Weekend Words: Super Bowl Thoughts, Fairplay, NECW TV, T.J. Richter, Another Funzie Onezie & more

Super Bowl weekend is here, and while I am not what you would call a big football fan, one can't help but get caught up in the hoopla. Of course, here in New England, a Pats-less Super Bowl means a lot less local media buzz than otherwise. As for a prediction, I like Cinderella stories and the Cardinals are the closest thing to it this year.

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If you missed Wednesday's Mouthpiece Wrestling Show with reality TV star and former TNA star, Jonny Fairplay, I urge you to give that a listen, as it was one of our best shows. Fairplay, who was once Roddy Piper's personal assistant, brings a whole lot of insight to this interview.

Before this aired, I heard from a lot of people how they didn't like him and what a poor choice for a guest. Well, I guess we're leaving bootprints on a lot of backsides, because this was really good.

You can check it out in the Mouthpiece Wrestling archive, as well as any of our previous shows, by clicking here.

By the way, according to today's stats, The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show now boasts over 15,000 podcast subscribers. That would be in addition to those listening on the radio station live or on the live stream. Those numbers are pretty impressive to me.

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Also impressive is this week's NECW TV. It features a great fatal four way match featuring "The Talent" T.J. Richter, "The Natural" Scott Osbourne, "The Heat" Kris Pyro and Makoto. While these types of matches can often turn into train wrecks, this was a great action-packed bout with some interesting developments after the bell.

In addition, there is some great footage of the benefit event we were part of with the Lowell Devils hockey team, including a chat with former WWE star, Christopher Nowinski, whose Sports Legacy Group received a portion of the proceeds. Chris is an eloquent speaker and a compelling advocate for concussion research.

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"The Talent" T.J. Richter is often derided by fans, and perhaps deservedly so, as he is (as Jim Ross would say) a true antagonist. Recently, I read a message board post from a local low level promoter, who dumped on Richter, claiming he wasn't properly trained, etc. While I take this with a grain of salt, as the source is a wannabe competitor who can't draw in the same league as NECW, even with "big names," I want to go on record as saying that the nickname "The Talent" indeed apt in this case. You may not care for his personality, and much of that is by design, but I have never seen Richter have a bad match and he has been a key contributor to NECW and prior to that, PWF.

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In one of my previous blogs, I spoke in depth about "funzie-onezies" - individuals with no experience in the business of pro wrestling who decide to become promoters, because they have deluded themselves into thinking that just because you watch wrestling, are a big fan, and read the Internet or subscribe to the Observer or Torch, that you can rent a ring, a building, get a bunch of guys together and be a wrestling promoter.

Well, I guess you CAN do that, but it never works. Apologies if I sound like a broken record, but this is a highly skilled profession, and if you truly respect pro wrestling, you will endeavor to start from the bottom and pay your dues, and in the process learn exactly what it is you are trying to do. I have seen so many of these individuals with good intentions lose large sums of money and damage the business they purport to love, simply because they found out the hard way that you can buy people's services, you can rent equipment and you can call yourself a wrestling promoter, but experience, expertise and respect have to be earned.

To the fledgling "promoter," who actually wrote to me for advice, let me answer you publicly right here: You are in over your head and you should have walked away after your first cancellation. You don't have the background or experience to do this the right way. Save yourself the pain, blues and agony you are certain to endure otherwise. You say this is your dream. Dreams are for sleeping. Wake up and get a clue.

Late Night Musings

It's almost 2:30 am, still wound up from a meeting of the NECW ownership. I wish I could tell you all about that, but what happens in North Providence, stays in North Providence.

I'm sorry I missed the Royal Rumble on PPV Sunday, as I was here at home working on segments for the next edition of NECW TV, which should be up on line within the next day or so. The Rumble was always one of my favorite WWE events, and the reports I read made it sound like this was a pretty darn good one. Hopefully, someone I know taped it for my later consumption.

I'm looking forward to Jonny Fairplay appearing on The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show this Wednesday. He's a pretty interesting character with a lot to say on the subject of pro wrestling.

Last week's show with Mickey Grant was a way too short hour, and I will be setting a return visit with the former World Class TV director soon. Check out his great documentary on the life of Gentleman Chris Adams at http://www.gentlemanschoice.tv/. This is one of the best wrestling documentaries out there and I highly recommend it. You can watch it online for an $8 fee, or buy the DVD.

NECW's next event is a big one in GENESIS 8. This is one worth going out of your way to see, with a big double main event, featuring Bauer and Arion for the Triple Crown and a huge tag title match with PRIDE defending against ECW Originals, The Blue Meanie and Mikey Whipwreck, who will be making his final New England appearance before hanging up his boots for good. That alone is a newsworthy event and worth going out of your way to see. I will write more on that subject at a later date. Head on over to http://www.necwwrestling.com/ and grab tickets now as we expect a great crowd on hand for this one.

I find it really interesting how Vince McMahon has done a complete 180 degree turn on the movie "The Wrestler." All reports were that McMahon hated the film and didn't even want it advertised on WWE programming. But ever since Mickey Rourke won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and received an Oscar nomination, WWE is not only on the Wrestler bandwagon, but Mickey Rourke is now appearing at WrestleMania. Speaking of which, if you haven't seen the movie, do so. It is a great, great film.

Enough for now, I'll have more soon.

The Devils Made Us Do It!

Some of the stars of NECW, specifically Max Bauer, Handsome Johnny and Sammi Lane, joined me and Joe Matterazzo, Matt and Kyle Storm and J.P. Griffin at the Lowell Devils game vs. the Springfield Falcons at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, MA this past Monday for an autograph session during the game.

