By Chris Kazmerzak
Today is a sad anniversary. I think I wrote you once about how Jan & I were
Owen's "posse" here in Ohio. Since 1994, whenever Owen & WWE came to Ohio,
Jan & I always picked him up from the airport, took him to workout, took him
to eat, and took him to the arena. He'd get us tickets up close at ringside,
and then we'd take him to his hotel. Whenever Owen came to Columbus, he'd
spend the night at our place. He was our closest friend in all of the
wrestling business
We first met Owen in Indianapolis a couple of hrs after WrestleMania 1992,
in front of a downtown Indy steakhouse. He was with Martha, who was carrying
the newborn son, Oje. It was cold, and Martha was trying to put her coat on
while juggling Oje with Owen. As we walked by, we offered to help as Martha
got her coat on. Jan & I introduced ourselves, and we had a 5-10 minute
conversation about wrestling, Owen's matches in Japan, particularly the May
1991 match with Jushin Liger where Liger finished Owen with a DDT from the
top rope, and Owen legit jammed his neck. Both Owen & Martha seemed
flattered that we didn't come off as mark fans, and simply admired Owen's
skill. Plus, since Jan's a nurse & that fact came up in the conversation,
Martha & Jan talked "newborn baby" stuff. As the conversation ended, Jan & I
wrote our name, address & phone number on a card & gave it to them,
indicating the typical "if you're ever in Columbus, give us a call"
phrase.never knowing what the next few years would bring. Martha saw we had
a camera around our necks, and offered to take a photo of Jan & I with Owen.
In the summer of 1994, Owen began his feud with Bret. Early that summer, we
got a late night phone message that started "Jan,.Chris,.this is Owen,.Owen
Hart. I'm coming to Ohio this week, and I wanted to know if you could do me
a favor." As it turned out, WWE was coming to the Cincinnati Gardens, and
Owen wanted to know if we could pick him up from the Greater Cincinnati
Airport (actually located in northern KY, about 15 miles from downtown
Cincinnati). When we met him there, he explained how he & Bret traveled
everywhere together, but since they were feuding, he had to travel with
someone else. He remembered meeting us in Indy, and decided to call us. That
night, he got comps from either Dave Hebner or the local marketing rep (for
years it was the infamous "other" Brett Hart.the WWF marketing person), and
we sat ringside. After the show, we took Owen to an Outback Steakhouse for
dinner, and a friendship was born.
That's how it went for years. In Ohio, we'd get a call about a week before
the show from Owen, and make arrangements for getting him at the airport,
we'd take him to the building, and he'd get us ringside seats (unless we'd
already bought front rows on our own. (P.S.: We ALWAYS bought tickets on our
own for Ohio shows, but once, Owen wanted us to pick him up for a Detroit
show, another time for a Pittsburgh show, and another time for a Wheeling WV
show. Those times, we let Owen comp us seats for the night). In Columbus,
repeat the process, except he'd stay at our place. In exchange, Owen would
always ask us to make anti-Owen signs for him, and as a "thank-you", Owen
would always find us at ringside, start jawing with us, and rip up our
signs. We picked him up for numerous shows during these 5 years, and EVERY
TIME, Owen would find us, start jawing with us, and rip up our signs! He did
it in Ohio for 3 or 4 TV tapings, but most notably, he ripped the signs on
camera at Anaheim for WrestleMania 1996, and in Cleveland for SummerSlam
1996.
The last time we spoke with Owen was on a Sunday morning in March 1999, when
we picked him & Jeff Jarrett up at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, when they
needed a ride to Dayton's Nutter Center for a live Sunday Night Heat (a show
where WWF's satellite signal was knocked out that night by vicious
thunderstorms, and that night's Heat show never aired!) We led a caravan of
about 6 WWF cars trying to find a restaurant that wasn't packed with Sunday
post-church traffic. After no success, we decided to go work out, then we'd
make the 1 hr. drive to Nutter Center. One of our great Owen stories
happened here, as we exited the airport. We drove our Mustang convertible,
not expecting a 2nd wrestler as passenger. Owen & I were jammed in the front
seat, and Jan & Jeff were jammed in the back (Jeff reading back issues of
the Observer that we'd always brought for Owen to read when he did his
cardio on the bike at the gym). Three or 4 times as I exited the airport
parking lot, I kept bumping the car's gearshift into neutral when I put my
foot on the brake.making me look stupid in front of Owen & Jeff. Jeff &
Jan kept looking at me weird the whole time. Owen was oblivious.constantly
fidgeting with my radio trying to find a country station. I was a little
pissed, both at the gearshift thing, plus I'd found a good country station
for Owen, and I couldn't figure why he kept changing it? As it turned out,
every time I stopped to look in both directions trying to avoid on-coming
traffic.Owen would mess with the radio with one hand, but sneakily slip the
gearshift in neutral with the other. When I'd put on the gas.nothing.just
creeped into the intersection. HE GOT ME!! We honestly never knew until
Jeff let us in on the rib in July of 1999 when we spoke with Debra & Jeff
backstage before a Columbus Raw, getting stuff signed for my Make-A-Wish
charity auction. Jeff & Owen never knew that we didn't know. Jeff said
that Owen would have loved it, knowing he'd ribbed us for 6 months without
us knowing!!
