The Avengers...My Addiction to Comic Books...

So, I know that I normally write strictly about wrestling on here but I could not help it, I had to write something about the Avengers and all of the movies leading to Avengers 2.  It’s been awhile since I have been on here because I am now writing for www.WrestleOhio.com , but I am back on here to talk about the Avengers.  Also, I wanted to let everyone know that this blog will actually become a podcast very soon under the same name, Pro Wrestling: Men in Tights.  Colt Cabana has been doing an astonishing job with his podcast, Art of Wrestling (which can be found on iTunes or at www.tsmradio/coltcabana ), but I want to get interviews with some of the lesser-known/up-and-coming talents out there today.  I will let all of you know what is going on with that once I get all of the logistical bullshit figured out.

Now let’s get into some fucking comic book movies!!!  Ha ha!  Let me just start out by saying that I LOVED the Avengers and went and saw it twice (once by myself, and once with my lady).  If you did not notice, “M-Dogg 20” Matt Cross was in the movie dressed as a soccer player during the scene in Germany (or Cleveland, OH…same thing) when Loki makes everyone kneel to him before Cap kicks his ass.  He is on the right-hand side of the screen and has a faux-hawk type hairdo going on.  So there is some wrestling talk, since this is SUPPOSED to be a wrestling blog.

Thanos

I wanted to give everyone a chance to go see the movie and hear some of the spoilers before I got on here and gave my opinion on everything.  This movie was great and they have already announced the Avengers 2, with Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Cap 2 all leading up to it.  I am also pretty sure that everyone is signed on for a third Avengers movie, as well as Thor 3, Cap 3, and even another Hulk movie and talks of a solo S.H.I.E.L.D. movie.  Personally, I say keep bringing the movies on.  There are so many stories that they could go with that they could just keep pumping movies out, but I am about 100% sure that they are leaning towards the Civil War story, which is awesome.  All that I do know is that the extra scene in The Avengers showed Thanos, so obviously they must be setting up for a Skrull invasion sometime in the future.

With that being said, Iron Man has already revealed his secret identity in the movies, so that piece of the puzzle is already set.  There was some tension built between Iron Man and Cap in the Avengers, so that seed has been planted.  All of the pieces are in place; it is now time to bring in those additional heroes that will play a major part in the overall Civil War storyline.

So let’s get into the movies that are leading to the Avengers 2, and what I would like to see in each of these movies:

THOR 2 – Release date of November 15, 2013

So Thor 2 is in the process of being filmed sometime this summer, so they are wasting no time on getting to this one.  Just about everyone from the first movie is returning for the second and it is being said that they want to keep most of this movie “off of Earth” and give it a “Viking feel.”  I agree with this.  Also, they just got Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones) to direct, so it should be awesome considering how badass Game of Thrones is.

Mads Mikkelsen

It has been said that Loki will be in the movie, but will not be the main villain.  They actually just cast Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, King Arthur) as the main villain apparently.  I would imagine that he is going to play either an Asgardian or someone from one of the other 9 realms.  They could throw a curveball at us though and have him be some villain from Earth that somehow gets access to the Bifrost, which could be cool.  All I know is that Mads Mikkelsen was an awesome villain in Casino Royale, and I look forward to seeing him in Thor 2.

I would like to see them build up more of the friendship/teamwork of Thor, The Warriors Three, and Sif.  They did this a little bit in the first movie, but he was only in Asgard for a short period of time.  Maybe have Jane Foster get kidnapped by the villain and have Thor and his buddies go after her or something like that.  It would be cool to see some sort of cameo in this movie somehow, but not really sure who it should be or how they could do it.  Whatever they do, I am sure it will be good either way.

IRON MAN 3 – Release date of May 3, 2013

This movie should be awesome, and sounds like it will be an integral piece of the Avengers 2 puzzle.  Two people that have already been cast in this movie are Guy Pearce (the King’s Speech) as Aldrich Killian and Ben Kingsley (Prince of Persia) as an unspecified villain.  Now the character of Aldrich Killian was introduced in the Extremis story arc and is a scientist that actually commits suicide but releases a dangerous serum known as “Extremis” beforehand for undisclosed reasons.  One of his co-workers finds a note that indicates this, so she contacts Tony Stark about it and whatnot.  It sounds to me like they may be using this serum as a replacement for Nitro from the New Warriors exploding in Connecticut, which is the catalyst for the entire Civil War beginning in the first place.  So I guess we will see there.

Ben Kingsley

Honestly, I think that Ben Kingsley is going to be playing the Mandarin.  I know that they had that dude from the first movie who was basically him, but I think that they may have re-cast the role.  Cannot really think of another villain that Ben Kingsley could play, but it could be someone who is not necessarily an Iron Man villain in the Marvel Universe.  So, once again, we will have to wait and see.  They only thing that I say is to keep the villain out of armor in this one.  Iron Monger was in the first movie and Whiplash had armor for whatever reason in Iron Man 2.  Find a villain who could be a legitimate threat to Iron Man without needing armor or any of that crap. (*cough*…Mandarin…*cough*)




Ashley Hamilton will play Jack Taggert/Firepower

I have also recently seen that they have cast Ashley Hamilton (son of George Hamilton, Dancing with the Stars) as Jack Taggert/Firepower and James Badge Dale (The Departed, Lone Ranger) as Eric Savin/Coldblood-7.  Jack Taggert is a guy that worked on an experimental suit like Iron Man’s called Project: Firepower for a rival businessman of Tony Stark, Edwin Cord.  Long story short, it is basically Iron Monger from the first movie to a certain extent.

Eric Savin was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army that was put in charge of something called Project: Ultra-Tech.  He steps onto a mine and is blown to pieces, but is soon operated on by the love of his life Gina Dyson.  Gina does cybernetic surgery on Eric, which essentially turns him into a cyborg named Coldblood-7.  He becomes a freelance mercenary and has quite a few run-ins with Deathlok along the way.

I kind of see Firepower as just re-doing Iron Monger from the first movie, but hopefully they do something different with it.  Coldblood-7 should be pretty awesome though, as having a cyborg would definitely be something fresh and new that has not been done in a while.  Personally, I see these two being secondary villains in the movie, but it should be interesting to see what they do with these two characters.

I would like to see something a little different in this movie than what they did in Iron Man and Iron Man 2.  I love what they did with Tony Stark in the Avengers and think that they should stick with it.  The fact that he was at Stark Towers and that he was an asshole who seemed to secretly have everything under control was great.  Go with this model and please do one thing for me….SHOW THE FUCKING ARMORY!!!  I want to see him use AT LEAST 5 sets of armor in this movie and have War Machine in it somewhere.  The coolest part about Iron Man is the fact that he has a suit of armor for every situation, so show that.  Get him into some situation where he needs underwater armor or something like that.

