Last Man Standing :: Spirit of ACW :: Andrew Sharp

w/ the winner of the 2005 Rising Star Mark Award, the first Spirit of ACW and ACW’s last TV Champion Andrew Sharp of All-Star Championship Wrestling

Russel David: Why, Andy why? *awkward pause* Okay okay, honestly though, because you already answered that first question yourself on ACW‘s show Courage… what drew you to become a member of the Blue Rouges?

Andrew Sharp: Well, Russel, the way I look at it, it was simply a matter of 'right place, right time.' My stock had already grown with the win of the Television Title, no matter how 'marred' or 'undeserving' people out there thought it was. Everywhere I turned, people wanted to face me. At first, I was more than happy to oblige. I took on the biggest of stars to the stupidest of ACW's useless jobber clan and beat them all. But soon, one might say that maybe I cracked under the pressure. Slowly, over time people said they noticed some changes in me. Well, to them, I say 'BULLSHIT.'

There was no devolution. It was little Andy Sharp realizing his true potential, Russel. He got tired of being picked on by jealous old veterans whose best years went out with Pog. So he fought back. That's when I met up with Allen Speck and his Rogues. Our goals and my goals coincided with one another perfectly. They sought somebody -- that missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. They needed somebody to bank on; I am that person. Now, they did ask me before and yes, I did turn them down...but that temptation to fight back was too great.

For too long, I played by everybody else's rules. The rules of lucha libre, the rules of standard wrestling while everybody else had no problem with slamming my face into steps or hitting me with chairs or conspiring against me. So, the way I see it, I'm doing no wrong. I'm fighting back.

RD: And for the readers of the Mark, out there, who might not know all that much about the Blue Rouges, how about a sound-byte on the stable? I know you aren‘t the leader, per say, but if there isn‘t a true mission statement for the group, what‘s the message you‘re trying to get across, in your own words? Uncensored.

Sharp: To every last person that tries to hold us down. To every last person that wants me to stifle my athleticism and my greatness just so they can sleep a little better at night. And to every man, woman, and child that thinks that they are going to control the way we think anymore...FUCK YOU.

RD: A choice swear or two is always a good use of no censorship. Stepping back from all the current happenings in your life though, I’d like to give you a broader question. Let's say what if you've got all the power in the universe, what do you do with it?

Sharp: Ooooh...good question. Well, the first thing I would do is do away with all this homeless nonsense...Seriously, if you can't afford a house or some nice Burberry or Haute Couture for yourself, then you need to throw yourself in the path of a speeding bus. Plus, the way they ask for MY hard-earned money on the street?

These fine manicures and stylish haircuts I sport nowadays don't pay because I stand outside with a sloppy appearance and a tin cup. I worked hard to get where I am and now, I'm finally able to enjoy it. Second of all. Bush? He's out. Anybody that keeps an American idiot like Cheney in office, I don't want anything to do with. I got away from Canada to explore the US a bit, but keep that shit away from me. Third? Do away with god-awful RPG video games. This is the 21ST CENTURY. Final Fantasy is so second-rate, it's not even funny.

Well, it is when you're out with your posse crusing the streets in a big stretch limo to stop and laugh at some little fatass coming out of a Gamestop or an arcade. Seriously. Kids like that need to hop their happy asses right back on a treadmill to lose those love handles. I didn't work this hard to look this good by sitting in my mother's basement to find out where that door leads.

RD: Okay, I was going to save this question, and I will get into a little more later, but I have to touch on it now… seeing as you seem to be steering things in this direction, if you don‘t mind me noticing. From your point of view, what happened to the friendship between you and ACW World Champion, Seymour Almasy?

Sharp: My point of view...*laughs* Oh, where do I begin? Well, as it's bene well-documented, Seymour's one of the few roster members that's been in ACW longer than I. We were both new rookies to the sport and as the story goes, we became fast friends. We fought the same battles and we had the same enemies, but we had each other's backs. Then he became more popular than I. I am certainly not afraid to say it. Seymour went on to win titles in other places like GW in between shows as Emoticon. Competing here, there, everywhere. But somehow still, the little bastard wins the End Game 2005 match, then goes onto Legends and wins the title.

Meanwhile, I beat him. Twice, I'd like to add. Sure, some will tell me quickly I didn't 'earn' those wins, but my new outlook in this business is simple: Nobody is gonna look back on this and remember how I won. The only thing they'll remember is that I WON. Period. But I digress. Going back, he was busy with his title defenses and his little side trips, lusting after Shadow and having his ass whomped on a nightly basis between anybody bigger than him on the ACW roster and Virgil Ambrosi. But while he was doing this, want to know what happened to me? Hound comes out and tells me he was my former trainer and another good friend at one time, Marcus Brown. The selfish son of a bitch gangs up on me with fellow asshole, Max Danger and they beat my brains in for weeks. While this went on, I kept thinking that Seymour was gonna come out and help me, but did he?

Nope.

Not one iota of caring. Phone call. E-mail. Text Message. AIM. A singing telegram, for Christ sake. Nothing. So, I am not in the wrong here at all. He, like everybody else, left me under his memories as a footnote. But...forgive me for quoting a Disney movie here...but now, he respects me because I'm a threat.

RD: In the era of ‘every man for himself‘ pro-wrestling where tag teams are a rarity, especially in an ‘every man for himself‘ fed like ACW where the tag team titles have been retired… you‘ve defined your career so far, by those you have formed alliances with. What draws you to the idea of teaming up with folks like Seymour at the beginning of your ACW run or the Blue Rouges now?

Sharp: There's an old edict: It's not what you know, but who you know. When I set foot into this business two years ago, I had only one thing in mind: BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. I sought out Eli Brown in Pikeville, KY. Man is a legend across the world. Anybody that received training from him had been involved in major success. I knew that was my chance.

From there, we go back to Seymour. My friendship to him wasn't out of my own personal gain. We had a bond and we worked well together in and out of the ring as a team. Neither of us at the time were particularly down with mat wrestling, but that didn't stop us from gaining huge fanbases. I couldn't help it that Seymour had already been popular. Soon, people started asking about that tall Canadian guy he was hanging out with. From there, I built more and more of a fanbase that drew the attention...not to mention the ire of my peers.

Today, with the Rogues, as stated previously our goals are in sync with one another. Now, we're riding higher than ever because both of us found that thing we were looking for. And in a "every man for themself" atmosphere like ACW, one has to remember that while the entire place is like that, nobody said I couldn't scratch a few backs to get ahead.

RD: Touche. Ten count, word association, time. I say a name, place or thing and you say the first word or phrase that comes to mind. First up. Karina Wolfenden.

Sharp: Round 2, wench. Name the place.

RD: Sonny Silver.

Sharp: Not a has-been. A Never-Was.

RD: The Blue Rouges.

Sharp: My homies.

RD: Max Danger.

Sharp: Not a Never-Was. However, his trip to the top HAS BEEN completed.

RD: The Spirit of ACW.

Sharp: Power.

RD: Alias.

Sharp: Backstabber.

RD: All-Star Championship Wrestling.

Sharp: My personal plaything.

RD: Seymour Almasy.

Sharp: Fugly. VERY fugly. Like, 'dear Lord, what did I just step in' fugly.

RD: The World Title.

Sharp: Comin' home to daddy.

RD: Your legacy.

Sharp: To be remembered by all.

RD: Not a bad thing to strive for, not at all. It’s all in how you’re remembered, I suppose. Do you remember the moment that made you think ‘Hey, I want to be a professional wrestler.’?

Sharp: Yes. Absolutely. Back in 95-97, Rob Van Dam put on some great clinics. I also was a fan of High Flyer in the IWO and his wacky antics. Guys like them who were of the risk taker genre were awesome. Sure, technicians and big men are fine and dandy, but flyers are unpredictable...

...At least, the old Andy would say that. As for me? When I realized how much I rocked in that ring, night in and night out.

RD: And I suppose I’ll help in the slow death of the old Andy Sharp, sadly, by bringing the questions back to you and Seymour. You and Almasy have shared a lot of memorable moments. Now, with you becoming the number one contender to his World title, there seems to be even more on the horizon. Thinking back for a moment though, what is the moment that you would say symbolizes the relationship between you and Almasy? Be it the relationship then, or the lack of one now, as you where talking about earlier.

Sharp: Me watching his back. *pause* Say what you want about me, but I'm loyal to those close to me. He was at one point. I've taken many chair shots from him and I'd have taken more, had things not turned out the way they did. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to return those chairshots and more. That, my friend, is what we in the business call a receipt.

