USPW: "Consistency Creates Cash"

[Charlie Vick]

[center][SIZE="4"]PROLOGUE[/SIZE][/center] [SIZE="2"]USPW is riding a huge wave of momentum heading into the new year. Starting with the tv deal in early 2007 and James Justice's World title victory over Bruce the Giant after his departure from TCW. The event was United States Pro Wrestling's biggest show ever which led to several pay per view carriers taking notice. At the beginning of the new year Sam Strong had a 6 month deal with PPV-4-U in place, and was set to debut STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! live on ppv in February. With the new year came new changes. I've come a long way from the kid working for free with the ring crew and running the street team for Danny Jillefski. The years of coffee runs had paid off as I worked my way up through the ranks, all the while eating, sleeping, and breathing this business. By the time Sam Strong came into the picture Mr. Jillefski and I had formed a pretty strong friendship, and I'd been heading up the scouting department for quite a while. He had a lot of respect for all the hard work I put in for little to no pay at all. He made damn sure Sam was aware of it too. Danny was tight on money so my days as the scouting department basically consisted of logging videos and notes from different indy promotions that I would visit. When Strong took over his curiosity was peaked by what everyone around the office called the "black hole" of USPW. Which was the nick name given to my office because upon entering you were consumed by pile after pile of video tapes. Each tape of a different worker I've scouted equipped with notes and character ideas. Needless to say, Mr. Strong was both impressed and terrified at the shear volume of my work, jokingly suggesting I had OCD. He asked if he could take one. I told him to take however many he needed. He grabbed just one and exited. The next day I came in a few hours early and had a note on my desk from Sam. He wanted to see me in his office. He sat me down and told me he was impressed with my assessment of that particular worker. Then asked me If I'd like to sit in with him and Shane Sneer during a book meeting, maybe toss around some of my ideas. I jumped at the oppertunity.[/SIZE]

[Sonfaro]

Good luck! I'm interested. - Sonfaro

[Charlie Vick]

[center][SIZE="4"](CONTINUED)[/SIZE][/center] I sat in on that meeting and every one after that. I spent my first year on the booking team being educated on the ins-and-outs of booking a show along with handling the personalities of the men involved. I did get to do alot of work with the lower to midcard guys, which I thoroughly enjoyed. They seemed to be more open to trying different things than the top guys were. The months leading into 2008 was when I was given a bigger role on the committee. My segments on American Wrestling had been fairing pretty well and Sam took notice. A week before the official press release of USPW's pay per view deal went out Sam pulled me into his office to talk with me about my views on the direction of the company. As we talked for about 30 minutes I couldn't help but feel that something big was going to happen very soon. He ended our meeting by giving me permission to bring in four competitors as he felt like the jump to ppv will draw more attention from the "big 2" and we needed to build for the future. I almost leapt out of the chair to get out of his office and on the phone. Shortly after the ppv deal was announced I worked out deals with the following talents: Davis Wayne Newton Wanda Fish Zeus Maxmillion Roger Dodger We immediately began booking the fueds that would lead STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! in February. This time Sam wanted me to play a much bigger role in the planning. After four days of sitting in a tiny conference room arguing for 12 hours a day we had finally hatched out the next six weeks leading to the ppv. A few days later Chris Caulfield and Daryl Devine came to Sam and told him they had been contacted by the SWF about contract negotiations. He knew we wouldn't be able to compete with their money so he told them to do what they felt was best for themselves and their families. So it was back into the tiny conference room and more arguing as we adjusted the card. Here was the rundown. [center][U]World Championship[/U] [B]James Justice(c) vs T-Rex w/Shiek Mustafa[/B] [I]I was a big fan of T-Rex but I felt like it was pulling the trigger on his championship match a little too soon. So we had six weeks to build T-Rex as a blood thristy unstoppable monster threatening Justice's title and career. [/I] [B]Sam Strong vs Peter Valentine[/B] [I]This was my big contribution. We would remove Doom from the screen replacing him with Strong, since Sam would equal ratings. Playing off everyone's knowledge of the Strong/Valentine real life friendship. Valentine would grow bitter when Strong won't grant his every request. Sam was a little reluctant at first but eventually came around.[/I] [B]Jumbo Jackson vs Freddie Datsun[/B] [I]Jumbo debuts a new talk show in which Freddie Datsun is his first guest. Jackson insults Datsun calling him a fraud about his injury. Datsun insults back leading to Jackson assaulting him. Datsun challenges him to a match and says he'll be healthy by the ppv.[/I] [B]Jim Force vs Giant Redwood[/B] [I]Force and Redwood fued spills over from a number one contendars 3 way match with T-Rex for the World title. Keeps them doing something.[/I] [U]Women's Championship[/U] [B]Cherry Bomb(c) vs Alicia Strong[/B] [I]The best female wrestler in the world is the overhelming favorite to win the title. Bomb recruits the help of Nadia Snow to make sure she keeps her belt away for the first lady of wrestling.[/I] [B]Bruce the Giant vs DW Rhodes (Davis Wayne Newton)[/B] [I]I had to fight to get this match on the card. Rookie looks to make a name for himself by taking on the biggest dog on the porch. The feeling was not to give the 20 year old too much too fast. My arguement was if booked right Bruce could dominate Rhodes and Rhodes could still go hugely over.[/I] [U]Tag Team Championship[/U] [B]Towers of Power vs ??[/B] [I]This fued would mainly focus on the Power's absolute dominance of the faltering tag team division. For weeks they destroy every team in their path issuing a challenge to any team in the world to face them. Eventually a team knocks them off. Whether it will be a someone on the roster or a signing is to be determined.[/I] [U]North American Championship[/U] [B]Nicky Champion(c) vs Mercury Morris (Zeus Maxmillion)[/B] [I]Mercury makes his debut in USPW pinning Champion by grabbing a hand full of tights in a non title match catapulting him to the number one contendar spot.[/I] [/center]

