Story Lines 9.17.06: Turning The Tables - The Story of Extreme Championship Wrestling
Posted by Mike Hamflett on 09.17.2006
This book is not authorised or endorsed by World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. This book does not necessarily reflect the views of Shane Douglas or The Dudl....Team 3D. All Rights Reserved. All opinions worthwhile.
Before I get started, I'd just like to mention that I can also be found plying my trade at the Unforgiven Roundtable. Find out just how little I really know about anything by heading that way now. Lets get it on.
Prologue
A couple of months ago on this fair site we call 411, there was an absolutely awesome column posted by Michael Weyer. In it, he discussed the various bits and bobs of ECW gubbins that had landed to cash in on the return of the once-wonderful company. Naturally there was a feast of goods, ranging from lovingly crafted novels to unofficial and uncensored DVDs, giving every other possible insight into ECW just to cover the ones the WWE-based one missed out. What's funny is that there exists quite a divide between the two sides of the ECW story. On one side of the fence, comes the WWE's version of events. Admittedly, its way, WAY better than Vince's twisted and banal take on the history of WCW, but it is still littered with historical holes and political spins that sugar-coat a lot, and WWEise the rest. However, the opposing end is not much better.
See, as much as people love to murder the WWE's treatment of ECW, the same amount of people chose not to shit on the other side's word. Led mainly by the ever-mouthy Shane Douglas, and the decidedly under-mentioned Tod Gordon, those who oppose the word of Vince McMahon go way WAY too far in attacking his version of events. Bottom line is, there is A LOT of the Titan side that is a true and fair recounting of events, just like with the Douglas end of things. But for some reason, Spike Dudley has to tear up an ECW contract live on air, while Rhino burns the World Title on TNA TV. Vince has a habit of being a total asshole about things he doesn't like, but others sink just as low when they react in such ways. Eric Bischoff has been raped of his pride repeatedly, but understands that he has really won this battle of their endless war – he sits at home and takes money out of Vince's pocket because they don't have anything for him. Who's the stupid one there?
Anyway, the point is, there was no middle ground in sight between the war of…well, who said they knew more about ECW than the other. Something had to give, but nothing was going to. Especially when Vince launched a new brand which might as well be called RawDown! but instead rightfully decided to bleed a good brand name for what he could. Hoo boy was that the straw that broke the camel's back for the haters. They got angrier, WWECW became a much-criticised but sometimes-entertaining TV show, and the true love and adoration for a wonderful promotion was lost under a mess of burnt belts and new breeds of extreme.
But thankfully, and refreshingly, all is not lost in frustration and bitterness forever. No no, someone walked the line, and did he have a story to tell.
Turning The Tables - The Story of Extreme Championship Wrestling
Subject: An attempt at extracting the best of both worlds to truly reflect what ECW was, is, and always will be. Release Date: October 2005
John Lister is English, which is fantastic. I'm obviously pretty biased here being English myself, but this fact is not just great because he's one of countrymen. No, John Lister being English is great because ECW was STUPIDLY hard to be a part of over here. I mean, it had some daft TV slots in America, but daft ones were pretty good compared to NOTHING over here. From 1992 up until around 1998, ECW did not exist on British Televison. Thanks to THE wrestling magazine over here, a fine publication known as PowerSlam, plus internet and non-internet (imagine that!) tape traders, some, and only some were exposed to the future of the business. In 1998, we got limited exposure with some ECW shows from mid-1996 buried on a low rent satellite channel for about 6 months. Despite cancellation, for most this was the first true view of a promotion we had only read about (or saw about on Raw during the invasions).
What that small history of ECW in the UK was meant to stress was that people would go a long, LONG way out of their way to see this product emanating out of a bingo hall/mummers float storage hut out of Philadelphia. John Lister was a true follower. Travelling the length and breadth of the world, and then some, he made sure he had joined the revolution, as the t-shirts would say. He understood the show's importance and like so many others, cared about it like nothing else. Following the success of his first effort Slamthology, it was clear he could put pen to paper. The world needed his words on his favourite empty obsession. Thank god it did, because without it, we may not have been given Turning The Tables.
If I was to say that Turning The Tables was the quintessential guide to what was ECW, it would pretty much sum up everything that needs to be said. However, I'm not here to write what needs to be said, I'm here to write what I want to say. And quite honestly, I could go on about this book all day.
It's a bit annoying too, to be honest. Because I waxed a lot on Shawn Michaels' book last week, I didn't intend to be blown away two weeks on the spin. But in the 5 or 6 engaging hours I spent with this book, I realised I'd be lying through my teeth if I didn't give this book every bit of praise it deserved.
And it's not even just that it perfectly covers the middle ground between the haters and the recreators. This is one fantastic aspect, but through sheer content, this book would always be a total triumph. See, look at it this way. The Rise & Fall of ECW DVD was a massive, massive success, critically and commercially. But as I attempted to implicate above, it was not without it's (at times, gaping) flaws. However, Turning The Tables is simply flawless. It might be worth noting that, unless there are any very-well-hidden agendas, John Lister has no reason to side with either tents in the Extreme camp. Indirectly, that allows for the perfect companion to chronicling the land of the misfit toys. Lister's style is breezy and informative but clinically decisive, formulaically honing in on all the points you want to know more on. Like word foreplay, a certain incident or moment will be hinted at, then be so amazingly stretched out for the literary climax later on. By repeating the process, and (in that he was a fan himself), by having an incredible knack for understanding what needs dwelling on the most, the entire book, every single chapter, is irresistible.
A good example is the early description of Tri-State and just how crucial it was to the formation of ECW. It brings in the importance of Philadelphia's anti-establishment attitude in creating the need for an alternative. It would be enough to say that Eddie Gilbert, Tod Gordon, and later Paul Heyman, decided to run shows out of a bingo hall with fresh ideas and some violent matches and go from there. But with such an exhaustive and extensive history behind Tri-State, let alone ECW itself, it really determines an understanding of the roots behind everything company stood for. Again, it isn't necessary but once you've read it, you would want it again. An entire history of the business is both fruitless and pointless, but a focussed insight on the single, more relevant aspect to Extreme Championship Wrestling is an absolutely phenomenal addition to an already fine historical package.
Written almost in the style of an academic text, the book follows a basic story structure, but is laced with poignant and valuable quotes from all the movers and shakers. Again this where Lister's ambiguity is key, as he is perfectly able to take quotes from the WWE's works, personal superstar interviews, wrestling newsletters, and other relevant mediums in order to put the point across. Paul Heyman's captivating pre-match speech from Barely Legal is included in it's entirety, the full press conference following the NWA screwjob, plus all the contradictory interviews from Heyman, Douglas, Gordon and Coralluzzo that followed it are covered at length, and the consistently fluctuating financial records are detailed with such candour and analysis that a potentially boring aspect to the office end of the company becomes enlightening and thoroughly readable.
Yet another wonderful aspect of the book is in how actually investigates the legitimacy of some of the comments made by the main players. Unlike other versions of ECW's history, where someone's (usually Heyman or Gordon) words are taken as fact because they were there and they know best, this book often leads you into decoding the truth for yourself, being given all the supplementary material to work with, rather than the oft-reference Kool-Aid we all have to drink with other works. Two fantastic examples being Gordon's leaving of the company and the ECW vs. TNN war. It also takes a more honest approach to the ‘dream' lockerroom that existed in ECW, showing off that ultimately it was only the same as every other politically-based wrestling company, even if it was to a smaller degree. Not like I'm into nay saying and hate-mongering, but the time for some brutal honesty had really come. I adored ECW and everything it brought with it, and still do, but sometimes you need your glasses to be not-so rose coloured, ya know?
But it's always best with everything in equal measures, and Turning The Tables gets it spot on. Lister throws credit where it's due out by the shovel load, to both the performers who put their bodies through hell, and the innovative bookers, writers and producers who created, moulded and presented the product that would change the wrestling industry. Particular attention is given to the post-production side of ECW, stressing how well put-together it was in order to hide the cracks in the pavement. In a way, something so simple to discuss only helps to further Lister's description of the pressure behind producing Pay-Per-Views, from a creative and qualitative standpoint. It's quietly purposeful, and only when you finish the book do you realise that his words and style have carefully manipulated you just enough to appreciate chapters you would normally skip over or skim read. It's a marvellous tactic and it works again and again.
If a DVD followed this book rather than different people's agendas, a true representation of ECW's donation to the Wrestling industry would finally be established. However, in book form, it will do just fine. For anyone who calls themselves a wrestling fan, especially those that have an interest in its roots and history, this is absolutely required reading. Like the day where a WCW book comes out without a WWE spin, or in 50 years time when Vince is dead and a somewhat objective look at his life hits the shelves. Until then, this IS the benchmark. It sets the standard for books based on ECW, it sets the standard for books documenting the story of a company, and the raises the bar for every future wrestling book. Every single fan should own this book, because unlike ECW itself, there are no restrictions on this becoming a lot lot more than an underground phenomenon unable to crack the big time.
Shorthand
Worst Bit: It didn't even matter in the end, but simply subjectively speaking, I wanted a bit more on Brian Pillman. His true involvement in the company is always argued, and I happen to be in support of his worth, but John Lister doesn't, and I couldn't help but pick up on it.
Best Bit: The absolutely mindblowing account of the Dreamer/Raven feud. I consider this the greatest angle in the history of the business, and the simply breathtaking account featured was unbelievable. A bulleted list of every time the two squared off, not to mention all the key moments involving the many other people who benefited from it, was above and beyond the call of duty. But MAJOR kudos for it. Utterly brilliant, and the real point where this leaves every other book in the shadows.
Buy It, Borrow It, Bin It: Buy It. Buy two and give one to a friend. Then tell them to do the same. More's the point, email John Lister and ask for a free one to distribute to a non-wrestling fan. It's potentially that great.
