Toddy-D's Latest....

In Pro Wrestling Things Are Done For A Reason

Ok, if I get mad about something in pro wrestling, that means the people are doing their job.

Low-Ki made his return to the indies at Evolve 10. Larry Dallas had an open contract for anyone to face Ahtu. Out comes Low-Ki and he floored Ahtu with a kick that legit knocked the big man out. My intial knee jerk reaction is that Ahtu was robbed. That Low-Ki could have taken someone else out who was on their way out of Evolve. Ahtu's stock plummeted.

Things happen for a reason.

Low-Ki needs to be re-established in Evolve. The dayts of Kaval are over. The days of TNA's watered down version of Low-Ki are long since over.  If pro wrestling is going to Evolve, then Low-Ki may be leading the evolution with a take no prisoners style of wrestling. Quick and to the point.

Ahtu's stock did not plummet. If I know Larry Dallas he is gonna make sure that his fighter gets his redemption.  Do you people honestly think that Ahtu is gonna let this set him back?  If anything I feel sorry for the next guy Ahtu is gonna face.

Callihan vs Dreamer-It Was Bound To Happen.

After Sami Callihan's despicable actions at Evolve 10, after he "apologized" and said: "...if you don't like it do something about it!" The heart and soul of "Extreme" has stepped up to the plate. At least that's what it seems like to me. I am not speaking for Dreamer and Callihan. I cannot do that. As a fan Callihan's behavior makes me angry. It also makes me want to buy a ticket to see this kid get beat up. Dreamer has been the "extreme martyr" for far too long. Who will win? Who will lose? It doesn't matter, because all I want to see is Sami scream in pain, and learn to respect the legacy that was. Because if not for ECW-Callihan and his generation wouldn't have a combat zone.

2012.01.19-Blog Post

1. The Art of the Squash Match-Thank You Brodus Clay!
One good thing that has come out of the Brodus Clay gimmick, is that we see squash matches 2x a week. This is the old school way of building someone up. Now what they need to do is find another opponent to build up the same way, so Clay and ______ can square off on house shows, and eventually PPV matches. Also it gives a chance to indy workers to make some $$$$ and find work.

2. Please separate Raw and Smackdown again.
The super show concept can still be done but only once a month. Smackdown and Raw need to be independant of one another. Different talent, different matches, different writing teams. The super show can either be a once a year PPV, or done once a month. I have the perfect title for it "Collision Course".

WWE Creative: Embrace The FAILURE!

This whole Kane re-invention isn’t working…yet. I like the fact that the WWE decided to better utilize Kane as the indestructible monster he should be. But is it too late? The Kane character has been around for a long time and his history is not easily forgettable. Just because he returns with a mask and has some anger issues, doesn’t necessarily mean that his history is erased.

I will say this, the Kane character works sooooooo much better as a literal monster heel and with the mask. The gimmick needs to be mysterious. There should be little known facts about who he is, where he’s from, and what sets off his rage. Remember “Parts Unknown”? THAT ‘S where he should come from! The last variation of Kane with the bald head and fully exposed face did nothing to strike fear into a competitor – no matter how ugly he really was. Now looking at it from a merchandising stand point, kids would rather play with a masked action figure rather than a bland one whose face looks like Rocky Dennis.

The other problem is, what does this do for John Cena? It’s a senseless feud no matter how you look at it. This is where the flaw with booking The Rock vs. Cena a year in advance comes into play. Creative doesn’t have enough to work with…or shall I say, they don’t have enough creativity to fill the gaps for that long of a time period. These senseless filler feuds do nothing to advance Cena’s program with The Rock. Rather than make this about “embracing the rage” – it should have been more about crippling Cena to the point where fans will question whether or not he’ll make it to Wrestlemania. There is more drama in the jeopardy of the main event than there is from some idiot coming up from underneath the ring. That’s a nice mid-card gimmick, but doesn’t do much to help here.

As of right now, the Rock vs. Cena feud has lost steam. The Rock has not had a presence on WWE TV since the Survivor Series, where he laid out Cena and then disappeared to make more movies. Cena forgot about Dwayne to goof off with Zack Ryder and play fright night with Kane. But of course in the WWE Universe, this will ALL come to an end once Cena betas Kane at the Royal Rumble and then resets his sights on The Rock. Two words for ya: HORRIBLE BOOKING!

