Marvez: Former referee adjusts to life away from WWE

A former World Wrestling Entertainment referee recently announced that he was diagnosed with a potentially incurable disease.
It's called OWD: obsessive wrestling disorder.
In a posting on his myspace.com page, Mike Posey wrote that his symptoms include the "inability to make wise financial decisions as well as sound judgments because of a need to fulfill one's own ego in professional wrestling and tendency to believe their own hype (even though there was no hype to begin with)."
"The condition is most prevalent in individuals who have (previously) performed at the highest level," he wrote. "Examples include those who have good job opportunities like myself outside the wrestling world but do not take them in fear they will not be able to perform on weekends in Podunk towns with numerous individuals that operate in their own little world of sports entertainment. Individuals with OWD try desperately to hang onto something and hope that one day they will get a 'call-back.' "
Posey admitted during a telephone interview that he isn't being completely tongue-in-cheek. Posey is still adjusting personally and professionally to being released by WWE in January after 2-1/2 years as a referee.
"You get so used to the lifestyle," said Posey, who has returned to work on the independent circuit with Georgia-based NWA Wildside. "I was on the road working every week from Friday to Wednesday. Once you're not doing that travel, you don't know what to do with yourself. Now that I can't do what I did anymore for whatever reasons, I kind of get depressed.
"I haven't had a normal job in four years. I don't know how to interact with 'normal people' now."
Posey's disappointment is understandable. Having bopped around TNA Wrestling and small Southeastern U.S. promotions since 2000, Posey got his big break six years later. He was promoted from a former WWE developmental territory (Deep South Wrestling) to officiate on Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Posey became the top referee on that offshoot WWE promotion and also orchestrated the in-ring action for the "Raw" and "Smackdown" brands. Plus, Posey served on WWE's ring construction crew.
Posey said his greatest -- albeit brief -- wrestling memory came in March 2008. Posey counted Chavo Guerrero's shoulders to the mat in his 11-second ECW title loss to Glenn "Kane" Jacobs at "Wrestlemania 24." The only "Wrestlemania" match that "officially" lasted less time was King King Bundy squashing the late S.D. "Special Delivery" Jones in nine seconds at "Wrestlemania II" in 1986.
"I can always say I refereed the second-shortest match in 'Wrestlemania' history," Posey said. "The thing is that I was working on the ring crew 80 percent of the time. Refereeing almost was extra. By the time 'Wrestlemania 23' came around and I was on it, I was burnt out. At ('Wrestlemania 24'), I made sure I was going to have fun and enjoy it more."
Posey was barely noticeable during the Kane-Guerrero mismatch, but that was by design. Posey said WWE stresses that its referees remain in the background while handling a litany of understated but no less important tasks. The official is expected to inconspicuously work around the wrestlers, convey time cues for match length and help communication between grapplers trying to signal upcoming moves. There is even more pressure during WWE telecasts with orders being barked by backstage producers through an earpiece worn by all referees.
"You have to make sure the guys know where they're at in a match while you're staying out of the way of camera shots," Posey said. "At the same time, you have to be aggressive physically (enforcing rules) and make sure you're not passive.
"Some (WWE referees) only want to know the finish of a match. I want to know everything so I know when to speak up and when to count."
Posey does find it a bit silly that WWE has stopped referring to its current officiating crew by name on telecasts even though some members like Charles Robinson, Scott Armstrong and Mike Chioda are well-known by fans for their outstanding work and previous acknowledgment.
"We're part of the show, too," Posey said. "You may as well give us a name instead of 'official.' I guess it's because (WWE) wants to keep all the focus on the two superstars in the ring. They're what draws the money and you've got to make sure they get all the attention. I kind of understand that."
Posey is also pragmatic about his WWE release. Posey realized his job was in jeopardy two months before his firing when WWE eliminated "brand-specific" referees in a cost-cutting measure and reduced his bookings.
Now working out of his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., Posey has tried to reinvent himself as both a wrestler and official. But at 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, Posey realizes the best chance of curing his OWD and landing back in the big time is by donning the striped shirt.
"I'd still like to referee in TNA, WWE or whatever else comes along," said Posey, 31. "I'm not the biggest guy, but I think I have enough personality to offer something in wrestling. I hope it happens."
For information on Posey or booking him for independent cards, e-mail Posey at mposey1078(at)yahoo.com or National Wrestling Alliance promoter Bill Behrens at showbis(at)aol.com.

(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps-Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com.)