Rick Silver

About 3 years ago, Rick SIlver was one of the first people to step up to the plate and answer 10 Questions for the Wrestling Clothesline. Since then, he has gone on to start his own promotion and work for many more wrestling promotions. Rick was kind enough to do an updated 10 Questions With for the Wrestling Clothesline to catch the fans up on what he has been doing and to inform us of his promotion and some of their upcoming events. Be sure to check out http://www.unitedwrestling.com for more information on his promotion and some huge shows they have in August!

1. What made you decide to start your own promotion? When did you start it and where are you based out of?

I actually have been running shows on and off since 2000. Before I started running my own shows, I was working with Rick O'Brien doing the booking for NWA-NY. When O'Brien moved to Virginia, NWA-NY closed up shop, and I really enjoyed booking, so I decided to throw my hat into the ring and promote my own shows along with my old tag team partner, Dave Desire. We ran a couple of shows out of Garfield, NJ, but got ran out of that town by a couple of people who were unhappy we were running in "their" town. Basically, they booked our building out from under us so we couldn't run there, but never ended up running any shows there. Very strange. New Jersey is a very strange place to be a promoter. Now, I found a couple of other promoters I get along with very well in Joe Rules and The Great Cerenzio, and we're working together to put on the best shows we can. We're running on August 23rd in Boonton, NJ and August 30th in Guilford, CT. We're also working on securing a September date in Boonton and looking for a new building to run in as well.

2. How difficult is it to promote a wrestling card these days? For those who do not understand how difficult it is could you discuss some of what goes into it?

It's incredibly difficult to promote a wrestling show without a lot of money like we're trying to do. It's not just renting a building and a ring and booking a show. You have to devote a lot of time and money to advertising the show so that people know it exists. Awareness of the show draws a lot more fans than what "indy superstars" you may or may not have. Once you get a core group of fans you can advertise a little less and reward the fans by bringing in "superstars." But to get to that point is a long, hard road.

3. What do you think of the current state of indy wrestling? Is the oversaturation of promotions in places like NJ hurting the business?

I don't think it would be harmful at all if there were 50 great promotions running in New Jersey. Wrestling fans around here are rabid and will either go to or get tapes of every show that looks good. We're trying to present a totally different product than anyone else does around here, which is a family-oriented entertainment show similar to what you'd see in the early 80's WWF or NWA or in Memphis. We're not promoting wrestling as a legitimate athletic contest. We want to have people boo the bad guys and cheer the good guys rather than sit on their hands and clap for athletic-looking moves. If we can draw a crowd that appreciates that kind of wrestling, we'll do well. I'm confident our audience will find us if we don't run out of money first. :-)

4. Do you do the majority of the booking for the UWF or do you have help?

As far as the UWF title matches, I have sole authority. Since Rules and I usually book together, I'll book my title matches, he'll book his JWA title matches and then we'll fill out the rest of the show together.

5. What do you think is more important, putting on a great but poorly attended card or putting on a crappy show that is well attended?

I would much rather put on a great but poorly attended show, because if the shows are great, the attendance won't be poor for long.

6. During your wrestling career, who have been some of your favorite people to step into the ring with or against?

I've had super matches with Chris Krueger, Dave Desire, Joe Rules, Dixie, Don Montoya and the tag team of Mind & Matter. Those are my favorite people to work with.

7. What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

On a purely emotional scale, I really felt good after Dave Desire and I became JAPW Tag Team Champions and when we became NWA-NY Tag Team Champions. Call me a belt mark, but if there's a worker out there who doesn't care he's a champion of something, he shouldn't be holding that title. I also loved my retirement match in JAPW as well as my comeback match against Dixie. I also really thought it was cool that I've gotten to work with people like Captain Lou, George Steele, Jim Cornette, King Kong Bundy, Brutus Beefcake, Honky Tonk Man, Gillberg and other WWF stars. When you've been a fan as long as I have, meeting and working with your "idols" is incredibly cool.

8. What do you enjoy the most and the least about being in professional wrestling?

I hate the high school, backstabbing atmosphere. It's been around forever and it will never go away. Most of us here don't realize we'll never go to WWE and winning and losing doesn't matter, and a lot of kids coming up today go to schools where they don't teach you to learn from and respect those who have been around longer than you. That attitude really soured me on the business for a while last year, but I can't stay away! I also don't enjoy watching a lot of indy shows today because they're filled with guys who work a style I don't enjoy watching. I'm sure they're great at what they do, but it does nothing for me. That's why I run my own shows now and then...I need something to watch! But my favorite part of wrestling is getting out there and hearing the crowd cheer or boo, and get involved in the action. The crowd noise is like a drug you can never kick. It's the best!

