I've been watching TNA Wrestling for 5 years. 5 long, years. It's had it's highs and it has also had it's lows, but with what is happening today in this small company, is sad, and mind-boggling.

My hate has been building since 2009. Since the whole, "Hogan and Bischoff Takeover" happened, TNA Wrestling has taken a big turn for the worse. It's pay-per-view buys have been lacking, it's television tapings have been dwindling, and everything else about it just sucks.

I can't say one good thing about this company really. I mean, one could be that it has a dream roster, but to be honest, this, 'dream roster' is nothing more than nostalgic eye candy for the Attitude Era fans. But even then we complain about it. The product, with its dream roster, looks like a joke. It's sad to see a promising promotion be run so badly, even worse than WCW...

But whenever we get something that may help the company, it always seems that Vince Russo, Dixie Carter and company have a way of making it seem like a WWE rip-off. Almost like a little version of WWE. Just with a hint more of blood (which is unnecessary). I have noticed some guys are getting pushes to the main event, but it's the guys we don't want (Ex: Abyss). Then some guys are getting de-pushed, but it's the guys we don't want to get de-pushed (Ex: Desmond Wolfe). What is happening with this product? What's the thinking process over in Orlando and Nashville? Do they think they are going in the right direction? Do they think THIS is what we want?

Our answer is NO.

TNA Wrestling has gone to one of the most promising promotions today, to the 3rd ranked company today (2nd goes to ROH and 1st goes to WWE, overall). Something went horribly wrong with this company. Something real bad. Like a cancer or a tumor was planted inside the c ompany, and is now being shown outside, and into the mainstream wrestling audience...which is pretty bad. This cancer is eating away inside TNA. It's making this once great company into this now horrible wrestling show. TNA is now proving that PG Wrestling is better than the 'extreme' wrestling. Is this arguable? Yes, but I dare you to argue against me. Because no matter what you say, I will probably have a pretty damn good counter against it. What can we do to save this company? Can we let it live for a few more years before finally putting the final nail in the coffin that is TNA? Is their hope!?

This is not just a rant, but an alternative to this problem. We all know that TNA will (Prepare Jericho voice) Ne-e-e-e-ever beat WWE. This is an absolute fact. Hell, they won't come even close. But with what I'm about to suggest could very well give this product their salvation it needs. This could give them retribution to their fans and bring in new ones. This is the change we need in TNA Wrestling...and we need it now.


Salvation Method #1: GET OUT OF ORLANDO

I have said this time and time again. TNA needs to get out of Orlando. If TNA wants to get more noticed, they need to travel. They need to get out of Florida and go somewhere else like Georgia or Texas or somewhere and have the Impact shows there. That'd get you noticed more than just doing tours. I do know that money is a problem for TNA, but doing more shows outside of Orlando could do you good. Hell do it once a month. I'd be satisfied.


Salvation Method #2: GET RID OF THE TALENT YOU DON'T NEED

There's a lot of guys still in TNA that need to really go. These guys have either no purpose or have over stayed their welcome. Instead of just naming the obvious, I'll make a list, and reasons why they should be gone:

Hulk Hogan - Does this need an explanation? I think it's obvious that Hogan is a bad influence on this company, and it shows. Dixie always seems to listen to what he has to say and take his advice because he's been in the business for a good long while now. But his advice, quite frankly, sucks. Hulk needs to just stay away from wrestling and get out of the spotlight, and let the new guys take over.

Sting - Really has overstayed his welcome. He really doesn't need to do anymore than he has too. The man has made some great contributions to WCW back in it's glory days, but it's time for him to step down. He probably is financially intact so money isn't an issue. I'm sure he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday. Show time is over, Stinger.

Eric Young - Speaking of Showtime, Eric Young, I think, needs to leave. I haven't seen anything really remarkable with him either. I know he's been with the company for a real long while now, but I mean, come on, either give the man a chance to show his stuff, or let him go. That simple.
Team 3D - These guys can still contribute, but they really should just step down and teach backstage to the new tag teams and young guys in the locker room.
Shark Boy - Yes. This guy is STILL employed in the company. He has done absolutely NOTHING for me and the "Stone Cold' rip-off didn't help me at all. he needs to go. ASAP.
Kevin Nash - I liked Kevin, but he needs to just stay in the back and be the booker and/or teach the new talent. He's career is intact as well. Will he be a HOF? Only time will tell...
Tomko - What can i say, this guy's had his fair share of matches, some more average than bad...but he should be gone...


