Straight Shooting - Issue #94
Since 1997 - The Standard Bearer For Wrestling Columns
by Fritz Capp
For PWBTS.com
October 26, 2000

Last night I had the opportunity to take in a Blaine DeSantis run PCW show. This was held at the Sunnybrook Ballroom in Pottstown, PA. After moving to Pottstown from Philly in 1969 and spending a lot of my teen years there I really didn't expect much as there really is no criteria for how a show would draw in Pottstown as it has been a long time between shows. The WWF used to run in Pottstown all those years ago but that is another dimension in time isn't it?

I was surprised to see how comfortable Sunnybrook is to hold a wrestling show. Plenty of space for the ring and the crowd and the layout also allows for use of the stage. While the crowd number around a bit above 100 people for the show, I have to say that it was a very vocal crowd and they were really into the show. It was good to see a crowd of fans that were not sitting on their hands and waiting for the guys to mess up so they could chastise them. Of course there were very few missed spots, and that could be another reason why the show came off as good as it did.

I have been told by other reporters and even by one of the big wrestling new sites webmasters that the wrestling fans do not care about indy wrestling and that I am wasting my time by going to these shows and reporting on them. I have been told that the news does not attract readers and in fact it hurts my credibility to report on these shows. I have to say that whomever told me that is truly missing the mark. But then again, their site is one to make a lot of money off of and nothing else so I can see why he would arrive at this assumption. It is no secret that the big news makers, the WWF and WCW, draw more readers but you must decide what is more important. To me, watching the guys come up through the ranks and see their development first hand is just as important as seeing them on Monday night Tvyears from now.

Here is a quick run down of the night in reverse order :

I got to see Christopher Daniels for the first time in Pottstown. All I can say is that WCW truly shows their stupidity by having this guy and then letting him go. This guy can work in all aspects of the word and I can see him fed bound very soon. He went up against Ty Street for the PCW title and I have to say that this match could be on any television show and it would have gotten over. A main event that has to have done Blaine and company, including themselves, proud. These two together put on one heck of a performance and the crowd was totally into it. Hopefully they will have a rematch in PCW very soon. For those who want to be in the know, Ty Street retained his PCW title after a flourish of reversals that had the crowd on their feet.

Touch of Reality finally got to wrestle guys closer to their own size and this was another very good match. Of course Lana got the pop that is becoming associated with everyone seeing her for the first time, in other words she is over. TOR got some good crowd heat also. Their opponents, Vince and JJ, are no slouches in the ring and basically gave TOR the fight that they have ben looking for, and maybe then some. All four of these guys did some great tag moves and the fans were treated to some very good high spots and chain moves. TOR won the match by DQ after their opponents took offense to the ref and decided he should become their punching bag. Of course, Lana played a role in this as she brought the ref over to the side of the ring, climbed on the apron and started to play him by running her fingers through his hair and holding him close. Every man's dream to say the least. TOR left the ring area with the referee on their shoulder while he showed his "Pottstown Sucks" t-shirt.

Mr. Ooh La La is someone who has to be seen to be believed. This "Frenchman" is a riot in the ring and you can tell this is one seasoned veteran. His opponent, Buck Wylde, is one huge guy and you can tell he takes weight training seriously. OLL gets the win after using powder to blind Wylde.

Everyone's favorite ex-WWF Light heavyweight champion Gillberg was in-ring at Pottstown and there is one fact that you can see when watching Gillberg in the ring, he has FUN! His match pitted him against Fast Eddie Valentine and this match was a laugh a minute with some pretty sound wrestling to boot. Gillberg got the pin after his "patented" spear and Jackhammer.

Another person I got to see for the first time was Rich Myers. I had heard a lot about Myers and the reports I had received were true. This guy can go. He is also one of those rare breed of indy workers that looks good, and by that I mean his ring attire is professionally done. He battled Glen Osbourne who is a mainstay on the PA indy circuit. You could again see that these guys weren't just thrown into the ring fresh out of some school like is so prevalent these days. A double count out ended this match. Solid performance by both guys.

The Briscoe Brothers, who tag ability at their stage of development shows that these guys are going to go far, went up against Mozart and the Japanese Assassin. The Briscoe's know tag wrestling and show it in each and every match I see them in. This match had a lot of great tag maneuvers by the Briscoe's and also their opponents. The Briscoe's got the pin in this match.

One of the most improved wrestlers I have seen in a while is Danny Rose. I remember Danny from years ago and it is like night and day. He credits his stint in MCW as being the catalyst for his vast improvement. I don't know where it happened or where it came from but this guy now has the confidence and intensity that will make promoters from around the region looking to have him in their promotion. His opponent was John Balsamo, who is a good worker in his own right. John is still learning the trade but shows a great amount of potential and it will be interesting to see him in the upcoming months. Rose wins this match but I am sure Balsamo will want a rematch.

The show started out with Johnny Maxx beating Hoss. This was one heck of an opener and set the pace for the rest of the show. The crowd was so into this match it wasn't funny. You rarely get a crowd in a new building to pop so early and I have to hand it to these guys for doing such a great job.

All in all PCW has a lot of what every wrestling fan is looking for. Great workers, a show that starts and ends on time, a very good sound system so you can actually understand what is being said in the ring and a promoter that knows what it takes to put on a professional show. PCW will be running their 2nd annual Giorgio Tag Tournament on November 10th in Hamburg, PA and will be at Sunnybrook Ballroom in Pottstown, PA on November 30th. If you have the opportunity to catch either or both of these shows, do it. You will not be disappointed.

And with that I am outta here. Remember wrestling is nothing more than it appears to be but also remember a quote from James Billington, "Intellectual and cultural freedom is the most important single precondition for the breakdown of the kinds of tyrannical and totalitarian systems that periodically threaten us."


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