It’s another Monday night and I am sitting down and watching WWE Raw on the USA Network.  Monday’s can be rough at times, but my escape is to watch WWE.  For three hours, I can take a break from the stress of my life and be entertained.  It’s that what it’s all about?

For years I have been ridiculed for watching wrestling.  People have told me it’s all scripted.  And I tell, them so.  It’s entertainment.  It’s no different than some of these reality shows that are on television today.  I mean where can you watch some amazing athletes, and yes I said athletes, perform each and every week.  It takes quite a bit of athletic ability to perform many of the moves week in and week out.   All you have to do is pull up videos on You Tube or WWE Network and watch.

I fell in love with wrestling back in the day when I lived in Amarillo.  I would watch wrestling from the World Famous Sportatorium from Dallas, Texas.  Every Saturday night my parents would let me stay up past my bedtime to watch.  I watched the Von Erichs battle the Fabulous Freebirds. I loved Chris Adams, then hated Chris Adams, then loved Chris Adams.  This all depended on what side of the fence he was at the time.  But my favorites were the Von Erichs…specifically Kevin Von Erich.  Like clockwork there I was sitting in front of the television watching these athletes wrestle.  It was as flashy as it is now, but it was still fun to watch.  I also remember watching wrestling on a station of Atlanta, Georgia.  I remember watching Rick Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Rod Piper and many more.  I loved watching the Texas Steel cage matches.  I remember one time they had two rings side by side and wrestlers in both rings.  They would throw each other in and out of both rings.  Who could forget the matches at Texas Stadium?  It was my dream as a girl to go and see those matches at Texas Stadium.  The closet I ever got was when they came to Amarillo.  I went with some of my friends from junior high to watch, I believe Kerry Von Erich and others wrestle.  It’s such a rush…we got to sit ringside.  I also remember we got to be in a promo commercial for the next time they were in town.  That was the only time I was able to watch any Von Erich wrestle live.

Just like with any sporting event I watched, my father was there.  I remember my father bought me a purple satin jacket with a yellow rose and a state of Texas on the back with the words “Von Erich” on it as well.  He found at the big huge flea market in Grand Prairie.  I cherished that jacket!  I was devastated when I had to get rid of it of because I ripped the side of it.  But Daddy came through for me one more time…this time it would be in the form of an autograph from Kerry Von Erich.  He was traveling to Dallas or back from Dallas on Southwest.  And lo and behold, Kerry was on board.  Thinking of his daughter, he asked for his autograph.  I still have that envelope to this day.  It is one of my most cherished items.

Now, I am passing my love for wrestling to my two sons.  They are as passionate as I was back in the day  Several months ago I was able to take them to see WWE Live.  My youngest was able to watch his favorite wrestler…John Cena.  I got so much delight watching both of my sons enjoy WWE that night.  They both know which wrestlers are the good guys and which are the bad guys. They can’t wait to watch every week.

So, why do I like wrestling?  I just do.  I subscribe to WWE Network.  I follow WWE on social media including many of the wrestlers on Twitter.  I find myself cheering and booing every week.  At times I feel sorry for my neighbors.  What must they think?  The probably had no idea when I moved in they would be living next to a WWE fan!  The stories are fun to watch!  And well…to be frank…there is a lot of eye candy for this gal…I mean come one ladies…Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles and many others.  No matter who you cheer for, just cheer.

So as this Monday night closes I am rested, relaxed, and stress free, ready to hit tomorrow’s work day!

Thank you WWE!

Hi, my name is Trixie, and I AM an Ohio State Buckeyes fan.  I have been for as long as I can remember. I don’t make any apologies about my fandom for The Ohio State Buckeyes.  I cheer for them regardless of they are playing or what sport except when they play my beloved Texas Tech Red Raiders.  And when they played the Bobby Knight coached Indiana Hoosiers back in the day.  Other than that, I love the Buckeyes.

From the time I was born, the Buckeyes were it.  My father loved the Buckeyes.  He love them until the day he died.  That was his team. I remember his tales about the Buckeyes and the Woody Hayes days.  Whenever there was a Buckeyes football game on television, nothing else mattered.  Of course this was in a time when there wasn’t ESPN or College Game Day.  I remember tuning into ABC on Saturdays to see if my Daddy’s Buckeyes would be on television.  I remember listening to one of my favorite college announcers Keith Jackson calling the games.  As a Buckeyes fan, you developed your hatred for that university from Ann Arbor early on.  I still have this hatred for Michigan even today.  I never cheer for them.  I didn’t openly root for them when they played that university from Austin, TX in the 2005 Rose Bowl but I didn’t want them to lose to that team from Austin.  They didn’t win (oh darn).  But my hatred of that team from Austin is slightly deeper than my hatred of that team from Ann Arbor.  Ohio State vs Michigan was a tradition in our household.

As I mentioned, my father passed on his love of the Ohio State Buckeyes to me.  The only time I got to see them play live was in the 1987 Cotton Bowl against the Texas A&M Aggies.  Ohio State won that day 28-12!  I still have the pennant my parents bought me on that day.  My first year at Texas Tech University, his beloved Buckeyes played my Red Raiders.  This was probably the first time, I did not cheer for OSU.  We almost beat them.  Of course, my father needled me about the game.  The only time I can remember him not cheering for the Buckeyes, was when the TTU Lady Raiders played the Lady Buckeyes in the NCAA Women’s National Basketball game back in 1992. In case you didn’t know, TTU won that day.  It was my turn now to needle my dad.

The Buckeyes won the football championship in 2002.  I was so excited that I could share this moment with my father.  The last time his Buckeyes had won the national championship was in 1970, the year I was born.  Coincidence, I think not.  We talked about the game on numerous occasions.  When we would talk during football season, he would always ask me if I watched the Buckeyes and how my Red Raiders did.

My bucket list of sporting events, is to see a OSU vs Michigan in Columbus.  If I ever get the chance, I will take my daddy’s ashes with me.  This is the only way I am able to see the game with my father now.  My father died in April 2011.  I didn’t watch any Buckeyes football games during the  fall 2011 season except for the OSU vs Michigan game.  I didn’t have the strength to even turn games on that football season.  I didn’t have my father.  Who would I talk to about the Buckeyes?  But I had to watch the OSU/Michigan game.  I didn’t want to let him down.  I knew he would be watching from heaven.  Ohio State lost that day, but for the first time all season I was able to watch the Buckeyes again.

I would like to think my daddy would have been very excited about Urban Meyer being the Buckeyes coach. He has brought Ohio State back to prominence after the scandal under Jim Tressel.  Oh for those who don’t know OSU won their 8th national title in 2014.  Even though I do not like Michigan, I think the OSU/Michigan rivalry is back when Michigan hired Jim Harbaugh.  It may not reach the level of intensity as it was in the Woody Hayes/Bo Schembechler days, but it’s going to be fun to watch.

I miss my Daddy.  I still watch Ohio State any chance I get.  I would like to think he tunes in every Saturday with me to watch from above.  I miss not be able to talk to him about the game.  I would love to pick his brain about what he thinks of the new playoff system or any other sports item.  I would like to think he is sitting somewhere discussing Ohio State with Woody Hayes.  I bet those are interesting conversations.

I miss and love you Daddy.  Here’s hoping the Ohio State Buckeyes are back in the National Championship game this year.  Go Bucks!  Beat Michigan!