For years,
we've gotten tons of great entertainment from the WWF, WCW,
and ECW. With some great wrestling matches over the past couple
years, as well as interesting angles, the sports entertainment
businsess has been booming. Notice I said sports entertainment.
The traditional wrestling portion of the business, well, it
isn't the same as it once was.
Where we used to get 15-20 minute long matches on a regular
basis, we now rarely get 5-10 minute matches. Where before
it was rare to have runins and sneak attacks, now we can hardly
have a match without a few people getting involved to ruin
the match.
Here's a sampling of how wrestling/sports entertainment fans
critique cards today: (NOTE: these threads are taken from
the NWA forum, in response to Dave posting the results of
the ECCW show from this weekend)
*********************************************
This is off Scott complaining that Austin and Booker were
lame champions, and that Austin was a bad champion because
he cheated...I responded saying Flair cheated too.
BY SCOTT:
Ric Flair is the dirtiest player in the game. Booker T is
a paper Champion pushed at the right time. Sabu was carried
for years by RVD. ECCW is a loser Promotion with no talent.
That is why Steve Corino and Sabu are there so Republic can
push his no-talent guys. Steve Corino doesn't deserve to be
in ECCW. Sabu does because he sucks like the whole ECCW does.
The Hardcore weapons are part of corino's show. He is from
ECW so he is going to use Plunder. Sabu does not deserve a
shot. David Flair earned this shot before Sabu did. Steve
Corino is the True World Champion. Not Booker or Austin who
never wrestle and when they do it plainly sucks. ANy pure
Wrestling fan would be happy when Paul Heyman talked about
real wrestling and not sports entertainment.
BY ME:
Alright, first off...I'll assume you haven't seen ECCW before.
If you had, you wouldn't be saying it "sucks". Tony Kozina
is probably one of the best Jr. Heavyweights in the NWA right
now, and whenever he's on a show; whether it be the SJO, or
Piper's Pit or any other show; 99 times out of 100 I end up
hearing the same thing. "That Kozina/[insert name] match was
the best match of the night." As well, we have some other
great talent: Christopher Daniels, Chance Beckett, Scotty
Mac (although this is his last week with us), Disco Fury (don't
let the name fool you), Juggernaut, among others. Also, we
have some great personalities in guys like Rockford and The
G.O.D. and our new commish Rocky Dellaserra.
For pure wrestling, ECCW has what it takes to succeed. IMO,
I'll admit; they sometimes go too far to the sports entertainment
side for my liking, but they still normally put on a great
show.
As for Sabu "not deserving a shot", I'm not a huge Sabu fan.
However, you and I aren't at the business end...Republic is.
We may like our old school wrestling, but that's us. Most
ECCW fans want to see the high flying/hardcore style. That's
what Sabu does.
Sabu is known around the world. He's fought in ECW, he's
fought in WCW, he's fought in the WWF, he's fought in Japan,
he's fought in big arenas and small gyms, and he is a former
NWA World Champion, like it or not. And fans pay money to
see Sabu. I've seen Republic have to put up with the "we want
sabu, give us sabu, u should bring in sabu" posts for the
past two years or so. A poll on ECCW.com showed that a majority
of fans wanted Sabu.
Republic did what any smart business man/wrestling promoter
would do. He brought in Sabu. He's gonna put Sabu in two matches
with Kozina (rematches of their match in Piper's Pit), two
matches with Luther (NWA PNW Title, and probably rematches
of the wars in Japan) and two matches with Corino (NWA World
hamp vs. former NWA World Champ + the man who lost the belt
to the man Corino beat). On top of that, two of the only ECW
stars left on the indy circuit.
ECCW has been one of the most active promotions in the NWA
as of late. They may not have a TV deal like Wildside, they
may not get as much word of mouth as Florida...but they still
try their best, put on a good show, and give the fans what
they want.
What more can we ask for?
BY SCOTT:
You and ECCW are not worth my time.
You said : A poll on ECCW.com showed that a majority of fans
wanted Sabu.
I say : The Majority of ECCW fans are Brainless
BY ME:
And I say: ECCW fans are Dave's paying customers. Appeasing
ECCW fans and fans who live in ECCW territories is Dave's
business.
Maybe we'd all be better off if more companies thought of
making the customers they have happy.
*********************************************
This thread was started by the guy complaining that ECCW
put Sabu/Kozina as last match of the night instead of Luther/Corino,
and complaining that Dave used Sabu after the CWF incident.
DAVE REPUBLIC:
DEVASTATION INC.,
The match order was indeed correct as I posted it on this
forum. We have five more shows featuring SABU and STEVE CORINO
- including the first time EVER that these two wrestlers will
meet in the ring (this Saturday). I am sure many exciting
outcomes will occur. Stay tuned for the quick match results.
My understanding is that Ernie Todd has been re-paid for
the unused airline ticket. In fact, since Sabu missing Mr.
Todd's show in March, Sabu has worked for other NWA promotions.