A portion of the proceeds of Monday's game went to former WWE star, Christopher Nowinski's Sports Legacy Group, which promotes research and education on the sports concussion crisis. Chris, who was forced to retire from pro wrestling due to post-concussion syndrome, has become the leading voice for change in all sports regarding the issue of concussions and head injuries. I have a lot of personal admiration for Chris, who is championing a very important cause. If you love wrestling, or any other sport, and you love and respect the athletes who participate, you should be supporting the Sports Legacy Institute. Check out www.sportslegacy.org for more information.

The Devils organization really welcomed us, as well as the Tsongas Arena staff. We had a lot of autograph traffic during the game and it was great to meet all the fans in Lowell.

I am proud to say that the NECW talent, most of whom had never done a "meet and greet" event quite like this, all represented the promotion and themselves perfectly. This was a unique opportunity for these young stars to experience the concept of being more than just a local wrestler, but a local sports figure as well.

Mike Harold of the Lowell Devils contacted me months back about participating and helping to promote the event. Mike is a first-class guy and there was not a moment's hesitation on our part in terms of getting involved. I applaud the Devils as a sports franshise for standing behind this great cause and it was an honor to be associated with all the great people involved, including the Devils mascot, The Devil Dawg. The Devils, who are an AHL team, are a great take in for a hockey fan and an affordable experience for families. Check out www.lowelldevilshockey.com for more info on the Devils and to purchase tickets. We look forward to working with the Devils again in the future.

You will see footage from last Monday's event on the next NECW TV, and that will be a must-see episode.

"The Wrestler" Thoughts

I finally had the chance to see "The Wrestler" this week. I really have to separate my feelings about the movie into two distinct categories: How I liked it as a movie and how I liked it as someone in the wrestling business.

As a movie, and ultimately that's how it should be judged, it is a brilliant film, well written, well directed, perfectly detailed and brilliantly performed, particularly by Mickey Rourke. In fact, if Rourke does not win the Oscar for Best Actor, everyone in the wrestling community should serve up a beating to the Academy voters.

The parallells between Rourke's Randy "The Ram" Robinson's character and Cassidy, the stripper he is attracted to, are interesting and compelling. Both are "workers" in different ways. And while Randy copes better with the love he gets from wrestling and being Randy The Ram, Cassidy walks the fine line of peforming to seek the approval of her audience, while looking to retreat to the "real world" outside the strip club.

Both professions have a profound effect on their participants. And while I could give you a dissertation on how and why, I will spare you the psycho-babble and leave it by saying that there is real truth in that aspect of the movie.

Mickey Rourke truly becomes "one of the boys." It is a performance that simply surpasses brilliant. He is everything that underside of 80's pro wrestling is about. It is no wonder that Roddy Piper cried after seeing the film. I saw a lot of old friends in that performance myself who are no longer here to share this with.

"The Wrestler" is an absolute must-see movie and a brilliant piece of film making.

That said, my reaction as a wrestling promoter was a bit different.

There is a great big bundle of truth in much of what "The Wrestler" portrays as the world of independent wrestling. As someone who tries hard to elevate the independent wrestling promotion to the level of being a family-friendly, mainstream acceptable endeavor, I cringed at the thought that people might think all independent wrestling is like this.

I questioned the inclusion of certain things in the movie. For instance, and Mick Foley pointed this out as well, you would never see someone openly peddling drugs in a locker room. Outside, maybe. In a car, maybe. But in the locker room, where everyone is around and eyes and ears pry? Never.

I also found fault with the hardcore stuff. If you've been around wrestling long enough, especially 80's veterans, the vast majority want to do less in a match and not more. It would have been more realistic if Randy had to be talked into the match, maybe demanding more pay, then suffering the heart attack as a consequence.

I can forgive those things as plot devices and chalk them up to dramatic license. But geez, I watched and said to myself, this isn't going to make our jobs promoting wrestling any easier. I can understand why Vince McMahon hated it for that reason.

It almost made me want to do a movie called 'The Promoter."

Myself, Matt West and Kellan Thomas all of NECW were listed in the credits of the movie, along with many others in the wrestling community that helped the producers with the film. My good friend, Evan Ginzburg has been involved with this project for 6 years and to see him get an Associate Producer credit and to see how well the movie turned out made me feel good for him and everyone else involved.

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It is 2009, and I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New year. 2008 was a tough one for a lot of people, and I am hoping 2009 is a brighter one for all.

Holiday Thoughts & Wishes

It's time to bring the best out in our nature and wish each other happy holidays and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

2008 was not the easiest of years and with a faltering economy and uncertainty in the lives of most Americans, the season comes with a dark cloud over many whose jobs and ways of life may be in jeapordized by conditions they have no control over.

This holiday season, I wish you the happiness of being here to enjoy the season, the blessing of loved ones to share it with and the gift of good health to continue this wonderful journey we call life.

I look forward to a great 2009 and look forward to sharing it with you.

Happy holidays!

R.I.P. Steve Bradley, POWER OF LOVE Thoughts & More

There is not much I can add about the tragic death of Steve Bradley. There are things that happen in life that are not fair and this was one of them. I thought we had a nice tribute to him on The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show two weeks ago. I hope people will remember the positives that Steve brought to this world and our business and not the downsides.

I got a rather annoying message from an "anonymous" individual who felt that such a tribute coming from me was "pathetic." Any heat Steve Bradley and I ever had was squashed years ago. In fact, one of the last conversations I had with him was after the rather ugly split with a former booker. Steve called me to say how sorry he was that it had happened, how this individual was wrong and that he planned his little escapde deliberately and for quite some time. Steve also told me that I shouldn't give up on the business and that it needed me. I appreciated that phone call on a lot of levels and his words meant a lot to me at the time.

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Saturday night's NECW POWER OF LOVE event at the Billerica Memorial High School was a very gratifying night, being a benefit for Toys for Tots.

