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| A controversial figure, but one I trust Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
Fan Conclave 2011 was the only such event of its kind that I attended. Basically, it's the big Chikara meet 'n greet associated with King of Trios weekend. I waited out in a rainstorm to enter the ECW Arena to cavort with fellow fans, meet wrestlers, and, unbeknownst to me until I got in the building, watch Green Ant put the wheels in motion for the Flex Express, a playful homage that saw him play the Lex Luger to Tursas' Yokozuna. I took mark photos with many wrestlers (and the NWA World Championship too!), witnessed an Egyptian-style dance off, bought an UltraMantis Black t-shirt, and watched as Stan Bush and his band had the touuuuuuuuch, they had the power.
The most memorable meeting I had that weekend, though, was with the godfather of the company himself, Mike Quackenbush. I know it's quite cool to pick on the man, and I don't begrudge anyone their bad experiences with him. I don't know him, and I wasn't even a fly on the wall when he and whoever it was who has beef with him had it out. But the only experience I ever had with the man in person was a pleasant one.
I thanked him for the weekend, and he told me, unsolicited, that he was able to present such a fun product because at heart, he was still a fan of wrestling. He booked people, whether it was Sean Waltman or Manami Toyota, because he was still in awe of them as performers, whether it be for what they could still bring to the table or their legacy. It was really cool to hear that he at least on the surface wasn't jaded about the whole process.
Two years later, Icarus was on the cusp of winning the Chikara Grand Championship when Wink Vavasseur, disheveled and angry, sent Condor Security to put the kibosh on the match, the event, and th company. The Chikara brand, as we know it now, came to an end. I'd like to say that it only raised questions in character, but you know the nature of fans and reporters alike. What was the "real" reason behind the move? Why would Quack do away with a name that had so much cache with fans around the country? Did he stop being a fan?
To me, those questions are beyond boring. It's bad enough that the focus on WWE is so intensive on money and viewership numbers, or peering behind the curtain. Why let that creep infect the indies, especially one that gives so much material within its canon like Chikara? I would rather immerse myself in the conspiracy theories, which I think is the biggest sign that Quack might just still be that fan he claimed he was to me.
Again, I don't know Mike Quackenbush personally. I have no idea if he was bullshitting me or not, and I can't tell you with any veracity whether he's kept his cynicism at bay. I don't know what rumors are true, which ones are false, or which ones he may have made up himself as part of the most elaborate work in the history of post-Russo professional wrestling. But if I was going to make an educated guess, the elaborate nature of this entire story says to me that he's still just as full of zeal as he's ever been.
Look at what lengths he's gone to in order to keep the story going. There are dummy voicemail accounts, fake corporations, a nutty conspiracy theory blog with so much detail that Alex Jones might plucking false flags from it, all in the name of creating a cloud of doubt within the fans. If there's any flaw in the entire plan, it's that he's less creating art for the fan at large, and more a fan of the art and the people who understand the levels of neurosis he's currently operating on. Then again, the entire wrestling world is talking about Chikara, so maybe there is a method to his madness.
Of course, it's a different kind of manifestation than the fandom that brought us King of Trios '11. That was for the wrestling fan, the one who dreamed of seeing Manami Toyota in the same ring as Dick Togo or Madison Eagles. It was for the people who were denied their catharsis from 2010 in seeing the Colony win the tournament. This whole arc is for the story nerds. It's for the people who want to peel back infinite layers of onion. Quack is taking cues from the comic book world. There's a crisis going on, and while the worlds are far from infinite, there are eight different theaters where the story is going to unfold.
Is it hubris by Quack to try and expand his universe into a multiverse? Or is it a natural evolution? Is it a means to an end here? We are staring down the barrel of oblivion for the Chikara name, even if the name is the least important part of the ensemble at this point. But the story is far from over. Mike Quackenbush may be a lot of things, but I'm not sure he's a guy who leaves a story hanging if it's in his control to finish it.
Plus, he told me himself, he's a fan. If that's a statement of truth, then he's not going to do his fans dirty in the resolution department. You might argue that there are plenty of examples how he's shown disregard for his fans already. Some I agree with. Some I don't. I won't tell anyone that they're wrong for feeling slighted, but I will say that sometimes, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. It all depends on whether you're patient enough to taste the finished product, or whether you're going to head to another diner. But even if he's got a reputation of being gruff with his sous chefs or unkind to the dishwashers, I know that Quack makes some of the best omelets in town. That's why I'm sticking around.
