Big Things Happening

The Memphis area is on fire as of late.  What a stretch for the last few months it has been, indeed.  Things continue to get better and better.  Let’s take a look back at what you may (or may not) have missed:

June 1st and 2nd, I fulfilled my bookings with World Wrestling Entertainment.  Along with me, a few other guys from the area were booked.  I made an appearance on ECW by way of wrestling Zach Ryder (Woo, woo, woo!)  Agents were happy, the boys were happy – opportunities to come.

Then, a local independent wrestling organization made the cover of The Memphis Flyer.  Big article was published, as well.  No matter how badly written it was… Or how disgusting the topic was – it is still considered a big deal.  Things were heating up.

Next, Jerry Lawler announces he’s running for mayor.  I will go on record right now to say that I thought this was a major publicity stunt.  But he’s really put in some time and leg-work.  He very well could be totally serious.  Big news across the board for Memphis and the Mid-South.

PWI then releases its Top 500 Wrestlers list and BOOM – Memphis-area guys are on it.  The likes of Jamie Jay, Matt Boyce, Matt Riviera, Jerry Lawler and Flash Flanagan were listed.  Yeah, yeah, yeah – no Dustin Starr.  But what can I say?

Who wants their own locker room?

Pretty easy question, huh?  I think it’s an even easier answer.  Who the heck WOULDN’T want their own locker room?  I’ve had the opportunity on several occasions to have my own, at select shows.  I’ll tell you right now – I loved it.  Not only do you feel like VIP… but it’s much more relaxing.  You step away from all the clutter and all the people that you may or may not even care to be around and you’re able to focus on the business at hand.  Nothing compares.  I don’t care where you’re wrestling or performing.

What brings this up?  All the hub-bub about Brett Favre wanting his own dressing room in Minnesota.  How he had his own dressing area in Green Bay… then, New York.  Give me a break.  The guy’s been in the business for over SIXTEEN years and owns every single passing record in the book (practically!)  If he can’t have his own locker room then who CAN?

Here’s the deal. 

4th of July w/ The King!

What are YOU doing to celebrate 4th of July? Along with the long list of things to do, you can add another right on top. Only difference is, this event is in the afternoon! Come celebrate 4th of July with the STARR’s (pun intended!) of Memphis Wrestling in West Memphis, AR! With the event, you can kill two birds with one stone. You can watch your favorite wrestler (me!) and buy your fireworks for the night -AT THE SAME TIME!

Memphis Wrestling will be putting on a wrestling show at Jerry Lawler’s Fireworks just across the bridge. I’m hoping there will be a tent to hide me from the heat. But I have a feeling that I will be in trouble regardless. It is HOT in Memphis. When I say hot, I mean HOT! I will choose my ring attire very wisely.

Word has it that Jerry Lawler, Derrick King, T@2, Kevin White, Johnny Dotson, among others will be performing on Saturday at 1PM. No word on who I will be wrestling but there’s several on the list that I would like to get my hands on. I look forward to working in front of the Memphis fans again. Haven’t seen them since my ECW match with WWE at FedEx Forum. I love the Memphis fans.

For those of you who won’t be able to make it out to watch live, be sure to watch the action on My Network Channel 50 the following week at 11AM. They will be featuring matches from the 4th of July in West Memphis, as well as matches from Minglewood Hall that takes place later that same night.

Be on the look out. Five Starr is running wild, baby! Who knows? Maybe I will ride the big bottle rocket out of West Memphis on the 4th! (ala the old Jerry Lawler Fireworks commercial!)

Time for Me to Evaluate

Well, there was quite a bit of interest in the evaluation topic. Quite a few comments. Some of you requested more names. And we will get to that. But first, it’s my turn to evaluate.

I have quite a few fans who just can’t wait for a topic to come up like this. They love seeing what it is that I will say. Many feathers get ruffled in these situations. This time should be no different. Afterall, I am my own worst enemy. Or so I hear, anyway.