Dayton's stories aren't over. After we worked out & started for Dayton from
Cincinnati, we realized we'd get to the arena about 90 minutes late for TV
check-in. Jan & I both knew it when Owen & Jeff farted around at the
gym.just taking their time. We tried to move them along, but we didn't want
to push. So we knew all along that we'd get them there late. Anyway, when
we got close to Nutter Center, Owen & Jeff started going over rehearsed
stories with us.coaching us on how to explain things to Pat Patterson. You
know, typical stuff (plane arrived late, church traffic was heavy, packed
places to eat, bad construction traffic, etc.) Finally, I convinced them
that THE TRUTH was the best answer (all restaurants packed with post-church
people, workout took too long), and we settled on telling Pat the truth.
Well.we get to the Nutter Center, and Owen & Jeff insist on going to meet
Pat first to check in. Makes perfect sense, right? We open the doors and
Pat is about 10 feet inside the doors.waiting, and pissed. He asks where the
hell we were & why were we late. Dummy me. I figure Owen & Jeff are going to
tell Pat THE TRUTH. Without missing a beat, Owen speaks up & says that "The
plane arrived right on time, but Jan & Chris were late. Then they got lost
trying to find the gym. After we worked out, they locked their keys in the
car & we had to wait for AAA. Then we couldn't find a restaurant where they
wanted to eat & we gave up looking. We said we're going to be late for TV &
Pat is going to be mad. So this time it wasn't our fault.it was theirs". Of
course, Jan & I are frozen there in stunned silence!! Pat shouted at us to
wait right there & not move for a few minutes, and that he had a few words
for us after he & Vince had a private meeting with Owen & Jeff. It was in
front of the whole crew, so we were embarrassed as hell at being scolded.
After about 10 minutes, Pat returned, along with Kevin Dunn, Shane McMahon,
Sgt. Slaughter, and about 8-10 wrestlers (Austin, D-Lo Brown, Al Snow, Mick
Foley, Blue Meanie, HHH, Chyna, and some others). Pat proceeded to tell us
in front of everyone about how important it was to be on time. Dunn
explained the whole process on how wrestlers need to be at TV on time to do
pre-tapes, go over spots in the ring if needed, etc. Slaughter explained
that when someone isn't on time, it shows complete disrespect to those who
were on time, and that us arriving late screwed up the people Owen & Jeff
were working with that night. Here we were in our neon colors.feeling about
2 inches tall & completely humiliated after a 5 minute dress-down. After Pat
told us it was time to leave the backstage area immediately, he stormed back
to us & said he had one more thing to add. It was "Congratulations, you've
just been a victim of an Owen Hart rib".
HOLY F'N SHIT.HE GOT US AGAIN!! Owen clued everyone in on everything. Since
we had the neon colors on & everyone knew us anyway, Owen got everyone to go
along with the rib. It was classic, as everyone was in tears with laughter.
We were stunned, but we started laughing.knowing we'd been nabbed, but good!
He got us. Again. Here are a few more Owen stories:
WrestleMania 1996, Anaheim: Owen & I had a mutual friend in Butler PA, who
was both a PWI photographer for Bill Apter, and an owner of a tuxedo shop.
His name is John Pithers, and John had fitted Owen's tux for the 1995 Hall
of Fame dinner in Philly during King of the Ring weekend. Owen knew he was
getting a Slammy Award during Mania's 1996 weekend, so he wanted John to do
his tux again. John kept Owen's measurements, and tailored a tux with a pink
bowtie. John UPS'ed the tux to us in Columbus, and we flew the tux with us
to Anaheim. We took the tux to Owen's room and chatted with Owen, Martha,
Oje, and saw the newborn daughter, Athena. Owen wore the tux the next night
as he won a Slammy, pink bowtie & all. When Owen came out for his Mania
match, he sees us, and rips the signs. Unfortunately, the camera went to a
high shot, but you can still see Owen with our signs, but from about 75 feet
up.
