As I look out at the snow outside and realize that I am starting to suffer Cabin Fever, I decided it was time for some random ramblings from the deep dark bottomless pit I call my mind. So let us begin. XPW. Does it stand for Xtreme Poverty Wrestling? If the rumors one hears are true, then I suppose so. When you need to sell off items to meet your payroll at your Friday night show and then cancel your Saturday night show, people have to wonder. Oh that's right the Saturday show was canceled due to the extreme weather conditions. You know that must be true. I was out that night and damned if I didn't almost sink up to my sole tops in an inch high snow drift. Well it's good to know that XPW was concerned about their fans unlike those rascals over at 3PW who evidently cared so little about their fans that they gave the over 500 fans (who must have put on their mucklucks & snowshoes to get there) what sounds like one of their best shows in recent memory. Damn how inconsiderate of them. Let me slap Tod Gordon, Meanie & Jasmine's wrists. Well with Jasmine perhaps, if she is game, I'd slap more than her wrists. Just kidding. Maybe.

And speaking of inconsiderate, let's talk about one of the most inconsiderate cheers in Professional Wrestling: The "You F**ked Up" chant. Now when any wrestler (and I mean ANY wrestler in ANY organization) is out the busting his ass for you and attempting to give you the best damn show he can, what gives you the right to sit on your warm comfortable ass and chant shit like that. The average worker in an Independent card gets about 2 hours to come up with a match that will get your ass excited, a match full of moves to make you say Holy Shit. 2 Hours. Suppose you were given 2 hours to prepare for possibly the most grueling and extreme activity in your life. Are you 100% ready? Maybe not but you gotta give it your all. So do you take that chance and do your best or lay back and say "ahhh, I'll take the easy way"? And what about all those people who paid their hard earned money to see you do your best? Do you let them down? Not if you really give a shit. So you take that chance and you try that move. And if it comes off right, the fans jump to their feet and cheer. But if you miss it, do the fans acknowledge that you tried your damndest? They should. If you need to belittle someone for trying to make you happy, then something is wrong. My two sons (ages 5 & 12) both learned that early on. When they hear that chant from the crowd, they aren't embarassed for the guy in the ring, They are embarassed for the guy chanting. They are embarassed that men two to three times their age have not learned a thing as simple as respect. They have learned it and it makes me proud of them. Perhaps we need to all take a little example from them.

A few moments here to remember Mr. Perfect. I was not always a big fan of the WWF and now as the WWE, I have even less respect for their booking angles. But Mr. Perfect was the perfect combination. No matter how terrible the booking, no matter how terrible the storyline, he never let us down. He was the perfect combination of skill and talent. His ring work was impeccable and when he took the mic in hand, one could honestly believe they were looking on perfection. When many left the WWF, their gimmick ended when they left. Not Mr. Perfect. he took the gimmick that was handed to him and made it his own. He no longer acted the part of Mr. Perfect. In the ring, he WAS Mr. Perfect. But the Wrestling life is a long & grueling road and in the end even perfection can't keep the Reaper away. So I can only say thank you for the memories and perhaps things are now just a little more Perfect where you are.

Well it's time for me to move along. I'll be back next week with some thoughts about the coming CZW card, a few words about some of the other promotions in Philly and perhaps even some more ramblings from the mind of the rabid hound. Until then, This is The Bloodhound saying See You at the Independents.