BRM Reviews the 7/21/2011 Impact

[Big Red Machine]

OPENING SEGMENT- not too good. Sting was okay, but after that in went downhill
What was the point of Kurt coming out in the clown mask? And Kurt also made it seem like him helping Sting was a spur of the moment thing, rather than premeditated… so why did he have the clown gear on last week? Bubba and Anderson were eh, but the segment did set up a match for later in the show, so at least it served a purpose.

BOUND FOR GLORY SERIES MATCH: Scott Steiner vs. Rob Van Dam- 6.25/10. The finish annoyed me. Why does it always have to be something like that! Why can’t it ever just be a 100% normal, clean finish?

MICKIE-VELVET SEGMENT- I really disliked this. Mickie starts off by saying that she has watched all of these horrible things happen to Velvet over the past few weeks… THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU HELP HER?! She was down 2-on-1, and you just sat there? Some babyface you are!
This also isn’t Velvet’s first Knockouts’ Title shot. She had one at Bound For Glory last year.
Then Angelina showed up, no sign of the drugging anymore (which, near as I can tell, means that once Winter stopped drugging her, she decided to go with Winter anyway, and isn’t pissed off at all about BEING DRUGGED AGAINST HER WILL FOR MONTHS!), and cuts a crappy promo. Then Winter started talking about how she and Angelina are different than the other Knockouts because they work as a team, and when Winter wins the title they are going to share it… Hey, ladies… you do know that TNA has Knockouts’ Tag Team Title belts, right? Because based off of this promo, you two would probably be a lot happier going after those.

YET ANOTHER backstage Knockouts brawl- SAME OLD SH*T! SAME OLD SH*T! SAME OLD SH*T!

LADDER MATCH CONTENDERS’ PROMOS- Very good.

TNA KNOCKOUTS TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Sarita & Rosita(c) vs. Tara & Miss Tessmacher- 3.75/10. Didn’t go long, wasn’t too good, the nearfall with Madison interfering was ridiculous (a SHOVE from Madison Rayne gets TWO-COUNT?) and the babyfaces jumped the heels in the beginning. WTF?

10 POINT BOUND FOR GLORY SERIES LADDER MATCH: AJ Styles vs. Matt Morgan vs. Samoa Joe vs. Gunner- 6/10
I really don’t like this match. Unless everyone else in the BFG Series has the equal chance to compete in a ladder match like this, it gives these four an unfair advantage (because they have had the opportunity to earl more total points). Also, the booker in me wants to scream. This match doesn’t need a gimmick BECAUSE IT ALREADY HAS ONE! The BFG Series IS A GIMMICK! This is a ladder match FOR NO REASON!

EY & D’LO SEGMENT- Tedious and annoying, but I did laugh at the roll-up.

TNA X-DIVISION TITLE MATCH: Brian Kendrick(c) vs. Alex Shelley- 5.75/10 The plot thickens. Good post-match reaction by Kendrick

BEER MONEY-MEXICAN AMERICA SEGMENT- Not good. Storm makes some racist comments, then cuts a crappy, Ric Flair rip-off promo. It was also very boring, and felt like it dragged on forever. It did hype up a PPV match a few weeks in advance, which TNA has been very bad about doing in the Hogan-Bischoff Era.

KNOCKOUTS BULLSH*t- Mickie James(c) vs. Velvet Sky- was a good segment until ODB and Jackie showed up. I thought we were done with this sh*t. I am so tired of this feud that I actually don’t care about Traci’s return. And this segment dragged on forever, too. Three straight minutes of Jackie and ODB beating up security guards who aren’t doing much to fight back… meanwhile ALL THREE BABYFACES ARE BEING RESTRAINED BY JUST TWO REFEREES! WTF?

As an aside: Remember the beginning of the Hogan-Bischoff Era when there were big pull-apart brawls every week with 900 security guards… where the hell are those security guards now?

STING & KURT ANGLE vs. BULLY RAY & MR. ANDERSON- 4/10. Atrocious for a main event.

This week’s Impact was pretty bad. It had some good wrestling, but a lot of utter crap as well. It did, however, announce some PPV matches a few weeks in advance, which TNA hasn’t done well at all as of of late.

