by: Bob Magee Well...here's the column you were supposed to get LAST week...except that Hotmail held it hostage for a weekend....with new content added.

First, in an amusing sidenote, after multiple e-mails to Hotmail (with ONE human response to this day from Hotmail....over 10 days later, I might add)... I put out online that my Hotmail account was having problems...and posted it on all the wrestling websites I post on, so that promoters and friends could reach me at an emergency Yahoo address.

Then, on Tuesday morning (September 21)...I found this in my e-mail box.

Hi Mr. Magee,

I saw in your recent posting at http://www.wrasslin.com/moveabletype/logs/news/archives/001751.shtml that you have been unable to get into your Hotmail account. Perhaps I can help you out.

When you connect to Hotmail are you using a web browser or an e-mail client (e.g. Outlook Express)? When you try to connect what type of error do you get?

Any info you can provide will help me to narrow down the problem.

All the best....

A screen capture of the individual's appropriate information was provided to show the e-mail legitimacy...as a member of Hotmail customer service staff.

So after all this...it takes a posting on a UK wrestling website to get a response from Hotmail, the e-mail service of the largest corporation on planet Earth.

I'm leaving the person's name off...since it's probably against Hotmail rules to act like a human being and/or to provide helpful customer service. But I found it bizarre that I only got a response from one of the planet's largest corporations, not because of the concerns expressed by a customer privately by e-mail to theie designated addresses and publicly in the Microsoft/MSN forums...but because of the wrestling column that I post; and even that on a website from the UK, an ocean plus a continent away from MSN and Hotmail's offices in California.

Now back...to last week's original column, some thoughts from readers on last week's column regarding the Trinity Broadcasting Network takeover of Philadelphia's WGTW Channel 48, beginning on September 30, that will result in the loss of several wrestling shows in the Philadelphia market...

From Michael Cheves:

"Thank you for a well-written and informative column about the demise of WGTW's current programming. Though I am not in Philadelphia, this hits close to home as I have seen this type of thing happen before.

First I saw it happen in Fayetteville, NC where WFPX Ch. 62 aired wrestling every weekday at 6 PM until Pax TV bought them sometime in '98 or '99. Around the same time, Wilmington, NC lost their outlet for ECW as WSSN Ch. 10 was transformed into a WRAL clone by the Raleigh CBS affiliate.

Shortly after the turn of the millennium, Pax purchased WBMS Ch. 10 (then the UPN affiliate for Jackson, MS) removing an outlet for promotions such as XPW, ECW and NWA Mississippi, as well as Smackdown. Even having witnessed these takeovers before, it still hurts badly to see diversified, sometimes locally owned TV stations get taken over by bland and often agenda-oriented media empires.

It's stations like WGTW that give a spark of individuality to television. Your column is a good reminder that the role of the independent TV station should never be underestimated or taken for granted."

Michael

From Marty Ritson:

"Great article, very well written! I have shared it with many of my friends. All of whom by the way, like me, belong to the Catholic Church, I agree with all of your comments and I don't hate religion. I just hate religion making decisions for me and getting rich along the way!

Marty Ritson"

The purchase of Channel 48 by TBN even made the Philadelphia Daily News, the city's tabloid newspaper with mentions of wrestling being dropped (as well as of the loss of the cheesy kung-fu movies on weekend and cult favorite Cheaters). The writer seemed to be especially botherd by the loss of Cheaters for some reason.

There is still no word on where WWE syndicated programming, NWA Wildside, and TNA Explosion are going in the Philadelphia market as of this writing. Bill Behrens suggested to me in a phone call this past week that those of us in Philadelphia may be doing without our fix of Wildside for a while.

As for the Diva "Search", now mercifully concluded...I have to wonder if WWE called an audible after the well-publicized legal issues of Playmate of the Year Carmella DeCesare. It seemed pretty clear that DeCesare was being set up as a heel winner...and nearly every website imaginable had her pegged as the pre-determined winner of the contest.

Next, we have the Smackdown pseudo-Tough Enough contest to look forward to, from October through the Christmas holidays.

Yippee.

Ending on a happier note...

This coming Saturday brings the return of Jim Cornette and the Midnight Express to Philadelphia for the first time in 15 years.

It's a great birthday present for my younger brother, who's one of the biggest Midnight Express marks around...which makes two of us.

Ring of Honor returns to the National Guard Armory in northeast Philadelphia this coming Saturday, October 2 with a 7:30 pm belltime, as well as an afternoon event, which will feature a question and answer session with Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, & Dennis Condrey at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia begining at 2:00 pm.

The afternoon of October 2nd will feature The Midnight Express of Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane & Dennis Condrey in a special question and answer session. Fans will experience wrestling history, hear about their greatest matches, learn about the business and be able to interact with one of the greatest and most influential tag teams ever.

The afternoon session, which begins at 2:00 pm (and runs about 60-90 minutes), will also feature a special mini-card featuring:

Homicide, Julius Smokes, CM Punk and Ace Steel of the Second City Saints, Dan Maff and BJ Whitmer, Jay and Mark Briscoe, Nigel McGuiness, Trent Acid, Carnage Crew, and Jay Lethal with much more to be added...

Directions:

The Philadelphia National Guard Armory is easily accessible via I-95, US 1, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the below map shows:



For New York fans:

1) Take Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey Turnpike via Exit 10B or 7B on NJ 3. Take NJ Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

2) Take Verranzano Narrows Bridge and continue on I-278 through Staten Island to New Jersey and Exit 13 of New Jersey Turnpike.

