Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

Years ago, the Brian Pillman Memorial Show was an annual event to honor the late Brian Pillman and to raise money for the widow Pillman and their children. There was a 'meet and greet' with the wrestlers, followed by a full evening of great matches. JayHawk Evans and I made the trek to Cincinnati to attend the show.
William Regal had finished with his photo-op session, but several fans remained. Regal didn't walk away. Instead, he walked over to us and posed for pictures with anyone who wanted one. That was going above and beyond.
Regal has had an interesting career. He has battled his demons (on and off) and seemingly has overcome them. He has won a bunch of titles, but unfortunately never a world championship in a major organization. Still, he has had a long and successful career and he still is capable of producing excellent matches, great mic work and entertaining skits.

JayHawk Evans and William Regal in Cincinnati, OH-May 2001.

Kevin Martin was not a Stiff

I haven't featured many basketball players here, because I haven't met a lot of basketball players.  I don't know why, but basketball players don't do a lot of autograph appearances.  I know there are less players per team (and therefore there should be proportionately less than baseball or football), but even that doesn't explain the few player appearances.
When I was recently in Houston, I Happened to run into "Kevin Martin".  I found him to be quite a cut-up (or was that cut-out?).  Hey, at least he smiled for the picture, unlike some celebs, whom I have met.
Martin is listed at 6'7" and that is pretty accurate.  I was amazed at how thin he is.  At 185 pounds, he is 5 pounds lighter than me.  It must be working, because he is averaging 17.7 points per game for his career.

Kevin Martin and me in Houston, TX-December 2010.

Killer Carvelli Framed Roger Rabbit II

When I met Charles Fleischer a few years ago, I thought he was very quiet and oddly funny.  Meeting him again last year, I found him about the same.
I complimented Fleischer on his lengthy career and all of the great voice over work he has done.  I also mentioned enjoying his character, Killer Carvelli, on tv's Welcome Back Kotter.  Unlike a few other actors, Fleischer seemed to like the fact that I recalled one of his semi-obscure roles.
Careers like Fleischer has had really interest me.  He certainly isn't as recognizable as many other actors.  He has had a lengthy and varied career, too.  It's an interesting mix and I think Fleischer is an interesting guy.  I just wish I was able to talk to him a bit more.  Oh well, maybe the third time will be the charm.

Charles Fleischer, me and Cuzz in Novi, MI-May 2010.

Celeb Rookie Cards #37 Denise Richards & Shania Twain

I joined the world of virtual card creations through my Celebrity Rookie Cards.  The concept is easy.  Find a celeb wearing a jersey.  Create what would be the rookie card for that celeb based on actual card designs.  Feel free to submit your own creation or just follow along.

Only XX days until pitchers and catchers report.  Today's Celebrity Rookie Cards are meant to ease the pain of a woeful winter by the Cubs and to bring better thoughts as we head into the season.
Born in Downers Grove (IL) just outside of Chicago, Denise Richards has had an excellent career.  Richards earned a Celeb Rookie Card and my high praise by wearing a Cubs jersey in public.  Could she be heading to or from a Cubs game, since I see another Cubs jersey in the background?

In a bit of 1994 Topps symmetry, Shania Twain makes her first Celeb Rookie Card appearance.  While she probably tossed the first pitch and later sang the 7th inning stretch, I thought the photo looked like she could be stretching for a throw at first base.  Okay, she's no Mark Grace, but she's in better shape.

Ted DiBiase Did Not Put Me to Sleep

Ted DiBiase is the adopted son of Iron Mike DiBiase, a professional wrestler who died in the ring while Ted was a youngster.  His mother suffered from depression and Ted lived with his grandparents.  He earned a football scholarship to West Texas State University, but dropped out to become a professional wrestler.
DiBiase had a long and successful career, winning many tiles, including the Million Dollar Belt, a "title" made just for his character, the Million Dollar Man.  He never quite made it to the top, but he came pretty close for a number of years.  The WWE did recognize his achievements by putting him in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.
When I met DiBiase at Wizard World, he was sharing a booth with Virgil, who was partnered with DiBiase for lengthy stretches during their careers.  I asked DiBiase to put me in the Million Dollar Dream, his version of the sleeper hold.  He asked me how tight I wanted it.  He slapped it on pretty good and Virgil kept yelling to pull it tighter.  (I think Virgil was just upset that I really didn't include him in the picture.)
This is one of those holds that can be legit.  Of course, in the ring, I know it isn't really putting the opponent into dreamland, but it could.  DiBiase didn't even give me his best and I felt how deadly it could be.
This  opportunity allowed me tio make up for one of the few misses from my time at the Wrestle Reunion in 2005.  I took a picture with DiBiase, but it didn't come out.  I mentioned this to DiBiase and he commented on how much for that event was.
DiBiase was a fun guy.  I think he is a guy who deserved more than he got in wrestling.  Hopefully his son Ted Jr. will climb to even higher heights.