While the crowd numbers were a disappointment, those who were there were vocal and enthusiastic. The action more than held up its end of the bargain with some real standout matches. Complete results are up at www.NECWwrestling.com.

I am looking forward to making this an annual event. With a little more lead time next year and perhaps moving the show earlier to avoid the crunch of the holiday season, we should get significantly better numbers.

Even still, Saturday night's event managed to fill 4 huge bins full of toys for needy kids and I'm especially proud to say that the NECW stars and staff pitched in big time, not just by their work on Saturday night, but by bringing so many unsolicited donations of toys that the NECW crew filled one whole bin by themselves.

I believe that it's important for our company to involve itself in worthy community causes. It is the responsibility of every athlete and entertainer to display the positive personal traits of doing good deeds and charitable acts. What a blessing it is to have a roster full of young talent that so eagerly took the chance to do something so worthy.

The staff at the high school and the United States Marine Corps Reservers who run the Toys for Tots program were great to work with and all enjoyed their first taste of NECW action up close. Some new fans were made Saturday night, and I would be remiss not to thank our many Quincy regulars who made the drive to Billerica to support this event.

Thank you all and happy holidays!

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The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show, that I host every Friday on Boston's 1510 The Zone, is taking a bit of a holiday break. We will be returning on a new day and time - Wednesday afternoons from 5 to 6 PM EST - starting January 7th. The show has been such a great experience for me and I look forward to bringing you more great guests and more great talk on pro wrestling in the new year!

Thanksgiving Weekend DOUBLE INTENSITY Preview

I am really excited for this weekend's DOUBLE INTENSITY events. Years back, Thanksgiving night used to be one of the biggest nights of the year for pro wrestling. Many of the great territories had special Thanksgiving night shows, and especially in cities that didn't have a lot of major league sports in those days, they always drew well.

So here in NECW, we are experimenting with something that I would like to see become an annual tradition - the Thanksgiving weekend 2 night spectacular - NECW and World Women's Wrestling back to back on consecutive days.

Saturday night's NECW show should be a hot one with a six man tag on top, the tag team championship gauntlet match, a WWW title match, a mixed tag and much more. Sunday's WWW event, with Malia Hosaka challening the winner of Saturday night's championship match between Ariel and Taeler Hendrix should be an excellent bout. I look forward to welcoming Malia back to our company as she is a great asset to any company fortunate enough to employ her services. The WWW shows have been known for being fun and unpredictable, and if you haven't experienced one, make sure you get down to Quincy this weekend.

Another important aspect of this weekend's events is the price. You can buy a 2 night VIP front row ticket that includes a free WWW T-shirt for just $35. If you're just interested in general admission, we have a 2 night package for just $22. That's $22 for both shows. I do not anticipate our company raising ticket prices in the next year, as we extremely conscious of being affordable to families with children, which makes up the bulk of our business.

I hope to see you in Quincy this weekend.

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If you haven't checked out the 4th anniversary episode of NECW TV, it's available by clicking here. I thought it was a great episode with a mix of old clips and good build up to this weekend's shows.

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This Friday on The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show, it's a special on women's wrestling in honor of the return of World Women's Wrestling to live action. We'll have the current WWW Champion, "The Portuguese Princess" Ariel in the studio, joined by Dave Prazak of Shimmer who will be on the phone. Joe Materazzo co-hosts this week and Mike Johnson of http://www.pwinsider.com/ will have all the top stories of the week.

We'll also have another 3 question Trivia Challenge. Be the first to answer all 3 questions correctly and you'll win a big prize package from JR's Family BBQ and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, plus DOUBLE INTENSITY Tickets and the NECW or WWW DVD of your choice.

Join us Friday from 6 to 7 PM EST on Boston's 1510 The Zone or http://www.1510thezone.com/.

Thoughts on Lexxus, Pro Wrestling & The Economy, NECW - The Best NE Promotion? and NECW TV Celebrates 4 Years

As my schedule lightens up this week, I finally have a chance to catch up on things like this blog.

The big news from Friday's Mouthpiece Wrestling Show, which you can listen to if you missed it by clicking here, is that NECW/WWW star Lexxus will be changing her ring name due to a threatened legal action by Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyota consider the ring name "Lexxus" an infringemment of their Lexus automobile brand. I'll be posting the story here on this blog for you to read, but collectively, NECW and the wrestler currently known as Lexxus, have to just take this situation in stride. As I said in the story we released, this is actually more of a compliment to us than anything else.

Oh, and just one of the reasons NECW is the top promotion in New England is that no other local company received such a letter from Toyota's law firm. That alone should tell you how a multi-national conglomerate views things from the outside. More on this later in this post.

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Two weeks ago on The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show, we scratched the surface of a discussion of pro wrestling and how the current economy will affect it. We've already seen roster cuts at WWE after a recent stoockholder's report citing a 37% decrease in revenue for the company. I have heard of numerous promotions around the country citing major drops in business.

So exactly how bad is it going to get for pro wrestling? Is there a silver lining to the dark cloud that is our nation's current economic condition?

During the Great Depression, pro wrestling more than held its own for the most part. Historically, during down times, sports and entertainment tend to suffer the least.

Today, however, the world has changed. Where local pro sports franchises used to thrive off the average fan and a family trade in decades past, today pro sports tickets are largely consumed by corporate and well-to-do clients. The average working person tends to be frozen out of that end of the marketplace.

Pro wrestling was always at the lower end of the spectrum of pro sports and entertainment ticket prices. However, with today's high arena costs, even WWE and TNA are charging relatively high prices for house show tickets.

Also, society has changed. Today, more families see both parents holding jobs. People are busier. Entertainment options are far more plentiful, and many of those options, like DVD movies, cable TV and the Internet, are consumed at home.

