AS I SEE IT – Do We Matter At All?
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
http://pwbts.com
Well, Vince did it. At Hell in a Cell last week, WWE basically told fans like you and I that we don’t matter.
Oh, they still want our money. But WWE proved last Sunday that think we’re sheep, and will come along no matter what, despite lower TV ratings that struggle to make a 3.0, and buyrates down.
But we really don’t matter.
Who are “we”?
We’re the fans who put up with the cartoon gimmicks (and even like one or two…see the Wyatt Family) and look for one really good match on a TV show or PPV.
We’re the fans who actually appreciate a good character, but one who can actually deliver a wrestling match in the ring.
We’re the fans who would “read the sheets”, then get snickered at in Stamford for doing it (while the locker room reads them and WWE management does too). We’re the ones who years ago used to search wrestling newsletters and, then, this brand-new thing called the Internet to find matches in Japan, Mexico, and in a new promotion called ECW to get quality matches that didn’t insult their intelligence.
We’re the fans that, when we don’t behave like sheep, we’re referred to as Bizarro World.
We’re the fans who went to Ring of Honor if we were lucky, or to independent shows, traveling God knows how far, to see one or two names we’d heard about who could really work a good, skilled match…
We’re the fans who buy the Wrestling Observer, read blogs, websites, and anything they could get their hands on that had wrestling in the name….the ones who get made fun of in Stamford.
Well, WWE thinks we don’t matter. Not unless we download the WWE app, or buy a WWE DVD collection and hope it hasn’t been edited to death.
Why this rant? It ought to be obvious.
A week ago, Bryan “Daniel Bryan” Danielson the very character who is the favorite of most of these fans I speak about (including me) along with a lot more of the traditional “WWE Universe”, got his legs cut out from under him.
A long WWE storyline showing Bryan Danielson against “The Authority” of HHH and Stephanie McMahon (they now even have a gimmick name, guess the “McMahon-Helmsley Era” v. 2.0 didn’t work), getting screwed out of the with only one logical conclusion, a storyline that went on month after month, leading to a blow-off in the Hell in a Cell with Bryan Danielson overcoming all odds and finally getting his Title.
WWE can’t blow that, right? Wrong. Instead for the feel good moment, we have John Cena making a SuperCena comeback far too soon for anything other than modern chemistry.
We now have (again) Randy Orton as Champion. Bryan Danielson is pparently being scaled back to working a tag against the Wyatt Family with The Miz.
Randy Orton will work the Big Show, who we’re supposed to believe has been “fired” (anyone remember that “iron-clad contract”?, and his house repossessed by “The Authority”, despite the fact he’s working each and every show he’s scheduled to work under the guise of “contractual obligations”.
Wonder if Stephanie and Vince figured out this one: If Big Show’s destitute, how’s he traveling throughout the US and on tours in foreign countries. Look, I don’t mind suspending my disbelief. But don’t ask me to throw it in the shredder.
Meanwhile..to some people to whom what we do DOES matter.
The holidays are coming.
Yes. Already.
Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year will soon be here. Your friendly not-so-local retail mega-store will soon be killing lots of trees to print advertisements to sell you and I all sorts of goodies. Holiday ads are already running on the shopping channels, and will soon be running on TV non-stop. People will maul each other to get this year’s iPad, IPhone, or iSomething for their kids or themselves.
Back to the spirit of the season…. the wrestling community will reach out to those in need. Independent promotions hold a wide variety of events to benefit various food pantries, shelters, Toys for Tots drives. Over the years, promotions in my area from the family-friendly United Wrestling Coalition to the hardcore themed Combat Zone Wrestling ranging to indies of various sizes and types trough the United States and Canada. Even if you don’t have one in your own area this Holiday season, please take time to contribute to or volunteer with such organizations.
These promotions have agreed so far to do Toys for Tots and charitable-themed shows during the Holidays (and shortly before):
The original promotion in the Philadelphia area (to my knowledge) with United Wrestling Coalition holding their 17th annual Toys for Tots show on December 4. At the December Toy drive show, the only reserved seating will go to those pledging a new bicycle donation. One new bicycle will get you five reserved seats – front and center for a night of the absolute finest pro wrestling action and community involvement – all designed to place toys in the arms and smiles in the hearts of very well deserving children. The December 7th show will also feature many door prize/raffle items – a family tradition that UWC has been carrying out for 17 years! For more information, contact UWC at 609-792-9328 or friend us on Facebook – we are Real UWC NJ.
3XW returns for November Knockout 5 on Friday November 22nd, at Baratta’s @ Forte, 615 3rd Street. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Doors open at 6:45 pm for advance ticket holders. Doors open at 7 pm for everyone else. Bell time is 7:30 pm
We are very happy to announce we will once again be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots at the door of the event this year!
We are also very happy to be collecting items for the Boys & Girls Club’s “Feed the Hungry” program. This includes non-perishable food items that can be used for kids & families that may not have enough food in the pantry to make it through some weeks or weekends. Please help by bringing a food item with you to the event if you can.
