If you believe the current rumours beginning to run wild within the NHL Hockey circles, the Phoenix Coyotes are a team on deaths door. Apparently, it's so bad financially in the desert that the team could be folded and the players subjected to a dispersal draft at season's end. Small whispers are starting to circulate throughout Winnipeg that the team could move here, call the MTS Centre home, and compete on the same scale as the Edmonton Oilers. I for one believe that the NHL in Winnipeg would be amazing and something I support, but the realist in me suggests we'd be no healthier than the Nashville Preditors in the economics of it all. In Nashville a huge pool of corporate sponsors invest major dollars in the Preds. In Winnipeg, I believe the NHL would be lucky to average 13000 fans. Sure there would be a fair share of sellouts, but there would also be those Wednesday nights with merely 11,500 in the building. So hope away, but be realistic on the notion of the Jets flying in Winnipeg again.
Brian Burke would say the Samuellis are the best owners in pro sports. Mike Shanahan said the same thing of Bronco's ownership. Bryan Murray must get down on all fours daily, pucker up and kiss Eugene Melnyk's bare ass. That is the only to explain and justify why a failure like that still has a job. And Craig Hartsburg sure makes John Padduck look like a Jack Adam's trophy winner for NHL Coach of the year.
WOW, speaking of sad state of affairs, what must the Tampa Bay Lightning be thinking? Brian Lawton has done such a lackluster job, and Rick Tocchet must be craving a new situation. Now they entertain the notion of trading Vinny Lecavalier? Hmmm... I'm sure there are more takers than just the Montreal Canadiens interested if the rumours are true.
Toronto Argos seem primed to name an NFL assistant coach with no CFL experience as their new head coach. Does anyone remember WAY back when, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers tried the same with Darryl Rogers? The results weren't that great.
I for one am sad to see Brendan Taman leave the Blue Bombers. It makes me hate the current regime that much more. Taman was a wonderful GM, who brought us Roberts, Brown, Khari and many other greats. He will be missed.
The economy is so bad and having a majorly negative affect all over the world, except the New York Yankees apparently. They spend money like they print it. Makes me wish I could be a Major League pitcher.
I was sad to see female's queen of curling Jennifer Jones lose to the men at last week's skins game.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Stand By Your Man
As 2009 is ushered in, I figured there would be nothing better than to write a blog about something I know a thing or two about, something that has helped define who I am in my adult life. I'm 3 months shy of 30, and I've been in the LOCAL wrestling business since I was 16 years old. So given that I have 14 years dedicated to the business, what better thing to talk about first and foremost in 2009, than just that.
More specifically I wanted to offer a piece of advice to my good friend Andrew Shallcross, promoter of Premier Championship Wrestling, Winnipeg's finest LOCAL professional wrestling show. Andrew has used "Welcome To The Jungle" since the inception of the company in 2002 to start every single PCW show. It's an anthem, it suggests that the wrestlers who perform on the show are wild jungle like animals, and the environment is so crazy anything can happen (from the critique's I've heard lately, nothing unpredictable has happened, and it's severely compromised the theme of the jungle). So all holiday season long, I've been thinking, what would be a better anthem for my good friend's wrestling product, something that perfectly describes a theme for the show, and describes Premier Championship Wrestling, the thriving LOCAL wrestling company. So when PCW holds it's next show on Thursday night January 15th, at Dylan's on Pembina Highway, I encourage you all to check it out, and more than that, I encourage the PCW's brain thrust to change the anthem of the company to... "Stand By Your Man" the 1970's classic country mega-hit by the great Tammy Wynette.
Now before you wrestling fans, all of whom have a strong desire to post ridiculous things on my comment section under anonymous names, chastise me for bad taste in music, let me say I can think of nothing more fitting or entertaining than the sweet sound of Tammy Wynette wailing out a song that perfectly describes the blind loyalty a group of about 10 LOCAL wrestlers give Andrew K. Shallcross. Nothing underlined this point, better than about a week ago when Danny Duggan announced a plan to run Canadian Wrestling's Elite, a wrestling vision that is designed to only give the wrestling fan his best vision of how good pro wrestling in Manitoba could be showcased, and a couple of LOCAL wrestlers suggested that Danny seek out a discussion with Shallcross to ask permission and keep the peace before investing his personal money and promoting a wrestling event. This will likely get heat but Danny Duggan is probably the best booking mind in Manitoba right now, and has the most comprehensive knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of every LOCAL wrestler in Manitoba. So as a fan, I'd be very excited to see a very different wrestling product, on January 23, at Maples Community Club.
