A Harold interview:

Harold: Today I am joined by someone I thought Id never get a chance to interview, he is the one and only, the hall of famer, and one of the "Founding Fathers" of SFT, The Immortal ICON. All I can say is it’s about damn time, thank you for agreeing to do this.

ICON: Not a problem. Thank you for working around my schedule to get this done. I appreciate it. Founding Father...damn you make me sound like I'm ancient. I guess I have been around that long.

Harold: Well it’s true, you were around in the early days of SFW, there are very few founding fathers left, most are scattered and retired or worse. The only active founding fathers would be you and DVD, and Kyle would be considered a close third I guess. Shadow may not count since he's the owner. So first question is and probably the most important one, Why are you back?

ICON: I was approached by Dave Van Dam a little over a month ago with a really lavish plan. One that I thought, if someone is gonna pull this off, it could only be done by one person and that's the ICON. When I left SFT over 4 years ago, I left with things inside my soul that wouldn't rest. And as the years went by, a burning feeling crept inside me. I was at home doing the right thing by my family, taking care of my new baby, my new wife, our new home and all the responsibilities that come along with that. Not one person from the SFT called me, congratulated me, asked me how I was doing. I was forgotten about the moment I left. After all I had done for this company...being a "founding father" as you put it and not one mention of my name. Then Dave suggests this plan and well, I took it as an opportunity to come back and make sure my name never gets forgotten again!

Harold: Well I can understand that but no one is ever forgotten, so long as one person from the past remains, he and the rest of the past stays alive. But yes I can understand you wanting to carve your name here for all time. The limelight always did love you. And you managed it well. But speaking of parent and father, now that you’re a little older. How are you at managing it all, juggling it as it may be?

ICON: It's easier to go out and perform now that my daughter is a little older and doesn't need me around constantly and time away from the wife is good because two people can't be around each other 24/7. I have a schedule that works and the extra income doesn't hurt either, especially in these days, so I get no argument there.

Harold: So tell us what were you doing outside of the industry where were you working or how did you spend the time away?

ICON: Well luckily for me, I had made so much money wrestling. Let's face it. I was the main draw and being a "good guy", I sold a lot of merchandise. So "work" for me was taking care of my daughter. I got to see the world. Traveled. I lived like an ICON should live. I was in peace. I didn't have to answer to anyone or be on anyone's schedule. I got to rest and relax. I worked out but I wasn't being hit in the head with a chair or being hit from behind by people who wanted to hurt me. But the break was much needed and I think it's a large part of why I've been so successful since I've been back. People want to call me old and outdated and past my prime, and I've run circles around all these young guys ever since I've been back. And that's exactly what I'm talking about. Everyone has forgotten about me and who I am. I'm back to show people that my legacy will live on, and I will continue to add to it for as long as I see fit.

Harold: Well before we get into SFT today, I want our readers and new fans to get a rundown of your career, if this was a college class we'd call it Immortality 101. So lets go over where you got started wrestling, which companies you were in, how long you been doing this, some of your biggest matches and wins/titles, and some of your most memorable matches in your long and illustrious career.

ICON: Immortality 101, huh? I like that a lot. I think I’m gonna use that. My career started in the CFW back in 1997. I had broken in there with my two brothers. After getting my feet wet in that, I had turned DVD onto wrestling. We tried running our own fed together, but creative differences got in the way and it didn't work out. Dave found SFW in 1998 and I quickly followed suit. Back then it was Uno, Legion, Shadow, James Flame, Great Milenko, Reginald Royce, Lone Wolf...it seriously was a who's who of wrestlers. You talk about hay-day and that was it. It didn't get any better than it was in those days. I had classic matches with Reginald Royce that to this day couldn't be matched. When I had retired 4 years ago, I had hoped to wrestle him one last time, but he politely declined. So many guys have come and gone and I know I’m leaving out big names for the years that followed but those were the guys that taught me the way.

