Today ECW televison will be filmed from the sacred halls of Madison Square Garden. MSG has been the mecca in sports entertainment since it was contructed. This is the place where careers were made and some of my greatest childhood memories originated. I was there when Jimmy Snuka dove off the steel cage. when the Iron Sheik ended Bob Backlund's five plus year title reign. I was there for the birth of Hulkamania a month later. I rose to my feet every time WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel would announce the next months card returning to the Garden and would be so excited to hear what great matches were coming back. Even better when I would hear the Fink say and the winner and your NEWWWWWWW Champion. I would watch every three hour show if I couldn,t get tickets on MSG. I was jumping for joy when Mr.T hopped the railing to defend Cyndi Lauper and wanted to help him when he got jumped by Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Thank god The Hulkster came to his aid cause a 13 year old Tommy Dreamer would have done some damage(not at all but in my mind I would have) I was rewarded for good grades in school with the first ever Wrestlemania tickets. The excitement of going up the escalators and seeing the Garden filling with people is amazing.
In my own personal career, wrestling in MSG has been a dream. Performing there after 9/11, tearing down the house with Rob Van Dam in the last ever Hardcore Title match, and the greatest two minutes of my life the Royal Rumble. I realize all of this because as time approaches, this may be my last performance in MSG. I hope it isn't but what a ride, I would love to have a Lou Gehrig leaving as a Yankee moment. I am really trying to think of something special to do tonight, so if you can please watch. It is real televison a boyhood dream quite possibly coming to an end and not regretting a single thing.
Thanks for reading
Tommy Dreamer
p.s. I have been up since 4:30 am thinking about this day and I am already exhausted. I know the moment I step thru that curtain, it will all come alive and I will get excited just like when I was kid. Thanks for the memories MSG
Sorry it has been a while it is hard to come up with stuff to say every week. I have been on a ten day scale of posting my blogs and I will stick to it. I just have so many hours in the day and I usually do this when I am at home and my twinnovators(twin daughters) keep much of that time to themselves. So I will talk about something that is very special to me and everyone reading this Wrestlemania.
Wrestlemania is important to me for many reasons.
1.The History.
Growing up in the early eighties being a wrestling fan I found myself to a small group of people, maybe even considered an outsider. I took alot of teasing from other kids for loving wrestling so much, but once the first Wrestlemania came to MSG everyone became a fan.Everyone rightfully so, jumped on the bandwagon. Those haters all became fans of my favorite sport. Years later everyone had their tshirts on but I knew in my heart that the wrestlers knew I was a die hard fan. Going to as many shows as I possibly could. I was at the first Wrestlemania and I still remember the excitement of going up the escalator and feeling the atmosphere, when I walked into the main hall, I knew I was part of something special and I was I was a part of history.
2.The return of Fan Axcess
This is the greatest way as a fan to meet some of their favorites. This is also a way as a WWE Superstar to meet their fans. I love doing autographs and just mingling with the people who all share a common joy as I still do, wrestling. This years fan Axcess has so much fan interaction, from doing Superstars entrances, autograph sessions, calling matches you name it they got it. If I was you I would buy the new WWE Encyclopdeia and have that ready for all to sign. The book has every person to ever wrestle in WWE, it is a great book for any fan to have. They also left out Beulah, Francine and most importantley the MIZ!!! Insert all your jokes here maybe you are not as great as you think you are Miz.
3.The Hall of Fame
This year is most important to me as a person because the three most influencial people in my career will all be in one place at one time, Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair and Terry Funk. Not to mention how much money I spent wanting to see Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper and Ricky Steamboat back in the day. To me I am gonna have a camera and will be taking my picture with all of these men because without them paving the way for me, I wouldn't have had the career I am having. A personal note I am so happy that the Fink, Howard Finkel is being inducted as well. I was a little unhappy about his HOF video because I felt it was a little to comedy, for such a prestigious event( even though Howard telling Trish he has a weiner is one of my favorite Raw moments). Howard has been at every Wrestlemania and was the ring announcer that set the largest attenedance record of all time Wrestlemania three. (Take that Michael Buffer). Many wrestlers have gone on record saying that they knew they made it in the business when the heard Howard announce their names. Congrats Fink it is an awesome acheivement.
