The Shoot #42
December 8, 2009
By: Joshua Piedra of WrestleView.com
-The First Shot-
Hello everyone and welcome to your 42nd edition of The Shoot. If you?re a fan of TNA, I suggest that you skip this column as this is going to be, yet, another TNA rant by yours truly. Now that you have been warned, let’s move on to Quick Shots.
-Quick Shots-
Of course, the biggest news story this week has to be the saddest and most tragic. The wrestling world lost one of its most talented and agile big men in Eddie ?Ecki? Fatu. Of course, he is better known as former WWE Superstar Jamal from 3 Minute Warning and later as ?The Samoan Bulldozer? Umaga. I hope that you all keep the Fatu family in your prayers during this difficult time.
The WWE have seemed to exaggerate the attendance figures for Wrestlemania 25. The actual attendance was 61,611 people, but the WWE advertised the attendance as 72,744. The WWE is the biggest wrestling company in the world. I do not see the reason to exaggerate their attendance figures. I mean, would it really be that embarrassing to advertise the actual attendance figures? Even if they are trying to make their company look strong in a week economy, 61k in attendance isn?t something to be embarrassed about.
The WWE is talking about rebranding ECW and dropping its name due to the low ratings that the show has gotten. Reportedly, SyFy isn?t happy with the low ratings as any television network should be, which is warranting the decision to make the change. It is said that the format will stay the same, though. All I can say is that I could see this coming miles away. Ever since the original disappointment in the WWE-ized reincarnation of ECW, it was only a matter of time before it was rebranded.
-The Big Shot: What the *** is TNA Thinking? Again!?-
I?m not usually one for sequel columns, but once again, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling has done something so mind boggling that I have to vent even more frustrations about it. I mean, it was bad enough when they broadcasted the team meeting with Dixie Carter, now they announced that they are going to be running a special edition of TNA iMPACT! That will run three hours long and will feature Hulk Hogan’s TNA iMPACT! Debut.
Sounds fine, right? Well, did I mention that they had this brilliant idea to do this edition live?
Still sounds fine, right?
Well, in concept, this would be a great idea except for one small detail. This show is going to run head to head with WWE Monday Night Raw.
Yes? you heard that right?
TNA iMPACT!… a show that is lucky to pull a 1.1-1.2 rating on a Thursday night? a show with as much creative direction as Helen Keller driving a car? a show that cannot make any stars because they are too busy switching people between heel and face as well as running in the same location and catering to the same fans week in and week out? is going to go head to head with one of the longest running cable wrestling television shows in history and the number one wrestling promotion in the entire world.
Can somebody please tell me why anyone thinks this is a good idea?
What does TNA actually hope to accomplish with this? I mean, are they really banking on Hulk Hogan so much that they are willing to commit to career suicide by going up against Monday Night Raw? I know that wrestling companies thrive on competition, and that this kind of competition is necessary to produce better television, but? that worked with WCW because Ted Turner had deep pockets to steal top talent from the WWE to compete with them. The only reason why WCW beat the WWE for 84 weeks in a row was because of Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan doing this little thing called the new World order.
TNA iMPACT! Doesn?t have the pockets of Ted Turner. TNA doesn?t have the creative ability to pull something together that would shock the wrestling world. TNA doesn?t have the ability to put on solid wrestling matches with wrestlers that people care about or even know that exist because they have no concept on how to develop their talent.
I mean? for the average WWE fan who watches nothing but WWE, it might be nice to tune into TNA to take a trip down memory lane to see the wrestlers who are no longer there compete in a sub-par atmosphere, but I think that’s about the extent of it.
TNA isn?t really going to be making any new fans with this special. If anything, it’s going to alert the WWE audience who haven?t watched TNA yet to how horrible their product is. Once they see the lack of creativity and the booking train wreck that iMPACT! Is week in and week out, it’s going to do more damage to TNA than actually help it.
All I can say is that I cannot wait to see the rating come out that following day just to see how badly they get crushed. I hope they look at that number and seriously re-evalutate their position as a wrestling company.
Deep breath? Ok.. I?m done ranting?. For now.
-Culture Shock-
The Dolphins? Seriously? The Miami freakin? Dolphins? A team that was 5-6 going into this game? a team we took it to and destroyed just three weeks ago? wow? just? wow.
Yes? I am a nerd? yes.. I enjoy World of Warcraft? and yes? I am excited that Patch 3.3 is released today where we are introduced to Icecrown Citadel. This is the final content patch of this expansion where we get to face and defeat Arthas Menethal, also known as The Lich King. After this will be the third WoW expansion, Cataclysm. Knowing Blizzard servers will be down all day so I?ll just sit back, watch some anime, and check out the new stuff on Wednesday.
Speaking of which, I found a great site called bleachexile.com. Not to make is sound like a plug, but for a five dollar minimum donation, you?ll have access to as much anime as you want? direct downloads, and all in 480, 720, or 1080 resolution. I was a kid in a candy store since I absolutely detest torrents. I prefer direct downloads so this was like Christmas in December for me!
-The Final Shot-
That’s going to do it for me this week. If you would like to submit anything as far as column feedback, wrestling discussion, culture shock topics, anything? you can do so by using any of the methods below.
E-Mail: syscrash2002@hotmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/itoshinojjp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joshuapiedra
Until next week?
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