It's almost been a year, but one of the more infamous columns here on the DOI, is back. For those who don't remember, the McRoss Report is my silly little ripoff of Jim Ross's old column on WWF.com. I guess you can say this is my live journal or My Space, as these columns are just my random thoughts on a bunch of random topics. This column might be a tad lengthy for some, so the best bet for some of you out there, is to print this out, and read it the next time you gotta drop a deuce. (What other internet writer can get away with writing that on their site?)

Let me start off by saying, I'm Sean McCaffrey, and greetings from the man underneath the 5 Gallon Heineken bottle.

The first thing I really want to discuss is the staleness in indy wrestling. It seems that 95% of the indy feds out there are all doing the same shit. With approximately 30 indy shows in the NY/NJ/PA area per month, how can every indy promotion expect to draw every indy wrestling fan possible? There are your ROH's, JAPW's, PWU's, etc, doing their own thing, but for the most part, the local indy promotion are just running formulaic shows. Why is that a problem? Well to me, I think it's a problem because wrestling is a down period. People need to start shaking things up and stop being so unpredictable. The common indy fan can go to any show and guess who is going to win every match on a show. That is a huge problem. When the fans can just look at a match line-up and predict 80%+ of the card, why should those fans even bother to check out the event?

It is also no secret that the WWE is hurting. The WWE is still trying to find lightening in a bottle with someone. More than ever, fans need indy wrestling. If the WWE is doing awesome, then there is no need for an alternative. Right now, with the WWE in a lull, wrestling fans need an alternative. The more hardcore fans will always care less about the WWE, and that is why alot of fans turn to Japanese and Mexican wrestling for their wrestling needs. NWA TNA is trying to be that alternative for American wrestling fans, but right now, it seems that TNA is just Diet WCW Thunder. Hopefully with AJ Styles as champion, TNA can change all that. However, if the JJ effect, which is very similiar to the HHH effect, rears its ugly head, then TNA will continue with their Thunderous mess.

Right now, Ring of Honor is the alternative for most indy and wrestling fans. ROH, which has been influenced by wrestling in Japan, has been able to blend the American and Puroresu style of wrestling on their shows. ROH has also either stepped it up, or have not been true to form, depending on who you talk to, by bringing in ex-WWE and current WWE names. Regardless if you like ROH or not, ROH is the alternative of choice for American wrestling fans right now.

With ROH being the alternative for most fans, it is not the alternative for everyone. If it was, then all these other indy promotions wouldn't be able to exist. Wrestling fans are definitely yearning for an alternative. They are looking for something new. These fans are the fans that attend independent wrestling shows. However, most of these indy shows can actually hurt wrestling fans wrestling drive, and turn fans off of indy wrestling. Right now more than ever, indy wrestling has a lot of pressure on it. Indy wrestling is needed right now. Indy wrestling is the life and soul of pro wrestling. Indy wrestling is the future of the mainstream promotions. If indy wrestling sucks, then all of wrestling will suck in the future. That is why the weight of the wrestling world, while on the WWE shoulders, also falls on indy wrestling as well. Indy wrestling must be kept fresh and innovative, in order for the sport to reach new heights.

One promotion that is doing a great job of realizing this, is Pro Wrestling Unplugged. PWU, the brainchild of Johnny Kashmere, along with Rockin Rebel and Trent Acid, is constantly doing new things. PWU realizes that every other indy fed is doing the same shit. Every promotion is using the same wrestlers every weekend.
If you can't change the wrestler, then shake up the sport itself.
The above sentence is something PWU realized. PWU is using the same guys you can see every weekend. Guys like Homicide, Jay Lethal, Mana "The Polynesian" Warrior, Grim Reefer are all indy wrestlers you can catch all over the scene. It's up to the promotion to use them in a way, that is different from everyone else. If the promotion uses the wrestlers the same way everyone else uses them, then why should any fan come to your show? I think PWU realized that, and that is why they changed the atmosphere of wrestling, because now fans have to pay to see how the wrestlers wrestle in an irregular environment.

