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"I Think I Know Why He May Be Mentioning 'Demons' In His Name. I Think He's Tanked."
-- RD Reynolds on yours truly from the 10/2/09 episode of "Wrestlecrap Radio".



(Editor's Note: "I had some technical delays so I couldn't upload my column in time. Sorry guys. --RD)



The big news that was announced recently came from TNA that they are going to re-start the “Monday Night Wars” by moving “TNA Impact to Monday Nights to compete with WWE’s “WWE Raw” show. Now most of you probably heard of the news like the way I did by where ever you hear your pro wrestling news. I went one step further by seeing the news conference on USTREAM.

Seeing that video was quite painful mostly because of either a slow connection where I was at or USTREAM was a real pain. But I did notice some very interesting things during that press conference. So I thought that the both of us should take a look at what actually happened during TNA’s Press Conference:

The USTREAM Video had TNA airing their spinning logo for about six minutes before the actual thing began. Talk about a complete waste of time! The rest of the coverage has been taken from TNA’s YouTube Video of the event.

:00-:35 We are greeted by TNA Play-by Play Commentator Mike Tenay as he welcomes us all to this “special announcement” and he introduces the press that is covering it and he introduces TNA President Dixie Carter. (RD: “Whoa wait a minute here! TNA had actual people in the entertainment business covering this?!? That just blows my mind!”)

:36-:57 TNA President Dixie Carter enters the stage, greets Mike Tenay, and takes the podium. (RD: “The one thing that I found quite odd about this is that Dixie had her own entrance. Granted like Vince McMahon he has his own entrance but Vinnie Mac is more of a character when he’s on TV. Dixie is just a businesswoman. Granted she’s somewhat Cougar-ish though. Also she came out to the Impact theme? That to me sounds like Linda McMahon coming out to the old ‘Road to Wrestlemania’ theme. Lame.”)
:58-1:22 Dixie starts speaking about TNA signed with SPIKE TV and moving to Universal Studios to film “TNA Impact” and thought it was a dream to make TNA successful. (RD: “Ah to dream the impossible dream of being somewhat mildly decent programming. That’s what you call a good dream?”)

1:23-1:33 Dixie mentions how TNA is now a global brand that can be seen in over 120 countries and has been all over the world. (RD: “Not everywhere Dixie. Australia is still wondering when is TNA ever going to make their first ever appearance in the country. TNA has been postponing their tour over there for a couple of months now.”)

1:34-1:50 Dixie mentioning how Impact was aired on Monday Jan. 4th and ratings were great for them. (RD: “If great meaning a 1.5 Nielsen Rating while WWE basically owned that show with a 3.5 Nielsen Rating, then yeah I can say it was great. Granted that was the highest TNA rating ever and I’ll give them credit for that. But still. WWE PWNED you Dixie. ”)

1:51-2:18 Dixie gives the media her breakdown of the ratings analysis on the Jan. 4th special and says that her discussions with SPIKE TV about the ratings. SPIKE TV & TNA considers that moving Impact to Mondays Nights would be a good idea because that’s where the wrestling audience is. (RD: “And by ‘wrestling audience’ Dixie is referring to how people watch RAW on Monday Nights. This is the start on Dixie, and later on Hulk Hogan, not mentioning WWE at all in the press conference. Like how WWE doesn’t recognize anything pro wrestling wise outside of WWE as actual wrestling. ”)

2:19-3:12 Dixie then mentions the big announcement that on March 8th, Impact would be moving to Monday Nights from 9-11PM EST & PST (RD: “Couldn’t they had just done a simple TV announcement instead of holding this press conference? Just sayin’.”) Dixie also mentions how everything TNA has been getting noticed and it started a few months ago with Hulk Hogan announcing that he will work with TNA. (RD: “Also it didn’t help that during that same week that Hulk Hogan announced that he was working with TNA, Hogan was promoting his autobiography where the big news on that book was Hogan announcing that he almost committed suicide. What a weird & wacky coincidence?!? ”)

3:13-3:46 Dixie mentions that TNA had everything needed to make it good but Hogan was the “rocket fuel” (RD: “Rocket Fuel isn’t exactly what I would call Hulk Hogan. ”) needed to make TNA a great company. Dixie then introduces “the pop culture icon” Hulk Hogan. (RD: “Granted Hogan has made his mark as a pop culture. But as an icon? He’s nowhere close to it. When I hear the words ‘Pop Culture Icon’ I think of Madonna, Michael Jackson, or Bruce Springsteen. Hogan doesn’t even come close in my opinion. ”)

