THE NEGATIVES:
– Styles and Daniels. I was praising them hardcore in my last column and was anxiously looking forward to this match last night. Overall, it wasn't a "bad" match, but there were too many things getting in the way. For one, there was no need for the "I Quit" stipulation. These guys "wrestle" and they wrestle better than 95% of your roster. Let them wrestle. Secondly, what was up with Daniels' diarrhea of the mouth? He's a great talker and I was sick of hearing the sound of his voice by the end. Great talkers are only great when they know when to shut up.
– Three jeers for Mr. Anderson missing the senton bomb at the end of his match with Bully Ray. I know wrestlers make mistakes, but come on. It's like an NFL receiver dropping a pass that hits him between the numbers when no one's around; they get paid way too much money for those mistakes. Clearly, Ken Anderson's TNA salary isn't the same as Andre Johnson's, but to miss that bad on the biggest stage of them all (that's almost laughable, isn't it?) is crazy. That would have NEVER happened at 'Mania, I tell ya!
– The Knockouts match was horrible. I hate it for Velvet Sky too. I really think TNA has done well at putting her over as "the" woman in that company, but the emotional title win still feels a few months too early. Not her fault – it just does. The match being a disaster didn't help the cause either.
– The three-way between Crimson, Samoa Joe and Matt Morgan was pretty bad as well. This one really bothers me because I like all three men. Crimson is hit-or-miss for me, but Joe and Morgan have always been solid in the ring. Last night's effort just didn't work.
– Finally, I don't know what TNA was thinking in the main event. I'm not talking about Roode losing either (although I think he should have won). I'm talking about the way he lost. Kurt Angle could have retained clean in a hard fought match that still allowed Roode to look good. Sometimes, that approach even draws more emotion from fans the next time a respectable loser challenges for the belt. A screwy finish to Bound For Glory is unacceptable. Sacrifice, sure. Your biggest pay per view of the year? Absolutely not. A babyface can lose a match clean and still survive, TNA! WWE even does this, so I can't exclude them either.
I understand protection of your top stars (present or future), but sometimes it's too much.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