ICON: Those are the guys that made me who I was and who I am. I've been apart of great stables; The Immortal Outlawz, Systematic, The Elite. Things were so hot during those days. The stable wars era is so hard to replicate. There were just so many people. My Triple Tier Cage match with the great Tony Barrera and DVD is probably the match that sealed my legacy. Going in as the huge underdog and coming out of that match as the SFW champion for the 3rd time and being known forever as the last ever SFW champion is something I will always treasure. Unfortunately that moment was stolen from me when the SFW/XCW Title unification match for the SFT title happened, but no one can take away from the fact that I was the last SFW champion. And to me, the SFW will always be special. More so than SFT because it was a different time in my life. SFW was my escape and it helped me through a lot of things. Eventually I became SFT Champion, but it didn't have the special ness to it, more so because of the ramifications of the Unification match with Kyle. I mean, seriously, a double pin fall for the first ever SFT title match?! I'm sure Madd Dogg had his nose up someone's ass and at the time Shadow didn't think I deserved it, and that's always been a sore spot for me. It always will be. I had a great feud with Triple X that I think made for great buy rates and ratings. We had an unforgettable Ambulance Match. But my fondest SFT memories are tagging with Ian Wynn and becoming the best tag team SFT has ever seen. I for an I. And we were just thrown together in the Lethal Lottery. Hadn't talked to him before that and hadn't wrestled him. We just instantly clicked and had great chemistry and no one could stop us. We had to forfeit the tag titles so others could have a chance to win them. I've been on the other side of the curtain too. I was SFT Vice President for awhile and I think I did a damn good job. I ran Wednesday Night War for awhile. I think I’m the only staff member to secure an exclusive roster for a show. I made my own storylines and it became the highest rated program for all of SFT Television. Being inducted into the SFW Hall of Fame was probably the most special thing for me. And it's something that I'll always hold near to me. But I'm here now to make new memories. To add to the legacy. And coming sooner than later, it's going to happen.

Harold: Well that seems like a different world and I remember it fondly too, and as bad as I wish I could be back there, I cant, we can’t. All we can do is keep going. You and DVD are long time folks. You have been around and seen the business change. We no longer have the big ratings the 60 man rosters, the sold out arenas. It’s gone back to basics like when I first met you back in 99 when SFW had 12 people but somehow those times seemed happier maybe they weren’t. What are some of the biggest differences you see between then and now, good and bad.

ICON: You know, it seems like things have come full circle doesn't it? Does that mean the SFT is coming to an end? Who knows? I see a lot of dissention here now. And that's one thing you never saw when I first started. Everyone looked out for everyone else. There wasn't the politics that go on now. People weren't saying bad things about people backstage. Everyone genuinely was having a good time. Somewhere along the way, people started to take it way too seriously. Maybe it's because we're dealing with a different generation, I don't know. But I do see people giving it 100%. I see guys going out there trying to prove that they belong. I see Lionel Kingston and Livewire and guys like that who are green but are learning as they go and seem like guys who can step up and take the reigns on this thing one day. Speaking of Livewire...he reminds me a lot of Crip, if you remember him. Very green, but he continued to work at it and became a good wrestler.

Harold: Well that’s not quite true, you forget I was around in one form or another during Dowlings reign, then Shawns reign, then the Higher Power aka Flames reign, those first two went down in flames and took down SFW to the point it had to be picked up by whoever was willing at the time, and though Pettis and Shadow have had their fair share of problem and people who disagree with them, Shadow has stood by through the better part of a decade, if SFT was going to die, itd have happened already. I think there’s always a handful of faithful willing to do what’s needed rather than see this place die. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here would you?

Harold: And yes I remember Crip I spoke to him last about a year ago.

ICON: And that's exactly why I'm here. I know what this place once was and what it could be again. I'm I here for SFT's success? Not entirely. But I did come back to raise hell and cause anarchy. And I've done that. Look at the last few weeks of Breakdown. Complete chaos. And it all started after I came back. And look at the ratings and the arenas. People are starting to come back. And yes, because I am an arrogant son of a bitch, I'll take some credit for it. And I'll agree with you. The fact that SFT is still standing is shocking to me. I, for one, would check in from time to time and think that everyone is hanging on too long and that the fed should rest in piece for fear of tarnish it's own legacy. But it just needs a group of people to nurture it and it can be great once again. SFW wasn't always rainbows and daisies, but I think my time with SFT was much more of a backstabbing atmosphere than the early days of SFW. Maybe I'm biased because I was a victim of it all, but that's just how I see it.

Harold: Well you are back now, so lets talk short term goals and long term goals. What are they?

