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Empire Pro Says Goodnight.

DBrunkGXW

Consigliere
Joined
Sep 11, 1997
Messages
4,815
Points
36
Age
48
Location
Katy, TX
Well, it turns out this was inevitable.

EPW is now officially part of the FWC archives.

I had some hope it could be continued under different leadership, but it hasn't worked out.

I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who has ever been part of the fed over the last 10 years. So many who have made a mark in this hobby have come through our humble little fed and I do feel we did some of the best writing and put on some of the better shows the hobby has ever seen.

I want to make some special mentions. John Miller, who initially started the fed way back in January 2003. Jeff Bolichowski and Ryan Strawsma, who stepped up to help run the fed when John left the hobby. The many many writers who made EPW their home. I can't possibly name them all. Off the top of my head, some of those who were there either from the very beginning or near the beginning: Ryan Strawsma, Karl Brown, Tom Siegel. Strawsma for being a matchwriting superstar, good for a fantastic main event for any show. Mike Stanton in the second half of the run, good for taking on extra matches at a moment's notice.

Leaders of other feds on the circuit: Sean Edmunds for co-promoting not one, but two Supercards that were a hell of a lot of fun to put on. It was always very easy to talk shop with Sean, and easy for both of us to make booking decisions that were in the best interest of both groups. Jon Katz, Jamar Nicholas and Gregg Gethard for being a good big brother on the circuit. Chad Merritt for support in the early years of the fed and continued support of the site from the beginning to now.

All of the handlers who have been through our doors, I always tried to make the fed yours. I tried to give you a sense of ownership and place to call home, and I hope that always came through. I hope you were challenged and able to get everything out of your experience that you could get.

My time as a fed head was fun as hell. There were many moments working in that capacity that exceeded anything I ever did as a handler. Seeing some of the sincere happiness from handlers over the years after reading a result is the best feeling you can get in this hobby, if you ask me.

I'm still on the circuit in DEFIANCE, so this isn't goodbye.

But for Empire Pro Wrestling, it's goodnight.

Thanks everyone.
 

Ford

UTA Hall of Famer and All-Around Nice Guy
Staff member
Joined
Jan 6, 2005
Messages
1,076
Points
36
Age
40
Location
Los Angeles, CA, formerly PA
Website
www.genlmnop.com
I'm still somewhat shocked, just having realized EPW had been moved to the archives. You gave us all years of enjoyment and helped tons of handlers get better at this hobby and game. It is truly a loss to everyone on FWrestling to see EPW go. It's actually quite the shock, even with the fed owner transition plan you had in place.

I sent you a pm as well.
 

RStrawsma

Strawbot
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
1,512
Points
36
Age
40
Location
Indiana
Dave,

Thank you for all of your time and commitment to EPW over the past decade it's been running. You're probably one of the most fair-minded individuals I've ever had the opportunity to work with in this hobby. And it's inspiring... really. I know I couldn't handle a fed, as proven by the dumpster fire that is IWF. I couldn't run EPW either... I'd probably end up putting Nathan Fear in charge and changing the "E" to stand for "Eternal" or some shit, just to throw my hands up and walk away from it two cards later.

Empire was my home federation for the better part of its existence -- arguably the crux of my e-fedding e-career. All the handlers and the characters that came with them really helped me to develop as writer of roleplay and matches. There are many cards and stories that I won't soon forget.

It's sad to see the fed go in this way... but given how slow the pace has been over the past few years, it's understandable. It really felt like the glory days were behind it, and probably weren't going to come back in any grand fashion. In the end, the realities of life always get the better of this game.

I really wish I could go back and un-do some of the things that may have contributed to things ending up the way they were... like getting the main event in at a reasonable time, and not nut-shotting every other person's style of writing in the long-winded feedback posts. I wish I could blame real life commitments... but that's not entirely true. The truth is that I'm a slacker who doesn't take accountability for what he's responsible for, who calls himself reliable when he really isn't, and probably smokes more weed than he should. So I'll own it and say that I could have and really should have done a better job when you and the other handlers were depending on me.

I also wish I could do more to help on the last card... but it was one of those situations where I didn't know if I'd actually be helping, or just doing more harm by making people wait. In any case, if there's anything finished of what's out there, and you're looking for a better send-off to the fed, I could get something to you at some point. Hopefully before Rezin/Alexander/Harmen at ESEN Presents Strife vs. Ryan...

In any case, hit me up PM or on Facebook if you ever need to chat. Feels like we haven't talked in some time.

PS - ......lol Ryan Fitzpatrick
 

LQJT86C

Where's my money, Chad?
Joined
Jul 3, 1997
Messages
2,073
Points
36
Age
40
Location
The Silk Road
I'm really grateful that EPW was around when I came back to the hobby in 2008. Although I'm known as more of an NFW guy (which is true - I've been involved in that fed in some way since 2000 and even before that in a precursor league), it was EPW where I debuted a new character after taking a few years hiatus from the hobby. I really credit that time I spent in EPW with rejuvenating my desire to write creatively, not only in this hobby but beyond. For the most part, EPW was the most consistent league on the forums while just about every other league flaked out (including my own, NLW) or went on constant hiatus. That counts for something in a hobby where 99.9999% of feds fail after a couple years. I met some of the best people I know and did a lot of my best work in EPW.

You did an amazing job with the league, Brunk, along with Stanton and Strawsma who wrote most of the cards and contributed to some of the greatest moments in league history. EPW was a hub for big time talent in this hobby, and I can't think of many GREAT writers who didn't have a run in EPW at one time or another.

