OCTOBER 2005
Jeremy Borash, Dutch Mantell, Terry Taylor, Jeff Jarrett, Scott D'Amore and Dixie Carter sat in the conference room at TNA's office, all of them looking rather stressed.
Dixie: You guys, numbers are down. We have less people watching the product, less buy rates, less money coming in then we've ever had.
Jeff: Well, Dixie, I don't know what to tell you!
Jeremy: The talent we have is some of the best out there, we're putting on good matches...
Dixie: Then what's holding us back?
There was a moment of silence until Dutch spoke up.
Dutch: We need to shake things up.
Jeff: Shake things up? Dutch, we have the X Division, we just signed Christian Cage, we have Sting...
Dutch: I'm not talking about the damn talent, I'm talking about the booking!
Jeff: We're doing a great...
Scott: No, Jeff, he's right! Let's face it; we've got five guys who want to do five different things. We need a top dog, someone with a clear direction, someone who'll shake things up!
Jeff: You're not talking about bringing that hack Russo in, are you?
Dutch: Fuck no!
Terry: Why don't we just give Jeff the book? He did start the company, he's our top draw...
Dutch: No. No offense, Jeff, but if we're going to have someone head this booking committee, I think we need someone fresh, someone from outside the company with new ideas.
Jeff: Well, Dutch, who the hell do you have in mind?
Dutch lowered his head. He didn't have any ideas on who to bring in. The table was quiet again, until Scott chimed in.
Scott: I think I got somebody.
Dixie: Yeah?
Scott: There's this kid I met back when I was running Border City Wrestling named Shannon Phoenix...
Jeff: What kind of worked name is that?
Scott: That's actually his real name!
Jeff: Who the hell names their kid...
Dixie: Jeff, would you please let Scott talk?
Jeff looked annoyed by that comment, but he stayed quiet.
Dixie: Go ahead, Scott.
Scott: Right, so this kid named Shannon Phoenix, runs a regional outfit. Any time we talk, he's always going on about these ideas he wish he had the budget for. We have the budget, he has the ideas, I think it would be perfect!
Jeff: He runs a promotion in the damn sticks, Scott! How the hell is he gonna go from running bingo halls and flea markets to running a national promotion?
Scott: You have any better ideas?
Dutch: Look, Jeff, I know the kid Scott's talking about, and he's got a good mind for the business. I know it would be a gamble, but would it hurt?
Jeff: It might! Just because you have ideas, that doesn't mean any of them are any good!
Jeremy: I'm with Jeff on this one. You give a small timer a large budget, and he might burn through it as quick as he gets it, and where does that leave us?
Dutch: We're burning through money as it is! Why not take a gamble?
Dixie: Alright, that's enough, you guys. Terry, you've been quiet, why don't you tell us what you're thinking?
Terry stared at the table for a moment to gather his thoughts, then spoke.
Terry: I see where Jeff and Jeremy are coming from, but what do we have to lose?
Jeff: Our damn livelihoods, Terry!
Terry: Can I throw an idea out?
Jeff: What's there to throw...
Dixie: Of course you can, Terry.
Getting snubbed like that made Jeff hot, but he let Terry speak.
Terry: We give the kid a month, let him come up with a plan, then bring him in for a meeting. We hear his ideas, and we vote on it from there. If we like what he says, vote him in, we can bring him in a little later. If we don't, the worst thing that happens is we waste a bit of money flying him out.
Dixie: I think that sounds fair. Scott, can you give him a call?
Scott: I can do that as soon as we get out of here.
Dixie: Alright, it's settled. We'll have the meeting in the beginning of December. Anything else we need to discuss?
The table remained silent. Jeff was quietly fuming, pissed off that he got cut off, and pissed off that they were honestly going to give some no-named guy a shot. Jeremy was looking nervous. If Jeff didn't like it, then Jeremy didn't trust it, either. Dutch and Scott looked considerably pleased, while Terry had a blank expression.
Dixie: Then that about does it. I'll see you guys in a couple weeks!
Jeff stormed off, with Jeremy following in tow. Dixie strolled out shortly later, followed by Terry, until it was just Dutch and Scott.
Dutch: That could have gone worse.
Scott: Can you believe him? Jeff just wants to keep himself on top, and you have those damn yes-men, Borash and Taylor...
Dutch: Scott did back us...
Scott: After trying to give Jeff the book...
Dutch: But he did back us, Scott! Look, let's not worry about them. You sure this kid's as good as you say he is?
Scott: Yes! He's smart with the money, he's got good ideas, he's fantastic at scouting talent. C'mon, Dutch, you've met this guy!
Dutch: I've talked to him a few times, but I don't know him as well as you do. I gotta run, let me know how things go when you call him.
Scott: Can do.
Dutch got up and left, leaving Scott alone in the conference room. He was smiling as he pulled his phone out.
Scott: He's gonna be so excited!
