CALDWELL'S TAKE CORNER CUBE FRIDAY 4/25 - TNA rebounds with stellar Impact Apr 25, 2008 - 12:45:21 PM

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By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

Updated daily from the corner cubicle, Torch columnist James Caldwell's weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and other items of interest from around wrestling.

Updated Friday, April 25, 2008

Last night's Impact was a vast, vast improvement over last week's post-Lockdown effort. It was more in line with what I expected from TNA following Lockdown.

One of the reasons for yesterday's blog was my frustration with the April 17 show, which I felt was a complete disaster. It wasn't just, "Hey, they had a bad show". It felt like a lost opportunity to capitalize on the momentum coming out of Lockdown. It was bad for business.

Hope was temporarily restored last night. I'll get my chief negative out of the way first. There are far too many gimmick matches already in the works for the Sacrifice PPV, with very difficult to follow rules. Cornette announcing Strange Bedfellows tag partners for the Deuces Wild match at the PPV, then regular teams qualifying for the tournament wasn't explained well. It's so easy for details of TNA's gimmick matches to get lost on this show.

As for the rest of the show, each match had a specific purpose with at least the minimum in pre-match build-up. That is a vast improvement on the standard TNA fare of simply throwing matches out there without even doing the minimum of explaining why this match is occurring. Part of that was slowing down the pace of this show, which was a strong point throughout the broadcast.

The wrestlers going at least ten minutes was a great sign. Of course, they had the usual "four minutes of wrestling, three minute commercial, four minutes of wrestling" formula because the audience is apparently expected to have the attention span of a small child. But, I will gladly take that over a quick three-minute match where I can't invest emotions in Sabin & Shelley or even The Monsters.

Specific to the main event match, it was completely different from their Lockdown match in terms of how it was advertised, but it was very similar in terms of execution. The problem is that the match came at the very tail-end of a two-show taping, with the audience worn out from that horrible first taping and drained by the end of the very good second taping. So, the same buzz and atmosphere from Lockdown just wasn't there. It didn't take away from the match by any means, but, by comparison, the Lockdown match came across like a superior match.

It was interesting to see how the audience did react throughout, though. There was enough audience support in favor of Kurt Angle to make you pay attention. I think fans in Orlando like the more-serious Kurt Angle more than the goofball comedy heel. The all-business Angle is the Angle they expected when he arrived on the scene, because that was the very first image he presented with that headbutt on Samoa Joe.

Angle's cause was also helped by Joe using Steiner's interference to retain the TNA Title. Going into Sacrifice, the line-up will be Steiner as heel, Angle as tweener, and Joe as babyface. But, I wouldn't be surprised to see Angle line up more as a babyface as they progress to the PPV.

Joe is on track to being a great TNA champion, but fans still feel a connection to Angle based on how's he been produced the last six weeks, which could make for great TV leading to Sacrifice.

I've also received feedback from readers who are concerned about the way Joe is being presented as champion, especially with Kevin Nash "having ownership" of the title with Joe. I need to see more of the tone TNA takes with Nash's involvement before I'm concerned about Joe as a possible lameduck champion. It's worth thinking about, but not being concerned about this early in his title reign.

Getting back to last night's show, I am optimistic for TNA's direction. There are the usual over-booking issues, especially with the gimmick matches, but it was still a very good episode of TV. The next TV taping on Monday will tell us whether TNA follows the April 17 or April 24 formula going forward.

***

Updated Thursday, April 24, 2008

Kevin Nash's interview with Jeff Wilen in Daytona Beach News-Journal that was printed today officially confirmed that TNA is a vanity promotion meant for self-amusement for the writers and wrestlers.

In the interview, Nash was asked about "Internet guys". Apparently this is an ode to the vacuous idea that everyone who writes about wrestling has the exact same opinion and exact some idea of how pro wrestling should look.

In any event, Nash had the following thoughts on pushing buttons of writers who cover TNA's product. "It makes them insane. It's my own form of self-entertainment," he said. "I'll read Wade Keller. There are some guys that actually loathe me. They just hate me. They're Internet guys. Why wouldn't they hate me? I'm having a good time. They're not."

