Wrestlecade 2025 Graphing Recap

Last weekend, Wrestlecade was back in Winston-Salem; an annual wrestling convention that Chris and I had attended once before (last year).  We looked forward to it all year, and this iteration didn't disappoint.   I went to the convention with a plan to get Ron Simmons to sign an 8 x 10 photo from last year.  I also bought some cards of a few other wrestlers to get signed at the show.

I got Simmons quickly after we arrived (after getting Tito Santana and Big Show on a couple cards below).  I was only going to get Simmons and move along, but he kept calling me by my name and talked me into paying for another photo op (this time with Bradshaw) and getting a dual auto on another 8 x 10.  Let's face it, he could have talked me into buying a car while I was there. 

The photo op turned out great, and both guys were awesome.  Ron Simmins is such a cool guy.

Backing up a bit, my big planned meeting and greet was with Big Show.  I always enjoyed watching Show wrestle, so when I saw he was going to be there, I sprung for a card that I thought looked cool for him to sign.  The card turned out great (below).

He was really nice, as well.

Here are the cards I got signed.  I didn't get a photo of Santana, but he was very friendly.  He was the first person we met, and his line had only one person ahead of us.

Matt Cardona was really cool.  He greeted us as we walked by his table.  I went back a few minutes later and paid the money for him to sign his card he had on display.  

We were really glad to see Diego Hill again.  He's a local wrestler, who seems to have a very bright future.  He is always cool to us, so I gave him some money for another autograph, to throw him some support.  Once he masters cutting a promo, he likely will make it to the higher level wrestling companies. 

Nikita Koloff is a guy I watched as a kid.  I saw he was going to be at the show, so I bought an old wrestling card of him and got it signed.  He was awesome.  I told him he scared the hell out of me when I was little.  He told me he considered that the best honor he could receive from a fan.

Teddy Long was super cool.  Chris wanted to meet him, so I made the payment for the auto/photo op combo.  He got an 8.5 x 11 photo signed, and Long threw in a card for free.  I got to keep the card.  He asked Chris about his grades and said he needs to keep them up or he "...will go one on one with the Undertaker".  Chris was excited that Long dropped one of his catch phrases on him. 

Finally, we got a photo with Nic Nemeth, otherwise known as Dolph Ziggler.  We told Ziggler the story of three-year old Chris singing along with Ziggler's theme song, except he got the lyrics wrong, singing "I'm here to smell the world, I'm here to smell the world" (instead of "I'm here to show the world...).  Oh, little Chris.  He had a couple of those that he botched as a kid.  Ziggler thought it was hilarious. We had just mentioned it right before the photo.

Chris and I had a blast at the show.  In all, I got the following autographs: Big Show x 1, Matt Cardona x 1, Diego Hill x 1, Nikita Koloff x 1, Teddy Long x 1, Tito Santana x 1, Ron Simmons x 2, JBL x 1 and Butterbean x 1 (10 total autographs).

TTM Success - Larry Zbyszko

This is a Topps Chrome wrestling card of WWE Hall of Famer Larry Zbyszko that I picked up at the National, then sent out TTM for him to sign.  The autograph turned out great.

Zbyszko (b. 1951) wrestled from 1971 to 2015 after cutting his amateur wrestling career at Penn State short.  He was trained by Bruno Sammartino and would go on to be one of Sammartino's chief rivals in the late 70s.  He is a two-time World Champion, having won the AWA World Championship twice.  He would marry the daughter of AWA promoter, Verne Gagne.  He was elected to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.

I mailed to Zbyszko on August 19 and got the card back on August 29 for a 10-day TAT. 

March 29, 2025, AML Wrestling Event

Over the last several months, I've really enjoyed checking out independent wrestling in the area.  Jesse and his grandpa introduced me to a local wrestling organization ran out of Kinston back in October.  Then, Chris and I checked out Wrestlecade in Winston-Salem in November.  We all have realized that these are fun shows, and have been following some of the wrestlers we have seen in each organization.  A few of them have wrestled in both.

