RRO AWARDS RACE 2009: BALLOT

----There will be no polls posted - voting sent to the e-mail address as indicated. I will accept only 3 e-mails from each IP address!!Copy and paste!! E-mail to rroawardsrace@rasslinriotonline.com. Please put a 3,2 or 1 along with each name. 1 being your top vote - the winner will be the nominee with the least votes - get it?? If you only vote for one nominee, then that nominee will receive 3 points. For example, I want to vote Dustin as top wrestler - I would put a 1 beside his name along with a 2 beside DK and then a 3 on Mack's name. You have until 1.10.10 at midnight to send in votes!!!

Wrestler
-Derrick King
-Dustin Starr
-Rodney Mack

-MVP Performer

-Austin Lane
-Pokerface
-Stan Lee

Tag Team

-Asylum
-Midnight Gold
-Picture Perfect

MVP Team

-East Coast Bad Boys
-Midnight Gold
-Picture Perfect

Rookie

-Blaine Devine
-Chris Lexxus
-JD Kerry

Moondog Brawler

-Psycho
-Motley Cruz
-Tony Myers

Horizon
-Austin Lane
-Christian Jacobs
-Matt Riveria

Promotion

-NEW
-RWA/DoggCW
-TIWF

Booker
-NEW committee
-Rodney Mack
-EWE committee

Announcer

-John Steele
-Michael Ward
-Terrance Ward

Gimmick

-Baron Maklavain
-Ike Tucker
-Precious

Manager

-Brian Thompson
-Hollywood Jimmy
-Rashard Devon

Referee

-Downtown Bruno
-Chuck Poe
-Kellan James

Most Improved

-Bishop
-Jeremy Moore
-Shawn Reed

Most Underrated

-Allan Steele
-Justin Smart
-Shawn Reed

Arena Match

-Dustin Starr vs Stan Lee
-Austin Lane vs Derrick King
-Austin Lane vs Eric Wayne

TV Match

-Dustin Starr vs Kevin White
-Tommy Rich/Doug Gilbert vs Jerry Lawler/Brian Christopher
-Johnny Dotson vs Derrick King

Website

-The Starr Treatment
-Ewe
-Wrestlingnewscenter

Columnist

-Dustin Starr
-Eric Wayne
-Greg Anthony

Female

-Angel-Lena
-Jazz
-Su Yung

RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 Stage 3!!!

----Ok, this is Stage 3 and the final stage of the 4th Annual RRO Awards Race. Below are all rest of the categories and I am going to explain them and give me thoughts on picks. Unfortunately I have been so busy working with Yearbook 2009 [it is close to 400 pages!!!] that I forget to get a Columnist Consensus as of yet. I will post that later this week. Now to Stage 3!! If you are a member of the KAYFABE MESSSAGE BOARD, then you may click over and put all your nominations there. Or you may e-mail your picks, if you do not want to post them “in the open” on the board. Send your nominations in ASAP. PLEASE PICK 3 NOMINEES for each category!!! Send your e-mail to brian_tramel@yahoo.com with subject: RRO Nominees. Deadline for these awards is Wednesday 12.30.09. Get all the up to the date info on the awards right here!!! Below my picks and thoughts are the Columnists Consensus results from a poll I conducted via e-mail last week with them.

*Horizon Award: This is the award for the guy/girl/team that you think should have a TNA/WWE contract. This award was won by Eric Wayne last year with Byron Willcott [who has a contract] in close second and Dustin Starr placing in an award that he won in 2006 and 2007. I am going to leave Starr out of it this year as one of my picks, because I think it is just a given that he deserves a contract. The three guys I pick are Christian Jacobs, Matt Riveria and Tatt2. Tatt2 in third place because he has had a lot of opportunities this year that fell thru, but he has shined for the big time. Jacobs is a close second and I would have to give Riveria the nod here, because of all the out of wrestling things you see him do to just get his wrestling personality over. He is tailor-made for the WWE.

*Most Improved – Who got better in 2009? Angel-Lena, Jeremy Moore, Justin Smart and Crazy Train really have to be mentioned here. The guys work really hard and have improved. Angel-lena has gone from being GOD awful to have decent matches as a worker and is more confident around the ring. Christian Jacobs is my third pick here, because he has always HAD IT, but this year IT went just a bit better. Bishop has got tons better and has a great presence in the ring. My top pick would have to be Seth Knight just for his overall look and adding new stuff to his already stacked move set.

