Again I'd like to apologize for the delay. I have been traveling and working a lot more then usual on my business outside of wrestling, my real estate investments. Now as I'm sure is no shock to anyone the current economic climate is awful for the average man, and a huge part of that is the "lending crash" of banks borrowing more money to people then they can afford to payback. Which is a reason for all the foreclosures in homes. This is why to make any money you have to re-a sign your client base from the average man, to the high income earning people in the US, who regardless of the lending crash can afford to spend money on real estate. This top 2-5% of the income earners in America are (typically) the ones that were hoping for John McCain to be voted into office, so they would be taxed a few points less per year on their federal tax return. I myself am in that tax bracket. But personally I'm glad to see a democrat in the white house and am willing to forfeit those couple points extra (really not that significant. i.e. if you make $1,000,000 paying out approx $380,000 in taxes vs. $350,000. When you make that kind of income $30k is usually insignificant. Prob 1/4 the cost of the car you drive). Those few points extra in taxes we're paying will help stimulate the US economy and bring our nation out of debt when combined with controlled spending from the government. None of the people in that bracket that will be spending the extra money in taxes will have their family's go hungry because if it. They will all still be able to drive cars bought in the last 5 years, and they will all still be able to grocery shop every week, and chances are they'll still be able to put that flat screen HDTV in their house they wanted too. But once the economy becomes more balanced, once overspending comes to halt, once proper amounts of money come back into the US, the other 95-97% of America will be able to more appropriately contribute to our nation. They won't be strapped for cash, they will be able to buy groceries every week. And once that percentage of America has appropriate funds, it means they'll be able to save appropriate amounts, which means some day they'll be able to invest in the stock market and help bring it back up, it means they'll be the client base that I'll be able to cater to in my real estate ventures, and once there's a larger client base, with appropriate funds/savings, there will only be more demand which means I will be able to sell/rent more. Which means those few points extra I'm paying by having a democrat in the office vs. a republican, will be completely negligible because my income will greatly increase with more transactions to more Americans. And it's win win for the economy because that's just another American who will be so happy to OWN their own home for their family, and also pumping money into US economy by paying me (which I pay capital gains tax on) and them paying to their community via property tax. I'm very excited to see our nation become the strongest financial leader in the world again. It will only lead to better things for not just this country, but for the PEOPLE living in it.
SD
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Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been on the road a lot more then usual this past month, and on top of it Huricane Ike tap danced all over my house. I was without electricity for two weeks, my backyard got F'd up, and my floors had moisture dammage. But more then anything the life without elctricity was difficult. Other then bitching for the sake of bitching in all honesty it wasn't bad at all and nothing more then an inconvenience. I saw a lot of dammage done to a lot of people and really can now for the first time understand the severity of natural disasters. My life felt like it was turned upside down with these little issues. I can't imagne people who had their homes flooded, walls blown in, roofs torn off, lost loved ones, pets, property. It's horible to imagine these things happen to undeserving people all the time. I don't have much else to really talk about other then that. You'd think to go weeks without blogging I'd have shit to say...but i digress.
SD
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It's hard to talk about or in this scenario type about, because it's almost become a taboo subject. I was looking on YouTube for various wrestling matches. Usually you can find one that fits your fancy and just follow the related videos that stem from it and occupy quite a bit of time if you're stuck at the airport or something. I came across a video interview with Chris Benoit shortly after he won the world title at WrestleMania 20. He said in the interview how he tries to make himself a more accessable person to others then other champions were to him. That statement is what influenced me to write this blog because sadly, again because it seems like inappropriate or taboo subject, I don't give enough credit to Chris Benoit for what he he instilled in me as far as wrestling and life are concerned. And unfortunately no matter how much anyone else sings his praises as well, the decisions he made in his last days with us will not allow anyone to remember much else of him, and that falls back on him. I look at in a similar (but still vastly different for obvious reasons) as Bill Clinton's term as president. He did a lot of very good things, but unfortunately he will only be remembered for his sex scandal. But Chris was a guy who always took the time of day with me, and even went out of his way to see what decisions I was making in wrestling. Who was taking advice from? Who's opinion didn't I value? What were my thoughts on certain matches? What were my thoughts on certain booking decisions? Who was I traveling with? These are all things he would inquire me about, and after I'd give him my answer he would let me know why he was asking, then offer his two cents on the subject. And this even went past wrestling. A lot of times, usually away from the arenas be it driving, at dinner, at a bar, in a gym, he would touch on the same subjects of life. How was my time at home? How were my dogs doing? Have I seen my parents lately? How's my girlfriend doing? Then again after my answer he'd follow up with insight into his life. Always positive. Always spoke the world of his kids, dogs, and wife. It's hard to keep on point with this blog as everything I type I feel like I'm second guessing. It's terrible that Chris made the decision that he did. It breaks my heart that for the rest of my life I'll never be able to have a complete thought on the matter. And being a colleague that use to look up to the guy with the utmost respect, it breaks my heart that so many other people directly involved have to live with this tragedy. I know how much it has effected me, so I can't imagine how much more it most have effected them. The only thing I can say is that I know what I learned in life, and in my career from Chris are invaluable, and I don't think there will ever be a caliber of performer that will show the same interest in me, and sharing that knowledge. Who knows how many other people were influenced as much as I was, and who knows if I was one of the few. Unfortunately though like I said earlier, it doesn't matter and soon the source will be forgotten by those who I and maybe those others share it with. As this perhaps one of the only scenarios where the first impression isn't the one that will be remembered, but sadly, for everyone, it'll be the last.
