Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Where Does The Time Go?

Hello, Hello, Hello! Yes, this is The Doctor's Report and I am "The Doctor" Michael Devine. To be honest, when Power Pro Wrestling suspended operations (closed it's door) I just did not have the heart nor desire to continue my blog. I just didn't have the energy. 


Then while I was on Facebook I saw a guy, a friends, I use to wrestle with down in Georgia and in under 24 hours I re-connected with many more of those guys which got me to thinking about the good ol' days. I looked at pictures and the memories came flooding back; CW, JD and JR Justice who were once called Law and Order and some of the baddest dudes in the ring in the 90's. Tommy "U.S" Bonds, tough as nails and excellent in the ring. Johnny Blitz, the charisma of a rock star who made the girls scream. He could move in the ring, take it to the air and could take it to the mat and keep grounded. Then there was The Desert Warrior, built like a freaking tank and hit twice as hard. He and I battled over the SECW Heavyweight Championship in South Carolina. 


So as I saw how they looked now, today, some 15 or so years later, my memories of my time with them; seeing them in the ring (either wrestling with, against or watching them) came flooding back and it was like yesterday. In my mind's eye 15 plus years had not past. CW Justice (I use to call him Clay Clay) was still one tough guy, who gave 100% in the ring. He made anyone he wrestle look like a superstar. JR Justice (The Mastadon) was still some what of a rookie...but he had tremendous size and for his size he could move. JD Justice (who I met while at Moolah's) was a talker, he could get heat from a dead eskimo buried underground in Alaska. The first time I met him he was running his mouth (Of course) at the end of an event in...if I recall correctly...Aiken SC. Later he would become the manager of The Super Enforcer, Alan Kinsey, another fine king of the ring, who I learned a lot from. And how could I recall my time with The Fabulous Moolah without remembering The Great Mae Young and the guys who trained, honed, and helped me sharpen my skills like Johnny Z, Tommy Landell and Sammy "The Southern Patriot" Morton. The add to that mix Steve "Superfoot" Douglas who gave me my first back drop, which thanks to my own stupidity sent me so high in the air that when I landed I could have sworn I destroyed my kidneys. "Butcher" Blackwell, armed with a butcher's knife and a bloody butcher's apron. And watching over all of this was the late great and legendary Fabulous Moolah and The Great Mae Young, who put me in a pair of black trunks, white gloves and a feather-boa and dubbed me "Magnificent Michael", which was a gay gimmick as well as being a face. (And I do have the promo picture of that gimmick). Even as I type this blog the memories just flood back; Me and Deon Johnson (Stone Cold Kid) all over Greenville, Union and Greer feuding with each other and then in Georgia as members of the United Gangsta Party with A-Train Griffin and Nasty Q Dog. Teaming up with Johnny Flex to form the team of "The Heartbreakers" and our matches against Johnny Blitz and Damien Leigh "The Hot Shots". Then me and Sammy Morton as "The Rulebreakers"...the beginnings of my tag team wrestling career that would take me to Bob Keller and I as "Pretty Mean", then myself, Combat Kid (Gene-O) Major Mayhem and Spike Callahan as The House of Kane.


I could go on and on as I recount my wrestling career. Remembering all the places I have wrestled, the guys I wrestled, the men I use to watch wrestle as a kid I got to meet and even wrestle with or against like the legendary Jimmy "Boogie-Woogie Man" Valiant, The Masked Superstar, Demolition Ax, the late great legends Chief Wahoo McDaniel and Junkyard Dog. When I look back at my wrestling career I realize that there are several men and a couple of women (I'm not ashamed to say it) who helped make me what I am today, who I learned things from, who offered and gave me great advice, who took a chance on me and placed me on their shows or were just good people who I enjoyed being around. People like; Lewis Crain (Jim Lewis) and Cowboy (who saw me as the perfect heel to go after their top face...a young kid called "The Stone Cold Kid" and brought me to their company which opened up more doors for me.); Deon Johnson (Stone Cold Kid) who made me look like walking devastation every time we were in the ring together and then joined the dark side with me as a heel; Cruizer Lewis (Crispy Cruiser) who was and is a wonderful person to talk to and one of the double tough guys in the ring; The Black Angel (The original and only Sun-tanned Superman...lord what is there to say about him? Oh this...when you see him in the ring then you know you have been "Touched by an Angel"; Tony Early and Larry Lacey (who helped to create the legend of the brawling bad-ass Big Daddy Kane); Susan "Tex" Green (the second wrestling legend, who gave me the benefit of her precious time and experience) Talon, Wade and Jackhammer from ECPW in Hemingway (Who allowed me to become Michael Devine...Shaft hat, leopard printed tights and flowery Magnum P.I shirt all included and made me feel like and treated me with great deal of respect) Big Bee Steele (Brian Hoile), who allowed me to help three of his trainees in this business and sport we love and who reminded me why I love being a professional wrestler. The CPW Brotherhood in Martinsburg West Virginia and Hagerstown, Maryland (Sexy Shane Shadows, Spike Callahan, Gene Harrison, Bob Keller) who provided me with many great moments inside and outside of the ring.


There are so many more I could name and want to name. I may have to follow the lead of Scrapyard Dog and write a book. As I type this blog, taking this trip down memory lane...looking back at my past and those who were there when it all began for me. I do wonder where the time has gone. I then look to the future and wonder what is ahead for me and who will be waiting for me.


And with that said...The Doctor is out.

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