Next to Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles, perhaps only James Storm had the unique it factor to actually be a homegrown, breakthrough babyface for TNA. He'd been with the company since June of 2002, and a member of two of the companys best tag teams. Losing a popular veteran like that, for reasons which are surely money related, makes it seem like they are certainly doomed. You cant help but feel at least a little for Storm, because he never got a real chance to be a top star. For a short time, the crowds were going crazy for him, and he was cutting some of the best babyface promos in the business. More importantly, he represented something you couldnt find in WWE: a tough talking, ass kicking guy from the South. He was briefly rushed into winning the world title, and then it was quickly taken away in a haphazard feud with his Beer Money partner Bobby Roode. It was all downhill from there. His last chance at staying relevant in the company was bungled, when creative decided to turn him heel against his tag partner Gunner. It should have been the other way around. Storm then led a Wyatt Family knock-off in The Revolution, which is one of the worst stables of this generation. Seriously, The Great Sanada, Manik in a black mask, Khoya and Abyss? That was the best they could come up with for Storm? Oh, he also had a haunted barn and tried to murder Mickie James. Its just too bad the Cowboy couldnt have ridden off into the sunset on a much better note.
As Rust Cohle from True Detective said "Life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you're good at."
Sadly, I can't solve a murder like Rust...or change a tire, or even tie a tie. But I do know all the lyrics to Hulk Hogan's "Real American" theme song and can easily name every Natural Born Thriller from the dying days of WCW. I was once ranked 21st in the United States in Tetris...on the Playstation 3 version...for about a week.
Follow along @AndrewSoucek and check out my podcast at wrestlingwithfriends.com
