Everyone is giving out these internet awards so it only makes sense that we give out the inaugural StaleMaties Awards. The StaleMaties Awards is a recognition of when the wrestling world collides with the internet and then some. So without wasting anymore time, let’s get into it.
Beef Of The Year: PD3 vs. Women’s Freestyle Team
- This beef happened back in July and seems like so long ago that I had to rewatch our video breaking down this beef to remember all of the details. I know what you’re thinking. If I couldn’t remember all of the details then how is it the beef of the year? It’s the beef of the year because despite what side you take in this beef, there were a lot of constructive conversations that came from this. The wrestling world was introduced to what female wrestlers were getting paid and PD3 exposed what wrestlers were getting paid on a specific wrestling card which opened the floodgates to competition in the marketplace. PD3 ultimately got himself kicked out of USA Wrestling (I think) and the NJRTC and lost himself a lot of money along the way but a lot of necessary conversations came from this beef so I think we thank him for that. This beef also put us (StaleMates) on a lot of wrestling fans radar after our video breaking it down and our meme portraying PD3 as Denzel Washinton in Training Day. Which PD3 himself seemed to enjoy.
Breakout Social Media User Of The Year: @Jagger712
- Jagger started 2020 with 91 followers and tweeted himself to 545 followers as of the moment I write this. I’m assuming if you follow StaleMates you know who this guy is since we had him on Weekly Tea a few weeks ago. Jagger got on my radar from the beginning of my time on this side of wrestling twitter. Before StaleMates I was on the other side of wrestling twitter that is mainly just wrestling statistics, results, and a couple of mainstream wrestling personalities. As soon as we started to gain traction I noticed there was a whole other side of wrestling twitter and part of that was @Jagger712. He is the king of wrestling zingers and one liners and he always has the perfect tweet before anyone else gets to it. If you haven’t already followed him do yourself a favor and do it.
Wrestling Forum Of The Year: The Wrestling Room
- The box of chocolates of the wrestling world is The Wrestling Room because you truly never know what you’re going to get. The fearless leader of the Wrestling Room is Rogue Reporter Pat Mineo. Pat is without a doubt the most polarizing figure in wrestling media, if you consider Pat to be media. The Wrestling Room started in November 2019 and is currently at 5,641 members. I believe they have reached the level that they have based off of Pat’s ability to get sources like ESPN’s Adam Schefter or Woj. Sometimes Pat is right and sometimes he is wrong but Pat has definitely garnered the attention of wrestling fans whether you like it or not. The members of the wrestling room are also a passionate group that have no fear of what others might think. The admin truly let anyone have an opinion or say so it makes for premium content for wrestling junkies like myself.
Wrestling Content Creator of the Year: Fanco
- As much as I want this award to go to Travis County District Court or even us, it goes to my man Josiah at Fanco. Fanco gives out free wrestling content on Youtube where he has quietly gathered 16.3 k subs. That’s right, 16,300 something subscribers. I say he quietly has done this because he without a doubt has one of the biggest audiences in wrestling but rarely gets mentioned by anyone because he does not jump in the social media chat very often. His attention to detail has served well for him as well as his quality and consistent content. I was able to meet Josiah at the Campbell Wrestling Offs and I picked his brain about how he does what he does. He is a prime example of how you do one thing is how you do everything. His Youtube videos have the best descriptions, thumbnails, titles, you name it. The amount of time he puts into one video explains his results. He even gave me a Fanco T-Shirt wrapped in twine with a personalized note written on a Fanco branded note card. If that doesn’t scream detail I don’t know what does. He also does an amazing job helping out Campbell University with their wrestling team’s social media and overall media.
Artist of the Year: Ross Bendik
- Ross Bendik or @WrestleChicago came on my radar during the Trial when someone in the trial called him something along the lines of a “savant” when the topic of Willie Saylor’s MatScouts logo became of discussion. After that, I paid close attention and this man has delivered. He puts out graphics at a gucci mane album pace. You ask for it, or sometimes you don’t even have to ask for it, and he delivers by any means. From making a caricature of our van to putting on a full on award contest, this guy is must follow content.
Beat Writer of the Year: Seth Duckworth @Seth_Duckworth
- Every school deserves a good beat writer to fulfill your fandom and the Oklahoma State Cowboys probably have the best in the business in Mr. Duckworth. I don’t think there is a minute that goes by that this guy doesn’t have OSU wrestling on his mind. He almost ratioed us on our own tweet when we made a StaleMates Times Headline about Oklahoma State and that alone garnered my respect. We have gone after Oklahoma State and a company that Seth writes for probably more than any other organizations and Seth always seems to be a good sport or claps back respectively. So to that, I tip my hat.
Electric Content of The Year: AJ Ferrrari
- Yes, I am giving awards to back to back Cowboys and I am not doing it to suck up to them after a somewhat turbulent start between StaleMates and the Pokies. AJ Ferrari is electric content 101 and I am not sure if he even knows it. Whether it’s his tik tok, calling out Jordan Burroughs and Gable Steveson on twitter, or filming his Thanksgiving speech to his family, I can not help but pay attention to this guy. Just as PD3 exits the chat this guy is knocking at the door without even wrestling a college match, yet.
Anonymous Twitter Account Of The Year: Tsabolov Brands @NotTomNotTerry
- The “Long Lost Fictional Triplet Russian brother of Tom and Terry.” an anonymous twitter account keeps everyone on their toes including us. The consistency and no holds barred style earns Mr. Brands this award. He has several “viral” tweets and consistently rubs a lot of folks the wrong way but I keep finding myself sending his tweets to friends. I have been criticized for giving anonymous twitter accounts a “platform” but I guess you can just charge it to the game.
The Michael Jordan “and I took that personally” Award: Cael Sanderson
- I know Cael has plenty of empty space in his trophy room for awards so I figured I would help the guy out. I am not sure what a specific wrestling media company did to this guy but it sparked something beautiful in the NLWC Rokfin Events. I am not saying they are the reason why Cael decided to have these events but it seems clear from the trial evidence of the Willie Saylor/Rokfin Trial that Mr. Sanderson wanted to send a message. Cael and Co. have started a whole new lane over at Rokfin and delivered each time. Every event has upped the ante to a new level and trail blazed a path that I hope is sustainable in every way.
Wrestling College of the Year Award: South Dakota State University
- The house that Bono built is no more and it is now the Hahn House. Except the house is now worth $4 million dollars. After Coach Bono left it became evident that the Jackrabbits were committed to keeping the ball rolling by hiring Damion Hahn and then building him a $4 million dollar facility. They are also still committed to stealing the neighboring state of Iowa’s 1A hammers that might get overlooked and turning them into All American contenders. Also, #getjacked might be the best hashtag in the game.
StaleMates Guest of the Year: Willie Saylor
- This man cleaned house on everyone’s award list this year (shout out @GoGreenWrestle and @rossbendik) despite being “locked-up” most of the year. Tom Brands had the most watched interview on our channel, Kevin Dresser took time out of his schedule on Christmas Eve to hang out with us in a 1985 Van, The Needle shared a lot of personal stories and did a 2 hour episode with us in a stuffy, 90 degree abandoned mason lodge, and we thank all of them for that and it made this category the hardest to pick from. But the Willie Saylor interview took StaleMates to a whole new level. The trial increased our traffic more than any other content we have put out and Willie flying out to Iowa to do a sit down interview with strangers from Des Moines was the cherry on top that we needed. Like his tweet said, he could have got all the views or raetokens by doing a video on his own, he chose to bless us instead.
