Five-Star Conversation 08.25.09: Does Inconsistency Start At The Top?

DID YOU KNOW?: “A ‘Diva’ is what you call a cunt who’s still in the room?” – Tom Arnold at Comedy Central’s Roast of Joan Rivers (“Believe me,” he added, “I know!”)

No wonder the booking in TNA seems proud of its’ inconsistencies…
I just find tna weird in their professional outlook.

Because to me, TNA hasn’t helped themselves as a business, shown a good lead to the locker room, or more importantly helped their number one guy who may have a major problem.
Posted By: mah 2 cents

I started simply to respond to this comment and, the more I wrote, the more questions I saw popping up in my head I’d like to see answered. I’m curious to see how many people agree, disagree or plain just don’t give a runny, red shit. However, if I’m even close to scratching the surface on what I hypothesize may going down in Dixieland, this could be one of those things we talk about years down the line when looking at the ultimate success or eventual failure of TNA (not to put it in such fatalistic terms, but…).

I really need to stress that I’m playing devil’s advocate here a LOT and am just trying to answer my own questions, filling in holes and blank spaces as they came to light as I really looked at this story. I’m not saying any of this has any truthful merit, just that there are things about this story as it stands now that make me wonder if there could possibly more going on than a couple of simple stories that have been reported on the interweb.

I also need to state clearly and up front that I think Kurt Angle, the wrestler, the performer, is phenomenal, even now that he’s not the same Angle he was back in 2000. (Who of us is? I’ve certainly aged in the last near-decade) I also have no reason to hold anything against Jarrett or against Dixie Carter. As far as I know, they’re good people with jobs to do and human souls to tend. Lastly, I love TNA and I want to see the franchise succeed far beyond its’ current accomplishments, for me, selfishly speaking as a fan, and for the boys, who can always use another place to work other than Uncle Vinnie’s Sports Entertainment Circus Bonanza. Like, I said, I’m just looking at what we’ve got and trying to paint a picture through the questions I have about said story.

That all said, I really have to agree here with 2 cents. I don’t want to come off as one of those internet writers who comes to a logical conclusion, then, based on that logic alone, assumes he’s unearthed a gem of truth, without really knowing any firsthand facts. All we have along these lines is what has been reported to be true, so let’s not damn anyone completely.

However, based upon what we “know”, it’s seemed to me, based upon all reports, that Jarrett and Karen’s relationship was pretty well common knowledge backstage, Kurt included, but that it was one of those tacit truths not openly discussed. It’s been my belief that Kurt and Jarrett were even working their last series of matches against one another while this was all going on and a professional demeanor was displayed by both – no one went into business for himself or opted to work stiffer than usual to get across a point. All might not have been hunky-freakin-dory, but there weren’t any pull-apart brawls backstage over the situation.

No, the issue came to light and was acted upon by Dixie Carter when that mysterious, anonymous phone call was placed to the Bubba The Love Sponge radio show, publicly exposing the relationship. This is odd to me for several reasons: Who took the initiative of informing the world of the relationship between Jarrett and Karen? This person’s voice was disguised when aired on the radio program – – did the person already have his/her voice distorted when s/he called in, or was it done as a condition of being aired, because, if the latter is true, mightn’t at someone at the radio show have an inkling who went public with the news?

Furthermore, what did this person have to gain and why has there been no attempt to uncover the identity of the whistle blower, because it was the fact that the relationship was made public that gave Carter the reason to send Jarrett home, citing the company’s belief that the situation was bad for public relations, painting the company in a bad light. To me this could be significant for more than one reason. Personally, I don’t care where Jarrett (or anyone else, for that matter) cashes in his horny. As 2 cents said, it may not be the wisest choice, all things considered, but I care a whole lot less about that aspect of the business as I do what TNA, for example, is doing to improve its’ product, and this has nothing to do with that subject.