PWU's home base, the Animal House, is like a fucking jungle gym. And that's a good thing. The ring is enclosed in a steel cage structure, making every match have a "Hell In The Cell" type feel to it. In addition to the cage, there are four ropes hanging from the ceiling, which can turn boring matches into crowd pleasers. When you take great wrestlers, and put them into these conditions, you get all sorts of unique matches, and the same wrestlers that fans see every week, well you can't see them go at it in cages and ropes at any other show, as you can only see it in PWU. PWU has changed the rules of the game, making things interesting.

Of course, changing the rules isn't neccessarily something that will work everytime. Just look at the old AWF. The AWF, which used guys like Tito Santana and Greg Valentine, back in the early 90's, tried innovating the sport. AWF used a three round system, which sounded good on paper, but was too confusing to follow. It also wasn't true pro wrestling, and within a year, AWF closed its doors. It remains to see if PWU can be successful with their changes, but with fans craving spotfests and not catch-as-can wrestling, I'm sure PWU will be alright.

Bottom line, to keep things fresh, if you can't change the players, change the game. PWU has picked up on that.

Another thing that is pathetic right now in indy wrestling is the people that are wrestling. If you're 100 pounds wrestling in a T-Shirt, stop. I don't get how these ticket sellers do it. You'd think they'd be embarrassed to stink it up every weekend. Instead of selling tickets, these people should use the money and time they have on their hands to hit a gym and buy some gear. If 50% of the crowd is bigger than you, then there is a problem.

A good question to answer is who are training all these people? I see guys who don't belong in a ring like Poco Romeo, Chris Sandel, Dirty Dan Petit, Little Greatness, Josh Deely and all these other UXW and NWS ticket sellers battling every month. These guys tell promoters they are trained. Where the fuck are they trained from? Pretty much, it seems that if you drop $1500 to a promoter/school owner, they will let you call yourself a trained wrestler. I understand it's a business, but damn. I've seen it a million times. Ticket seller wrestlers, who say they are trained, won't help set up a ring, won't flyer a show, won't help clean up after a show, won't even bother to practice their match before the show starts, because they think they are above all that. They think just because they push 8 tickets a show, they are wrestlers. There are alot of unscrupolous promotions that are telling these kids they are trained. Just awful.

These type of wrestlers hurt indy wrestling. If a fan, who is checking indy wrestling out for the first time, sees this, then they laugh their ass off, and think wrestling is a joke. This type of wrestling doesn't attract fans. The only people that these ticket sellers pop are the real trained wrestlers and hardcore indy fans who enjoy crappy wrestling. I can't front, I love watching these idiots kill themself. Even better is that most of these guys think they will go to the WWE. If you're wearing a Rey Misterio Jr replica mask, it's pretty safe that no real promotion will ever book you for your talent. If you're wearing ripped jeans and a t-shirt, and you're not already accomplished, it's safe to say you will be in ticket selling haven forever.

Of course, the promoters are at blame for allowing this, but with indy wrestling not drawing, it is an unnecessary evil. However, if you need ticket sellers to draw, what does it say for your product? It goes back to not being original and not keeping things fresh. If you're shaking shit up and doing all this innovative stuff, then your product will draw, and you won't need the garbage wrestling to boost ticket sales. Of course, this is a business and the promoters who look at money first, and everything else second, will continue to use these wrestlers.

The most successful promotions don't need these crappy wrestlers. You don't see ticket sellers in JAPW, ROH, CZW or any other big fed. UXW, which should be one of the top promotions in the world, is greatly hindered because of the ticket sellers. It's the one thing that makes hardcore indy fans stay away from the promotion. The other thing to look at, is once you're labeled a ticket seller wrestler, it is a very hard label to lose.

Another thing to look at is gimmicks in indy wrestling. It seems most promotions are either all about doing ECW-type matches or doing straight up wrestling. That will always draw the hardcore wrestling fans. But what about the WWE fans who are on the fence about buying an indy ticket? Promotions should try to have something funny and unique on their shows. Just look at Matt Striker in 3PW. AJ Styles and Chris Daniels were having classic matches for most of 2004, but when the show was over, everyone was talking about Matt Striker and the wrestler he impersonated that night. Look at the WWE right now. They have found something with Viscera right now. Outside of the Edge/Lita stuff, the number 1 thing that everyone was talking about at the end of RAW this past Monday night, was Viscera singing Barry White. Indy promotions should not forget that gimmicks is what makes the fans come back. 3PW has done a great job of realizing that, as they are known for always having good comic relief on their shows.

