theflammablemanimal
The Man
Posts 5000
Registered 9-2-2008 Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-6-2011 at 10:20 PM |
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New creative lead at TNA?
According to JBL, Bruce Pritchard is taking over TNA creative.
Good?
The first undisputed OO draft champion of the world
Get the pistons pumping and let the pigeons loose on my yambag
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TommyD420
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1655
Registered 12-30-2005 Location Worcester, MA Member Is Offline Mood: Smurfy
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posted on 10-6-2011 at 10:52 PM |
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It can't be any worse.
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Chris Is Good517
Posts 10711
Registered 1-10-2002 Location Little Rock, AR Member Is Offline Mood: punchy
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posted on 10-6-2011 at 10:53 PM |
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Does this mean Hogan and Bischoff are on the way out?
Gee, I wish I was still alive- LuckyLopez R.I.P.
Bachmann: "I haven't had a gaffe... when it comes to the best Republican who take
on Barack Obama and not have any clunker in my record to be able to take him on, it's me."
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Gobshite
The Rowdy One
Posts 2502
Registered 1-30-2004 Location Right here, in Birmingham, England!! Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 12:16 AM |
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I Think/Hope Hogan definitely is, and Bischoff should go with him. Even more so than those two though, it's Russo that needs to go. Lance
Storm's recent assessment of Russo seems spot on these days:
quote: Only spoke to Russo on 2 occasions. The first time was when I met with Russo and Bischoff to talk about joining WCW. At that meeting Russo
pitched his first creative idea for me, which was making me Eric's illegitimate son. He said it was because I had the same arrogant look on my
face that Eric always had. I though the idea was horrible and thankfully Eric did as well and got it killed. The second time we spoke it was to
discuss the name of my group in WCW. Russo wanted to call us the Canadian World Organization because he thought it would be funny if I was trying to
do the CWO (Canadian World Order) but got the name wrong. I told him my group wasn't a comedy act so I didn't understand why we were
supposed to be funny and asked him how dumb we would have to be to work in WCW and not know the name of the biggest and most well known group in the
company's history? I pitched the Team Canada name instead and after a short debate he gave in. My honest opinion is that Vince Russo understand
as much about the pro-wrestling industry and what draws money in it, as I know about Quantum Mechanics.
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DevilSoprano
Pee Wee's Plaything
Posts 5024
Registered 11-16-2002 Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 12:57 AM |
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Lance Storm has way too much of an ego for me to ever take his opinions seriously. He's as bad as Jim Cornette when it comes to ragging on
Russo. Neither side is right but at least Russo keeps his opinions about these guys to himself now. Cornette and Storm think it makes them cool to
continue to mock Russo. It doesn't.
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JB KING
Posts 794
Registered 12-4-2009 Location Oxnard, CA Member Is Offline Mood: Jamming
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 01:08 AM |
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Thats because theres nothing cool about stating facts. History lessons are never cool from school til now. yup.
Two time Winner for 2010 Breakthrough Poster of the Year Award. You read that right.
XBL Gamertag: JB KING
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MrJustinB
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1590
Registered 1-18-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Blue and Orange
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 03:16 AM |
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I really want to be optimistic about this. But, Pritchard hasn't ever been a really successful booker, and he's spent a while under Russo,
who is still part of the team.
Those of you who are tna fans, where are we with the tapings? When would the first possible Pritchards show air?
BTW, Hogan just renewed his contract, so he isn't going anywhere.
"I want to make this shit cool again." - CM Punk
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cardscott5
Fella
Posts 422
Registered 6-28-2007 Location wherever god takes me Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 04:35 AM |
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The PPV is next week, so I assume he would take control at, or after, that and the new shows start the week after. Who knows how swift the change is
since Russo is still hanging around. Hanging around, hanging around, he's got alligator blood.
Visit my site: www.BearcatsBlog.com. Pretend to care.
