Funk's Corner - What is a Webbie?

Funk's Corner - What is a Webbie?

Aside from being a Rapster from Baton Rouge Louisiana a "Webbie" is something in between a Mini Reality Show and a wrestling promo.

You have seen them on the major wrestling television shows, Incidents that take place back stage and the production video cameras are there to record the events for presentation through video live or on replay.

Webbies are not promos and they are certainly not wrestling matches. Webbies are mini videos. Their importance is to increase the interest in up coming wrestling matches.

With the popularization of You Tube, My Space and for that matter, !BANG! TV Webbies are increasingly important in the marketing of professional wrestling.

On our website at www.dory-funk.com, we have a special section for "Webbies" featuring the participants in our next !BANG! TV Taping, Support the Troops 16, Ultimate Struggle.

The latest "Webbie" on line on our website is the signing of the contract for the Florida Heavyweight Championship match between Johnny Magnum and Shane Chung and the controversy surrounding the selection of their respective corner people.

Other Webbies on our site include Elvis Sharp Exposing himself to Air Mitchell's Valet, Sandii Skye, A risqué phone conversation between The Claw and Father James Mitchell and a dressing and powder room incident involving The Claw and The "Pop Tarts," Lady Kimberly and Miss Vicki.

Support the Troops 16, Ultimate Struggle comes to the Funking Conservatory Sunday May 27th. Matches on the card include:

Florida Title - Johnny Magnum vs Shane Chung

Revenge Match - Dory Funk vs Scott D'Amore

Women's Title - The Claw vs Gail Kim vs Miss Vicki vs Lady Kimberly

# 1 Contender Match, Hard Core Rules - Flyin' Ryan with Sandii Skye vs Elvis Sharp with the Pop Tarts vs Kory Chavis with Father James Mitchell vs Blain Rage with Scott D'Amore.

Also we will be introducing Duchess Louise Henley and The "Super Model."

For ticket information call 352-895-4658 or visit our website at www.dory-funk.com. Tickets are also available at Devon Self Storage in Ocala, Florida. Advance Purchase are $10 and At the Door $15.
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AS I SEE IT 5/21: WWECW, helping IWA Mid-South, and TNA's new mascot

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

Well, THAT was three hours of my life I can't get back.

Chris Benoit jobbing in consecutive falls to MVP?

Bait and switch on a WWECW title match?

And a (admittedly necessary) bait and switch of no real HBK match?

I'd even rather watch a TNA PPV than a PPV like that again.

Speaking of WWECW, for anyone who had sort of delusion that WWECW was anything but a glorified Velocity was disabused of those notions, as Vince McMahon released Rob Van Dam and Sabu, along with faux vampire Ariel this week.

Yup. Two of the wrestlers associated with the real ECW that remained in WWECW were released this past week. It's certainly true that neither one was happy, and McMahon decided to release Van Dam (but keep him from wrestling in TNA until his contract actually expires) rather than job him out over the next month until One Night Stand...which had been his scheduled windup date. By the way, for anyone who missed it, One Night Stand isn't even a ECW PPV anymore.

The Major Brothers... Snitsky...Bobby Lashley...yup, they're extreme, all right.

Now, since this column and the PWBTS.com website have always believed in helping indies, I'm asking readers to help out IWA Mid-South Wrestling to resolve a legal situation.

To explain, here's the item sent out to websites last Saturday:

As many of you may know, we had the 2004 KOTDM tournament in Oolitic, Indiana. After that show, we were no longer allowed in that building because they said they had to have the floor re-done due to us ruining the floor. After going to court over this the last couple of years, the decision came down today that we had 30 days to pay the damages for the floor.

You may ask why this took so long to settle. The building tried to get our insurance company to pay to re-do the floor and they wanted proof that we were the ones who had actually damaged it. Or if it was a small spot (thats what they claimed we did) why the whole gym floor had to be refinished. Of course, the building couldn't give them the proof because other people had used the building after us. The insurance company denied the claim twice. After the insurance company denied the claims, the city board of directors chose to sue Ian personally (eventually gaining a judgment against him). Today he had a summons to appear in court under the terms since he hadn't paid the judgment, that they would start to garnish Ian's wages.

Ian tried to set up a payment plan, but was told that this had been on going for too long and he would have to make payment within 30 days, or a garnishment would began. So I thought I would explain to the judge and the attorneys how the wrestling business is a mostly cash business and that would be almost impossible to do. To Ian's surprise, he was told that it would be perfectly legal for them to come in to any shows in the state of Indiana with sheriffs, and take all monies associated with the show.

We are not asking you to give us money, but we do have PLENTY of merchandise around here for sale. So we are going to have a sale on all merchandise we have.

The sale will be on hoodies, T-shirts, and DVDs in hopes of trying to put this issue to rest. Because if Ian can't put this thing to rest, it could really screw up King Of The Death Matches. We now have a 9 disc dvd burner and can be shipping your order to you within 2-3 days.

The dvd sale will be (along with the one we currently have) for the people who don't have $70- $80 to spend on the sale currently going on. Buy 2 --get one free of equal value. And of course if you don't want to pay for shipping you can pick them up at shows. If you order in time, you can pick them up as early as Candido Cup. For those of you who might have the money , you can do the buy 2 --get 1 free up to 5 times. So you would buy 10 DVDs get 5 free (TPIs & KOTDMs count as 2.)

Hoodies we have very limited quantity. We have 9 XL and 9 2XL. The XL will be $25 and the 2X will be $30.

The 2006 TPI shirts will be $8.00 (all sizes) which we have XL, 2X, and 3X. I will be looking to see if we have any other sizes and I will post on here if we do.

For a full listing of tshirts with pictures, go to this link

Thanks for your help with this. Ian knows he will probably take some bashing for this. But right now with everything that is going on, Ian only sees one direction to turn and that is to our great fans.

For those of you that support this sale, Ian says he cannot thank you enough. He hopes to see everybody next weekend at the Candido Cup.

We will accept paypal, checks, and money orders. You may email Patti at rottenwife@aol.com rottenwife@aol.com and let Patti know which you would choose to do.

Also, we will have all merchandise available for this sale at our upcoming events so you can also purchase them there with money or credit card. Thank you again for your on going support.



TNA now has a mascot called Stomper. Depending on reports, it has been described as a kangaroo, a rabbit, or even a rat. With any luck fans will get to see Rob Van Dam stuck in this nonsense. Or will Hector Guerrero have to reprise his Gobbledygooker embarasment?

Speaking of embarassing, several major indies are considering eliminating the use of TNA talent; because TNA (in the word of a staffer from one of these indies) is beginning to put too much on the indies on how these guys have to be used. This will have the effect of taking away even more independent bookings from TNA wrestlers. Explain that one away, TNArollz.

Speaking of them, here's our first letter, from Haseeb Bajwa:

"I think Bob and all wrestling fans need to wake up. TNA and wrestling does not owe us nothing. They give us entertainment and we watch it. If we wanted TNA to follow our rules then what’s entertaining in that. Bob you have to wake up and see things from another point of view, Shark Boy copying Stone cold was awesome, Jay lethal copying Macho Man at the time was very funny."

This IS one of the TNA staff e-mailing me using a sock puppet, right?

"My random wrestling friend said the Sting/Abyss Casket Match was very good. I a fan for 18 years thought that match was very well done for what it had been given and Sting taking a awesome blow to the head brought the match alive. As I say why complain about a wrestler, if people (you) think you can do better get in the ring your self."

This has GOT to be a sock puppet. Go back to last week's column...never mind, I'll say it again for you... I don't need to be an Escoffier Chef to know if food tastes like crap. I don't need to be a line worker at a Saturn plant to know if my car doesn't run. I don't need to be Steven Spielberg to know that The Condemned isn't Godfather II.

"As people have been saying you talk a lot of smack but we never hear about your story line ideas.

Dixie Carter isn't even using the talent within her own promotion. Ever hear of a guy called Jim Cornette? Call me back when they've tried some of his ideas.

"Wake up TNA Sacrifice '07 was bloody awesome compared to WWE Backlash'07. I cant believe you cant see that Impact is so much better then WWE product and that includes RAW which is stale and average most of the time. Also Wrestlers have a brain to go to WWE, TNA, ROH and they choose where they want there food to come from, not you, not your way of manipulating readers by saying don’t watch TNA until Russo is fired. How sad."

Yawn...they AREN'T choosing to remain there. They're kept there by promises that are broken...promises they can work TNA as well as other indies. Then those promises are broken by TNA. It's now getting to the point, as I mentioned above, that some of the remaining indies using TNA talent are re-considering using these workers, because TNA is putting all kinds of conditions on how they can be used, who they can work, and what kind of finishes can take place.

Tell me where the food of TNA wrestlers will come from then, when they lose bookings from major indies.