Getting back to the point. A group of seemingly blind LOCAL wrestlers, following a promoter who has lead them to the promised land of declining productivity. Andrew will pressure any LOCAL wrestler who performs for PCW by saying "be loyal to the team", when in reality he's demanding that you follow his blind and often stubborn lead at all costs, and mostly in the worst directions ever. Of course, Andrew will argue that he has the best "team" anywhere in Canada, and that his shows are still the most successful, I've even heard he has boldly made the claim that he's the best booker these parts have ever seen. Sure you are, and I'm the most religious person at the church each and every Sunday.
Lets review some of the choices he expects his "team" of LOCAL wrestlers to endorse, support and show unequaled loyalty to:
-Stiffing TNA superstars Samoa Joe and Chris Sabin on pay, because Joe wouldn't put Kenny Omega over, and ended the match in 8 minutes. So naturally, let's not pay Chris Sabin either, because, well because I'm not sure... Lets just stiff them. The result, it will be nearly impossible to ever bring a TNA wrestler to PCW, and quite likely short of the very credible endorsement of Kenny Omega, it will be virtually impossible to get any "name" superstar in the wrestling business to accept a booking from PCW. (Andrew, pucker up and kiss Kenny's feet, because you owe him big, and if you aren't happy with the match from Kenny's contact, don't stiff him no matter what).
-Entering into an absolutely useless agreement with CWF promoter Ernie Todd, one that I accurately predicted would not work, and would accomplish Jack Diddly shit. In the meantime, Todd and Shallcross in an effort to power play with their misguided projection of market dominance attempted to blackball Danny Duggan, AJ Sanchez, Kevy Chevy and Don Douglas, but only accomplished firing up Steeltown Pro Wrestling, and promoter Rob Stardom who was wise enough to see the short-sightedness of the two. It also served to prop up Ringmasters Entertainment a great deal and created a stronger level of competition for PCW.
-Andrew is now telling anyone who will listen that he will expand the schedule of PCW from sporadic (he strives for monthly, but hasn't done so well with that) to bi-weekly. GOOD LUCK Mr. Promoter with that. You already work a fraction of what is needed to make a monthly show successful on the promoting and marketing end, and now you will double the commitment of shows? To me, that's like being a remedial high school student, and for some delusional reason signing up for University Entrance courses. You're likelihood of failing skyrockets, and it's to mask some desperation that I still can't fathom. You aren't qualified to promote a lemon-aid stand, you are vastly unqualified to promote a bi-weekly wrestling show. But prove me wrong.
The most contentious and absolutely asshole thing, that Mr. Promoter Andrew Shallcross did this week, was to make back-handed remarks, where he attempted to compromise the credibility of Bryan Danielson. Suggesting Danielson is not what main-stream wrestling fans would want to see was ridiculous. I'm certain that Amazing Red, and Milano Collection AT (advertised but do to injury never made it to PCW), and Steve Corino have the main-stream wrestling appeal that vastly surpasses Danielson (please note my intended sarcasm there). And while fans (who are really the only ones who matter in this blog) salivate at the thought of Mentallo vs. Danielson, a match that on anticipation alone has already delivered what promoter Danny Duggan hopes to achieve, Shallcross proclaims on his personal website that Mentallo knows nothing of the match. He stopped short of saying Mentallo won't be there, or isn't booked, just that it was questionable on the level of respect for the promoter to book Mentallo for potentially an opportunity that could define his 2009, without letting Mentallo know who his opponent would be. Danny, if you want to book me, and surprise me with a face to face promo with Ric Flair, I will consider it completely disrespectful, especially if you don't negotiate my pay and let me know I'm doing it first. I won't appreciate your faith in me to be able to hold my own with the greatest promo in the business. (Please note my earlier sarcasm once again).
Now a very desperate and disillusioned Andrew has gone into complete panic mode. He's working his e-mail vigorously, and has dangled a potential announcement of an "import" to come to PCW and once again show why PCW isn't dieing. That's called reactionary, and it's the complete opposite of visionary. In an effort to get his loyal "team" of LOCAL wrestlers to shy away from the booking, he's suggested that evil Mike Davidson, with a legacy that includes producing National TV and Pay Per View wrestling broadcasts, and who is pretty respected amongst "Names" in the business is the actual promoter or booker of the event, but if that was known, the loyal PCW team of LOCALS would not take the booking. Andrew, if I was promoting the event, I probably would not have asked some of the LOCAL wrestlers in question. But for the sake of your ego, and my need for sarcasm, proof that I'm not the promoter or booker, or even am I booked for the event... This event will be a financial success on January 23, when is the last time Mike Davidson was involved in an event that was deemed a financial success? After all, despite having a legacy that includes PPV and TV, and having friendships with some of the biggest names in the wrestling business, I'm just a failure right? The only one of us failing at the moment, is the promoter who's running shows with four matches, and who's crew is shrinking by the month.
