Treasure Report
3-26-03
Have you ever woke up in the morning with a sharp burning pain in your back yet you wake up with a smile? That's how I felt this morning. After a night of coaching Tommy Drake and Russell Morris and being told by the new management to german suplex Maxx even when I'm not fully ready I did it anyway. I'm rusty, you can tell because I lacked my usual bridging arc movement it took me longer to set it up but it's a start. Reporting from my lap top at home with my dog begging consistently to feed him as I munch on two day old pizza I present the "opinionated for a purpose aside from propaganda" lowdown. We call it the Treasure Report.Rising was a show of highs and lows. Most were highs which included the show stealer match of Wells vs Demise and a low being the short Atayla vs Boxcar Willy match up. The other being believe it or not my boys getting the title. Now let me explain why I'm not thrilled about the idea. Keep in mind I'm no booker. I'm a wrestling fan.
The new president Danny Firestarter (good guy, needs a haircut though) decides to change the matchup nearing the time for show time because of the recent situation with Pyretta off to do service. We all agreed we could do the triple threat. Hell we worked in a very brief warm up match with Mike and Maxx along with Quinton and Arial. We were going with the idea that since the Marauders were moving onto better things that either they "faked" an injury angle forcing them to vacate or the dudes get an unclean win against Tom and Russ or they pinned the Marauders. But then I saw what they had planned and well most of us were a bit shocked.
You see even though I don't book they were originally going to use this match as "test" to see if the push was really getting over and well they had the ability to be considered tag team champions. But when they were booked to actually win well most of us were happy in some manner but a bit confused. But I'll stop ranting about that until I actually know some more facts.
My main lecture point today will be on the wrestling style of the North American booking. To delve deep inside the minds of what these bookers think will "sell" the match. How long to bring about a feud? What beautiful in ring stories arose because of actual heat between wrestlers? And how it compares to what it was like 10 years ago and how it is in Japan.
American booking for lack of a better term is all bout "now" and preying the fans have a very short attention span. Look at the Titan Wrestling Federation roster. Tell me that two months ago nearly half of those people were not hired here. Two months ago none of the same champions had those belts unless you want to count Atayla who got another shot at the Television title. Imagine it this way. For nearly three months not a word was ever mentioned of me. Not a single one. No mention of the fact that "Somers had an incredible bout with Logan Treasure to win that title" or "Logan Treasure is one of the few men that had tied with Blazer." I'm frankly not complaining but that's how it is. Out with the old, in with the new. I mean think of this way. Luke Von Erich disappears for two weeks and no one even mentions that he's the North American champion. But of coarse Luke Von Erich has went on to some other business.
Another note of American booking is the shortness of a feud. Imagine it this way. One week I hated Justin Morris and in character I still hate him because he plays a cocky face. Next week we are teamed. Of coarse that's the week I got "injured". To tell you the truth the injury dates back along while. I've been able to work on it for awhile but the spot was a set up to get me out. But lets put that aside.
American booking works a lot harder and more dangerous matches with its loads of gimmick matches to cover up the fact that their are no true wrestlers anymore. A shortage of grapplers who can show intensity and tell a story without the aid of a steel chair. A man who could truly work the iron man match and make it mean something. American booking had desensitized the crowd to the spots wrestlers including myself take to impress them for just a little bump in ratings or a holy shit moment. It no longer is meant to serve the purpose of pro wrestling. Tell a story in ring. And frankly story telling is in limited supply now a days except for those shining moments when great workers such as Demise and Tyler Wells meet in the ring. Yes their match was hardcore but they were actually story telling. A tale of two men who desired the Cronus Cup above the other and the story of a man who's woman he trusts enough to enter the ring and save him.
And lets look at it another way. Back a decade ago a cage match was considered pretty hardcore in its own right. Imagine David Anderson stuck in a cage with Danny Firestarter, one of the first televised cage matches. My research shows I'm not wholly sure if their was such a bout but think about it. Two fine grapplers locked in and then through another into the cage as it rumbled with his impact and realized the ropes were no longer a safe haven, but his enemy. They were forced to work differently and it was inspiring. The feuds lasted years. No not the next week did we see Danny Firestarter teaming with Anderson. They were still duking for the title belt Anderson had held firmly over his shoulder for the past year. Not to mention that but the good guys were well good guys and the bad guys were bad guys. Not anti heroes. Everything was in black and white.
And Japan booking which I'm very accustomed to. Japan booking is incredible complicated. Imagine a feud being plotted out for the year. Imagine a hellish tour schedule were you bout with other companies as you fight for the others belt. The matches you must give 100% or else you are cut. Their are no room for disgrace amongst the roster. The old still work and they work damn well. Most of all they take this damn seriously. Their are gimmick but then there's no nonsense wrestling. Not only that but the match is longer and more thought out. Take Ryu Shunagi, a man I trained under. He's younger but much more experienced then me. The entire match Ryu focuses heavily on working his throat for breathing purposes and his back and knees in hopes he'll begin hunching. He'll approach everything with precise movement and lighting speed. And when he finally sees the spot he goes behind, spinning the hunched man into a spinout powerbomb in which he knows victory is his. Of coarse Ryu Shunagi is currently relaxing as he puts together his new company but he's the best example I can come up with.
In conclusion of my topic. I predict that eventually I'll get the renaissance of the storytelling of smart wrestling some day.
The Treasure cd report is currently Linkin Park "Meteora", Audioslave, Orgy "Candy Ass", The Beatles "No.1" and White Zombie "Astrokreep". I ended up going to the Sam Goody release party of Meteora with my wife and son and to say the least I was hoping a bit more then 20 people including myself.
Congratulations go out to Billy McStoner, the new Interfederation North American Champion. He was set to face Steve Somers, MVP and the at the time INA champ Jared Blazer but Blazer vacated for reason I do not know and McStoner gave the performance of a life time. The man's damn good. He currently resides in New Era Wrestling.
And lastly and everyone's favorite the injury reports. I'm currently at 91% and pissing my doctor off with my continued German Suplexes which is never good for a hurting back. Gene Blanchard is in a brief recovery stage from his concussion suffered a week or so ago. Masajun Hahn is back in action touring with the Shogun Japan Pro Wrestling (or puroresu if you prefer over "pro wrestling").
Speaking of Gene Blanchard I called him when he got back to America. Good to hear from one of my true friends from the business. The man is well what you see on television and more. My wife likes to call him a "big cuddly teddy bear" which gets laughs at my house. I've talked to Raven as well. We've become closer friend because I've been pretty good friends with him since I joined TWF. But truthfully I'm concerned. He's depressed. He mentions things I won't get into anymore.
Till Greek Gods destroy the Titans,
Logan Treasure