SEPARATED AT BIRTH : GLEN OR....GLENN?

"What Sin Could A Man Commit In A Single Lifetime to bring THIS upon himself?"

Ah, yes, an IMMORTAL line from one of the world's goofiest and logic-defying films....

On the left, we have Glen Jacobs as Kane in the WWE; on the right, Glenn Langan as Colonel Glenn Manning (Yes, it's two...two...two Glenns in one!) in schlockmeister Bert I. Gordon's 1957 sci-fi classic (?), "The Amazing Colossal Man"....

Poor, poor Kane. He's been subjected to bad angle after bad angle, and still ends up on the short end of the stick, despite being the tallest man on the RAW roster until Big Show was traded last week...

It's enough to make a grown wrestler stand up and cry out...

"What Sin Could A Man Commit In A Single Lifetime...to have to suffer through the CRAP they've been writing for me for the past two years?"

A new Separated At Birth appears every Friday (or thereabouts) right here on SlamJamz Central. Comments? Questions? Got a SAB idea? Drop a line to slamjamzpwi@yahoo.com and we'll us hear from YOU!.

FOLLOWUP: MATT ASKS FOR FAN FEEDBACK

Perhaps due to the number of articles that have appeared over the past two or three days concerning his future (including my own), Matt Hardy is taking his question to the fans. He posted the following on his message board today:

Greetings Amigos!

I hope this message finds everyone healthy and happy. Recently, it seems that alot of people are discussing several different possible scenarios in my future. There's a ton of speculation about everything concerning Matt Hardy these days--but I want all of my fans and supporters to know that I have always been honest with them. With that said, I have a hypothetical question for everyone. In a perfect world, where do you wish Matt Hardy would end up wrestling in the future and why? If you respond, put some time and thought into your answer--I look forward to seeing what everyone says.

Until then...Matt

Try as I might, I have been unable to post my direct response to his letter on his board, because it won't let me register as a member of the board. So I decided to take some initiatve and send it to him via e-mail.

Below is the brutally honest, frank letter I sent him just a few moments ago:


Matt,

I've tried to post this on your board, but I had not registered previously, and no matter what I do, I have been unable to register.

I wrote a column on this very subject today, but there I was speaking ot the masses.
Here, I'm going to speak directly to you. I don't know what everyone else here is saying, nor do I care. Chances are good that they are saying what THEY want to see, not necessarily what is best for YOU.

Here is my honest opinion: If you go back to WWE without at least giving yourself a new challenge for a while with TNA, or in Japan or indies, you will regret it for the rest of your life.

TNA is offering you a chance that comes along once in a lifetime. If you pass it up, you will never know if your personal circumstances could have been the ignition point to launch something HUGE. You will never know if you could be an incredible champion, because there is no doubt in my mind that TNA will give you a championship sooner rather than later. You'll never have the chance to grow and move forward as a performer. And most importantly, you'll never have the chance to prove to Vince that Triple H is WRONG about you. That you CAN draw. Do you really want to swallow that pride for the rest of your natural life?

If the fans who are saying they want to see you back in WWE, because you belong there, don't realize that once your feud with Edge is over you'll be absolutely and undeniably BURIED for the remainder of your contract there, they're living in a dream world.

The ONLY way I'd go back to WWE right now if I were you is if Vincent Kennedy McMahon fullfills the following four conditions:

1) Double the salary and benefits you had at the time of your release. Not NEAR Double, but DOUBLE.

2) COMPLETE creative control over all storylines concerning you, with final approval rights IN WRITING.

3) A guaranteed run with one of the WWE top titles for at least ONE YEAR.

4) Vince McMahon must come to the ring, get down on his knees, and publically acknowledge that he let Laurinatis fire you because it was more convienent, and that he was WRONG to do so, and that it was the WRONG thing to do, and beg you to come back for the "good of the company".

Anything less, and I'd way until a few years down the road to return to WWE, and only then if you were truly unhappy in TNA.

The ball is in your court, and as a loyal fan of both yourself and your brother Jeff, I will continue to watch you whereever you may end up. As a fan it will be my job to accept and support your decision. But, being as bluntly honest as I have been above, I think returning to WWE at this time would be the biggest mistake of your life.

I have posted this letter for my readers to see on my blog, and will encourage them to offer their two cents worth as well.

Sincerely,

TC Kirkham
"Slamjamz Central" Columnist
PWInsider.Com
and
SlamJamz Central Blog
http://slamjamz.blogspot.com/


Here's hoping Matt makes the move that will make him the most happy. Whatever and whereever it may be.

SlamJamz will continue to cover this story as it develops over the next few days, so be sure to stay tuned here, and to PWInsider.Com for the latest news.

INSIDER: WHY MATT HARDY MUST SIGN WITH TNA

Here's this weeks' SLAMJAMZ column posted on PWInsider this week.

***

SLAMJAMZ CENTRAL: WHY MATT HARDY MUST SIGN WITH TNA

By TC Kirkham

There has been a lot of news flying fast and furious over the past few
days concerning the future of one Matt Hardy. You wouldn't think
that in this day and age that the fate of one wrestler could have an
impact on the future of pro wrestling as i've heard so many people say
this past week,. But it is truly an important decision that the
Cameron, NC native has on his hands right now.

It has now come out that Matt has been contacted by WWE in the past
couple of weeks, a few days BEFORE the debacle last week where Matt's
entrance video aired during Edge and Lita's "wedding" on RAW, in
fact. They asked Matt to give them a couple weeks to decide
what they wanted to do, to see what Vince McMahon decided about the
money to be made with a Hardy/Edge feud. They even went so far as
to have a WWE staffer contact TNA about the situation.