Because if you think this whole ride is over? Well, you can head on over to the kiddie table and talk about gates and backstage shit with the guys writing the reports who may or may not know where to start.
The most memorable meeting I had that weekend, though, was with the godfather of the company himself, Mike Quackenbush. I know it's quite cool to pick on the man, and I don't begrudge anyone their bad experiences with him. I don't know him, and I wasn't even a fly on the wall when he and whoever it was who has beef with him had it out. But the only experience I ever had with the man in person was a pleasant one.
I thanked him for the weekend, and he told me, unsolicited, that he was able to present such a fun product because at heart, he was still a fan of wrestling. He booked people, whether it was Sean Waltman or Manami Toyota, because he was still in awe of them as performers, whether it be for what they could still bring to the table or their legacy. It was really cool to hear that he at least on the surface wasn't jaded about the whole process.
Two years later, Icarus was on the cusp of winning the Chikara Grand Championship when Wink Vavasseur, disheveled and angry, sent Condor Security to put the kibosh on the match, the event, and th company. The Chikara brand, as we know it now, came to an end. I'd like to say that it only raised questions in character, but you know the nature of fans and reporters alike. What was the "real" reason behind the move? Why would Quack do away with a name that had so much cache with fans around the country? Did he stop being a fan?
To me, those questions are beyond boring. It's bad enough that the focus on WWE is so intensive on money and viewership numbers, or peering behind the curtain. Why let that creep infect the indies, especially one that gives so much material within its canon like Chikara? I would rather immerse myself in the conspiracy theories, which I think is the biggest sign that Quack might just still be that fan he claimed he was to me.
Again, I don't know Mike Quackenbush personally. I have no idea if he was bullshitting me or not, and I can't tell you with any veracity whether he's kept his cynicism at bay. I don't know what rumors are true, which ones are false, or which ones he may have made up himself as part of the most elaborate work in the history of post-Russo professional wrestling. But if I was going to make an educated guess, the elaborate nature of this entire story says to me that he's still just as full of zeal as he's ever been.
Look at what lengths he's gone to in order to keep the story going. There are dummy voicemail accounts, fake corporations, a nutty conspiracy theory blog with so much detail that Alex Jones might plucking false flags from it, all in the name of creating a cloud of doubt within the fans. If there's any flaw in the entire plan, it's that he's less creating art for the fan at large, and more a fan of the art and the people who understand the levels of neurosis he's currently operating on. Then again, the entire wrestling world is talking about Chikara, so maybe there is a method to his madness.
Of course, it's a different kind of manifestation than the fandom that brought us King of Trios '11. That was for the wrestling fan, the one who dreamed of seeing Manami Toyota in the same ring as Dick Togo or Madison Eagles. It was for the people who were denied their catharsis from 2010 in seeing the Colony win the tournament. This whole arc is for the story nerds. It's for the people who want to peel back infinite layers of onion. Quack is taking cues from the comic book world. There's a crisis going on, and while the worlds are far from infinite, there are eight different theaters where the story is going to unfold.
Is it hubris by Quack to try and expand his universe into a multiverse? Or is it a natural evolution? Is it a means to an end here? We are staring down the barrel of oblivion for the Chikara name, even if the name is the least important part of the ensemble at this point. But the story is far from over. Mike Quackenbush may be a lot of things, but I'm not sure he's a guy who leaves a story hanging if it's in his control to finish it.
Plus, he told me himself, he's a fan. If that's a statement of truth, then he's not going to do his fans dirty in the resolution department. You might argue that there are plenty of examples how he's shown disregard for his fans already. Some I agree with. Some I don't. I won't tell anyone that they're wrong for feeling slighted, but I will say that sometimes, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. It all depends on whether you're patient enough to taste the finished product, or whether you're going to head to another diner. But even if he's got a reputation of being gruff with his sous chefs or unkind to the dishwashers, I know that Quack makes some of the best omelets in town. That's why I'm sticking around.
Because if you think this whole ride is over? Well, you can head on over to the kiddie table and talk about gates and backstage shit with the guys writing the reports who may or may not know where to start.