It seems like I always end up beginning every column in the same manner – “it’s been awhile.”
Well déjà vu as it has been quite some time since the last edition of the “Thompson Perspective” here at www.rronews.com. For this edition, I am going to touch on a few things that have crossed my mind in recent weeks.
Love them or hate them, you must admit that the wrestling message boards for our area are at least entertaining. You have some posters who just love to stay 100 percent negative with nothing nice to say. Didn’t your momma teach you the old “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything” bit? Anyway, then you have the soap opera “he said, she said” stuff. I’m personally not a big fan of that, but it gives some folks a kick.
Recently, I noticed a discussion in regard to where a former wrestler worked and it reminded me of comments I have seen by some who seem to take delight in the fact that certain wrestlers have had setbacks in their lives. Is there some sort of justification to this?
I’ve seen posts talking about how former ECW World Champion Shane Douglas worked at Target, although I have since read that he is once again a school teacher. Another former champion from the “land of extreme” Justin Credible is apparently a recent culinary school grad.
Why would someone feel the need to look down on them? Are they now second-rate because instead of headlining the Hammerstein Ballroom they are working elsewhere? Come on.
If a man feeds his family, that’s all that matters. How he does, minus doing it illegally, shouldn’t have any bearing on the situation.
I think some people out there need to grow up and realize that there can be more to life that what you do for a career.
Guys like Shane Douglas and Justin Credible had nice runs in wrestling.
Unfortunately, today’s wrestling environment is not really conducive to careers for guys who fall out of favor with Vince McMahon or Jeff Jarrett. Even the independent scene dries up after a while. Also, once you reach a certain age it gets harder and harder to make the big payoffs in our fine industry.
So if Douglas or Credible aren’t in the wrestling business, there is no reason for anyone to take pleasure in the fact that they may be doing something else to feed their families, even though they would possibly love to still be in their glory days in Philly.
Did you watch? You know what I’m writing about. Did you take 60 minutes out of your life Saturday night to catch Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling?
Well, I did and I’m curious to see how many others watched.
I’m not necessarily a fan of what I saw, but I’m also interested to see how this whole thing turns out. There have been some rumblings that Hogan’s CCW on CMT could lead to another wrestling-related project from the Eric Bischoff-Jason Hervey camp. After reading my last statement about the condition of the wrestling industry today, you have to know that I would love to see a new national wrestling promotion to join the WWE and TNA. Good, bad or indifferent, the more options the boys have the better in my opinion. And, there is a little history when it comes to a wrestling organization involving Bischoff and Hogan. I’m not saying were about to see the re-birth of a WCW like company, but those two guys have connections that could pay dividends if they were to take a shot. CMT sounds like an odd home for a pro wrestling show, but so was TNN-The Nashville Network. Of course we know the story there of how TNN aired ECW for about a year and then signed a deal with WWE. And now TNN is SpikeTV, home of both TNA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Stranger things have happened!
Finally, I usually agree with Brian Tramel most of the time. But this one time I’m going to have to have a difference of opinion with the owner and operator of this website.
In his “Arena Report” from this past Friday’s N.E.W. show in West Memphis he said something about me being a lot better than my broadcast partner John Steele. I don’t agree. John and I are a team. I don’t like to really get into this, but for some reason a lot of people think I’m a good announcer. Well, I’m really very humble when it comes to that. I just give 100 percent each time out and I hope the people I have worked for are pleased with my work.
Anyway, I do feel that John and I are a solid combination. I also think we each bring different styles to the table. John won several broadcasting awards during his time in the radio business in the state of Missouri. He’s a class guy and he’s good at what he does.
I know Brian wasn’t trying to take anything away from him in making his comments. I just think that John deserves some credit. I like to think he brings out the best in me and vice versa. I don’t really consider either one of us any better than the other.
John is probably calmer than I am. I tend to get very excited. Here’s where his talent comes into play. Whereas either by myself or with someone less talented, I might get a little too carried away with the excitement, John has a way of keeping me balanced. And likewise, maybe I have a way of keeping him from becoming totally serious.
Regardless, for this one time BT I’ll have to disagree but thank you for the kind words!
(Brian Thompson is the public relations director and announcer for New Experience Wrestling and the Ken Wayne School of Professional Wrestling. He may be reached by e-mail at bptbookings@yahoo.com)