Since the end of Survivor Series, Cena should have been pulled off TV. His stock has plummeted with the poor booking scenarios he’s been thrown into. After The Rock’s attack, the only time we should have been seeing Cena was on pre-recorded videos of him training for his match against The Rock. Every now and then, Cena would make an appearance on RAW, do a little in-ring work with a tune up squash match and then go back to training. Let the fans think this is REALLY a fight for the ages. Book this UFC style! Hardcore ground and pound training as a lead in for the big fight. Have videos of Cena and The Rock in the gym, sparring, working on new moves, and getting advice from legends who recall some of their greatest matches and how they prepared for it. Let the fans see these athletes lkike they have never seen them before, just like HBO does with their 24/7 series leading into a boxing event. Cast doubt in the minds of fans as to who will win. Let the questions fly. Let the debates begin. Let the analysts do their comparisons. THIS is how you build and sell a PPV. Basically, the WWE dropped the ball with The Rock vs. John Cena, and it is nothing but a glorified video game match.

This post is sponsored in part by Glen Cove Homes For Sale & Bay Club Bayside

Enter The Dragon

Wrestling fans know Daniel Bryan has so much to offer than is being asked of him right now. WWE fans only know the face value of what creative is capable of showing them. When Bryan was recruited by the WWE, it based on his body of work as “The American Dragon” who defined stiff, Japanese-style discipline, and tactical wrestling that had not been seen on US soil in quite some time. Watch the tapes in Japan, watch the matches from Ring of Honor. See what you’re missing because REAL wrestling fans ought to be in an uproar over what the WWE has done to slay the dragon.

Creative got a brief glimpse of what Bryan was capable of doing when taken off the leash during the inception of the ill-fated Nexus project. And what did Bryan get for his aggressiveness?...FIRED! After fans demanded his return, Bryan was brought back as a soft babyface and remained a patsy performing at less than half of what he truly has to offer. Perhaps Bryan is holding back his style so that he doesn’t end up getting suspended or fired for being a hurricane in the ring. But at this point, that is exactly the shot in the arm that his character needs.
What is the point of having a “girlfriend” at ringside? What is the point of his ring music sounding like he is taking part in a World War II air show? What is the point of pairing him against opponents like Mark Henry and Big Show when he can’t utilize his arsenal and is forced to conform his style to a size and weight class where he doesn’t belong?

Sure the secondary heavyweight title is currently around his waist, but what is it doing for him if he can’t show the fans why he deserves to wear it? Why recruit a guy based on the work you saw only to not let him perform at the same level?

Now take a look at his promos. Aside from the fact that he has nothing to work with, his demeanor is bland as a babyface. Nobody buys it. He doesn’t even believe it. You can see the pain written all over his face. It reads, “I can do so much more and so much better….but they won’t let me”. Does the WWE fear his potential? Do the other stars and veterans think he’ll out-shine them and steal their spot? Is there backstage politics keeping him down? Or is creative that freakin’ clueless? Help me understand this! Explain it to me like I’m a six-year old child!

The first step in making this right is to turn him heel. And there was a inclination of that on RAW this past week. With a full heel turn, the dragon can breathe fire again – but not until he shake off the stench of a program with The Big Show. Daniel Bryan needs a guy who can keep up with his pace and treat the fans to a five-star clinic! If there is one guy who needs to take Kane’s advice and “embrace the hate”, it’s Daniel Bryan…your forgotten heavyweight champion!

This post is sponsored in part by Garden City NY Real Estate & Bay Club

Tweet This!

Before Monday Night RAW, did anyone know who Perez Hilton was? Now that RAW is over, does anyone care who Perez Hilton is? I happen to know who he is because outside of wrestling, my obsession is movies. I am an absolute film junkie and I follow the Hollywood trades more than I do the wrestling dirt sheets. So when I heard Perez Hilton would be making an appearance, I already knew Vince McMahon was trying to capitalize on his enormous erection for Twitter and working his way to tapping into Perez Hilton’s 4 million plus followers. Nice strategy – but what did it do creatively?

Thank God he was only used as a ring announcer and had a short bit with the divas, because this dude is not cut out to be in front of the camera. He looks like Ron Perlman’s Mini Me who should be competing in the Special Olympics!
Ironically, I entitled this section of the RAW review “Social Media Whoring” and didn’t realize that I’d be talking about the divas as well. What can I say? If the WWE doesn’t offer their female division more quality air time, then they might as well be whoring them out to social media outlets and the sticky pages of Playboy. Word around the camp fire is that The Bella Twins are on a special “priority list” in the office and that’s why they’ve been getting so much air time. I actually don’t mind that because I get the tingles in a strange place whenever they come on TV – but in all seriousness, creative can do a better job booking them.