The reason WWE is doing all of this is NOT because they want to make
money with such an obvious feud, although that's a nice incentive to be
sure. No, the REAL reason they are reaching out to Hardy now is that
they realize that Matt Hardy could be the match that lights the rocket
that propels TNA to national prominance, to a major TV deal, and
to the next level as a WWE competitor.

Quite simply, Matt Hardy is in the best negotiating position of his
life. And now is NOT the time to negotiate himself back into the
WWE and into a feud that will die after a few short weeks. Because
every wrestling fan knows that Vince McMahon holds grudges. And the
best thing that he can do to serve his own "I know the business
better than you do" ego is to make sure Matt is squashed to where his
career can probably never recover. Why? To screw the internet fans, of
course. Those same internet fans who are at every WWE live show
reminding Vince that he shouldn't have listened to John Laurinatis when
the suggestion was made to can Matt. That he really BLEW this entire
affair. That Matt Hardy IS capable of being a huge, A-level star
despite what Vince's own know-it-all son-in-law says or thinks. That
are out there ruining anything the company tries to dowith Edge. Those
same fans who are chanting "You screwed Matt" and "We Want Matt" over
and over at every single TV event and house show.. Vince's long term
plan is to make sure he gets to show that HE is in control.
You think Triple H's fate for an entire year after taking part in
the infamous MSG Kliq celebration was bad? If Hardy re-signs with WWE,
he's in for far worse treatment. And because of the way the internet
fans have rallied behind Matt, you can be absolutely sure that at the
culmination of an Edge/Hardy feud, Vince will make sure to put
EDGE, not Matt, over.

At TNA, Matt would have a chance to launch himself immediately into the
main title mix. His name value alone would be enough to help Dixie
Carter and company secure a better TV deal with Spike TV, or whatever
cable network they end up securing a deal with. All they have to do is
point to the evidence of the past few months, and to the reaction
of those very same internet fans and the overwhelming support Matt has.
Matt could help propel TNA into a new orbit, one that could possibly
push TNA into reigniting the Monday Night Wars.

For Matt, a deal with TNA would be sweet indeed. Shorter working weeks,
a decent six-figure salary, and the chance to be a main event
player. No matter what sweet sounding poison Vinne Mac is saying
out of the corner of his mouth, the best Matt can hope for in WWE is a
second or third from the top billing, even on the final Edge/Hardy feud
match.

Plus, signing with TNA would also give Matt the chance to do some indie
work as well. He's already planning some dates with Ring Of Honor, and
other indies have come calling as well. Matt's always been one of the
favorite performers of general fans; now he would have the chance to
earn the respect of the hard-to-please indie fan as well.

Matt found out when he launched his website, THEMatthardy.com, that the
internet fans would come to his site and be involved in his feelings
and his little community. He also found out that those same fans would
rally to his side in his time of need after the entire Edge/Lita
debacle became public knowledge. Those fans have been thorougly
disgusted with WWE's actions and behavior in the matter, and it's time
Hardy made the decision that would in addition to being beneficial to
his long term career, also pay those fans back for their loyalty.

It would also give Matt the chance to show Vince McMahon once and for
all that he can't get away with his sometimes sleazy tactics all of the
time. And that could be a revelation that could have long lasting, far
reaching consequences in the WWE, and the entire wrestling world, for
years to come.

To re-sign with WWE would be a slap in the face to those fans, and I
think Matt is smart enough to realize that. There's a good chance he'd
be branded as a sellout, going back to WWE because money rather than
integrity was always what was REALLY on the line. I've been
following this since it first broke, and I can't see Matt choosing the
money this time. Or ever. He's saved well, he's not hurting for
financial reasons, and TNA can continue to make signing with them worth
his while.

And for Matt, the chance to cement himself as one of the most popular
wrestling stars of the past decade by moving himself to new challenges
on the next level of the playing field should be hard to resist.
At the prime of his career, and in good health, he has the chance
that haven't been afforded many of his friends in the business: to be
the lynchpin in a possibly HUGE new level of the wrestling wars that
neither he nor Vinnie Mac nor the fans have ever experienced.

Let's hope he makes the right, and in the long term, most profitable
situation for himself. And in my view, that can only mean one thing -
becoming TNA's first MAJOR, and more importantly, mainstream, superstar.
***
SLAMJAMZ BLOG

This week at SlamJamz Central, EXCLUSIVE to the SlamJamz Blog, i'll be
talking about a variety of things, including why TNA's X Division is in
serious jeopardy because of the AJ Styles factor and what TNA needs to
do about it, a look at some up and coming talent TNA should think hard
about hiring to help their continuing growth, this week's Separate At
Birth, updated every Friday, and a lot more. Check us out daily at
http://slamjamz.blogspot.com. And don't forget, SlamJamz can be added
to your "My Yahoo" page as well by adding "/atom,.xml" after the above
address on the "Get RSS by URL" page!
***
ATTENTION, ROLLERJAM FANS!

If you were a fan of the 1999-2001 TNN series RollerJam, as I was, you
might want to know that SlamJamz will be opening a "Rollerjam
Supersale" page soon. When I ran a fan site called "Jam Central
Station" a few years back, I purchased a TON of RollerJam items, and
they have now become hard to find. And quite honestly, I can't afford
to hoard them any longer. I'll be liquidating them soon to clear
space in my house, and you'll find great deals on both issues of
RollerJam magazine, Keith Coppage's book "From Roller Derby to
RollerJam" , press kits, great photos of the stars, and more, and all
at prices far less than you'll find the items from time to time on
EBay!. Watch this column and the SlamJamz blog for more info!

***

I'll be back
soon with more of my thoughts on the world of professional wrestling.
So Until next time, as always…. REPRISE
THE THEME SONG AND ROLL
THE CREDITS!