Mick Foley could be just what TNA needs if they use him properly

Wednesday, AUGUST 13 - 11:47 A.M.

-Will Mick Foley leave WWE and jump to TNA to work in some capacity? Only Foley knows for sure. I've yet to hear from anyone in TNA who has direct knowledge of any negotiations between the two sides, but one can only assume that upper management would keep that information quiet given that Foley is still under WWE, and TNA would definitely want Foley's debut to be a surprise.

It's worth noting that the last time Foley's WWE contract expired, he considered jumping to TNA. Well, at least he told Vince McMahon that he was considering a move to the promotion. Foley had serious talks with TNA, but Vince sweetened the pot once Foley told him about TNA's offer. I guess we'll find out soon enough whether Foley is serious about making the jump this time around.

Signing Foley at the right price could be huge for TNA. I use the word "could" because it all boils down to whether TNA utilizes Foley in the right manner.

No longer a full-time wrestler, Foley is essentially a jack of all trades and a master of none. He might be willing to work the occasional match. He can sit in on color commentary. And he's a creative guy who likes to pitch storyline ideas.

If Foley jumps to TNA, the company would be wise to capitalize on each of those skills. I would put him in the color commentator position immediately and move Don West to some type of a hype position where he sells pay-per-view events, merchandise, and house shows.

There would be money in recreating the Foley vs. Samoa Joe feud that played out in Ring of Honor. I'd love to see a slow building storyline with the payoff being a match between Foley and Joe on pay-per-view.

Perhaps most importantly, TNA should use Foley's creativity. I don't know if he'd be interested in booking the promotion on a full-time basis, but I'd encourage him to sit in on creative meetings and to submit as many storyline ideas as he wants.

Hell, I'd offer him the book. Granted, he's never been a booker before, but TNA desperately needs a change so I would let Foley surround himself with the team he feels could help him turn the company around.

That being said, I'd be surprised if Foley were open to the idea of taking on a job that would keep him that busy. He's also been complimentary of Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo over the years, and I don't know if he'd be open to the idea of taking their jobs.

If he has a good relationship with Jarrett, Russo, and Dutch Mantel, then maybe he would be willing to work with them in some type of creative role. Perhaps he's the guy who could reel them in and help lead them down the right path.

My first choice for TNA creative remains Paul Heyman, who knows a thing or two about booking Foley properly. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like any serious discussions have taken place between the two sides, so I'd settle for Foley helping out in creative as a consolation prize.

Of course, all of this could be a pipe dream. Foley could re-sign with WWE at the end of the month. He could also leave WWE and then pursue a television career. Keep in mind that he was on the verge of shooting a pilot when he agreed to replace Jonathan Coachman as the color commentator on Smackdown.

Only Foley knows what Foley's next move will be, but if nothing else it's fun to speculate about the possibilities. Let me know what you think his next move will be by taking part in the Foley poll that was just posted by clicking here.

Monday, AUGUST 11 - 12:27 P.M.

-Six months ago today, the countdown clock reached zero and Prowrestling.net was officially launched. I know six months isn't a huge milestone, but I'm proud of how fast the website has grown in such a short amount of time. Thanks to all of you for for making Dot Net a success so quickly.

-Does TNA realize how tired and dated Jeff Jarrett's guitar and Sting's baseball bat are? These two weapons are leftover symbols from the dying days of WCW, yet TNA has made them the focus of their recent television shows and pay-per-views.

The rumored plan is that Vince Russo is relaunching the Millionaire's Club vs. New Blood feud that bombed in WCW. If that's truly the case, then TNA management should really be asking themselves whether Russo, Jeff Jarrett, and Dutch Mantel have any fresh ideas in them.

It's bad enough that these three are out of touch to the point that there's not a truly cool act in TNA these days, but to go back and revisit an angle that bombed just so the booker can attempt to redeem himself is masturbatory and counterproductive.

TNA needs new blood, but not on camera or even on its roster. Rather, the creative team desperately needs a transfusion. Dixie Carter must bring in people who have their fingers on the pulse of the target demographic rather than three guys who clearly don't keep up on pop culture.

Name one cutting edge, money storyline that has played out in TNA thus far. I'm not talking about innovative matches such as Ultimate X. And I'm not talking about obvious money matches such as the Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle feud, which frankly should have been bigger than it was.

Rather, I'm talking about legitimate storylines that made you feel like TNA was presenting a fresh, cutting edge product. I'm hard pressed to come up with one. The creative powers in TNA have relied heavily on stars from the past and have struggled to create new stars.

Joe was more over when he debuted in the company than he is today. The company let punishing the Motor City Machine Guns get in the way of making them stars. LAX was one of the coolest acts in wrestling at one time, but I think the fact that the gimmick has fizzled ever since Konnan left tells you who was the real creative force behind the concept.

I don't mean to harp on the obvious, but it baffles me that TNA and Spike TV officials continue to tolerate this third rate creative performance. I've said it before and I'll say it again. TNA might be turning a profit now, but just imagine how much better they could be doing if they had a better creative direction.