At the end of March, Chris, Jesse and I talked my younger brother Andy and his wife Cam into checking for out AML Wrestling's show in Lexington, NC.  AML are the folks who put on Wrestlecade. 

The main event of the show was the culmination of George South's 40+ year career with his first shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship "10 pounds of gold".  We.met South prior to the event at the meet and greet. He is such a cool guy.  I paid $20 for four autographed cards.  He signed the cards, then gave Chris a wrestling photo book and gave Jesse and I each a Bible. 

His entrance to the match was excellent.  He normally comes out to Journey's Don't Stop Believing.  When the music hit, baby face (good guy) wrestlers from the organization lined up along the entrance way, and his family made their way to the ring.  South wasn't there.  Journey stopped and Welcome to the Jungle from Guns N Roses hit, and South made his entrance.  Hell yeah.  They introduced each of South's family, including a grandson who looked to be 3 or 4 years old.  He was decked out in wrestling gear, and cried when he was led out of the ring.  I guess he wanted to make it a tag match or come flying off the top rope to help Grandpa out.  It was really sweet.

The match was great.  The NWA champ (Thom Latimer) made South, who is in his 60s, look like a million bucks in the ring.  South ended up losing, but it was a believable match, and we all had a good time.

One of the guys that I was introduced to at one of the Kinston shows (that promotion is called Extreme Shock Wrestling) is Diego Hill.  I have seen him at all but one of the se real shows I've seen over the last 6 months.  He is very talented, and looks to be on the brink of getting picked up by one of the majors promotions.  Jesse and I figure he will probably move up to TNA at some point, but man it would be cool to see him make it to WWE. 

Here's a short video clip of Diego hitting a move in a doors, ladders and chairs match.

We all had a great time at the show and plan to catch a few more.  It'll be tough during baseball season, but in the offseason, it definitely gave us some alternae entertainment options.

First Graphing of the Year - AML Rise to the Top

Say his name and he appears.  I believe in Joe Hendry.  I first discovered Joe Hendry in November at Wrestlecade.  I had wished that I knew then what I know now; I would have paid to meet Hendry then.  Luckily, Hendry was scheduled to appear at AL'S Rise to the Top in Winston-Salem this past Saturday.   My buddy, Jesse, told me about the event, but a last minute change kept Jesse from going.  Chris and I went to the show and had a blast.

Hendry did a VIP signing prior to the show, but it was sold out.  He stuck around after the show and signed autographs for the people who weren't able to get in on the VIP deal.  That was so great that he and the promoters made sure everyone got their autographs.  The price was reasonable also.

It was so cool to watch Hendry in person again.

He defended the TNA title at the show, as well.

The other matches were fun.  The whole show was solid, and the other wrestlers were worth seeing.  I will definitely go to AML's next show in Lexington, NC.  I have really enjoyed going to these lower tier wrestling promotions. 

TTM Success - Mike Rotunda

The next former wrestler that I got TTM was Mike Rotunda, also known as IRS.  I have plans to finish the above 1985 WWF dual card of Rotunda (called Rotundo on the card) and his brother in law, Barry Windham by getting Windham at GalaxyCon in March.

I also picked up this card showing him as IRS, which he inscribed with "pay up".

Rotunda (b. 1958) began wrestling in 1981 and retired in 2003. He is mainly known for his run with the WWF (WWE) as Irwin R Shyster.  He also wrestled in WCW as Michael Wallstreet.  He is the father of Bo Dallas and the late Bray Wyatt.  His father in law was Blackjack Mulligan.  He has held numerous tag team titles with former partners Windham and the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.

I mailed to Rotunda on February 12 and got the cards back on February 24, for a 12-day TAT. 

