Before I start, I want to alert you that it is entirely possible I'm talking about you. I don't believe in personal attacks, name calling, etc. I will not call you out by name, largely due to the fact that I don't believe anyone should do so, if you are not willing to allow a rebuttal- and since I'm not gonna offer anyone a rebuttal, I will keep names to myself- if it hits a nerve, it'll be because you KNOW I'm speaking about you specifically.

When I started in wrestling, all the way back in 1992, a few very important things about how this business operated were hammered into my head. One very notable thing was that every promoter offers you an opportunity, & if you want the phone to ring, so to speak, you have to make the most out those opportunities.

Making the most out of your opportunities is not strictly how you perform in the ring- that helps, but it isn't the most important thing. Listen, there are hundreds if not thousands of guys who are willing to do this, for largely little to no money, because they want to be there & will do anything it takes to be there.

Personally, I got into this not because I had any expectation to be a star ( glad that part played out as expected) or to get rich ( ditto) but because I had a love for this & wanted to be as good as I could, work as much as was feasible ( I already had a baby at home, & still needed to work my full time job) & earn the respect of the promoters & the boys with whom I shared locker rooms.

I made my share of mistakes, not only in the ring , but out of it:  but if I made a commitment to a promoter, a man who was offering me an opportunity, I went to that town, no matter what type of day I had or what was going on in my life.

I found that, no matter my real life issues, that going to the shows & getting in the ring was like therapy- it was the only place on earth that nothing else mattered. I could forget that I was Shane Heimberger, father/parent/tax payer/slave to the grind, & just be Shane Shadows, wrestler.

I turned down bigger money offers from promoters to fulfill the dates I already commited to; I went when I could have worked overtime at my regular job, guaranteeing me much more money than I would make working Anytown,USA.

My second night in the business, I had to ride in the UHaul that the ring was being carried in, with my tag team partner, & a driver the promoter hired; and before we got in the truck, my trainer,Neil Superior, told us in no uncertain terms that we were not to discuss anything that might "smarten up" the driver. Try doing that for 10 roundtrip hours- my partner & I couldn't even talk about the only thing that bounded us- we barely knew each other.

It might seem really, really dumb to anyone who wasn't familiar with the culture, OUR culture, the wrestling culture...but to guys who didn't have the benefit of having 14 different promotions in their area or a choice, it was the way things were: someone else will take that spot if we don't....or we will never be back if we complain about the situations we invariably found ourselves in.

I would sometimes take a shot 200 miles away from home, then get offered one 45 miles from home- and I drove the 200 miles, because that was my first obligation and, in my mind, my ONLY obligation.

Looking back at almost 20 years of doing this, mostly weekends, & never as my full time living ( although I have made it into a profitable part time job) I can recall  cancelling only one shot ( when I was convinced the guy wasn't going to pay anyway- and other friends who did go work that show confirmed my belief) & one family matter that forced me to leave the building before my match.

So imagine my consternation when I book young, green wrestlers for my events, decent guys in life best to my knowledge, who don't bother to make their agreed upon appearances. Not only do they not come, they never bother to call you, to apologize, to explain- NOTHING.

On top of that, you have guys who weeks after the fact contact you, asking if theres a open spot on the next card, ignoring the fact that he never bothered to pay enough respect to tell you why he didn't make the last one?! Then, after an intervention of sorts thru another talent, you offer him a SECOND shot, and he AGAIN doesn't show up, calls you to explain, ETC?!

Or how about a guy who you put over huge at one show, advertise for a month in the follow up cards main event, & then doesn't show up for said main event..again, with no call or courtesy to explain that there was a  reason?

I'm not a total asshole ( opinions may vary here) & I realize that things do occur- life is hard, things happen- but seriously? Who raised you people? And furthermore, You don't deserve to be in my business, because you don't even UNDERSTAND my business. I'm not talking about how smart you are to it- you may be smarter or better than I- but at least I know enough & have enough respect for the business & other peoples offers of opportunity that I don't disregard it like refuse.

Sadly, if you're reading this, you will probably find some type of way to bury me or my promotion, we didn't pay enough, we didn't use you right, etc instead of facing the facts; Moreover, you likely won't lose any sleep over it, because there are 10 other promoters willing to use you, so why do you need lil ol SSS? But your lack of respect for my offers to do what you say you love, are disgusteing & disgraceful. I didn't call- you did. So, if you had no intention of coming, why did you bother?


And you're entitled to that opinion- you can think what you want about me, because I know that, whether I was the best worker on the card or the worst, I still showed up & honored my commitments. Can you say the same?

Until next time...
SSS