Or does it…? If Carter’s intention is to take TNA in a different direction than that which Jarrett, who was the head of Creative, wouldn’t it be easier to do so without the Vice-President and co-founder in the way, pushing back against ideas of which he might very well disapprove? And if Carter was anticipating Jarrett to push back, wouldn’t it be easier to get him out of the way via a disciplinary reprimand of which the entire backstage personnel knew he was guilty, rather than have to pull rank over creative differences? Don’t get me wrong, Jarrett would have lost either way, because he no longer holds the majority share of the company he helped to found, and, as such, I expect that he would stood up for the the direction in which it was his desire to take “his” company. Ah, but there’s the rub. It’s not his company anymore.

Let’s take this a step further now. With Jarrett at home (I don’t know if he was specifically banned outright from physically setting foot in Dixieland, although, all things considered, why take the chance of sowing up with an agenda and earning himself a restraining order, not to suggest that things would escalate to that level…), Carter went on to terminate the contracts of two Jarrett loyalists and fellow Creative team members in Dutch Mantel and Savio Vega, because, without Jarrett, they were just employees whose “stroke” had withered. This was the point of the article last week, who stands to step in and replace Mantel and Vega (and, one has to assume, Jarrett, too)?

But I want to go back to that phone call to the radio program. Now, please, I’m trying to open some investigative narrative that might have some scratching their heads wondering if Oliver Stone has taken up an interest in professional wrestling, but is it possible that the phone call in question was placed purposefully by brass in Panda that saw that as an easier route to acquiring completely Jarrett’s shares in TNA, so they might own it outright and be free to implement uncontested its own vision for the company?

I know it sounds far-fetched and the fact that no one else has jumped to this same conclusion makes me want to downplay it myself, unless the terminations of Jarrett loyalists (as well as Don West’s promotion, which could also read as “getting another ‘Jarrettite’ off of TV away from Creative”…if this is the case, this notion of removing Jarrett and his “followers” out of the way has been brewing for a good while, as Taz has stated that he was hired to do commentary) has been enough to encourage those left (Jim Cornette, Mike Tenay, BG James, etc.) to keep their mouths shut, head’s up and flowing along with the changing current.

And, to echo the sentiment expressed by 2 cents, we’d be remiss if we didn’t observe and take into account the juxtaposed dichotomy implicit in the differences between the manners in which Jarrett’s and Angle’s transgressions were handled by the same management team:

Jarrett? Fact, quite a “Bro-D’oh!”, but all within the realm of legality, and let’s not forget the apparent fact that the relationship was known to at least a majority of backstage and brass prior to the phone call placed to the radio program.

Angle, on the other hand, is being accused of driving while operating privileges suspended, prohibited acts, possession and harassment. I’m not sure what all is covered under “prohibited acts”, but that to me sounds like suspicion of going all Chris Brown on Khan, which we can assign together with harassment, ie, suspicion of stalking. And let’s remember that, Angle is still innocent until proven guilty in the American legal system (though not the media, apparently).

However, we do know that Angle was without question driving on a suspended license (as a result of a prior DUI, mind you), that, for whatever reason, he admitted to being in possession of Khan’s cell phone (reason being, she claims, that he was erasing photographic evidence she had stored on said phone against Angle for prior abusive behavior, assuming to establish a case of habitual behavior against him once this whole thing makes trial) and that he was caught holding HGH and used syringes.

Let’s put aside the case Khan may or may not have against Angle, because we have two people and two stories and it’s not for us to decide, within the context of this article, which side is in the right; reports state Angle has claimed to have been trying to break up with and extricate her from his home on more than one occasion, but, that when Khan filed the report, and because the home they “share” was her home turf, too, the law, as is generally the case, sided with her, and put Angle out of his own home.

