6.11.2007

Democracy rules?

Within the past week, there has been quite the number of posts over on the A1 boards about the current state of A1E and how their winners will be handled in the future. After what was a very slow week for the fed RP-wise, the numbers were also down for public votes of the victors (a staple of the A1E).

After a very hasty post by a member of the BC, quite the uproar ensued about how A1E should handle who wins their matches on a given card. The post was basically the BC member ripping into the members of the fed for not doing their duties as members of the locker room because only one member outside of the BC managed to vote for the card's winners.

Honestly, the post was completely out of control, IMO. The language was inexcusable and the tone of the message would lead one to believe that they might have committed treason for failing to take the time to read 11 match threads, judge the winners, and then send an email to share their view of the winners. However, the message is neither here nor there, as Jarret actually came out to say that the BC as a whole were not as enraged as the message would have seemed, but they were rather concerned.

And, given that I've been around A1E since 2002, I can see where there would be concern on the BC's part. One thing that A1E has always prided itself on the fact that everyone gets a say in who wins a given match. And for the most part, the system has worked without flaw when it comes to deciding the winners. I would like to think that all of us within the hobby have a very good idea for knowing what it takes to win in this community. And because of this, the voting system that A1E employs is more than capable of allowing a fed to continue to run.

This is where I make my first argument against what everyone seems to be saying when worrying about the voting system. Everyone wants to make the case that A1E is unique because it gives the handlers the ability to decide who wins the matches. However, as I said, the voting system really doesn't change that much when it comes to deciding the winners of a match. As a former member of the BC, I know that most of the time, there is really very little occurence of the public vote overturning what the BC has already seen. These guys see over the fed for a reason, because they know what they're doing.

It is for this reason that I believe the ousting of the voting system would not be that big of a deal within the A1 community. Personally, I've never really been a fan of the voting system myself. I've seen instances when it seemed very clear that sometimes people lost matches simply based on their opponents and not the quality of the RPs. A1E has managed to rid itself of that problem, for the most part, but I still remember facing certain people just because I knew that the deck was stacked against me from the get-go and I'm still a little soured on the system for that.

Also, the changes that Jarret has brought about since becoming head booker have been phenomenal for the fed and this might be the one last change that he needs to make to make A1E a hotspot for everyone in the hobby. The voting system has really kept a lot of people from joining the fed (or so I've heard) and with the current exposure that's being given to the fed with the Tag Team Tourney, what better time to show them what A1E can offer with Jarret and his guys calling all the shots instead of everyone running the show?

Which brings me to another point... A1E has its BC, or Booking Committee. However, it seems as though all they are there for is to decide who faces who on a given week. It doesn't seem like there's much "booking" that goes on within the group. I know when I was a member of the BC, there were a lot of times I just felt like a matchwriter rather than a booker. I guess what I'm tryin to get at with this point is that if only five people are deciding who faces who, then why does everyone get to decide who wins the match? I think everyone should be involved in deciding who wins, then everyone should be involved in the making of the matches or vice versa. And logically, it only makes sense that five people would make the matches, therefore I believe only five people should be in charge of who wins the matches.

Longtime A1Eers might not agree with this, but as someone who has seen this discussion come about once a year for the past five years, you really must question when this becomes something that we quite patching up and just fix completely. All the tweaks in the world are not going to make this system perfect, and maybe that's the appeal that comes about with the A1E.

But the arguments that come about for the spontaniety that A1E brings to the table are only arguments because sometimes a head booker might choose to keep the strap on his champ, even though the challenger won the match. All that needs to be done for the spontaniety of A1E to remain is the call of the head booker to stand behind his committee if they think that the champ lost the match.

I think that the need for a change is upon us in A1E. The voting system is obviously not working the way that the BC feels that it should if we must see posts like the one that brought this discussion about. The uniqueness of A1E is not really in its voting system. The uniqueness comes from it being in its own community and having a totally different roster from any other fed on the net. The system is going to be a constant topic of argument unless drastic changes are mad. So rather than patching the road yet again, let's re-pave everything and make things better for the long haul.

5.24.2007

Tag, you're it

I figure that the majority of discussion that will take place on this board is going to be e-fed related, so I guess that my first post should be about that very subject. Even though I'm really antsy right now wondering where my love life is going, I think a good e-fed post is really what this blog needs for a shot in the arm.

So with that, let's talk tag teaming in the e-fed world.

It's really something that we see very little of this day. Now, Dave has always done his best to showcase his tag team division in EPW and Jarret is also showing a very valiant effort in trying to bring more teams into A1E with their current tag team tournament, of which I am a part of. Granted that my participation has been lackluster the past couple of weeks, I for one am still very much interested in how things are shaking out in this tournament.

But the thing that I love best about this is the fact that I'm teaming with one of the best while doing so. And really, that's where I guess this post originates...