In short, people are far more selective about their entertainment choices than they ever were before, simply because there is so much more to choose from. Boston, in particular, has far more entertainment and leisure options than most cities.

Do I think pro wrestling is going to be hurt by the current economy? To some extent, yes. We have seen a big drop in PPV buys for WWE, and that may well be because there are too many PPV's and fans are just picking and choosing the ones they will go out of their way to spend money on. The same thing applies to house shows. TNA did record business when they brought a PPV event to the Tsongas Arnea in Lowell, MA. But a regular house show a few months later, died at the gate.

A company like NECW operates on a different philosophy. Regular, low priced events, with quality content and good continuity have kept our business relatively strong. I see the future of independent wrestling as one with future potential for solid operators like NECW. I don't think the rash of newcomers to promoting in this area have any chance at all to succeed. They just aren't going to be able to do a better job than anyone currently in the area using the same talent pool.

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A couple of weeks ago, I was reading an article recently in a leading wrestling publication which shall remain nameless that claimed that a certain CT based promoter was the best promotion on the independent scene based on the fact that he bases his shows around big names and generally draws big crowds.

To say that this individual is the best independent promoter in the country is buying Fool's Gold. Don't get me wrong. This guy is great at what he does. I give him props for running that particular business model successfully.

But dig a little deeper and put what he does in perspective. He draws houses based on name talents that were built by major promotions. Most of his shows are fundraisers and the local sponsor is responsible for selling the tickets. In very few instances does he run a town regularly. His shows have no storyline content. You are paying to see the stars and the local guys are just filler. Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with this, and the man does an excellent job doing what he does.

But it's not a wrestling promotion. It's just putting on shows. If you took the stars away, he'd be done.

On the other hand, NECW has never used big names to draw. The company runs consistently with top notch show production, is storyline based, produces weekly TV and draws respectably month after month after month. No company in this area gets local talent over to where they are legitimate draws than NECW.

Are we perfect? No. There are downsides to our way of doing business. But if you look at what NECW produces and the effect it has clearly had on the local scene, it's hard not to give us props as the true leader in the area. But hey, that's just my opinion!

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This coming week, probably Tuesday, will see the posting of the 4th anniversary edition of NECW TV. Four years and nearly 150 episodes of television distributed worldwide via the Internet is a pretty impressive achievement.

NECW TV was a true pioneering effort. The first long form wrestling show produced specifically for the Internet, it currently gets between 23,000 and 30,000 views per week worldwide.

The shows have matured to where it is a consistently solid product and the best showcase possible for our talent. It's a real source of pride for us and it has been a real priviledge to be able to have shared so many great matches and moments with fans all over the world. We are very grateful for your support of this great experiment we call NECW TV.

One day, people will look back at what we did and realize how far ahead of its time it was. NECW TV was here before YouTube and iTunes.

Thanks for watching... and listening... and reading!

Random Thoughts & Considered Opinions

It's been quite a while between blogs, as my other work in the trade show industry has kept me super busy this month. Lots of early starts and long days, but the worst is over and I am looking forward to getting caught up with life.

There's a lot of territory to cover, so let's dig in:

I thought this year's TOXIC WALTZ was the best one of the three that have been presented under the post-merger NECW banner. "The Golden Greek" Alex Arion took home a controversial victory in the TOXIC WALTZ match, which is in my not-so-humble opinion, one of the most unique events in pro wrestling and a real asset to NECW.

The talent depth in the promotion is currently outstanding. Max Bauer is doing a fine job as NECW Triple Crown Champion. Ditto for Handsome Johnny as Television Champion. PRIDE's current domination of the tag team division is a reminder that great tag team wrestling is alive and well in NECW. The champs had a great match at the TOXIC WALTZ with NY's Team Zero.

The TOXIC WALTZ DVD will be worth getting for the commentary of myself and Joe Matterazzo, particularly where it involves the antics of one Pat "The Brat" Piper. Let's just say we found out what a Scotsman wears under his kilt and the commentary was a challenge from that point on.

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The DOUBLE INTENSITY Thanksgiving Weekend Spectacular is something not to be missed. We have a great card of NECW action in store on Saturday night, November 29 at the Armory in Quincy, and the return of World Women's Wrestling the following afternoon in the same venue with a special 5 PM bell time.

Triple W comes to Quincy for the first time ever and I am excited to see that product presented with the full NECW level of production. The Triple W shows always drew a loyal following and I am really looking forward to seeing both the fans and the stars. I have missed Triple W and I can assure you that we are going to have a great event on Sunday, November 30.

We have 2 great combo packages for the weekend shows which you can only get online at http://www.necwwrestling.com/ and http://www.worldwomenswrestling.com/. We have a VIP package, which included front row tickets for BOTH shows, plus a free WWW T-shirt for $35 and a 2 night general admission combo for just $22.

Given the current state of our nation's economy, now more than ever, NECW is conscious of giving our fans the greatest value possible for your dollar. We pride ourselves on being affordable family entertainment. I do not foresee any price increases on our part in the near future.

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Some time ago I wrote about these one-off "funzie-onezie" promotions that seem to be cropping up in the area.

The most recent of these - and I won't dignify which one by revealing its name - is a particularly sad story. The "promoter" is actually a long time fan of NECW who is, as he put it, "living his dream."

The reason it is a sad story is that this individual has no idea that he is dead before he starts. He does not know that the talent are laughing at him behind his back. He does not fully understand the scope of what he's getting into, and when he finally does, he will understand that he was totally naive with his plans, a ton of money will be lost and he will wake up from that "dream" with a very different view of things.

