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Pro's from the Palace (#215) - Genesis Pix & CNN "Death Grip" thoughts |
» Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com
» On Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 10:52 AM EST
There are two aspects I need to address in this column. First and foremost, the picks for Genesis, which I'll do first, then, following that, some brief opinions on the CNN documentary that aired this past week.
First, the picks. My records, up to date, are on my blog, which I'll provide a link for at the end of this creation. *smirk*
Ok, let's go to work.
TEAM 3D vs. The MOTOR CITY MACHINEGUNS
I promise I would try and not be negative throughout this column, but it's not going to be easy. I wanted to know something with this match. Didn't we go through the "bash the X Division thing" already with one Kevin Nash? Why do it again with these guys? It's so blatantly obvious that TNA is desperately trying to get 3D heel heat, but the general response through the Impact Zone has been "get the hell out of the ring" heat. Unfortunately, with all that being said, the more talented team here is going to probably lose. I would personally love and desire the MachineGuns to go mano y mano with LAX, but they're not going to be able to get past 3D, because I would venture a guess that politics will play a role here, and in this case, Sabin and Shelley don't have the pull that Devon and Ray have. It's truly sad how low 3D has sunk to. I was watching old ECW tapes, when these guys were at the top of their games. It's a travesty where they are now, and to take it out on a blossoming team like the McMG is even more disappointing.
WINNERS: Team 3D
SAMOA JOE vs. ROBERT ROODE
I will continue to say the one thing I have been saying for months. Samoa Joe has to be one of the most angriest individuals in TNA. I don't care about personal issues, backstage politics, whatever. He gave up a legendary status career inside Ring of Honor to stay put in TNA, and he has not sniffed the world title yet. It boggles the mind why. He has ended up being every midcarders stepping stone, with Cage being the one exclusion there. Here, it's Roode, and it makes little to no sense to me why this match would even be considered. Granted, I'm not as up on the storylines here, but nevertheless, Roode's gimmick is the one thing holding him back, as he can roll with the best of them, as evident from his Team Canada days. Joe, I just don't know anymore. His performance has to be lacking, something has to be blackmailing him in to these rotten bookings, and I can't see how much longer this is going to go on. TNA can't be paying him that well to be put through this much mediocre scenarios.
WINNER: Samoa Joe
Personally, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Roode found a way to get Joe DQ'ed. But, I did read something about a potentially new valet for Roode, and maybe that may be the swerve that'll at least get Joe a win here.
Shop of Horrors Match
ABYSS vs. BLACK REIGN
Last Rites Match. Doomsday Chamber of Blood Match. The list is virtually endless. There's a new opponent, but now the same gimmicks are coming in to play. I know, I know, I said I was a gimmick match enthusiast, and I am. SOME of TNA's gimmick matches I enjoy. King of the Mountain. Lethal Lockdown. Ultimate X. Hell, I even enjoyed Elevation X, even with the cluster F that was. But, I picked up Hard Justice for the Doomsday Chamber of Blood match, and I was incredibly disappointed. I've seen the last rites match, and I was disappointed. I don't suspect I am going to be impressed with this one either. The world knows Dustin "Blackdust Reign" Runnels is just a sacrificial lamb to Abyss until his real meal ticket returns, that being Ricky "Judas Mesias" Banderas. In the meantime, we're going to be placed in a match that, honestly, I have no ideas what the rules are. And unfortunately, with that being the case, and the opponent not being someone who I can trust to be able to put on a show of epic proportions, I doubt this match will deliver much. Give the win to Abyss, one way or another, and hopefully, Black Reign's time in TNA will be short lived.
