By Hubert O'Hearn, Torch specialist

-- 8/13 TNA IMPACT HITS & MISSES

OPENING NOTES - It's good to be back after a two week absence from writing this column, or even seeing Impact for that matter. I was curious to see how TNA was developing since all the upheavals backstage and behind the scenes. How would the show's dynamics change since the Red Rose of Kurt Angle and Dixie Carter replaced the White Rose of Jeff Jarrett? Granted it would be both unlikely and unwise to see radical changes in just two episodes, but what seeds were being planted that would hopefully flourish? A fair number actually. A pretty fair number.

IMPACT HITS

The Legends Title Makes Sense After All - The Legends Title was a cockamamie idea at its inception, seemingly put out there just to give Booker T something to do. But the in-ring debate between Mick Foley and Kevin Nash actually crystallized a good use for a made-up title. The Legends Title can be the Seniors Tour of wrestling and that's not such a bad idea.

As I've written before, I really don't think Kevin Nash should be wrestling any more but with his remaining skills he should definitely be in wrestling. The sport would be the poorer with his retirement, as it would if Mick Foley left permanently. But what do you do with them? It's just not plausible to have guys like Nash, Foley, Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan challenging for championships and beating up guys like A.J. Styles who would dust them in a real fight. What do you do? Have the old guys fight each other!

The Hard Justice match between Foley and Nash has been well and clearly spelled out. Foley still wrestles because he loves the emotional thrill of the hardcore style. Nash does it for the money. Love vs. Money has been a theme that's worked nicely in novels, movies, TV, theater, and probably candygrams too, so why not wrestling?

That match though will be a test as to whether a Legends/Seniors Tour title has legs, both literally and figuratively. They are going to have to put together a story in the ring, at three-quarters speed, that uses all their classic moves. If they get to three stars, which I think is reasonable, the Legends Title can live. And you should hope that happens, as it will clear space on the shelves. With some of TNA's antiques removed to fight amongst themselves, perhaps the long-promised, rarely delivered push of TNA's younger talents will finally happen.

Hernandez - You know what I love about Hernandez's push? This is a clear appeal to Latino fans without resorting to cheesy gimmicks or overtly saying, "Hey there Mexican viewers! You can cheer for ... this guy!" Although give Mike Tenay another week and well, you never know. I really hope that Super Mex stays healthy for a long time, because right now he just might be the most exciting Big Man wrestler out there.

A.J. Styles becomes the new Shawn Michaels - One of the many great things about Shawn Michaels ... Wait a second. I'm Canadian and I just wrote the words "Great things about Shawn Michaels." I must be sick. Good thing I have a health care system that provides me with a doctor who does house calls with no charge and will hospitalize me without having to mortgage the house. End of commercial.

But one of the many great things about Shawn Michaels is that he could wrestle a broomstick, a coffee table, your deaf Aunt Sally, or Hulk Hogan (in declining order) and make them look good. A.J. Styles jobbed with class and, um, style on Thursday night against Matt Morgan. This is the first time I have ever - and I mean EVER - believed that Morgan was a scary presence in the ring. As a matter of fact (he writes after gulping down fistfuls of medication) I truly believe that Morgan will and should come out of Hard Justice as champion. Yes. Yes I wrote that. If they pair him up with the other guys on the roster who can carry a match - Angle, Daniels, Samoa Joe, Hernandez - TNA might really have something going for them. Or he might be Diesel. You never know, but you'll never know unless you gamble and try.

IMPACT MISSES


Welcome back Christy Hemme - But wait, why are they having her wrestle? Isn't that what landed her on the injured list in the first place? Hemme's not a horrible wrestler - compared to 90 percent of the WWE Divas, she's Nick Bockwinkel with implants - and yes we do have a winner for this year's Worst Wrestling Metaphor Award - but she is still so awkward in the ring that you constantly fear injury to her or her opponent. She's born to be a valet and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Or hell, now that poor Lauren has been completely turned into Zombie Twitch Actress Woman, give Hemme the microphone and let her do the backstage interviews. Leave the wrestling to the exciting new stars like Sarita or Alissa Flash.

Look! They're Killing Abyss! Let's Sell Some Beer! - I've never been wild about wrestlers putting bounties on the head of other wrestlers. I'm sitting here trying to remember the last time it was done well, but that's as pointless and painful an exercise as trying to remember Bad Lunches I Have Eaten. Just so you know I'm prejudiced against this whole Dr. Stevie/Abyss/ Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia thing.

Now, Steven Richards and Abyss are playing their parts just fine. It's an utter waste of Daffney to just have her standing there gawking and leering behind Richards's shoulder like she's some deranged parrot in fishnets, but that's a whole other story. What's really disappointing is Trevor Murd- I mean Jethro Holliday bashing poor old Abyss with a chair and ho hum, let's cut to commercial. No follow-up. No nothing. See, here's the problem. Abyss looks pitifuland not a monster. Steven Richards looks like a lazy crook, not an evil mastermind. And Jethro Holliday looks like a low-rent mugger. So who is this storyline helping!?!

Hubert O'Hearn is a new PWTorch Specialist covering TNA Impact with a weekly Hits & Misses column. You can read Hubert's Hits & Misses column and Chris Reed's new TNA Hits & Misses column weekly on PWTorch.com

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