Lost In Davenport 4/23/01
by "Stardust" John Peacock
Lost In
Davenport 4/23/01
by
"Stardust" John Peacock
The
End of it All: As Stardust announces his retirement, he takes a retrospective
look at his career as one of DWF's all time greats.....
I
really wished I had gotten another column before this one cause there are things
I want to talk about, but I'm not going to this time around. I think you'll
understand why. Needless to say my formal resignation (or my quitting
speech) has been posted for all of you to read on the main page. Thanks to
Ty for getting that up super fast, btw.
Yeah, I left the DWF. And yes, it's weird typing that or saying that, because
for the better part of three years, I've spent a lot time with the Deadly
Wrestling Federation. For the most part it's been good, trust me, but there just
has to be a limit and finally reached mine.
Results will be posted (maybe, i'm not writing them so who knows) of a show we
did no more then twelve hours ago, and on this show was Angel vs Rocky. Now,
there was a car spot that went very much askew and I'll take some of the blame
for calling it, but without going into detail, i'm sitting here still able to
move my right knee and thus feel lucky. I'm not too religious, Tybolt Lemur
(Pat) and Papa Fly (my best friend, Tim) will tell you that, but I saw this as a
sign. Sitting here after a long day, I realized that while this time I have on
injury, what about the next time. It's karma or something, it will come back to
bite me.
So that just basically made me look back and think about why i'm still doing
this. Frankly, there's more in my life now that I feel I should concentrate on.
My school work is slacking as my high school career comes to a close and i've
busted my ass the last four years too much to let it go like this, i'm working
more now and hoping to get a promotion at my job, and (although the relationship
is very much new) i've met someone very special who actually makes me happy and
feel good about myself. Maybe I doesn't seem like it to those who don't know,
but I have self-esteem issues, so trust me, I haven't felt this great in a long
time.
But back to the DWF. It's come now to me where it does feel like work, maybe
it's just me, but with the last two months being mostly unproductive because of
the JJ situation among other things, it just seems like we're doing it all for
nothing. The TV show never got off the ground (my fault and Ty's, i can admit
that) among other things, and some where I had hoped to see the fed get some
promotion. Maybe not as much now as I used to, but now i'm just rambling.
All in all, it's just a matter of the DWF began taking too much of my time,
money, and such things like that. I just noticed a distraction from other
things in life, including school and work, and I feel i need to get those things
in line now so come August (and thus college) i'll be a lot more organized.
Yes I could have just done what Rob has and become just a worker, but honestly,
I don't feel like i'd be able to sit back and not help with the booking of a
promotion i've played a central role in for the last three years. My minds made
up and sitting here after a few days (this column is taking the long to write
thanks to some ill-fated term papers) I feel I made the right decision, and at
the risk of repeating myself, let's move on.
This is another thanks to those who have helped the DWF in anyway. Ty, Pat,
Rich, Patrick, Jake, Ben, Louis, Travis, from even like Easy Cheat or Trevor
Gaze, you all made it worthwhile and fun at the very least. Over the next
week i'll be copying over a good portion of the DWF video library (excluding
prior Taco Hell events) for Ben and Rich so they will have past storylines at
their finger tips. Hopefully Jake will stay with the fed as I've asked him
too. I'd feel very guilty of the fed imploded from one decision I made.
But I think from talking with Ben last night that him and Rich have a good plan
and hopefully can continue to make the DWF great!
I thought I'd run off some of my favorite DWF memories really quickly, mostly
matches, but just to let you know of the good times:
-The first show in June 1999 always has a special place in me. That day was
Tim's debut with the fed, and now even though the match doesn't hold up well
today, the Stardust-Papa Fly series began. Then again, me and Tim's matches were
never that great. That was also the return of the Madman, and when Travis was
there things were a little extra fun. Lou showed up and Ty too, just a
really fun day all around that jump started the fed again.
-Cutting the heel turn promo after Royal Battle 99. How can I not put this up
there, I've never thought about a promo so hard in my life as this one, as it
was true beginning of the DWF having actual storylines (aside from the debut of
Ben a month later). It cemented my heel status and made my career, so it's
a person highlight. That day was Tim and Travis ability to shine and I miss the
comedy groove they had gotten into with each other by this time.
-The In Your House Match. Hey, i taped the 45 minute match that ended up being
DWF MOTY. At that time, I will say this was the DWf's stiffest match and
did have some memorable moments (the pedigree on the roof, ben's drinking
frenzy) Ty and Ben were able to work with each other in the same vain that me
and Lou can, this began their true feud that held til Monumental Terror at the
end of summer. Rocky vs Soilent is without a doubt one of the biggest, if not
the, biggest DWF feud ever.
-The Ben Situations. Ok, these were never that positives as me and Ben probably
are never going to get along for any amount of time, but maybe with us not
working togather in the DWF and just watching backyard tapes (it's not like i'm
going to stop hanging out with rich,ben,ty and those guys, that'd be just rude)
me and him can get along for longer periods of time. And no, most of the Ben
explosions were never positive and led to rebooks, but as I was telling Rob last
night, if everyone got along, BYW wouldn't be as interesting. I'm not grateful
for them really, but it made things interesting.
-Monumental Terror: Out first show with pF ended up being on of the best DWF
shows ever. Angle wise, the Madman's returns ranks up there as one of the great
DWF moments, and the eight man to close the show is still fun to watch. Stardust
vs Shane Hunt 2 is one of my career highlight as it brings full circle my heel
turn from a year earlier.
-The XHWF Guys: In a time when Tim was on the leave that would kill off his
interest, and Travis had left, hurting morale a little, we need something.
