Straight Shooting - Issue #104
Since 1997 - The Standard Bearer For Wrestling Columns
by Fritz Capp
For PWBTS.com
January 31, 2001
Well hello everyone. I have taken some heat and received some praise recently due to the
nature of my recent columns. Well just to let everyone know the Prozak has kicked in
finally and I think I'll just calm down for a bit a do a normal column.
Yeah right...like someone like myself needs Prozak. What the wrestling world needs is more
credible indy promoters, not less writing about them. Sure, it can be said that I crossed
the line on more than a few occasions but so what? Didn't WCW cross the line with their
stupid Ric Flair heart attack angle? Didn't the WWF cross the line with the Pillman/Austin
gun angle? Didn't Heyman cross the line each time he used the Internet to further angles
through his reporters? Doesn't Gino Moore cross the line each time he enters a restaurant
and orders everything on the menu....THREE TIMES?
The point is that pro wrestling is about crossing the lines. The sad thing is that when
someone who either reports on or does a column about wrestling and it isn't what each
particular promotion or fan wants to read, right away there are attacks of all kinds. Well
too f'n bad. Grow up. Life is not a bowl of cherries. Not everything that happens is
perfect especially in pro wrestling. Why sugar coat the truth? This just shows that all of
you marks out there really don't want to hear the truth. (If your offended by that last
sentence then I was talking to you)
Just look at one Internet reporter/columnist or whatever he thinks he is this week,
C.J.Marsicano. Here is a guy who no one wanted anything to do with when he started
slamming Francine because his fan site was basically taken away from him. I offered him a
forum so he could vent his displeasure with what happened? I was e-mailed by all kinds of
people to stay away from him and this issue because they stated that C.J. was nothing more
than an obsessive mark and was lying about what really happened. Did I do that? No! I
stayed true to my word that he could speak his piece on PWBTS and eventually when C.J. was
comfortable in doing so he posted his vent on PWBTS. Did I get heat from it? Sure I did
but so what? I offered and kept my word. What did I get in return? C.J. slamming a column
of mine, ON MY OWN SITE! Now that's respect isn't it? When I responded to his "open
letter to Fritz Capp", he flipped out basically threatening legal action, or at least
telling me he could do that. I wrote him telling him that the way to have done his letter
would have either been to a) write me privately or b) offer a column where we both could
have voiced our opinions side by side. What did I get from that? A huge attack from him on
his little website. Do I trash him now? Sure, why not? What's good for one is good for all
correct? Not really, as he is now dedicating huge pages on his site in defense of his
original attack. So goes the Internet wrestling community I guess, it has definitely
degraded since I first came online. One thing I would like to comment on is that C.J. in
one of his diatribes states that I did not put one of my columns on Scoops and other sites
because of what I said about him. Sorry to bust this egomaniacs bubble but if I don't put
a column on someone's site it is because I went off on a promotion or a pro wrestling
personality (something that C.J. is not to be sure) and I do not want to cause heat
between that promotion and those great people's site that I post at, it's not because of
some schlub Internet suck up. It is not right for me to cause heat between a promotion or
individual and another website by me putting my writings on it. It could be misconstrued
that they feel the same way I do, and that would not be the case. So sorry C.J., again and
as usual, you are wrong.
Another thing I find really interesting is the way some people still continue to use fake
names when sending e-mails. This shows me that people just do not have the grapefruits
that they probably claim to have when they are looking at themselves in the mirror. Take
one Craig Stewart. Now Craig Stewart tries to portray himself as the pro wrestling
conscience, at least when it comes to New Jersey pro wrestling. I can't even tell you how
many times this guy has attacked me in e-mails, first when I was reporting for NWA-Jersey
and now when I am reporting on promotions that are everywhere else. The funny thing is
that while he/she does conceal their name, they cannot conceal their IP Address. That
happens to be 207.99.15.100. Now doing a little trace puts that addy at a company called
Net Access Corporation located in Newton, NJ. Maybe a little phone call to Alex
Rubenstein, who is the company coordinator is in order. Hmmm....interesting name is it
not? I wonder if there is any relationship to Fred Rubenstein, co-owner of NWA Jersey?
