Oldschool
12-01-2009, 12:27 PM
The Shooting Range: Running Wild in TNA
Posted by Michael Clancy on 11/30/2009 at 07:23 PM
The Shooting Range
Running Wild in TNA
The announcement that the legendary Hulk Hogan had agreed a partnership with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling can be compared to the Big Bang in wrestling terms. Not because it was a massive event that changed the landscape of everything that came before it; but because like the Big Bang, after it occurred, nothing else happened for a long time. The news that one of the biggest names in wrestling history had become part of TNA did indeed shake the foundations of the industry, but what will it mean in the long term for TNA? Opinion on the signing of the Hulkster seems to be split into two camps; some people see his arrival as a massive coup for the company, thinking that Hogan’s celebrity and status in the world of wrestling will elevate TNA onto the same level as wrestling giants WWE. Whilst others think that in a company currently putting emphasis on fresh new talent, that the signing of Hogan and his old school wrestling methods will prove detrimental to the company. In this instalment of The Shooting Range, both sides of the argument will be explored further in an attempt to determine what TNA fans can expect from the arrival of Hulk Hogan.
In an age where wrestlers’ switching from WWE to TNA and vice versa is common practice, Hogan’s signing in TNA truly came as a massive surprise to the entire wrestling industry. It stretches further though, since Hulk Hogan is no longer just a wrestler but a reality television star, his arrival in TNA has given them media coverage they could only previously dream of, a valuable asset when considering WWE’s current desperation to reach a wider market. With so many Hulkamaniacs all over the world, Hogan’s arrival in TNA is bound to work wonders in the short term for TNA’s tickets sales, both in the Impact Zone and for live events across America, although whether or not he travels with the company on their international tours remains to be seen. Factoring in increased pay-per-view buy rates and merchandising and this could be a very lucrative acquisition for Dixie Carter.
Hogan will bring a world of experience to TNA; being one of the few competitors who can actually claim to be a wrestling phenomenon, his experience and reputation could be just what TNA need to reach a new level. Internet rumours are already going into overdrive suggesting what big names he is going to bring in; this is something that TNA fans should have mixed feelings about, for every rumour there is suggesting Rob Van Dam or Stone Cold Steve Austin is coming to TNA there are just as many saying the Nasty Boys and Sid Vicious are making a comeback.
Another important factor that will be called into question is what sort of effect Hogan will have on the current roster. If rumours are to be believed the morale backstage at the Impact Zone is pretty low right now, with questions over the running of the company and wrestlers asking for releases. For these wrestlers who are concerned with the direction TNA is going Hogan’s arrival could be a massive morale boost, an indication that the company has the ambition to match the dominance of WWE. On the surface the signing should please everyone, for the youngsters of the company it is a chance to work alongside a true legend of the industry; for the old guard like Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner, it is an opportunity to reunite with an old friend.
As monumental as the partnership between Hogan and TNA is, there are already signs that this will not be the dream team Dixie Carter was hoping for. The announcement of Hogan’s arrival has been followed by a lot of talk and not much else. With the Hulkamania Tour currently doing the rounds in Australia it has meant that Hogan has made ZERO appearances in the Impact Zone, nor has he gone into any specifics as to what his role in TNA will be. The whole situation is beginning to resemble Bobby Lashley’s shambolic arrival in TNA, in which he appeared at a PPV and then on Impact and then proceeded to disappear for several weeks until he officially signed with the company. With Hogan’s prior commitments to his tour it seems strange for TNA to make this earth-shattering announcement when they knew Hogan wouldn’t be able to make an appearance in the Impact Zone until the tour was finished. All this talk with no action has killed any momentum the announcement created and Hogan is going to have to bring something very special to TNA to live up to the hype.
Hogan’s arrival is particularly surprising as it comes at a time when TNA finally seemed to be moving away from their reliance on the older performers, a time where there was genuine excitement surrounding some of their younger talent like Matt Morgan and The Pope D’Angelo Dinero as well as some of their established originals such as AJ Styles and Daniels. Hogan’s imminent debut in the Impact Zone will be taking away valuable television time from some of the youngster who are trying to establish themselves and build their own legacy, essentially it is a step in the wrong direction for TNA just when they were beginning to get things right.
