I might be heading back to Vegas sooner than expected. My friend Andrew, might have scored us some tickets to the Floyd Mayweather VS Shane Mosley fight on May 1st.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Fight Night
I might be heading back to Vegas sooner than expected. My friend Andrew, might have scored us some tickets to the Floyd Mayweather VS Shane Mosley fight on May 1st.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Baseball
When we were in Phoenix a couple weeks ago we did more then just WrestleMania. We went to some Cactus League baseball games. The Cactus League is a collection of teams from the MLB whom make Phoenix their winter home. They get together and play preseason games to prepare for the regular season. Between Phoenix and Tucson, there are 12 stadiums for the different teams. The Phoenix metro area has 10 alone. This town is definitely a baseball town.
We had a couple friends come down with us on this trip. Brian and Rachel are some good friends and they both are, unfortunately, Cubs fans. But luckily for them, the Cubs call Mesa, Arizona their winter home. So logically we had to go see the Cubs play. We went to Hohokam Stadium to see the Cubs take on the Padres. The game was fun and ended in the 10th inning in a tie. We learned that day that they don't keep playing to win in just a practice game. The stadium was nice, but a bit older as our seats were just bleachers. The best part of the game was that there were MLB legends there signing autographs for charity. Among the ball players was Bill Buckner. For those who don't follow baseball, Mr. Buckner is a hero to all of us Mets fans, and was a villain in Boston, whom he played for, for quite sometime. But instead of me describing it, just watch this clip. So anyhow, I walked right up to Bill Buckner, I was dressed in my David Wright Mets jersey and asked for his autograph. The look on his face was worth the $20 alone.
The next game we made it to was a clash between the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jill selected this game as she grew up rooting for the Dodgers as her father is a die hard fan. The stadium was in a newer area of Phoenix called Goodyear. The stadium, Goodyear Park, is only a year old and is the joint home of the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. The stadium was much smaller then Hohokam, but was so much nicer. Every employee was beyond nice and really made you feel welcome there. One gentleman at the hotdog stand of all places asked if he could hear about how Jill and I found each other. He said he could really tell we loved each other. The weather was perfect that evening and made for a special night. There is just something about the smell of cut grass, warm evening weather, the sounds of the crowd, the crack of the baseball bat, and being with friends that is hard to describe. There is just something about baseball that makes me relaxed and happy. People who get baseball know what I mean.
Luckily for us, this summer we are going to LA to see my father in laws Los Angeles Dodgers take the field against my New York Mets. In the meantime you will probably find me on my nights off from work at Spring Mobil Ballpark, to watch my Salt Lake Bees, and to enjoy everything that makes baseball, baseball.
The next game we made it to was a clash between the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jill selected this game as she grew up rooting for the Dodgers as her father is a die hard fan. The stadium was in a newer area of Phoenix called Goodyear. The stadium, Goodyear Park, is only a year old and is the joint home of the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. The stadium was much smaller then Hohokam, but was so much nicer. Every employee was beyond nice and really made you feel welcome there. One gentleman at the hotdog stand of all places asked if he could hear about how Jill and I found each other. He said he could really tell we loved each other. The weather was perfect that evening and made for a special night. There is just something about the smell of cut grass, warm evening weather, the sounds of the crowd, the crack of the baseball bat, and being with friends that is hard to describe. There is just something about baseball that makes me relaxed and happy. People who get baseball know what I mean.
Luckily for us, this summer we are going to LA to see my father in laws Los Angeles Dodgers take the field against my New York Mets. In the meantime you will probably find me on my nights off from work at Spring Mobil Ballpark, to watch my Salt Lake Bees, and to enjoy everything that makes baseball, baseball.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
WrestleMania and my love for fake fights
Two weeks ago I took a 5 day weekend and drove to Phoenix, Arizona. The purpose? WrestleMania. For those who know me, they know that ever since I was a child I have been hooked on the pageantry of the WWF/WWE. I still remember being a 8 year old boy and arguing with my best friend David, that Wrestling was real. He would tell me how it was fake and stupid, and I would argue that it was real and that Hulk Hogan's fights were legit because he would often bleed. It would be at a house show at the Old Salt Palace that would forever change the way I looked at Wrestling. Brutus the Barber Beefcake would be facing The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Title. I remember being extra excited for this match as Beefcake was my mothers favorite wrestler. I'm sure it was because of his see-through spandex. Anyhow, during this match Beefcake went to kick Honky right in the chest. Problem was he missed by a good two feet, yet Honky just acted like his chest just caved in. He rolled around in pain and the crowd ate it up. I thought to myself, "Damn it!!! David was right!".
It wasn't long after that match that I stopped watching wrestling. The characters became too cartoon like and other interests came in my life. I played baseball, basketball, and other rec sports. I also fell in love with music and was once again burned by someone pretending to be something they weren't, Milli Vanilli, but that's another blog. It took about another 10 years for me to fall for wrestling, but I did in the summer of 2000.
I became friends with a nice kid named Adam, who worked at Smiths with me. Adam is a very eccentric person and one of his favorite things is Pro Wrestling. He likes it a little too much maybe. If you don't belive me, just look at his High School photos. He liked to lug around a 20 pound replica Heavyweight Championship belt with him. I like wrestling, but not like Adam does! :) But anyhow, Adam asked me to go to a show with him and I agreed. We scored front row tickets and the show was very fun. We saw The Rock, Triple H, and many more attitude era stars. I was hooked again. Which brings me to the present day. I am stuck on this phony fighting. It's my guilty pleasure. I am intrigued by the "art" of pulling off a match. The production of the show, and how two fake fighters can tell a story through choreographed risk. One of my favorite performers is a man named Michael Hickenbottom. Of course he doesn't go by that name, he wrestles as Shawn Michaels, or HBK as some call him. It's short for his nickname, The Heart Break Kid. HBK will go down in this fake sport as one of the top five performers of all-time. Other wrestlers say his matches are so good, he could go out with a mop and make it look like a fight. At this years WrestleMania, he was booked in match he couldn't "win" and placed his career on the line if he lost.
