Best thing to ever happen to TNA? Hogan!

**YOUcanCALLmeCRACK** · 02-15-2013, 06:55 PM

Hear me out. (Blog length but I like the forum folks better)

Twelve months ago if I were to ask you how could you improve, fix, and send TNA on the right track what would you say? What about eighteen or twenty-four months ago? Like me, you would probably rattle off a laundry list of ideas and concepts that would get TNA out there and help build their awareness, their brand, and their overall product. As we sit here today, how many things has Hogan now crossed off that list?

Get Impact Live [check]
Get Impact out of the Impact Zone [check]
Build up PPVs; make them more meaningful [check]
Get young talent [gut...check] (disgusting pun, sorry)
Improve their international appeal [check]
Get rid of Russo [check]
Showcase "TNA Originals" [check] *
Improve production [check]
Rebuild the divisions [in progress]

When did all of this happen? Under Hogan. Why did all of this happen? Because Hogan pushed Dixie.

Obviously, TNA still has its high peaks and low valleys when it comes to creative and I'm not saying every Hogan decision is a good one. I want the six-sided ring back and I want Lockdown to be all steel cage but sometimes we need to take the bad with the good. Though it maybe hard to swallow Hogan has done a lot of good for TNA. Can we honestly sit here and say that Hogan is ruining TNA when he answered much of our criticism of the past? Just a thought...

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* I know what you are going to say: "What about the Aces & Eights and Jeff Hardy?" First, Roode, Storm, and Aries held that belt for about a year combined with barely any "ex-WWE" talen in the picture. Not to mention, guys like Angle, Anderson, and even Hardy have enough TNA history to no longer be ex-WWE guys but TNA talent. Plus, a bunch of ex-WWE guys in a heel faction will be eventually putting over Team TNA.

**YOUcanCALLmeCRACK** · 02-15-2013, 06:56 PM

I'm also a contrarian so take that into consideration when you read this!

**masakaritko** · 02-15-2013, 11:18 PM

I think the only drawback is that Hogan is taking up tv time with his big non-actor, same ol' "ya know something, brother" personality rather than staying behind the scenes. And that may not be his doing either. It may be Dixie saying "well ya know I'll listen to whatever the immortal hulk hogan tells me to do as long as i can showcase him on tv for a large portion of the show because if somebody as famous as him in wrestling is on MY show every week then I am certainly successful. Hulk of course doesn't tell her "no" because he kinda wants to have some face time on tv. What people don't realize is that Hogan is an absolute booking GENIUS.....As long as it doesn't involve putting himself on camera. And Honestly when he has all these great ideas that will drag out for a long time, the end product is disappointment because he either puts himself, or is placed by his superiors, in the middle of the final payoff for everything. And from what I can tell, Dixie seems adamant about putting the title on Hulkster in the future just to say Hulk held the TNA title and add credibility to her title that, although created by a legend like Jeff Jarrett, was created AFTER fans knew what kayfabe meant, and that matches are predetermined and blah blah blah, preventing it from EVER gaining the prestige, or credibility, that other titles, such as the WWE championships that have been around at least 2 decades, have because they had great legends like Bruno Sammartino, or Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Bret Hart, Iron Sheik, Ivan Koloff, etc... held them when people thought wrestling was a real competitive sport where the winner was whoever had the most strength, guts, and determination, because fans were clueless back then, didn't know any of the inside stories, or backstage phrases, and genuinely thought they were watching a genuine fight. I think this may hurt WWE in some respects too. Everyone that holds power in the WWE genuinely think their titles are secondary nowadays, even though they were the alpha and omega back in the day. I don't care what person they want to showcase, I will always see title matches as the most important even if Vince doesn't. Sorry for Ranting, I just got home from a week in the hospital after a car accident, and i'm hopped up on some kind of painkiller.

**HCollins-TNA1** · 02-16-2013, 12:14 AM

I don't mind Hogan as long as his time is limited on TV, he pretty much retired and don't need to take the spotlight from those who are wrestlers and wrestling..... Limit him to maybe several minutes, but nothing extensive....

Hogan does bring the fans, and does bring main stream attention....

**JohnnyV123** · 02-16-2013, 12:25 AM

You have a good point in giving Hogan some credit that he deserves but there is always room for improvement.

It bothers me that the Knockouts and X Division have lately had NO story going on with their matches. The stories are what draws viewers along with interest and the wrestling is just the payoff to that. It's why Bully Ray and Brooke's wedding drew high and Daniels and Kazarian segments draw. They completely dropped the Zema Ion injuring people story and they seem to be working on something between King, Ion, and RVD but haven't seen much yet. The Knockouts have had Velvet Sky come back and say this is her year.....and.......hm. Tara has a different personality now with Jesse but there's really no story there.

**Darkside Ron Garvin** · 02-16-2013, 05:27 AM

Originally Posted by YOUcanCALLmeCRACK

As we sit here today, how many things has Hogan now crossed off that list?

Get Impact Live [check]
Get Impact out of the Impact Zone [check]
Build up PPVs; make them more meaningful [check]
Get young talent [gut...check] (disgusting pun, sorry)
Improve their international appeal [check]
Get rid of Russo [check]
Showcase "TNA Originals" [check] *
Improve production [check]
Rebuild the divisions [in progress]

When did all of this happen? Under Hogan. Why did all of this happen? Because Hogan pushed Dixie.

