Gambling with the future or reliving the past?

It’s rainy outside my window and as I look around “Matlock” is playing on TV and Alan Jackson’s song “Like Red On A Rose” is playing on a internet radio station that I am listening to while sitting on a wooden chair that I have sat on a million times before. Thoughts of wrestling action from last night’s TNA iMPACT! are racing through my head joined by thoughts of a wrestling event that I am attending tonight.

In tonight’s event, which is taking place at a local Knights Of Columbus hall in a small town near the one I live, some of the wrestlers from TNA will be appearing such as Jay Lethal, Low Ki, "The Future" Frankie Kazarian and others. Along with them on the card a friend of mine will be appearing. You may know him from the WWE. He is “The Promise” Antonio Thomas. Billy Kidman is also scheduled to appear so it should be an interesting card.

Some of the talent on the card on their way up and some on the way down. Makes you wonder: are they gambling with the future or reliving the past when they step inside the ring?

This wrestling event will be different for me however. I have helped promote wrestling events in the past and have set shows up, clean up after the shows and have traveled up and down the highways with some of the wresters and wrestling personalities like former WWE announcer Kevin Kelly. This one is different because with only three hours away until the event I am getting butterflies in the stomach and nervous as if I was studying for a big test. Perhaps I am in a way.

You see I will be reporting back to you the readers about the event as I saw it.

Everything I experience I will try to put forth so you can experience it. Everything I learn about the promotion both good and bad I will bring to you. On top of that I have an interview I am working on bring to the readers of MOP with Antonio Thomas.

Yes, I you could say it’s going to be a busy weekend or so for me.

The question is though, since this is a road I have traveled down before as an assistant promoter am I gambling with the future as a writer or am I reliving the past?

I guess it’s only normal to have butterflies before visiting with friends you haven't seen in a while as I will be tonight. It’s only normal to be nervous before presenting something you care about to people. I will be doing this when you read my finished report. As nervous as I am though I have to wonder how nervous my friends must be before they perform in front of a large crowd. They could have their wrestling careers moved rapidly upward tonight if the right person sees them or their entire world could come crashing down if they are injured and have to miss future bookings. Are they gambling with the future or reliving the past?

If you have a chance to attend a local independent wrestling event in your area, go check it out and support your local talent because you may just make a friend who may one day rise to the level of being on a nationally televised wrestling program from either TNA or WWE. Or who knows, that someone may go on to be World Champion. Either way and best of all, you would have had a great night out and made a friend.

                                                               Dan Hoffman