RD: Right. Receipt, heh. Ahem, on a happier note though, let me be the first to congratulate you on winning The Mark Award for Rising Star of 2005. It seems with all the hype surrounding your last year, that this award would inevitably be yours.

Sharp: Why, thank you, Russel. It's an honor to know that my hard work and my...ah, who the fuck are we kidding. Of COURSE I'm the Rising Star of 2005! What competition is there, against me, anyway? Alex Creed who? Brandon Thomas what? Yeah, exactly. How many others in this business can say that they're headlining PPVs in their rookie year?

RD: Keith Scott Zimmerman? Brandon Youngblood? Rana Ven--

Sharp: Okay, okay...people who MATTER?

RD: Without getting into a discussion of the validity of there rookie years, as all of yours are impressive... yeah, with 2005, your rookie year, now a memory, what do you now hope to accomplish in 2006?

Sharp: Party, party, win titles...and did I mention, large amounts of partying? Seriously. This last year, I've busted my ass. 2006, will be my year, too. I'll turn ACW upside-down and from there, who knows? I've always wanted to try my hand at Hollywood, should something go wrong in the ring.

RD: Party, party, Hollywood, yeah I’m sensing a trend… so to keep you on your toes, a few questions from the readers of the column, and of the site, to yourself. It’s called “Best of Five”, because I’ve picked my five favourite questions. First question is the celeb question of the bunch, from the first to be interviewed for The Mark, and a name you dropped earlier actually, one High Flyer. Who, it turned out to be… was kinda evil there. Yeah. Anywho, he asks "Hey. Isn't the locomotive awesome?"

Sharp: Check's in the mail, J. I've also adapted my own version of the move, in Shining form, The Runway. Check for it in the coming weeks. And to answer, yes. Good move. Kicking people in the teeth is never a bad thing.

RD: The next two questions are from the same random fan, a guy… or girl, I suppose, by the name of Ryan. Both questions actually have to do with employment too. First off “If ACW were to close, what fed would you like to be apart of?”

Sharp: Believe it or not, the fWo. And I'll tell you why: Exposure. Biggest place around here, watched every week by a massive fanbase. Of course, if somebody would put the keys back in the ignition and get that place up and running again, that'd be great, too.

RD: And secondly “If you could hire anyone to be apart of ACW, who would it be and why?” Ah yes, the old trick two in one question.

Sharp: Easily, Kodiak Vic Creed. Gotta admire a guy that just goes where he wants and takes what he wants. Kid reminds me of somebody, but no idea who. Wink. Yeah, I said wink. Get over it.

RD: Jacobias Sagittarius, who’s name I can hardly pronounce, let alone spell without the aid of copy and paste, from Orlando, Florida, asks an… interesting question. “If I where the Queen of England, and you where Abe Lincoln, who‘d win in a bare-knuckle boxing fight?”

Sharp: Bare-knuckle boxing is for queers and hideous people such as yourself that don't know how to write. Next question.

RD: Yeesh. With the mood that last question put you in… I almost dread asking this last question from 11 year old Dan Stewart, and look, it‘s written in crayon and everything… heh… which is a little odd for an 11 year old, but anyway “Why did you let everybody get to you? When other kids pick on me, my mom just tells me to be the best person that I can be and to not let them get me down.” And I‘m thinking he‘s referring to--

Sharp: Yeah, that's enough of that shit. Kid, I AM being the best person I can be. It's just that other people can't accept that. They'll take and take and take. You can only look out for #1.

RD: There‘s something I‘ve been wondering, and I have to ask, with your contendership for the ACW World Championship locked for Zenith… is the Spirit of ACW now your second priority until then? Or do you have something up your sleeve that might use the wildcardness, which is a word now, of the Spirit of ACW?

Sharp: The title is mine. All mine. I am the Spirit of ACW and always will be, whether the title is actually around my waist or not. As for the World Title, that should ALWAYS be your priority in ACW. If it's not, you need to be hit over the head with the heaviest blunt object anybody can find. And after Zenith, I'll be the first-ever holder of the World and Spirit Titles.

RD: Hefty, Naismith-sized, prediction there. With that though, we also wrap up this interview. Any last words?

Sharp: If you can't get yourself some Burberry, you must kill yourself. Here. I'll lend you all some of the ties I've bought from them. *grin*

RD: Shilling, Andrew? Or just showing off your wealth and style?

Sharp: Little of column A, little of Column B.

RD: If you got it, flaunt it, I suppose.

Thomas Ford's Book Mark :: the fan's Wrestling organization

Before we get into this whirlwind of fun, well, I figure it's time for an introduction. I used to run the Internet Wrestling Organization, was an advisor to the Squared Circle, and well, am currently unemployed. So, I figured, what could I do with wrestling now that I'm a has been that never was?

Become a columnist.

So here you go, from my perspective. As the "organizer," or the booker of the IWO, I did this professionally for a living. It was a very short life, but I got a nice two bedroom apartment out of it. And ten thousand dollars in debt, of course. But at least I didn't go to college.

Now, onto the life inside my head.

The fWo : 2006 w/o Neo.
You ever see a moment you wish you could just take back and never see again?

Well, Countdown 1 was it. Wrestling has always been a violent sport, but the reports of pure chaos that occured is one of the most scariest situations one can get into as a wrestling promoter.

I mean... What could you do?

January to February (Bodycount)
Starting off the new year, Flyer had successfully retained the championship against the returning Deacon and the now departed Sony Silver via nefarious deeds. Graphic Violence had just become the 2005 Wrestler of the Year, which is a surefire rocket to the top of the moon called victory. It's not actually called victory. It's just the moon. In a literal sense. The moon isn't called Victory. Just so you know.

So, let's put these two on a colision path? Say... Bodycount?

With High Flyer vs. Graphic Violence at BC, say, held inside the confines of a steel cage, we go into the undercard.

Before Bodycount, the Rana/Flyer partnership will fall apart, and C.T.U. would grab the belts for a short while, until the show just before Bodycount, where the reteamed Rana/Deacon tandem would take the belts back.

Meanwhile, Alex Creed, the news of his blindness being a seperate event from the Neo/Smith debacle, still would have occured, and so there would be a sort of a learning curve for Alex, wherein he would quickly drop the championship to Ninja K. Alex would spend the time between then and BC to pull himself back to where he was, and challenge Ninja K to a match at Bodycount.

Michelle Masters would be somewhat busy in the Tag team division early on, defend the CW title a few times afterwards and would only compete in the Bodycount match during the Bodycount event itself.

Kodiak Vic Creed would be absent during this time, only to return during the bodycount event itself.

So... The Bodycount Card.

Internet Championship
Ninja K© vs. Alex Creed

World Heavyweight Championship
High Flyer© vs. Graphic Violence

Bodycount
Ninja K, Alex Creed, Michelle Masters, Ruben Ross, Craig Miles, Rana Venenosa, Deacon, Khristian Keller, Keith Scott Zimmerman, Jon Crisp, Hiro Kitagami, Eric Lynn Moore, Jon Gianni, Eddie Scott Poser, Lindsay Troy, Logic, Nick Brandish, Brandon Youngblood, Starblazer, Emanuel Jolie

These would be the announced matches. There would be two more unannounced. Jon Crisp vs. Nick Brandish & Khristian Keller vs. Eric Lynn Moore.

Opening Match
Eric Lynn Moore vs. Khristian Keller
Keller is a former ACW World Heavyweight Champion. Eric Lynn Moore was one of the final combatants in the 2005 Meltdown match, which gives the young rookie experience in a field few have. But that's for later, and now, we've got a one on one match. This is the pay per view debut for Khristian Keller, when it concerns the fWo. Moore and Keller has a fast paced match to get the crowd into it, and ended with a Keller Tranquilizer @ 13:45. ***½

INTERVIEW
Craig Miles - Hypes the Meltdown match, discusses it's importance and his roll last year in between the Creeds. A quick talk about Flyer and his past, discussing the Cyberslam title shot, but never aluding to himself taking it. Then again, we all know Miles. He says something along the lines of, "I need to take the title away from him... he hasn't hit the bottom yet."

Internet Championship
Ninja K© vs. Alex Creed
Ninja K took the Championship from a blind Creed, and Creed fought and defeated a slowly rising chart of experienced wrestlers, going from Eddie Scott Poser all the way up to former Internet Champion Keith Scott Zimmerman. They battled like warriors for 22 minutes and 14 seconds until Alex Creed nailed the Mecca Driver and picked up his third Internet Championship. ****

INTERVIEW
Rana Venenosa - His role in the past two Meltdowns, his ever growing talents, his Internet Title reign, all put him in prime position to claim the prize and go on to Cyberslam. And he's still looking to get back at Flyer, and taking the belt from the Lunatic at the biggest show would be the ultimate payback.