Many people keep saying online that they need to bring in more characters during Iron Man 3, and I have to disagree with that idea to a certain extent.  I think that there are other movies that bringing new characters into would be better, but we will get to that in a minute.  I say build the relationship with Tony, Pepper, War Machine, and Happy Hogan in this movie.  In the comics, Happy is just as important as any of the heroes almost and he does not even have powers or anything.  War Machine is really only brought in when he needs to be a lot of the time, so there needs to be some sort of threat where he is needed.  Pepper is running the entire company now (I think) so show the fact that she is a badass and a genius, kind of like how they did for her short cameo in the Avengers, but take it to the next level.

CAPTAIN AMERICA 2 – Release date of April 4^th, 2014

This movie is a far way off, which I wish they would just move it to an earlier date, but oh well.  So Cap is in the present world now, he is a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and he has no fucking clue what the hell is going on around him at all.  Right there is your movie people.  Show this guy who does not know anything about the modern world, trying to figure out who he is and what he is going to do now.  He lost his woman, lost his best friend, got pumped full of steroids, saved the world from some aliens, and now he is just here.  Let him take a breath for a second and take in his surrounding a little bit.



James "Bucky" Barnes as the Winter Soldier

I think it is pretty obvious to any comic fan that we will be seeing the Red Skull and Bucky again.  Apparently, on the audio commentary, they say that the experiments performed on Bucky by Dr. Zola actually enable him to survive the fall that supposedly kills him in the first movie.  So I guess we can all say “BRING ON THE WINTER SOLDIER!!!”  And I personally feel like Red Skull is going to pop back up in one of the next 2 Avengers movies.  He is one of those big-named villains that could be in that role as the main villain again in my opinion.




Ant Man & Wasp

I think that Cap 2 is the perfect opportunity to bring in those “extra” people that need to be brought in.  People like Falcon, Wasp, Giant Man/Ant Man/Yellow Jacket, Black Panther, and so many more.  The reason that I say this is because all of these people are being targeted by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Cap is hanging around with Fury, Hawkeye, and Widow all the time.  So it only makes sense that he is going to run into someone.  Jack Flag, Captain Britain, and U.S. Agent could also be good additions to this movie, or to get REALLY obscure, they could have Nomad in it!  I see Winter Soldier starting off as a secondary villain in the movie, but siding with Cap by the end of the movie somehow.  And I would imagine that they will have Cap falling in love with the modern-day Agent Carter or something like that.



Baron Zemo

The main villain in the movie could really be anyone, but I think that I would really like to see them do something with Baron Zemo.  Maybe give him a modern-day look of some sorts with a touch of the main characteristics that make the character overall.  They can always go back and play off of the Red Skull/Hydra story from the first movie somehow.  Re-working the character to make him a modern-day supporter of Hydra couls be kind of awesome.  Almost like how Christopher Nolan has re-worked some of the Batman characters to make them more realistic.  I think it could be something really cool actually.

Whatever they do with all of these movies, I am sure they will be awesome either way.  Everyone is going to piss and moan about certain details, just because that is how comic nerds are.  I say enjoy the fact that the fucking movie is being made in the first place, and have faith that the people they choose to put the movie out will continue to do it the right way.

Worst decision in pro wrestling history...

Anyone that is a professional wrestling fan and has watched it religiously throughout their lives knows that there have been bad decisions made at times.  Whether that is matches that were put together, or if it was directions for individuals, they were bad decisions nonetheless.  Bad decisions are part of any business, it is how you rebound from these decisions and make sure not to make them again that measure success.

In my opinion, there is one decision in professional wrestling history that absolutely ruined the business over the past decade.  This decision started off as one of the greatest moments in pro wrestling history, but the way that it was handled was awful and ended up leading to disaster.  That decision was Vince McMahon’s decision to buy WCW in 2001.

Now I say that this was one of the greatest moments is wrestling history because it is one that always sticks out in my mind.  I still remember my dad and me watching wrestling when this happened and saying “wtf is going on?”   When Shane McMahon walked out onto WCW and the same show was being broadcasted on both channels, it was crazy.  It was one of those moments that WWE could only wish to have nowadays.  There was so much potential there, but I believe that they did not really have a plan in the first place.

I say that this decision was one of the worst ever for a few reasons:

1.)  Vinnie Mac bought out his competition, therefore giving the fans only one choice for pro wrestling.  I understand why he made the decision to buy WCW, but it did not do what he wanted it to.  Vince wanted to be the end-all-be-all of pro wrestling, but all it did was make fans of pro wrestling in general say “I don’t like this product, therefore I don’t like pro wrestling anymore.”  Nowadays, some of those fans have come back around and become pro wrestling fans again since there are other options, but there are still many out there that have not.  To “normal people” pro wrestling is pro wrestling, no matter what company it is that they are watching.  So if they do not like one place in particular, they do not like pro wrestling overall.

2.)  The way that the purchase of WCW was handled was ridiculous.  Rumor has it that the original plans for WCW were to have a legit second company where WCW would take over the Smackdown TV slot.  WCW was to be run as a completely separate entity, rather than being the bullshit invasion group that it was on WWE TV.  If this would have happened, it would have given fans “another option” to watch and continue to build that “competitive feel” between the two companies.  Even though both companies were “technically” owned by WWE, the everyday wrestling fan would have still seen it as 2 separate companies because they would not know what was going on behind the scenes.

I still think that if WWE would have handled the purchase of WCW a different way, the professional wrestling industry would be completely different today.  WCW would probably still be around to this day and be doing something completely different than what the WWE currently is.  TNA/Impact Wrestling probably would have never even been created, or at least would not have gotten off the ground, therefore not making the stars that came out of there.  Guys who are currently on the independents doing nothing could have been stars because there would have been another company to go to.  Their lives would have been completely different if they would have had another opportunity with a different company.  Maybe even ROH would not have been started at all, or would have been something completely different because there would have been different talent on their first shows.  Who knows?

What I do know is that the business of pro wrestling has been down for the past decade, compared to what it was the decades before.  It is not “cool” to be a fan anymore.  UFC has taken many of those old pro wrestling fans and turned them into MMA fans, for whatever reason.  Hey, if you want to watch two guys lay on the ground with each other for 10 minutes, wear Tapout and Affliction shirts, and not be entertained, then UFC is for you, “bro”.  If you want to see action and entertainment, then turn on pro wrestling and enjoy.

What is in the past is in the past.  WWE did buy WCW.  WWE did drop the ball with how they handled WCW (and ECW).  There is no changing that.  The only thing that the WWE and all of us can do is to move on and try to find ways to make wrestling cool again.

I actually think that the WWE could realistically bring back WCW somehow in a newly re-packaged format.  I have gone on record saying that the guys on FCW and NXT are more entertaining, to me, than the guys currently on WWE TV.  Take those guys, bring back WCW, and make it into a show.  The fans do not know that these guys are all signed by WWE.  Most of them are good enough to hold their own in the ring anyways.  Why keep them stuck in a corner of Florida?  Put them on TV and start making money off of them now.  My suggestion would be to bring in Dave Lagana (former head writer for Smackdown and the re-booted ECW) and have him write for WCW.  The reason that I suggest Lagana is because he has a completely different vision for a wrestling show compared to the rest of the WWE, in my opinion.  He could make a new version of WCW something completely different than the WWE, and use young talent from FCW & NXT to their full advantage.

