Smart Marks 6.29.13: TNA! TNA!

Welcome back to another edition of Smart Marks, where we discuss anything and everything about our one true love, Pro Wrestling. As always, I am Dino, and I am neither the smartest nor the dumbest wrestling fan alive.

Keeping that Christian fan video. I love it too much.

So, first on my list of what I like about TNA- the X Division. Duh. It’s the calling card of TNA, the one thing they’ve always had to keep an identity of their own. With or without a weight limit, the focus of the X Division has always been about athletic contests. Faster, crisper, flippier. They can be spotfests, car wrecks, or even two of the best wrestlers in the world going at it, and they still entertain.

AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, Abyss, Samoa Joe, RVD, Daniels, Kazarian… so many greats have competed in this division and held the belt. This has always helped keep the division at a level higher than a Cruiserweight, knowing that X Guys can, have, and will compete with the Main Event stars.

I may have issues with the current triple threat formula, but I will always appreciate TNA carrying the WCW cruiserweight mantle by giving time and focus to the ‘smaller’ guys.

The addition of the Destination X title
shot has only, in my eyes, helped keep relevant a division that was getting lost in the shuffle for a while, and gives someone a huge opportunity each year. Or maybe just Austin Aries. We’ll find out next year, I guess.

Warts and all, the X Division will always be my first answer when asked why I like TNA. It’s had highs and lows, of this there is no doubt, but it remains one of the best parts of TNA.

This one may cause a little backlash, but hear me out. I like that TNA is constantly attempting to elevate guys into stars. Note the word “attempting”- they don’t succeed all the time, but it’s nice to see James Storm, Bobby Roode, Austin aries, Bully Ray, Magnus, and more get chances at some upward mobility.

Like I said, it doesn’t always work out and Storm ends up back in a tag team, but at least it was tried. I feel TNA’s lower ratings and profile allow them to try put new things more freely than WWE, and not having shareholders to answer to probably goes along with that, too. Still, compare WWE’s 2011 Main Event Scene to TNA’s and notice the changing names in TNA. I feel TNA gives more guys the opportunity than WWE does.

Not that one way is “better” than the other, but I simply appreciate TNA always trying something new. Even if it fails, or isn’t executed the way I would have done it. The appreciation is simply for the attempts, not the results.

We fans (I am guilty myself) often pile on TNA for not being a true alternative, for feeling like WWE-Lite at times, so I feel it is only fair to give them credit when they do try something different. And, to be fair, trying to elevate everyone from Eric Young to Kenny King is, in my view, a good thing.

… till it’s gone. In March of 2001, we fans at the time lost something special to us. We lost a member of the family, as Drunk Uncle WCW finally died after years of self abuse. Though the blame falls on Kellner for dropping the ax, we all saw it coming. And then, just like that, the only televised wrestling was Vince’s. At least for us out here on the West Coast.

And, for all my WWE Love… that sucked. A lot. Raw, Smackdown, lather, rinse, repeat. The same guys in the same feuds with the same results. I missed ditching a DX skit to watch Booker T vs Kanyon. I missed skipping a Steph interview for Dean Malenko and La Parka. I missed wrestling, not sports entertainment.

That’s where TNA, for me, gets most of my love- it saved me from hating WWE, and restoring my love. It gave me new faces, new matches, new belts… it gave me Elix Skipper throwing cagewalk ranas- the moment that captured me for good with TNA. It gave me Sting again, Angle’s Revival, the no longer stale Dudleys, Joe shredding Scott Hall in a ppv shoot, musclebusters, Shark Boy, DA POOOOOOUNCE!, and so many more moments that I don’t even want to pretend never existed.

It may not be what we want it to be as an alternative, but whether at its best or worst, TNA has always provided me a wrestling show free of Vince McMahon’s fingerprints. And, much as I enjoyed Crockett/NWA/WCW and World Class and AWA and Global on my tv as a kid, I enjoy TNA on my tv as an adult.

It ain’t perfect. Really, though… it doesn’t have to be. I’ll remain forever thankful to Jeff Jarrett, Jerry Jarrett, the Carters, Jeremy Borash, Don West, and everyone else who has made sure TNA exists.

Now, can we do something about there always being a super stable of heels at all times?

That’ll do it this week. Thank you for your time, your thoughts, and for being a wrestling fan. Thank you, TNA and, as always, enjoy your WWE, enjoy your TNA, enjoy your Lucha Libre, your Puro, and your Indies.