> From Andrew Larson :

"I love seeing all the emails you get from idiots who A) can't spell check, and B) don't know what they are talking about.

I have never seen an ROH show and just from reading recaps, I can tell they are a better wrestling promotion then others. WWE is just WWE, they won't change, they'll keep the title on Cena until a certain someone comes back, and I'm sick of seeing the same ol' shit come up on there programming.

I preceded your e-mail with one of them, Andrew. As for WWE, it was pretty bad when the RAW two weeks ago featured a sign "Save us, HHH".

"TNA was something refreshing but it has become oversaturated with nonsense weeding out some of those who have been there since day one. (The Naturals, Team Canada, Roderick Strong, suspension of Aries...)"

TNA wouldn't want one of these most talented independent workers anywhere working for them, would they?

> From Jeremy Diaz :

"I'm an old friend of Adam Martin's and have been following Wrestleview close since 2001 and you have been around as long as I can remember. I just wanted to write you in regards to your opinions on TNA and the indy situations and I just wanted to let you know that I fully agree with everything you have been saying. TNA is shooting itself in the foot right now, and at the same time screwing over the talent which could make them that next big company.

They continue to sign WWE cast-offs and try to portray them at these great characters when in reality they are simply over the hill losers. They continue to try and "one up WWE" when they are nowhere near WWE's league. Hell, Ring of Honor is more credible of a contender to WWE than TNA and they don't even have a television deal. But that's another story for another time. The issue here is that TNA relies too much on cast off talent to get them where they are trying to go rather than relying on the guys who have gotten them to where they are."

TNA tries to be WWE when, like him or not, Vince McMahon is the only one who has proven the ability to be that. Yes, he's the McDonald's of wrestling...not very good for you..and craeted to a very general taste. If you want good wrestling, look at Ring of Honor. I guess in my analogy, they'd be the equivalent of a gourmet restaurant.

So much for our dreams. The reality is that in terms of business success, ROH isn't competition to WWE, nor will that happen now or at any time in the foresseable future. Gabe Sapolsky and Cary Silkin will be the first people to tell you that. In terms of QUALITY, that's a different matter. product you prefer.

"AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Senshi, Chris Sabin, Jay Lethal, etc have taken the back seat to Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Christian Cage, and Team 3-D. In my opinion, Team 3-D should have never won the titles, Scott Steiner should have never been signed (as well as Tomko), and Christian Cage shouldn't have gone higher than the X Division. Kurt Angle is the only positive addition to TNA that I see, but we're getting feuds and ppv main events that we've already seen and did not like on Smackdown."

Because they're bound and determined to be WWE Lite, just like WCW did. If they hadn't self-destructed from the self-indulgence, "creative control" and the other crap...they might have continued to present a challenge to WWF/E.

"It's simply frustrating as a fan because TNA needs to succeed in order for wrestling to succeed. They really need to get their act together and turn things around and start putting the focus on the future rather than the past. If they are going to have these rejects, at least use them to put over other talent. Chris Daniels should be feuding with Sting, Angle with Samoa Joe or AJ Styles, Cage with [LowKi] or Jay Lethal and Steiner with Abyss or someone.

Instead we are subjected to one big gaggle f*&k of these losers being pitted against each other! There is just so much to say and so much to argue about and I just wanted to send you an email of support in letting you know that I agree with what you're saying and I hope that someone from TNA reads your messages and smartens up. I pray and hope for the best to come out of what you are saying in each and every column because the changes you have voiced do need to come about.

They read them. They aren't smartening up. Pulling talent from independent promotions like PWG is taking yet another step backwards. Wonder if they know which independent promotions ar considering dropping the use of their talent. I know of at least two whose staff have e-mailed me.

"I also just had to show some support to a fellow Democrat."

Hee hee, thanks. Now hopefully a change or two along the lines of what we hope for in that more important area of life can happen in 2008.

Until next time...

If you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), banner ads are available for $400 for one year/$200 for six months. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page.

If you have comments or questions, if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website or for advertising requests, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com. (As always...this column represents the view of this writer and not necessarily of the website on which it appears).
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Funk's Corner - Legend of Dory Funk Sr. Part II

Funk's Corner - Legend of Dory Funk Sr. Part II

Blood was streaming from my father's head as he tried to regain his balance and come to his feet. A size twelve shoe caught him flush in the face knocking him down again. Dory Funk Sr. tried to fight back but his efforts were futile as big Frank Murdoch continued his ruthless assault.

As I watched this beating take place, every blow was as if it were happening to me and every time my father tried to fight back I was fighting with him inside my heart. I looked at my brother Terry. Tears streamed down his face. He was out of his seat and on the way to my father's side. Mother reached and grabbed him by his arm. I could see her give him the squeeze and pull him back to his seat. I was 11 years old and Terry was 8, Mother was the boss.

The Fabulous Texan, Frankie Hill Murdoch slipped behind and reached for the sleeper hold. My father charged the turnbuckle in the corner of the ring. Murdoch crashed face first in to the corner and fell back into the ring. Dad reached to wipe his face so he could see better. Now his hand was covered in blood. He just stared at his bloody hand. My heart jumped and I nearly fell off my chair. I knew when Dad saw the blood he would go wild and so did the four thousand fans jammed into the Amarillo Sports Arena. They were going crazy cheering my father on to beat the hell out of Frank Murdoch.

Murdoch was back on his feet, but hesitated when he saw the look in dad's eyes. The crowd at the sports arena was going crazy. They knew when Dory Funk saw blood, something was going to happen soon. Murdoch moved in close. My father swung with all he had. You could hear the punch land and see the perspiration fly as Dad connected with a right to Murdoch's chin. Dory Funk picked up the 6' 3" 250 pound Murdoch high over his head and slammed him to the mat to a roar of approval from the fans. Now Funk had Murdoch pinned in the corner landing blow after blow. There was so much excitement and so much noise that he didn't hear the referee telling him to stop it. Murdoch was caught in the ropes. In an effort to pull them apart, the referee grabbed Funk from behind. In a fit of anger, Dory turned and blasted the referee with a forearm to the chin.

It was all over, Dory Funk Sr. was disqualified and Frankie Hill Murdoch was the winner of the match.
***********************

The Battle between Dory Funk Sr. and Frankie Hill Murdoch was over. Most of the fans were gone and the clean-up crew was at work in the near empty arena.

Little Dickie Murdoch was throwing the ringside seat pads across the arena watching them sail toward the ring. Terry wanted to join him, but mother would not allow Terry to misbehave.

Now the "Battle of the Night" was about to begin in wrestling promoter Dory Detton's Office. I knew it, the clean-up crew knew it, and the few fans who stuck around to wish Dory Funk Sr. well knew it.

To read about the "Battle of the Night," go to www.dory-funk.com and click on the Legend of Dory Funk Sr.
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Funk's Corner - Texas Death Match Memories

Funk's Corner - Texas Death Match Memories

First Ever Texas Death Match, Fritz Von Erich vs Dory Funk Sr.

I jumped out of my seat as my father, Dory Funk Sr. caught Fritz Von Erich with a right cross to the chin and the "Big Man," Fritz Von Erich went down.

At 6' 4" tall and 260 pounds, the former SMU Football Player was the most ominous "Big Man" I had seen in professional wrestling. I was in high school at the time with dreams of becoming a professional wrestler.

The wrestling fans in Amarillo, Texas jumped to their feet as Dory Funk Sr. picked up Fritz' massive leg and applied his own special finishing maneuver, the Spinning Toe Hold.

My father turned on Fritz's leg several times then locked on the hold with Fritz Von Erich flat on his back. Just when everyone in the building though it was all over, Fritz Von Erich reached up from underneath and grabbed the Iron Face Claw and locked it in on the face of Dory Funk Sr.

Both men were in a painful stalemate, Fritz holding the Iron Face Claw and Dory Funk Sr. holding the Spinning Toe Hold. I watched and waited as both men held to their respective holds.

Fritz Von Erich's wrist turned red as blood from my father's head mixed with perspiration, flowed down Fritz' arm and first pooled on his chest then flowed to the wrestling mat. With the Iron Face Claw, Fritz Von Erich was digging his thumb and forefinger into the side of my father's head. Even though Von Erich held onto the Claw, his shoulders were on the mat and the referee counted three on Fritz Von Erich. Dad was out cold.

The referee announced Fritz Von Erich as the winner of the fall but the first man to his feet would be the winner of the match. The Ten count was started by the referee. Both men were trying to get to their feet. At the count of 7, Fritz Von Erich tried to stand up but his knee gave out and he fell to the mat. Dory Funk Sr. was up before the ten count and as a bloody and battered mess was the winner of the match.

We have photos on our website at www.dory-funk.com of Dory Funk Sr., "a bloody mess" just after the first ever Texas Death Match in Amarillo, Texas and at home on the Flying Mare Ranch just southwest of Amarillo, Texas. Click on "Legend of Dory Funk Sr."