There are no shortcuts in pro wrestling. It is a highly skilled profession. It amazes me that someone would be so dumb as to think you can just walk off the street with no experience in the business of pro wrestling and be a successful promoter. Can you walk into hospital without a single days worth of medical school and perform surgery? I don't care how long you've been a fan. That is no substitute from actually working in this business and paying your dues.

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I am pleased to be involved a couple of very important charity projects in the months to come:

Saturday, December 13, NECW & WWW will present a benefit event with 100% of the proceeds going to the Toys for Tots program, which is run by the United States Marine Corps. The show will take place at the Billerica High School with a 7 PM bell time, and we'll have more info next week on this.

Monday, January 19, which is Martin Luther King Day, we will be supporting former WWE star Christopher Nowinski and his Sports Legacy Institute at the Lowell Devils hockey game at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. Game time is 2 PM. Your admission gets you a free autographed picture or photo op with Chris. I will be there along with some of the NECW crew signing autographs as well. We'll have more details on the NECW web site this coming week.

Thoughts On PWI's Female 50

Pro Wrestling Illustrated's latest newsstand issue features a first time ever listing of the 50 top female wrestlers. A companion to the magazine's annual PWI 500 featuring the top 500 wrestlers in the industry, it's an interesting list that merits some discussion.

NECW has never actively participated in the PWI 500, more due to the amount of work involved in compiling photos, bios, etc. in the format the magazine wants. I am also not a big believer in the importance of the list. In a perfect world, we would have the staffing to do more outreach to a newsstand magazine like PWI, but in balancing all we do with our company, it's just not possible.

I also think PWI should do a better job of developing coverage of the major independent companies, but that's another story for another post.

The PWI Female 50 is an interesting list because it contains a number of stars who have worked for NECW and World Women's Wrestling and a few whose careers were significantly impacted by our company. It's also a list that gives equal weight to women on the independent circuit, as well as those who work for the national promotions. Here in the list in total:

1. Awesome Kong 2. Beth Phoenix 3. Gail Kim 4. Mickie James 5. MsChif 6. Sarah Del Ray 7. Roxxi Laveaux 8. Melina 9. Michelle McCool 10. Candice Michelle 11. Mercedes Martinez 12. Victoria 13. Taylor Wilde 14. ODB 15. Daizee Haze 16. Angelina Love 17. Jacqueline 18. April Hunter 19. Natalya 20. Sumie Sakai 21. Allison Danger 22. Traci Brooks 23. Velvet Sky 24. Sarah Stock 25. Moose Knuckles 26. Katie Lea Burchill 27. Cherry 28. Cheerleader Melissa (a.k.a. Raisha Saeed) 29. Maria Kanellis 30. Amber O’Neal 31. Lexie Fyfe 32. Kelly Kelly 33. Cindy Rogers 34. Jillian Hall 35. Malia Hosaka 36. Christie Ricci 37. Becky Bayless 38. Alere Little Feather 39. Layla El 40. Kelly Couture 41. Jaime D (a.k.a. Sirelda) 42. Christy Hemme 43. Milena Roucka 44. Annie Social 45. Lufisto 46. Rhaka Khan 47. Danyah 48. Jennifer Blake 49. Daffney 50. Portia Perez

Beth Phoenix comes in at number 2. Beth had a few appearances with NECW before she hit it big, and even then was impressive and a pleasure to work with. She carried former TNA & ECW star Trinity to a very good match in what was Trinity's first singles match. That took place in NECW and is available on the NECW Home Video release GATEWAY TO GREATNESS. Beth worked extremely hard to get her spot and deserves every bit of the success she's achieved.

Roxxi Laveaux, the former Nikki Roxx, came in at number 7 - a high ranking and ahead of some some pretty notable names. I can't say it's not deserved in this case. The former NECW Women's Champion and World Women's Wrestling Champion proved to be a potent attraction when given the right portrayal, a good push and the opportunity to shine. How far she goes on the national stage depends on how well she can play the politics.

Mercedes Martinez came in at #11, ahead of former WWE Women's Champion, Victoria among others. The PWI bio correctly states that Mercedes got her first break in NECW, and for quite some time, she was the most popular attraction on the roster (much to the chagrin of the booker at the time). Martinez started with NECW in its first year. From the moment she went through the curtain at Good Time Emporium that first time, it was obvious she was something special. The challenge was getting her good opponents and keeping her in a place where she could show off her abilities effectively.

Mercedes suffered in NECW from a clash with the booker at the time. This individual hated women's wrestling and would always run down Martinez behind her back. I would try and bring the two together, but sometimes that's just not possible. I would end up booking the women's matches myself most times, as I know they were effective and often bright spots on the cards. A funny story about this period is that one time we had the legendary Les Thatcher in to one of our shows. He was here because the booker, who also had and still has a wrestling school, brought him in for a seminar that weekend. Thatcher sees the show, which had a pretty fair amount of the booker's students on the card, and who does he tell me is the best worker in the promotion? You guessed it. Mercedes Martinez.

Martinez branched out from NECW/WWW, in large part because of her work in our company and my recommendations to other promoters. I have not seen her recent work, but my take on her is that she is a super talent who needs to evolve. The best and most successful workers try to adapt to the marketplace and improve on their look and their style. The minute you start thinking that you don't need to learn anything new or reassess your look, you will be left behind. Martinez should be in TNA and I hope she gets a shot there.

April Hunter had a couple of brief runs in NECW in the early years of the company. I can't say that we are the best of friends or that we send each other Christmas cards. April Hunter is a unique case in pro wrestling. She broke in as an NWO girl in WCW, saw an opportunity for a career in pro wrestling and then trained to actually work in the ring. She came up here to Killer Kowalski's School in 2000, I believe. She worked hard at it, and did perhaps the best job of self-marketing any independent worker has ever done.