So, let’s cut to the chase. I know all five guys very well. In fact, a few of them are like brothers to me. My eddishes, if you will. Another is considered to many to be my father (most claim that I am his son and he’d hate to hear it!!) if you can’t shoot straight with your boys, who can you shoot straight with?

Let’s get started:

Time for an Evaluation

Let’s evaluate some talent.  I want to conduct an experiment, here.  It seems that so many of us watch the same matches and same wrestlers – but seem to see something different.  How is that possible.  If we both watch the same match, how can one of us think it’s good and the other think it’s bad?

A matter of taste?  Sure.  A matter of knowing what to look for?  Maybe.  But who are we to judge one another on our individual likes and dislikes?  Can I call someone dumb for liking a particular song that I don’t enjoy.  Sure, I can.  Is it fair?  Probably not.

So, I want to ask a few questions and conduct a little experiment here.  I call it an experiment, you call it a survey.  But I need honesty.  I want to see the true feelings here.  I know I can’t ask you who the best in the area is.  What will happen if I do that?  Simple – a select few insecure “wrestlers” will post themselves and win an unworthy award.  (No awards will be given out here!)  So, what if I ask opinions?  One word opinions.  So, select your word wisely.

Champions: Honor or Not?

How do you look at your Champions?  When you watch wrestling, whether it’s on the independents or the big time, do you look up to the Champions of the companies you watch?  WWE and TNA may be a little different because I don’t think anyone would argue that leading one of the world’s largest wrestling companies is a big deal. We all KNOW that’s a major accomplishments. But what about in the indies?

Is it a big deal to carry the Championship in a local, independent wrestling company?

There’s a few ways to look at this. I know a few bookers who say that their Champion doesn’t have to be the strongest draw on the card. Some even go as far as saying that their best draw or talent should NEVER carry the belt because they’re already over with the crowd. The belt should be given to someone who needs it to actually get over and stay over. (Getting over means the fans react to you the way you want them to. That you’re relevant.)

I’ve always disagreed with this method of booking. Reason why?  Simple – when I was growing up watching wrestling, I always thought being the Champ was a big deal. Jerry Lawler was a big deal with or without the USWA Championship but I never believed it when Colorado Kid beat him for it. Even as young as I was, I still knew that they were trying really hard to make Kid a big deal… I just wasn’t buying it.  It never went over with me or anyone else for that matter.

Memphis Blizzard

There’s been photographs posted all over the web about the blizzard that took place in Memphis, TN on Saturday night (Feb. 28th).  And believe me when I tell ya, the blizzard only happened on that one single night.  As the old saying goes – if you don’t like the weather in Memphis, wait a few minutes and it’ll change.

Well, here’s how the day went for me:

Early afternoon, no snow.  Late afternoon, the snow started to come down a little bit.  Shows weren’t cancelled and the roads were fine.  I had to be at the hockey game by six.  No problems getting to the DeSoto Civic Center.  I knew that I had to be out of there at 8:30PM in order to make it to Minglewood Hall on time to wrestle the Memphis Wrestling Classic show.  I was going for the double shot.

8:30 rolls around and I finish up my duties amidst an excellent hockey game that eventually went into overtime… and then, into a shootout.  I always miss the big finishes – the Riverkings won to extend their seven-game winning streak to eight.  I didn’t see it because I was headed through the snow storm and the five-car pile-up on I-55 headed to Mid-Town Memphis.  Now, let me clear this up right now – the roads were not bad.  They weren’t slick.  But somehow, everyone started to wreck and pile up on the side of the road.

I arrive to Minglewood Hall at 9:00PM.  First person I see when I walk through the door is Jerry Lawler.  “Great!  You made it!”  Whew… I would hate to make that rush and be too late to work.  So, I get dressed and I’m the next match.

Kayfabe

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There have been many, many comments on the blog as of late pertaining to kayfabe.  Some of you ask the questions about why can’t we just keep the business kayfabe like it used to be.  Why must we tell-all about the world of wrestling.  “Haven’t you ever heard of kayfabe before!?”  I’ve seen so many comments on this subject that it’s sorta crazy to me.

Let’s think about this for a moment, shall we?