Reality Check
December 18, 2002
Hello again everyone. Is everyone ready for SSCW's next big event? I know I am. Ring Rage III is scheduled for January 31, 2003. For those of you that don't know Ring Rage is the name for the event that use to be called BasketBrawl. It's is our little version of WrestleMania. So keep checking this website because the venue and card should be officially announced soon. I want to congratulate a few people on the SSCW winning the 2002 Independent Promotion Of The Year. First of all I thank God for giving me the strength to do this wacky business. I thank my Mom for helping me out and believing in me. I have to thank Angel Martinez and Vicious Vin for all of their help in the back. And of course I thank all of our wrestlers and friends for their hard work and willingness to be team players. But enough of the past accolades it's time for SSCW's future. And the future is bright.
I want to take this opportunity to announce our working agreement with NWS Wrestling in South Jersey. Mr. Joe Panzerino, the man who runs NWS, is a fantastic person and a good friend of SSCW. If you are a South Jersey fan that can't make it to our shows in North Jersey please take the time to check them out. They have some great wrestlers. Many of whom are seen in the SSCW. I got some mail a week or so ago from people who were personally offended by my commentary. I will take the time to call these people and talk to them one on one. But understand. I say what I say not to make friends or be politically correct. I say it because I feel that it is the truth. If you are offended by what I write look in the mirror. I don't back down from or apologize for saying things I feel to be true. I am not always right and my feelings are obviously not the feelings of everyone.
SSCW has a HUGE article in this month's Total Wrestling. I would like to thank Mr. Bill Apter for giving us the press in that magazine. Mr. Apter is a true gentleman and a credit to this industry. Please check it out. Me and Angel have been looking at the prospective roster for the January show and I must say it seems you just can't get everyone on a show that you want to. Believe me we try. But at some point even personal loyalty needs to be put aside for business sense. Those wrestlers not booked should know that it is not personal and that if we, and the fans, like them they will be back. That's all for this week fans. have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. CJ Sabia
February 03, 2003
Hey everyone it is time once again for a Reality Check. This week I discuss Internet writers, workers who no sell and "rival" promoters. Let's start with Internet writers. I've had my fill of most of them. They come off with these egos that they are better then everyone and they know all. Just like any journalist that follows any sport actually ie. baseball, football, etc... But the wrestling journalist is a special breed. See they can be bought. You can buy good press in the wrestling business. There are very few "REAL" Internet wrestling JOURNALISTS anymore. The reason I write this is because I feel compelled to point out 3 people whom I feel set the standard for what a wrestling journalist should be. Chris Yandek, Georgiann Makropoulos, and Brett Schwann. They tell it like it is, fair and square. You can't buy em. When something I or SSCW does stinks they write it, when it's good though, they also write it. Bottom line they get wrestling news out to the people. They get interviews with top stars. They do their job which is alot more then can be said for most wrestling "journalists". Another writer on his way up whom I respect alot is Gerry Strauss. The man is not afraid to ask the tough questions. You have to respect that.
Something that I find growing steadily is workers who are so concentrated with high spots that they forget to sell. How many times do I watch a promo tape, or as I call most of them a 15 minute highlight reel infomercial, watching someone do back flips off of the Leaning Tower Of Pisa but when he misses the flip he gets right up and tries another. Um HELLO. It's supposed to hurt. Stay down. Roll around. Ouchie ouchie. Sell the damn spot. It's annoying and if they plan on getting to the dance they better learn how to sell. There is no excuse for a PROFESSIONAL wrestler to no sell. Pull out an RVD tape and watch him miss the frog splash. THAT is how it is done.
Ya know when I was a youngin first starting out in this business I heard alot of chatter about some of the other NJ promoters and promotions. Things like Fat Frank is a jerk, Ricky O is evil, Joe Panzerino is the boogie man. Being young I bought alot of it for a long time. But then you get to know these men and ya know what they are? They are just like everyone else. They do this business because they love it. None of us pulling in big bucks on this. But I have found them to be honest and good people. I am glad to know them and I find my experiences with them to be very enjoyable. They care about their workers and this business. I am proud to say that I have learned something from each of them and for that I am very grateful. Until next time........