I read the she retired from wrestling earlier this year due to accumulated injuries (she'll still work as a manager), and I felt bad when I read that. My take on April is that she rushed into the ring before really knowing how to work and more importantly how to protect herself. She had a tremendously marketable look and she got herself booked worldwide, which is no small feat. However, if she had learned to master other aspects of the game, such as promos and psychology, she could have lasted longer and perhaps had more success.

Sumie Sakai clocked in at #20 and I was surprised to see her on the list, let alone in that position. This is not due to her ability, but due to the fact that I haven't seen her in many match results this past year. I believe she is living in the Atlanta area now. I took Sumie under my wing when she first arrived in the U.S. She had her first match in America in NECW against Mercedes Martinez and she was actually the inspiration for World Women's Wrestling. Her arrival in the area and how she was promoted here upon that arrival had a profound effect on me and on the promotion. She hasn't been back to the area in quite awhile and she is missed.

Cindy Rogers ranked 33rd. Cindy is a great worker, but another case of someone who has not evolved. In the right situation and with the right presentation, she'd be a draw.

Malia Hosaka is way underrated at #35. She may be the best female wrestler on the continent. A consummate pro who can go with anyone, Malia should not only be on national television, but she should be schooling girls on what pro wrestling is all about. She is a terrific person to boot.

Alere Little Feather at #38 has been plagued by injuries lately, but she can be effective when booked properly and with an opponent who can bring the best out of her.

Portia Perez rounds out the list at #50 and I have a ton of respect for this great young talent. She has shown the ambition to travel anywhere to get more experience as a wrestler and that means a lot to me as a promoter. There is no substitute for desire and Portia has it in spades.

The fact that the PWI Female 50 exists is due in large part to the efforts of one Dave Prazak, promoter of SHIMMER. His promotion of women's wrestling was the precursor to, and most likely the inspiration for, TNA's women's division and if you look at their roster, it is no coincidence that so many have worked for his promotion.

There are some serious omissions from the PWI list, which is why I don't put much stock in it. The fact that "The Portuguese Princess" Ariel and Lexxus are absent from the list, hurts its credibility with me.

Still it's nice to see women's wrestling getting its due as something other than a fetish interest. And for those of you who have continued to ask about when our own World Women's Wrestling will return, we hope to have an answer for you within the next few weeks.

Jim Ross: Class Act

We had Jim Ross on The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show today (Well technically yesterday, as it's past midnight) and it was great visit with one of the true class acts in a business that is notorious for not having a big supply of such. You can listen to the show at this link.

One of the things we touched on during the interview is that this is a guy who has had more than his share of challenging days at the office so to speak. Between suffering with Bell's Palsy and the strong personalities and egos that go with territory in pro wrestling, Ross never failed to hold his head up and deliver his best - a best which was consistently better than anyone elses.

Whenever I felt overwhelmed or under appreciated in or out of wrestling, I thought about Jim Ross and how his passion for his profession and his desire to be the best overcame any obstacle he faced - physical or otherwise.

There is a huge lesson there for anyone in any walk of life. But particularly for you young wrestlers and those who aspire to be part of the business is some way, the lesson is that it doesn't matter what the role is or what you think of the circumstances, persevere and commit yourself to being the best you can be.

Thank you Jim Ross, a true main event human being!

AUTUMN UNLEASHED Notes

Saturday night's AUTUMN UNLEASHED event at the Armory in Quincy was a great outing for NECW. We had a terrific crowd on hand to witness one of our best cards of the year.

There is a full report online now at www.NECWwrestling.com, but here are a few of my notes:

We had three stars visiting from Australia in Ryan Eagles, Madison Eagles and Jessie McKay. All three made a tremendous showing for themselves and you'll be seeing their matches in upcoming episodes of NECW TV.

The triple threat tag team title match was excellent. The champions, PRIDE, showed why they are one of the most durable teams in New England wrestling history. In fact, Freitas and Nunes are textbook examples of how a good tag team can create a value for themselves that is greater than the sum of their parts. They are a great centerpiece to the tag team division, which is heating up big time with Team Nightmare and The Crown Jewels doing some tremendous work.

Pat's Pit was an eventful segment that ended up with Sean Gorman losing an impromptu "Loser Leaves NECW" match to Pat Piper. Gorman is gone for no less than 90 days, which made the Quincy fans happy. I would not count on Gorman being gone for good however. The wily "Manager of Champions" is sure to use his "time off" to plan and scheme his way back into the thick of things in NECW.

I have been really enjoying the feud between NECW Television Champion, Handsome Johnny and former titleholder, "The Real Deal" Brandon Locke. Their matches have been outstanding and it will be almost sad to see one eventually prevail over the other. Handsome & Locke write what could be the final chapter of their epic at THE TOXIC WALTZ on November 1 in a rematch with no time limit.

Makoto is becoming a great attraction for NECW. The masked man from the Orient adds a little exotic flavor with both his ring attire and his action-oriented style.

The women's tag match was very well executed and the fans really responded to this one. (They responded to everything really. Just a great crowd.)

The main event was a memorable one to say the least. The Alex Arion turn came out of nowhere and the hush that came over the crowd was amazing when Arion struck Max Bauer with the Triple Crown title belt the first time.

I really enjoyed coming out at intermission and meeting our fans. It gives me a chance to thank people personally for their support of our promotion. I have always been a big believer in "the personal touch." In this day and age, people have almost unlimited choices for their entertainment. I am always honored and grateful that they chose our event on that night, and it is never lost on me that their patronage is not a given or a guarantee.

R.I.P. Norman Whitfield

I just saw that one of the greatest songwriters and record producers of all time, Norman Whitfield, passed away yesterday at the age of 67.