TTM Success - Cowboy Bob Orton

A couple weeks ago, I checked SCN to see who recent signers were for the non-sports/other category and came away with a few people to send to.  I jumped on Ebay and picked up some interesting cards.  One of the people I checked into was WWE Hall of Famer, Cowboy Bob Orton. 

Orton (b. 1950) is the son of former wrestler, Bob Orton, Sr. amd is the father of Randy Orton.  He began wrestling in 1972 in Florida.  He wrestled for numerous promotions across the country.  He spent time in the former WWF, where he was involved in the main event of the inaugural Wrestlemania.  He was in the corner of Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T.  

Orton was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and continues to wrestle sporadically. 

I mailed to Orton on February 12 and got the cards back on February 23, for an 11-day TAT. 

2021 National Signer - Ric Flair

When I saw that Ric Flair was added to the National signer roster at the last minute, I decided to go ahead and finish this card that I got signed by Arn Anderson earlier this year.  It wasn't that I HAD to finish the card, it was more of taking the time to meet Flair again after all these years, mainly because his health hasn't been the best lately.

He signed my card in gold paint pen, over the top of where Anderson signed.  Oops.  Still, the card is signed by the both of them, and I'm glad I got him to sign it.  It looks a lot better in person, with the gold reflecting light when held at certain angles.

Flair was really nice and had one of the longer lines that I saw at the show.  While in line for Flair, I was able to get a good shot of Hulk Hogan, who was at the table beside Flair.  I think Hogan had the longest line of anyone at this show.

I asked Flair how he was feeling and how his health was.  He said he was in good health, and feeling great.  He shook my hand after I asked him that, because I told him we had been worried about him last year.

Unfortunately, a couple days following the show, Flair was released from his contract with WWE.  I heard it was a mutual parting of ways, so it looks likely he will be joining AEW sometime soon.  That's just my guess.

Still, I was really happy to meet Flair for a third time.  I just wish they would have let me pose for a selfie.  I guess I should have paid extra for the professional photo op.

TTM Success - Jeff Hardy

Chris got another TTM success from a wrestler recently, and gave the duplicate to me.  This one is signed by former WWE Champion, Jeff Hardy.  It even came back with a note on the envelope that said "Please do not mail to my house anymore..."  Oops.  Sorry, Jeff.

Hardy (b. 1977) has wrestled since 1994, and made his WWE debut in 1998.  Prior to that, Hady and his brother, Matt, had started their own wrestling organization, Trampoline Wrestling Federation, and wrestled all over North Carolina.

He is a 2-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a WWE Champion, 5-time Intercontinental Champion, and 8-time Tag Team Champion in WWE (once Smackdown Tag Champ, once RAW Tag Champ and 6-times WWE Tag Champ; all with his brother, Matt).

Thanks, Chris, for giving me the duplicate card that you got signed.

TTM Success - Teddy Long

Chris sent off some TTMs recently, and one of the ones that he got back was former WWE personality, Teddy Long.  He sent to of the same card, and gave one of the duplicates to me, which was really nice.

Long (b. 1947) was a referee, manager and executive in numerous wrestling organizations since 1985.  He got his start in Jim Crockett Promotions and would then go on to work for WCW and WWE until his retirement.  He still appears sporadically on WWE programming and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2017.

I Met WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson

Some of my earliest memories are of watching wrestling at my cousin, Lynn's house when she used to come and pick me up on weekends when I was 3 or so.  I remember Ric Flair, of course, who could miss him?  I also remember seeing Arn Anderson.

I have seen some wrestlers pop up here and there as special signing guests at the Raleigh card show, and sometimes I put some money down so my son, Chris, could meet them, but when I saw Arn Anderson's name pop up, I decided I was going to make sure I got in as well.