May 1997, Columbus: We're with Owen at a World Gym in Cols before a Sunday
house show, and we're waiting while he's in the tanning booth. Suddenly,
Jeff Jarrett & Sean Waltman come in to work out. They were with WCW, and
they'd done a house show in Cincinnati on Saturday night, and were traveling
to Cleveland for a Monday Nitro. We'd been wearing the neon colors for a few
years & had become recognizable around the wrestling world because of them
(For new readers: my wife Jan & I are the 2 fans who sit in the front row of
WWE TV shows & PPV's wearing the neon pink & neon yellow colors, so now
everyone knows.) so they both recognized us from WWF TV. Sean remembered us
from his 1st WWF stint & as we talked, we told them that Owen was with us &
was tanning. They got an idea & snuck up on the room Owen was in, then
suddenly burst through the door, yelling & screaming and scaring the shit
out of a naked Owen!!
July, 1998, Springfield OH: We're having dinner with Owen at a Bob Evans
outside of Springfield, prior to a Dayton Nutter Center house show. I excuse
myself to the restroom, while Owen & Jan pay the bill. As I come out, Owen
is going out the door with a shit-eating grin on his face.looking back at
me. When I get to the door, the manager asks me, "Excuse me, are you really
Stone Cold's brother?" In my best impromptu Texas drawl, I say, "Well hell
yes, but don't tell anyone.", and I hurry out the door.while Owen is
practically on the ground with laughter. As it turned out, one of the
restaurant workers recognized Owen & told everyone. As Owen & Jan got to the
register, the manager asked Owen if he had any good inside wrestling scoops.
Owen said "No, but if you want all of the real scoops, ask Stone Cold's
brother, Luke Warm, when he comes out of the rest room". Got me again.
May 1998, Cincinnati: It was Owen's birthday, so after a Saturday house
show, we took Owen to dinner at an Outback Steakhouse, Owen's favorite
place. As we eat, a gentleman & his daughter come to our table & ask for an
autograph. The only thing they had was a kiddie's placemat, used for
coloring. The only thing they had to write with was a crayon. So Owen took
the crayon & happily signed the placement. When they left, the conversation
turned to most unusual thing Owen ever had signed. He said it was a tie
between a banana and a belly of a Chihuahua dog that Debra signed at the
same time. It was in San Jose, and they were for the same person. After the
2 things were signed, the woman unpeeled the signed banana, gave it to the
dog to eat, and kept the peel as a souvenir.
3 weeks later in Columbus, Sunday house show: We'd called Owen in advance of
this show, offering to pick him up, but the WWF schedule that week didn't
allow Owen to stay with us. So we didn't have Owen, as Owen got a ride with
former WWF staffer Matt Miller from Cleveland. After Matt dropped Owen off,
Matt had tickets for the final round of the PGA's Memorial Tournament, and
told Owen he'd meet him back at the Cols Convention Center arena after the
tournament ended. Owen worked 3rd or 4th that night, and as he came out we
saw him looking for us & our signs. As he comes up to us, he grabs the
signs, and AS HE'S RIPPING UP THE SIGNS, he says "Matt Miller hasn't made it
back. Can you wait for me in the back?" Jan & I are stupefied, and say
"HUH???" Owen grabs another sign, and as he rips it, he repeats "Matt Miller
hasn't made it back. Can you wait for me in the back?" I finally figure out
what's going on, and once again, in my best "pissed off fan wanting a fight
mode", I answer "Oh, so you want me in the back, OK, I'll see you in the
back after the show, I'll see your ass after the show in the back!!!" Owen
winks at me, and says "OK". Jan & I look at each other and ask "What the
f**k just happened here?" So after the show, we see Al Snow & tell him
what's up. He knows Matt's not there & he gets us backstage. We wait for
Owen & just as Owen comes to meet us with his luggage, Matt Miller finally
arrives. He didn't realize that it would take him almost 3 hrs to make a 45
min drive, after 30,000 golf fans simultaneously leave Muirfield Village
Golf Club after the tournament's finish.
And finally, our best Owen story ever...