Ted DiBiase and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2010.

Vince Papale Joins the Jay Leno Club

Vince Papale has accomplished a lot in his life.  He caught the first pass in the history of the World Football League.  He tried out for and made the Philadelphia Eagles at the age of 30, thus becoming the oldest non-kicker rookie in the history of the NFL.  He was named special teams captain.  He was the subject of the movie Invincible.  Perhaps most importantly, he is a cancer survivor.  Papale added one more line to his impressive resume on January 18, 2011.
Papale asked me if anyone ever mentioned that I look like Jay Leno.  With that simple question, Papale joined the very exclusive Jay Leno Club, which is comprised of various celebrities who have mentioned my alleged resemblance to Jay Leno.  The Jay Leno Club now stands at nine members, including Patrick Warburton and wrestling personalities Evil Zebra, King Kong Bundy, the Iron Sheik, Larry Zbyszko, Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs and Terri Runnels.
Who knows when and where another celebrity will make question me about my Jay Leno resemblance?  When it happens, I will be sure to induct that celebrity into the club and report it right here!

1976 Topps Traded #661 Rick Stelmaszek

I am "borrowing" intellectual property from several bloggers for this piece.  I first was inspired to create virtual cards after seeing  the outstanding card creations from bloggers including Cards That Never Were (at White Sox Cards), Chachi Cards (at The Phillies Room), random card creations and corrections (at Wrigley Wax), Final Tribute cards (at Garvey, Cey, Russell and Lopes) and random stuff (at Punk Rock Paint).
Over the past couple of years, Matt R. has done an incredible job exploring the 1976 Topps set through his site Project Baseball 1976.  Matt has already gone through the regular set and is now about midway through the "traded" set.  It's not Matt's fault, but one card is missing, a card that never was.  Of course, I am talking about Rick Stelmaszek's 1976 traded card.
Stelmaszek spent the 1975 season playing for Wichita, the Cubs AAA ninor league team.  On January 23, 1976, 25 years ago last Sunday, Stelmaszek was traded to the New York Yankees for Jerry Pirtle (who finally made it to the majors with Montreal in 1978).
In 1976, Stelmaszek played for the Syracuse Chiefs, the Yankees AAA team.  He was unable to beat out Elrod Hendricks and Fran Healy as Thurman Munson's backups and was never promoted to the major league roster.  By 1977, Stelmaszek was with Tucson via an unknown transaction.
While Stelmaszek never officially played for the Yankees nor was he featured on a regular Topps 1976 card, I decided to make a traded card for him.  It's my blog and my insanity.  Besides, I blame Steve, Matt, Jim, Paul...

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebs.

Sal is a fellow Aquarian, blogging, hockey fan from Chicago.  Actually, Sal runs several interesting sites, but more on that later.  Today, I am featuring Sal's friendly encounter at the Blackhawks Training Camp Fest in 2010.
Sal met quite a few former and current Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup, too!  His reports can be found on Puck Junk.  There are also quite a few great pictures there.  It looks like Sal had a great time.
As I mentioned, Sal does a few sites.  Along with Puck Junk, Sal also does Sal's Hockey Autographs and his own portfolio site.
He also creates virtual hockey cards on Sal's Custom Hockey Cards.  This site is full of great cards that Sal created for various reasons.  Some cards are for friends.  Some serve to give a player a card that was missed by the card companies of the time.  Others are fun cards created for fictional characters, like the Youngblood cards pictured on the right side.  Peter Zezel, Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze are given cards based on their roles in Youngblood.  Awesome!
I appreciate Sal sharing his stuff here.  I really enjoy his work on all of his sites.  I am sure if you check them out, you'll enjoy them as much as I do.

Eric Daze in Chicago, IL-Fall 2010.

Vince Papale Loves Johngy's Beat

Vince Papale was the Guest Speaker at the recent Global Traveler Awards event.  Papale was the NFL's oldest (non-kicker) rookie and the subject of the movie Invincible, which starred Mark Wahlberg.
Papale never played football in college, but was a great athlete.  In his late 20's, he tried out and made the Philadelphia Bell of the now-defunct World Football League.  After about a year and a half, shortly after the WFL folded, Papale got a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles and made the team.  He became a special teams standout and played for 3 seasons.
After his speech, Papale mingled with everyone at the GT event.  He really was a great guy.  Before the evening ended, he took a moment to send a shout out to Johngy's Beat.

