----I would like to first set the record straight on a few things. My first intentions of starting this site were to get back into wrestling. This is one of the only ways I could do it and actually still get to spend time with my kids on the weekend. If I had got back on the road again, then it would be two weekend nights a week and that would not be good for my kids. And, it would not be good for me. This site has fulfilled my expectations and more. This site is seen by almost double the amount every day that ever read my fanzine, which was published around 15 years ago. It is ironic though how many people remember the fanzine that still read this site or the people that were subscribers that are actually part of the business now.
----If you have never met me, then I hope you can also see by my words – I love this business. I have been a fan since 1977. I have been “inside” the business since around 1986 when I started talking to wrestlers and reporting stuff to the kayfabe sheets. At the same time, I was a photographer and also sold stories and pictures to a few of the well known Apter-type mags. I later became a wrestler for a limited time. Limited time was good for everyone involved. I was horrible and I knew it. My athletic ability is not one of my gifts. I authored my own kayfabe zine. After that died, I actually went back to reporting for the kayfabe world and doing reports on local stuff. I got married and had kids – the wrestling fix was only Monday Night Raw and sometimes a live event. I later started managing as Coach BT with the team of “Total Kaos” [Kade/Viper[Christian Jacobs]], which lead to me being on the road as a manger and promoter for about 5 years. At one point, I had worked over 100 dates in a 9 month period. My ex-wife got into the business as a worker, and then we started to promote our own shows. After two years of doing that, it was time to get out. My whole life was destructing around me as my friends were becoming enemies and my marriage was over. My feelings at this point were that I would never do ANYTHING with wrestling again.
----I went on to work a 6 week program in 2004 after the divorce was final and my promotion was sold. That program was written for me by “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony feuding with Christian Jacobs. I was not happy with my performance as it always seemed I was two steps behind everything. So, after that program, I didn’t have much that I wanted to do. After working a match as TGB’s manager vs Buff Bagwell and then Bobby Eaton, then I was happy to say my career [if you want to call it that] was done for the in ring stuff.
----I am stating all of this for one reason. Corey Maclin started out his interview the other night with Wrestling Informer Weekly saying, “I don’t know this guy.” Well, I just wanted Maclin to know and some of the other new readers to know – I didn’t just wake up and decide to start writing bad things about Memphis Wrestling. I have been a student of the game for 20+ years and I will never claim to know everything, but at almost 40 years old I have the maturity and intelligence to know what is good wrestling and what is bad wrestling. I will not ever say something is good just for the sake of making someone feel better. That is not my style and all my friends know that is the best way for me to be.
----I have a friend I have known in this business for close to 15 years. Some of you more than that. This person will always tell me anything that I do – in the ring or here – if it sucks or not. I respect that person and that person respects me. In other words, I am not going to kiss your ass.
----I first met Jerry Lawler in the “inside” about 19 years ago. Even though I would not consider him a friend by any means, he has always known that I tell it like I see it. He has not always been happy with what I have said. And, made it clear to me on a few occasions, but he does know that I am not going to “sugarcoat” my feelings on a match, even though it has almost got my ass whipped a few times. I remember having a conversation with Bill Dundee about a match he had with George Barnes. The next night, Lawler ask me why I was getting heat from Dundee. I told him I said that the Barnes/Dundee match sucked and he got mad. Lawler responded, “It did suck!” I may have been way off track a bunch of times some 15 years ago when I did my first kayfabe reporting. Present day I will try to give the reader an intelligent honest approach to wrestling in this area. I have been watching Memphis Wrestling for 29 years, so I think I know a thing or two about it.
----I know I have rambled a bit, but it will bring me up to a few points that Corey Maclin made on the show the other night. He made it clear that I had the right to my opinion, but it really didn’t matter. Because why?? He had to make his advertisers and his fans happy. If they score a 2.0 or 2.5, then they are making money. What about the guys that perform on TV every week and work for free?? I know it has been a tradition for years the guys work the TV for free, but during most of those times the promotion was running house shows. For many years it was every Monday night and that was a good payday for most everyone. Now the guys come in and work the show for free, but there has not been a house show since July. Which talent would have more loyalty and work harder – free talent or paid talent??
----Maclin spoke about the Jackson show being canceled by the arena. I have heard other stories, because tickets for that event were for sale up until Monday. I am told that wrestling has not drawn enough money in Jackson for them to keep having shows. All the sponsors that Maclin has – how much money do they have to make to bust on these shows?? He also spoke of 10 Mid-South fair shows that were canceled?? Conflict of some kind?? That would have been good exposure and good money for someone. The recent Memphis Festival was offered to them at one time and they never responded. There is also a new promotion starting on a riverboat sometime in October. Maclin was called first and never called back?? Why not??
----If the ratings stay as they are or even goes to 2.0, then Maclin is still making money. He doesn’t have to worry about anything. He will continue to put TV shows that have no storylines and the guys are so rushed they are not able to show their talent. I will continue to write bad things about the show and it will not matter a bit. There will always be talent wanting to be the shows. What if in 6 months the bottom drops out and they are doing 1.5 every Saturday night?? Who is to blame?? The time change?? The scripts?? The talent??
----If they did drop that low, then it would be probably blamed on a trend in the business. That’s the best way to keep everyone involved safe. Then, they could go back to showing just “Legends” shows. If the Memphis TV show continues to be presented the way they do it, then the fans will start slowly dropping off on Saturday nights. You might be able to expect the fans to tune on Saturday mornings because of habit, but you can’t continue putting on crap and expect everyone to tune in.
----I want the readers of this site to know that I love Memphis Wrestling. Why would I continue to do this site or even spend time on it?? I would love to write every week that Memphis Wrestling followed storylines and made sense to the average intelligent viewer. I want it to do 7.0 ratings. I want it to run house shows every week. I want Maclin/Lawler to make tons of money and the boys also make some money. I want it to succeed. I just don’t see it happening when they air shows like they did the last few weeks.
---- I want to make a statement about “primetime”. Prime Time is defined as such from the Neilson [you know the people that do the rating] home page – “Peak evening television viewing time, most often 8-11PM, Monday through Saturday, and 7-11 PM Sunday (EST).” Eastern Time would make it 7 – 10 PM central time. No matter what Corey Maclin may say or claim - Memphis Wrestling does not air in prime time. Why do you think TNA is making a deal about “moving to prime time”?? They were on a 10:00 PM. Does anyone else see how stupid that makes Maclin look?? Take a look at the Neilson prime time show ratings – no show comes on at 10:00 PM. ‘Nuff said.
----Well, as always, thanks for reading. Wait..I just remembered a few things. For those that think I made the headline of Maclin mentioning my name for self promotion, and then guess what?? You are right!! Still a little “worker” in me. LOL And, guys just because Maclin may have guys begging to be on the show every week, it does not make it a good show. If I set up a “crack” stand [you know like a hotdog stand] and gave it away, then would it make it good because I had a lot of people waiting on getting crack?? Hell, I could get more people at my stand than he draws for TV – fans and workers.
