Home ▸ Drowgoddess ▸ Five Points and One Angle

Your Empress of “Impact” has pondered the current doings of TNA, and has reached a few conclusions. 

The revelation that Jeff Jarrett and Karen Angle, ex-wife of Kurt Angle, are romantically involved in real life has sparked a great deal of speculation among wrestling fans as to how the goings-on of TNA have been affected by the situation and what changes should be made because of it. Apparently, the story was rumored for quite some time within the confines of TNA. Then, the mysterious caller to Bubba the Love Sponge’s radio program publicized the details for everyone. Many reports have stated that Karen Angle and Jarrett are not and never have been living together, contrary to the claims of the caller. Some say that Jarrett took his present “leave of absence” of his own accord after the story broke, and that it had more to do with a custody dispute between the Angles, and Jarrett wanting to stay completely out of it until the situation was resolved. Others insist that TNA President Dixie Carter sent Jarrett home because he had lied to her about his relationship with Karen Angle, and Carter wanted to placate Kurt. None of us know for certain what is/was happening, and we won’t until someone who is actually in a position to know tells us. A number of points, five, to be precise, should be kept in mind as the situation unfolds, regardless of where you, dear reader, choose to get your information.

Point #1: Jeff Jarrett and Karen Angle are single adults with no conflict of interest involved in having a personal relationship. Jarrett has been a widower for some three years, and losing one’s spouse to cancer is one of the worst things that can happen. Whatever his faults in the wrestling world, he has always come off as a decent guy in the regular world, and deserves another shot at happiness as much as anyone. The same can be said for Karen, as being married to Kurt can’t have been easy, if one goes by the reports that came out while they were together. There is no scandal in this, living together or not.

Point #2: Kurt Angle deserves no sympathy here. He freely admits that he cheated on Karen when they were married, so the fact that she may have done the same should not shock anyone. Kurt has already had a very open relationship with Rhaka Khan, and is probably the only reason why the woman still has a job in TNA. No one had any problem with this relationship, so why should Jeff and Karen cause concern? Kurt has never seemed to care much about his marriage or his children, at least not publicly, so the idea that he would get upset about a relationship between Karen and Jeff now is absurd.

Point #3: Sure, if your boss started dating your ex-wife, you’d probably be concerned. However, Kurt Angle has nothing at all about which to be concerned. He dominates TNA programming as it is, and has from the time he showed up and ruined Samoa Joe. It’s not as if Kurt is in danger of being fired. If he were, he wouldn’t make so many public statements about making nice with Vince McMahon, doing MMA, or returning to the WWE. Those are all threats, and one doesn’t make such threats if one has any concern that one’s boss may respond with, “Ok, you go do that. Bye!” No plans are in the works for changes on the creative team or the direction in which they are headed, according to TNA, so nothing we see on camera should be any different than it was when Jarrett was physically present. The repeated comment that no one in TNA, apart from Jarrett’s close personal friends and loyal supporters, are bothered by his absence doesn’t seem to mean much, as no internal plans are changing.   

Point #4: Assuming that everything we’ve heard is true (and it may not be), Kurt Angle’s power play for creative control of TNA is disgusting. No active wrestler should have control of creative and booking in the company for which he works. Ever. Even the ones I like best. Why not? It doesn’t work, it has never worked, and it never will work. If you hate Jarrett for doing it, you can’t possibly accept Angle doing it. Announcing that he refuses to sign a new contract when his contract expires if Jarrett isn’t gone and he doesn’t get Jarrett’s creative control of TNA is the single most selfish thing to happen in wrestling since Stone Cold took his ball and went home. Do all of you who see little to nothing good about TNA honestly believe that having Kurt Angle in charge of everything would make it better? Kurt Angle says and does things like this in TNA because TNA lets him. He knows perfectly well that he would never be allowed to get away with it in WWE, and that he would never completely dominate every aspect of everything like he does now. Angle honestly seems to believe that TNA needs him in order to survive, and frankly, that’s why he needs to be allowed to go play at his new friend’s house. The old friend has better things to do.       

Point #5: In the eyes of many people, this is the next big work. Some reports have claimed that it’s one of those “fool the locker room” scenarios, and anyone in TNA who vocally takes sides gets punished, so everyone stays quiet. Kurt Angle’s interviews have run the manic-depressive gamut, contradicting themselves at times, and making claims that defy logic. The timing is suspicious, and the set-up just a little too perfect. A mysterious caller with a disguised voice just happens to call Bubba the Love Sponge’s radio show and “reveal” this story, which was not shocking to the TNA locker room. Jeff Jarrett immediately takes time off, with no timeline as to his return. Kurt Angle makes repeated and public comments about refusing to come back to TNA if he doesn’t get Jarrett’s backstage power. Following the worst pay-per-view in the history of the universe, Angle’s faction, the Main Event Mafia, holds the World Heavyweight title, the Tag Team titles, and the Legends title. The MEM completely controls the show on “Impact.” The rumblings of a new Originals/Frontline faction are being heard, if you’ve checked out spoilers for this week’s tapings. You don’t have to be a theatre major to see the elements of the story line up here.

 
I personally think that little, if anything is going to change in TNA over this, and I don’t think that the situation can be blamed for any aspect of the hideous atrocity against humanity that was “Victory Road.” This is likely an attempt to take very real pieces and arrange them in a different manner. Think of it as the “reality show” version of Matt Hardy/Edge/Lita. Hey, if it means that the guys under 35 who sweated blood to create TNA as a company and make it something significant over the past seven years finally get matches and tv time, I won’t complain! 

 
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