----RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 continues. The first 6 categories have been closed for nominations. I have listed the next 6 categories in this year’s race, which many consider the most important ones. If you are a member of the KAYFABE MESSSAGE BOARD, then you may click over and put all your nominations there. Or you may e-mail your picks, if you do not want to post them “in the open” on the board. Send your nominations in ASAP. PLEASE PICK 3 NOMINEES for each category!!! Send your e-mail to brian_tramel@yahoo.com with subject: RRO Nominees. Deadline for these 6 awards is Wednesday 12.23.09. You may also go over to the RRO AWARDS RACE blog by CLICKING HERE and get all the up to the date info on the awards!!! Below my picks and thoughts are the Columnists Consensus results from a poll I conducted via e-mail last week with them.
----Wrestler –This award has to do with drawing power, influence, visibility and just overall a good wrestler. You don’t have to be the best worker in the area, but it does help. 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?? Three-time Wrestler of the Year Derrick King will be considered, but it might be a hard year for him to win. But, with winning 3 in a row, it is almost a given he will be nominated. My top two picks change almost every week now – Dustin Starr and Rodney Mack. Mack 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. Starr has not only pushed himself to be the best at what he does, but he has also helped put this area on the map. His blog, his work with various non-wrestling projects and his overall exposure will make it hard not to nominate him. Other guys deserving the nod might be Brian Christopher [he has had a ton of exposure – not good..], Jerry Lawler [who topped all the biggest shows in the first half of the year] and Kevin White [who also was on a lot of the top shows].
----Tag Team of the Year fits right in there with drawing power, influence, exposure and all that combined into one. My top pick is “Asylum” [Psycho/Pappy]. There is no other team that gets 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] and “Picture Perfect” [Christian Jacobs/Chris O’Neal/Jon Michael] are my other two picks. “Gold” made an impact in this area and it has just been fun for a Midnight Express mark like me to watch them. “Perfect” was “the” team most of the year even with O’Neal’s injury, Jon Michael then stepped in. Others that should be considered - “LSD” [Cody Only/Idol Bane], “Genocide” [Maxx Corbin/Albino Rhino], “Natural Born Playas” [Southside Brawler/Pimptacular] and “East Coast Bad Boys” [Serpent/C-Money] .
----MVP Performer 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. My first pick this year will have to be Austin Lane. I have just seen him in more great matches than anyone this year. #2 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. He worked his ass off during the Sid/Hall angles and made everyone look good. #3 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. Stan Lee, Greg Anthony, Christian Jacobs or Eric Wayne - it would not hurt my feelings to see either of them nominated.
----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, but I think my #1 pick would be a toss up between them and PP.
----Rookie of The Year –This award goes to someone that worked at least 26 dates in their first year of wrestling. The guys that are eligible are JD Kerry, Michael Gilbert, Chris Lexxus, The Regulator, Ty Hamiliton and there are others out there. I would have to pick JD Kerry hands down in this category. Guys like Kevin Charles and Dan Matthews fall “in between” and will get a nod next year.
----NEW AWARD: Spot Moondog Brawler of the Year Award. This will be our first year to present this award and it is our only new award added. This award has been given a stamp of approval by the family of Spot Moondog and we are excited about presenting it. This award goes to a guy that is hardcore or just a damn good brawler. My number one pick here would be Psycho. Psycho can take more punishment than anyone I have seen in this area. His matches for S&V and the IWA stuff put him ahead of others. He does these shows and continues to do regular bouts each and every week without taking off time. Tony Myers does his own stuff and is a strong candidate here. Motley Cruz is and has always been good at the brawling style. Pappy did most of the stuff Psycho did and should be consider. Southside Brawler also did a few really wild brawls this year and Ron Rage ended up bloody a lot too.
Columnist Consensus
-Wrestler: Dustin Starr, Greg Anthony, Rodney Mack
-Tag Team: Midnight Gold, Picture Perfect, The Asylum
-MVP Performer: Austin Lane, Stan Lee, Greg Anthony
-MVP Tag Team: Picture Perfect, Midnight Gold, Eric Wayne/Kid Nikels
-Rookie: JD Kerry, Blaine Devine, Chris Lexxus
-Moondog Award: Psycho, Pappy, Motley Cruz
