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Card subject to change – Reflecting on 10 years of Squared Circle Wrestling (Part 2)

(Note: Before the final 2CW cards this past December, I had the chance to create and put together a magazine. I am slowly putting the stories here on the blog. Enjoy!)

(Note 2: The first part of this story ran last week … you can see that part by clicking here.)

At the top

Colin Delaney has been to the pinnacle of professional wrestling as he’s wrestled for the WWE.

He also knows what it’s like to be with 2CW.

“It’s not a promotion I’ve worked for once in a while,” he said. “It’s been my home. It’s been a constant for me. It’s weird to think of them not being there.”

Collin Delaney was a 2CW mainstay.

Colin Delaney was a 2CW mainstay.

With the WWE, Delaney worked with its version of ECW, as well as on the main roster. One of his big angles was that of an underdog, trying to earn his way on the show and get a contract. His WWE run lasted about a year before he returned to the independent scene.

He made his mark in 2CW as one-half of the Olsen twins along with Jimmy “Jam” Olsen. Since Olsen stopped wrestling, Delaney has been shining in singles competition and recently has gone back to the tag ranks, working with Cheech as “To Infinity and Beyond.”

“I always thought 2CW had that original ECW feel,” Delaney said. “Hardcore and passionate fans. Guys were doing something special. It was a common goal to make the best product for those fans.”

Ask many wrestlers who have competed with 2CW and they’ll talk about the experience and how the product differs from other independent promotions, or even the “big ones.”

It’s just a different feeling.

“The locker room. The fans. Everybody is on the same page,” Slyck Wagner Brown said. “Everybody looks forward to going to shows. The locker room atmosphere is unique. Usually, it’s divided. Guys here have their crews, but we all get along. Everybody is laughing and joking and we have fun. That stuff is rare.”

2CW proved how vested its fan base is by being voted the top independent federation for three straight years with PWInsider.com. It also had the top match of the year three times.

In a recent poll on WWE.com, asking fans what independent federations they watched, 2CW was one of the choices.

The reality is 2CW has worked hard to reach the upper echelon of independent wrestling. Part of the reason the company is so well regarded is how people are treated.

“The group of guys – from the wrestlers in the back to the guys in charge – has always treated me well,” Eddie Edwards said. “It’s hard to come by. The guys here are trying to make something special happen.

“For me, personally, it’s been my independent home for eight years,” he continued. “Even with Ring of Honor, and now TNA, I could always count on these shows and these fans. If I was able to be here, I enjoyed it.”

The crowds are strong and vocal and are a part of the show. That makes an excellent ambiance, especially for wrestlers as they perform. When the big-name talent comes in and mixes with homegrown and local talent, it makes for special cards.

Three internet pay-per-views with flawless execution have highlighted the run at the top. Not only that, 2CW has been the top trend on Twitter twice.

Not bad for an independent company based in upstate New York.

“It is everything an independent company should be and then some,” Sean Carr said. “2CW thrives to put on the best product possible. I wasn’t around when they created it, but I was as a fan.”

“The big names drew me in and then I saw these extremely talented independent wrestlers,” he continued. “It’s what a wrestling company should be and you get everything – technical, hardcore, comedy, and big names. Or you’ll get a guy who grew up 10 minutes from you or an independent guy busting his ass off to be the next big star.”

The venues

Professional wrestling is a unique form of entertainment where the venue can often add to the experience. Take the ECW Arena for one, or Madison Square Garden.

For 2CW, there are a few that stand out, such as the Pastime Athletic Club, Watertown, and the Binghamton Legion, often referred affectionately to as The Madhouse.

The venues are places fans will always remember about 2CW. Though other promotions have visited some of those buildings, the reality is 2CW is what made those buildings hotbeds for wrestling.

Pastime Athletic Club in Syracuse, following the final card.

Pastime Athletic Club in Syracuse, following the final card.

The Pastime Athletic Club is on the second floor of an older building. It gets grossly hot in there any time of the year. A dingy bar downstairs provides libations when needed. The stairway is narrow and the lines can be tough to navigate.

Watertown has run in a few spots, but the crowds are always large and vocal.

Binghamton’s Legion is the Madhouse, known for some crazy incidents over the year, rabid fans and, of course, the leg.

“My favorite is the Legion in Binghamton,” Brown said. “It’s just the energy and the atmosphere. You walk through the curtain and they are into it.”

If you polled the 2CW locker room, this would likely be one thing where the wrestlers would be divided.

And for those who have worked in putting the ring together and taking it down, that sometimes plays a part, too.

“That’s a hard one for me,” Jason Axe said. “I love the atmosphere of Pastime, but loading it is the worst. The trade off is that intimate atmosphere. Binghamton you get the same atmosphere, but on more than one occasion it got out of control. I had a brick thrown at my head. You never know what to expect there.

“Watertown is probably my favorite,” he continued, noting the crowds are usually big and into it.