Jon Crisp vs. Nick Brandish
To "fill some time," Crisp, Heftel, Poser, Janito, Beef, and Steve all got into the ring and wasted some time, until Nick Brandish got fed up, cleared the ring of all but Steve and Crisp, and Crisp did his hulkamania thing for 4 minutes of straight elbows and clotheslines and right hands before Brandish took advantage. Brandish forced Crisp to break his Hulkamania trance, and Crisp eventually hit the ICON-Bomb for the win at 16:49. ***

INTERVIEW
Deacon - Deacon, quoting bible verses as he always does(duh). Actually, he discusses the progress of the relationship he's had with both the world championship and High Flyer. And how both seemed to disappear at the same time. Which was no holy plan, but was just the beginning of the blood gushing from his forehead, Ivy's inability to see, and the slow and methodical "deconstructing" of the fWo roster by the current World Champion. For someone who wants to appear noble, always has, he sure is trying to get rid of all his competition. But Deacon will remain, and he will go onto Cyberslam, and claim his prize.

World Heavyweight Championship
High Flyer© vs. Graphic Violence
Graphic Violence once beat the ever living TAR out of the Lunatic to send a message to Nick Brandish. And when Flyer won the championship, at a house show in December, Flyer and GV went to a no contest in a title for title match. So to say there's a bit of an issue of conflict, of resolution needed, would be somewhat of an understatement. High Flyer swore revenge at a time, and Graphic Violence swore to become Champion. I'm sure he did. If he hasn't, he would have by this point. I mean, a WOTY win will do that to you. The two battled for near 35 minutes, and Flyer was struck with the Hardcore Championship, mere moments after the referee had fallen. GV lifted Flyer for Unsuitable for Children, until Flyer weaseled out of it, bounced off the ropes, hooked his foot in the strap of the hardcore championship and LOCOMOTIVED Graphic Violence out of his shoes, JUST as the referee had recovered, his back turned. He swung back around, but the world belt had flew out of the ring and down onto the mats outside. At 34:12, High Flyer retained the World Heavyweight Championship. ***½

Bodycount
Ninja K, Alex Creed, Michelle Masters, Ruben Ross, Craig Miles, Rana Venenosa, Deacon, Khristian Keller, Keith Scott Zimmerman, Jon Crisp, Hiro Kitagami, ???, Jon Gianni, Eddie Scott Poser, Lindsay Troy, Logic, Nick Brandish, Brandon Youngblood, Starblazer, Emanuel Jolie

The first two?
-Craig Miles(1) vs. Rana Venenosa(2). And they would beat the crap out of each other.
-Enter Starblazer(3). Craig and Rana turned to Starblazer and took advantage. Craig taking the first fall[1-*].
-Enter Emanuel Jolie(4). Craig and Rana turned their attentions to him and Rana took his first fall[2-*].
-Enter Logic(5). Now, at this point, the Professional Heel Academy was three members strong, but they were fighting one another fairly. Well, as fair as Craig Miles can.
-Enter Deacon(6). Now, Rana had to make a choice. Side with his tag team partner, or continue a sort of strategy that Craig and him had started. Craig, lets out a smirk and lights a cigarette, saying "This is gonna be fun." Rana went with the cheers and we had a tag team brawl, Deacon on Logic, Rana on Craig. Logic ran into a huge boot from Deacon. Craig ducked behind Rana and then ate a HUGE powerslam from Deac, to cheers from their memorable Cyberslam encounter. Logic rolled back in and SPEARED Rana.
-Enter Lindsay Troy(7). Troy hit the ring fast and went right after Deacon. Not because she was aligned with anyone, she just knew he was the most dangerous man there. Which is a pretty generous estimate considering Craig miles sanity.
-Enter Hiro Kitagami(8). Troy on Deacon, with a bit of help from Craig. Rana had regained control on Logic, and Hito entered the ring with no focus. Until he pulled Craig off of Deacon. Craig wound up and CLOCKED him with a Cocky Line, to which he gained his second fall[3-**]
-Enter Jon Crisp(9). Enter Hulkamania. He clears the ring, and poses for a bit. Until Rana, Craig, and Logic chase him into Deacon, who MURDERDEATHKILLS HIM worse than Zimmerman ever could. He then does the same to Craig and Logic.
-Enter Nick Brandish(10). Brandish enters the ring and goes toe to toe with Deacon. Rana and Troy battle, while Craig and Logic put the boots to Crisp.
-Enter Kodiak Vic Creed(11). No one can believe it. It's a stunned silence as Creed enters the ring and destroys litterally EVERYONE. He pins Brandish[4-*], Power Trips Logic[5-**], and in two strokes, puts himself into a tie with Craig for first.
-Enter Alex Creed(12). And talk about a distraction for KVC, as Alex goes toe to toe with his father for the first time since he's been blinded. And now, Alex has a whole new bag of tricks.
-Enter Eddie Scott Poser(13). He hits the ring, trips, and Lindsay Troy pins him[6-*]. Poser them stays by to provide color commentary on how powerbombs are clotheslines and Poland rules Sweden with an Iron Fist.
-Enter Ninja K(14). The Former Internet Champ hits the ring and goes after Lindsay Troy. Troy fights back, and manages to hit the Final Judgement. But Alex nails her with a Discus Lariot that sends Troy flying over the top rope. Alex and Kodiak continue to battle, Alex taking the advantage STILL, as Craig and Rana take on Jon Crisp.
-Enter Keith Scott Zimmerman(15). And he would have some ground to make up. But before he could, KVC had Alex up in his Hangman's DDT, until Alex slipped off and CLOCKED KVC with his Discus Punch, taking the pin on his father.[7-*] KSZ attacked Rana, as Craig watched, too many sides to play. He knew this would end badly.
-Enter Khristian Keller(16). The former ACW Champ attacked Ninja K and Alex Creed. Deacon began to get on the board by laying out Jon Crisp[8-*]. KSZ caught Troy with a roll up/hook of the tights and grabbed his first fall.[9-*]
-Enter Michelle Masters(17). She quickly used her speed to eliminate Ninja K[10-*] and then took out Keller in a BLAZE of speed[11-**]. Masters however, was no use to the power of Deacon, who PLANTED her for his second fall.[12-**]
-Enter Ruben Ross(18). Ross, a former world champion, looked to avenge the loss of his tag partner to Deacon. They battled face to face, toe to toe, until Deacon took the advantage.
-Enter Brandon Youngblood(19). With four people tied at first, it was a heated race. Rana and KSZ battled each other, trying to gain a second fall off of the other with a quick series of roll ups. Ross and Deacon slammed into the turnbuckles, and eventually found their way up top. Ross went for a kick but slipped, and CROTCHED himself. With Deac on the second rope, he threw him with an Altar Call for an elimination[13-***]
-Enter Jon Gianni(20). And now, Deacon was in the clear lead. And so, EVERYONE ganged up on him. I mean, KSZ, Alex Creed, Brandon Youngblood, everyone except Craig and Rana, who simply stood by and waited to see what would happen. Deacon fought off the three remaining men, until Craig Miles LAID him out with a COLDCocked.[14-***].
-Gianni was next to go down, this time to KSZ[15-**]
-KSZ ate the dust next to Rana Venenosa[16-**]
-And then in a shocker, Craig Miles fell to Alex Creed[17-**] And so, with Alex, Rana, and Youngblood the only remaining three, if either Rana or Alex swept, they would win Bodycount and go on to Cyberslam.
-Youngblood fell victim next, falling to Rana Venenosa[18-***].
-And now, it was down to Alex Creed, fighting to stay in the race for the championship, against Rana Venenosa. They battled for what seemed like ages, compared to how long both men had been in the ring. In the end, Alex was able to battle out of the Bloody Nose Dive and hit the Discus Lariot for the pin.[19-***]

Entrant List
(1)Craig Miles
(2)Rana Venenosa
(3)Starblazer
(4)Emanuel Jolie
(5)Logic
(6)Deacon
(7)Lindsay Troy
(8)Hiro Kitagami
(9)Jon Crisp
(10)Nick Brandish
(11)Kodiak Vic Creed
(12)Alex Creed
(13)Eddie Scott Poser
(14)Ninja K
(15)Keith Scott Zimmerman
(16)Khristian Keller
(17)Michelle Masters
(18)Ruben Ross
(19)Brandon Youngblood
(20)Jon Gianni

