Monday, January 18, 2010

Sports Sunday and the TNA Situation...

So I can't even sit here and come up with a title for this, but maybe I can have one by the time I get all my thoughts out.

Yesterday was a pretty big in sports. The NFL playoffs are heating up leading to the divisional championships next week, and all 4 games had so much importance placed on them. Plus for all the action sports junkies out there (which I am as well), the second stop on the Dew Tour was held over the weekend, getting everyone amped for the Winter X Games im sure, as well as the Winter Olympics. Also, for the tennis freaks out there (again that is me to), the Australian Open started last night. Only 2 NBA games last night, which is good for me cause so much else was going on. And finally the TNA Genesis PPV was last night as well, featuring the return to pay per view of Hulk Hogan. TNA will be discussed in length I assure you. But first im just gonna hit a few highlights of everything else. A very slim highlight of everything else mind you, this TNA thing is what I really want to talk about.

I'll start with the NFL Playoffs on Saturday. First game on tap was a disappointing (to me) loss handed to the Baltimore Ravens by the Indianapolis Colts, 20-3. Words can't describe how I feel about the progress I thought the team had, which resulted in a loss. The Ravens D played hard all game. And this game could have easily went the other way. Ray Rice had a pretty decent game, but had a few slips. In the end those few slips cost the Ravens maybe 21 points and the win. It hurts to have a year end like that, but I think the fact they made the playoffs and did something no other team has done for 30 years against the Pats is still a good run. But what do I know.

Second game was the Saints beating the Cardinals at home 45-14. Glad the Saints are still in it, but not really happy about the next game they gotta play. As a football fan I am, but as I Saints fan I am kinda nervous. Nothing much I want to report here except for how big a day Reggie Bush had. Goo look at his numbers. Crazy. Again only highlights as I got a lot to cover. But I will say the punt return for a TD was very nice. Kinda sealed the game for me.

Vikings beat the Cowboys 34-3 in a blowout that many fans thoughts the Cowboys would win. Sorry Romo, you had an off day at the worst time of the season. But they did get a playoff win for the first time in 13 years, so is that not a win for the season since its all said & done? I think so.

Last game was the Jets beating the Chargers 17-14 which the Chargers should have won. Im not even gonna get into this game, cause of the Chargers fan that just might read this. Sorry guys. Look to next year, all you can do.

So next weekend we have the games as follows:
Vikings @ Saints
Jets @ Colts

Im taking the Colts, & I want to take the Saints, but there is just something special about that Vikings team. Maybe its Favre. Always been a fan. Maybe its Percy Harvin, seeing how I gotta rep Gatornation. Who knows, still like that team though. I will make a pick later in the week.

As far as the Dew Tour goes, im only gonna say one name: DANNY DAVIS. Look it up. Totally awesome.

I want to also hit a non-sports subject here, Conan O'Brien. This is his last week host the Tonight Show. This is the news that has kept me angry at NBC. I really want to boycott everything NBC, but that really just can't happen. Tom much going on with NBC or the other networks they own. Most notably Chuck on NBC, where the fans are having to fight to keep this show alive. Also USA network, which I watch a lot of during the week, not to mention watching Raw. Which I will do tonight. All I want to say is to Mr. Zucker. You suck. Do the RIGHT thing, forget about Leno, give Conan and the people what they want.

As for tennis goes, my favorites are Maria Sharapova from Russia and Andy Roddick from the States. Maria lost last night in the opening round of the Australian, which blows my mind. Roddick wins in straight sets though, so I am relatively happy as far as tennis goes for now. Still can't believe Maria lost. What a drag.

Nuggets win last night over the Utah Jazz 119-112. Didn't see most of it, but I still like the way Denver is playing. Carmelo is beasting it up on the hardwood. If he can stay healthy, he is going to make a serious run for the MVP this year. Also the Nuggets should get back to the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers, if all goes right in the world of the NBA. Future blog coming sometime before the All Star break that is going to be all NBA. Look forward to it.

Its Monday, which means an all new Chuck is on tonight on that network that doesn't know how to do things properly.

Now, on to TNA. After watching most of the ppv last night, I want to hit on a few things as this Hogan situation (not to be confused with "The Situation" from Jersey Shore). Hogan has decided to do a lot of changing up of TNA. So im gonna try to list the big ones from last night, but if I miss one let know and I will fix it.
Changes:
1. Replaced the 6-sided ring with a regular 4-sided one.
2. Ken "Don't Call Me Kennedy" Anderson debuts.
3. Brian Kendrick.
4. Jeremy Borash being taken off TV.
5. Tag Title Situation.
6. Knockouts Title match.
7. Reaction to the fans.
8. AJ/Kurt/Flair
Im going to hit on these in no particular order from how I listed them.