It’s the beauty of the venues, though. Everybody will have different takes based on personal experiences at each spot. Fans and wrestlers alike have the “spot” they love best.

Shutting down

The outcry on Facebook and Twitter and other spots on the Internet has been pretty high. Why is 2CW closing? Is it financial? Is there something people can do? Why not just sell it?

Simply put, as owner Josh Jeanneret says, it’s time.

Jeanneret and some of his closest people in 2CW met at some time after the Monday night show in Binghamton and discussed the future. The decision was made to shut the doors, but not until they said goodbye the right way – to the fans.

“The interest in the final shows is through the roof,” Jeanneret said. “This is no different than a relationship. People find it. Some lose interest. Until the plug is pulled and we’re done, people are wondering what they can do to fix it. People can’t believe it’s over.

Spike Dudley was a surprise at the final show.

Spike Dudley was a surprise at the final show.

“It will be emotional and sad,” he continued. “We’re giving them an ending. We could have just left it after Binghamton. But we’re doing the last shows for the people.”

It’s not easy running a promotion, though. There’s a ton of logistics as well as the financial aspect. Even issues that seem small to some can be a pain to 2CW management. There are also the things people don’t see – such as setting up and breaking down the ring, setting up chairs, driving home at 4 a.m. after a long show, or putting up and handing out flyers well in advance of shows.

“Wrestling is a legal high,” Jeanneret said. “It’s what makes it hard to walk away. That 10-15 minutes keeps pulling you back in. But nobody wants to put posters up all day. There’s no glory in that.

“Running shows is for people like Sean Carr or Jason Axe or Kevin Graham or Brute Van Slyke,” he continued. “The local guys. To see them and then to hear people say they are as good as anybody else is what it’s all about. It gives them the platform to perform and do their thing.”

The reactions as to closing have been mixed. Nobody is happy about it, but many understand and support the decision.

It’s still not easy to take.

“It’s something I’ve tried to wrap my head around, but I’ve not completely accepted it yet,” Delaney said. “I won’t have words until it’s actually gone. I’m probably in denial.

“It’s sad,” he continued. “I’m still asking where the January show is or if the date is set for Living on the Edge. I’m sure I won’t fully accept it until it happens.”

In wrestling, there’s often politics over who wins and who loses and who wears championship gold.

In 2CW, the final result often is overshadowed by what happens in the ring (or outside of it, at times).

“Josh allows artists to paint,” Jack Trades said. “You’re the artist. Tell me how it’s done. Here’s the finish. The one thing about 2CW is there’s a bar set and you have to be this good to get in.”

“Everybody is complaining about 2CW closing, but people are leaving with some of the greatest memories,” Trades said. “It was magic. That’s the proudest part.”

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Card subject to change – Reflecting on 10 years of Squared Circle Wrestling (Part 1)

(Note: Before the final 2CW cards this past December, I had the chance to create and put together a magazine. I am slowly putting the stories here on the blog. Enjoy!)

Though fans know who Josh Jeanneret is, he often blends in like those who shell out their hard-earned money to see his product.

He doesn’t worry about being the “corporate guy.” He doesn’t want to play the part and doesn’t look it.

Heck, he’s often seen just “plugging in the vacuum” in the ring before one of his events.

2CW owner Josh speaks to the crowd after the final card.

2CW owner Josh Jeanneret speaks to the crowd after the final card.

Jeanneret, though, is the man behind Squared Circle Wrestling – affectionately known more as 2CW, one of the top independent wrestling companies in the country.

For 10 years, 2CW has been home to some of the best professional wrestling around. In the Northeast, it’s highly known as the place to go if you want to see the best.

The names that have been through 2CW is a who’s who of wrestling. Some of the best young talents in wrestling have gotten their feet wet in 2CW, or made stops because they knew the level the federation brings to an event.

The action is the entertainment, after all.

But on December 20, 2015, 2CW will be no more.

This past fall, in a shocking post to fans on Facebook, which followed a week or so of cryptic messages, the company announced it would be closing its doors. First, however, it would march through three of its top spots – Watertown, Binghamton, and Syracuse – for some final shows designed to deliver a lasting impression to fans of the group.

A fourth show, in Elmira, was later added, giving the company a “Final Four” to say goodbye to its fans.

The final show, which will be broken up into two sets at 2CW’s original home at the Pastime Athletic Club in Syracuse, is a secret. Though some names have been announced, no matches have. And none will be announced before that night. It’s fitting, though, as it is one card that there likely won’t be any real changes on. Changing cards on the fly is something Jeanneret has had to do often over the 10-year run with 2CW.

Still, he never disappoints.

And that’s part of what he’s tried to do with 2CW. With his small “front office,” the group has put out incredible card after incredible card and they’ve done it without trying to milk everything they can out of the fans, outside of the occasional long intermission to allow the wrestlers to sell their shirts and DVDs.