I look back fondly on my time at Lynn's house on those weekends.  That was my thing.  Especially since my family was so large, her place, and those weekends were for me.  That feeling of nostalgia is something I will always have when I watch wrestling.  I've had people pick on me for watching it.  I ignore it.  I take breaks from watching it from time to time, but I always find myself checking back in.  Just recently, Chris has gotten back into it, and I have followed suit.  I usually sit there and have to ask him "Now, ok, who's this asshole?" and he will tell me.  It's kind of cool that I can pass that feeling on to him.

Anderson (b. 1958) is now affiliated in the AEW wrestling organization as a manager, but is more widely known for his time in WWE/WWF, WCW, Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, NWA and others.  He has held countless titles since his career began in 1982, but he will always be associated with Ric Flair.  Flair, Anderson, his "uncle" (in storyline only) Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard would form one of the all-time greatest wrestling stables, the Four Horsemen.  He would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen in 2012.

Anderson was super nice when we met him at the show today.  He asked if Chris and I watched AEW, which we haven't, yet.  I plan on tuning in, and I was so happy I was able to get to Raleigh today to meet him.

TTM Success - Jack Swagger

Chris had a hand in sending this TTM off, but he and I benefited from a return from former WWE superstar, Jack Swagger.  Chris had 4 cards of Swagger, and we split them when they came back signed.  These were the two he gave me from the return.

Swagger (real name, Jake Hager; b. 1982) has wrestled professionally since 2006.  He is a former WWE World Champion and ECW Champion.  He left WWE in 2017 to pursue a career in mixed martial arts, where he is now 2-0.  He signed with AEW in 2019.

We mailed to Swagger on April 22 and got the cards back on May 8, for a 16-day TAT.

TTM Success - Tully Blanchard

I added another signed wrestling card to my collection with this TTM success from Tully Blanchard.  I remember watching Blanchard on Friday nights at my cousin Lynn's house when I was little.  She would come and pick me up and have me stay the weekend with her.  I always enjoyed watching Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling at her house.  That was where I learned about wrestling legends Magnum TA, Blanchard, and the great Ric Flair.

Blanchard (b. 1954) began wrestling professionally 1975.  He wrestled for his father's Southwest Championship Wrestling before joining Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in 1984.  He is most widely known as a member of the Four Horsemen stable of wrestlers alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Ole Anderson (and other iterations of the Horsemen after Ole Anderson was forced out of the group).  Blanchard held titles such as NWA National Heavyweight Champion, NWA US Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Tag Team Champion and WWF World Tag Team Champion.  He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Four Horsemen in 2012.

I mailed to Blanchard on April 18 and got the card back on May 8, for a 20-day TAT.

TTM Success - Terry Funk

I've gotten thousands of signed cards back from folks over the years, but this might have been one of the coolest returns that I have ever gotten, and it was all because I didn't have any cards of my own for former wrestler, Terry Funk.

Chris had gone through his box of wrestling cards and found a Terry Funk card.  He asked me to check and see if Funk signed TTM.  He did, and I decided that I wanted to send something for myself.  I knew I was going to include a 1987 Topps checklist, since I wanted to get one of those signed by him and into my 87 album.  I also had seen the above "steel chair" card in Chris's box, which he told me that I could have.  So, I included it in the TTM request to Funk (I also put in Chris's original card, which Funk signed and went in Chris's album).

I got the steel chair card back that Funk drew a self portrait on.  It looks really awesome, and I was really amazed that he took the time to draw on my card.  It will look awesome in my album.

He signed the back of the 87 Topps checklist, which works out, since I can show both the fronts and backs of the checklists in my album.  I've had a couple folks sign some on the front, and a couple sign the backs, so if someone it flipping through my album, they can see what both sides look like inked up.

Funk (b. 1944) began wrestling in 1965 and has wrestled all over the globe in many national wrestling promotions, most notably, WWE, WCW and ECW.  In the latter part of his career, Funk became known for more of a hardcore style of wrestling (the use of weapons, etc, which makes the steel chair card really cool).

