Pro Wrestling Torch was established in 1987 by Wade Keller. One of the primary traits PWTorch has been credited with over the years is assembling the best and most diverse staff of columnists with broad knowledge, but also areas of specialty where they have a particularly strong grasp of history. Every day PWTorch.com presents that team of writers answering your questions, some of which are fact-based and others of which are opinion-based. Either way, we've got you covered with Bruce Mitchell, Pat McNeill, Sean Radican, Greg Parks, James Caldwell, and Wade Keller. Collectively they have over 80 years working for the Torch, writing about wrestling and studying industry history and trends.

If you have a question you'd like us to respond to, send your question to askpwtorch@gmail.com. I, along with the Torch staff, will address you questions in this feature and also the “Ask PWTorch: All-Star Panel” edition which is also published most days here at PWTorch.

===

PWTorch reader F.S. asks: Last I read, Samoa Joe is heading to WWE. Does he have enough name recognition to continue to be called Samoa Joe, or do you think they'll start from scratch with him in NXT a la Kevin Steen, Prince Devitt, Kenta, etc.?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: They may acknowledge his history as Samoa Joe upon his debut in NXT, but yes, I would fully expect his name to become WWE-ized when/if he debuts.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I'm guessing he will be brought in as Samoa Joe and then get a name change like Devitt, Steen, and KENTA. The funny thing about your question is that WWE gave him that name many years ago.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I would hope he would be renamed. With all due respect to his in-ring accomplishment, Samoa Joe is hardly a name that he or anyone should be attached to. Even he told me years ago that he used Samoa Joe as a placeholder until he came up with a better name, but indy promoters started to hear good things “about this Samoa Joe guy” and he didn’t want to change his name and risk lose bookings. I’ve always been curious - with a little fear mixed in - what Vince McMahon would come up with for him. I hope it plays out with him debuting in NXT and eventually (shortly) the main roster. WWE could use him, and he’s certainly WWE main roster caliber, to say the least. I’m hoping his character has zero to do with being Samoan any more than Brock Lesnar’s and Randy Orton’s gimmicks are that they are white. There’s no need to build his wrestling identity around his Samoan heritage. It’s pretty tired and backwards of promoters to almost always build gimmicks of non-whites around what it is that makes them non-white. I think WWE might acknowledge his history, especially some ROH clips, but I wouldn’t be hung up on it. The main goal for Samoa Joe fans should be that he gets into the mix like Kevin Owens has where his strengths are featured and he has every opportunity to get over on the main roster eventually. Considering WWE didn’t acknowledge Sting’s TNA history indicates to me you’re not going to hear a lot about Joe’s history the last nine years.

===

PWTorch reader David C. asks: Hey guys, I was wondering your opinions on the referees in WWE. Personally, I think they are the most underutilized aspect of the product. I dislike that they are treated like nameless "authority figures" that really have very little power at all and are only allowed to count the three. I'd like to see the current refs get in the wrestler’s face more and even push and shove once in a while if they are being ignored by a wrestler, particularly the veterans like Mike Chioda and Charles Robinson. Whenever Earl Hebner did that to a heel Triple H, I thought it added another element of realness and it made you hate The Game even more because of the way he treated the ref. What do you all think?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: I think the idea of the referees being nameless, almost invisible cogs has to do with WWE's insistence on emphasizing the "entertainment" aspect over the "sport" of wrestling. If it was treated more like a sport, I think you'd see the referees be taken more seriously and an effort be made to enforce rules more consistently. WWE has shown time and again that that stuff doesn't really matter because they're here just to entertain us. I would like to see refs become more forceful in post-match beat-downs or at least have more come out to try to stop wrestlers more quickly, rather than just standing outside the ring yelling at the wrestlers. That would be my one request when it comes to how refs are portrayed.

PWTorch columnist Sean Radican answers: I don't agree. I like when ref's don't get noticed. It's not their job to stand out and be recognized and the best ref's in wrestling do their job well by not getting noticed.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I’m not a big fan of referees being noticed all that often. I am a big fan of wrestlers respecting referees and following the rules or protesting the enforcement of rules. It might sound a bit contradictory to say both of those things, but it should really stand out when a wrestler gets in the face of a referee because it shouldn’t be done that much. Wrestlers should fear the consequences of referees utilizing their power to DQ them if they violate rules, just as NBA and NFL and NHL stars do. But can there be the equivalent of an MLB general manager kicking dirt on an umpire from time to time. I don’t like referees being portrayed as stars of the show or becoming too big of personalities, but the idea of a senior “enforcer referee” on each staff is a good idea where fans have come to believe that ref won’t be walked on by the heel wrestlers.