(It’s my gut feeling that the unblemished truth lies somewhere between the two’s stories, that some fairly serious throw-downs have followed as a result of the disagreements that follow in any relationship, especially where physical attraction supersedes that special “e-Harmony” kind of personality match. Angle has tried to break up and tell her to leave, but then she turns on the feminine wiles that got her in his bed in the first place and they’re back to square one, except that, as the cycle starts to settle in, he becomes increasingly less-enthralled with the game playing.

Personally, I can see her going a little nuts on Angle when he actually lays down the law and tells her to get her shit and get the hell out, forcing him, especially with his knowledge and ability to neutralize such behavior, that she would think he was trying to raise his hands to her. Maybe she was wailing on him, he pushed her away in lieu of actually punching her out, but adrenaline was pumping, he pushed to hard and she landed wrong. Or maybe he just plain bounced a fist off her skull. Like I said, it’s not for me to say, but this is generally a whole lot closer to the way these domestic issues go down, with the alleged abused “cocoon-ing” themselves in the victim role and the accused looking guilty being stuck in the unfamiliar role of having one’s back pinned against a very serious wall.)

Angle broke the law upon breaking the law (where the suspended license stemming from the DUI is concerned). If Jarrett’s indefinite suspension is really a matter of TNA’s public perception, when he was only guilty of breaking an unwritten law of brotherhood code, doesn’t it make much more sense for management to likewise send Angle home for this infraction, alone? Otherwise, the implication stemming from Panda is that it’s a much worse offense to rebound from the passing of your wife with your co-worker’s ex-wife than it is to break the law (and endanger the lives of those in your path) by drinking and driving and then decide that the legal edict placed upon you as a reprimand prohibiting your privilege to drive shouldn’t actually apply to you.

Aside from that, there’s the issue of Angle having been caught with HGH and used syringes in the car. Do I really need to explain this part? Guilty or not, prescription or not, it seems to me that, if they were so concerned about the public perception of their company, such that it would send Jarrett, the co-founder and Vice-President of the company home for an infraction that, by all rights, was on the right side of the law, considering the intense media scrutiny regarding professional wrestling and steroids has only just cooled since the Chris Benoit tragedy, and if the company’s real, true and only concern in Jarrett’s case is that of “public perception”, then how does allowing your CHAMPION to RETAIN your highest honor at a PPV the following night send a message to your fans that you care about what we think is right or wrong? How does that help the on-looker, furthermore, believe the company has a grasp on legal/morality?

This above whether or not Angle can prove he has a legitimate prescription for the HGH with which he was caught. I, for one, hopehopeHOPE that he does. However, now one is forced to consider the reason Angle left WWE in the first place, that, apparently, McMahonagement had grown concerned over Angle’s use of medication, I suppose is a fair way of putting that, prescription and otherwise. When Angle refused to enter some form treatment program, so goes the story, Angle became indignant and left the franchise for another with a much lax (read: non-existent) drug-testing program (although, in the interim, a system has apparently been implemented, although no one seems to know for what is tested, how often, or what, if any, penalties might ensue for guilty parties, and if I’m wrong about this, someone please enlighten me!!!) where he’s regarded as one of the best, if not the best thing to ever happen to the company.

Is the answer in TNA’s apparent inaction where similarly disciplining Angle as Jarrett is concerned in the apparent fact that Angle has been telling people backstage that he’s set to ascend to the Creative team? I just mentioned Angle’s reported company worth. That’s not a rumor, many people in front of and behind the curtain have gone on public record as having put forth that statement. It strikes me that Carter is determined to keep Angle in TNA, the belief being that he brings more to TNA than anyone else, considering his high-profile WWF/E career, his ring-prowess and physical ability, his personal drive and determination and first-hand knowledge of the manner in which Vice McMahon works and thinks.

It strikes me Carter might see Angle as the person who has a grasp on the modern aspects of the business (as opposed, say, to Jarrett’s Ol’ Time Rasslin’ of Yesteryear approach) and that he, coupled with her business sense, might find themselves being the winning team that takes TNA to the next level, thus her desire to keep him in the fold. Carter could very well be afraid of pissing off Angle (the way Vince did) and driving him back to New York, thus leaving a massive gap in her new business plan.