It would seem as though most people within this community are all about their own personal abilities and too proud to try and make something happen by becoming a tag team partner with another member of the community.

Let's take a look at the fed that has possibly the best tag division around, EPW...

Now, since I've been taking my break, I haven't been following the scene as much as I should, but from what I can tell, 5 of the 7 active teams listed in the information thread are ran by a single handler. Now, if you're reading this post and I am incorrect, please feel free to inform me.

Anyway, it seems as though these days this is the only way that tag teams are formed within the ranks of the FW community. If you go back (at least in the A1E annals) there are plenty of teams that were more than successful with two handlers. Big Dog & Gladiator, Housefly & Beast, and not to toot my own horn, but Sensationally Perfect.

But what really surprises me about this whole situation is why more people don't work together to try and get a little spark for both characters. Personally, I believe that diversity is a big deal when it comes who wins within a given RP period. For example, let's say that Housefly & Beast are set to take on Blitz. Everytime that we here from Blitz, the majority of the time Max and Jecht are going to be together and, therefore, Karl is forced to speak for both of them at the given time. In contrast, Housefly & Beast are able to come at Blitz full force with whatever they want to say in their given RPs. And even if Blitz were to keep things even on a 2-to-2 RP level, there are still two minds working against one in this case. Karl is very gifted, but I doubt that he is always fully capable of seeing everything that two guys like Roger and Jarret could see.

So my question becomes: Why don't more handlers take advantage of this and really try to boost their characters? Most would agree that e-fedding really reached its peak during the Attitude era when tag teaming was the least of everyone's worries. Hell, WCW had practically disbanded their tag division at that point.

But is that really where we're still at in this hobby? Is everyone trying to make their character the same old DTA character that we've seen for years now?

I know that, personally, I've given more than my fair share of tries to the tag division. Of course, the first time, it lead me to two tag team title reigns. From there, I've offered up ideas of teaming with several different characters... James Irish, Irishred, and of course, I'm currently in the A1E tag team tourney with Chip Friendly.

Personally, I see this as a nice shot in the arm for my character because it gives me a change of scenery and allows me to work hand in hand with some guys that really know their stuff in how to get buzz around your character.

It really seems like something that more people should try in this hobby. Why don't they? I'm not too sure, but I would definitely like to hear it. The singles ranks are packed full of talent already, why don't we spice things up and try something different for a change?

5.22.2007

Let's Try This Again...

Well, it certainly has been a long time since I've done this, but quite frankly, I have nothing else to do.

My current level of broke-ness has sent me to a new summer job as well as my full-time job at Big Lots. Things are quite tame right now. A day here and there sometimes leaves me run down, but my two supervisors are really open to helping me out and I'm very appreciative of that. It helps to keep some money in my pocket and some sanity in my brain.

However, the thing that really sucks is that job number two sees me sit at a desk from midnight to eight in the morning, staring at a blank computer screen or playing wrestling booking simulators.

Usually, this would be the kind of job that would totally kick ass, but the time from 5-8 is when things really start to suck as I begin to fight off fatigue, as I'm still trying to keep a regular schedule so that my social life doesn't go to hell simply because I'm working night shift everynight.

However, that will prolly all go down the shitter as soon as next month hits. I have 48 hours scheduled at job number two the first week of June and then 40 hours every week after that. We'll add that to the 30 hours that I MUST work at Big Lots due to my full-time status and we're going to have a very run-down Shane. I'm also in the midst of trying to wow a new girl, who is quite possibly the coolest woman I've ever been this close to a relationship with.

So let's do some math here...

7 days a week x 24 hours a day = 168 hours a week
168 hours a week - 30 hours at Big Lots - 40 hours at WVU = 98 hours a week
98 hours a week - 2 hours gym time per day x 6 days a week = 86 hours a week
86 hours a week - 6 hours of sleep per night x 7 days a week = 44 hours a week

Now, 44 hours a week sounds like a whole slew of time to waste really. Hell, that's almost six hours a day that I could do whatever I want. But, for some reason, that's just really not how it works. And while it might be awesome with all the money that I'll have, I can't help but think that there will be quite a damper on this relationship that seems to be blossoming. And this really stresses me out because if ever there was a girl that I've attempted a relationship with that I would want to work, it is this one.

Needless to say, the eight hours a night that I will be spending at job number two are crucial to the very little sanity that I retain within my body. And since I'm on a current hiatus from e-fedding outside of A1E (Which some would claim I'm doing there as well ;) ), I figure that this blog could really be what keeps me going and keeps my mind off all the stressors that I might endure throughout what seems to be a crucial summer for my future.