Elimination List
[1]Starblazer by Craig Miles(***)
[2]Emanuel Jolie by Rana Venenosa
[3]Hiro Kitagmi by Craig Miles(***)
[4]Nick Brandish by Kodiak Vic Creed(**)
[5]Logic by Kodiak Vic Creed(**)
[6]Eddie Scott Poser by Lindsay Troy(**)
[7]Kodiak Vic Creed by Alex Creed(***)
[8]Jon Crisp by Deacon(***)
[9]Lindsay Troy by Keith Scott Zimmerman(**)
[10]Ninja K by Michelle Masters(**)
[11]Khristian Keller by Michelle Masters(**)
[12]Michelle Masters by Deacon(***)
[13]Ruben Ross by Deacon(***)
[14]Deacon by Craig Miles(***)
[15]Jon Gianni by Keith Scott Zimmerman(**)
[16]Keith Scott Zimmerman by Rana Venenosa(***)
[17]Craig Miles by Alex Creed(***)
[18]Brandon Youngblood by Rana Venenosa(***)
[19]Rana Venenosa by Alex Creed(***)

Main Event
Sudden Death Round
First to a fall Wins
Rana Venenosa vs. Craig Miles vs. Deacon vs. Alex Creed
With each man tied at 3, it's sudden death time between the four of them. Deacon turned to Craig and almost playfully gestured him to test him in a test of strength. And so Alex german suplexed him. Rana Spun kick Miles and it was ON like King Kong playing Donkey Kong 64 on the Nintendo 64. I'm working on saying that right but I just can't take it seriously. Anyway, crazinessness ensues. We get a cool little match, and, all of a sudden... Deacon is pinning Craig and Alex Creed has a pin a second later on Rana. Alex breaks his pin at 2 and dives to break it up but can't, and Craig Miles is going to Cyberslam. Lighting up a cigarette, he says something MILESlike and we cut.****½

That's how I'd do Bodycount. So I'd set up this for my CS show, w/ results.

Cyberslam IX
World Heavyweight Championship
High Flyer© vs. Craig Miles(Win)

Internet Championship
Alex Creed©(Win) vs. Kodiak Vic Creed

World Tag Team Championship
Deacon & Rana Venenosa© vs. Keith Scott Zimmerman & Logic(Win)

Hardcore Title Match
Graphic Violence©(Win) vs. Khristian Keller

Cruiserweight Title Match
Michelle Masters(Win) vs. Ninja K©[Ninja K would win it between BC/CS]

Monte Burns vs. Jon Crisp[Finally get to see that one play out.](No Contest)

Lindsay Troy(Win) vs. Ruben Ross
===================
And I guess that's it for me. Tune in next time. I dunno where I'll be looking next. Maybe PRIME. ACW. CSWA. LoC. nBW. And I know, my column's called the bookmark, and I'm supposed to have some witty bookend that marks where I finish, but I'd really rather not think of one that's really bad and have you all laugh at me.

-Thomas Ford
Former IWO CEO, tSC Advisor
The Mark Columnist

The 2005 Mark Awards :: The Second Annual

Welcome to the second annual Mark Awards!

As I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for awards shows. Last year all things where compiled and posted after the start of award season, around MTV Movie Awards time… well let me tell you something, this year is big-time. More voters, more awards and even a little something OOC-wise for the handlers. To play into all of this? The Golden Globes, the Emmys, the Oscars? There our undercard!

This is The Mark Awards for 2005, this is the main event!

Let me settle some points of interest though before things get underway and awards are handed out, across eWrestling. There where thirteen backstage, management and superstar affiliated people involved in the voting for the 2005 Mark Awards… spread through FW, PTC and the major angle set. The eW Associated Press is growing, and I thank all those who where involved this year for being a part of it, and you‘re now officially on the mailing list for all other voting related dealies. Including next years awards of course, because the longer the eWAP is around, the larger it grows, I’m hoping.

Also, where there used to be thirteen awards, there are now fifteen awards. A new award for Best Team, and also an award that will cap off the biggest feature of the year, Person of the Year. Not only will the winners be revealed, but also the top two runners-up (think of ‘em as the silver and bronze bouys of there respective categories), and even most of the vote getters, for most of the awards. also, if you missed last year, the ‘reigning’ winners from last year will be noted underneath the title of each award.

Sadly, due to what happened with the fWo, and the insanity that is currently happening within the federation post-Countdown, Poison Ivy was unable to provide her own special ballot, as she did last year. Then again, the reasons why are understood… so maybe that’s something to look forward to in ‘06.

Enjoy, revel, and realize that if you aren’t happy with the winners… 1) to bad and 2) you’ll probably have a chance to vote your own decisions next year. Crazy stuff, huh? These are awards by committee.

And THESE are the awards. The 2nd Annual Mark Awards. From one mark to another…

Best Face - The Award of all that is Good and Frickin’ Holy
2004 Winner: Deacon - fWo/CSWA/NFW

This year there where not only a wider variety of winners, but a higher number of people voted for. That’s evident from the start, with the Best Face award. PRIME’s Nova tied the eventual winner of the category with the most first place votes (3) but didn’t even end up garnering the second runner-up spot. Angello Deville, BigDog, James Irish, Pierce Lavelle, Michael “Spitfire” Stevens, Tim Shipley, Alias, High Flyer and “Cocky” Craig Miles all received votes, as well. High Flyer and Craig Miles, are also the first two superstars to receive votes in both Best Face and Best Heel categories in the same year, though more on that later.

The fWo’s Alex Creed and Ivy McGinnis both received one first place vote, but no other votes. Karina Wolfenden from PRIME and Eli Flair from NFW and the fWo garnered 11 and 7 points respectively, but no first place votes. EPW’s Beast, fWo and NFW’s Deacon, and PRIME and AWC’s Paddy O’Shea where the other non-runner ups to gain multiple votes. Coral Avalon is the only returnee to the top three, and his spot did improve from last years second runner-up… though he isn’t the winner, not this year.

With 16 points, the second runner-up is All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Andy Sharp

With 17 points, the first runner-up is the fan’s Wrestling organization and All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Coral Avalon

The Best Face of 2005, as voted by eWAP IS Global Championship Wrestling and All-Star Championship Wrestling‘s… with 21 points… Seymour Almasy

Best Heel - The Damn Dirty Bastard! Award
2004 Winner: Sonny Silver - tSC and Craig Miles - NFW/CSWA/fWo (tie)

As with the Best Face award, a lot of different names garnered only second and third place votes for Best Heel. Thirteen in total, a who’s who across the entire wrestling, “Cocky” Craig Miles, who as said before was one of two men to garner both Best Face and Best Heel votes in the same year, Khristian Keller, Tchu, Dave Harley, Brandon Youngblood, Hate of AWC, Neo, Sonny Silver, Mike Wade, Flying Frenchie, Keith Scott Zimmerman and Tyler Nelson. Eddie Mayfield and August De La Rossi, both got first place votes.

High Flyer and “The Illustrious Face-Eater” Adam Dick both garnered multiple second-place votes, and the infamous pair who actually have never met, Troy Windham, CSWA’s UNIFIED Champion now retired, and Calypso (Sars the Clown), recently reappearing in a very creepy way in ACW, where multiple-vote getters, including a first place vote each. The eventual winner actually made a late surge in votes, jumping from second runner-up to an award winner, on the last three ballots. The top three vote getters had 20 or more points, with only 6 points in all separating second runner-up and the winner.

With 20 points, the second runner-up is PRIME’s Hoyt Williams

With 21 points, the first runner-up is All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Lowell Dot Com/Lord Lowell

The winner of the Mark Award for Best Heel of 2005, as voted by eWAP IS… with 26 points… fan’s Wrestling organization and New Frontier Wrestling’s Kodiak Vic Creed

Rising Star Award - The Time Machine Says They're HUGE in '06

It’s great to be in the second edition of the Mark Awards, and have the ability to introduce the Rising Star award, or what some awards people would call the rookie of the year or most improved. Well those both play into it, yeah, but you don’t just have to be a rookie or have great improvements in the year… not to say that doesn’t help in this category. I also see those in this category as a step away from the biggest singles awards, like Character and Wrestler of the Year, or Best Face and Best Heel. Enough niceties though, onto the voting break down.

A lot of people where voted for, in this award, though the winner still won by a pretty big margin of ten points. Lindsay Troy (fWo), Manpower (NFW), Yori Yakamo, Jr. (NFW East), Irish Red (A1E, UCW, EPW), Ethan Frost (UWF), Rich Rollins (GCW, PTC GTT5) and Ellis Nash (AWC) all garnered second place votes. The Rising Star category also received the most first place votes for different people then any other category. Those who got first place votes where The Sergeant (EPW), Michelle Masters (fWo), Chandler Tsonda (PRIME, PTC GTT5) and (recent Dual Halo winner) Chet Worth (PRIME). Jimmy Cain of ACW and Ryan Billows of LoC received multiple votes but no first place votes. Paddy O’Shea of AWC, PRIME and the PTC GTT5 was the only other superstars other then the four runner-ups (yes, four) and the eventual winner who received multiple votes and at least one first place vote.

With 9 points there is, for the first time in The Mark Awards, a three-way tie for the second runner-up. The first of two is the fan’s Wrestling organization’s Alex Creed, the second is All-Star Championship Wrestling and the fan’s Wrestling organization’s Keith Scott Zimmerman and the third is PRIME's Kyle Lamen

With 16 points, the first runner-up is All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Calypso/Sars the Clown

The winner of the Mark Award for Rising Star of 2005, as voted by eWAP IS… with 26 points… All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Andy Sharp

Best Feud - If I Could, I’d Kill You. For Serious. No Fooling.
2004 Winner: Sonny Silver v Alias - tSC

Feuds in the AWC, EPW, Core Wrestling, ACW, PRIME, HSW, WFW and the fWo all received single votes, be they first, second or third place votes. Eli Flair v Deacon and Creed v Creed in the fWo both garnered multiple votes. Two feuds also received a first place vote and either a second or third place vote, those two feuds being Seymour Almasy v Khristian Keller and Calypso/Sars the Clown v Silverhawk in ACW. Nova v Brandon Youngblood was one of three feuds, along with the first runner-up and the winner of the category, that received multiple first place votes.

With 15 points, the second runner-up was the feud that could also be called a love story, PRIME’s Karina Wolfenden v Angelo Deville

With 18 points, even though this feud added another character to the mix of the decade long feud, which finally did end at ACW’s Legends II, and even though it garnered 10 more points then it had last year, it still was the first runner-up for Feud of the Year, like last year. All-Star Championship Wrestling‘s, Alias v “Superstar” Vince Jacobs v Khristian Keller

The Best Feud of 2005, as voted by eWAP, and well, weapon of mass destruction in and of itself… with 22 points… the feud that seemingly shaped what New Frontier Wrestling is set to become, Eddie Mayfield v “Cocky“ Craig Miles

Biggest Moment - Holy SHIT! Award
2004 Winner: Doctor Curiosity wins GTT4

There where a number of big moments in 2005, just as there was in 2004, though the big difference from the voting from last year… was that this years winner wasn’t the only moment that received multiple votes. Maybe that’s because the voting was done earlier in the year, and the GTT of PTC isn’t quite over yet, but hey, let’s just say that there where lots of amazing things that happened in the past year, and even more that caught the attention of eWAP multiple times. Amazing ‘Holy Shit’ style moments where prevalent, and they came in many shapes and sizes one might say. That’s just the spirit of human nature though, when put under the microscope of network ratings and pay-per-view buy rates.

Notable surprises and swerves that garnered single votes where Emoticon unmasking at a GW event to reveal himself to be the consistently busy Seymour Almasy, Tony Aliso being revealed as alive on AWC Testimony and Angello Deville disappearing from the face of GTT5... well, and the earth, soon after his winning of PTC’s Wrestler of the Year award. Speaking of swerves, who can forget after a year of build, Shane Southern FINALLY turning heel, and attacking Michael Manson with his newly won ULTRATITLE trophy at the start of the year. Amazing and highly destructive spots included The Educator actually crawling out from within the wreckage of a bus during AWC’s Battle of Britian and in PRIME, Boda tossing Vampir Nosferatu down a lift-shaft and of course, the destruction of one half of the Dual Halo by Balthazar and Emilio Rage.

Several big debuts also changed the landscapes of certain federations, as when Keith Scott Zimmerman joined ACW at Legends II or when Kodiak Vic Creed made his debut in NFW on Week 5 of the West‘s schedule.

Big wins, both during title matches and impressively put together gimmick matches, also provided a number of big moments in 2005. Note worthy big wins, that where given votes, where High Flyer’s fWo Meltdown win, Seymour Almasy’s ACW EndGAME win, Brandon Youngblood winning PRIME’s Turmoil Match at Tropical Turmoil and Tchu’s winning of PRIME’s Jewel In The Crown tournament, all of these wins also proved to yield big moments in title matches for two of the four men. Though we’ll get to that later, as speaking of title matches, Clyde Walkins winning PRIME’s Universal Championship, Khristian Keller winning the ACW World Heavyweight Championship in a massive conspiracy at ACW‘s EndGAME, and Coral Avalon winning Gimmick Hell and ACW’s Scorpio Fighting Championship at ACW’s Legends II, also proved to be huge moments.

The rest of the big moments that also received multiple votes, except the second runner-up, also included only one first place vote (including the first runner-up spots and the winning moment). High Flyer winning the fWo World Title as a face, in the process retiring “Superstar” Vince Jacobs from the fWo, before revealing himself to be the man who severely injured Deacon and blinded Poison Ivy. Xavier Kannon returning from retirement for $1,000,000 to face Angelo Deville in PRIME. Tyler Nelson also returning to wrestling, appearing on PRIME’s ReVolution. The rebirth of ACW’s Spirit of ACW, at Legends II, a tale that featured a number of sordid twists and turns, it‘s rumoured.

With 10 points, the second runner-up was the moment Lindsay Troy unmasked as the original Dis, then after winning the EPW World Championship.

With 12 points, the first runner-up for the moment of the year might just be the last moments of the fWo, something that was and would be greatly disheartening. I’m talking about when the the Army of Neo rioted at fWo Countdown, ending the show, and as I said before… possibly the fWo.

The Biggest Moment of 2005, as voted by eWAP… with 15 points… was when Seymour Almasy hit the Glory to Airyglyph, winning the ACW World Championship at Legends II against Khristian Keller and Max Danger.

Match of the Year - ******* Style
2004 Winner: Craig Miles vs. Deacon - fWo’s Cyberslam VII

As I said last year… “The greatest thing about wrestling, in itself, is that every week gives the same potential for a match of the year candidate. Some weeks even more potential, adding in the right factors. All you need is two people, atleast, and a single place. No matter the place, and some would say no matter the people. However, honestly, five-star potential comes to some a lot easier then to others. For the match of the year nominations, any variety of a royal rumble clusterfuck wasn’t allowed in the candidates… just because it’s obvious that with enough time, the right number of people, and the right gimmick match, something can be created that is unequaled when it comes to any other competition of that year. It’s still not a match though, it’s more of a constructive mess with your inevitable big moment ending (as long as all the right things are there ;)).”

Not to say that PRIME’s Dual Halo II at Culture Shock or ACW’s End Game didn’t almost make me change my mind when it came to allowing cluster matches to take Match of the Year. Still in the end it didn’t matter, as within the five matches that received first place votes and the eight matches that received multiple votes, the winner eventually ran away with votes, almost doubling the first runner-up. Several names where peppered in to multiple matches, including one man who was nominated for match of the year for the two matches he had on just one show. Nova vs. Brandon Youngblood for the Five-Star Title at PRIME’s Colossus II and Max Danger vs. Andy Sharp vs. Hound for the Spirit of ACW at Legends II both received seven points. Coral Avalon, in his ACW debut match, vs. Khristian Keller for the ACW World title at Ready or Not and Angelo Deville vs. Xavier Kannon in the Million Dollar Match on PRIME’s ReVolution 63 each got eight points. Beast vs. Dis for the EPW World title, in the match where Lindsay Troy was revealed to be Dis, at EPW Russian Roulette garnered nine points. Coral Avalon would get a second match of the year nod in the second runner-up, Khristian Keller and Max Danger would garner there second nods as well in the first runner-up… and the winners… well they’d get there second Mark Award of 2005. Though not to say that they'll be throwing a party...

With 11 points, the second runner-up took place at All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Legends II PPV, a Scorpio(n) Title Fight, the infamous Gimmick Hell – Lowell Dot Com vs. Coral Avalon vs. Jimmy Cain

With 12 points, the first runner-up also took place at All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Legends II PPV, the ACW World Heavyweight Championship match Seymour Almasy vs. Khristian Keller vs. Max Danger

The winner of the 2005 Mark Award for Match of the Year, as voted by eWAP, IS… with 23 points, it was the beginning of the end of something unspeakable for two men, and this match happened on NFW’s Midnight Madness, Week 2, Eddie Mayfield vs. Craig Miles

Show Of The Year - Can’t… Sit… Down Award
2004 Winner: tSC Dawning

And now, once again… taking it that extra notch, from classic and unforgettable matches, to the monumental unforgettable shows that most all of these matches where on.