Funk won the NWA Heavyweight Championship in 1975 by defeating Jack Brisco and later lost the title to Harley Race.  He wrestled in WWF in the mid-80s, appearing with his brother Dory Funk, Jr. as a tag team at Wrestlemaina 2.

Funk fought in a "King of the Death Match" tournament in Japan in 1995, losing in the finals to an "up and coming" hardcore wrestler named Cactus Jack (more people know him as Mick Foley, or Mankind).

Funk has held numerous wrestling titles and has been inducted into many wrestling halls of fame, including the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 along with his brother, Dory, Jr.

In 1989, Funk appeared as a bouncer in the movie, Roadhouse, alongside Patrick Swayze.  He also choreographed the street fight scene between Rocky and Tommy Gunn in Rocky V.

I mailed to Funk on April 18 and got the cards back on April 29, for an 11-day TAT.

TTM Success - Bob Backlund

Again, I set out to get some non-baseball cards into my autograph album, and succeeded (and with a 1987 Topps design, no less) when I got this card signed by former WWE Champion, Bob Backlund.

Backlund (b. 1949) wrestled professionally from 1973 until his retirement in 2018.  He won the WWE (then WWF) Championship in 1978 by defeating Superstar Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden.  Backlund would go on to lose his title to the Iron Sheik (who would then lose to one, Hulk Hogan) in 1983.

Backlund would appear on WWE TV for the next few decades.  Backlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

I mailed to Backlund on November 4 and got the card back on January 9, for a 66-day TAT.

TTM Success - Jesse The Body Ventura

This was another card that I picked up from COMC recently. I saw that Jesse Ventura signed TTM, so I had to send to him. I was so excited to get this back!

Ventura (b. 1951) was the 38th governor of the State of Minnesota. Before that, he was a professional wrestler and actor.

He wrestled from 1974 to 1994 and also was a popular manager and commentator. He appeared in popular movies like Predator and The Running Man.  He surprised the nation when he won the election to become Governor of Minnesota in 1999 and he served until 2003.

I mailed to Ventura on November 4 and got the card back on November 18, for a 14-day TAT.

TTM Success - Bret "The Hitman" Hart

Sometimes, I get TTM success from folks other than baseball players.  This one, in particular, I was really excited about, because it was from one of my favorite wrestlers growing up.  I saw the Bret Hart was signing TTM, so I picked up these cards out of a quarter box at a card show in January.  I, then, researched how I could send to Canada, and get the return mail back.  It took buying Canadian stamps online and having them sent to me (thanks, Google), and I was all ready to get them mailed out.

I'm really happy with the cards I sent, and how they turned out.  The card at the top of the page is a bit rougher, but I remembered that set from when I was a kid, and wanted it in my album.

Hart (b. 1957) is a member of the legendary Hart Family of wrestling.  Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Harts have been a fixture in Canadian wrestling for decades.  Patriarch, Stu Hart, ran Stampede Wrestling in Canada and showcased his sons (most notably, Bret and Owen), along with his sons-in-law, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and The British Bulldog, the Hart Family was a fixture in wrestling in the 80s ad 90s.

Bret made his wrestling debut in 1978 and retired in 2000.  His retirement was due to a concussion he received when he was mule-kicked in the head by Bill Goldberg in a WCW match.  In all, he was a World Champion (WCW and WWE) 9 times, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice (individually in 2006 and as a member of the Hart Foundation in 2019).

I mailed to Hart on March 25 and got the cards back on June 15, for an 82-day TAT.

Hidden in my Collection - Eddie Guerrero Autograph

Well, one plus that can be found in my plight of the missing Red Backs is that I'm bound to uncover some hidden gems in my collection and resurrect an old blog theme.  I'm not sure if any of you missed the feature, but it looks like I will be attempting to bring it back.  Who knows.  Anyway, while I was checking the drawers of my china cabinet, I came across this autograph that my good friend Mike picked up for me back in 2003.  Yeah, this isn't baseball related, but as many of you know, I really enjoy wrestling.

