Sunday, October 28, 2012

Dear Bruce Tharpe

I would like to preface this by saying that I have been watching the NWA from afar since the week I was born. I've never known a day without the NWA, and I've defended the respect for it's history from many a naysayer.

Not anymore.

While I will always hold a fondness in my heart for what the NWA used to be, and I hold a larger spot for it's wrestlers and for the title (or what it once meant) recent events have caused me to turn my affections elsewhere.

For those of you out of the loop, the NWA was recently restructured, under the guidance of it's new owner, Mr. R. Bruce Tharpe. Much like Vince McMahon Jr. back in 1982, upon letting the ink dry on the spiritual deed to the company, Tharpe began severing ties to many of the promotions and wrestlers who kept this company alive.

Then just a mere two weeks before the last of the 7 Levels Of Hate matches was set to be booked, Tharpe pulled the NWA sanctioning of the cage match, meaning that if Colt Cabana were to win the match, his prize would be essentially a pat on the head. Why? Because the NWA title cannot change hands in an unsanctioned match. The belt had prior been on the line, Tharpe pulled it.

Now Colt did win, but again, his prize is a sense of accomplishment. Nothing more.

Adam Pearce, being a man of honor, said that he felt Colt deserved the belt, and offered it. But Colt declined, based on what the NWA has become. So both men walked out of the cage, leaving the belt behind.

And how does the NWA respond? Via a Facebook post, like a 15 year old girl, of course, complete with the misspelling of the word "endeavors"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The NWA™ World Heavyweight Title has been vacated. The Board of Governors wish former champion Adam Pearce the best in his future endeavours. There will be a new NWA™ World Heavyweight Champion crowned on Friday, November 2nd in Clayton, New Jersey.

R. Bruce Tharpe, President
National Wrestling Alliance™

So this is my response:

Dear Mr. Tharpe,
       Colt and Adam were your two biggest and brightest stars. While I appreciate and understand why they both chose to walk away from the belt, I hope you understand that the changes you have made to the company Mr. Tharpe, are the reason why they walked.

Adam was your biggest supporter, and the one person who made the loudest noise defending your company. If not for guys like him, the NWA would not be at the level it is right now, and I am very sad to say it is downhill from here. This company has an illustrious past, built off of the blood, sweat and tears of wrestling's finest, and by ruling the final of the Best of 7 an unsanctioned match, your company not only screwed over Colt Cabana, costing him a title he deserves, you screwed the fans out of their money. And it's obvious that you do not care about it.

And in not caring about anything other than your outdated and selfish demands, you are costing the NWA it's very existence. The NWA itself was hanging on by the thread from the heart strings of your biggest supporter, Adam Pearce. And now that this last thread of destiny has been severed by your own greed, this company, the one I have loved since I was fresh from the womb, has no future to speak of.

Sincerest in disappointment,
Ms. Koriander Ake


UPDATE: This is Adam's well said response to the NWA:


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

How Colt Cabana inspired me to be brave

I hope this story will inspire you the way I was. We all need a reminder that not everything in life needs a limit, and if you really want to make a change, you have to take chances.

It was April, 2009. I was excited. It had been two years ~ almost to the day ~ since I had last seen Colt Cabana, and I had my Fuji Film disposables ready. He had just come back from a tour of WWE's Mental System, and he was about to face one of my childhood favorites, Jerry Lynn.

Now before I left the house, I read my horoscope from Yahoo!. It read something akin to this:

"Don't make waves today, Scorpio. Tow the line and keep your head low."

So off I went to ROH. I was determined to get more than a few good shots, so I pleased and thank you'd my way through the crowd.

Right near the ramp were four guys, three of them really tall. The whole show long, they had no problems with me getting my entrance shots. "Let the little lady through, she wants her pic of Kevin Steen." they didn't really care.

... Until Colt's music hit.

The crowd was deafening and there were streamers everywhere. I tried to make it through the crowd, but was being hurled back by the large men in front, who were now reduced to screaming girls. "COLT CABANAAAAAAAAA!!!!" "OMG OMG COLT!!" Picture a sea of Brodus Clay, suddenly screaming and jumping up and down like girls at a boy band concert.

It didn't look like I would get a good enough shot. And I remembered my horoscope.

"Don't make waves. Tow the line."

And that's when it hit me.

Colt Cabana is in the ring.

Colt.

Colt makes a statement. He does what he feels should be done. He's not ordinary. Colt never tows the line.

... So why should I?

With all the gusto of a Mentos chomper, I did something that I'm not 100% proud of. Something I never did before and have never done since, and I usually advice people against it.

I walked over to the two men that hurled me backwards, took a chair, popped it open, climbed up onto one guy's shoulders, climbed to a second guy's shoulder, and took out my camera.

Now guy number two is moving back and forth, trying to get me off of him. He's threatening to hurl me back a second time. The first guy is amazed at my balance, and the third guy is yelling that a wrestling arena is no place for a "Little Lady".

"HOLD STILL DAMMIT! I want to get a good shot of Colt!"

Colt spots me in the crowd and waves.

That's when the fourth man SLAPS the second. "You stop that this instant!! The Little Lady knows COLT!! You stop that right now and let her take her damn picture. You let her take the picture!! Colt is watching US!!"


I'll tell you what. If I had listened to that horoscope, I never would have gotten such a great photo.

Colt's always reminded me to do my best. And he's always been a great model too!