Our Take On 01.02.09: The 2008 TNA Wrestling Awards Spectacular!

Introduction:
On behalf of my esteemed colleague Steve Cook, I would like to welcome one and all to The 2008 TNA Wrestling Awards Spectacular! For the FIFTH year the band is back together, the 411 Impact Player Steve Cook and myself are here to give you what we feel are the best and worst things about TNA Wrestling. Back in the day, in the year 2004, Steve Cook and I were the TNA team here at 411, and even though we now have both moved on, this is still a column we look forward too each and every year. At the end of the awards you’ll see winners from the past years for a comparison, it’s fun to look back and see things in hindsight. But the topic at hand is this, “what was the best and worst of TNA in the year 2008?” Let’s find out.

The “What Were They Thinking” Award

Steve Cook – Winner: Suicide: I don’t know where to really start on this debacle. On the surface, inventing a character for a video game and then bringing him to television isn’t the worst idea in the world. Having to wait several months because the guy you wanted to use for the gimmick hurt himself didn’t help matters. Then once the guy finally made his debut…well, he botched his finisher on television and they didn’t bother to edit it. In another appearance the guy injured himself again and now they’re debating whether to put somebody else in the suit or not. Here’s an idea…why not just let it die? There were a lot of ridiculous ideas in TNA in 2008, and this might not even be the most ridiculous…but it’s the most recent and I’ve tried to push a lot of things out of my head this year.

Larry Csonka – Winner: THE RAT ON A POLE MATCH: Maybe it is the fact that two guys were fighting over a rat, a rat that one calls an artic fox and the other one calls Marlena, you know, so that fans from 11-years ago will think it is cool. Maybe it was that one guy was collecting a check and half assing while the other guy was watching the hottest point in his career go down the toilet. You do remember that Kaz beat Christian in an awesome PPV ladder match and had a great TV match with Kurt Angle, but was stuck in this angle with Dustin Rhodes doing a shitty Goldust/Seven hybrid gimmick. Or maybe I am sick of gimmick matches with shitty build. Or maybe I am sick of gimmick matches that are worthless. Or maybe it is the fact that the match sucked ass as two men tried to look for a rat in one of many mailboxes. Suicide may be bad, and even cursed, but this shit made me ashamed to be a wrestling fan. A rough year for Kaz…

The “Where Did She/He Come From” Award

Larry Csonka – Winner: Beer Money Inc.: Man, this one was a hard one to narrow down. But after thinking about it, I will have to go with Beer Money Inc! It is no secret that I am a huge fan of these guys, and in the first half of 2008 it seemed as f both men could be headed towards a big singles push. But then they were tossed together as a tag team, and much like another team I do enjoy, Miz and Morrison, magic happened. These guys are great tag team workers, their personalities are very different but they play off of each other perfectly, they have been given a lot of freedom, and when you ad din Jackie Moore, they have taken the company over entertainment wise. I didn’t see it coming, and that made it even better.

Steve Cook – Winner: The Beautiful People: When 2008 started, Velvet Sky & Angelina Love were random TNA Knockouts. They were both smoking hot in their own way, but usually did nothing more than get squashed by Awesome Kong and didn’t really stand out from the pack. Well, Velvet did have the nice ring entrance from the beginning, but still no push. Then they became total bitch heels and won the hearts of men everywhere. Their entrance is the best in the business, and they actually have somewhat of a consistent personality, which separates them from a good number of people in TNA. For most of 2008, the Beautiful People were in some of the best segments on any given episode of Impact. And to think that WWE let Angelina go and Velvet worked some Heat matches and never got a gig. Wouldn’t you take these two over…well, most of WWE’s Divas? I’m just sayin’…

The “What are They Doing on my TV” Award

Steve Cook – Winner: “Sarah Palin”: I know I’m going to get some heat for mentioning politics in a wrestling column, but I don’t care. The fact is that Sarah Palin’s fifteen minutes of fame expired on November 5, 2008. Why TNA thinks that having somebody impersonate her on television is going to draw any sort of attention, I have no idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love Daffney and it’s great that she’s getting to do something in TNA…but couldn’t it be anything else? Also, anything that puts more clothes on Velvet Sky & Angelina Love is a bad idea.

Larry Csonka – Winner: Raisha Saeed: Don’t get me wrong, I think that as a short term angle the Raisha Saeed character was an excellent idea. It got Cheerleader Melissa a job with TNA, it got her a steady paycheck, and as a starting point, great. Unfortunately she spent the year under the Burka, and in no way, shape or form should she still be in this gimmick. Cheerleader Melissa could make a case for “Underutilized Performer of the Year” due to being stuck in this gimmick. But when you consider the fact that TNA has lost Gail Kim, and are searching for a new lead face for the Knockouts Division, it is even worse. Get “Raisha Saeed” the hell off of my TV and bring on Cheerleader Mandy! Oh you know they will change her name…

TNA Finisher of the Year Award

Larry Csonka – Winner: James Storm’s Beer Bottle to the Head: One thing that I noticed in 2008, when it came to TNA, was this: most of the finishers have been extremely devalued. Long ago are the days when the Canadian Destroyer, Doomsday Gringo Killer, Joe’s Clutch or any number of finishers were completely unstoppable. Whether it was a ref bump, 13 run-ins, or one too many kick outs, the finishers in TNA had a very rough year in my opinion. So it is with a tear in my eye that I have to give this award to James Storm’s Beer Bottle to the Head. This is the only “finisher” I can think of that not only was an effective one, but that always led to a victory. I know what Cook’s answer is, and if Kong had been booked better through out the year I may have agreed, unfortunately the booking of the promotion hurt many finishers this year, and that is a shame. The ref bump and run-in finish was a close second.

