Gene Okerlund at Days of the Dead 2018

Days of the Dead is coming to Indianapolis, IN July 5-7. While I look forward to another great DotD event, I am recalling some of my favorite moments from the previous years there.

Last year, at DotD Chicago, Jayson Maples of HeroesandLegendsWrestling brought in "Mean" Gene Okerlund. The promoter of Heroes and Legends of Wrestling Fan Fest has been a staple at DotD, bringing in many of the greats of wrestling. I was super excited when he brought in "Mean" Gene.

I have met Gene previously, but he is always so much fun. He cut one of the funniest promos I have ever gotten (see video in the left column). At one previous event, he jabbed my friend and assistant Scotty Steiner about his shirt all weekend. It was hilarious.

This last Days with Gene was especially poignant. About a month later, right after the new year, Gene passed away at the age of 76.

I am glad I got to spend one last time with Gene. He is such a character. It was his idea to choke me in this picture. That's just the kind of fun you could expect from Gene. He was a true professional, but he was also capable of silly antics.

I talked to Gene about his son Todd, a former Olympic and New York Islanders hockey player. Gene lit up a bit as he talked about Todd and his other son Tor. He was very proud and happy for them.

Gene was the first announcer inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association HOF for his singing success in his younger days.

It was a pleasure and and honor to know Gene and to consider him a friend. He is missed greatly.

Thank you to Jayson for bringing in Gene and the other great legends of wrestling. I look forward to your special guests every show.

Go to DaysoftheDead.com for info on the upcoming show and all other events throughout the year. Also check out HeroesandLegendsWrestling to see the cool events Jayson runs.

Gene Okerland and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

On the Beat With Rachel Garcia of Team USA

Barely 22 years old, Rachel Garcia is already building an impressive softball resume. With the Olympics and her senior season at UCLA coming in 2020, she only looks to build that resume a bit more. You can see all of Rachel's accomplishments on her UCLA biography or her Team USA page.

When I get my media credential for Team USA's training camp in Rosemont last week, I had to make decisions on my interview requests. Obviously, I would have liked to interview the entire team, but time constraints made that impossible. As you saw over the last few days, I got interviews with Monica Abbott and Cat Osterman. I wanted two of the best pitchers ever an I got them. When looking at the rest of the roster, I saw some great names. I picked Rachel, based on her youth and her recent accomplishments.

Rachel's UCLA Bruins beat Oklahoma to win the 2019 Women's College World Series. She earned many awards and accolades last season and certainly was lanuched into the national spotlight. On Team USA, she is gaining world wide notoriety.

In the dugout, I encountered a soft-spoken, articulate young lady. As we talked, I kept thinking about how much talent she had and how much work she has done. She has earned everything. I wonder how it felt at that age? Did she even realize what she has done and is in the process of doing? If not now, she certainly will someday.

It was a real pleasure meeting and talking to Rachel. It was even better watching her practice, warm up and play over the weekend. I thanked her again when I saw her after the weekend's games. She was gracious and appreciative.

This concludes my round of interviews with Team USA. While the rest of the team would have been great choices, too, I feel very good about the three I got. Cat, Monica and Rachel are three o the best and are three wonderful people. I feel honored to have been a part of this weekend.

Thank you to the Cat, Monica and Rachel, Team USA Managing Director of Communications Codi Warren, the entire Team USA organization, NPF Commissioner Cheri Kempf, Chicago Bandits GM Toni Calmeyn and Assistant GM Jourdan Skihra for facilitating these interviews and all of my coverage.

On the Beat With Cat Osterman of Team USA

When I featured softball legend Cat Osterman last Friday, I wrote that I hoped to get some interviews with Team USA. As you saw Saturday, I interviewed Monica Abbott. Today, I have my interview with Cat.

After a Hall of Fame career in the NPF and two Olympics, Cat retired from playing. She continued coaching however. After softball was announced for the 2020 Olympics, Cat made the decision to come out of retirement.

The interview reveals a little about Cat's decision and mindset about coming back. You can see the determination in her face and hear it in er words. Cat revealed how long she has been working at the comeback.

There are so many layers to the comeback. While Cat has stayed close to the game through coaching, returning to the field, especially at this level, is a totally different story. Would she be able to regain enough of her old form to compete for a roster spot on Team USA? Would she regret the comeback? She was putting herself out for everyone to see.

I am quite sure Cat had a certain level of confidence before she made her announcement, but I also know training and competing are different. She would never really know until she was pitching in real games.

Last weekend, Cat appeared in games against the Chicago Bandits and the USSSA Pride. In all honesty, she was not in her prime form, but she is close and she has a year to further sharpen her skills. Considering her path to get here, she is probably on schedule. Don't misunderstand me though. She is still pitching at an elite level, just not yet at her previous peak Cat level.

Of course, she is a bit older and spent time without truly competing. None of that matters when the Olympics come around. It's not about effort or relative success. It is about performance.

I write all of this to be objective about where Cat is now. I do believe she will be fine by July 202 for the Olympics. This is all part of the journey. You can't expect her to simply step back on the mound and be the best.

