|
|
|
|
|
Submitted by Winter on Monday, August 16, 2004 at 12:34 PM EST
I've been coming to LoP for a little over two years now, but it was only in August of last year that I felt the sudden urge to start writing columns of my own. After being inspired by the likes of Davey Boy, Tito and Snapple I thought I'd try giving column writing a go myself, being a wrestling fan of 13 years I thought I'd have a lot to share with fellow wrestling fans. But I had no idea where to start or what to do. LoP, being the only wrestling site I visit was the only site I had any ambition to write for, but where to start? I had no idea, not until I saw a CoTM by RickStallion posted on the main page. After reading this column it dawned on me that I needed to sign up with the forums and start writing there if I was to have any chance of ever making the mighty main page, so that's exactly what I went and did. The first thing I needed was a gimmick, something to separate me from the other column writers in the forum. I'd signed up as Winter already, so I needed something with a 'Wintery' theme. I thought for a while, trying to think of something Christmas related for the title of my column, until finally I remembered the old Dean Martin song 'Let It Snow', and for some reason I went with it. So, now that I had a name and a title, it was time for me to start the actual writing aspect of being a columnist. So, on August 16th 2003 I posted my first ever column, entitled 'Let It Snow - The Next Big Thing'. If the truth is told, the column was pretty crap, featuring nothing more than a few short paragraphs on up and coming wrestling organisations NWA-TNA, ROH, CZW, MLW and the dead XPW. Even though the column was nothing special, it did receive positive feedback from Pt2, JBR and Dubzilla, 3 of the forums top writers at the time. The very next day I wrote another column, this one called 'The Real WWE Main Eventers'. A slight improvement over my first effort, this column looked at the over-flowing number of main eventers that were currently in the WWE, and attempted to separate the men from the boys. Looking back now, the column wasn't much more than an excuse to bash Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner, but it was still and improvement, and again received good feedback from some of the top writers in the forum such as RickStallion, Pt2, JBR and XanMan. After a hideous SummerSlam predictions column I wrote what was possibly the longest column in the history of LoP. 'The Extreme Curse' was a 30+ page column which looked at how well former ECW wrestlers had fared when joining the WWE or WCW. It was a good effort, and an interesting read, but it was just far too long. I realised I needed to add something my column; sections, titles, gimmicks, because although I was doing ok, I was still way behind the top guys of the forum. After getting some great advice from Davey Boy, I decided a change was needed, so I turned to my favourite column, 'The Wrestling Menu' and stole some ideas from it. I'm sure anyone that's ever read DaveyBoy's column knows that it's split into 3 sections, Appetizers, Main and Dessert. So I took that and applied it my column, creating 3 sections known as Sleet, Snow and Ice. I also invented a unique PPV review system, which used temperatures to rate matches, with Freezing being the highest and Boiling being the lowest. The new column layout was well received, and was even praised by LoP legend Tito. After just 3 weeks of column writing I started to become one of the more popular columnists in the forum, and even finished in joint 1st place in the September column of the month contest. Over the next few weeks I discussed a variety of topics, including cruiserweights, rookies and stereotypes in wrestling. I also started to earn the reputation as being the 'Simon Cowell of the columns forum' as I was often very harsh and brutally honest with any new column writers. But, even though I didn't necessarily agree with the title, I didn't mind it either as it meant I was getting attention. In late October I was stuck for a topic to write about, so decided to review WrestleMania I and take it easy. The following week, I reviewed WrestleMania 2, the week after that WrestleMania III etc. In fact, for 20 weeks Let It Snow became the WrestleMania column, as I rarely did anything except WM reviews. As un-original a topic as they were, the WrestleMania reviews became far more popular than I could ever imagine, and in December I won the column of the month contest. As well as 'Let It Snow' I also debuted a new column called 'Winter Wonderland', and although I didn't do too many of them they were usually well received (and the title was much better). But 'Let It Snow' remained my priority, it was the column that made Winter after