Featuring:
3XW Heavyweight Championship
“The Intellectual Punk” Tony Sly vs. Gage Octane (c)
5 on 5 Elimination Tag Team match
American Bulldogs – Maddog McDowell & “The American Fury” Jon West, AJ Smooth, Ricky Love & Ray Stryker vs. The Kansas City Killers – 3XW Tag Team champions – Mark Sterling & “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt, The King Brothers – Jake & Ryan King & “Showtime” Bradley Charles w/Skylar Pierce
3XW Pure Wrestling Championship
Rebelucha vs. “The Rockstar” Jimmy Rockwell (c)
Singles Match
Brady A Dezire vs. 2013 King of Des Moines “The Natural” JJ Garrett
Singles Match
Levi McDaniel vs. “Delicious” Devin Carter
Singles Match
Emperor Kwong w/Chad Mylan vs. Geek Singh
Singles match
“The Right Price” Aaron Masterson vs. Derek Cornell
*Card subject to change
Tickets:
Adult Front Row $19 Advance Tickets | $21 at the Door
Kids Front Row $10 Advance Tickets | $11 at the Door
Adult General Admission $13 Advance Tickets | $16.00 at the Door
Kids 10 & Under $7.00
Kids 3 & Under FREE Admission
Tickets will be on sale on November 2nd at:
Jay’s CD & Hobby
3315 SE 14th St
Des Moines, IA
Cup O’ Kryptonite – The Original Coffee & Comic shop!
2608 Beaver Ave
Des Moines, IA
This event is sponsored by: Aspen Athletics, Prints Copy Center, Henry J’s Taco House, and White’s Automotive.
Slam Championship Wrestling presents WRESTLE FOR TOTS on Saturday, November 9 at Pinegrove Fire Hall, Gloucester City, NJ. Come out and see wrestling superstars, such as: The Patriot, Patch, Breaker Morant, Latin Connection, and Donnie Hart, and more…
Doors open 6:30/pm 7:30 pm. Tickets: Children under 12 and under $7, Adults $10. Bring a new unwrapped toy for a child, and get a FREE 8×10 picture of a WWE Superstar
First State Wrestling returns to Harrington, DE on November 16 for a pediatric cancer benefit show in a night featuring 3 Tables Ladder and Chairs Matches.
Here is your November 16th LINE UP for First State Wrestling goes EXTREME on CANCER
1- 1CW Tag Title Match
Champions Pretty Ugly vs WBDC in a TLC & Toilet Seat Match
2- 1CW Cruiser Champion Eric Chapel defends in a fatal 4way vs Chance Sevenfold vs Juan Montoya vs ?????
3- 1CW Hwt Title Champion Mark Harro defends against Christian York vs Justin Credible in a 3 way TLC Match
4- Black Wall St ( Drolix /Lennox& Solo) vs the Brotherhood of Brutality (Adam Flash/ Vinnie Damoochie & a NEW MEMBER)
5- Sinister X vs the Samoan Tsunami NUI
6- Muddy Waters vs the Funky White Boy
7- Country Force vs D& D Destruction Co (Sonny Deeds & Scott Dukes) in a TLC Match
8- SPECIAL SURPRISE TAG MATCH !!!
North American Pro Wrestling will hold a “Toys for Tots Fundraiser” on Saturday, December 14 at the Hickory Grove Banquet Center, located at 1127 N. 7th Street Rochelle, I.
Doors Open 6:30pm Bell Time 7:30pm. It’s an all ages event, with alcohol available to those 21+
Tickets just $10 or 1 new unwrapped/un-open toy
www.facebook.com/northamericanprowrestling
NAPW Heavyweight Championship for the vacant title:
Grin VS Anthony Antonelli w/KaDance Kelli
Plus: The NAPW return of the Midnight Express Reboot, former NAPW Champion Pauly Thomaselli, Machine, Jack Carpenter, The Chi-Town Hitman Frankie, Mike Anthony, and Dereck St Holmes and more! .
DJ Hyde and Combat Zone Wrestling have agreed and plans are underway for the annual Toys for Tots collection (in conjunction with the Marine Corps Reserve) to take place for the ninth year in a row to have Combat Zone Wrestling and the 15th annual Cage of Death on December 14 at The Flyers Skate Zone, 601 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees, NJ with a 7:30 pm bell time. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online.
ECWA will be doing its second annual Toys for Tots show on Saturday, December 7 with Toys for Tots II in Newark, DE at the Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club, 109 Glasgow Drive, Rt 40 & #1, Positive Place Newark, DE
PLEASE join us and the United States Marine Corps as we collect unwrapped, new toys for our annual Toys for Tots toy drive. PLEASE BRING A TOY!
ALREADY ANNOUNCED:
Triple Threat for the ECWA Tag Team Championship
D-Line(c ) vs. Breaker Morant/Apollyon vs. Legion of Destruction
Title vs. Career
*If Wylde loses he has to leave the ECWA forever!
Ricky ‘The Model’ Martinez(c ) w/Renee Michelle vs. ‘Heartkiller’ Chris Wylde w/ WWE Hall of Famer and former leader of the 4 Horsemen JJ Dillon
Kai Katana returns!
So as I ask promotions and readers each year, please e-mail any announcements about scheduled Holiday charitable-themed (fund-raisers for clothes, food pantries or Toys for Toys, etc.) wrestling or MMA events to bobmagee1@hotmail.com.
Until next time…
Bob Magee