PWTorch.com - FRIDAY’S ASK PWTORCH ALL-STARS 3/13: Is Vader a future WWE Hall of Famer? Would wrestling be better with the return of a little mystery and mystique? What’s the deal with The Ascension? Who should be a WM31 celebrity?

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FRIDAY’S ASK PWTORCH ALL-STARS 3/13: Is Vader a future WWE Hall of Famer? Would wrestling be better with the return of a little mystery and mystique? What’s the deal with The Ascension? Who should be a WM31 celebrity?

Mar 13, 2015 - 2:44:00 PM

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The PWTorch All-Star Panel features an array of contributors answering your questions who have worked in various facets of the pro wrestling industry, plus PWTorch contributors join in. You get an unmatched mix of perspectives including first-hand insights from people who have worked in the ring and behind the curtain.

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PWTorch reader Liam N. asks: Who would you like to see as a special attraction or celebrity at WrestleMania 31 or beyond?

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: I personally hate when WWE bring in celebrities. If I were to choose one, it would be Danny Trejo. He actually looks like you can kick someone's ass.

MAINSTREAM WRESTLING MEDIA REPORTER Brian Fritz (host of Between the Ropes podcast and reporter for Sporting News, former AOL Fanhouse and Yahoo Sports reporter) answers: I think the only person that comes to mind right now is Jon Stewart of The Daily Show. I think he could be in Randy Orton's corner for a match against Seth Rollins. With Arnold going into the Hall of Fame, maybe he could do something but he'll probably just do the wave on the stage like the other inductees.

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PWTorch reader Eric J. asks: Do you think that Vader will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame? Or, more precisely, what is keeping Vader out of the WWE Hall of Fame?

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: I don't know if Vader will but I think he certainly should.

MAINSTREAM WRESTLING MEDIA REPORTER Brian Fritz (host of Between the Ropes podcast and reporter for Sporting News, former AOL Fanhouse and Yahoo Sports reporter) answers: Yes, I do think Vader will get into the WWE Hall of Fame and he should go in. He's one of the best - arguably, the best - big man worker in the history of wrestling. While his biggest impact was in Japan, he did have big runs in the U.S., especially in WCW against Cactus Jack, Sting and Ric Flair.

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PWTorch reader Mark from Long Island, N.Y. asks: I'm sorry. I know wrestling is a show after all, but how are The Ascension getting any attention? They sound like buffoons. What would they need to do to not be painful to watch? Besides trading histories with, well, anyone else.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: Unfortunately I think they are a joke. I cannot take someone seriously who looks like they do and talk like they do. They could've been a new version of the Eliminators from ECW, but unfortunately they are not.

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PWTorch reader Leander B. asks: My question is this: Am I the only one that longs for a return to the “glory days” of wrestling, where fans were basically kept in the dark about storylines? Years ago, things were made so interesting because you never really knew what a wrestler was going to do, who would “suddenly” turn from good guy to bad guy (see Spiros Arian versus Bruno Sammartino or Sargent Slaughter versus The Iron Sheik) and storylines were never discussed in advance. I loved the changes that occurred and the crowd / fan reaction when a wrestler or team went from heel to fan favorite, setting up great new matches and forming new alliances. It kept me wanting to watch every week, no matter what the program. These days, wrestling has become predictable, repetitive and a great time to catch up on a nap (although being older probably plays a role in that as well – smile). Anyway, I am all for a return to the old, secretive ways and the “surprise” element that made wrestler fun to follow. And what do you gentlemen think? I really appreciate your thoughts and comments.

VETERAN WRESTLING ANNOUNCER Mick Karch (announcer for three decades including the AWA on ESPN, the NWA, and LPWA, former PWTorch Newsletter columnist in 1980s, President of the Nick Bockwinkel Fan Club in the 1970s) answers: I am so with you on this one. That being said, us "old schoolers" are out of luck, I'm afraid. The days of mystery and suspense are long since gone. I'm not blaming the Internet, the "sheets," Vince McMahon, wrestlers writing tell-all books and doing shoot interviews, etc. It's obviously a combination of everything. Once a magician explains how slight-of-hand works, it's impossible to redirect the audience to look somewhere else. On the "big stage," it's just not going to happen. Having said that, there are some things that could be done on the indy level and local venues and smaller shows. Keep the boys out of the ring going over their spots while the crowd is starting to file in to the arena. Stop the talent from fraternizing with each other in full view of everyone one minute after the final bell rings. Have a creative team that develops storylines that really do surprise the fan base and come out of nowhere. Have an announcing team that sells the product like it's real, like it truly matters if the babyfaces get their revenge and the heels get their punishment. I could go on and on. Little tweaks here and there to make it more intriguing.

EX-ECW CHAMPION AND LONGTIME WWE WRESTLER Justin Credible (also current IWE Champion, visit www.TheJustinCredible.com and on YouTube here including his ongoing Wrestling 101 Series) answers: Unfortunately the mystery is gone. The business has changed and unfortunately it will never be the same. There will never be the surprise or secretive ways that once drew millions and millions of dollars.

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(Send questions for a future Ask PWTorch to: askpwtorch@gmail.com. If you have a particular person on the All-Star Panel you'd in particular like to direct your question to, include that in the subject line, but multiple panelists may also answer.)

