Mick Foley to TNA!?

[SuaveStar]

From Wrestlezone.com

September 3, 2008 - Statement from Mick Foley on leaving WWE, his future with TNA Wrestling and other opportunities.

"As of today, I am a free agent in the world of professional wrestling. I will always be grateful to WWE for affording me so many incredible opportunities over the past thirteen years, but feel the time is right to pursue other endeavors.

This move frees me up to participate in more film, television and voice roles, autograph sessions, speaking engagements, volunteer work, and will allow me the time to start work on a third novel, a fourth wrestling memoir and a new children’s story.

Over the next few weeks I will be working with my management team at Braverman/Bloom Co., Inc. in pursuing a couple of unique investment opportunities.

I can confirm I have had discussions with TNA Wrestling and have come to a short-term agreement. I am very excited about the specifics of this agreement and the potential it holds."

If TNA can actually do something with Foley it could be good. They could just replace Don West and Mike Tenay with him on commentary.

What does everyone else think of this?

[Missy]

I'll watch his debut, but that's about it.

[JackFetch]

Mick Foley was never that great. He would have been great on jackass though.

[Guest]

Mick Foley was never that great.

You mean besides making stars out of half a dozen guys, cutting some of the best promos in the business, and having a MOTY candidate pretty much every year he was active in WWE?

He was more than just a fat guy that took lots of bumps.

That said, this announcement means next to nothing. Foley will be around for about three months before he gets fed up. He's a control freak (not that there's anything wrong with that) and TNA creative is too inept to understand how to use him. This is the company that was handed Kurt Angle, Christian, and Booker T on a silver platter and did nothing with them.

[JackFetch]

Mick Foley was never that great.

You mean besides making stars out of half a dozen guys, cutting some of the best promos in the business, and having a MOTY candidate pretty much every year he was active in WWE?

He was more than just a fat guy that took lots of bumps.

That said, this announcement means next to nothing. Foley will be around for about three months before he gets fed up. He's a control freak (not that there's anything wrong with that) and TNA creative is too inept to understand how to use him. This is the company that was handed Kurt Angle, Christian, and Booker T on a silver platter and did nothing with them.

No, he was just a fat guy that took bumps. He took too many and had to quit. His promos weren't that great. He made no stars. He became a joke when he did the Dude Love gimmick.

MOTY for getting thrown off high places? Some people just want to see blood. He never could do any wrestling moves.

[Missy]

He made no stars.

If no one else, Mick made HHH.

[JackFetch]

Good timing and WWE politics made HHH. No one wrestler makes anyone else a star.

[Guest]

Ron Garvin won the NWA title from Ric Flair in the 80's. The company decided that he should be the champion. Was he "made" then? No, because the fans didn't buy him as champion and he bombed. Politics can get you a title, but they don't make the fans care about you. Triple H had NO momentum as champion until he feuded with Foley.

He made The Rock, Triple H, Randy Orton, and Edge into main eventers, two of which were long after his prime. All four guys feuded with Foley either right before or during their first title reigns and were more over as heels when they were done.

His "Cane Dewey" and Anti-Hardcore promos in ECW are widely considered to be two of the greatest wrestling promos of all time. I'd actually put his Cactus Jack promo in 2000 against Triple H over both of them. There are only three men I'd put above him promo wise (Flair, Dusty, and Rock), and no one was better than him at selling a match.

"Wrestling moves" are completely unrelated to someone's ability to have a great match. Ric Flair had 4 moves he used for 30 years. Steve Austin had 3. The Rock and Hulk Hogan had 2. Dusty Rhodes had ONE.

He was supposed to be a joke with Dude Love. It was a comedy gimmick. When he wanted to be serious, he had two others to use.

I don't judge a match's quality by how much blood is involved, for the record, and no, his Hell in the Cell match was not a MOTY. He took two really stupid bumps and it's what he's become known for, but it's not fair to assess his entire career by that one match. Did he take a lot of foolish risks? Absolutely, but he also understood match psychology better than anyone not named Jake Roberts.

His MOTY with Michaels in 96 had no blood, and only one big bump. His heel Dude Love matches against Austin had no blood and were also fantastic. His matches with Sting, his earlier stuff with Taker, his old stuff with Vader, all great.

(Man, I haven't talked about wrestling in forever.)

[Missy]

I was typing up a response, but Dubs beat me to it.

[slothian]

Dubs wins. Sure, Foley wasn't the greatest physical wrestler ever, but in this day and age, you don't have to be as long as you understand the business.

For the first time ever, an ex-WWE guy leaving for TNA could actually give TNA some legitimacy. Sorry Angle/Christian/everyone else

[SuaveStar]

From Wrestlezone.com:

Mick Foley just posted the following on his MySpace.com blog:

I'm really thrilled at this recent development. Believe it or not I have actually learned how to access a computer - not necessarily use it just access- and I have been reading many of the comments from my friends on myspace. I know some of your feelings are mixed, and I will look forward to addressing your concerns with my next entry which I promise will be soon.

See you at the Impact zone.

Mick

Oh and I really mean this, give TNA three weeks, and they will have not only squandered Foley, but they will have turned him heel and forgot to tell anyone.

[SuaveStar]

From Wrestlezone.com

im Ross has updated the blog section of JrsBarbq.com and had this to say regarding Mick Foley's departure from WWE and his new deal with TNA:

"Obviously, Mick cannot and will not be a full time wrestler for any organization but one can easily see Mick wrestling sporadically meaning once or twice a year if everyone involved in this scenario is of sound mind. Mick has many diverse, creative interests and my sense is that he is looking to explore TV opportunities that might come his way. Many of us have said for years that Mick would be great in a TV sitcom. Plus Mick has many more books left to write. No matter what Mick does I wish him only the best. It will be interesting to see how Mick is utilized and one can bet a slab of ribs that subject will be under the proverbial microscope by many within the business and more specifically the ‘rasslin media. In the short time I had broadcasting with Mrs. Foley’s baby boy, Mick became one of my favorite partners. If the opportunity had presented itself, I feel strongly that we would have really jelled. Be that as it may, I have nothing but respect for Mick wanting to explore other options and forms of entertainment with the Braverman-Bloom Agency who will look after Mick’s interests well. As I see it, and remember this is merely one man’s opinion, it would appear that Mick did not burn any bridges with the WWE and a return engagement with the WWE isn’t beyond the realm of possibilities for Mick Foley in the future. No one in their right mind can argue that Mick Foley isn’t WWE Hall of Fame worthy at some point in the future."

[SuaveStar]

More Mick Foley & TNA news courtesy of Wrestlezone.com:

Mick Foley appeared on the "Between The Ropes" radio show last night to address his recent move from WWE to TNA. We reported earlier that Foley had been pulled from the Legends of Wrestlemania video game slated to be released next March, and Foley claimed he was flattered that WWE decided to make the move, saying that his departure from the company must have been a big deal to them if they were taking such measures. When asked about the reports of Vince McMahon yelling into his mic during Smackdown broadcasts, Foley said, "I went from thinking about the job almost all the time to not thinking about it at all. I really thought my performance was suffering. There were some weeks where I was a little embarrassed because I hadn't done my homework."

When asked about the possibility of working with TNA in a long term capacity Foley said, "it's short-term now, but it could lead to something long-term down the road depending on how we each like working with the other." He then added, "I think if things go well, you'll eventually see me in the ring." To listen to the full interview, visit BetweenTheRopes.com

So he's taking over the announcing for TNA, because Jim Cornette is the Commissioner character in TNA right now. I really think this is what the TNA writing meeting went like this "Hey! we got Mick Foley! Now how can we wreck this?......"