Johnny Magnum, Scott D'Amore, Shane Chung, Gail Kim, The Pop Tarts, Lady Kimberly and Miss Vicki, Flyin' Ryan "Air" Mitchell with his Valet, Sandii Skye, Blain Rage, The Claw, Claudia Reiff, Elvis Sharp, Father James Mitchell and myself, Dory Funk Jr. will be appearing at the Funking Conservatory Sunday May 27th at Support the Troop 16, "Ultimate Struggle. Tickets are available now at Devon Self Storage in Ocala, Florida. Tickets are also available online on our website at www.dory-funk.com.

Dory Funk Jr. - www.dory-funk.com
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AS I SEE IT 5/14: PPV and basic truths

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

There are some basic truths in life.

Wrestlers who use certain methods to get big and strong will have a lot of muscle tears.

Gas prices go up in the summer, regardless of the actual cost to Big Oil.

Teresa Earnhardt is an idiot. (If you're not a NASCAR fan, this won't mean much).

And there will always be wrestling trolls.

But more on them in a minute.

On Saturday night, Ring of Honor began its entry into the world of PPV with its initial PPV taping at the Manhattan Center. Since it was done more like a TV taping than a typical Ring of Honor show, some fans, especially those online, weren't sure what they thought of it. But they were sure what they thought of a certain company that aired a PPV last night. As Homicide came out at the PPV taping to say goodbye to the Ring of Honor fans, they let out with a loud "$#@% TNA" chant.

Wonder what the folks at the Manhattan-based Spike TV were thinking about that...or Homicide's comment to the live Manhattan Center crowd that "Ring of Honor is going to be the number one company in the world... That's right, I said it. I don't give a $#@k."

Ohhhh....kay.

By the way, anyone have guesses how or if TNA bothers to explain on this week's IMPACT that the NWA withdrew recognition of its champions? Especially since back in those days when they were concerned about wrestling actually being important, that mentioned the heritage of the NWA titles?

Speaking of trolls, I really thought we were all done with these letters after last week. But to borrow a line from my favorite series of movies... in Godfather III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

> From Roman Gibson:

"Just who do you think you are? You constantly bad mouth TNA for no reason and sing about ROH. You make fun of people who don’t agree with you. I think you’re a complete idiot. Why don’t you e-mail storyline ideas for TNA? Do you think they’ll hire you as a head writer/booker? Do you think you’re better than Vince Russo or Dutch Mantell? What about Jeff Jarrett or Dusty Rhodes? Or Jerry Jarrett?

Yawn. Nice to see Ole Anderson has a pen name.

What's your point here? Would you tell a Philadelphia Inquirer restaurant reviewer that they have to be a winner of the Bocuse d'Or, or a New York Times reviewer that they have to own a restaurant rated among the top in Zagat's? Would you tell a Hollywood Reporter columnist that they have to have be an Academy Award director to offer an opinion on a movie? Would you tell a Consumer Reports reviewer that they have to be a line worker at General Motors (if there are any left in the US) to comment about cars?

For that matter, would you try to tell any other typical consumer of any other product that they can't spread the word about a good or bad company with whom they've done business? Any business school would tell you that word-of-mouth is the best advertising for any product or service.

The answer to all the above is: of course not.... and the argument is just as much nonsense as when it's made about wrestling. No fan with a brain, including me, considers themselves the equal of those who've been in the business. But fans DO have the right from the perspective of those who ARE the "fans in the seats" to offer opinions about the product that they pay money to see.

Wrestling promoters, just as much as any other business(wo)men, need to listen to their customers. When they don't, they pay the price. Just ask anyone from WCW.

"What’s on your resume? You probably worked for McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Ardy’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts. You’re probably working for Pizza Hutt now. Wow, that qualifies you as a wrestling expert."

My resume has 25 years of experience in counseling, actually. I did once worked in a Roy Rogers (an old Philadelphia area fast-food chain) back in the 1970's when I was in high school, though... does that count?

"You never even give TNA a chance. What if somebody suggested a boycott of your column? I bet Wrestle View won’t be too happy with the language you use. Do you think you’re cool for using that colorful language.

I DID give them a chance...for years. Until they tried this crap with pulling talent from Ring of Honor the first time with the excuse that it was because of Rob Feinstein. Funny how they backed off then after fans raised hell. Seems as if there's no one with the sense in TNA to know they're pissing off their target audience this go-around. The Manhattan crowd Saturday night certainly let them know what they thought, though.

Oh, and just like last week...the Wrestleview staff has been forwarded some of the more amusing e-mails. Some of their staff find them funny.

"An hour of Impact is better than two hours and five minutes of Raw. Smack Down is where careers go to die. The new ECW sucks. All you do is complain all the time. Go file an application with KFC and shut up, you buffoon."

I agree that the new ECW sucks. I've said it before...than got whined at by WWE marks. But you haven't bothered to read those columns.

"FYI Jay Lethal has a good gimmick going. The Christopher Daniels storyline looks cool so far. Do us a favor and stop your garbage. Show respect to people, fool. You suck. Oh and another thing, nobody forced ROH wrestlers to go to TNA. No, that was their choices, moron.

The real Jay Lethal works well enough for me...and did for the fans in Orlando before someone in TNA creative (isn't that an oxymoron?) had delusions of turning TNA into SNL. By the way...that "Stone Cold" Shark Boy is a real killer gimmick. The DeLa Hoya-Mayweather buyrate is really at risk from the buyrate from last night's TNA Sacrifice.

As for independent talent....no, it wasn't their choice. Wrestlers signed these contracts with the understanding that they'd be allowed to work indy dates. it's not just about Ring of Honor anymore. It's about Pro Wrestling Guerrilla now and other indies soon...maybe even your favorite.

That is, if you've ever gone to an indy show...that didn't have TNA STARZ all through it.

"While you’re washing dishes at Applebee’s remember how far TNA has came along since 2002 until now. That’s impressive.

TNA's come a long way? They've come from the Dupps and midgets masturbating in trash cans to Shark Boy pretending to be Stone Cold Steve Austin and Jay Lethal pretending to be Randy Savage.

Losing millions is impressive? Then WCW was the most impressive wrestling promotion in history. Using your criteria, Paul Heyman was a better businessman than Paul Boesch. By the way, you do seem to have an unhealthy obsession with restaurants and my employment. I hear your favorite WCW executive, Jim Herd, was an executive at Pizza Hut. Maybe that's it.

"Also, Vince McMahon is an egotistical jerk. Jim Ross is not the best and Tony Schivone deserved more credit. That stupid Skittle plug that Ross has is not funny. The idiot WWE marks probably think it is. Any way, you don’t know what’s going on. TNA rules, WWE sucks.

Anyone questioning Jim Ross's credentials over the years proves their stupidity. Oh, and he says Tony Schiavone deserved more credit. "Roman Gibson" want to spell Schiavone's name correctly, if he's going to invoke him as a great announcing talent.

Even if he is burying TNA X-Division workers, I hear at least Kevin Nash is INTENTIONALLY funny.

"TNA rules, WWE sucks." (I swear to God I didn't insert this closing line myself, readers)

TROLLZ!

Someone actually sent me an e-mail posing the possibility that some of these letters were sock puppets for TNA staff who wanted to say things to me behind a fake name. I doubt that...I think. Especially since a TNA on-air personality sent me three under his own address. One other executive sent me fairly reasoned disagreements (from his perspective) under his own name.

Now, for a more sensible letter...from Kenny O'Regan:

"On Gerweck.net, there was an article about everything happening in boxing recently. The article focused on how the passion has left boxing, and it has become all about the money.

The same thing is happening with wrestling right now, especially with TNA pulling talent from ROH and other indy shows. I think TNA and WWE, as a whole, have lost sight of the goal of wrestling: entertainment. We watch wrestling because it entertains us, we watch boxing because it entertains us, we watch (whatever) because it entertains us.

As fans, we want passion, we want fun, we want intrigue, and we want a good time. The mainstream is struggling to deliver that right now. The big promotions, as well as the rest of sports (MLB, NFL...) have become all about politics and moneymaking schemes...I can't take it much longer.

I don’t want to pay 50 dollars for a weak PPV, I don’t want to fork out 80 dollars every time I want to go to a Yankee game...the same thing is happening all around, its all about the money. I look at companies like ROH, and I see something promising. I plan to get most of their new PPVs. But I digress. I don't want to take any sides here; I don't want to bitch at you like some of your other readers have done recently. I don't want to watch RAW tonight; I'm going to read instead. Books don't bitchslap me and then ask me to pay them. They entertain me."

Absolutely agreed.

