I read this from Kevin Eck's blog on the Baltimore Suns website. i think he has valid points and i pretty much agree with it all. Whats do you think?
Quote:
After watching Impact last night, I’m starting to wonder if TNA’s creative team is just making things up as it goes along.
At first, TNA’s big feud between the Main Event Mafia and the TNA Originals seemed to be your basic old guard vs. new kids scenario. The veteran superstars in the MEM had all been world champions in either WWE or WCW, and the young guys in the Originals all made their names in TNA.
On last night’s show, however, former WWE stars Team 3-D and Rhino, who are all between the ages of 33 and 37, became members of the Originals (now known as The Frontline).
While none of them fits the criteria for being in the group, at least Rhino, who is seeking revenge after being attacked by the MEM last week, has a good story line reason for joining. So why did Team 3-D align themselves with The Frontline? It beats me, but apparently it has something to do with ECW.
Rhino, Brother Ray and Brother Devon kept comparing the feud with the MEM to the “war” they fought as part of ECW. I’m not sure that’s the smartest analogy to make, unless the goal is to have Impact airing on WWE 24/7 within five years.
The real reason the three veterans were inserted in the group is pretty obvious: to provide some much-needed star power and credibility. Of course, in doing so, it defeats the original intent of the story line, which was to elevate the young TNA guys by having them stand toe-to-toe with the big boys.
It also seems to indicate a loss of confidence in A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe as the leaders of the faction. It reminds me of when WWE did the invasion story line in 2001, but quickly gave up on the invading group. The “outsiders” ended up being led by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and other WWE stars, which killed the angle.
On last night’s show, Styles and Joe were completely overshadowed by Rhino and Team 3-D. At one point, Brother Ray came right out and said to Styles and Joe that he knows what it’s like to be “down here” when you’re trying to get “up there,” as he raised his hand from below his waist to above his head. Translation: Even though Styles and Joe have both been TNA world champion and headlined TNA pay-per-views, they never made it in WWE like Rhino and Team 3-D did, so they haven’t really accomplished anything in the business.
Matt Morgan and Abyss are better choices than Rhino and Team 3-D to join The Frontline. Morgan has shown star potential, and with his impressive size, he wouldn’t look overmatched standing across from the MEM.
With Morgan, TNA could do one of those “Which side will he choose?” story lines that it does so often. The MEM could say that they think Morgan is the one young guy who has what it takes to run with them. Morgan, however, would reject the offer, saying that the only reason MEM wants him on its side is to avoid having to face him, and that he was held down by guys like the MEM when he was in WWE and he’s not going to let it happen again.
Abyss, on the other hand, is an original TNA character and the fans view him as a legitimate threat to beat anyone on the roster. A Frontline consisting of Morgan, Abyss, Styles, Joe and Jay Lethal (who is in the group but should have a more prominent role) would be formidable without having to deviate from the original premise of the story line.
__________________
"We're gonna have midgets next week"
"On last night’s show, Styles and Joe were completely overshadowed by Rhino and Team 3-D. At one point, Brother Ray came right out and said to Styles and Joe that he knows what it’s like to be “down here” when you’re trying to get “up there,” as he raised his hand from below his waist to above his head. Translation: Even though Styles and Joe have both been TNA world champion and headlined TNA pay-per-views, they never made it in WWE like Rhino and Team 3-D did, so they haven’t really accomplished anything in the business."
He's totally right. Imagine how good TNA could be without all the vetarans (except for Angle maybe). Styles and Joe maineventing PPVs and the Guns fighting Beer Money for the tag titles...
I agree with pretty much the entire article, Rhino joining did make sense but still the whole thing with him and 3D totally took the angle away from it's original purpose. Hopefully it gets back on track in the build to Genesis.
Also I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this before in another thread but does anyone else notice the fact that not a single person in either stable is feuding with each other right now except Angle and Rhino?
Angle wants a match with Jarrett, who is not in MEM or FL. Team 3D wants a shot at Beer Money, who also have no business in this storyline.
Sting, Nash, Booker, and Steiner in MEM are feuding with no one in FL. Joe, AJ, and the Guns are also not feuding with anyone in MEM. The other guys in FL like Jay Lethal, Creed, etc., are just there for show. They've had no role in this storyline yet except getting squashed by MEM in these predictable "beatdowns".
It seems as if they are just feuding with the whole concept of a MEM or FL member in general, instead of individual members.
What is the purpose for this 4 on 4 tag WHC match at Final Resolution next Sunday? Why do they have a reason to hate each other? Just because they are part of either faction? Cmon they can do better than that...