Only one fed garnered both a first, second and third place vote for atleast three of it’s shows, and that federation was All-Star Championship Wrestling, who so far seem to be well represented in the voting this year, if not big winners. Three shows of ACW’s that have received single votes include ACW Ready Or Not 2005, ACW breakOUT and Courage 79. Other shows that received second and third place votes include EPW Black Dawn, PRIME Ultra Violence, PRIME Tropical Turmoil, GCW NC-17 and fWo Bodycount. The only show to get a first place vote and not receive another vote on it’s ballot was the fWo’s Cyberslam VIII.

There where three shows that garnered eight points, and two of the three received first place votes. ACW EndGame was the show that didn’t garner a first place vote, but fWo Meltdown and AWC The Battle Of Britain did, however. Two shows also received ten points, CSWA Anniversary 17 and another, but only the other received a first place vote. Actually EPW Russian Roulette received multiple first place votes, something that only the first runner-up and eventual award winner accomplished. The highest point title for a show that didn’t get either runner-up spot, belonged to PRIME Culture Shock, which had eleven points.

With 15 points, the second runner-up for the Mark’s second Show of the Year was in fact also the highest scoring television show in the top five vote getters, and the first TV show in two years to garner a top three placing, NFW Midnight Madness Week 5

With 19 points, the first runner-up for The Mark’s Show of the Year was what some might call the PTC communities premiere in-fed event, PRIME Colossus II

The winner of the 2005 Mark Award for Show of the Year, as voted by eWAP, IS… with 29 points, the premiere PPV of other-guy federation that has finally stepped out of it’s own shadow within the last two years, who’s premiere PPV it took three years to hold a sequel for, ACW Legends II

Best Weekly Show - Evidently, Nielsen Is There Bitch
2004 Winner: fWo Monday Night RUAHH~!

With mass media, the millions of channels available, it is almost as if there’s a wrestling show on every day of the week. Even if they aren’t all national shows, you can usually find them somewhere on satellite, or even on there own channels, set up by there own set of financial backers. ESEN, anyone? STILL money isn’t what we’re talking about now, it’s the weekly show. The program you tune in each and every week for. Buying the back tapes, or the highlights packages on DVD and, of course, *cough* downloading material and matches off of internet about stuff seen on these shows. Shows like NFW East’s Crash TV, GCW Worldwide or AWC‘s Fresh, with names the settle any notion about what you’re about to witness. As a name like EPW Aggression or LoC Violence would attest to.

With 17 points, there was a two way tie for the second runner-up spot, where both New Frontier Wrestling's Midnight Madness and the fan's Wrestling organization' Wednesday Warfare/Monday Night RUAHH~! took over the airwaves every time the channel was turned to them.

With 23 points, the first runner-up is PRIME's ReVolution

The winner of the Mark Award for Best Weekly of 2005, as voted by eWAP IS… with 42 points, the most points so far for any Mark Award… ACW's Courage

Tag Team/Team/Stable of the Year - Say ‘ello to My... Friend of All Sizes! Award

You know teams and stables are Rodney Dangerfield-ing it when they don’t even get an award’s section, until the second time around. heh, Yeah sorry about that. Though really, you have to admit, tag teams and the like aren’t getting as much respect as they used to these days. From myself included. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t strong and viable teams out there though, as evidenced by the voters response. And remember, even if it’s two singles stars… as long as it makes sense… it still kicks ass. It’s not about keeping people busy, it’s more about telling a story about… well team work. You wouldn’t team with the people you hate. Well, mostly. Ahem, as you’ll see. Four separate teams and/or stables garnered just a first place vote, A1E’s Highland Park Social Club and Anarchy, Inc., Torment and Haven. PRIME’s Nova and Angelo Deville. LoC’s Legion of Dairy.

Three tag teams and two stables garnered multiple votes, The Forsaken and Team Zambo of PRIME, and The Unfuckwitables of AWC, where the tag teams. The two stables, one since broken up and one having hopped from the fed it was in in 2005. ACW’s Stranglehold, who consisted of Loweel Dot Com, Jimmy Cain and Sars the Clown, and the fWo’s The Blue Rouges, Coral Avalon and The Codemaster, respectively.

With 11 points, the second runner-up is the now split but oh-so-destructive duo (ask the Dual Halo), PRIME’s Los Diablos

With 18 points, the first runner-up is a stable that, well, spans the wrestling world… if there’s a major heel in half the feds out there, well he most likely graduated from The Craig Miles Professional Heel Academy

The winner of the Mark Award for 2005 Team/Stable of thee Year, as voted by eWAP IS… with 21 points… proof that you don‘t have to love your tag team partner to rule the division and win titles, Sonny Silver and Lindsay Troy, Silver and Gold

Wrestler of the Year - I Know How To Tear A Man’s Arm Off… Three Different Ways! Award
2004 Wrestler: Alias - tSC and ACW

The first of the final three awards (well four, but the fourth is a bit… out of character). THIS is the one that recognizes those with the sweet science, the mat techniques, the ability… to… you know… really hurt you.

Not unlike great boxers, great wrestlers don’t just prove themselves with what they win in the ring, but how exactly they go along doing so. It’s the story they tell with there brains and there brawn, as quick and brutal as it may be sometimes. This point is evidently brought across, with the likes of such vote getters as the Ryan Billows, Jeff Garvin, Jack Murphy, Eddie Mayfield, Beast and Eli Flair. Other vote getters where Pierce Lavelle, The Mecca Alex Creed, the FW communities man monster Dan Ryan, Rising Star of 2005 Andy Sharp, the everyman hiiiighly decorated current ACW World Champ Seymour Almasy and the King of All Media, the recently retired Troy Windham. Lindsay Troy just may be the greatest woman wrestler in the history of the business, but after what she’s done over the last year… even the fact that she’s a woman in a man’s field is a second thought. “Old School” Dave Gibson is the one of the best old salts still going in the business, and shows that age just means experience. Keith Scott Zimmerman has done how much in his young career? AND he’s only getting better? Then there’s Angelo Deville. Who is Angelo Deville. So yeah.

Alias, The Mark’s first Wrestler of the Year, was six points short of a runner-up spot.

With 16 points, the second runner-up is the fan’s Wrestling organization and All-Star Championship Wrestling’s Kleptomaniac Coral Avalon

With 21 points, the first runner-up is All-Star Championship’s Max Danger

The winner of the Mark Award for Best Wrestler of 2004, as voted by eWAP IS… with 22 points… Jolt Wrestling, the fan’s Wrestling organization and All-Star Championship Wrestling‘s Brandon Youngblood

Character of the Year - Entertaining As All Get Out~! Award
2004 Winner: “Cocky” Craig Miles - fWo/NFW/CSWA

The second last award of the evening recognizes not so much those with the mastery of mat techniques, but more those who excel within the sports entertainment, you know as quick with there mouth as they are with there fists, big draw on the mic and in the book, side of things. The living, breathing creatures that just grab you and make it so you almost NEED to keep watching because these are the men and woman that draw you in. Whether it be the always entertaining and sometimes, yes possibly, good for a laugh film crew Mega Job. The ever present and never duplicated Paddy O’Shea or James Irish. The bane of Craig Miles existence, a man who is aaaaalways good for a story and some destruction, Eddie Mayfield. Nova by name, and by reputation, or the supremely infamous, by name alone, Sars the Clown… er, Calypso. Shudder.

The best of characters can display consistent ability to create a frickin’ soap opera around him with every step, like Joey Melton, unending under dogging even after filling a trophy case or two, like Seymour Almasy, an entire mob of ’net bred follows in a play to get big money in the big fed before preaching to the wrestling converted, like Keith Scott Zimmerman or speaking of the converted, become Your Personal Jesus in the liberal world of sports entertainment, ruling a fed as you do, like Hoyt Williams. All four receiving multiple votes, Hoyt also grabbing a first place vote.