And another thing. Slap in the face? Andrew recently was attributed as saying PCW had more stars not on able to make their last show than any wrestling show has on their entire show. He said that three guys were unavailable. Well any show with Danny Duggan, AJ Sanchez, Kevyn Chevy, Don Douglas or Rob Stardom already have that many stars. So perhaps you can offer a retraction to your pompous statement. Just a thought.
I also know that this blog may prompt more LOCAL wrestling personality to take "their best shot" at me. Realize those "shots" are coming as you sit on the deck of the titanic, and it's going to suck when you are begging for life preservers because your blind loyalty to stubborn and unsuccessful promoter made it virtually impossible to get booked when he finally sunk. And rest assured, PCW is a ship with many many holes.
So to summarize:
I am not involved in any way shape or form in CWE's first event.
Under the "leadership" of Andrew Shallcross, Premier Championship Wrestling is failing at an alarming rapid rate, because the promoter is desperate and reactionary.
The new anthem for PCW should be "Stand By Your Man".
Thanks to Mike Arnott for his wonderful and appreciated contributions to this blog.
More specifically I wanted to offer a piece of advice to my good friend Andrew Shallcross, promoter of Premier Championship Wrestling, Winnipeg's finest LOCAL professional wrestling show. Andrew has used "Welcome To The Jungle" since the inception of the company in 2002 to start every single PCW show. It's an anthem, it suggests that the wrestlers who perform on the show are wild jungle like animals, and the environment is so crazy anything can happen (from the critique's I've heard lately, nothing unpredictable has happened, and it's severely compromised the theme of the jungle). So all holiday season long, I've been thinking, what would be a better anthem for my good friend's wrestling product, something that perfectly describes a theme for the show, and describes Premier Championship Wrestling, the thriving LOCAL wrestling company. So when PCW holds it's next show on Thursday night January 15th, at Dylan's on Pembina Highway, I encourage you all to check it out, and more than that, I encourage the PCW's brain thrust to change the anthem of the company to... "Stand By Your Man" the 1970's classic country mega-hit by the great Tammy Wynette.
Now before you wrestling fans, all of whom have a strong desire to post ridiculous things on my comment section under anonymous names, chastise me for bad taste in music, let me say I can think of nothing more fitting or entertaining than the sweet sound of Tammy Wynette wailing out a song that perfectly describes the blind loyalty a group of about 10 LOCAL wrestlers give Andrew K. Shallcross. Nothing underlined this point, better than about a week ago when Danny Duggan announced a plan to run Canadian Wrestling's Elite, a wrestling vision that is designed to only give the wrestling fan his best vision of how good pro wrestling in Manitoba could be showcased, and a couple of LOCAL wrestlers suggested that Danny seek out a discussion with Shallcross to ask permission and keep the peace before investing his personal money and promoting a wrestling event. This will likely get heat but Danny Duggan is probably the best booking mind in Manitoba right now, and has the most comprehensive knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of every LOCAL wrestler in Manitoba. So as a fan, I'd be very excited to see a very different wrestling product, on January 23, at Maples Community Club.
Getting back to the point. A group of seemingly blind LOCAL wrestlers, following a promoter who has lead them to the promised land of declining productivity. Andrew will pressure any LOCAL wrestler who performs for PCW by saying "be loyal to the team", when in reality he's demanding that you follow his blind and often stubborn lead at all costs, and mostly in the worst directions ever. Of course, Andrew will argue that he has the best "team" anywhere in Canada, and that his shows are still the most successful, I've even heard he has boldly made the claim that he's the best booker these parts have ever seen. Sure you are, and I'm the most religious person at the church each and every Sunday.
Lets review some of the choices he expects his "team" of LOCAL wrestlers to endorse, support and show unequaled loyalty to:
-Stiffing TNA superstars Samoa Joe and Chris Sabin on pay, because Joe wouldn't put Kenny Omega over, and ended the match in 8 minutes. So naturally, let's not pay Chris Sabin either, because, well because I'm not sure... Lets just stiff them. The result, it will be nearly impossible to ever bring a TNA wrestler to PCW, and quite likely short of the very credible endorsement of Kenny Omega, it will be virtually impossible to get any "name" superstar in the wrestling business to accept a booking from PCW. (Andrew, pucker up and kiss Kenny's feet, because you owe him big, and if you aren't happy with the match from Kenny's contact, don't stiff him no matter what).
