By Chris Reed, Torch Specialist

-- 7/23 TNA IMPACT HITS & MISSES

(For an alternate Hits & Misses perspective, read Hubert O'Hearn's TNA Impact H&M column)

Well, we've just come off what many people are considering to be the worst wrestling PPV since NWO Souled Out in 1997, possibly even topping that stinker as the worst PPV known to mankind. Where can TNA go from here? Well, the results came out this Thursday...

IMPACT HITS

It Wasn't Victory Road Again: You had absolutely nowhere to go but up from Sunday's abysmal offering, TNA. There were a few new things that showed up, and a couple of them made some noise.

Taz Speaks, Hernandez Returns: Taz showed once again that he is still one of the best on the microphone, and already TNA fans are salivating at the prospect of having Taz join the TNA commentating team. His teaming with Joe makes sense considering their similar careers. And then my wish from last week came true with "Super Mex" Hernandez returning to TNA waters to stand up to Samoa Joe. This could be a great program if TNA doesn't drop it in the water like they've done so many times.

IMPACT MISSES

Oh Wait, It WAS Victory Road Again: So much of this week's episode of Impact dealt with ramifications of Victory Road and continuations of feuds from Victory Road. We had ANOTHER match between Kurt Angle and Mick Foley. We had Kevin Nash the team of Scott Steiner and Booker T with easy wins to continue their dominance. Replays upon replays of the events at Victory Road were mixed in with the show. What was the point of paying for the PPV on Sunday? Oh wait, I know -- TNA felt so bad for making their fans pay for that load of tripe that they decided to give the majority of it away on Impact.

Homicide and Hernandez Argue: Let's face it, both of these men are embarking on their separate singles careers, and we may have seen the last of LAX as a tag team, except for special occasions. But just because they're going to be singles wrestlers doesn't mean that they absolutely have to break up as a tag team and start to feud with each other. This will go over like a lead balloon with the fans as both men are incredibly over. It would be like trying to convince them that Samoa Joe would turn heel. And speaking of which...

Samoa Joe and Taz Have Failed As Heels: Based on the tremendous ovations given to both Taz and Samoa Joe in their matches, it seems absolutely no one is buying the fact that Samoa Joe is going to stay heel as part of the Main Event Mafia for any period of time. Taz's opening promo was too well received and Joe's just too much of a dominante force for the TNA fans to buy them as heels. Even during Taz's ECW days, when he was trying to be a heel, his "take no prisoners" attitude made him one of the most respected men in the business. Samoa Joe has that same work effort, and the fans recognize it.

Everyone Saw The Turns Coming: I doubt very seriously that anyone believed for one moment that Eric Young was turning face or that Bobby Lashley was turning heel. Heck, even Helen Keller could tell that this was a farce. And still Mick Foley accepted Eric Young back in the fold with no questions asked, and the Main Event Mafia were convinced that Lashley was on their side. I did like the combining of Eric Young into the "World's Elite" group as he needed some backup and it opens up new feuds for him, but overall both of these supposed turns were for the worst.

Chris Reed is a new PWTorch Specialist covering TNA Impact with a weekly Hits & Misses column, replacing John Mezzera who is shifting his Thursday duties to the new WWE Superstars program instead.

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