With a Presidential debate and a Major League Baseball playoff game going on around them, our intrepid heroes Kevin and Dusty are focused on one thing, and one thing only: the major happenings of the last week in the world of professional wrestling! The two contemplate who would have been a better choice to lead the Aces and Eights group in TNA. Would anyone in the known universe have been a better choice than poor, mediocre Devon? They talk about the ponderous Hulk Hogan sex tape, and how HH is no longer b-fri’s with notorious wife swapper Bubba the Love Sponge. Is Jeff Hardy the right choice to lead TNA as its World Heavyweight Champion, or is he a ticking time bomb that you should never put in such a prominent position? Dusty makes his sales pitch for Ryback winning the WWE title, and Kevin is *almost* buying. And the fearless duo finishes things off with a Mount Rushmore of Wrestling Tough Guys, as the backdrop to the alleged altercation between Harley Race and Vader this past week. And a whole lot more nuggets of golden awesomeness, so listen!
TNA and Impact Wrestling are holding their annual extravaganza known as Bound For Glory is being held in Phoenix, Arizona at Grand Canyon University Arena. I was going to review another building in Phoenix but after taking a look at the building, I realized GCU Arena was worth reviewing. The only problem that is presented that much like last review of an arena I did (if I find the link, I’ll update the article) for TNA, they’ve found a new arena on a small campus so there aren’t any pictures of it. I’ve found several renderings of it from 360 Architecture who designed it. The firm is based out of Kansas City.MO, just like Populous who also does a lot of stadium work. 360 has designed a number of arenas including Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, the Sprint Center in Kansas City (which almost became the home of the KC Penguins) and Huntington Park here in Columbus, which gives me an excuse to review it now. The firm Architekton helped which is no surprise since they are based in Tempe, AZ. They likely did the supervision work and helped to navigate the code book in Arizona. Codes usually come from one main source but municipalities adopt a certain version and usually modify them so conforming to them can get tricky.
The GCU Arena seats about 5,000 so it will be a good venue for TNA. They have done a great job of identifying these types of venues. The WWE is having a hard time packing in enough people to the NHL/NBA approved arenas so there’s no chance in hell TNA is going to fill one even for their version of Wrestlemania. I always enjoy the shows on the road for TNA so that’s a large positive for this big show.
Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier
As for the building itself, a coworker pointed out that it resembles Villa Savoye which was designed by Le Corbusier. The main form could be viewed as such but the proportions, color and function are much different. The form is strongly horizontal with the dark blue structure framing an all glass entry and concourse. Considering that the university’s colors are purple, black and white, I’m not sure why the trim wasn’t one of these colors. White would have reflected the sun more and hearkened back to Savoye even more. 360 continued the similarity by using reinforced concrete columns to hold up the dark blue structure and create a walk way a portico (or porch) that mimics the drive way, garage and entry area for Savoye. Both buildings are only two stories but there is obviously a change in scale because of their functions as an arena and family home respectively. The arena does have only 42 steps to get to the upper concourse so it isn’t a hike like many of the larger arenas.
Though I haven’t seen a set of plans, I would think that the beige structure at the top of the building is a roof screen that hides all of the exhaust piping for the kitchen equipment and restrooms along with hiding the HVAC units that cool the building. Without the additional information, it is hard to put more analysis into this arena. It’s a nice looking arena though. -Kevin
Tonight feels like an “Old School” night even if that only means going back six months. I’m sitting here in my condo by myself not doing a whole lot of anything on a Friday night except watching wrestling. I have a review in the dashboard ready for posting about Grand Canyon University which is the location of TNA’s Bound For Glory. I just watched Impact Live and have a nice slew of Tweets to prove it (Hint: @Stuntgranny). Now it’s time for Smackdown. Such is my life.
Good opening segment with Big Show, Sheamus and Booker T. I like doing something to further the feud without have a physical confrontation. Even though they created the artificial buzz for the WMD vs the Brogue Kick. Nice to keep Sheamus occupied with Tensai to keep him away from Show and to finish their match from last week. Too bad Tensai is going to take another loss.
