"Small Town Tradition, Big Time Atmosphere: Richlands vs. Tazewell

  Tazewell County. For nearly 90 years now, this county has seen its share of history. There have been two World Wars, The Great Depression, a Coal Mining Boom and subsequent crash, all the way into today's economic recession and the mulitple conflicts ongoing overseas. A constant source of pride, a reason for looking forward to the next year eminates from two small towns only separated by a 12 mile stretch of Route 19-460.

Tazewell vs. Richlands. Bulldogs vs Tornado. Forget what you thought about Graham vs. Bluefield, the Tazewell-Richlands rivalry digs deeper than a city, county, or state line. From the very first year of existence for either team, it has been a game of one-upsmanship. Following a release that Richlands would be fielding a football team for the first time in 1926, Tazewell launched a pre-emptive strike to field a team nearly instantly, one which went on to defeat Richlands in the very first meeting of the two rivals the very next year. Richlands was never at a loss for returning the favor as over the next three quarters of a century the rivalry has been nearly evenly balanced.

In the upcoming documentary titled "Small Town Tradition, Big Time Atmosphere: Richlands vs. Tazewell" by Aaron Smeltzer and Billy Bowling, the curtains are drawn back on this rivalry that has spanned many a Tazewell County residents' lifetime, and give you a glimpse of what many of the young men, coaches, fans, and historians saw and felt and are stll feeling as a part of such a long standing and bitter rivalry.


Teaser trailer #01
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvL-T43d4lk

Teaser trailer #02
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW310p_LqI4

Teaser trailer #03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vplL3JEq_GM

Teaser trailer #04
http://youtu.be/pjB7J3AYyJI

All future updates can be seen on the youtube channel, subscribe and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TazCountyFootball/videos


If you have any questions please send them my way.

E-mail: aaron.smeltzer@hotmail.com
E-mail 2: TazewellCountyFootballProject@gmail.com

Taking a stroll through Heaven

Tonight at church was glorious as it always is. But GOD you were showing off your glory tonight. Seeing the Refuge Youth Band with their Praise and Worship along with Paul and Josh's testimony and truthful word was tremendous. It may not have blessed anyone else but it surely blessed me.

Mini-testimony. I don't know why but I feel the Holy spirit on me tonight along with my sweet grandmothers memory. My grandmother always told me that I'd be a man of GOD one day and I'd often say "I hope to be but I think you're wrong." Oh Glory! If it wasn't for my grandmothers prayers and unwavering faith along with my Mothers prayers as well as Nate Thomas I would have been found dead in a ditch near the end of 2006 from alcohol poisioning. GOD knew all along I just had to make that final choice to reach out grab my Savior, my Lord and allow him to take control of my life that was spiraling out of control. I stand, actually sit, before this computer screen before my savior, a GOD fearing, obedient GODly man or at least I honestly try to be. I hope my work pleases you Lord.

"Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."--Philippians 2:8

As I sit here tonight I miss my grandmother, day by day, hour upon hour. I weep for her presence, her hug and her smile. Oh man, that sweet, sweet smile she had. Here's to you Mamaw!

Joey Morton: "The Hardest Working Man in the World" is here!

 I have been a fan of Joey's for quite some time now. He is also one of the few people I consider a friend from my time in the independent wrestling scene. On a brighter note, I am so excited to bring the first volume of the Joey Morton collection to DVD.


The reasoning behind the DVD title, Joey Morton "The Hardest Working Man in the World is simple, I thought it fit Joey's wrestling career. I've seen enough of Joey's passion and love for the business to know and understand that he is the Hardest Working Man in the World.

Volume 1 is spectacular with a wide variety of match-ups from Morton's career. Various opponents from different promotions. From his battles with Jensei Ronin in APW out of Oak Hill, WV. Straight to his match with a young Kid Apollo to his epic battle with "ECW"s, Chris Hamrick.

Here is the match card for Volume 1.