all. In a funny twist of events, I was accidentally banned from the LoPForums in January of this year for a little over a week. This led to quite a big commotion in the columns forum which some referred to as 'Wintergate'. My fellow columnists were outraged that one of their peers had been unjustly banned, and were determined to see that it didn't last long. Needless to say it didn't, I returned to a fairly different columns forum (Sheepster had invaded it during my time away) and I picked up right where I left off, reviewing WrestleManias. But something even stranger started to happen. For reasons unknown to me to this very day, an anti-Winter movement started picking up momentum. Even though only 5 or 6 posters were on this bandwagon, it created quite a bit of chaos in the columns forum for a few months, and even continued when I was called up to the main page. I learned of my promotion to the main page in March, just after my last WrestleMania column. After just 8 months in the forums I was called up, and that's basically where the story ends. Since I've been on the main page I've posted a controversial column or two, continued to have silly arguments in the forums and the anti-Winter movement still exists, although not the degree that it once did. One year on, and not much has changed really. SummerSlam 2004 was just as bad as SummerSlam 2003, wrestling fans continue to complain about the same things and continue to be ignored, and I'm still writing, only instead of 200 people reading my work it's closer to 2000. Before I move on to the actual wrestling section of the column, I have to give thanks to a couple of people. SNOW - Thank you Y2Kdogg: Definitely my biggest supporter and one of my favourite posters in general. I could always count on your feedback and the columns forum was always more fun when you were around. What ever happened to that column you talked about writing? Calvin: If it weren't for Calvin LoP wouldn't even exist and I'd have to make do with other, 2nd rate sites. Thanks for allowing me to write on the main page, and for being understanding when it came to some of my more controversial stuff. Pt2 and doublehelix: Whether it was arguing about who's better out of Sonic or Mario, or about which if was more popular in Lithuania, you guys always offered great advice, and usually gave about 20+ bumps to my column. Thanks. XanMan: I can't remember a time in the columns forum when I didn't receive feedback from XanMan. Even when he was taking one of his breaks I'd still see his name under those that had left a reply. And the X-Changes were some of my favourite columns to be involved with. Probably the hardest working columnist around at moment. DaveyBoy, Snapple, Stanman and Tito: The reason I chose LoP over other wrestling sites was down to the columns that these 4 write/wrote. All have given me great advice, especially Davey and Stan, and their work continues to be the best on the net,(with the exception of Stanman, of course) along with the other LoP main pagers. Sheepster, Adam, Robb, cYnical, Lonewolf:: I don't think I'd have made the main page if weren't for you guys being so vocal about who you felt deserved to get promoted back in March. Thanks. TV Dog and Tina:: I'd probably still be banned if it weren't for your efforts back in January. Tina, thanks for posting my 'retirement' column for me, and TV Dog, thanks for bringing the situation to everyone's attention outside of the columns forum. RandomGuy#5, Captain Lou, Spook/bludwerkz etc: I do have to thank all of the guys involved with the anti-Winter movement, because I don't know if my columns would have received the attention they did without some of you, and likewise I don't think your columns would have been noticed if it weren't for some of the things I did. I'm on good terms with some of you now, I've been on ok terms with all of you at some point, so thanks. Your Ayatollah, RickStallion: 2 of the most honest guys around, I can always rely on an honest opinion from either of you. If you think I'm in the wrong, you won't hesitate to let me know, and that's appreciated. I'd also like to mention the following people, who in some way have either helped me out with my column or are just great posters in general: Cavalou, BBM Fan, Gazz, Sal Sincere, SteJ, MrStone, 2TX, TCA, Terry, QofBanditz, ChadMatthews, Dumass, Valleyboy, Optimus Starscream, Julian Phoenix, The Dark Phoenix, Rabbi, Garth, Von. B, WrestleMania, Wevv Mang, J-Train, Phantom, Dubzilla, goatee, Hurra Duff, Vil, dawsey28, Destroyah, Firefly, Gino, Starbury, Marvin, Novacaine, PVP, Stuart Lyon, Venom, Bestest, spaz,, Styxx, The Citizen, The Franchise, Standard and ECW. I hope that's everyone, sorry if I forgot anyone but I tried to name everyone I could. Well, that's it as far as my one year anniversary section goes, I hope you all enjoyed it, although I'm sure members of the LoPForums will like it more than others who probably have no interest in anything I've just wrote. So, for those that didn't find any of that interesting and wanted the hear my thought about wrestling, here you go: ICE - SummerSlam: The Fans Message I've got to say, I didn't enjoy SummerSlam one bit. The opening match was decent, but with the exception of that I felt like I was watching a WCW PPV from 2000. The only thing that entertained me during the 2nd biggest PPV of the year was the Canadian crowd, who sent the WWE a few messages loud and clear. 