By Jon Cudo, PWTorch Specialist

True - Ken Anderson is a tweener

Tweeners hit their peak when “cool heels” such as Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were stoking the Monday Night Wars. They were tweeners, “in between” being heels and being cheered. They got cheers, despite being the bad guys. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is also often described as a tweener, for outwardly acting like a heel (giving the finger, swearing, swilling beer, and aggressively kicking ass), yet he did so as a babyface.

Ken Anderson is tweener, too... except he’s the other kind. He’s in between a babyface and someone who is cheered.

In an earlier column I looked at Ken Anderson’s potential flaw as a character, which was that he has never become a fully drawn character. “Being cocky is a trait, not a fully drawn character, and it's hard to think of examples when Kennedy could be mapped out as more than a "cocky" wrestler.” column link]. In TNA, he has become an “asshole," which in a similar way has never helped him evolve into a character who can draw or someone fans can really get behind or want to see lose.

Now he’s a seemingly talented performer who can’t get a crowd to cheer him as face, or get fans to boo his opponent all due to this poorly constructed character. His match on Impact last week was a great display of a babyface who couldn’t get cheers when he was beating up the heel (The Pope).

Anderson's confused and ill-drawn “asshole” character is indeed a tweener, but in all the wrong ways.

False - Best Way to Watch a PPV is LIVE!

I’ve had a unique WWE experience the last four months. I have seen a PPV in the comfort of my home on television, at a movie theatre, at a bar with a hundred other fans, and live from the second row in Buffalo. Now I know the best way to watch a WWE pay-per-view.

While your experience may vary, I found the worst way was at the bar. Annoying commentary from surrounding fans, less than ideal views of the screen, and the inability to hear the live commentary made this almost miserable. I never seem to enjoy the shows as much when I can’t hear how they tell the story (despite how annoying Cole’s commentary can be). While this is the option that is most accessible to me, I found it the worst of the four recent experiences.

Sitting the comfort of my own home watching a show is always a good way to take in the a PPV. Controlling the surroundings has a high value, views are good, distractions are few... but the cost is high.

As someone who works in event production, I have thought for years that no one puts on live events as well as WWE. This huge spectacle with high-end lighting and world-class pyro and video production has to be enjoyed in person. I don’t think you have to even like wrestling to be wowed by their show. Being in the audience and part of the crowd that wrestlers are playing off of adds tremendously to the show. Like the bar, not being able to hear the story that the announcers are telling is also a big draw-back, making this actually a notch below the remaining viewing option. (Note that the WWE now offers earphones with the PPV feed for sale at the merchandise stands, so they have addressed this.)

The best way to see a WWE PPV is in a movie theatre. While vacationing in July in Calgary I was stuck without an obvious PPV option. No bars had it and I had no PPV box where I was staying. The final option was a movie theatre playing the PPV. While many theatres in Calgary carry the big shows, it was challenging to find one that carried Money in the Bank, but we did. The cost was more than a movie and less than PPV at home, but the $15-20 ticket seemed like a fair price point. Inside I was thrilled get the best viewing experience, have the ability to hear fans reaction, and the clearly hear the full production value WWE is famous for. Add in an amazing show (likely PPV of the year), a world-class main event, and a hot Chicago crowd served up via full Dolby Surround Sound and there is no beating this experience. And I don’t have to tell you that movie popcorn is better than anything served at my house, the arena, or the local bar.

While I’ve heard the WWE has worked on distribution in theatres in the U.S., it’s not common. With the price of PPV becoming an issue, they should be looking at alternative delivery methods, especially when they are able to project the best big show experience I have ever witnessed. Personally I know I would make it monthly routine at a theatre if it were available.

TBD - Bobby Roode is ready to be the face of a National Wrestling Company

The Bound for Glory Series was an oft confusing, yet successful format to elevate talent and create interesting storylines. Most notable has been the push of the winner Bobby Roode into the main event of Impact Wrestling’s biggest PPV, Bound for Glory.

The performance of almost everyone involved in this storyline arc has been strong, and for many it is tapping into real emotion and helping them delivery strong believable promos. A.J. Styles has been as solid on the microphone as any time in his career. Kaz, Daniels, and Storm have also delivered. The strong story and memorable promos have set Bobby Roode up to be elevated to the very top of the promotion. But is he ready for the challenge?

Styles seems to think so, based on his post match comments and follow-up backstage interaction with Roode, but I am not sure I am as convinced.

When Robert Roode became Bobby again, it helped him finally shift away from ill-fitting “Money” gimmick. It was a gimmick that never fit him, wasn’t connected to his in-ring work, nor confirmed with his dated mullet hairstyle, clothes, or wrestling style. Roode has always seemed just a little out of step with his character which is something he has the chance to correct within this story. And that possible correction will also likely tell us if he will be a success at the top of the promotion.

Unlike Storm, I’ve never thought Roode was positioned as a throw-back character. However, he always seems to feel dated. From the plain trunks and 1980s haircut to his in-ring move set, nothing shows me that he’s someone who is going to set trends in the business. However, he also doesn’t seem to be saying he’s a throwback character, in the way Storm does. Roode’s wrestling is solid, but not slick. It’s slightly slower and more methodical than most, and not something that will excite fans like the crisp or flashy execution you see in with Austin Aries, Styles, or an Evan Bourne-type. In the biggest matches of his career at No Surrender he delivered just a half-star star match with Gunner and a solid and unremarkable three-star match with Bully Ray. His earnest mic work helps tell a great story, but I am not sure where the story takes us once he wins the title. The monster push and focus of so much TV time on Roode in recent months helps position him as a star, but I still feel like he lacks some of the gravitas that headliners usually have prior to a run on top.

On the surface Roode appears to be a basic old-school wrestler, with improving earnest promos (which have been well served by this storyline). He has a dated every-man look and an inconsistent track record of big time singles matches. He also has a good reputation as a hard-working and deserving of a big break. Impact Wrestling seems to be banking that Roode is more than the sum of these parts if they plan to build the company around him.

While the story Impact Wrestling is telling has been compelling, I remain open yet unconvinced that Roode can take this prime role and become a character you can build a national promotion around.

Jon Cudo is the newest PWTorch Specialist, presenting the "True-False-TBD" format. Jon has worked in the sports entertainment industry for over 20 years, including major league sports teams and Nike. He has been a life-long pro wrestling fan and has attended WWE, WCW, and ROH events in person, including backstage access at multiple events. He grew up in Minnesota and now lives in Cleveland. He runs his own business, www.GameOps.com, a web site designed to connect sports teams and event producers with ideas and tools that will enhance the entertainment value for fans attending their events.

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