In the finale of the divas match, The Bella Twins used the “twin switcharoo” gimmick to try and trick the referee. My thoughts? BRILLIANT! How long have I been saying that they should have been doing this all along? Now they pose a legitimate threat because they look so much a like, you don’t know which one you’re dealing with. Wouldn’t it make sense for them to carry and share the Diva’s championship? Then when one gets into trouble, they pull the ol’ switcharoo and outsmart their opponents to keep the title! The old school tag team The Killer Bees would do this all the time. They’d go under the ring, put on masks and do the switch. This could be the 2012 version of The Killer Bees without a mask….Wait a minute! Killer BEES… B’s for Bellas! Killer Bees!!! GET IT??? I’m a fuckin’ genius!!! Go ahead and steal that one creative!

This post is sponsored in part by Garden City Homes For Sale & Glen Cove Real Estate

Rebuild The Wall And Break It Down Again

So you want to know my opinion of the return of Y2J Chris Jericho?... You really want to know? I’m sure it’s very similar to most of you reading this….Confused. Disappointed. Disgusted. Well, that’s just a few. To be honest, I can’t even put it into words…and apparently, neither can Jericho.

Really, what’s up with the silent treatment? Tongue didn’t come through customs while on tour overseas with Fozzy? Then again, I really can’t blame Jericho, unless he was the genius who conjured up the idea and pitched it to creative.
See, here’s the problem – and I hope I’m wrong about this. I’m pretty sure there was something bigger planned, but like EVERY script written by the comedic sitcom writers who don’t understand the wrestling business – it went through multiple drafts and changes. For weeks, we watched these cryptic Paranormal Activity style videos that haunted us about the 1/2/12 date and the return of an individual who has been drawn to his darker demons. Sure, it made sense to make the promos creepy – that way if negotiations with Jericho broke down the videos could have easily switched gears for The Undertaker’s return. I get it.

But the tone and messages of the videos, along with the mysterious secret that is still hidden by the little girl – what did it all mean? That last thing I expected to see was a snazzy rockstar with a glow in the dark jacket. Doesn’t make sense. Nor does the fact that anybody refers to the mysterious videos anymore….as if have all forgotten.

Word around the camp fire is that Jericho will remain silent until after the Royal Rumble, which many insiders are rumbling amongst themselves suspecting he will win and challenge CM Punk for the title at WrestleMania. I can live with that. But what’s the point of the silence? What’s the point of embracing the fans when your intention is to go against them as a ruthless heel? Why not call out CM Punk NOW and enter the Rumble with an agenda? Perhaps even sway the outcome of Punk’s match with Ziggler, thus keeping everyone looking strong. Why?
Yet the more I ask why, the more WWE loyalists will respond, “Because that’s the plan!... Keeps people guessing…It’s leading to something bigger…” Really? Like what? A challenge? Big fucking deal! As if it hasn’t been done before. Show me something earth shattering. Show me something that ‘s a game changer. Show me something!...or is Y2J silent because WWE simply does not know what words to put in his mouth?

On this edition of RAW, I smelled a swerve a mile away. Jericho was thrown into the main event six man tag with his assumed Mania opponent [Punk], and I figured, here’s where it goes down. Punk reaches for the hot tag. Jericho enters like a house of fire, and instead of striking the opposing team, he nails Punk. But it didn’t happen. Jericho just walked out and abandoned his team. …Okay. Not bad. But still makes no sense. Did he not attack Punk because it would have taken the heat off Ziggler in the Rumble title match? Perhaps. Then again, Jericho’s presence could have made things more intriguing and backed Punk into a corner where he has a challenger in Ziggler who has defeated him numerous times on RAW, a guest referee in Laurinaitis who genuinely hates him, and now a stalker in Jericho with no rhyme or reason. The odds are stacked against the champion and now the PPV is actually worth $59.95.

So Jericho wins the Rumble, who cares? The only thing it does is cover up some horrendous booking because the ONLY focus creative had leading into Mania was The Rock vs. Cena and they’ve botched that as well. Jericho is without a doubt one of the best in the world, and challenging the self-proclaimed best in the world is match worth watching. But Jericho can be so much more effective and he’s being utilized wrong.

Again, I hope I’m the one that’s wrong here. I REALLY hope that this was all Jericho’s idea and that there will be a HUGE payoff. But the problem remains that I’m bored to death and may end up tuning out before you have the chance to give up the big reveal. The creepy video promos had my attention, but you’ve lost it now. So just shut the fuck up and wrestle already…oh wait…you have shut the fuck up because you haven’t even said a word since you got back. Ugh, the agony of what YOU call pro wrestling.

This post is sponsored in part by Forest Hills Real Estate & Garden City Real Estate

CM Punk Getting Low On Swagger?