This autograph is of former WWE Champion and crowd favorite, Eddie Guerrero.  Guerrero (b. 1967 - d. 2005) was a member of the famous Guerrero wrestling family and gained fame while wrestling in Mexico and Japan before heading to the now defunct WCW.  He wrestled in WWE from 2000 until his death in 2005.  Guerrero was known as a villain, but his charisma and wrestling skills won him the respect of wrestling fans around the world.

He had battled addiction throughout the final years of his life, but toward the end, he cleaned himself up and became a born again Christian.  It appeared that he had turned his life around until his nephew Chavo Guerrero found him unresponsive in a Minneapolis Minnesota hotel room.  When paramedics arrived on the scene, he was pronounced dead.  I remember that as being one of the saddest days I had ever experienced as a wrestling fan.

I still watch the Youtube video from the next night's Monday Night Raw where WWE Superstars paid tribute to Guerrero with a 10-bell salute.  Here is the link to the tribute, in case anyone was curious.

Yeah, this post ended up being kind of a downer.  Sorry about that.  I thought it was really cool that I found this auto while I was looking for something I had misplaced.  I have kept this locked away in a drawer so it wouldn't get lost (and thankfully, it hasn't), but now that I look at it and I think about how much my friend Mike means to me (he had a birthday yesterday), I think I'm going to the store and am picking up a frame for it so I can hang it on the wall in the man cave.  This autograph deserves to be displayed proudly (away from sunlight, of course) and not locked away in a drawer so no one can see it, so now, it will no longer be 'Hidden in my Collection.'

Blogging On Location - Wrestlemania Axxess

I'm back with another Blog on Location. This time, we are in Atlanta for Wrestlemania 27. We paid for the 8AM - 12PM session of Wrestlemania Axxess. I couldn't get tickets for the VIP session because they had sold out, but we got general admission and still were able to meet a bunch of people.
Our first superstar signing was Great Khali and JTG. I had completely forgotten that JTG was still on the WWE roster (sorry man), but we were excited to meet Khali, who is considered an icon in India. His hands were freaking huge.

Vickie Guerrero immediate took to Chris when he walked up. She loved his smile and commented on how cute he was. I didn't know what to think of meeting her because she plays such a good 'heel' persona, but you could tell she was having a blast. She was very friendly, engaging, and we had a nice time talking with her. I gained a whole new respect for her, almost immediately.
LayCool (Michelle McCool and Layla) are probably my least favorite group right now in wrestling. However, when they saw Chris, they both fell in love with him too. They signed autographs for him and grabbed him to take a picture. They were really nice, also. I'm still going to boo them tomorrow, but I know that in person, they are nice people.
I've watched Kane on TV since 1998, so it was pretty cool to meet and speak with him. He said he was really tired from a long night before, so that's why he looks less than thrilled to be posing for pictures. Even though, Kane smiling would definitely be out of character for him.
It was really cool to meet Goldust. He plays a weirdo on tv, but was really cool in person. He made goofy noises to Christopher, and Chris was really excited to meet him.
Goldust also posed with me, which was cool. It was awesome to meet the 'Son of The Dream' (Dusty Rhodes is his dad).
My wife freaked out when she saw that we could meet William Regal. He has been her favorite since she started watching with me around 2000. She actually teared up a little cause she was so excited. I was happy to meet him too. I talked to him for a bit about how long I've been watching him, since 1998 when he was 'the Man's man - Steven Regal.' He told me that that was six weeks of his life that he wished he could have back.
We are hanging out in the hotel room now, and will go down to the lobby tonight for the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Hopefully we will bump into some more wrestlers tonight.

Got my Signed Jericho Book Today!