However, and assuming this to be true, has it struck Carter that, perhaps, at this stage, Vince might not take Angle back? Considering this most recent turn of events, it strikes me we might hear the classic Vince, “Thank you, no,” should Angle make an actual overture to return. WWE is all about making sure its employees keep their noses squeaky clean for the kiddies these days and Angle’s recent actions would be a nightmare for The Fed; in fact, one could suggest that, the only reason a bigger deal hasn’t been made about this situation is because no one in the larger media cares about TNA, a symbol as to how far Angle’s greater appeal has fallen without the WWE press machine behind him, but that goes for virtually every wrestler with the exception of Hulk Hogan and Dwayne Johnson. That’s not a diss on Angle, but it is a dose of possible reality Cater, Angle and TNA might do well to entertain.

Remember around the holidays, I believe it was, that it seemed as if Angle was pulling a Hogan and dipping his toe in the waters of WWE, hinting that he might possibly want to return, seeing if Vince would bite? It was reported that McMahonagement was batting around the possibility of what to do with him, should he and Vince come to terms and he was brought back, but that never materialized. I likened Angle to Hogan because that’s one of Hogan’s old games he’s enjoyed using (and with some success in his younger, well, not as old and decrepit days, anyway) against Vince, flirt with another company to make the one to which you’re closely tied bang on your door (or call your bluff).

Suppose Angle’s WWE return talk forced Carter into considering a TNA without Angle. Maybe she went to him and asked what the company would have to do to keep him? Maybe he’s wanted creative power, as he was the one, along with Christian and TEAM 3D awhile back (remember that…?) who were displeased with the direction of Jarrett’s booking, and has finally been poised to Cross The Line and Carter is too intent upon what she could see as “the greater good” to see forest for the trees and risk losing her perceived cash cow, despite the fact that it stands to be fact that WWE might not even take Angle back right now…?

Too, if this is all the case, and Angle is about to be granted at least a seat on the booking committee, when have we ever seen a situation where an active wrestler has made the best choices for his franchise while also being an active member of Creative? Kevin Sullivan, Kevin Nash, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, and, yes, Jeff Jarrett have all been given the book while wresting and in all cases, each situation led to greater dissatisfaction than success. Also, what experience does Angle really have in a creative capacity? If the above is true and Angle was able to convince Carter that she needs his voice in creative more than Jarrett’s, then that’s simply proof that he’s learned to politick and play the game, it doesn’t prove that he can actually book.

And this is the chance Carter is willing to take now, at such a crucial time in the company’s history? And at the risk of being viewed as a hypocritical employer, where one set of rules exists for some employees and another for those who hold the favor of management? Now, there’s a familiar business model, but not of a company on the rise…

COMMENTPALOOZA!
Whoa… Comment of the year… I’d like to thank the academy, mom and dad… and of course mom and dad.

I personally would love to see what Heyman could do with the book in TNA, considering all the tremendous talent that on the roster… Heyman would have a field day with the likes of Samoa Joe, and Beer Money. Make it happen Geoff. I’m counting on you to call in a favor.
Posted By: Todd Vote

I have no idea what kind of pull I have in TNA. After today, likely none at all…LOL! I only know WWE reads me for material (which is fine by me, although I could sure use a check!). Larry has all the pull with TNA, at least with The Knock-Outs. Apparently, Kong loves him, an incredibly envious position in which to find one’s self, unless it reaches Norbit proportions.

Then you’re bound to see Awesome Kong versus Christi “The Wife” Csonka in a “Larry on a Pole” match.

Seriously, though, seriously, who among us wouldn’t love to see Heyman booking TNA?! I say, allow Scott D’Amore free reign over The Knockouts, as his track record working with them speaks for itself. However, Heyman is smart enough to take everything WWE is not now and make that the focus of the franchise, therefore offering today’s beleaguered wrestling fan a true alternative.

