The Fink’s Payload 09.04.08: A New Era

Banner by John Meehan

Are you ready?

No, I said, ARE… YOU… READY?!

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages, 411 Mania proudly brings to you, the most interative column in all of the Internet Wrestling Community.

Are you ready for the return of the Payload?

History of the Payload

Like a bad penny, The Fink’s Payload just keeps coming back. Those who have been reading 411Mania for a long time will likely know the history of the Fink’s Payload as well as what it’s all about. For those who are new to the Payload experience, here’s an exert from the very first edition of The Fink’s Payload;

“Attention IWC pundits. Are you sick and tired of being slammed in radio interviews by the ‘stars’ that you pay to support? Ever thought when you looked at what the creative team was putting out, “Gosh, what are they thinking? I can book better than this!” This is the column for you. Welcome to The Fink’s Payload!“ -The Inaugural Fink’s Payload, 4/26/05

Chris Clarke and Mark Rossi were the two guys who came up with original Payload concept and brought it to the masses, to 411. They made the Payload so successful and one of the most popular articles on the site. As someone who has worked on the Payload before, I have a healthy respect for the effort that goes into it, and I give Mark and Chris a lot of credit for lasting as long as they did with the Payload. Unfortunately, they retired the Payload in July of 2006, and it was never to be seen again.

Well, actually, like all good wrestling retirements, the Payload was back just three weeks later as Chris had a new partner, Matt Sforcina. If you’re on 411Mania.com and you don’t know who Sforcina is, you may need to do your homework, as the guy is a 411 legend. Sforcina has been writing The Evolution Schematic for the wrestling zone since September of 2004 and it’s still going strong today, and that is a huge accomplishment in itself.

The Clarke/Sforcina partnership did not last long as Chris left the site in October of 2006. He would be replaced by another 411 legend in Nick Marsico. Those two had a great 6-months run as co-Payloaders, but in April 2007 they decided to leave The Payload behind. But because the Payload was a favourite column of many readers, 411 decided to keep it running, and it proved to be very popular with the 411 staff too as three guys volunteered for the opening, and thus the trio of Wilcox, Adamson and Holden was born. Rob Holden was one of 411’s more controversial columnists as his article You’re An Idiot And Here’s Why sparked much disagreement and even hatred from the 411 readers. Matt Adamson is another former Payloader who could be classed as a legend as his column Destiny brought great coverage of Japanese wrestling, and the guy is also a mainstay of the 411 Forums.

After a good run, Adamson took a hiatus from 411 and thus quit the Payload for good, but the three-man team drove on with Jordan Linkous becoming the 8th author of the Payload (or ninth if you count guest Payloader and 411 legend Ryan Byers). Linkous was the author of two great 411 columns, WWE vs. TNA and Why I Love/Hate Wrestling. Jordan and I would soon become a two-man partnership again as Rob left the site at the end of 2007. Unfortunately, when I went on hiatus back in February, the Payload went with me.

It’s a good thing that the Payload was so popular with readers, otherwise it may never have made a comeback. Andrew Clark, longtime Payload-reader, joined the site earlier this year and took great strides with the Payload. Clark was the first Payloader to do the column on his own and I give him much credit for being that guy. Again, the Payload is not an easy job but it’s an enjoyable one to say the least. However, Clark is no longer around, but the legacy of the Fink’s Payload will continue.

Before I continue, you may well be wondering why the column is called The Fink’s Payload as, on the surface, it doesn’t have too much to do with The Fink. Let’s once again go back to the very first edition of the Payload, written by Clarke and Rossi, to answer that question.

“The title of this column is in reference to a VERY inside piece of information. As far as we’ve learned in our time working in wrestling media, it was told to us that Howard Finkle is the guy who scours the net and wrestling radio, trying to pick up interesting pieces of information for possible booking use. So, let’s just make it easy for him. Let’s get together and do some armchair booking. And hey, it’s not like we can harm the booking practices, we can only make it better if we come up with something great.“ -The Inaugural Fink’s Payload, 4/26/05

While Jeff Small likes to credit himself with bringing me into the 411 fold as his lackey, I think that credit has to go with to The Fink’s Payload. While there are a ton of sites out there that have wrestling news, it was the fantasy booking interaction that kept me coming to 411Mania and away from all those other sites. Some of my entries can be found in the early editions of the Payload. I remember a particular entry of mine that was of a ridiculous length. Sforcina and Marsico had to read through that one, poor souls. I think you’ll have trouble finding a Payload entry longer than this one.

In case you’re still not clear what The Payload is about, here’s a break down.

1. Each week, a “homework” will be assigned. The readers, that’s you, will come up with some armchair booking of the homework and send it in to the Payload.

2. Your ideas will be put into the column and critiqued by yours truly.

Like the Championship Scramble, it’s a lot simpler that it sounds. Hopefully most of you are familiar with the concept anyway. I wonder what new heights we can take the Payload to this time around?

Three years ago, two men had a vision. They had a goal…

“We hope to make this a column that is as big and as popular as Ask 411. We want to increase the interaction with you, the readers, who are clearly reading this and other websites not out of spite for wrestling (as Vince may believe), but instead because you’re looking for signs of improvement coming in the future. Here’s your opportunity. Please get involved!“ -The Inaugural Fink’s Payload, 4/26/05

I think it’s an understatement to say that they achieved that goal.

When I was running the Payload before along with Adamson, Halden and Linkous, I didn’t really know what I was getting into and in some instances, I don’t think I did a great job of living up to the standard that past Payload authors had set. From now on, I aim to bring you the absolute best in armchair booking, but I will need your help, so get those entries in. If you hold up your end of the bargain, I’ll do my part and make sure the Payload is never late, never goes on hiatus and never disappoints again. And that starts next week.

Homework: There is something of a civil war brewing in TNA featuring the “new breed” against the “old guard” and it all looks to come to a head at Bound For Glory. But before we get to Bound For Glory, allegiances will be formed, actions will need to be explained and battles will be raged. Is Jeff Jarrett really a good guy? Is Sting really turning to the darkside? Which side will Christian Cage choose? Book the road to Bound For Glory, focusing on the war between Joe/AJ/Nash etc and Sting/Angle/Booker etc.

Some things to point, however. Don’t think of them as rules, just guidelines.

Entry: Entries will NOT be accepted via the comments section. Entries will NOT be accepted after the deadline. All entries should be sent to [email protected]

Deadline: The column has to be in the 411 system by Wednesdays at midnight. I want entries in no later than midnight on Tuesdays.

Acceptance: In the past, there have been too many entries to fit in one column. However, as long as there is room, your entry will be included.

Length: I’d be a hypocrite if I set a maximum length after the entry I mentioned above, so there is no length limit. But do try to be considerate and not go overboard.

Spelling and grammar: Please check your entries for spelling and grammar mistakes. A few mistakes I don’t mind, but if your entry looks like it’s been written by a three-year old, I’ll probably just shit all over your ideas.

That’s nearly all from me, but before I go, I want to thank all those Payload authors who paved the way as it were. Clarke and Rossi came up with one hell of a concept all those years ago, and the likes of Sforcina, Marsico, Adamson, Halden, Linkous and Clark have done a fantastic job of keeping the Fink’s Payload alive and thriving. And thanks to Meehan for the banner, which he actually made a long time ago though I don’t think it was ever used. Here’s to them, and here’s to a new era of the Fink’s Payload!