Wouldn't that be a funny twist of fate and some real interesting reading. My best advice
to Craig is to keep doing his little parody site attacking NWA Jersey and stay out of my
e-mails until such time he/she has enough guts to say who he/she really is.
Traveling around the indy scene lately I still am amazed that some promoters still just do
not "get it". I used to think that NWA Jersey was the only promotion that
brought in a ton of names and didn't use them to help brand out their locker room. Sad to
say that is not the case. I guess that there are promoters who for whatever reason just do
not understand that to draw more than 200 - 300 people to a show it takes more than a
bunch of names and a bunch of ticket sellers. If you use guys just because they can move a
few tickets then you are completely missing the boat. You are not giving the people who
pay to come to your show anything to get into to while they are there. Sure they get to
see a few names but the undercard for the most part is horrible. Is that what you are
expecting to draw them to your next event? Two green $20.00 workers who couldn't hold the
crowd for 3 minutes of their 10 minute match? Wake up people. There is a lot more to pro
wrestling than just throwing guys together in the ring. For all of you who need to have
someone to follow all you have to do is go to a few Jim Kettner run ECWA shows. Here is a
man who understands the business and does not have to resort to bringing in names to get
his show over. He uses his locker room to their fullest potential, runs a very tight show
and is respected throughout the business because of his integrity. He does not compromise
his show for the sake of a dollar and is professional not only on outside appearance, but
also behind the scenes. No matter who you are or where your promotion is located it would
be in your best interest, if your really interested in running good shows, to see a few of
the ECWA shows and emulate Kettner's style and finesse in running shows. He packs them in
each and every month and only runs one or two buildings, does not have television, but
runs some of the most intriguing story lines going. So much for the theory that you cannot
run story lines without television or at spot shows. ECWA will be running it's 5th Annual
Super 8 Tournament on February 24, 2001. This is huge event for ECWA and has a history of
having some of the best matches on the indy circuit. For more information you can go to
the ECWA website located at http://www.ecwaprowrestling.com/
Another promotion that is doing everything they can do run competent shows is Chaotic
Wrestling up in the Boston area. Now granted they are not drawing huge crowds yet, but
they are a relatively new promotion with only a few shows under their belt. No promotion
comes out of the gate with huge crowds. Ask ECW. When ECW started they had to beg, borrow
and steal fans every and any way they could. The stories of them handing out tickets to
get people to come to their television tapings are not exaggerated in the least. In fact
they used to have to get everyone to sit on one side of the arena so it appeared that
there was a crowd there, and even then they only had a couple rows of people. Starting a
wrestling promotion is not an easy task. Chaotic Wrestling is starting the same way but
they have something that ECW never had, and that is a competent business plan. Randy
Miller, who is running the show, is a business man with a love for the sport. He is not
some ex-wrestler who cannot work anymore and he is not some 1950's style promoter who
thinks it is his right to screw the boys and milk the sponsors so he can take a paycheck
home to his wife. (and by the way girls, he is single) Randy Miller knows and understands
that this is a business first and foremost, and that in order for any business to be
successful you must build your product up slowly, with a competent and talented locker
room with sound story lines and a good amount of marketing. I predict that Chaotic, if
they stay the course and do not fall into the trappings that most new promotions fall
into, will be a driving force in the New England area by the end of this year. Where they
go after that is up to them. They do have television, which is a plus not only to the fans
but also to the workers, and a lot of their shows are taped so if your into seeing
yourself on television and live in the Boston area go and check out a show. If you haven't
been to their website yet check it out at http://www.chaoticwrestling.com
It is a very professional looking site, with easy navigation and interactive. Also if your
interested in getting some information on Chaotic there is a documentary on Sunday,
February 4th at 7PM on NESN (New England Sports Network) that will be airing
"Ringmasters:"Pro Wrestling in New England" which will be giving you
some of the inside scoops on Chaotic Wrestling. To take a quote from NESN, ""...preview
what could be the future of pro wrestling, with an in-your-face look at Chaotic Wrestling,
a local independent circuit where young wrestlers put their bodies on the line each and
every night."-NESN
And with that I am outta here. Remember wrestling is nothing more than it appears to be!
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