Cat and Monica are an elite one-two punch. They are arguably the two best pitchers ever. In short series, dominant pitching is hugely important. Monica and Cat have the ability and durability to log in a lot of innings.

You can follow the progress and get all of the news about Cat and her teammates at Team USA. Check back here for recurring coverage, including my interview with Rachel Garcia tomorrow.

Friend Encounters: Heather Furr and Alli Alberts

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Today's feature is special for a couple reasons. First, this is about two friends, who are two celebrities (or vice versa). Heather Furr and Alli Alberts Hall of Fame Legends Football League players. We became friends during my many years of covering them on the Bliss.

This specific picture is special, too. Where are their uniforms? The ladies traded in their uniforms for more appropriate dresses considering this was taken at Alli's wedding. The ladies look even more beautiful than when in uniform.

Heather was one of the toughest and smartest players I ever saw and that includes men. Too often criticized for a lack of arm strength, Heather was a true leader at QB  A multi-time league MVP and champion, "The Rockstar" was a pleasure to watch, cover and know. She currently is a real estate agent in Chicago. Follow her at @HeatherFurr on twitter for real estate info and other fun stuff.

Alli is also a multi-time LFL champ. A threat on offense or defense, Alli has been a game-changer either way. Despite playing the rough game of football, Alli is a very skilled dentist. Go to @AlliAlberts on twitter for your dental needs and other stuff, too.

I have a lot of respect for these ladies. They gave me a lot of great memories on the field and some fun interviews and chatter off the field.

Heather Furr and Alli Alberts in St. Louis, MO-November 2017.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #432 Jim Brown & Austin Carr

This is a regular series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys. Once again, we are working our way alphabetically through all of the Major League Baseball teams.

Born in Georgia and a star at Syracuse, Jim Brown went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Cleveland Browns. He earned the HOF nod with just 9 seasons. That's how special he was. He then went on to a solid acting career. Brown's Celebrity Jersey Card comes from a special Cleveland Legends Night the Indians held.

Joining Brown on the Cleveland Legends Night was former Cavaliers star Austin Carr. Carr was on the Notre Dame team that gave UCLA their last loss before they went on their legendary winning streak. Carr was so popular in Cleveland, he was known as "Mr. Cavalier." On his Celebrity Jersey Card, Austin is joined by his fellow Cleveland legends Jim Thome and Jim Brown.

On the Beat With Monica Abbott of Team USA

Monica Abbott has done it all in the world of softball. She's won gold medals, championships, pitched perfect games, pitched no-hitters and owns a huge list of records. While still actively pitching in Japan and with the Scrapyard Dawgs (formerly of National Pro Fastpitch), Monica decided to add one more note to her resume. She will represent the country in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

I had the pleasure of watching Monica up close when she pitched for the Chicago Bandits. As a softball newbie, I had heard of Monica, but I wasn't all too familiar with her. I learned quickly why she is one of the all time greats. Monica could often be dominant.

In her NPF career, she was 126-41 with an ERA of 1.01. She had a season when she allowed .31 runs a game and in her "worst" season, her ERA was 1.55.

Monica is a bulldog. I once saw her pitch several extra innings in a game and asked her how long she would/could have gone. She looked at me like I was a bit goofy, when she determinedly said "as long as it took."

Obviously Monica is one of the greatest on the field, but she is also a class act off the field. She is dedicated to growing the game and giving back. In 2012, she established the Monica Abbott Scholarship Fund to pay it forward. More info is available at MonicaAbbott.com.

Monica and Team USA will be in Rosemont tonight and tomorrow to play the Bandits and the USSSA Pride. You can go to ChicagoBandits.com for more info.

Cat Osterman and Team USA

Cat Osterman has done it all on the softball field. She was a 4-time All-American at the University of Texas, a 2-time medal winning Olympian and a 6-time National Pro Fastpitch All-Star. Cat retired from pro ball after the 2015 season and is currently an assistant coach at Texas State University.

When it was announced that softball was returning to the Olympics in 2020, Cat put her retirement on hold and dedicated herself to making Team USA. As it stands right now, Cat will be on that team in Tokyo in July 2020. For now though, Cat is with Team USA in Rosemont, IL.

Team USA is in Rosemont at the Chicago Bandits facilities through the end of the week as part of the exhibition schedule. Tonight, Team USA plays the Bandits in a doubleheader. Tomorrow, Team USA plays a split doubleheader. The first game is against the USSSA Pride and the second is against the Bandits. On Sunday, Team USA faces the Bandits again to close out their stay in Rosemont.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Cat back in 2014, when she was pitching for the USSSA Pride. That interview can be found at On the Beat With Cat Osterman. It was such a thrill to talk to Cat. She is a great person, in addition to being one of the all-time great pitchers.

Along with Cat, I have had the honor of interviewing Jennie Finch and Monica Abbott. The three of them are possibly the three best pitchers ever. Team USA featured two of those three. Monica joins Cat to play for Team USA.

