Brian,
From what I can tell, you make every attempt to be fair. You may or may not always agree with me, but you have always shown the courtesy of printing my responses. Truthfully, I thought Saturday nights occurances would have died off by now. We were willing to let it go... However, since Moose has decided to air it across the internet, and make allegations, I am going to address them. This is MY response to what he has put forward as factual. It does seem that he conveniently left out several details that MIGHT be considered pertinent.
Moose has been in the business for about 9-10 months. He is still relatively green, but has been booked in good programs, and booked around to make him look good. We have used the talent we have available to help cover some of his shortcomings. WE have given him pushes that truthfully, he was probably too green to handle. But we gave them to him anyway, because he was a team player that we COULD get over in his hometown area. There is no dispute that we booked him to get over and he did. There should also be no dispute that he is limited in experience. Because of some of this, we primarily booked him in tag team action... which is not unusual... or vary any from "standard". His work at times is loose / sloppy. That is not meant as a slight to him.... Only a statement of fact. His experience level IS what it IS... He has been limited in that his only exposure to professional wrestling has primarily been with MEWA and WFAC. Somewhere, he missed the realization part that this is not ballet, or dancing with the stars, but professional wrestling. Which bothers me personally some... It amazes me somewhat, that young guys can be so eager to get the clairol out can take the necessary actions required to do so... but think that anything other than feather light... is a shoot. Again, My fault... for knowing he had limited experience and may not understand that working tighter is not "shooting".
We booked him into a match with Dave Cox, who can be tighter / stiffer than some at times... and has been around the block in the mid south area.
Let me first state adamently that there was no spot called to "take him out".... and IF there was gonna be any "taking out" ... I wouldn't be asking anyone else to do it. If a "shoot" had been called or desired... It would have been ME doing it... Since I worked with Moose last week, that probably isnt the case.
Our booker is Johnny Hawk. Ask ANYONE that comes into our dressing room. HE calls the shots. He had the night off Saturday night, which he richly deserved. In his absence, I (Meaning me), directed Chubby ( who has ownership in the promotion) , to put together the best card we could with the talent that we had available, since some were late, and some were going to be in other places. Moose was in the first match. I (meaning me) directed Dave to work a little tight with Moose, since it was a single, and Moose had usually worked Tag matches. So to say Chubby had Dave's ear was completely wrong... Moose and Chubby have had heat of some sort for a while. So I can understand why Moose might want to put it on Chubby, but let me say this again. I was the one that told Dave to work with Moose a little tight. Moose was not going to be in his element, and they had some contrasting styles. We wanted the best match we could get.... naturally. Both of them were going to have to work hard in order for it to happen.
To deviate for just a moment... Anyone that has been in this business for any length of time has had a match like this. It is NOT a big deal. Most any of the boys reading this will relate. sometimes.. styles just dont match.... and it HAS to be tight... or it looks like SHIT.
Back to the point... All the boys were watching the match in the dressing room on the monitor... there were only 8 of us all together... and 2 of those were in the ring... We noticed when Moose got blown up quickly, appeared to not be cooperating, and when the punches started, it was pretty obvious that something had happened... To MY recollection.... Moose wouldnt get up off the mat, Dave muscled him up some, and the two started trading some stiff looking shots. Okay.. so what.. no big deal... this is the wrestling business... it happens sometimes... Very seldom at MEWA, but it does happen..... Moose got hard-wayed and ran to his corner and took a knee.... Then he climbed out of the ring and left the building. didnt finish the match.... didnt go to the dressing room... just started throwing a fit and left the building like a two year old that got spanked. Now, in almost every experience I can think of... if you were having a problem in the ring... with someone being stiff with you... you took care of it in the ring... if you chose not too... thats fine too... finish the match... go to the dressing room, and handle it there.. dont just climb out of the ring and run out the door... WTF is that ? LOTS of guys have gotten Hardwayed.... LOTS worse... I can cite NUMEROUS examples... You finish the match, go to the dressing room, get took care of ... THEN if you really need to go to the hospital.... you pack your bag and go... How many stinking times has THAT happened? Get real Moose.... You dont QUIT, then run out of the building, send someone ELSE back to the dressing room, and bitch at someone that is telling you to quit being such a sissy... A cracked orbital is basically.... A BLACK EYE... Medical terms sound awfully fancy... YOU got a hardway cut and a black eye... You eyeball wasnt damaged...you got tagged... its friggin wrestling... Why is it that seven stitches is a big deal?
Running out and talking crap all over the internet, having daddy send threatening messages to the promoters... well not even the promoters... but to other WORKERS and SPONSORS.... about what DADDY is gonna do... just dont make you sound like one of the boys so much, does it Moose?
It would be understandable if this was the first time Moose had handled any adversity this way. However, we at MEWA know that it isnt. Rather than man up, and handling the situation, Moose seems to want to go plead his case to others that are not involved, and post in public to folks that were not there, without really telling the whole story. If Moose had actually acted like one of the boys, he might have understood that he might have even gotten some mileage out of the damned match. Much the way Memphis did with Steven Dunn several years ago when Dunn had his eye socket demolished on Memphis TV, and immedaitely shot an angle with the truth commission on the how and why it happened... At Ken Wayne's prompting... ( thanks for reminding me Kenny).
It is unfortunate, that some feel that after 9 - 10 months in the business, that they are somehow "bigger" than the show as a whole. It is unfortunate that Moose is unable to fight his battles in ring, and even more unfortunate that he feels the need to involve his daddy in making threats to the promoters and promotion. It is sad that he could not approach or call me... before taking the measures he has taken. Used to be, that matters like this were handled privately among the boys... and my opinion is that they still should be. The people never would have known it was anything other than a match...
I will be glad to reply to "sane" replies or comments at http://us.f532.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=crazylukegrahamjr@yahoo.com
In Wrestling,
Crazy is a State of Mind,
Luke Graham Jr.
