TNA: Letting Kash go may be TNA's Biggest Mistake

I know what you're saying, but hear me out.

Kash has been trying to get out of his deal for over a year. He's an arrogant, self absorbed, but talented guy. He's never liked people who become bigger stars than he has become on what he sees (incorrectly, I might add) as less talent than he or because they suck up to the right people (AJ Styles, The Naturals, America's Most Wanted, et al).

I have always thought Kash was a talented performer, although having read his appearances over the last year where he's done nothing but bitch have made me think he's a first class jerk when it comes to relating to other people.

HOWEVER...

Unfortunately, a lot of what he has said about the operation and how it's run, from business dealings to bookings, seems to be very true. And it would have been nicer if TNA had taken his bitches to heart. The things Kash has been saying are not something that other performers don't agree with , but they haven't been as outspoken as Kash has.

From the horrendous booking of Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel, to the even worse booking of Dusty Rhodes (who completely castrated the X Division, the one thing keeping TNA afloat), to rumors of being behind on payments to several of the "big name" talents (Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, DDP, etc), TNA has done almost everything this past year to repeat what happened not to WCW in it's final year as some have suggested, but what happened to ECW in its' final year. The talent looks to management for answers and instead gets a lot of doubletalk, lies, and backstabbing.

What has Kash said that isn't true to at least a degree? Not a hell of a lot. And yes, Kash wanted out. But let's face some reality here, that Kash himself isn't facing - Vince McMahon isn't interested in someone who is going to go to the internet and shoot their mouth off. Kash's proof of that was right in front of his nose and he was too blind to see it - Matt Hardy's release from WWE just days earlier - and now he is hoping for a deal that probably won't be coming...not even one for OVW or one of the development territories.

So Kash got what he wanted...he got his release. TNA would rather have him out of their hair.

Instead, they should have said -- and MEANT --the following:

"Kash, we know you're unhappy, you've been unhappy for a while now. Instead of granting your release, we'd like to sit down with you and discuss your view of what's wrong with the company. You've been doing this for over ten years, and your input could provide some valuable information. Now, keeping issue with other talents out of the way and off the table, what do you have to offer us in the way of insight?"

What harm could it have possibly done to take a few hours, sit down with Kash, actually LISTEN to his his complaints, and offer up some ideas about how they're going to work these problems out? Kash should have sat down in a room with Dixie Carter, Dusty Rhodes, Bob Ryder, and Jeff and Jerry Jarrett and been allowed to present his case and why he thinks the way he does.

Especially since the fans seem to agree with him more than not these days. And although they're not being vocal about it for fear of losing their spot, so does most of the rest of TNA's talent.

The problem with this business overall is that the people in charge - the businessmen, the promoters, the moneymen - don't understand that if anyone knows more about the business than they do, it's the WORKERS. They're out there day in and day out, busting their bones and straining their muscles trying to make the business a success. Vince McMahon doesn't listen to them - with one particular exception - and neither does TNA's hiearchy - with the same particular exception, although the face is different.

The workers could offer input that would be beneficial. At times over the past several years, talent was encouraged to give such input. But slowly, the writers/bookers gained a stranglehold and took over the asylum, and no longer welcome input creatively or businesswise where they really could have a lot to give.

In the WWE this kind of behavior - aided greatly by nepotism and financial control - is expected. But in TNA - where the Jarretts only maintain a minor stake in the company - this should be much easier. Despite what they think of themselves, TNA is still a "Start Up" company, and everything should be geared towards the COMPANY - not one particular person, be they Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, or Kid Kash.

I can see TNA making the same horrible mistakes that ECW started making right the time the TNN show started...booking going from mediocre to bad to downright abysmal; talent taking to the internet to complain about everything; management giving excuses where paychecks belonged, etc. ECW managed to avoid the moneypit that WCW and now TNA have..bringing in "big name" stars who are actually of little or no benefit to the company (of the talent acquisitions that TNA has made in the past year, only DDP, Jeff hardy, and Sean Waltman - all of whom have loyal internet fan followings of varying degrees and size - really have any place in TNA; Nash is no longer a draw, if indeed he ever really was, at least here; Billy Gunn simply does not have the fan base TNA (or he) thinks he does).

The point in all this: Despite all his badmouthing of the company, it was clear from the very beginning last year that Kash was very disillusioned by his time in TNA, and the company gave him very good reason to be. The talent does deserve to be treated better, and more imporantly, they need to be listened to. Because when management doesn't listen to talent....everyone suffers...the ratings plunge...and soon, the following that was once there may have evaporated into the ethereal mist, never to return.

And right now, as they prepare to move forward as best they can, TNA can't afford it. Another defection, another release...it makes them poison to cable networks that might offer them a home and a real shot at becoming the solid number two federation behind WWE. They're not going to be able to land a talent like Matt Hardy with the kind of reputation they're building - one of abandoned storylines, incoherent storylines, and badly treated talent.

And they'll have no one to blame but themselves....

NUFF SAID