So I’m watching RAW and thinking to myself that CM Punk has lost his summer 2011 swagger and his promos sound like he got the contract and boost he wanted – so from here on out, he’ll just chug gallons of the corporate kool-aid and sell himself out. The chip on his shoulder crumbled like the Pringles at the bottom of the tube. He may be (or think he’s) the best wrestler in the world, but the rating prove he’s not the best entertainer. Somewhere after the scrapped feud with Kevin Nash, Punkn lost the venom in his tongue.

Maybe he needed the feud with Nash after all. Sure Nash can’t go toe to toe with Punk at his age and physical condition, but the shoot style promos would have been epic. But just as I was losing myself in thought (mainly because the six man tag main event had already lost my interest), Punk grabs the mic and gets up in John Laurinaitis’ grill to spew the venom I thought he was fresh out of. Not only did I humbly swallow my words, but in that moment CM Punk instantly became this generation’s version of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

I can’t believe 1995 was almost 20 years ago. I’m in absolute awe at how fast time has flown by me. It feels like just yesterday that Austin was performing as The Ringmaster, and said “Screw this…I gotta do something different”. I was just yesterday when Austin broke all the rules and went against the grain while marching to the beat of his own drum. I vividly remember watching Brian Pillman at home pulling a gun on Austin. I remember rooting for the bad guy as Austin challenged the corporate standard. And now, here we are again, with a new era and a new face of anti-establishment in CM Punk.

I have no quarrel with recycling successful storylines of the past – especially if done right. As a booker, I’m guilty of doing it myself on more than one occasion. Us creative people call it inspiration or homeage. We never forget the history that we fell in love with and our variation is a nod of affection.
So did Punk lose his swagger? Well, I’m still on the fence with that one…but after his closing promo on Monday, I’m starting to believe that he found his legacy.

This post is sponsored in part by Nassau County Apartments & Five Towns Homes For Sale

"Oh No!... Not The Mic!"

I could get into a whole verbal clinic on the art of selling for your opponent and for the perception of the fans…but we’ll save that for another time. Yet, like art – you have some really shitty pieces that make you wonder how the artist got to be so popular.

Mick Foley – the sacrifices he’s made in the business are undoubtedly the stuff of legend. A hardcore icon who has taken bumps that the mortal man should have never walked away from. Many times death has looked Foley in the face and not only did he NOT flinch, but he offered to sign a copy of his book.
Seeing Foley on RAW is always a novelty, but one where the comedy is wearing thinner than the threads on his flannel shirt. The comedic segments are painful to watch and the cheap plugs and pops are irritating. He’s a fan favorite and a hit with the kids - most of whom have never seen Foley’s best work in Japan, ECW or even WCW…Shit, they probably haven’t even seen the infamous Hell in The Cell with Undertaker.

Foley has been inactive for quite some time. Sure he has the occasional matches where the bumps are nothing compared to what made him the hardcore legend, but do you expect a five star match from him these days? He barely gave you one in his prime. That’s not a knock to Foley, it’s just a fact based on his style. Hardcore matches and death defying bumps were special attractions. No more, no less.
On RAW, Foley campaigned for a spot in this year’s Rumble. His promo with Ziggler was pure gold. A one shot deal for the Rumble doesn’t hurt. It’s light work and no one expects him to win. Not to mention, Foley is so out of shape he makes Ric Flair look like he’s still in his prime.

But knowing what Foley has contributed to this business and the physical abuse he’s endured at the expense of our gruesome entertainment, how in the hell can the hardcore legend OVER SELL John Laurinaitis’ shot with…of all things…a microphone???

I still can’t believe how he sold that! “Oh no… Laurinaitis has a foreign object!...Oh no! Not the microphone!” That’s like selling a shot from a bottle of shampoo. “Oh no!... He’s got a bottle of Vidal Sassoon! Because if you don’t look good, he don’t look good!”
Mick, I got nothing but love for you. After all you’ve done for this business, if creative ever tells you to sell something like that again, please tell them to go fuck themselves.

This post is sponsored in part by Nassau County Rentals & Five Towns Real Estate

You Call That An Apology?

