Should Steroid Users Be In The WWE Hall of Fame?

Column written for gerweck.net

For the second time in four decades, the baseball writers of America failed to elect any of this year’s nominees for the Hall of Fame. Steroid tainted stars such as Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are the main cause of this shut out. This development makes a definitive statement as to what baseball fans expect from its elite. This makes me wonder if wrestlers should be held to a similar standard in order to gain entrance into the WWE Hall of Fame? Some food for thought.

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The Iron Week Spectacle of “Brutal” Bob Evans vs. Todd Sople

(Column written for gerweck.net)

Contrary to popular belief, the best wrestling match this past Monday night did not occur on television. Instead, it took place at the New England Pro Wrestling Academy in North Andover, Massachusetts. “Brutal” Bob Evans wrestled Manchester, New Hampshire’s Todd Sople in a sixty minute iron man match as the second installment of “Iron Week.”

Iron Week is a challenge for some, a happening for most, and a journey for Bob Evans. The concept of Iron Week consists of seven 60-minute matches taking place over seven consecutive days. Evans did this once before in 2009 for six days and this year he would like to break own record. At 40 years old, this is Evan’s second chance to make a lasting impression as time is not on his side. The end game is to make a lasting impression in order to wrestle on the national stage on a regular basis.

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How Did You Become A Wrestling Fan?

(Column written for gerweck.net)

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and while we all have things in our life to be thankful for, I think wrestling can appear on that list in some way, shape, or form. Wrestling fans come from all walks of life and all of us having our own likes and dislikes about the business. Some are casual WWE fans while others are hardcore fans who simply can’t get enough of their favorite pastime.

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The Conquistadors: All Gold and No Glory

Conquistador is Spanish for “conquerors” and is applied to Spaniard soldiers who explored the New World in the 16^th century. In the late 1980s, the squared circle of the World Wrestling Federation was treated to Conquistadors of a different variety. Gone were the warriors of strategic battle tactics and enter the two individuals who never came close to conquering anything.

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Ten Greatest WCW Cruiserweights of All-Time

The international flavor of WCW’s Cruiserweight division produced some of the most innovative wrestling matches and served as the launching pad to some of the biggest names in the industry. The hot potato nature of its title reigns makes it impossible to rank the wrestlers by championship merit.

Oftentimes, these matches would not only open the show but downright steal it. Jushin Liger and Brian Pillman deserve honorable mentions in this conversation. Their matches took place in the Light Heavyweight division, a precursor to the Cruiserweight division, and put lighter-weight classes in professional wrestling on the map in the United States. Today, we rank the top ten WCW Cruiserweights of all time.

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CM Punk: The Best DVD In The World

The gold standard of WWE DVD releases are The Ultimate Ric Flair collection and The Rise and Fall of ECW. After spending 3 hours with my Blu-ray player, CM Punk: Best in the World can be added to that list and may be the crown jewel of their catalog. I am of the opinion that CM Punk is currently the best worker in the business today. This is coming from someone who is not his biggest fan.

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I Know How To Beat Ryback

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

Ryback vs. CM Punk headlines the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View event this Sunday. The WWE has booked themselves into a tight little corner because they played the Ryback card way too soon. In contemporary wrestling where wins and losses don’t matter, Ryback’s undefeated streak is everything. If he loses under any circumstance, the gimmick is dead and he is just another superstar on the roster.

In my opinion, let him win the title. He is over and as long as you don’t mess with his formula of destroying people, he will continue to be over for quite some time. While the common wisdom suggests Ryback must win, there has to be a creative way for him to be pinned without losing his momentum. I’m going to have a little fun with this and put on my booking hat and throw out an idea that could work.

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Are Steel Cage Matches Dead?

(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)

There is no other encounter in professional wrestling that signifies the pinnacle of a feud more than the steel cage match. Its confines are unforgiving and blood shed is a virtual guarantee. Villains of bravado and champions of heroic destiny square off in this last resort encounter where the referee’s three count is not enough. Finish your opponent or escape the cage is often your only option for victory. In two weeks, CM Punk will defend the WWE title against Ryback. This match has everyone talking for a variety of reasons but none of them include the Hell in a Cell itself. This makes me wonder; are Steel Cage matches dead?

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Is it time to Reboot the WWE?

WWE Television is currently a stale product. Professional wrestling always has its down time before another boom period arrives. In order for the boom to take place, however, a new star needs to emerge. This person needs to be a bonafide superstar the caliber of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock. Simply being a wrestling star such as John Cena, CM Punk, and Randy Orton will not move the needle in the required direction. When this boom period finally occurs, it’s usually a wrestler who was waiting in the wings for their big break. These days, Dolph Ziggler is the usual suspect. He is a good worker but can he be the box office smash that brings the business to Attitude Era heights?

On October 1, 2012, Monday Night Raw drew its lowest rating in 15 years. The company improved its rating by having its 67-year-old chairman wrestle the WWE champion. While it was certainly an attention grabber, it was only a short-term solution since Vince can’t wrestle every week. While Raw moving back to two hours would be a move in the right direction, it doesn’t address the larger problem at hand. The process of booking by committee dilutes what storylines ultimately end up on television. If the big three can’t do any more than they already have and there is no legitimate heir apparent on the horizon; what else can be done?

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So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter? Part 2

(Blog I wrote for gerweck.net)

In part one of my blog; we established that putting on a wrestling show is an expensive and time consuming hobby. Sure, it’s fun to play arm chair booker and believe that you have that one breakthrough idea that is going to draw a lot of money. However, there are a lot of working components that need to come together in order for your show to go off without a hitch. So far we touched on seeking advice, obtaining insurance and securing a building for your event. Here are the next steps:

Ring:
Some promotions own their own ring while others rent one. If you decide to rent a wrestling ring, rental fees can range anywhere from $500 – $1,000 a night and should come with a ring crew to set up and tear down the ring. Some renters will provide extras such as ring side barricades and steel steps at no additional cost while others will charge extra. Make sure you properly communicate to the person in charge what time you need the ring at the building by. If $500 – $1,000 seems a little high, then ask the owner of the ring if they have any trainees looking for work. If so, offering to give them a match on the show usually drives the price down and is a good way of building a strong professional relationship.

Owning a wrestling ring is a large and immediate expense. Also, storing and transporting the ring is another issue. If you don’t have access to a big enough basement or garage, renting a locker from a storage facility is practical and efficient. Most times this requires renting a moving truck. Most rental companies require some advance notice. Make the reservation as soon as you can, because most shows are on the weekend and that is a popular time for people to move. This all may seem like some unnecessary headaches just to own a ring, but trust me, it is worth it in the long run and should eventually end up paying for itself.

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