Whether or not Hogan is a success in TNA depends vastly on what his role in the company will be. Interviews with the immortal one have suggested he is going to “run the company” which is somewhat vague description of his duties when he finally arrives on the scene. Whether he will take a role in the behind the scenes running of the company or merely act as an authoritative figure on television, things are bound to be shaken up by the Hulkster’s presence. Further questions have arisen in the weeks since the announcement; firstly what is to happen to Mick Foley as it seems that Hogan will essentially be taking over his job as the man in charge. There are also question marks regarding Eric Bischoff’s place within TNA. It has been reported that he too has joined up with TNA and of course there was the cryptic clue that Kevin Nash dropped on Impact recently that Hogan isn’t coming alone so if Bischoff was to appear on Impact what part would he play?
The biggest question surrounding Hogan’s arrival in TNA has been left for last and that question is will Hogan’s time in TNA see him don the yellow and orange once again and see the Hulkster return to the ring to compete. His recent Hulkamania Tour demonstrates that the desire to perform is obviously still there and no matter how many comebacks he makes there will always be a crowd that want to see him compete, that crowd may diminish with every comeback but the point is Hogan is in a position where people will pay to see him wrestle till his dying day if he chose to carry on that long. But is a return to the ring really within the best interests for TNA? If Mick Foley’s latest in-ring performances have taught us anything it is that sometimes wrestling legends should just call it a day. Admittedly Hogan is in better physical condition than Foley but in a company that can’t find time in a 2 hour weekly show for a match with Jay Lethal or Consequence Creed, can they really afford to use valuable television time on Hogan limping around the ring. As big a thrill people might still get from seeing Hogan in the ring the time could be much better spent on showcasing a promising up-and-coming performer, which TNA currently have plenty of.
There is no doubt that the signing of Hulk Hogan is a tremendous coup for Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, it is securing the services of the biggest name the business has ever seen as well as sticking it to Vince McMahon in the process. Whilst it is easy to criticise the move as a nothing more than an extravagant publicity stunt that will take valuable TV time away from more deserving talent, judgement will have to be withheld until Hogan does finally debut on Impact. Will he revolutionise TNA and put it on the global wrestling map just as he did with WWE some twenty years ago? Only time will tell.
Thoughts, opinions, criticism and general feedback are always welcomed at shootingrange69@aol.com.
Posted by Michael Clancy on 11/30/2009 at 07:23 PM
The Shooting Range
Running Wild in TNA
The announcement that the legendary Hulk Hogan had agreed a partnership with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling can be compared to the Big Bang in wrestling terms. Not because it was a massive event that changed the landscape of everything that came before it; but because like the Big Bang, after it occurred, nothing else happened for a long time. The news that one of the biggest names in wrestling history had become part of TNA did indeed shake the foundations of the industry, but what will it mean in the long term for TNA? Opinion on the signing of the Hulkster seems to be split into two camps; some people see his arrival as a massive coup for the company, thinking that Hogan’s celebrity and status in the world of wrestling will elevate TNA onto the same level as wrestling giants WWE. Whilst others think that in a company currently putting emphasis on fresh new talent, that the signing of Hogan and his old school wrestling methods will prove detrimental to the company. In this instalment of The Shooting Range, both sides of the argument will be explored further in an attempt to determine what TNA fans can expect from the arrival of Hulk Hogan.
In an age where wrestlers’ switching from WWE to TNA and vice versa is common practice, Hogan’s signing in TNA truly came as a massive surprise to the entire wrestling industry. It stretches further though, since Hulk Hogan is no longer just a wrestler but a reality television star, his arrival in TNA has given them media coverage they could only previously dream of, a valuable asset when considering WWE’s current desperation to reach a wider market. With so many Hulkamaniacs all over the world, Hogan’s arrival in TNA is bound to work wonders in the short term for TNA’s tickets sales, both in the Impact Zone and for live events across America, although whether or not he travels with the company on their international tours remains to be seen. Factoring in increased pay-per-view buy rates and merchandising and this could be a very lucrative acquisition for Dixie Carter.
Hogan will bring a world of experience to TNA; being one of the few competitors who can actually claim to be a wrestling phenomenon, his experience and reputation could be just what TNA need to reach a new level. Internet rumours are already going into overdrive suggesting what big names he is going to bring in; this is something that TNA fans should have mixed feelings about, for every rumour there is suggesting Rob Van Dam or Stone Cold Steve Austin is coming to TNA there are just as many saying the Nasty Boys and Sid Vicious are making a comeback.
