This interview was done via Yahoo! Messenger on October 15th, 2003 with "Sweet" Steve Smith!
Powerbomb 101: Ok well first of all, thanks for being our guest Steve.
Steve Smith: thank you for having me
Powerbomb 101: Ok. First question. Where did you first get into pro wrestling?
Steve Smith: I got into professional wrestling with a company in Topeka, Kansas called Central States Championship Wrestling as a ring announcer and then I got hooked up with Derek Stone and TXW as a referee
Powerbomb 101: Awesome. So have you ever been a wrestler for the companies or have you just kept it as being a ref?
Steve Smith: I made my wrestling debut March 15, 2003 vs Referee Donnie Peppercricket for the Impact Pro Wrestling Midwest Senior Official
Powerbomb 101: alright. Have you ever worked for WWE? I do remember seeing you a few months ago at a Smackdown taping in St. Louis as a security guard I think.
Steve Smith: No but i worked as a security guard at the Kansas Expocentre and got to meet all the WWE referees and wrestlers
Powerbomb 101: Ok cool. So what made you decide to be in pro wrestling? Was it just something you thought you would just try out or was it something else?
Steve Smith: I was wrestling in high school and I thought that I would take it to the next level and try pro wrestling out. I watched it as a little kid with my grandparents and I thought that it would fun to be in the wrestling world
Powerbomb 101: What is your honest view of backyard wrestling? Is it the "alternative" to learn wrestling?
Steve Smith: I think backyard wrestling is dangerous and it can and will kill people..In my advice I would never do backyard wrestling, I would get trained as a professional and learn how to take bumps
Powerbomb 101: See Ive been a backyarder before, some say I was lucky I wasnt killed, which is true. But my argument is there are some out there that really arent that dangerous and some have even evolved into actual pro-wrestling federations. But enough on that, next question is....
Powerbomb 101: Who were your inspirations going into pro wrestling and why?
Steve Smith: well i think Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Nature Boy Ric Flair, Owen & Bret Hart and Earl Hebner
Powerbomb 101: Ok. Heres another question. Who would you work for if given the opportunity; NWA-TNA or WWE?
Steve Smith: I would love to travel around the world with the WWE and work with the great superstars there and I would love to work for TNA
Powerbomb 101: What is your current look on the state of pro-wrestling? Has the enjoyment begun to disappear or is it just another phase?
Steve Smith: Well it is a great line of work to be in and I dont think that wrestling world will ever die..There are too many Independent Companies around the world to work for.
Powerbomb 101: So do you think in maybe the next year or two, a company like TNA will begin to breakout and become a major company, possibly becoming a threat to WWE?
Steve Smith: I give NWA-TNA two years and they will start competing with WWE
Powerbomb 101: Alright. Ok, so where did the name "Sweet" Steve Smith come from? Did it just pop in your head one day, or was it just a given?
Steve Smith: A wrestler by the name of Superstar Rich Allen was announcing an event in Cameron, Missouri and he asked me my name and then all of the sudden he announced "Sweet" Steve Smith and it has stuck with me in my 3 years in the biz
Powerbomb 101: Awesome. So if you were given the opportunity to referee a match of your choosing, who would be in the match??
Steve Smith: I would love to referee Triple H vs Stone Cold Steve Austin for the Heavyweight Championship or Trish Stratus vs Victoria (puppy glory)
Powerbomb 101: WooHoo! Good picks. Now, I understand you just got out of surgery recently, could you give us a little update as to how you are doing?
Steve Smith: I got out of surgery yesterday and I'm at home resting but I'm not feeling too good
Steve Smith: (might have to return to the ER tonite)
Powerbomb 101: Ouch, that sucks. Well, if you could, describe "Sweet" Steve Smith for all the readers out there who may not be familiar with you.
Steve Smith: well in wrestling you dont have the bad guy referee but now you do..Cuz "Sweet" Steve Smith is a bad guy referee who screws people out of titles
Powerbomb 101: Ah so money talks with Steve Smith around right?
Steve Smith: Yes it does if the money is right "Sweet" Steve Smith will do his job right!
Powerbomb 101: Alrighty. So are you always available for bookings or are you a permanent fixture in Kansas?
Steve Smith: I'm available for bookings all over the midwest! I'm current Senior Official for Kansas Pro Wrestling when they are not having a show i'm available and willing to work for any promotion in the midwest
Powerbomb 101: Ok cool. Another question is this. What advice would you give to anyone wanting a job in professional wrestling?
Steve Smith: if you want a job in professional wrestling GO GET TRAINED!!!! Keep your dreams and work towards them
Powerbomb 101: What are the main "Do's and Don'ts" in wrestling in your opinion?
Steve Smith: well there are so many don'ts in this biz.....Do get trained and keep in good with all of the wrestlers, promoters who you work for and dont mess up in this biz
Powerbomb 101: It is said it is easier to get into the NFL than it is to get into pro-wrestling. Do you agree?
Steve Smith: i think it is equal...but more people like football then wrestling too
Powerbomb 101: Yea that is true. So do you have any certain memories in wrestling, good or bad, that you could talk about briefly for us?
Steve Smith: I think my favorite match of me reffin is J.C. Thunder vs Eclipse in a Tables Match for the KPW Heavyweight Title and i think my worst match was Se7en vs "Impressive" Anothny Wayne in a DQ Match which lead into a bloddy mess
Powerbomb 101: Any stories from "the Midwest ref" you care to share?
