Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
It’s always better to have some selections
Thursday, January 8, 2009 — The spirit of competition is what drives America, and any democracy, for that matter.
As much as we would or would not like to admit it, we are all competitive.
I personally have been known to throw a controller down to the ground after something bad happens on Madden ‘06.
The problems in our economy make the competition out there for our entertainment dollars even more fierce.
Attendance is down for many teams, but one brand of sports entertainment never stops doing good business: wrestling.
No matter what you might think about it, professional wrestling still brings in huge dollars.
The problem with wrestling for the last few years, in my opinion, has been the lack of competition in the wrestling game when WWE absorbed WCW and ECW.
When anyone controls that much product and there is no one to compete against but yourself, most of us have a tendency to not work as hard.
But now there is a new brand of sports entertainment on the scene that is poised to threaten the monopoly created by Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment.
TNA wrestling, founded seven years ago by Jeff Jarrett, uses a six-sided ring and some phenomenal renegade athletes who take incredible bumps in the ring.
I had a chance this week to speak with James Storm, one-half of the TNA tag-team champions, Beer Money, Inc., about the company he has worked for since day one.
Storm said that “TNA has a real family feeling to me. I’ve seen the bad times and the good times. Everything has gotten better here, from production to the in-ring work. Now, we are taking the show overseas, which is huge.”
The former state-championship wrestler from Tennessee in the 152-pound class, Storm talked about the commitment it takes to be a wrestler.
“You have to be a special breed of person to want to beat yourself up day in and day out for the fan’s pleasure,” Storm said.
Storm talked about the talent in TNA as opposed to WWE, saying that “We have a better talent roster. Our guys are not just in it for the money; it’s about the fans in TNA. Jeff Jarrett and Dixie Carter really care about their guys and this product.”
TNA continues to succeeed, despite the economic downturn, which Storm says “no matter what, people will pay their hard-earned money to watch wrestling. Fans know that they will get their money’s worth when they order a TNA pay-per-view.”
Sunday’s big PPV in Charlotte will feature Storm’s tag-team in a three-way dance for the titles.
I will be in the crowd on Sunday to see for myself what TNA is all about.
Contact Charles Curcio at (704) 982-2121 ext. 12 or email at charles@stanlynewspress .com.
- Sports
-
-
Albemarle, North renew their rivalry
The last season that the North Stanly football program enjoyed a victory over rival Albemarle was back in 1993, when the Comets blanked the Bulldogs 20-0.
Jack Gaster was in his first year as head coach of Albemarle with a squad that year that had just seven seniors, compared to Dick Gresham’s squad that had 16 seniors -
The rules not found in print are open to varied analysis
We at the Stanly News and Press are committed to covering the local news of the day with passion and fervor, and we approach your newspaper and ours as a collaborative team effort.
-
Women’s Soccer’s Sara McCormick
Our first installment in Pfeiffer’s 20 Questions With... features a senior on the Pfeiffer women’s soccer team.
-
‘Dogs top South in OT; Knights rally for victory
In Yadkin Valley Conference soccer action on Wednesday night, both the Albemarle Bulldogs and Gray Stone Knights had to rally late in their matches to earn wins.
Albemarle 6
South Stanly 1 -
SNAP Football MVP
For week two of the 2010 high school football season, the Stanly News and Press Most Valuable Player of the Week is North Stanly quarterback Jalen Holt
-
West Stanly wins match at North Stanly
The West Stanly volleyball team improved their overall and conference records with a 3-1 road win at North Stanly this past Wednesday.
-
Pre-season cross-country meets kick off high school season
A break in the summer heat was welcome news for the two hundred-ninety cross country runners that descended upon the hills of Chuck Morehead Park. Overcast skies kept the temperature below 80 degrees for the Rocky River and Yadkin Valley pre-conference meets last Tuesday.
-
Friday night is still the greatest night of the week
Of all the many sports that I cover during the year, no sport requires more physical and mental effort, demanding more attention to detail than the coverage of high school football.
Football has long been arguably the most covered, most watched high school sport for many years, but with the advent of the internet and video cameras no bigger than a cell phone, everywhere you look people are covering prep football like never before. -
Balanced attack leads Bulldogs to win at West
The Albemarle football team found a perfect balance of run and pass in earning a 42-14 road win over rival West Stanly on Friday night.
-
Comets get big passing effort from former S. Stanly quarterback in win
One of the subplots of Friday night’s football game between the squads of South and North Stanly was former South quarterback Jalen Holt playing against his former squad wearing a columbia blue-and-white North Stanly uniform.
- More Sports Headlines
-