> From "MiGr8orWhat", who states (anonymously) that he has negotiated
contracts with WWE and TNA on behalf of wrestlers:

"If the job they take provides a profit to the contractor through the use of TNA's resources then they can prohibit them from working. If TNA talent decides to supplement their income by working as a greater at Wal-Mart, they can do that under the assumption that they are hired as an employee and not there as a promotional prop.

The reason that the TNA Talent has been removed from ROH and PWG is because of a simple term 'Conflict Of Interest'. The contract within TNA implies that the contractor is paid based on fees provided by the customer to view them exclusively on their product. Had TNA used resources to 'push' a talent and then that talent is set to appear on a competitors television program, it could be argued that the TNA would suffer financial pain from this action.

The double edged sword here is that it's been widely reported that the TNA contractors have only been promised a limited amount of dates. The standard is 26 dates. It's also common knowledge that the average TNA talent makes $500 per appearance.Doing the math, the standard TNA talent is worth $13,000 a year. This number does not include PPV bonuses if applicable. Given that figure, TNA talent is dependent on outside bookings in order to survive. Less we forget that the TNA talent now have to pay their own Hotel fees. With that said, in order to make any cash, the talent needs to be booked by dependable companies.

I don't need to tell you that a vast majority of bookers in the indy scene stiff their talent or pay them less than promised.Also...bear in mind that a few of the talent have signed a second deal with TNA that allows TNA to collect 15% of their booking fees in order for them to be allowed to work the future house shows promoted by TNA. Long and short of it, the talent, the fans and the up and coming promotions all get screwed in this TNA Circle Jerk.

Is there a tax lawyer who can give me information on this? My reading (and that of many others), and I freely admit it's an uneducated reading, is that these performers are independent contractors. Hell, Jim Ross said as much in one of his columns.

> From Tris Xavier of Singapore:

"Well, in 2003, this upstart promotion featuring, for the first time after WCW's death, great cruiserweight action, decent storylines and a real alternative to WWE began broadcasting. I didn't catch a lot of it when it first started, but I was blown away watching Amazing Red take on AJ Styles, Low-Ki against Jerry Lynn and even Ron Killings wrestling. (my last impression of him being K-Kwik) Sure, some decisions were dumb (Mortimer Plumtree? The Harris Brothers AGAIN?) but by and large it was enjoyable even if not much better.

I took pride when in 2005 it continued to grow and improve, Abyss becoming a real class act, AJ Styles becoming improbably better, Chris Daniels growing into the role of leader and ball-carrier of the company, and the X-Division continuing to add better talent like Alex Shelley, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt. Hell, even the interminable Jarrett title reigns would not stop me from watching TNA and hoping he would drop the belt. When Raven won the belt at Slammiversary I could not stop smiling for days on end. It was a proud day.

2 years on, I don't even watch TNA anymore. I can't bear to see Christian Cage wrestle, even though I was making a lot of noise for him to be given the WWE title before he moved to TNA. I can't stand Abyss' new mask, or even watch Sting, a wrestler who I've always respected and watched and loved. Simply, I don't tune into Xplosion or Impact anymore, and this has nothing to do with JB, Don West, the titles or the short shows.

No, this has all to do with what TNA has become, and I know deep in your heart Bob, you want TNA to become a legitimate competitor and become great or at least a rival against ECW for the 1 hour small show slot, just like I do. But it's so hard to understand or appreciate or laud TNA when Senshi, who was giving great believable convincing performances defending the X Title in 2006, ends up doing sit-ups or jumping jacks or whatever have you.

When Tomko, one of the least talented workers in the world, returns to TNA and muffs everything up. When the matches have shrunk to improbably short 5 minute crash matches that allow NO ONE to show ANY talent or skill at all. What's happened to the X-Division? I don't know anymore, it being lost in ladder matches and gimmicks and pinatas or Viagras on poles or bamboo sticks that have no build up and no sense to them. I don't even care if Joe gets the title, he's no longer the main focus of TNA. TNA doesn't even do it for its fans anymore, giving them short shrift at every turn, with s**t matches, rubbish storylines and wrestler that no one cares about. TNA had a chance and was standing on the edge of a cliff that if they jumped right, would propel them to stardom.

They've been slipping downwards since Slammiversary 2006, and anyone who insists on seeing the few positives TNA has and ends up abusing you is just like a Republican supporting Bush before the Iraq War: Irrational, blind and ultimately injurious to all. I don't even watch wrestling anymore, when once I'd turn TNA on every Wednesday (we get a fortnight-delayed telecast over here) afternoon. Just like Abyss in the Last Rites match, my love for TNA and all my hopes for it are pretty dead and buried."

Hmmmm..."like a Republican supporting Bush before the Iraq War: Irrational, blind and ultimately injurious to all." Now a Democrat like me LIKES that analogy.

TNA has become, regardless of Dixie Carter's protests to the contrary about who's running things, Russo-style high-speed Crash TV. Short matches, lots of promos, interrupting main events to stikcin a three minute commercial break, then rejoining the match in progress.

> From Laura Lyne:
" I've given TNA a chance countless times, I even went to their Hard Justice 2006 PPV (the one with the fire). The show was highly entertaining, and I got to meet a lot of wrestlers and some brilliant fans, but that still doesn't justify what they're doing to their product right now. The ROH/PWG situation for one, is an absolute disgrace, and I agree with everything you say about it...

...As for TNA, they're constantly flogging wrestlers in their late 30's and early 40's over the true talent in the ring. The X-Division is now the Kevin Nash and Bob Backlund show. Jay Lethal is a self made promoter for Randy Savage. They're constantly making the X-Division guys live with ridiculous gimmicks (that Austin Starr stuff is bull...he's Austin friggin' Aries!). And now, these guys can't even promote their actual persona because they can't work for the promotions that made them who they are! It's utter bull%$#t. I watched TNA a couple of weeks ago, in what was supposedly one of their best editions of Impact. I'm sorry, I didn't see the brilliance.

It was the same old crap, just not as fast. Two of their titles are taken by WWE dropouts, and their third title is taken by a man who is over-shadowed by two men nearing their senior citizenship...Keep up the brilliant work, your points are totally valid, irregardless of what some immature idiots want to tell you. And I'm only 17...proving that a small group of us do actually understand how to spell and construct sentences. Oh, and actually know about wrestling too. You've managed to garner a new weekly reader."

> From William Toby Hampp:

"Your As I See It column has provided me with a great deal of laughter and snickering over the last several weeks. What I find to be one of the highlights of the weekly installments is the manner by which so many of your readers reveal themselves to be completely unable to make a cohesive argument. While I don't always agree with what you might be saying, I am still dismayed at how much invective is brought forth in response to your views. One thing that seems to be becoming abundantly clear is that TNA is poised to make themselves completely irrelevant. While I did purchase the most recent TNA PPV offering, I am nothing more than a casual fan. The gimmick matches, the lame build-ups to nothing feuds, and the illogical booking are all working to chip away at any audience that TNA can garner."

TNA is stuck at 1.0 TV ratings with PPV buyrates only 25% of WWE's buyrates. Those facts cannot be argued, no matter how many times I get profanity-filled troll mail questioning my heritage, employment, age, sexual preferences and everything with the exception of the facts at hand.

Until next time...

If you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), banner ads are available for $400 for one year/$200 for six months. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page.

If you have comments or questions, if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website or for advertising requests, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com. (As always...this column represents the view of this writer and not necessarily of the website on which it appears).
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Funk's Corner - "Webbies"

Funk's Corner - "Webbies"

Professor Gus Miller stood at the front of the West Texas State University Officiating class and repeated, "A good referee will have a flair for the dramatic."

Dr. Jack Walker stood at the front of our Radio / Television commercial writing class and said, "kids and sex sell."

Coach Joe Kerbel came to West Texas State University and molded a team that had won only 2 games in 2 years into Sun Bowl Champions with a 9 and 2 record my senior year.

Working under Coach James Kyle, I did my student teaching coaching the wrestling team at Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas and talked to the kids about team spirit and dedication to goals.

Then I became a professional wrestler working every night of the week driving the Amarillo Territory and facing the likes of Sputnik Monroe, Sir Nelson Royal, Vern Gagne, Lou Thesz and Gen Kiniski.

I often wondered why my father, Dory Funk Sr. insisted that I get a college education before I could become a professional wrestler.

Now as owner of the Funking Conservatory, I am grateful to Dad for his insistence that I have an education.

Gone are the days when a good body and a loud mouth would get you a main event on a wrestling card.

Professional wrestling is in the middle of a technical revolution that will require athletes to have communication skills, marketing skills and financial acumen to deal with the present high tech world we live in.

In addition they still have to be great athletes to perform at a level acceptable to a demanding market offering so many different kinds of entertainment.

In today's world being a professional wrestling star is being a television star. At the Funking Conservatory we have an extensive television training program.

