By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA writer Vince Russo published an apology on his official blog to any wrestler who has set foot inside a ring after defending the lack of wrestling content on last week's Impact by saying it doesn't matter how much "fake wrestling is on a fake show." (Read the story on the first blog.)

"'Fake' was a real, bad word to use–a real bad word. There is nothing fake about the thousands of injuries that occur in our sport," Russo said. "There is nothing fake about the thousands of hours that are spent away from families. There is nothing fake about reaching the twi-light of your career...and not knowing what you’re going to do next because wrestling is all you know–there is NOTHING fake about that."

Russo added that Taz called him to say how much his words could offend the wrestlers who have worked hard in the ring and helped give him a job in the wrestling business.

"To anybody who ever laced up a pair of boots, I am deeply sorry for my choice of words earlier today. Nobody knows about the sacrifices more then I do–NOBODY," Russo said. "For the past 18 years, it has been every bump in that ring, by every wrestler who ever graced it–that put food on my family’s table. It was their injuries that put a roof over their head. It was their blood who put my kids through college. I am forever grateful for that–and it is something that I understand every, single day."

Along with his apology, Russo shed more light on his writing philosophy - saying he hates "bad wrestling" that people laugh at and he tries to add "reality" to his wrestling product to try to make people believe what they're watching.

"I look at the business a bit differently now, because as a writer, it is my job to get ratings–period. It is my job to treat our product as a television show, because at the end of the day–that’s what it is," Russo said. "The more people we get to watch our show–the more successful we become. And, it is my responsibility to get them to watch the show. It is my responsibility to make wrestling all things to all people. That’s what I get paid to do."

-- KELLER'S Take response to Russo's blog

Caldwell's Analysis: Good, strong apology from Russo. It needed to be said if he was going to be able to walk into the TNA locker room at the next TV taping. Now, onto the last quote. ... If you build a solid wrestling program that doesn't depend on weekly trying to find new ways to hotshot book without focusing on the actual wrestling that happens inside the ring, the audience will come. It will. Russo assumes today's audience doesn't have the ability to suspend disbelief for a pro wrestling show and buy into wrestling matches. Well, when most TNA TV matches feature outside interference, highspots for the sake of highspots, referee incompetence, post-match happenings more important than the in-ring action, and DQs in cage matches, then, yes, people will tune out because that's not believable wrestling. That's fake, b.s. wrestling.

TNA doesn't treat the bell-to-bell wrestling content like its the centerpiece of the show. Often-times, matches are not hyped or built up and simply thrown out there on TV for no reason and with no consequences because TNA spends too much time on power struggles involving wrestlers who can't work a match and won't sell PPVs. The tone is that the TV matches are mild inconveniences that get in the way of the "stuff" Russo wants on his wrestling show. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy when 16 minutes of TV wrestling still draws a strong rating because the TV wrestling has been booked week after week for over four years to mean absolutely nothing. Nothing. So, of course the audience doesn't want to watch another meaningless wrestling match. Russo is so deep in the Ratings Bubble that he doesn't see clearly what would happen if he spent the next six months making the wrestling on TV meaningful again.

We suggest these recent related articles...

TV RATINGS: TNA Impact & ROH TV viewership - Week 19 on Dest. America - Impact surges post-BFG, ROH draws big audience

TV WRESTLING VIEWERSHIP - Week of Sept. 28: Full Break Down of last week's Pro Wrestling TV with DVR viewing

TNA NEWS: TNA announces TV tapings on January U.K. Tour