Celeb Rookie Cards #36 Duff Goldman & Bobby Jenks

Celebrity Rookie Cards are my attempt to join the world of virtual card creations.  I find pictures of celebrities in sports jerseys and put them on the card design which would be their (old school) rookie card.

Duff Goldman makes his second appearance in a hockey jersey.   This time, Duff dropped a level to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.  As fans of Duff and his Charmed City Cakes show know, he is often seen in hockey jerseys.  Therefore, we might be seeing Duff on future Celebrity Rookie Cards.

Representing the city where he has been a star pitcher for years, Bobby Jenks donned the Chicago Wolves jersey.  Coincidentally, the Wolves are AHL rivals to the previously mentioned Griffins.  In a pregame ceremony, Jenks dropped the ceremonial first puck (as opposed to tossing it at 95 mph).

Sybil Danning Did Not Scold Me

Sybil Danning has made a nice career out of starring in B movies.  She debuted in the late sixties, but took a nearly 20 year hiatus starting in the late eighties.  Recently, she has made a bit of a comeback.
Danning is probably the first celebrity I have ever seen yell at a fan at a convention.  Someone was trying to take her picture without buying any of her autographed items.  She scolded him and demanded he stopped.  The fan had already snapped his picture, but he did apologize.  Still, he didn't buy anything and he had gotten what he wanted.
I have since seen a handful of celebrities get upset at fans for various "infractions", including Ed Byrnes, Adam West and Cathy St. George (but more on this in a future post involving her and my friend Chuck).  I am kind of on the fence about this issue.  I can understand a celebrity not wanting to give away stuff, but these pictures are usually not great anyway, as they aren't posed.  I could understand a celeb being upset if someone tried snapping several shots.  It's a tough call, but either way, there has to be a better way than loudly scolding the fan.

Sybil Danning and me in Rosemont, IL-Late 1990's.

The Iron Sheik Finds a New Friend

Hossein Vaziri was born in Tehran, Iran.  He competed in Greco-Roman wrestling for Iran in the 1968 Olympic games and was a bodyguard for the Shah.  He came to the United States and twice was an assistant coach for the US Olympic wrestling team.
Vaziri gained fame when he entered the world of pro wrestling adopting the ring name of The Iron Sheik.  As the Iron Sheik, he won the WWF World Heavyweight title and the WWF tag team tile once each.
I have met the Iron Sheik several times and he is part of the Jay Leno Club.  He always has something fun to say, but at Wizard World last year, I saw a whole new side o him.
I went with my buddy Hassan, who is Iranian.  Hass mentioned this fact to the Iron Sheik and talked to him a bit in his native tongue.  The Sheik's face lit up and enjoyed a several minute conversation with Hass.  It was a lot of fun to witness.
The next day when I saw the Sheik again, he asked about Hass and seemed disappointed that his new friend would not be there that day.  I told him that I would bring Hass to the next show when the Sheik was back in town.  Then I called Hass and told him he had to come the next time.  Maybe if the Sheik is at the Motor City Comic Con, I can persuade Hass to take that trek with me.

Hass, the Iron Sheik and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2010.

Best-selling Author Mick Foley

There I am again with Mick Foley and I think Foley probably thinks "oh here he is again" every time he sees me. Actually, Foley has been great every time I have seen him.
Foley is a wrestler and an author, a New York Times best-selling author. That distinction isn't just for his autobiography either. Even his autobio isn't the average autobio. Foley wrote it himself. Eight hundred pages of longhand. Really.
His latest effort is Countdown to Lockdown, about his journey to a huge wrestling event in TNA wrestling.  We get inside Foley's mind as he prepares mentally and physically for this match.  Foley has promoted that book here, as well as promoting Johngy's Beat.
He also wrote Tietam Brown and Scooter, two intriguing works of fiction. Oh sure, sometimes they might have gone a bit over the top, but I found both to be completely engrossing.
Another cool thing about Foley is that you can talk to him about anything and get an interesting conversation. We have talked about literature, wrestling, world events, old tv shows and sports.

Mick Foley, JayHawk Evans and me in Rosemont, IL-2008.

Can You Really Blame Maryse?

Several wrestling sites are saying that Ted DiBiase's lack of a WWE push is because Maryse is not doing all that well as a valet.
They are saying that Maryse is more interested in making herself look good than being an "effective" valet.
One article even referenced Maryse as "the former glamour model"

????

Okay... Maryse IS a a former glamour model and a former Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada.
But you have to remember that she is also a former WWE Divas Champion.
Two times actually.

I never thought I would be defending Maryse's wrestling skills (okay, actually I'm still not), but would the WWE take John Cena and make him Edge's valet and expect him to go at it heart and soul?

