Injuries in WWE, when is the next boom period coming?

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 2

-Oftentimes, wrestling fans will clamor for the next big "boom period" and it is commonly agreed to that the last one was during the Attitude Era. It could be argued that before that, the mid to late 80s was the closest thing. The capability is there, but capturing lightning in a bottle is something that just happens. This is not Back to the Future and you cannot plan to catch said lightning. Steve Austin, The Rock, and Mankind came along and peaked together. It would be nice if a group like that could come along today.

Back before weekly television shows reminiscent of Saturday Night's Main Event and monthly pay-per-view events, simply seeing an interview from someone like Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair was a big deal. If they were in action against a jobber, it was a big deal too. Nowadays, the champion is oftentimes just another person on the show and in the case of C.M. Punk, not even the main draw.

When WWE decided to split into two and then three separate brands, they did so in the hopes of creating new superstars. In my opinion, it has worked. Without the brand split, it could be argued that Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, JBL, and Punk would have never become world champions. While the brand split has been positive in that sense, it has its holes too.

Granted, it would be difficult to compare today's roster to that of the Attitude Era. However, imagine if everyone was on the same show. Say Triple H, The Undertaker, Edge, MVP, Jeff Hardy, Mr. Kennedy, John Cena, Chris Jericho, and all of the up and coming young stars were on the same shows every week. If a boom period were to happen, recombining the brands would be a good start. However, the progress made by splitting the brands and creating new stars would most likely be halted. It is definitely an imperfect science.

Another problem with the three rosters is injuries. Injuries always come at inopportune times and right now, WWE is ravaged with injury problems. Cena, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Umaga, and Kennedy are all out right now. Edge missed both Wrestlemania 19 and 20. Batista missed Wrestlemania 22. Triple H missed Wrestlemania 23. Cena was supposed to be out last year. Imagine again if the entire roster was healthy at Wrestlemania time; the card would be (should be) very memorable.

Injuries allow other people to step up, but I doubt Vince McMahon is ever glad to see one or more of his top stars go down at the same time. There is definitely room for everyone to shine if they are capable. I feel that main eventers wrestling in middle or low card matches elevates the status of the middle and low card. Not everyone can be involved in the main event and/or title picture at the same time, but main event guys can bring prestige to the entire card.

Monday, SEPTEMBER 1 – 9:59 A.M.

-First and foremost, I spent the last part of the week and weekend in Los Angeles. Besides falling down the stairs carrying a box speaker because I thought I was already on the bottom step but actually had one to go, I had a nice time. I cannot straighten my arm and my leg is killing me, but oh well. I did find it humorous that every bartender and bar regular at TGI Friday's thought he or she was an actor or an agent. Reach for the sky! Actually, those of you I ran into should probably find something to fall back on.

-With the wave of injuries in World Wrestling Entertainment, I definitely wanted to address the issue; however, I am going to watch Raw tonight first. For those of you who have not read the spoilers, well, let's just say WWE has some scrambling (no pun intended) to do for the pay-per-view.

-Instead, I want to focus on TNA and their inability to look at the future. While the situation regarding Tomko seems to be up in the air, it still looks as though he is leaving the company. The woman who put the Knockout division on the map, Gail Kim, could be on her way back to WWE. The contract status of Christian Cage and Team 3D is up in the air.

In the past, I have expressed bewilderment over Sting and what exactly about him makes him so special. I have seen and followed Sting for his entire career and while he is a star, I see him as an upper mid-carder at best. Let's call a spade a spade here; TNA is still in its development stages and they need to establish an identity.

When the X-Division was flourishing, TNA had something that WWE did not have. However, they have slowly become a bad version of WWE programming. For some reason, they continue to bring in Sting, pay him a lot of money, and see nothing in return. By letting Gail Kim and Tomko go, they are sending a message that they are not sure what they are doing. Young talent with upside should be held onto.

In Cage's case, I find him to be the most entertaining person in TNA. He is a veteran but still young enough to carry the ball for years to come. If they let him go, they are essentially pulling apart the glue that helps hold TNA together. Team 3D is on the backend of their career, but they still work hard, give good promos, and have a lot to offer. If TNA is going to keep older talent, Team 3D should be on that list.

We all know that Mick Foley is headed to TNA. I love Foley and I think he will do some positive things for the company, but is this a good hire? TNA has landed a lot of WWE castoffs and a few of them were big names, such as the aforementioned Christian Cage, Kurt Angle, and Booker T. However, after the initial buzz, these men did not do anything for television viewership or pay-per-view buys.

I am not sure what Foley can bring to the TNA table at this point in his career. Sure, he is a great talker and if given the chance, would be a welcome addition to the announce booth. He has the ability to be a part time in ring talent who can elevate the right guy or guys if given a platform in which to shine. However, he may end up being another Sting to the company and that is the last thing TNA needs right now. That being said, I am curious to see Foley in TNA and wish him the best, but once the bloom is off of the rose, will it turn out to be a good signing?

Vince McMahon has flipped the script a little bit and is pushing either homegrown or former ROH talent. It has always been said that TNA should not try to be "Diet WWE." They have the talent and ability to be a distinct company, like ROH or the old ECW, and they should really think about moving in that direction. They will stay in business, but until things change, they will not make much of an impact (some pun intended).