ICON: I've said from the beginning that I do have a purpose here and it will be revealed sooner than later. So as for my short term goals, you'll just have to continue to tune in to find out. As for long term goals...toward the end of my run, I concentrated on tag team success and didn't really concern myself with other things, but if I want people to remember me forever, I've got to achieve the pinnacle of this company one more time and the only way to do that is to become SFT Heavyweight Champion. And I will do it, if only because I said I was going to. And I plan on it being a lengthy reign. Am I looking to be a 20 time champion? No. But I will hold that title one more time before I hang it up for good.

Harold: Well lets get some general questions out of the way now as well. First off how do you get along with the roster? An old hall of famer is sure to ruffle some feathers. How do you now and in the past get along with Shadow?

ICON: I actually haven't talked to Shadow all that much since I've been back. In the past, I've generally gotten along with him. I have a lot of respect for him. His love and devotion to the SFT is unmatched. He could have given up on this thing a long time ago, especially when people were begging him to, but he didn't. You've got to respect that. As for the rest of the roster. I could care less. I'm not here to make friends. I'm not here to shake people's hands. That was the old me. And where'd that get me. Everyone was happy to see me back. They were shocked because they had forgotten. No one's gonna forget me this time around.

Harold: Well one question I love to ask is this, in your decade long career here, what would be your dream matches who would you love to face from the past SFW,XCW, SCW, doesn’t matter what fed anywhere, what 3 people and why?

ICON: Wow, that's a hard question. I'd love to face Reginald Royce, just because we had such amazing matches before. I'd like to face Glenn Owen. I never had a match with him. We generally were in the same stable, so we didn't fight each other but even when we weren't, it just never happened which is crazy now when you think about it. The other would be Ian Wynn. Not as an enemy kind of thing, but I'd love to share the ring together with him one more time. And as great a tag team as we were it'd be interesting to see who could out perform who.

Harold: Wow those names do bring back memories. Ok I know we need to take a break so ill ask one more question till we can resume, I guess you’re busy and I gotta get in line! Anyway What would you change in SFT right now if you had the power?

ICON: I think one of the things that keep SFT going are the people. You always need new talent. I don't know how to go about finding it these days, but you always need fresh talent. So, I would find a way of being able to do that. You also need good stories and ones that are drawn out. So if the title isn't defended every week, that's ok. Story arcs are what make this more fun. And if you can do story arcs you can spur stables which spurs creativity from the wrestlers and that's what we need. We need more input from the wrestlers and have them create their own direction and then tweak it alittle bit.

Harold: We currently have a somewhat stable World Champion, now you’ve held world titles before and you’ve seen how difficult it was for any World Champ in SFW, XCW, SFT to keep it for any long periods of time, what I want to know from you is why? You’ve been both wrestler and staff so you have a unique view point.

Harold: Do you guys judge champs harder? Do they get lazier?

Harold: Is the competition that much better?

Harold: Its not an easy question but I am curious to see what you say.

ICON: Well, I think it's a combination of things. With the title defended every single week, it's hard for a champion to remain that way for a long time because the talent is so good. Especially coming off a PPV title victory. Does a champion get lazy? I don't think so. Maybe, but I don’t think so. Do we judge harder? A little bit. There's a standard to live up to when you're the World Champion and you do get judged differently. It's hard to defend the title and put up fantastic interviews when the guy fighting you wants it just as much, if not more than you do.

Harold: Well this is a long standing debate as to if its truly fair to judge the champ on a different level, both sides have good points, if we judge one person harder, is it fair? If we judge them the same as others do we get lax and be willing to let them slide when they don’t do the work we know they can do. And I've been around forever, I know and have seen some people yourself included be judged way harder than most, guys like you, DVD, Kyle Murphy, Jeff King, Allisa, Glenn, even Legion back in the day. While others were not put on that same scope.

Harold: So is it Shadow? Is it our history? Is it just habit or what?

Harold: I've seen DVD disheartened by losing or a draw when in reality any normal rper would of gotten the win. And its not right.

ICON: No it's not right. But I think it's the nature of the best. If you wanna set yourself apart, and be considered a legend, you put yourself into a different pool, so to speak. Guys like us are expected a little bit more from and I think it's our duty to deliver on that level. We're supposed to be the ones that the younger guys look up to. You'd expect something different from the Veteran of a team than you would from a rookie. If you look at it that way, then maybe it's not such a bad thing and it comes with the territory.