Just as many music video producers came up with the "Mini Movie," Now at the Funking Conservatory we introduce the newest method of developing your wrestling personality through television on the internet with, "The Webbie."

We have a full slate of, "Webbies." Starring the wrestlers of the Funking Conservatory now up on our website at www.dory-funk.com. Click on Webbies.
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From the Desk of Tod Gordon: PWU 5/19 @ 7:30 pm HUGE Card Announcement, Crazy 8 News, Commissioner Idol, & More

From the Desk of Tod Gordon: PWU 5/19 @ 7:30 pm HUGE Card Announcement, Crazy 8 News, Commissioner Idol, & More

Spring is in the air! It's May and PWU as always is preparing to put together a string of shows that should have wrestling fans talking for some time to come. Before I give you the upcoming card, let me ask that you all check out our web site, ProWrestlingUnplugged.com, where as I write this fans are sending in submission after submission to be a part of COMMISSIONER IDOL! What is Commissioner Idol? We at Pro Wrestling Unplugged take great pride at trying to be innovative. Sometimes it seems like everything in wrestling that can be done has been done. Witness our exhibit # 1, The Crazy 8 match. Scheduled for June, this third annual Crazy 8 match will no doubt be taking this already insane concept to a higher level. Click here to watch a 3 minute video of what I consider one of the most innovative wrestling concepts in many years. I only wish I had thought of it first instead of Johnny "bi-polar" Kashmere. I didn't, so I'll give him his due.

I have, however, come up with Commissioner Idol where I intend, with the help of all of our voting fans, to give the actual job of PWU Commissioner to an actual fan! That is my definition of being a fan friendly and fan interactive federation. You can submit your entries via YouTube, VHS, DVD, or you can show up early in June and our own cameramen will tape you at no charge. Voting will be taking place at both our live events and over the internet. Each month a select grouping of fans who have made submissions will be invited into the ring as their tryout tape appears on our jumbo tron. The audience will no doubt give you instant feedback. When we whittle it down to the final 10 contestants, the true race will be on to see which fan will actually break into the world of professional wrestling without ever having attended so much as one class. Important note: this contest is NOT open to employees of Pro Wrestling Unplugged. It is truly going to be done by the fans, shown for the fans, and WON BY A FAN! For more information regarding this unique opportunity, including rules and guidelines, simply click here.

Now let's get into PRIDE, PAIN, AND PUNISHMENT, Saturday night, May the 19th, at the New Alhambra Arena (formerly known as the ECW Arena) with a bell time of 7:30. Doors will open at 7:00 sharp. The title of this show was actually taken from the mouths of All Money is Legal (AMIL) shortly after the totally unjustified malicious beating they received from THE SAT after their match in April. This went way beyond a wrestling beating and obviously, former favorites, The SAT had some kind of personal vendetta, be it real or imaginary, in their heads. As I sat in my office trying my damnedest to talk Annie Social out of quitting her job as executive vice-president, AMIL literally kicked in my office door and demanded a fight with the SAT. I asked them if they wanted some kind of special stipulation in their title defense, and their response was mostly unprintable, except for a few of their more mild words. Basically, they said "Screw the titles, we want a fight...a street fight...no wrestling clothes...anything goes...this ain't about no damn titles...this is about PRIDE...this is about PAIN...and this will most definitely be about PUNISHMENT!" That's about as sanitized a version as I can offer you fans, but after agreeing to this street fight, I realized that without knowing it, they had just named our May event.

It seems that pride is a recurring theme this month as one Johnny Kashmere was put through his very own barbed wire table by the young up and coming
deaf wrestling star Zack Maguire, a second generation wrestler who hails from Florida. Naturally, Kashmere blamed this all on his demented perception that Zach Gowen and Maguire conspired against him, when in reality it was every man for himself. Therefore it will be Kashmere vs. Maguire leaving Johnny with no excuses. As I mentioned earlier, and parts of this are available to see on our website's YouTube videos, my second in command, Miss Annie Social has resigned her post after being attacked, actually demolished, by women's champion "Primetime" Amy Lee along with that very strange man she carts around her known only as The Mad Doctor. Clotheslines and chairshots added to her meltdown and Annie, who is outweighed by more than double by Amy Lee has enlisted the aid of a new friend. Fresh off of Carmen Electra's Naked Women's Wrestling League pay per view where they became very good friends, Annie has solicited the services of one of the toughest females to ever lace up a pair of boots, April Hunter. Never one to be outdone, and being well aware of Hunter's kick-ass reputation, wily veteran Amy Lee went out and got her own "ringer", Sarah Del Ray. Del Ray, known as one of the toughest women in the business, like Hunter has wrestled all over the world, and we welcome her into the PWU locker room. This one's going to be quite interesting.

Back to our "pride" theme. There is also something known as "false pride". Coupling that with his usual chip on his shoulder, Trent Acid has been telling anyone within the sound of his voice over and over again about the standing ovations he received at The King of Europe tour. He's convinced that with the new moves he picked up on his European tour that he can win back the Heavyweight championship from Champion Devon Moore. Moore has held the title for 9 months and has beaten a virtual who's who of contenders. Both men are vying to be one of the participants in the highly anticipated Crazy 8's match in June, and the winner of this is basically assured of getting into next month's main event.

Last month, Adam Flash pulled a fast one on Messiah and no-showed the event. This month, unfortunately, it's Messiah who can't make it. He sent me the
following e-mail and with his permission, I reprint it:

There really is no easy way to say this so I'm just going to say it. I will not be able to compete against Adam Flash on May 19th. The god's honest truth is that I just started a new job and I am unable to take time off without jeopardizing my position in the company. The fact of the matter is I need to feed my family. As much as I dislike Flash, and would like nothing more than to kick his washed up ass around the ECW arena - I cannot put my hatred toward him in front of the needs of my family. I doubt Flash would have shown up anyway. Hell, he No Showed me last month. However, I will be showing up in PWU on June 16th, Flash. So, why don't you and I beat the hell out of each other then? You better believe I'm not the one who is going to be leaving PWU that night on a stretcher - I need to be at work at 7 am.

William "Messiah" Welch

That was received by the office earlier this week. Flash's cockiness just may be his undoing however, as PWU management has come up with what we deem a most suitable replacement. That man is known simply as JOKER! After getting screwed over by Ricky Reyes last month, the normally unpleasant Joker has actually become even more intolerable to be around, and Flash, I wish you Godspeed as a foul tempered Joker is not something to laugh about.

The Slugga Grand Slam Challenge continues this month, and The Iron Saints, Vito and Sal Thomaselli will return and join their brother Brandon Thomaselli in six man action. Other matches include The Real Pitbull Gary Wolf as his two prized XFC Academy graduates, The Complete Pete Hunter and Aramis will both try and impress their teacher when they square off. Also scheduled to appear are Drew Blood, Lucky, The Angus', and Z-Barr who has requested to appear on John House's in ring segment.

Last, but equally as important, because for the last two years The Crazy 8 has been the hardest PWU ticket to get, we will put them on sale that night, Saturday, May 19th, before they go on sale publicly the following Monday. Just as an aside, besides the amazing main event , we will see the PWU
debuts in June of Eddie Kingston and the return to the arena of Joey Matthews. Again, tickets will be on sale at the building May 19th and they are guaranteed to go fast.

Get those Commissioner Idol submissions in as this company, with it's wealth of talent, is one anyone would want to be in charge of.

***** *****

Remember fans, you can sign up to the PWU Mailing List at ProWrestlingUnplugged.com.
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AS I SEE IT 4/30: The New WWECW champion...and giving it all away

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

Vince McMahon as WWECW Champion (I refuse to refer to it by the name he does...period). No wonder my eyes are all red, and my nose is running this Monday morning as I add this paragraph. I'm having an allergic reaction to egotistical booking...or is it pollen? My bet says egotistical booking.

Menawhile, in Orlando....Think about it...coming off of their last PPV, Sting vs. Kurt Angle as the Main Event, a dream match for many mainstream fans...what were the ratings for this IMPACT?

1.0.

With Vince suffering a dip in post-Wrestlemania RAW and Smackdown ratings, TNA had an opportunity to reach outto fans and proved again their ratings are stuck at 25% of WWE's.... at 1.0.

If you want further proof of the mood within TNA, witness this comment from a well-known TNA figure who was at an independent booking a couple of weeks ago. A PWBTS writer, who hadn't seen IMPACT in a few weeks, asked this performer who [they] worked with in TNA. [The worker]asked our writer "Don't you watch the show?" The writer answered "No". [The worker] responded with "Ehhh, nobody else does either".

Nice to see how TNA wound up Christopher Daniels, who finished up with Ring of Honor this past Saturday in Chicago Ridge, IL. Ring of Honor played off of it by having him cut a heel promo by praising TNA and "quit" Ring of Honor, claiming in the promo that he wished he never had returned to the company after TNA pulled him following the last time they had attacks of jealousy over Ring of Honor (but blamed it on the Rob Feinstein incident).