[Charlie Vick]

[center][SIZE="4"]Highlights[/SIZE][/center] These are some of the high points from the six episodes of American Wrestling leading to STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! live on pay per view. [B]January Week #1[/B] [LIST] [*]Sheik Mustafa puts over his client T-Rex as the unstoppable force in USPW. Chris Caulfield puts him over in his last match with the company before heading to SWF. [*]In the main event James Justice defends his World title against Peter Valentine in what would be the highest rated segment of the new year. [*]Towers of Power challenge any team to face them for the tag titles. The Hillbillies accept and get squashed. [*]Alicia Strong defeated Nadia Snow then was attacked by Snow and the Women's Champion Cherry Bomb later that night. Bomb gets on the mic and tells her that her name will get her nowhere in the company as long as she's still the Women's champ [/LIST]. [B]January Week #2[/B] [LIST] [*]The show opens with Peter Valentine talking with Commissioner Strong about giving him another shot at James Justice and the World title. Strong tells him he's already made a number one contendars match tonight, one in which he's not involved. Valentine leaves angerily. [*]Jumbo Jackson debuts talk show with Freddie Datsun as his guest. Jackson insults then beats down Datsun. [*]Towers of Power squash Happy Elwood and Daryl Devine (in Devine's last match in USPW) to retain their tag titles. After the match they add insult to injury by beating down Elwood. [*]Cherry Bomb and Nadia Snow are in the ring. Bomb is on the mic insulting Alicia Strong. Strong storms to the ring, Bomb pushes Snow in her path then escapes out the ring as Alicia furiously pounds Snow to the mat. [*]DW Rhodes debuts by interupting Bruce the Giant during a backstage interview with new announcer Marty Papin. Rhodes talks trash then challenges the Giant to a match next week. He slaps Bruce in the face to get his point across. Rhodes wisely leaves as Bruce stands there livid. It would be the second highest rated segment of the night. [*]T-Rex would pin Jim Force in a triple threat match with Giant Redwood to become the number one contendar. The match was littered with spots that would lead to a Redwood/Force fued at the ppv. Including the ending where Redwood broke up Force's pinfall which would have gave him the victory then moments later causing him to be pinned by T-Rex for the loss. [*]James Justice who did guest commentary for the match would get in the ring and staredown the monster he'll face at the ppv. Peter Valentine comes out of nowhere and attacks the champ. Mustafa orders his client to exit the ring as Valentine continues the assault on Justice. Commissioner Sam Strong runs down and tries to pull Valentine off but is sent to the mat with a right hand from his friend. Strong gets up and fights back sends Valentine out of the ring and retreating back up the ramp. [/LIST] [B]January Week #3[/B] [LIST] [*]DW Rhodes did some good mic work before his match with Bruce the Giant. Bruce came out and dominated from start to finish, which came when DW got himself counted out when he realised he was out of his league. [*]Valentine was backstage in Sam Strong's office apologizing to the commissioner for "accidently" punching him last week. Strong books him in a match with Jim Force later on tonight. [*]Knowing that Freddie Datsun would not be at the show tonight Jumbo Jackson got on the mic and continued taunting the injuried star calling him a coward and challenging him to come out and face him like a man. [*]Towers of Powers come out and challenge any team to a match for the tag titles. Captain USA along with new USPW signing Whistler comes out and accepts. Team America defeated the Towers of Powers in a stunning upset to become the new tag team champs. [*]T-Rex squashes a jobber before his contract signing with Justice later on. [*]Alicia Strong comes out and issues a challenge to Cherry Bomb for the Women's title. Bomb declines her request as she feels Strong as done nothing to deserve a shot. [*]Valentine defeats Force with the help of Giant Redwood. Redwood beats down Force. [*]Justice and T-Rex sign the contract to met at STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! on ppv. After the signing Shiek Mustafa orders a vicious beatdown on the World Champion. [/LIST] [B]January Week #4[/B] [LIST] [*]The show kicks off with Peter Valentine in the ring whining about the unfair treatment he is being given by his so-called friend Sam Strong. Strong comes out and Valentine begins