Truth B Told 6.12.08: Go North Young Man

Posted by Bayani Domingo on 06.12.2008

What do you do when you find there is no where to go but...horizontal? When is it time to move on in Indy wrestling?

Imagine if you will Tom Cruise, Lisa Marie Presley, John Travolta, and Jason Lee were all sitting around Tom Cruise's pool in the shape of an alien ship, sipping cocktails made out of Grey Goose, Raspberry Kool Aid, and the blood of a baby Bald Eagle. Now imagine Katie Holmes comes running in, well walking very briskly since her ankle bracelet and snuggly carrying the hybrid human called Suri makes it difficult for her to move very fast, and says that she just heard on the news that they found the last recordings of L. Ron Hubbard hidden away after clues were left in his will and the only thing that was playing when they finally played the tape was "Never gonna give you up" by Rick Astley and a note that said, "GOTCHA!!" Yep, that's pretty much what it must have felt like to RoH fans to read that "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson worked a dark match on RAW.

Not only did Danielson wrestle, but he won. He didn't just win though, he beat Lance Cade, who is supposed to be getting a big push right now. He didn't just win over an established talent and former champion however; he won with the Cattle Mutilation. I just wonder how many RoHbots were choking on their Hot Pockets and imitation Mountain Dew Code Red after they read that little tidbit. Then again, what did you expect? At some point you have to ask yourself just how far you can go in Indy wrestling when you've seemingly done it all. If Bryan Danielson isn't the perfect example of, "Been there, done that" then who is? At some point every Indy wrestler has to decide what they want to do with their careers, it doesn't mean that point won't happen every few years…or even months.

While I may or may not be making a "Big Daddy V out of a Colin Delaney" it should be noted that a "Dark Match" does not in any way guarantee a contract or intent to sign a contract, it does however imply some level of interest in the wrestler. Why would Danielson bother to work a "Dark Match" if he wasn't interested in the WWE? Consequently why would he go over an established wrestler if the "e" didn't also reciprocate? It doesn't make sense that Danielson would wrestle just to wrestle and get a few hundred bucks for working a show, especially considering he wouldn't have any reason to be in California unless he was working another Indy show the previous day, which he wasn't. It's not like the "e" paid his plane ticket over either. There were clearly some intentions on both sides. I don't see why there wouldn't be in fact, it's no secret that both sides have been making eyes at each other from as long ago as around 5 years ago when the "e" was trying to sign him to a developmental deal but AmDrag declined at the time. The difference is that at the time Danielson was in his early 20's and still felt he had a lot to accomplish, now he's in his late 20's and he's accomplished pretty much everything an Indy wrestler can.

Once again we end up going back to the old baseball metaphor of Minor League ball players being called AAAA players. Too good for AAA and yet not quite Major League ready. In the case of Danielson his readiness has nothing to do with talent or ability, but rather being able to adapt his style, look, and gimmick to what a company like the WWE or TNA might want. Oh, make no mistake about it, TNA is still considered a "Major League" if nothing else because of their TV time slot, growing marketability, monthly PPVs, and the fact that they are getting their own video game. In fact, f*ck it, if you get your own video game then that's just legit enough. I'm still waiting for Gabe to crank out that RoH game for the 360…or Dreamcast, I'm not picky. Danielson is really a 4A guy, not that he was the first, nor the last to be in that position.

The first example of a 4A guy would probably Samoa Joe. For a while Samoa Joe was being courted by both the WWE and TNA simultaneously. In fact I actually met the guy once on his way to a WWE photo shoot where he was supposed to meet up with Tommy Dreamer. I asked him where he was planning to sign and he basically said he hasn't decided yet. Then he gave me an enzigiuri and choked me out for asking. Okay, maybe it was just a handshake, but I was fully prepared to receive that enzigiuri for breaking "kayfabe". By the time that Joe had signed with TNA, for the reasoning that he could still work where he wanted to work and tour when he wanted to tour unlikely an exclusive WWE schedule, he had already done pretty much all he could have. Joe had been to Japan several times, been to Mexico, had the longest and probably most prestigious RoH title reign ever, and had wrestled all over the country and beaten everyone he possibly could have. It was time for him to either take it to a grander stage….relatively speaking of course since this WAS TNA after all…or to be content with being a "Big fish in a small pond". A small pond filled with guys whose moms sew their costumes, play SDvsR to get ideas for finishing moves, and have cool Indy names like "Mitch".

