Wrestling Blogs - Martin Floreani

Im back in Texas! It feels good. New Jersey or Dirty Jersey is a bit of a culture shock for me. I almost got in a fight with a camera man, was on thin ice with the tournament director (I have no idea why) and was constantly being berraded when I was in the stands getting the word out about Flo. Its all part of the Jersey experience though, and I guess its one of those deals that if they dont give you a hard time and you dont come to blows, then they dont like you....or something like that.

The intensity of New Jersey wrestling makes things really cool. They take the sport really seriously and know it like none other. The fans refs and wrestlers know all the finer points it seems like. Screwy Louie, a new jersey Icon, is great, he helped me out throughout the tournament. He has a serious case of A.D.D. but it all involves wrestling distractions. There is no bigger fan, and I have never seen someone come down so hard on themselves if they dont know some obscure piece of trivia. He was helping me the whole time and it didnt matter if I had to work til 2am he was there right beside me helping me out in any way he could.

I saw Joe Dubuque, a 55kg Olympic hopeful recruiting for Hofstra. He had the nerve to buy me a beer. Joe is a good guy and I probably dont give enough love to Tom Shifflet and the Hofstra program. It was cool hearing Joe's stories of the days when he won the NJ state championships and his crazy match against Vic Moreno at the NYAC tournament last fall.

I also saw the David Brearley Staff. I did a little piece on them in the beginning of the year and it was great to see that their vision is being materialized...I love when I see that happen. Those guys are smarter than they look.

So Dirty Jersey overall was quite an experience...I wish I could of hung out with the Edge guys Dave and Ernie, but I did see the Rhino wrestling club guy and Damion Logan from Premier...although be it for a very brief moment.

Overall my trip was intense, just like the wrestling, but something happened as I was leaving that made me think Jersey wasnt as dirty as I think it is. I was cruising down the Atlantic City Expressway toward Phili airport when I realized I didnt have any money for the tolls. I was screwed, so the first toll booth I came up on they had to fill out a form that I had to send in. I was thinking the the guys behind me must have been pissed because the process took about 3 minutes. Well there are two tolls on that expressway so when I got to the next one I was thinking "here we go again." Well turns out some dude saw me from the previous toll and got ahead of me and paid my way. "Huh" I said to the guy and went off to the airport. Maybe Jersey isnt as Dirty as I think it is.