TNA NEWSThere is a lot of internal concern for the lack of publicity for Victory Road on 11/7. I don't blame those who are concerned as I've yet to see one localized commercial pushing the event on my cable system in New York City. The company seriously needs to get things kicked into high gear because they can't afford a lukewarm reaction from the fans at this point. It's now or never, in many ways for the company. They have their national time slot and they have a three hour PPV on a traditional wrestling night for viewers. The prior reasons and excuses won't fly anymore. It's time for the company to put their best foot forward.
The plan for the Vince Russo vs. Dusty Rhodes voting is to open the polls on TNAWrestling.com at midnight on 11/7 and close them at 10 PM, so we'll know the winner by the start of the final hour of Victory Road.
The latest word I have heard is that the planned Dusty Rhodes & Ron Killings vs. Kid Kash & Dallas tag match is probably off Victory Road.
With only one edition of Impact left before the Victory Road PPV, here is how the card stands:
- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett, with Scott Hall, vs. Jeff Hardy, with Kevin Nash, in a Ladder match.
- NWA World Tag Team Champions Team Canada (Bobby Roode & Eric Young, with Scott D'Amore) vs. 3 Live Kru (BG James & Konnan, with Ron Killings)
- X-Division Champion Petey Williams, with Scott D'Amore, vs. AJ Styles.
- America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) vs. Triple X (Christopher Daniels & Elix Skipper) in a "Last Team Standing" match.
- Raven vs. Monty Brown vs. Abyss in a "Monster's Ball" match.
- 20-Man X-Division Gauntlet with Chris Sabin, Michael Shane, Frankie Kazarian, Hector Garza, Sonjay Dutt, Alex Shelley, Shark Boy, Amazing Red, LA Park (the original La Parka), Jerrelle Clark, and 10 other competitors.
- Mascarita Sagrada vs. Piratita Morgan.
- Roddy Piper will host "In The Pit With Piper" with a mystery guest.
- The fans will be allowed to vote on whether Vince Russo or Dusty Rhodes should be the Director Of Authority.
Former WCW World champion Lex Luger was backstage at Universal Studios, but did not appear on Impact! Luger ruffled quite a few feathers that afternoon when the bus that takes the workers from the hotel to the taping was delayed close to 45 minutes waiting for him to board. Luger hung around backstage and was expected to meet with Jeff Jarrett, but was unable to do so as Jarrett was busy, so Luger was told he could leave the taping early. There wasn't exactly a positive response to Luger's appearance backstage among the wrestlers, partially because of the bus incident.
TNA TOYS COMING SOON
Toy Biz presented their upcoming TNA action figure line to prospective buyers at the Fall Toy Fair in New York City this week. The presentation pushed TNA as a "family product" devoid of the raciness that is featured by WWE. They ran a highlight reel of footage that including appearances by Sting and Hulk Hogan that one person who attended the presentation told me, "made it appear as if they were regular members of the company."
Action figures shown at the presentation included Ron Killings, Jeff Jarrett, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, and Abyss. The figures will begin shipping in June 2005. Toy Biz did not allow photos to be taken of the prototypes that were shown.
The TNA enhancement workers were given word that they will no longer be paid for their services due to budget cuts. While they originally were not getting paid when TNA made the move to Florida, a TV match paid $200 while a dark match paid $100. It recently dropped to $100 per show if you were used in any capacity. If the workers were booked and not used, they weren't paid. As one might imagine, there were quite a few unhappy enhancement guys at the end of the night. The word going around the next morning was that some of the wrestlers wouldn't continue to work for TNA as they don't want to lose time at their day jobs for nothing, but that could be typical wrestler bravado. Whether they actually continue to work or not is anyone's guess and we'll start to see that next week....
.... By the next day, the word going around was that TNA was going to continue to pay enhancement talent $100 per appearance at the Impact! tapings. There was a lot of unhappiness that the word got out publicly. The latest line is that the decision to no longer pay was never official, but if that was the case, why were the wrestlers informed that it was?
CASEYGATE
Casey, the fan who was thrown out of the TNA tapings several weeks back, send word that he tried to go down to the Impact! taping tonight and was denied entry. Once again, TNA is paying attention to the wrong things. They have a PPV in two weeks. The last thing they should be worrying about is a loud fan in the front row, but that is what they are concerned with. I can't even begin to comment on how moronic that is and I can't wait to hear the TNA side of this debacle. It's one thing to toss a fan for crossing the line, but to tell him he's allowed back only to deny him entry is absolutely one of the lamest things I've ever heard. Richard Trionfo noted that, three or four Universal Studios employees escorted Casey out when he attempted to enter Soundstage 21. A TNA source had previously indicated Casey would be allowed to return to the shows. Jimmy Hart made an announcement at the start of the taping asking fans to mind their language as well.
The following was sent in by Colin Bowman this afternoon in regard to the Caseygate situation:
As the person responsible for passing on the message to Casey from TNA that he would be allowed back in, I feel bad that he wasn't. However, I am not even sure that TNA would've been aware of these events if it was a Universal decision. As these events are "private functions" on Universal's grounds if they decide not to let someone in, then there is nothing TNA would be able to do about it. I haven't heard anything from TNA about the situation, probably because everyone is tied up with the BDSS and Victory Road.