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Thom
The Great One
Posts 3660
Registered 1-14-2003 Location Amazingville Member Is Offline Mood: Awesome
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 01:19 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Gobshite
I Think/Hope Hogan definitely is, and Bischoff should go with him. Even more so than those two though, it's Russo that needs to go. Lance
Storm's recent assessment of Russo seems spot on these days:
I, as a TNA fan, definitely want Hogan and Russo gone. Bischoff, on the other hand, I don't mind - provided his creative input is
filtered/limited. I actually like him as the "Authority Figure" for TNA. If nothing else, he plays smarmy well - and it's easy to want to
see him get his comeuppance.
As far as Pritchard goes, I really don't know what he's done or been responsible for. So, who knows?
"I'm actually not wearing pants, and that's how I watch NXT every single week." - CM Punk
http://www.myspace.com/bassmantar
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ThePunisher
The Great One
Posts 3101
Registered 4-19-2003 Location Asheville, NC Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 06:09 PM |
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Hogan and Bischoff have both signed extensions with TNA.
Hogan Link
Bischoff Link
Hence, if you come to Manchester with a United shirt on, you may as well come to Raw with a t-shirt of Hitler getting a rimjob from the Queen and
blowjob from Richard the Lionheart. ~Devineman 07/12/2011
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Gobshite
The Rowdy One
Posts 2502
Registered 1-30-2004 Location Right here, in Birmingham, England!! Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 07:07 PM |
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I dunno, wrestlezone is one of the worst offenders for making stuff up, having a dozen pop ups pers page, and 'REPORTEDLY' covering their
own asses with stupid words. Nobody important has confirmed it, so I'll wait and see. I'm sure if TNA had resigned him they wouldnt keep
their mouths shut about it.
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Paddlefoot
Posts 1977
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Circus Of Gay Member Is Offline Mood: F'd N Da A
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posted on 10-7-2011 at 09:38 PM |
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Hopefully it's true. I'm actually enjoying keeping my Thursday nights free of television.
GW Bush read Camus because "everyone has to read a book written by a killer whale" - General JC Christian
I downloaded the soundtrack to "Song of the South," and it's 45 minutes of whipcracks, women pleading "please, no," and people screaming.
- the esteemed Dr. Mobute
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir? - John Maynard Keynes
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Chris Is Good517
Posts 10711
Registered 1-10-2002 Location Little Rock, AR Member Is Offline Mood: punchy
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posted on 10-8-2011 at 03:44 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by Paddlefoot
Hopefully it's true. I'm actually enjoying keeping my Thursday nights free of television.
Ninja please. Why are you NOT watching Community?
Gee, I wish I was still alive- LuckyLopez R.I.P.
Bachmann: "I haven't had a gaffe... when it comes to the best Republican who take
on Barack Obama and not have any clunker in my record to be able to take him on, it's me."
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MrJustinB
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1590
Registered 1-18-2003 Member Is Offline Mood: Blue and Orange
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posted on 10-8-2011 at 09:02 PM |
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Parks and Recreation, FTW.
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cloak and dagger
Creepy Little Bastard
Posts 63
Registered 8-24-2011 Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 01:00 AM |
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Since what they're doing isn't working, I fail to understand why they don't give Paul Heyman a shot. You couldn't have a
better authority figure / booker to cart out in front of the masses than that.
TNA is generally seen as a bush league promotion with a lot of money backing it. I would embrace that instead of trying to be seen as viable
competition with WWE, and play up some of the indie aspects. I think they were doing their best work in '05-'06, playing up the X Division
with those Styles / Daniels / Joe 3 ways. Instead, they're a cross between WWE-lite and WCW-lite, pulling the worst out of both companies.
"...and everything I touch, shall wither and die."
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Chris Is Good517
Posts 10711
Registered 1-10-2002 Location Little Rock, AR Member Is Offline Mood: punchy
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 01:38 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by cloak and dagger
Since what they're doing isn't working, I fail to understand why they don't give Paul Heyman a shot. You couldn't have a
better authority figure / booker to cart out in front of the masses than that.
