Title: Joe turns down contract extension
Big F'N Swigg - July 11, 2007 07:44 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Figure 4) |
Not sure what this means yet, but Samoa Joe was offered a new contract and turned it down. This may turn into a big story or it may just be a leverage deal. One thing to consider is that Konnan and Ron Killings both quit and there have been at least a half dozen guys who have asked to get out of their contracts and been turned down. I know at least a few guys who I am told will not be resigning when their deals come up under any circumstances, but did not hear the same thing yet about Joe.
The irony is that the guys who want out the most have contracts that don't expire until 2009. I believe the TNA plan is to continue to build up the Joe vs. Kurt feud to culminate in a match for the title this fall (meaning, sadly, that D-Von Dudley is not going to win the World Title on Sunday). I would think that if Joe re-signed they'd put the belt on him, but if he doesn't than obviously that's not going to happen. According to a source in WWE, there is mild interest in him but it's nowhere near a lock that he'd be signed.
He's not particularly tall, doesn't have the WWE build, plus he wouldn't be able to do most of his high impact stuff. One person compared him to Tazz, a guy that people raved about due to his work in ECW, but then when he got called up to WWE and all of his suplexes and such were taken away from him, he was just a short guy that ended up as an announcer within a few years. When Tazz first got called up, in fact, Vince took one look at him and almost ended his in-ring run before it started. Writer Chris Kreski, who died of cancer a year or so ago at age 42, pushed really hard for him and ended up getting him on TV at least for a period.
I'm told his current deal expires in a few months, so really they may be building up towards a match that might never take place if he leaves before the PPV is booked. I would think they would have a plan in place to make sure that didn't happen, even if it's to accelerate storylines so he'd do that last job right before he left if that's what he chooses to do. |
SamoaRowe - July 11, 2007 07:55 PM (GMT)
Joe is sick of tripping over bad booking, that's all.
I miss Chris Kreski. No one ever seems to give him the credit he deserves, but I believe he was the finest WWE writer of the last ten years. He knew how to keep continuity intact, he booked with longterm goals in mind, knew how to make talent look strong, and was a master of getting the reactions he wanted from live crowds. The man was simply a marvel and I rue the day that Stephanie McMahon replaced him as head writer.
Big F'N Swigg - July 11, 2007 08:00 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (SamoaRowe @ Jul 11 2007, 03:55 PM) |
Joe is sick of tripping over bad booking, that's all.
I miss Chris Kreski. No one ever seems to give him the credit he deserves, but I believe he was the finest WWE writer of the last ten years. He knew how to keep continuity intact, he booked with longterm goals in mind, knew how to make talent look strong, and was a master of getting the reactions he wanted from live crowds. The man was simply a marvel and I rue the day that Stephanie McMahon replaced him as head writer. |
Kreski's run is actually what got me back into watching wrestling regularly
SamoaRowe - July 11, 2007 08:03 PM (GMT)
Let me put it this way... before Kreski's run, I merely liked wrestling...
... and by the time it was up, I was hooked beyond my wildest expectations.
Big F'N Swigg - July 11, 2007 08:06 PM (GMT)
Before his stuff, I followed WCW on Saturday mornings when I could. Once I saw some of his stuff, I was so hooked I was watching Jakked religiously. To say that the dude was the best writer of the past decade is a MASSIVE understatement.
dynamite kido - July 11, 2007 09:42 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (SamoaRowe @ Jul 11 2007, 01:55 PM) |
Joe is sick of tripping over bad booking, that's all.
I miss Chris Kreski. No one ever seems to give him the credit he deserves, but I believe he was the finest WWE writer of the last ten years. He knew how to keep continuity intact, he booked with longterm goals in mind, knew how to make talent look strong, and was a master of getting the reactions he wanted from live crowds. The man was simply a marvel and I rue the day that Stephanie McMahon replaced him as head writer. |
Excellent call on Kreski Rowe. I agree 100%.
Joe plays second fiddle to all of the former WWE guys, before they were there he was destined to be the top guy. This is just another thing that shows that TNA is going to fuck itself out of business.
smkelly13 - July 13, 2007 01:55 AM (GMT)
I miss Taz's incredibly spine altering suplexs.
The Last Free Voice - July 13, 2007 03:11 AM (GMT)
Speaking strictly financially, if Joe went back to running the Indy scene, would he be making close to the same thing? I mean, his value to companies must have gone up even more with all the exposure. If he went back to working all the places he can't right now (ROH and PWG spring to mind immediately.), would he be taking a huge money hit?
dynamite kido - July 13, 2007 04:35 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (The Last Free Voice @ Jul 12 2007, 09:11 PM) |
| Speaking strictly financially, if Joe went back to running the Indy scene, would he be making close to the same thing? I mean, his value to companies must have gone up even more with all the exposure. If he went back to working all the places he can't right now (ROH and PWG spring to mind immediately.), would he be taking a huge money hit? |
I think Joe would do fine financially, especially with the opportunity to probably work in NOAH a bit too against some of their top talent.
There's no doubt in my mind that Joe would make for a serious gaijin in Japan.
Also he'd make great money on the Indy circuit too and I'm sure that the reformed NWA would probably use him as well.
whitemilesdavis - July 13, 2007 12:17 PM (GMT)
The problems that comes up are the stability, work schedule, and overall lack of exposure that come wth working the indies. My thinking is that if Joe is seriously thinking about leaving TNA, then he feels pretty good about a deal with WWE, or he is just done with the business.
dynamite kido - July 13, 2007 01:28 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (whitemilesdavis @ Jul 13 2007, 06:17 AM) |
| The problems that comes up are the stability, work schedule, and overall lack of exposure that come wth working the indies. My thinking is that if Joe is seriously thinking about leaving TNA, then he feels pretty good about a deal with WWE, or he is just done with the business. |
Or he's totally set to get his ass over to Japan.
The Last Free Voice - July 13, 2007 02:16 PM (GMT)
Didn't he tour a few times with Zero-One or one of the affiliates? (World-1, Hustle, or... something?)
Big F'N Swigg - July 13, 2007 02:47 PM (GMT)
With Zero-One, yes.
Since we were talking about Chris Kreski, I looked him up on
IMDB. Who knew that a guy who helped write Remote Control and Beavis and Butthead would be such a great wrestling writer?
whitemilesdavis - July 13, 2007 03:43 PM (GMT)
You are right, DK. If Joe wanted to go to Japan FULL-TIME, he could probably do quite well. It would have to be full-time though, as an occasional tour just wouldn't be worth it.
Mad Dog - July 13, 2007 09:44 PM (GMT)
Zero-One would be a waste of him.
Has there been anymore of this or is this going to turn into last year with "OMG Joe is going to WWE" story that turned out to be a giant overreaction?
dynamite kido - July 13, 2007 10:42 PM (GMT)
From everything I've heard the WWE has interest in him, but nothing major. I wouldn't even suspect he would be brought up to the main roster right away if signed.
There's also no doubt they would change his name too and I don't think Joe is interested in that at all.