Breaking Kayfabe - 10/20/2003

[Kaertos 0]

October 20, 2003

 

Well, with the developments of the past few months, it has been a while since I was able to sit down and bang out a “Breaking Kayfabe” so I thought I would toss one out there. And what better thing to talk about than the circumstances and backstage happenings that lead to the “Commissioner Angle”, as it was called. Rarely does an outsider get a chance to see the evolution and development of a major angle in our business, and I think it is high time the IWC got a look at how difficult it is to conceive of and manage an angle, in secrecy, in today’s climate.

 

So, where to start? Perhaps by setting the stage. In the middle of July I was the play-by-play analyst on all of our television events, Director of Talent Relations and the owner of the Bases Loaded Training Center in Aurora. My wife Lynn was working at a law firm in Chicago where the SWF headquarters is located. And King was both the on-air and backstage Commissioner. Several things that would shape the storylines over the next two months happened at the same time.

 

First off, the building, an old manufacturing plant that Bases Loaded was in, started to develop some problems. First, the roof needed replacing, and then the plumbing started acting up. When Lynn and I discovered the foundation was shifting and the air conditioner was about to give up the ghost, we knew we had a problem. I investigated all of the options and decided that, at least for the time being, Bases Loaded had to close.

 

Next, Lynn received an offer in the mail from her old firm in Lincoln. Her old boss was retiring and they wanted to bring her back as a partner. The money was too good to easily pass up, so we started making plans to move back to Lincoln. The boys, God bless ‘em, were kind enough to offer to help us move since there were shows scheduled in Lincoln and Omaha very soon. That many huge men volunteering to move furniture was too good an offer to pass up, so we made the arrangements. It was totally worth the $350 of pizza. I was back to my pain-in-the-ass plane rides several times a week, but it was worth it.

 

Then the SWF, quietly, was bought from our previous Japanese owners who had lost all interest in American wrestling by a firm that wishes to remain anonymous. After securing the purchase, they set up Smartmarks Wrestling Entertainment as a subsidiary of their company. They also formalized the White Apple Productions arm of the business. Being a very forward looking group of financial wizards, they also went so far as to make permanent something that had always set the SWF apart from the competition: organized healthcare for the workers and their families.

 

Around this time, we got a call from Comet. He was wrapping his movie and wanted to get involved in the Fed again as a way to boost publicity for his movies and comics. He said he would commit to an everyday schedule for a while, but there was a hitch. During his last stunt, he had herniated two disks in his lower back. Surgery wasn’t really an option while he was doing publicity so it was decided that he would join the WF commentary team after Ground Zero.

 

Finally, King decided that his plate was a little full between his off-air role as Brian Applewhite the SWF Commissioner and Director of Operations (and Grand High Muckety-Muck) and his on-air role as “Suicide King, Evil Commissioner”. Something had to give, and he decided it would be his on-air role as Commissioner.

 

So there we go. By the time Ground Zero rolled around, we knew something big was brewing for Genesis. King and I figured that we would be lacing them up again and actually started working out before shows, trying to knock off a little of the inevitable ring rust. Little did we know at that point that King’s back would start to ache like it did, that I would wreck my knee running the ropes, that Thugg would call us in the middle of a story meeting and ask if there was anything he could do at Genesis or that the Mac Daddy himself would call up and ask if there was a way we could work him onto television so he and Silent could have the match we were building to a year ago. It was a crazy month, let me tell you.

 

And speaking of Genesis IV, I am still putting together my notes for a commentary on the big show, hopefully one that might end up as a special feature commentary on the DVD.

 

I met with two set designers yesterday and we put our heads together and came up with some ideas for the “Grand Slam’s Office” set, to differentiate it from King’s office.

 

I was thrilled to see the tag division really bursting at the seams with talent for a while, but between injuries, storyline developments and sudden family emergencies, it seems as if it has become a very small division again.

 

It was nice to see X back on television. Hopefully he can keep his head about him on this trip through the SWF and stick around for the long run.

 

I had the unenviable task of telling the boys, a few of which had the privilege of working in the Stampede Wrestling territory, that Stu Hart had died. I know that better men than me will write tributes to this giant in our business, so I won’t even try other than to say he will be missed and all of here in the SWF extend our wishes and prayers to the Hart family.

 

Count me in as a huge fan of Tom’s face turn. I’ve thought it would be a great place to take his character ever since he won the big belt the first time, but cooler heads prevailed and we held off until his spectacular match with Judge at G4. Talk about sending the fans home happy!

 

Dace, Ash and Bastion all deserve special kudos and thanks for stepping into a tough situation and putting together a great match. They all knew the focus would be spread pretty thin considering the setup, but all of them went into the match like professionals and tore down the house. I like to think that all of them came out better off than they went in and that our “rub” is still worth something. Hopefully, they will take the ball and run with it.

 

I guess that’s it for now. Needless to say, I think A2A and Clusterf*ck will be really spectacular shows as we start out fourth year in business and I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Genesis V on September 19, 2004. Tickets look to be going on sale sometime in March. We’ll keep you updated.

 

Until next time, keep swingin’ for the fences –

“Grand Slam” Mark Stevens

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

:: marks ::

 

[HVilleThugg 0]

::dances::

 

Mark rocks the party...another swell Behind the Lines...err...I mean Breaking Kayfabe....lol.

 

Although, I think there should have been more mention of the OOC arguements between Mark and myself as to how things were going to go on a show to show basis regarding the commissionership angle. Boy...we quite a few differences of opinion...lol. But Mark is still my dogg...but I thought it would have been cool add that in there as to say that it wasn't hard for Thugg and Mark to pretend to be fed up with one another because of the arguments that were taking place in the creative sessions.

 

I like how Mark explained the Bases Loaded thing...that was well done. Let's see...what else...

 

I think a part two should come to explain how things happened OOC after the angle started...how Edwin got involved...how Silent came on board...how the 3 competitors for the match were decided upon and how the match itself was changed from the singles to the three way, and what thought processes were involved with that.

 

Things have slowed down a bit here...and I know I haven't been around much even though I'm technically back in action. It'll pick up though...Then again, this would be good grounds for a final King/Mark showdown...since the fed has slowed since Mark took over as commissioner...lol...yeah, I"m smoking too much crack.

 

Da "should write a promo or something" H

[Ace309 0]

I would like a copy of your brochure. Please add me to your product's mailing list.

[Thoth 0]

You sound like a mix of JR and Jeremy Borash. Like Jeremy Borash in a ten-gallon, or something. I enjoy.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Hooray. Very clever merging of what we all saw in the storyline with "King's bad back" and "putzy Mark hurts his leg running the ropes."

 

You heard me, ya big putz. I continue to love these things.

[Crowe 0]

This was an entertaining read, and oh how I wish I could hear special commentary on Genesis.

[Guest Xstasy]

/me Marks The Spot!