Black and White Part 2 (Contains *Spoilers*)

Well, that didn’t take long.

 

First Hogan sabotaged Bobby Roode. James Storm got the belt. Then management (i.e., Hogan) wasn’t sure about Storm, either. Roode IMMEDIATELY turned heel and beat Storm for the championship.

 

End result: Impact burned through AT LEAST six months worth of booking in two weeks. Impact broke up one of the promotion’s few solid acts, Beer Money, with no premonition. Whoomp, there it is.

 

So, there’s lots of time to fill now that the Beer Money split has been conducted in such abbreviated fashion. How best to fill that time?

 

Hey, I know: HOW ABOUT HULKAMANIA? With sidekick Dixie, of course.

 

For the love of Christ, could this be any more transparent?

 

Hogan knows better. In 1988 Hogan and Randy Savage formed a tag team in WWE called the MegaPowers. They were formed to split. That’s where the money was.

 

But it was SIX MONTHS before there was any sign of tension between Hogan and Savage – and that just a sidelong scowl by Savage when Hogan hoisted Elizabeth on his shoulders after a tag win in the main event at SummerSlam.

 

The turn itself took place 11 months after the MegaPowers had formed – just in time for a main event at WrestleMania V.

 

The Roode-Storm split took place in two weeks – and just in time for what? To what end? For what purpose? It’s SHEER LUNACY.

 

Impact should have stayed the course and had Roode win the title at Bound For Glory. Storm beating a basically crippled Kurt Angle at the next TV – after Angle had retained via screwjob finish at BFG – devalued the victory and the title.

 

But since Storm did win, they should have dragged out the Beer Money split for MONTHS. Roode’s jealousy and resentment of Storm’s success shouldn’t have even been hinted at for MONTHS. It builds, little by little. A glance. A cross word. A subtle betrayal, like missing a tag match because of a “delayed flight.”

 

Then, finally, the turn. At that point, the turn means as much as it possibly can. The matches mean as much as they possibly can.

 

Instead, we go right to Roode vs. Storm. With little buildup besides their background as a tag team. No story got told.

 

Instead, we get Hulkamania. No rhyme. No reason. No plan. No end game. Just Hulkamania. Mother****ing Hulkamania. Oh, and Bischoff's kid. Impact's next big star.

 

If you don’t see what happened, and why it happened, you’re stupid enough to be an Impact fan.

 

*Maryse, who is SUPER HOT, got released by WWE. Hell hath no fury like Super Dave scorned, I guess. I wonder if VKM made Maryse’s hand gesture when he fired her?

 

*DDMe reported Gerald Brisco’s death. Brisco isn’t dead. Brisco is annoyed with DDMe. Welcome to the club, Jerry. You’ve got about 20 years of catching up to do.

 

Mark Madden hosts a radio show 3-6 p.m. weekdays on WXDX-FM, Pittsburgh, PA (105.9). Check out his web page at WXDX.com. Contact Mark by emailing wzmarkmadden@hotmail.com . FOLLOW MARK ON TWITTER: @MARKMADDENX.