Bringing Patrick and JJ was what we needed, two younger workers who and a
genuine love for the sport. I saw JJ has someone who could really help the DWF
booking wise, oh BOY, i was a tad wrong on that. I hold less ill feelings
towards him now, but he blew the chance he had. I just hope he's thought about
what he did and has his priorities straight. From the looks of it, him and
Patrick have gotten XHWF doing something, and that's great to see, good luck
with that. The JJ mess aside, I did see him improve 1000 times on the mic while
he was here and really turn into a great heel. And JJ's ring work i'll always be
a fan of, i've never jelled with anyone else that quickly, so JJ, i know you'll
read this eventually, pat yourself on the back cause our Iron Man match was my
best DWF match EVER! It was awesome man, good luck in the future.
Now to Patrick, and in all honestly, I'll apologize for his booking so far in
his DWF career. We were finally getting to his push that would have made him
main event and then we go though that two months of no shows more or less, and
i'm sorry about that. Truth be told, Patrick is a great talent and adapts well
to most styles, did a little bit of practicing with him the other day which was
fun, and he's so easy to work with. Wish me and him would have worked a program,
but I already told him he's gonna be making sure i don't get layers of ring rust
on myself between pF shows. I want to tell him to stick with the DWF, Rich and
Ben have plans and from what Ben's saying to me, they look good. I have full
confidence in what they'll be able to do. Good luck Patrick and i'll see
you around later man.
This is just a handful of things that stand out to me. The Formation of the Original
angle was great with myself, Ben and Rich. Everything in the last few months
aside, it's been a great three years. I just want to thank everyone again, from
Ty for sticking with it, to Rich for joining and really making his mark and is
now the most talented, gifted and knowledgeable athlete in the DWF hands down,
to Pat who is also retiring for being one of the best faces in the DWF and my
favorite promo guy, to Travis for having the best gimmick ever and just being a
great friend, to Jake for coming aboard and quickly turning into a great big
man, and to Ben...who gave us all columns to write! Just kidding, Ben gets
thanks to for giving a damn about the DWF all these years and providing with
some good matches.
This wasn't easy by any means, but we know all good things must come to an end,
and with school ending and my life going in different directions, I just don't
see the everyday work of the DWF as a part of it. I will still be doing pF
shows, as I told Ben last night, pF shows give me a great break from the
everyday hassle of life and I still love wrestling. Good luck to Rich, Ty, Ben,
Patrick, and hopefully Jake as they get set for another DWF revamp, keep the fed
around guys, and I'll be back for Monumental Terror in August, promise. Until
then, however, all roads for me personally lead to Supercard 11 now, which looks
to be my final pF show for a while at least. It's been a great ride down here,
take care everyone
-John Peacock
**Ok, ok, i had planned to end this column here, then Eric Smooth had to go and
quit. DAMMIT! I have to write a little rant now. I have NOTHING personal against
Eric, me and him had a pretty good CW Title match last November so that's cool.
Let me say if he doesn't want to be in pF, that's cool, no biggie, but I think
the swearing and shit wasn't needed. If Eric was pissed about what Rob
said in his column, that's understandable, I honestly don't think the comment
about Eric's lack of moves was really true, but, IT IS ROB'S COLUMN. It's one
guys opinion, so what does it matter. I can't comment on most of it cause
i haven't see any talks between Eric and Rob, but I do think the CHM tape should
be copied and handed over to the other pF guys. Yeah Eric, you work, I know how
time can run short a lot of times, you just have to realize there are 6 or more
other guys who would really like to see the tape. Can Rob go get it? He could,
but it's not as easy for him because he has no car. It's not reason to make fun
of his financial situation, that's just being a jerk about it, but hey, we all
get hotheaded at times. Point is, if Eric doesn't want to work with pF,
his decision, personally it didn't seem like he was ever there to really be pF,
just wrestle, due to not hanging around a lot with the other guys. That's really
for me what makes the pF trips fun. Yeah, wrestling is cool, but so is just
being a jerk at burger king or hanging out all night watching tapes and
exchanging Derrick Brown jokes, whatever. Eric never came off to me as someone
who was interested in becoming one of the guys, but that's alright. And I guess
we don't need to worry about the tape from CHM, cause i"ll be bringing it
up on Friday night. Have fun in AWF Eric and Stevie, they're a great group.
Yeah, that wasn't too good of a rant, but i've already had to type this column
twice thanks to school computers being bitches. Anyway, Friday night Jessica and
I are going to see Vertical Horizon (augg, they're ok in a wannabe REM kinda
way) and then us two and Jake (Snake Fight) head up to Oshkosh. Should be a
great weekend. Can't wait to see everyone again, and get a chance to actually
hang with Steve, who I want to thank for the kick ass match at CHM. I was so
damn nervous about that, but I think we did a great job and really worked well
together for 2 guys who haven't met. Well, i'll be back with another column
after Neighbor's Suck this weekend, take care and until then....
Put A LiD on it!!!
HAHAHAHAHA, I included it! I'm a HEEL!
-JohnDust
Past "Lost In Davenport" Installments
6/19/00- Stardust's debut column..talks about Rocky, SC X and more!
7/1/00- Stardust talks about DWF's upcoming drought and SCX
7/11/00- Stardust talks about SC X in retrospect
8/5/00- BYW Web Pages get feds over! And more..
8/16/00- A Preview of the 8/20 pF/DWF Show and More..
9/15/00- The DWF's MOTY Candidates
10/18/00- DWF! DWF! DWF! All the DWF you can handle!!
12/7/00- Futures of Rob/Rich, Papa Fly is back, other news
1/16/01- Reflections on Storm situation, New Yr's Revol., Latest WI trip
1/29/01- Papa Fly's departure, Snow Day, and more
3/17/01- As CHM approaches....