I’ve received more email about it than anything else, so I may as well lead with Tweetin’ Tony Khan this week. From AEW’s inception, I have often questioned if I like the idea of AEW more than the company itself. It’s taken over four years but I think I finally have an answer to this: I like the company itself. They provide good to great action every week on Dynamite, and I guess if that’s not enough for you, you can get more on Fridays and Saturdays too. Their PPVs are always top shelf – I cannot think of a single event I plopped down my money for didn’t get way more than my money’s worth.
In my estimation, they are currently in the middle of determining who they are going to be for the long-haul. They absolutely forced WWE’s hand into delivering better product, and if you can’t see that, I am not quite sure what to tell you. They also gave a LOT of people jobs that would have never had a chance before. Some worked out, some didn’t, but just getting those opportunities counts for actual, living, breathing people having a platform in which to try to live out their dreams. Like I told Matt Jackson before the first Starrcast, you guys are taking a huge risk but you are reinventing a business that has grown incredibly stale.
So now…now is the time when we see what this company is going to be. Tony getting into Twitter wars with WWE and bots doesn’t help the situation. I think it’s honestly just a guy who is so passionate about his product that he is somewhat blinded or he is just having fun being a troll. Regardless, it’s not a good look from someone who has historically done way better. I’ve seen it happen before with other guys, where you are on top of the world and when the sleeping giant decides to finally NOT put out crappy product, it’s a million times harder. Bischoff faced it for sure and he imploded. In fact, Bischoff was VERY similar to Tony – he also reinvented the business and forced Vince to follow suit. It didn’t work out well for him, but I am forever thankful he did it or we’d have never gotten the Stone Cold/Rock era. Tony and AEW are now in the same boat. They need to show the world they can be better, not better than WWE, but better as a company, with great storylines and intriguing television. They have an INSANE roster of talent, and now it’s time to harness that talent and show that you aren’t WWE, but you are an ALTERNATIVE to WWE. Because if there’s no alternative to WWE, there will be a lot of fans that simply vanish. And I may be one of them. Onto the mailbag.
Mike M kicks us off with…”If you could bring one living person back into the wrestling world who would it be and why is it Mike Tenay?”
Scott Steiner. But I don’t want some watered down version, I want full on insane Big Poppa Pump. The business needs a few totally out of control guys who legitimately scare you when they come to the ring, and for my money, none were better than Scotty. Plus, you know, always awesome promos!
Ryan G ponders…”What are your thoughts on “Timeless” Tony Storm, and do you think she’s a “shoe-in” for Gooker consideration?”
I freaking LOVE Timeless Toni Storm. I think she’s fantastic. Reinventing yourself as a golden age Hollywood star takes some stones and the fact she is playing it to the absolute hilt makes it great. She almost wound up in my buddy Casey’s lap a few weeks ago on Collision, and when she did she said, “Sorry mister!!!!” in another great moment. Plus anyone that can make me watch something with RJ City and make me think “you know what, he’s pretty good here” should be held in highest regard. Love her.
Rob Z asks…”Will you ever write a book about the life and almost death of tna ( now impact ) ?”
I mean, it’s pretty clear Bryan and I planned to write Death of TNA, but since the company seemingly cannot die I don’t know if it will ever happen. The other challenge is that it takes tons of time to write a book, and if you’re going to do that, you kinda want it to sell. It would be a limited audience and not sure who would be willing to publish it. As I said about something else I went through in my private life, “I could write an incredible book about this, but no one would read it.” Never say never though.
Hayden F hits my old school sweet spot with…”Who was the best made-up Pro Wrestling Illustrated writer? I vote for Matt Brock.”
To this day, I absolutely refuse to believe that Eddie Ellner wasn’t made up. Even though I can confirm he actually DOES EXIST. So I’ll cheat a bit and say RITA M. BUDA, a ‘reader’ who had her letters published every other issue. To this day, Casey and I still bring up her name!
Joseph from Manhattan brings forth this thought provoking question…”Do you think the Zeus run of 1989 would have gone on to wild success if they had gotten Kurt Fuller to reprise “Brell” as a manager?”
I don’t think Zeus’ run would have changed at all, but any time I can get Kurt Fuller on my screen, I am all for it. To this day I have to say he was the absolute greatest thing about that absurd movie and I can’t imagine anyone arguing that fact.
Charles B wraps us up with…”What was your favorite character blade played on wrestlecrap radio?”
I would literally beg him, BEG HIM, to do Angry Jim on the shows. He loved doing the character, and I loved interacting with him, no matter what character I was doing myself at the time. Sir Alec was always fun as well, and to this day I cannot have fish with malt vinegar without giggling like a nine year old. He was so great. I miss him so much. One day perhaps I will review the movies he did, since that has been requested as well. He was one of my best friends and there’s not a day that goes by where I am not heartbroken he’s not here on the other end of the tin can and string.
That’s it for this week. Be good to each other, say something nice to someone you don’t know today. And yeah, keep sending in those questions rightchere.