Below is a post from Dave Scherer from 1wrestling.com:

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OK, apparently the Sandman reads the page. He said that not only did he see and count Tod's payoff from the NWA Blackwood show, but he himself was paid, including trans and hotel, $1,900 to simply appear at the same show. He made the point to say, he did so with the understanding being that he would not work. He went on to say that the whole thing was a big joke between him and Tod because between the two of them and the Public Enemy, they were all paid thousands to never even wrestle.

Dennis Coralluzzo just called and vehemently denied that he paid Tod Gordon $1,500 per appearance when he worked for the NWA. In the interest of fairness, I wanted to get that up as soon as possible.

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Ok, let's take a look at this. In the first paragraph Scherer not only reports (or tries to put himself over) that for some reason unknown to all the rest of us but is known to him Sandman reads 1wrestling.com. Scherer then goes on to quote Sandman about supposed payoffs and prices for working and how Tod, Sandman and Public Enemy thought this was all a big joke about the way that they feel they were getting over on Dennis Coralluzo. In the second paragraph Dave gives a quick shot about Coralluzo denying what Sandman said without actually giving us any info except that Dennis denied the statements made by Sandman. Well after being told about this I had to go over and read all this for myself, of course I then had to call Dennis to hear his version of what was going on.

Dennis told me that Jess McGrath's version of what happened leading up to Gordon leaving the NWA 50th Anniversary card was basically correct. Dennis had not had the pleasure of reading Scherer's account yet. This is what Dennis then told me. I figured in the meaning of "true fairness" Dennis's side should be told:

Dennis told me that yes he thought that the "Invasion Angle" would be good for the NWA. He counted on being able to draw some of the ECW crowd to a couple of the shows. (He is in the business to draw crowds and make money isn't he?) What he didn't count on was the fact that Tod Gordon actually does not have any drawing power to speak of. He then gave credit to Paul Heyman for being the real reason that ECW got the notoriety that it did. He then told me that he thought The Sandman would draw considering it was possibly his last sighting in the area for awhile due to Sandman's signing with WCW. While he did not give me the total he gave Sandman for his appearence he did say that the total figure did include hotel and airfare.

As far as what Dave reported Sandman told him Dennis said that Sandman is an F'N liar. He told me that Sandman was too drunk to be able to count anything that Tod could have gotten from him that night. He then said once again that Sandman is an F'n liar. He went on to say that Barry Horowitz would have sold more gimmicks that night than Sandman did. He reminded me that Sandman is Tod's best friend and he also reminded me that Tod always carries a wad of cash on him at all times so it would be easy for him to pull out a handful and say that he got it from Dennis. I was told to talk to the people who handle the payouts for the guys about how much Tod was paid that night. Considering I know who is doing that, it would not be in Dennis's best interest to lie to me considering the person that handles the cash in the NWA as far as Dennis's promotion is concerned has more integrity than most locker rooms combined so I do not think Dennis would try to bullshit me in this instance.

I have learned that there are 3 sides to every story, (in wrestling at least 7 most times) the two people involved have their side and some where in between is the actual truth. While we may never actually know what happened as more players seem to be being added with each passing day I feel "in all fairness" that if what one side has to say is being reported then the other side should also be presented in a similar manner. Another consideration has to be that both sides are trying to work everyone as to what happened to save face. Be that as it may be, this is a sorry end to what was supposed to be a moment to remember.

As far as Tod no showing the match again you have to really wonder what the real truth is. I would never just go with what is being said because far too often it has been proven that the one writing the report probably has a underlying reason for putting one side over while making the other one seem to be a total jackass. One thing is fact, Tod Gordon was at the hotel all day let's say oversharing in his comsumption of alcohol. In my opinion if you are being paid to do a match for someone then you do the match however the promoter wants you too. It is not up to you to tell the promoter how to run his show, whether you agree with it or not. It was unprofessional of Tod Gordon to walk out especially considering what Gordon had to say. "Unlike Smoky Mountain Wrestling or the NWA, the school of promoting I went to says that you deliver the matches and the stipulations to the paying fans that you advertise". Is Tod for real? Now how could Dennis provide what was advertised considering that Tod walked out? Who was the real reason that Dennis could not put on the match that was advertised? The NWA group was there. Was Tod? No....he walked out! Now what school of promoting could Tod be talking about? The school that says you need to feed your own ego above the all else? This is wrestling and things change faster than you change your kids diapers half the time. He above all else should understand how things go in this business. And I ask again, "Who the hell is Tod to tell the promoter what to do in his own promotion?" Would Tod have accepted someone he was paying when he had ECW to just walk out because he didn't like the book for the match that night? How would Tod have felt about not being able to change a finish in his own promotion? I mean let's get real here. I have never knocked Tod Gordon for anything but this time he was wrong. If Dennis after long consideration decided that the angle wasn't drawing any money then why shouldn't he be allowed to kill it when he wanted to? It is his promotion isn't it? For anyone to try and make Tod out as the one in the right in this instance shows that they are not only one sided in their reporting but also shows that they have forgotten that the promoter runs the show.

This is professional wrestling. People get swerved, screwed, lost in the shuffle, sat down, pushed, put over and a myriad of other things all the time. You may not like all of those facts, but it is the nature of the beast. You know this going in, you understand this when you accept to do the show. You cannot forget that whomever is paying you that night is the boss and whether or not you like any change that may have happened, you verbally agreed to work for them. We have seen far to many times when the ego got bigger than the man in the big two. Maybe they have some leverage there. If they are selling merchandise and people are paying major money to come to the card and see them then maybe they can go to the boss and say..."Hey....I don't like this." But considering the fact that Tod Gordon did not draw, nor did his faction "Hot Stuff International" who the hell is Tod Gordon to tell Dennis Coralluzo how to write the book? In my opinion Dennis would have been better off just signing Stevie Richards to some matches with Doug Gilbert as those two WORK THEIR ASSES OFF when they are in the ring together.

All in all this is just another sad sidenote in the history of professional wrestling and another reason why the Independent scene goes through so much hell. All I can say is if your going to work for a promoter then as a new friend of mine just said to me "Know Your Role"

On a side notation: If any one of you morons (and you know who you are) feel I have attacked Dave or Tod or anyone else involved in this without merit do me a favor and save your letters and your crying because your once again proving how stupid you are and cannot read what is written in plain english right front of you. Dave, this does include you also as I do not need, want nor desire any more of your whining e-mails saying I'm taking shots at you when I am not, but if you feel I did there must be a reason for that huh? (I just thought I'd make that point clear before my mailbox is full of tears)

Fritz Capp is the editor for Pro Wrestling's Between The Sheets - for comments or opposing viewpoints please e-mail to Pro Wrestling's Between The Sheets