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To put it bluntly I am pissed off with the way TNA are handling themselves lately. Well I say lately, but it's actually been going on for as far back as I can remember, it's just lately that the kettle has boiled. I'm referring to their love of controversy and love of outside acknowledgment as opposed to loving the wrestling fans who actually watch them. How many times do we have to see crappy celebrities that have nothing to do with wrestling appear on Impact or PPV just so TNA can get a mention on a few news reports where they end up taking the piss out of the TNA name. Tits & Ass for Christ's sake. Even Total Nonstop Action sounds cheesy. I can live with it but I'll never invite some non fans round to watch Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It's not too late to change the name you know. The same people are going to tune in each week guys because the same people have been for years.

Why do they need to appear on shows like "The Best Damn Sports Show"? TNA does better ratings on their own. Why do they need to be printed in a local newspaper saying, "a wrestling promotion in Orlando...?" Why do they feel the need to waste talented guys spots with non wrestling related second tier celebs?

TNA's focus should be on producing TV for its wrestling fans and securing high PPV buyrates. It doesn't matter it Bob the accountant from down the road who flicked channels and heard that a Football star he doesn't know is appearing on something called Tits & Ass, because he isn't going to be watching it is he. Just because WWE brings in Trump doesn't mean you have to act like the uncool little brother and try the same thing.

This brings me on to the next topic about TNA and the way they have completely dropped the ball. Following the Benoit tragedy TNA had a great opportunity to give the fans a different product. A cleaner product where younger, less bulky, more athletic guys were showcased, but no they went out and signed Test, which if you didn't know was originally an inside joke and meant Testosterone. Yeah, the drug Benoit had in his body. Then they had to rip all over the Benoit tragedy by having Angle's wife turn up with his 7 year old daughter and get abused on TV. Ok it ended sort of comically, but that is just not the kind of storyline they need to produce right now.

They also brought back Dustin Rhodes after he no-showed several Indy events, stole advanced payments, reportedly had major marital problems and was taken off WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event show. They are beginning to act like ECW did back in the day when they used to pick up stars that couldn't work for the big two due to their "demons." Let's look at the list.

Rhino (Massive argument with his wife) Kurt Angle (Wellness violations) Test (Wellness violations) Dustin Rhodes (Messy marital problems) Scott Steiner (Steroids, plain and simple) Jeff Hardy a few years back (Drugs, No Shows) Pacman Jones (All around prick, his entourage shot a wrestler)

The you have all the big men like Tomko, Hoyt, Abyss, Matt Morgan and so on.

...Unless you have been living under a rock you will have noticed they have signed a very controversial Football star "Pacman" Jones for no real reason. Ok, the reason is to create controversy. The old wrestling catchphrase, "any publicity is good publicity." Not in the midst of wrestling being investigated by congress idiots. Dixie Carter, the lady that funds TNA and gets brainwashed to ok decisions went on record saying in a roundabout way that TNA wants to help "Pacman" Jones who has shown a real improvement in attitude. Help your own goddamn promotion before you start a union for Football stars!

I even heard they wanted to phase out the X-Division title, the one thing that separates them from other promotions.

I just get the feeling that TNA are scared to break away from the mold and give us what they really have. Guys, just try it for a couple of months and if it fails then go back to the WWE knock off with the knock off stars and the steroid rejects. It will bite you in the ass someday.

The main reason people tuned in to TNA in the early years was because they offered something different and exciting, great Indy workers and a unique style. Take the ROH mentality. "We have better talent and don't give a shit about WWE." Like ECW used to be from 1994 to about 1999. Outlaws, they didn't care about WWE and were proud to be different, not proud to nearly be like WWE.

On a side note, up until the debut of Angle's wife I was loving the comedy skits Kurt was doing. They found a perfect role for him that wasn't the chicken shit heel like Christian but wasn't completely serious. And yes I was staring at your package, it was the only part that was covered. For some reason I would have felt guilty if my mum had walked in and saw Kurt in his thong though.

I suppose that wraps up my second column after returning and it turned out to be another negative rant. I guess when the business is in a slump you can't do much else. I'll try something more creative next time.

by Keelan Balderson (View/Submit your feedback here)..