My understanding is that there was some mutual interest a few years back but Heyman made a lot of demands that TNA wasn't willing
to/couldn't meet.
Gee, I wish I was still alive- LuckyLopez R.I.P.
Bachmann: "I haven't had a gaffe... when it comes to the best Republican who take
on Barack Obama and not have any clunker in my record to be able to take him on, it's me."
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C.MontgomeryPunk
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1700
Registered 1-6-2010 Member Is Offline Mood: ButtViper-y
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 03:23 AM |
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Heyman wanted 10% and complete control over the roster and wanted to fire all veterans except Kurt Angle. I don't think it would have mattered
as I think professional wrestling is dying as an industry. MMA is killing it.
Real fighting with real uncertainty vs fake wrestling with predictability.
Back in the day even if folks knew prowrestling was scripted, the wrestlers were still seen as tough guys. Now the tough guys are in mma and the
wrestlers are seen as guys who just play tough guys in a television show.
I remember Eddie Guerrero.
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Paddlefoot
Posts 1977
Registered 1-19-2008 Location Circus Of Gay Member Is Offline Mood: F'd N Da A
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 03:26 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by Chris Is Good517
quote: Originally posted by Paddlefoot
Hopefully it's true. I'm actually enjoying keeping my Thursday nights free of television.
Ninja please. Why are you NOT watching Community?
Can't stand Chevy Chase. Never could actually.
GW Bush read Camus because "everyone has to read a book written by a killer whale" - General JC Christian
I downloaded the soundtrack to "Song of the South," and it's 45 minutes of whipcracks, women pleading "please, no," and people screaming.
- the esteemed Dr. Mobute
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir? - John Maynard Keynes
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Chris Is Good517
Posts 10711
Registered 1-10-2002 Location Little Rock, AR Member Is Offline Mood: punchy
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 03:36 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by C.MontgomeryPunk
I don't think it would have mattered as I think professional wrestling is dying as an industry. MMA is killing it.
Well, they aren't doing much to help themselves, either.
quote: Paddlefoot
Can't stand Chevy Chase. Never could actually.
I was never a big Chase fan either, but seriously, don't let him stop you from giving it a chance.
Gee, I wish I was still alive- LuckyLopez R.I.P.
Bachmann: "I haven't had a gaffe... when it comes to the best Republican who take
on Barack Obama and not have any clunker in my record to be able to take him on, it's me."
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Flash
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1016
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Brantford, Ontario Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-10-2011 at 03:58 PM |
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If you can't stand Chevy Chase, its still very watchable because they go out of their way to make him as unlikeable as possible as some elderly
racist cult worshipping sexist rich guy... hell, most of the characters the on show can't stand him.
Pritchard is kind of an old hand in the business guy, who's been around for ever and has usually been the second to someone else's vision,
so him being at the top of the commitee doesn't inspire confidence IMO. Not a bad move, expecially if he can be served as a filter for some of
Russo's all of the map and lack of continuity ideas, and not relied on to step of the product himself.
I don't know that Heyman would touch TNA as I think the writing is on the wall about them to a certain extent (Spike decides to pull the plug
and they're done), and he seems to be making big enough inroads into the MMA stuff, as well as doing pretty decently with his own website.
Just out of curiosity what's Tommy Dreamer doing these days? Dreamer has a tonne of experience booking TNA and was said to have doen a great job
with his time in OVW and other WWE developmental. His ECW time has probably made him accustomed to working with smaller budgets to get the maximum
results as well. Dreamer couild maybe be more effective as the head booker than Pritchard.
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sszanto
rOOkie
Posts 36
Registered 8-23-2011 Member Is Offline Mood: "o.o"
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posted on 10-11-2011 at 02:02 AM |
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Dreamer is part of the Production Team for the Wrestling Revolution Project, along
with Lance Storm. Their first set of tapings are supposed to be this week.
