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| TNA SHOOTING THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT? August 4, 2007 – Rich Tate So as I write this, TNA is working to bring in Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones, who is arguably the most troubled athlete working in the National Football League. Well, if you discount Michael Vick, of course. This is horribly reminiscent of WCW bringing in folks like Karl Malone, Jay Leno, and – in the worst publicity stunt ever in professional wrestling – David Arquette. Those people may have spiked interest from non-wrestling fans, but the long term fan base was turned off, and ultimately the demise of WCW became inevitable. The fact that TNA has apparently learned nothing of those who came – and fell – before them, shows how minor league and short term they really are. They spent their first six months trying to offer an alternative to WWE, before becoming WWE, Jr. At least WCW brought in credible stars and personalities. In Jones, they are bringing in a man who can’t get out of his own way. And not only is it consistent with the bad decisions made by WCW, but it also puts them in the mainstream. Jones won’t be an active wrestler, but the simple fact he is going to be involved with professional wrestling at a time when the business needs a positive public relations move to avoid the seedy perception it gained over the last several weeks in the wake of Chris Benoit’s collapse of sanity. Does anyone else find it ironic that Jones shares the same attorney – Manny Arora – with Dr. Phil Astin III? That can’t possibly bode well for TNA once the media hounds start sniffing that trail. The way I see it, TNA screwed up in so many ways here. With this process, all they have done is draw attention to themselves to an audience larger than just pro wrestling, and with that, possibly some high level folks in places that thought WWE was the only game in town. This might have put them on a radar they'd rather have flown under as Congress considers looking into professional wrestling. |
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