Salvation Method #3: HIRE PAUL HEYMAN

Everyone has been talking about Paul Heyman in TNA so much, it could be a trending topic on Twitter. TNA hiring this guy would be a real great move for them. Paul is a genius behind the scenes (Except for the money parts of it...he gets a D- for that job in ECW...) and would absolutely help this promotion. He can do a hell of a better job getting guys over than Russo or Carter can. Now that I hear that Paul wants FULL creative control, I say: Hell yea he should! The man can save your company and if Dixie can't accept that, then maybe she needs an intervention from the great wrestling minds and give her a reality check that her method of doing things with her company is not working. She is keeping guys who are way past their prime, and while she does want to be loyal to the guys who contributed to the business (Which I respect), she has to realize that we, as wrestling fans, already understand that they did pave the way for the new guys. We know this. We understand. But we want NEW guys to pave a NEW WAY for OTHER GUYS in the business so they as well can feed their families and get noticed as superstars. Paul Heyman can do this. His creative ways are ones to be envied. His way with money is crap, but if Dixie and Heyman can come to terms, I can see a bright future for this company....or at least for a while, that is...

Now before I end this, I'd like to bring up the topic of the 'ECW Invasion' angle TNA has been doing. Eric Bischoff apparently had a team of people do an analysis of basically what the fans want or whatever. What they came up was one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.

The report said basically said that the people were fans of ECW. First off, of course everyone loved ECW! It was one of the best promotions ever! Sure, it had it's fair share of money problems, but was revolutionary! And get this! Guess where the report came from!? PHILADELPHIA!! The birthplace of Extreme Championship Wrestling is where they compiled this report. What. The. Fudge.

Now after this report, I guess Dixie OK'd this 'Invasion' angle to happen so maybe it'll help the company. I'll stop ya there because we have seen this SO many times in wrestling, it's not even funny. We saw this in 2005 for God's sake when ECW 'invaded' WWE! That eventually culminated into ECW One Night Stand. A PPV I really, really liked because it introduced me to the carnage that was ECW. it made my jaw drop. It was awesome. Now TNA is doing the EXACT same thing. It's pretty similar. Is this a good thing? To me, not really. I think this one of TNA's ways to compete with WWE's Nexus Invasion angle (Which I am thinking of doing a column over. Would you guys approve of it? let me know...). I have to give it to WWE for this one. Their Invasion angle was UNEXPECTED and AWESOME, something TNA has tried, and has missed the mark, but not by much. I will give them credit for trying to give the newer fans a taste of extreme, hardcore wrestling. I commend Dixie for trying, but our audience today doesn't want extreme or anything hardcore. They want stuff they can be able to grasp and understand. This extreme wrestling probably won't help. I think TNA is trying to convert the younger, newer fans, into 'growing up' and showing how brutal pro wrestling is. Is this good? No. Why? Because extreme, hardcore wrestling only shows how guys can take the pain, not how good they are in the ring. CZW is an excellent example. Th at kind of wrestling has already run it's course. Now there's a new wave of wrestling/entertainment that Dixie and company have to take into account. They also need to change with the times like Vince McMahon did. Now look at the product: it's gaining fans and is getting more product sales than ever, really. Now am i saying HardCORE Justice: One Last Stand will be a flop ppv? No, not at all. Actually, I'm really interested in one of the matches on the card (And the only match confirmed so far), Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn. Oh. My. God. That's gonna be pretty damn good if I do say so myself. (bWo better make an appearance or so help me...)

I really hope the ppv does well. I mean it. This is the opportunity TNA needs to succeed and get more fans under their belt. It's ESSENTIAL that everyone in TNA makes sure this ppv, and other ppvs after HardCORE Justice: OLS, will be a success (Depends if they get more than 10,000 buys of course...). This is the time to shine for TNA Wrestling. This is the time to make it or break it. This is the time to go to the Extreme. For the better....or for the worse....

Anyway, thank you all so much for reading my first article on B/R! I am very excited to be on this wonderful website. As always, I'm open for feedback on this particular subject. All is welcome.