-SD
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Need something to write about but nothing comes to mind. So I guess I'll answer a questions that other wrestlers ask to me all the time at independent wrestling shows around the country. Their Q always is "what do I need to do to take the next step." Sadly the most important thing is timing. Anyone with any success will always start their story with "...I was in the right place, at the right time." That gives you opportunity then it's your own preparation that makes the most of the opportunity to take the next step. What that preparation is varies depending on who you are or where you want to take that next step. A solid basis of wrestling is never a bad thing. If you can wrestle, you'll have a job for life. Maybe not on top, maybe not making tons of money, but if you can wrestle you can always find work. But in order to stand out you have to have "it" and finding out what "it" is is almost impossible. If people knew how to teach "it" everyone would be a huge success. There's no way to teach "it", but when you find "it", anyone who knows their shit will notice. In the US, "it" is more important that wrestling ability. There are a lot of guys that had little wrestling ability that made it to the top on "it" in the US. And there are also tons of guys who had tremendous wrestling ability but didn't make it anywhere because they lacked "it". The closest I can get to what "it" is, would be what makes you different from the guy next to you if you both had the same ability of wrestling. "It" can be a hair cut, can be an interview, can be tights, can be a look, can be a size, can be an intensity etc. etc. It's like the X-men. The X is the variable in their DNA that gives them that extra-ordinary ability. What it is effects everyone differently, and the ability (i.e. "it") separates them from the rest. I don't think any of that made any sense, but if you get it my work here is done.
Later,
-SD
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I wasn't to happy with the way this web site was laid out, as it seemed more or less just a pamphlet of information about Shawn Daivari. The hope is that a web site can be more interactive and at least worth wrestling fans continuing to return to the site in anticipation of new updates. So with that in mind here is my first entry and I hope to update it on a semi-regular fashion.
So the latest with me is signing a contract with TNA Wrestling. I hope to make the most out of it, and it seems that TNA is going to give me an opportunity to perform on the level I always felt I could. Another interesting thing is my new name. In TNA Wrestling I will be known as Sheik Abdul Bashir. Daivari is actually my last name so neither WWE, TNA or anyone for that matter can trademark, or copyright it. I understand the business decision behind it because more or less when you are a contracted talent to a company you are their investment. And the hope is that if they invest in you (TV time, appearances, promotions) that at some point they can cash out and use you in a highly grossing financial situation. If unfortunately you leave the promotion before they have the chance to "cash out" being able to work else where with the same name, obviously same look, that investment is a loss. But alas I have seen one of the most successful tag teams in wrestling, The Dudley Boyz, continue being one of the most successful tag teams in wrestling as Team 3D. What's in a name?
Second thing I wanted to touch base on is a promo I did on TNA iMPACT! on 08/14/08. Some people told me after the segment that they thought the use of the term "rape" maybe might not be appropriate for the world of wrestling. I agree DEPENDING on it's context. In the context I used the term Lady America was "who" I was raping. This isn't meant to be a literal or even physical action. But it's meant to be an analogy for Sheik Abdul Bashir coming to the USA and forcefully taking something that wasn't meant for him. If it was used in the context of forcing sex onto someone it would be distasteful, I'm 100% sure TNA wouldn't allow it, and I myself wouldn't say/do it. But since I have seen the promo back, I think it was executed just fine that in the context of it's delivery it was more then clearly defined that the verb "rape" was used in a figurative form, instead of a literal form.
Check out the merchandise section for new Shawn Daivari "Radical Muslim" T-shirt!
Later
-SD
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