Smackdown-2012.01.13-Results and Reaction

• Justin Gabriel (with Hornswoggle) def. Heath Slater by pin following the 450 Splash-I don't like that Slater is losing all the time, and because of Hornswaggle. If you team Slater with a brawler type they would make a hell of a tag team.
• Non-Title: Cody Rhodes def. Ezekiel Jackson by pin following Cross Rhodes-good opening promo by Rhodes, Zeke was there to make Rhodes look good and he did.
• Ted DiBiase def. Drew McIntyre by pin following Dream Street-Drew McIntyre is going to be without a job soon if he keeps on losing
• Sheamus def. Jinder Mahal by pin following the Brogue Kick.-Although I would prefer Sheamus as a heel, he had a great match with Jinder Mahal-who I cannot stand at all.
• David Otunga def. Santino Marella by pin following a modified side slam-Anybody ever thought of doing a "Mr. Socko" and "Mr. Cobra" segment or feud? I really am not impressed by Otunga, he was more of a threat during the "original" Nexus angle.
• Brodus Clay def. Tyson Kidd by pin with a flying cross body.-Classic squash match, Tyson Kidd didn't even put up a fight like Drew McIntyre last week. Still can't get the damn song out of my head.
• Tamina def. Natalya by pin following the Superfly Splash-They are totally missing the boat on Nattie Neidheart. Tamina as the female version of "Superfly" Snuka works.
• World Heavyweight Championship: No DQ & No Count-Outs: Mark Henry Banned: Daniel Bryan (c) and Big Show fight to a No Contest after Big Show inadvertently collides with A.J. Daniel Bryan (c) retains.-Best match of the night. Daniel Bryan is gonna be a great heel. Don't tell me he didn't put AJ up to being a human shield and colliding with Big Show? Remember when he asked AJ: "How much do you love me?"
• All's I know is that Mark Henry is gonna be pissed next week.

Rob Feinstein Remembers The ECW Arena

It is 6AM and I just woke up because it finally hit me….the building that started it all for RF VIDEO 19 years ago…YES 19 FREAKING years ago is being shut down today. The ECW arena will hosts its final two wrestling events today with Evolve and CZW. Today is a sad day to be a wrestling fan that is for sure.

As I sit here thinking about everything about that place, the one thing that sticks out the most is what that venue meant to me personally. As you all know I started out as one of the biggest marks out there. I collected wrestling video tapes starting all the way back to 1984. I had one of the biggest wrestling video tape collections of all time by far in the late 80's. That is how I met Tod Gordon for the first time. I was at a convention in Philly airport and he came up to me and wanted to get a Ric Flair video from me and invited me to his first ever ECW TV tapings at Cabrini college.

I will never forget that day because me and my best friend Doug Gentry were so happy that we were going to get to see Terry Funk, Don Muraco, Jimmy Snuka and one of my favorite managers of all time, Paul E Dangerously live right here in Philly. I loved Paul because at the time, Roddy Piper was off TV but Paul Heyman was the second best thing to Roddy Piper by far. I remember going to the TV tapings and sitting in the crowd the entire time with Doug just as fans.

After that show was over Tod announced a few weeks later that ECW would be returning to Philly but this time they would be taping shows at a new venue in South Philly at Swanson and Rittner. We were told it was a bingo hall. Doug and myself again went to the very first ECW show ever at the arena. I remember it like yesterday because in a true story, Doug had his fingers outside my car window and as we were pulling up to the venue I put his window up crushing his fingers, as I could still here him in my head yelling, "my fingers, my fingers are stuck."

I also remember Doug bringing a sign that night to the arena and you can actually see it if you watch some of that show as Doug and myself were facing the hard camera. Doug's sign read, "Doug Gilbert USWA jobber." Doug loved all of the heels and I think you can 100% see us in the crowd at Ultra Clash as well.

After the first few shows at the arena I was lucky enough to ask Tod if we could set up at the venue and sell our videos and to my surprise he said yes. Our spot and everyone will remember this was right next to the bathroom. We were there from day one all the way until the end. We were there on the Sundays when there were only 60 fans in there and they used string as barricades to keep fans separated from the ring. I was also there at the Night the Line was Crossed with my own Mother and Father. This was the only time I think my parents came to a ECW together to watch the action from my table. I Know my dad was there the night that 911 chokeslammed me because he drove me home because I got a concussion that night.

It was in this venue that everything happened for my company. Not only did I get to rub elbows with every major superstar that ever stepped thru the venue, but this is where I learned my craft. Doug would often play our videos on a TV that I always would bring to shows and it would attract all the wrestlers to our tables before the doors open. I could still hear in my head the FMW announcers going crazy as we would run videos of all the death match matches on our TV. I remember Tommy Dreamer for the first time ever coming up to our table in his Football jacket with leather sleeves and introducing himself to Doug and myself. I remember the Headhunters going thru the wall at the arena and Butch the landlord flipping out. I remember Victor Quinnones the IWA/WIng promoter coming up to my table for the first time and flipping out on me that I was bootlegging his videos back in the day.

