Precap to the Oct. 11, 2012 episode of TNA 'Impact Wrestling', or the one before 'Bound For Glory'

Hogan! Sting! Bully! Aces and Eights! Impressions! Same! Damn! Impact! Order!

Last week (Oct. 4), the majority of the Impact Wrestling roster competed to "impress" Sting and be chosen as his tag team partner when he faces Aces and Eights at Bound For Glory. It's a position that carries a lot of weight and responsibilities. If Sting chooses correctly and Team TNA wins, Aces and Eights is banished from the Impact Wrestling Zone. However, if the masked group emerges victorious, then it takes control of the promotion. With the stakes so high, there should be a sense of excitement from the fans.

It's a damn shame TNA has managed to screw this up so badly.

Every time TNA was supposed to zig, it zagged. Aces and Eights knocked off Sting and Hogan to start the angle, then worked its way down the roster. The masked group "invaded" the Orlando promotion, then retreated into its super secret club house. When the time came to uncover who was behind the poker-centric faction, the big reveal was delayed. The angle has been stop and go from the beginning, failing to capture any true momentum.

There may be good news, though! The great thing about jumping the shark is that things cannot get any worse. Hogan is not putting himself in the ring (which should be a given but at this point I'll take it as a positive). Sting hasn't been completely horrible throughout the whole thing, and I'm sure the guy can work a basic tag team match. Bully Ray continues to do the best work of his career, showing that he deserved his new contract and the main event spotlight.

And we still have the big reveal!

There's a lot that TNA can possibly do with who is behind Aces and Eights. Yes, Eric Bischoff and/or Jeff Jarrett is/are most likely the leader(s). But there are still plenty of options to fill out the rest of the group. How cool would it be to have Brother Devon come back angry that he was not offered a new contract? Maybe TNA was able to grab a legend with some legit clout. Or perhaps there's a few indy stars that are given the opportunity to make a name for themselves. There is certainly a way for TNA to save face with the whole angle.

It's time to just wait and see what the endgame is. Hopefully this doesn't continue to drag on anymore than it already has.

Aries! Hardy! Respect! Jealous! TNA World Heavyweight Championship!

Perhaps the most interesting tool TNA possesses is the "Curse of the TNA Title," and it seems the curse has struck again. Austin Aries has earned the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in the fairest of fashions by defeating Bobby Roode twice, each time as clean as an Army barracks. He is one of the most talented guys on the rosters, both in the ring and on the mic.

Yet for some reason he feels inadequate standing next to Jeff Hardy, and he's starting to loose his mind.

Aries can put on the most amazing matches, cut the sickest promos, be his generally awesome self, but it will never be enough to match what Hardy has. Hell, the face-painted freak can just wave his hands like he's having a seizure and the crowd will go wild for him. So "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" feels the pangs of jealousy. What more does he have to do in order to win over the fans? When will he get the respect he feels he deserves?

Why is the Impact Wrestling Zone not entertained?

It's actually a fascinating storyline overall. I just don't like the timing of it. Aces and Eights control the majority of the show. James Storm's and Bobby Roode's yearlong feud should have a much higher place on the card, and should have the weight of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship behind it. I wish there was a way for TNA to have its cake and eat it too.

I just don't feel like this is getting the time it needs to really flesh out the angle.

Storm! Roode! King Mo! Officiating Bias! Shenanigans!

Let me ask you a question, Cagesiders; if you are going into the biggest moment of your career, do you mock the person in charge of your fate? For example, you wouldn't walk into a final exam and cut a scathing promo on your teacher. Nor would you enter a job interview and try to stare down your potential boss. That is just common sense.

So why would Bobby Roode call out King Mo last week, and then proceed to lay his hands on the "Special Guest Enforcer/Referee?"

On top of that, how is it fair that the MMA "star" shared a beer with James Storm in the ring? We all know our teachers/bosses/parents have favorites, but you're not supposed to openly admit it. I'm pretty sure there are rules against that sort of thing. And if there isn't, there should be.

What was once a great feud between Storm and Roode has turned into something far less. What is the point of the past year if King Mo is going to waltz in and mark his territory? Hamlet didn't spend five acts trying to avenge his father's murder for King Lear to come in and steal the show (I know the comparison makes no sense, but neither does this angle).

You want to bring King Mo in? Fine. Just put him someplace else. Not in the blowoff match to the best thing TNA had going for it the past 12 months. The good guy is supposed to get his win back by vanquishing his nemesis on his own.

Not because someone else, someone who isn't even on the roster, helped him get over.

Everything Else! Bullet Points!

• Not only is Tara continuing to dominate her former protégé Miss Tessmacher, but she is constantly on the phone with her Hollywood beau. While we don't know who he is yet, he sounds like a pretty famous fellow. I know this sounds really stupid, but I can't help being more excited about this reveal than Aces and Eights.
• Poor Joseph Park. The guy is going to need a lot of therapy after this ordeal. Well, more therapy than he needs for the whole "Tyler Durden" thing he has going.

Hopefully this has gotten you prepaired for the night's festivities. Leave a comment about what you are excited about, and please join Nolan, myself, and the whole CSS Thursday Night gang in the live blog right here.