Straight Shooting - Issue #98 - Not for the weak of heart
Straight Shooting - Issue #98
Since 1997 - The Standard Bearer For Wrestling Columns
by Fritz Capp
For PWBTS.com
November 14, 2000
*I would like to preface this column by stating that this column in no way reflects
anyone's opinion but my own. If you have a problem with what I wrote, too f'n bad. Be a
man and go face to face with me, don't hide behind an e-mail or phone like most of you
chumps do. Also if you have a heart condition, ringworm, octarectalitis, blurred vision,
are overweight, pulled muscles, hair loss, false teeth, anemia or are offended in anyway
by, truth, honesty, integrity or just plain English then do not read this column because
it is just that damned good and you probably can't handle the truth anyway!*
Ya know, lately I have been receiving some pretty interesting e-mails from some of the
readers of this column. I have been told that while I still speak the truth on a myriad of
subjects, that for the most part I have lost my edge. I have been told that I pander to
certain organizations and not others. Well kiddies, let's take the gloves off and have
ourselves some fun today, ok?
The first thing I want to touch on are the promotions who feel that it is their duty to
basically rip off their locker room for the sake of bringing in "names" who
don't draw. Now I want to clarify the term "rip-off". These
"promoters" have a locker room of guys that they just refuse to push. This way
they can pay them $20 - $30 a show. They hold them down anyway they can. They do not
promote these guys at all but expect total loyalty from them. In fact, I know of one
promoter who asked a guy about a show he was going to work. The guy told him and then the
promoter asked who he was going up against. When the promoter was told who it was he said,
"Well if you put him over I'll never use you again". Now who in the hell does
this promoter think he is? What is this guy supposed to do. Go to the promoter of the show
he's working and tell him to change the booking because this other guy he works for says
so? How long do you think this guy would be able to get work from this promoter? Not long
to be sure.
The independent scene, especially in New Jersey, is full of promoters who kill the guys
who actually work for them in lieu of the "names" they bring in. Now I see
nothing wrong with bringing in a name or two but look at what one Jersey based promotion
does. They don't bring in one or two names, they'll have 5 - 6 names on their card and
still only draw 300 paid. Think they're missing the boat? You better believe it.
A wrestling promotion lives and dies by the strength of their locker room. I do not care
who you are, your locker room should be able to put 300 people paid in the seats. Then the
"name" you bring in should pop that at least another 100 people. This gives you
a credible product that you can market to the public. You CANNOT, and I will say it again,
you CANNOT expect the general public to find you as a credible product if all you have is
so-called "names" on your show. This is not 1985 people. Indy wrestling is a
different monster these days. People want to be able to relate to the workers and follow
story lines. (That is if the promotion is smart enough to know how to do story lines or
even use them at all) They cannot relate to a promotion that has a different group of
names come in for each show. That is no better than some money mark coming in off the
street running a show. Anyone can do that. A wrestling promotion needs to give the fans
something more.
The effect this has on the guys in the locker room are many. They see that the promotion
doesn't really care about them, they only want them to job to the bigger names. (That is
of course seeing that the promotion actually uses these names to brand out their locker
room, something someone in Jersey has no clue about how to do)
Another thing in Jersey I have witnessed first hand is that the promoters do not know what
to do with the talent they have. For the most part, the guys I am talking about don't have
a clue as to what it takes to run a successful promotion. They might as well be trying to
run Roller Derby or something else equally inane. They would sooner push some
"green" guy that has a half decent look but really can't work than someone who
has actual talent and ability who has been with them for awhile. While there is nothing
wrong with trying to push someone, you do not do it at the expense of others who have been
with you from the beginning trying to get you running on an even keel.
A lot of promoters today are nothing but leeches, living off the blood and sweat of young
guys who buy into their rhetoric of "paying dues". There is "paying
dues" and then there are people that misuse that term for their own benefit. Today's
promoters had better be careful or the only people that will work for them are the has
beens and the never was that permeate the circuit hoping to relive some former glory.
Anyone hear the story of the ex-CZW worker now North Jersey promoter and school owner
getting caught in a car with his mouth open on another worker in the car with him? Trust
me, you will.
