The Thriller in the Miller III

Last Saturday night, I had a great evening at The Thriller in the Miller III at St. Demetrios. It's a special night, especially because I played a small part in its inception.

A few years ago, I was walking to Village Inn for a slice of their delicious pizza. As I crossed the street, I heard someone beep and call my name. It was my old friend and softball teammate Billy Frigelis. After he parked and we exchanged pleasantries, Billy mentioned a fundraiser he was organizing for St. Demetrios, his church. He said they were looking to have pro wrestling as part of it. Knowing I have some connections in local wrestling, Billy asked for suggestions. I suggested 2econd Wrestling, then a new company run by Rabbi Jeremy Fine. A couple weeks later, Billy told me all was set for the event to be held in January, coincidentally on my birthday weekend.

When the day came, Tony and I were curious as to how it would be presented. From walking in the door, we were impressed with how organized and professional it was. Billy, Jimmy Stamos and their whole crew were amazing. They had every detail covered.

Last Saturday, The Thriller in the Miller III raised the bar once again. Tony and I are both impressed with everything there.

I have known Billy for 30ish years. I first met Billy's brother George through Louie. We played on softball teams for years. They are all great guys. I was named an honorary Greek when I was a groomsman for Louie's wedding at St. Demetrios.

It's funny, because I remember Billy as a young teen subbing on the team until he became a regular. Now I see the adult Billy organizing such a great event. Time flies.

I appreciate Billy, Jimmy, George and all the others for the wonderful event and even more for bringing me in the Greek family.

My recap is at The Thriller at St. Demetrios on Global Traveler. Also, check 2econd Wrestling on Facebook to learn more about that great wrestling company.

Billy Frigelis, Jimmy Stamos and me in Chicago, IL-January 2026.

 

Madusa Returns to Squared Circle Expo

The wrestler lineup for Squared Circle Expo VI just keeps getting better. Wrestling legend Madusa Miceli is returning to SCX.

Madusa was way ahead of her time. She could do it all. She was a beautiful woman who could wrestle (technical or brawling) and was great on the mic. She also was loaded with charisma.

Unfortunately for her, she came up in a time when women wrestling matches were an afterthought. There might be one women's match and too often it was a silly match for eye candy. True wrestling fans do not care for that. We want good women matches and Madusa delivered great matches every time.

Madusa did win titles everywhere she went, but she had only a few memorable feuds, although that definitely wasn't her fault. I can only imagine awesome matches between Madusa and Trish Stratus, Lita, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and so many other women who are legit wrestlers.

The last time I saw Madusa, she joked about my press credential and wanted to sign it. Who am I to decline that request. It's my only signed credential now.

Madusa is just one of about 50 wrestling legends and stars named already for SCX VI in March 27-28 Indy. I will be there "On the Beat" all weekend. I am sure I will talk to Madusa at some point. One of the best parts of SCX is despite having so many wrestling guests, it is run so well there is time to meet all you want. I have never left without accomplishing my goals.

For more info on SCX, go to SquaredCircleX.com. Check back here for my coverage and come join the fun in March!

Madusa and me in Indianapolis, IN-March 2021.

SCX Champ Jake Omen

Squared Circle Expo returns to Indianapolis, Indiana March 27-28. Once again, I'll be "On the Beat,' but more importantly, so will SCX champ Jake Omen.

A native of Noblesville, Indiana, Jake brings 20 years of experience with him into the ring. Jake is in his second reign as Heavyweight champ at SCX, having first won it in 2021 to become the first SCX champ. He regained his belt at SCX V and hopes to retain at SCX VI.

I actually met Jake years ago, when he became a two-time tag team champ at Resistance Wrestling (formerly Resistance Pro).

Jake's opponent at SCX VI hasn't been announced, but it will be a worthy opponent. I have no doubt it will be a great match.

SCX is a fun two days of wrestling-related events, culminating in a full night of wrestling. There are usually about 70 wrestling legends and stars for meet-and-greets, panels, Q&As, photo ops and more. It is extremely well run and organized. It is a "must" on my yearly event schedule.

For more info, go to squaredcirclex.com. Also, check here for my updates.

Jake Omen and me in Indianapolis, IN-April 2023.

