Random Autograph Card: Carlos Corporan

My featured autograph card is Astros catcher Carlos Corporan. He had career game against hated New York Yankees going 4-5 with a homerun, 4 RBIs, and double just a triple shy of a cycle. A good defensive player while low on batting side he will surprise you, at times, with impressive game using his bat. You just don't know til it happens. One of Astros games I attended he went 2-3 with a RBI against San Francisco Giants. Astros shut out then-champions Giants 6-0 thanks part of his contribution along being behind the plate catching strikes from Wandy Rodriguez. This is second straight game he caught for starter Lucas Harrell and both games were quality starts. The guy has been down the road of majors and AAA ball and sitting on the bench being the no. 2 catcher. When given opportunity to start on the lineup he will scrap his way to produce a spark for the team. That's why he's one of my favorites in the game. Forget stats as long a player performs their hardest in the game in offense, defense, or both. The card got signed last year when he was at AAA club Oklahoma City.

Also obtain is his game-used jersey I picked up Astros game last year. Glad to find one. Go Astros!

Randon Autograph Card: Chris Davis

Week and half into the season Orioles' Chris Davis on rampaging tear. In 7 games he bashed 4 homeruns and driven in 17 runs while batting above .400 earning him AL player of the week.  This is nothing new as he been crushing homers since started in the minors. It was different story in the majors when he go for broke swinging at the fences, Rob Deer and Gorman Thomas style, but found himself leaving the batter box with a K. He was on the fringe with the label of "AAAA" hanging above his head being stuck between Rangers and their AAA club. Then came the trade at 2011 trade deadline. Rangers wanted reliever Koji Uehrara from the Orioles offering pitchers Tommy Hunter. Orioles willing complete trade if they send Davis as part of the package. Reluctantly, Rangers agreed and in a three-way deal involving Pirates Davis goes to Baltimore. It's what he needed. A fresh new start after four years crushing balls in Rangers organization, but fallen out of favor when Mitch Moreland took over his starting 1B spot. Now with Orioles he can shed away "AAAA" tag and be regular starter for down and out Orioles team. Orioles got more than they bargained. In his first full season with Orioles he broke with 33 homeruns and 85 runs batted in becoming a contributor to the team's surprise run of AL East crown and in the playoffs. Now in his second season with the team he's already off to fast start. Orioles won out big in the trade as they got a player with a heavy bat. Koji Uehrara never became a factor in the Rangers organization and left for free agency after end of last season.

I got this card signed in 2007 when he was playing for Rangers Double-A club. The fans who saw him crush balls at minor league parks expected big things from him. After so many jump starts and stalls he finally living it up.

Random Autograph Card: Rick Ankiel

First regular MLB game of 2013 season in the record books. Rick Ankiel, now playing for Houston Astros, made a good impression. In pinch-hit performance he hits first homerun of 2013 MLB season with a 3-run shot off Derek Lowe putting the game out of reach for Texas Rangers as Astros went up 7-2. Astros went on to win 8-2.
 
I got this card signed in 2005 when he was playing for St. Louis Cardinals Double-A affiliate. At the time he was making transition from pitcher to batter. Ten years in the league and still going.

Random Autograph Card: Quintin Berry

Quintin Berry featured as my random autograph card. After seven years of toiling in the minors he finally got the call last year with Detroit Tigers two months into the season. The speedy outfielder made impression with the team as he stayed on the roster as the team made it to the postseason and into World Series losing to the champs San Francisco Giants.

Quintin Berry became one of cuts of Tigers in spring training as he gets sent down to Triple -A club missing opening day opportunity. He will be back up soon hopefully.

I got the card signed when he was playing for Padres Double-A club.

Random autograph card: Cesar Carrillo

While digging through a pile of autograph cards I obtained in person I ran into this one.

Cesar Carrillo been in the news last week as the league suspended him 100 games for violating minor league drug and prevention program. He's the first player from Biogenesis documents to be suspended which includes the names of Ryan Braun and Nelson Cruz.

I obtained this few years ago when he was playing for Padres Double-A affiliate San Antonio Missions.

