Anonymous TNA Talent Levels Harsh Allegations Against Ric Flair on European Tour

Source: Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com

One of the hottest stories on the interwebs in the last few days has been the tale of Ric Flair demanding an advance on his pay and then ultimately being left behind as the tour moved on. Our own William B. West reported the story here yesterday and pointed out nothing is confirmed.

Well, the latest round of this seemingly built-for-the-internet storyline is that Flair is back on the tour, but that “several talents spoke up to management…pushing for Flair to be sent home and even let go from the company.”

Further, the folks at PWInsider.com cites an anonymous talent who allegedly said:

“The whole thing was stupid but most of us feel more sorry for him than upset. If someone told you everyone is mad, that’s a lie. But, there are some pissed because it makes the entire crew look like a**holes and we are certainly tired of his sh**. Flair’s asked several of us for money when he’s had his credit cards declined. When that happens, the bar tab comes and others get stuck paying for the very drinks he said were on the house in the first place. Everyone loves the “Nature Boy”, but when the limousines and party lifestyle is based on bad credit and lies, it suddenly becomes more pathetic than anything else. There is nothing glamorous about a guy who has no concept of money management and then lies to try and get out of it. The fact he has no money should be a lesson every wrestler today should take note of. Don’t let this happen to you. If you read the Gorgeous George book that came out and then take an honest look at Ric, you realize, wow, that book is pretty much predicting his future – and that’s not a happy ending.”

A second anonymous source allegedly told the popular wrestling website:

“I respect what the older guys have done, but they aren’t making us any money. Nothing reflects that. We would draw the exact same if 99% of them were gone. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take a leap forward and I really think more and more that’s where TNA is. Obviously, you need some veteran talents but there’s a crew here that wants to build a company and we want to focus on that, not paying someone’s bar tab and having to wait for him to fight it out with Craig Jenkins [TNA Management] when he doesn’t get his way.”

Brief Commentary:
From my perspective, I think that most of what is “reported” above is conjecture and probably the angst of one or two employees in TNA Wrestling that are either not heavily used or disgruntled in the first place. All of the interviews and media appearances by TNA wrestlers have them praising both Flair and Hulk Hogan. Plus, if you read the second anonymous source’s comments, they reflect the internet hysteria over the veterans coming in and taking over TNA Wrestling. In reality, though, the “veterans” are Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan – who else is currently working for TNA, is a veteran, and was brought in after last January?

The only place you hear about veteran taking over the company is online and when you use the two eyeballs that are slapped in your head to actually watch a show or follow the product, it’s just not true.

Again, I think these alleged comments were either made by someone who is pulling the wool over the eyes of the popular wrestling site that reported them or by someone who isn’t used that much and pissed about it. Just my thoughts.