9. If you had unlimited resources and could book your dream card who would be on it?

Wow. That's a tough one, really. I mean, I'd love to have a Midnight Express or a Rock N Roll Express on my show. Or Jim Cornette. Hacksaw Duggan would probably be on there somewhere. Bob Backlund too. As far as indy guys go, I'd start naming people I like, but then I'd forget someone and they'd yell at me. LOL!

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Gads. You know, if you asked me this 5 years ago, I'd probably have said writing for the WWF. Now that I'm sure there's no chance of that happening (LOL), I guess I'll probably be doing what I'm doing now. I'm getting pretty old to keep getting in the ring, to be honest with you. I can't do this forever. My dream in life is to write for WWE, but it just never seemed to be in the cards. I guess I'll be promoting the occasional show and eventually going back to being what I was in 1986, which was a huge wrestling fan. I've been lucky enough to be able to live my dream and work with some of my idols, and you can't ask for more than that. Most fans never get that chance. If someday I can make a living out of wrestling, that would be awesome. So go see my UWF shows, so I can afford to keep running! LOL!

-------
Rick Silver

(This interview was first conducted 3 years ago as part of our 10 Questions With Series)
 
How long have you been in wrestling?

My professional debut was in 1995. So I have been wrestling professionally for over three years.

What made you decide to get into pro wrestling?

I can't remember a time when there has been anything that I would rather do. But actually getting into the business, well, that's Joe Rules' fault. We've been friends since high school, and I kind of sneaked in on his bootstraps when he got his break.

Who was your first match against and for what promotion?

My first match that wasn't a battle royale (yuck!) was defending the ECPW Tag Team Championships as Executioner #1, of course teaming with Executioner #2. We fought The Blackjacks, Billy The Kid and Nick Caliber. I'm not sure where anyone else involved in that match is today...I think Nick is still in the sport but I haven't heard from the other two in quite some time.

What other promotions have you wrestled for?

Yipes. That's a long list. If there has been an independent in North Jersey, Eastern PA, or Southern NY, there's a better chance than not that I have worked there at one time or another.

If you could step in the ring with any wrestler, past or present, who would it be?

I would kick Goldberg's ass. :-) No, really, If I could choose my destiny, I would love to team with Jerry Lawler or Jacques Rougeau. If I could wrestle anybody, it would have to be Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Even this late in his career, he's fantastic!

Who are some of your favorite wrestlers to watch?

If he wrestled in the NWA between 1985 and 1990, he's probably on my list, especially Steamboat, Flair, Dusty, and Arn. Today's wrestlers that I get a kick out of are the ones who make an ass of themselves on the microphone, like X-Pac, Jerry Lawler, Val Venis, and The Rock. Those WWF guys sure can talk!

Which wrestler/manager/or promoter have you enjoyed working with most?

I've never has a bad time at a PCW show. I love being in The Big Unit with Dave Desire and Joe Rules. And I'm itching for a match with Dirty Don Montoya. We have similar philosophies, so that would be a good one.

How did you come up with the "Sterling" Rick Silver "gimmick"?

Well, in the backyard days, I was "Rockin'" Rick Silver. But I found that character difficult to play, and I changed it to something that was a lot closer to my own personality. It started off a lot more like a spoiled rich brat but has since evolved as I've allowed my own jerkoff personality to be injected into the character. Now, Sterling Rick Silver is how I always imagined him to be. A total jackass!

Do you think the internet has helped or hurt the sport and in what ways?

I don't know. If it wasn't for Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling I would have had to pay for the Torch and the Observer all those years in college! (LOL) So the internet has been good to me! To me the internet has been like an extension of the sheets...they've been cool in some ways...I mean, as a fan, they're a lot of fun...but they've made a few rotten apple smart mark fans look like total jerkoffs when they become convinced they know the business and try to get involved. But that's their problem, not mine! I know who those fans are, and I avoid them. They think I'm not a great wrestler because I don't curse like a sailor or break tables. But you want to know a secret? They are still into my matches anyway. So who's in charge?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Practicing law (I'm in my last year of law school), having children (well, raising them), and probably back being a fan in the stands, unless i get my break by then. If I don't I'll be too old to start, you know? By then I'll be 30! Hell, I'm 25 and my body is already falling apart. So hopefully I'll get the big break soon...it's right around the corner. I can feel it.

When using any of this information give proper credit to Brett A. Schwan and the Wrestling Clothesline at http://www.wrestlingclothesline.com

Questions? Comments? Results? Wrestling Related items? Send them to me at WresClothesline@aol.com. If we use them on the page you will be given full credit for supplying us with it!

We're just a couple of guys having fun and not making any money off this stuff. Hell, this is just a hobby not a "business".