In the world of fake wrestling, Shawn Michaels had booked his retirement match. He was scheduled to fight a man called The Undertaker in a rematch from last years Wrestlemania classic. The twist this year was that if Shawn lost, he would retire. The Undertaker is undefeated at Wrestlemania, and the WWE is going to keep pushing his streak as the ultimate accomplishment in the business. So any "mark" (lingo for wrestling geek that is in the know) knew that Michaels was going to lose and move on. I had to go to the show. I had to see the "Show-Stopper" one more time. I asked Jill if we could go. She laughed at me, but said ok, probably thinking I was just being silly. But then I did it. Booked a hotel and bought two tickets online. Phoenix, here we come.
We invited some friends to come down, who agreed but politly declined to watch the phony fights with us. We had a good time in Phoenix as we went to the Zoo, and to two sping training baseball games, but the highlight for me, and even Jill, was WrestleMania. Over 72,000 fans packed The University of Phoenix Stadium to watch the event. The production value of the show was amazing. Many of the matches were well told, but there were a few stinkers (McMahon VS Hart). But in the main event for the night, HBK would take on the "Dead Man" in another instant classic. The match went back and forth and for 20 minutes it had 72,000 people in attendance and millions around the world on the edge of their seats. We all were caught in the moment and suspended disbelief. Finally, after the Undertaker delivered another devastating tombstone piledriver, Michaels was pinned for his final three count. Fire works shot off, and an 18-0 logo appeared on the jumbo tron. Undertaker did his trademark pose, and then did something out of character. He picked up Shawn Micahels, shook his hand and then they hugged. Shawn Michaels received a huge ovation from the live crowd and thanked everyone. Tears filled his eyes, as it did many in the arena. Jill herself, who thinks wrestling is foolish was moved to tears. In the world of fake wrestling, this moment was very real.
It wasn't long after that match that I stopped watching wrestling. The characters became too cartoon like and other interests came in my life. I played baseball, basketball, and other rec sports. I also fell in love with music and was once again burned by someone pretending to be something they weren't, Milli Vanilli, but that's another blog. It took about another 10 years for me to fall for wrestling, but I did in the summer of 2000.
I became friends with a nice kid named Adam, who worked at Smiths with me. Adam is a very eccentric person and one of his favorite things is Pro Wrestling. He likes it a little too much maybe. If you don't belive me, just look at his High School photos. He liked to lug around a 20 pound replica Heavyweight Championship belt with him. I like wrestling, but not like Adam does! :) But anyhow, Adam asked me to go to a show with him and I agreed. We scored front row tickets and the show was very fun. We saw The Rock, Triple H, and many more attitude era stars. I was hooked again. Which brings me to the present day. I am stuck on this phony fighting. It's my guilty pleasure. I am intrigued by the "art" of pulling off a match. The production of the show, and how two fake fighters can tell a story through choreographed risk. One of my favorite performers is a man named Michael Hickenbottom. Of course he doesn't go by that name, he wrestles as Shawn Michaels, or HBK as some call him. It's short for his nickname, The Heart Break Kid. HBK will go down in this fake sport as one of the top five performers of all-time. Other wrestlers say his matches are so good, he could go out with a mop and make it look like a fight. At this years WrestleMania, he was booked in match he couldn't "win" and placed his career on the line if he lost.
In the world of fake wrestling, Shawn Michaels had booked his retirement match. He was scheduled to fight a man called The Undertaker in a rematch from last years Wrestlemania classic. The twist this year was that if Shawn lost, he would retire. The Undertaker is undefeated at Wrestlemania, and the WWE is going to keep pushing his streak as the ultimate accomplishment in the business. So any "mark" (lingo for wrestling geek that is in the know) knew that Michaels was going to lose and move on. I had to go to the show. I had to see the "Show-Stopper" one more time. I asked Jill if we could go. She laughed at me, but said ok, probably thinking I was just being silly. But then I did it. Booked a hotel and bought two tickets online. Phoenix, here we come.
We invited some friends to come down, who agreed but politly declined to watch the phony fights with us. We had a good time in Phoenix as we went to the Zoo, and to two sping training baseball games, but the highlight for me, and even Jill, was WrestleMania. Over 72,000 fans packed The University of Phoenix Stadium to watch the event. The production value of the show was amazing. Many of the matches were well told, but there were a few stinkers (McMahon VS Hart). But in the main event for the night, HBK would take on the "Dead Man" in another instant classic. The match went back and forth and for 20 minutes it had 72,000 people in attendance and millions around the world on the edge of their seats. We all were caught in the moment and suspended disbelief. Finally, after the Undertaker delivered another devastating tombstone piledriver, Michaels was pinned for his final three count. Fire works shot off, and an 18-0 logo appeared on the jumbo tron. Undertaker did his trademark pose, and then did something out of character. He picked up Shawn Micahels, shook his hand and then they hugged. Shawn Michaels received a huge ovation from the live crowd and thanked everyone. Tears filled his eyes, as it did many in the arena. Jill herself, who thinks wrestling is foolish was moved to tears. In the world of fake wrestling, this moment was very real.
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