One more for the bad guys on Impact
Brother Ray of Team 3-D has been doing great work on the microphone since taking a prominent role in the Frontline vs. Main Event Mafia feud. If only the booking of this angle could be as good.
Now that Ray is one of the top babyfaces in TNA, his character has become as naive as Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles and all the rest. On last night’s show, he challenged Kurt Angle to a match with the stipulation that the other Mafia members and Frontline members leave the building. Angle agreed.
When Ray’s fellow babyfaces (including Brother Devon) said that Angle couldn’t be trusted, Ray replied that they shook on it and he believed Angle would keep his word. His reasoning was that Angle won a gold medal and he must have some good left in him. Huh? Yeah, Angle is such a good guy that he keeps bringing up Jeff Jarrett’s dead wife and threatening to do something – I can only imagine what -- to Jarrett’s three young daughters.
It turned out that the Mafia didn’t really leave, and they all jumped Ray and brutalized him. Wow, didn’t see that coming. And here I thought Ray wasn’t going to be just another stupid face.
Despite the babyfaces being duped – again – Ray and Angle’s performances in setting up the match and the match itself were really good. A bloody Ray standing over Angle and telling him that he would finish him off if not for the fact that Angle had a family was an intense scene. In fact, it might have been too intense. I mean, why do these guys hate each other so much, anyway? That’s Michaels-Jericho-type intensity, except nobody’s wife got punched in the face here.
Other thoughts on last night’s show:
Angle took a suplex from Ray that couldn’t have felt good on his surgically repaired neck. It’s insane that someone with Angle’s history of neck and spinal injuries would ever take a bump such as that. ...
TNA will be a lot less hot and spicy from now on, as Curry Man’s Feast or Fired briefcase contained a pink slip. The saddest part is that he had to be taken out of the building by security. TNA at least should have let him dance his way out of the arena. ...
I have a feeling Christopher Daniels will be reinstated soon. ...
For those keeping count (and I am), TNA made two more references to Vince McMahon. Ray actually called him the devil, which I’m sure the WWE chairman would consider a compliment. ...
Speaking of McMahon, I wonder if his attorneys are preparing a cease and desist letter because Samoa Joe referred to Brother Ray as “Bubba.” ...
I liked the “Rough Cuts” clip on James Storm, although I think it was somewhat counterproductive. Everyone knows wrestling is entertainment, but having a heel come off as a likable guy within the context of the show makes it difficult for him to get heat. ...
Jeremy Borash, whose boyhood idol was Gene Okerlund, became the modern-day version of “Scheme Gene” (WWE’s parody of Okerlund in the late ’90s) last night. When promoting TNA’s mobile alerts service, JB said there was some “late-breaking scandalous news,” which was reminiscent of Okerlund’s shilling of WCW’s 900-number a decade ago. ...
At what point should people stop referring to Styles as “the future of the business?” He’s 30, has been wrestling for 10 years and has been a multiple-time world champion in TNA. The future is now. ...
For those who don't know (and I was one of them until a reader pointed it out last week), the Sarah Palin impersonator is former WCW star Daffney. She was one of my favorite people when I worked for WCW, but I have to remain objective. I thought the sketches with "Palin" and The Beautiful People were pretty lame. ...
The Motor City Machine Guns really need to ditch that entrance music. My suggestion would be a variation on the Kiss classic “Detroit Rock City.” ...
It is Kaz in the Suicide costume, but the DOA finishing move he hit last night was a little sloppy, and that is very un-Kaz like.
Comments
While watching the match Angle/Ray match last night, I had to...uh, change the baby. Yeah, that's it. Anyway, when I got back, it looked like the fight had moved outside. This could (if true) have been where the MEM would be after leaving the building, technically keeping Kurt's word.
Hope you catch my drift; that's a pretty convoluted statement. :-(
Posted by: Marko50 | December 12, 2008 8:58 PM
Technically, the MEM did leave the building. They were outside the Impact Zone. I guess Devon took the Frontline down to get a smoothie or something.
I called Curry Man getting fired, but I expected him to get mad and pull off the mask and reveal himself to be Christopher Daniels. I did think him staying in character was pretty funny, especially when he thought he had won a shot at the "Fired Championship Belt."