grovaling much to Sam's displeasure. Sam calls him a coward and says that he's always been there for him even though it wasn't the popular thing to do but the way he's been acting of late has been embarrassing. Peter drops to his knees and begins begging Strong without [*]the mic, Strong turns to his back on him. Valentine is enraged as Strong trys to exit the ring. Peter attacks Sam and the two roll around on the ground fighting until officials are able to break them up. [*]Mercury Morris debuts and defeats Nicky Champion with a roll up and a hand full of tights in a non title match. [*]Team America has a big celebration in the ring over their new tag team champion run. A table set up in the middle of the ring with a american flag cake, apple pie, and McDonald's. Doesn't get more american than that. The Towers come out and try to spoil the party but end up getting pie on their faces. Literally. [*]Freddie Datsun challenges Jumbo Jackson to a match at the ppv and says he will be fully healed by that time. [*]DW Rhodes gets his first victory in USPW over Des Davids in Davids farewell match. He signed a deal with TCW. [*]Redwood squashes newcomer Elijah Harris then the Foooooorrrrce is unleashed upon him after the match. [*]Alicia Strong and debuting Wanda Fish defeated Cherry Bomb and Nadia Snow. Strong pinned Bomb. Strong and Fish seamed to have horrible chemistry as a team. [*]T-Rex teaming with Peter Valentine defeat James Justice and Bruce the Giant when DW Rhodes distracts Bruce leading to a 2 on 1 on Justice. Rex gets the pinfall after the jurassic crush. [/LIST] [B]February Week #1[/B] [LIST] [*]Mercury hyped match against Nicky Champion during a backstage interview in which Morris made a very funny comment about Marty Papin's eye. [*]Mick Muscles defeated one half of the tag team champions Captain USA in a singles match. [*]DW Rhodes comes out and announces he has put a restraining order on Bruce the Giant to not come within 50 feet of him until their match at STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! He tries passing the gesture off as if he were protecting Bruce and not himself. [*]Sam Strong announces that he has booked a match between Peter Valentine and himself at the ppv. Valentine is in shock. [*]Classic Force promo hyping his match with Redwood. [*]Snow and Bomb attack Alicia Strong backstage. Wanda Fish saves. [*]Announcement that Freddie Datsun will be in action next week. [*]James Justice defeats Jumbo Jackson after Datsun blasts Jumbo in the head with his crutch. [*]After the match T-Rex and Sheik Mustafa comes down to the ring. Tension boils as the two men are about to come to blows. Almost half the roster comes out and gets in between the men not allowing them to get to one another. [/LIST] [B]February Week #2[/B] [LIST] [*]Freddie Datsun defeats Bull Wrecker while Jumbo looked on. [*]Sam Strong orders James Justice to take the night off to keep Rex and Justice away from each other until this sunday on ppv. [*]Alicia Strong announces Wanda Fish as guest enforcer this sunday in her match against Cherry Bomb for the Women's title. [*]Whistler defeated Danny Rushmore [*]DW Rhodes defeated another debuting star "The Gray Dawg" Stevie Grayson. After the match Bruce the Giant chases Rhodes out of the ring. Rhodes calls for the police to come out and arrest the Giant for violating the restraining order. It takes 8 officers and 3 pairs of handcuffs to take the Giant into custody. [*]Mercury Morris causes Nicky Champion to lose his match against Giant Redwood. After the match Morris taunts the unconscious North American Champion. [*]Peter Valentine tries on last time to plead with his former friend commissioner Sam Strong. Strong doesn't want to hear a word of it. Valentine out of nowhere lowblows Strong then viciously attacks Strong. A sidistic smile across his face as the show ends. [/LIST] [center]Sunday February Week #2 [SIZE="4"]STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! [/SIZE] live on pay per view Team America defeated Towers of Power to retain the tag team titles Bruce the Giant defeated DW Rhodes Jumbo Jackson defeated Freddie Datsun using underhanded tatics Jim Force defeated Giant Redwood in a snooze fest Alicia Strong defeated Cherry Bomb after Bomb got herself disqualified DW Rhodes defeated Nicky Champion to become the North American Champion. Had to replace Mercury Morris who was scheduled elsewhere Sam Strong defeated Peter Valentine in a disappointing match considering the build up James Justice defeated T-Rex to retain the World title[/center]