WINNER: Abyss
Fight for the Right Tournament Final - Ladder Match
KAZ vs. CHRISTIAN CAGE
I'm going to commend TNA for putting Kaz in this match. At least we have a new face attempting to go for something significant. I won't mention the fact that last month we had some dumb gimmick reverse battle royal that Eric Young won, and basically got nothing for it. Here, it's pretty obvious the contract will be in the case at the top of the ladder, ala Money in the Bank. And also, if you guys can't determine who's going to win this one, then we all need to have our heads examined. This is Cage's home turf. Plain and simple. As impressive as Kazarian is, he's got little to no chance on this one, unless he re-ups with Serotonin, and has Raven and Havok come out to beat on Cage's goons. One way or another, we're looking, yet again, at a Christian Cage title shot in the near future. Oh joy. Cage is good, don't get me wrong, but it illustrates my main problem with TNA at this time. Why not let the new breed of the business get a run with the gauntlet. God knows they need it to keep their morales up, or is the almighty ratings point that you're not getting that important?
WINNER: Christian Cage
I did try and say I would be more positive, but I'm telling you, it's really not easy.
Four title matches. I'm impressed there.
TNA Women's Championship
GAIL KIM vs. ROXXI LAVEAUX vs. O.D.B. vs. ANGEL WILLIAMS
Why does this scream a run in from Awesome Kong to basically turn this match in to nothing? Personally, this match could be incredibly entertaining, and really show up WWE's lack of skills in its female wrestlers. I know about Kim and Roxxi well, from past experience. I've read about ODB from her work in OVW, and I saw Williams once when Kong literally had her bones for breakfast during a match on Impact. I can guess that, if they were allowed, they could perform a match that would be incredibly enjoyable to watch and experience. However, I believe it's inevitable that Kong and Kim will face off, and this is probably the vehicle to get that party rolling. It's sad too, because I can tell you from experience while seeing her live, Roxxi Laveaux could be an incredible champion, and run with a terrific program with Gail Kim, if given the chance. Sadly, I don't suspect they will allow that. One final question, where is Talia Madison from all this?
NO CONTEST: Predict a run in from Awesome Kong to cause the match to be thrown out
There's a new prediction for me. Never tried that one out before.
TNA World Tag Team Championships
AJ STYLES & TOMKO vs. THE STEINER BROTHERS
Ok, here's a shot at WWE. It's a Pay Per View, and we have a tag team title match. I'M STUNNED!
Ok. Back to business. If this were ten years ago, Styles & Tomko would be meat for the Steiners. Now, I don't know. I doubt it. While I personally would not mind one bit for Rick & Scott to run with the gold one more time, I am suspecting that, hell, I'm praying that, the TNA creative committees have more in store for the champions. I suspect, though, there may be more of a chance for the title to change hands here due to Tomko's committments to New Japan Pro Wrestling as one half of the IWGP Tag Team Title Holders. It's pretty much a pick em match here. It will be very interesting to see how Styles can handle Scott and Rick's power, as he has normally been in the back ground on Steiner's teams in the past. Now, with the power meeting the speed, this will be intriguing to watch. Tomko can obviously match either Steiner power for power, so it should be an entertaining contest. I'll go out on a limb and say we have a successful defense, but it's close.
WINNERS: AJ Styles & Tomko
TNA X Division Championship
JAY LETHAL vs. SONJAY DUTT
One. I am glad to see Dutt getting a one on one title shot at a pay per view. Two. The "Guru" gimmick is old, and has gotten old really quick. Three. Where was the buildup for this match? And Four. Haven't these guys been tag team partners for months on end? Yeah, I know, when titles are on the line, partnerships go out the window, but what I fear is that the gimmick may be Sonjay's biggest downfall, as he may do some schtick saying he's Lethal's partner and friend, and doesn't want to compete. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the old "playa from the Himalaya" return and take Lethal on an adventure for a match that would be memorable as hell. But, when push comes to shove, I don't suspect that's going to happen, and I suspect we'll have another successful defense for the X Division Champion.
