2012 – Opportunity Knocks

It’s fair to say that Ringbelles HQ has had a bit of a dark cloud of depression hanging over it recently, as Lee and I have often found ourselves discussing how terrible it is that a number of our favourite wrestlers are out – in some cases, possibly permanently – with injuries. Daizee Haze has already hung up her tights, LuFisto & Mercedes Martinez have been struggling and resting up with serious injuries (back and concussion respectively – the latter of which has taken Martinez out of WSU’s event next weekend in New Jersey) and more serious still, Serena Deeb has been told she should no longer wrestle due to a severe concussion while Madison Eagles admits her knee injury could be career threatening. It’s amazing how much these women give of themselves to the service of pro-wrestling – often in front of small (albeit appreciative) crowds. Call it passion, or call it what you will, they continue to push themselves hard (and probably harder than they should) in order to entertain – and as we’re seeing quite clearly, with that comes a price. Going into the upcoming “Spring Season” of shows from the major North American indy wrestling companies, it’s hard to imagine a SHIMMER taping without Madison Eagles; or what about Serena Deeb, who is still scheduled to debut for NCW Femmes Fatales on March 10th in Montreal? What if Mercedes Martinez can’t completely shake her concussion issues by March? Main events in SHIMMER, Femmes Fatales and crucially WSU may all have to be re-written. In my head, it all felt very “glass half empty”.

Happily though, a chat with a friend in the business a little while ago persuaded me to turn the frown upside down. “Well,” she said (when contemplating the worst case scenario that Deeb, Eagles and others may be facing the end of their careers) “That gives plenty of opportunity for other girls to move up and take those spots”. I stopped and thought for a moment, and answered in the affirmative. I wasn’t yet 100% convinced, but the more I thought about it, the more I figured that there was a definite ring of truth to that statement. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely *not* ready to contemplate life without Eagles and Deeb, and I’d love nothing better than to have them back – but if they don’t return (or even just miss an extended length of time as they overcome their issues), it’s worth considering who actually is likely to benefit, and why we can actually look forward to 2012 as a year of opportunity as much as anything else. (more…)

January 15, 2012 | Categories: Commentaries | Tags: Allysin Kay, Angie Skye, Athena, Courtney Rush, Jessie McKay, Kalamity, Lexxus, LuFisto, Madison Eagles, Mercedes Martinez, Mia Yim, NCW:FF, Nicole Matthews, Portia Perez, Sassy Stephie, Serena Deeb, Sherbrooke Connection, SHIMMER, Stew, WSU | 1 Comment »