During his Schmoedown career, Craig Gaynier, known as The Barbarian, competed in the singles, teams, and Innergeekdom divisions. Drafted by Tom Dagnino in the 2020 Schmoedown draft, he is a founding member of the Finstock Exchange. Here are his reflections on the show that we all love, in his own words.
Looking back on the Schmoedown, what is the most memorable moment that you were personally involved in?
The Jurassic Park Exhibition match of 2020. The match took place while my wife Sonya was in the hospital, fighting her aggressively advancing cancer. Prior to the match, Mark brought her on camera and did a very kind interview with her. I dedicated the match to her and played a completely perfect game to take home the win. Sonya lost her fight with cancer ten days later. Much more important than the match itself, I look back and am so grateful to have been able to have her on camera and introduce her to Schmoeville and the Schmoedown community.
What is the most memorable moment that you were not involved in?
Kevin Smets’ cancer announcement. The real-world implications transcended the show and the sport. It was terrifying, especially after having lost Sonya earlier in the year, but the way Kevin handled himself and the situation was an inspiration.
Which of your matches would you say is the best you played?
Oddly enough, it was the only Teams match I ever got to play, The Exclusives vs The System. We may not have won, but I played a completely perfect game. On top of that, Gold Leader and I had a fun, loose chemistry in the match that was really entertaining. It’s a shame there wasn’t time for us to get a second match, especially against a similar team of a Singles player paired with an IG or SW-only player.
Which match that didn’t involve you would you say is the best you ever saw?
Hands down, Kevin Smith vs. Chris Jericho. It brought the excitement that we all needed at that point in the 2020 summer. Jericho landing on Opponents Choice and being given the Kevin Smith category was the biggest of many highlights in the most competitive and entertaining match I can recall.
How would you describe the Schmoedown’s impact on you?
Too late in life, I realized that I wanted to be a professional wrestler. While I never expected that dream to come true, I got to spend two and a half years as a mental athlete and a larger-than-life character, which is as close to being a wrestler as I could ever hope to be.
What will you miss most about the Schmoedown?
The three C’s: Creativity, Competition, and Camaraderie.
The Barbarian can be found on Twitter @BarbarianCraig.
