Message-ID: 


"RhinoVail"  wrote in message
news:20040312022230.05539.00004716{at}mb-m16.aol.com...
>>
> I've had the opportunity to meet a few wrestlers, especially, lately. I'd
love
> to hear about wrestlers that others have met, so please respond to this
post.
>

I have been fortunate enough to meet quite a few over the years. I will list
them in rough chronological order...

When I was really young, my mom worked in the business office of a now
defunt department store chain. One day the WWF was in town (Boston Garden).
Well, Hillbilly Jim and Hercules Hernandez came into the store looking for
athletic tape to bind their wrists. A Howard Johnson's hotel was up the
street and a Gold's gym was off the same roadway as my mom's store. My mom
got me an autograph, but when she mentioned that I liked wrestling,
Hillbilly Jim said he would swing by the store again after they worked out.
So, my mom called the house, and my dad drove me down to the store. It was
pretty darn cool to meet the both of them.

Later, I was living in Charlotte, NC. I worked for the Mecklenburg County
Sheriffs Dept. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson lived within a few miles of my
home on the south side of Charlotte. Well, I happened to be working the
night that the Nature Boy got busted for allowing a drunk 19 y.o. to drive
him home in his beautiful Mercedes. A large group of WCW wrestlers and
Carolina Panthers were partying at a downtown hotspot called the Southend
Brewery. Well, Ric stayed late and had too much. Needless to say, he was a
bit of a prick at the jail. But, I would have been too.

Later, I met Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Lugar, Sting, and Bobby Eaton at
an opening for a Gold's gym in Charlotte. Ric owned a chain of the gyms in
the Charlotte area. Everyone was very cool. Arn had "retired" due to his
health. I asked, "Hey AA, how are ya feeling?" His reply, "I
feel great." I
know he didn't, since his scribbled/signed his name to a promo pick with his
off hand. I got a great pic of me in between Ric and Arn giving the Horseman
sign. Sting was very cool and gave me a pic and autograph. Lugar was kind of
a jerk. But Bobby Eaton was walking around, and had a "Hi! My name is
Bobby"
sticker on his WCW polo shirt. I said "Hey Bobby Eaton, can I get an
autograph and a picture?" I thought he was gonna cry. Most of the people
there were younger and did not know the guy. At the time, poor ole Bobby was
jobbing and doing security. If my memory is correct - it was Beautiful Bobby
and Sweet Stan Lane, right?? The Midnight Express....right? But anyway, I
was givng him mad props, and got the autograph and pic. When I had to go, he
turned and had a huge smile on his face. Arn remarked, "See Bobby. People
don't forget."

Met Tazz and Tommy Dreamer before a house show at the Worcester Palladium.
Very cool guys. A buddy of mine was working security.

Met Shane Douglas at a Stop and Shop grocery store. ECW was in town, and so
he must have been staying at a local hotel. My dad noticed him first and
nudged me, "Hey Eric, is that guy a wrestler? He looks like one." And of
course, it was the "dean". He was a bit of an a-hole.

Bumped into Jimmy Superfly Snuka at a house show. He looked great and had
the moves in the ring. I was with a friend that is in a wheelchair. He gave
both of us an autographed picture for free. He waved off the $10 the pic
would have cost, and said, "Nah, no way." Nice guy.

Met the Rock, Austin, and Chris Jericho when they did some promos at a local
mall. The Rock had a lot of fun hamming it up with the locals. A few guys
who obviously worked out, wanted to flex in front of the Rock. Let's just
say that the Rock laid the smackdown on their candyasses, and made fun of
them all with a bright smile. He posed for pics with everyone. My friend,
the one in the wheelchair, could not stop smiling and laughing. The Rock
joked with him, "Well, aren't you gonna tell the Rock how he is the most
electrifying man in sports entertainment today? And why are you just
smiling? IS the Rock's fly open?" He signed my friends t-shirt and made his
day. Austin seemed okay. Jericho came out from behind the table and leaned
in for a nice picture with me and my friend free of charge. A really nice
guy.

Bumped into Ric Flair at DisneyWorld (out of place, it was way back in 1986)
with his wife and kids. There was a crowd around him, but no one knew who he
was. SNow White was doing a meet and greet. I asked him for an autograph,
but he politely said, "I'm sorry, I don't think I can do that right now."
And then he was snapping pics of his child with Snow WHite. A big tough guy,
with a huge smile, trying to get his kid to look at the camera and smile.
Priceless. I got a pic of him anyway.

Met David Flair and Dustin Runnells at a bar in Charlotte, NC. They seemed
like nice guys.



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