*Most Underrated – Brian So Fine, Shawn Reed, Ron Rage, Seth Knight, Devon Day and Mark Justice are six names I would start with. If any of those guys got nominated, I would see why. These guys have to be mentioned – they all are good at different levels. My top three picks are Kevin White [as he works lots of big shows and works hard in & out the ring], Maxx Corbin [he has a great wrestling mind, good on the mic and did a great job promoting a few shows] and my top pick would be Cody Melton. Melton has been on a lot of top shows this year and works real hard.

*Arena Report Match of the Year – These are the best matches that I witnessed at live events. This is hard to vote for some people because they do not see as much stuff as I do. But..if you attended one of these matches, then you know the quality of it. I have listed all the matches that scored [***1/2] or higher. Please pick three. I have highlighted my three picks.

-Eric Wayne vs Kid Nikels West Memphis, AR [***1/2] 1.23.09
-Kid Nikels vs Greg King Jr West Memphis, AR [***3/4] 3.06.09
-Pokerface vs Blalok The Blazer Jonesboro, AR [*** ½] 3.14.09
- Greg King Jr vs Eric Wayne vs Kid Nikels – 60 Minute Draw [****1/4] 3.15.09
-“East Coast Bad Boys” [Serpent/C-Money] vs Pokerface/Derrick King with Rashard Devon. Osceola, AR [***3/4] 4.03.09
“Genocide” [Albino Rhino/Maxx Corbin] beat Greg King Jr/Shawn Reed [*** ½] 4.04.09
- Devon Day vs Kilo Trenton, TN 4.25.09 [***1/2]
-Dustin Ring vs Eric Wayne West Memphis, AR 5.08.09 [****]
-Derrick King vs Austin Lane Tuckerman, AR 5.09.09 [****1/4]
-Jon Michael vs Scott Adams Ripley, TN 5.30.09 [***1/2]
-Dustin Starr vs Stan Lee Ripley, TN 5.30.09 [***3/4]
-Tank Benefit: 8-Man Elimination Team: Kilo/J Weezy/Gaylon Ray/Shannon Lee vs C-Money/Rockin Randy/Hardcore Yaw/Jon “Biscuit” Roberts 6.14.09 [***3/4]
-”Missouri Street Fight” - “Missouri Bad Boys” [Renegade/Mark Southern] with Cookie St. James vs “Law and Order” [Tim Davis/Ricky Hayes] [***1/2] 7.25.09
-Jon Michael vs Mark Justice Newbern, TN [***3/4] 7.25.09
-Street Fight: Derrick King vs Bishop Ripley, TN 9.12.09 [***3/4]
-Dustin Starr vs Stan Lee Ripley, TN 9.12.09 [****]
-"Dynasty" [Blalok the Blazer/Mike Anthony] with Reno Diamond beat "Natural Born Playas" [Southside Brawler/Pimptacular] Jonesboro, AR 9.19.09 [***1/2]
-Jon Michael vs Christian Jacobs Ripley, TN 9.26.09 [****]
-Eric Wayne vs Austin Lane West Memphis, AR 10.09.09 [****]
-Alan Steele vs Kid Nikels West Memphis, AR 10.09.09 [***1/2]

*TV Match of the Year: These are original matches that aired on TV this year. There has not been a lot, but I posted what I considered the top 6 bouts from TV. I have highlighted by three picks. If you think I missed one, then feel free to nominate it. The date shown is the air dates.


-Dustin Starr vs Kevin White Minglewood Hall 3.07.09
-Brian Christopher vs Doug Gilbert Hardcore Match Minglewood Hall 3.07.09
-Doug Gilbert/Tommy Rich vs Jerry Lawler/Brian Christopher Minglewood Hall 5.02.09
-Tatt2 vs Johnny Dotson Block Party 5.30.09
-Autozone Park Johnny Dotson vs Derrick King 8.08.09
-“Asylum” [Psycho/Pappy] vs “Full Scale Assault” [Xander Raines/Jason Steele] vs “SnS” [Syn/DJ Stunner] 9.19.09

*Best Wrestling Web Site –Dustin Starr’s “the Starr Treatment”, WNC, http://www.elitewrestlingentertainment.com/ are my top picks. Starr has slowed down a bit at the end of the year, but he was THE site to go to all year long. Wrestling News Center is last year’s winner and good for world news more than local. My favorite promotion site is the EWE one.

*Columnist of the Year – Even though it is his own blog, Dustin Starr has been the guy to read this year. Greg Anthony always has good columns on here. Seth Knight, Jamie Jay [for being shady] and Eric Wayne all need a mention tied in third.

*Female Performer: Angel-Lena is my favorite here because she has been more places and works hard. Athena Eclipse is an ASWF mainstay and is not your typical diva. She breaks the mold and is really good at ringside. Jazz is easily the most over female I have ever seen live. Last year’s winner Su-Yung should get mentioned also, but she was not as much “in your face” as she has been due to no TV exposure.

RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 Stage 2!!!

----RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 continues. The first 6 categories have been closed for nominations. I have listed the next 6 categories in this year’s race, which many consider the most important ones. If you are a member of the KAYFABE MESSSAGE BOARD, then you may click over and put all your nominations there. Or you may e-mail your picks, if you do not want to post them “in the open” on the board. Send your nominations in ASAP. PLEASE PICK 3 NOMINEES for each category!!! Send your e-mail to brian_tramel@yahoo.com with subject: RRO Nominees. Deadline for these 6 awards is Wednesday 12.23.09. You may also check back here to get all the up to the date info on the awards!!! Below my picks and thoughts are the Columnists Consensus results from a poll I conducted via e-mail last week with them.

----Wrestler –This award has to do with drawing power, influence, visibility and just overall a good wrestler. You don’t have to be the best worker in the area, but it does help. Wrestler of the Year is considered one of most prestigious of our awards, because along with Tag Team of the Year, you get your photo on the front cover of the Yearbook. Who will be there on the cover of Yearbook 2009?? Three-time Wrestler of the Year Derrick King will be considered, but it might be a hard year for him to win. But, with winning 3 in a row, it is almost a given he will be nominated. My top two picks change almost every week now – Dustin Starr and Rodney Mack. Mack took a promotion from drawing in the 120s to almost double as the top babyface. I think it is a harder job to draw week after week. Mack is easily the #1 babyface draw in this area. Starr has not only pushed himself to be the best at what he does, but he has also helped put this area on the map. His blog, his work with various non-wrestling projects and his overall exposure will make it hard not to nominate him. Other guys deserving the nod might be Brian Christopher [he has had a ton of exposure – not good..], Jerry Lawler [who topped all the biggest shows in the first half of the year] and Kevin White [who also was on a lot of the top shows].

----Tag Team of the Year fits right in there with drawing power, influence, exposure and all that combined into one. My top pick is “Asylum” [Psycho/Pappy]. There is no other team that gets more exposure and dates than this team. They will easily do 120+ total dates this year. No other team will do that. “Midnight Gold” [Bobby Eaton/Greg Anthony] and “Picture Perfect” [Christian Jacobs/Chris O’Neal/Jon Michael] are my other two picks. “Gold” made an impact in this area and it has just been fun for a Midnight Express mark like me to watch them. “Perfect” was “the” team most of the year even with O’Neal’s injury, Jon Michael then stepped in. Others that should be considered - “LSD” [Cody Only/Idol Bane], “Genocide” [Maxx Corbin/Albino Rhino], “Natural Born Playas” [Southside Brawler/Pimptacular] and “East Coast Bad Boys” [Serpent/C-Money] .

----MVP Performer of 2009, which is the best overall worker. This award is not based on drawing power, just wrestling. Some of the names from last year have to be considered as Austin Lane, Stan Lee and Greg Anthony are always good workers. My first pick this year will have to be Austin Lane. I have just seen him in more great matches than anyone this year. #2 pick is Pokerface. I have seen him in two over [***] matches in a single and in a tag. He is always been considered one of the top in the area, but mostly as a tag team wrestler – winning MVP Tag Team 2007. He worked his ass off during the Sid/Hall angles and made everyone look good. #3 pick is Jon Michael. He was also the winner of a tag team award in 2006, but he is shining as a single wrestler and had excellent performances at two of the NBW big shows. Stan Lee, Greg Anthony, Christian Jacobs or Eric Wayne - it would not hurt my feelings to see either of them nominated.

----MVP Tag Team of Year 2009. This is a hard category also. What teams are flawless and work the hardest?? The three teams that come to mind the most for me are “East Coast Bad Boys”, Derrick King/Pokerface and “Picture Perfect”. If King/Poker teamed other places, I would have to pick them easily. ECBB are limited also, but I think my #1 pick would be a toss up between them and PP.

----Rookie of The Year –This award goes to someone that worked at least 26 dates in their first year of wrestling. The guys that are eligible are JD Kerry, Michael Gilbert, Chris Lexxus, The Regulator, Ty Hamiliton and there are others out there. I would have to pick JD Kerry hands down in this category. Guys like Kevin Charles and Dan Matthews fall “in between” and will get a nod next year.

