My Birthday And Tid's Show

I’ll be 49 on Saturday, May 12. I’m not a guy too hung up on birthdays and aging but the realization that this would be the last one before that mythical ‘50’ I never thought I’d reach gave me reason to pause.

Wow, 49 years old. I figured I’d celebrate it the best way I knew how; I’d go to a wrestling show!

As luck would have it, Living Legends Wrestling announced that their Steel City Slaughter show would take place in Hamilton on May 12th. Since I’m a fan of their product, it seemed the perfect way to celebrate my birthday. (I had no worries my wife wouldn’t agree; she happily spent our 12th anniversary at a PWA show.)

LLW promoter, Greg Juszczak, asked me if I was coming to the show during a phone call and I told him of my birthday plans. He laughed and said “Maybe I’ll have a Hooters Girl deliver you a cake.” I said “You can smash it in my face if you want.” I wasn’t thinking about the cake but he declined regardless. The birthday plans were shaping up nicely and it promised to be a damn fine party. Krystal Banks even told me she was making me a Birthday Hat to wear at the show!

Then suddenly, my birthday celebrations didn’t seem so important anymore… Notorious T.I.D. broke his leg in an industrial accident.

The shockwave from the news that T.I.D. was severely injured reverberated throughout the Ontario Indy community. The shock, dismay and fear for T.I.D. in the hours and days right after the accident was palpable. The incident and extent of his injuries were covered in depth, here on Tha O Show and elsewhere. The immediate crisis is past. After 3 operations, T.I.D. is out of the hospital and back with his family.

His other family, Ontario Indy Wrestling, continue their support. Big Daddy Donnie set up a way for fans to donate through Tha O Show; GCW MAX turned their show into a tribute and LLW announced that Steel City Slaughter would be a full benefit show with 100% of the proceeds going to T.I.D. and his family. With that news came to me the realization that I didn’t really want a birthday cake or party anymore. This show is about T.I.D… it aint about me and my birthday.

I got to thinking that what I wanted was to do something for T.I.D. I just didn’t know what. Truthfully, I barely know the guy. I’ve seen him wrestle quite a bit in the last 14 months and spoken with him a few times but we’re certainly not close.

I am but a peripheral player on the sidelines of his path through Ontario Indy history. Probably thousands of people know more of him than I do. That’s precisely the reason I felt the need to do something to show my support.

Notorious T.I.D. is a true icon in Ontario Indy wrestling. It’s hard to find anyone who has been a fan in Ontario for longer than 6 months, that doesn’t know who he is. I can’t count the number of T.I.D. stories, legends and myths related to me by wrestlers and fans since I started covering Ontario Indy. No other wrestler in modern Ontario has captured the emotion, the awe and the respect given to Notorious T.I.D. I respect that. How could one not?

So, I wanted to do something to support T.I.D. and because he means so much to Ontario Indy (which I have grown to love) it had to be more than just paying admission to a benefit show; but what? What could I do? A post on the OIW message board from LLW about the Steel City Slaughter show brought me an answer. One of the matches on Saturday’s card is to be a “Slaughter Gauntlet” to crown the first ever “Slaughter King.” There was one thing about the match that caught my attention. “…all challengers are welcome…”

I thought about that. Already announced were guys like JC Owens, Reggie Marley, Jake O’Reilly, Jay Fenix, Steve Brown and Bloody Bill Skullion; T.I.D’s Murder Junkies tag team partner. “…all challengers are welcome…” It took me about two seconds to decide I wanted to be in that match.

I contacted LLW and offered my services and my offer was accepted. On Saturday, May 12th, I will be entering the Slaughter Gauntlet at LLW Steel City Slaughter in Hamilton, Ontario.

Not surprisingly, a few people have asked “What the fuck are you doing? Are you nuts?” The answer to the first question is: I’m paying tribute to Notorious T.I.D. and what he means to Ontario Indy wrestling. The answer to the second question is: Apparently so. But, while I may be crazy, I’m not stupid. I know what I’m doing and I know what the risks are. I’m not a complete stranger to the ring or the hardcore genre and I have a legit history of real violence.

I’m not going to kid myself or anyone else. The best I can hope to achieve is to provide an entertaining couple of minutes on my way to a complete squash. I’m almost 50, woefully out of shape and, aside from some heel manager antics; I’ve done nothing in the ring for twenty years. I certainly have no illusions about being able to keep up with any of the other guys in this match. If it wasn’t a hardcore match I wouldn’t presume to step foot in the ring because that’s the only match type I can work with any kind of credibility.

I will pay tribute to Notorious T.I.D. in sweat, pain and blood on Saturday, May 12th, in Hamilton at LLW Steel City Slaughter. Instead of a birthday cake, I’m gonna get my ass handed to me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The plus side is that my addition to the match has brought at least 4 people to the show that otherwise wouldn’t have come so already I have achieved some small manner of success in my effort to honor and support Ontario’s fallen warrior.

Chris, thank you for all you have done for Ontario Indy wrestling. This one’s for you.

Please visit LivingLegendsWrestling.com for more information.

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