After that happened Victor and Doug and myself became friends and he took us to Japan and Puerto RIco as we did major business with IWA in Puerto Rico and FMW. It was thru that arena that all of my wrestling connections were made. I met Eddie GIlbert at the arena, not for the first time but Eddie started to call me to get videos from me, as he wanted fire matches because he was going to Puerto Rico to work for WWC. It was in this arena where I started my business relationship with ECW and Paul Heyman.

It was in this building where RF VIDEO would debut so many new video tapes each month. At times we had a line of 3 people deep around our video table. I think it is safe to say that our company was born out of the arena. You knew if you came to that venue for RF VIDEO back in the 90's you could get wrestling tapes from every major promotion around the world.

It was at this venue that I first met Gabe Sapolsky. We both went to Temple University and I still remember the first time I met Gabe at Temple as he bought The Best of the Moondogs video from us from Memphis wrestling. I think I charged him $20 too..sucker!!!!! This is the venue where John Clark got his start in journalism creating the wrestling Flyer Newsletter. John is now the lead sportsman on NBC 10 right here in Philly. This is the venue that gave so many people in the business a start.

This is the venue that created wrestling careers for guys like Tazz, Sabu, Dreamer, Eliminators, Dudleys, Raven, Stevie Richards, Malenko, Benoit, Guerrero and the list goes on and on!!! Anyone who was anyone came thru those doors. This was the venue that also re-created stars and gave them new life, like Cactus Jack, Steve Austin, Steve Williams, Shane Douglas, Terry Funk and countless other legends.

This was the venue that saw guys shed so much blood. for the love of our sport. JT Smith throwing himself off the balcony. Tommy Dreamer being tossed from every corner of the historic venue thru tables by Brian Lee, New Jack jumping off every place he could climb too. Ian and Axl killing themselves with glass and bats. God dam, was wrestling amazing in this place!!!!

This was the venue where fans would be lined up around the block at 4PM when you would pull up to the place. This was the building where fans became stars like hat guy, the Original sign guy, dreds, Ray as the priest and even Mike Johnson from PWI Insider would be in the crows with his NY clique.

I can still remember driving on 95 so freaking excited about going to the ECW arena every time they were in town. It was just such a rock star atmosphere in that place. You never knew who you were going to see there. I would LOVE and I mean LOVE to hang out backstage and just sit back and watch everything. Besides the NWA this was the first backstage area that I was allowed in, and trust me I learned SOOOOOO much by hanging out backstage.

I would get to the venue at 4PM and I would often eat the cupcakes that ring announcer Bob Artise would bring for the guys. I would then walk to my table and make sure that Doug was all set up and doing ok. Then I would walk back to back to see who got there. Usually it was the NY clique first. Paul would set up his desk which was just a table in the center of the locker room. Taz and Dreamer would be there by this time. Then one by one all the legends would walk thru those two bid doors in the back. By 6PM the backstage area looked like a freak show in a way. So many different characters would be back there.

This is the venue where for the first time ever, I saw a TV monitor set up where EVERY wrestler would sit around and we would have chairs like a movie theater where EVERY wrestler would watch everyone elses matches and as soon as they walked thru that curtain they would get a applause by each other. I can't tell you how many shows I watched backstage in front of that monitor with the guys. As a huge mark back then it was incredible to be sitting there with Terry Funk, hoping I would get to say "good luck" out there and as time went on my little comments to the guys would eventually bond me with them as long time friends like Tommy Dreamer.

When ECW grew I will never forget the long car rides to Flagstaff PA with Doug and then we started to drive with Gabe because he was filming shows for us at that point. We hated the drive to Flagstaff because at the time it was like 90 minutes away and it seemed like the longest drive ever and we just wanted to be able to drive 20 minutes to the arena. When ECW took off and ran everywhere those Flagstaff days were a piece of cake, compared to driving to Buffalo NY, Pittsburgh, Ohio, Florida and other places we never flew too.

It was at this venue where I made so many wrestling friends. I shared so many great wrestling moments with 1000's of fans over the years. I saw some of the best angles of all time take place at the arena like Funk in the box, Lawler invade ECW, Eaton and Arn hit the ring, Sabu debut where he went thru the crowd on a Sunday afternoon in front of 150 fans and 400 empty chairs as he destroyed the seats and scared the shit out of every fan in there. Who can forget Paul Heyman standing on the stage, and "selling" for every match, but in reality he was not selling he was marking out for the art of Pro Wrestling that he helped create in that venue that bled over to WCW and WWF back at that time. Many of the legends that were born at that arena were hand plucked from ECW to go on to bigger pastures.