And I'm surprised too of how little of a role Sting has gotten during this whole angle. He doesn't defend his title, he doesn't participate in the beatdowns...he really doesn't do much at all...and to think he was the one they built this storyline around. If he ever turned on MEM the shock value would be so low, because he never did anything with them to begin with. The TNA world title doesn't have any value to me at the moment for these reasons...at least in my view the tag titles are the most important right now the way they've been utilized.
Article is pretty much spot on sadly. They didn't even let the young guys shine one bit before pulling the rug on the original storyline. Almost like they are trying to make the young guys look stupid on purpose. It's becoming more of a ECW originals revenge against former WWE/WCW guys than anything which is totally opposite of what this is suppose to be about.
The part about 3D telling them that they know what it's like to "be down there" and trying to "get up there" is just so spot on, it makes the TNA originals look like crap. Yeah you've been world champion and headlined major PPV's, but you don't know what it's like to run with the big boys. (Essentially the WWE/WCW/ECW guys)
TNA needs to put over what their guys have done in TNA instead of what other guys have done in other places, this is really one of the things that makes them look so minor league. (They portray accomplishments in other promotions as being more important than accomplishments in TNA)
__________________
Do I really have to say anything?
Sig: Kingcrash
Last edited by Taroostyles : 11-30-2008 at 05:45 PM.
Yeah I don't like them downplaying their own history. If somebody had just started watching you wouldn't even know that AJ was their first tripe crown winner, and that he helped TNA become popular. You wouldn't know Joe was once undefeated for a year plus, and was world champ and X-division champ. You'd think they had just came into the company and are young guys just trying to make it in TNA for the first time which is really sad.
Well they make mention of AJ being the 1st triple crown winner pretty often actually, but not so much with Joe's streak.
But yeah essentially it's like their tearing them down to build them back up, which really isn't necessary. To make the additions of Rhino and 3D more meaningful their making it seem as tho the group had nobody with any bigtime experience. (Despite Joe coming off a 6 month world title reign and fresh off main eventing TNA's biggest PPV of the year)
Hopefully in the grand scheme of things it will end up being corrected, angles like this do always have peaks and valleys and in the end things can get back on track just as quickly as they got off.
And Morgan & Abyss both make so much more sense for the Frontline, with them added to the group instead of Rhino and 3D they could've been just as well off. (Altho I get needing a mouthpiece for the group)
Always said AJ, Joe, Abyss, Daniels and Jarrett, Don't like Morgan he has no charisma and reminds me of Lance Hoyt, the Bums are a joke, Creed, Jimmy Rave, Jay Lethal, Petey Williams, Sonjay Dutt, Abdul Bashir should stick to the mid card X division, I do agree that TNA looks as if they sometimes make it up as they go along, and the "frontline" should be renamed the "Helpline" I can see this feud sizzling out in 3 mths
Hopefully AJ & Joe will come out looking like a million bucks in the end but it does seem like they are getting lost in the mix right now. I agree with Taroostyles that it's unnecessary to bring them down so far to build them back up. Ideally the focus shifts back to Joe & AJ (and Daniels ) after the inevitable stomping they will receive at Final Resolution and Frontline can build some momentum to kickoff the new year.
Edit: Forgive me for being my usual positive self but the more I think about it though, this could all work out for the best. Here's my best case scenario:
MEM sweeps at Final Resolution > 3D turn on Frontline > Frontline is beaten, battered, and in disarray > Internet smarks have several weeks of collective shit fits > Christopher Daniels "returns" and joins Frontline > Fallen Angel gets the group together, their heads in the right place (Daniels gets the boost his character so desperately needs and Frontline gets the shot in the arm it so desperately needs) > Frontline gains momentum > Internet smarks have a collective orgasm all over the forums
I know it's wishful thinking, but damn that would be pure awesomeness!
__________________
STILL A Proud Member of Roid Sox Nation
sirdilznik's Random Rhetorical Question Of The Week:
If Hornswoggle turned heel could he hide in Mike Knox's beard?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Zappa
Look here brother, who you jivin' with that cosmik debris?
Last edited by sirdilznik : 11-30-2008 at 07:21 PM.
TNA’s main angle is getting off track
TNA’s main angle is getting off track
Imagine how good TNA could be without all the vetarans (except for Angle maybe). Styles and Joe maineventing PPVs and the Guns fighting Beer Money for the tag titles...
) after the inevitable stomping they will receive at Final Resolution and Frontline can build some momentum to kickoff the new year.