1. "Turn Edge heel!" - Did you hear the fans reaction to Edge last night? When Lillian Garcia announced him as 'Toronto's own', I thought he'd be the crowd favourite, but far from it. The Canadian fans were right behind Y2J the entire time, and even favoured Batista over the 'hometown hero'. The message the fans were sending Edge and the WWE was simple; we don't want to cheer this guy. The type of heat Edge was getting wasn't the kind that fans give to a wrestler they don't care about, but to a wrestler they'd rather see as a heel. I felt Edge handled the situation very well, as it was clear that he worked the majority of the match in a heelish manner. Last night was a positive for Edge, as it was the first time since his return we've seen some real attitude from the guy. As a babyface, Edge is a boring, plain wrestler. While working as a heel last night, he had a cockiness about him that really made you want to boo him, even if you hadn't planned on doing so before hand. I hope the WWE listens to this message, because as a heel Edge has a bright future ahead of him. As a face, he'll become the next Rob Van Dam, and that would be a huge waste of talent. 2. "Stop Eugene's push now!" - "Eugene Sucks", I honestly didn't think I'd hear those chants for a long, long time to come. After all, booing Eugene is like booing a child, it's something you wouldn't even think of doing. But as always, the Canadian fans didn't play by the rules, and they let the WWE know that Eugene shouldn't be in the same ring as Triple H. Now, if Eugene were in a match against Val Venis last night, the fans would have been cheering him like crazy, as it's not Eugene that they dislike, it's the fact that's he's so high on the card. The WWE needs to listen to the fans. Don't' turn Eugene heel, don't fire him, just place him in the mid-card, preferably as part of a tag team with Regal. If the WWE handles this wrong, it'll be Zach Gowen all over again. 3. "We paid to see wrestling, not divas!" - Seriously now, did the WWE really think Diva Dodgeball would go over with a Canadian crowd? And just to make things even worse, to now have it in front of the live crowd? C'mon, this whole Diva search has been boring everyone to death, smart fans and marks alike, and we do not want to see them hogging up time on the 2nd biggest PPV of the year. And we certainly don't want to see them playing dodgeball. This is a wrestling program, not a high-school sports day, so if you're going to have these divas appear at SummerSlam, why not let it be in the ring, even if it's stupid bra and panties match? The sooner the WWE realises that fans pay money to see WRESTLING, the sooner we don't have to put up with worked dodgeball matches anymore. 4. "Bradshaw is a boring champion" - A Mexican Wave during a WWE championship match? I never, ever thought it would happen. Even when the WWE was down in the dumps last year, the WWE title still managed to keep it's prestige, but it seems that now even that's gone. The fact that the Canadian fans couldn't even make the effort to boo Bradshaw or cheer for Taker shows just how far the WWE title scene had fallen. I know Vince is hell bent on seeing his JBL creation work, but he has to face facts, we don't care. Right now, I consider the World, U.S and I.C titles to all hold more prestige than the WWE, and that's a terrible thing. The same title that was held by Austin, Rock, Hart, Hogan, Michaels etc is now being held by a glorified mid-carder. Bradshaw wasn't even good enough for the European title, the WWE had him drop that title after 8 days, so why is he being given a lengthy WWE title run? One year ago Bradshaw v Taker wouldn't have made a Smackdown taping, now it's the brands main event for SummerSlam. I suppose it doesn't matter how much we whine and complain, the WWE won't listen, but if the silence from last match repeats itself in other JBL matches, we just might see the WWE come to their senses. Here's hoping. MELTED Well, that's all for another week, I hope you all enjoyed the column. Please send all feedback to Winter118118@yahoo.co.uk. Thanks for reading and take care. -Winter.
|
|