I have heard plenty about it from the regulars who come here [Bowman's store Noble & Notorious in Orlando] to get their VIP passes and although I do think there has been a mishandling of the situation on both fronts, I am not sure how it can be resolved with Universal if Casey is an "undesirable" for their theme park environment, whether he was the one who used profanity or not.
I am amazed how much juice this story has around Orlando compared to the buzz about the first Sunday TNA PPV. Maybe Casey should be booked to face Jeremy in the main event.
Colin Bowman
Notable & Notorious
STUFF
Bill Behrens wrote the following in regard to his loss of the position as NWA President: "Well our annual NWA meeting in Winnipeg ended with some changes on the Board, and a new President. Joining the Board are Mike Porter as V/P and Title Coordinator and former President, Richard Arpin who is V/P and Secretary. Our new President is CWF promoter Ernie Todd. Ed Chuman as V/P Merchandise and myself as V/P and Treasurer remain on the Board. I returned to TNA on Tuesday in Orlando assuming that like any former President I would retain my title and naturally my secret service protection, but Mike Tenay made it clear that he would no longer call me El Presidente. Jerry Jarrett was more blunt. He suggested "loser" as my new title, and so beginning with this report and weekly thereafter, I will now issue NOTES FROM THE LOSER. It will similar to the NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT I did weekly, except of course for LOSER replacing PRESIDENT in the Subject heading. Already at TNA, management has picked up on the new title and salutes me by placing their index finger up and thumb at a perpendicular angle. This replaces the single finger salute I frequently received."
Bill Behrens has announced that he's resigned from the NWA board of directors. I can't say that I blame him as he was voted out as President at the last convention and really, the NWA name doesn't hold much water politically to anyone other then those who are on the board. In the grander scheme of things (including their own championships), the NWA holds no power.
As of right now, there is no official update on TNA's status with TSN. I am told that negotiations are still ongoing to seal the deal to get the timeslot on the Network, but Impact! is not currently listed for the Canadian Network's November calendar. One source in the TV industry told me today that Impact! is now listed to debut on Saturday 11/13 at 4 PM on TSN, although I haven't independently confirmed that timeslot. There is a ton of heat on Scott D'Amore internally over the situation, as he was the first person to publicly mention the TSN timeslot on the "No Holds Barred" radio show in Canada. However, my understanding of the situation is that the company had an agreement in place (but not a signed contract) and D'Amore, who is their point person in Canada, was given the go ahead to "get the word out." When that started all the buzz on the Internet, TSN got upset over not being the ones to make the official announcement. Of course, there is also a train of thought that none of this was an issue until WWE's Carl DeMarco called TSN's brass. It would truly be wrong if D'Amore, who is a big time company guy, was left to hang as the fall guy as he shouldn't have been given the word to speak up if TNA didn't have a signed deal. A fan poll posted on TSN's site showed overwhelming support in favor of adding the show.
Interesting to note that there are plans to tape a segment featuring Vince Russo for the Best Damned Sports Show. Given that the footage wouldn't be airing until after the date he had given as his final one for TNA (Victory Road), that's an interesting choice. It may be a sign that Russo has changed his mind about leaving or just an error in judgment. It makes no sense to promote Russo if he isn't going to be around. Russo was adamant about leaving the company just a few weeks ago, but is close with Jeff Jarrett, so they may have smoothed over the situation.
There is said to be continued heat between Jeff Jarrett and Raven backstage, possibly over Raven speaking out over the booking of the company. One source noted that Raven has been very vocal, but has "hurt his own credibility" with management for complaining too openly and too much.
Team Canada's Johnny Devine has started to work out for the first time since he was stabbed several weeks ago while leaving a Nashville nightclub. Devine has also been doing commentary for USA Championship Wrestling in Nashville while he is healing up. Devine is said to be upset over the recent WWE angle where John Cena was attacked in a nightclub, feeling the company is playing off his real life incident.
While appearing as a commentator for Bert Prentice's USA Championship Wrestling in Nashville, TN over the weekend Johnny Devine, Devine basically said that WWE stole the idea for the John Cena angle where Cena was attacked in a nightclub from the real life incident that has kept Devine out of the ring for the last several weeks.
Dale Torborg (aka the Kiss Demon in WCW) was visiting at the Impact! taping last week.
Jeff Jarrett is expected to defend the NWA championship in December for Ian Rotten's IWA Mid-South promotion.
A recent interview with Jerry Jarrett featured Jarrett saying the following in regard to TNA's issues with Ring of Honor: "The ROH problem was resolved finally. It was not resolved as soon as we would have liked because we could not get the assurances we required. AJ’s title runs had nothing to do with those problems." I am sure that was news to everyone in ROH as they have yet to be given the OK that they can book Chris Sabin, AJ Styles, and Christopher Daniels since they were pulled from ROH shows earlier this year. When asked about a number of talents and angles, Jarrett was quick to point out he wasn't writing TNA's shows at the time. He also noted that he isn't a fan of Vince Russo, which anyone who has read Jarrett's awesome book can tell you.
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