Why Some Fans Like Heels

Wrestling is interesting concept to the fans. There are faces (good guys) you must cheer and heels (bad guys) you must boo. For few fans they rather cheer on for the heels. The love em' not because they are "bad and evil."  They cheer em' on because for plenty of reasons. Several reasons why some fans like heels.

Size

My first favorite wrestling "bad guy" is Earthquake John Tenta. I took a liking to him because of his huge wide frame using his size and body squash his opponent. The kicker is his finisher where he run to the ropes in full speed before he sat down in full force on his opponent chest and face. Being 10 at the time I thought it was coolest thing ever. A wrestler's size gives off a buzz to the fans. Whether the wrestler is big, wide, or tall to fans' mind they think this wrestler is big, strong, nasty and very dangerous capable of taking down any of their wrestling heroes anytime. To heel fans they like to see this large heel become a menace of seeking and destroying anyone. This works as long the is being booked right. Example is The Great Kahli who was big time heel before becoming a joke on TV. When I went to WWE house show Kahli debut on TV obliterating Undertaker two days before the show. The buzz of him followed as fans in attendance talking how large and tall Kahli and his manhandling of Undertaker. He appeared on the house show and its a sight behold. The crowd, while booing, amazed at his tall frame and squashing Scotty 2 Hotty in under a minute. Kahli, despite being heavily limited, looked very dangerous to the fans and was booked to look like a monster heel for few years. Now he got neutered of being a face he turned into a giant joke.

I Tell the Truth Even When I Lie

I have use "Scarface" quote for this. It's a case a wrestler go against the grain off majority with him/her being a minority. This is when a heel wrestler cut a promo/vignette spouting off related events playing devil's advocate stretching the facts to make a point. Unfortunately what the heel saying does not commute what the majority believed in thus having the fans boo him/her. For the heel fans they would sit down and think hard seeing his point of view. In most cases the heel is likely right. One example of this is JBL promo against Eddie Guerrero as he blast the liberal media and ties it on his dislike to Eddie and what he plans do to him at Great American Bash.

I'm Cocky, But Cool

The rise of "cool" heels. They are big time jerks in the ring and backstage being cocky and assholes. At same time fans can reflect to them because they can and are assholes themselves wanting to act bad like them. The fans view them as guys you can go out and have a beer. In almost all the cases the fans turned them to faces. Example of those are New World Order and D-Generation X.

Kicking Ass And Taking Names

Heel wrestler would go in and just beat the shit out of face often for no reason. Fans would cheer on the heel wrestler on doing this because he/she acting like a badass and backing it up. The more the heel does it the more fans take notice suddenly garner cult-like following before turning to full-blown face by accident. Sheamus is example of it.

Skills

This is a case of wrestler playing heel, but end up getting cheered because the fans enjoy the wrestler putting on a clinic and/or producing a damn good match. No matter how bad the wrestler will act like a bad guy the fans go nuts cheering for him/her just as thank you for the impressive match. 

In wrestling cheering on a "bad guy" not really that bad after all.

Rebel's Top 5 Wrestling Events

Here I am with five wrestling shows of the year. It features shows I saw whether in-person or on TV. My five are:

5. ACW Evolution of Revolution 

When a show held outdoors and it rains you expect a cancellation. Not in land of Anarchy Championship Wrestling. Despite the pouring rain ACW put on a show. Yes you read that right. They did not cancel; they put on a show as scheduled in the rain storm. Every wrestler on that night's show went out, risked their necks and busted their asses hard on the wet mat giving the paying fans in attendance a show to remember about. I was there live, in awe and amazement watching these wrestlers put on a performance in the rain. On that rainy night I saw something special in the ring. This show lived up to the name in every way. Pick up the DVD (at their shows or at Smart Mark Video), sit back and watch the art and athleticism performed from each and every single wrestler in the ring on that wet night. It's an Evolution of a Revolution indeed.

Note: To Darin Childs and every single wrestler on the show of that night let me say thank you for giving fans amazing show and a wonderful time to cheer, boo, and talk about.