3:47-4:05 Hulk Hogan makes his entrance to the stage, Dixie clapping for him, Hogan hugs Dixie as he takes the podium. (RD: “The one thing that keeps bugging me is Hogan’s theme music. If any of you don’t know it’s actually an old version of the WCW nWo theme for a PS One game. So WWE now owns the rights to everything WCW has ever done correct? So my question is this; why doesn’t WWE tell TNA to stop using that music? I mean WWE does own the rights to WCW video games so shouldn’t they stop them from doing that or is this something that I don’t understand? I guess I’ll figure it out later. ”)

4:06-5:11 Hulk Hogan likes Dixie’s “Rocket Fuel” comments and puts Dixie, Dixie’s father Bob Carter, & TNA over for being such a positive company and the results of TNA in such a short time is somewhat surprising. Hogan didn’t believe that he would be working for TNA. (RD: “I’m betting Hogan also didn’t believe that his son Nick would end up in a major car crash that would make the passenger in that car a vegetable. Or Hogan’s daughter Brooke music career tanked and is now trying to become a Paris Hilton wannabe, which no one wants…well at least me. Or that he would get divorced from his wife which would end up costing him millions! Just pointing that out that’s all. ”)

5:12-5:38 Hogan says that his work & success in TNA is the biggest thing he has ever done professionally and he sees more success in TNA in the future. (RD: “Even bigger than Hogan slamming Andre The Giant?!? Wow! Hogan would usually gush like a little school girl when he mentions that! ”)

5:39-5:56 Hogan tells us to hang on for the ride that is TNA you will see things like no “sports entertainment” company has ever done before. (RD: “Um..Hulkster. Maybe you should had checked the most recent WWE Office Memos. WWE no longer wants to use the words ‘Sports Entertainment’ anymore. Just ‘Entertainment’. And one more thing. It’s not ‘Sports Entertainment’. It’s FREAKING Pro Wrestling! ”)

5:57-6:18 Hogan puts over all of the TNA wrestlers and how he loves all of their work ethics because it makes him feel so young. Hogan also thanks Dixie and Bob Carter while somehow motioning that Bob Carter was dead while Hogan corrected himself saying that he was in Texas and that he didn’t die. (RD: “I don’t know. Should I say it? It looks so tempting! Aw what the hell! Bob Carter is dead! I didn’t even know that he was sick!”)

6:19-7:16 Hogan continues to put the TNA wrestlers & Dixie over saying that the whole company is great to work with and it has such positive vibrations. Hogan tells us to hang on watching to TNA because you’ll enjoy the ride. (RD: “So Hogan is comparing TNA to…’The Secret’? And didn’t Hogan also bash TNA on the pro wrestling radio/podcasts that he’s having problems trying to get TNA to the way he thinks? “)

7:17-8:32 Dixie & Mike Tenay open questions up from the “Peanut Gallery” media. One person asked the question whether Impact moving to Monday Nights was permanent or temporary? Dixie said the move to Monday Nights is permanent. Another person asked why have Impact air from 9-11 instead of 8-10. (RD: “A very good question!” ) Dixie said she had the option of going 9-11 or 8-10. Dixie mentions that some of the Impact episodes will be live and some will be taped. Dixie also mentioned the couple of times TNA has moved to different days and different times and thanks the fans that followed TNA through those changes and hopes that the fans follow them as well. (RD: “So Dixie is praying for the fans to follow them. Personally going head-to-head with RAW is suicidal, homicidal, and genocidal! And Sabu isn’t even on the TNA roster! There has been history of networks putting shows up against ratings juggernauts that ended us disastrous for that show. Good example is the Winter Olympics. Couple of networks are airing re-runs now because the Winter Olympics is ratings gold for NBC! Honestly Dixie should have stick with 8-10 so she would have received the lead-in audience to RAW. That was one of the few smart ideas that WCW had when Nitro aired 8-11. Get the lead audience, get them hooked, and make sure they don’t change the channel. The rest…well its history. “)

8:33-9:31 Hogan adds his two cents (RD: “Sorry Elektra!” ) by saying that from a wrestling perspective and not from a corporate perspective that going head-to-head is a great thing because it is a competitive fight to see who is better. (RD: “Ummm…yeah. What he said. ”)

9:32-11:01 Another person asks Hogan about the “Monday Night Wars” when Hogan was in WCW and how does he feel that TNA is re-starting the ”Wars” again. Hogan goes a little bit nostalgic about when WCW was filming at the Disney Studios which are across the street from the Impact Zone, Hogan then says that once they left the Studios then WCW was on the road (RD: “Urm…WCW was already on the road before that Hulk.” ), then WCW became successful for a long time. (RD: “One year. One year when WCW was successful then it self-destructed. ” ) Hogan believes in the TNA product and that it’s a far superior product and they will win. (RD: “Or die trying! ” )

