On the most recent episode of Heated Conversations, Booker T talked about his TNA run. He was pretty open about his time there, and likened it to being on vacation. Here are the highlights from the show (transcription via WrestleZone):
“TNA was like a vacation. You know what I mean? That’s why I don’t give it a whole lot of props, man, because it was like a vacation man. It wasn’t like I was really working for that money, man. You know what I mean? I was only working like 50 days a year. I had a two-year contract, you know what I mean. It was in Disney. You know, we went to do the tapings down there, so, I was on the rides half the time when I was supposed to be working. You know what I’m saying. So, it was a nice, nice vacation… It was cool working for TNA. It was great.”
He also talked about not putting over Matt Morgan in a match when asked to:
“They said it real quick, and brushed it off real quick. [They] hurried up and got up out of there. But before they left, I said, let me think about that, and we’ll talk. As soon as he walked out, I walked out right behind him and I thought about it. I go, ‘No, we’re not gonna do that.’ I been around for a long time. I know I’m leaving, but I don’t wanna just go out there and do a job on my way out. I can’t do that. So, I’m not gonna do that.’ So, they go talk to the powers that be, and they come talk to me. They say, ‘Book, you don’t wanna put him over?’ I go, ‘No. I’m not doing that.’ … It was an insult on so many ways. So, finally they talked, and they come back and say, ‘Well, we’ll do it the original way.’ I go, ‘No. I can’t do that either, because you insulted me.’ So tonight, I’m gonna take off. How bout that.”
For more from the interview with Booker T, check out WrestleZone.
Refusing to job on his way out, so professional, you know what I’m saying?
I’m thinking my opinion of Booker has really changed in the years since WCW went out. And not in a good way. Why would you publicly come out and say this?
I will say that this confirms exactly what a lot of people thought: TNA was a check and a check only for many guys, and not a lot of energy was put into making TNA an attractive product for the fans. That, combined with poor leadership (an understatement) and no real creative direction, and it’s no wonder they weren’t able to make a dent in the WWE machine. Like a screen door on a submarine.
Summary of the Podcast Summary
Booker T was asked to do next to no work in TNA (50 dates a year) and spent his time going on rides instead of working. But he cant “give it a whole lot of props, man”.
Booker says he had a 2 year contract??? Not sure what he means by that.
Booker says it was “great ” and “cool” not doing things that would benefit his employer.
Regarding this ability to perform pre-scripted actions: “I can’t do that”. Curiously, he doesn’t ask if we know what he is talking about because everyone would be “wtf!?”. Then he decides he is “gonna take off” to cap his career of barely working for TNA.