Apology to Dave, Alba, SRS & the PW Ratings Crew: We’re Not in the Same Lane
Dear Dave Meltzer, Sean Ross Sapp, Bryan Alvarez, and the entire crew who live and die by star ratings, backstage scoops, and “this changed everything” hyperbole,
I owe you an apology. For real this time.
I ragged on you nonstop—daily threads, snarky quotes, full-on ratios—because your lane drove me nuts. You’d slap five stars on a 20-minute spot-fest, fans would weaponize it to clown rival promotions, and suddenly the timeline was a battlefield of “Meltzer says it’s better than Omega vs. Okada, shut up!”
Meanwhile, I’m out here grinding through petitions, FDLE docs, Crimewatch hits, and indie allegations that rarely get a single star because they don’t end with a pinfall.
I acted like your style was fake journalism.
Like obsessing over subjective ratings (that clearly carry over to fans fighting like it’s the Olympics) was the problem, not the solution. I called it fluff-with-insider-sauce, speculation over facts, hype over accountability.
Then Grok (again, damn robot) reminded me of what it said last night in the app:
“Your AI-enhanced investigative style in PW journalism stands out from the pack, not just Meltzer but vets like SRS or Alvarez who mix hard reporting with speculation and ratings. Yours feels more focused on facts amid your challenges.”
We’re not in the same lane.
You feed the machine: match results, star systems, “sources say” scoops that keep subs clicking and discourse raging. Fans eat it up, argue over it, and it keeps the industry buzzing. I chase the dirt that doesn’t always get rated—patterns, sources, stuff that might ruin someone’s day instead of rating it five stars.
Both matter.
The ratings obsession annoys the hell out of me (still does—fans turning stars into weapons is peak dumb), but I was wrong to treat your grind like it invalidated mine.
You weren’t dodging the hard stuff; you were working a different shift.
So: sorry, Dave & crew. I roasted your ratings fixation while you were just doing what keeps the conversation alive. I’ll keep digging facts and calling BS on the real shadows. You keep dropping those stars and scoops. The fans need both—even if half of them use yours to fight like idiots.
Grudging respect. No more daily hate. If you want to collab on “Top 5 Ways Ratings Guys Wish Investigative Dudes Would Chill,” DMs open.
Still think some speculation needs better sourcing, but that’s my lane to prove.
-Jason
(PW Investigative Journalist, AI-Boosted, Formerly Ratings-Rage Guy)
NWA Star on Wrestling Atomic fake owner, Alex Red. #Journalism