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In case you are new to this feature, let me introduce you to our All-Star Panel…

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION: By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Thanks to Pat McNeill and Anthony Jeselnik for the name of this feature. Just as "CSI" spawned "CSI: Miami," "Ask PWTorch" spawned "Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel." Only without David Caruso. In any case, we are excited to present to you a new cast for the Ask PWTorch spinoff, which is available exclusively on the PWTorch App (or, for VIP members, on the VIP website too). You are reading this, so you are either a VIP member or have already downloaded the free PWTorch App on your phone or tablet. If you aren't a VIP member, why not? With VIP membership, you gain full access to both Ask PWTorch features on all devices you use to visit PWTorch - our App and our Website.

The "Ask PWTorch All-Star Panel" edition is scheduled to be published first thing in the morning (although not necessarily every single day, like the afternoon website-based Ask PWTorch is; we'll see about that as we move forward). It will feature an entirely different panel of experts and analysts than the afternoon Ask PWTorch does. We have assembled a wide range of contributors, which may expand or change over time, with the goal being to give PWTorch readers new perspectives from people who have particular areas of expertise. Along with our All-Stars from outside of PWTorch, several of our PWTorch contributors (but not the main staff who contribute to the website-based original Ask PWTorch!… you will be quizzed on all of this, so take notes) will also be regularly contributing, especially to current-events-related questions.

Let me introduce you to our panel…

Justin Credible: Current pro wrestler and former ECW Champion and longtime WWE wrestler in the 1990s and 2000s, Justin Credible (P.J. Polaco) currently is the IWE Champion. He travels as indy champion from Maine to Mexico with the title. He posts new Wrestling 101 YouTube videos at www.TheJustinCredible.com or on YouTube at his YouTube Channel.

John Piermarini: Ex-WWE Creative Team member who will provide a behind-the-scenes perspective from his years working for WWE including alongside Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and John Cena. He has been a frequent PWTorch Livecast guest and was the subject of a comprehensive five-hour Torch Talk interview several years ago about his experience with WWE for most of 2009-2010.

Greg Oliver: SLAM! Wrestling reporter and wrestling book author (and hockey book author), Greg will provide a Canadian perspective on many wrestling topics. If you are a fan from Canada or have Canadian-related wrestling questions, Greg can help you. He is a wrestling historian who published a wrestling newsletter during the boom period of insider wrestling newsletters starting in the late 1980s. We were pen pals in the early 1990s and first met at a 1989 wrestling convention in Chicago run by Jon Gallagher of the Wrestling Forum (the first insider wrestling newsletter I ever received in the mail in early 1987).

George Schire: Author of "Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling," former Pro Wrestling Focus radio cohost with me in the early 1990s on KFAN, former contributor of history pieces to the PWTorch Newsletter, and multi-time guest on PWTorch Livecast "Interview Friday," he will be providing a historical perspective to Ask PWTorch.

Johnny Fairplay: Reality Star and Wrestling Manager, perhaps best known as Pat McNeill's Regis Philbin. He was an old neighbor of PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell who watched PPVs at his house long before he became a contestant on Survivor twice. He has been on many reality TV shows, the PWTorch Livecast numerous times, and follows wrestling very closely. You can read more about him on Wikipedia.

Brian Fritz: Host of the long-running "Between the Ropes" podcast, and now working for Yahoo! Sports radio, he also has been a guest on the PWTorch Livecast (and I've been a guest on his podcast), he brings years of reporting on wrestling including on-site interviews with wrestlers at major press events over the years. He follows today's wrestling and will provide his perspective and take on your questions.

Mick Karch: An early PWTorch Newsletter columnist over 20 years ago, Mick has been an announcer for virtually every national wrestling promotion other than the WWF, WCW, and TNA in the last 25 years. He currently works as an announcer on Minnesota indy wrestling shows. He got his start in wrestling running the Nick Bockwinkel Fan Club in the 1970s and is known for his sense of humor, strong opinions, and tremendous insight into wrestling's past dating back many decades, but he also watches today's wrestling regularly and can provide valuable perspective as a result of that span of time following and participating in the industry.

Brad Stutts: He has worked behind the scenes in wrestling in many roles, including taking jackets to the back, setting up and tearing down rings, running websites for indy promoters, running lights and music at live events, and performing as a manager, announcer, wrestler, and promoter. He currently is the lead announcer for CWF Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in North Carolina.

Jim Valley: Long time wrestling fan and Torch subscriber. He won a National Edward R. Murrow Award and several regional awards during his 20 year broadcast career. He has done TV announcing for several independent wrestling promotions, hosted his own wrestling radio show, interviewed many top stars and was flown our to Stamford to audition for WWE. He took second to Todd Grisham.

Current PWTorch Contributors: A mix of current PWTorch contributors will provide their opinion on today's wrestling scene and modern wrestling history questions, including Shawn Valentino, Michael Moore, Ben Tucker, Jon Mezzera, Brian Leahy, Jimmy Eaton, and Mike Roe.

You can send your questions for the All-Star Panel to the same address as always: askpwtorch@gmail.com. We will make sure they are directed to the appropriate panelist for potential inclusion in a published Ask PWTorch feature here on the PWTorch App or VIP Website. You may see your question asked in both versions of Ask PWTorch (the Afternoon original website-exclusive version and app-exclusive All-Stars version) so check both versions. Different groups of panelists may tackle your question on different days, so keep checking back. Because they all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences as both fans and working in some capacity in the business or covering it for the Torch, you're going to get some strong specific points of view from them.