Originally Posted by masakaritko

What people don't realize is that Hogan is an absolute booking GENIUS.....As long as it doesn't involve putting himself on camera. And Honestly when he has all these great ideas that will drag out for a long time, the end product is disappointment because he either puts himself, or is placed by his superiors, in the middle of the final payoff for everything.

Alright, I have given this a roll around, trying to let it slide, but I just can't; Sorry BMac, but another novel is coming...

So we are giving the credit for Impact Live, Impact on the road, Lowered PPVs, Banishing of Russo, Showcasing talent... All of this credit you guys are giving to Hogan?! And then, on top of all the other brain child ideas, you are going to issue booking to Hogan as well? What in the world makes you guys think Hogan has this much control over the show and decisions with how the company is to be run?

The brand expansion internationally should be credited to Andy Barton who is their Executive Vice President of Licensing and International Television Distribution.

Credit for the young talent goes to Al Snow (Senior Director of Talent Relations & OVW Head Trainer) as well as D'Lo (Senior Producer / Talent Evaluator).

Decisions for Impact to go Live, On the Road, and Reducing the PPVs go to Dixie Carter, Chris Sobol (Vice President of Operations), as well as a few others who have MINOR input into these decisions, Hogan (being only listed as the current GM for Impact and having NO authority to make any decisions outside of this) gets no credit for these things...

Especially not the casting out of Russo, the Booking, Storylines/How current wrestlers are used, production of the product, or rebuilding of division. Those rights go to Dixie herself and the creative team of TNA - Pritchard (Head writer; Senior Vice President of Programming and Talent Relations), Bischoff (Executive Producer), Al Snow (Producer), D'lo (Senior Producer / Talent Evaluator), Dan Burgess (Producer / Designer), Dave Lagana (Director of Creative Writing), David Sahadi (Director of Production), Matt Conway (Creative Writer), and Steve Small (Senior Director of Production).

Originally Posted by masakaritko

Dixie seems adamant about putting the title on Hulkster in the future just to say Hulk held the TNA title and add credibility to her title that, although created by a legend like Jeff Jarrett, was created AFTER fans knew what kayfabe meant, and that matches are predetermined and blah blah blah, preventing it from EVER gaining the prestige, or credibility, that other titles, such as the WWE championships that have been around at least 2 decades, have because they had great legends like Bruno Sammartino, or Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Bret Hart, Iron Sheik, Ivan Koloff, etc... held them when people thought wrestling was a real competitive sport...

Everyone that holds power in the WWE genuinely think their titles are secondary nowadays, even though they were the alpha and omega back in the day. I don't care what person they want to showcase, I will always see title matches as the most important even if Vince doesn't.

To every one of your bolded parts, I simply ask "How do you and only you know this" since I have yet to find any sources outside of the opinions of others on wrestling websites that confirm these things. You are entitled to your opinion but don't blind others into believing these as facts. Does Dixie want the belt on Hogan? I do not know, but I can assure you that she hasn't said that in a single interview in the public. Does Hogan want the TNA belt? I doubt it as the statements he has made in interviews about "winning a TNA title" all come across as him joking more about how crippled his body is more than a desire of the heart to win the belt.

Next point is that the revelation of 'kayfabe' has nothing to do with the prestige of a championship. Regardless if the product is scripted or not, when you see a person literally bust their ass to improve on a weekly basis, it brings a bit of honor to the championships. This is why it was filled with such sentiment when Austin Aries won the WHC, when Bobby Roode was granted the go ahead for an 8-9 month title reign, and when AJ Styles was granted the right to be the first Triple Crown winner in TNA history. Prestige has less to do with people "thinking it's a real sport" and more to do with the drive, passion, and work ethic of those who win the belt.

Maybe it was the painkillers talking in your post, but I couldn't leave well enough alone with comments like these. You guys are acting like Hogan is the one running all things in TNA and making every business decision for the product as a whole. Does he have leverage with Bischoff and influence that comes with his name? I am sure he does, but by no means does that mean he is granted the right to take the credit for ANY of the things listed.

**B-MCINTYRE** · 02-16-2013, 06:00 AM

First up... DRG you know I was being fuckig for the fun of it so novelise things all you want..

On topic though. Hiring Vince Russo was best thing to happen to TNA... Yes he made some bad decisions in his career booking wise but he also had some great ideas.

**AlexWorldOrder** · 02-16-2013, 11:07 AM

Crack, you're definitely on the money here. I was one of those Hogan haters for years and disliked him for the same reasons that every other Internet wrestling geek does.. Then I grew up.
Hogan did everything that people bitched about TNA not doing, and everyone claimed they'd finally watch the show oncewhayever deman they had was accomplished.. Well, why aren't they watching now?!? Oh yea, because they're too proud to admit Hogan did it, so now they blame the storylines... Which are actually good too! LLolz!

Hopefully little Jimmy surfs the Internet and sees a picture of Hogan promoting that Impact live is coming to his town. His mom tells him she can't afford to bring him because wrestling tickets are too expensive. Only to find out that TNA tickets are dirt cheap and now she can also afford to bring little Sally with her. Getting out of that Impact Zone is the only thing that will make the ratings grow. They need a bigger fan base.