One thing that irks me in indy wrestling is these promotions that run head to head with each other every weekend. Look at this Saturday, May 21st. You got UXW, JAPW, NYWC, 3PW, NWA Cyberspace, IWI, NYSWF and a bunch of other shows all going on. Right above, are 6 promotions, (JAPW excluded because they are running in Boston) within 100 miles from each other. Even worse is that UXW/NYWC are 10 minutes from each other. UXW, which drew 1000 fans, last time they were in Long Island, will probably draw that number this Saturday. If NYWC had half a brain, which might be expecting too much, they'd change their start time to 4PM. That way, fans can catch both shows. The reason I say NYWC should change their date, is because one, their show is alot weaker on paper, two UXW announced their show first, and three, a UXW show that starts at 4 PM will still end at 1 AM anyway. NYWC right now, is alienating themself from a potential 1000 fans, just like UXW will lose a potential 300 fans that attend the NYWC. Don't these promotions want to make money? Some promotions should invest in a calendar, and try to avoid running head-to-head. Every time you run head-to-head, you lose potential dollars.

Maybe even more crazy is that the new promotion of Philly, IWI, which features the Philly return of Jasmin St. Claire, is running 20 minutes away from 3PW, in Philly. Obviously this is being done because of the heat between Jasmin and 3PW, but what does IWI gain? They are getting themselves involved in Jasmin's heat. They are also alienating themselves from the fans who will attend 3Pw that night. If I'm starting a new fed, I would not want to be running against anyone. I'd want every potential fan and dollar at my show. I especially wouldn't want to be running against an established promotion 20 minutes away. Sometimes I just have to stop and think, and wonder if promotions run shows for themselves and for their own enjoyment, or if they run for the fans and to generate a profit.

Wow, this column has a pretty negative vibe to it, and I hope it doesn't come off that way, as it is not what I intended, but since I'm on a roll, let's look at Billy Firehawk of NWA Cyberspace.

Billy Firehawk, the guy who retired at one of his shows last year, is on them more than ever. What the fuck is the point of having a booking team, if you're going to overrule them, and make their ideas look like shit, when you run-in on every match? I didn't attend the last NWA Cyberspace show, but I got reports from fans and wrestlers, who said the show had a potential to be a 10, but it wound up being a 2, because Firehawk was all over the place. Firehawk needs to think about the statement above, which I'll paraphrase here:
Are you running shows for yourself and for your own enjoyment, or are you running shows for the fans and to make a profit?

I know Firehawk has good intentions, but he comes off looking like a fan having fun at every show. To be honest, NWA Cyberspace, to me, looks alot like Carmine Sabia. How? While Carmine stays home all day and plays with wrestling figures having his dream matches, the bigger walleted Billy Firehawk, actually buys the wrestlers for a day, and plays with real life wrestlers and has his dream matches. (Which he runs-in on).

I don't mean to come off like a dick to Firehawk, but NWA Cyberspace has so much potential. NWA Cyberspace, in my opinion, is the top representative of the NWA name right now, outside of NWA TNA. What other promotion is having NWA World titles defended on every show? Cyberspace has a great roster and the potential to make an impact. However, Firehawk is hindering the shows, and if he can realize what everyone else is saying, Cyberspace could be a top indy. Who knows, with all the trouble in the NWA right now, if Firehawk could get his act together, he could be the NWA President come October, and he'd deserve it, because he has the money and drive to do it. There is no other better or more successful NWA right now, on the indy scene, than NWA Cyberspace. NWA Florida is a close second, but they aren't as popular, nor have the talent roster, or World title matches, that NWA Cyberspace has.

Just think about that again, Billy Firehawk as NWA President. Now that's a reality show I wouldn't mind watching.

Now for some random odds and ends and inside jokes:

If you are a Red Sox fan, don't park your car in front of a wrestling building, which a bunch of Yankee fans will attend, or you do risk having your car redecorated.

Isn't it sad that a 6'6" 250 pound wrestler, biggest claim to fame, is being tackled on a WWE PPV commercial? Isn't it even sadder that once his students find out what else is out there, they all ditch him and want nothing to do with him? Isn't it even worse that he tries taking 10% of indy wrestlers paydays? Just some sad stuff going on in indy wrestling.

