Jeff Hardy
"Pilled Up", Step Down
I'm an advocate of a little reality with my wrestling. If done right (see: CM Punk promo), it can really add a lot to mediocrity and average. It can make "good" great. It gives fans a different emotional attachment to the story than they're used to feeling and as a result, they'll open up their wallets and buy a pay per view or two.
There are times when the "reality" of a situation is best left hidden. I think one of those times is now with the Jeff Hardy story in TNA.
What went down at Victory Road this year was awful. Jeff Hardy should have been punished and he was. Should he have come back when he did? I have no idea. I assume (mainly hope) TNA used VERY sound judgment in making that decision. Now that he's back though, I am absolutely HATING this sympathetic story they're trying to sell us.
Who actually even knew that Jeff Hardy was messed up at Victory Road? It was clear "something" was wrong, but did casual fans know it was drugs? I doubt it. Internet fans read about it and that was enough for TNA to exploit it when he returned.
But who is it helping? Jeff Hardy? You have just about every wrestler in the back (babyfaces included) telling Hardy that he doesn't have a place there. I believed them. I would imagine a lot of other fans did too. Hardy just hung his head and took the verbal abuse for weeks and all of a sudden, because it was Eric Bischoff, he's going to flip the switch and yell "Screw You" to his boss? Bischoff is a great heel and they clearly have to turn this story around at some point, but it should have never gotten this far to begin with.
Jeff Hardy returns. Bischoff tells him he has one more shot and not to screw it up. Jeff Hardy promo to say he's sorry. MOVE ON. Let Bischoff set up a number of matches for Jeff and explain that he has to start at the bottom again.
Honestly, I would have just been happy with them doing ANYTHING but what they have done since Jeff's return. I don't know why I hate it so much – I just do. Maybe it's because "I" have a hard time buying into Jeff as a sympathetic character.
I will always have a hard time buying into that.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