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cloak and dagger
Creepy Little Bastard
Posts 63
Registered 8-24-2011 Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-12-2011 at 09:47 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by C.MontgomeryPunk
Heyman wanted 10% and complete control over the roster and wanted to fire all veterans except Kurt Angle. I don't think it would have mattered
as I think professional wrestling is dying as an industry. MMA is killing it.
Real fighting with real uncertainty vs fake wrestling with predictability.
Back in the day even if folks knew prowrestling was scripted, the wrestlers were still seen as tough guys. Now the tough guys are in mma and the
wrestlers are seen as guys who just play tough guys in a television show.
I disagree. Not just to be the devil's advocate mind you, but because I think a lot of wrestling's appeal is the fact that you know
you're going to get a show. I love MMA, and I'm a big UFC fan. I don't keep up with K1 or Dream, but I enjoyed Pride in its prime.
Regardless, I know that wrestling delivers a solid 3 hour show every time. That offsets the "but it's fake!!" factor. When MMA cats start
hitting Shooting Star Presses? Wrestling will be out of a market.
You know what? Let me clarify here, because I agree with a sizable portion of your post. A lot of WWE's market share has been cannibalized by
MMA, no doubt. THAT'S where your casual fan has gone. The guys who liked violence for its own sake can find it with Dana White --- who does a
damn good job of promoting his machine like he needs to. Dana White is the Vince MacMahon of the new millenium.
Wrestling still has a niche though, and it's not as sizable as it could be only because the stories and product don't deliver like they
could. With Paul Heyman behind the wheel of someone's company, I think they could blur the lines enough that the casual fan would come back to
wrestling. All the action and drama without the short / boring fights, or extended periods of humping each other on the ground? SOLD. MMA's only
equivalent of a wrestling-style talker is Chael Sonnen. MMA's only guaranteed action guy is Anderson Silva. Heyman would milk his talent and
give you the best wrestling has to offer.
Remember this is the man who resigned because CM Punk didn't choke the Big Show out at December to Dismember '06. He understands the
business. When your current model isn't working? Give the new kid a shot.
"...and everything I touch, shall wither and die."
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Flash
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1016
Registered 4-22-2005 Location Brantford, Ontario Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-14-2011 at 04:53 AM |
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While creatively I can see a lot of benefits to Paul Heyman being given creative control of the business, I also can't help but wonder if
perhaps the legend of Heyman hasn't grown a bit bigger than the man himself.
ECW was revolutionary and a lot of that owes to Paul E. knowing how to work with what he had and either hide its faults or showcase its strengths (ex
911), but he also had some very good lieutenants in their own rights who have gone on to receive a good amount of praise of their own over their
careers. I can't say if they helped to contribute to Heyman making a name for himself or if he gave them an opportunity and they learned at his
feet, but either way I don't entirely know that he accomplished what he did in a complete vaccuum either.
I think in talking about Paul Heyman you also have to take his considerable failures into account. While he may not necessarily be responsible for the
financials running TNA, which has long been others biggest complaint about him, his storylines and attempts at ratings are still going to ultimately
have to lead to a profit at some point. Lance Storm also recently commented about some negative rumours that made the rounds about him just before he
joined WCW and that he knew that they had come directly from Heyman in an effort to sabotage his efforts to jump ship... this isn't the first
time Heyman's been linked to some less than reputable stories. You could also point to his consistently placing himself in on-screen roles as
something that could eventually work against him... remember, Vince being onscreen as himself the boss was pretty innovative and fresh at one point
too, now we collectively grown when we hear his music strike.... not saying its the same thing, just that he always finds a way onto TV and that not
having a boss so to speak might make him intollerable in his own right one day.
Anyway, not saying Heyman couldn't be great running TNA as I have been impressed with a lot of what he has said in interviews (even if it is
fairly common sense stuff), but at the same time I do think there's enough reasons out there to question the idea of him as a savior of TNA, as
honestly the only thing I think he has a chance of being able to deliver more than the next guy could be Brock Lesnar, and even then it would be less
their frienship and more Spike being in bed Dana White and UFC, and eager to tie TNA to its heavy investment in UFC programming that would really
cause them to pony up the bucks for Lesnar (who could then still be on good terms w/ UFC as he'd be helping one of their parnter networks).