January 18, 2002
Welcome back everyone. I apologize for not updating for a while but I have been very busy. I want to address some issues that may be a bit controversial today. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. Since everyone hath chimed in on the Bob Holly - Matt situation from TE3 let me spend a little time on it. Let's ask and answer a few basic questions. Was Holly wrong? Yes and No. For those of you who are the uninitiated let me explain. Professional wrestling is not now nor has it ever been a game for the weak. It's not for the out of shape, potato chip eating, remote control hogging, armchair wrestler who sits there with his buddies and talks about how easy it is and that he can do it while telling them stories about how he would have been an NFL mega star if not for that darn trick knee. You have to be tough both physically and mentally. Matt will never have to pay the dues Bob holly has had to pay. That anyone in SSCW or any indy promotion has had to pay. Holly knows this. And if it ticks him off well then he has a right to be ticked off. However in the same respect it is not this kids fault that he is in an enviable situation. he took the try on TE3 like anyone else would have. like Holly would have had he not been in WWE. So you smack the kid around and teach him how it is. But Holly took it a bit too far. And by the way that kind of stuff happens every single day in our world. If it wasn't televised believe me nary a word would have been said about it.
Now let's talk about a subject Angel Martinez has been speaking about a lot. Promoter - Worker relationships. A lot is made of what relationships we as promoters have with our workers. I am lucky. Many of my workers look at me as a friend as well as a promoter. The vast majority see me as another payday and I know this. But for those few that look at you as something more........I don't know that there can be a more gratifying feeling. I feel awful when I can't book a friend for a show. Sometimes the spot just isn't there or there isn't enough money. It's an unenviable situation but one we deal with as professionally as we can. But friendship should always be bigger then this business. We should try not to lose our identity in this gimmick world. Because when that happens what have you got?
And now for something hot off the presses. A former NWS and SSCW workers has taken to starting up his own promotion. While I wish this young man luck and consider him to be a friend. However he went about it the wrong way. I think, nay I hope, he know that now. There are some long standing lines in this business that should not be crossed and he crossed them. It's a shame because the young man was just starting to come into his own as a viable worker with credentials. But at some point we all chose a path. Sometimes you can make up for your mistakes sometimes you can't. But either way things never return to the way they were. However forgiveness is a tough game. We as promoters have to set boundaries and enforce them. No matter how much someone likes someone else crime deserves punishment. This young man knows I am upset with him but he will always be my friend. That's the way it is in this business. Like I said it's our own little world.
There is also something I want to make clear. It seems that some of my employees do not understand that Angel Martinez is the booker for SSCW. That I DO. NOT overrule his decisions. If Angel does not book you please DO NOT come to me and ask me to overrule him. If angel fires someone DO NOT come to me and ask me to overrule him. And to understand that you have to understand the history. I won't get into all that but what I will say is this. I TRUST Angel to do his absolute best for the best interests of both myself and SSCW. Angel has earned my trust. That is a HUGE deal in this business and with me especially. I don't trust very easily or very often. I consider Angel to be my friend both in and out of this business. He is a true professional and an asset to SSCW. I could not do what I do without him. he makes my job 100 times easier. Someday I hope to see him run his own company. When that day comes I will stand and support him as he has done for me. Until next week................
January 26, 2003
It's time once again for a Reality Check. This week I'd like to touch on a few topics. Starting with the recent cancellation of our January 31st show to PROFESSIONALISM, and lack thereof, in wrestling. First of all let's set the record straight on why our show for January 31st is cancelled. Low ticket sales. Yes we could be like every other promotion and come out here and talk about building sabotage, leaky ceilings, an invasion from Martians etc..... But we at SSCW prefer the truth. Myself, Leslie, Johnny, Angel and Vinnie have far too much respect for our staff and our employees to bamboozle anyone into believing some goofball story. Bottom line is this. Business is about making money. Be it the wrestling business, a movie theater, or whatever it is you people do we do work to gain profits. And before I am a heel for doing that let me ask you this. Would you go to work if they didn't pay you? Now professionalism in wrestling is something we all strive for or we all should strive for.