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http://kayfabememories.com/Stories/mickkarch/mk16.htm

Back in the days when I was doing the ring announcing for the AWA on
ESPN, one of the producers for their TV was a guy by the name of Mike
Shields. I should start out by saying that I don't know what happened
to him after the AWA's demise, nor do I care. He didn't particularly
care for me from the outset, and by the time I left the AWA in 1988,
the feeling was quite mutual.

One particular evening while we were doing one of those marathon TV
tapings at the Showboat in Vegas, there were two incidents that so
completely "endeared" Mike Shields to my heart. I relate them here not
to "bury" Mike Shields, but to lend just a bit of insight into my
dealings with him.

Now and then, the AWA would have me sit in with Rod Trongard and do
color commentary in addition to my duties as ring announcer. I forget
which of her "stable" of wrestlers was working this particular match,
but Madusa Miceli was outside the ring managing. At one point in the
match, she was doing something particularly heinous and I commented,
"look at Madusa...look at what she's doing! Get her out of there."
What I didn't realize was that the camera had not yet turned to Madusa
and was focused elsewhere.

My fault for jumping the gun? Director's fault for not calling for the
switch to "camera 2"? Debatable. I guess maybe it was my fault because
I was a relative novice back then, I was excited to be doing the
color, and I forgot the golden rule of wrestling announcing: "If it
isn't on the TV monitor yet, it hasn't happened." In either case, as I
am in mid-sentence, Shields' voice comes blaring through my headset.
"You stupid S.O.B., you dumb a$$!! Do you see Madusa on camera??? Are
you watching??? Shut your mouth until we get the shot!!! You idiot!!"
These compassionate words are being spewed into my ear as I am trying
to call a match. Needless to say, I was thrown just a wee bit off.

It wasn't over yet. Later on that evening, still a bit rattled over
the electronic tongue lashing, I got into the ring to introduce a
match which featured Art Washington, a jobber billed out of Newark,
New Jersey. With the cameras rolling, I told the national TV audience
to "get ready for more great AWA action," and introduced Washington.
The problem was that I stumbled over "New Jersey." The intro went
something like, "from Newark, New Jooz...New Juhz.....New Jersey!" The
audience chuckled a bit as humiliation set in.

After the taping, I approached my "pal," Mike Shields.
"Mike," I said.
"I really botched that Art Washington introduction. I tripped all over
"New Jersey." Can we cut that out of the tape? It was pretty
embarrassing." Much to my surprise, Shields agreed to edit out the
blunder and leave it on the proverbial "cutting room floor."

The next Saturday back in Minneapolis, I settled in to watch the show
we had taped. Wonder of wonders, there I was on the TV screen, bigger
than life, tux, bow tie, the whole nine yards...Showboat Hotel and
Casino, Las Vegas.....as I spoke the words that rattled a nation:

"From Newark, New Jooz...New Juhz....New Jersey...."

Mike Shields, if you're still around, I can't begin to tell you how
much I miss working with you.


--- Internet Rex 2.29