I posted yesterday that my friend Mike had gotten me a signed baseball during a book signing from none other than WWE Superstar Chris Jericho. Mike also was able to buy and have signed a copy of Jericho's new book: Undisputed - How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 easy steps. I had already read Jericho's first book: A Lion's Tale, Around the World in Spandex when it came out a couple years ago, so when I heard that he was writing another, I was really excited.
When Mike emailed me the pictures of how Jericho signed my book, I was even more excited. Whenever Jericho puts someone into any kind of submission hold, he screams ASK HIM to the referee, indicating that he wants the referee to ask if the other guy gives up. Simple enough. The way he does it, however, is just great wrestling, in my opinion. Jericho plays the role of smarmy bad guy so well, that he will yell ASK HIM ever if he has someone in a submission hold, and a match isn't taking place. It's just funny to me, what can I say. Love it, hate it or be indifferent, I don't care. I have been a fan of wrestling ever since my mom's cousin would pick me up on the weekends starting when I was 3 years old. She's drive me west on I-40, across the Yadkin River, to the trailer that she and my great-aunt shared and I would hang out with them, away from my brothers, you know, have the place to myself, without having to fight over toys, the TV, etc. My cousin and I would watch the old Mid Atlantic Championship (NWA) wrestling on Friday nights. I remember watching Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, etc back then. I've been a fan ever since. I understand that a lot of people don't understand wrestling (you know it's fake, don't you?) but that's fine. I enjoy it. I've defended my love for professional wrestling my entire life, so I don't have to go down that road again. I do know that the love runs deep in my family, my great grandfather on my dad's side was a big fan as well. My aunt likes to tell stories of Opa sitting on the couch watching a wrestling show and not saying a word. He'd get so mad at the bad guys, he would clench his fist tight; everyone would think he was having a heart attack.

Anyway, I'm really glad that my buddy Mike understands and shares in my love for this. In anything, it is always nice to be able to share your hobbies with others. That is, of course, why I have this blog.

I will be posting more on wrestling in a little less than a month. Look for my second 'Blog on Location.' COMING SOON!

In the Mail - Chris Jericho Signed Baseball

So, I have to preface this entry by explaining my relationship with the individual who made this entry possible. I have known my friend Mike for 17 years (ouch). We met at church camp (you read that right) after my 8th grade year and we hit it off. We kept in touch as pen pals in the years that followed. When I got an apartment to myself during college, Mike was wanting to move from Florida to North Carolina for a change of scenery. We talked about it briefly and decided that we'd give things a try as roommates. We lived together up to about a year before I got married, when he decided to move back to Florida.

It's never easy rooming with friends, so needless to say, our relationship has had its ups and downs. We have, however, been able to overcome any issues we may have and remain close to this day. I've been there when he has needed me and he has been available whenever I need his support. He'd probably jump in front of a train for me (it might not be a moving train, but it's the thought that counts).

One of the things he and I have in common is a shared love for Professional Wrestling. We would have Pay Per View parties every month whenever WWE PPVs were on TV. This is how I taught myself to make my awesome wings. Mike and I have a similar tase in the actual wrestlers we like as well. When Mike emailed me last month to tell me that he was going to meet WWE wrestler Chris Jericho at a book signing in Tampa, I was amazed. Mike said that if things went as he had planned, he would at least get me a copy of Jericho's book signed. I emailed him back to see if Mike would be willing to see if Jericho would be willing to sign a baseball as well (since it is obvious that I collect autographed baseballs). Mike said that he would give it a shot....


Behold, my Chris Jericho autographed baseball that came in the mail today. It looks GREAT! I'm really happy that Mike came though for me. He has come through in the past, landing autos from Big Show and Eddie Guerrero several years ago. Most WWE wrestlers choose the Tampa area to live, so he gets lucky in that he can catch a good many of them at various events. I can't say how appreciative I am that my buddy Mike hooked me up. Let's put it this way, I named my cat Jericho. He's definitely one of my favorite wrestlers of all time and I think it's great that I have his signature on a ball.

Thanks so much Mike! You're the man, and you know I appreciate it, for sure!!!!!