11:02-11:35 Dixie interrupts Hogan by redefining the “War” concept as TNA being a solid company. TNA set their eyes on the leading competition 3rd rated show (RD: “Dixie is referring to ECW.” )and said TNA has beaten that show ratings wise. (RD: “The one time that ECW was on a Thursday and TNA beat it. Dixie forgot to mention that when ECW was aired again on Thursday that it beat Impact ratings wise. ” ) Dixie’s goal now is to beat the leading competitor’s 2nd rated show and make TNA even successful. (RD: “Wait a minute! Dixie thinks RAW is WWE’s 2nd rated show?!? Hasn’t she seen the ratings recently? That title goes to Smackdown! If Dixie wants to compete with WWE’s number two show move Impact to Friday Nights! WWE goes all out to make RAW their number one show! I think Dixie Carter may be a WEE bit misinformed here. ” )

11:36-13:09 Another person asks if there were talks of making Impact a 3-hour show like the Jan. 4th show. Dixie said there was talks with SPIKE TV for other TNA programming but not a 3-hour Impact. Another person asked what would be WWE & Vince McMahon’s reaction to the news. Dixie laughs at not having an idea what to say so Hogan takes the question. Hogan knows what WWE might react to since he was there “for a long time” (RD: “Well Hulk Hogan is a WWE Hall OF Famer. ” ) and he says that there will be no reaction to this news at all because WWE lives in their own little world where they don’t see anything else as competition. (RD: “Which Hogan says is correct. However there are ‘rumors’ to this that when the news came out Vince McMahon didn’t react at all but people around him said he looked quietly angry. This compared to the ‘rumors’ of Jeff Hardy appearing on that Jan. 4th Impact special, Vince McMahon was PISSED! ” ) Hogan then does a quick Randy Savage impersonation and “he has the scoop for you OOOH YEAH!” by saying that he has spoken to some WWE wrestlers and they want the “Monday Night Wars” to come back because it will be good for them competitively (RD: “Which most fans would agree to as well. ” ) would make things better for them. Hogan also said that since now most pro wrestling is a type of monopoly (RD: “Actually it’s more of an Oligarchy since its WWE or TNA for the National Pro Wrestling scene with ROH just getting there. But I digress. ” ) Hogan also claims that WWE Corporate are panicking as if the house was on fire because of the news. (RD: “Not really. ” )

13:10-14:29 Another person asks if SPIKE TV has any expectations or ratings goals for TNA to air Impact on Mondays? Dixie says SPIKE TV didn’t set up any goals for them just for them to perform the same as they have on Thursdays and the same for the Jan. 4th special and they want to grow from it. Dixie also says that she, Hogan, & TNA are having a fun time getting ready for the change. (RD: “So that time TNA aired Dixie’s little office meeting with the TNA wrestlers saying that if you don’t like her ideas then you don’t like me and you could get fired was basically an episode of ‘The Office’? ” ) and Dixie wants the fans that weren’t wrestling fans or the one that are wrestling fans to join in on TNA has to offer. Dixie wants to people to say, while she acts like someone that is shamed, “I’m a wrestling fan” and to be proud of what you are. (RD: “That wouldn’t be it Dixie. When pro wrestling stops airing such crap as the Hornswoggle/Chavo feud, ‘The Little People’s Court’, Daffney as Sarah Palin, or even that god awful Sharmell/Jenna Morasca match. Then we can proudly say that we are wrestling fans. For now…DON’T…YOU…BELIEVE IT! ” )

14:30-16:06 Mike Tenay is about to close the question and answer part of the conference when Hogan interrupts him. Hogan actually compares pro wrestling to church. (RD: “Huh? Say what now?!? ” ) Hogan says that he has a church that he goes to and he loves it and while most times going to church is a real hassle. (RD: “Not unless you’re an Atheist or you don’t give a damn! ” ) Hogan has worked in another company where it felt like a long grueling day where he put in long hours where he’s usually the last one to come home. Hogan mentions that here in TNA it is different since it’s a great company, the wrestlers create such fast paced action (RD: “Unless it’s the Kevin Nash/Mick Foley ‘Battle Of The Immobile 2’ rematch. ” ) and that TNA is a great company to be with.

16:07-16:30 Dixie & Hogan thanks everybody for coming to the press conference and we see Mike Tenay again to end the press conference and to shill for TNA Impact.

The YouTube video ends with TNA plugging their “Video Vault” while their “Destination X” & “Lockdown” PPVs.

This looks like TNA is trying to sell to the world they have a bunch of goods that is the greatest thing on the planet. I’m still confused why they didn’t go ahead a normal TV announcement. I have a feeling that Hogan is behind the press conference and the push to Monday Nights. One day I’ll go into detail what the effect Hulk Hogan really has on TNA. For now my opinion on Impact moving to Monday Nights is what the fans have said about it.
This is stupid and completely suicidal.



Until next time. (right click it).
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