Happy Memorial Day

                                                              06/01/04

Ok so for the last two weeks, I have been back in Rome for the NAWA, and for the first time ever, I am working as a face. I’ll be the first to admit, that it didn’t get over like I wanted it to, but then again, it is worth the shot. However, being in Rome means several things, one of them being spending time with the Ring Mistress herself, and the Rock Radio Diva, Jen Holbrook. More on the Rock Radio Diva thing in a minute, I really do enjoy the NAWA shows in Rome. It is one of the few towns, where the fans still believe in the magic. It is a town where kayfabe still means something, and you can perform, and the fans really find themselves lost in our gimmicks, and storylines. It’s like filling up the Flux Capacitor with Plutonium and taking a journey back in time. I saw a lot of faces that I haven’t seen in quite sometime, and had a blast. I am really looking forward to the program with Coach J, it is actually an off shoot of an angle I wanted to do last year, but some things came up, but now we have our chance.

Now on to Miss Holbrook, I want to send her out a big congrats on landing a new job with Rock 103.7 Fm out of Athens. From what I understand she will be working the Morning Show, but if you want to know more, head on over to her site. Speaking of her site, the Webmistress has done a bang up job with the new photos, and the site as a whole. While we are on this congratulating kick, let me send me shouts to her and Al as they make the move to Baltimore, Maryland, I want to wish them the best of luck, and can’t wait till they make the trip back to the ATL once again.

  Wow, can you believe the excitement in the NHL as the Calgary Flames and the Tampa Bay Lightning battle for Lord Stanley’s Cup? I know there isn’t as many Hockey fans out there as the other sports, but in my opinion there is nothing that compares to playoff hockey. Of course the NBA has their playoffs going as well, and while they have picked up some steam, we are over a month into the playoffs, and are still a week away from the finals even starting. They need to seriously reconsider reformatting the playoff system, the first round blew, the second was a little better, and the conference finals have been less than stellar. I’ve been watching a lot of baseball lately, and yes I have converted back to being a Braves’ fan. I know that I had said that I would become the biggest Detroit Tiger fan, but I just can’t cheer against the Braves. By the way here are my picks, Calgary wins the Stanley Cup in 6 games, The Lakers will play a seven game series with the Detroit Pistons, and will lose by one in the finals, thus making the Pistons, your NBA champions.

What’s in the CD Player these days? Mainly mix CDS, but I did purchase the new D12 cd the first day it was out, and it was pretty good. Maybe it’s not as good as the first one, but nonetheless a solid effort by the guys from Detroit. In the DVD Player these days I am alternating between wrestling related stuff (duh), and quite possibly the best show on TV (at least top four, resting between South Park and The Sopranos, and Deadwood) Chappelle’s Show season one. I guess you can also tell what I am watching on TV by the last statement. The Sopranos are heading towards an exciting season finale. Although, I still hate that Adriana bit the dust in the last episode, she was (actually this is just TV, so I guess it would be still is) hot, of course with all respects to the lovely Meadow Soprano.

You know, Shooter’s Alley has always been my space reserved for expressing my feelings on this business, certain people in this business, or any situation I felt needed it’s fair share of ridicule or praise. I have had many targets, Tony Potts, Don Lewis, DD Bussey, Hardbody Harrison, and several others. One of my first Shooter’s Alley columns was about Don Lewis, my departure from the IWU, and my total dislike for his wife. I expressed my feelings on September 11th, 2001 about 12 hours after the World Trade Center attacks. I have celebrated milestones in my career, shown love to my friends, and mourned those friends I have lost. It was with this space, I poured my heart out shortly after my grandfather had passed away. I know I have a lot of opinions, and granted I have blown my top on here more times than you may care to count. I offer no apologies to those I have spewed my venom towards. I don’t feel I have to. Now with all that being said, here is where it all ties in. Where are the people apologizing for flying planes through the WTC? It is a damn insult to this country, when our President apologizes to a country over some photos. We are talking about a country whose mission was to kill American and Allied troops nonetheless. Sure, maybe the photos were of prisoners in some embarrassing positions. Maybe the troops did take it a little too far, but what would you do? These men and women are risking life and limb overseas in a battle that they may not understand the exact reasoning for. They do it out of love for this country, and its citizens. Mr. President, you are one of those citizens. Personally, I find the photos funnier than fuck, if you must know the truth. Those people don’t care about us, let alone an apology from Bush. I am just wondering when the apology from Ossama bin Ladan is coming for the 9/11 Terrorist attacks, or when the people who killed Nick Berg are going to send the family its condolences. Oh, that’s right, they are too busy planning their next attack, while laughing at us from afar, or up close. We are supposedly a country dominated by Christianity, and a nation with firm roots in the bible, I am just wondering what ever happened to an eye for an eye? Are we that over sensitive now, that we are afraid to gain a measure of revenge against our enemy? Instead we get so scared over what other nations think that we admonish the very men and women that protect our freedom, over a harmless prank. Well, I am still proud to be an American, and I support all our troops.

 Sorry for the soap box, but some things just need to be said. Until the next time…….

 JJ