Eric Bischoff Talks TNA Morale, ECW Angle & Vince McMahon
TNA's Eric Bischoff was one of the special guests on this week's live edition (08/02/09) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem radio show.
During the appearance, Bischoff Discusses Why TNA Is Not Trying To Recreate ECW, If He Feels The Angle Is Overshadowing TNA's Current Crop Of Stars, The Recent Spike In Ratings For TNA iMPACT (And The Locker Room's Reaction To It), His ECW One Night Stand Experience (And Whether Or Not He Was Truly Scared For His Life That Night), If Turning Heel Is Just Around The Corner For Him, How "The Whole F'N Show" Spike TV/TNA Special Could Mirror WCW's Clash Of The Champions, The Beer Money/Motor City Machine Guns' "Best Of Five" Series For The TNA World Tag Team Titles, & The Reasons Why He Believes That Vince McMahon Would Not Induct Him Into The WWE Hall Of Fame?Even If He Were Not Under TNA Contract.
Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem's official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:
Why the recent "extreme" revival in TNA/this Sunday night's HardCORE Justice Pay-Per-View "is not ECW" & why TNA is not trying to recreate it: "Let's make a couple of things really clear. This is not ECW. ECW was around on TNN for 12 months?that's it. I know it's grown in mythology and in the minds of people, but it lasted on TNA for 12 or 13 months. It found a home because it found a niche. It was a very violent, gritty, & very cool in many respects, and I'm not cutting it down in any way because it was different. To Paul E's credit, he found a way to make what he was doing and the limitations he had to work with, and he was able to make a product that was different, and fans liked it because it was different. TNA, or WWE, or anyone that has to make money with a brand isn't going to be able to resort to the level of violence & the presentation that they got used back on TNN. It's just not possible. I want to make clear that this is not ECW, and we are not trying to re-create ECW. People that are getting so hung up on this ECW comparison are getting lost in their own mythology."
Why he is in favor of the ECW angle at this point & whether or not the current crop of TNA stars are being overshadowed as a result of it: "I don't know if it's taking any money out of Sting's pockets, or taking money out of Jay Lethal's pockets, or anybody's pockets. Jay Lethal is probably enjoying one of the better stages of his career as of late. I don't think you'll hear Jay Lethal complain about it. It's a great story, it's great for TNA, and the ratings are up, which is good for everybody. It's good for business, and when business is good, everybody prospers."
The morale of the TNA locker room & the reaction from Spike TV after the most recent iMPACT ratings were made public: "Other than Vince Russo, who I speak to daily, I haven't really talked to anybody since the rating came out. I'm sure that everyone is excited. I've had several conversations with the folks at Spike TV, and I know everyone is excited. In terms of the talent, I really haven't had a chance to talk to them."
Why he believes that Vince McMahon would not put him into the WWE Hall of Fame, even if he was not under contract to TNA right now: "I don't. I like Vince, and I respect Vince, but he's his own unique animal, and there's certain parts of history that neither he or some of the key people around him will ever forget, and I think that history, even if I wasn't with TNA, would probably preclude me from being involved. I'm sure I'd get an invitation to come, but I don't think Vince McMahon would ever, under any circumstances, give that spotlight away.