Powell's Blog Is TNA bringing back the NWO? By Jason Powell May 23, 2008 - 09:52 AM CLICK FOR BIO Email This Article | Printer Friendly Page Send Us News & Results | Back to Main Listing Friday, MAY 23 - 9:52 A.M. Is it just me or is TNA created it's own version of the NWO? It started with Booker T teaming up with Team 3D last week. It continued this week with Tomko joining those three wrestlers at the end of the show. Then Kurt Angle entered the ring and sided with Booker, Team 3D, and Tomko. Suddenly, there were five former WWE wrestlers beating up TNA homegrown talent. A.J. Styles. Likewise, Booker and Team 3D roughed up TNA homegrown tag team LAX earlier in the show. Obviously, TNA can't use the NWO name because that's property of WWE. Will they play on the old WWF name and call this faction "The Federation?" Maybe "The Fed" for short? Could TNA pull that off without getting themselves sued? Is this a modern day version of the Millionaires Club vs. New Blood feud that Vince Russo booked in WCW? Is this Jeff Jarrett's plan for his big return? Will the former Intercontinental Champion book himself as the centerpiece of the storyline by creating a mystery focussed on whether he'll align with the former WWE wrestlers only to ultimately position himself as the new Diamond Dallas Paige by sticking with the home team? Am I reading too much into the history of the five heels who attacked Styles last night? Maybe. I'm not using any inside information here, folks. This is purely speculation on my part, but all the pieces appear to be to in place for a WWE-themed faction. It could be fun if TNA books it properly and doesn't get carried away with a roster-splitting feud. Then again, it could be nothing. Wednesday, MAY 21 - 5:16 P.M. No wrestling talk here. I will work a wrestling reference in, but it will be a cheap attempt at obliging anyone who is tempted to write a "stick to wrestling" email. It was laundry day here at Dot Net World Headquarters. Super exciting stuff, right? Anyway, I went to dry my clothes and was greeted by a loud buzzing sound when I pressed the start button. This was just your ordinary buzz. This was a loud, obnoxious, old school hockey/basketball arena buzzer. It was blaring loud and it wouldn't stop until I unplugged the damn dryer. It was the type of buzzing sound that made me knee and kick the dryer a few times. Yes, I know I need anger management. My handyman skills rank right up there with my knowledge of the WNBA. For the next several minutes, I went plugged in the drier, flipped a few switches, kicked the dryer again, and unplugged the dryer. Oddly enough, this didn't solve the problem. I couldn't believe it either. It's softball night and I had a few things I had to dry, so I ventured into a place I once swore I'd never enter sober—the laundromat. During my less mature years, my old roommate Dave Haselman (RIP) and I looked forward to going to the laundromat because we'd pick up a 12-pack of beer and do our best to finish it before our clothes dried. Eventually, we graduated to picking up a case of beer and having a few cold ones before we headed out. I've upgraded since then in the sense that I have my own washer and dryer in my house. Don't act like you're not impressed. Washing clothes has never been quite the same because my girlfriend doesn't share my belief in mixing happy hour with laundry. Women. They know how to take the fun out of everything. Needless to say, my trip to the local laundromat this afternoon wasn't nearly as fun. I was thinking about my old buddy Dave, who died earlier this year, as I begrudgingly entered the laundromat without even a drop of alcohol in my system. I couldn't help but think of how disappointed he be in me for not pounding back a few cold ones. I even waited until after I finished drying my clothes to hit the liquor store for my softball beer. I grabbed a case of Mich Golden Light and an energy drink and started walking to the counter when I was approached by a man who said he wanted to buy my beer. My first thought was that the guy was about to go Terry Garvin on me (there's your wrestling reference), but he said he worked for the distribution company. He thanked me for buying his company's beer, noticed the Monster Energy Drink, said he distributed that to, and paid for both products. After the guy walked away, the woman behind the counter said she'd never seen that happen before. I'm guessing it happens more than I realize and it's probably just a coincidence, but I can't help but wonder if my old buddy Dave had a little something to do with it. Wednesday, MAY 21 - 11:35 A.M. -I spoke with a number of people in the industry about the 60-day suspension of William Regal yesterday and most people shared two concerns. One, they were hoping that Regal didn't relapse. Two, they were worried that he won't get the type of push he was getting when the suspension came down. No one I spoke with witnessed or heard reports of Regal struggling to maintain his sobriety. There are a number of people who are skeptical of the theory that he took an illegal