“Unlike everything else in wrestling that’s usually lies and smoke and mirrors and stealing money, you’ll find no wrestlers or any fans or any people who will ever say that they felt like 2CW hosed them,” Jeanneret said. “That they didn’t get paid or were overwhelmed. You’ll never find that because at the end of the day, there is nothing more important than your word. Actions speak louder than words.”

The birth of 2CW

A little more than 10 years ago, in November 2005, Jeanneret and some friends were watching the WWE Survivor Series.

Impressions in the room for the show were lackluster at best. And, being he’d already been involved in the independent wrestling scene, he thought he could do better.

“I remember after, me and some other people were kind of like ‘this sucks,'” Jeanneret said. “It was as simple as this sucks, our (stuff) could be so much better.”

The idea to hatch an independent company based in upstate New York took life soon after, and Jeanneret set out to make sure everything lined up. The first card took place at the Pastime Athletic Club in Syracuse on April 8, 2006.

Jason Axe was with 2CW from beginning to end.

Jason Axe was with 2CW from beginning to end.

“We were just like we’ll be better and way more awesome,” Jeanneret said. “There was no grand plan of we’re going to be the next this or that or anything. It was only ever about having the best possible show. I wanted to melt people’s faces off so when people leave, they think it’s amazing and have to go next time. It’s about nothing more than the magic.”

The idea for the name came partially as a spoof. Two ideas were tossed aside – JPW (Just Pro Wrestling), and Ring of Glory, an all-too-obvious play off Ring of Honor.

“I was like ‘we might as well call it Squared Circle Wrestling because that would be just as horrible as Ring of Glory,'” Jeanneret said. “We were like ‘yeah, that’s a good idea. We could put a 2 in front so they could chant 2CW.'”

Jeanneret even argued the validity of using it … as mathematically, it would be impossible.

“Weird stuff will happen like that. When it happens, it seems lame,” Jeanneret said. “Looking back, it’s kind of cool. There was no marketing meeting or big items. It was just there.”

Eight matches were on that first card, which was the initial Living on the Edge. Some of the names on that card are still with the company, such as Isys Ephex, Loca Vida, Jason Axe and Steve McKenzie. JD Love was also on the card — Jeanneret’s wrestling identity.

It also included Spike Dudley, who was still active in the mainstream world of pro wrestling at the time. Dudley proved to be a massive supporter of 2CW and became a close friend of Jeanneret as he looked to build 2CW.

Ten years and nearly 125 cards later, 2CW is one of the finest organizations in professional wrestling.

Making moments

What makes 2CW great? One thing is the moments. It’s rare for somebody to walk away from a 2CW event and not have experienced a “wow” moment.

Jeanneret speaks about 2CW creating memories, magic, and moments. Though fans won’t see him, he occasionally walks out from the back to watch the action in the ring.

“He wants to experience those moments. He knows,” current 2CW champion Sean Carr said.

The top moment in 2015, Jeanneret said, was Carr finally ascending to the top of 2CW and winning the heavyweight championship in front of his hometown at the Binghamton Legion. The emotions were real. His family came into the ring and celebrated. The crowd went crazy.

Sean Carr winning the 2CW title was one of the top moments in 2015.

Sean Carr winning the 2CW title was one of the top moments in 2015.

Carr’s chase of the 2CW championship went for about a year. He had a series of incredible matches with then-champion Nick Ando. One of the matches left them both as bloody messes.

Then came the night in Binghamton when Carr finally won the championship he had chased for so long. When he went for the final pin on Jason Axe in the quadruple conflict match, the crowd’s chant of “1…2…3” was deafening.

After the match, Carr sat in one corner of the ring staring at the belt. You could see his eyes welling up with tears of joy. No matter what professional wrestling is, you can’t fake emotion when somebody reaches the top of a place he holds so near and dear in this profession.

“That was a moment that could have kept 2CW open,” Jeanneret said. “WWE doesn’t create moments like that. In 2CW, people know wrestling is (scripted). Guys are athletes. Fans are in on that.

“But everyone there believed,” he continued. “They want to believe. Seeing his parents and his daughter in the ring – I was watching it happen. That was awesome. Those are the moments you want to create. As you move along, moments like that become further and further apart.”

Carr said the moment was real.

“Moments in 2CW can be super emotional, or super comical, or something else. We did something great – we told a story,” Carr said. “To be the guy of this company, it means a lot to me. The emotion was real. The work I put in to get here is real.”

Ask other wrestlers who have worked for 2CW and they’ll talk about moments.

Ask fans who consistently go to shows, and they’ll talk about moments.

And pretty much anybody who has been to a 2CW show can identify a moment that stands out.

Jeanneret looks back, though, and second-guesses himself, whether is something with the wrestlers or the fans. As he noted, all he wanted to do was to create moments.

“It was super important to me,” he said. “I felt like I was letting people down. I felt like I could have done more.