The possibilities for WCW could have been, and are still, endless.  So many things COULD have happened, but some many things CAN STILL HAPPEN!  I was a WCW fan when I was a kid, and I would be a WCW fan if they brought it back.  #BringBackWCW

"It's not gay, it's pro wrestling..."

Hello, my name is Ernie Ballz, and I am a professional wrestler.   (Hi Ernie…)

I wear tights and roll around with sweaty men inside of a box that is surrounded by ropes.  I get naked in a small room with other men on a weekly basis.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

I strut around like a jackass just to get a reaction from people who normally would look at me like I am mentally ill.  I wear the most ridiculous outfits that I can create in my mind that would make Elton John & Rupaul have an aneurism.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

I drive hours away for shitty money with 2-3 other men in my car smelling like farts and sweat.  The “normal” public sees me as a weirdo, while I just see this weird shit as being normal.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

I walk through Target and get excited when I pass the toy aisle because I want to see what figures they came out with.  I worship a man that used to play the bagpipes, wore a dress, and hit people with coconuts.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

Normal people do not understand the passion that I have; they just see it as a “phase.”  I tell them about a show and they either look at me like a deer in headlights or laugh at me.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling.

I have spent 10 years of my life in an industry that most would not last 10 minutes in.  I am 28 years old and feel like I am 50 because of the punishment that I have taken from other men.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

I worry more about my appearance more than a 14 year old girl whose boobies have not come in yet.  Many of the men I wrestle with have made tanning a part of their everyday schedule.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

Pink is a color that is acceptable for men to wear in our industry.  A man with the nickname of “the Hammer” and a man with a move called “the Thump” are legends in our industry.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

A man that dressed like a woman, threw flowers to the crowd, and called himself “Gorgeous” changed our industry forever.  The more flamboyant and over-the-top that you are in our industry is the better that you are.  It’s not gay, it’s pro wrestling…

I am an athlete…

I am an entertainer…

I am a professional wrestler…

Your website is "the window to your product"...

Recently, I have been re-designing a few websites for wrestling promotions.  When I do a website for anyone, I always go out and pull ideas from other websites in that given industry.  I never steal code or copy an entire website, I just take a look at what everyone is doing so that I can get an idea of what I am up against as far as the competition in that field goes.  It is important to know what your competition is doing, but you should never dwell on that or base all of your decisions around that.  Being original and doing your own thing is still a very important part in any type of business decision, as long as it is a smart decision and the right decision.

Anyways, while I was going around looking at certain promotion's websites, I realized that many of these sites are never updated at all.  Roster pages have not been updated in almost 2 years on some of these sites, and there are people on there that I know for a fact do not even wrestle there anymore.  The news section is all out of whack and does not even have updated information on it.  The last results posted were from a show that happened over last Summer.  It's pathetic, to be honest with you.

I always learned that your website is "the window to your product."  Basically, that means that your website is the first thing that people see when it comes to whatever you are selling.  Nowadays, if someone wants to find something, they get on Google and they find it.  So if someone hears about a wrestling promotion, they will Google it and take a look at your website or subsequent websites that talks about your company.  If your website looks like shit and is not updated, then the people either think, A.) this promotion sucks because their site looks like shit, or B.) this promotion is not running anymore because the information is not updated.

Having a shitty website that is not updated will turn customers away.  Let me put it to you this way; you can have the shittiest wrestling company in the world running shows, but they have an amazing website, so they have people coming to shows because those people think that this wrestling company is a bigger deal than what it really is, just based on what their website looks like.  On the flip side of that coin; you can have the best company in your state running top-knotch shows, but their website looks like shit and does not translate what their product is to the end-user (the fan).  Therefore, fans look at this website and assume that this place is a shit-hole and do not go to their shows.

This all becomes EXTREMELY important if you are trying to sell DVD's, shirts, or anything else through your website.  If your site looks like shit, that fan assumes you are shit, and does not buy your products.  Also, many of the sites that I ran across had way too much bullshit on their site that did not need to be there.  What I mean by bullshit is JavaScript that makes pictures scroll or makes shit flash or blink or something like that.  Many people call these "bells & whistles."

The overal goal of a wrestling promotion's website is to:

• Give information about what the wrestling company is all about.
• List a roster of wrestlers that actually wrestle there (not guest appearances or "legends").
• List results from previous shows.
• List upcoming events with information.
• Showcase products for fans to purchase (DVD's, shirts, posters, etc...)
• Provide contact information for whatever reason it is needed.

In my opinion, I feel that the "K.I.S.S." method comes into play, Keep It Simple Stupid.  Don't sit their and add shit to the website just for shits and giggles or because you think it is cool.  Only add things to the website that your feel are of actual use to the end-user (the fans).  Think of how the website would operate for a brand new person visiting it.  Is the information easy to find?  Is the navigation simple to use and functional?  Is the information updated on a regular basis?  Etc....

There are so many other things that I could list here, but that would take way too long.  Another piece to this website puzzle is social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  If you have social media sites on top of your actual website, then all of the sites should be linked together somehow, so that the fans can visit all of them, which will increase your web traffic and web-presence.  Also, all of these site's information needs to match up with the other ones.  Don't just post something to Facebook or Twitter and expect everyone to see it.  Put the information on all of your sites so that you can ENSURE everyone will see it.

The biggest issue that I have with the advent of websites for wrestling promotions is the fact that promoters feel that this is the only way to contact people anymore.  This is a two-fold problem as well, so let me start with the first part.  The first part of this problem has to do with the fans.  Promoters feel that they can just post their information about their upcoming shows online and expect everyone to see it and come to the show.  Well, that may work for the people that frequently visit wrestling sites or your site in particular, but what about the "normal people?"  What about the people that are not necessarily die-hard wrestling fans, but would probably enjoy checking out your show?  How do they find out?  That's why it is important for promoters to still use outlets like radio, tv, newspaper, or just good-ole-fashion fliers to promote thier shows as well.

The second part of this problem involves the promoters contacting the wrestlers who they want on their shows.  I can count on 1 hand how many times that I have been formally contacted to wrestle on a show within the past few years.  Many of these promoters just assume that I know that I am on a specific show.  Fuck that.  Pick up the phone and call me or send me an email or direct message somehow.  I have no idea that I am on your next show asshole, and if you don't say something to me, I AM going to take another booking.  Just because the promoter knows about the upcoming shows does not mean that all of the wrestlers do.  It's a give and take relationship between promoters and wrestlers, and it takes both parties cooperation to make things work.