So, I'm going to try and spark some good e-fedding discussions here, but I might also bring about some real-life stuff that hopefully I can get some input on from the great friends that I have encountered here in the FW and A1 circuits. There are really those of you that I admire like I've known you my entire life and feel more than comfortable telling you guys anything: Dan, Lindz, Dave, Shane, Josh, Jarret, James, etc.

I'd really like to try and make this a hotspot for those of you looking for something extra to do when you're just sitting around, looking for something to do or someone to talk to.

So, with two days in a row after tonight that I have to work here, why don't we start off topics by simply naming some topics that we'd like to see discussed. I'll then try to give my personal take on it and then we'll engage in some good old fashioned debate to try and express our viewpoints as well.

Lemme know what you guys think.

-Shane

11.30.2006

Playing into your character

This week, I've noticed quite the debate going on about whether or not someone should win a match based on the fact that they didn't really "address" the match that was at hand.

Personally, I don't find this at all to be a defining factor in whether or not someone should win a match, but maybe I'm wrong for believeing so.

When I first got into this deal, that's all that I thought it was about. Wrestler A fights Wrestler B, they talk trash on each other and whoever does the better job of trash-talking wins the match. It's what I did for years as Steven Shane, and, admittedly, it brought me a great deal of success.

However, once entering the FW community and even trying my hand at another character, I've begun to feel totally different on this topic. I remember some of my LVW RPs for Web Browser didn't say shit about the match at hand, yet Browser was rather successful in LVW.

In my own fed, UCW, I see a lot of RPs that do more character development than actually talking down the opposition. It seems as though these guys really understand what this hobby is all about and that's entertainment. In the real wrestling world, people are given gimmicks and then they follow up on that. It may be sort of a lost art from what there was in the early 90s, but still, it is seen and known about.

I remember watching Papa Shango promos and wondering what the hell he was talking about damn near everytime. On the flip side, if you watched too many Ultimate Warrior promos, you began to wonder just what an annihiliation by another man's hands really looked like. Maybe that's why Shango and Warrior had such a long feud back in the day, simply to equal each other out.

Anyway, the debate was sparked this week about certain wrestlers committment to an angle that was being run. Because Wrestler A doesn't give a damn about facing Wrestler B, it means that Wrestler A shouldn't get the win because he's not even focused on the match. And I can see why someone would want to think this way.

However, where I have a problem with it is when Wrestler A's gimmick is to basically no-sell whatever it is that his opponent is doing, simply because he thinks he's that much better than everyone. It's nothing against Wrestler B. You could bring in Wrestler C and Wrestler D for a three-on-one match and Wrestler A would still think that he was that damn good and could defeat them all.

The thing I'm looking at here, and possibly looking for some feedback, is what should hold the most weight in determining who should be successful at this game we play?

I realize that everyone is going to think their own way and that it is quite possibly the way that everyone should look at it, but that's their prerogative. I'm just basically looking for a decent debate here that could really enlighten everyone on what everyone else looks for when they judge who should win a given match.

Personally, I'm looking for the guy that does the best job of making me believe his character and his committment to what he says. I know that sounds rather general, but this is the way I look at it.

For example, let's say that quite possibly the two most polar-opposite wrestlers in the world go one-on-one. Roderick McRatrick versus Beast. I love both of these characters for their given ability to do what they do best. Roderick is amazingly funny while Beast brings more intensity to the table than damn near anyone.

Now, in this example, Roderick brings absolutely the funniest stuff I've ever read from him. He throws a few shots at Beast, but his main idea is to make me roll on the floor laughing. Now, in a crazy occurrance, Beast is thrown off his game by this and still establishes his dominance and what he plans to do with the match, but doesn't really make me hate Roderick the way he does with everyone else.

Personally, I think that Roderick has done the better job of establishing his character and, therefore, gets the win in my book because his comedy was spot-on, as usual and because Beast didn't really counter his points (probably because there were none).

What about you? Do you think it's possible for a comedy gimmick like McRatrick to get over in this hobby? Or are we so business-driven that only the most focused on the goal are going to get the job done?

11.29.2006

A little late...

Tom's including me in one of his recent blog entries inspired me to bring more to the table, as I promised about a week and a half ago when I opened this thing up.

I guess that the thing that is weighing the heaviest on my mind right now is my return to A1E. That's kind of to be expected with the amazing amount of downtime on FW Central, but the weirdest thing is that the FW boards are what has gotten me thinking about what to do with my return to the wonderful world of A1.

Within the realm that is Major Championship Wrestling, you may have noticed that Chip Friendly and "Sensational" Steven Shane are representing the Highland Park Social Club. I just put up the first RP in our thread and I must say that while it seemed off from the original Steven Shane stuff that I'm used to putting up, it was quite fun.