Just gives fans one more thing to be pissed off at TNA about, and I don't mean in storyline. It is sort of amusing that Gabe Sapolsky did the windup heeling out someone who's going to TNA, and claiming they're going for the money.

> From Anthony Gonzalez from Lawton, Oklahoma :

"' how dare u insult tna u dumb mark. stfu already. at least they put on great performances and have great storylines.'

Wow what am I saying? TNA fans are very oblivious to the truth. Let me just start of by saying how great of a job you have been doing in writing your columns. Every time I ready, I feel myself agreeing to everything you have to say about TNA.

It is a shame to see TNA fans think that their company is not letting them down. It was the head honchos in TNA who called them WWE employees on the WWE's payroll. Though, it is hard to convince them what is going on because they are very emotionally stuck to TNA. I watched TNA last week, and I had to ask myself, "'hy do people even bother watching this crap when they know it is going to suck.'

Judging by the comment by the TNA worker above and the 1.0 rating, apparently not that many.

"One of my main problems though with TNA fans is that they say TNA uses young talent. My God please help me, look at the main event at lockdown. 3 out of the 10 guys from the main event were actual fresh talent from TNA. The rest were either from the old WWE, WCW, or ECW. Also, look who got the pin in the main event, Sting..................again.

I would continue on, but I think I have vented enough of my anger for now. Keep up the good work, and don't let those TNA 'fans' get to you".

TNA isn't using its main strength...the X division...as anything but comedy straight men for Kevin Nash. The fact is that not that many people wanted to see even Angle vs. Sting. If TNA hadn't spayed and neutered its X division, they could have gone back to them. It'll be hard to go back to them after they've been busy playing Randy Savage

> From Lucas:

"Hey, Bob. I read all the columns on this site, but yours seems to draw the most fire from TNA loyalists, some with deranged fury, but I'm here to defend what you're saying about the company that continues to spin its wheels. I'm going to make a bold statement right off the bat, and this goes for each and every wrestling fan out there. People who love TNA, people who bash TNA, people who work for TNA, and people who don't. NOBODY WISHES TO SEE TNA DO BADLY! I certainly don't. If TNA sank it would be bad for the wrestling industry as a whole. Even WWE has to recognize this, they have to know that the wrestling industry is on the downslide and is not in the public eye as it once was. Being the only game in town would only hurt the business. Competition is great for the WWE, TNA, everybody.

But then again I'm not one of these hypnotized TNA loyalists who you know all too well in ranting, raving emails. They bow at the altar of TNA and sing its praises no matter how badly they know it is in the back of their minds, attacking anyone who says otherwise, denouncing them as being on the WWE payroll.

I watch Impact every week and, I don't know about those angry emailers, but I don't make a habit of pointing at a dog turd and calling it a diamond ring, no matter how much I want it to be a diamond ring it's still crap. I read the emails sent to you saying that TNA is week in and week out the best wrestling program they've ever seen in their lives and all I can do is stare at the screen and say 'What show are you watching?!' They can't be watching the same show I am, because the one I see is so rushed they can't establish anything.

I keep reading articles, reports, magazines that always say so-and-so's going to make the jump to TNA, this wrestler, that wrestler. At any one time about a dozen wrestlers are supposed to be or are thinking about making the jump. I even read a magazine where the cover had Paul Heyman, Sabu, RVD, Lita, and a few others with the question WILL PAUL HEYMAN LEAD AN ARMY TO TNA? That'd be a lot at one time.

One glaring question keep leaping out at me whenever to read about something like that. Where is TNA supposed to get the money for all these people? Last I heard TNA is hemmoraging money right and left, losing money on PPV's, hovering over going out of business with every passing month. And now they're supposed to double their roster?! And where in their one hour program are they supposed to fit these wrestlers in? The show's rushed enough as it is. What, are the matches going to be two minutes long now? Are there going to be ten wrestlers in each match? I'd love an answer to this.

Thanks for lending an ear, Bob. Keep leading the good fight against, not necessarily TNA, but against crappy wrestling. It's not your fault that that's where it all seems to be coming from these days. Now where's my paycheck?

Heh. Yours is coming about the same I get my first from WWE. I'm still waiting. Vince, are you listening?

> From "The Wrestling Follower":

"The only disagreements with your previous TNA columns have been from nuts who refuse to or are unable to see the big picture. TNA was built off of the backs of wrestlers who made their names elsewhere. Abyss is the only exception I could think of, but he developed in NWA Wildside as Prince Justice.

Austin Aries made his name in Milwaukee indies and later, Ring Of Honor ironically by pinning Samoa Joe for the title. Do I need to name the rest? Styles, Lethal, Shelley, Sabin, Daniels, Rhino, Cage, Steiner, Angle, Nash, etc. I think the issue is freedom of expression with this newest story....

...ROH isn't invading Orlando any time soon, so what exactly is it that they are afraid of??? I love how ROH takes the high road. The Samoa Joe Farewell tour was the answer to TNA's decision earlier this year. Maybe Aries should beat Morishima for the title and become 2 time champion to show that they support him."

Well, that didn't happen...nor was there any real chance of it happening given Ring of Honor's tour in Japan; and their desire to have the belt on Morishima at least until then. At that point and after what I suspect will be some matches with KENTA and Marifuji on the tour, they can start a program that will eventually put the belt back on Bryan Danielson.

Since TNA hasn't given in and given fans what they want as of yet...If you feel that TNA is acting in a manner contrary to what you want them to do...just like any other company...with any other product... let TNA know that you'll no longer be spending the money you used to spend on TNA products; and will now be spending that money on Ring of Honor DVDs, live shows, and other revenue sources for that company.

To contact parties concerned:

Contact TNA to express your thoughts on this matter at http://www.tnawrestling.com/contact/index.html. Make clear to them that you will also be contacting Spike TV and Universal Studios.

Contact Spike TV at their feedback site at http://www.spiketv.com/interact/feedback/feedback.jhtml

* Debra Fazio/Spike TV - 212-767-8649 debra.fazio@spiketv.com

* Salil Gulati/Spike TV - 212-767-8705 salil.gulati@spiketv.com

Point out to them, as has been said before, that NWA-TNA needs Ring Of Honor's fan base to survive. and that those online and smart mark fans that have kept them alive until they were supported by their current backers. Without that fan base, they might well not survive.

You can also contact NWA-TNA via snail mail at TNA Wrestling, 209 10th Avenue South - Suite 302 Nashville, TN 37203.

If you use the snail mail method, send TNA copies of your recent cable bills that show you are now ordering their PPVs. Remind them that they will be losing a customer starting with their February 11 PPV.

Finally, since the last few weeks hasn't gotten anyone to back off, here's a list of the advertisers that ran ads on last week's IMPACT and their contact information:

Taco Bell
Taco Bell feedback

Campbell Soup Company (Swanson) - CampbellSoupCompany.com

Burger King, 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive,Miami, FL 33157
(305) 378-3000

Quizno's Quiznos.com

Subway's Subway.com

Snapple Snapple.com

Proctor and Gamble (Old Spice), The Procter & Gamble Company, One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Ubisoft.com Ubisoft.com

SEGA of America SEGA.com

Electronic Arts Inc., 209 Redwood Shores Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065
Phone: 650-628-1500/Fax: 650-628-1422

Sony/Columbia Sony.com

Monster.com Monster.com

Gamefly.com Gamefly.com

If you're moved to respond, tell the advertisers you're acting in support of a company you say you support. Tell the advertiser you won't be seeing their ads, since you won't be viewing the show they appear on. Tell them you're going to put your money where your mouth is, and tell a company like TNA that's made a business decision that you in turn have made a business decision of sorts; and you'll no longer support them as long as they continue with the "business decision" they've made.

Until next time...

If you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), banner ads are available for $400 for one year/$200 for six months. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page. If you have comments or questions, if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website or for advertising requests, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com.

(As always...this column represents the view of this writer and not necessarily of the website on which it appears).
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Funk's Corner - King of the Texas Death Matches

Funk's Corner - King of the Texas Death Matches

Dory Funk Sr. was called the "King of the Texas Death Matches.

The Texas Death Match was invented by, Dory Funk Sr. as a way to settle the issue between himself and the "Master of the Iron Face Claw," Fritz Von Erich.

A Texas Death Match comes to !BANG! TV Sunday April 29th as Blain Rage goes up against Shane Chung.

A Texas Death Match can be one of the most exciting matches in professional wrestling but you must know the rules of a Texas Death Match.