I think the point here is to just make sure that if you have a website, it is updated regularly, simple, and easy to use.  Promoters, don't sit there and assume things. Contact your talent for the shows personally, make sure they are good to go and let them know what is going on. Post the info for your shows everywhere that you can and use other methods to reach "normal people" so that we can turn them into fans.  When you assume things, that's when you get 50 people at your show, with 20 guys in the back that you need to pay.  That's when promoters skip out at intermission and no one gets paid at all.  That's not the way to do business.  Be smart and do things the right way.  I would say that 80% if business is common sense and that your website is a vital part of any business today.

Youth Movement in the WWE?...

Recently, I began watching FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) on YouTube.  Being the developmental system for the WWE and the fact that I know some of the people down there now, I figured I would check it out.  Needless to say, I was blown away by how entertaining it is.

I have also been hearing about NXT a little more as of late as well, so I went and checked it out also.  I used to watch NXT when it was on TV, but just felt that it was a hassle trying to watch it online and it was always fuzzy anyways.  Since I bought an iPad, it is a whole different story.  The picture is clearer than a computer and it is just like watching it on TV.

Anyways, my point is that both FCW and NXT are more entertaining than what they are featuring on TV, in my opinion.  So I guess the question to answer is....why?  I think that the reason that both of these shows are better to watch is almost like how college football is more entertaining.  The guys on FCW and NXT are out there busting their asses to get a spot on the "main show."  I am not saying that the guys on TV are not busting their asses, but the FCW/NXT guys are doing a lot of different stuff, while the "main roster" guys that just stick to what they do.  These younger guys are more innovative, and putting together matches better than the guys on TV right now.

Maybe it is becaus they are hungrier and trying to earn their spot.  Maybe things are a little more free-reign on these shows and they have more say in how they present themselves.  I am not 100% sure what IT is, but I like IT.  People like Tyson Kidd, Curt Hawkins, and Johnny Curtis have entertained me more in a few episodes than other people on TV have in years.

Both shows give off a ECW-type of feel to me.  It's a feeling that I have not felt in years when it comes to watching wrestling.  It's a good feeling, and I hope WWE takes notice of it and makes changes to put these guys on TV as soon as possible.  There's a youth movement in the WWE, and I feel better about the future of our business after watching FCW & NXT.

Tag Team = Marriage...

It's pretty well-documented that the majority of my career in the wrestling business has been dominated by being a part of a tag team.  Along with my tag partner "The Natural" Brian Bender, we formed a tag team called Team Clash that lasted 6 years and turned us into one of the best teams in the Midwest.  It is a time of my career and my life in general that I will never forget, just because of all of the good times that we had together.



Team Clash - Ernie Ballz & Brian Bender

I get people who constantly ask me why Bender and I were such a good team.  I always answer that we were a legit team.  We rode together, hung out together, and basically broke into the business together.  The key to being a good tag team is to not try to make it, it just has to be.  We were the real deal.

The name Team Clash came because we are two completely different people.  Bender is more of a serious guy with a basic style, while I am a goofball with a little bit more of a flashy style.  Even though we were different in so many ways, we pretty much had the same sense of humor, which I feel was our real connection at first.

Throughout the years that we tagged together, we just started to think alike and kind of know what the other guys was thinking as well.  This is not something that can be taught, it is just something that comes with time together.  We had done a lot of the same stuff in matches and watched a lot of the same footage for inspiration (mostly Brain Busters & Hart Foundation) and it showed in the way that we worked together.

When I broke my ankle in 2009 and had my surgery, Bender I held a few different sets of tag titles, which basically forced him to either defend them himself, or find someone to replace me.  Well, it's not that easy to just replace a tag partner and expect the same results.  It sucked, but there was not much that I could do about it.  But it sucks even more because that was kind of the nail in the coffin for Team Clash overall and we have not really tagged up since.

Ohio Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champions

I would like to get the two of us back together, but Bender has a lot of other stuff going on in his life, and he does not seem interested in wrestling much anymore.  I know that the two of as a team still have A LOT to offer, especially in the promotions that I currently work for.  I plan on trying to get that ball rolling soon enough and hopefully Bender is receptive to it.

The point of this whole blog is that tag team wresling really is like a marriage.  Bender and I constaly fought about things, but we always seemed to work together to get through it somehow and come out better on the other end.  Tag wrestling is all about making a commitment and sticking to it.  Going out and wrestling singles matches is almost like cheating on your tag team partner.  And if the two of you do stick together, you get better year after year and turn yourselves into a hot commodity.  Great tag teams are hard to come by, but I can honestly say that I feel Team Clash was just that, great. 

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to go off on my own while we were tagging, but now that I have, I miss having Bender there with me.  It might sound gay or whatever, but it is a special bond that you make, especially when you tag as long as we did.  We were together for 6 years, and hopefully we will tag again soon and revive Team Clash.  Thinking individually and working collectively, that's what it is all about.

We make the business, the business does not make us...

I know that I talk a lot about us changing wrestling for the better, but well, that's the whole point to this blog.  Personally, I feel that things like UFC and reality TV have hurt our business over the past decade and the only people that can change that is us.  We make the business, the business does not make us.  Some people may disagree with that statement, but from an actual business standpoint, it is dead-on.  A business is only going to be as successful as the people that are in it, no matter what industry you are in.  Sure, a CEO can walk away from a company and that company will be fine, but the company makes sure that the new CEO is just as good as the last one, if not better.

The same logic can be used for the wrestling business; because it is only as good as the people that are in it.  Whether that is promoters, wrestlers, managers, referees, or anyone else in the back, everyone does their small part to make this business better, or worse.  I feel many people only focus on the bigger companies and not much on the smaller places.

I compare people in the wrestling business to voters; a small contribution is all part of a bigger picture.  It's like any other industry, where each person does their small part to make a larger product in the end.  So that is why I always talk about how important it is for even the smallest of indy wrestling company to treat things as a business, rather than a hobby.  If even one company in a state treats it like a joke and does not care about making money at all, then everyone else feels that it is okay to do that also.  We should be pushing each other to be better.  We should be working together to make money, rather than acting like one place is better than another.  NO promoter on the indies makes enough money to live comfortably, so technically, no one is better than anyone else, we are all equals.

I posted about all of this awhile back when I talked about running almost tiny territories.  The idea is to build an area, build the buzz about pro wrestling as a whole.  I said in that post that there is a power in numbers, and I really feel that many people do not realize that.  One person tells this person, then they tell someone, so on and so forth.  Put your pathetic excuse for an ego aside and work together man.

So I guess my point here is that each and every one of us in this business can make a difference somehow.  Figure out what that difference is that you can make, and do everything you can to help this business that we love.  Like I said, it is like being a voter, each person counts in the big picture.

We are not invincible...

A little over a week ago, I went down to Coshocton, OH to train at the Big Guns Academy, which is Ohio Championship Wrestling's official training center.  I have just been trying to stay in the ring a little more frequently, so that I can keep the rust off.  Well, when I was down there, I really did not do much at all.  But for some reason, I have had a pain in the right side of my neck for over a week now.  The pain is so bad at this point that it is starting to shoot into my right shoulder as well.  Pretty sure that it is just a pinched nerve or something, because I have done that before and the pain USUALLY goes away within a few days.  This pain is hanging around for some reason and really starting to nag at me.