supplement, mostly because so many athletes have used that excuse. "I don't think he was a street drug or a steroid guy," said one WWE source. "I'm just happy we have a strong program and that it's being taken seriously." Of course, people remain skeptical that WWE would ever suspend top wrestlers such as Triple H, John Cena, Batista, and Undertaker if they were to test positive. Only time will tell, I suppose, but Jeff Hardy is arguably WWE's most popular performer at the time he was suspended. Maybe he's not a top guy in Vince's book, but the fact that he was suspended heading into WrestleMania says something. Unfortunately, I'm not so confident that Regal's push will pick up where it left off when he returns. I spoke with a former WWE creative team member who said that Vince was never a fan of Regal's in-ring style and rejected pitches to push him in the past. However, Vince is a big fan of Regal's personality and, thus, the former creative team member assumed that Regal would be featured in some fashion. The mood of the people I spoke with was much different regarding Regal than it was when Hardy was suspended. People were using words like "idiot" and "stupid" to describe Hardy's actions, whereas most people were simply concerned and disappointed for Regal. -I got a kick out of the "TNA Spin Cycle" show that is currently airing on their website. There are definitely some campy moments, but it gave B.G. James, Shark Boy, and Frank Trigg a chance to show off their senses of humor in an unscripted manner. Shark delivered some funny lines while performing his Stone Cold routine. The segment is hosted by Jeremy Borash and also featured Rhaka Khan. You can check it out by clicking here. -Today would have been Chris Benoit's 41st birthday. A local radio station noted that he shares a birthday with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. It was sad to listen to the hosts debate whether they hated Benoit or Dahmer more. Wow. I guess that's just one conversation I never thought I'd hear. Monday, MAY 19 - 3:22 P.M. -It was a busy weekend for podcasts here on Dot Net. In case you missed it on Saturday, I posted a podcast on Friday night with more Dot Net Exclusive details regarding a conversation I had with Sean "X-Pac" Waltman regarding his stay in rehab and his openness toward returning to WWE in a behind the scenes role. You can listen by clicking here. -I also posted an audio recap of the WWE Judgment Day pay-per-view last night after the show. You can listen to that podcast by clicking here. -I don't understand WWE's approach to promoting Raw these days. As I type this, they have yet to announce a single match for tonight's show. Keep in mind that this is the same company that just gave away a Jeff Hardy vs. MVP match on Sunday's pay-per-view without advertising it first. Do they think that finding out the results of the mostly predictable Judgment Day pay-per-view will be enticing enough to make casual viewers tune in tonight? What about the fans who read the results online at WWE.com? What incentive do they have to watch tonight? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to have something ready to advertise on Sunday night immediately after the pay-per-view concludes? I realize they're not on the same brand (like that matters anymore), but why didn't they save the Hardy vs. MVP match for tonight and advertise that immediately after the pay-per-view concluded? Surely, that would have given people something to talk about at the office water cooler this morning. Rather, my guess is that most water cooler discussions went something like this: Employee A: "Did you order the show last night?" Employee B: "Nope. Did you?" Employee A: "Nope." Employee B: "What's on Raw tonight?" Employee A: I don't know. They haven't said." End of WWE Discussion. Don't act like you're not impressed by my brilliant playwriting ability. -I get a kick out of the way UFC is marketing Brock Lesnar as a humble guy who is trying to win over the hardcore MMA fans. Or maybe his handlers are trying to market him in this manner. Whatever the case, it's a mistake. Screw the hardcore MMA fans. UFC and/or Lesnar could learn a thing or two from WWE and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in this case. The hardcore MMA fans are going to watch UFC whether Lesnar caters to them or not, just as WWE recognizes that hardcore wrestling fans are going to watch their product whether they cater to them or not. UFC and Lesnar should look at the big picture and focus on the mainstream fans. Brock is a natural heel. He's cocky. He's a bully. He doesn't like the media. It's only a matter of time before the real Brock gets frustrated and shows his true colors anyway. Let the guy be himself. He's a natural heel. UFC has plenty of nice, humble fighters. Tito Ortiz is reportedly on his way out the door, so UFC needs a fighter who creates controversy and makes viewers want to pay to see him get his ass kicked, much like boxing has and WWE recently had with Mayweather. 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