I know the Women's Belts mean next to nothing to Vince and his crew, but taking a former champion and making a them a valet makes the title (and the wrestlers) look weak.
Remember K-Fed pinning Cena?
That STILL makes me mad to this day.

Remember when women started OUT as valets and worked up to being wrestlers?

Yes we know the Divas are just Eye Candy to the WWE story writers.
Fortunately that's not the case in TNA (okay...not as much so) and thank God the Indys still hold the female wrestlers in high regard.
Lucha Libre and Joshi treat their female wrestlers better than that.

So yeah, maybe Maryse IS slacking off as a valet.

Can you blame her?

To paraphrase Bret Hart....

"Who are you to doubt Maryse?






Can You Really Blame Maryse? posted to http://beautiful-wrestling.blogspot.com/ on January 19th, 2011

Greetings From New York

Today I am in New York for the annual Global Traveler awards and anniversary event.  Last year, I walked aware with some unexpected hardware in the form of the Globility Award.  This year, I'll be on stage as the Globility Award is presented to this year's recipient.
Global Traveler has come a long way since its debut in February of 2004.  This has been the dream of longtime friend and GT Publisher Fran Gallagher and I have been fortunate enough to be along for the ride from the beginning and it has been quite a ride. 
Hopefully, I'll have a few stories to share when I return.  Unfortunately, they probably won't be as entertaining as me ripping my pants, winning the Globility Award, tripping as I climbed the stage and having actor-award presenter Terrence Howard save me from falling off the stage.

The GT staff at the Andaz in New York, NY-January 2010.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

My nephew Matt is probably the most ardent pursuer of Friendly Encounters opportunities.  Some day, I will do a statistical breakdown of FE participants.  Matt has even gotten his girlfriend Erin involved in this quest on several occasions.
Today, I am featuring a picture they sent from the Thanksgiving Day parade.  I can't believe they met Johnny Depp.  I have followed Depp since his days on 21 Jump Street (before Matt or Erin were even born).
Fortunately for the young couple, Depp was in his Pirates role and not his earlier role as Edward Scissorhands.  That could have been a bit dicey.

Erin Galligan, "Johnny Depp" and Matt Parker in IL-December 2010.

Revisiting the Losers

The Losers were my intramural high school basketball team.  We had a lot of fun, but not much success, going a crispy 1-6.  We didn't score a lot (nor did we stop our opponents from scoring a lot), but that just made Jim Fisher's job easier.
Jim was our designated scorekeeper and probably our biggest fan.  I believe I invited him to join our team, but he declined, instead offering to keep score.  That was great, since we couldn't spare any of our players to perform that duty.  We needed every reasonably able body on the court.
I lost all contact with Jim shortly after graduation.  I'd love to know what the mighty Fish is doing.  Hopefully, he is well and enjoying life.  Jim was one of the good guys.

Jim Fisher (in black Losers shirt) in Mount Carmel gym in Chicago, IL-Spring 1983.

Celeb Rookie Cards #35 Garth Brooks & Danny Glover

They aren't perfect, but hopefully they are getting better and are enjoyable.  In either case, they are Celebrity Rookie Cards, my attempt to join the world of virtual card creations.

We're going West coast baseball today with Garth Brooks leading off.  Brooks actually played in some Spring Training games for the San Diego Padres, the KC Royals and the New York Mets.  His time with he Padres produced his first rbi and also his Celebrity Rookie Card.

In Angels in the Outfield, Danny Glover plays the manager of the California Angels.  I looked for a photo of him in an Angels jersey, but came up with one in a Giants jersey instead.  I put the veteran actor at catcher, because he seems like he'd have a strong arm and good leadership qualities.  Plus, I think he could have beaten out the competition (namely Mike Sadek, Dennis Littlejohn, Bob Kearney, Marc Hill and John Tamargo, who hit a combined .207).  I think Glover's card would fit in nicely with the 1980 set.

Hanging With Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Knight

The last time I met Christopher Knight, he was with two of his Brady siblings and cousin Oliver.  This time, he was with his wife, Adrianne Curry.  The couple met on tv's The Surreal Life and later starred together on My Fair Brady.

Curry donned a new costume for each day of the convention, almost blending in with the convention attendees.  Curry also seemed just as interested in the rest of the events as she did in their booth.  I'm not knocking her, because she was completely friendly and funny when she was meeting fans (even when they were more specifically Knight's fans).  I'm just saying she seemed like she was having a great time at the convention.

For the wrestling fans, Knight lost his only pro wrestling match to Danny Bonaduce in a dark match (non-televised) for WCW in 1994.

