what's going on with LCW?

I've been "invited" by the current owner of LCW to their next show. Here is that invitation posted on the LCW Facebook page. Here is that invite as it appeared on the page.
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"As the current owner of LCW, I would like to take this opportunity to invite the self proclaimed expert on Wrestling Done Right, Adam Leavelle to our show on Saturday night. He supposedly has a scoop to share with everyone. The last time I checked, reporting involves research. Not just one sided slander. There will be a press pass with your name on it at the front counter. You will have full access. Im sure there are few guys in our locker room that will be happy to see you.The majority of the talent that he claims are the best in the area are booked that evening even though he claims they are never used. I'm hoping that if he's going to be serious about reporting then he will take this opportunity to actually report rather than the one sided slander he normally spews. Having a website and an opinion doesn't make you a reporter. As much as I fought the urge to actually make him relevant, my patience with this is at an end."
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So for anyone wondering how I'll respond...I honestly don't know if I'll go to the show or not. If I go, it certainly won't be to get "honest" answers. How will attending a show with "total access" give me answers? Is he saying wrestlers in the back will tell me what's going on? How does that work exactly? I've been in, or around wrestling long enough to know it wouldn't be wise for any of them to get involved in any way. They are there to do their job, get paid, and entertain. I've never questioned their ability to do that, and I still don't. Well, most of them anyways. 

Here is what I am questioning about LCW since its sale, and my issues with the new management. 

-Why has the quality of the shows decreased? 

Am I saying there are no good matches? Absolutely not. An imbecile could book guys like Shane Strickland, Josef Von Schmidt, Facade, Red Scorpion, and Sean Carr in good matches. Hell, put their names in a hat and draw them out at random and you'll get a good match. It's also about time LCW booked local mega talent Tim Donst as well, good for them! Shane Douglas is a freakin legend in my book too! That being said though, it's clear that the shows haven't been as fun, and they have featured "talent" that the old LCW would have never booked in a million years. Which leads to the next question.

-Why does it seem so easy to be booked on an LCW show now? 

I used to argue with the former owner of LCW about his over use of humor (in my opinion) but he still had very high standards of in ring ability one had to have in order to be booked on a show. While he would book some of his "green" kids in some silly gimmick, he would not book men that had years of experience, but still couldn't put a five minute match together. He wouldn't book guys in t-shirts that got winded making their entrance, and he wouldn't book washed up old guys that think they are the Hulk Hogan of the area. Once in a while, in the old days of LCW, I'd shake my head at a humor bit that I found overly silly. Nowadays I hide my face in shame for once promoting the company. 

-What in god's name is with the website, and graphics? 

Seriously...the website articles and card reviews are written very poorly. Bad grammar, spelling, and punctuation abound. The flyers and graphics look like they were made by a special education class, and the new logo looks like it was made with one of those clip art CD's you see in the "On special" section at Walmart for $1.99. 

-Why two shows per month? 

I understand the general concept. The idea is to allow lesser talent, or those wanting to prove themselves worthy of LCW, to show exactly that on the Friday night shows. I think it's a decent idea, but exactly how does it work? Who determines if someone has proven themselves worthy? I've seen Friday night talent move to the Saturday show after one Friday night match. Did they really prove themselves in one night? If you're going to do this, tell us who these new guys have to impress. Let us know who is watching, hell even if you kayfabe some kind of committee, lets see who is making the decision to move people to the Saturday shows. I need someone to blame! Also, a guy like Ethan Page has nothing to prove. Some local kid from a small time show, sure, but Ethan Page? Really? 


These questions are really just things I've been curious about. Lets take a look at the real questions I have. These can only be answered by the new owner of LCW, Mr. Bill Brown. If he wants me to do some honest reporting, let him answer the following-

-Why did you buy LCW? 

Was it because you love professional wrestling and want to contribute to it? Or, was it because you thought (think) you can turn it into some kind of profit making machine? If you're out to make a buck, what makes you think you can do that when just about every single indy company on the planet gets by just to make enough for the next show? I can't blame you for wanting or hoping to make money, and I know you're going to spout off about being a business man, etc. etc. but indy wrestling is about passion for the wrestling business first and foremost. That doesn't mean you throw money away, but it means you love wrestling at least as much as you do money. 

-Why have you alienated so many? 

Look, one or two guys means it could have been their problem, but when it's 7-10 guys...something doesn't smell right. When you make former enemies not only reunite, but do so happily, restoring friendships once though dead and buried, you can't keep saying it's their fault, or problem, or issue. It's time to look in the mirror. 

 -Do you, or do you not, still owe money to complete the purchase of LCW?

If yes, why haven't you paid it? If no, is there a contract in existence that will prove otherwise? If you have no outstanding debt on the purchase, then surely there will never be any kind of lawsuit that says otherwise, right? 

-Who is your booker? 

That isn't always public knowledge, but in this case I believe it needs to be, for several reasons. There are all kinds of rumors, and I've talked to workers that have no clue who it is. Is it possible that someone with zero wrestling experience makes booking decisions? Who does the buck stop with on booking decisions? As much as I love wrestling, I know that wrestlers respond best to someone in the business doing the booking. Anyone not doing that is being arrogant and disrespectful. If your booker is in the business, was he a member of LCW for some time? Is he new to LCW? I just feel that whoever your booker is, may answer a lot of the questions about why the shows have felt so different since your take over. 

-Are you committed to making the product as good as can be? 

If so, why not book only the best wrestlers? Why not have a good writer manage the website and Facebook? Why not have a good graphics designer? Why not have an awesome logo? Why not have legit indy stars dominate Saturday shows and the local riffraff have Fridays? Lets see who really draws. 

If I come to the show Saturday, and that's a big if, it would be to see Hollywood's Finest's last hurrah in LCW, not to "get answers." The wrestlers, nor the fans can give those answers. I've put the questions out there for Bill Brown to answer. He can do so publicly, or send them to me privately, but he's the ONLY one that can answer them.

Finally, I don't want to see LCW fail because I want all the wrestlers I like and respect to have as many places to work as they can. As a fan however, I can't support companies that do things that I feel disrespects wrestling, and as of late, LCW has been one of those companies. For every awesome match they put on, there are two matches with guys that I'm not even sure should be in the business, let alone inside an LCW ring. I can absolutely promise you that the main event guys feel the same way, they just know they dare not express those feelings. So what would be the point in asking them? They want to work, and I understand that, even if it's for a company not doing the best things for the business. I don't have to worry about pissing someone off. I'll state things how I see them and not care who likes it, and who doesn't. 

#WrestlingMatters 

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