I was traveling around the Internet and came upon one of those reports by one of those
so-called "respected" journalists. Well in this case it was Jess McGrath. Seems
that dear old Jess had less than kind things to say about Touch of Reality's matches this
past weekend. Now everyone knows that I work with these guys and usually I can take
criticism if it is warranted. I mean, I do not expect anyone to lie for them or their work
rate, but in this instance Jess allowed his personal opinions get in the way of his
reporting. He trashed the guys all but blaming them for bad matches and the rise and fall
of Nazi Germany. Truth of the matter is this goes back a long way with Jess and I. You
see, Jess never really liked the fact that I made fun of the fact that Dave Scherer always
said that if he ever sold the Lariat it would be to Jess for one dollar and then turned
around and sold it to Ryder. Hell Jess was even upset that he was in the PWBTS Wrestling
Reporter Internet Survivor series. I mean here is a guy that has absolutely no sense of
humor and who thinks he is above it all.
Now I will admit that their first match wasn't the greatest but in all fairness it was not
all their fault nor was it that bad, although that is what Jess would like you to believe.
There were four people in the ring, not two and there were blown spots on all sides of the
coin. Was it as bad a Jess makes it out? No, I have the tapes right here. While it wasn't
something you would see on Monday Night RAW it was no worse than some of the matches I
have seen on WCW within the past year. What gets me is that Jess also trashed the
semi-final match. This right there shows me that Jess was not being a reporter, but being
a little biatch allowing his personal feelings to get in the way of his reporting. This
was a 10 - 12 minute match with no rest holds and solid wrestling from all parties
involved. This was a "clean" match. But Jess, in his infinite wisdom decided he
would "trash" the guys because they were affiliated with me. Real good
journalism there Jess, learn that from your mentor?
Another thing I have to ask is who in the hell is Jess McGrath anyway? He has never taken
a bump, gotten a guy a payday or sponsored a show. He thinks that just because he writes a
little column that he is something special. Well wake up Jess, your not. You are no
different than 10,000 other wanna-be's on the net. If you didn't kiss the ass of people
like Scherer you wouldn't even be writing about wrestling, you'd probably be doing a
report on some dog show in Albuquerque, if you were writing at all. I find it amusing that
while everyone in the locker room was in agreement that TOR's first match wasn't about all
that much, their second match was great. I guess everyone was going on just to work them
huh? Next time, leave your personal feelings out of your reporting you hypocritical ass
and write what really went down. Or is that beyond what you learned from your former boss?
Save the e-mail and whining Jess, no one gives a damn, especially me. I am sure though,
just like with the Internet Survivor Contest, you'll be writing everyone in the world
crying about this. Typical for you to be sure.
I hear that some of "The Other Arena" board monkeys have had some disparaging
things to say about myself and Bob Magee lately. Here's a group of inbreds who still
hasn't gotten over the fact that one time Bob and I both defended Ryder and Scherer's
right to write what they want to. (Yes, I know what your thinking...but it did happen)
Anyway, these are the same idiots that said you did not have a right to write or say
anything about Brian Hildebrand when he passed away unless you knew him personally. Are
these jaybro's for real or what? I am so sure that these rejects from McDonald's know
everyone they write about. Haa Haa! To even give credence to these buffoons is more than
they actually deserve. Keep showing up on your little message board boys, I know that's
all you really have to offer the world.
Did you hear the one about the ex-NWA promoter whose wife liked to give oral while placing
her finger in open cavities on the rear lower part of the torso? Just ask the boys, they
all say she is actually pretty good. Just what the business needs, an experienced rat in
the locker room when the promoters head is turned.
Let's put up a scenario : What if your company was part of a larger organization that gave
you "territories" to work in. Now by rule you are not allowed to go into another
partners territory. Now that's not too much to ask is it? You don't want anyone coming
into your territory, so you should respect everyone else's correct? Now how would you feel
if one of the other members came into your territory under another name? You would be
outraged wouldn't you? Especially if the company that invaded your territory had all the
same workers and front office personal. Well, as hard as I know it will be for you to
believe this, this is happening in pro wrestling today. (I will give you a few minutes to
catch your breath as I can sense the shock you are all in right now) You see, the NWA is
set up like a group of separate businesses that all have their own territory. According to
their bylaws, no entity should go into another's territory, at least without receiving
permission first. But there is an NWA group that feels that they are above this rule and
go into other territories under another name. In fact, by the time December comes they
will have invaded TWO NWA territories. The really sad thing is that these will be back to
back shows. Now I don't care what they say, they are using mostly the same workers, the
same front office people, the same everything but yet they claim they are two separate
entities. Only in name people, only in name. To be honest, I think that this is a scummy
thing to do. These people, while professing that they want everything done correctly, are
breaking the very foundation of what they want from others. Hypocrites? To be sure. It
will be interesting to see their reaction when someone invades their territory.