Chris Knight, me and Adrianne Curry in Rosemont, IL-August 2010

Happy Birthday Scott

Where to begin with my brother-in-law Scott Parker.  I have known him for about 28 years.  Over those years, he has been a mentor, a friend and a brother to me.
He's also been a frequent betting opponent of mine.  Who knows how many bets we have made over the years.  I do know that after years of being his whipping dog, I finally started to actually win some over the last couple of years.
I want to take this time to publicly thank Scott for everything.  From the 1995 fishing trip with his friends which brought me out of a deep funk, to the recent Houston trip which included one of the most exciting Texans game ever...we have had some great times. 
I am glad you are part of my family (or maybe I am part of yours).  I hope you have a great birthday and a fantastic year.  I also hope I win at least 51% of all bets we make in 2011.
Happy birthday Scott!

Matt Parker, me and Scott Parker in Houston, TX-December 2010.

Micky Dolenz Without the Monkees

I freely admit that I like the Monkees.  Okay, so they weren't the Beatles or the Stones.  They were a band put together for a tv show, but I think they grew into quite a good band.  You could even say that their tv show had the earliest musical videos.

Ironically, it was a music video channel that reignited MonkeeMania.  Years after they had gone their separate ways, MTV made the Monkees popular again by airing a Monkees Marathon.  Since then, the Monkees have continued to perform on and off in various combinations of the original four.

I had the pleasure of meeting Micky Dolenz for the second time last August.  Both times, Dolenz was very nice, polite and easy-going, but he wasn't nearly as crazy as I thought he would be.

I know the character of Micky on the tv show was just that, a character, but I have seen Dolenz in plenty of interviews and other tv shows and he always comes off as goofy, funny, silly etc.  I haven't met that guy yet though.I have no complaints about Dolenz though.  It was still a thrill to meet one of my earliest musical favorites.

Micky Dolenz and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2010.

A Belated Happy Birthday to Dave Blais

I missed it.  I completely missed giving my brother-in-law Dave Blais his moment to shine on this site.  Dave's birthday was December 18 and I had a post scheduled and somehow it never ran.  Apparently there was a time conflict with another post and Dave's lost the battle.  Then I forgot until it was too late.
In an effort to rectify the situation and give Dave his due, I decided to run this now on 1/11/11. On the bright side, with his birthday and holidays long gone, this gives him reason to celebrate one more time.  Whoop it up, big man!
Dave is a great guy and we have had a lot of good times over the years.  I will always cherish the family Vegas trip (although what happened in Vegas stays in Vegas).
Most importantly, Dave is a great sport.  One innocent comment about a juice box has lead to years of torturing by me and others, including imitations, jokes and funny pictures.  (Yes, the family is that petty).  To his credit, Dave takes it all in good humor.
Technically, it isn't your birthday today, Dave, but act like it is and tell them Johngy said it was okay (yes, Johngy's Beat does have that much power).  Most of all know that I appreciate you being a brother-in-law and a friend.

Dave Blais in Mokena, IL-December 2010.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

This is a very special Friendly Encounter.  To be honest, I never even knew Griffin Bohan, today's friend.  I wish I did though.  He was a great kid.
I first heard of Griffin through a report by NBC 5's Paula Faris.  Griffin was a beautiful 6 year old boy who had a rare brain tumor.  One of Griffin's wishes was to meet a player from the Blackhawks.
Jake Dowell of the Blackhawks granted Griffin's wish by visiting him in his home.  The Bohan family also went to a Hawks game and met up with Dowell again.
Little Griffin lost his battle on January 1, 2011.  He went much too soon and endured much too much.  He was a happy and brave child right to the end.

If you would like to help the Bohan family:
For Cards
The Bohan family
PO Box 3073
Greenwood Village, CO 80155

For Donations (payable to "Friends For Griffin")
North Shore Community Bank & Trust
4343 West Peterson
Chicago, IL 60646

Griffin Bohan (in stroller), Jake Dowell (in suit) and the rest of the Bohan family in Chicago, IL-December 2010.

John Wroblewski & John Wroblewski

About 10 years ago, I heard of a hockey player at Notre Dame who had my name.  John Wroblewski had a solid career at Notre Dame and went on to play four seasons for the Fresno Falcons in the ECHL.
A few years ago, I discovered that he had a bobblehead.  I contacted the Fresno Falcons and was able to get one, despite the fact that the promotion was long over.  The Falcons staffer also got John to sign a Falcons puck.  This was very cool of them to do both for me.
John has gone on to coach for Team USA and is now an assistant coach with the Wheeling Nailers.
I just missed interviewing John when he was in the Chicago area with Team USA.  My goal now is to eventually interview him somewhere down the line.  My press credentials might not carry national weight, but I will use the George Costanza line..."I don't need an in.  I have the same name."