I was watching Impact! with a friend who isn't a huge fan, and that Beautiful People sketch is one of the reasons I'm embarassed to tell people I watch wrestling. I've seen so many impersonations of Sarah Palin that this one isn't funny or original. It's just so dumb that they're so giddy over this. Do they really only talk to Kip at Impact? Has he really not had a chance to tell them that it's not really Sarah Palin? Velvet Sky has a picture up on her MySpace page of her, Kip, and Angelina at a bar - surely he could have mentioned it then.
I'm curious for your thoughts on this - how will the Suicide character help Kaz? Basically, Kaz went on a 2-month losing streak (after winning an X-Division title shot and main eventing a pay per view with Samoa Joe and Scott Steiner, IN THE SAME NIGHT) and decides to quit TNA. So, Kaz is a quitter. I think he would have been a great leader for the Frontline. It would give Kaz a rub and make it more about the younger guys. Since Curry Man just got fired, Christopher Daniels could have been Suicide until they figured out a plan to bring him back.
One final note - the Machine Gun's music is REALLY bad.
Posted by: Chris Slater | December 12, 2008 11:31 PM
Is Sting EVER going to be a full-fledged heel? Last night he walked away from the Brother Ray beatdown (Tenay even commented on it).
Come on Sting, go big or go home! Be a real heel, not some wanna-be tweener!
Posted by: Curtain Jerker | December 12, 2008 11:49 PM
Hey, Kev, that "reader" was me..cant a man get a little credit or at least a shot at the "Fired Championship"?
Speaking of which, the Curry Man "tribute" made me laugh. "2008 - 2008. . . we hardly knew thee"
Homicide playing the excited, jumping around for joy good guy just doesnt work for me.
I love the MCMG, but are they starting to remind you of a poor man's Miz and Morrison yet?
Posted by: RH | December 13, 2008 2:06 AM
Why the suicide gimmick for Kaz?
He seems like a real talent to me that doesn't need to be hidden in a mask and goofy costume.
Then again, what do I know.
Posted by: AMC | December 13, 2008 12:54 PM
Wow only 2 vince comments that must have been a record for tna
Posted by: Anonymous | December 13, 2008 3:26 PM
So, since I don't read the wrestling rumors (besides what I read here), is it, like, for sure for sure that Christian has jumped ship to WWE? If it is, his sendoff has got to be one of the rudest things I've ever seen. I was convinced he wasn't actually leaving because I couldn't fathom a company poised to hit the big-time behaving so unprofessionally. Now, though, I'm questioning. If that beatdown ( and BAD storyline decision) was Christian's fare thee well, I'm very disappointed in TNA.
Posted by: Micah | December 14, 2008 2:10 AM
I like the Suicide gimmick, but i still believe they would have been better served having Lethal under the mask (thus getting rid of his tired gimmick) and using Kaz as a member of 'Front Line'.
Kaz would comfortably sit on the same tier as Joe and AJ, and thus would give the 'Front Line' a much needed credibility boost.
BTW How on earth does WWE have a trademark over the Dudley name?
I know they were the first to use the spelling 'Bubba', but i'm sure Heyman gave both Bubba and D'von carte blanche to use the Dudley name, so from where i sit they should be allowed to call themselves 'Buh Buh and D'Von Dudley' without receiving a letter from Mr. McDevitt.
RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Actually, they cannot call themselves The Dudleys. If they could, they wouldn't have changed their names. WWE owns all the trademarks and intellectual properties of ECW.
Posted by: John | December 14, 2008 3:51 AM
Sabin on the mic was something good, as he can't play the bodyguard role, and he would just look silly doing always the hand gesture during Shelley's promos.
Because if the guy can't play the bodyguard role, and it's not needed in the mic neither, then I don't know he can do being next to Shelley.
Christopher Daniels is on his way to TNA. That's for sure.
But I was wondering... that "you are fired" suitcase actually means you are fired, or do they give you just a year long holiday?
Because if it's not the latter case,then I don't know what's the point of that suitcase.
But what do I know...I don't even know the point of the whole gimmick match.
Posted by: Gaston | December 14, 2008 3:43 PM
Kevin,
I know they can't call themselves 'The Dudleys', i just believe they should be able to given Heyman 'gave' the name to them and WWE had no part in the creative formation of the gimmick.
Posted by: John | December 14, 2008 6:54 PM