Now I know I have been told not to do this, but then again when the hell do I ever listen
to anyone? But then again, up until yesterday I was the webmaster for NWA-Jersey, but due
to childishness from one of the owners of that organization I no longer have anything to
do with them. Far be it from me to ever have ANYONE tell me what I can or cannot write
about, especially when it comes to my current subject matter, Dennis Coralluzo. Just
because you people freak out whenever his name is mentioned doesn't mean everyone does.
Also, just because someone is affiliated with you doesn't mean you have the right to try
to tell them what they can and cannot write about. I would have thought you learned that
about me a long time ago when Heyman tried the same thing. You got the same response he
did. So here ya go Freddyboy, now you tell me if this was worth all of the crap and wasted
time I had to deal with yesterday from you. Oh by the way, the rumor that I was FIRED from
NWA-Jersey is greatly exaggerated. How the f'n hell can someone be fired when they never
worked there in the first place. If you call doing your website working for you your sadly
mistaken. I did that as a favor because you needed it done. Hell, you can't even pay me
the money you owe me can you? So much for doing business with an attorney.
I want to address a "so-called" shoot tape that has been for sale lately. The
reason I say so-called is because while it may address some issues, as with most shoot
tapes it is filled with self serving lies and misleading innuendos. I don't think these
guys know what a real "shoot" is. Not really worth the money at all. At least
when I saw Manny Fernandez's shoot tape it gave a history of the business and was
informative. Anyway my dear old friend Dennis Coralluzo decided that he should devote a
whole one minute and thirty seconds to me. (Actually I thought I deserved more time but
that's a whole different column, because as soon as I receive some legal documents that
are on file I am surely going to devote a whole lot more than one and a half minutes to
him. Maybe Dennis can come out with a Part Two so he can address a whole lot of new issues
in his life) To continue, Dennis decided that he would tell the "truth" on how I
got Touch of Reality work in NWA-Jersey. Of course it is Dennis's version of the truth as
that is all he knows how to spin but let's take a look at what he said. (Paraphrased : You
see, and this is the truth, Fritz Capp made a deal with Gino Moore that if Gino would use
Touch of Reality then Fritz wouldn't put out anything slanderous about Gino and lo and
behold in Wildwood they were working.) This was precipitated by Dennis saying how Bob
Magee put out Dennis's arrest warrant on the Internet but when Gino was arrested (a charge
he was exhonorated on by the way) I refused to put anything out. Of course that is bull
but that's beside the point.
Now let's look into this for a bit. I originally took TOR down to the NWA-Jersey show in
Pine Hill, NJ to see about getting them work. This was in May, 2000 and at that time they
got booked for the upcoming Pine Hill show that was to run in June, 2000 and also for the
upcoming NWA-Jersey Wildwood shows. Again this was in May, 2000. Now Gino was arrested the
day before the Woodbury show which I will say again was in June, 2000. I am not going into
the specifics of the arrest because as I said all criminal charges were dropped. It was in
essence a way to have Gino discredited in front of the sponsors of this show who just
happened to be a sheriff's department. I will say again this happened in June, 2000. Now
NWA-Jersey started their Wildwood shows in July, 2000, just for the record.
Now by going on what Dennis Coralluzo stated as "truth" I made a deal with Gino
so the boys could work Wildwood by agreeing not to say anything about the arrest. Since I
talked to Gino and make got TOR booked with Gino one month before he got arrested how is
that possible? Have I unearthed some uncanny psychic ability that manifested itself for
the first time in May, 2000 that allowed me to know a whole month in advance that Gino was
going to be arrested?
The answer to that question is of course no. Dennis was trying his best to get at me by
lying on the tape. You see, Dennis should be a part of the PTC. Both believe in the
"Big Lie" theory. The "Big Lie" theory is when someone keeps repeating
a lie over and over again in the hopes that after awhile people will start believing it as
truth. The real funny thing is that this is the same guy who ripped off charities and lied
to every person who would let him. All of a sudden this jabrone is going to start telling
the truth? The only thing Dennis has going for him anymore is that at one time he did run
a decent wrestling promotion and some of the boys are still loyal to him.
