Long term planning was vital. St Louis dates were always contracted a year in advance. In addition, the champion's appearances were also inked nine months - or more - ahead. Sam taught me how to book in reverse. If Dick "The Bruiser" was the challenger we wanted for the April date, planning had to begin in January at the latest. Who would he meet in February and March? What angles could we pursue? Everything was planned backwards, from the inevitable conclusion to the very beginning of a rivalry, months in advance.
A challenger's path to the top created many logical storyline branches - and in exploring them we'd create other strong challengers. This wasn't just practical booking; in Sam's eyes it was wise resource management. We earned the trust and loyalty of the talent because they knew they wouldn't be tossed aside like yesterday's garbage.
The most important principle? Protect the World Championship - not the World Champion - at all costs. Okay, not every champ would be as charismatic as a Ric Flair or Lou Thesz, but if the title meant something special, the fans would come. This meant the champion should not be overexposed. Each outing had to mean something. And cute finishes involving the golden belt had to be avoided at all costs. Because we treated it like the Holy Grail, everyone who had ever held the title would always be treated with respect.
Today's Sam's booking philosophy must seem alien. Unlike WWE, he believed in his long-term planning and felt that a solid product would always find its audience. Our fans wanted to believe in our little world for a couple hours a week, so it was critical to respect them. Now, titles are disrespected and former champions are easily relegated to mid-card status. Storyline directions are often changed in response to poor television ratings in a quarter-hour period.
Muchnick always wanted a flexible core of six to eight men who could draw money against each other or the champion. Sam disliked the practice of focusing everything around a single superstar - feeding him one rival after another - although he would admit it had worked for several promoters. Sam believed no single performer was indispensable. And because of this, in an extreme situation, no individual wrestler could ever hold the promotion hostage.