19 Facts About Count Grog

Count Grog was the founder and longtime manager of the "heel" stable "The Brotherhood".

Count Grog has been called the "least employee friendly boss around" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated for allegedly frequently turning against his own wrestlers.

Count Grog's publications covered not only mainstream wrestling, then the "Big Three", but covered the leading independents throughout the country.

Count Grog worked for Pittsburgh promoter Gene Dargen during this period, with duties such as putting up posters and calling in radio shows, where he befriended fellow fans Ken Jugan and Mark Curtis.

Count Grog later claimed that he had grown frustrated with the industry at the time, working indy shows in Ohio and West Virginia for little to no pay, describing one incident in which he drove 200 miles to work a show and was stiffed by the promoter.

Count Grog left refereeing soon afterwards to go back to managing.

Count Grog made his first appearance as "Count Grog", a Transylvanian nobleman modeled after Count Dracula, on August 19,1994, at a show for Atlantic Championship Wrestling in Carolina Beach, North Carolina.

Count Grog eventually left CCWA with his first protege, the Intruder, to start Southern Championship Wrestling in November 1994.

Count Grog was by voted by fans as "Manager of the Year" in SCW and Southern States Wrestling in 1997, and in 1999 by Norm Kietzer's The Wrestling News magazine for the North Carolina independents.

Count Grog took part in wrestling matches on occasion though this was usually for comic effect.

Count Grog managed many of these younger stars in his own promotion, most notably, when Shane Helms defeated Otto Schwanz for the SCW title on November 29,1999, in Raleigh.

Count Grog made his final appearance as "Count Grog" on November 18,2001, successfully defending the Brass Knuckles title against Duke Richards, Rico Rage, Hashim Ali, and Trailer Park Heat at Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Count Grog continued managing the Brotherhood up until the promotion's close two years later.

On May 7,2005, "Count Grog" returned for a special one-night appearance for the Mark Curtis Memorial Show in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Count Grog discussed the promotion's history, the general state in independent wrestling, and running interpromotional events with other local North Carolina organizations.

Count Grog has been a regular performer at Deaf Wrestlefest, an annual benefit show for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, managing Lou Marconi, Frank Staletto, and JJ Dillon against Dominic DeNucci, Cody Michaels, and Shane Douglas with Missy Hyatt, Marconi and Staletto against David Sammartino and Larry Zbyszko, and Staletto against Patrick Hayes.

Count Grog was one of the first promoters to create an official website for the promotion as early as 2000, and contributed to Pro Wrestling Torch.

Count Grog went as far as to reference "smart marks" while traveling the independent circuit.

Count Grog was critical of flame wars which occurred on internet forums between independent workers and fans, and strictly prohibited SCW wrestlers from participating.