In 2009, I broke my left ankle in a match in Detroit, which forced me to have surgery.  I now have a plate and 2 pins in my left ankle and it still bothers me every now and then to this day.  The days that I spent in the hospital from that surgery were probably the worst moments of my life.  I never want to have to go through that ever again.

Anyways, my point here is that none of us are invincible.  None of us have thousands of dollars to pay medical bills, because most indy wrestlers do not have health insurance, for whatever reason.  Most guys out there who wrestle think that it is just normal to get injured, get fixed, and get back into the ring.  Well, that may be okay with some, but definitely not me.  If I get hurt one more time, I am done with the actual wrestling part of things.  I will probably stick around as a manager, commentator, referee, or something like that, but I will NEVER wrestle again.

I guess what I am trying to get at is, if you are going to wrestle, then get insurance, somehow.  Whether that means getting a "real" job where you can have insurance, or paying for it yourself somehow.  It is worth it in the long-run.  It has almost been 3 years since I broke my ankle and I did not have insurance at that time.  I am still paying off the bills from that to this day.

Don't be stupid.  There is no use in getting yourself dropped on your head or falling from the top rope to the floor.  The WWE is not looking for people that can do that crap anymore.  Hardcore is dead.  It's about being a smart competitor now with a personality and keeping yourself in shape and fresh.  Work smart, not stupid.

Break out of your bubble...

I will be the first to admit that I am not your normal "indy wrestler."  Currently, I work for about 2-3 places on a regular basis and kind of just stay inside of "my bubble."  I am comfortable with the places that I work, and the people that work there.  The days of driving 4 hours away for $10 and a hot dog are over for me; I have been there and done that.  Outside of wrestling, I have a pretty good job that pays me well.  I have a girlfriend, a dog, and a house to take care of.  I have friends, family, and other things to keep me occupied for the most part.

I have worked for the WWE and it was not my cup of tea.  Too much walking around on egg shells and hoping that you don't step out of line and direspect someone.  I'm really just proud that I can say that I am satisfied for once in my life, after stressing and worrying about things in wrestling for so long.  I am comfortable with what I have done and where I am at in wrestling, and constatly look for other ways that I can contribute to the business as a whole. (like this blog)

In my opinion, it takes a certain kind of person to be successful in wrestling.  Relationships, family, friends, a "real" job; those all take a backseat to wrestling.  It's all about working as many shows as possible to make as much money as possible and get your name out there so that you can go to "bigger and better" places.

When getting into the business and first starting to try to get onto shows, I feel it is important to surround yourself with the right people.  Find the people that you know are good, are in the main events of the shows you want to be on, and have been doing it for years.  Pick these guys brains, offer to drive them to shows, basically, do whatever you need to do to learn from these guys.  They are the ones at the top on your level, so they are the ones that you should be talking to.  Be respectful, shut your mouth, and learn.

Once you do start getting bookings, work as many of them as you possibly can.  If you are single, then why the hell are you not on shows all weekend long?  Get your ass out there and work man.  And when it comes to actually getting bookings, it's all about staying on the promoter's ass about bringing you in and having "something" to offer once they do.  Some guys look like a million bucks but have no personality, some are fat as shit but are entertaining as hell.  It's just about having "something" that makes you that much different than someone else.

Work any show that you can get onto for your first 2 years in the business just to get experience.  Once year 3 rolls around, you should be getting booked by better places anyways, but, either way you can pick and choose a little bit.  There are people out there like Colt Cabana and Sami Callihan that are known for being on a show here, then being on a show hundreds of miles away the next night.  That's what getting your name out there is all about.  It's about creating a buzz behind yourself somehow.

I guess my point here is to tell everyone to break out of "your bubble" more if you REALLY want to do this.  The easiest way to get into the WWE now is to save the fucking money up and go to FCW, plain and simple.  If you want to get to that level THAT BAD, then why are you not moving to Tampa?  I will tell you what it is....EGO!!!  People's egos get in the way and they something like, "fuck that, I have been in the business for 5 years, I'm not paying to go train again."  Ok....well then I guess you don't want to work for WWE that bad then.  You can't just sit around and wait for Kristen from WWE to call you to be an extra for the rest of your life and hope that William Regal likes your tryout match.  That is literally like a 1 in a million shot.  If you take your ass to Florida an pay for the school, you already have one foot in the door then.  You have to get you ass out there and do what you have to do to get where you want to go.  That's not just a lesson for wrestling, that's life.

Let's start a revolution...

Ever since about Christmas time, I have become addicted with Colt Cabana's "Art of Wrestling" podcast.  If you have not checked it out yet, then head over to www.WeLoveColt.com and check it out.  Colt is one of the guys out there that is really trying to help the business and take it to new levels.

Anyways, on one of his podcasts, Colt interviews Kenny Omega.  I was not familiar with Kenny Omega beforehand, but after listening to the podcast I went online and checked out some of his stuff.  Not too shabby.  During the podcast, Colt asks Kenny what his goals are in the wrestling business.  Kenny answered by saying that he is really out to reinvent wrestling and make it "cool again." (which we have also heard from C.M. Punk as well)

The answer really made me start to think about things a lot.  It was one of those things that just changes the way you think about things overall and opens the floodgates to all of these new ideas.  Omega is right, because there is no flowchart for wrestling at all.  Some people may think there is, but there really is not.  It's all about giving the fans what they want, period.  Giving each and every person that comes and pays money to watch the show an entertaining experience.

I really do feel that the business has changes, which many people would probably agree with me on.  What people probably won't agree with me on is the fact that many of the "old school" ways are outdated and waste of time stressing over anymore.  Things that worked in the 70's and 80's are not going to work today, just because the world is completely different, which I feel is due mostly to technology.

Things like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and all other websites and whatnot has revolutionized the way that people see the wrestling business.  The fans have a closer look to who each of us is personally.  They have nearly unlimited access to videos of matches and promos.  Social media has changed the way that many shows are promoted.

My point to all of this is that everyone is linked together nowadays.  We should not be doing things "the way they always have been done" just because it is "the right way."  We should be doing whatever the hell works, because that is the way to make money in this business and take things to a whole other level.  Making money is "the right way," no matter what year it is.

Use all of these tools that we have nowadays to do something different.  It's not necessarily about putting on a 5 star wrestling show anymore, it's about giving the fans "an experience."  It's about making them walk out of that building, go home and tweet or post about the show on Facebook  so that all of their friends find out about what is going on.

The problem with all of this is that people in general are just lazy and feel that one person cannot make a difference.  EVERYONE, both fan and wrestler, can make a difference and take this business to a whole new level.  Be proud of being a wrestling fan.  Wrestlers, come up with something cutting-edge and relevant that the fans can get into.  Promoters, pay the the extra money to use good talent and treat them well.  It's all about little things that add up in the long-run.

