Matt Morgan: Looking At The "Blueprint" |
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Friday, 18 April 2008
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TNA SUPERSTAR MATT MORGAN: FOLLOWING THE BLUEPRINT By Gerry Strauss When Matt Morgan decided to explore the possibilities of working for TNA, he didn’t take the usual “wrestler” path. Most athletic prospects might contact a TNA scouting agent to ask for an opportunity. Perhaps they would compile some footage of previous matches or send in a list of their wins and accomplishments. Maybe their agent would get involved, pitching their client’s abilities and star power. Matt Morgan simply sent in his business resume. Of course, he didn’t simply send his credentials to the TNA offices. Instead, he contacted an old acquaintance: TNA Management Director Jim Cornette, whom had mentored him earlier in his career. But here’s the kicker: instead of pushing to become an active wrestler, Morgan applied for a job as Cornette’s management assistant. But why would an athlete with Morgan’s impressive physical gifts opt for a life outside the ring? Was he intimidated by TNA’s superior level of talent? Did he yearn for a life outside of the spotlight? Not quite. In fact, while Morgan’s new role was probably intended to be a desk job, he has done everything but keep away from the action. Instead, he has taken every opportunity to exert his own influence over the company. He broke up fights in and out of the ring. He offered his opinions even without being asked. He even changed matches and gave orders to TNA talent when Cornette wasn’t there to stop him. As we soon found out, Matt wasn’t the over-eager hothead that he appeared to be. While he was driving Cornette’s blood pressure through the roof, he was also driving something else: his own career. Suddenly, without breaking a sweat, he had not only become one of TNA’s hottest stars, but he had also gotten inside the heads of everyone on the roster. From Samoa Joe to Kurt Angle, Morgan stood up to the toughest men in the sport and lived to tell the tale, building a fearsome reputation of his own in the process…again, without so much as throwing a punch. Meanwhile, Jim Cornette was getting more and more frustrated with Morgan’s brash management style, especially since he was typically forced to deal with the consequences of his assistant’s actions. Although the two men had a history, their time working together sparked more and more disagreements, but Morgan’s final move even shocked his boss. It was supposed to be a triumphant night for TNA. For the very first time, iMPACT was broadcast live on Spike TV, and former World Champion Sting returned to the iMPACT Zone to announce that he had joined Christian Cage’s four man team for the upcoming “Lethal Lockdown” 4-on-4 match. Unfortunately for Sting, the opportunistic “Cowboy” James Storm crashed the party, breaking a bottle over Sting’s head. The following week, it was announced that Storm had joined Team Tomko…with Matt Morgan’s approval. It certainly appeared that he had sold out to Tomko, AJ Styles and the rest of the unholy collective. However, the real shocker was yet to come later in that show, as Morgan revealed his true affiliation…to Team Cage. He hadn’t sold out after all. Certainly, there was no indication that Morgan had struck any sort of deep friendship with Cage, Sting, or any of his new teammates. Rather, it felt more like Morgan felt the urge to fight for what is right…and, maybe, jump start the next phase of his career at the same time. The following week, Cornette officially dismissed Morgan from his management position. He was now a professional wrestler again…a main-event wrestler, at that. He didn’t need to earn the respect of his peers or TNA fans, as he had already done that during his time alongside Cornette. His performance alongside TNA’s most popular superstars inside the “six sides of steel” further cemented his status as a tue superstar on the rise, and now, the sky is truly the limit for this seven-footer. Love him or hate him, here’s guessing that you can’t wait to see what he’ll do next. How did Matt Morgan sneak up and snatch the spotlight in TNA? It’s simple: the “Blueprint” was there all along. |
