It's been awhile...and no, I'm not gonna launch into lyrics from that goddamned Staind song. What do I look like to you people? Jonathan Storm? Heh...that glorified jobber wishes he were me. By the way, congrats on win number 102, Jon. Now, tell me...how many of those wins were against respectable competition? Yea...that's what I thought. Call me when you have something worth bragging about, kid.

But the truth is...that it has been awhile since I've had the chance to address the wrestling world. The past few months have been a journey for me. The doors have closed on my, if I do say so myself, remarkable rookie year. After losing the World Title, my mind and body told me I needed a break. The damage done to my right knee earlier in the year by Matt Hoffman had finally caught up to me by the time the new year came around...but I wasn't about to sacrifice my position in the NYSWF. So I wrestled hurt for a few months, in a decision I now regret. In March, I had successful surgery to repair the damage done. After physical therapy, I've finally regained full strength in the knee, and I'm in better shape then ever.

Now, before all you internet marks start typing on your keyboards and posting the news of Alexander Haven's return to the wrestling on your crappy little websites, allow me to clarify the one question you all undoubtedly have.

When I make my return to the wrestling world, will I return to the NYSWF?

C'mon, is this really a difficult answer? The NYSWF is where I got my start. It's the place where I burst into the professional wrestling scene a little over a year ago. It's the place where I broke numerous records, won the NYSWF Triple Crown, and even became fifty-percent owner of the company. And for all intensive purposes...it's the place that made me famous. With all that history, do you really think I'd just up and leave the company at a time it could use me most?

Of course not. I'm staying right where I belong, and I belong in the NYSWF. So like it or not...Alexander Haven is NYSWF for life.

As a great man once said...

"Yea, right. And monkeys might fly out of my butt."

Wake up, people. Face the cold hold reality of the situation. The once bright NYSWF has faded to the kind of darkness that only it's thousands of goth wrestlers would be proud of. New York used to be the home of champions. Now...it's the home of kids who got picked last in gym class. It's a shelter for those who know they can't make it against real competition. Let's be honest...I've seen more talent at a spelling bee for retards, for christ's sake.

Now, I realize we're in a day and age where it's "cool" to be jaded against the NYSWF. But lately, I've been reading some of these columns...and I've been hearing words like "reinvention" and "growth period" used in discussion about the NYSWF. I hate to be rude...well, actually, I don't...but c'mon people. Wake the f*ck up. If the NYSWF is reinventing itself...it's reinventing itself into a f*cking joke.

The NYSWF may have survived some tough periods before...but has it ever really been this bad? Flashback a year ago. You had guys like "Cold" Harding Cash, Grady Smith, Matt Hoffman, and Jack Daniels battling it out for the World Title, while the undercard consisted of names like Sean Sanders, Spiral, Michael Draven, Chris Kage, and yours truly. The NYSWF was perhaps at it's strongest point ever, and the stage was being set for a youth movement. Out of those names I mentioned before, nearly everyone of them is considered a superstar at this point. Look at the NYSWF roster as it exists today. When you glance at the names, what do you see? Do you see the future? Do you see a whole crop of new and amazing talent just ready to seize the spotlight? I, for one, don't see the future. The only thing I see...is the end.

Maybe it's easier to be jaded and negative towards the NYSWF...but the facts support me on this. The federation lacks the key ingredients for success that it once had. The established stars have all packed their bags and left for greener pastures. Corey Collins burned too many bridges with his business decisions...and I don't think you'll see any of the former NYSWF legends coming to bail him out at this point. They've all gone in search of one thing the NYSWF can never again provide them with: consistent competition. Even Grady Smith walked away...and he was a living, breathing, personification of NYSWF greatness. His loyalty to the federation was unmatched...but even he couldn't tough it out any longer.

The NYSWF lacks the color and variety it once had so much of. Watching NYSWF programming has become like eating Bran Flakes every morning for breakfast. There's just no variety. The roster is filled with guys who look as if they haven't seen the sun in years. You might as well change your advertising slogan to "NYSWF: Where the Goths Play!" Sure, the NYSWF has always had wrestlers who embraced the darker side...but it always had plenty of guys ready to play the foil to those men. You had your young, brash, egotistical kids with The Youth. You had your slightly insane, but always amusing variety with Sean Sanders and Spiral. You had your proven champions, in Cash, Daniels, and Smith. You had endless amounts of talent at your disposal. But now? You've got two boy band rejects, a children's clown, and twenty Marilyn Manson groupies. Not exactly the stuff that wrestling dreams are made of.

Face it, Collins. The clock is ticking. I know you probably better then anybody else in this world. I've been in your head, and I know what you're thinking. Hell, I even slept with your wife, for christ's sake. You don't honestly believe that you can pass of second-rate talent like Rune Robertson, Jonathan Storm, and Shawn Hunter as legitimate superstars who can carry a federation, do you? Nobody's being fooled. The people want to see proven champions...not glorified backyard wrestlers playing make-believe with some pretty little title belts.

The Dark Messiah as your World Heavyweight Champion isn't impressive. It's not even funny, when you really think about it. Take a look at the history of that title. Anybody who's anybody has held that belt, and was damn proud of it. But now? None of those people would touch that belt with a ten foot pole, because it no longer means what it used to. The respect and honor once associated with the NYSWF World Title has all but vanished. Matt Hoffman will remembered as the last respectable World Heavyweight Champion...and everybody else who followed will be viewed as nothing but cheap imposters. You can't shove these kids down the people's throats, and expect them not to know the difference. The people are smart, Corey. They aren't colorblind. They see just how incredibly green everybody on your roster really is. Whenever a big name fed can make a convincing argument for Jon Storm holding the World Title...you know you might wanna shut the doors and lock them forever.

Do I think this column will show some people the light? No, I don't...but even NYSWF supporters will eventually have to give in to reality. I'll always look back on my time in the NYSWF fondly...but I know when it's time to say goodbye. I sold my share of the company a long time ago, and put the memories behind me. It's time to move on to a brighter future.

Farewell, NYSWF. Thanks for the memories.