My challenge to everyone who reads this is to step back, look at yourself and the business as a whole.  What skills do you have that can make wrestling better?  Take those skills and use them to help out.  One person at a time, we will get the word out there.  One person at a time, we will start a revolution.  #LetsChangeWrestling

Be something different...

Well, after my TNA/Impact Wrestling rant and calling out all of the people who hate my blog, but still read it for some reason, I needed to get onto a new subject.  I have said it before, but the goal of this blog is to help the business of pro wrestling, not to sit here and piss and moan about shit 24/7.  If you want to listen to pissing and moaning, go over to the Indy Board and read some of that garbage.  But sometimes, in order to get the point across I need to go on a rant like that.  I try not to as much as possible, but it does happen sometimes.

So lets get to the topic that I want to talk about today.  I want to talk about being different in wrestling, from both a wrestler and promotional standpoint.  There are so many personalities and promotions that have come and gone over the years.  Some of these people and places made money and did good things for the business, and well, some did not.  I don't really want to get into who did and who did not, I want to talk more about people and promotions trying their hardest to do something new and different.

I think it is pretty apparent that many things have already been done in this business.  Whether that be moves, personalities, or a way that a promotion does things, pretty much everything has been done in some capacity.  The goal in today's pro wrestling industry is to find a way to take something and put your own spin on it somehow.  Believe me, I have seen a few original ideas pop up here and there as well, so they are still out there. 

Let me first start with individual wrestlers.  Who wants to see something that has already been done, but done by another person and not as good as the original?  No one does.  So try to be original.  Mix ideas together and try to do something different that is going to make you stand out somehow.  For example, I come out to the ring wearing some of the goofiest gear on the planet, strutting like a jackass, I have a good time in the ring, but I get pissed off and serious when I need to.  I try to be as innovative as I can be, while still being functional at the same time.  If a promoter does not like the way that I wrestle, fine, then don't book me.  I will find promotions that do like what I do and go there instead.  It's all about finding what works for you and finding the right places to work that pay well, plain and simple.

Now promotions are different.  It seems to me like a lot of promoters just have no idea what they are doing and half of them just fly by the seat of their pants.  You HAVE to have some sort of direction or idea behind who you are, what you are trying do, and why you are doing it.    I have talked about branding before, and that is what this whole business is all about.

First of all, get an identity to your promotion.  Spend the money to get a professional logo done, or shit, find a wrestler that does graphics work and get it for free.  This is a starting point.  Second, GET YOUR OWN BELTS MADE!!!!  This is SOOOOOOO important.  If you are going to spend $250 - $300 to buy a WWE replica belt, then pay for paint, stickers, and whatever else to decorate it, you might as well just spend the extra money to get a custom belt made.  There are plenty of great belt makers out there, just get online and contact them.  It's better to spend the money up front to look legit, rather than trying to fool the fans the whole time.  Third, just make everything look good overall.  The ring, aprons, entrance, music, talent, EVERYTHING.  It's when these promoters try to skip on certain things that make their promotions look like shit.

Don't be the second-coming of someone, be something new, be something different.  That's how you get noticed.  Think outside the box and come up with new concepts, or at least a new spin on something.

Is it TNA or Impact Wrestling?...I'm confused...

With all of the good feedback that I have been getting, I have also been getting I guess what you would call negative feedback as well.  I have a few people saying that they have never heard of me and that I have no right to sit here on "my soapbox" and say how the business should be ran.  Well, to those people I say "STOP READING!!!"  This has always been my opinion, and no one is making you read this.  I would like to say that even though you obviously do not agree with me, I do appreciate your support!

You may not know who I am, and that is fine.  But I am more than qualified to give my opinion on whatever the hell I want to.  Not only have I been in the wrestling business for 10 years, but I also hold an Associates Degree in Business and Web Design, am currently working as a Business Development Manager with 8 years of experience in sales, and I am also going back to school to finish a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science with a Business emphasis.  I think when it comes to business in general, I am a little more qualified than you at least.

So, enough with the haters and onto an actual topic.  One of the topics that I have had come through from a few people is for me to give my honest opinion on TNA/Impact Wrestling.  First off, I just want to say that I do not even know what the name of the fucking company is right now.  Are they TNA, are they Impact Wrestling, are they both?  It's pretty confusing to me.

In my opinion, I find it hard to brand a company/product when you keep changing everything about it.  What if Mountain Dew had just come out in 2002, and they are not getting the sales that they think they should, so they keep the name but change the taste of it.  Well, a few years go by and they are still not getting the sales they want, so now they change the name of it to just MD.  Purpose of all of this is that the product will not sell if you keep changing what it is all of the time.  Find something, stick with it, and figure out how to sell it.  That is TNA/Impact Wrestling's problem.

I have already gone on record saying that 2 of the things that killed any momentum that TNA had going for them was the fact that they got rid of the 6-sided ring and that they completely killed the X-Division.  These were the 2 things that put this company on the map to begin with, and just because Hulk Hogan cannot get enough Rent-A-Center commercials to pay the bills, they have to change everything about their company.  Unbelievable.

TNA/Impact Wrestling will NEVER be competition to the WWE, UNLESS, they get their shit together and start selling SOMETHING.  Find a direction, and stick with it.  Hogan cannot sell fucking TV's and couches for Rent-A-Center, or midget wrestling on TV, so what makes you think that he is going to sell anything at all?  Sting is a joke that has to steal people's stuff from the indies to get himself over at all anymore.  You have random people that pop up every now and then that I had no idea was even with the company.  The women just yell at each other instead of actually wrestling.  It's ridiculous, and there is no continuity at all.  So what exactly is there to sell?

Pick a roster and make sure it is not that big.  TNA has like 50 people on their roster or something crazy like that.  Like I said, people pop up here and there, but don't really have anything going on.  For example, I watched the entire episode last week (I know, it was rough), and I saw Robbie E on TV with the Television Title for the first time in like 6 weeks.  A.)  I had no idea that Robbie E was still with the company.  B.)  I had no idea that the TV Title was still around.  So let me get this straight, one of you champions has not been on TV for 6 weeks?  How do you get people to buy a PPV where this champion may, or may not, be defending his title against someone, when the guy is never on TV?  Don't get me wrong, all of this is no bash on the actual talent, it is a bash on the people running the damn company.  Robbie E had a great match with AJ in my opinion.  It's just weird to me that a champion would not be on TV, in some capacity, every week.

I have always called TNA "A.D.D. Wrestling," mainly because there is so much shit all going on at one time, that you cannot pay attention to one thing.  Seems to me like the logical direction is to streamline things a little more.  It is a 2 hour show, once a week, with a PPV every now and then.  Like I said, cut the roster down a little and focus on certain people, rather than throwing shit against the wall to see what will stick.  I think that every promotion, no matter what size, can use this advice.  There are so many promoters out there that want to use everybody and their brother on every show.  Well at the end of the night, you have 40 people on the show, 13 matches, and no money in your pocket.  If you cut down your overhead cost, then you have more room to make money in the long run.

