Breaking down everything involved:
After only having a few days to digest the disturbing news about Hulk Hogan considering suicide late last week, he signed with TNA Wrestling on Tuesday.
This is simply a matter of Hogan being a genius when it comes to wrestling.
He did it in the WWF in a historically dominating run, he turned heel and did it in WCW with the NWO (creating a ratings war), he did it in a WWE return and he's about to do it again in TNA Wrestling.
Am online poll on f4wonline.com Wednesday had 25.4 percent of pollers thinking TNA Wrestling signing Hogan was good for the short-term and the long-term, 51 percent thinking it was good for the short-term and bad for the long-term and 23.6 percent thinking it was bad for the short-term and the long-term.
I would put myself in the 25.4 percent thinking it is good for the short-term and the long-term.
It's a no-brainer it is good for the short-term.
I say this because of the massive amount of publicity it is already getting. And I've always said any publicity is better than no publicity at all.
As for the long-term, Hogan's signing can only help establish TNA Wrestling as a major player in its hope to compete against WWE.
We might be talking a move from the weekly Thursday show to Monday nights (although TNA Wrestling says this won't happen). How is that for starters?
Or, and maybe more importantly, a flock of other wrestlers might go to TNA Wrestling.
Names such as Ric Flair, Diamond Dallas Page, Rob Van Dam, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg, Jimmy Hart and Mr. Kennedy have been thrown out there. And I'll add one more to the list -- Hogan's son, Nick.
Of this group, Flair is the wild card. The Nature Boy seems to have a slight loyalty to WWE (due to his friendships with Triple H, Shawn Michaels and to an extent, Vince McMahon).
But, with his involvement in Hogan's Australia Tour in November, and the report he is involved in any Hogan project for the next three years, one would think Flair would jump on the TNA Wrestling bandwagon.
I'm not so sure, but based on recent dealings, I think Flair might follow Hogan. The deciding factor might be whether Spike TV wants the Hogan/Flair reality series -- which I think is a strong possibility.
Page will likely return. He's been in TNA Wrestling before. He is also good friends with Eric Bischoff.
Bischoff reportedly will work behind the scenes to help secure television deals for new TNA Wrestling products and work on the creative direction.
Bischoff, who also reportedly will appear on television at some point, is a genius when it comes to knowing what works in wrestling, so he will be a huge plus for TNA Wrestling.
Of the rest (RVD, Austin, Goldberg, Hart and Kennedy), I only see RVD making the move to TNA Wrestling, although he will likely wait to see how things play out with Hogan. Austin and Goldberg have other things going, Hart seems more loyal to WWE and Kennedy seems serious about acting.
Nick Hogan is training to be a wrestler at Rikishi's school in California. Put two and two together and father/son will be in a tag-team match against Flair father and son. Mark my words.
Then, there are the interesting key players currently in TNA Wrestling -- Vince Russo, Sting and Kevin Nash.
I'll never forget the day I was at the Bash at the Beach at Daytona Beach's Ocean Center and Russo laid the verbal smackdown and adios on Hogan -- something that was real, not to mention uncalled for on Russo's part.
I don't see Russo and Hogan getting along much at all, and it will probably lead to Russo either taking a step back (very likely) or being relieved from his duties entirely.
Sting is the biggest name who never signed with Vince McMahon, and a major Hogan-Sting angle is still wanted by many fans. I see this happening for sure.
There is a rumor that Nash, who was reportedly suspended one week for going off script, was Hogan's choice to be booker.
I don't see that happening, but I think it's very possible Hogan and Nash will cross paths in the story lines and tease an NWO reunion of sorts. Just minus Scott Hall.
One thing I do like about TNA Wrestling is its Legends Title. Once held by Nash, it wouldn't surprise me if Hogan held that strap before long.
And fans shouldn't have a problem with that.
Hogan also might have an angle, and match, with Kurt Angle -- considered one of the best wrestlers ever.
If you haven't figured it out by now, Hogan is a legend.
Lost in all this is WWE not getting Hogan back.
Reportedly, Vince McMahon wanted Hogan to guest host the Nov. 16 Madison Square Garden show. But, reportedly, McMahon wanted a merchandising deal that gave WWE the rights to the Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania names.
I think it was smart for Hogan to not jump at that offer, and to give TNA Wrestling a serious run (unlike his last run in an angle with Jeff Jarrett).
As Hogan has said, he still has a lot to offer. If it is as a wrestler, accept it. If it is as a booker, more power to him (literally).
Finally, what does the future hold?
I see Hogan being right up the road in Orlando for two to three years. I see him helping kick-start a possible ratings war. However, there are too many unknown factors involved right now to say how much, if any, of a ratings war we'll get.
I don't see Hogan wrestling many matches. I think it's safe to say he will only wrestle every three months tops. I'm sure there are concerns about his body holding up and keeping injuries away.
WWE can't be pleased with Hogan's signing, but maybe it will serve notice to it that TNA Wrestling is bringing it's "A game" to the table.
Getting back to the earlier Hogan news of the week, and having watched, listened and digested numerous interviews Hogan has given in the last few days, Hogan seems to be in a better place.
He seems to have his life back on track. He seems happy. He also seems sincere.
I did wonder at first if making book money was his sole purpose, but having met and idolized Hogan, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. He seems to have a bigger agenda -- helping people to not give up and getting people interested in wrestling again.
Hogan has done the latter numerous times, and I wouldn't bet against him doing it again.
Let's see, and enjoy, how this plays out.
LATEST HEADLINES AND MY REACTS
REACT: Awesome review of The Benoit Family Tragedy book.
Matt Striker replaces Jim Ross. REACT: Striker is an up-and-coming announcer. Here's hoping Ross returns soon.
Mickie James signs with country music promotion. REACT: It's rare to see young wrestlers planning for the future. Good for James.
Eric Young has successful throat surgery. REACT: Best of luck to Young in his recovery.
WWE paying for The Sandman to go to rehab. REACT: Glad to see someone else taking up this nice offer.
Giant Gonzalez, 43, wheelchair-bound and needs kidney dialysis. REACT: I enjoyed Gonzalez's wrestling run. The best to him in his recovery.
It's kind of laughable how TNA started out as a company who was going to be "different than WWE." Throw that out the window.
They've gone from futuristic company, only occasionally digging up some fossils to try and spark ratins, to taking a time machine back to 1994, just as WCW did by signing Hulk Hogan. The only difference is, in 1994, Hogan still had more than just a name to offer in the ring.
Now I am not defending WWE here because it's also unwatchable at times. I miss the old style of the '70's, '80's and '90's. But at least that company has found a vision and has built more than 10 stars who can main event any weekly show, PPV or house show. They don't need to bring in old stars as much as they used to.
What has TNA done other than hover around a 1-1.3 ratings the last couple of years and before that, not even 1?
Hogan may give the company an initial bump in the ratings, if that, but the average fan has moved past the past.
And Nick Hogan might wrestle for TNA? Well, I guess that's better than having him drive the equipment truck back and forth to shows.