DIXIE’S BIG SURPRISE
Remember the BIG SURPRISE TNA money mark Dixie Carter promised? You know, the one that would change the industry?
It was Paul Heyman. Supposed to be, anyway.
But Heyman, a guy who’s smart WAY beyond pro wrestling, wouldn’t bite. Not that it took Einstein to see that what Carter offered was insanity dipped in stupidity coated with a slick veneer of guaranteed failure.
It’s worth noting that Heyman probably wasn’t going to accept Carter’s offer no matter what. He’s busy elsewhere, most notably working behind the scenes with undisputed MMA king Brock Lesnar, helping Lesnar write his book, hone his persona and be even more marketable. Heyman also knows a sinking ship when he sees one. But Heyman listened to what Carter had to say.
Heyman wanted full control. Period. Dana White-level control was the comparison Heyman made. Above him, only sky.
Absolutely, Carter said.
Except…
Vince Russo was going to stay on as executive producer, whatever that is. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff are valuable assets. And nobody’s going to get fired. I’m nice that way.
At this point, Heyman was running for his life.
Carter’s hidden agenda was that, at some point, Heyman would get his close pal Lesnar involved in TNA. Problem #1: The aforementioned Dana White would never let that happen. Problem #2: One reason Heyman declined Carter’s offer was because he didn’t want to even give the APPEARANCE of compromising his relationship with Lesnar by giving the impression, spoken or otherwise, that Lesnar would be associated with TNA in any way, shape or form.
Good thinking by Heyman. Heyman did take the possibility of running TNA seriously enough, however, that he contacted at least one WWE star who is coming to the end of his contract to see what his career intentions might be.
Any hope Carter had of landing Heyman, though, was rendered moot when she presented him with a working environment that resembled a Three Stooges script: Bad situation gets worse thanks to idiocy perpetrated by buffoons that just WON’T GO AWAY. Same thing that chased Jim Ross back to WWE.
It’s a shame, too.