CM Punk is probably the next guy who falls under that 4A category. He wasn't quite as accomplished as Danielson nor Joe, but the man was clearly a star and had something going for him other than the numerous title that those other men had: a marketable gimmick that could be translated perfectly to the "e" without any tweaks. Too bad we haven't seen it yet. The "Straight Edge" gimmick is great and tailor made for television as either a "Babyface" against some of the other hedonistic heels like Morrison or Edge, or as an "arrogant heel" character he played in RoH. While he didn't have the resume, he had a better physique than Joe, a more unique look than Danielson, and by all accounts was a more believable worker on the mic due to a gimmick he was able to get over all by himself. While Punk could have spent another year or two on the Indy scene before moving up, he had to strike while the iron was hot, also the guy was signed when he was 27 at the time he was signed, meaning he was just entering a weird area in a wrestler's career where he was considered "at his prime". Back in the day it used to be a wrestler would be well into his 30's before he got his big push because the veterans held down their spots so well, but in this day of injury and drug use, the younger the better. Just ask Orton and Lesner about playing the "youth card".

You know, a wrestler can't count on having a long Ric Flair-eque career anymore. You have to figure that injuries not only take a toll on your body, but at any time you could hit a bad spot and end up paralyzed or dead. When you look at the 4A kind of guys like Joe, Punk, and Danielson, all of them were around 27 when they signed, of course Danielson hasn't signed yet, but he's right there at 27 right now. To borrow again from baseball, that's the age when most hitters reach the peak of their power and skill level and maybe the same goes for wrestlers. Not coincidentally I believe 27 is the same age Cena was when he got his push for his first WWE title wasn't it? Yeah, that's stretching it, but it's true. At some point there are some guys that you have to look at and say, "What's next?" for a lot of our favorite Indy wrestlers the answer is usually one of the following: A Tour of Japan, a spot in RoH, a trip to Mexico, or…More of the same. At some point when "More of the same" is the only answer left then maybe it's time that a wrestler has to really reevaluate their hopes and dreams again.

I know a lot of people say that the "e" isn't everyone's goal. Guys like Joe could have gone, but didn't, guys like Danielson could have gone but didn't, even Claudio Castagnoli seemed to be signed, but something happened. But to be honest, I think it really almost has to be. Hell, even Joey Ryan keeps getting "Dark Matches" hoping he'll get signed and he's a part owner of PWG, not to mention he's roughly 5'8" WITH boots on. Yikes. Really, it seems like Samoa Joe is the only one that didn't take the bait with the "e" came offering a job. But remember; never say never. Being a former TNA Champion might not mean he's destined to jump ship and hold WWE gold one day, but it doesn't hurt the chances either. While Danielson may have decided against the WWE at one point, things change from year to year. What's really left for him but becoming the first ever two-time RoH champion…then what? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but at some point it doesn't matter how many ****9/10 matches you have if you still don't get recognized at the mall in your own hometown, live pay check to pay check every year, or end up working as a Walmart greeter in your 70's because you couldn't save up enough money to afford more than a double wide in Aberdeen, Washington.

It's great to be able to write your own ticket at times, get pushed by the promoters, be loved by the fans, wrestle for 60 mins and put on critically acclaimed matches, but at some point you need more than that. You want to be recognized, you want to be a star on in the biggest company in the world, you want to wrestle in country you couldn't even afford to visit on your own, and you want to be financially secure. That last part is really a huge part of this argument because as much as you appreciate the fans that wait outside for 3 hours in 100 degree weather just to watch you wrestle, if you get hurt that night in the ring…you ain't making a dime for months and those fans aren't going to pay your rent. It seems like for a lot of fans we have this real trepidation when it comes to our favorite wrestlers. We hope they succeed, we hope they get famous; we hope they make money, but we don't want to see them bastardized under the bright lights of McMahonland. Even now it gets harder and harder to watch CM Punk bring that briefcase to the ring and see him jobbing out every few matches and not even remembering what his "gimmick" is supposed to be any more. Still, it's not up to us to hold on, it's up to us to keep on cheering. For old time's sake.