Harold:SFT is known for its history, and we keep it alive very well, but there are times when veterans are scare and currently we have a good mix of old and new but the new people don’t know the history and thus don’t really respect it as we think they should. How do you feel about that, how do you deal with that? As staff and as a wrestler?

ICON: You know, it's funny. I was talking to Dave the other day and we were discussing a recent issue with Jack Jones and in the midst of the conversation I was informed of Jack's real life age. And then we came up with this revelation: Jack Jones was 3 or 4 years old when me and Dave started in SFW. So when you think of it like that, A) I feel really friggin old and B) it's hard for a guy like him to understand where this place was, where it's been and where it's coming from. SFT has always done a great job of maintaining it's history in it's archives and the only thing I can say for guys like Jack Jones who are young and may not know who these legends are, is to take the time to look at the Hall of Fame. Take the time to read the old results and learn a little bit of who we are and where we've come from and then maybe you can understand our point of view and our passion for the SFT

Harold: Well put, and yes Jack doesn’t respect anyone, legend or otherwise, but he isnt alone. Its a new era and times have changed. And some might say we just havent moved along with the times. Now a days no one wants to earn anything they want to come in and dominate right away. And while we try our best, we are older than most and our point of views arent the same, if you didnt know what you know now and were 18 instead of going on 30, would you be saying what you are? Time changes so much wouldn’t you agree?

ICON: Yea, you know, 8 to 10 years ago, I was the guy on the OOC board voicing my opinion and stirring shit up. I know personally I was totally against the idea of an SFW/XCW merger. I went so far as to find an old SFW page, copy it and start my own SFW with Biohazard. That's how against it I was. Of course, if you remember Bio, he wasn't someone to stand side by side with. He was exactly like his character; a loose cannon. But that was being immature and yea, times have changed. I know I've grown up. I'm more mature now. When you're that age, you think you know everything and it's hard now being older dealing with those personalities and trying to manage them. But my four year old tests me and I'm learning from her.

ICON: As for people coming in and demanding stuff...yea, I definitely see that. I'm from the old school that you have to work your way up. Guys like Lion and Livewire definitely deserve a shot at the top but they're going to have to continue to earn it.

Harold: So with you having a family now and having more life under you, do you feel that this makes you more careful with your decisions as far as the business goes? Or are you more sure of yourself? How does your age and being a family man coincide with you now?

ICON: It's made me older and wiser. It definitely affects decisions I make now. Raising a family and raising a fed, so to speak, are really one in the same. Its takes the same amount of effort, the same amount of patience, the same amount of compromising...it's actually quite weird how similar the two situations can be. It's requires at times for you to be stern and at times for you to be lenient.

Harold: Lets change it up, you’re working backstage with DVD running SFT but also you’ll be in the ring part time now, not full time, lets talk in ring first, what are ICON's short term and long term goals as far as wrestling? Do you want the world title or are you resigned to be more of a mentor/teacher role?

ICON: Well for the short term, I'm not really sure. Running SFT is more than I imagined it would be. So yea, part time if I get the urge to get in the ring and kick someone's ass, I'll do it. Long term, I definitely would like to win the SFT Title one more time and make a long run out of it. I think if people follow my lead, then I could be a mentor or a teacher in that sense. People can always come to me with any questions. I'm not above giving people guidance.

Harold: What about staff wise, you've done that before, what is it you want to do this time around? That will be a loaded question I am sure.

ICON: You know, Dave came to me with the idea of running the show and I was hesitant at first. I've been VP before and I know how much time it takes and how demanding it is. Dave is the number one guy and I'm pretty much his right hand man. This time around though, I wanna continue what I did when I was VP and take it to another level. As VP, I did some really good things, especially on the creative side with angles and exclusive rosters for Wednesday War. I just want to make this place great again. Not that it isn't great, but to make it the ultimate place for e-fedding. I want people to experience what we all experienced back in the day. Make it apart of people's lives for the next ten years. If this place didn't hold a spot in my heart, I wouldn't be here today. But this place affected me to the point that I’ve never forgotten about it, and even at 26, after four years away, when I was asked to help, I came back. I want this place to make that impact on someone else. And that's what I’m working toward.

Harold: Well sir you have my utmost respect. And I want to thank you for doing this with me, I thought we'd never have this chance again, and I’m glad we did.

ICON: And I'm glad too. You can never forget where you came from. And I haven't. We're upon a new era here in SFT and I hope everyone is looking forward to it and as excited as I am.