With 13 points, the second runner-up is one of the most nominated people of the Mark Awards in 2005, PRIME’s own disappearing devil Angelo Deville

With 16 points, the first runner-up is the reigning Character of the Year, fan’s Wrestling organization superstar and co-owner of New Frontier Wrestling’s “Cocky“ Craig Miles

The winner of the Mark Award for Best Character of 2004, as voted by eWAP IS… with 27 points, one of the largest margin of the evening for a singles category… the creator of Gimmick Hell, formerly known as The Shilling Villain, Lowell Dot Com, and other names which are not suitable to print, the new owner *shudder* of All-Star Championship Wrestling, Lord Lowell

Top Federation of 2005
2004 Winner: the Squared Circle

And now it’s time for the big money award. Where everything that has gone into every award of this very special feature, is smashed into it’s own single entity, whether it be management, backstage personalities, readily available excitement or a slew of grand shows and epic encounters. This is the award that needs no sub-title, Top Fed, end all to be proud of, the big tomato, the over-sized fruit that you think is a vegetable… any other large and intensely meaningful sounding clichéd lines. But no need to repeat myself, as I’ve been doing… oh, who am I kidding. I’ll continue… it represents not only all that has happened within a single fed during 2005, but also all those who have passed through its doors and made it the recognizable household name that it is, for smarks and fanboys alike (even though it’s an award that’ll be on the owners mantel, ahem). This years top fed award went to a fed that I’ve always admired following, in something of a landslide, which I must admit I was kind of surprised to me. Though with the great people involved, it’s not surprising that it did what it did in ‘05, for it’s the everyman of the wrestling community. Never to big or to small, almost always home grown with exceptional talent… and always entertaining. Though before I continue…

Those who have also received votes are the yardstick of sophomore slumping feds, the 17-year-old CSWA and a federation unlike any other in WWA. Multiple vote getters included the Utah banned, and good on you, Global Championship Wrestling, who had a stellar year in ’05 due in part to Rich Rollins PTC Global Title reign, Empire Pro Wrestling which was shrouded in the Dis conspiracy for the first half of the year until Lindsay Troy stood revealed and as EPW World Champ and the Atlantic Wrestling Club who entertained week in and week out. Other multiple vote getters included, the returning Legacy of Champions under the reign of Brandon Thomas, and in a surprising twist the first runner-up of 2004, the fan‘s Wrestling organization didn‘t even grab the second runner-up spot, though it has to be said that, aside from the first runner-up and the winner for best fed, the fWo was the only other fed to score multiple first place votes.

With 20 points, the second runner-up has battled scheduling difficulties and surprisingly low number of shows in the course of a year, to feature not only heavily in the rankings of most awards, but also on the lips of fans, riding it’s STACKED roster, impeccably entertaining management and original fed-wise concept to within six points of first runner-up, New Frontier Wrestling

With 26 points, the first runner-up might be the fed that some view as the pinnacle of the PTC community of federations. And it sure had it’s fare share of memorable moments this past year. Whether it be the winning streaks of K-Wolf, ended by Killean Sirrajin, the insanity and CHAOS that was the Dual Halo, and later the Fallen Halo… and the endless aftermath therein. By the way, the next Halo will be starting any day now. Then there was the winning streak and debut of Tchu, the reign of Hoyt Williams and the shocking Universal title win of the Clyderman, Clyde Walkins. Through it’s ups and downs, ownership-wise, things where never less of entertaining. Then again, is anything less expected by the first runner-up, which is first by definition… PRIME

Winning the award for the Mark’s Top Federation of 2005, as voted by eWAP IS… with 40 points, and a whopping five first place votes, and nine in total… All-Star Championship Wrestling

From second runner-up in 2004 to voted best federation in 2005. It was a great 2005 after coming back the year before, for the home of home-grown heroes. A fed responsible for boosting such names as Osyrus, Alias and SilverHAWK into the spotlight, had a banner year with such names as Andy Sharp, Sars the Clown, Kelly Flawless, Hound and Jimmy Cain, making there debut to the big stage. Dean Matthews, a big name in Japan, looks like a high possibility to join this shortlist. That’s always been the greatest thing about the ACW, it’s ability to find unknowns and turn them into names. What made this last year special in the development of ACW, was how they took what was infamously a high turnover rate in most of the roster outside of the core, and took in reliable proven names, as was done with “Superstar” Vince Jacobs, with the likes of Seymour Almasy, Coral Avalon, Max Danger, Lowell Dot Com (I’ve heard he’s more reliable backstage, and he’s really coming into his own with a strong set of people around him) and most recently Keith Scott Zimmerman and Brandon Youngblood. From breakOUT to Legends II, the End Game main event, the retirment of the US title and the re-emergence of the Spirit of ACW, ACW was at it’s peak this year… and if this is where Alias and SVJ have finally laid there careers and there storied feud to rest, on a landscape like ACW, then that’s a hell of a good choice. I look forward to 2006, which only looks even more promising, if you can believe that.

*ahem*

Aaaand now, for our BIG OOC award…

Person of the Year - The Handler/Owner/Person of the Year, as voted by there peers!
2004 Winner: Jon Katz and Sean Williams (tie)

Okay, woah, WOAH, wait a second… does this mean I have to start being Russel Harder and stop being Russel David? Well then, just fine. Fine. All character-isms are gone, well mostly, because I write David just about the same way I write… as myself, obviously. There’s the inevitable Russ-isms sprinkled throughout. Look for an interview, mind of LMS in the real world, sort of thing with the Person of the Year. Not to mention a deeper run down of the voting, where you can find out all the other folks who got a nod. Though you might have to wait until Friday for that. Just so you know…

Though until then…

With 14 points the second runner-up is none other then the much loved and highly spoken of, even from himself (and it’s good to love yourself, you know, healthy), the man behind PRIME, Sebastian… who’s last name I admittedly do not know.

With 15 points the first runner-up, who lost this Person of the Year deal almost like how Lowell lost Best Heel… kind of fitting, seeing as he handles Lowell. Oh, and he handles Jimmy Cain and Jeff Garvin, as well. Plus it has to be said that he played a pivotal part as owner of ACW for a month or so, after Zezu left and before a bit of a committee took over, having a helping hand in getting the Fed of 2005 back on the right path. All in all, it was a damn good year for Juicebox, and by Juicebox, you know I mean Devin Woods

With 17 points, and voted the 2005 Person of the Year, by a group of his peers, a man who’s handled quite a long time… and is just now being recognized by a larger number of people, for it. Jon Katz. And why wouldn’t he be recognized when the characters he handles are Craig Miles and Mike Randalls? Who’ve done how many damn fun things in the last couple of years? And then there’s NFW… and yes, I’m a member, there’s your full disclosure right there, but that doesn‘t make the effect Katz has had on the hobby as a whole, that much smaller. Ahem, and even if it is a small effect (what, I don’t want to stoke his ego to much now) he’s still added to the landscape like gangbusters, if not changed it to drastically. Keep an eye out for more about Katz’s last year when I interview this now two-time Person of the Year (yes, I didn‘t reveal who won last year, sue me). And other then that, enjoy the finished product of the 2005 Mark Awards. It’s soon to be followed by Last Man Standing with ACW’s Andy Sharp and the first edition of Thomas Ford’s Book Mark, where he books the fWo, as if the Army of Neo hadn’t attacked at Countdown and things continued swimmingly. Both of these features are set to be damn fun reads, trust me.

And, signing off instead of Russel David (which I hope I don’t do all that often on this site, say once a year), I’m Russel Harder.

One Man Rant :: The Introduction to the Website... of the original hobby-wide magazine that used to be a little column *breath*

So how did this happen?

For those of you that have read the first two issues of The Mark, as I was able to get them out, you probably where wondering were the third issue has been this last year (since issue two featured the 2004 Mark Awards... ahaha, ha, sigh). Well long story short, and I'm sure you'll find out more about it in future rants, but Pro Wrestling Magazine moved it's offices from Rochester to New York City (well more specificly Brooklyn) and brought me with them as a Senior Staff Writer (yeap, promotion). Which more or less put The Mark on hiatus as life got itself in order. Now with things settling down and life in the Big City treating me well, I've decided to turn The Mark into it's own website, so that I don't have to wait till every feature or special feature is finished before the issue is posted on fwrestling.com. Why? Well even though the general reaction to things has been positive, I sure I haven't been quick on the turnover, what with two issues in 2005 and the third set to come out a year after the second. Well, the turnover... and the HTML, which makes things so much easier when I don't have to do it myself.

And after so many features are up on the website, then I can put a collection up on fwrestling.com, and I'll point it out to anyone who wants to see the new Rant that is bound to go with each collected issue. For the comic book fans out there it'll be like a trade paperback coming out after so many sweet issues o' content.

Wrestling writer and comic fanboy? Ahem, yes. Quiet you.

Okay, with all that said... there are people that are new to The Mark, starting with this blog. Which would just show how this little column has grown since The Bookmark. heh, And if you're new...

Then you’re probably wondering who I am and what I’m all about, aren’t you?

For that matter, why a man you’ve probably never heard of is putting together all sorts of features for a hobby-wide website. I'll take something from the first One Man Rant to explain myself...