It was in that venue where girls like Francine showed the world that there is a major place for women, managers like Bill Alfonso were brought back, Valets like Beulah McGillicutty made a impact on the sport of Pro Wrestling. It was in that venue where wrestling was wrestling and you would see no bullshit.

I can still remember the first time I met New Jack in that venue. I heard he was nuts and to keep away from him. He had a really bad rep in the locker room even before he came in. I was told he never liked white people because of his so called past and to avoid him at all costs. I loved his promos in SMW and could not wait to see him. The first night he was in ECW I kept my distance from him but not for long. Then there was a show at the arena where it was 3AM and Paul was having guys do late night promos which were another perk that I got to watch after arena shows. I just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time and I walked in this area where New Jack and Mustafa were sitting going over their promo. I think they were waiting for Paul as he was filming with someone else. It was super awkward because it was just me and New Jack. He looked right at me and I had to say hello. I went up to him, like I was taught and shook his hand and told him, "hey man I just love your promos" and he thanked me and after that point I talked to him at every show and realized that if Jack likes you than your set. If Jack hates you, than your fucked. I seen Jack get into many locker room fights and the most famous was with Brain Pillman backstage at the ECW FN Arena!!!

The locker room at the arena during a show was like a war zone. There would be nurses working on bloody wrestlers all over the place. It would be like man down, man down right after a match. Everyone was always concerned for each other and it was that venue that brought everyone together in ECW as a family. I can honestly say that the best time of my life ever was during the ECW heyday from 1993 to 2000 that all started for me at that arena.

It was from that venue that I got to travel to Japan, Hawaii, England, Mexico, Puerto Rico and all over the United States. It was because of that venue I got to do all of this. It was because of that venue, RFVIDEO is where it is at today. I grew my business because of that historic venue. I can't tell you how many people I met down there that helped my company grow from wrestlers to the fans.

I owe my company to the ECW arena…How about the times during the summer when it felt like 120 degrees in there. At midnight when a show was over during the summer you would walk out and just stand in front of the venue to cool off and it was 90 degrees at night and you would just be all sweaty from being inside and worn out but you would be thinking about that insane brawl you just saw with Public Enemy and the Bruise Brothers. You might be standing outside and watching The Pitbulls drive by the arena after a show blasting their own theme music in their car. You could see the fans still hanging around trying to get autographs on chairs or broken pieces of table that Sabu broke earlier in the night.

These are the days that I think about the most. When wrestling was fun and meant something. That venue made wrestling fun for me. That venue bonded Doug Gentry, Eric Gargiullo and Gabe Sapolsky together. We all worked together and to this day still do. Eric helps me out all the time with shoots, Gabe and me have a major history from driving all over the country to starting ROH with myself. All of that started because of the ECW arena. If there was no arena, ECW and RF VIDEO would never have been the same. I really do not know where ECW would have been without the arena. It put ECW on the map and made it famous.

When fans would say don't go to the Spectrum , you have to go to the Arena you knew there was something special there. You can tell anyone about ECW from back in the day and most will say, didn't they run in South Philly at some bingo hall and I would correct them and say, "no that was the ECW arena."

Well tonight in just a few hours I will be driving down to my final show at this historic place. Walking in for the final time and setting up once again for maybe the last time ever at the ECW arena some 19 years. What a ride it has been. I know that Doug Gentry will be there tonight in spirit with a sign that probably will say "thank you." I am legit getting teary eyed just thinking about all the memories that I had in that place. I would give anything to be able to go back in that time period once again and to have live thru it all again.

Long live the ECW arena and for everyone that was along for the ride, come tonight and pay tribute to the birth place of ECW and the venue that changed the sport of pro wrestling forever!!!! EC DUB EC DUB EC DUB!!!!!

Toddy D Reviews The Randy Orton DVD

Toddy D's review of the latest Stone Cold Steve Austin DVD

Not for nuthin' this is a good review of the DVD made me want to buy it.

Toddy D's Wrestemania 28 Preditctions

Toddy-D's Review of Raw-2012.01.09

Somebody Call My Mama-Brodus Clay Reaction

WATCH THIS!-you know you want to!

By now if you have watched the above video, you cannot get this song, or the wrestler it is attributed to out of your head. After weeks of buildup, Brodus 'The Funk-A-Sauris' Clay has debuted on WWE Raw. Reaction is mixed, but tipping towards favorable. How could it not? I was one of those people that originally did not like Broudus, but I gotta admit he grew on me.
If Clay had appeared as a "generic" monster heel, he would of been lost in the shuffle. The WWE has a monster heel in Mark Henry, they don't need another one. I just want to see Brodus get meaner with each match. Just pummel the competition.....and then get his groove on after the match. I also want to see him use a whole lot of suplexes ala Taz. I know the theme is re-hashed but I don't care. I was entertained and that's all that mattered. I want to see Brodus all over the TV screen, I also want to see him be a babe magnet. I like the fact that he stands out from the roster, and hopefully the WWE will look for different guys and gals that stand out. But right now I gotta get my groove on to the theme song.....please don't call my mama!

