Hulk Hogan Is Hamstrung and Ineffective Without Hulkamania Legacy

I've been a Hulkamaniac since I was five years old.  To this day I smile watching old tapes and hearing "Real American" begin to play.  So many good memories resonate, even now as I type this. My family moved around a lot when I was a child, and I didn't have many friends as a result, but I always had wrestling, and for me that made up for a lot in my awkward adolescence.

Today, it's a different story.

I see Hogan on TNA, and I'm saddened.  Not for what is currently transpiring in the storyline, but instead saddened by what could have been. 

Hulk Hogan is tasked unenviable with trying to find a relevant presence in wrestling today.  His best gimmicks are owned by WWE.  He can't delve too deep into either character without worrying over an infringement lawsuit.

Not that I miss Hollywood; I thought that was just an awful, wretched gimmick.  Once the shock value of Hulk Hogan being a bad guy wore off, there was just no depth to his  Hollywood character. 

Few stars are tied so intrinsically to their gimmick as Hulk Hogan, and Hulkamania. 

He is at his charismatic best as a red and yellow clad babyface.  I honestly believe he would be dong better in TNA if he were the babyface cultural icon he grew to be.  As it is now, he interjects himself into TNA programming as an active character, but cannot wrestle, nor does he inspire emotion in fans.

Everyone has heard the stories of his shenannigans behind the scenes over the years, and on Hogan Knows Best, and it's no surprise the actual man behind the character is far from the image promoted for so many years. 

The only thing true then now as it was then is his love and passion for wrestling, and his desire to still be an active participant in the business.  Even to the detriment of others, and to himself.  I admire the ideal, just not the result.

I don't know the details of his deal with Vince McMahon regarding the use of "Hulkamania."  I am fairly sure he isn't allowed to publicly use the terms or association outside WWE in the United States.

Internationally, I'm not so sure, as evidenced by his Australian Hulkamania Tour prior to joining TNA.  Nor am I positive he would have a bigger effect in TNA if he could break out the old gimmick.

What I am certain of is I see Hogan as a distraction and deterrent to the current roster in TNA by constantly putting himself in the center of storylines, instead of in a more behind—the—scenes management role occasionally seen on the air, but with presence felt.  More of a marionette master holding the strings and making people dance, than trying to be a puppet.

We all know he isn't going away, and with the rumors of his in ring return becoming likely, it's making even this die hard Hulkamaniac cringe and look away.  Even though he is a storyline boss, I believe it would make the story more realistic if he were to surround himself with competent people who could enable his ramblings, and grow his TNA "power", and stop with trying to still be a wrestler.

Fans and foes alike know what he has done for the business. 

Maybe a ruthless executive subplot would make for better television, and let the wrestlers wrestle.  Put better quality matches out, more hardcore matches, and defend the damn Television Title on TV every episode and people might start watching more. 

If Hogan were to do things of this nature, more viewers would tune in, and might compel them to buy more merchandise and pay-per-view events. 

The one truth is trying to compete with WWE is simply dumb.  Cannot be done, and should not be done.  TNA should find their own style and voice, and stop biting others.