I am not a fan of the "legends" that much either.  Ask any of my friends what I think about "legends."  "Legends" are pieces of shit that stick around WAYYYYY past their prime to suck stupid promoters dry, plain and simple.  Half of them pull some carny bullshit to get their money and not have to wrestle also, which pisses me off.  For example, I was on a show with a "legend" and he showed up with a leg brace on, TWICE, still got paid and did nothing.  FUCK THAT!!!  Tell that old piece of shit to stay at home and give his spot to someone who still cares about the business.  These assholes only care about lining their own pockets.  The only ones that care about the actual business are agents for WWE right now.  Everyone else is jsut out for a paycheck, or to cling onto the slim glow of spotlight that they still have.

The point of that little rant on "legends" is that TNA should get rid of those people and start showcasing the ACTUAL TALENT!!!  These "legends" are not going to be around 5 years from now to help your company, the Bobby Roodes, Alex Shelleys, and AJ Styles will be though.  So put your faith into the people that can actually help you make money.  Not a bunch of washed up sacks of shit that you are trying to get something out of their "name."

So I think the thing with TNA/Impact Wrestling is that they need to find their identity and market that.  They need to let the younger guys, who are the future of the company stand up, take the ball, and run with it.  I see them do 1 thing right, but then 5 things wrong.  Ask yourself, what is going to sell?  What do the fans want to see?  That's where the money is.

New-age territories...

Hope everyone is ready, because I am about to drop another nugget of wrestling knowledge onto each and every one of you.  This is a topic that I have put quite a bit of thought into, and I feel that it is actually the future of independent wrestling as a whole.  So definitely give it a good read and let me hear some of your feedback on it, as I really am interested in hearing it.  As always, you can reach me at these lovely online locations:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/TheRockshowErnieBallz

Twitter - www.twitter.com/ErnieBallz

Email - ernieballz@hotmail.com

So this idea for a new-age solution to somewhat bring back territories has evolved over the years from listening to both the ideas of promoters, as well as wrestlers.  Territories are completely dead, and do not let anyone tell you differently.  There are some people out there really trying to pull them back together, but they will never be as strong as they were back in the day.  The solution is not to build actual "territories," but to build working relationships between promotions.

Most people are probably saying "that is what a territory is you dumb ass!"  Well, I think of it a little differently I guess.  See, the idea is to get 4 promotions to work together, use much of the same talent, and book one weekend a month each.  This does somewhat build a tiny territory I guess, but it is between 4 completely different places, in 4 completely different areas.  Each promoter can have their champs and do whatever the hell they want to.  The idea is to make sure that no one is essentially running the same days as another person.  Each promoter chooses one Saturday of the month and runs their show accordingly.

This working arrangement would work out great for everyone involved.  The promoters are not running against each other, so they have their choice of talent, and the fans can go to all of the promotions rather than choosing between a few that are running the same day.  The wrestlers are now booked for 4 shows, and really don't need to worry about finding work each month, unless they want to pick up a Friday or Sunday show.  This whole thing will also build continuity between the promotions, and eventually help spread the word about independent wrestling as a whole throughout a given area.

I will give you an example.  Let's say that there is a place running in a centralized part of Ohio.  This promotion may run however many towns on their own, but only does one show a month.  Well this promoter strikes up a working agreement with other promotions in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan.  Now, these 4 promoters can pull wrestlers from the same talent pool, and each promoter will run a designated day of the month, so that no dates interfere with each other.

They key to all of this, as I have said before, is getting the word out there.  Use the Internet for things like promoting on the actual promotion's website, social media, forums or message boards, youtube, and whatever else you can find.  Shit, contact popular websites and see how much it is to purchase ad space on their.  Basically any website that you feel wrestling fans would visit in your area or something.  Hit the pavement an get yourself some sponsors to help cut down intial costs, and put up fliers wherever you can.  It's all about the prep work people.  The more planning and promoting you do, the better return on investment you are going to have.

So I guess my challenge here is to find a few other promoters that you can work with, and start implementing this system for 6-12 months to see if it makes a difference.  I personally feel that this is the future of indpendent wrestling, and is the best way to get the word out about independent wrestling as a whole.  We all need to remeber that "normal people" have no fucking clue what independent wrestling is.  It is our job to let them know that there are alternatives out there to the crap that is currently on TV.  #LetsChangeWrestling

What's the point?...

There are a lot of times in this business that I say "what's the point?"  Times when I have a shitty match and hate the business...what's the point?  Times when a promoter stiffs me on pay and I end up spending $50 in gas...what's the point?  Times when I cannot hang out with my girlfriend or my friends because I have a wrestling show...what's the point?

The point is, we are all addicted.  We don't need alcohol, we don't need drugs, all we need is that feeling that you get when you walk through that curtain.  That shot of adrenaline that courses through your entire body  as soon as you hear that crowd reaction.  That sound of hundreds of people cheering for you, or hating your guts.  It's the only addiction that we need.

Lately since I have been helping out more behind the scenes, that question of "what's the point?" has taken on a whole new meaning.  Now, it is more like, what's the point...in us putting on this show?  Or what's the point in us doing this, or doing that?  The question makes a lot of sense when you think about it though.

If you put on a show and pay 30 guys $50 a piece, then that is $1550 that you are spending.  Then you add in the $300-$500 that you paid for the building, the $100-$200 you paid for food for the concession stand, and whatever misc expenses you have.  The average cost to run a GOOD wrestling show is probably about $4,000.

Now, lets say that you have done all of this and only 100 people show up at $10 a ticket.  That is only $1,000.  That's not enough to even pay the talent, let alone all re-cover all of the other expenses that you had.  Or, you could get 500 people at $10 a ticket and have $500 left over to put into your pocket, or put towards the next show.

My whole point here is that whether you run a good show or a shitty show, the question still remains, "what is the point?"  Are you trying to make money somehow?  Are you trying to get a TV deal?  Are you just booking shows so that your shitty guys can get some work because no one else will book them?  What is the point?

You can run all of the wrestling shows that you want, but there needs to be some sort of goal or light at the end of the tunnel to make it all worth something.  If you are not making money, then why do you run?  It makes no sense to me.  I guess it is that addiction that I talked about earlier or something like that.  But just ask yourself that question....what's the point?

My favorite is when Promoter A is pissed because Promoter B is running in "his territory."  Well, territories do not exist anymore, sorry.  And if neither one of you is making any money, then who gives a shit?!!?

The whole point to all of this is that you should run shows for a purpose, not just to run them.  Run the shows to better the business and work towards a goal, rather than just for shits and giggles.

"You scratch my back, I will scratch yours..."

