AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com
First off, a shout out to a promoter that deserves it.
Sometime ago, I'd asked a number of wrestling promoters I have contact with to help Peter Staniforth and his fiancee Chrissie Coles with her efforts to walk in a major UK breast cancer benefit walk this September. I asked them to contribute merchandise that they could auction off over in the UK. By the way, here's the site if any of you would like to contribute, and can't attend, please click: this link.
Maven Bentley was one of the few promoters who responded...but he went even farther in offering to try and organize a show to benefit Peter and Chrissie's efforts.
So much for those idiots who like to trash CZW as no more than slice and dice. So much for those within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission who've given CZW all kinds of crap over the last few years. Here's someone doing something GOOD in wrestling. Such efforts need to be applauded and emulated by others, whether the charity is breast cancer or another cause close to the promoter or community's hearts.
And before you ask, no...I don't mean sold "charity shows" that earn money for no one except the promoter of the show, as many of us have seen happen more than once in more than one location. I mean REAL charity shows like this one where the only money earned was by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission doctor and a handful of workers getting a sandwich and gas money.
Publicly...thanks very much, Maven.
The crowd at the ECW Arena may not have been the largest...as the venue was made available on two weeks notice (and only in the afternoon), as well as the show competing with the Jersey All Pro Wrestling show that drew one of the promotion's better crowds in months, and a Ring of Honor show featuring Matt Hardy and the latest escapades of CM Punk...but those who were there had fun and help was given to someone who's trying to help others fight breast cancer.
Then, there's Matt Hardy....Loose Cannon version 2.0.
This whole thing has been pulled off brilliantly. Lord knows when the real life Adam Copeland-Amy Dumas-Matt Hardy-WWE situation left off and when the work began. If anyone other than Matt Hardy and Vince McMahon tell you they know when it started...and I'm not entirely sure that even THEY know when that was...they're guessing at best and working you at worst.
For anyone left who still has some thought that this is anything other than a brilliant work.... remember Brian Pillman pulling one of the best jobs of self-promotion in modern wrestling history? Whether or not it was in WCW, ECW, or WWF...he played the act to the hilt. Pillman used three different wrestling promotions to further his agenda.
Now go back and look at your tape of Matt Hardy last Monday night.
Take a look at Ring of Honor from Saturday night when the tape becomes commercial available from ROH.
With any luck, Matt Hardy's going to do it all over again...another version of Brian Pillman, with (please God) a far happier ending than the last version had.
The rumor mill yesterday got to the point where TNA's website had to deny that Hardy was appearing.
IMO, this wasn't exactly the smartest move on TNA's part.
After all, it's not THEIR angle. Why not have WWE fans buying your PPV to see if Hardy shows up, rather than deny it's going to happen, and take away those possible incentive for doing so? TNA wasn't responsible for the angle Hardy's running, but why shouldn't they have been smart enough to be like Ring of Honor and take advantage of Hardy's angle themselves?
Until next time....
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