AS I SEE IT 10/7
PWBTS.comYou've got to be kidding me. Really?

An inane storyline of a "power couple" (second or third time now this one's been done) that has gone on for what seems forever...babyfaces made to look like clowns...a build to a PPV with the main event being the filling of the vacant title, then a five minute power failure with the venue's video wall flashing green, the WWE set going dark (but lights in the venue staying on) and the InDemand feed going off for five minutes....power is restored...then finally an awkward beginning to the main event.

OK, so the power came back on. Still plenty of time for the match. Match begins slowly, as if Orton and Bryan knew...look, this is a no-finish ending...don't give it everything tonight.

Then, the inexcusable finish of the main event of the PPV. Bryan has Orton in the LaBelle, aka "yes" lock. Big Show lumbers out, does the run-in and pulls out referee John Cone. Big Show then knocks out Bryan. Lo and behold, GM for the night (we're supposed to believe that Stephanie and HHH have been called away from the PPV site...rrrrright) Brad Maddox brings out Scott Armstrong (shockers, he's back, as HHH's pet referee,which will presumably be confirmed tonight) to count the screwjob pin.

OK, this at least keeps up with the "HHH and Stephanie are screwing Daniel Bryan" storyline. At least Vince can come out tonight as the babyface to "get everything straight", chew out HHH and Stephanie and start this damned McMahon family war storyline.

Then, Big Show turns and punches out Scott Armstrong. Orton then screams at Big Show, as if to say "you screwed everything up" Big Show then knocked out Orton. So two referees "knocked out", both wrestlers in the main event "knocked out" and no finish to the main event.

$45-55 for a PPV, and the best you can do is to tell fans "tough shit, you'll have to watch RAW tomorrow night, instead of Monday Night Football, then spend $45-55 all over again in three weeks for Hell in the Cell to get the result you thought you paid for last night".

Fans online are pissed. There's a very real possibility that WWE has killed off Daniel Bryan. WWE will have to pull off a miracle tonight to make fans actually believe in the chase again, and Daniel Bryan and the babyfaces get over again.

*Sigh*

On a much more pleasant note, with temperatures in the 80s this past weekend...soon to finally feel like fall tonight...we begin the second week of October here in southern New Jersey,

Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year will soon be here. Your friendly not-so-local retail mega-store will soon be killing lots of trees to print advertisements to sell you and I all sorts of goodies. Holiday ads are already running on the shopping channels, and will soon be running on TV non-stop. People will maul each other to get this year's "must have" for their kids or themselves.

But more in keeping with the actual spirit of the season, the wrestling community will reach out to those in need. Independent promotions hold a wide variety of events to benefit various food pantries, shelters, Toys for Tots drives. Over the years, promotions in my area ranging from the family-friendly United Wrestling Coalition to the hardcore themed Combat Zone Wrestling to indies of various sizes and types trough the United States and Canada. Even if you don't have one in your own area this Holiday season, please take time to contribute to or volunteer with such organizations.

Three promotions have agreed so far to do Toys for Tots and related shows:

DJ Hyde has agreed and plans are underway for the annual Toys for Tots collection (in conjunction with the Marine Corps Reserve) to take place for the ninth year in a row to have Combat Zone Wrestling (and this year Women Supestars Unlimited), at the 15th annual Cage of Death at The Flyers Skate Zone, 601 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees, NJ with a 7:30 pm bell time. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online.

ECWA will be doing its second annual Toys for Tots show on Saturday, December 7 with Toys for Tots II in Newark, DE.

Slam Championship Wrestling presents WRESTLE FOR TOTS on Saturday, November 9 at Pinegrove Fire Hall, Gloucester City, NJ. Come out and see wrestling superstars, such as: The Patriot, Patch, Breaker Morant, Latin Connection, and Donnie Hart, and more...

Doors open 6:30/pm 7:30 pm. Tickets: Childreen under 12 and under $7, Adults $10. Bring a new unwrapped toy for a child, and get a FREE 8x10 picture of a WWE Superstar.

So as I ask promotions and readers each year, please e-mail any announcements about scheduled Holiday charitable-themed (fund-raisers for clothes, food pantries or Toys for Toys, etc.) wrestling or MMA events to bobmagee1@hotmail.com.

Until next time…

If you have comments or questions, or if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, I can be reached by e-mail at the address above. If you'd like to add advertising on PWBTS.com (the flagship website of this column), banner ads are available for $400 for one year. These ads would appear on each newspage appearing on the newsboard. Cube ads are available for $200 for one year, which would be placed on the main newsboard page.

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If you have comments/questions, or if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)