I saw Austin Aries wrestle on Sunday, two things really stuck out in my mind that day: he seemed to be not quite going at 100% speed and he looked tiny. Like, Jimmy Jacobs-esque. The man lost some weight and some serious mass, almost to the point that it made me think that the buffed out Aries of '07 might have been off the "Wellness" so to speak. That kind of made me think that perhaps he might have "cleaned up" a bit, but for what purpose? Was Aries thinking about making a run in the "e"? it seems like he already burned his bridge in TNA and the man is 30 now. Yep, Austin Aries is 30 years old and unfortunately that doesn't bode too well for him all things considered, but he's another one of those 4A guys. What does Aries have left to do?

Same goes with Chris Hero. As much as I think he could still stick around the Indy scene another year or so and capture the PWG World Title and even the RoH title, there is a good chance he'll never end up with the strap in Ring of Honor. Call me crazy, but there must be something about him Gabe doesn't like because he has no where else to go but on top of Nigel for the 1, 2, 3 and the belt. He's reaching 4A level too and he's already 28. While it was rumored that the "e" was giving him a look, it ended up being Claudio instead who got the call, and we all know what happened there. Or rather we don't. What the hell did happen with that? Hey?? I would say that Nigel is soon approaching 4A level as well, except at 32 years of age he's getting a little older to still be in the "prospect" category. At the rate he's racking up injuries if he doesn't get a look in the "e" or "T" pretty soon then it looks like he'll have to settle hope WSX makes a come back to get on TV. If you're looking a head a few years then I'm pretty sure the Briscoes are getting tired on that treadmill they are on, sure they are only 23/24, but really, what's left? If it wasn't for the fact that they can hardly string two words together and look like the bathroom stalls of a 17 and up club with all that ink, then they'd probably be working FCW right now as "The Jonahs Brothers". 4A is a hell of a place to hang your hat.

You know, maybe this is all just coincidental though. I mean, Danielson was trained by HBK and trained with Lance Cade so maybe he was just there to visit and got pulled into doing a dark match. From all accounts he didn't even have his usual ring gear on at the time so maybe he bummed them off someone and wasn't even planning to work. Maybe the RoHbots and the rest of the Indy fans can breathe easy knowing that AmDrag isn't going anywhere…for at least the next 11 months. Then again…it's RoH, I'm not even sure what those contracts look like and how easy they are to break. This could all be much ado about nothing, but you have to entertain the possibility that this could all lead to one hell of a "farewell tour" for Danielson. I for one would probably applaud him for taking the next step if he did sign with the "e" because it would mean he recognizes that he's done all he's can at the level he's at. Even if he toils away in "Developmental" for a few years and ends up getting cut like Ace Steel did, then at least he tried. Then again Danielson has too much talent not to be called up at some point; especially now that I see Matt Sydal…I mean Evan Bourne finally made the leap. When is it your turn Colt?

It's an inevitable cycle really. You have to keep growing and pushing yourself as far as you can go and for Danielson this is it. Even if he doesn't sign a deal he's still kind of in a conundrum. It's quite possible that he's outgrown Indy wrestling and like other workers who do so (i.e. Joe, AJ, Daniels, Punk, etc.) they move on and in the process new stars are created and so forth and so on. Perhaps the reason that teams like Steen-erico don't get the title belts is because the Briscoes are still around. Maybe guys like Tyler Black, Brent Albright, and Claudio don't get reigns is because you can always turn to your Nigels, Aries, and Danielsons. Many times you don't get new superstars until you absolutely have to make new ones. I never thought of Indy wrestling as a "final destination" for all wrestlers. For some it may be, for some a short run in RoH or a tour of Japan might be the ultimate dream come true and the cap to a moderately successful career, but for bigger stars like Danielson…like Punk…like Joe, this wasn't the destination, just a pee break along the way. They just stopped into Philly to take a piss and buy some Red Vines.