Jeremy Borash, Dutch Mantell, Terry Taylor, Jeff Jarrett, Scott D'Amore and Dixie Carter sat in the conference room at TNA's office, all of them looking rather stressed.
Dixie: You guys, numbers are down. We have less people watching the product, less buy rates, less money coming in then we've ever had.
Jeff: Well, Dixie, I don't know what to tell you!
Jeremy: The talent we have is some of the best out there, we're putting on good matches...
Dixie: Then what's holding us back?
There was a moment of silence until Dutch spoke up.
Dutch: We need to shake things up.
Jeff: Shake things up? Dutch, we have the X Division, we just signed Christian Cage, we have Sting...
Dutch: I'm not talking about the damn talent, I'm talking about the booking!
Jeff: We're doing a great...
Scott: No, Jeff, he's right! Let's face it; we've got five guys who want to do five different things. We need a top dog, someone with a clear direction, someone who'll shake things up!
Jeff: You're not talking about bringing that hack Russo in, are you?
Dutch: Fuck no!
Terry: Why don't we just give Jeff the book? He did start the company, he's our top draw...
Dutch: No. No offense, Jeff, but if we're going to have someone head this booking committee, I think we need someone fresh, someone from outside the company with new ideas.
Jeff: Well, Dutch, who the hell do you have in mind?
Dutch lowered his head. He didn't have any ideas on who to bring in. The table was quiet again, until Scott chimed in.
Scott: I think I got somebody.
Dixie: Yeah?
Scott: There's this kid I met back when I was running Border City Wrestling named Shannon Phoenix...
Jeff: What kind of worked name is that?
Scott: That's actually his real name!
Jeff: Who the hell names their kid...
Dixie: Jeff, would you please let Scott talk?
Jeff looked annoyed by that comment, but he stayed quiet.
Dixie: Go ahead, Scott.
Scott: Right, so this kid named Shannon Phoenix, runs a regional outfit. Any time we talk, he's always going on about these ideas he wish he had the budget for. We have the budget, he has the ideas, I think it would be perfect!
Jeff: He runs a promotion in the damn sticks, Scott! How the hell is he gonna go from running bingo halls and flea markets to running a national promotion?
Scott: You have any better ideas?
Dutch: Look, Jeff, I know the kid Scott's talking about, and he's got a good mind for the business. I know it would be a gamble, but would it hurt?
Jeff: It might! Just because you have ideas, that doesn't mean any of them are any good!
Jeremy: I'm with Jeff on this one. You give a small timer a large budget, and he might burn through it as quick as he gets it, and where does that leave us?
Dutch: We're burning through money as it is! Why not take a gamble?
Dixie: Alright, that's enough, you guys. Terry, you've been quiet, why don't you tell us what you're thinking?
Terry stared at the table for a moment to gather his thoughts, then spoke.
Terry: I see where Jeff and Jeremy are coming from, but what do we have to lose?
Jeff: Our damn livelihoods, Terry!
Terry: Can I throw an idea out?
Jeff: What's there to throw...
Dixie: Of course you can, Terry.
Getting snubbed like that made Jeff hot, but he let Terry speak.
Terry: We give the kid a month, let him come up with a plan, then bring him in for a meeting. We hear his ideas, and we vote on it from there. If we like what he says, vote him in, we can bring him in a little later. If we don't, the worst thing that happens is we waste a bit of money flying him out.
Dixie: I think that sounds fair. Scott, can you give him a call?
Scott: I can do that as soon as we get out of here.
Dixie: Alright, it's settled. We'll have the meeting in the beginning of December. Anything else we need to discuss?
The table remained silent. Jeff was quietly fuming, pissed off that he got cut off, and pissed off that they were honestly going to give some no-named guy a shot. Jeremy was looking nervous. If Jeff didn't like it, then Jeremy didn't trust it, either. Dutch and Scott looked considerably pleased, while Terry had a blank expression.
Dixie: Then that about does it. I'll see you guys in a couple weeks!
Jeff stormed off, with Jeremy following in tow. Dixie strolled out shortly later, followed by Terry, until it was just Dutch and Scott.
Dutch: That could have gone worse.
Scott: Can you believe him? Jeff just wants to keep himself on top, and you have those damn yes-men, Borash and Taylor...
Dutch: Scott did back us...
Scott: After trying to give Jeff the book...
Dutch: But he did back us, Scott! Look, let's not worry about them. You sure this kid's as good as you say he is?
Scott: Yes! He's smart with the money, he's got good ideas, he's fantastic at scouting talent. C'mon, Dutch, you've met this guy!
Dutch: I've talked to him a few times, but I don't know him as well as you do. I gotta run, let me know how things go when you call him.
Scott: Can do.
Dutch got up and left, leaving Scott alone in the conference room. He was smiling as he pulled his phone out.
Scott: He's gonna be so excited!