The rules of a Texas Death Match in "Old School" days were as follows:

Texas Death Match Rules

1. No stopping the match because of blood.
2. No count out for fighting outside the ring.
3. There is no disqualification.
4. There is no time limit.
5. Falls don't count, There could be one or a hundred.
6. A fall can take place anywhere in the building.
7. There must be a winner.
8. At the end of a fall, the loser will have a count of ten to return to his feet and continue the match. If he is unable to continue, the match is over and the match awarded to the last man standing.

Sunday April 29th, TNA's Father James Mitchell is coming to the Funking Conservatory's !BANG! TV Taping, Support the Troops 15, "Power of Pain" and will be in the corner of Blain Rage as he faces Shane Chung in a, "Texas Death Match."

In a Women's Championship Match, The Pop Tarts with Father James Mitchell will face The Claw in a three way challenge.

Funking Conservatory Champion, Johnny Magnum will defend his title against the challenge of Kory Chavis. Father James Mitchell will be in Kory Chavis's corner and I will be seconding Johnny Magnum.

Also on the card Flyin' Ryan "Air Mitchell" with Little Miss Sandii Sunshine and "Hunk a Hunk of Burning Love," Elvis Sharp.

Interviews for Support the Troops 15, "Power of Pain," are now up on www.dory-funk.com.

Dory Funk Jr., Coach of the Funking Conservatory.

If you would like to be a part of the Funking Conservatory and appear on !BANG! TV, Call - 352-895-4658.
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Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or referencing commentary from this site please include a link to meanfilipine.blogspot.com as opposed to "Strong Style Shimko", "From The Mean Filipine Blog" or derivatives. Thank you~!

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AS I SEE IT 4/23: Forbidden outerware and other thoughts

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

OK, readers. Let me give you a quiz question.

Austin Aries (aka "Austin Starr") was suspended this past week by TNA for 90 days. What was one reported reason for his suspension?

1) He failed a drug test after being found to have two illicit substances in his body, niacin and bioflavonoids.
2) He propositioned Dixie Carter
3) He propositioned Bob Carter
4) He wore a Ring of Honor t-shirt to a TNA Fanfest event.

Answers:

1) Aries might well fail such a test. Since bioflavonoids are the natural pigments in vegetables, and niacin is another word for vitamin B3, it would mean he tested positive for eating a carrot. Carrots are not, however, a banned substance, not even at the Tour De France. Wrong answer.
2) Although Dixie Carter is probably more attractive than your average person owning a wrestling company, not as far as we know. Wrong answer.
3) Also not as far as we know. Wrong answer.

That leaves answer number 4. Austin Aries was reported to have been suspended for wearing a Ring of Honor t-shirt to a TNA Fanfest event. Now, in all fairness, I've seen denials by a couple of sources. In the other version of the story, Aries was suspended over a disagreement with creative. A 90 day suspension seems a bit much for a simple argument with bookers, though.

Given the story I heard this weekend from a WWE employee about WWE freaking out about having to remove pictures of one of their workers from an article...only because someone noticed (AFTER after the article was already posted on WWE.com) that the WWE wrestler was wearing a t-shirt of an old friend ...who happened to be a TNA worker... somehow the suspension theory is so bizarre that I'm inclined to believe the first story more.

One way or the other...as I've said in past columns, PWBTS and yours truly have become aware of more than a few workers who are at least as pissed off as Aries is, either about their booking or t-shirts, or both. We won't give up the names of the several (wo)men who are saying these things either...just like we haven't the last two times we've printed items in this column about pissed off TNA talent.

I'm just praying for the day when TNA pulls this crap with a main event talent (and yes, TNA, they are among those who we've heard from); including threatneing workers with loss of PPV payoffs if they do any media interviews without approval. Anyone want to take bets Jerry McDevitt could find a breach of contract with one of these suspensions, and have these workers on RAW the next night?

> From the UK's Floyd Hartlett:

" I want to congratulate you on your success in weeding out morons. In all honesty, the last few columns up until this one have been too short to really get into, but they're worth looking at for the ludicrousness of some of the mail you get sent.

I can't really contribute anything else to the debate, as I just think they're going through a bit of a bad creative spell and will probably see it through. They won't ever be huge competition for WWE, but they may take a few viewers, become a very strong second, and give WWE something to think about and keep them on their toes in order to keep such a strong hold on the top. But really, I just wanted to tell you that I've been on a lot of forums and stuff, and especially Youtube. I've
seen some pathetic #@$% written by absolute illiterate retards who downright refuse to back their
opinions up in any way other than saying "I'm right die" or "I win again, f*k u dude" (Yeah, one star). But I wouldn't even expect from a 14 year old member of said sites to write SUCH a torrent of sub-autistic bullshit as Andrew W Proctor (I love how formal his name sounds all things considered). So yes, good luck changing those guys minds', maybe use your spam filter once in a while for these bellends, and continue speaking from your mind. Never water it down or the
inmates will win.

No worries there, Floyd.

> From Elizabeth Schneider:

"First of all, I would like to apologize on behalf of college students everywhere for the depressing, offensive, ridiculous twelve emails you received from a guy who somehow made it into an institute of higher learning with what would appear to be about a 3rd grade reading, spell and/or grammatical level.

Secondly, I want to address the issue(s)n between TNA and ROH w/ Samoa Joe and other major names. While I do agree 100% that, due mostly to TNA's schedule, booking, etc. the talent should be allowed to work as independent contractors, I do have to agree with the people who say contacting the advertisers is not the answer. TNA has gone into a slump over the last several months. Take a look at feuds such as AJ vs. Daniels vs. Joe compared to what we are seeing today. Between Russo.... Russo, and Russo things have gone downhill.

However, we cannot deny that TNA still has the talent, the style and even the fan base (no matter how ignorant some of them may be) to go toe to toe with the WWE. They do not have the money and they do not have the history, but they have the ability. If the advertisers were to stop backing the company, they would never get this chance to get back to the level we expect out of them and/or go beyond that."

Actually, yes we can deny that. Their TV ratings are still at 25-30% of WWE's, their buyrates are perhaps 10-15% of WWE's. Even the prime-time slot on SPIKE and the addition of Kurt Angle haven't budged that very much.

"Furthermore, compare the product put out by WWE now to the product put out by WWE while TNA was still on FSN. Vince and company have been forced to step up their game or be upstaged by the new promotion in town. Wrestlers who were continually getting held back are getting their deserved pushes (with some exceptions), groups, people, etc. the fans do not care about are getting less TV time (again, with some exceptions) and all in all the product, while still not on the level it once was, has improved by leaps and bounds because their competition has been able to stay afloat. Removing said competition is going to send WWE spiralling back down to the level they were sitting at before. I do not think anyone wants that and, if TNA loses their financial backing and WWE does not really have to compete with anyone anymore, that is exactly what is going to happen.

Finally, I would like to comment on TNA creative, Dixie, etc. I do not care how many times they tell us "Vince Russo is only responsible for X amount of the creative...." We know his crap when we see it.

The Electrified Cage JOKE... Russo.

Blindfold matches on PPV... Russo.

The television appearance of Abyss's mommy.... Russo, Russo, Russo.

The last rites or as I like to call it the "quick lets find a name other than casket" match, drunken brother Runt, etc. etc.

These are Vince Russo angles. To try to tell the fans otherwise is ridiculous. Even if He is only in charge of 10, 20 or 30 percent of creative, that seems to be enough to get his grimy hands on everything and ruin the shows, not to mention the morale of the wrestlers. Look at the reports of the Fallen Angel's attitude change at Indy shows. I think we all know why that is:

Russo: Hey Chris, we decided that to turn you heel, we are going to have you mimic Sting.
Fallen Angel: But... I'm not... Sting... I'm Christopher Daniels.
Russo: I know... but remember when Sting went all black and white and didn't talk... we want you to do that... because its cool.
Fallen Angel: But... I'm cool.
Russo: Sure you are kid... now put on this Sting mask and go rough someone up.

Not a direct quote, I'm sure but I hope it gets the point across. The actions of TNA creative and Vince Russo (who is creative but is NOT TNA if you get my drift) are tearing apart the fan base, the morale etc. They are starting to do the same things that made people like Kurt, Christian, etc. jump ship. They need to stop with the ridiculous matches and stop holding back their talent, plain and simple. Also, I do not know who Dixie thinks she is but its one thing to act in the interest of the company, it is quite another to come out and blatantly lie to your fan base. We all know Joe is no longer allowed to do ROH, we all know Russo has usurped all things good and entertaining and turned them into WCW 2007 and we all know that if it is allowed to continue, TNA is going to end up off the market; whether its because they just die out or they get bought by WWE, no one can say for sure.

In closing, I will revisit the advertisers. Let TNA have their money. We do not boycott WWE for producing a crappy product (you may have in the past, I have only been reading the column for a few months so if this is the case, I apologize). TNA is still young and upcoming and Dixie is still relatively new to the business as a whole. Give her/them time to sort out this issue on their own. Maybe then, somewhere down the line we can see things like the Unbreakable triple threat again. Until then, those people that want to stop watching, stop watching; that is boycott enough."