Evolve 10-A Tribute To The Arena-PICK EM

On 1/14/11, the world's most famous.......BINGO HALL will be closing its doors. This is the last show at the former ECW Arena, and EVOLVE wrestling and DGUSA will see the building off in style.. Bur right now its time to PICKEM!

Open The Freedom Gate Title Match
Johnny Gargano defends vs. Ricochet-I pick Gargano
 
Style Battle Rematch
Sami Callihan (3-2) vs. Bobby Fish (1-4)-I pick Bobby Fish

Tag Team Action
Super Smash Brothers (1-1) vs. Chuck Taylor & Rich Swann (0-0)-I pick Chuck Taylor/Rich Swann

Special Challenge Match #1
AR Fox (2-0) vs. Jigsaw (0-0)-I pick Jigsaw

Grudge Match Cloudy (0-0) vs. Cheech (0-0)-Cheech-Cheech over Cloudy

Special Challenge Match #2
Pinkie Sanchez (1-0) vs. Uhaa Nation (0-0)-I pick Uhaa Nation

Tag Team Attraction
Caleb Konley & Scott Reed (1-0) vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds (0-0)-I pick Conley/Reed

In Need Of A Win
Jon Davis (0-1) vs. Kyle Matthews (0-0)-Jon Davis

Can't make it to Philly watch the whole card on iPPV
click on  http://dgusa.tv/

Catching Up With Larry Dallas of The Scene.

WHO-Indy Wrestling Personality Larry Dallas
WHAT-Answers questions for this lowly blog

Read this first.
1. Give us an update on Larry Dallas-what have you been up to?
I've just been working hard! The Scene is my number one priority at this point in my life/career. I have managed to make some real good connections for us. We recently signed a deal with a clothing line - Frankie K Clothing which you guys can order clothes from at www.FrankieK.com. We are on the Sponsored Artist page, including our full bio.

Its a deal i'm very proud of, as to the best of my knowledge there aren't any independent wrestlers out there who have a clothing deal thats not wrestling related. We are truly branching out.

2. You got a new team now tell us about them.

The Scene consists of - Scott Reed and Caleb Konley with Ahtu as our bodyguard and even though she hasn't been on a show with me in a while I will always consider Reby Sky "The Queen of the Scene".

Caleb is from North Carolina and has been wrestling for a lot of years. He's trained with Zero-1 and has put a lot of effort into our team. He designed our tights and shirts, and is always coming up with ideas to make us look more like a unit.

Scotty is from New Hampshire and wrestled a lot on the New England scene. He's the power of the team. He's athletic as hell and just a solid wrestler all around. He's probably the "straight man" to the team, as anyone that's been around us can tell you. Caleb and I are the tear it up all night types, where Scott just lays back in the cut and lets his presence speak for himself.

Ahtu is from Philly, wrestles around Jersey and for ECWA. He is just coming off of a VH1 appearance on "Why Am I Still Single?" and really all it takes is one look at the guy and you know why he's with us.

Reby Sky - nothing needs to be said just go to www.RebySky.com and it will speak for itself!

3. Any regrets on the whole Johnny Gargano/Chuck Taylor situation?

Who are Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor? 

4. Finally tell us about the big show on 1/14/12 at the (former) ECW Arena?

If you lived in New York like I did as a kid, you used to stay up until 2 am on Saturday nights to watch ECW and hope it wasn't delayed by a Ranger or Knick game. I used to dream as a kid about going to The Arena as a fan, and I will NEVER forget my debut there for CZW for the Best of the Best and getting dropped on my head by Sekimoto.

It was not only my debut at the ECW Arena but ended up being the first time I ever got physically involved in anything. It was a big day for me.

I will miss that Arena and I will never forget what an honor it was to be able to perform there. Its a dream come true.

5. Anything else u wanna plug?

Check out www.FrankieK.com and support my home-girl Danielle Ricci who is going for the title of Miss New York 2012. You can check her out on tumblr at -- http://daniellericci.tumblr.com/

Also pick up the official SCENE T-Shirt over at www.Highspots.com

Once again thanks to Larry for doing this. 

Nash vs Ultimate Warrior??

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