The following commentaries are in response to two articles that were posted in Saturday's Dot Net Mailbag. entitled "Two readers gush over TNA."

I want to address Josh's email first. He said the reason the New Breed vs the Millionaires Club did not work in WCW was because every wrestler was involved. I have a feeling this same thing is going to happen in TNA. Its the second week of the MEM and they already have five members and the young guys have, I'm guessing eight or more. Thats a lot of wrestlers involved in a storyline that is in its beginning stages. However I do think this has added a lot to the show, I just hope they use restraint with added too many wrestlers to the storyline.

On to Steve's email. I feel his pain watching WWE each week. I wish some of the attitude would come back but I think for a while its done. In the late '80s and early '90s, WWE played to a generation of kids. Hulkamania was huge with kids and was directed for the young kids. WWE seemed to loose touch for a few years in the 90's before they went they went back to their roots with the attitude era. Those kids from Hulkamania area was now teens to early twenties. Gone was the Captain America hero stuff that Hulkamania represented. Replaced with the authority defying rebels that teens would love to be like.

After another few years of lingering around not directed toward kids and not directed towards teens to early adults, WWE is now going after kids. No matter how wrong it is I think WWE has in a way said the Attitude Era generation has either (a) gotten to smart, with all the spoilers on the internet or (b) grown out of the major big time wrestler fan status they once was. So WWE has decided to revert back to targeting kids to bring in a new generation of fans to grow with and say the hell with the generation that made them as big as they are now.

Jamie Vance

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I agree 100 percent with the two letters. The wrestling scene today reminds me of the mid '90s when I gave up on the WWF because Vince McMahon had too many clown characters (literally and figuratively) and got hooked on the budding WCW. The Monday Night Wars were fun and then came the Attitude Era and I started watching WWE again. Today WWE is pushing bottom again and TNA could (and I emphasize could) become the budding WCW. Hopefully WWE and TNA will both benefit from a good kick in the ass.

Barry H.

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Having read the opinions of Josh Rados and Steve Wilton on your website regarding TNA I've been prompted to respond, as I similarly, watched TNA for the first time in a long time this past week. Over all I was very disappointed. The look of the show may be sleeker, but the cheesy mid-90's nu-metal theme music, the desperate attempt to revive a hybrid NWO/Millionaires Club angle and the fact that the main event was crowned by a run-in (slow jog-in) from Scott Steiner just shows how backward this show still is.

All the while I was watching it I kept thinking of Paul Heyman's recent article in which he called for an overhaul of the entire industry in terms or presentation, attitude, content. All three of these factors, though produced well, were grossly lacking in terms of originality on the Impact Zone. The wrestling itself was entertaining and the Knockouts actually held my attention, unlike the WWE Divas who generally inspire me to go get a sandwich.

But aside from these improvements, the storylines and presentation felt utterly stale. Despite it's catch phrase, TNA didn't 'cross the line' in any way, shape or form. They seem instead to be simply re-crossing into territory that was established by WWE almost ten years ago. That's not revolutionary, nor is it even a viable alternative for the boring charade of WWE programming. All it shows is that TNA creative are just as out of ideas as everyone else seems to be.

James Crossland

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I tend to disagree with those readers on some points and agree with others. The Main Event Mafia needs to remain as Booker T said "about the five." Too many people will just spread and kill TNA like the NWO killed WCW. The guy that said he thought TNA was better than WWE must have only tuned into the live broadcast and the premiere of the new Impact Zone. These two shows by far are two of the best TNA has put out on some time, I am a huge wrestling fan and watch every broadcast of every show (Raw, ECW, TNA, Smackdown) and I buy each and every ppv from both companies.

Some of those TNA shows (particularly some PPV) were very difficult to watch, and then feel dumb for spending 30 dollars on when its over. The cheap finishes and run-ins are over done for sure, and if the next PPV is any indication, it seems like TNA may have figured that out as I dont remember them booking any gimmick matches thus far (except the Christian vs Booker T stipulation, but the match is still a singles match.)

I was also thinking that TNA could really make the TNA originals strong by somehow unmasking Curry Man as "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, and doing so in a dramatic and climactic way that makes him look strong and respected and maybe even a little bit feared by the MEM. Christopher Daniels was a key piece in TNA for a long time, I think he would be better used in that role that that stupid Curry Man gimmick. If TNA played in right they could really make that into a great storyline. I agree TNA has gotten better in the last two shows, but I would hardly say they are as good as WWE. Wait a couple of months and PPV and see what kind of finishes and stories they come up with and we'll see if they are on the right track or not.

Joey

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