“All I ever wanted to do was to have people say ‘What just happened? I have to go again.’”

The big picture

2CW is more than just the moments, though.

Take a peek at the mind-blowing fantasy matches there have been inside a 2CW ring. Then there are the fans, who have their own gimmicks and chants. Look at the roster of wrestlers who come back time and time again to be part of it. The personalities beyond the ring are countless as well.

Add it all together and it’s an experience and it’s a rare mix of everything all in one show.

Amazing matches are one thing, but if there are only 25 people watching, it’s not the same. You can have some loud fans, but if the action is better off being in a backyard, then what’s the atmosphere really like?

“Everything about it is an experience,” longtime 2CW wrestler Colin Delaney said. “They put on such amazing shows and mind-blowing wrestling cards. We’re talking about a promotion that puts on crazy dream matches and creates fan moments.”

When it comes to independent wrestling, especially in the Northeast, there isn’t much that compares to the experience 2CW puts forth time and time again.

Look at the current roster – Jay Freddie started as a cameraman. Brute Van Slyke and Kevin Graham still are known to help with putting the ring together or tearing it apart at the end of a show. One of 2CW ring crew members – Jeremy Kallunki – had a broken down car one time and didn’t want to miss a show in Syracuse.

So, he rode his bike from Watertown to Syracuse. That’s about a 70-mile jaunt. He earned his nickname Jerry Bykes for that day.

All to be part of the ring crew – for no pay.

“I was impressed from the start,” said Slyck Wagner Brown, a two-time 2CW champion. “It was family. Watching others, I could feel the vibe. … It’s a company I’ve seen grow from regional into something special. Guys want to work there.”

(The remainder of this story will be posted Tuesday, August 2… please check back!) 

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

2CW: Jack (of all) Trades

(Note: Before the final 2CW cards this past December, I had the chance to create and put together a magazine. I am slowly putting the stories here on the blog. Enjoy!)

Wrestlers often live their gimmick or their persona. While sometimes it’s for the show, other times it’s because their wrestling character and how they are in real life are parallel to one another.

Just as Jack Trades.

Yes, it’s a name. Yes, it’s a gimmick. What many people don’t know, however, is how alike Jack Trades and Kevin Parker are. So much so that if things lined up right, Jack Trades would be the legal name of Parker.

And it all started with an offer to help, just to get a foot in the door.

Standing in line for a WWE show at the Utica Auditorium, Parker received a flyer for a 2CW show upcoming in Utica.

So, Parker being who he is, decided to see about helping. After figuring out who to contact, he got in touch with 2CW owner Josh Jeanneret and offered to be somewhat of a local liaison. Well, he couldn’t reach Jeanneret directly, so he used a middle man, offering to bring a ring crew to Utica.

When the Utica show happened, Parker showed up with a group of six guys who were willing to put the ring together and take it down – for free.

“He was actually the start of the ring crew,” said Jason Axe. “He got ahold of Josh. We rolled up and saw him and his son and a couple of others. I took one look and was like ‘where did we pick up these people?’”

Parker kept offering help – such as being the guy to take ring clothes back to the back. Up to that point, the clothes were left out by the ring. So, Parker said, let me do that.

“That’s how Jack Trades was born,” he said. “I would follow them. I had no name. I was the guy who got stuff.”

The birth of Jack Trades

A year later, still working with 2CW, Parker was talking to veteran manager Bill Alfonso, who came in for a show.

“He said you need a gimmick,” Parker said.

Jack Trades!

What came from that was the 2CW dog tags you can still see him wearing. The look of a professional with the collared golf shirts became part of the look.

The gimmick though, became who he was. All Parker lacked was a name. But who came up with Jack Trades?

“It depends on who you ask,” he said. “Josh says it was him, so I believe him.”

“They said ‘Dude, Kevin Parker doesn’t work.’ This guy does everything for us.”

And from that point – Jack Trades became not just a wrestling persona, but a real person. He’s called Jack Trades by many people and will keep that well beyond wrestling.

The idea – a jack of all trades. He does a bit of everything for 2CW, so the thought process of the name is there.

Fans interact with him. He’s had a chance to be in the ring. He fixes things, he makes sure people are safe, he still will take clothes to the back.

You name it, Trades does it.

“He’s a person all his own – you can’t describe him in one word,” 2CW star Colin Delaney said. “The best description is he’s a utility player. He does his job well and does it with passion. He knows everybody there. He does all the odd job and does them well. The shows wouldn’t go as smoothly without him.”

Once the name and everything else became part of his persona, Trades became that person and it’s carried on for all but a few of the early 2CW shows before he became part of the company.

“Where else in the world can a 48-year-old man be so over,” Trades said. “Josh gave me my childhood dream. I love being Jack Trades. It’s been a dream. Wrestling-wise, my career has been amazing. … 2CW gave me a family – guys I will know the rest of my life I met through 2CW.”