Sorry it has been awhile since I have posted a new blog.  Too be honest with you, I just started a new job today and have had the last 2 weeks off of work.  I got a lot of random BS done, and also took some sewing classes so that I can start making gear.

I really just wanted to be able to make my own gear, but I plan on expanding out and doing stuff for other people as well eventually.  Almost done with my first pair of bell bottoms for myself, so I will post pictures once they are done.

Just wanted to let everyone know how much I really do appreciate your support and reading all of these blogs.  I have been checking the stats a little more now and they are really blowing me away.  There are people reading this is the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, Russia, Germany, and Japan.  I guess that old "you tell a friend, then they tell a friend" quote is true.  So let's keep it up and get the word out there more.  I have actually thought about also starting a Pro Wrestling: Men In Tights podcast as well.  Basically just talking to the lesser-known guys in the Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, an Indiana area.  Let me know what you think of that idea guys.

In this blog, I want to talk about taking care of the business as a whole.  When I was kid, my dad always used to say the quote, "you scratch my back, and I will scratch yours."  It basically just means, if you help me out, I will help you out.  I think that this is something that people have somewhat forgotten in the wrestling business today.

I have gone to shows for years, gotten paid $20 here, $50 there, a hot dog here, $100 there, etc...  My point is that it blows me away how much this business has gone downhill.  I talk to guys that have been in since the mid 90's and they talk about how they never got less that $100 and the crowds were huge.  I am lucky to get $30, and that is the higher end of what I get paid at some of these shows. 

In my opinion, if you are running a good show, then you should be paying each of your guys AT LEAST $50.  There are probably promoters out there saying, "yeah right, never gonna happen."  Here's the thing, if you would stop booking 12 matches a night, with 40 guys on a show, then you could afford to pay your guys that much.  Plain and simple.

The biggest issue is that these promoters want to use every guy that is in their area, plus guys from other areas.  You need to find yourself a group of about 20 people that you can rotate in and out for shows.  Get like 6-8 singles wrestlers, a few tag teams, and maybe a couple of girls.  Everyone does not need to be on every show.  Rotate people around and make it work.

Now I know it is not the mid 90's an the business is in the crapper, but that just means that the promoters need to bust their asses more and find new ways to draw fans in.  Think of it as you are a normal, everyday person, who knows nothing about wrestling.  How are you going to find out about the show?  The wrestling fans are easy, they find the poster or hype video online.  It's about getting those new fans to show up.  THAT is what is going to keep this business alive.

Going back to promoters booking 10-12-15 matches on one show.  It pisses the fans off because they are there forever, and it pisses the wrestlers off because they end up with shorter time to wrestle.  I think a good overall time for a show is 2.5-3 hours, and the AVERAGE time that a wrestler should be given for their match is AT LEAST 12 minutes. This gives the wrestlers enough time to do whatever they need to do and have plenty of time to do it.

I guess the point to all of this is that "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" type of thing.  As a wrestler, you pay me well, I am going to be loyal and put on a good match.  As a wrestler, if you pay me like shit, I am probably only going to work for you once and never come back.  As a promoter, if I pay you well, then I expect a damn good match out of you and for you to do whatever I need you to.  As a promoter, if I pay you well an you "phone in" your match and complain about shit, then your ass is gone and I will tell everyone else that you are difficult to work with.

People helping people.  It's what makes the world go 'round.  So here's my challenge to all of the promoters out there reading this....start booking less guys, and paying those guys that are loyal to you and busting their asses more money.  It will pay off for you in the long-run.  Like I keep saying, the only way the business is going to change is if we make it change.  #LetsChangeWrestling

Yeah, we all know you are a pill-popping piece of shit...

Sorry guys that it has been so long since my last blog.  Had a lot of great ideas come through from people.  Some of them I have already talked about, so I probably won't get into them again.  Others are good suggestions for future blogs, but I have a lot of other things on my mind right now.  As always, feel free contact me in any of these ways:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/theRockshowErnieBallz
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/ErnieBallz
Email:  ernieballz@hotmail.com

Also, want you guys to know that there is an official Ernie Ballz website coming very soon.  I have been working on one for quite awhile now, and think that I have finally settled on a final design.  The site will have random BS about me, Pro Wrestling: Men in Tights t-shirts, Ernie Ballz t-shirts, and tons of other cool crap.  Keep your eyes peeled for it.  Let's just say that I will get it done when I get it done.  Ha ha.

Today, I want to talk about the assholes, dickheads, douche bags, and all-around pieces of shit in the wrestling business.  In particular, I would like to talk about the drugged-out "veterans" of the wrestling business who feel that everyone owes them something.  Once again, just another example of why "normal people" look at the wrestling business the wrong way.  We are all one big family, and one bad attitude makes everyone else look like shit.

Over the past year, I have had the chance to see both sides of a wrestling show.  The actual "show" part, which I have seen for the past 10 years, as well as now seeing the booking/promoting part of things.  It seems like no matter how hard I try to be professional in the back and try to keep things organized, there is always a handful of "veterans" who don't want to listen or help out at all.  These are the tools bags that need to leave the business altogether.

So I am helping out at a show recently and I let one of the guys know what is going on.  As he reaches into his bag to pop yet another pill (of some sort, not really sure what it was) he basically tells me that he is not going to do what we asked him to.  Okay, well then.  The only thing that I could think to do is go tell the other people involved in his match as well as tell the boss.  Call me a snitch, tattle-tale, whatever you want.  But honestly, when there is an entire show to think about, as well as other people's well-being, I don't really give a shit.  I am going to do whatever needs to be done to get the result that we are looking for.

Don't really want to get into details, let's just say the this sack of shit DID NOT do what he was supposed to.  Everyone else ended up doing what we had to though to get around it.  Which is bullshit.  If you are asked to do something on a show, then fucking do it.  The promoter is the one running the show and paying your sorry ass, so if you want your money, do what you are asked.  I really do not give a shit how long you have been in the business.  It's about respecting the people that are still giving you an opportunity after everyone else has black-balled you from the business.

I am not the one that gets to make the decision on whether or not this guy comes back, but I am hoping he doesn't.  Things can get done a lot easier if he was just not there, and it would open up a spot on the show for a guy that actually cares.  This guy just wants his opportunity to pop pills, and act like people care about him for 15 minutes.  He does not care about anyone but himself, period.

I guess the point of this whole blog is to tell promoters to stop using these kind of guys.  They are losers, probably out of shape, and a shell of what they "used to be."  Yeah, the guy might have been good 10 years ago, but if all he does is pop pills, not listen, and treat everyone like shit, then what is the point of having him on the show?  Like I said, use someone that actually gives a damn.  Someone that will go out there and bust their ass for you.  Someone that appreciates their spot on the show and wants to do their part to help out.  Help give this business a good name again by getting rid of the drugged-out pieces of shit that make us all look bad.  I have said it before, and I will continue to say it as long as I write this blog, the only way that the business is going to change is if we all make it change.  So let's make it change for the better.