RODNEY MACK
----RRO will be presenting the 4th annual RRO Awards in January 2010. This year has been a hard one to cover at times. I think a year like this it is harder for some guys to get noticed. The good performers really do shine though above everyone else. The highlights [and some of them are not that] of the year include Tank’s death, Brian Christopher/Bishop fight, Greg King JR goes down from a Eric Wayne kick and RRO’s two top performers squaring off - Derrick King vs Austin Lane.
----This seems to be a favorite “Coach’s Corner” from last year. It also became a good lead up to announcing the nominees to the 2008 RRO Awards. It gives everyone a chance to see how the picks either change or stay the same. Below is my analysis for six categories and below that are my quick picks all for 2/3 of 2009 for the RRO Awards.
----Wrestler of the Year is considered one of most prestigious of our awards, because along with Tag Team of the Year, you get your photo on the front cover of the Yearbook. Who will be there on the cover of Yearbook 2009?? This award is based on drawing power, influence, exposure and all that combined into one. Three-time Wrestler of the Year Derrick King will be considered, but it might be a hard year for him to win. My top pick has to be Rodney Mack. He took a promotion from drawing in the 120s to almost double as the top babyface. I think it is a harder job to draw week after week. Mack is easily the #1 babyface draw in this area. I would have to pick Jerry Lawler second for all the top shows he was booked on with Bert Prentice along with the big Autozone show. We also have Lawler running for Mayor of Memphis, which making his exposure more. My other picks purely based on the fact that these are the guys that the area has been talking about so far this year – Brian Christopher, Dustin Starr and Austin Lane.
----Tag Team of the Year fits right in there with drawing power, influence, exposure and all that combined into one. My top pick again is “Asylum” [Psycho/Pappy]. There is no other team that getting more exposure and dates than this team. They will easily do 120+ total dates this year. No other team will do that. “Midnight Gold” [Bobby Eaton/Greg Anthony] are my second pick. They have made an impact in this area and it has just been fun for a Midnight Express mark like me to watch them. Third pick is hard, but would consider “Picture Perfect” [Christian Jacobs/Chris O’Neal], “Genocide” [Maxx Corbin/Albino Rhino], “Natural Born Playas” [Southside Brawler/Pimptacular] and “East Coast Bad Boys” [Serpent/C-Money] .
----MVP of 2009, which is the best overall worker. This award is not based on drawing power, just wrestling. Some of the names from last year have to be considered as Austin Lane, Stan Lee and Greg Anthony are always good workers. I am going in a direction with my first two picks being new to this category and both have worked their asses off this year. #1 pick is Pokerface. I have seen him in two over [***] matches in a single and in a tag. He is always been considered one of the top in the area, but mostly as a tag team wrestler – winning MVP Tag Team 2007. #2 pick is Jon Michael. He was also the winner of a tag team award in 2006, but he is shining as a single wrestler and had excellent performances at two of the NBW big shows. The 3rd pick would have to be one of the guys above.
----MVP Tag Team of Year 2009. This is a hard category also. What teams are flawless and work the hardest?? The three teams that come to mind the most for me are “East Coast Bad Boys”, Derrick King/Pokerface and “Picture Perfect”. If King/Poker teamed other places, I would have to pick them easily. ECBB are limited also. If the spawn of the ECBB/C4P of “Devils Rejects” gets more time moving into the end of the year, they will be a strong candidate for this award.
----Promotion of the Year 2009. Both the top picks are two different animals, but need the nods. Memphis Wrestling – USA promotion behind the booking expertise of Bert Prentice has had the top crowds of the year. RWA was drawing close to 800 fans every month with a weekly show. I am not sure if MW-USA could do that or not. This is actually all depends on if Down South Wrestling can pick up where it left off, but if they continue they would be my top pick. My third pick is NBW with TIWF a close third.
----And finally the Horizon Award. This is for the person that should have a WWE/TNA contract. For 2009 there are three guys that are heads above everyone else. Dustin Starr, Tatt2 and Matt Riviera. Two of the guys have been looked at by the big two and they like them. Riviera has been on the big stage with VH1 show and deserves the look and nod. He also a great self promoter. No one else should even be considered in the voting. Here are some other names I think would fit in the big two. Christian Jacobs, Austin Lane, Kid Nikels, Jon Michael, Brian Thompson and Stan Lee.
*Most Improved - Jeremy Moore, Crazy Train, Seth Knight, Bishop, Brandon Barbwire, Shannon Lee, Syn, Stunner, Cody Melton
*Most Underrated – Brian So Fine, Seth Knight, Devon Day, Shawn Reed, Ron Rage, Mark Justice
*Rookie – JD Kerry, Michael Gilbert, Chris Lexxus, The Regulator, Ty Hamiliton
*Best Booker – Rodney Mack ,Bert Prentice, , TIWF Committee
*Match of the Year – DK vs Austin Lane, Wayne vs Dustin Ring, Jon Michael vs Mark Justice
*TV Match of the Year: DK vs Johnny Dotson, Dustin Starr vs Kevin White
*Best Announcer – Brian Thompson, John Steele, Terrance Ward
*Best Manager – Rashard Devon, Jimmy Tidewell, Hollywood Jimmy, Brian Thompson,
*Best Wrestling Web Site –Dustin Starr’s “the Starr Treatment”, WNC
*Columnist of the Year – Dustin Starr, Greg Anthony, Sal Corrente
*Best Ref – Downtown Bruno, Chuck Poe, Ron Bryson
* Best Gimmick – “Asylum” [Pappy/Psycho], “Midnight Gold”, Devils Rejects
*Female Performer: Angelina, Su Yung, Eclipse, Destiny, Nikki Lane, Jazz