Tenay needs to stop saying “yes” at the beginning of phrases, as if he thinks someone is asking him a question. It is annoying as hell, and by this point, I think that everyone knows that asking Tenay a question will likely not get an intelligent answer.
Stupid Announcer Quotes:
1. Taz (after Madison interfered in the Knockouts’ Tag Team Title match, allowing Sarita to get a pin on Tara but the ref was out of position, making it a nearfall)- “Sarita, like her or not, she had the match won there. “ DID YOU NOT JUST SEE MADISON INTERFERE?! What type of babyface announcer are you?! (and yes, Taz is a babyface).

[badnewzxl]

I agree on all points exept 2:

1- you've gotta take it easy on the BFG series; it's spose to be competitive, not fair. They've had a bunch of different kinds of matches and they change the points at stake for most of those special matches. It's just the way the series is design; it was explained this way from the beginning. Don't let it irritate you so much; at least THIS TIME they aren't blatantly lying right to our faces, lol.

2-all the KO's comments: I agree about Mickie, but (a) Angelina cut a promo a few weeks back explaining why she is still with Winter despite not being drugged anymore, so they already addressed that. (b) I wish you would have been a fan during the MNW bc not all wrestlers and promotions worry about doing things within the Face/Heel dynamic. I've seen MAAAAANNNNY faces jump heels and it make perfect since. The idea that a babyface has to play by all the rules went out the window a LONG time ago. (c) ODB is AWESOME....but yeah, that brawl went on for WAAAY too long.

I always disagree with you on these points, but you're dead on about the rest of the show. I liked Storms promo bc it wasn't a face promo; it was just a James Storm promo. A lil racist though; he tried to clean it up afterwards, but, yeah, still a lil racist, lol....

[Big Red Machine]

I agree on all points exept 2:

1- you've gotta take it easy on the BFG series; it's spose to be competitive, not fair. They've had a bunch of different kinds of matches and they change the points at stake for most of those special matches. It's just the way the series is design; it was explained this way from the beginning. Don't let it irritate you so much; at least THIS TIME they aren't blatantly lying right to our faces, lol.

2-all the KO's comments: I agree about Mickie, but (a) Angelina cut a promo a few weeks back explaining why she is still with Winter despite not being drugged anymore, so they already addressed that. (b) I wish you would have been a fan during the MNW bc not all wrestlers and promotions worry about doing things within the Face/Heel dynamic. I've seen MAAAAANNNNY faces jump heels and it make perfect since. The idea that a babyface has to play by all the rules went out the window a LONG time ago. (c) ODB is AWESOME....but yeah, that brawl went on for WAAAY too long.

I always disagree with you on these points, but you're dead on about the rest of the show. I liked Storms promo bc it wasn't a face promo; it was just a James Storm promo. A lil racist though; he tried to clean it up afterwards, but, yeah, still a lil racist, lol....

1. I 100% disagree. How can you possibly say that it isn't supposed to be fair? In kayfabe, pro wrestling is a legitimate sport. This would be like having a division in the NHL where three of the five teams get to play more games than others. It hurts the credibility of the event in question.

2a. When was this? I have looked back in my records and can't find it.

2b. Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean it was good. Was making going to the top rope illegal a good idea? Or the NWA "you get DQed if you throw your opponent over the top rope" rule a good idea?

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

2c. No she is not.

3. Which is why James Storm should not be a babyface. I have been saying since 2008 that James Storm is doing nothing but holding Bobby Roode back from fulfilling his destiny as a main eventer.

[Robert Randall]

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

if you recall, they were getting even because Sarita and Rosita jumped them backstage

[Big Red Machine]

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

if you recall, they were getting even because Sarita and Rosita jumped them backstage

Hmmm... then the didn't make clear who jumped who backstage. It seemed to be like they just bumped into each other and ad a brawl because they don't' like each other (like in the parking lot the week before).