The thing is, people like Vince Russo, Jeff Jarrett and Dutch Mantel are NOT young to the business. They know better.

> From Lonnie Walker from San Antonio, TX:

"I'd hate to read all of those love letters you have been getting for voicing your basic opinion on TNA. I really tend to see things your way Bob. I've been paying attention to all of your columns and here is what I understood from them.

- TNA doesn't employ Samoa Joe full time. Why shouldn't he be allowed to participate in ROH.

- TNA is a bigger threat to itself than Bob Magee is.

- They have more talent than they can promote which is costing them more money in salaries and
lowing morale for the wrestlers who don't get tv time or storylines.

- They had to stop paying lodging expenses to survive again lowering morale.

- The storylines are getting crappier as we speak another morale breaker.

- TNA constantly ignores fans and writes them off as WWE employees confirming that they are
just as arrogant as Vince McMahon saying he knows what fans want before fans know.

How have I done so far Bob? Have I got it right?

If TNA fans are honest with themselves the only reason you like TNA is because you hate Vince McMahon and that's fine. Just don't try to lie to yourself that there are no flaws within the organization. There are plenty. Ya'll act like criticism is an act of war. If you check your history out, there has never been a war fought over criticism.

Bob is a fan and loves watching wrestling. I've read his articles enough to know that. He offers his
criticism because he'd like to see things change for the better. I'm going to give you one last thought so that people can fully understand what's gone on here.

When you run a business, the success of that business is based on your customers. If your customers have a complaint, a successful business looks into the complaint and fixes the problem. Now what's happened is that TNA isn't listening to it's customers. TNA has truly forgotten who made who. The fans make the promotion a success they can also make it a failure.

Sounds pretty much spot on to me.

> From Charles Burnsisisisis:

"TNA started out as an up and coming company delivering what WWE was missing the past couple years, real, in-your-face, WRESTLING. They brought some of the best indy wrestlers around and exposed their talents to the world. They proved that wreslting was more than heavyweight body builders and over the top storylines. They showed us that wrestlers were capable of expanding their talents and improving them. Then they started bringing in released WWE talent (Rhino, Jeff Hardy, Steiner, Team 3D, Christian, Angle, etc.) and old school wrestlers (Sting, Jerry Lynn, Sabu, Raven) which brought a whole new experience to the company, then things went wrong.

Around the same time WWE started to pick up TNA slowed down. We get all WWE main events, less and less of the X-Division and ridiculous story angles. Then they announce the addition of Vince Russo and we think maybe things might start to pick up, instead we get Sting trying to save Abyss' soul, Samoa Joe's streak ending to a debuting Kurt Angle and Rhino vs Styles for some long forgoten reason. And then along comes Lockdown and by looking at the card I had to say I was impressed, I thought "hey maybe TNA is finally listening" and then I see those 4 magic words "ELECTRIFIED steel cage match" and my reaction, (to quote Ron Simmons) "......damn". They took what could have been a stellar match and turned it into a mockery. All I'm trying to say is that TNA should go back to its roots and deliver wrestling once again rather than trying to out WWE the WWE."

That's part of the problem. Even Paul Heyman made the comment that TNA needed to focus on the X division...which was always its strength until they made the X division nothing more than comic foils for Kevin Nash.

> From Lasse Vangstein of Oslo, Norway:

"I just wanted to point out a couple of things here. To put it mildly, I'm shocked when I read the crap you receive. Are we talking students in college here? Ok, I'm from Norway, and English is not my native tongue, and I probably mis-spell more than often, but even I see that this is crazy. How can people that can't even spell be students in college? How sad is that?

I haven't watched TNA that much, but the shows I've seen makes me somewhat agree with you. The booking isn't the best it could be, and I think TNA lacks a whole lot before I will take too much notice of it. It's hard to point out one single thing, but it's just the whole feeling when I'm watching TNA. It's a shame, because they have a lot of good talent. Keep up the good work, and don't let the smart college-students stop you from saying what you mean.

For those of you who disagree, how about being somewhat constructive? How about using the spell-check on your computer before you send your e-mail? How about actually showing that you are intelligent enough to earn your spot in college?"

If Mr. Proctor HAD been a smart college student, he'd have had better spelling.

> From Jared Lauber:

"While I agree with your observation on the WWE use of talent, why dont we look at WWE's use of talent?

WWE really WASTES a ton of money on several wrestlers, look at Eugene, Cryme Tyme, The Great Khali, Val Venis and Vicera as examples on RAW, and Boogeyman, Deuce and Domino, Funaki, Scotty 2 Hotty, Shannon Moore, The Miz, and all the Divas that are not wrestlers, sure they are fun to look at, but not fun to watch wrestle. And why does Chloe have her own superstar page?

But how can WWE do this to themselves. More people need to have entertaining fueds, and they need to fire all of these wrestlers listed above and hire some better suited to the creative team then say Stephanie McMahon. Put some of that money into a better product, and NOT into high priced stages for religiously pointless PPVs. There is no longer the competition that pushed WWE into 12 or more PPVs per year, they need to settle back into the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summer Slam, and a TRUE Survivor Series with 10 teams of four squaring off, and a WWE/World Heavyweight Title match. In order to push other PPV quality matches is to make them a regular part of what should also be quarterly Saturday Night Main events. I know the SNME is based on ratings, but I am convinced if the SNME matches helped the PPVs in pushing fueds, and titles changing hands then you would have ratings right at or just below the RAW average ratings.

I am really not done, but I am going to cut it short, and hope to here your thoughts.

*Sigh*

This reminds me of times years ago when many of my fellow anti-nuclear types and I would point out what the United States was doing with spending obscene amounts of money for nuclear weapons. No matter how absurd the weapon was, and no matter how expensive it was...the comeback of some people was ...."What about the Russians?". The same thing holds true for criticism of TNA among some people. Anytime something is pointed out about TNA, they respond "What aboiut WWE?".

I'll say to those people for the 24,765th time...GO BACK AND LOOK AT MY PAST COLUMNS. I've had more than enough to say about WWE.

Since TNA hasn't given in and given fans what they want as of yet...If you feel that TNA is acting in a manner contrary to what you want them to do...just like any other company...with any other product... let TNA know that you'll no longer be spending the money you used to spend on TNA products; and will now be spending that money on Ring of Honor DVDs, live shows, and other revenue sources for that company.

To contact parties concerned:

Contact TNA to express your thoughts on this matter at http://www.tnawrestling.com/contact/index.html. Make clear to them that you will also be contacting Spike TV and Universal Studios.

Contact Spike TV at their feedback site at http://www.spiketv.com/interact/feedback/feedback.jhtml

* Debra Fazio/Spike TV - 212-767-8649 debra.fazio@spiketv.com

* Salil Gulati/Spike TV - 212-767-8705 salil.gulati@spiketv.com

Point out to them, as has been said before, that NWA-TNA needs Ring Of Honor's fan base to survive. and that those online and smart mark fans that have kept them alive until they were supported by their current backers. Without that fan base, they might well not survive.

You can also contact NWA-TNA via snail mail at TNA Wrestling, 209 10th Avenue South - Suite 302 Nashville, TN 37203.

If you use the snail mail method, send TNA copies of your recent cable bills that show you are now ordering their PPVs. Remind them that they will be losing a customer starting with their February 11 PPV.

Finally, since the last few weeks hasn't gotten anyone to back off, here's a list of the advertisers that ran ads on last week's IMPACT and their contact information:

Taco Bell
Taco Bell feedback

Campbell Soup Company (Swanson) - CampbellSoupCompany.com

Burger King, 5505 Blue Lagoon Drive,Miami, FL 33157
(305) 378-3000

Quizno's Quiznos.com

Subway's Subway.com

Snapple Snapple.com

Proctor and Gamble (Old Spice), The Procter & Gamble Company, One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Ubisoft.com Ubisoft.com

SEGA of America SEGA.com

Electronic Arts Inc., 209 Redwood Shores Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065
Phone: 650-628-1500/Fax: 650-628-1422

Sony/Columbia Sony.com

Monster.com Monster.com

Gamefly.com Gamefly.com

If you're moved to respond, tell the advertisers you're acting in support of a company you say you support. Tell the advertiser you won't be seeing their ads, since you won't be viewing the show they appear on. Tell them you're going to put your money where your mouth is, and tell a company like TNA that's made a business decision that you in turn have made a business decision of sorts; and you'll no longer support them as long as they continue with the "business decision" they've made.

Until next time...

If you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), banner ads are available for $400 for one year/$200 for six months. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page. If you have comments or questions, if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website or for advertising requests, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com.

(As always...this column represents the view of this writer and not necessarily of the website on which it appears).
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