All I want for Christmas are my two front seats...

"Real Deal" by John Rambo, NWL Booker/Instructor - HoPWF President, LLC
(Special Holiday Edition)

Well, hello and welcome to my last "Real Deal" article of 1999. Over the last three years I have chosen to write about many topics that very few professional wrestling instructors ever take the time to explain to their students, let alone the wrestling fans. The way I was brought into this business is the same way I was brought into this world. I was taught that truth, honesty, and loyalty will make all your encounters in life easier to cope with as you look back and reflect upon your life. As I begin to look back at the last four decades, it's time for me to make my millennium "thank you" list. So first and most importantly, I want to thank my parents for teaching me what it means to be a decent and caring person. For this and many, many other reasons, I will always love you both with all my heart. Fame and fortune has never reflected what type of job a parent has done teaching their children about life. A person's character is the only true result of their upbringing.

Next on my list is Dick and Neil Caricofe. Both these men brought me into their organization 11 years ago, and I am proud to say that I have never forgotten my roots in this business. Neil was like a brother to me, and my work and efforts are a reflection of what goes through my mind and soul each day. NWL president Dick Caricofe I consider to be my second father. This man has done more for me than I could have asked anyone in this business to do. I didn't have a famous father in the WWF or NWA (in those days) to help me get a foot in the door or establish important contacts. What I earned in this business, I did exactly that, and it's because of Dick and Neil Caricofe that I am able to have the opportunity to show my abilities and creativity as a booker and instructor.

I can never forget where all my dreams actually began to take off. In Allentown, PA I met Afa the Wild Samoan and his family. I was welcomed into their training center and treated with the utmost respect the entire time I was training. Afa taught me very well and he is another man that can stand proud with the product "John Rambo." I had the pleasure and honor of becoming friends with Afa's three sons; Samu, L.A. Smooth, and Afa Jr. Afa Jr was 4 years old at the time I first met him, so I never had the opportunity to get to know him as well as I do Samu and L.A. Samu and L.A. have become like brothers to me and they have helped my career in more ways than they could ever imagine. Afa's wife Lynn has always been a kind person with a bright smile that would always welcome me at any of their events I attended. I consider Afa the Wild Samoan and his entire family of superstars to be the real deal "first family" of professional wrestling. When any fan watches "John Rambo" in action, Afa the Wild Samoan's training expertise is reflected in every performance I give.

I have been so fortunate in this business when it came to making new friends. Since returning to the East Coast back in 1997, many new faces have popped into the picture here in the NWL/HoPWF. There are so many people that make our weekly events a huge success. It's true that I come up with new, innovative ideas that are revolutionizing the way many things are being done in the areas of training professional wrestlers and promoting professional wrestling events. There's an entire team of professionals that help make the creative ideas become reality. All the wrestlers are needed to have the weekly shows and I want to thank each and every one of them that participate each week. I would list you all, but if I forget one name, I'll be scrooged! So, thank you all NWL/HoPWF workers. It's been a real pleasure bringing the old millennium to an end with such an outstanding team of professionals!

Reporting and recording what goes on in the NWL/HoPWF each week requires a lot of work. This work is broken down into many different areas. In order to keep everything in tip top operational order, NWL legal advisor Ellen Gibran-Hesse makes sure everything is kept in professional order. Senior webmaster Cyberslammer Bob and assistant webmaster Micki D do an outstanding job with the entire NWL website. When you view the NWL website, what you see in a final product is one of the best professional wrestling websites on the Internet. What you don't see is all the hard, frustrating, time consuming work. Each week we offer the fans an average of 300 action pictures per set of show results. Kathy R., Cathy N. and Cyberslammer Bob are the ones responsible for standing next to ringside and taking these photographs. After which, the pictures have to be uploaded and placed in the proper sequences. Michelle A. is new to the NWL/HoPWF family but in the time she has been here, she has been doing a great job as our video photographer. Each week we offer a live "play-by-play" chat in our NWL AOL chatroom. Kelly is the gal that has been doing this for us for over the last year. To all those I have mentioned here, thank you very much for the fine work. There isn't an ounce of effort that goes unrecognized and appreciated!

Now, we have a league and great people helping to make a team of real deal professionals! But why do we do all this? Like I say, "It doesn't take scientist to figure this one out." The fans have always come first and foremost at any NWL/HoPWF event. Without the fans there would be absolutely no reason to do what we do. I take the "fan" issue to a new level. There is not a bigger a group of people that deserves a thank you more than the group of fans that follow and support our professional wrestling entertainment. The NWL/HoPWF's love and appreciation for our fans is reflected in over 150 free HoPWF events held over the last 2 years, the effort the wrestlers put out on each of these shows, and the helpers that work diligently to get information out immediately in the NWL website. Again, I could make a list of wonderful fans but if I forget one name, I am in trouble. I play it safe here too, thank you to every fan reading this article! Actually, thank you to every wrestling fan in the world. Without all of you, there would be no professional wrestling industry.

This pretty much wraps up what I have to say in this "Real Deal" article. Without everyone's help, there would not be an NWL or HoPWF to rightfully boast about. No Christmas present could possibly bring the same amount of lasting joy that I have received from these past 3 years of being a part of this organization which I am truly proud to label as the most "fan oriented" professional wrestling league in existence. After 3 hard years of reaching this level, all I want for Christmas are my two front seats to watch one of our shows. I want to sit there and relax just once. Me in one chair and a big can of fresh baked Christmas cookies in the other! Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Millennium to everyone. Be safe and thank you very much!

John Rambo
NWL Booker/Instructor. HoPWF President, LLC
www.NWLwrestling.com

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This is the Official NWL: John Rambo' "Real Deal."
All rights are reserved.
All material is copyrighted © 1999
by the National Wrestling League
and the House of Pain Wrestling Federation.   HoPWF
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Published December 8, 1999