Ah, sweet relief. Now that we know that TNA isn't in the business of presenting a serious product with any intentions of increasing ratings or selling PPVs, I can rest easy covering Impact going forward. Now that we know that TNA is simply a vanity promotion for wrestlers well past their prime to get off on self-amusement, I can rest easy knowing the intention isn't to draw money. Hey, if we accidentally draw money, great! If we don't, well, at least we had a good time fooling around!

So, next time TNA tears down the fourth wall and shows us Impact is just another dumb wrestling show (e.g. the Team 3D and Rhino & Christian skit last week), I won't get frustrated with the inane presentation of a wrestling show. Next time TNA tries to explain the tag division and gets Jim Cornette tied up into knots, I won't even bat an eye trying to figure out the mess of over-scripted and too-dumb-for-their-own-good booking. Next time someone name-drops WWE, WCW, or ECW, I'll simply laugh it off as another desperate attempt to remain relevant.

Starting tonight with Impact's broadcast, I'll simply look at the 99.9 percent of stupid booking on the show and laugh. No need to invest emotions in this show. It's all self-amusement for a company that prefers to fool around with their TV programming, rather than seize a golden opportunity to be a legitimate player in the U.S. pro wrestling scene.

When one of the headline wrestlers in the promotion says one of his goals on Impact is self-amusement, then it's quite obvious the company is content using the TV vehicle as a fun day at the park. When you're playing with someone else's money, in this case Bob Carter's, apparently you can afford to take that approach.

And don't confuse this as hating on Nash. Heck, if he can swing the big money deal based on his past-name value from another wrestling promotion desperate to remain relevant, then more power to him. And there are plenty more over-the-hill wrestlers who would jump at the chance to fool around on national TV and get major pay.

Based on the limited financial information available, TNA doesn't appear to be in danger like WCW was when they wasted Ted Turner's money. But it would be nice to see TNA focus on business, not self-amusement. That would require an entire cultural change, starting with the top, though. And that won't be happening any time soon. Just ask Nash. He's having too much fun at this stage of his career.

***

Updated Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Well, so much for curiousity bringing in a flood of new and/or returning ECW viewers to the show last night. WWE might have set the download record for last week's episode, but viewers who watched last week's show on Sci-Fi or caught the replay on WWE's website didn't feel the need to stretch out the Adamle Experience to a second week.

It didn't help that absolutely nothing happened on the first 55 minutes of the show last night. Re-run mixed tag match, re-run video packages, another Morrison & Miz and Yang & Moore segment, a meaningless squash with Henry vs. Nunzio, and a quick five-minute "main event" match between Kofi and Shelton added up to a must-not-see TV show.

Sure, competition was stiff from NBA playoffs last night, with the Suns and Spurs continuing their must-see series, but the rating declining 15 percent from last week is a sign that viewers had enough of what WWE is doing with the ECW broadcast.

It's a C-level brand where the most minimal of effort is placed into writing the shows and assembling talent in scenarios to be successful. It appears that a significant level of the audience that had been hanging on week after week saw the Adamle move as the final straw in their loyalty to the ECW brand name.

Viewers were fine with things just the way they were with a watered-down and over-produced Joey Styles on the play-by-play. They had a sense of pride in Styles that isn't there with Adamle. Styles might have been a listless announcer in his final days thanks to how WWE produced him, but at least he was the people's bad announcer. Adamle is just a bad announcer.

***

Updated Tuesday, April 22, 2008

- Raw Ratings swoon continues. The story on another dissapointing week in the Raw ratings is made up of several factors. This week, we can add Dead Brand Split to the story.

WWE advertising the stars of Raw, ECW, and Smackdown on one three-hour extravangaza didn't mean much. Their abuse of the brand split over the last few years has led to so much casual inter-change on a weekly basis that I'm not even sure what brand Finlay is officially part of.

You also have to factor in NBA playoffs going up against Raw. Rockets vs. Jazz last night wasn't exactly a blockbuster match-up (and yes, I'm still shaking my head over the outcome), but looking at the NBA ratings from this past weekend, TNT is drawing a big chunk of viewers in WWE's key demo of males 18-35.

Related to the political involvement, I believe this was a case of people wanting to read about the candidates appearing on Raw to satisfy their curiousty, but they didn't want to actually spend three hours of their lives sitting through a wrestling show to see the 20-second political speeches.

