Great post Sean. I don't watch TNA so I really couldn't give you an honest answer to your question.
I would add about Orton that the thing I like, and I think the thing that everyone else who likes him likes, is that he so cool. I mean even in the middle of a match the dude remains cool as hell.
It's a cool kind of cool too. For example, Jeff Hardy tries to be cool with his little music and head banging but to me it just comes across as really gay. Orton is slow, methodical and smooth with his cool. He's like a gangster in there. The disrespecting the hell out of legends and kicking people in the head adds to that.
And his little pose with his arms in the air is bad ass.
As far as his wrestling goes, he's a head above people like Cena, Lashley, Umaga, Khali (ugh) and a ton more. I mean you'll watch Raw all night and you won't see a single real grapple. As soon as Orton steps into the ring you start to see that.