The file photo accompanying this column is now officially outdated. As you saw on Impact and will see tonight at Lockdown, now underway as I write this, Jeff Jarrett has gone back to the longer, curly hair he had during his first WWF(E) run in 1995. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he also went back to that white outfit he wore back in those days.

Jarrett is the surprise 5th member of Team Angle for the Lethal Lockdown match headlining tonight's card. In fact, Kurt Angle is the only man on the team that Jarrett HASN'T feuded with, since Angle went right into a feud with Samoa Joe upon arriving in TNA last fall. Joe, Sting, & Rhino have all feuded with and beaten Jarrett in the last year. So what would make them suddenly trust Jarrett, who still carries around a guitar as a weapon, a gimmick he's had for 12 years, dating back to that first WWF(E) run?

For the answer, you have to consider what prompted Jarrett to take a leave of absence from wrestling after losing the NWA title to Sting 6 months ago at Bound For Glory. Jarrett's wife has cancer, and the most despised man in TNA found it within himself to put his career on hold and attend to his wife's needs. I'm not certain whether or not Jarrett will actually disclose any of this on the air, but it would earn him some major babyface points with the fans if he did. At this point in his life, it's not a good idea for Jeffrey Jarrett to continue to play the arch-villain in TNA. He needs the support of the fans, not their apathy. Jarrett has been a heel for most of these last 12 years, and his guitar is one of the stalest gimmicks in the business.

Of course, there are those who will shrug and say, "well, by the end of the summer, it'll be the same old Jarrett", smashing his current allies over the head with the guitar to get ahead. That could very well be true. Consider that at the present time, Jarrett has 10 World titles (6 NWA, 4 WCW), and while he'd never acknowledge it, he is pursuing Ric Flair's record of 16 titles. Over in WWE, Triple H also has 10, but hasn't held a title in 2 years, and is currently on the DL. Becoming a father and family man for the first time last year has helped change the "Cerebral Assassin". Casting aside his career in favor of being a devoted husband can do the same for Jarrett. Internet fans have the advantage over the casual ones in that they know the truth and can respect Jarrett for stepping aside. Still, it is inevitable that Jarrett will revert to his old ways as easily as stepping into a pair of old shoes that haven't been used in years. What could stop him from doing that? Being honest with the fans and putting over his wife's battle with cancer without making it too much of an angle. It's a human interest story worth some valuable time, if Jarrett is so inclined.

It would also help if Jarrett further freshened his image. The long, curly hair is back. Getting rid of the guitar once and for all is another step in the right direction. As I said earlier, it's very stale. If this makeover takes Jarrett all the way back to the very start of his career, when he was working for his father and then-business partner Jerry Lawler in Memphis, we'd be seeing a side of Jarrett that has long been buried. I know he had a brief face run in TNA a few years back, but the key word there is "brief". A year ago, Christian Cage was the public's choice in TNA. Now, he's where Jarrett was at that time, the most despised man in the promotion. It's almost a sure thing they will meet again for the championship later this year. It is in the best interests of TNA, for the sake of its post-NWA future, that Jeff Jarrett does not revert to his old self. It's also for his family's sake, himself included.

Following up on my last column, it should surprise no one that Hulk Hogan has spoken out against Jerry Lawler after the King was forced out of their match in Memphis on 4/27, under a directive from Vince McMahon that no WWE talent would be allowed to work for Memphis Championship Wrestling. Lawler has lost face in the eyes of his constituents in Memphis, and now is faced with a major career decision. Hogan knows that McMahon's actions were aimed at him because of their personal issues, previously discussed here. Lawler tried to cover it up by saying WWE didn't want their people appearing on VH1's "Hogan Knows Best", without mentioning the show by name. This time, the blame should be equally shared between Hogan and McMahon for burning the bridge. Hogan for his phone scam leaking out the Hall of Fame candidates on the Bubba the Love Sponge show, and McMahon for being a petty, vindictive, bullying corporate baron who may've just handed MCW over to TNA on a silver platter.