Alex Marvez: Norman Smiley's smiling in the WWE

Norman Smiley was committed to returning to school in 2008.He just never thought it would be as a teacher rather than student.With his 22-year pro wrestling career winding down, Smiley had started making other plans for the future. He began taking classes at a community college and working at Walfab, a South Florida textile store owned by friend Rick Donoff.Smiley hoped to obtain his associate's degree in physical therapy while also taking independent wrestling bookings. That strategy changed when Smiley received the chance to pursue a lifelong dream.Smiley, 43, was recently hired as an instructor for World Wrestling Entertainment's new Tampa, Fla.-based developmental territory. Smiley now guides trainees at Florida Championship Wrestling along with such storied veterans as Dusty Rhodes, Dr. Tom Pritchard, Steve Keirn and Billy Kidman."If you're a football player, you want to play in the NFL. It's like that in pro wrestling with WWE," Smiley said in a telephone interview. "You want to work for the best. I've been waiting for this chance since I was 20 years old."Coincidentally, it was the training that Smiley originally received in the Tampa area that has made him a valuable asset to WWE management.His biggest U.S. wrestling success came as comedy character "Screaming" Norman Smiley in World Championship Wrestling. Smiley's trademarks were shrieking when hit by weapons during hardcore matches and his funky "Big Wiggle" dance.Smiley never had the chance to showcase the technical and mixed martial arts skills he gleaned from the late Boris Malenko (real name Larry Simon) and Karl Gotch. Smiley also has experience with different grappling styles from having worked extensively in Mexico and Japan."I think my strength lies in polishing the guys and showing how to apply the holds in the correct manner," Smiley said. "(WWE owner) Vince McMahon wants everything in the ring to look more legitimate. They want tighter punches, more submission holds and things that will make the matches appear more like a fight."Smiley has fought to get into WWE since WCW folded in 2001. He wrestled numerous tryout matches and had strong internal support from long-time friends like Rey Mysterio and MVP, who worked with Smiley on the South Florida independent circuit as Antonio Banks.Smiley, though, inexplicably couldn't catch a break."Even my mother has told me how strange it is that WWE wouldn't hire me to wrestle but to teach their guys," a laughing Smiley said. "But regardless of how you cut it, I have a job there and who knows what could happen."Smiley said he is drawing inspiration from David "Fit" Finlay. Seriously injured during an in-ring accident, Finlay resumed his wrestling career in 2005 after spending several years as a WWE trainer.Smiley would welcome the chance to do the same, especially if it led to the fulfillment of his ultimate wrestling goal: Performing at Wrestlemania."I'm not going to say I can be a (Dave) Batista or "Stone Cold" (Steve Austin)," Smiley said. "But there's no doubt in my mind I could be an asset for this company (as a wrestler)." X...X...X:After nine years on the same network, WWE's final Smackdown show on CW airs this week. Smackdown will keep its regular 8 p.m. Friday time slot when debuting October 3 on MyNetwork TV. That show is headlined by the champions from all three WWE brands - Paul "Triple H" Levesque (Smackdown), Chris Jericho (Monday Night Raw) and Matt Hardy (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - competing in a three-way match. (Italics) Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service (close italics).