to be awesomely entertaining like Black Snow and Chet Lemon on commentary. It's another thing if they're in a "TNA storyline" that's dragged out over the course of two hours to the point of fans just wanting them to get the latest Sting-Angle tiff over with.
The rest of the show was inconsequential. Frontline falling apart at the seams? Eh. There barely exists a Frontline anymore and we're not getting any matches from Styles or Joe right now, so they're not being used to create some compelling wrestling for once on this show. Tag title situation is a mess. Rhino and Abyss were simply thrown together as a team. Matt Morgan continues to just be Matt Morgan. And Abyss continues on his mission to have dementia before the age of 40. Nothing else on this show is worth commenting on.
Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor (3.0)
I don't even know where to begin with this show. How about at the beginning. Team 3D went from a PPV main event to the background of the ridiculous Sting-Kurt Angle storyline. Angle's entire mic work the first segment made no sense; he said it was Family first, meaning the Mafia; but the belt was already in the family because Sting held it. And did he really think Sting was going to give the belt over to him by laying down?
Booker talking about sending Styles to jail for what he did is one of those wrestling "no-nos," because now everytime something like that happens again, people will wonder why they weren't prosecuted like when Booker said he'd do it to Styles. Best to leave that stuff out of the show. And I STILL don't know why Styles wants a meaningless title. Steiner vs. Petey was OK, and now I understand why Petey had been buried up to this point in the feud. But again, Joe saying he was going to "kill" Steiner crosses that line that shouldn't be crossed.
The Knockouts Rumble was watchable and I guess Sojourner winning sets up something with her and the Kongterouge. The Machine Guns vs. Lethal Consequences was too short and had no selling whatsoever. But it was different enough from the rest of the stuff on the show. ODB's angle made Brutus look terrible by association; Abyss talking about "Family Guy" and "Lost" does nothing for me and takes away from his hardcore monster aspect; and Mick Foley's new segment was pointless, especially without footage.
Sting did a great job on the mic in the final segment but I don't know how things add up for an empty arena match. And hey, remember The Frontline? Aside from Mike Tenay casually mentioning them in commentary where the members were wrestling, they haven't had much to do lately.
Curtis Shanks, PWTorch.com Contributor (7.0)
In another show dominated by the MEM storyline, we finally get a payoff. The dissension between Sting and Kurt Angle finally reached a boiling point, and TNA delivered with the payoff. What happens next is the key question, and not an easy one to answer. The MEM could kick Sting out of the group, leading to a Sting vs. Angle feud. It could still be a swerve, with the two making amends and uniting the MEM at full-power. Or Sting could turn his back on the MEM and join the Frontline, bringing this angle full circle as his promos about lack of respect were what started it all in the first place.
I'm finally noticing the route TNA is taking with this story. David vs. Goliath. The Frontline (David) has always looked weak, and can't work well as a team. The MEM (Goliath) continues to take out the Frontline members one-by-one, but the Frontline just wont die. After all the favoritism towards the Mafia, the Frontline could swoop in at the end and win the all out war. At least that's what I'm hoping so they can elevate guys like Joe, Styles, Creed and Lethal.
Lost in the Mafia hype is the Knockout division. Sojourner Bolt as a new challenger will be interesting, as the two are both heels in the same faction. I though Madison Rayne looked good in the ring and was surprised they let her last until the final two in the gauntlet match. Little steps like that can build someone up over the long run. The Guns vs. Lethal and Creed match was just what the X Division has been delivering to us for about two years now. Cool looking moves that mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. If you don't give these guys longer matches, the outcome will still be the same as tonight. Forgotten by the end of the show. Abyss' new doctor, Dr. Stevie, is no doubt Stevie Richards, so it will be intriguing to see how they add him into the current Abyss/Morgan storyline.
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