WINNER: Jay Lethal
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
KURT ANGLE & KEVIN NASH vs. STING & a mystery partner
I am very distressed with this match for a myriad of reasons. One, all points lead to another former WWE talent, specifically Booker T, coming in as Sting's tag team partner, which is absolutely ludicrous. While I don't discount the fact that Booker T is allowed to make a living, he should not be placed in a scenario that could allow him the opportunity to be the heavyvweight champion of the company. I would've thought there's such a thing as a ladder of success that wrestlers need to climb when they debut in a new surrounding.
With that being said, the chances of Booker being involved in this decision are slim, as this match SCREAMS for Kurt Angle and Kevin Nash to face off in some way, shape, or form. I doubt Nash wins the title, but I would not be surprised to see the setup for a one on one match in the near future for Nash and Angle, and that infuriates me for two reasons. 1. Nash looks older than my father. 2. Nash has no business wrestling for the heavyweight title at this time.
The chances of a title change here are slim. If Sting won the title at Bound For Glory, and subsequently lost it two days later at the Impact tapings, It would be monumentally shocking for Sting to win this match and reclaim the TNA title. With that being said, I would suspect something incredibly chaotic to come out of this cluster, causing either Angle to retain, or a no contest. I'll pick Angle, reluctantly, and hope that the TNA title picture finds a way to undo the damage it has already done to the top prize in the company.
WINNER: Kurt Angle
Now, moving on. I watched the CNN Death Grip documentary from bell to bell last night. I am disgusted. Not from the fact that there appears to be a significant dark side to the realm of professional wrestling, because let's face it, ladies and gentlemen. There's a dark side to everything, and everyone, and every action that people take. That's just the world we live in, and the climate that has been placed in front of us.
What I am disgusted with is the idiocy that CNN made this situation out to be, almost turning it in to a bona fide witch hunt against McMahon and WWE. While I don't discount that WWE should take some more significant actions in assisting its superstars who have had and continue to have significant problems with substance abuse, it's basically boiled down to one thing. I'll use an example.
If Chris Masters has been given, allegedly, four chances to clean up his act, and hasn't been able to do it yet, who's to blame? WWE? I don't think so.
I was digusted THE MOST with the fact that they made one of the individuals in that documentary out to be something that I believe he is not. Now, let me explain.
Anyone who visits my blog would know that I posted entries expressing discontent at the response John Cena gave in that documentary when asked about whether or not he has taken steroids. I had said when this whole thing came out that if Cena was ever linked to the scandal, that it would damage my own status as a fan with the company and as of him, tremendously.
When I was done reading that commentary, his credibility was seriously shaken with me, and I think my readers know that I hold Cena in very high esteem. I tried to elaborate on that further in blog entries I had made from yesterday.
Soon after writing my initial blog, I discovered wwe.com had posted a vehement denial of the Cena aspect of the documentary, even going so far as to post an unedited version of the interview CNN did with the former WWE Champion.
I said I would reserve judgment until I could watch that tape, which I can't do till late next week, due to the fact that I have an archaic internet connection. However, I did take the time to watch the documentary from start to finish. I posted some immediate observations about the show on my blog as well, but the bottom line of the scenario is this. If you can't tell that CNN edited the Cena segment of that show INCREDIBLY, then, I can't help you. I had college courses in television and radio. I think my ears can tell if a feed is edited, and that was a hatchet job of epic proportions.
I won't comment any further about the Cena aspect of the documentary until I see the unedited version later this week. It'll probably end up being a column all to itself.
Anyway, let me close this with this thought. Steroids is a problem not just in World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Non Stop Action wrestling. It's a world wide problem. While the Chris Benoit tragedy put the light brightly on the empire of Vince McMahon, it'd be a fine time to try and understand that when push comes to shove, the decision lies with the individual. If the individual does not take the proper precautions to preserve his own life, is that the fault of the company he works for?
I invite debates at my blog by clicking here.
Or you can send me a direct email by clicking here.
Thank you for reading.
NOTE: The opinions of this column do not reflect those of the administration of this website.
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