Dot Net TV reporters Rich Twilling and Chris Shore meet up at the water cooler and discuss the hot topics in professional wrestling.

Today’s topics: TNA Slammiversary, A.J. Styles, WWE vs. TNA

Rich: Did you catch the PPV on Sunday night or read a recap? Minus the stupid ass wedding and Eric Young skit, it was a pretty solid show. I am very glad A.J. Styles won his match against Kurt Angle.

Chris: I read Jason Powell’s recap; it did sound like a good show. A.J. winning was good but the Karen Angle bit sounds kind of disturbing. I am glad Samoa Joe retained as well. He deserves to have a good run with the strap.

Rich: I agree; I would have been pissed if Joe would have dropped the belt. They made a huge ordeal over him finally winning the title and to have him drop it to Booker T or Robert Roode with zero fanfare would have sucked. A.J. could be the man. As a top level face, he could give the fans a truly different product. Karen better get her revenge; if she ends up going back to Kurt, that will be horrible, not to mention classic Vince Russo booking.

Chris: A.J. is definitely a stud. I have no problem with the Karen part, but Kurt teasing that he was going to hit her and then his spitting on her was a bit much. Wrestling fights the image of being the drunk wife beating redneck show. I’m just not sure it was smart overall. It is nice to see TNA put on a solid PPV. Another year or so and they could be a serious competitor to Vince (McMahon).

Rich: Yes, the spitting is what I meant. It was tasteless and unnecessary. Kurt, or anyone for that matter, does not need that type of heat. You are dreaming if you think TNA will or could compete with Vince in two years. I never see it happening. However, I hope you are right. Serious competition makes both products better and thus, the fans get better shows. I just do not see that happening.

Chris: A brother can dream. I just don’t want to see TNA as the place where the old guys go to prepare the new guys for the WWE. It happened with ECW and it could happen here. I want a serious second promotion for all the reasons you listed. Say what you want about the later years, but WCW during the initial NWO days was super hot and made WWE what it is today.

Rich: Like I said, I hope you are right. I do not think TNA will become that place. A lot of established stars with something left, like Christian, Angle, and Booker T chose to go there. A lot of younger stars that could have left, like Styles, Joe, and (Christopher) Daniels, decided to stay.

I don’t think ECW was what you say either. ECW stood on its own, but once it financially crumbled, the boys had to go elsewhere to work. If they could have paid people, I think most of them would have stayed. I don’t think the NWO made WWE what it is today. It certainly helped get Vince’s ass in gear to create the Attitude Era, but WWE made itself.

Chris: Three words for you: Doink the Clown. That crap flew until a bunch of rednecks down south spent a little money. WWE was about to go stale. They were still in the Glam '80s when the world had moved on to the Grunge 90’s. (Ted) Turner poured on the heat by winning the ratings war with wrestlers WWE let go; Attitude Era baby.

Of course TNA doesn’t have the resources to do that yet and even if they did I don’t think they’re ready. But with stars like AJ Styles and Awesome Kong, to just name two, they have a base to build on. I have not bought a TNA PPV yet, but they are making a good case for me to.

Rich: Yeah, the mid-90s WWF, minus Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, comprised of some of the crappiest gimmicks ever. WCW definitely made Vince get his shit together and while the Attitude Era may have been different, I think Vince would have prevailed anyway. He always does. As for TNA, right now they are “Diet WWE.” If they push their stars and deliver a true alternative product, then and only then will they have a chance to compete with WWE. Or, they could send The Beautiful People door to door.

Chris: They will have to convince me one at a time, and then both at the same time, and then they’ll have to convince each other, and then…wait, what were we talking about? Oh right, T&A, no, TNA. Anyways, sounds like it was a solid PPV. Good for them. I may catch the next one.

Rich: I am sure your wife would love that, or would she? Just kidding. Catch you back here soon.

Check back soon for another round of Dot Net Water Cooler. Rich and Chris welcome your email feedback. Rich Twilling can be reached at dotnetrich@gmail.com. Chris Shore can be reached at cshore10@triad.rr.com. Until our next break time, thanks for reading.

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