Celeb Rookie Cards #34 Kevin Connolly & Justin Timberlake

They aren't perfect, but hopefully they are getting better and are enjoyable.  In either case, they are Celebrity Rookie Cards, my attempt to join the world of virtual card creations.

Kevin Connolly was born on Long Island (NY).  His first film major was in Rocky V, but he is probably best known for playing Eric on tv's Entourage.  Connolly has stayed true to his roots by being an avid fan of the New York Islanders.  He even attended the 2010 NHL draft and announced the Islanders' pick in the first round.  He has also dropped the ceremonial first puck at a game.  This is where he wore the Islanders jersey that landed him on a Celebrity Rookie Card.

Justin Timberlake has come a long way from his time in 'N Sync.  He has developed into a fine actor, while maturing as a singer, too.  In The Love Guru, Timberlake plays Jacques Grande, a goaltender with the Los Angeles Kings.  He might be sporting a different look, but it's good enough to earn him a Celeb Rookie Card.

Angie...A-a-a-ngie

Angie Everhart is a former fashion model. I am not sure if Fred Norris would call her a Super Model, but she was billed as one at Wizard World 2010 in Rosemont (IL). I really wouldn't argue either way. Everhart has also done some acting, although she hasn't had any memorable parts really.
Over the last few years, Everhart has appeared on various reality tv shows. I really can't argue against that either. As much as I hate reality tv, I'd probably be on a show in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Actually, a handful of people know my idea for a reality show (and are probably sick of hearing about it).
I talked to Everhart about her riding accident which broke her back at age 19. Coming back from that is the most impressive thing she has done, in my opinion.

Angie Everhart and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2010.

David Flair:The Real Little Naitch

I have previously written about meeting Ric Flair, arguably the greatest wrestler of his era.  Meeting Ric was like meeting Babe Ruth, well maybe more like meeting Mickey Mantle, but you get the picture.

Ric's oldest son David followed him into the squared circle.  While David has experienced some success, he does not appear to be on the same path to greatness as his father.  So maybe I should have gone with a Pete Rose analogy.

Anyway, I met David in 2001 at the Pillman Memorial Event in Cincinnati (OH).  David had finished his match and was heading out of the dressing room probably heading for an exit.  I ran into him and asked for a photo.  I have to admit, I was a bit embarrassed.  Every other fan was of the female gender, but I asked anyway.  He was pretty cool and we even joked about it.

Within reason, I try not to let things like that stop me.  Long after the specifics of the situation are forgotten, the picture remains.  Now I have Ric's picture, too
Maybe eventually I will meet Reid Flair, Ric's other son.  It's too soon to see what Reid's wrestling future holds.  For the sake of this piece, that's fine, because I'd have to change the Pete Rose analogy.

 

David Flair and me in Cincinnati, OH-May 2001.

Everyone Loves Big Money

I know the family and friends love him.  I know he is mildly famous within certain circles.  I just never knew the overall impact my nephew Matt (aka Big Money) has.
There is no longer a doubt, however.  It's right there on tape, featuring none other than Flo, the spokesperson for Progressive Insurance.  Flo is one of the most popular spokespeople ever and there she is cheering for my nephew.
How does he do it?  How did this happen?  How can I use it all to benefit me?  Oh I mean, how can I help Big Money gain more exposure?
The answer is simple.  I will put the video of Flo cheering for my nephew right here, on Johngy's Beat!  (Special note to Flo-If you read this, I would kill for you to do a video promo for my site).

On the Beat with David Schuster

On the Beat, David Schuster of WSCR in Chicago has been covering sports for about 30 years.  Recently, Schuster was at a basketball game between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals, but he wasn't covering the game...he was playing in it as a member of the Generals.  You can read Schuster's account of his experience on the Score's website. I can't imagine how cool it would be to play against the Globetrotters.  I grew up watching Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal, Marques Haynes and the rest play their brand of basketball on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
I emailed Schuster, expressing an interesting in learning more about his experience.  He graciously answered my questions.

Q-Did you win and do you know your stats line?
DS-The Generals almost pulled the upset as the final score was 90-85 and I was reminded that the last time the Generals won was 1971.  Of course, the whole thing is stages, but at least the score was close at the end.  I was in the game for all of about 90 seconds and tried a couple of their 4 point shots (missing both barely) from about 35 feet, but I was fouled going to the hoop and sank one of the two free throws...and then I was yanked.

Q-Did you have any goals going into the event?
DS-No individual goals.  I had no idea how this would play out and the only thing I was worried about was that I would be the one who they pulled the shorts down from so I wore three pairs. Fortunately they didn't do it to me.