They did not waste any time going with the rematch after the break. I liked Sheamus pacing like a caged animal. Josh Matthews corrects me and says that Sheamus Brogue Kicked Tensai during his match with Big Show last week. Whoops. JBL is doing a great sales job again on Tensai. I have liked his in ring work more recently. Too bad the WWE keeps having him job to high ranking guys. Brogue Kick for the win. Nothing special but Alberto Del Rio bossing around Ricardo Rodrigeuz may have been his best mic work in the WWE.
Ricardo is looking for Randy Orton when he runs into Santino Marella. Ricardo sold that but that was Santino’s best work in a while. Heath Slater & Jinder Mahal are teaming but they get some mic time first. Oh my lord, they’re doing group air guitar now. They didn’t really say why they were together but Mahal hinted at it. The WWE 13 commercial with CM Punk may have robbed a lot of work from Hitler, but it came out cool. It fits Punk’s earlier character.
Kevin: I remember him being on here before but didn’t remember any of his movies
Jeremy: Only reason I watched Innkeepers was due to him being on. V/H/S looks pretty intense. Some low grade looking stuff but some other shockingly cool visuals too. Hmm, on the list now.
Jeremy: Hey check this out, According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter , there were wrestlers in the company who had said Garrett Bischoff was going to be a key part of Aces and 8s.
Jeremy: Holy shit it makes perfect sense. Eric Bischoff is a big biker/ bike enthusiast.
Kevin: So, judging from the “who had” and “was going” is there a different plan now?
Jeremy: Not sure to be honest but it does make sense based off of that. Going off of last weeks Impact Wrestling it fits. Remember NWO biker Bischoff used to wear his hat backwards
Jeremy: I understand it is a small detail.
Kevin: Could it just be Eric Bischoff’s way to get back at Hulk Hogan for booting him out of power?
Jeremy: Exactly
Kevin: Garrett being in the group would make no sense whatsoever. But then again, turn on a dime alliances are a TNA staple
Jeremy: His involvement is easily explained; they reconciled. Father and son getting back together. After he dumped his dad Garrett has done nothing memorable.
Jeremy: Hell, Hogan just gave him the boot immediately for the TV title match. Dismissed him like a common whore. Um, so I heard. We will know if Garrett is in the match somehow.
Jeremy: Makes me wonder if Devon also has something with this.
Kevin: As in him being in the group or him leaving TNA caused a problem in the story line?
Jeremy: Ahh yes Devon, maybe I am reading too much in to it but since when does a wrestler leaving in a contract dispute become television. Other than Bret Hart?
Kevin: It would make some sense because even Devon has been crapped after his first month of being TV champ.
Jeremy: Yeah, can use the champion not gettign a contract thing
Kevin: So, will the reveal of Eric be at BFG?
Jeremy: Oh yeah for sure.
Kevin: I was considering buying it since I still have the $5 off coupons
Jeremy: I don’t even have it in me for the long Bwahahahahahaha.
This episode of the Stunt Granny Audio is brought to you by Des Moines, Iowa by way of Eric Nelson’s wedding. Jeremy & Kevin tell the tales of their Thursday and Friday night in Des Moines. They actually got in some exercise at Gray’s Lake but spent much more time doing twelve to sixteen ounce curls. The biggest portion of Friday were spent at Fong’s Pizza where they dined on some Chinese inspired pizzas and more fruity drinks than either of hosts can really handle. They visited Pappajohn Sculpture Park where Eric proposed to his lovely wife. After that sobering up period, your intrepid hosts continue their drinking at Hessen Haus‘s Oktoberfest party. Eric ended up meeting them at El Bait Shop for a beer. What was Kevin’s Sippy Time Beer choice out of 105 taps? What happened after that is mostly conjecture. Jeremy & Kevin end up talking some wrestling after starting in the new format. Kevin has to explain Aces & Eights is Now Queens & Twos on his Facebook post. They then try to get to the bottom of what is wrong with the group. Do they know who is involved in the match up for them at Bound For Glory? Jeremy moves the show along to the WWE. Who are the new faces that got air time this week? Are they as dysfunctional as Aces & Eights? Who are the mostly new faces that got buried this week? Jeremy & Kevin wrap it up with the most predictable angle on Raw. Did the quality of the segment make up for it’s predictability? Find out that and more when you click on the link.