[Charlie Vick]

[center][SIZE="4"]The Day After STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS![/SIZE] February 2008 Week #3 Monday[/center] The verdict was in...STARS, STRIPES, and SLAMS! drew over 9,500 fans to the Louisiana Auditorium and had a 0.46 buy rate on pay per view. But it wasn't without it's fair share of bumps in the road. For one I made my first major mistake by booking Mercury Morris to take on Nicky Champion for the North American title while completely forgetting Morris' obligations to CGC. We replaced Morris with DW Rhodes and decided to put the belt on the rookie so we didn't damage him too much by losing twice in the same night. It worked out well as he drew some good heat after picking up the cheap victory. Champion was upset backstage but after Sam and I talked with him about his future he seemed to come around. There was also an incident between Java and Giant Redwood. I don't know the full details but apparently Java pulled a mean spirited prank that upset Redwood. Sam quickly defused the situation and the rest of the night went off without a hitch. The spirits around the office and in the locker room were high monday after the ppv. That is until we received word that Des Davids had signed a contract with TCW. Shortly after that we got word of another signing, this time it was Java signing a touring contract with PGHW. Sam decided to release him from his contract after the incident last night along with the time he'd miss with the company due to his touring obligations. Which to me was a big blow as Savage Fury was an important team to have around. They didn't receive much tv time but were vital working dark matches with the young guys and potential signings. The loss of Davids was even more of a blow as he was thought of very highly amoung the entire booking committee. With everything that was going on I decided I needed a break. I hopped in my car and went for a ride around town in order to wrap my head around the last month and a half. As I sat in a Sonic drive through waiting for my butterfinger blizzard my cell phones rings. [I]"Hello?"[/I] [I]"I've been looking everywhere for you. Where the hell are you?"[/I] It was Sam Strong. [I]"I'm at Sonic. I needed a break."[/I] [I]"Yeah, well I've decided to give you the book. Get your keister back here so we can go over the details. And bring me back a banana split."[/I] I sat on the phone speechless as a young girl on roller blades comes out with my blizzard. [I]"Here you are sir, that will be $2.12." "Sir? Sir, that's $2.12."[/I] [I]"I'm going to need a banana split also."[/I]