Q-Did you prepare in any way?
DS-Again, no preparation or instruction, which sort of surprised me.  They just let  me shoot a few times and that was it.

Q-Did you sign any autographs or ask for any?
DS-Didn't sign any autographs either.  I highly doubt anyone would have wanted mine and to be honest, I had to scurry out of there because I was doing a late night talk show and had to get downtown quick so as not to be late for that.

Q-Was the experience as cool as it would seem?
DS-It definitely was cool and I will remember it forever (plus I got to keep the uniform).  I just wish I would have done a bit more in my short stint on the court, but I will admit I was a bit nervous and kept thinking that they were going to pull some of their normal tricks on me (which they didn't).

Schuster is one of the best and nicest in the business and I really appreciate his time and consideration in answering my questions.

Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

I first came across Natalie Platt while researching an online piece for Global Traveler.  When we last saw Platt, she was pictured with Boston Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky.  Today, I am featuring Platt with her friends and Miss A-Miracle, the mascot of the Ft. Myers Miracle.  I am hoping this look at summer baseball in Florida will make me feel a bit warmer as winter settles into Chicago.
Platt was an intern for the Miracle, a minor league team owned by Mike Veeck.  Platt also wrote a very interesting blog.  I believe it has undergone a few name changes, but was last called West Palm Beach Twentysomething.  It appears that it hasn't been updated in a couple months.  I really hope Platt brings it back to life at some point.  She had a fresh voice and produced some insightful pieces.
In the meantime, I will sit back and enjoy the photo below.  It screams summertime fun.  Right now, I am screaming for anything summer-related!

Natalie Platt (third from the right), her friends and Miss A-Miracle in Ft. Myers, FL-Mid 2000's.

Bear Down Sunday #16

The Chicago Bears are playing a meaningless game today.  That isn't so unusual.  The unusual part is that at 11-4, they have already clinched the #2 spot in the playoff seeding.  On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers need the win.  To celebrate this unusual situation, I am featuring an unusual former player for the Green Bay Packers.
Despite being pictured in Steelers garb, Lex Luger actually was a member of the Green Bay Packers.  Larry Pfohl (as he was then known) played in the CFL before joining the Packers.  Although he spent the entire season on the Injured Reserve list, Pfohl was officially a member of the Green and Gold.
Luger went on to have an excellent career in pro wrestling, winning two major world titles and several lesser titles during his lengthy career.
Luger has gone through his share of problems, but he was extremely nice when I met him several years ago.  After talking to him for several minutes, I got a picture with him.  Unfortunately, the picture turned out poorly (pre-digital camera).  The next day, I asked him for another and he remembered me and quickly agreed to take another picture.
Win or lose today, the Bears are in the playoffs.  Hopefully, like Luger, they willwin the world championship!

 Lex Luger and me in St. Pete, FL-January 2005.

Awesome Kong in the WWE

Awesome Kong in the WWE?
The mind reels at the concept.
Did Vince have a psychotic break?
Kong looks nothing like his WWE Diva designs.
Kia Stevens stands five foot nine and weighs 272 pounds.
That's more than the combined weight of the Bella Twins!
And Kong can wrestle!
She's worked for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, AWA Superstars of Wrestling, GAEA Japan, NEO Ladies Pro Wrestling and of course TNA.
So what is Vince thinking?

Will she come in as a heel or face?
Could she start up by crushing Natalya and Beth?
Or go after Lay-Cool?
(That would be pretty much like the Kong/Beautiful People storyline)
What about her old sparring partner Gail Kim?
Could we have power versus power with Beth and Kong?
(Beth is five foot six, 150 pounds)

To say the least, I'm interested in where this is going.



Awesome Kong in the WWE, posted to http://beautiful-wrestling.blogspot.com/ on January 2nd, 2010

Interviews 2010

We had a very productive year in 2010.  We were able to get a bunch of great interviews.  Below is the complete listing for all posted video interviews.

We met Mick Kelleher, one of my childhood favorites, at CitiField.  Kelleher was very generous with his time and shared the story of his battle with Dave Kingman, among other topics.  To watch the Kelleher interview, click here.

We talked to Yankees coach Tony Pena about travel and George Kontos (a local player in the Yankees system).  Like Kelleher, Pena also played in Chicago, but much later, briefer and on the south side.  To watch the Tony Pena video, click here.

We interviewed The Ghoul at the Motor City Comic Con in Novi (MI).  The Ghoul spoke about his favorite movies and how he still has fun and still is popular after so long in the business.  To watch the Ghoul interview, click here.

I had a lengthy conversation with former NHL goalie Dave Dryden.  Dryden discussed his career and SCAW (Sleeping Children Around the World), a foundation founded by his parents.  To watch the Dryden video, click here.