Well my name is Russel David and this, if you haven’t realized yet, is The Mark! I’m a twenty-five year old Calgary-native, canuckle head born and raised… and a journalism major from York University in the greater Toronto area. So growing up both in the east and west of Canada, where did I parlay my journalism degree? Rochester, New York of all places. Hey, nobodies perfect. What I found in Rochester though was a Staff Writing job with Pro Wrestling Magazine or PWM. That job has only helped the fruition of this concept, it’s not only given me the ability to write… but thankfully it’s opened up a number of contacts and friendships within this industry of pro wrestling.

So what do I do with those two great things, oddly enough brought up by a staff writing job on a wrestling magazine?

I take that chance given to me by the fine people at fwrestling.com and I write myself a column, a mini-magazine of sorts. For those of you, yeah all two of you, who remember my old column on the web-site of Terry Nodar’s Championship Wrestling League, that I also ran through The News wrestling web-site during my college years, called The BookMark… yep, this is very much it’s matured next step. Any fans of the old column would also be happy to know that the two main features (Casting Call, though with a new name, and Last Man Standing) are back in full force and with a host of all new attention grabbing features with ‘em.

Speaking of which, you’re probably wondering what you’ve gotten yourself into, aren’t you?

Regular Features (posts you'll see with regular consistency)

Let’s start with the start, this One Man Rant is my introduction to you the reader... and will now also become my soapbox when I need to do one of those usual "man on the street, yelling about things" style of columns. Not only will I rant about the things that have grabbed my attention, but I’ll also be telling you what you've got to look forward to... what regular features and special features I have in the pipeline. The OMR will be me with my heart on my sleeve, pulling as good as an Ivy as I can muster (which isn’t all that good, honestly, but I do know what I'm talking about, if anything), telling you what’s what from my point of view. One thing that I’ll be bound to complain about will be my lack of ability to be topical. I write for a major magazine on pro wrestling, I don't promise to pay attention. Then again, you’ll pick up on that one in a hurry. Sure I’ll talk about those big events… but don’t expect me to be the first one.

After that it’s a bit of Roleplay. If you ever thought two superstars, that're *ahem* still alive, would never meet... but you always wondered what would happen if they did. Well this is where you find out about the when and the how, when it comes to the who and the what. With Roleplay, I reeeally get to play with the rolidex I've put together over the last handful of year. The idea behind the feature is I contact one superstar and ask them the simple question "Who would you like to meet in this business, who you've never even crossed paths with at a press conference?" And talking to those I know, I set up a meeting between the two... and let superstars talk to superstars, and see where the interview takes itself. You'll get to know about the lives of two pro wrestlers, there point of view on the business, any number of things... and I won't even need to do much work, or ask any tough questions. In the end, we all win.

Must Read TV gives me the chance to spotlight my personal choice for the RP, segment, match, moment and show of the last month. Though I won't neccesarily spotlight all five choices (RP, segment, match, moment, show), expect a mix and match of atleast three everytime MRTV is posted. I'll take what has caught my eye and whore it out to the masses! Huzzah! All in all, that’s Must Read TV to a tee.

The Fantasy Wrestling Stock Exchange (FWSX) is officially the showcase of my wide knowledge of a handful of federations out there in a world full of federations, and also my favorite feature for possibly that reason. ;) Honestly though, these are the Top 25 men and women in the world of wrestling… from my POV. Everyone has a different opinion I’m sure, and in no way is this a list that’s been figured out by a mathematic formula, but here’s hoping that if nothing else you atleast enjoy it for what you think it’s worth. I mean, it's not as if I have an affiliation to any fed out there. Though I DO have favorites. To me it is always a hell of a lot of fun to put together and every last person on each list is deserving. What I might even be most proud of is the number of communities involved, and the future possibilities that that gives this list. The only rule I gave myself is that to be on the list the person had to be active over these last month… after that, what they’ve done has determined where they are. This used to be quarterly, but with the timing of the issues, that almost spanned itself to bi-yearly... so I'm sorry to all those I've missed the ability to give a spot on the list as #1 next to former #1ers Rook Black and Karina Wolfenden, during the last half of 2005. After the next FWSX, which will encompass the first quarter of 2006, this feature'll be monthly. Phew. Mouth full. Hella fun though, as I've said.

An old favorite feature of mine is the last word of each issue, and thus it’s only fitting that the one-on-one interview is called Last Man Standing. I must admit that even though there will be no "last word" in a blog... but I'm not changing the name of the feature. Because, uh, me and the person I'll interview will still have some fisticuffs. Right. Now it’s nothing in-depth, don’t fool yourself… this won’t be Larry King Live, a Barbara Wawa Special or even Bitch With Mitch. It’s me taking those last ten minutes of the day and shooting the shit with the latest and greatest wrestlers out there. Whether the questions asked are completely asinine or actually have something to do with what’s currently happening in the career of the man or woman on the hot seat, well that’s to be seen. It’s just the fun of seeing where a handful of predetermined questions will take a conversation. Look for both Reel Wrestling features and this, the Last Man Standing interviews, from the past. Not just from the Mark issues, but from the Book Mark days of this site.

Pulped Culture. One of the two regular features that will make it's debut on this site is the Pulped Culture Grid. Simply enough it's a pro wrestlers point of view on all things currently relivent in pop culture. Not just one POV though, five or six wrestlers will give there own blurbs on five or six pop culture flavored questions. "What's the last movie you saw in the theatres?" and then ACW's Jimmy Cain goes crazy with laughter and bites a chickens head off. That sort of thing. The way things are going, answer-wise, they'll also be a little 'and this is the rest of the answer' section underneath the grid.

Thomas Ford's Book Mark. The other shiney and new feature that'll debut on the website is not actually anything I'm doing... but instead, it's from my first regular contributor, pro wrestling's own Thomas Ford. Plus it uses this projects original name in as clever a twist as we could manage. Ford takes the knowledge that he's accumulated as owner of the IWO and an advisor to tSC and... becomes a columnist. In his regular feature he'll be looking at the current atmosphere of a fed, then he'll take it's roster and book into the future, giving his spin on things. Thomas Ford has been an organizor all of this life and now this is the chance to see the "life inside my head", as he put it.

Special Features (posts you'll see anywhere from bi-monthly to yearly)

So far there are three special features, the epic VS, the original feature Reel Wrestling and also the annual hobby-wide awards, The Mark Awards.

VS, which will no doubt return down the line, is when dream matches are given a very visual reality. Not only are you given a tale of the tape, and not only is a rundown given on what could happen… but a snapshot of the colossal meeting that would never happen is hand drawn in clean lines for this very special occasion. They say a picture is worse a thousand words, anyway. The dream matches will tend to be figured out through multi-person tournaments voted on by fans on either the EWN, PTC or FW forumns. In the first VS match-up, a 32-man tournament, open to all those who have ever competed in this sport… as the fans at the EWN Forumns (www.ewnweb.net) voted, was whittled down to two men. Keith Scott Zimmerman vs Kodiak Vic Creed. Creed won. Who's up next? We'll have to wait and see.

The squared circle gets the silver screen touch with Reel Wrestling. This is another feature that’s taken completely out of my hands, well except for my deciding of whom does it of course. I give the people who know your favorite superstars the best (OOC:*cough*said character’s writer/handler) the chance to cast a movie around that personality. They get the chance to cast every last supporting character, and even other superstars important to the story, all the way up to the superstar themselves (sorry, no ‘as Himself’ roles this time around). The budget is in no way an option when it comes to putting Hollywood’s finest and the best of the indy scene in roles you’ve learned to love.

The Mark Awards came to mind as a simple column based awards ‘ceremony’, with the added bonus of making it as WORLD spanning as possible. Now to make them as world-spanning as I want this column to allow itself to be, I needed some help… and that’s where the formation of the eWrestling Associated Press (eWAP) comes in, while also doubling as a funny sound. Which was certainly a nice unexpected bonus. With the great people that make up eWAP, the Award deciding is taken out of my hands of considerably low all-encompassing knowledge and is put in the hands of a collection of individuals. And this collection of individuals is also a growing collection, might I add... up from six in 2004 to thirteen in 2005. I’ll stop ranting about it here though, and save some descriptive set-up for the feature itself. The 2005 Mark Awards, also, are just around the bend... as voted ended in February and all winners are just waiting to be annouced. Possibly one at a time.

And what else might I have to say? Introductions have been made, and features have been annouced, so as to be looked forward to with baited breath... I'll do some retro-active posting eventually, getting every feature I've ever done, onto the site as well.

Otherwise... enjoy The Mark. I know I have, otherwise my name wouldn't be in the title.