Hello to all the A1-Wrestling online world, this is your favorite Teddy Bear toting madman, fresh from my climb over the fences at the State mental hospital, and I am still looking for momma. I am delighted to have a nice, warm, little corner of cyberspace to muse and pontificate from. Thanks to Zandrax, Prime, and Suptool for allowing me this opportunity.
My bio briefly covers my wrestling background, but not every retired indy wrestler gets a blog on a large “insider” website or a guest spot on a podcast tied to said website. So you might wonder how I was afforded this whole deal? It is very simple. One word: Suptool.
For those who don’t know, Suptool is better known as Norko Kipte (or @thebottomline on Twitter). Two lifetimes ago, which is about 2001 in laymen terms, there was a little promotion in Northeast Georgia called NWA Wildside. This promotion was the merging of two former Georgia indies, NWA Georgia and National Championship Wrestling (NCW).
This new promotion took off almost immediately due to a very aggressive syndicated TV overlay that was masterminded by the NWA Georgia main man, Bill Behrens. I had wrestled some for the old NCW, and two of my pals from all the way back in our training camp, JC Dazz and Scottie Wrenn, were major players before and after the merger. These buds hooked me up to come back in and so back down to Northeast Georgia the old Crazy Train went.
Once I arrived in Cornelia, GA at the “cathedral of Southern wrestling”, the old NCW Arena, I could tell things were hot, businesswise and literally. (it is Georgia after all) This promotion had young, hungry, and unsigned guys that some of you might have heard of like: AJ Styles, David Young, Air Paris, Mickie James, and Prince Justice who would morph later into Abyss. There were also vets like Sean Royal of the old New Breed from WCW and the Kohl Twins. Throw in a deal Bill had brokered with WCW to send up Power Plant talent and there were guys like David Flair, Shannon Moore, Sam Greco, and Shane Helms dropping in from time to time. Simply put, this promotion had it all for an independent.
Well after I had been down there for a bit a new group of rabid and vocal fans made the drive up from the ATL to see what was causing all the commotion. This little band of misfits soon garnered the name “the South Atlanta Boys”, both with the boys in the locker room and among the other fans as well. This fun clique was lead by none other than one Suptool aka Norko Kipte.
Even after the Crazy Train pulled out of the depot in Cornelia and went back to the asylum up in South Carolina, Mr. Kipte kept in touch with me via social media. We never talked all the time, but the line of communication was there, from time to time. As the old Train was watching a Raw, I saw a dude in the 3rd row who HAD to be Norko. After reaching out to ask, I was wrong. Sigh.
This reaching out lead to Norko asking me about my thoughts on the current state of the business, from an old worker’s POV. Apparently my opinions peaked his interest. One thing lead to another and I was booked to spew my insanity on an A1-Wrestling podcast. I guess it worked out OK, because I have been graciously asked to return several times, including the annual fantasy draft episode. Now, the powers that be at A1 have given me the power of the keyboard with this blog.
So, I hope to be writing at least once a week. I have asked what I should ramble on about, and these same powers that be have left me to my own devices. That is where all of you come in. Please let me know what you want to hear about from the old days or things from an indy vet’s perspective. You can reach me on Twitter @CrazyTrain_jb. You can also reach me through the message board here as well. You can also email blog suggestions and questions to crazytrain.jb@gmail.com.
Please, your feedback and ideas are always welcomed. I hope to entertain all the readers, and maybe educate some while we are at it. Looking forward to hearing from y’all. It does get lonely at the asylum a lot after all. Until next time when my meds kick in…ALL ABOARD!!!