[Robert Randall]

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

if you recall, they were getting even because Sarita and Rosita jumped them backstage

Hmmm... then the didn't make clear who jumped who backstage. It seemed to be like they just bumped into each other and ad a brawl because they don't' like each other (like in the parking lot the week before).

the parking lot incident (the way I heard it) was Tara and Tessmacher attacking Rosita and Sarita for no reason which, yes that is stupid

[badnewzxl]

I agree on all points exept 2:

1- you've gotta take it easy on the BFG series; it's spose to be competitive, not fair. They've had a bunch of different kinds of matches and they change the points at stake for most of those special matches. It's just the way the series is design; it was explained this way from the beginning. Don't let it irritate you so much; at least THIS TIME they aren't blatantly lying right to our faces, lol.

2-all the KO's comments: I agree about Mickie, but (a) Angelina cut a promo a few weeks back explaining why she is still with Winter despite not being drugged anymore, so they already addressed that. (b) I wish you would have been a fan during the MNW bc not all wrestlers and promotions worry about doing things within the Face/Heel dynamic. I've seen MAAAAANNNNY faces jump heels and it make perfect since. The idea that a babyface has to play by all the rules went out the window a LONG time ago. (c) ODB is AWESOME....but yeah, that brawl went on for WAAAY too long.

I always disagree with you on these points, but you're dead on about the rest of the show. I liked Storms promo bc it wasn't a face promo; it was just a James Storm promo. A lil racist though; he tried to clean it up afterwards, but, yeah, still a lil racist, lol....

1. I 100% disagree. How can you possibly say that it isn't supposed to be fair? In kayfabe, pro wrestling is a legitimate sport. This would be like having a division in the NHL where three of the five teams get to play more games than others. It hurts the credibility of the event in question.

2a. When was this? I have looked back in my records and can't find it.

2b. Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean it was good. Was making going to the top rope illegal a good idea? Or the NWA "you get DQed if you throw your opponent over the top rope" rule a good idea?

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

2c. No she is not.

3. Which is why James Storm should not be a babyface. I have been saying since 2008 that James Storm is doing nothing but holding Bobby Roode back from fulfilling his destiny as a main eventer.

1. you're jumping the gun; just bc the guys who weren't featured in the ladder match haven't been given such an opportunity YET doesn't mean they won't be. Your NHL analogy is totally off base and NOTHING like what's going on. It's more like in MLB and NBA when some teams have just played more games than others at a certain point. That's all that's going on here; just bc some guys have been given the opportunity to gain more points thus far,doesn't mean that in the end everyone hasn't gotten the opportunity for the same number of points. I just think your assumption that it's unbalanced is far too premature; there are still two months before BFG itself. Plenty of time for anyone to catch up.

2a. Slammiversary

2b. The point is that your ideas that babyfaces don't do this and babyfaces don't do that have no merit when they've already been disproven. Babyfaces HAVE done things such as jump heels. And yes, often times they do it when a feud has reached a certain point, but if that's an argument then this is as well: the very fact that the face would do so insinuates that the feud HAS reached that level. I understand if you don't believe the feud is at that point; I just disagree with your perception of heels/faces

[Big Red Machine]

I agree on all points exept 2:

1- you've gotta take it easy on the BFG series; it's spose to be competitive, not fair. They've had a bunch of different kinds of matches and they change the points at stake for most of those special matches. It's just the way the series is design; it was explained this way from the beginning. Don't let it irritate you so much; at least THIS TIME they aren't blatantly lying right to our faces, lol.

2-all the KO's comments: I agree about Mickie, but (a) Angelina cut a promo a few weeks back explaining why she is still with Winter despite not being drugged anymore, so they already addressed that. (b) I wish you would have been a fan during the MNW bc not all wrestlers and promotions worry about doing things within the Face/Heel dynamic. I've seen MAAAAANNNNY faces jump heels and it make perfect since. The idea that a babyface has to play by all the rules went out the window a LONG time ago. (c) ODB is AWESOME....but yeah, that brawl went on for WAAAY too long.

I always disagree with you on these points, but you're dead on about the rest of the show. I liked Storms promo bc it wasn't a face promo; it was just a James Storm promo. A lil racist though; he tried to clean it up afterwards, but, yeah, still a lil racist, lol....

1. I 100% disagree. How can you possibly say that it isn't supposed to be fair? In kayfabe, pro wrestling is a legitimate sport. This would be like having a division in the NHL where three of the five teams get to play more games than others. It hurts the credibility of the event in question.

2a. When was this? I have looked back in my records and can't find it.