Being on The UFC Chann…uhm, Spike-TV, TNA has the luxury of running angles and creating characters and situations that will appeal more to men than little kids, something Heyman has proven at which to excel…hell, he revolutionized the process. Without even the CruiserWeight Title in WWE anymore, there is absolutely nothing to compete with a rejuvenated X-Division, again, a facet about the franchise at which Heyman would excel, especially with the talent already under contract. TNA is already focusing on its tag team division, but do they really need to have two tag belts at this point? I understand the tie-in with NJPW, but the whole thing seems superfluous now considering the battle lines being drawn between MEM/WE and the TNA flagbearers. But let’s not get off-point.

Basically, Heyman’s strengths holding the book are creating characters appropriate to the talent playing them, that serve to proliferate said talent’s strengths as a performer while minimizing his/her weaknesses, writing coherent, compelling stories that further build to the talents’ best attributes, has a willingness and ability to work with talent to coax and motivate the best performance out of such talent and to help performers find the inner-voice in an old school manner, such that a young talent can be given a bullet-point list of what his/her promo should entail and allow the talent to make the promo his/her own, rather than turn them into some half-assed actor that reads scripts and has his/her character determined by what the writers come up with them to do that week.

i was actually quoting kryten with the nipple nuts and alaska thing. it sends a shudder down my spine thinking about nipple nuts outside of a robotic context.

and happy anniversary! here’s to many more. keep up the good work
Posted By: DaJ

A-ha. DaJ, I must admit that I’ve only seen the first, maybe, three seasons (you call them series in The UK) of Red Dwarf, the marathon lasting as long as what I saw as being an “I’m about to move out of the area, but we’ve just met and things are clicking, so let’s hang out till I leave and keep it chill” kind of set-up, until he started developing some sense of laying claim on me and I bolted, for both our sakes. It’s just that kind of laissez-faire approach to human interaction that allows me to sleep diagonally across the bed at night, if you catch my drift.

There’s so much music I still want that I don’t have, once I’ve written off an act, it takes a significant amount of time before I end up going back to them, so, no, I’ve yet to give REM a second chance, but I’ll your recommendation in mind!

So you didn’t actually talk to Chris Martin? That sounds like a pretty sweet gig, though, especially at 15! Well done! How has that developed into your current studies?

I’m convinced that Russo could very well do a great job in any booking situation as long those in charge of it recall that Russo was NOT the sole component of The WWF’s success when he was on that creative team. It was one Vince feeding and filtering another one that bore the winning product and people seem content to allow that tidbit of fact to waft into the ether. I’m incredibly interested in seeing how Heyman and Russo would work together.

I don’t think the Benoit comment really holds any place in the current argument. Suggesting Benoit cold have sorted himself in TNA is assuming that his entire issue stemmed from the abuse of steroids, the intense sorrow he felt in having lost Eddie Guerrero, especially having been a quiet man who allowed very few “inside” (Guerrero being one of them, and, without his confidant, wasn’t sure where to turn for personal advice), combined with whatever brain damage from which he really was suffering and if said neurological damage helped to foster dementia, which I think all contributed to his feelings of loneliness and paranoia, but, again, that’s nothing I can say with any conclusive proof, as the Benoit tragedy will go down as one of those horrible instances we will never be privileged to understand to any degree of satisfaction. That’s just what I think happened and how I make peace with the situation. Thus, in my own damaged little mind, it seems as if Benoit would have had come to the same end regardless, although perhaps sooner, as TNA’s lenient schedule allows its performers more time off than does WWE’s (although, on the flip side, if Benoit had been at home more often, Nancy might have actually left him and taken Daniel with her before he ha a chance to snap, or whatever he did, so who knows…?).

Perhaps I overstated my enthusiasm for seeing Henry do something different. Remember back not so long ago when it seemed like every black male in the WWE was a heel and tended to only feud with other black males?