The Truth

For the first time in a long time I made it a point to watch ECW this week. Matt Sy…I mean Evan Bourne was wrestling and I've met him a few times at PWG and WSX and the guy is a really nice kid, very humble and respectful, and he's a hell of a talent. He did pretty damn good for himself too as he picked up the first really BIG win of his career in front of millions of wrestling fans. So far he hasn't gotten any backlash either, just a lot of fans hoping he'll be able to be the same wrestler he was before he signed the big contract, and maybe he will be…or at least for the most part. It's not like he forgot where he came from and what it took to get him there, in fact you might have noticed that he's still wearing the same tights he sported in Dragon Gate…you can even see the little DG symbol on the back of his tights. Good for him. Even thought this column might all be for naught and it might all be forgotten a year from now if Danielson is still in RoH and all around the Indies, I can't imagine in the end the fans wouldn't react the same way. We'd wish Danielson well, we'd hope he would be as beloved by the "mainstream fans" as he is by the Indy ones, and that he'd be able to ply his trade to the best of his ability without being watered down on the biggest stage a wrestler can achieve. Sometimes we're selfish…we like to keep the wrestlers we come to admire to ourselves because we don't want to see their moveset or personalities bastardized or neutered, but such is the business. If at the end of the day in a few months you see Danielson getting his first win in the "e" over Shannon Moore via his new finisher…the swinging neckbreak aka Generic Small Guy Finisher #6, then I think I'll have the same reaction I did on Tuesday night…"Good for him". Only, I doubt I'll be the only one who says that.

Coming Up Short

Vince McMahon bought himself a…negative .1 with a million bucks this week. Last week's RAW did a 3.1 and the RAW before did a 2.9. Not exactly great numbers. I hear the same two arguments about the subject: "$1 Million each week for a month or so is NOTHING for the WWE, a drop in the bucket…" or "The reason that they can't bump up their ratings is that fans don't want cheesy contests, they want GOOD WRESTLING". You know, I'm going to say that both are true. For the "e" this is no big deal, but at the same time this isn't necessarily an "Epic Fail", but rather it may open their eyes to the fact that they need to change their strategy a bit. Try to diversify the way they run things. My suggestion to them is to actually keep with the "Brand Split" and run all three brands very differently. Let RAW be the soap opera with the recognizable names, let Smackdown be the wrestling centric show, and let ECW feature the better athletes who aren't as well known and move the cruiserweights over there as a sort of WWE-tinged RoH/Lucha/Puro hybrid show. Then let's see what really happens. There is no other company in the world that has the resources the WWE has and considering they have two other brands they can "experiment on" without real repercussions, it just makes sense to stir the pot using…you know…WRESTLING, instead of cheesy give-aways. It's funny how even after throwing money at a problem a company can still end up coming up short. Maybe more than $2 short.

6 Degrees of…



Since no one claimed the prize this week let's go with the Indy star turned ECW "Super Star": Matt Sydal. Although now he's going to be known as Evan Bourne. Which just makes this week's link that much more obvious.....



Matt Damon!!

Yeah, just cuz' it's obvious doesn't mean it ain't gonna happen. Get to it kids. Seriously this time....for serious.

Whatchu talkin' bout readers...er....commenters?

You went a hell of a long way out of your way just to pimp the new PWG DVD.

ROH doesn't need a TV show right now, but it does need TV exposure. They need to find a way of advertising themselves outside of the niche market of wrestling fans. The 90s proved that there is a huge number of people who can be drawn to wrestling if it is presented in an interesting way. I think ROH is trying to do that with AotF, but that's one angle.

Wrestling needs to find a way to appeal to the segments that enjoy action movies and MMA without losing its own unique qualities. McMahon is doing a terrible job at that, and doesn't know the modern audience well enough to create stories that connect with them. It seems TNA also has that problem. Perhaps it's in one of those indy feds that those storyline can be created, the way ECW found the theme for the 90s. With more indies out there, the greater the chance of someone stumbling on the right combination.

