One Year Later: TNA Wrestling
 

So, it's officially a year since TNA went to Mondays for a few weeks. We've gone through months of Hogan and Bischoff, an ECW storyline, Jeff Hardy's rise to the top and much more.

So, my question is, is TNA better, product-wise, now than they were 1 year ago? Worse? The same?

Also, discuss 2010 TNA in general and what you did/didn't like about it.

Also, it's 12 years to the day of the Finger Poke of Doom.

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TNA is the same shit as a year ago.

Gee, TNA started it's Monday Night Wars on the Anniversary of FOD? You think that was a sign? Nah, they just blow...

They also booked the Jeff Hardy heel turn/Immortal creation in the same arena as Bash at the Beach 96.

Dunno. I vowed not to give TNA another chance unless they have 6 months consistent programming that gets people talking.

They're definitely not better. They're probably worse really. They sacrificed their identity to try to go mainstream and it hasn't worked yet.

At least before the switch they were the WWE alternative. You could see things there that you wouldn't see on Raw. Now they're just a less organized, less professional, all around shittier version of WWE. And the weird thing is that seems to be what the people in control want.

I would probably rather watch a full show of Fingerpoke of Dooms than sit through TNA.

I loved TNA back when I used to watch it circa 2006-2008. Started watching regularly around the time Christian went heel. Stopped watching before the Main Event Mafia stuff.

I only stopped watching because I just did not have the time to keep up with it. Between school and work, I could not do it. So I fell out of touch.

I thought that this move to Monday would be just the thing to get me back into it.... but from day one it was a vastly different product then what I watched before.

Good wrestling was still to be found on occasion, but all but gone or buried were the talent that I liked to watch. Old WWE guys came in and dominated the programming. When I watched there used to be storylines from the top of the card down, but now it seemed only the main event (and Hogan) had stories, and if I recall correctly there was a PPV where all the matches were just thrown together on the show before.

When RVD came in and won the title, I just stopped paying attention altogether.

Aside from the excitement of the possibility of real change in TNA that was rampant this time last year, and the idea of a new Monday Night War, I'd say they're about the same, if not worse off than they were last year. This is simply from a personal stand point, but I was a lot more interested in the product this time last year than I am now. I was a TNA fan back when they were doing weekly PPV's and was pulling for them for a long time to get big and be a true competitor for the WWE, but as of now, I could give a shit less if they closed their doors tomorrow.

Honestly, I kind of hope they lose a shit ton of money in the next year so Vince can buy THEM out too and do the invasion angle for real this time.

Knockouts division used to be aces as well. Seems to have gone downhill.

Which were utter pipe dreams. I know that's not where you were going, and I apologise for hijacking what you said, but the point is, it was the usual empty promise from a company that doesn't deliver.

Example (completely made up based on TNA logic mind you)

TNA signs Haas and Benjamin, but makes them wrestle as "prophets of the lord" in all white robes and halos on their heads saying that Jeff Hardy is the downfall of humanity and needs to be punished for his sins. They then perform the first ever baptism inside a wrestling ring, and Jeff Hardy instantly becomes a face again becuase his "evil intentions" have been vanquished.

They're in an interesting place right now, in my opinion. They had a rough year, which looked like it might have promise. They did manage to do maybe one or two things right, with an amazing Kurt Angle storyline and The Motor City Machine Guns finally getting the gold and having an amazing series with Beer Money, Inc.

But they also made some really dumb decisions. They somehow lost their professional relationship with talent like Awesome Kong (who was actually drawing for TNA -- and they chose Bubba the Love Sponge over her), Christopher Daniels and Homicide. I'm a mark for him, I know, but they also brought in Sean Morley, put him over Daniels without having any plans for either, and that led to BOTH leaving the company.

I don't know how TNA can justify the EV2.0 storyline. It was basically something that didn't quite work as well as it could have for the WWE three and a half fucking years prior. TNA wants to be so different from the WWE, but there's nothing that really sets them apart. Plus, they're rather grab for attention than produce a good wrestling product, which makes it hard to get behind them.

The WWE has pushed fresher stars than TNA has this year. They really need to think about where they are going.

And again, another year has gone, and yet again, people here say TNA will be dead within the next year.

QUIT LIVING IN THE PAST!!!!

same shit, different year..... the same people aren't being highlighted, the wrong people are in the spotlight, etc.

I've barely watched any TNA since Hogan joined, which is a shame, they are a good company with so much talent and potential, but I can't bear the thought of watching a show centered around Hulk Hogan in 2010.

It's worse by far. Loved TNA when I first started watching but it's just gotten worse and worse ever single week since.... sadly I still DVR it ever week and watch it spoiler free hoping and praying that they will finally come back to their former 'glory'.

that isn't really living in the past

Haven't watched any TNA in the last year...

I assume it's still the same cluster fuck everyone is a tweener ass backwards booking it's always been...

it is?

Cool.

(at least TNA will occasionally make references to wrestler's past relationships and not take the WWE mentality of "if it happened more than 5 episodes ago, it didn't happen.")

WWE mentions things that happened more than 5 episodes ago fairly regularly.

I think they improved a bit for a very short time, and have more or less settled back into the same old shit.
Really they never consistently changed. They had a few good episodes, and big signings, but ultimately it's leveled off.

I also can't believe it's only been a year. Just seems way longer.

TNA in one whole fucking year (imo) only achieved one thing correctly, and that was the best of 5 series between MCMG and Beer Money.

This year will be MAKE or BREAK for TNA!

Sask' likes to fingerpoke TNA's doom.

And its worse. The writing was always horrible, but at least they had interesting matches. Now its nothing but backstage clips and old guys clinging to the spotlight like a crackhead clutches his pipe.

Smoke on TNA! Eventually it'll catch up to you.

I liked TNA better before. I miss the X Division being featured among other things. Also, too many old familiar faces (that are either not good or just too old) for my liking.

Still can't believe TNA is still around after a year of Hogan and Bischoff ruining the company.

And that took the back burner to the Flair vs Hogan storyline.

the talent and big names (Russo, Eric, Flair, Hogan, Angle, Sting) are there to compete with WWE but they can't seem to execute.

I dont watch TNA anymore. The first Monday was interesting, but after that they went to shit fast. I really enjoyed TNA a few years ago and watched regularly, but now I just cringe at what it is. Hogan/ Easy E need to go.

Sting isn't there anymore...

I liekd Jay Lethal & the MCMG/BM feuds, but there was way too much retardedness (mainly in angles including Abyss & Sting) cancelling it out. Stopped watching months ago & feel better for it.