Steve Smith: The travel is horrible...if you are booked every weekend you are on road friday thru sunday and it gets long on the road, it gets lonely when your girlfriend is back at home. While you are doing all this travel, no one to talk to in the car but yourself and listening to music
Powerbomb 101: Yea, I hear that alot from alot of wrestlers I've talked to. The biz isnt as easy as it looks, as its been said many many times.
Steve Smith: yes it has and it takes a toll on your body. Taking those bumps in a ring is not forgiving
Powerbomb 101: I know every place has its own type of training, but is it easier to train to be a ref than a wrestler?
Steve Smith: gettin trained as a referee it takes alot out of you but also training as a wrestler can do the same thing it is up to the person itself
Powerbomb 101: So it differs from person to person right?
Steve Smith: yes
Powerbomb 101: Training to be a ref doesnt always mean you got to learn to count, you got to take bumps as well every now and then right?
Steve Smith: Yes the most of your training is learing to be in the right place at the right time in the ring
Powerbomb 101: Yea, I understand that part. So do you have any other specific goals in life besides in wrestling?
Steve Smith: Settling down and gettin married to the most wonderful girl in the world and planning to have kids with ashley someday down the long long long road
Powerbomb 101: Well good luck to you in that. What are your goals in wrestling then?
Steve Smith: i'm promoting a show in late november early december for a family who lost their son in a car accident and the family needs helps paying off his funeral bills and I have made plans in helping this family out as much as possible
Powerbomb 101: Thats cool. I've seen alot of independant shows donating alot to charities and to children in need, very awesome. So where do you see yourself in, lets say, five years?
Steve Smith: married and still working in the independent scene
Powerbomb 101: Im actually surprised you didnt say "in WWE" as it seems nowadays its "the place to be".
Steve Smith: I want to be there someday as long as my body can take it
Powerbomb 101: Yea, the loooooooooong travel days can be a huge deal, especially in a relationship. So going back a bit, how long have you been in the business?
Steve Smith: I have been in it for 3 yrs and it is going great for me
Powerbomb 101: If you were not in pro-wrestling, what do you think you would be doing?
Steve Smith: well it is hard to say but I think playing indoor football
Powerbomb 101: Is football one of your "other favorite sports" besides wrestling?
Steve Smith: yes I played indoor football last year and I enjoyed the fast paced sport
Powerbomb 101: Have there ever been people youve seen in the business made you wonder how they got hired in the first place? Just out of curiosity...
Steve Smith: not really. I have seen some weird stuff in the biz
Powerbomb 101: What was some of the "weird stuff"?
Steve Smith: well I really cant say what weird stuff I have seen
Powerbomb 101: Ah, im pretty much we can all use our own imaginations.
Steve Smith: yup
Powerbomb 101: Have you ever trained people to be refferees or wrestlers?
Steve Smith: i'm will be working with two trainees as referees in the upcoming weeks
Powerbomb 101: that is cool. Have you ever seen yourself later on becoming a trainer for both wrestlers and refs?
Steve Smith: someday down the line
Steve Smith: and I also work with ring announcers too
Powerbomb 101: Well thats good, could probably use ya in alot of places.
Steve Smith: yup
Powerbomb 101: Well, do you feel up to playing the 1-Word game where I give you a name and you have to come up with just one word to describe them?
Steve Smith: yea lets do it
Powerbomb 101: alright
Powerbomb 101: A.J Styles
Steve Smith: cocky
Powerbomb 101: Rey Mysterio Jr.
Steve Smith: great wrestler
Powerbomb 101: Triple H
Steve Smith: very lucky
Powerbomb 101: Vince McMahon
Steve Smith: powerful S.O.B
Powerbomb 101: Jeff Jarrett
Steve Smith: very talented
Powerbomb 101: Raven
Steve Smith: hardcore legend
Powerbomb 101: Rob Van Dam
Steve Smith: super athletic
Powerbomb 101: Randy Orton
Steve Smith: NOT a legend killer
Powerbomb 101: Shawn Michaels
Steve Smith: legend
Powerbomb 101: Bret Hart
Steve Smith: best their ever was
Powerbomb 101: Ric Flair
Steve Smith: dirtiest playa in the biz
Powerbomb 101: Matt Hardy
Steve Smith: jerk
Powerbomb 101: Jeff Hardy
Steve Smith: dare devil
Powerbomb 101: Hulk Hogan
Steve Smith: hall of fame bound
Powerbomb 101: Vince Russo
Steve Smith: jack@$$
Powerbomb 101: Kurt Angle
Steve Smith: great wrestler
Powerbomb 101: John Cena
Steve Smith: cant rap
Powerbomb 101: WWE
Steve Smith: the best company in the world
Powerbomb 101: NWA-TNA
Steve Smith: second best company
Powerbomb 101: And lastly, "Sweet" Steve Smith
Steve Smith: greatest referee in the midwest
Powerbomb 101: Alrighty, well, before we end this, is there anything youd like to say to those reading this?
Steve Smith: If you want to get into this biz try it and dont give up on the dreams that you have set before you!!! Remember "Nothing sweeter than Sweet Steve"
Powerbomb 101: Well, thanks for the great interview Steve, and I hope you'll be able to join us again sometime down the road.
Steve Smith: It will be my pleasure to join you again. Thank You for having me
Powerbomb 101: And I think I speak for everyone when I say, Get well soon.
Steve Smith: Thank you very much
Steve Smith: I will be back into the ring very soon
Powerbomb 101: Awesome, hope to see you soon.
[end interview]
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