Another important factor that will be called into question is what sort of effect Hogan will have on the current roster. If rumours are to be believed the morale backstage at the Impact Zone is pretty low right now, with questions over the running of the company and wrestlers asking for releases. For these wrestlers who are concerned with the direction TNA is going Hogan’s arrival could be a massive morale boost, an indication that the company has the ambition to match the dominance of WWE. On the surface the signing should please everyone, for the youngsters of the company it is a chance to work alongside a true legend of the industry; for the old guard like Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner, it is an opportunity to reunite with an old friend.
As monumental as the partnership between Hogan and TNA is, there are already signs that this will not be the dream team Dixie Carter was hoping for. The announcement of Hogan’s arrival has been followed by a lot of talk and not much else. With the Hulkamania Tour currently doing the rounds in Australia it has meant that Hogan has made ZERO appearances in the Impact Zone, nor has he gone into any specifics as to what his role in TNA will be. The whole situation is beginning to resemble Bobby Lashley’s shambolic arrival in TNA, in which he appeared at a PPV and then on Impact and then proceeded to disappear for several weeks until he officially signed with the company. With Hogan’s prior commitments to his tour it seems strange for TNA to make this earth-shattering announcement when they knew Hogan wouldn’t be able to make an appearance in the Impact Zone until the tour was finished. All this talk with no action has killed any momentum the announcement created and Hogan is going to have to bring something very special to TNA to live up to the hype.
Hogan’s arrival is particularly surprising as it comes at a time when TNA finally seemed to be moving away from their reliance on the older performers, a time where there was genuine excitement surrounding some of their younger talent like Matt Morgan and The Pope D’Angelo Dinero as well as some of their established originals such as AJ Styles and Daniels. Hogan’s imminent debut in the Impact Zone will be taking away valuable television time from some of the youngster who are trying to establish themselves and build their own legacy, essentially it is a step in the wrong direction for TNA just when they were beginning to get things right.
Whether or not Hogan is a success in TNA depends vastly on what his role in the company will be. Interviews with the immortal one have suggested he is going to “run the company” which is somewhat vague description of his duties when he finally arrives on the scene. Whether he will take a role in the behind the scenes running of the company or merely act as an authoritative figure on television, things are bound to be shaken up by the Hulkster’s presence. Further questions have arisen in the weeks since the announcement; firstly what is to happen to Mick Foley as it seems that Hogan will essentially be taking over his job as the man in charge. There are also question marks regarding Eric Bischoff’s place within TNA. It has been reported that he too has joined up with TNA and of course there was the cryptic clue that Kevin Nash dropped on Impact recently that Hogan isn’t coming alone so if Bischoff was to appear on Impact what part would he play?
The biggest question surrounding Hogan’s arrival in TNA has been left for last and that question is will Hogan’s time in TNA see him don the yellow and orange once again and see the Hulkster return to the ring to compete. His recent Hulkamania Tour demonstrates that the desire to perform is obviously still there and no matter how many comebacks he makes there will always be a crowd that want to see him compete, that crowd may diminish with every comeback but the point is Hogan is in a position where people will pay to see him wrestle till his dying day if he chose to carry on that long. But is a return to the ring really within the best interests for TNA? If Mick Foley’s latest in-ring performances have taught us anything it is that sometimes wrestling legends should just call it a day. Admittedly Hogan is in better physical condition than Foley but in a company that can’t find time in a 2 hour weekly show for a match with Jay Lethal or Consequence Creed, can they really afford to use valuable television time on Hogan limping around the ring. As big a thrill people might still get from seeing Hogan in the ring the time could be much better spent on showcasing a promising up-and-coming performer, which TNA currently have plenty of.
There is no doubt that the signing of Hulk Hogan is a tremendous coup for Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, it is securing the services of the biggest name the business has ever seen as well as sticking it to Vince McMahon in the process. Whilst it is easy to criticise the move as a nothing more than an extravagant publicity stunt that will take valuable TV time away from more deserving talent, judgement will have to be withheld until Hogan does finally debut on Impact. Will he revolutionise TNA and put it on the global wrestling map just as he did with WWE some twenty years ago? Only time will tell.
Thoughts, opinions, criticism and general feedback are always welcomed at shootingrange69@aol.com.