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beansideSo, I've been sitting here for four hours now, trying to figure out what to say about the final MCW show.
Let me give you some background about my relationship with Maryland Championship Wrestling.
On December 27, 1997, I met Stevie Richards and Julio Sanchez (Fantastico, Dinero, whatever!) An internet friend who also knew Stevie was in town, and we'd decided to drive up to New Jersey to see him wrestle. While at the Pine Hill Michael DeMarco Rec center, Stevie introduced us to one of his best buddies, a mid-carder named Julio. During Stevie's match, Julio kept us entertained with a running commentary that contained such lines as "Oooh, I hate it when they make it look so real! Sure, it's all fun and games til someone loses an eye...then it's a scavenger hunt!" When he found out that I was from Baltimore, yet had never gone to an indy card before, he made me promise to go see them at Maryland Championship Wrestling.
In January, I kept my promise, heading down to Teamster's hall, in the redneck part of town. And I fell in love. And five years later, I'm still in love with them.
We've had so many wrestlers come through our doors--both the up and coming indy crew, and the old favorites. Each and every one of them have a place in my heart...except Jimmy Snuka, who no showed and put Mark in a bind, and Brian Christopher, who hurt one of my boys. But everyone else has a special place.
So, after 5 years, the owners, Mark and Dan, have decided to move on into other business ventures. Both are wonderful guys, and I can't begrudge them the chance to do other things. I know the promotion and school ate up most of their lives for the last 6 years. They ran a promotion the way it was supposed to be run--fairly, honestly, and with entertaining the fans always in mind.
And the stars of the fed--not the "names" who were brought in to get some more asses in the seat, I mean the real stars--the young guys who bust their asses every night for what barely amounts to pocket change--they're the ones I go to see. And they are the ones who never let me down. I've met a bunch of them outside of MCW, and have always been treated with the utmost courtesy, and made to feel like I was a dear friend.
And I've always regarded them as the same.
Last night's show was an emotional rollercoaster, with laughter and tears, joy and sadness mixed. Kayfabe was mostly tossed by the wayside, old friends returned for one last ride, and a few new faces were introduced. And through it all, there was the feeling that we were wittnessing something special, one of a kind. The wrestling was crisp, fluid, and occasionally brutal. Over and over, people who I hold near and dear to my heart trotted out some of their best moves, some of the sickest spots I've had the privilege of seeing live.
And then, it was over. And it was time to say one last thank you to the people who'd given their all to entertain us. So, we stood and cheered and clapped until our hands ached. And to our surprise, several of them offered their own thanks back, walking around the ring, shaking hands with everyone who'd stayed to the end, thanking us. It was a class move from a bunch of guys who most of the world would think of as the lowest of the low.
And so, now, it's on to the future, with MEWF, and Ring of Honor, who, with the help of Dan, will have their first Maryland show at Michael's 8th ave in October.
As the song quote on the highlight video they showed says..."Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
Let me give you some background about my relationship with Maryland Championship Wrestling.
On December 27, 1997, I met Stevie Richards and Julio Sanchez (Fantastico, Dinero, whatever!) An internet friend who also knew Stevie was in town, and we'd decided to drive up to New Jersey to see him wrestle. While at the Pine Hill Michael DeMarco Rec center, Stevie introduced us to one of his best buddies, a mid-carder named Julio. During Stevie's match, Julio kept us entertained with a running commentary that contained such lines as "Oooh, I hate it when they make it look so real! Sure, it's all fun and games til someone loses an eye...then it's a scavenger hunt!" When he found out that I was from Baltimore, yet had never gone to an indy card before, he made me promise to go see them at Maryland Championship Wrestling.
In January, I kept my promise, heading down to Teamster's hall, in the redneck part of town. And I fell in love. And five years later, I'm still in love with them.
We've had so many wrestlers come through our doors--both the up and coming indy crew, and the old favorites. Each and every one of them have a place in my heart...except Jimmy Snuka, who no showed and put Mark in a bind, and Brian Christopher, who hurt one of my boys. But everyone else has a special place.
So, after 5 years, the owners, Mark and Dan, have decided to move on into other business ventures. Both are wonderful guys, and I can't begrudge them the chance to do other things. I know the promotion and school ate up most of their lives for the last 6 years. They ran a promotion the way it was supposed to be run--fairly, honestly, and with entertaining the fans always in mind.
And the stars of the fed--not the "names" who were brought in to get some more asses in the seat, I mean the real stars--the young guys who bust their asses every night for what barely amounts to pocket change--they're the ones I go to see. And they are the ones who never let me down. I've met a bunch of them outside of MCW, and have always been treated with the utmost courtesy, and made to feel like I was a dear friend.
And I've always regarded them as the same.
Last night's show was an emotional rollercoaster, with laughter and tears, joy and sadness mixed. Kayfabe was mostly tossed by the wayside, old friends returned for one last ride, and a few new faces were introduced. And through it all, there was the feeling that we were wittnessing something special, one of a kind. The wrestling was crisp, fluid, and occasionally brutal. Over and over, people who I hold near and dear to my heart trotted out some of their best moves, some of the sickest spots I've had the privilege of seeing live.
And then, it was over. And it was time to say one last thank you to the people who'd given their all to entertain us. So, we stood and cheered and clapped until our hands ached. And to our surprise, several of them offered their own thanks back, walking around the ring, shaking hands with everyone who'd stayed to the end, thanking us. It was a class move from a bunch of guys who most of the world would think of as the lowest of the low.
And so, now, it's on to the future, with MEWF, and Ring of Honor, who, with the help of Dan, will have their first Maryland show at Michael's 8th ave in October.
As the song quote on the highlight video they showed says..."Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
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no subject
Date: 2003-07-17 11:32 am (UTC)Well, holy shit!
Date: 2003-07-17 11:59 am (UTC)Hey, if you want someone else to pal along with you to a Ring of Honor show or something PLEASE let me know! :)
It'll be kinda out of my way (if it's on a weeknight) but if you give me enough advance warning, I'd love to go! *grin*
no subject
Date: 2003-07-17 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-17 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-17 11:34 pm (UTC)I'm glad you got to say goodbye, though!
WL,
Missy