Posted By: Sly Reference

Was it that obvious? I actually think that RoH at some point really will need television, that is IF they ever want to expand to be large enough to actually compete with a TNA and make enough money to sign their talent to exclusive contracts in the long run. If they are happy being a "Super Indy Fed" then they are probably fine. What I think RoH is having problems doing right now is deciding whether they want to really go full into "Sports Entertainment" or stay an "in-ring driven product". Right now they are struggling to have their actual booking and angles keep up with their in-ring action. The matches are good, but the angles and the "pushes" just aren't paying off. Just ask yourself how much of the "Stable Wars" we'll really remember in three years from now. Not everyone needs a push or storyline, just pick out a half dozen guys to showcase and work the rest of the roster around them and make sure to rotate those top guys as well. Right now it seems like TNA and WWE are struggling to understand what exactly that they have done in the past can work with for them in the future. They keep throwing so much crap out there and hoping it sticks that it's hard to find a nugget of goodness in a pile of ...well crap.

i kidna wish there was more small indy feds.. if there were, i could go to a wrestlin show each week as opposed to waiting till the end of the summer for ROH to come back.. or driving my ass way out to go see Chikara's ONE Worcestor show..

There is one near me, Chaotic Wrestling!, a show every two weeks or so, but it was one of those small ones that should be kept down and what not.. sure, thatd ultimately be removing Kofi Kingston from my Tuesday nights.. and a couple other guys there that i like.. but.. eh.. i like goin..

they took over killer kowalski's school.. last i heard hes not actually there training people no more.. sadness.. what a col he guy he was.. is.. too..

Posted By: RedMaiden

Trust me, more Indy feds don't mean a better wrestling experience. There are usually at least 1 or 2 shows that run within an hour of me each weekend and I could really watch a show every week for literally months on end. Problem is most of the same guys work each show and at some point the wrestling is just so bad and backyard-y in some feds that it makes you almost embarassed to be a fan. Even when PWG ran a show every two weeks it seemed like a bit much. To be honest I don't mind having WWE and TNA around because every once in a while I enjoy a little glossy production value with my gritty 20 fan gym show.

your right about Indy Feds. if there wern't so many bad bad indy promotions around. It would be best if the biggest indy feds just took control and kept all the backyard lite feds down, but sadly that won't happen. so instead of it being WWE and TNA coming out of ROH, NWA territories, Chikra and such, we got those bad promotions where nobody will ever rise, trainers who don't know what theyre talking about and an unorganized product. the NWA needs to step up their game in local areas and sqash out the stupid stuff, there still the largest governing body of wrestling today and the best chance of saving the indy circuit.

Posted By: Davis

I guess the theory of "less is more" doesn't always apply in the world of wrestling. I would hope the NWA would get it's act together eventually, but you know it's not like the business of wrestling is as lucrative as it once was. While I like the idea of the bigger Indy feds having their own flavor and system of booking and affiliations there is probably no way to get back to the territorial days or yore. At some point you have to figure that the various "State Athletics Boards" will begin cracking down on the smaller feds as the government starts turning an eye towards even the smaller Indy feds, but the fact is that the best way to get rid of the smaller feds out there is to...just ignore them. Sometimes it's just about some wrestling fans who love the sport wanting to take a part in it. No matter what form it takes on...so if someone is willing to work for pizza and Shasta, who am I to tell them any different?

6 Degrees Results

No wieners this week…okay…no entries either, but that's beside the point.

Left Overs…

Yeah this is fucked up but I'll still make the joke: If they turn Sydal heel on Kofi and team him with Snitsky instead they can call the team "StillBourne". Hey, someone had to make the joke…it's not my fault.

Linda Cougar MellanHogan? Well I think this is all an elaborate scheme cooked up by Hogan and Bischoff to get back into wrestling. You just wait until Linda reveals the new stable she put together, The cWo. They only got three words for you: We're…taking…Estrogen.

Abyss is back and he carried off a wounded Kaz to the back after his PPV beatdown. Yeah, I know the intent wasn't to imply Abyss was going to take him back stage and rape him but…you know…Kaz does have some purdy hair.

Torrie Wilson's back surgery was successful. Surgeons experienced difficulty during the procedure when they found it difficult to make an incision in her back without going all the way through to the belly button. Luckily they hit a rib a half a centimeter in and it stopped the scalpel.

TNA will now be televised in Spain and Portugal. Introducing the new Spainish announcer. Ole!!

