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TNA News: Kurt Angle says 2011 was a subpar year for TNA, issues with the creative process, says there was a main event finish change at Bound For Glory, lists the next main eventer, Samoa Joe

Posted in: TNA News, Interview Highlights, MUST-READ LISTING
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Jan 10, 2012 - 12:43 PM

Busted Open Interview: Kurt Angle
Hosts: Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca
Busted Open can be heard Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2-4 ET on Sirius 94 XM 208
 

Angle on 2011 for TNA: "I think that 2011 was a subpar year, I think We did a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong. The most important thing I would say is the lack of communication within the writing and creative team. When you have a written show and you present that to everybody and then they start changing things and it becomes a watered down version of what the writer wanted in the first place. Now you don’t know which way to go. We do have a lot of chefs in the kitchen. I think that is the hardest part for our company because when Vince Russo is writing the show and you have Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff and a few other people and other TNA writers changing it up the last second which I don’t disagree with what Hogan says, I agree with him 100 percent.

"But we need to regroup earlier, maybe a week earlier and get it done, change it up, make sure we have the right changes so that we can keep going with the story the right way. So I think 2011 was a confusing year, so this is what we are going to capitalize on in 2012. We are not going to make the same mistakes. I think Hulk Hogan will get with to Vince Russo quicker, I think Eric Bischoff will get with Vince Russo quicker. We will get the show written, get it done a week earlier instead the day of the show, and changing it up. It was just very frustrating. Because I’m a little bit of part of everything in TNA and I watch what’s going on and sometimes I get a little frustrated when I see what Vince Russo is trying to do and I see what the outcome is."

Angle on Bound For Glory: "We literally had a change in 2011 at Bound For Glory right before the match in the main event. In other words, somebody was supposed to win and it got turned to me winning that night. It worked out for the better, I’m not going to lie to you. So the change was good, but literally we didn’t hear about it until that night and me and Bobby Roode was like What?! I’m winning?! I have a torn hamstring and I can’t even wrestle."

Angle on Samoa Joe: "We have not done Joe justice. Whether it had to do with an attitude problem an attitude change. In wrestling you have to play by the rule book. Joe was a little bit of a rebel. I think that might have hurt his cause. I believe Joe is rational. I think we can still make Joe a big star again. I think Joe is a full time main eventer. I think we need to do it now because if we don’t do it now it will never happen."

Angle on the next main event guy: "AJ Styles was there for a while. And then we pulled him down which I didn’t agree with. Now we got AJ up there, Jeff Hardy is here, Robert Roode, James Storm. We’re starting to get to a point where these guys are going to start full time and Kurt Angle and Sting can dwindle off and retire. That’s what we need to happen and that’s what’s happening now and I’m glad because I don’t want to leave TNA and leave an open spot there. I cant wrestle forever. As a matter of fact I am already talking retirement. It’s about making guys and putting them in my spot and making sure they are secure there before I leave."

Kurt on Jeff Hardy: "We were all concerned about Jeff and his welfare. We wanted Jeff to come back. We love Jeff. He is the coolest guy in the world. I have so much respect for him because he can go anywhere he wants. WWE would hire him like that even after everything that’s happened. If he wanted to, and he got released by TNA, WWE would hire him like that. You know why? Because he makes money. He sells merchandise, more than anyone else in this world. So God bless him he could go back to the WWE if he wants, but he wanted to come back here and he wanted to prove to everybody that he could be the wrestler and that he could stay clean.

"Came back and he humbled himself. Apologized to all of us in the locker room for an hour. Told us the whole deal. Told us the whole deal about his brother. Told us about everything about his story and said, 'Listen, all I'm asking is for one more chance.' And he was so humble and had so much humility. It was like 'Ok you know what, you got your chance, you got more than your chance, We’re happy you’re here.' Jeff right now in his life is the best role model a man can be for any kid. Seriously! If I wanted my kid to be anybody right now, it would be Jeff Hardy. My kid wears his shit. And I’m like 'are you kidding me? You don’t have the singlet like Daddy, you got Jeff Hardy crap.' He is the epitome of what a wrestler and a role model should be. And he is a good guy. He will take time to say hi to everyone."

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