Dixie Carter just won’t learn. After carrying one PPV, Bound For Glory, in movie theatres they are at it again with this year’s edition of Lockdown. For those of you, like myself, who had no idea Bound For Glory was in movie theatres, this is your opportunity to see TNA in the big screen just as god intended.
Yes you can go watch Christopher Daniels, Robbie E, Kidd Kash, Abyss, Crimson (the bad one), Eric Young and a cast of hundreds all from the comfort of a movie theatre seat. Screenvision has partnered with TNA and if you aren’t familiar with them it is due to the fact they are not Fathom Events to bring the event to movie theatres nationwide. So a second rate wrestling company hooked up with the number two movie event producers to bring us this goodness.
What a colossal waste of cash. UFC tried the 3D movie theatre experience to middling attention. If UFC cannot pull it off what makes anyone, anyone involved in TNA or Impact Wrestling think this is a logical idea to get the name brand out there? Can someone, anyone remove control of this company from this woman? If not someone needs to smack the bad ideas out of her loose-leaf notebook and mutter “Leave the decisions to the men toots” and carry on losing money without her input. See what I did there?
Really though why bother? TNA ratings have shown no real movement for years. There have been no sustainable gains in viewership nor an increase in PPV buys. So why bother? God damn why bother? This is a waste of time, money and talent. I guess that encompasses TNA perfectly actually. - Jeremy
Jeremy and Kevin are back in together and they’re ready to talk about “The Cowboy” James Storm. How did anyone ever think that Chris Harris was going to be better than him? Why did TNA build up Bobby Roode for months on end then have him lose at Bound For Glory in the first place? Couldn’t they have just pushed Storm instead of Roode from the get go in the Bound For Glory series? The guys also talk about what advice Kevin Nash could have given Matt Morgan, who was supposed to win the Series. In the end, does it matter who the champion is in TNA? The guys move on to Raw talk. Which one of the guys pulled up Youtube to get a look at John Laurinitis in the Dynamic Dudes? What does Cody Rhodes need? Are heels even relevant in the WWE any more? Are Jeremy and Kevin burnt out on the possibility of long term planning? Can they find anything positive? Those pluses come in three but you need to click on the link below to find out what they are.
Jeremy and Kevin finally follow through on a threat and talk about TNA. They realize that 9/11 is a touchy subject but they do wonder why Rosita was presented the way she was though. Even though her story is inspirational, doesn’t it kill her current gimmick? Would it have helped if TNA left her off the card except for the 9/11 tribute? The guys try to be delicate but as usual drop ideas that are so offensive even TNA wouldn’t use them. Speaking of offensive, find out how Kevin found the picture he found for his Raw blog which heads the guys into Raw talk. How seriously should we take every word CM Punk or HHH? Is their verbal sparing enough to sell Night of Champions on Sunday? What else happened on this show? What wrestlers are labeled “Shit or Get Off The Pot”? Could the guys interview Michael McGillicutty or David Otunga? Could they fill in for Jeremy and Kevin for a Stunt Granny podcast and make it entertaining? Hell no, that’s why you need to click on the link below.