Friend Encounters: Missa Kate and Glen Rylko

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today, once again I honor, feature and remember my late friend Glen. Since passing in 2022, Although he passed in 2022, I keep his memory alive with these features.

Today I actually feature two of Chicago's finest. "Chicago's favorite sweetheart" Missa Kate is one of the best wrestlers around. Glen was one of the most supportive wrestling and convention fans.

I used to say Missa was the best around here, but she has experienced time on the national level. She has all the tools and one of the big companies should sign her. She plays equally well as a good guy or bad guy. She has no weakness. Unfortunately for her fans, she retired late last year. I wish her well wherever her future takes her.

As for Glen, I miss seeing my buddy at wrestling and comic cons. We generally sought the same folks, like Missa. Since he passed, I always think of him whenever I am at any such event. He was a good guy and he is missed by all. RIP Glen.

Missa Kate and Glen Rylko in Chicago-August 2021.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #778 Nattie Neidhart & Pete the Plumber

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series in which I create digital cards for celebrities wearing sports jerseys. Today, I feature two Calgary legends.

Natalya Neidhart is a third generation wrestler. Her grandfather Stu Hart ran Stampede Wrestling for years. Her father Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was a tagteam champ with her uncle Bret Hart. She also has several other uncles involved in wrestling. Nattie carved her own path though, earning everything including several titles. Nattie was the perfect combination of looks and skills. Perhaps a bit weak on the mic, but that's a minor criticism. I think Nattie is too good. I think she has gotten taken for granted by the WWE. They view her as such a good trainer and ring partner, they don't use her enough for her own storylines. I'm not sure what Nattie was doing for Calgary TV in the picture, but it earned her a Celebrity Jersey Card. Her #23 might be the year or it could be for former center Sean Monahan.

Pete the Plumber has been helping the fine folks of Calgary with plumbing issues for more than 50 years. Starting with working with his father, Pete has become quite famous and very well-liked in the area. A good plumber is a treasure and that is Pete. Pete earned his Celebrity Jersey Card as a fan at a Calgary Flames game. I truly enjoy making these types of cards. Folks like Pete deserve a bit of the spotlight, even if it is more of a flashlight with Johngy's Beat.

Paul Ellering at Blizzard Brawl

There are only a few celebrities who by themselves are enough to make me go to an event a couple hours away. Precious Paul Ellering is one of them.

When Tony and I saw Ellering was appearing at Blizzard Brawl last year, it was all we needed. Ellering is arguably on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling managers. Although he mainly only managed the Road Warriors, their body of work and dominance are enough to put them all in the elite category.

Ellering was a former wrestler when he became manger of the Road Warriors. Clearly, wrestling is predetermined and victories are scripted, but the talent must be there to merit the wins and push. The Road Warriors had it all and Ellering was the perfect choice to manager them.

As a former wrestler, he still had some size and definitely the skills to get involved. He also had the mic skills to put over the team.

At Blizzard Brawl, Ellering had a long line as expected. It is always funny to Tony and me when the younger folks have no idea who major legends are. Some fans go wild over the "flavor of the moment," without knowing the legacy of men like Ellering.  Fortunately, the Blizzard Brawl crowd is pretty good with that. They know and appreciate wrestling history for the most part.

Meeting Ellering was fun. He's a legend from our youth. He was extremely pleasant and engaging, which is all you could want.

Ellering was recently announced as a guest at Squared Circle Expo, a great wrestling convention running March 27-28 in Indianapolis. If you missed him at Blizzard Brawl, this is another rare chance to meet a legend.

Go to SquaredCircleX.com for more info and schedules. Go to GLCWWretling.com for more info on Blizzard Brawl 2026 and all of GLCW's events. Check here for my recurring coverage of the wrestling scene.

Tony, Paul Ellering and me in Waukesha, WI-December 2025.

Cora Jade at Dreamwave Wrestling

I attended my first Dreamwave Wrestling show last July. It was about a two hour drive, but we wanted to meet former WWE star Cora Jade, as well as see some of our independent wrestling favorites in action.

Brianna Coda was trained at Chicago's Freelance Academy, before making her pro debut in late December 2018. After wrestling on the indy scene, with a stop at Impact, she joined the WWE as Cora Jade in 2021. She parted the WWE in late 2025. During her time in the WWE, she won the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship with Roxanne Perez. She also was ranked #65 on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI Women's 250 in 2023.