Stone Cold Reality? I'm hoping it's a dating reality show that shows Austin trying to find the woman of his dreams. The show will be called "A Keg Stand at Love with Stone Cold". Each week the prospective women will be put through a series of tests to prove their love for Ol' Stone Cold. The first week's test: Learning how to convincingly say, "I walked into a door officer…clumsy me".

Piper protégé? No idea as to whether it'll end up being a "Scottish" wrestler or a random American one. One thing is for sure, if Piper wants to remake someone in his own image I think I got the perfect guys for the job. Yeah, I know…he'll learn to spray tan later.

The Age of The Fall are the new RoH Tag Champs. They'll be holding their victory party at the "Hot Topic" and serving Rockstar Energy drinks and Twizzlers. The first fat chicks with lip rings, black hair, and a deep resentment towards their Step Father "Todd" get a free copy of the newest Alanis Morrissette CD autographed by Joey Matthews. Don't know which mall that's at? Well you, you, you outta know.

Snitsky off the juice? The guy needs to really take care of himself and get back in the gym. Maybe watch what he's eating. He looks like he's just been chugging mugs full of butter lately. No really…look at the guy's teeth. I can't tell if that's his grill or corn on the cob.

So Wang is using "performance enhancing drugs"? if he doesn't come back with a new finisher called the "Swedish Penis Pump handle slam" I will be shocked and chagrined.

D'Lo Brown was just resigned by the "e". $50 says he ends up on Ebony Championship Wrestling. I mean…EC-dub. I can't wait till WWE announces that after Sci-Fi didn't renew their contract they are moving ECW to…BET. They will now be following 106 & Park on Tuesday nights. Holla, Holla, Holla!!

So as Black Man, Teddy Long gets his power back and a sweet ass job as GM again in the "e" and what's the first thing he does? Get himself a nice lily white secretary. What? I ain't judging, I mean, I'd probably do the same thing…only I'd have her ass wearing a Chinese dress and chopsticks in her hair. Take that whitey!!

I was kind of expecting something different in that briefcase Adam Pearce was holding, but I'm not surprised it was the NWA World Title. What would have been even BETTER is if he actually had the WSX title in there instead. Sure having a Title vs Title match is cool and all…but if you can't figure a way to involve a tank of piranhas. Then what's the point?

Chris Bosh is making his return to PWG for the anniversary show next month. No news as to whether it's a permanent return or a one night only type thing. I guess it goes to show that you can "never say never" in wrestling. PWG must really be hurting for wrestlers to bring him back out of "retirement". Next thing you know Quicksilver will be back, Disco Machine, and the return of Super Dragon's "six pack". Wait…I guess you CAN say "never" after all.

The Great Booty Debate 2008

‘Twas a tie last week so we're back at it again. Justine Ramos takes on Alex Lynn. Damn...that actually sounds more PPV worthy than ONS was. I wonder if Merholz would deem it "Worth your Wealth"?

Random Asian Bitch Lookin' Good Pic of the Week



Alex Lynn: Two names...one wet dream. Okay...three, but that's about it.

Random Latina Bitch Lookin' Good Pic of the Week



Justine Ramos: Her Horchata brings all the boys to the yard.

Pimpin' In High Places

Ran out of time this week for any insightful setups for this week's links. I had my back go out on me yesterday and I've been pretty out of it. Mainly doped up on Tylenol Extra Strength and Mexican food. No, the Mexican food doesn't have any medicinal qualities...however you don't have to get out of a car to order at the drive-thru. Damn this Tomato recall...don't they know a brutha gots to get his salsa?:

Ask 411

Jules

Fact or Fiction

4 R's

HH

CoH

J-Weezy

D-Dubya

Big Happy B-day to Angelo this week...aka T-Daddy, aka Filipino AT Collection, aka ....no wait, that's pretty much it. No wrestling for me this weekend, thank God, but hopefully in the next week or so I'll be getting an update on PWG's 5th Year Anniversary show. Seems like only yesterday I went to my first show. Ahhh memories. Maybe I'll pop in a DVD for old times sake. What do you think, "Sex and the Titty" or "Cum Foo Panda"? Oh...oh you thought I meant a WRESTLING DVD huh? You silly lady you.

Till then, the Truth will set you free.

-B