Everything isn’t perfect

To know Trades, you might know his story. It’s actually a bit jarring.

Heck, Trades actually probably defies logic a bit because more than once he thought he would end up dead.

Drugs played a major part in that, too. And it’s not just some recreational use of pot or something like that. Trades was dabbling a little too heavy with hardcore drugs, which obviously changed him.

After one show in Auburn, Trades had a heart attack.

“The crew and Josh reacted perfectly,” Trades said. “They took good care of me. It was getting bad.

“(Josh) should have thrown me to the curb,” he continued. “But he kept me. That’s a turning point for me. It’s not a great memory, but a turning point.”

Trades, at one show in Syracuse, even announced a retirement. It was at that point where things had gotten pretty bad. He was into bath salts and was told by a doctor if he didn’t clip the habit, he’d be dead soon enough.

He went clean by going cold turkey.

A bit after going clean, he went to a coffee house in Utica and told his story. He told it in the third person, explaining everything that “Jack” went through and what it took for Jack to get clean.

At the end, he revealed who Jack was.

Being Jack Trades

It’s not easy to describe Trades, who has announced his life in professional wrestling will end when 2CW shuts its doors. He’s working on a degree at Mohawk Valley CC, where he’s active on campus. He’s outgoing, friendly and envisions success in his next life steps.

But until that step comes, there’s still the rest of the run with 2CW.

“He’s somebody who has become a personality,” Axe said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s out there every match. He doesn’t announce, referee, or manage. He takes care of the wrestlers and fans. It’s the most unique position.”

He has dabbled in other spots, though. He’s been involved with matches. He’s refereed. He took a double super kick from the Young Bucks. He’s bumped and been in the middle of brawls.

But beyond that, he’s so much more for 2CW. He drives the truck with the ring. He leads the ring crew. He sacrifices himself for the safety of others. He goes and hangs flyers and will do anything he has to do to help 2CW be successful.

“It’s hard to put who he is into words,” 2CW champion Sean Carr said. “He is 2CW. He breathes, eats, and sleeps the company. … We saw him when he was at is low and still be able to contribute to the company, and then to go away, and fix himself and come back even better.

“He’s an amazing man and a damn good dude,” he continued. “No other company that I’ve seen has a Jack Trades like him, at least nobody that dedicated.”

When 2CW closes and Jack Trades retires from wrestling, he said he’ll stick with the name. It fits him, so why give it up?

But the lasting legacy of Trades likely won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially by those who watched him morph from a ring guy to being a personality.

“It’s exactly what it was – Jack Trades gave back to what he loved,” Trades said.

There’s no bitterness. He’s had a chance to live a dream. He can hang his 2CW dog tags without regret. He’ll be the first to tell you the ride has been awesome and he looks back on it with fondness.

“Being Jack Trades has been awesome,” he said. “I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s a perfect ending. We’re all going onto bigger and better things. It’s been a hell of a run and made some great friends.

“In 10 years, people will still call me Jack Trades.”

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

2CW fans bring the passion

(Note: Before the final 2CW cards this past December, I had the chance to create and put together a magazine. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be putting the stories here on the blog. Enjoy!)

They’ve often been described as rabid.

Some have tattoos with the 2CW logo.

Some tailgate before shows like it’s an NFL game.

Others bring items – such as a prosthetic leg – with the hopes of it being used as an object during a match.

Some of the “crazies” in the crowd are just as much part of the show as the wrestlers in the ring.

One might wonder what the hell somebody is talking about with all of this, but if you’ve ever been to and experienced a 2CW wrestling show, you’ll understand every bit of this.

The fans have a certain vibe when they come to a show and deliver to make it one of the best atmospheres in wrestling. There’s a reason fans voted the federation the best independent promotion for three straight years.

“They remind me of going to watch ECW in the early days,” Slyck Wagner Brown said. “The same group of fans supports the company and the product. That’s cool. People invest into this. They dress in gimmicks, they tailgate and they know all about the wrestlers.”

Yes, the action in the ring is great. Yes, the names on the card are usually stellar. But if you had an empty building or had fewer than 100 fans sitting on their hands throughout the card like other federations get, you wouldn’t have 2CW.

The fan experience is top notch.

“They have this desire and thirst to make their home promotion great and they did it,” said Eddie Edwards, who has competed for 2CW for many years and has become internationally known, “People tailgate and have a good time. There are chants like ‘use the leg.’ These fans make it special and they do a great job.”

Fans cover all walks of life at a 2CW show. But when in the building, an echoing “2CW” chant will eliminate much of the boundaries between people.

Fans travel, too. It’s not a shock to see people drive for several hours to see a card.

Mathew D’angelo travels from Aylmer, Quebec to see shows. That means going across the border every time he wants to get his 2CW fix.

But since 2012, he’s been attending shows. He hasn’t made as many as he’d like because of work and other obligations, but it’s been a place where he’s had the chance to experience some cool things.

D’angelo, who makes figures and drawings for wrestlers, said it’s hard to know 2CW is closing.  On his birthday, he had the chance to stand in the ring with the Young Bucks and Mike Bailey.

“I know things like this happen and people have to do what they have to do, but I am going to miss traveling to shows,” he said. “I am going to miss the gang. It was the one place where I can see the Young Bucks so often. The atmosphere is special. The people from promoters to staff to crew to talents to fans are special people.”

Leanne Walker, of Gatineau, Quebec, was brought to the shows by D’Angelo.

“We are the crazy Canucks from up north,” Walker said. “We shout and scream like the best of them! I am also the hugger of the group. It isn’t a show until I give out at least 20 hugs.”

D’Angelo and Walker are just two of many faces one can see at 2CW shows. The gimmicks are all over and depending on which venue you are at, it can get a tad crazier.

2CW has made a mark on many people’s lives, including the 2CW Viking.

2CW saves lives

For Brian Burton – the Viking – 2CW means way more than just a wrestling show.

Burton worked as a professional chef. Cooking was his passion, but when he became extremely ill in 2004, his career came to an end as he was put on disability.

“I was beyond depressed and I was miserable,” Burton said. “I didn’t care if I died or not. It didn’t matter anymore.”

In April 2006, Burton attended the inaugural 2CW card and discovered he was having a good time. He was laughing again and chanting with everyone that was there. In the matter of a few hours, he started feeling like himself again. He found a new passion. Following that show, he dived into 2CW becoming one of the biggest fans.

He hasn’t missed many shows as he’s been to 110.

“The 2CW family and fans made my life awesome,” Burton said.

He is also one of the fans who have a 2CW tattoo and is also one of the members on the 2CW Fancast podcast.

Though Burton’s story may be rare, the reality is fans of 2CW are very into the product and it can be an energetic and fun way to escape reality for a few hours.

“You have to really love something to mark your body,” 2CW’s Jack Trades said. “That’s commitment. I like that we are centered on wrestling. They found 2CW and I understand the passion – it’s a testament to what we are doing. We’re nothing without the fans.”

Fans of all ages

Don’t think that 2CW only attracts the hardcore fans. It’s far from that, actually. With a wide array of abilities in the ring, there’s something for everybody. If you like technical wrestling, you’ll get it. High-flying? Check. Hardcore? There’s that, too. Comedy? You know it.

Therefore, it’s just as possible to see a family of five there as it is to see the wrestling fans who go to every show possible.

Take Dave and Roo McCormick of Syracuse. The self-professed 50-something couple has attended more than 30 shows since 2011 after Roo McCormick’s sister won tickets to a show in Watertown. She couldn’t attend, so Roo and Dave went and they’ve been attending ever since.

“2CW got Roo and I interested in wrestling again,” Dave McCormick said.

That’s probably a good thing, being pro-wrestling is what brought the two together. Back in the late 1980s, Dave and Roo were subscribers to the Wrestling Observer newsletter. Dave reached out to Roo when he was in Watertown on business to maybe trade tapes. A few years later, they were married.

Alas, as the business changed, the interest in wrestling started to go away. 2CW changed that.

“We had a blast at the Watertown show, met Mick Foley and Sunny, and talked about checking out future shows,” Dave McCormick said. “The rest is history. We have gone to most of the company’s shows since then, loaded our shelves with 2CW, Barbershop Window and Pro Wrestling Tees shirts, and started attending the PWHF inductions. We have ventured out to see a couple other independent promotions and for the first time, will be going to the Cauliflower Alley Club inductions in Vegas this April. We owe 2CW a debt of gratitude.”

Talk to enough 2CW hardcore fans and you’ll get many stories like this.

The personal touch

Though all companies may try and say they are fan-friendly, 2CW takes it to another level.

Tammy Angiolillo has been attending 2CW shows for more than three years.

Angiolillo’s aunt Pauline has stage-4 cancer and she has a bucket list called “The What Cancer Cannot Do Tour.” She wanted to do things she had never done before, so the two of them and a friend attended a 2CW show.

When arriving, they had an obstructed view. Trades was working to help them and started talking to them about the What Cancer Cannot Do shirts. After getting them their own row, he came back later and said Matt Hardy wanted to meet them. He also came back to give them tickets to a show and then got them to the front of the line to meet Hardy.

“2CW has touched my life in so many ways,” Angiolillo said. “First it was entertainment. Then it became a place where I could make memories that my aunt, friend and I will never forget. Then they became my friends. Now, they are my family.”

She’s also cooked dinner for the wrestlers as a thank you for how her and her family has been treated. It’s happened more than once.

“I know to some people it may sound a little weird to be sad that a wrestling show is closing, but they don’t know 2CW,” Angiolillo said. “These guys show heart, soul and amazing skills in all of their performances. I had just been to a WWE show before that and I was floored how much better this show was. I watched as the wrestlers greeted every fan that came up to them, especially the kids. They treat them with gratitude and respect. Even if I get to see some of the guys at other shows there is nothing like 2CW.”

Hardcore and passionate

Long-time fans of 2CW are easily recognizable, even if you might know their names. They dress in gimmicks. They know the wrestlers. They have their chants.

2CW champion Sean Carr has been on both sides of the coin – first being a fan of the company and now being the top guy.

“There’s a lot of passion,” Carr said. “To this day, I’ve never performed in front of fans as passionate as 2CW fans. I was a fan chanting ‘2CW’ and watching Samoa Joe take on Wagner Brown. Ten years later, I’m on the other end of it. I got to see it on both ends of the spectrum.”

Tyler “Dash” Walton of Syracuse has been to more than 100 shows, first attending an event in 2007. Ask him and he’ll tell you he’s a loudmouth in the front row – and if you’ve been to cards, you’ve likely seen Walton getting in the face of more than one wrestler, usually with a smirk on his face.

“When I think of 2CW, all I can think of is magical moments,” said Walton, who pointed to the time Terry Funk came out and pinned Slyck Wagner Brown, the Binghamton “incident” and Sean Carr recently winning the 2CW title as incredible moments in company history.

“The aura in the Legion in Binghamton was surreal when Sean Carr’s yearlong pursuit of the 2CW heavyweight title came to a climax,” Walton said. “When his family embraced him in the ring, I don’t think there was a one dry eye in the house. Pure magic from 2CW.”

Another front-row member is Kelly Nolan of Granby, who usually is dressed in a Dick Justice sort of outfit, has attended 117 of 121 shows with 2CW.

“For the past 10-plus years, 117 of those days for me were guaranteed to be amazing and unforgettable and I can never thank them enough,” Nolan said. “Next year there will be a huge void sadly no one will be able to fill.”

April Baron, of Watertown, has been attending events since 2008. She’s seen a lot and said she’s devastated the company is closing.

“Every moment in 2CW is special,” she said. “2CW has taught me to understand the true meaning of wrestling. The passion and love of independent wrestling forever began with 2CW. As a dear friend said ‘It feels like I’ve lost a member of my family.’”

Appreciation

The appreciation the fans show the wrestlers is one thing, but wrestlers feel the same way back.

Take Jason Axe, who isn’t quite a crowd favorite.

“It’s interesting because I have an old-school mentality,” Axe said. “I never signed an autograph for five years because I played the character. I’ve loosened up on that. I will always be in character. The fans certainly respect how long I’ve been there and they can applaud the effort, but they hate me.”

Colin Delaney is a bit different. For a long while he was pretty hated, especially during his run as tag team champions with Jimmy Olsen. But since then, he’s been a bit more on the good side of the fans. He has fun with them.

“At this point, I don’t think I could be heel if I tried,” he said. “I know many of them by name. They know me. It’s an interesting relationship. I don’t have that elsewhere. These people are just as much a part of the show as the guys in the locker room. They have personalities. We remember the fan moments, just as much as we do those in the ring.”

The appreciation will go on well past the final card for 2CW. Fans will continue to remember and talk about 2CW, especially in this part of New York State.

“It’s very sad for me, but it’s one of those situations where you try to not be sad that it’s ending but be happy that it happened,” Walton said.  “As a lifelong fan of professional wrestling I will be hard pressed to find something that consistently puts out quality products the way 2CW has since 2006.”

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Fancast gives perspective on 2CW

(Note: Before the final 2CW cards this past December, I had the chance to create and put together a magazine. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be putting the stories here on the blog. Enjoy!)

Squared Circle Wrestling isn’t your normal independent wrestling federation. It’s proven that time and time again with the cards it puts on, the talent it brings in, and the way it treats its fans.

But there are other aspects that separate 2CW from other independent federations.

Take the 2CW Fancast, for example. This podcast, which is all about 2CW, gives fans a perspective on the federation that many others don’t have.

Starting up

In late 2008, Peter Wrightsman – known as the Original Hat Guy – came up with an idea as a way to spread the word about 2CW.

“We did some research and figured out how to record and edit and set up the website for it,” said Andrew “Dewey” Brooks, one of the four original hosts for the show. “We did a couple of demo episodes to work out some of the bugs in December, and released our first episode in January 2009.”

Brooks and Wrightsman hosted alongside Brian “Viking” Burton and Token Tom, who later left the podcast to work on other podcasts.

“At the time, I was a big fan of wrestling podcasts and thought it would be a good idea to start one for 2CW,” Wrightsman said. “None of us knew what to do, so it involved a lot of research to figure it out. Actually, Dewey did most of the research and we did all the recordings at his place. He edited everything and he recorded everything, so he was a huge part of getting the podcast off the ground.”

It also gave the group a chance to talk about wrestling, and more specifically about 2CW.

“It was to help bring attention to the best wrestling company on the planet,” Burton said.

Fans from the start

Brooks, Burton, and Wrightsman all attended the first 2CW card on April 8, 2006. Held at the Pastime Athletic Center in Syracuse, the three went to support a local company after seeing a commercial for the event during Monday Night Raw.

The Fancast crew.

The Fancast crew.

Brooks has since been to 111 shows. Burton has been to 110. Wrightsman has been to more than half, but often has conflicts during the summer, so his total isn’t as high as the other two.

“We went to the first show after seeing the commercial on RAW, and wanted to see what a local promotion could offer,” Brooks said. “We started with just the Syracuse shows for the first year, but after going to one in Rochester, the Viking and I decided we’d try to go to every show from then on.”

Not only is the trio known for the Fancast, but they also are known for tailgating before events. The group can be found in parking lots before events indulging in some food and libations before heading inside to their customary front-row seats.

Burton said the tailgating has been a great way to interact with fans and wrestlers alike.

Brooks noted for the first few, it was only for an hour or so before a shot to have a cordial or two before heading in to watch the card.

“As we met more and more of the same people going to all the shows, we started getting there earlier and earlier to spend more and more time tailgating,” Brooks said. “As more and more people hung out, the wrestlers began coming out as well and it just took off from there.”

One time, Brooks said, they went and visited a brewery before tailgating , thus making it an all-day event.

Wrightsman said he thinks the first tailgating day came at an event at the Pastime Athletic Club and they’ve done it in all weather.

“The best tailgate party was recently when we returned to the Pastime Athletic Club,” he said. “It was a Sunday and it was warm out. People brought flat-screen TVs and were watching football in the parking lot. We had a grill going and it was a blast.”

Moving forward with the show

The group has brought an added element to the 2CW family and wrestlers have taken part as well. Some of those interviewed over the years have included Colin Delaney, AR Fox, Dick Justice, Sean Carr, Nick Ando, Slyck Wagner Brown, Kevin Steen, Jason Axe, Jay Freddie, Matt Hardy, Spike Dudley, Isys Ephex, and Eddie Edwards, among others.

In total, there have been 73 shows.

The guests and topics have varied. They’ve recapped and previewed shows and who was coming and going in 2CW. The website (http://the2cwfancast.com/) has a plethora of information, including the results of every card 2CW has held, as well as title histories.

Burton said Jason Axe was the best guest they’ve had on the show, especially the second time he visited.

“He was just a great guest and had a lot to say that was really interesting,” Burton said.

Brooks agreed on Axe’s appearance.

“I think it’s probably the best interview we did and really gave a great insight into Jason’s entire career to that point,” he said.

Wrightsman said he had a lot of favorite episodes, including one where Punisher Van Slyke and Kevin “The Man” Graham showed up. Another of his favorites was when Dick Justice was on the show.

“I didn’t know he was coming to do the show,” Wrightsman said. “They wanted to surprise me as I always have been and always will be a huge Dick Justice mark.”

As for the worst guest?

Burton and Brooks once again agreed, saying it was when ZSIII was on the show.

“He may be the Innovator of Silence but that doesn’t mean he ever stops talking,” Brooks said.

Added Burton: “He just rambled on and on about prayer dogs.”

But Wrightsman? He went against the pick Burton and Brooks had for their favorite show, saying Axe was the worst guest.

“I really hate to say it,” Wrightsman said. “I don’t think he really wanted to be there and was not very open with the answers he was giving. It was like pulling teeth for a while.”

Saying goodbye to 2CW

It’s not going to be easy to say goodbye to a federation the three have given so much time to, but they all noted they understood.

The memories will last for many years to come, however.

“It’s a mixed bag of emotions,” Burton said. “On one hand, I hate to see it go, but this way it won’t end up being a joke like what happened to WCW or other similar promotions.”

The legacy of 2CW will be a strong one, Brooks said. He noted he’d hate to see the federation turn into a shadow or parody of itself like many companies do, so he understands why this is happening.

It doesn’t make it easier to accept.

“It’s really bittersweet,” he said. “It’s a company that did it their way from the day one until the end. It’s a company that always has something for everyone on every show. While they brought in some of the biggest names in independent wrestling, they also kept their true indy feel by keeping homegrown talent.”

The big names were a bonus, but Brooks said the local talent – such as Axe or Isys Ephex, or Jay Freddie – could capture one’s mind and emotions just as much as an old WWE star or other big names coming in. The mixture that 2CW was able to do each show made the cards even more special.

Obviously nobody is happy that 2CW is coming to an end. But, Wrightsman said, he understands and it seems like the perfect time to do it.

He also said he’s happy 2CW is giving the fans the chance to say goodbye.

“I am glad they announced the last shows are it so that we know to get every bit out of that weekend,” Wrightsman said. “We are going to have the best tailgates and the best time at these last shows.”

On the web:

Website:  http://the2cwfancast.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Fancast

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!