Steve Cook – Winner: Awesome Bomb: It’s been a rough year for finishers here in TNA, as most high profile matches have ended to shenanigans and tomfoolery instead of actual finishing moves. Awesome Kong’s Awesome Bomb still hasn’t been kicked out of, and one time this year she made some random chick knee herself in the head on impact. That was awesome, clap clap clap clap clap. So yeah, we’ll go with that.

TNA’s “Shocking Moment of the Year” Award

Steve Cook – Winner: Mick Foley arrives: Would there be any other choice? Foley admitted in The Hardcore Diaries that he had strongly considered joining TNA before agreeing to come back to WWE, but I had always assumed that Foley would be a WWE-lifer, coming back whenever he felt like it. I thought Foley would thrive in the announcing role, but apparently that was not to his liking, and he was so put off by his time in the role that he decided to leave WWE and join TNA. While I had heard the rumors, I didn’t believe it was going to happen until I saw it on TNA’s website. It took some getting used to, but I don’t get the sentiment from WWE fans that Foley somehow sold out by going to TNA. In any event, Foley making the switch was one of the more shocking moments of 2008.

Larry Csonka – Winner: Foley Comes to TNA: Steve and I are in complete agreement here. When Foley came back and took the announcers position, I figured that this was the beginning of the “Foley is WWE for Life” contract. And not just because of what he had done for the company. Sure he was always able to come back for a match here and there, and his promos were always good, but because he turned into a damn good announcer. But then Mick and Vince couldn’t get together due to Vince’s yelling, Foley was offended, and he left the company. But I still thought that he would go onto write more books, do his charity work and eventually return to the company in some role. But after the rumors cleared and he actually debuted with TNA, that was a huge moment. Only time will tell if he has a real impact, pardon the pun, on the company, but he has always wanted to have a legacy of helping to build a #2 company, and now he gets his chance. I hope that he accomplishes his goal.

Who to Look Out For Next Year Award

Larry Csonka – Winner: AJ Styles: While it may seem odd to pick someone who has been with the company since its birth, but with the angle between the TNA Frontline and Main Event Mafia running at full steam, I think that it may be time for AJ Styles once again to take center stage. All signs point to AJ climbing the mountain once again in TNA, the feud with Angle, and then with Sting, and now the war of the factions all place AJ as the top dog. Styles was the first Triple Crown winner in TNA history (although with the NWA Title as the world title) but he hasn’t been able to climb back to the top. Now is the time for AJ, and I hope he actually gets the chance to take the ball and run with it.

Steve Cook – Winner: Christopher Daniels: Yeah, I know it’s kinda strange to nominate somebody for this that isn’t even on TNA’s roster at the moment. But I hear rumors coming out of the City of Angels that the Fallen Angel is in intensive training for a return to pro wrestling after taking some time off to tend to his cactus farm. Yes, he was fired from TNA, but how long do firings in wrestling usually last? Quite frankly, this is one of the longer ones in recent memory. Should Daniels return to the ring, he has previously been one of TNA’s greatest in-ring competitors and would certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the X or tag team divisions, where he has held gold on multiple occasions.

TNA’s Tag Team of the Year Award

Steve Cook – Winner: Beer Money Inc.: It seemed like a strange teaming at first, but the combination of Beer (James Storm) and Money (Robert Roode) has proven to be a successful one. Both men were part of successful tag teams in the past, Storm as part of America’s Most Wanted and Roode with Team Canada, and worked with each other a lot during that time frame. They know each other well, and use their familiarity with each other to their advantage, forming a cohesive tag team that doesn’t look like it’s only a few months old. The tag team division has been a mixed bag for TNA in 2008, but teams like LAX, Team 3D, the Steiners, AJ Styles & Tomko and others had their moments. However, it is obvious in this observer’s eye that the year belonged to BEER! MONEY!

Larry Csonka – Winner: Beer Money Inc.: While at the beginning I had a issues with how the team was formed, Beer Money Inc. has certainly been a highlight of TNA in 2008. It wasn’t that I doubted that they could be successful, far from it, but at the time both men looked to be headed towards a singles push. But America’s Most Wanted and Team Canada, two teams that feuded and had great matches came together in what seemed like an oddball tag team, and magic happened. In the ring they were a great team, having good matches with LAX, The MCMG’s and anyone else tossed their way. And outside the ring, with Jackie Moore at their side, the backstage segments were must see TV for me the entire year. Beer Money Inc. was not only a pleasant surprise, but were easily the best tag team in TNA in 2008, and one of the best tag teams in wrestling. BEER! MONEY!

