Ref Garry: Thank you lovely wonderful people out there in TV wonderland...HOO! HOO!

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: It’s a DOI first, someone else starting the interview! Anyway, how did you get into wrestling? Did you always want to be a referee, or is it something you wound up doing unintentionally?

Ref Garry: The answer to this question begins like many others - I was always a fan growing up, loved wrestling. So I found out this lady I knew worked at the Knights of Columbus in Clifton, NJ, and that building hosted monthly ECPW wrestling events. So her and I came to an agreement that I could go to these shows for free as long as I helped set up and break down the building's share of chairs, etc. Of course, being the mark I was, am, and always will be, I said yeah...so in October of 1998 I started attending ECPW shows on a monthly basis. The promoter, Gino Caruso started to recognize the fact I was there monthly, and I wanted to get int he business so I started doing ring crew and the stuff like that...timekeeping, music, whatever was needed. Well, they stopped running that building in June of 1999 (It's now a Walgreen's Pharmacy), and I thought I was done in wrestling. Well Joey G the manager in ECPW at the time came in to the ice cream store where I worked and we talked for a while and he told me about the ECPW school in Lake Hiawatha. I went to the monthly TV Tapings and resumed what I was doing in Clifton. Eventually, I started ring announcing, then I became a referee purely by accident.

When I was announcing, I heard the Kodiak Bear was having open Sunday sessions. I e-mailed him and asked if I could come watch one of these sessions with no intention to even step foot in the ring. That day, I walked out knowing how to roll, bump, and hit the ropes. Several weeks later I was reffing a practice match and I loved it more than actually wrestling...so I bought my ref stuff at the direction of Bear, kept it in my car, and debuted in December 2000 in Bear's match at Bear's request.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Growing up were you always a fan of guys like Earl Hebner, Danny Davis and Joe Morella? Or were you more a fan of the wrestling, and didn't even notice the referees back then?

Ref Garry: I wasn't a "fan" of the referees, but it was weird because I knew all their names. You go to a common wrestling fan, he won't know ALL of the refs' names, maybe just Hebner. At the time, I knew them all, as well as the ring announcers, even the obscure Saturday morning ones like Mike Dunn, Mike McGurk, etc. I was a mark for the all-around production of the show, not just the wrestlers in the ring.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What promotions have you worked for, and what have you enjoyed the most?

Ref Garry: I've worked for quite a handful of promotions, including Ring of Honor, East Coast Professional Wrestling, Jersey All-Pro Wrestling, Jersey Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Alliance in CT, the generic ICW name in Philadelphia, also a show for Jason Knight's ACW in CT...By far the promotion I enjoy refereeing for the most is Ring of Honor. I have yet to come across a promotion I don't like working for. The promoter and I may have some differences, but I still enjoy working every show.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: How does it feel to be one of the referees in one of the best indy feds today, ROH?

Ref Garry: It's truly a phenomenal feeling. I still don't think it has sunk in, exactly how "over" ROH is. Sure it has its critics, but every promotion does. ROH has given me (as well as Paul Turner and Sean Hanson) a chance to referee guys who truly dig this business, guys who live, eat, breathe, drink, sleep, and piss wrestling. You won't find anyone in ROH who is a "hobbyist" or does this for the hell of it. Every person in the ROH locker room is a true professional in every sense of the word, and for lack of a better term because it's punny, it is a true honor to be sharing the ring with the talent of ROH.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Have you ever gotten ref heat from promoters or other wrestlers? How about the fans?

Ref Garry: LOL - I get all kinds of heat all the time. I've been accused of having an ego by promoters that I've done many, many free shots for...but me and him have patched that up. It was something stupid that I said/did. The only heat I really get from wrestlers is if I get in the way or mess something up in their match, which isn't too often, thank god. The fans? Ehh, one time I was reffing Balls Mahoney vs. Roadkill for PWA in CT - I caught a lot of heat because I killed an inflatable baby bottle that a fan threw in the ring as a weapon, LOL - but there has been no real _serious_ heat between me and anyone. I try to deviate from politics, because I know it is going to get me nowhere...

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: How hard is it to focus on your job, and do you think you need to get in better shape, as most referees can get knocked out unconcious after a collision in the ring?

Ref Garry: I take a lot of time to prepare, a lot of workers think I'm retarded or something. I stretch fully before matches, and I take forever to get ready. When I'm in the ring, I am focused 100% on the match in front of me. As a referee, if you daydream for a split second, you may be on the receiving end of, say, a Low-Ki kick, as a former long-haired referee can tell you. I feel I am in pretty good shape...for ROH, you gotta be because many of the matches are long and fast paced...You can't ref a 25-minute match effectively if you're not in shape and able to move quickly...

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Have you ever watched old wrestling tapes or matches of yourself, and notice that some guys will do dastardly things behind the refs back? Do you think that refs need eyes implanted in the back of their heads?

Ref Garry: Just what are you implying?!