4. ACW Lone Star Classic 

Lone Star Classic is one of few annual tournaments Anarchy Championship Wrestling holds. This tournament features 12 wrestlers including heavyweight champion with the belt on the line throughout the tournament. That means whoever walk out as champion in the first round have to defend it in the semifinals and the same thing happens going into the finals. The heavyweight title could change hands two or three times at the show. First round matches are three-way while semifinals and finals are one-on-one match ups.

From top-to-bottom this amazing show with solid hard-hitting matches and surprises in the tournament. There were too many matches of the night that you can't pick one. One of the matches of the night is Matthew Palmer and Jason Silver in non-tournament match as they put on hell of a hardcore title match which TV got used. Another match of the night is Rachel Summerlyn and A.C.H. in the LSC semifinals. For Summerlyn she became Jerry Lynn's replacement after he bowed out due to injury he suffered in the first round. She just wrestled in three-way joshi match before intermission. Both showed their athleticism in the match as they matched up very well with Summerlyn taking the victory moving on to the finals. In the finals Summerlyn took on Evan Gelistico who became heavyweight champion in the semifinals. Before the match she brought a ladder to the ring symbolizing her rise in ACW. Both put on hellacious battle with all over the ring. At the end Summerlyn shocked the fans winning LSC tournament and heavyweight title after making Gelistico tap out then pinned him a minute later. A feel good moment for a solid show all-around.

The ending surprised the fans and it left hardcore Fanarchists thinking what was (if there was) original plan, but that's another story. When this DVD comes up pick it at their shows or at Smart Mark Video.

3. ACW Guilty By Association 6

Anarchy Championship Wrestling flagship show delivered and saw feuds and careers ended and started along with a rise to the ranks, a returned of "familiar face" and new champions emerging. This is show featured two of my match of year candidates as in Robert Evans/Portia Perez and Matthew Palmer/Masada along good war of matches around the card such as solid four-way between Scott Summers (champion), Davey Vega, Jerry Lynn, and Matt Fitchett for TV title, Rachel Summerlyn/Jessica James, and A.C.H./Gary Jay. It featured Takeover rise to dominance again, hated manager Chris Trew getting beat up most of the show, Angel Blue shocking win giving her monster heat when she appeared on shows, Barry Breeze retiring and proposing in the ring and J.T. LaMotta announcing 2012 is his final year of wrestling (LaMotta if you are reading this one more match please). If you want start watching ACW this is one of DVDs to pickup. You can pick this up at their shows or at Smart Mark Video.

2. WWE Extreme Rules

Remember in 2000 WWE followed up Wrestlemania with PPV that end up on par or even exceeding Wrestlemania itself? Similar thing happened here with Extreme Rules having to follow up Wrestlemania 28. The show produced two match of year candidates and solid card all around. Sheamus and Daniel Bryan follow up their 18 second Wrestlemania match with a longer and show stealing match in 2 out of 3 falls match. CM Punk/Chris Jericho and Randy Orton/Kane have impressive matches with each other. John Cena/Brock Lesnar stepped away from cookie-cutter WWE mold producing a different, but beatdown match where Brock destroyed Cena throughout the match with Cena luckily getting the win. Extreme Rules ended up on par with Wrestlemania 28.

1. WWE Wrestlemania 28

The show lived up Wrestlemania hype unlike the year before. The show had two aging legends going at it in a brutal war inside a cage, end of a year long hype build which they delivered, very short match that end up being best thing that happened to both wrestlers long term, a wrestler finally getting his singles win at the show, and very good match between two wrestlers despite playing second fiddle. What else more can I say about Hell in a Cell battle between Undertaker and Triple H other than its my match of the year? Rock/Cena delivered in the year long making of match. CM Punk/Chris Jericho put on a good match and so did Kane/Randy Orton. Big Show finally got a Wrestlemania singles win and it was for intercontinental title. Despite Sheamus/Daniel Bryan being 18 seconds little did it know it built a character and a catchphrase. After lackluster performance the following year, Wrestlemania 28 delivered and lived up the name as THE show to watch.