The CSWA's next rebirth

If there's a benchmark, at least the all-time benchmark, in the e-wrestling world, it's the CSWA. No matter how well Katz and JN continue to run NFW, no matter how much the folks in the PTC world promote PRIME, no matter how big the fWo was or even is, I truly think there isn't a more recognizable name across the board than the Grandfather fed. The name will certainly strike a chord with most knowledgable folks in the hobby, and when they open applications, they'll get people sending them in.

But while the prestige surrounding Greensboro is undeniable, it's also undeniable that their inactivity has hurt them over the past couple of years. It's also undeniable that the feds I mentioned in the previous paragraph have taken the spotlight away from Greensboro as the benchmark feds of the present. This is all nothing new, and it's been documented here and on OOC boards.

The solution to those lag problems has been documented here before as well; take the onus away from Chad and spread it around, a solution that Chad agrees with wholeheartedly. Therefore, he's pretty much taking the CSWA away from its roots and sending it into a more angle-fed direction. There will still be a distinct RP fed flavor to it, but I think it's clear to everyone that the way it's run now will lead to several more months of inactivity.

So what are these changes? How will they affect the way things are done in the CSWA?

The CSWA's transformation centers around changing the way RPing is done. Instead of in threads on the FW.com message boards, it will be done on special "RP cards." The name might make it seem nebulous, but it's really old-school (in terms of actual wrestling) and innovative at the same time (in terms of e-fedding).

Remember back in the day, when you had WWF Superstars or WCW Worldwide? They had a bunch of squash matches, promos and recaps. It was a day when the recap/squash show was a very important, because great matches were rarely ever given away on free TV, let alone every week on free TV like what is done today.

The RP card idea is like that. And to tell you the truth, it makes things a lot more realistic. Instead of promoing for a RAW/Nitro/SmackDown type show on a fantasy style TV network, you'd write your promos, or squash matches if you'd like, and they would be compiled on a recap style TV show that leads up to the next PRIMETIME or pay-per-view. There'd still be room for the traditional trash talk promos we see in the FW.com/A1 style e-feds, but (and this is where we start getting into angle fed territory) there'd be a lot more room for cooperation. Shows would also become more of a responsibility for the handlers to post and such, thus apparently solving the problem of the fed going on hiatus every time Chad goes out of town for business.

Now, here's the real meat of the post. Is this idea going to work?

Well, I wouldn't be throwing my support behind it if I didn't think it was a good idea, and I wouldn't be gung-ho about it if I didn't think it had a puncher's chance. I actually think that with the core of handlers we have in the CSWA now, were very much conducive for this kind of transformation. We have a lot of angle fedders (or at least guys who tried angle fedding or who are conducive to it) on the roster, and at the same time, we have some of the best trash talkers in the hobby on the roster too. I think if any other fed on FW.com was going to try this concept, it would be a mistake (except NFW, because they have a lot of angle fedders on board too).

But I also think that there are certain caveats too. Like relying too much on the non-bookers to get things done. Then again, at least one of the four bookers (Chad, Steve, GreggG, Pete) should be around. And if most of the heavy lifting is done by the roster, then their administrative duties should be easier to go through with.

I don't know how it will all turn out in the end, but I have to say I'm optimistic. And I do say, it's a far better plan than the one we've been going on for the last six months.