First thing, Jeremy Borash being taken of TV is dumb, unless he is using this time to take a little vacation. Which I think he deserves. No one works harder on and off camera to get the point across. He is golden. Now he is a little annoying at time, but he does have a cult-like following. So he's not all bad.
The Knockouts title was just funny from where I sit. It was different, having Tara win the belt in 2 consecutive falls instead of losing one and winning two. 2 ou tof 3 falls matches are hard to do right a lot of times. Fans used to love these matches back in the day, but I don't know if they do so much now. Anyway, I think giving the title back to Tara after her losing it on the live Impact 2 weeks ago was kinda pointless. But then at the same time not. It made sense, but not. I liked it, but I didn't. Confused? I am to.
The Tag Title thing kinda rips at me cause I love tag team wrestling, and it seems that TNA is doing the same thing WWE has done in the past by just putting two guys together and giving them the belts. This can be done right, but in wrestling today, its done to much. Not a fan of this decision when the Motor City Machine Guns, who have a cult like following, fail to win th titles a month earlier. A match that had no build up at all. Neither did this one really.
Brian Kendrick came out last night and just looked like he didn't care at all about milking the moment. Which is probably what he was told to do, but I think in this situation (again, not to be confused with that other guy) he should have.
Ken Anderson coming into TNA I am a big fan of, I love his stuff. His in ring works is really good, as long as he has someone well to mesh with. However, this whole "lets do the same thing I did in WWE cause it was over like a mofo there and can get over just as well here" gimmick that he is doing I am not a fan of. That is just a big middle finger to Vince, which they are going for, but if not careful will slapped with a lawsuit for gimmick infringement. This is something TNA can not have right now. No way. TNA will die if that happens. And Vinny Mac is just the guy to do that.
AJ Styles and Kurt Anfle again put on a clinic. Expect nothing else. The sour note from this match could have been the ending though with AJ apparently turning heel and having Flair as his mentor. I really think this is a good idea and this is going to bring Sting back into the fold. So I am a fan of this already, although I know most fans are going to hate it at first, they will come around. AJ does great as a heel. This will be even better than he has ever done, because now he has Flair in his ear. Who by the way is one of the greatest heels of all time. Im just saying. Look it. Some of the things Flair has done, PRICELESS.
Now, on to the biggie. Hulk Hogan has done away with the 6-sided ring.


I know you needed a moment to gather your thoughts, so there it was. Pay close attention to what I am about to say. IT WAS A SMART MOVE! I know, I can't believe I just said that either. But Hogan is doing the one thing he needs to be doing right now. He is getting people to talk about TNA. Whether it is TNA fans or wrestling fans in general. It was a smart business decision to get rid of it. Now, does that mean I agree with it. No. I don't. I think TNA needed that ring to help them show how different they are. But I understand it coming from a business standpoint. It makes perfect sense. He needs people talking about TNA. Hogan said last night, "6 sides only got you so far..." which I agree with. Now personally I liked the 6-sided ring. It was innovative, even if they did steal the idea from AAA in Mexico (along with the steel asylum they also stole, but just made it smaller). Hogan is trying to take TNA, and the wrestling world back to when wrestling was pure. I don't know that its gonna work though, cause I think to much damage has been done by Vinny Mac. Old school fans are going to see that ring and immediately not like it because it is not a true wrestling ring. Which it wasn't. That was the point. I think Hogan dicked the wrestlers on that more than he did the fans though, because non of the wrestlers knew that was happening until it already happened. I just wonder what the buzz about it was in the locker room last night & if the wrestlers are really pissed about it. I mean, you got no wrestlers, you got no show. And not just anybody can get in the ring and put on a show like the TNA wrestlers have the past 7 years. If the wrestlers unionize and say they are not willing to make that change just yet, who knows what is gonna happen. Im gonna be interested to see how this unfolds, now that I have given it some thought. Hogan trying to draw the fans back in after they were told change is happening and they better get used to it was funny. Then he cut a promo on Vince. Which I still think is dumb. I mean if memory serves me correct, and it usually does on wrestling history (and i dare someone to challenge me on that), didn't they do the same thing in WCW? And didn't WCW get bought out by Vince? Think about that. Going to war is one thing, but standing in a ring calling out the other promotion is not right. That is not a smart business decision. But like I said, it going to interesting to see where this goes from here. TNA will most likely make the move to Monday nights, but I think if they were smart, and Spike TV as well, they would still put on a show on Thursdays. That is smart.

Now I know a few people that is going to disagree with me on some of this, but I think that if you really sit down and think about it, its not all that bad. I mean the business has to change to progress. It has to. IT HAS TO. Hogan knows that. I just hope he makes everything progress and not give us WCW in a new box...

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