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Out of all the indy refs today, who do you like the best? The least?

Ref Garry: Today's indy refs are great I think, especially Sean Hanson and Paul Turner...they are also two of my best friends, but that has nothing to do with my decision, LOL. I also think Mike Kehner is a great referee, and I owe him a lot for his expertise, advice, and allowing me to work that one show where he could have went home with double pay, had he worked solo. As far as the bad go, I won't mention names, but there are some refs out there who need to find something else to do...and yes, that's the accused ego in me talking.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: Can you explain the art of reffing? I have reffed myself before, and it's not the most easiest job as people think it is. Can you tell us how much preparation and just common sense is needed to ref a match?

Ref Garry: As I said before, I do a lot of preparing for every show. I make sure all of my black and white stripes are evenly shaded first of all. If the powers-that-be in ROH see that the third stripe on my left sleeve is faded like it is, or that the 4th on the left is stained with CM Punk's blood, I fear ref Pete Anthony may take my spot...

Seriously though, I do prepare and put a lot into a show...My average show day consists of working until the ealry afternoon, whenever that may be, and driving to the show. I eat very little on a show day because I don't want to end up throwing up meatballs on the way back from a show in Boston or anything...I usually get to the show, change early, and just hang out, drinking one of my Amp energy drinks or a Zone Perfect Chocolate Peanut Butter energy bar. The art to reffing is practice and studying. I literally watch tapes and just the refs. I study myself reffing a lot, and I pick up on stupid crap that I hate in almost every match, and I work the next show to perfect it. Common sense does not apply as a referee because common sense does not apply in wrestling, period.

Word Association:

Sean Hanson - hysterical, a great ref post-short hair.
Paul Turner - the ref who calls it split down the middle, best ref on the indy scene today
Ricky O - always made me feel welcome and been there since my beginning Rob Feinstein - great businessman, and it shows in his product
Gabe Sopolsky - the fancam guy? :) awesome booker and i appreciate every opportunity he has given me thus far
Homicide - one of my favorite guys to referee, one of the best, underrated wrestlers out there, bar none...and his finisher is mad scary
DHS - a great tag team now divided - let's see what they can do on their own...mafia's facials are PRICELESS, by the way, as are the trips to Queens with him
Simon Diamond - wow, haven't seen him in a while - reffed him a few times, learned a lot from him, another underrated worker
John Walters - the future of professional wrestling.
Don Montoya - hysterical - I know that whenever I see his name on a show, I can't wait to hear his stories about his week at work, or the movies, or wherever
Paul London - his music kicks total ass, as does his wrestling - fear ROH may lose him to the WWE sooner than later
AJ Styles - deserves to be NWA Champion more than anybody, phenomenal athlete and the nicest guy you'll ever meet in wrestling, sorry lethal...
American Dragon - Dude, his ass hurts...being in the same car with him for 8 hours is an experience and a half that I will never forget...you learn a lot watching a match with him, great mind and I'm glad he's enjoying success in Japan
Earl Hebner - Great back in the day- I'm ready to take his spot, LOL - just kidding...
Mike Chioda - Best ref the WWE has today - I study his work a lot
Timmy White - I met him a few years ago, very nice, classy guy - and his continued respect for Andre the Giant has earned my respect
Nick Patrick - the evil ref...he's the Low-Ki of referees, with that Barry White voice...
Vince McMahon - He's running the #1 company in the world today, so even with all the criticism, he's doing something right...
Vince Russo - Great booker, stay off camera!
HBK - The most charasmatic wrestler EVER, a true legend
Hogan - Without Hogan, wrestling would never be what it is today, and for that I thank Hogan.
Austin - best entertainer in the WWE today
Rock - Pick one! Movies OR wrestling, and stick with it!
Bastion Booger - looks like my old HS cafeteria lady, bet they smelled the same too...
Giant Gonzales - tall and doofy looking
Declaration of Independents - Straight shooting, the best independent wrestling website that there is out there...I want to see a scramble match with the DOI guys and the Wrestling Clothesline guys - 50 bucks if I ref the match, DOI wins :)
Ref Garry - always striving to take it to the next level, and won't be satisfied until I do so. Really not such a bad guy after all.

Ref Garry: I also have to add Gary Michael Cappetta and the Kodiak Bear to this list. Thanks for your infinite wisdom and advice that you have provided me thus far. There is no possible way to express the true appreciation and respect I have for you.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What are your career goals? Do you want to ref for the WWE some day, or are you content with the indies?

Ref Garry: My goal is to be able to do this for a living, be it with the WWE, or ROH if it makes it to the next level...there is nothing I enjoy more than professional wrestling, and I plan to stick with this business as long as I live.

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey: What do you have to say to anyone reading this?

Ref Garry: Visit my HORRIBLE website http://refgarry.2ya.com, feel free to IM me on the AOL IM thingy at RefGarry, whatever you want! Thanks for reading, God Bless, and support your indies!

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey: Thanks Ref Garry for this interview!