Well I went through a laundry list of things I wanted to cover in detail but I don't know if I'll have as much time as I originally hoped but I'll try to cover everything. First off......
SGWA- You know I was gonna go on a whole big rant but you know what, fuck it. Lawler was there, they had a big house, good for them. Yeah, they shit on thier loyal guys, before (Neil and Rocker) and after (their regular workers who didn't get paid) but apparently someone clued them in that it takes workers to have a show so now they've decided to make things right. Well good for them, hope everything turns out peachy for them and maybe they can book another big name and draw another big house someday. I will commend them though on at least admitting they tried to get XOW shut down, as gutless of a pussy move as that was at least they owned up to it. Also VERY shocked to see this column is STILL linked on their site, cool with me. After this post I'm pretty much done ragging on them.
Payoffs- or as J.D. would say, "Pizzay" (it's funny before someone clued me in on the carny talk, I just thought J.D. was a closet fan of Snoop Dog or something). Anyways, this was a hot topic last week with many people chiming in, some who should and some who had no business in the matter one way or the other. Well here's my 2 cents for what it is worth. Yes, I think it is ok for guys just starting out(green guys) to not get paid for a while til they pay their dues and learn how to work (at least partially). Yes, I know there are experienced guys who are willing to work just for the "love of the business" but they shouldn't have to. Yes, I know in most cases promoters don't usually make a lot of money but these guys are still traveling to the shows, they are still getting in there and working and putting their bodies at risk and they deserve to be paid a reasonable amount. It's like that in any other BUSINESS, If McDonalds has a slow week they can't tell all their employees at the end of week, "sorry we didn't make anything this week, we'll try to get you next time". That's bullshit. Also the reason a lot of the towns don't draw anymore is because a lot of cheap ass promoters would rather use green guys who will work for free and set their ring up for them, rather than pay guys who can work. They think they are getting ahead but they just run off the good workers and kill the crowds. If you invest the money in your show to use guys who can work it will pay off in the long run. As for the amount, well that's between the promoter and the wrestler, if they can agree on an amount then that should be fine, and like J.D. said, if you don't get a guarantee and agree to work off the door then your stuck taking what they give you, get a guarantee next time or go somewhere else but don't go on the internet and bitch about it. These guys who piss and moan about "ABCD wrestling doesn't pay me" and sign it 'ABCD Worker'. You know why they don't pay you, cause you put up with it, if everyone left and their were only two or three of them left to work then I guess they'd have to start paying you, and if not go get booked on one of the 2o other wrestling shows in the area. The point is, you don't show up, drop your pants and bend over ,then cry cause you got fucked. Next topic....
Golden Triangle Wrestling- Neil and I decided to go to the GTW show in Montpeliar(sp?) and I have to say, I had a helluva a good time. As J.D. said he was booking the show(kinda) and it was fun to sit in the dressing room and cut up with him and watch him try to book the card and then have the promoter come change it every 5 minutes. It was also fun ragging him about the fact HE was the booker and he was in the opener for the GTW title, and in the main event for the GTW Tag Titles, LOL!! I know, I know it was the promoter's idea. Still funny though. And as he mentioned, it was the grand return of Southern Destruction, not quite what we had planned it to be in the weeks leading up to the 26th, but interesting none the less. We wrestled Mitch Toretta (sp?) and David Andrews. I have to say I was skeptical going in as we were being told that Andrews was over in the babyface dressing room saying he should be the main event and should be going over, and not at all kidding by the way. (there was 50 people there, who gives a shit?) Anyways, then I was told that this Mitch kid was trained by 'Cowboy' Jim, who ain't exactly Dory Funk Jr. by any stretch of the imagination. Well we get out there and David Andrews (in his AJ Styles getup) is still the shits just like the last time I saw him during his claim to fame IWF tenure as Jason Envy. He fucked up everything Neil tried to call for him so we pretty much wrote him off about 2 minutes into it. Mitch Toretta however, albeit green, was good to work with and listened so we kept him in for most of the match, that is untill the clusterfuck of a finish where Andrews fucked up a piledriver nine ways from Sunday. Anyway, we get the pin and go in the back and later find out he was running his mouth off in the other dressing room. I swear, that little bitch better hope I never come across him somewhere at a show, which shouldn't be a problem cause anyone would be retarded to book him, he sucks ass AND he has an ego. Next topic.....
Wrestling in Okolona on December 17th- Looking forward to this show, looks like a great card at the Armory. Besides working, I'm looking foward to seeing a lot of guys that night that I haven't seen in quite some time. Should be a great show. Hope there's a good turnout.
Well that's all for now, in my next update I'll try to talk about some of the other stuff going on in wrestling. As always, thanks for reading and tell a friend.
GENE