Jade has made a few random appearances since leaving the WWE, but hasn't signed with any wrestling company. At Dreamave, she wrestled (as Elayna Black) Maggie Lee for the Dreamwave Women's Championship, but lost.

The pre-show meet-and-greet with Jade was fun. Jade was friendly and engaging.

It's hard for us to get to Dreamwave, but we certainly would go again depending on our schedules and the specific event. The next Dreamwave show is February 7. For more info, go to dreamwavewrestling.com.

Cora Jade and me in Peru, IL-July 2025.

Talking Travel with Stefan Holt

My latest Talking Travel interview was with anchorman, journalist and pilot Stefan Holt. The full recap and interview is on Global Traveler at Talking Travel with Stefan Holt.

The son of veteran newsman Lester Holt, Stef grew up around the media field. His mother was a flight attendant, putting aviation in his blood. Stef pursued both. One was a passion, while the other was a profession.

I talked to Stef about both. My initial focus was on Standard Terminal Arrival charts. In Chicago, several paths are named after Chicago sports legends. Other cities have similar names, too. Stef explained how all of that works.

He also talked about travel to cover events, his bucket list trips and more. Last, I had a little fun asking him about his Chicago favorites and the Bears. (His wife, a granddaughter of Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Bobby Dillon) is a Packers fan.

This was a fun interview, but one with a lot of interesting aviation info. I thank Stef for his time and consideration and I encourage all to check out his Instagram account for more fun.

Lastly, please subscribe to the Global Traveler YouTube channel. It's free, easy and you won't be bothered. Plus it really helps me.

Chris 51 at Wizard World (Fan Expo)

Chris 51 is an artist, tattooist and a self-described aftertainer I met years ago at Wizard World (now Fan Expo). I watched him work his ink magic on a few people, before interviewing him. Both parts were entertaining.

Chris 51 cites his passion for pop culture as the start of his career. That might be, but a lot of people love pop culture. Some of us even have longtime sites devoted to pop culture. Few of us reach the level Chris 51 has. You have to be special to have 51 as your last name (more on that later).

Chris 51 created and starred in A&E's Epic Ink. He also appeared on My Morphin Life with Jason David Frank. He created the Geeksterink Legends Tattoo Tour at Wizard World, which is where I met him.

One cool thing about Chris 51 is his use of himself as a Simpson's character, because I got a little flack for using South Park for my character. If a talented and successful guy like Chris 51 can do it, why can't I/

Anyway, the 51 comes from the area 51. in Oregon. There are some connections between the part of Oregon and the mysterious territory in Nevada. Chris 51 does his work at Area 51 Tattoo in (wait for it) Springfield, Oregon. There's another Simpson's reference.

Chris was completely fun and cool. Although he was extremely busy and I wasn't getting a tattoo, he gave me several minutes of his time in a very entertaining interview.

Look for Chris 51 on social media and also area-51tattoo.com. For more info on FanExpo go to fanexpohq.com. Also, check here for my recurring coverage.

Chris 51 and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2016.

Thank you Carly Alvers

The 2026 DePaul softball season starts February 6 in the Dome in Rosemont. I'll be there, but Carly Alvers won't.

A native of Mokena, Alvers played 174 games, starting 157, during her four seasons at DePaul. She hit .257 with six HRs, 54 RBIs and 62 runs scored. In her last two seasons, she started 94 of 95 games at third base and was a steady force in the infield.

I like Alvers right from the start. She had a positive energy about her. She was always up for a post-game selfie and a quick chat.

It's always bittersweet as the new season starts. I miss the departing players, but I welcome getting to learn about the newbies. Sometimes, the alums come to games, but I also rarely recognize them. I am horrible at that. Most of the time, I will never see the departing players, but that's the nature of the game. The fun part though is knowing new players and seeing all their differences. I'm just a reporter and a fan. I always wonder how coaches deal with the ever-revolving door.

DePaul looks to improve on their 16-32 record of last year. I'll be at Cacciatore Stadium as often as my schedule allows. Check here for my recurring coverage. Go to depaulbluedemons.com for more info.

Carly Alvers and me in Chicago, IL-April 2025.