===

PWTorch reader Jeff from Michigan asks: With the ratings success of the blizzard studio edition of Raw, should we see more sit-down type interviews and confrontations?

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: We've seen a few more sit-down interviews of late, at least on Smackdown, but that could be more due to it being WrestleMania season than the success of the studio Raw. I think WWE could rationalize that fans tuned in for the Rumble fallout more so than the format of that particular episode of Raw.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: I think the ratings success of that special blizzard Raw had more to do with it following the Royal Rumble and including the top two matches from the PPV the night before in an unprecedented case of showing two of the biggest matches of the year on PPV the night after on basic cable. I liked the show and felt there are aspects of the format that could be utilized regularly on the weekly shows, but let’s not prescribe the solid ratings to the studio format rather than live arena setting.

===

PWTorch reader L.H. asks: Hey, I love reading the Ask PWTorch articles and love professional wrestling with a passion. I want to ask: (1) How do you get into the industry as a creative writer or manager? (2) How do you become a journalist in this field like you guys have become? Thank you for answering and thanks for the astonishing insight.

PWTorch columnist Greg Parks answers: (1) If you're looking to break into creative, try to break into Hollywood (even if it's on a second or third-rate show) as a writer first, then apply for WWE. They like Hollywood-types. As a manager... WWE doesn't believe in that position so I wouldn't recommend it unless you enjoy the indy life. (2) You become a journalist by taking on the assignments nobody else wants to cover - like WCW Saturday Night when Brian Knobbs was the big star on the show - and work your way up from there. It worked for me.

PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell replies: (1) Have good writing skills and a passion for news reporting. Be consistent and dependable. Bring special or unique insight to your writing, either through experience or studying the industry or learning from and listening to experts.

PWTorch editor Wade Keller answers: With Jimmy Jacobs getting hired by WWE for the creative team, it shows WWE is open to hiring people from the indy scene. So I’d suggest go to every indy show in your area, volunteer to help in any way they ask, dress professionally (but don’t overdress, it is wrestling after all, but don’t wear a wrestling t-shirt either), don’t smell, and have a firm handshake in look people in the eye when asking if you can be of help. Find your niche. Meanwhile, study the history of the industry - the real history, not the WWE version - and have something to contribute to conversations with people in wrestling.

As for becoming a journalist, even if you’re sending an email in from your phone, capitalize the right words and always go to the extra trouble to proof read what you’re writing in all correspondence. Read “Elements of Style” by Strunk & White every six months. Form good habits, make good first impressions, and as Greg said, volunteer to do anything that needs to get done. Then accept that nine out of ten times, the editor you email is going to be too busy to even respond, so be persistent without being a pest, and accept that not every door handle you twist is going to open to a life changing dream opportunity.

===

Catch up on past Ask PWTorch articles...

-ASK PWTORCH - FREE WEBSITE.
-CLICKING HERE - ASK PWTORCH - VIP VERSION

********

(Send your question for PWTorch editor Wade Keller and the PWTorch staff exclusively to pwtorch@gmail.com for consideration! You can hear expanded conversation on the above topics from Wade Keller by becoming a VIP member and gaining access to the daily Wade Keller Hotline, posted every day for VIP members for over 1,000 days straight. Sign up at www.PWTorch.com/govip)

We suggest these recent related articles...

ASK THE SPECIALISTS ROUNDTABLE: Who will be WWE's Next Top Star?

SATURDAY’S ASK PWTORCH STAFF for 4/11: How should WWE cater to Texas at WM32? Does WWE using Sting and Hogan add to chances more TNA wrestlers are hired? Do NXT gimmick wrestlers have a chance? Is El Generico really Sami Zayn?

THURSDAY’S ASK PWTORCH ALL-STARS 4/9: Are El Generico & Sami Zayn the same person? Next MITB cash-in for IC or U.S. belt? What match do you show non-fans so they get it? Why don’t heel teams cheat?