----NEW AWARD: Spot Moondog Brawler of the Year Award. This will be our first year to present this award and it is our only new award added. This award has been given a stamp of approval by the family of Spot Moondog and we are excited about presenting it. This award goes to a guy that is hardcore or just a damn good brawler. My number one pick here would be Psycho. Psycho can take more punishment than anyone I have seen in this area. His matches for S&V and the IWA stuff put him ahead of others. He does these shows and continues to do regular bouts each and every week without taking off time. Tony Myers does his own stuff and is a strong candidate here. Motley Cruz is and has always been good at the brawling style. Pappy did most of the stuff Psycho did and should be consider. Southside Brawler also did a few really wild brawls this year and Ron Rage ended up bloody a lot too.

Columnist Consensus

-Wrestler: Dustin Starr, Greg Anthony, Rodney Mack

-Tag Team: Midnight Gold, Picture Perfect, The Asylum

-MVP Performer: Austin Lane, Stan Lee, Greg Anthony

-MVP Tag Team: Picture Perfect, Midnight Gold, Eric Wayne/Kid Nikels

-Rookie: JD Kerry, Blaine Devine, Chris Lexxus

-Moondog Award: Psycho, Pappy, Motley Cruz

RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 begins NOW!!!

----RRO AWARDS RACE 2009 begins NOW!!! I have listed the first 6 categories in this year’s race. If you are a member of the KAYFABE MESSSAGE BOARD, then you may click over and put all your nominations there. Or you may e-mail your picks, if you do not want to post them “in the open” on the board. Send your nominations in ASAP. PLEASE PICK 3 NOMINEES for each category!!! Send your e-mail to brian_tramel@yahoo with subject: RRO Nominees. Deadline for first 6 awards is Wednesday 12.16.09. You may also come here to the RRO AWARDS RACE blog to get all the up to the date info on the awards!!! Below my picks and thoughts are the Columnists Consensus results from a poll I conducted via e-mail last week with them.

----Promotion of the Year 2009. Both the top picks are two different animals, but need the nods. Memphis Wrestling – USA promotion behind the booking expertise of Bert Prentice had a lot of the top crowds of the year. He slacked off on promoting shows because of his health, but MW-USAW done real well the first 6 months. RWA was drawing close to 800 fans every month with a weekly show. I am not sure if MW-USA could do that or not. RWA morphed into DoggCW and continues to draw good crowds. I give the top nod to DoggCW for promotion of the year. Third place I would pick either TIWF [#2 drawing group weekly in area] and NBW.

----Booker of the Year 2009: Who gave you the best storylines?? Who drew crowds because of the storylines?? Who promoted the shows so people would come out to see them?? I would have to go with DoggCW/RWA’s Rodney Mack, MW-USA Wrestling’s Bert Prentice and TIWF Committee here. All three promotions have done something to get the crowds in the building.

----Announcer of the Year 2009: Who is the best on the mic for TV or just announcing at the shows?? Brian Thompson, who worked over half the year at NEW, leads the pack here. He is a first class announcer and just plain good. I would go with Terrance Ward as my second pick as he has that old school feel to him. My third favorite is Michael Ward, who made IWA 10 times better by just announcing. John Steele should be mentioned – I would listen to him with any of the three above, but Steele is not always good alone. Rick The Stick also is good at the shows.

----Gimmick of the Year 2009: Who has the best gimmick?? No doubt about it – if you are been to a live show with the music and casket – The “Baron” Malkavain, who won the award last year, also is the top contender this year. I like the idea of a team name and a manager as part of the gimmick. Weird how this use to be just a tag team, but it is really more of gimmick now – “Midnight Gold”. I also have always liked “The Asylum” and like the “Natural Born Playa” gimmick.

----Manager of the Year 2009: Two of my favorites here are Brian Thompson and Jimmy Tidwell. They both are almost perfect in their roles. The only reason I would not actually pick them as the winners is because of their limited roles for the year. My two top picks are “Hollywood” Jimmy Blaylock and Rashard Devon, who have fought over this award for all the past three years.

----Referee of the Year 2009: 2008 winner Downtown Bruno has to lead the pack here. If you have not seen him work at NEW, then you need to go for a visit. He is not your typical “out of sight out of mind” referee that I usually like, but when it comes to the time in the match where he is needed only for the 3-count, he is there. Second I would go with Chuck Poe, who comes off as a total professional – in and out of the ring. I only seen this third guy do one show and he also works for MLW, but Kellen James is a damn good ref.

-Columnists Consensus

-Promotion: EWE, NEW, RWA/DoggCW

-Booker: Stan Lee, Rodney Mack, Bert Prentice

-Announcer: John Steele, Michael Ward, Terrance Ward

-Gimmick: Malkavain, Playas, Precious

-Manager: “Hollywood” Jimmy, Brian Thompson, Rashard Devon

-Referee: Downtown Bruno, Chuck Poe, Kellen James