Bobby Roode And Eric Young Leave TNA Wrestling Because Dixie Carter Doesn't Get It

By Nicholas A. Marsico

It was announced on Saturday that both Bobby Roode and Eric Young, a pair of former TNA World Heavyweight Champions who worked there for the past 12 years, asked for and were granted their release. This doesn’t come as a surprise, especially not for Roode, since it has been rumored for years that he was headed out of TNA and on to greener pastures; it just never came to be. Young is more of an interesting loss, because it isn’t likely that WWE would want to pick him up (Roode is probably a shoo-in for NXT) but it’s obvious that he was being relegated to filler in Dixieland again.

The term “mark” has historically been used in a derogatory manner, with carnies and later wrestling promoters (glorified carnies, really) describing people who would easily fall for scams and shams, or buy into something that may not be on the up-and-up in one manner or another. Wrestling fans adopted the term when the internet became prevalent, also using it to deride other fans who they deemed unintelligent, not “smart” to the business or otherwise ignorant in regard to something related to how pro wrestling works.

Many fans, ones who are proud to be able to let their guard down and see wrestling for the out-of-control, silly sideshow act that it is, have happily taken the term as one of endearment. It’s good to be a mark, because it means you still truly enjoy the art that you grew up living and dying by. If one considers him or herself to be a mark, that means that the individual understands that it’s all just a show, a crazy business that isn’t to be taken too seriously; we can sit back and enjoy it for what it is and spend less time complaining.

The reason this distinction has to be made is because Dixie Carter is a mark the carnies would gobble up. But she’s the one who is supposed to be the carnie! Instead, she’s actually paying wrestlers and willingly letting them con her because she doesn’t get it! Dixie is a mark in the worst way possible. She has spent her entire run as TNA president doing everything she can to bring in guys who were stars for other big time promotions (mainly WWE, sometimes WCW) and immediately put them in prime time roles, even though their drawing power was reliant on the time period in which they were popular.

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff made waves in the world of professional wrestling in 1996 and 1997. In 2010, the wrestling world and its audience (and potential audience) were so unbelievably different than in the mid-1990s. The pair knew that, but didn’t necessarily care because they were given high-dollar guaranteed contracts. Carter figured (naively, which is her way) that because they were able to beat the WWF once (until, you know, they turned the company into a laughingstock) that they would be able to do the same for TNA. So she let them use antiquated business ideas and hokey TV storylines; they fell flat on their faces. She spent tons of money on guys like Scott Steiner, Sting, Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash, Booker T, Ric Flair — the list goes on and on — and it got her nowhere.

Meanwhile, guys like Roode and Young suffered. Sure, they were entertaining and got to participate on television, but these were guys who were labeled “future stars” in 2004 taking a backseat in 2009-10 to guys who were stars in 1997 for a company that died in 2001. Then things started to change when TNA lost Spike TV. Carter didn’t have the money to keep drowning the company in old people stink. So guys like Roode and Young, as well as Austin Aries, Magnus and Ethan Carter III, got to hold the title. Now Carter has become infatuated with the Hardy Boyz. She has loved Jeff Hardy since she was able to get her hands on him 12 years ago, and he’s been in and out. But for the last couple of years, he has landed back in her good graces, and now his brother is there too, and they are actually feuding!

Drew Galloway just won the world title, so things may be looking up, but until Carter pulls her head from her hindquarters, the vicious cycle is doomed to continue and she is going to lose more of the Bobby Roodes and Eric Youngs.

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