You see someone, who identified themselves as Kevin Knight who is a north Jersey promoter
and school owner with a "closet" full of things to hide, called me under the
guise of wanting to give TOR some work when in reality he just wanted Jim's phone number
so Dennis (who stupidly identified himself on tape) could call up and threaten him. (*57
is a wonderful thing) First question is who threatens a 6'5 340 lb man? Especially when
your 135 years old like Coraloser. Second is the joke is on Dennis since he was stupid
enough to identify himself.
The real question is why doesn't my good friend Dennis give me a call? Oh that's right,
for as bad as he acts when hiding behind miles and miles of telecommunication cable Dennis
knows in his heart that he is nothing more than the equivalent of a school yard punk. He
also knows that I know that. I wonder what Inez would have to say about some of Dennis's
actions when he was stringing her along? I know how Amy felt when Dennis dumped her and
went to Inez but how about now? And what about Dennis's wife? What is her take on all of
this? And how long can Dennis's new mistress or hag or whatever it is you want to call her
hide behind the fake e-mail name of Craig Stewart? Oh wait until the actual place where
those letters are coming from is finally revealed, won't that be a hoot? Hey Dennis I have
a question, "How did Inez lose her house and all of her money?" I am sure a
simple "bank" inquiry by the right people could answer that huh?
So has anyone heard anything from the GSWA lately? Oh that's right, their money mark
hasn't been able to shoot ringside or forge autographs lately so that would slow up his
money flow wouldn't it? Geez life gets tougher and tougher huh? Maybe the money mark could
sell me a couple more of these "shoot" tapes. I got mine in Hamburg this past
week. Considering the bald headed a-hole dropped the price I can tell how well they are
moving. Haa haa! What's next, you gonna give green stamps to everyone who buys one? I
wonder if the WWF actually issued you a license to sell their merchandise? But then again,
I wonder if the IRS knows your running stands at wrestling shows? Maybe a quick call to
find out is in order. Yeah, that's the ticket!
I hear that Larry Sharpe was recently kicked around by a 165 lb. crack addict. Pretty bad
I hear also. Well, I guess if you owe people money that's what happens. It is true, if you
wanna play your gonna have to pay. And this is Coralluzo's idol and mentor? Now I see why.
Dino Sanna is going to run a show on the 25th of November. The question is who is he going
to have working for him. You see, Dino booked a show on the same night as the EWF show in
Pennsburg, which is not that far away from the hallowed WWWA Arena. (ugh...a stupid
VFW....lol) The problem is that Dino uses a lot of EWF talent to fill out his roster.
Should be pretty interesting....or boring. I mean what are you going to have, Jack Hammer,
then Jack Hammer in a mask, etc? How about Jack Hammer blowing up in the ring. Then you
could have him blowing up walking to the ring. Then blowing up walking back to the locker
room. Maybe Diamond Mike will just rant on the mic for 30 minutes and put everyone to
sleep. This way when the people wake up some time will have passed and they would feel
they got their money's worth. God knows, I have been to your shows and anymore the most
exciting thing you have going is the crowd pool wondering how many matches it will be
before your ring breaks. Maybe you could have that ultimate valet Jade (otherwise known as
Missy Sampson) wear a cutoff shirt so that little roll she carries around is exposed for
all to see. Just look at all the possibilities. Now this would be a pay-per-view in any
third world country....or at least be the equivalent of most of today's Jersey house shows
anyway.
Don't worry my friends, this is just the beginning. Next issue should be chock filled with
all sorts of goodies. I can hardly wait. The next installment leading up the 100th issue
will have: How does an ex-promoter have a house broken into and why, Just how many forged
checks are actually accounted for?, "What do you mean, that is their real
signature", How to duck the judicial system and what to do when they catch you lying
to them, Your Honor, I swear I don't have an attorney, How to forge a signature in 5 easy
lessons, Look son just put everything in the shredder when your done, How to throw
incriminating evidence away at a house show only to have someone pull it from the trash
and what to do when that happens, How to shoot the bird in court and what to say when you
get caught and "You never did my wife" are just some of the great up and coming
topics in Straight Shooting. Don't miss the next exciting tell all issue.
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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