Having Team USA play in Rosemont is a rare opportunity to get a glimpse at the future Olympic team. It is also the chance to see some of the best players in the world up close. Other great players include Rachel Garcia, who just won the NCAA title with UCLA.

This transcends just softball. This is history. I'll won't be in Tokyo to see the team perform, but I will be in Rosemont watching them practice and play exhibition games. I also hope to get a few interviews and some interesting stories. Check here for coverage.

Check ChicagoBandits.com for more on this series and the Bandits. Check TeamUSA.org to learn more about the Olympic softball team.

Cat Osterman and me in Rosemont, IL-July 2014.

Cards That Never Were: Nyls Nyman 1977 & '78 Topps

Cards That Never Were is a recurring series in which I create virtual trading cards for players missed in various sets. It is a concept I have borrowed from too many to list, but I appreciate all of them. Actually today, I am featuring 2 Cards That Never Were that I did not create.
Speedy outfielder Nyls Nyman made his debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1974, getting 9 hits in 15 plate appearances and giving hope for the future. Unfortunately, in 1975 he slumped to .226 in 106 games. He appeared in only 8 games in 1976 and one in 1977 to end his major league career. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in September of 1977, but never made it back to the majors.
Nyman had Topps cards for 1975 (a quad pictured Rookie Outfielders card) and 1976 (his first and only solo card). I wanted to make cards for him for 1977 and '78, but finding quality pictures was difficult. Making it even harder was the uniform change. Unlike most times, I could not take an older picture and use it for the later cards, because the Sox went with a drastic change.
Nyman sat on my want list for a long time. Thanks to the work of two very productive and creative folks, I no longer have to make the cards. Below are the Cards That Never Were for Nyls Nyman, with proper credit to the awesome creators.
This 1977 Nyman card was created by David Jenkins of the Facebook group Custom Baseball Cards. It's a great Facebook group which features thousands of card creations by many talented folks. I even contribute on occasion.

This 1978 Nyman card was created by When Topps Had Balls. It's a fantastic site featuring hundreds of "missing" card creations.

Emily Carosone and the 2019 Cleveland Comets

At the recent series between the Chicago Bandits and the Cleveland Comets, I caught up with former Bandits player Emily Carosone. This was Emily's first time back to Rosemont after she was traded to Cleveland in the last offseason.

Emily had an outstanding career at Auburn University. She joined the Bandits and helped the team to the 2016 Cowles Cup championship. A solid 2nd baseman, she was a fine hitter with some pop. She was consistent and soft-spoken, but was certainly a big part of the team's success over her three seasons here.

Emily was part of the controversial trade that saw Sammy Marshall go to the Comets. It's unfortunate that she was lost in the shuffle a bit because of all of the backlash on that trade.

Trades happen in sports. Good players and well-liked players leave teams. That's just part of the game. Because she was a local budding star, Sammy got most of the headlines in that trade. Taking nothing away from Sammy, losing Emily was a big loss, as well, not just to the team, but to the fans. Excellent players and great people are not easily replaced and Emily is both. I just hated to see her be somewhat forgotten in the aftermath of that trade.

Fortunately (and expected), Emily received a big ovation on her return to Rosemont. Bandit Nation loves their own and once a Bandit, always a Bandit. Emily might be wearing different colors and we might be rooting against her team, but we will always have a place in our hearts for Emily. We appreciate all she did on and off the field.

The Comets will return later this season. You can get scheduling and other info at ChicagoBandits.com, as well as recurring coverage here.

Emily Carosone and me in Rosemont, IL-June 2019.

Brittany Cervantes and the 2019 Cleveland Comets

At the recent series between the Chicago Bandits and the Cleveland Comets, I caught up with Brittany Cervantes, who holds a special place in my memories. Six seasons ago, Brittany was the first player I interviewed at a Chicago Bandits game. That interview can be found at On the Beat With Brittany Cervantes.
Brittany  had a stellar career on the softball diamond while at the University of Kentucky. She continued thriving when she joined the Chicago Bandits in 2012. She was an ALL-NPF selection in 2014 and 105, won the Cowles Cup in 2015 and 2016, was named the 2015 Offensive Player of the Year and was named MVP for the 2016 Cowles Cup. "Cerv" was one of the most popular players during her time with the Bandits.
Brittany played for the Scrapyard Dawgs in 2017 and 2018. She just recently signed with the Comets (coming back to the NPF) as part of the relationship with Team Mexico.
Brittany is a real pleasure to watch and know. She is versatile and a true team player. She represents everything good about the nPF and is a credit to women's softball.
When not playing, Brittany is well into her coaching career. Currently an assistant at her alma mater Kentucky, Brittany is on the path to being a head coach. With her knowledge, personality and leadership skills, she will make a great head coach and I look forward to following her career.
It was just great seeing her back in Rosemont and back in the NPF. There is always something special about seeing former Bandits.
Go to ChicagoBandits.com for more info on the Bandits, including schedules. Also, follow the NPF at NationalProFastpitch.com.

Brittany Cervantes and me in Rosemont, IL-June 2019.