People everywhere may hate it, but sometimes my mind runs wild while in an altered state. Work has been killing me with the Christmas rush that all retail stores see and my new brand of comedy within the HPSC is something that really lets me get out of the "sell everything" mode. If anyone would pitch some feedback on it, it would be great because I want to know if Shane needs to be serious again or if I can be successful while trying out this new promo style.

But while all of this is going on, it's time to be a fanboy and really talk about why A1E has become so much fun once more.

On several occassions, I've worked with Dan West. Shane actually had a feud with the HPSC a year or so back and Dan and I worked really hard with everyone involved to get a good story out of it. Aside from that, Dan is one of my most reliable RPers over in UCW. If you guys haven't ever read anything by BG Bruce, you need to check it out. The stuff we've been doing between Bruce and Commissioner Cloverleaf seems to have drawn more interest from people than I had originally expected.

But that's just the thing about working with Dan West. From day one, his Chip Friendly character has been my must-read for any type of card he's on. In fact, I was catching up on the EPW threads today and read his, I believe it was, 13 line RP and I was still rolling. The fact that Chip Friendly cannot fight Joey Melton because he's helping orphans have a good Christmas is something that only Dan West can dream up.

But aside from Chip Friendly, Dan West just brings what everyone wishes they could bring to the table in a bundle of different characters. The list is really amazing: The Spoiler, Victor Molotov, Bruce, hell, Dan West can even pull off an accountant in the e-fedding world. How the hell do you pull off an accountant in tights?

Single-handedly, Dan has just made this entire return to A1E something that's really been fun for me. I'm not sure if he's up for it, but the thought of Shane and Chip teaming up to maybe finally take down the long-reigning champs of Big Dog and Dan Ryan makes giggle like a little school girl.

So, until I get some more controversial thoughts that can really spark some conversation, I'll end this little fanboy rant. I promise, I have some good issues that have been coming up, but I'm just not feeling too controversial right now thanks to a day off from hell...err, Big Lots. I'm back on the job Friday though, so maybe I can finally get some sparks flying on this thing.

11.19.2006

Introduction

Well, I guess you can mark down The Shane as the newest member of blog fever.

I don't really have a lot on my mind right now, just got bored and figured that now was as good a time as any to start this puppy up since the Cowboys don't come on until later this afternoon. With that said, I guess we'll just do a quick background for those of you unfamiliar with The Shane and my work.

First of all, most of you will probably know me as the fedhead over at UCW on FW Central. It hasn't been the smoothest of roads over the past year or so that I've been doing this, but I must say that I'm quite happy with the way that things are going. Past endeavors into fedhead-hood left much to be desired and even more to say from a turnover standpoint.

However, I cannot say that for this fed. I believe that I have some of the absolute best handlers that this hobby has ever seen, and I'm proud of it. We haven't really lost that many wrestlers and because that, we're able to put together one hell of a product because I don't have to worry about who's going to bail on me next.

Also, I have assembled quite the crew as far as help goes and they have been phenomenal in helping me get cards out since I took over this thing by myself. Josh, Shane, Mike, and Dan have been really great with getting matches to me in a respectable amount of time with help from a few others here and there.

We're actually trying to finish up a card as we speak. The only problem is that I can't find bios for the two guys in the match I'm trying to write, leaving me with the time that is currently being used to blog. But outside of that, things have been running decently smooth and I don't really have much to complain about.

But the reason that most of you may know me is the character that I've been running for just about five years now, "Sensational" Steven Shane.

For the better part of my career, I was simply a mark for the A1 circuit. I would be lying if I said that Steven Shane had better success anywhere else. Two tag team title runs and a Cyber Title run leave me very comfortable with the way I ran my character in the A1E. The only title that alluded me was the World Heavyweight Title, but even then, I'm sure no one would criticize me for not pulling through on that.

I haven't really had that many title matches, but still, coming away empty handed can be very disappointing. However, as I said, I don't think anyone is quick to label Shane as the guy who couldn't win it. My first title match was against arguably the best "potential" champion that A1E ever saw in Euclid. No one came close to touching this guy while he had that title. I was on the BC while he had his run and it seemed like he was always winning on a squash week-in and week-out. I, however, managed to take him to a draw and to this day, that might be my crowning achievement, as horrible as that sounds. Unfortunately, Dave walked away from e-fedding before we could really get our all-out settlement, leaving me standing with an 0-1-1 record against him.

My second time around was against the longest reigning champ that A1E has ever seen in Ken Cloverleaf and my third dance was with the man who is arguably the "best ever" champion in Housefly.

After that, I left A1 and made my way to EPW before filtering out into other leagues such as CSWA, MCW, LVW, NEW, WFW, and MBE.

I'm pretty much everywhere now and there aren't too many people in this community that don't know me or even talk to me on a weekly basis. However, I didn't really have that much to talk about on this first blog entry, so I wanted to make sure that if there was still anyone scratching their heads that they could stop now.