2b. Just because it was done in the past doesn't mean it was good. Was making going to the top rope illegal a good idea? Or the NWA "you get DQed if you throw your opponent over the top rope" rule a good idea?

i am fine with the babyface cheating to make things fair/get even. Not with the babyface cheating to get ahead. Also, while I will make an exception for some things for blood feuds... this isn't one.

2c. No she is not.

3. Which is why James Storm should not be a babyface. I have been saying since 2008 that James Storm is doing nothing but holding Bobby Roode back from fulfilling his destiny as a main eventer.

1. you're jumping the gun; just bc the guys who weren't featured in the ladder match haven't been given such an opportunity YET doesn't mean they won't be. Your NHL analogy is totally off base and NOTHING like what's going on. It's more like in MLB and NBA when some teams have just played more games than others at a certain point. That's all that's going on here; just bc some guys have been given the opportunity to gain more points thus far,doesn't mean that in the end everyone hasn't gotten the opportunity for the same number of points. I just think your assumption that it's unbalanced is far too premature; there are still two months before BFG itself. Plenty of time for anyone to catch up.

2a. Slammiversary

2b. The point is that your ideas that babyfaces don't do this and babyfaces don't do that have no merit when they've already been disproven. Babyfaces HAVE done things such as jump heels. And yes, often times they do it when a feud has reached a certain point, but if that's an argument then this is as well: the very fact that the face would do so insinuates that the feud HAS reached that level. I understand if you don't believe the feud is at that point; I just disagree with your perception of heels/faces

1. I realize that I am jumping the gun... but this is TNA. Does anyone really trust them to keep good track of important details like this?

2a. What did they say?

2b. Just because it has been done doesn't make it either good or the right way to do things (IMO).

[badnewzxl]

1. I realize that I am jumping the gun... but this is TNA. Does anyone really trust them to keep good track of important details like this?

2a. What did they say?

2b. Just because it has been done doesn't make it either good or the right way to do things (IMO).

1. Trust them? No; but I'm not gonna condemn the series until all is said and done. I'm not gonna call it unfair when it hsn't completely played out. There is more than adequate time for all you deem unfair to be made right.

2a. Angelina was backstage with Winter and said that she needs to clear up the rumors about her and Winter's relationship. She said it's not "synthetic" anymore and that she finally realized what Winter was saying.

2b. I understand that; I just feel like you always go by this rule that good guys do good things and bad guys d bad things, when I believe wrestling's characters and the heel/face dynamic is MUCH more complicated than that nowadays BC of what's happened in the past. Ric Flair, Steve Austin, DDP, Eddy Guerrero, and the Rock were mega popular faces while still doing "bad" things. I feel like that disproves the idea that Faces are "good guys."

[Big Red Machine]

1. I realize that I am jumping the gun... but this is TNA. Does anyone really trust them to keep good track of important details like this?

2a. What did they say?

2b. Just because it has been done doesn't make it either good or the right way to do things (IMO).

1. Trust them? No; but I'm not gonna condemn the series until all is said and done. I'm not gonna call it unfair when it hsn't completely played out. There is more than adequate time for all you deem unfair to be made right.

2a. Angelina was backstage with Winter and said that she needs to clear up the rumors about her and Winter's relationship. She said it's not "synthetic" anymore and that she finally realized what Winter was saying.

2b. I understand that; I just feel like you always go by this rule that good guys do good things and bad guys d bad things, when I believe wrestling's characters and the heel/face dynamic is MUCH more complicated than that nowadays BC of what's happened in the past. Ric Flair, Steve Austin, DDP, Eddy Guerrero, and the Rock were mega popular faces while still doing "bad" things. I feel like that disproves the idea that Faces are "good guys."

1. Fair enough

2a. I THAT'S IT? That is a whole new thing to be pissed off at TNA for! No details at all? And Angelina isn't annoyed at Winter for DRUGGING HER? OMFG!

3. Austin rarely did "bad" things without reason, and Eddie was a lightning in a bottle gimmick (that he was somehow able to get over as a babyface by cheating). Let me say that my problem isn't with babyfaces "doing bad things", per se, as much as it is with characters acting out of character (which, for most babyfaces, means cheating/unnecessary beatdowns, etc.)