I chatted briefly with pitcher Andrew Cashner as he headed into the dugout before a game at Wrigley Field.  Cashner talked about his favorite city.  To watch the Cashner video, click here.

I talked to Cubs coach Matt Sinatro during warmups before a game at Wrigley Field.  Aside from joking that I didn't even know him (although I totally did), Sinatro talked about his favorite cities.  To watch the Sinatro video, click here.

After waiting for local reporter Paula Faris interview Tyler Colvin, I turned the tables on her, by interviewing her.  To watch the Faris video, click here.

Good timing allowed me to be at the park the day after Piniella announced he would not return in 2011.  I was part of a gaggle of reporters who got to interview Cubs coach and possible successor Alan Trammell.  To see part of that experience, click here.

We lucked out by almost accidentally interviewing pitching legend and Twins broadcaster Jack Morris in the press box at Target Field.  Morris talked about his favorite cities.  To watch the Morris interview, click here.

We talked to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire in the dugout while rain washed out batting practice.  Gardenhire talked about his favorite cities and hotels, including one with a pool table in his room.  To watch the Gardenhire video, click here.

After our dugout interview, we were invited into Gardenhire's office for the usual pre-game press session.  Gardenhire talked about the weather and a couple of injured Twins.  To watch the Gardenhire office video, click here.

After years of talking to longtime friend and Twins coach Rick Stelmaszek, I officially talked to him in the Twins dugout.  Stelmaszek discussed his favorite cities, his longevity and the playoff hopes of the Twins.  To watch the Stelmaszek video, click here.

It's always extra special to interview a player like Jim Thome.  The former White Sox slugger talked to us in the Twins dugout.  To watch the Thome video, click here.

Chuck landed an interview with White Sox pitcher Sergio Santos.  They talked about some great travel destinations.  To watch the Santos interview, click here.

We had a great interview with Tony Oliva, but unfortunately camera problems eliminated the actual interview.  Oliva talked fondly of old ballparks and old times, but also spoke highly of Target Field.  The interview was great and the man was truly special.  To read more about the Oliva interview, click here.

I caught Twins pitcher Matt Guerrier as he headed into the dugout.  Guerrier talked about travel and the Twins.  To watch the Guerrier interview, click here.

We might have infringed a bit on a segment for an official mlb production, but we did manage to get a quick few thoughts from Twins slugger Michael Cuddyer.  To watch the Cuddyer video, click here.

Before a game at Minute Maid Park, I caught Jeff Bagwell as he waited for his Astros to get in the batting area.  Bagwell talked about being back and about travel.  To watch the Bagwell video, click here.

My nephew Matt got in the act by getting his first interview with Michael Bourn.  Bourn initially said he needed to take batting practice, but he did come back to Matt and talked about travel.  To watch the Bourn video, click here.

I managed to get Mets manager Jerry Manuel as he headed to the batting area.  Manuel talked about his favorite city.  To watch the Manuel video, click here.

I talked to Astros manager Brad Mills as he headed back into the dugout.  Mills talked about his favorite city.  To watch the Mills video, click here.

Matt crossed the field to get Mets outfielder Jeff Francouer.  Francouer talked about his favorite city.  To watch the Francouer video, click here.

  

After Matt spotted him, I interview former Astros pitcher Jim Deshaies.  We talked about his favorite cities and his Hall of Fame vote.  To watch the Deshaies video, click here.

I talked to Mets coach Razor Shines after he had met a bunch of fans.  Shines talked fondly of his time playing in Montreal and his time coaching for the White Sox.  To watch the Shines interview, click here.

Matt finished his interview trifecta with Mets infielder Michael Hessman.  Hessman talked about travel.  To watch the Hessman video, click here.

After an earlier camera botch ruined an interview with Jamie Quirk at Wrigley Field, I got him in Minute Maid Park.  We talked about travel.  To watch the Quirk video, click here.

For the third straight year, we talked to wrestling personality Christy Hemme.  Hemme updated us on her new marriage, her band (Hemme) and her favorite travel spots.  To watch the Hemme interview, click here.

After missing her in 2009, we once again interviewed Beth Horn.  Horn talked to us about her acting career, American Gladiators and her favorite travel locations.  To watch the Horn interview, click here.

Diamond Dallas Page briefly talked to us to promote Johngy's Beat and his own site.  DDP gave a summary of his site and his workout program.  To watch the DDP video, click here.

We talked to wrestling legend and author Mick Foley at Wizard World in Chicago.  Foley raved about Johngy's Beat and promoted his book Countdown to Lockdown.  To watch the Foley video, click here.