Opening Gambit
4-12-01

War, what does it mean?

In the sports entertainment world, it is that which helps drive ratings. In the REAL world, it is that which causes pain and suffering in it’s aftermath. So, why do I touch on a subject such as this? Well, in this edition of “The Opening Gambit”, let us delve into this idea, and ultimately see if we are heading into the pain and suffering that we may have unknowingly created in the UBWF.

(Gambit: Noun – A remark made to open or redirect a conversation.)

The purpose of any war would be to have it’s end result in the peace that is required to survive as a society. However, the question to be asked is this, is there such a thing as peace at the end of the war? Many of you will read this and say to yourselves, No. War be it justified or not doesn’t bring about peace. Yet, many of you will say that peace of any type is better than none at all. Be it justified or unjustified peace that we are living through.

I beg a different alternative. The third alternative, compromise. (O.K., I know that many of you are wondering, where the fuck is he going now? Relax, and read on.) Let us look at ourselves as a league that we are. We are a group of people that are divided into two factions. Old School vs. Youth Liberation. However, at the time I was around, up to the my last match and even now, I am neither. I am just a person.

My own group. Me. No one else but me. And, to my knowledge, that gimmick worked. And always will to this day. The UBWF as it is now is not on that path. Factions are cool. But, not big factions. They are a hindrance. If you don’t believe me, look at the other previously failed wrestling leagues. Big factions put a hindrance on the creative ideas that people have. Thus, there is no way to come up with something fresh.

Now, many will say, but this idea is working. My response to that is, how much longer is going to take for people to realize the fact that once you have made it into the UBWF, you have paid your dues? Some may have not paid them more than others, but to make it to the “Biggest Backyard League” around says a lot about one’s self. They have earned the respect to make it this far. So, the concept of fighting on the grounds of respect means nothing. Everyone has something to prove. Respect isn’t it though. To earn respect, you need to earn it from the most veteran of wrestlers. In my opinion, those that are retired are to make that decision. And, I respect all of you, no matter how I feel about you. (There is a difference between the two. We’ll save that discussion for another time.)

So, for now, let us focus our battles on what they were meant to be, one doing something to wrong someone else. That makes the most entertaining of stories. Fighting for respect serves no purpose, because then in the long run, you make the rules of the game the following…

He who can outdo the rest is the best. Whatever anyone else does serves no purpose, so why bother?

Keep that one in mind. We are better than that, since all of us excel in other areas that other people do. And that is what is our main purpose.

Until then….

McCloud