I wrote this about a week ago when Steve Tisch was popping up in the news. I was reminded of one of my favorite private wrestling pals in New York. 

I'm a chronological order story teller, so I'll start at the beginning, but it certainly won't be the best part of the story.

I got an email from this guy asking if I could come show him some wrestling holds that he could show to his son for self-defense. So my buddy, Paul and I drive from Maine to his home in Long Island to demonstrate some moves. I'm not a self-defense guy, so we did the best we could to show him some things that would come in handy for his son. After rolling around on his carpeted floor for a couple hours, one of the coolest things (for two wet behind the ears dudes from New England)...he gave us $20 so we could pay the tolls into the city from his home. We thought that was amazing and super kind. My buddy's eye lit up as we got into Manhattan and he ran right to those Pay Porn Video Machines.

I was naive so I was wondering what all the mopping in the place was about. 

A few months go by and we're still chatting, he tells me he works for the Tisch Family...then he explains who the Tisch Family is as I have no clue. When he explains a couple of the movies and owning the New York Giants NFL team, I'm wow'ed. He says Steve saw me and thought I could be the next Tom Cruise. 

Again, I'm still wet behind the ears...I'm just learning about the mops at the Porn Video Store...so I'm unsure if this is real-life or one of those stories I later learned that men tell younger guys to woo them. 

But the story is fun and I enjoyed all my time with the Long Island private wrestling pal. So....he explains that Steve wants to meet me but for some reason he wants to meet in Orlando.

I'd never been to Florida and my flying experience was almost zero. We get to a hotel outside Disney that had a hot tub the size of a hotel swimming pool. I didn't want to get out...but I had to.

He said I needed a suit to meet Steve in, so he took me to the Burlington Coat Factory suit shopping. He picked out the suit - khaki pants, white shirt, red tie, navy blue jacket. I looked like a preppy dude in a yacht club with the suit on. 

He asked if I'd give up wrestling to make movies. I said no way. He explained that Steve would probably want me to focus on movies so I'd have to miss some wrestling. I wasn't having any of that thought.

At some point, I'm supposed to be meeting this guy who could make me a movie star, but the excuse was Steve was missing his flight due to weather in NYC...for multiple days. This was like 2005, so the internet wasn't what it was and I wasn't too enthralled with being a movie star, so I wasn't upset by the tale I was being told.

I gotta presume that Steve Tisch thinking I was the next Tom Cruise was some tom-foolery to entice me into taking a vacation. He could've just asked. But then I wouldn't have this funny story.

We hung out many times over the years. He even came to my wedding. We'd watch baseball, hit up some nice New York delis and diners, talk life and he shared a lot of wisdom with me. 

We didn't speak much about the Steve Tisch tale over the years and it didn't matter to me.

I'm not sure if I would've changed my mind about being a movie star if I had a chance to do it again. I think I'd stick with wrestling...

My wrestling buddy passed away a few years ago, so all that's left are memories. I appreciate getting to meet him.