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By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

For this week's Question of the Week, we asked Torch readers how much of a difference the addition of Booker T to the TNA roster will make on the company's business. You can still contribute! Click on the "Contact Us" link above and send me an email with your response.
To the responses...

Matt Guerra of Bayonne N.J.: Booker T. is a good signing by TNA. The heavyweight division needs stars, and stars that can wrestle week in and week out. Booker T. has consistently been a top level guy for the past 5 years. He is the only WCW castoff to go toe to toe with the WWE elite and not get squashed. Look at what Christian has done in TNA; there is no reason to believe that Booker will not have the same success. He is good on the mic and can play the heel or face. And he can still wrestle. I would initially book Booker to face off against Angle for the title, but I would not give it to him right away. This feud needs to go for a couple months. As for putting over young talent, he's not there for that. Perhaps the only way I see this happening is a Samoa Joe vs. Booker feud. Being an accomplished tag champion as well, Booker would work well in tag format. If Scott Steiner will continue to do tag team matches, Booker has to stay face. There aren't enough top name faces on the roster right now for anything else.

Jon Blumberg, Torch reader: The real question has to be “Will Booker T have an opportunity to make an impact?” With the way that TNA is being booked right now, his momentum will burn out within a couple of weeks. Instead of putting him in rivalries with fresh opponents, I am expecting to see Booker enter into feuds with the likes of Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, and Christian Cage. To get the most out of this situation, Booker needs to be booked against guys like A.J. Styles, Homicide, and Black Machismo. If the booking changes in TNA it will allow the company to make the most of these opportunities in which they acquire established talent. If TNA sticks to what it has been doing than the ratings will continue to be around a 1.0 as excitement for Booker T’s arrival will fade away like it has for several wrestlers before him.

Jeffrey Jimenez of Brisbane, Calif.: I think Booker T can make a difference for TNA. Throughout his career, he has always delivered great in-ring performances. Although he is not as exciting as he was in WCW when he wrestled a more athletic style, he evolved into a believable Heavyweight. His versatility is what will help TNA the most. When given the opportunity, he became the character that creative had in mind for him at the time from the wannabe-Rock in WCW, to King Bookah, to his buddy relationship with Goldust, and the face and heel variations of his character. He’s a wrestling fans wrestler to put it simply. That’s why he was always able to be a television mainstay. No matter what role he was given, whether it is mid-card to main event, he always keeps the fans interested and that’s apparent in his matches where he is either heavily booed or heavily cheered. He gets great fan reaction- which is what it all boils down to in this business anyway.

At this point in his career, it would be hard to relegate him into a supporting role since he just came from the WWE’s main event picture. Although he has put on quite a bit of mileage on his body, he has shown that he has quite a bit left. His relationship with Sharmell makes it natural for them to be in a program with the Angles. His WWE tenure has shown he can be a charismatic personality which results in great backstage segments. He can be hilarious when given the right situations. With that said I think it would be funny to have him develop chemistry between him and Black Machismo. Or better yet, have him do some sort of program with Black Reign where he thought he got rid of him (alluding to their WWE team-up of Goldust and Booker, which I think was one of the best written programs at the time). Personally, I think they should try to develop his character in the direction that his King Bookah character was going. He was a regal personality, but under pressure or when he lost his cool he would revert back to his street personality. He could do the same in TNA, but instead of a King character he could “big time” everyone and try to use affluent vocabulary except when he gets mad and then turns ghetto. I don’t think Booker T should have to take any losses right now after he basically (tried to) put Boogeyman over and lost to Triple H at Summerslam. But he has the ability to work a program with just about anybody since he has great mic skills, great in-ring ability, and his magnetic personality.

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