By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Current Ring of Honor TV producer Jim Cornette criticized TNA's creative direction again in a mainstream sports radio interview this week.

Cornette's key soundbyte was on Vince Russo, who he said "couldn't book Lassie in a pet shop." Cornette said TNA has all the talent they need, but they've been going in the same wrong direction for three years.

"They have PPV, they have national television. They have everything it takes to be successful. Unfortunately, it's no secret, I'm not in favor of the creative direction," Cornette said on WDFN 1130 AM in Detroit. "Creative has really held TNA back. They could be an alternative (to WWE), but they're more of the same with a lower budget."

While discussing his current work with Ring of Honor, Cornette took a veiled shot at TNA for booking X Division wrestlers in the same highspot matches that TNA has decided are where they belong on the card.

"They didn't have the triple somersault flip off the top of the building when I was in wrestling," Cornette said.

Cornette also took a broad look at WWE and TNA's creative philosophy, which is to tell wrestlers who their characters are and how their characters should act to fit the machine-like production of wrestling TV.

"To get a break, you're pigeonholed into a box. 'Here's who you are.' I don't see why they want to control everyone so badly," Cornette said. "The creative teams that run wrestling now have too much control."

Caldwell's Analysis: The theme of the week in wrestling is the machine-like production of what appears on mainstream pro wrestling TV. Eric Bischoff talked about WWE's vice-like grip on how their product is presented in the most-recent installment of the Torch Talk with Wade Keller. Cornette is talking about it as well. He has a mind for what drew money a few decades ago, but many of the principles would still work now.

Jack Swagger seems to stand out in my mind as a guy who felt new and fresh on ECW TV, but now seems manufactured and over-produced on Raw. He does the push-ups at this time, then he smiles to the crowd at this time, then he does the rear waistlock at this time, and Michael Cole repeats this line at this time. It's very forced to fit certain TV time cues and marketing ideas from the corporate office.

Link: Listen to Cornette's interview on WDFN 1130 AM.

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