TNA’s Most Underutilized Performer of the Year Award

Larry Csonka – Winner: Jay Lethal: Much like Kaz, Jay Lethal was primed for greatness in 2008. Now while Kaz had a rough year, and easily could have taken this award, but Jay Lethal was used and abused in 2008. This is the man that beat Kurt Angle clean for the TNA X-Division title in a great match on PPV, CLEAN, no bullshit. It looked as if the sky was the limit for this young man in 2008, but the never-ending feud with Sonjay Dutt, the winning, losing, winning, losing of the X-Title and flat out making as ass of the kid ruined him. TNA had something with him, but they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and that is a shame.

Steve Cook – Winner: Raisha Saeed: I remember when Saeed first debuted and the Internets all complained about how the gimmick held back the performer known as Cheerleader Melissa in independent wrestling promotions, who is considered by many to be one of the best female in-ring talents in North America. And of course there were also complaints about the burka covering her face and the sheets covering her body because…well, because we’re pigs. Nevertheless, most of us assumed that the gimmick would be temporary and eventually Cheerleader Melissa would emerge and cheer her way into our hearts. That hasn’t quite happened yet, as Saeed is still mainly used as enhancement talent when she’s in the ring and is usually stuck at ringside while Awesome Kong & Rhaka Khan wrestle. I think most of us would agree that Saeed would be better to put in the ring, while Khan would be better to put out of the promotion. One has to wonder how long this arrangement will last.

TNA’s PPV Of The Year Award

Steve Cook – Winner: Lockdown 2008: Many have complained about the all cage match PPV concept, but since its inception Lockdown has usually been one of the better events of TNA’s calendar year. This year was obviously no different, as Lockdown delivered several fun & violent matches, along with some other stuff. However, this show stands out to me mostly because of the main event, which featured Samoa Joe finally winning the TNA title from Kurt Angle. There was also a fun Lethal Lockdown match and the crowd was pretty hyped up all night. Good times.

Larry Csonka – Winner: TNA Turning Point: I loved this show, and while Cook’s selection of Lockdown is a good one, Turning Point was my winner when all was said and done. The PPV was excellent, and it made me feel like I was watching a TNA PPV from 2005. What I mean from that is that the show felt focused and delivered a lot of good wrestling on it. Five matches clocking it at *** or over, a couple of fine matches and only one rotten tomato in the bunch makes this a very good event. There were no blow away matches or MOTY candidates on the show, but the overall quality and booking was great. When it was over Cage had to join the Mafia, and with the Mafia getting the clean sweep they set up a lot of stuff to really kick off that angle. Quite simply, this was a fun PPV that you can go back and watch and not feel as if you are wasting time.

TNA’s Feud of the Year Award

Larry Csonka – Winner: Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe: While it did have its issues, I do have to say that Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe was the feud of the year. I went back and forth over three feuds, Angle vs. AJ, Angle vs. JJ and finally the one I selected. The reason, for me, ended up being simple. They fixed the mistakes of the initial feud, the build for the match was awesome, I felt that the match delivered big time, and at 55,000 PPV buys, it delivered the biggest TNA buy rate of the year. TNA again proved that with the right built, the right guys and a match that people want to see that they can do some things right. Unfortunately they didn’t learn from it.

Steve Cook – Winner: Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles : It all started out innocently enough, as AJ decided to join the Angle Alliance instead of the Christian Coalition and helped Angle retain the TNA title against Christian Cage. AJ was persuaded to join the Alliance by Karen Angle, who he had a bit of a thing for. Some ridiculousness followed, as AJ & Karen were accidentally married at a wedding vows renewal ceremony that Kurt had scheduled for him and Karen. They became close friends, but Kurt insisted that it was something more and eventually turned against AJ. They then had a series of matches on PPV that were generally well liked, with Styles going over in the blow-off…assuming there was actually a blow-off, as both are involved in the Main Event Mafia-Frontline feud. Who knows, this might not be over just yet…

TNA’s Wrestler of the Year/MVP Award

Steve Cook – Winner: Kurt Angle: Angle was easily the dominant personality on TNA in 2008. Although he lost the TNA title to Samoa Joe in April and was unsuccessful in getting it back, Angle has been the dominant heel in the promotion, keeping himself relevant with feuds with AJ Styles & Jeff Jarrett and forming the Main Event Mafia, which has dominated TNA for the past couple of months. Angle is the mouthpiece and leader of the MEM, which also consists of Booker T, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner & TNA Champion Sting. Some have said that Angle’s role in the group has the negative effect of weakening Sting’s status as champion, but that just goes to show how dominant Angle is in his role. You might make an argument that AJ Styles has had a better in-ring year, or that Samoa Joe has had more time at the top of the cards and won several matches against Angle, but I can’t argue against the fact that Kurt Angle has had the biggest impact (pun totally intended) on TNA in 2008.

Larry Csonka – Winner: Kurt Angle: For me this is an easy choice, especially since I have been saying for months that Angle has been completely under appreciated this year. Let’s look at some of the PPV outings the man has had: