Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Don’t blink. The date of this article is right. This is a sample (one of several) that will introduce you to John Philapavage’s regular contribution to this site, Four For The Road. Look up the rest of the archives through the categories on the side or up at the top of the page, and check back regularly for new articles in this feature.

–Trish Stratus and Micki James continued their feud Monday with full persona swaps, including hair, mannerisms, and outfits. Forgive me if I find the stars perfectly aligned on this one, but how appropriate is it that WWE’s best written storyline of 2006 continues to be the eye candy.

Stratus and James might not have Fit Finley (he loves to fight) to work out their matches any longer, but the girls are at least keeping the E in WWE. This great long-term storyline, which I have to think is accidental, presented another fun chapter this past RAW. Stratus, who did a charismatic and accurate impersonation of James’s character, gave her nemesis a gift, and then proceeded to kick her ass. Somewhere in this segment (kept to 6-8 minutes. That’s all you need Vinny and Trips) James regained her heat, Stratus found her lacking and/or overshadowed personality, and we got the greatest one liner on RAW in a long time: “Both you bitches are crazy!”

This feud has served to MAKE James, reinvigorate Stratus, all while keeping within WWE Diva panty shots per show regulations. Has the earth completely fallen off its axis when I’m tuning out an HBK feud and staying glued for a 10:30 quarter hour women’s promo?

–Trying to stay positive about WWE this week, Edge pinned The Game in this week’s version of “We Three – well, one King and two Peasants – Kings: Part 3”. While I’m not a fan of Big Steph and her minions booking Edge as a weaker link to feed their Cena insecurities and stubborn ways, I am a fan of this feud. Surprisingly, and I’m aware it’s not popular, but I LOVE the parity booking. Even if I called it last week, and Edge and HHH did a backstage segment before the match saying the same thing, I love that each guy got a win. I don’t think it makes anyone look weaker to the fans (the pinfalls, that is).

I’ve fully come around on this feud, and would, at this moment, pay for the match. My sleeper pick of the week is HHH coming out early at Backlash to team with HBK as “God”, forming this decade’s version of the MegaPowers. They can go over after the run-in save, beating Vince and Kid Wonder, the very convincing defacto MegaBucks. With a full-fledged DX reunion, HHH goes into the three-way as a face, and hopefully Edge comes out of this as champion and top heel. If it were within the story-writing abilities of the WWE’s not-so creative team, a Cena heel turn in the match would also be nice. Cena could injure soon-to-be daddy Helmsley with his own sledgehammer and flip off the WWE faithful, who will be all to willing to give Cena the business.

The odds of this happening are about the same as hitting the trifecta at the Kentucky Derby, but a boy can dream, right? Besides, even if I think Michaels and Trips rehashing their sophomoric hijinx as DX is a little tired; it would make a lot of fans happy. Maybe WWE will even make up their theoretical merch. Losses from the feared Cena turn on a brand new line of Degeneration X T-shirts.

– Ring of Honor presents it’s 100th show at home in Philadelphia Saturday. I couldn’t do a column without shilling for the home team, right? It seems like last week I sat in the Murphy Rec. Center with “Wrestling friend till the end” Paul S., as we watched Low Ki, Brian Danielson, and Christopher Daniels blow our minds at the first show. That was over four years ago.

Booker Gabe Sapolsky and Promoter Cary Silken have overcome countless problems to keep this promotion afloat and finally making money. The booking, announcing, wrestling, angle execution, production, and professionalism have come a long way since that first year. I can count at least three occasions where this promotion looked like it would fold due to money losses, controversy, or both. While Silken and Sapolsky deserve much of the credit for the promotions existence, they are not alone.

Though it seems taboo to say, fans of ROH owe founder Rob Feinstein and production journeyman Doug Gentry a debt of gratitude as well. Feinstein lost hundreds of thousands getting ROH off the ground and keeping it operating for two years. While his indiscretions and decisions almost killed the company, there would be no company to kill without him. Gentry is owed the same tip of the cap. While some might find his loyalty to Feinstein a bit puzzling, it was an admirable effort he put into filming and producing the ROH DVD project. While he found himself on the outs when ROH left RF Video, wouldn’t we all like a friend as loyal as Gentry?

I will try and remember to write up some memories on the first 100 shows for next week, but right now I’d like to focus on this Saturday’s show. Certainly we have Danielson’s title defense against a now multi-dimensional Colt Cabana (go out of your way to see Danielson’s 3/11/06 match with Alex Shelly. Nearly 50 minutes of the best mic work, wrestling, and heel versus heel dynamic that will ever get over in post-ECW Philly). And I can’t wait for the Generation Next Rottweilers tag title match; another in the many well built angles from the mind of Sapolsky and the work of the participants. But the match I’ll be keeping an eye on this Saturday is the six-man tag – CZW/ROH feud.

When this angle started in January, I walked out on the Chris Hero/Danielson match. I’d heard what happened in South Philly earlier in the day, but I didn’t care. I know this might elicit “ROHbot” accusations, but I had no interest in seeing CZW work with ROH. Cary Silken was actually concerned enough with customer care that he followed my group of friends outside to ask why we left, explain the business reasons for doing the match, and make sure we’d be back for another show. This is one of the many positive encounters with Silken I’ve had since he came to Ring of Honor. Can you imagine McMahon doing this for a fan?

I left again in March as the CZW contingent took over at the end of the ROH debut in the old ECW Arena. I really assumed people would crap all over the continuation of this angle. I was completely wrong. The reviews from fans were 95% positive.

After watching the entire angle unfold live, on DVD, or from show reports, I can finally say I was totally wrong. This is the best interpromotional angle since the New Japan angle that inspired the NWO in 1995.

It’s no secret Sapolsky has been infatuated with “abnormal” crowd reactions since the April 2003 “Lets go London… Lets go Dragon” crowd split at Epic Encounter. Thinking past the basic heel/face dynamic, Gabe has wanted to find a way where face versus face or heel versus heel is still a viable and marketable experience. While this match won’t be on PPV or national TV, the match on Saturday and its subsequent DVD release is the pinnacle of this Heyman-influenced experiment.

I’m expecting separate bleachers to accommodate each promotion’s fans, color-coded streamers from each opposing side, and a passionate reaction from the “smart” fans. Gabe has discovered a way to manipulate both jaded ultra-violent and work rate fans into genuinely caring about the outcome. Well, I’m joining the club. That’s a booker’s job. Thanks Gabe.

One final note on my ROH musings. Mike Johnson (the backbone of PWInsider.com) recently pointed out that only three performers from ROH’s 2/23/06 debut show will be on the 100th show card. They are Chris Daniels, Allison Danger, and Homicide. I’m hoping when all three come out they get a standing ovation. I’ll be leading the charge of appreciation for the hours of entertainment and work the three have given us all in helping to build the ROH product.

– A quick note to fulfill my promised four bullet points. An acquaintance of mine named Pete (by way of fellow Columnist and aforementioned friend Paul S.) debuts for Pro Wrestling Unplugged on Friday night as “Complete” Pete Hunter. I first met Pete in the dorms of Cabrini College, where he made his debut, nearly five years ago. He’s a good guy and has a passion for pro wrestling. Here’s hoping he has a successful debut, stays healthy, and finds a way to make some money in the prolific Philly indy scene.