Congrats on the anniversary, funny it doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.
Posted By: Pete

It seems to me that WWE at the moment recognizes it has a solid stock of possibly-upwardly-mobile mid-card players, especially on Raw, but that it’s biding its time in developing/elevating any of them to the next level, pushing all of them to point X on the ladder and leaving them there to gauge how they perform, connect with fans, remain healthy and function within the microcosm (respect for elders, deal with travel, determine Wellness behavior/risks), until such time as they think one or more of them are ready to peak above the glass ceiling, and then evaluate them further from there, or a talent fails to maintain or improve on his/her appeal (one way or another, proclivity-depending), leading to their being let go.

Henry has that ability now, but he’s spinning his wheels amusing the kiddies with Hornswoggle, however, if need be, he’s proven he can step in the ring against randy Orton and have a credible match and be cheered on the outcome. I think, though, Henry might be a too-little/too-late situation, as he’s spent more time over the last dozen years injured than performing at any level of value to the company.

I’m not saying my theory has any solid merit (I’m saying this a lot this week!) either in terms of what is or could be occurring or that this is how McMahonagement thinks, but it would sure make sense in the cases of Carlito, Primo, Mark Henry, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, MVP and Jack Swagger.

Geoff, congrats on the milestone! You know, you’re right. Being a celebrity is a hard knock life. I hope I can handle it.

As far as celebs on RAW goes, here is what I think of them. Bob Barker – He must get into a fight with Santino, Happy Gilmore style. Al Sharpton – He’d get booed out of the building, but he does have charisma. Lebron James – He could rock, but it has to take place in Ohio. And finally, Woody Harrelson – I hope you just used some of your WWESP. That would be epic.
Posted By: The Great Capt. Smooth

For those outraged and wondering why I didn’t include Evan Bourne in the above list, it’s because his position appears to be a little different than the rest of the pack. You know how you tune in to Raw every week to watch him attempt to become the next generation of Rey Mysterio only to be squashed flat? It seems as if Bourne suffers from an acute case of “Kendrickism”, if you smell what The Geoff is burnin. SO, if you wanna see Bourne win, you best hope Kendrick shows with a “special package” for Woody, should he guest host. AirBourne, indeed.

Kids don’t know who Bob Barker is? He’s only been retired from TPIR for about two years. Really, Geoff, I think kids today deserve a little more credit than that. They’re not as dumb as we old adults think they are.

Anyway, Happy First Birthday to my favorite column on 411.
Posted By: JLAJRC

I don’t necessarily think kids are dumb, I’m just wondering how many of them would find Barker relevant as a General Manager for Raw. Besides, the point of it wouldn’t be based upon TPIS, but rather Happy Gilmore; how many ten year-olds have seen that? Maybe I’m out of touch with what is preferred/allowed ten year-old viewing these days…

However, I grew up watching good ol’ Bob, and here’s a clip from The Price Is Right that sums up our discussion of Evan Bourne and Bob Barker:

“I’m just a minute late, Bob.” God bless that guy.

That was nice, although I think The Benny Hill Show theme might have worked better.

And possibly the greatest TPIR clip of all time:

Jack Tunney! Yes, we can do that. The beauty of a Jack Tunney or Gorilla Monsoon is that the bad guys always get the benefit of doubt. The bad guys continue to be bad guys while the good guys even have more stroke when they prevail over evil.

Thanks Bro!
Posted By: thegunisgood2009

Don’t you mean that the other way around, gun? It seems to me that, back in ye olde days, it was the good guys who had all the clout with the lawgivers, and the heels who had to overcome the odds placed against them because of their bad behavior? That’s kinda what the whole “Fair to Flair” thing was based upon, for example. It was the good guys who came away looking stronger than the heroes on the odd occasion when they were able to prevail fair and square, lending credibility to their dishonest wins, as well.