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.