Dot Net Mailbag Two readers gush over TNA: "I stress to anyone who hasn't given TNA a fair shot, tune in and see what you're missing" Nov 2, 2008 - 10:05 AM Email This Article | Printer Friendly Page Send Us News & Results | Back to Main Listing Agree or disagree with these readers? Send all feedback to dotnetjason@gmail.com. After reading your site's weekly reviews on TNA, I decided for the first time I would tune in and catch my first episode. I've been a WWF/E fan for the last 17 years and I was also a fan of WCW until its demise. I have been watching WWE Raw every Monday for years on Sky in the UK and these days staying up until 2:00 a.m. to watch it is getting a push. I love the Attitude era in the late '90s and it got me hooked on wrestling on an even bigger scale than I was in the Hulkamania era. Since 2003 my interest in WWE has waned although I still watched Raw every week and most PPV's although it has become a "fast forward to the good bits" or "Oh, hey, there's the Honky Tonk Man." I'll always pop for a Steve Austin or Hulk Hogan appearance, but WWE hasn't had me hooked in a long time and the recent PG move, I can hardly watch it anymore. I don't want to watch "entertainers" or "entertainment" I wanna watch wrestlers kick some a-- in a gripping feud that will make me wanna spend my money for a top caliber fight. WWE is watering down their own history and making itself a joke. There's no sense of tradition anymore and the ratings reflect that. Their too interested in impressing Hollywood, stockholders and attracting eight-year-old kids than they are keeping their hardcore audience. Anyway, I watched this weeks TNA Impact and was blown away. I never had any interest in TNA, it always sounded like a sorta bingo hall southern wrestling company where ex-WWE wrestlers go to prove they still mean something. I loved the production, I loved the into, the theme music and whole attitude of the show. I think the commentators are well above that on Raw and the TNA storylines had what I've been missing, "Attitude." The whole episode felt kinda old school, it had sense of tradition for wrestling and respect for the industry that WWE has so recently been trying to distance itself from. Impact had a great balance of new blood and legends and it reminded me of the beginning of the Attitude era. Sure TNA is a lot smaller than WWE, but I will definitely be tuning in next week. I got my wrestling "high" within seconds of tuning in and was amazed with what I saw. It did remind me of the first time I watched the NWO come out on WCW Nitro but that's a good thing. WCW got me hooked and so has TNA. I stress to anyone who hasn't given TNA a fair shot, tune in and see what you're missing. As far as "wrestling" goes, TNA is way ahead of the rest. Steve Wilton *** Throughout the past couple of months TNA has been toying with the ideal of the young guns vs. the veteran wrestlers. As most of us know this concept failed miserably in WCW with the New Blood vs. Millionaires Club concept. The reason it failed in WCW was because every wrestler was involved in one of the groups, and they pushed the wrong young wrestlers (Billy Kidman). In TNA they have slowly built this feud, and I love the five guys they have chosen for the Main Event Mafia. Kurt Angle is the perfect mouthpiece, Booker T needs to lose the accent, but he and Sharmel pull of the suit style very well. Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner bring toughness to the group, though it will be interesting to see Steiner in a suit. And then we have Sting, who looks great dressed to the nines. I almost want to see him wrestle without the face paint now as this look brings a whole new side to Sting. On the other side of the spectrum are the “TNA originals.” This group consists of Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Black Machismo, The Motor City Machine Guns, Petey Williams, Eric Young, and Consequences Creed among others. On paper they look like the inferior group, but if TNA is smart this could be just what they want to do. If built up correctly these young men can gain massive credibility and really bring TNA to new heights. There are already built in feuds with Joe and Nash, Styles and Sting, and Petey Williams and Scott Steiner. Booker T is currently in a feud with Christian Cage, who is a lone wolf of sorts, and this fits his character perfectly. A lot of people are talking that they want to see the TNA originals look strong right away. I disagree. If the young guys can easily offset the MEM then this feud can only last a couple of months. However if the MEM looks dominate for weeks then the ultimate victory by the TNA Originals will be that much sweeter. Rushing AJ vs. Sting and Joe vs. Nash this soon after the formation of the stables is a mistake. TNA should have run Sting, Nash, and Booker vs. AJ, Joe, and Christian as the main event for Turning Point, setting up each single match in December. Bringing up Christian reminds me that he is facing Booker T for the TNA Legends Championship. This title looks awesome! I love the red leather straps, and simply can be as big or close to the TNA world title. Booker T is a good fit to hold the belt, but somehow they have to keep it on him, without having Christian join the MEM. As it stands now the MEM have enough members and anymore would be overkill. Although if he is forced to join against his will, it could make for entertaining TV as he may try to sabotage the group, but I have a feeling TNA would mess that up, so its best they go with some kind of count out or DQ finish for that match. With the Joe vs. Nash match Joe needs the win, and he needs it decisively, anything less will kill any credibility he has left. As far as the World title match, I am torn. I would love to see AJ win the belt because he deserves it being the first TNA Triple Crown winner, however Sting has lost the world title within a month after winning it the past three years at Bound For Glory, and a third straight early defeat would kill Sting's credibility as champion. I think Sting should win this one clean, set up a rematch inside the six sides of steel for December, and have AJ win the belt then. It is important to note that out of the three matches I have listed its one win for the MEM, one for the TNA originals, and one no decision or other faulty finish. It is also important to note that if Angle ends up facing Abyss then it would be nice to see Abyss win that one perhaps with Matt Morgan’s help, considering Angle has won the past two meetings between the two. This could set up another Angle vs. Morgan match before the inevitable Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle rematch. Well I have gone on long enough here this is my take on what could be the next big thing in pro wrestling, or it could be another group like the Kings of Wrestling, and we all know how that went. Josh Rados Agree or disagree with these readers? Send all feedback to dotnetjason@gmail.com. GOT AN IPHONE OR IPOD TOUCH? THEN BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD OUR NEW FREE iPhone APP: Click Here (or SEARCH "pro wrestling" in iTunes App Store) __ BOOKMARK DOT NET AND ADD US TO YOUR RSS • HELP DOT NET: TAKE OUR ADVERTISER DEMO SURVEY CLICK TO RETURN TO MAIN LISTING OR SELECT A LINK BELOW FROM THIS CATEGORY Dot Net Mailbag Latest Twelve Articles Powell answers reader questions on Ted DiBiase in The Legacy, LAX re-signing with TNA, Lance Russell and the WWE HOF, the sad state of the TNA Knockouts Division, NWA Showcase Dot Net reader gives TNA another chance, TNA video game download bugs, lack of managers in WWE A Dot Net reader praises the Jeff Hardy storyline, a second reader bothered by the bait and switch at WWE Survivor Series Yet another reader sounds off about TNA and offers some suggestions regarding what the product needs Dot Net reader overview of the TNA product: "TNA is stuck in a perpetual and never ending '90s loop and its going nowhere" Readers sound off on the current state of TNA and the new Main Event Mafia vs. young guys feud