Norman Whitfield was a big part of the Motown juggernaut of the 60's and 70's. Whitfield wrote and produced some of Motown's biggest hits, including "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," "Just My Imagination," "Ball of Confusion," "War," and others. He also won a Grammy for his score of the 1976 film "Car Wash."

Back in 1982, I created and produced a musical revue that was a salute to Motown called "Dancin' In The Street!" The show was a smash hit in Boston at the old Next Move Theater and ran here for a total of 70 weeks. The show also ran at the historic Ford's Theater in Washington, DC. The success of that show was a testament to the enduring legacy of "The Motown Sound" and the singers, songwriters and producers who truly delivered "The Sound of Young America."

Thanks to Norman Whitfield and the other members of the great Motown family, it is a sound that will live forever as the true American songbook.

My condolences to the family and friends of the great Norman Whitfield.

More Not-So-Random Thoughts

We will have open phone lines on this week's Mouthpiece Wrestling Show this Friday at 6 PM Eastern on 1510 The Zone in Boston.

It's a somewhat abreviated show this week, as we will have to cut away at 6:45 for a Harvard Football pre-game show. This will be the only week we will have to do this, so we want to open up the phone lines to as many of you as possible. I will be giving away some prizes tomorrow too, so tune in if you can or listen live online if you are outside the Greater Boston area.

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To answer Josh Ray's comment from my last post (Josh's comments in italics):

I hope you aren't suggesting that I am a know-it-all, haha. If I was one then I would have already attempted to put on a show instead of treading softly and (GASP!) building relationships and reasearching.

Josh, I am not suggesting you are a know-it-all. I am suggesting that if you haven't worked in the business on any level than you have no idea of the scope of what you're trying to do.

I have no desire to be a full time promoter. I'd like to help those that are already out there (specially the wrestlers) promote themselves.

I am not technically a full-time promoter, but I can tell you that I spend upwards of 50 hours a week on all things NECW, along with other employment and a radio show.

Also, wrestlers should not promote themselves. Ideally, that's what promoters do. I say ideally, because most promoters, at least on the independent level, do not really build talent. They just put on shows.

You're right that wrestlers should try harder to help the promotion they work for be more successful, but many of them probably feel that they do enough for $50 (or less). That's just two cents from a guy that "takes a different approach".

One thing I have learned in my years of being involved in wrestling is that it is a small world and reputations can build or deteriorate quickly. Independent wrestling is not a business, generally speaking, where much money is made, if any is made at all. Independent shows are where talent gain experience and build a reputation. The size of the pay day is irrelevant. When you walk in any dressing room, you should be prepared to do your best and leave a good impression. People who make a positive impression with both their work and their attitude are generally the ones who get booked and become sought after.

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It has been a challenging week for me personally.

I was diagnosed last week with Type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, it is reversible and I have already made some significant lifestyle changes in order to reach that goal.

It was also a wake up call and put some perspective on what is most important in life. So please take care of yourselves and keep your head where it ought to be.

Not-So-Random Thoughts

It's been a while since my last post, so it's catch up time.

The passing of Walter "Killer" Kowalski is truly the end of an era in New England wrestling. Apart from what Walter meant to wrestling as a worldwide star and one of the greatest ring villains ever, his legacy as a trainer in New England is carried on by the many companies in the area who use talent touched by his hand. The independent scene in New England would be a vastly different thing had there been no Killer Kowlaksi Institute of Professional Wrestling. There would certainly have been no NECW without it.

While my business dealings with Walter were not always what I would have hoped they would be, he was someone I loved, admired and respected.

The last time I saw him was at an autograph session we did in Wilmington to benefit Toys for Tots. I hugged him when I saw him and was glad I made that gesture. His friendship and kindness will never be forgotten and every time we ring the bell at an NECW event, I will be reminded that he was the foundation for what it has become.

On September 5, we did a great tribute to Walter on my radio show. You can listen to that broadcast, which featured Dory Funk, Jr., Frankie "Kaz" Kazarian from TNA, "Strangler" Steve King and "The Extreme Enforcer" Paul Richard by clicking here.

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I got some interesting feedback to my last post about fledgling "promoters."

I love it when someone with no experience in the wrestling business says, "But I have a different approach." That is usually code for "I am a know-it-all and don't want to pay my dues. I will just pay someone who has already paid them for me."

By the way, if you insist on taking the plunge, I am available as a consultant for a reasonable fee. Just joking there. My fee is actually unreasonable.

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Several months ago, Dory Funk Jr. wrote in one of his online columns that the job of a professional wrestler is to draw money for the promotion he or she works for.

I wish more young talent would take that statement to heart.

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This Saturday night, NECW has an extraordinary event lined up for the National Guard Armory in Quincy, MA. In addition to our regular crew, we will have 3 young stars from Australia who will be making their debut in NECW.

Madison and Jessie McKay will be opposite sides in a special World Women's Wrestling International Tag Team Challenge Match. Madison, is no stranger to this country as she used to work for Heartland Wrestling in Ohio a while back. This will be her first US appearance in 3 years as she teams with "The Portuguese Princess" Ariel, the World Women's Wrestling Champion, against former champion Lexxus and Jessie McKay, who makes her American debut in this match.

Aussie star, Ryan Eagles will take on our own self-proclaimed "Future Superstar" Ryan Matthews in another international challenge match. I believe this is Eagles' American debut as well.

NECW has had a history of giving opportunities to overseas talent. Among the international stars NECW has introduced or showcased over the years are Britain's Doug Williams, Jonny Storm, Jody Fleisch and Paul Tyrrell, Ireland's Fergal Devitt (now Prince Devitt in New Japan), as well as Japanese star, Sumie Sakai. You never know who you will be seeing in NECW today that will be making a global impact tomorrow.

