Before we begin with this week's entry I wanted to apologize for my second week in a row being late on my blog, I'll be getting back on schedule this upcoming Monday as work has been a bit hectic and the NFL Draft ate up a lot of time last weekend.
Well, it'll be in the next week or so that this second coming of the Monday Night Wars (Or as close to it as we can imagine), hits the 4 month mark. So how have things fared?
Well, it's been interesting to see the least. I'm surprised at some things TNA has done. And as a fan, that's not a bad thing. Surprises are usually fun, good and bad.
TNA began the start of this "war" by airing head to head with Raw from 9-11 PM EST on Monday nights. Before viewers could even blink, they had backed down to the 8-10 PM hour slot on the same night. Is that a defeat for them? Possibly. But it was one that was expected. To even go at WWE head to head was pretty bold itself. So how have things still fared since then? Well, TNA is obviously behind but it's not like they didn't expect this. They aren't afraid to mention the "competition" by name and it was a technique that WCW used when it began Monday Nitro back in the mid-90's.
I think an important thing for TNA to try and do is to not pay attention to their competition. WWE doesn't do so and they try to concentrate on their on product. TNA has become more watchable as of late after what I think is was a stretch of some of the worst wrestling programming I've ever seen. But by slowing down and concentrating on their on product without taking shots at WWE, they'd probably be better off. However, it's not a strategy some people take, as anyone would know by reading Eric Bischoff's book, "Controversy Creates Cash".
WWE is in a position where they can still call TNA irrelevant. However if a move were to happen shortly in the name of Jim Ross going to TNA, I think it'd be wise for WWE to understand that Ross will bring TNA a ton of fans on his own, and while it still won't be something to "beat" WWE, it'd be something to keep an eye on as Jim Ross would being a plethora of tools, knowledge, and talent to the table.
With a Jeff Hardy appearing on TNA, it definitely seems like WWE isn't turned their head yet, but TNA is trying to be as serious as possible (At least when the programming is fun to watch in my opinion, sometimes it seems they don't care at all). WWE of course currently has the upper hand right now, but that was to be expected. TNA's new ranking system, while nothing special it seems, can still give fans something a bit different to expect.
TNA has a long way to go but I just get the funny feeling that this "second war" is yet to truly begin. It may get a lot uglier and a lot more interesting in due time. I believe talent like Shelton Benjamin could also find their way to TNA in the near future. WWE is still my personal preference, but as a common wrestling fan who watches where I can, and enjoys the inter-workings of the business. I just, like many other I hope, can't wait to see what is to come.
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