1. Cheese - Some people just can’t get enough of it. Some of those people should try to get less of it. - Eric
2. MVP - He’s been all over the wrestling media in the past week, promoting New Japan’s first big visit to the U.S. In the process, he’s been very well spoken about what he liked and grew to dislike about WWE’s evolving style to more kid-friendly, PG “entertainment.” Search it all out, it’s all totally worth the read. - Eric
3. Maryse - Hotsy totsy, did you see that picture Jeremy and Kevin posted for Stunt Granny Audio #142? If that doesn’t make you harder than a left turn in front of the mall, you have no soul. - Eric
4. Chris Harris, Mick Foley & Chyna - These three were supposed to be surprises this week on iMPACT! Since I don’t read spoilers, I was surprised by Harris’ appearance especially since it was his bloated brother that got the gig. I was surprised by Mick Foley because I assumed it would be Dixie Carter. Finally, I knew it was Chyna but was surprised that she looked somewhat with it. What doesn’t surprise me is the fact that I am completely underwhelmed with this treasure trove of surprises. - Kevin
5. Jason Bane - I know my viewing habits are a little behind for Pro Wrestling Ohio so this item could have been posted a couple of weeks ago. After going long spans for PWO Title reigns, Agent Aaron Maguire’s latest client “The Megastar” Marion Fontaine dropped the strap to “The Most Dominant Man in PWO.” It is the second time within the past couple of months that the title changed. I’ll hope that it stays around his waist until Wrestlelution. Congratulations to Jason Bane though. - Kevin
6.TNA Sacrifice - Samoa Joe is feuding with Crimson but isn’t on the PPV. AJ Styles is feuding with Bully Ray but isn’t on the PPV. Mr. Kennedy is feuding with, well, everyone, but isn’t on the PPV. Chris Harris is sad looking and out of shape and he has no feud but he is on the PPV. A guy named Max Buck is on the PPV but not having anal sex with another man. Chyna is on the PPV although she has been out of wrestling and forgotten for a long while. Order estimation- 14,000 or so. - Jeremy
7. Smackdown - Christian and Randy Orton proved to be ratings flops. As the flag carriers for the Friday night broadcast this should be troubling but then it isn’t Monday Night Raw so who cares. - Jeremy
8. Bill DeMott – Since I’m trying to push our Twitter account, I’ll pimp the Tough Enough trainer @BillDeMott since @StuntGranny follows him. My favorite tweet for this week “I have decided how I will answer all those with #Negative comments………theres your answer.enjoy the day-BD”. - Kevin
9. Living in the past – 2011 – 1997 = 14:
Hulk Hogan vs. Sting is the current plan for the Bound for Glory main event, although not etched in stone. When asked, Hogan said right now he’s 50% about doing another match, according to an interview on the “Monday Night Mayhem” radio show. “If you would have asked me two months ago, I would have said no way. If I could get six and a half months (since the most recent fusion surgery) under my belt, I’d pretty much know the answer to that. If I did land wrong or something, just don’t know if all this hardware and stuff would hold together.” Watching Hogan walking on Impact this past week, the idea of doing a match, unless it’s a tag and he’s in for one spot and never does anything that requires movement or falling, looks like a very bad idea. The guy can barely walk. Considering how badly hurt he gets every time he wrestles, this seems really sad to even consider it. Maybe for a million dollar payday you can justify the risk, but him wrestling at this stage won’t move the needle at all unless he says it’s his retirement match (wouldn’t work in storyline since he’s the heel) and goes on all the talk shows to promote it, and even then, with wrestlers and retirements, that may end up meaning nothing for business at this stage.
14 goddamn years ago. – Dusty
10. Elijah Burke – Blew this popstand:
According to TheElijahExpress.com, D’Angelo Dinero, also known as Elijah Burke, has graduated with a degree of high honors in Criminal Justice. This could have been what he was alluding to on May 13th with various tweets, including one Thursday night that read: “My time has come, It’s time to move on. I’ve served well. Hope none has been disappointed; hope my hard work has been Applauded&Appreciated
It has from here. – Dusty
11. Brother Love’s floating head – I just, there are no words:
Violent J of ICP wrote “I usually love all wrestling, especially TNA, but last night’s Bound for Glory PPV was the worst written show I have ever seen in my whole life. The boys worked hard, the stories were fuckin trash. The worst ever. I want my money back. It was insulting to fans like me who support them.”
I have never known Violent J to be anything other than a man of the most discerning tastes. If he is disappointed, I am disappointed. TNA, you have some splainin’ to do! – Dusty
