For Tommy Dreamer and the rest of those has-beens and scarred-up freaks that stole a payday, it was.
More than anything, TNA’s ECW tribute is further confirmation that the promotion doesn’t know what to do, or even what it wants to do. One minute they want serious wrestling featuring Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe. The next minute they want to recreate WCW via Hogan and Bischoff. The next minute, it’s time to break out the barbed wire.
I worked for WCW during its rise and fall. TNA makes what happened during WCW’s last days look like a Swiss watch.
Did I like anything about “Hardcore Justice?” Well…
I enjoyed seeing Joel Gertner do his routine again. I enjoyed seeing Raven try (but fail) to channel Kurt Cobain again. I perversely enjoyed the tribute vignettes. (I guess there wasn’t time to use Flair’s or Hogan’s.) I definitely enjoyed seeing it end. I enjoy entertaining the notion that all these clowns are going to go away now.
But somehow, I doubt it.
“Hardcore Justice” was an exercise in brass-knuckled masturbation. A bunch of borderline performers trying to convince themselves that what they did back when – in front of very few people, for very little money, with little exposure, for a company that ultimately failed – had some significance.
I hope they bought their own con, because I didn’t. What happened, happened. You can’t rewrite it.
WWE provided a big stage for the delusion. This was five years later, five years older, five years slower, five years worse and it took place in the minor leagues.
At least Francine escaped with dignity intact.
Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM, Pittsburgh. Check out the Mark Madden page at WXDX.com. Contact Mark via wzmarkmadden@hotmail.com.
