Some TNA and some old Heat!

Ah, a month off from blogging, was it a planned vacation or just plain old forgetfulness? You'll never know, not that it matters, because let's get to the content.

Some quick thoughts on the TNA PPV from Sunday:
-The Turning Point logo is pretty crappy looking, so much so that i skipped the usually great opening video.
-X-Division 5 Way was a fun opener. Ki and Starr both looked great, and had a nice ending segment. The PCS, and the point system therein, is intereting yet extremely flawed, for two reasons: 1. Why are any of the wrestlers going along with this, other than Shelley and Starr and 2. What do you get for winning. Question 2 inherently answers number one, so why they couldn't have laid out that the winner gets a title shot in say, Feburary, for winning, i have no idea.
-Robert Roode's push is baffling, and ever since TNA decided to just shove Eric Young on us, instead of just letting him organically get over (as he was during the Shelley-Sting stalking angle and the months following) he's become annoying.
-Sabin-Daniels was nice, and hey, a match ended clean, with a finisher! I have no problem with that, it might help to create a hot near far for Daniels in the future when he hits the BME. That said, all that neck work by Sabin was hurt by Daniels doing i think two DVDs. He could have just tried one, and dropped him to hold his neck. Still a strong outing and perhaps the angle with Lynn, while not only a redux of Daniels "i have no honor and dont' shake hands" old ROH gimmick, is leading to Jerry Lynn "grumpy old bastard who hates all younger wrestlers"
-Rhyno and AJ had a fun fun fun match. I enjoyed them starting it during the pre-match promo, it kept the show moving and broke up the format of interview-match-interview that shows, especially TNA, seem to have.AJ took some nasty bumps and Rhyno worked pretty well too. AJ's sneaky win was necessary if they want this to continue, but still solidify Styles new heel persona. Though after the barb wire cage match blowoff Rhyo just did with Christian, i'm not sure how they could finish up the AJ fued. Perhaps, stemming from Styles faking an injury, they can have a first ever "Injury Match": first wrestler to break a bone in his opponent body wins! Hell, Russo can book a cheap finish where AJ just does the RAven "finger breaking" gimmick....just keep Kurt away from this stip.
-Konnan is a great promo still, and that about as far as i've gotten

and now, some 1999 Sunday Night HEAT!

This is the 4-11-99 Show, Part One...

4-11-99:
Post Wrestlemania show here. Recapes of Triple H joining the Corporation, and Kane and X-Pac winning the Tag Titles. Opening credits start, lots of clips of people who never appear on it. Well, actually, Heat had some main event talent on it when it started in 1998, but during this year you can see those marque matches phased out in favor of an ongoing Mideon vs Meat series!

First match and hey, it's the new tag champs:

Match One: X-Pac/Kane vs
Pre-match X-Pac cuts a crowd pleasing, but bad promo, challenging Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett to a rematch. These days, that'd be a signal they were going to lose the belts and then fued. Canadian Country come out, and are soon followed by the VOODOO KIN MAFIA! They too want a tag title shot against Sean Waltman and Glen Jacobs. Road Dog threatens anal sex on Jarrett and Hart, while Billy says its "business" if they come after Pac and Kane...hey, why hasn't Russo gone and got X-pac for this VKM nonsense in TNA? Is there ever going to be a match? X-Pac, continuing the strage sexual tension, proposes a "Three Way!" between all the teams, then calls Billy "Mr. Your Ass is grass and I'm going to Smoke IT!" He loves to love 'em, loves to kick them...

...and there's no match yet, but our main event has been signed. THIS was the Heat version of the RAW opening promo, before they wised up and realized not enough people watched Heat for it to matter if they built things up.

Some interviewer named Lucus waits outside the Rock's dressing room...and we have a match!

The actual match one, Mideon vs Ken Shamrock:
During the intros we get a nice reminder of the Undertaker-Vince mini-fued. Shamrock blitzs early, throwing knees, punching and launching Mideon into the stairs. Fists are flying on the outside and Shamrock throws him into the ring. Undertaker had just scarificed Ryan Shamrock, and Kevin Kelly reminds us that "Ryan didn't do everything Ken's way...but the love is there", oh....so much love, more than Russo ever got to tell us. Anyway, Ken throws him outside, slams Mideon into the announce table, throws him back in and locks on the ankle lock for the submission. Well, that was a squash, not that i had a craving for Mideon offense. Shamrock proceeds to snap, suplexing refs and whatnot. This goes on for too long before Ken finally get a mic, forcing Michael Cole to say "he's gone crazy" and "he's out of control" over and over. Finally with a mic in hand, Shamrock calls out Undertaker, as they were building to their weird submission based match at Backlash. As for this match, 0 for 1

Yes, Ken just called Undertaker "Mark!", this is so great.

Lucus has finally caught up with the Rock. Rocky has the Smoking Skull Belt, says the word "behoove" and damn, I miss this man.

Elsewhere, Mankind is getting ready for Mr. Socko's birthday. As you can see, this show was much more loaded with stars than it would be in about six months or so.

Jim Ross is in the ring to annouce his return to RAW the next night before bringing out Mankind. Yay, and Yurple the Clown is with him. Hmm, let's see what other matches are here...fast forward time.

It seems the Rock is going to be in action, but first we're going to review the Rock-Austin fued over the smoking skull belt. Ah, here's one of the pesky matches.

Match Two: The Rock (w/ Shane McMahon) vs D'lo Brown (w/ Ivory?)

Not only is this the Nation Exploding, but it reminds me that Ivory debuted as D'lo um...hoochie mama or something. Was i spossed to look at them and start singing "Ebony and Ivory", because that would be the most subtle Russo has ever been. They exchange some basic stuff until Rock hits a DDT. Russian Legsweep by Rock for two, and the annoucers decide not to metion the history between these two, not that anyone would remember 1998 at all. Lots of punches and "Rocky Sucks" chants, and D'lo comes back with a leg lariet and there's the nation reference! Rock reverses a whip and nails the Rock Bottom after waiting a good 15 seconds, D'lo is such a chump. Corporate Elbow and thats it! Gee, in between the Euro and IC title runs, D'lo was doing nothing, but Rock was so far ahead ont he food by now, I can kinda forgive the squash nature of this. Kinda entertaing, but short even for Heat, 0 for 2

Heat is not off to the best start, tomorrow we finish this with that exciting three way luv fest, and probably the rest of the TNA show