Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives!
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Where Wrestling's Regional History Lives! |
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- Edward Pardue The endless array of guys on JCP television who were merely in an "enhancement talent" capacity when I was a child and watching wrestling astounds me. I kept thinking of how these guys essentially made their living getting beaten up on national television. I have touched on the "STARS" of JCP before, but now, allow me to tell the tales of woe of some of the lesser known "enhancement talent" in Jim Crockett Promotions. Mark Flemming was in JCP as "enhancement talent." I didn't find that odd, until I learned that Mark was trained by the legendary six time NWA World Champion, Lou Thesz. I'm not sure WHY Jim Jr. didn't use him differently, because when I saw Mark wrestle for another promotion in which he got to show his stuff, he was an extremely talented performer. (HEY, THE GUY WAS TRAINED BY LOU THESZ, FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!!) Mark wrestled The Warlord in what I believe to be Warlord's television debut. Warlord looks extremely nervous and green, Mark takes two bumps, and the match is over. (Translation: Warlord doesn't know how to do work yet).Joel Deaton also toiled in JCP rings for years with no success. Joel went on to become one of the biggest stars in Japan and a tag team partner (or do I mean "Pardner?" lol) of Stan Hansen. There was another Deaton around at the time, I THINK his name was Verne and he, although talented, never reached the stardom "Outlaw" Joel Deaton did in All Japan, with Stan Hansen. Know what I mean? Ron Rossi. My God, WHY this guy even stepped in the ring after Dusty Rhodes put him on blast on national television was beyond me. Ron is busting his butt working a match, while Dusty is doing commentary, and "Big Dust" says something to the effect that Ron doesn't have a full set of marbles. (I SWEAR THAT REALLY HAPPENED!) If Road Warrior Animal, who I have seen in the Stories section of KM, DIDN'T get the point across by knocking hell out of him for a blown finish, I guess nothing would. Ron kept on until I guess sometime in 1986 and I haven't seen of heard about him since. Jim and Mac Jeffers. These guys were legit good workers from Anderson, SC. Anderson, SC? Hey, isn't that the home of ANOTHER set of brothers from JCP "Enhancementland"? Hmmm... Yeah, I think it is. But more on them in a bit. Jim and Mac had the physical tools to be a good tag team, provided someone gave them a gimmick. Thankfully, someone gave them black jackets, shades, billy clubs and such and decided to rename them THE M.O.D. SQUAD. They had success in various territories, included Central States, where they held the tag team titles, but their biggest match ever was a World Tag Team Title match against the Rock and Roll Express at the Great American Bash 1987. Last I saw of them was in Nelson Royal's (R.I.P.) ACW in North Carolina in 1989. George South. Lack of size and lack of ability to cut a decent promo kept George from stardom, because in the ring, he was extremely talented. I've seen guys that couldn't work a lick that got the push while ol' George toiled and sweated in the bottom matches. You know, it never occurred to Dusty and the boys to put a hood on this guy, let Paul Jones do his talking for him and he could speak in the ring with his wrestling. More...
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