4. I am a fan
Yes I am beyond disapointed I am not having a match. Actually I read my New Years Resolutions blog and I have failed on 2 out of 3 of them. Being in the Royal Rumble and having a match at Wrestlemania. The first year don't say lose weight, now look I have dropped 28 pounds since, ohh the irony, wow did I get sidetracked. Last year I watched Ric Flair's last match vs HBK in the crowd. I will do the same for the Undertaker vs HBK match, this year, that to me is the most intriguing matchup. Basically what I am saying is that even after 25 years I am still a fan and gonna be a part of history again.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 01:49 AM EST
[General]
In its 16-year history, the WWE Hall of Fame has welcomed ring pioneers of all types. But on April 4, 2009, for the first time ever, the Hall will be taken to the extreme with the induction of former ECW Champion Terry Funk -- the first ECW Champion to be inducted into the Hall.
WWE.com recently asked ECW Original Tommy Dreamer for comment on Funk's induction:
"It is extremely hard to put into words my emotions about Terry Funk the first ECW World Champion being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Terry and his brother Dory are the only brothers to be NWA World Champions. They held many regional single and tag team titles. The Funks competed in ECW and had a brutal fued with the Public Enemy, which culiminated into their classic barbed wire match.
Terry Funk was the man who told Hulk Hogan to contact Vince McMahon when the Hulkster had quit the business because he did not think he would make it. Terry Funk is the Godfather of Hardcore Wrestling. Terry Funk put ECW on the map when it was in its infancy.
Many hardcore clips which started each an every episode of ECW had something to do with Terry Funk. Fans throwing chairs, flaming branding irons, doing moonsaults to the floor in his mid-50s and the classic three-way dance vs. Sabu and Shane Douglas that pretty much started the underground buzz known as ECW all happened because of The Funker.
Most importantly to me, Terry Funk is my mentor and friend. He gave me my greatest advice ever when I was struggling in the early days of ECW. Terry sat me down and said just be yourself out there. Just be Tommy and the fans will respect you.
I haven't stopped being me and it is an honor to have a new wing in the WWE Hall of Fame opened, the ECW World Champions section and it will start with Terry Funk being where he belongs. I take great pride that I had the opportunity to share a locker room in the Original ECW with the great Terry Funk!"
Well it seems that my last blog caused quite a stir with some of the higher ups in WWE. I guess you are not supposed to talk about ratings or other stuff that goes on behind the scenes. Well I have been a leader of a revolution before so I guess that makes me a rebel, so why stop now.
John Morrison was so very upset with my last blog, he responded with a typical fourth grade response. You should check it out. He did it in a comical fashion, I actually laughed at his creativety. If you don't want to read it let me summarize it for you. Tommy Dreamer is old, fat ,bald and slow. I guess when you hit people with facts they have to go the low road.
Let me respond to you John Morrison. You beat me on Tuesday because you were better than me that night. You are one of the most gifted WWE Superstars on all 3 brands. If you read my past Diary Of Violence I wished you would be drafted to ECW so it would give you the platform to show the world your talents. I was not wrong, now you and your life partner wrestle on all three brands every week because you are so talented. Your biggest setback will be your ego and personal choices. Trust me I have seen it a million times. So many talented guys just throw it all away cause of a bad attitude. Let me explain with some more behind the scenes stuff.
This past Friday WWE did a sold out show in Los Angeles at the Staples Center and many Hollywood types came out to see the WWE Stars in action. Michael Clarke Duncan, ZZ Top and Arsenio Hall to name a few were in the house and John Morrison and the Miz ran to them with their cameras like a bunch of paparazzi or male groupies I am still trying to figure it out which ones. They were asking for photos and handing out their business cards to the celebs.(why you have business cards and what they actually say is very interesting to me) This was not only embarising to myself but several other WWE people. I think we might have had security pull their noses out of the celebs and their entourage butts. I guess when you are a fallen reality tv star and the next Fabio, you are always looking for what someone can do for you and your career.
The difference between Miz and Morrison and Tommy Dreamer is respect. I was asked to take a picture with Arsenio Hall's children by the man himself and we had a great conversation about watching his first match as a kid between The Original Shiek vs Bobo Brazil. I went out to eat after the show with Michael Clarke Duncan. I have partied with ZZ Top so many times and when they left they said "Dream Machine I will see you in Houston" I am not name dropping. I am just pointing out how you treat people with respect and not because they can do something for you because they are famous. You two are pathetic and I offer an apology on behalf of the WWE lockeroom for your actions. You two can do well in Hollywood. You guys remind me of the next Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, and as we all know their lives are just perfect.(please insert your own laughter here)