Take New Jersey Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

For South Jersey fans:

Take Route 73 until you reach the exit for Route 90 (the approach road for the Betsy Ross Bridge). Take the Betsy Ross Bridge to Philadelphia and take the first exit immediately off of the Bridge onto I-95 northbound.

Take I-95 northbound to the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

For fans from Delaware/points south:

The directions are fairly simple. Go to I-95 northbound from wherever you are. Continue on I-95 through Delaware and Pennsylvania, through center city Philadelphia, until you reach northeast Philadelphia and the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

For Philadelphia fans using SEPTA:

It should be noted that the Armory IS accessible via SEPTA from center city and south Philadelphia, taking the Frankford El to the Frankford Transportation Center, then transferring to the Route 14 bus (which goes right out Roosevelt Boulevard).

The bus ride takes about 20 minutes from the Frankford Transportation Center. Inbound buses to the Frankford Transportation Center run past midnight, so people will be easily be able to get back into town after the shows.

To check how you can make connections via SEPTA to this show, go to this link.

Bus trips

New York area fans

WrestlingBusTrips.com will return to Philadelphia, PA for the return of the Midnight Express with Jim Cornette...

The cost of the trip, which will include your tickets to the show for both the afternoon and evening events included, VIP admission before ANYONE ELSE to get the best seating, transportation back and forth to Philadelphia on our luxury bus and more is only $65.

Reservations are being accepted NOW with money order or Paypal.com payments at AGENTCLPT@aol.com.

Pickups are scheduled for: Modells behind the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst, Queens; The Manhattan Center (311 West 34th Street/8th Avenue) in Mid-town Manhattan; and The Rexplex in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

For reservation and other information, e-mail
AGENTCLPT@aol.com.

Boston area fans

Pro Wrestling Tours will return to Philadelphia, PA for the return of the Midnight Express with Jim Cornette.

The cost is $100 and includes a ticket to both shows including the Q&A Session with Jim Cornette & The Midnight Express, as well as transportation/bathrooms and wrestling videos on multiple TV screens on the luxury motor coach bus.

There will also be a special meet and greet with ROH wrestlers when the bus reaches Philadelphia.

Bus stops will include:

Homicide, Julius Smokes, CM Punk and Ace Steel of the Second City Saints, Dan Maff and BJ Whitmer, Jay and Mark Briscoe, Nigel McGuiness, Trent Acid, Carnage Crew, and Jay Lethal with much more to be added...

Directions:

The Philadelphia National Guard Armory is easily accessible via I-95, US 1, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, as the below map shows:



For New York fans:

1) Take Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey Turnpike via Exit 10B or 7B on NJ 3. Take NJ Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

2) Take Verranzano Narrows Bridge and continue on I-278 through Staten Island to New Jersey and Exit 13 of New Jersey Turnpike.

Take New Jersey Turnpike southbound to Exit 6 (Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-276). After crossing Delaware River, take Turnpike Exit 351 (US 1 Expressway) which becomes US 1/Roosevelt Boulevard. The Armory is on Roosevelt Boulevard and Southampton Road as shown in the above map.

For South Jersey fans:

Take Route 73 until you reach the exit for Route 90 (the approach road for the Betsy Ross Bridge). Take the Betsy Ross Bridge to Philadelphia and take the first exit immediately off of the Bridge onto I-95 northbound.

Take I-95 northbound to the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

For fans from Delaware/points south:

The directions are fairly simple. Go to I-95 northbound from wherever you are. Continue on I-95 through Delaware and Pennsylvania, through center city Philadelphia, until you reach northeast Philadelphia and the Woodhaven Road exit. Take Woodhaven Road to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) and turn right. The Armory will be on your right.

For Philadelphia fans using SEPTA:

It should be noted that the Armory IS accessible via SEPTA from center city and south Philadelphia, taking the Frankford El to the Frankford Transportation Center, then transferring to the Route 14 bus (which goes right out Roosevelt Boulevard).

The bus ride takes about 20 minutes from the Frankford Transportation Center. Inbound buses to the Frankford Transportation Center run past midnight, so people will be easily be able to get back into town after the shows.

To check how you can make connections via SEPTA to this show, go to this link.

Bus trips

New York area fans

WrestlingBusTrips.com will return to Philadelphia, PA for the return of the Midnight Express with Jim Cornette...

The cost of the trip, which will include your tickets to the show for both the afternoon and evening events included, VIP admission before ANYONE ELSE to get the best seating, transportation back and forth to Philadelphia on our luxury bus and more is only $65.

Reservations are being accepted NOW with money order or Paypal.com payments at AGENTCLPT@aol.com.

Pickups are scheduled for: Modells behind the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst, Queens; The Manhattan Center (311 West 34th Street/8th Avenue) in Mid-town Manhattan; and The Rexplex in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

For reservation and other information, e-mail
AGENTCLPT@aol.com.

Boston area fans

Pro Wrestling Tours will return to Philadelphia, PA for the return of the Midnight Express with Jim Cornette.

The cost is $100 and includes a ticket to both shows including the Q&A Session with Jim Cornette & The Midnight Express, as well as transportation/bathrooms and wrestling videos on multiple TV screens on the luxury motor coach bus.

There will also be a special meet and greet with ROH wrestlers when the bus reaches Philadelphia.

Bus stops will include: