Lou Beef, Ma Blaze & A Trip Down Memory Lane
This past Saturday, April 21, featured a return trip to Elk Grove Village, which was a frequent destination in 2003 at the height of my Pro Championship Wrestling (P.C.W.) involvement, for a Classic Championship Wrestling (C.C.W.) show. So since it was going to be the Big Jacks & myselfs first C.C.W. show, we decided we would take the opportunity to re-visit some of our old stomping grounds. And to be honest with you, we were more excited to be going back to Mr. Beef then to see C.C.W.s show.
When we were back at P.C.W. at the school in Elk Grove, which was more a clubhouse than school/wrestling arena & we have some legendary stories from our after parties there, which is for another day & another blog, we would routinely venture down the street to dine at the luxurious Mr. Beef after Sunday practices. In fact, that become so much so the norm that if there were suggestions to go someplace else we would all scoff at the notion. So we would always head to Mr. Beef on Sundays & would eventually end up staying there for hours. I know that sounds kinda dull, but it really was the perfect cap on a Sunday. By the way, Lou Beef comes from us being smartasses when asked by someone, who shall remain nameless, Who was Mr. Beef? And in our of so witty way, we of course created an entire back story on Lou Beef founding Mr. Beef etc etc. Its inside I know, but thats the jist of it. Moving on
So being back in Elk Grove afforded us the opportunity to visit Mr. Beef prior to the C.C.W. show. And after spending time there for about an hour & a half, enjoying the good ol days & refilling the Big Jacks drink (since technically he is still the vet & he has seniority, plus Im just an announcer) we headed over to the C.C.W. show. Upon arriving & not recognizing nearly as many people as we wouldve thought since we were in Elk Grove, we made our way to the door to buy our way in & experience our first C.C.W. show.
Our mutual friend Andre, along with his son Jordan who had also joined us at Mr. Beef prior to heading to the show, called ahead to reserve four tickets for us, since you get a discount if you call in advance. Andre however did not tell Jimmy Blaze (Co-Owner of C.C.W. & former investor in P.C.W.) that the other two tickets were for the Big Jack & me. So when we reached the door & attempted to pay for our reserved tickets when Ma Blaze (Jimmys mother & C.C.W. door person) stopped us & denied entrance to us pending approval from someone in the back (assumable Jimmy and/or Dave Storm, the other Co-Owner of C.C.W. & yet another former P.C.W. investor). After making us wait for nearly ten minutes, we were finally allowed entrance to the venue. Its still amazing to us that two weeks in a row, our appearance at wrestling shows, P.C.W. last week & C.C.W. last Saturday, have caused such a furor.
As a back story, when I started at P.C.W. both Jimmy & Dave were gone, so I never got the chance to meet either one of them. In fact, the first two P.C.W. shows I attended were Jimmys last two P.C.W. shows. I started working for the promotion the day after he was done with it. So I missed meeting him by a day. From everything Ive heard about him, I really wasnt missing much but not having met him. However, seeing as how I have no first hand knowledge of what hes like as a person, I can only comment on what Ive seen on him in the ring.
Without getting in to too many details about what took place in ring at the C.C.W. show (so as not to bore you non-wrestling fans) Ill just say that for what C.C.W. is & the talent they have on their roster, they did the best the could & stayed within their means. Was it how Id have booked a show? Probably not. But then again, C.C.W. is a promotion that caters to being Old School. As a product of the glitz & Hulk Hogan age of wrestling, it just wasnt totally my cup of tea. It had its moments & Im sure any promotion in Illinois these days would take the hot crowd & the numbers who showed up for their event.
While I enjoyed my time at Mr. Beef & hanging out with the Big Jack like old times, going to see a rival promotion, with none of our boys, in a town we used to own every time we put on a show, just wasnt the same. And I guess no matter what, even if I ever do get involved with another promotion, the feel that we had in P.C.W. at the clubhouse & all our great shows, I doubt will ever be replicated.
When we were back at P.C.W. at the school in Elk Grove, which was more a clubhouse than school/wrestling arena & we have some legendary stories from our after parties there, which is for another day & another blog, we would routinely venture down the street to dine at the luxurious Mr. Beef after Sunday practices. In fact, that become so much so the norm that if there were suggestions to go someplace else we would all scoff at the notion. So we would always head to Mr. Beef on Sundays & would eventually end up staying there for hours. I know that sounds kinda dull, but it really was the perfect cap on a Sunday. By the way, Lou Beef comes from us being smartasses when asked by someone, who shall remain nameless, Who was Mr. Beef? And in our of so witty way, we of course created an entire back story on Lou Beef founding Mr. Beef etc etc. Its inside I know, but thats the jist of it. Moving on
So being back in Elk Grove afforded us the opportunity to visit Mr. Beef prior to the C.C.W. show. And after spending time there for about an hour & a half, enjoying the good ol days & refilling the Big Jacks drink (since technically he is still the vet & he has seniority, plus Im just an announcer) we headed over to the C.C.W. show. Upon arriving & not recognizing nearly as many people as we wouldve thought since we were in Elk Grove, we made our way to the door to buy our way in & experience our first C.C.W. show.
Our mutual friend Andre, along with his son Jordan who had also joined us at Mr. Beef prior to heading to the show, called ahead to reserve four tickets for us, since you get a discount if you call in advance. Andre however did not tell Jimmy Blaze (Co-Owner of C.C.W. & former investor in P.C.W.) that the other two tickets were for the Big Jack & me. So when we reached the door & attempted to pay for our reserved tickets when Ma Blaze (Jimmys mother & C.C.W. door person) stopped us & denied entrance to us pending approval from someone in the back (assumable Jimmy and/or Dave Storm, the other Co-Owner of C.C.W. & yet another former P.C.W. investor). After making us wait for nearly ten minutes, we were finally allowed entrance to the venue. Its still amazing to us that two weeks in a row, our appearance at wrestling shows, P.C.W. last week & C.C.W. last Saturday, have caused such a furor.
As a back story, when I started at P.C.W. both Jimmy & Dave were gone, so I never got the chance to meet either one of them. In fact, the first two P.C.W. shows I attended were Jimmys last two P.C.W. shows. I started working for the promotion the day after he was done with it. So I missed meeting him by a day. From everything Ive heard about him, I really wasnt missing much but not having met him. However, seeing as how I have no first hand knowledge of what hes like as a person, I can only comment on what Ive seen on him in the ring.
Without getting in to too many details about what took place in ring at the C.C.W. show (so as not to bore you non-wrestling fans) Ill just say that for what C.C.W. is & the talent they have on their roster, they did the best the could & stayed within their means. Was it how Id have booked a show? Probably not. But then again, C.C.W. is a promotion that caters to being Old School. As a product of the glitz & Hulk Hogan age of wrestling, it just wasnt totally my cup of tea. It had its moments & Im sure any promotion in Illinois these days would take the hot crowd & the numbers who showed up for their event.
While I enjoyed my time at Mr. Beef & hanging out with the Big Jack like old times, going to see a rival promotion, with none of our boys, in a town we used to own every time we put on a show, just wasnt the same. And I guess no matter what, even if I ever do get involved with another promotion, the feel that we had in P.C.W. at the clubhouse & all our great shows, I doubt will ever be replicated.
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