What DID Bother Me: The Main Event Finish
I know for a fact TNA reads the dirt sheets. I think they might even be obsessed with it. And if that's the case, how in the hell do they not see the pattern of criticism when it comes to their constant use of gimmicky, fluky and downright lame finishes?
Last night, we got a pretty damn good pay per view (by TNA standards) from top to bottom. Then, just at the moment you're finally beginning to justify spending the money to order it, they leave a bad taste in your mouth with a screwy, gimmicked finish of some kind.
I seriously don't understand why logical finishes should only apply to the first three quarters of the show in their mind. And that's probably being generous. All I know is that it happens a lot!
Heels in TNA (and WWE isn't much better in this department) simply can't win clean, even to a guy like Sting that has nothing left to prove. At this point, the more he loses, the more fans respect him for his efforts, yet TNA sees it differently. I can see the conversation that must take place…
Creative Member #1: "We should have Roode go over Sting clean. He needs the decisive victory more than Sting needs an excusable loss."
Decision Maker: "Absolutely not! Give me options for a gimmick finish that won't hurt Sting."
Creative Member #2: "Roode could spit something into his eyes!"
Decision Maker: "No, did that last month!"
Creative Member #3: "Steel chair?"
Decision Maker: "Too cliche…"
Creative Member #1: "What about we have multiple beers left at ringside by James Storm. Roode could use one on Sting when the ref gets bumped from a previous move."
Decision Maker: "Genius! But we did a ref bump last month. Rather, let's have Sting block Roode's first bottle attempt and try to use it against him. The ref will block Sting's attempt and while his back is turned to put the bottle away, Roode can strike him with a SECOND bottle!!!"
Creative Member #1: "Won't that make the ref look pretty stupid when there's glass everywhere after he turns back around and makes the three count?"
Decision Maker: "Semantics!"
Mock my mockery of them all you want, but I'm starting to believe that's the way it goes down. And regardless of how they actually get there, they do, and because it happens ALL the time, it means very little to nothing anymore.
There's a time and a place for those types of shenanigans. The unfortunate thing is that TNA believes that time is always and that place is every single pay per view.
That philosophy really needs to change.
Chris Cash can be followed on Twitter @RealityofChris. Email him at chris.cash@wrestlezone.com and be sure to tune in live to "VOW Reaction" tonight, immediately following Monday Night Raw. Visit VOWLive.com for details.