1. Joey Morton & Scotty McKeever vs. Richie Action & Ricky Morton (APW: 6/20/00)
 2. Joey Morton vs. Tommy Orion vs. Jensei Ronin (APW: 7/25/00)
 3. vs. Chris Hamrick (Oak Hill, WV) (APW: 9/26/00)
 4. vs. Jensei Ronin (Oak Hill, WV) (APW: 10/10/00) (APW Cruiserweight Title Match)
 5. vs. Kid Apollo (APW: 10/24/00)
 6. Joey Morton & Marti Gras vs. Shawn Adams & Richie Action (APW: 11/28/00)
 7. Joey Morton & Jack Miller vs. WV Wrecking Crew (Oak Hill, WV) (APW: 12/5/00)
 8. Joey Morton & Jack Miller vs. Urban Death Squad (Oak Hill, WV) (APW: 12/
 26/00)

I have provided a graphic of the DVD menu, a DVD cover preview as well as a highlight video showcasing the action from Volume 1 of this tremendous set.

 

 

Joey Morton HWMITW Rough Draft 01 from Aaron Smeltzer on Vimeo.

There will be at least 4 more volumes depending on the footage, that myself gather and the footage that Joey has/gets. There may be more than 5 volumes total, I'm hoping for the footage to come and to be able to put it together in even more volumes than the 5. But 5 at the least.

Look for the FIRST EVER Joey Morton Official shoot interview coming to DVD soon. Stay tuned for that!

Ordering information$15 for the Complete DVD with DVD cover art.
     $10 for just the DVD, no cover art.



You can order by money order and paypal (wwemobilefan@hotmail.com).



To order, shoot me a Facebook message and or e-mail to aaron.smeltzer@hotmail.com.


If you have questions, please let me know.
Any and all feedback is encouraged!


Thank you for supporting this project and all the future projects to come,
Aaron Smeltzer
"Smeltzer Photography"

I'll talk to you this way....

It is 2:36 in the morning and I thought I would talk to you this way.
Technology has changed so much, can you get a twitter account from Heaven?
I heard Haunted Heart on the radio today, it was nice to hear and flashback to childhood.
I've tried to do all the things you've told me to do
Take care of Mom, put the bottle down and talk sweetly to women.
Mom is well, 5 years sober and you should see my wife, you would love her.

I've moved out of Tazewell, not much there anymore, never has been really.
You always knew that my personality would take me far away.
I am proud of how I make a living and I am proud of who I have become.
I pray often that you see who I am now.
I feel great although it seems I've aged 20 years in 5.
I finally forgave Papaw.
No kids for me yet but maybe someday.
GOD has been first in my life for quite some time now,
you already knew that though.

I miss you but these are tears of joy. The memories, positive always outweigh the negative.


P.S. Praise the Lord..... :)

Be strong and courageous........

I don't know who reads these blogs but I do know that GOD and my Mom read them and that is all that matters.

Back to what is on my mind,

"I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not." 
  -From the song "Father and Son" by Cat Stevens


I received a phone call earlier tonight from a young man that I am extremely close to, I wasn't able to take the call as I was not home. It hurt to know that I missed his call, the thought of him needing me and I wasn't there, hurt me.

It got me to thinking about the times when I want to be a Dad and even a father. All of the other times I could care less. I love kids, not in a weird way, but they are incredible. The wife and I are very blessed to have so many wonderful kids/young adults in our life. From Kaige and Harper all the way to the older young adults in the Sweetly Broken Youth group, we are blessed. We know in our life we are called to be youth leaders, we just know it.

The strong relationship that I have with a select few kids is special to me, I'm not any of these kids Dad or father but I love them as if they were my kids. My stepfather Bill, the man who is my Dad, my father, came into my life when I was 13, almost 14 years old. He is the man that I state as my Father, not "this is my step dad Bill", simply this is my Dad and that's that. He was the man and still is the only man to ever truly love my mom. He is my Dad.

The man I aspire to be is a GODly man, a man of GOD. Yes, when I see my brother in law with his son or when I see my brother and sister in law with their little girl or one of my co-workers talks about his children with such joy and happiness in his eyes it makes me want to have a baby with Tiffany. Then I see some kids out and about and I thank GOD that I'm not their Dad. It may sound selfish to some but I pray for GOD's will in my life and if GOD's will is for us to have a child then so be it.