Same night as the autograph story, May, 1998, during the Cincinnati house
show: After getting him, the Cincinnati Gardens were having an autograph
signing to benefit the Brian Pillman family. We hang with Owen as he signs
for a couple of hrs, and promoter Brett Hart tells all of us we have 2nd row
ringside seats next to the entrance aisle. Owen tells security that he works
in the 3rd match, and that as soon as the match is over, to escort Jan & I
backstage so we can leave together after he showers & dresses. Owen leaves
the autograph session, and leaves us with Brett & the security guard. By
this time, the Cincinnati Garden's doors have opened, so we all go to our
seats. Suddenly the guard says, "Wait here while I find you some seats" So
we stand in the aisle like a couple of goofs, waiting to figure out which
2nd row seats were sitting in. The guard returns with 2 steel folding chairs
and says "You know, it's pointless sticking you in 2 seats when your leaving
after 3 matches. Just take these chairs & I'll put you right here". "Right
here" was INSIDE THE GUARD RAIL, around the corner of the entrance aisle,
next to 2 empty chairs & the bell. We say "Here?", and he says, "yeah, right
here. I'm security, and it's OK with me". We say, "OK", and sit down. After
a minute, Howard Finkel & Tony Garea come to us, sit down in the other 2
chairs, look at us..and say "Hi guys, how's it going?" We figured they were
going to bust us, but instead, they act as if we're supposed to be
there.neon colors & all! Owen's match was a Nation of Domination 6-man tag
match, with him, D-Lo Brown, Mark Henry, Ron Simmons, The Rock, Kama
(Charles Wright) all involved. Remember, we had a big plastic sign tube with
signs for Owen to rip, but I never removed them from the tube figuring that
if we were inside the rails, we had to act as if we were part of the
show.not as fans. Owen comes out and looks for us in ringside seats, and
never sees us. He goes up on ALL 4 TURNBUCKLES, and looks for us in the 2nd
row.somewhere. He's even on the turnbuckle right over us, NEVER SEEING US
SITTING 6 FEET BELOW HIS NOSE!! The match starts, and after about 3 minutes,
everyone starts brawling everywhere. Owen goes to the floor to brawl, and
eventually comes to our corner where were sitting. He suddenly stops, and
breaking kayfabe & yells, "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed
to be in the 2nd row!" In my best "pissed off fan wanting a fight
character", I yell "They decided the best way to hook us up with you after
the match was to put us here at ringside!!!!" Meanwhile, Finkel & Garea are
in stitches with laughter. Owen says, "Did you bring any signs?" I yell
"Yes, they're here under our chairs so they wouldn't get in anyone's way".
Owen replies "They don't belong there, hurry up & get 'em out so I can rip
them up". Owen begins brawling with Simmons & walks away. Meanwhile, I set
the land speed record for removing signs from a tube & get them out. Owen
quickly returns, takes one sign, slowly read it, rips it, and throws the
pieces in my face. Then he grabs Jan's sign, reads it, rips it, and tosses
all the pieces in Jan's face. The whole thing takes about 20 seconds right
in the middle of the match, and now the fans are cracking up with laughter.
As we gather the sign pieces & move them so no one slips on them, Mark Henry
& D-Lo come by. They see the signs, and begin putting the pieces back
together sympathetically for us. Then they read the signs, they get mad, and
throw all of the pieces in our faces a 2nd time. By now, Finkel & Garea are
almost on the floor with laughter!! Wondering what the commotion is about,
Rock & Kama come over to us & begin brawling 2 feet from where we're
sitting. Rock looks me dead in the eye & says "MOVE". Jan turns to me &
asks, "What'd Rock say?" She's asking the question to no one, because as
soon as Rock said "Move", I sprinted down the entrance aisle out of danger!
Rock grabs my chair & blasts Kama 3- 4 times with it, bending the hell out
of it. Then Simmons came over & physically moved Jan off of her chair &
blasts Rock with her chair. By that time, Jan finally joined me in the
aisleway. We waited for about a minute while the chair-swinging stopped, and
went back to sit down. But when we saw the chairs & how bent they were, we
decided to have a little fun, so we did a Laurel & Hardy pantomime about
trying to sit in chairs that were bent like pretzels. By watching us look
like fools trying to sit in the beaten chairs, the fans started laughing,
the wrestlers totally lose it & began laughing out loud, and Garea & Finkel
were still doubled over in laughter, with tears running down their face!!!!
Eventually, the match ended, we went to the back, got Owen, and took him to
dinner on his birthday. The absolutely best Owen story ever with us!!
Jan & I still miss him so much. A couple of times, Owen called me at work to
make arrangements. As a result, I still have his phone number from the old
house in my Rolodex. We feel him with us today.as we feel that Chris Benoit
& Eddie Guerrero as respective champions mean that he is still with WWE.
Chris has his wrestling technical skill, and Eddie has his funny charisma &
your goofy sense of humor. When we see Chris wrestle, we see Owen wrestling.
When Eddie cracks us up during a promo, we see Owen making us laugh again.
We will never forget our little buddy.
Thanks Dave for letting us share our Owen stories on this day of
remembrance,
Chris & Jan Kazmerzak, Dublin Ohio
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