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CreativeInternetAliass
Man of a Thousand Holds
Posts 1449
Registered 5-26-2010 Location north carolina Member Is Offline Mood: overworked
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posted on 10-14-2011 at 10:38 AM |
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Come November, Spike will no longer be "in bed" with UFC. All Ufc programming is leaving the show. If the rumors of Spike trying to rebrand itself
as not being the "guy network" are true, TNA may be in for some hard times.
I remember Lucky Lopez.
dev are you going to give me your address or do i have to check the registered sex offender data base (Firewoman trying to set up a three way meet on
03/20/2011)
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cloak and dagger
Creepy Little Bastard
Posts 63
Registered 8-24-2011 Member Is Offline Mood:
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posted on 10-14-2011 at 05:00 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Flash
While creatively I can see a lot of benefits to Paul Heyman being given creative control of the business, I also can't help but wonder if
perhaps the legend of Heyman hasn't grown a bit bigger than the man himself.
ECW was revolutionary and a lot of that owes to Paul E. knowing how to work with what he had and either hide its faults or showcase its strengths (ex
911), but he also had some very good lieutenants in their own rights who have gone on to receive a good amount of praise of their own over their
careers. I can't say if they helped to contribute to Heyman making a name for himself or if he gave them an opportunity and they learned at his
feet, but either way I don't entirely know that he accomplished what he did in a complete vaccuum either.
I think in talking about Paul Heyman you also have to take his considerable failures into account. While he may not necessarily be responsible for the
financials running TNA, which has long been others biggest complaint about him, his storylines and attempts at ratings are still going to ultimately
have to lead to a profit at some point. Lance Storm also recently commented about some negative rumours that made the rounds about him just before he
joined WCW and that he knew that they had come directly from Heyman in an effort to sabotage his efforts to jump ship... this isn't the first
time Heyman's been linked to some less than reputable stories. You could also point to his consistently placing himself in on-screen roles as
something that could eventually work against him... remember, Vince being onscreen as himself the boss was pretty innovative and fresh at one point
too, now we collectively grown when we hear his music strike.... not saying its the same thing, just that he always finds a way onto TV and that not
having a boss so to speak might make him intollerable in his own right one day.
Anyway, not saying Heyman couldn't be great running TNA as I have been impressed with a lot of what he has said in interviews (even if it is
fairly common sense stuff), but at the same time I do think there's enough reasons out there to question the idea of him as a savior of TNA, as
honestly the only thing I think he has a chance of being able to deliver more than the next guy could be Brock Lesnar, and even then it would be less
their frienship and more Spike being in bed Dana White and UFC, and eager to tie TNA to its heavy investment in UFC programming that would really
cause them to pony up the bucks for Lesnar (who could then still be on good terms w/ UFC as he'd be helping one of their parnter networks).
Heyman's booking success extends past ECW. He produced some of the stars of WWE's new era that came out of FCW when he was booking there,
and shot Smackdown past Raw when he was booking there. He fantasy booked one of TNA's PPVs (can't remember which, but it was when the
Motor City Machine Guns won the tag titles), and did it in such a way that I would've been infinitely more impressed even though he basically
just rearranged the matches. His legend is big, but with good reason. He has the eye for the business, and all of his talent (despite what he's
done to them) speak up for that fact.
With the exposure they have, Paul Heyman would shut down the majority of TNA's upper roster and bring in indy folks. I think he could've
done great with Chris Hero, Claudio Castagnoli, Pac, and the like. I'd certainly watch them over Sting vs the corpse of Ric Flair.
EDA: spelling error, did ECW instead of FCW.
[Edited on 10-14-2011 by cloak and dagger]
"...and everything I touch, shall wither and die."
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