WWE received intrinsic value, even if it didn't show up in the ratings, by having the candidates on the show to keep WWE relevant and in the public spotlight on their once-a-month average. There just wasn't any must-see TV to generate a significant bump.

The key factor related to the wrestling product, which I touched on last week, is that there isn't a stand-out star right now. Hunter takes away from Cena. Cena takes away from Hunter. The post-WrestleMania vibe to this Raw brand is that there are good stars on the roster, but there isn't a must-see act on the show.

The product doesn't feel stale all the way through, as WWE is trying to revitalize the tag and Women's divisions. The product just doesn't have that kick it had before Mania. It's like a good salad with all the right ingredients, but there isn't an amazing flavor from the combination of ingredients to make you stand up and pay attention.

***

A few thoughts on a Tuesday evening...

ECW tonight. Can you feel the excitement in the air for ECW tonight? No, I can't either, but tonight is Mike Adamle Botches the Classics night two. Should be a grand ole time with our friends The Edge, Mike the Miz, Tom Dreamer, and The Tazz on drums.

After recording the Raw post-game audio show last night with Greg Parks, we were tongue-in-cheek predicting that ECW will pop a 1.6 rating for tonight's broadcast, as everyone will tune in to hear if this Adamle fellow is really that bad or if it's a great exaggeration. (It is no exaggeration in case you're in that camp.)

I imagine there will be at least two weeks of the Adamle factor driving a slight increase in ratings, and whether that continues into May will depend on whether he continues to come up with new material to botch. Tonight should be an interesting show, especially to see if Adamle self-deprecates about last week's call, and/or if Tazz makes any comments about the performance.

Santino vs. Bill Clinton. The one thing missing from last night's Raw broadcast (besides a formal explanation of how the King of the Ring tournament was put together) was a verbal confrontation between Santino and fake Bill Clinton. Forget about rebuilding the tag division, when else would we have had the opportunity to see Santino apply his mastery of fumbling the English language in a verbal battle against fake Bill, who stole the show?

Cross The Line. And you thought TNA's Cross the Line campaign was simply a cute slogan for some TV promos. Think again! TNA is building an entire ad campaign around the annoying, but harmless "Cross the Line" concept to encourage wrestling viewers to give TNA a try if they're tired of their old brand of wrestling.

I still don't know where the line is or how I'm supposed to cross it, but the next step for TNA would be an Old Spice guarantee that they'll buy wrestling fans a WWE or ROH PPV if they're not totally satisfied with the TNA brand. Hey, TNA is supposed to be making money now, right?

***

Updated Monday, April 21, 2008

WWE will be airing taped messages from Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during tonight's three-hour broadcast, as the Dems battle for eleventh-hour votes with the Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday.

WWE won't disclose the content of each video message, but I'm sure they will fall right in line with past taped messages that have aired on the likes of American Idol. McCain will probably try to force some comedy to show he's not that old (and not a robot), Obama will appeal to the young demo by saying he's a real and authentic American just like those working-class wrestling fans, and Clinton will probably try to squeeze in a popular wrestling reference that somehow ties into the Pennsylvania race. Maybe she grew up watching Bruno.

As far as WWE is concerned, it's a chance to regain relevance lost after WrestleMania. Mainstream cared about Mayweather vs. Big Show, but they don't care about anything on the Backlash card. The ratings have been affected, as WWE is hitting ten-year lows for ratings.

The overall three-hour rating for this show probably won't be strong, as the additional first hour will drag down the overall rating. During the regular two hours, WWE is certainly expecting a rating above the weak 3.2 from last week. After all, they'll have taped messages from Presidential candidates and a King of the Ring tournament.

The success of tournament as a ratings stunt will depend on who's matched up in the brackets. Without any wrestlers advertised ahead of time, WWE is banking on intrigue from a concept that's out-of-date and has no connection with the Cena Audience that has come on the scene the last three years. I fail to understand why WWE didn't announce at least two or three marquee wrestlers ahead of time to lock in viewers for tonight's broadcast.

It's good timing on WWE's part to get back in the spotlight with the Democratic candidates eagerly seeking any edge that yet-another-speech can't provide. Should be an interesting show tonight.

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