-Entering into an absolutely useless agreement with CWF promoter Ernie Todd, one that I accurately predicted would not work, and would accomplish Jack Diddly shit. In the meantime, Todd and Shallcross in an effort to power play with their misguided projection of market dominance attempted to blackball Danny Duggan, AJ Sanchez, Kevy Chevy and Don Douglas, but only accomplished firing up Steeltown Pro Wrestling, and promoter Rob Stardom who was wise enough to see the short-sightedness of the two. It also served to prop up Ringmasters Entertainment a great deal and created a stronger level of competition for PCW.
-Andrew is now telling anyone who will listen that he will expand the schedule of PCW from sporadic (he strives for monthly, but hasn't done so well with that) to bi-weekly. GOOD LUCK Mr. Promoter with that. You already work a fraction of what is needed to make a monthly show successful on the promoting and marketing end, and now you will double the commitment of shows? To me, that's like being a remedial high school student, and for some delusional reason signing up for University Entrance courses. You're likelihood of failing skyrockets, and it's to mask some desperation that I still can't fathom. You aren't qualified to promote a lemon-aid stand, you are vastly unqualified to promote a bi-weekly wrestling show. But prove me wrong.
The most contentious and absolutely asshole thing, that Mr. Promoter Andrew Shallcross did this week, was to make back-handed remarks, where he attempted to compromise the credibility of Bryan Danielson. Suggesting Danielson is not what main-stream wrestling fans would want to see was ridiculous. I'm certain that Amazing Red, and Milano Collection AT (advertised but do to injury never made it to PCW), and Steve Corino have the main-stream wrestling appeal that vastly surpasses Danielson (please note my intended sarcasm there). And while fans (who are really the only ones who matter in this blog) salivate at the thought of Mentallo vs. Danielson, a match that on anticipation alone has already delivered what promoter Danny Duggan hopes to achieve, Shallcross proclaims on his personal website that Mentallo knows nothing of the match. He stopped short of saying Mentallo won't be there, or isn't booked, just that it was questionable on the level of respect for the promoter to book Mentallo for potentially an opportunity that could define his 2009, without letting Mentallo know who his opponent would be. Danny, if you want to book me, and surprise me with a face to face promo with Ric Flair, I will consider it completely disrespectful, especially if you don't negotiate my pay and let me know I'm doing it first. I won't appreciate your faith in me to be able to hold my own with the greatest promo in the business. (Please note my earlier sarcasm once again).
Now a very desperate and disillusioned Andrew has gone into complete panic mode. He's working his e-mail vigorously, and has dangled a potential announcement of an "import" to come to PCW and once again show why PCW isn't dieing. That's called reactionary, and it's the complete opposite of visionary. In an effort to get his loyal "team" of LOCAL wrestlers to shy away from the booking, he's suggested that evil Mike Davidson, with a legacy that includes producing National TV and Pay Per View wrestling broadcasts, and who is pretty respected amongst "Names" in the business is the actual promoter or booker of the event, but if that was known, the loyal PCW team of LOCALS would not take the booking. Andrew, if I was promoting the event, I probably would not have asked some of the LOCAL wrestlers in question. But for the sake of your ego, and my need for sarcasm, proof that I'm not the promoter or booker, or even am I booked for the event... This event will be a financial success on January 23, when is the last time Mike Davidson was involved in an event that was deemed a financial success? After all, despite having a legacy that includes PPV and TV, and having friendships with some of the biggest names in the wrestling business, I'm just a failure right? The only one of us failing at the moment, is the promoter who's running shows with four matches, and who's crew is shrinking by the month.
And another thing. Slap in the face? Andrew recently was attributed as saying PCW had more stars not on able to make their last show than any wrestling show has on their entire show. He said that three guys were unavailable. Well any show with Danny Duggan, AJ Sanchez, Kevyn Chevy, Don Douglas or Rob Stardom already have that many stars. So perhaps you can offer a retraction to your pompous statement. Just a thought.
I also know that this blog may prompt more LOCAL wrestling personality to take "their best shot" at me. Realize those "shots" are coming as you sit on the deck of the titanic, and it's going to suck when you are begging for life preservers because your blind loyalty to stubborn and unsuccessful promoter made it virtually impossible to get booked when he finally sunk. And rest assured, PCW is a ship with many many holes.
So to summarize:
I am not involved in any way shape or form in CWE's first event.
Under the "leadership" of Andrew Shallcross, Premier Championship Wrestling is failing at an alarming rapid rate, because the promoter is desperate and reactionary.
The new anthem for PCW should be "Stand By Your Man".
Thanks to Mike Arnott for his wonderful and appreciated contributions to this blog.
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