However, I am thankful for the true bond that I have with Josh and Colton. Yes, I have a great relationship with the other kids, boys and girls but we have a bond of a Father/son without actually being related. Of course, they have their own Dad's/Fathers and I understand that. But just like a proud parent I pray for them to continue to seek GOD, seek out his will and to be happy and successful so much more than I am. That is the point I believe. I've planted the seed that will hopefully one day grown inside of them for them to be Men of GOD not just young men. I often think that they will grow up and forget about me, that hurts, it truly does. I want to be a Dad but I don't want to at the same. It's confusing in my head, I ALWAYS go to GOD when I have doubt, in the end it will all work out. I have to be strong in my faith and courageous in my passion for GOD's will.


Maybe I should have been home and answered the phone call then I wouldn't have been thinking so much and I wouldn't be writing this blog when I should be in bed.

Either way, Thank you GOD for all of you blessings and all of those that you have placed in my path. Let my light shine so that they see you and not me. Never me, just you Lord!

"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in."     
            --Proverbs 3:11-12

Love,
Aaron

The inside is sometimes the outside

I've been a photojournalist for long enough to know that you can't take things personal in the business of News gathering. For the most part I don't, I have a GOD that guides my path, a wife that I love with all of my heart and a job that I love. Beyond that I try, really hard to leave my job at work. In some ways I've become jaded to the different scenes that I see with my eyes and those that I see through the viewfinder of my camera.

Jaded in the fact that most things don't bother me anymore while I'm in the moment of doing my job. I ask for prayer over all situations while I'm going to and coming from a story. In short, my faith doesn't cloud my judgment, my faith gives me the grace and peace to get through all of the things that I see.

This past week I was privy to a story, not one that I covered directly, that got to me. It was of a man who had been murdered, decapitated and several of his limbs and hands/feet cut off. The parts of his body were placed not too far from where his torso was found.

I hate to say it but this normally wouldn't affect me but it did. On Saturday the authorities apprehended a suspect and arrested him on the brutal and heinous acts that were perpetrated on the the victim.

The victim as well as the alledged suspect are both homeless men. I overheard some people state, in short, "Both of them are homeless, why do we care?".

Well, that hurt and I took it personal. Not as a photojournalist but as a human being and a man of faith. It has stayed on my mind, the murder, both men and even the statement about them both being homeless. They were both human beings neither deserving what has happened to them, good people/bad choices scenario. I'm sure I'll get over it as that it is what I am "trained" to do. But my prayers are with both the victim's family and the accused suspect.

In the end, what I see through my camera's viewfinder is in black and white but more times than not real life isn't the same way. Real life sometimes needs some color to get the whole picture.

--Aaron

East Kentucky Blu...

I love real country music. Hank, Cash, Waylon, Conway, Whitley, heck even Eric Church and Jamey Johnson.

I recently was linked and told to watch a video on youtube by my friend, Chris Holbrook (Chris Holbrook). Normally I don't go to links unless they are recommended by someone's opinion that I trust.


The video that Chris sent me was of a singer in a Boston RedSox hat, automatically I hated it. Go Dodgers! Then the artist started singing, in tune mind you and I was hooked. The artist is Jonathan Estep and the song is East Kentucky Blu Video.

The song is written from the perspective of growing up in Eastern Kentucky, not becoming what you dislike most about your hometown but later on wishing you could go back. Now I did not grow up in KY much less on the eastern portion but this song that Jonthan was singing made me wish I did.

The lyrics are bold and deep. Working in coalmines, fishing on the river and seeing the ghost of your father, those are memories and times made for a country song. The chorus is epic and it will having you listening to it over and over.

Jonathan's voice is smooth. His twang isn't annoying, it is just right. I love it.  After you watch and listen to East Kentucky Blu 10 or 12 times. Be sure to check out Jonathan's other music as well.

Thanks for the music Jonathan!