Sunday, August 07, 2005

Things that are not cool

Inspired by a rant by Dillon over at EWN over an nbW show review.

- In most cases, it's totally not cool for the fedhead to be the Champion. The only exception I can think of is in the A1 feds, which are vote based, where it's the whole fed and not the bookers deciding who should be the Champions. As long as you'r enot the one making the fed your own personal playground, it's cool.

Of course, I'm of the ilk that bookers shouldn't really run characters in their own feds anyway, because it's counter to the challenge of running your own fed. Seriously, when you open a fed, you're not doing it so you have a vehicle to go to the top. You're doing it so you can try things from the booking end of the spectrum. There are exceptions, of course, which is why I'm cool with Katz and Jamar running Miles, Randalls and Mayfield in NFW. Then again, it's safe to say that those three characters would be the last three you'd expect to take home the Ultratitle. So as Carlito would say, "That's cool."

- Extreme putting yourself over. I mean, it's cool to pimp your own work. I do it allt he time. But there's a time for that, and there's a time for putting your biases aside and looking at things that EVERYONE ELSE is doing and judge those. This hobby should be based on cooperation or at the very least the acknowledgement that other people aside from you are in it. So when you're asked to do a show review where you pick the best match, best angle, etc., you don't overly pimp your own shit. You just don't. We all know you think your stuff is the best thing since Freakfish, Mr. Amazing! and WhiteNoise joined up as Amazing, Inc., or when the first Highwayman unmasked as HURRICANE. EDDY. LOVE. So there's no need to say it. Put other people over. It's not that hard.

And I honestly think that is a big reason why discussion is lacking. A lot of folks with a voice just want to put themselves over, adn this turns off the general public from discussing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think its tough on the whole booker/owner concept. If you look at CSWA and ACW -- you'll see two feds that have consistently had their owners as World Champs.

I've had issues with it myself, but in the old days of the CSWA -- it was definitely necessary thru '96 cause they truly were the better writers in the fed.

Today...when I see SilverHAWK/Keller at the top of ACW, Mark Windham walking off with the Unified in the CSWA -- I cringe a little, but I also know that ideas for angles are also being worked with the likes of Russ/Gethard in the respective feds they're in.

In NFW's case, I solemnly swear that only character that will have a shot at winning the Ultratitle that is under the fedhead crew is Troy Windham. Simply because there's not a doubt in my mind that anyone could disagree on that pick, if Gregg goes out and earns it.

Mayfield vs. Miles, Cameron vs. Randalls are all having their last matches at Wrestlebowl 2. However, one or more of those characters may hold the UWA World Title -- something that's sort of 'fictitious' anyway...and not really up for grabs.

I liken the NFW World Title to an MVP award for someone who consistently RP's/writes matches in the East.

But the Ultratitle -- I haven't even thought of who I see in the title picture cause we have such a long way to go. And there's no way in hell with a roster like this...sticking out the season for what it could be, that you'd ever see any of Jamar or my characters even making it to the Sweet Sixteen. Unless, the West roster actually demands them in there.

TH said...

Nah Bill, it wasn't a shot at you at all. Like I said, I didn't mind the MBE bookers getting title reigns because matches were decided by public vote.

If anything, I'm really grateful to you for helping get Maggot over so much. I really don't think I would have gotten as far as I did in MBE without your help in particular, and I don't know if I ever said thanks for that. So thanks.

And Katz... I'd say I'm okay with CS characters in the CSWA because Chad and Steve are grandfathered, and Hornet, Melton, M. Windham etc. are all characters that predate the CSWA's competitive RP days.

Anonymous said...

You cringe when Windham walks off with the Unified title, but having Miles be an active part (Main Event even) in the NFW is somehow smoothed over by the fact that he's not taking home the belt? Mmmmkay. I guess it doesn't matter when the NFW title is being blown off in 3 page matches between Cruise/Silver. The better effort went into Miles/Mayfield. But wait, the belt is the mvp right? ;)

We ran the CSWA between us for four years before opening it up on Prodigy. Blah. Blah. For me, and I'm sure Chad it wouldn't have been half as fun just running the league for other handlers. Keeping that love for your own characters translates to Benson, Buckley, Seizter, etc, etc. You fall in the love with the league, and whoever else joins up for the ride. Randalls, Eli, Love, Deacon, and the list goes on.

I never much ran Melton in the CSWA (other handlers did) because Hornet and Windham were enough. And if history teaches us anything most of Mark's feuds have been IN FAMILY! heh. People bought into Hornet being the Franchise, and I think along the way everyone's been treated fairly. With the exception of Schmid. haha. Windham's last Unified run was Chad's brainchild, i think as a means to get me back the sport. Still, the best part about that run (what are we talking here, 2 cards?) was jobbing to Ryan. Rp'ing with Brunk, and writing that match. Like with Mayfield/Miles you limit those handlers, as with Chad and I you take away the best (or near the best) writers in your fed.

The issue is fairness. You can't please everyone, but I doubt anyone would say their reign in the CSWA has been limited because of Hornet or Windham. At least anyone who'd put in the work to become a top talent. I'm not talking the Billy Ferrero's of the world.

I think when you talk CS/Gregg/Pete you're talking about handlers who love putting other people over. We've seen Troy on top before but damn, look at the work Gregg's breaking off. I have no plans to take the Unified title, but I won't be ashamed in the least to have a Troy/Mark or Mark/Ryan Main Event any time soon, because I know I'll be writing it, and I know it'll be one of the best things on the card.

The cringe factor is when the owner's characters are getting put over or put in the same company with guys who are significantly better. I think we still enter the conversation, and can create entertaining reads. When that day stops, it'll be over, and I'll run Melton in the WFW and EPW to keep busy.

Anonymous said...

Re: The idea that it's 'cool' because it'll lead to involvement from other handlers.

Don't they all? It's been about the angle since what, '93-94? In the late 80s, with the dice...competitive based. Winning a match, you felt like a stud. I'm not going to talk Chad into letting Windham wear the Gold because it'll give me wood, or stagnate the league.

It's one thing to book say Roiter/whatever he faced a few cards back. Two guys most of your roster weren't around for. That's booking for yourself. And you know in that context, that's fine.

But generally, if you're moving people towards belts you're going to work with other people. No?

TH said...

I didn't say that I cringed at Troy-diddy taking home the UNIFIED title. I was actually rooting for him, and I actually have no problem with him winning whatever title he wants, whether he's on the booking team or not, because a) I know he'll put someone over (like he's done in NFW the last two weeks) and b) he's the best in the FW circuit, IMO, period. What I cringed at was him acting like a face after he won in the face of his brother attacking him.

To be honest, I don't have a problem with the CSWA run how it is because you and Chad created this thing before there was such a thing as e-fedding, so I don't think you should have to abstain from running your characters. Just because I didnt make that clear before doesn't mean I didnt feel that way ;)

Honestly, that rant was not directed to the CSWA at all. If it was, do you think I'd have joined and then helped out as much as I have since I've gotten there? I wouldn't put any effort into a league I'd view as being unfair to the rank-and-file handler.