Since you live in Hawaii, and have never attended a single
one of my NWA/ECCW shows, you have little (or really no) understanding
of what my audiences want. I believe from running 120+ shows
a year I at least have a better understanding than you which
is why we run things the way we do. That is why I am not ashamed
of how I run one of North Amercia's largest and most active
regional pro-wrestling companies and can proudly say...
T R A D I T I O N...R U L E S!
SCOTT:
I think you are getting too full of crap when it comes to
your promotion. I can't even take a comment about your booking
style without becoming defensive. Tradition Rules but ECCW
doesn't. I am sad when I look at a Promotion like yours. When
Steve Corino The NWA World Champion doesn't get The Main Event
in your show. Thank you for showing your intelligence by even
spelling America wrong. Even if DEVASTATION INC in from Hawaii,
he is still your audience. I am even though I am in Wisconsin.
When I travel later this year, I am going to see some wrestling.
I will not see yours. You have lost a fan for your Promotion.
You have lost all respect from me. I am ashamed to say you
and your Promotion are in the NWA.
NWG:
Getting defensive? Come on Scott. DEVESTATION INC posted on
the board and commented on what Dave did on the show. Dave
replied and explained why he did it. I respect that more then
the promoters or politicians or people who don'teven stick
up for their decisions. If you think that just having Corino
on a show will draw more money then just having Sabu on a
show here in ECCW territory, you're wrong. While Corino may
be a heckuva wrestler and a great talent...Sabu is known more
around the world then Corino. I think people from the nearby
cities to Nanaimo, Victoria, and Surrey will travel to those
shows to see Sabu more then to see Corino.
I think that Republic is using this Sabu/Corino appearance
to draw more fans to ECCW. The best way to do that is to leave
a lasting impression on the new fans minds.
More new fans will come out for Sabu then for Corino. And
I think that the best "last impression" to leave those fans
with is "Wow! What a great match Sabu put on! Did you see
him put Luther through that table?!?" instead of "Gee...that
Corino match was boring. He didn't even lost 3 pints of blood
like when he fought Lynn or Tajiri."
REPUBLIC: (response to Scott)
SCOTT,
I apologize for misspelling America in my last post. I will
be certain to pay more attention to this area of my posts
and I encourage you to take another read of your post. I must
admit, I had some trouble understanding the second sentence
of your post - perhaps you could re-type and/or explain it
to me so I can provide a proper response.
I do not see the problem with my passionate promotion of
NWA/ECCW and certainly this does not mean I "am full of crap".
NWG hit the nail on the head. We cater to our fans. Sure,
you and others on the Internet are fans of the NWA, however
in the context that I am using this term (along with "audience")
I am referring to the individuals who have paid to view our
live events and/or purchased our NWA/ECCW products. I am sure
you will agree this is wise as this revenue allows us to remain
in business.
For months at our shows and in an on-line poll on www.ECCW.com
our fans have told us they want to see SABU (Corino came in
second and Christopher Daniels third). Over the last few months
we have brought in / tried to bring in / or will be bringing
in the following NWA champions: Sabu, Steve Corino, Mike Rapada,
Heavenly Bodies, and whoever is the North American Champion.
By the end of next week, we will have completed 10 shows
with Steve Corino as NWA Champion making NWA/ECCW the most
active NWA promotion for booking the World Champion.
The crux of your disappointment with NWA/ECCW is that Corino
was not in the last match of the night. Having spoken directly
with Steve, he had no problem with this order of matches for
last night's event.
That said, rest assured that tonight and tomorrow evening
CORINO will be the last match of the evening.
I certainly hope that I have addressed your concerns and
look forward to seeing you at one of the NWA/ECCW shows when
you "travel later this year".
SCOTT: (response to me)
Steve Corino is the NWA Champion. He is the Man. Sabu is a
former ECW wrestler. RVD carried him in all the matches they
had. I have no respect for Dave and his booking style. I think
Sabu can put on a good show but he has been known to miss
big spots. The NWA Champion doesnt need to take second to
a man to misses spots and NWA Cards.
******************************************************
"Back in the day", we wouldn't have cared that much about
how the lineup was broken up. Instead of complaining that
someone missed a spot, we'd think it was real; and know that
it's kind of hard to do those jumps and flips. We wouldn't
have cared that much if the NWA Title was defended before
the night was finished for a match a lot of the fans care
most about. Heck, if you look back in old results...you quickly
find out that the NWA World Title was rarely defended last
on the big NWA events, becuase there would either be the Crockett
Cup finals or some big blowoff matches or Flair would want
to get out early, etc.
It almost all goes back to what I said last week. The "smart"
fans are trying to play the promoter. Instead of remaining
fans, looking at wrestling as a sport and not a popularity
contest, and instead of being impressed when the regional
champion upsets the big star; we are only impressed if our
favorite non-pushed wrestler crushes the big star in a clean,
non-screwjobbed, ****+ match.
I hate being a critique. I love being a mark.