I've been watching alot of ECW to hype myself up for the ECW reunion shows. While I think Hardcore Homecoming will be a great event, as they actually want to celebrate ECW, I'm very cautious about the WWE ECW show. There's just too many things that can go wrong. If the ECW show is really good, doesn't it make WWE look bad? I think the show will have a huge glass ceiling on it. Hopefully I'm wrong on that one, but after watching last nights RAW, I think this show has already been shot in the foot.

Love is in the Union City air, as it looks like a new interracial couple will be hitting the scene.

Who will be the next break out indy wrestler?

Who will be the next indy wrestler to sign with the WWE?

What ever happened to NMW?

Who else popped when Jim Ross was ranting and raving about the Lita turn at the end of Raw on Monday? Nothing like JR calling someone a harlot.

How long before Ricky O or Carmine Sabia start running shows again. It just seems like that time of the year.

Ditto Jac Sabboth.

Will Homicide ever win anything significant in ROH or will he be the promotions Tommy Dreamer?

It's only a matter of time until JAPW becomes the number 1 promotion in indy wrestling. There is no other promotion that works harder and discovers talent like JAPW.

Will a non-Wild Samoan WXW trained student ever get a shot with the WWE? And why is Mana out of WXW?

I got alot of response to the Power of the Puss column that I wrote two weeks ago. It's funny how many females took offense to it when it wasn't even about females in wrestling. The whole column was about males in wrestling. I'm wondering if some of these people who were overly offended are guilty about something. For the most part, everyone seemed to agree with it.

What's with FIP banning people who say they had one bad show? For those not in the know, Sal Hamaoui, of FIP, banned Will Rivera for giving the FIP Tag Tournament a negative review. Sal, wake up, that tournament fucking sucked, and everyone said that. The thing was more confusing than oragami. How long can Sal keep on protecting his investment that he flies out from Philly every month? It's funny, out of the 10 or so FIP shows that have happened, Will has given 8 out of the 10 shows a good review. I guess some promotions can't take any criticism.

Speaking of killing free speech, isn't it odd, that ROH, the sister company of FIP, banned Johnny 5 from their message board for putting up one of his ROH reviews that was featured on the DOI? What's even odder is that Johnny 5 gave the show a good review! ROH and FIP are onto something though, if they can control the press and control the way the fans think, then they will roll in dough. So much for being opinionated and for being a free thinker in the Ring of Honor. There's a reason why people think there is some kool aid shit going on there, and there is two examples of it right here.

When Rob Feinstein starts his new promotion, how long will it take Bob Magee to set up an email/letter campaign to get the show shut down? We're only a month away until Rob can officially start promoting wrestling, and if and when he starts, (This is where the the internet fans copy and paste my above statement and twist it into something else on a message board) Rob is going to have a huge mountain to climb. Putting the show together, will be the easiest thing for Rob to do, it will be all the bullshit from the people who are obsessed with a fake IM transcript and with a person who was never charged with a crime, that will make the show tough to pull off. People are still posting and talking about it. It's been over a year, and nothing has happened. Get over it. If Rob was truly what he is being accused of, then other people/victims would've come out by now. Just look at the Michael Jackson case. Some fans just need to enjoy wrestling and stop being pessimistic, although it is human nature to take joy in others downfalls. Seinfeld proved that fact.

Will Simon Diamond ever get the break he truly deserves?

Is Rhyno vs Samoa Joe the ultimate dream match right now?

Will "Back In Black" ever sound the same again?

The Outcast Killahz vs The Backseat Boyz, might be the tag team feud that indy tag team wrestling needs right now. Both teams certainly have "it".

We're getting very close to having the DOI 250 released. Feel free to put your potential lists up on the message board. We're undecided on what to do with Chris Candido right now. He was going to be ranked number 1 this year, before the tragedy, but now we're undecided if we will have him share the spot with someone else. The DOI 250 will be released sometime in June.

I think I burnt myself out with everything above.

I hope you enjoyed this return edition of the McRoss Report. You can send the usual ranting, raving and death threats to the email address below.

Till next time, peace out.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com