For more details on Saturday's event and to get tickets, visit www.NECWwrestling.com.

Attack of the Funzie-Onezies

You see them more and more of late. "Promoters" running shows who have never run anything before. They book the talent established promoters in the area use. They bring in "big names" if they have the budget. They tell you they are going to "revolutionize the area" or "change the industry."

And every one of them meets the same fate. One and done.

I don't understand how people think they can walk into pro wrestling and be a promoter, never having done it before and never having been around the business before. Do these people honestly think that because they watch wrestling every week and read the inside scoops on the Internet or subscribe to the Wrestling Observer that they are qualified to promote wrestling?

Years ago, I used to produce plays. I had a few successes too. But when trying to raise money for these projects, I would continually run across people who had never been in the business, but wanted to tell you who to cast, what to change, how to write. etc. Before I started producing, I worked as a press agent for different producers and theaters. I saw many a well meaning person lose huge money because they wanted to call shots they had no business calling.

Like these amateur wrestling promoters, these people were doomed from the start. All manner of leeches attached themselves to these folks, in hopes of a run in the spotlight and an inflated paycheck.

In wrestling, I call these people "funzie-onezies." They are not in the business to make money. They are in it to be happy. They are in it to convince themselves they have a talent that doesn't exist. They don't want to work with established promoters, because they think they know what it takes or they know better.

What they all end up learning is the pro wrestling, like any other business, is a highly skilled profession. If you have never been around it before and don't know what you're doing, you are certainly going to lose money and lots of it.

Another by-product of these "funzie-onezies" is that often unwittingly damage the very business they purport to love so much. They over pay talent or don't pay them at all, leave buildings in disrepair, and allow things to happen on shows that either kill that building as a venue for wrestling or sour fans on independent wrestling altogether. I have seen promoters run shows so badly that the town they ran in actually banned wrestling from ever coming back.

When I started promoting wrestling, I had been around indie shows for over 10 years (working at them and not just attending them), and I didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did about putting on wrestling then as I do now.

So when you see one these "funzie onezies" - shows that pop up from an organization you never heard of before, don't bother. 99 times out of 100 they are dead before they start.

Killer Kowalski Memorial Fund

A fund has been established to help pay the medical expenses and other needs of Walter "Killer" Kowalski. The fund has been established by Walter's wife Theresa.

You can send donations in any amount to:

The Walter "Killer" Kowalski Memorial Fund
Citizens Bank
876 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148

At this writing, Walter is still clinging to life. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Radio Dreams

"The Mouthpiece Wrestling Show" just had it's 4th episode this past Friday with special guest Chris Cruise on 1510 The Zone, and it was one of those shows that was just too short. We could have gone on for at least a couple more hours, and that is a sign that what we are doing is working.

We've gotten a ton of positive feedback from listeners and the station staff, for which I am very grateful.

From a personal standpoint, it's been an absolute blast. While I am new to hosting talk radio and still getting used to it, when I was a teenager, I would have given anything to have been a DJ on a Boston station. Needless to say, I matured from that career path, although there are those who would argue that promoting professional wrestling does not exactly fit their definition of mature. Nonetheless, it is incredibly ironic that 34 years later, my radio dreams came true, thanks to pro wrestling.

I am especially looking forward to next Friday's (August 8) show, as it will mark the return of my broadcast partner, Sean Gorman, after his several week battle with Lyme Disease, and special guest from TNA Wrestling, Jeremy Borash, who is someone I hold in very high regard.

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to listen, as well as all the station's staff, especially General Manager, Anthony Pepe. Please tune in this coming Friday at 5 PM Eastern.

If it's not convenient to listen live, you can now subscribe to the show as a podcast on iTunes, Podcast Alley and other podcast sites. We've had over 1,300 subscribers so far and I can't thank you all enough for your support.

World Women's Wrestling Update

I have been getting a lot of e-mails and questions about what is happening with World Women's Wrestling now that it's home, Good Time Emporium, is no longer in business.

World Women's Wrestling will return late this fall, most likely at the National Guard Armory in Quincy. This will be an interesting experiement to see how WWW works in a more arena-like atmosphere.

I do expect that Good Time Emporium will reopen in Brockton, but that is a lengthy process.

According to the Quincy Patriot Ledger newspaper, Good Times received zoning approval for the new venue they are trying to open in Brockton.

There are two more steps in the process before it's a done deal. They have to get a City Council ordinance revision to lift the cap of 35 automatic amusements to accommodate Good Time’s request for 300 machines, and a liquor license hearing before the License Commission where they will ask for a 2 a.m. weekend closing time.

The Zoning Board approval is a major step, so hopefully they will be able to make it happen. According to the paper, Dan Hayes is buying the building, which was an old warehouse, for $14 million and it will take millions more to renovate it.

If all goes well and swiftly, it will most likely be the end of the year or early next year before a new facility would come on line.

Obviously, we hope that it does and that we will be able to run that new facility with WWW and possibly NECW on a regular basis.

Killer Kowalski Health Update

Today's Boston Herald features an article by columnist Joe Fitzgerald about the health of our friend, the legendary Hall of Famer, Walter "Killer" Kowalski. You can read Joe's article by clicking here.

There are few larger than life legends who exceed your expectations in real life. Walter Kowalski is one of the few.

The legendary villian of the ring, whose exploits are forever stamped into our memories as fans of pro wrestling, is in a very different kind of battle right now. As the Herald article states, Kowalski's knees are gone, and corrective surgery, such as a knee replacement, is a high risk procedure due to his age and physical condition. This once vibrant man is now bed ridden and relegated to a nursing home.

Anyone who ever met this gentle giant with a heart of gold, will tell you how such a fate is so undeserved. Please keep Walter and his lovely wife Theresa in your thoughts and prayers.