I'll miss the place! Might be time to reminisce in the archives and check my old work with Layne Winters. :)

Thanks for the memories EPW!
 

TSiegel

I spoil things.
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
2,275
Points
0
Age
43
Location
Merced, California USA
This isn't exactly the way I saw it going out for me, but all good things, I suppose.

I wanna thank first and foremost Dave Brunk for being quite possibly the best fedhead I've ever had the pleasure to write for, if even for the fact that I was too chickenshit to even matchwrite for.

That just speaks volumes for how awesome the cards were, I didn't dare try my hand at writing more than a segment, because I knew it wouldn't be up to par with the others that have written. Mike Stanton, Pete, Ryan Strawsma, Gregg, Billy...I'm looking at you.

I loved working with you guys on cards, even if I couldn't QUITE get CC over the mountain the way I hoped...I enjoyed it nonetheless.

With that said, I'm very happy to have found this hobby that we still fondly love in some manner...it's etched into my brain still, that Dave mentioned that some of the best stuff I've written...came when I was a pissed off sonuvabitch. I always looked to improve, no matter what CC looked like...and I appreciate everyone who has offered me advice on how to write better or improve CC, especially Stephen Thomas.

Working with Joey Melton...it's no secret, it was very much the favorite part of my FW career.

But it's time to retire.

With much respect to the Defiance fed and how well Justin has it going over there...I just don't have it in me anymore.

I don't have the time, the energy (I'm looking at you Stanton, :) ), and to be honest, with IRL things taking hold more and more...the passion of sitting down and writing....it's just gone.

Therefore...I bid everyone adieu, I'm out, I'm actually going to miss everyone, but those of you who wish to stay in touch...FB seems to be the stickler now a days.

Otherwise...I'm actually looking to start my referee career, in a company called "Fighting Spirit Pro", where I've had the pleasure of BSing with Matt Hardy, Reby Sky, and in two weeks Chris Masters and everyone else that partakes in this end of the wrestling business.

That's right, I namedropped....You mad bro?? :)

I love you assholes, and I'll catch you on the flipside.

-TS

PS: WTF...even now...Hornet still wins.
 

EpyonMarx

New member
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
Messages
1,004
Points
0
Location
Nottingham, England
Website
www.karl-brown.co.uk
EPW has always been a fun place to write and to read. There were some epic matches, great storylines and fantastic handlers.

As someone who was in the first match and held a title there for most of the fed's run (or so it feels!) I'm going to miss it, and I will miss having the chance to work with some people. Sadly, though, real life has taken a major turn for me in the past couple of years which limited what I could do in this hobby as a whole. With the acting, web development, voice over and fitness stuff I do I shouldn't've taken on the last match and I wholeheartedly apologise to everyone.

I don't know whether I'll be sticking around in this hobby due to everything else that's happened. I'd like to as it's been a huge part of the last almost 11 years of my life, but we'll see. If I don't then I hope the wrestling training I'm doing at House of Pain means I can entertain some of you in years to come with real life characters :)

Hopefully see you all soon!

Karl
 

GreggG

Moderator
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
810
Points
18
The Lindsay Troy angle is still the best in FW History. You pulled off the high water mark.

It was a great league. I loved the stuff I was able to do there.

You're one of the best!
 

ShawnHartXXX

The Phenom
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
900
Points
0
Age
42
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
I was just made aware of this. Sad to see it happen, but even the best of hobbies (and maybe the best of that hobby) have to come up second to our real life responsibilities. Kudos to Brunk and Mike Stanton, Straw, Bolich, et all for making it an awesome place and my favorite place to ply the trade back when I was active. Loved RPing with Holzerman, Seigs, Lindz, Jamar, Brown, Mike, Pena, Jarrett, Barry, Billy and everyone involved. So many others really...probably shouldn't be naming names at all. There were some who only were there briefly, but always held a fond spot in my heart. I'll miss checking in on the latest haps with Ep-Dub. Every time one of these pillar feds fades out, I legit feel like I've lost another part of my youth. I spent so many hours during that youth, right up to a year or two ago trolling these boards and posting my nonsense. Thanks again for giving me a place to do it.
 
Last edited:

JABolich

League Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
790
Points
0
Location
Niagara, ON, Canada
Can a brother pile on a bit late?

E-feds have a shelf life. It is typically a short shelf life. At least, it's a short shelf life when I run them. Empire could have gone the same way when John Miller dumped it unceremoniously on me, Brunk and Ryan on the very first PPV, which also happened to be the show where Christian Sands won the belt. #awkward

It didn't. For various reasons I couldn't be part of the continued journey past a certain point, but while it lasted, EPW kept going strong. While I was off in the wilderness fighting depression and rebuilding my life, EPW became something bigger. The fact that the doors are swinging closed in 2014 is nothing short of amazing in a hobby when feds come and feds go. None last forever - except maybe CSWA - but EPW came closer than a lot of feds do. I wish I could take credit, but I can't - even when I was involved I wasn't much more than a booker, and it was really Brunk, Ryan, Lindz, Karl Brown, Cruise and the rest of our revolving cast of watchwriters who kept the ship afloat. And then I wandered off into the dark and Brunk took the reins, and the rest is FW history.

I'll never forget some of the ground EPW broke. The Dis/Lindsay Troy angle is still the high point to me. The fact that people still have a place in their heart for EPW makes me proud even though my part in the story ended a long time ago. Thanks for making it all happen, guys.
 

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