MJ: This is "Fanboy" Mark Jabroni and I'm speaking with New England referee Tony S. Thanks for calling in, Tony.

 

TS: No problem, anytime.

 

MJ: Where did you get trained?

 

TS: I was trained from the North End Training Facility in North Oxford, Massachusetts. It was run by Jay Jaillet, who was the first-ever Chaotic Wrestling Heavyweight Champion down here in New England, and also two other independent wrestlers, by the names of "The Widowmaker" Eric Shred and Dan Oulette who goes by "Freightrain", who also trained at Killer Kowalski's School Of Wrestling. I started there in, I would say, I started in 2004 but I really didn't start training training until probably September or October of 2005 and between Jay, Eric and Dan (Freightrain), with those three guys training me; it starts out rough because you want to get into the business and it's challenging at first because you see it on TV and you think it's easy but there's a lot of hardships going into it, but those three trained me with the tools to be respectful to the guys that have been there before you,to learn and to perfect your craft the best you can.

 

MJ: And how long have you been refereeing?

 

TS: I've been officiating; it would be three years this past November 5th, so, not really a long time by just counting by fingers, but with the shows that add up, the in-ring matches and the time it takes away, to me, it's been a hell of a ride so far and I'm looking forawrd to what the future has for me.

 

MJ: Have you been training to start wrestling or do you ever plan to?

 

TS: In the beginning, I was, 'cause I am over 6' tall and it was kind of weird at first to have a probably 6'2", 6'3" referee officiating New England matches. At first, they said, "Why don't you become a wrestler?", so I was trained formally, taking bumps, doing spots, until I decided November 5th of 2005, I officiated my first match; I oficiated three matches that night and was also in a 20 Man Battle Royal that same night, so it was the best of both worlds, to say the very least.

 

MJ: Yeah, sounds like you must tower over a lot of the people that you're officiating.

 

TS: I find it a blessing because most of the referees are 5'7"-5'8"; between 5'7"-6'-6'1" with the exception of Nick Patrick, who's probably 6'2".

 

MJ: Yeah.

 

TS: And I kind of shadow over the participants that I'm in the match with; and I can admit it can become a little bit challenging. I have been stated many times, "You know, Tony, why don't you shrink and officiate on your knees?", you know what I mean, but, I kind of find it a blessing. To me, it shows more authority and I think that the number one thing that referees; in my opinion, anyway, that referees have to give off to not only the people in the locker room, but also more importantly to the fans, is their authority and their presence in the ring.

 

MJ: Yeah, I must imagine some like Earl Hebner must wish they were what, 6'4"?

 

TS: With him, I can appreciate, I do a lot of videotape study, I watch a lot of Hebner's matches; I kind of took a little bit of Hebner's count, kind of taking a little bit from everybody and molding it into your own style of officiating and I think your style of officiating is what's going to set you apart from everybody else.

 

MJ: