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TNA Impact Reax #1: "To me, swearing is just cheap heat. Any third grader can swear." Jan 12, 2008 - 5:55:29 PM
Sam Robinson (8.5): Best: Kong vs. Gail. Worst: LAX vs. R&R. I normally do a pretty lengthy reax, but tonight’s show was so much better than their last few that I’m not gonna pick it apart. I’m going to live in the moment of TNA giving me two good hours of a wrestling show. I'm also going to give it up to Gail Kim and Kong for putting on a women’s match, in the main event of TNA’s A show no less, and making me believe it until the very end. It was a very good, if short, TV main event. I know James Caldwell and Daniel Wilkenfeld bashed on the main even for being too short, but for a women’s match I thought it was much longer than anything given to us since the early-'80s. Even better it told a very compelling story and had me pretty much riveted the entire way through. I’m still intrigued to see where all this A.J./Christian/Tomko stuff leads, so that’s a plus. My one big complaint is what did Samoa Joe do to deserve a chance for a title shot other than whine, and if that’s the case, why not throw Chris Harris in there, too? It’s only logical. I’m also very intrigued to see if they will actually put the final coffin in the X-Division or not. Part of me hopes not, as it was what got me into TNA, but part of me says that if it’s going to be run this crappy from now on, might as well do away with it. Marlena? Really TNA, do you have to reference stuff half your fans don’t know about and the other half don’t care about? Oops, I’m tearing the show apart again... better cut this off before I forget the good of last night.
Terrie Nelson of Las Vegas, Nev. (7.0): Best: Kim vs. Kong; ODB promo; Roode superheel promo Worst: VKM vs. Williams/Dutt. My head is swimming with the constant activity on TNA, so much that even my notes aren't helping me to recal very much. What I do recall is that your top heel by the strictest definition of heel, Robert Roode, absolutely held his own tonight. While the replays from the PPV make it clearly an accident that Roode hit Sharmell, instead of remorse and guilt turning him away, he drove straight through Heel Town and never looked back. Like with Randy Orton during Orton-Cena, this kind of heel takes someone willing to fully commit to it as the crowd can smell doubt. None found here. Kurt Angle is a top heel by virtue of his title, but he is not *the* top heel right now. I also recall that we now have two thefts that will likely go unpunished: 3D with the X belt and now Steiner with Petey's (formerly Scott's) case. I'm not quite sure why Tomko-Shark Boy existed except to finally get Sharky off TV for a while, and allow Tomko to play his subtle mannerisms into a squash match. Kim-Kong was a fabulous match that deserved its main event spot and delivered on it. The crowd was absolutely hot for it. Kong was due the title with this story and allows to the feud to continue as Kim gets a rematch. Not sure what the deal with Kong's associate is, and she really didn't belong there. I hope there won't be more to it as Kong really doesn't need anyone, but I'm not holding my breath.
Shane McKinley of Danville, Calif. (5.5): Best Match: Senshi & Skipper vs. MMG Worst Match: Roode vs. Brooks. Despite their best intentions, TNA is suceeding in stupidity. TNA is where brain cells go to die. The show opened up with a good tag team match (albeit Senshi & Skipper getting little offense or heat whatsoever), had a short Christian promo, and as the show progressed, I could feel a headache coming on. In TNA Land if you need to have a question answered or to seek revenge, you'll have to wait till next week. TNA does have a strong tag team division and a solid angle with the women's championship (although I heard Kim is out with a leg injury), but the rest is pretty sad. Does Spike TV force TNA to use foul language? To me, swearing is just cheap heat. Any third grader can swear, but TNA seems to think that calling somebody a "skanky b**ch" is really cool. Why not just swear the entire show? Don't do that b.s. "we'll only swear eight times and it will be alright." I understand that Impact has its demographic of 18-25 year olds, but usually after watching Impact, I feel dirty and unclean. Just because that is your main demographic doesn't make it all right to lower your standards just to get ratings. Aren't we pass the point of bathroom, fart, gay, and sex jokes which aren't even thought out? Guess not. The worst segment of the show was the Roode interview, which resembled talk show trash. It's meant to get eight year olds riled up, playing on emotions and cheaping the process. Jim Cornette makes the decisions (for next week), but yet Team 3D makes their own matches? Impact was thankfully more focused than the horrible string of Impacts in December with its hammering out of the title shot opportunities (making them more clear) and building up the tag teams. I didn't think that when they moved to two hours we would get useless segments of "Where's A.J.?" and "Make a Desicion!" The "Global Impact" does look promising. AND NOTE TO TNA: DO NOT HAVE WRESTLERS USE "THE GRINGO CUTTER." IT IS NOT "WICKED", IT IS JUST PLAIN "IDIOTIC" TO WRECK HAVOC ON WRESTLER'S NECKS AND POSSIBLY SHORTEN CAREERS WITH A DANGEROUS MOVE THAT OFFERS LITTLE SAFETY WHATSOEVER TO THE OTHER WRESTLER. GET ANOTHER FINISHING MOVE OR DON'T USE IT AT ALL.
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