Friend Encounters: Dennis Rodman, Ed and Heather

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

In March, I attended Squared Circle Expo VI. It's not just a great wrestling convention. SCX has quickly become one of the best celebrity conventions of any kind. 

Dennis Rodman was one of the headliner guests this year. What perfect timing, too. The three-time NBA champ with the Chicago Bulls was just voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. This was probably his first autograph signing since that announcement.

For those who don't know, Rodman dabbled in pro wrestling as a tag team partner of Hulk Hogan and a member of the NWO. While Rodman would never be confused with Bruno Sammartino, he did what he needed to do. He was himself, in all his fabulous outrageousness. 

Getting him as a guest at SCX was a big coup and it paid off as his line was ridiculously long. Two folks who didn't have to wait in line though were Ed and Heather, one-half of the Fab Four who run SCX. 

I've known Heather for about 15 years and Ed not much less. I first met her at Resistance Pro Wrestling and Ed at a different convention. Saying they are a fun couple is an understatement. They are great folks who bust butt to make the convention fun for all. They also squeeze in a little fun for themselves and rightly so.

With SCX VI in the books, everyone is already looking forward to SCX VII. No info is known about that yet, but you can learn a bit more about SCX at squaredcirclex.com.

Ed, Dennis Rodman and Heather in Indianapolis, IN_March 2026.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #795: Tess Boyer & Krista Tesreau

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing sports jerseys. Today, I continue my season-long alphabetical journey through all Major League Baseball teams.

From Glen Carbon, Illinois, singer Tess Boyer was on The Voice, season six. She was a cheerleader for the St. Louis Rams and has worked with special needs children. When she took a hiatus from social media, Boyer frightened her fans who stared searching for the "missing" singer. Her father assured all she was fine. Boyer got her Celebrity Jersey Card wearing a St. Louis Cardinals jersey. She might have been at a game, but the background was too bright to tell.

A native of St. Louis, actress Krista Tesreau has carved out a nice career on daytime dramas, among other projects. One of her roles was as Tina Lord (described fantastically as a "whirling dervish" on Wiki) On One Life to Live. That role was also played by two of my favorites in the late Andrea Evans and Kelli Maroney. Tesreau also appeared in Ringmaster, starring Jerry Springer. For her Celebrity Jrsey Card, Tesreau was accompanied by Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith.

Cards That Never Were: Ted Simmons 1969-'70 & '89

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 borrow from far too many to list, but I appreciate all of their efforts.

Ted Simmons was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (10th) of the 1967 MLB June Amateur Draft. He made his MLB debut in 1968, appearing in two games. He followed that in 1969 with five games. Then he became a regular in 1970. After the 1980 season, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Prior to the 1986 season, he was sent to Atlanta, where he finished his career in 1988. All told, Simba hit .285 with 248 HRs, 1,389 RBIs and 1,074 runs scored. In 2020 the Modern Baseball Era Committee voted him into the Hall of Fame.

For his efforts, Topps gave Simmons cards 1971-1988. That left two early cards and one career capper missing. Lynn from the Custom Baseball Cards Facebook group created these masterpieces to finish his career set. Lynn is a genius, creating thousands  of such cards in the group, which isn't just baseball cards. I couldn't come close to Lynn's wizardry, especially with these specific card designs. It is much better to highlight his work, than try to duplicate it and fail.

Introducing Anna Meixner of the PWHL

Born in Austria, Anna Meixner is a forward with the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). In her second PWHL season, she previously played for the Ottawa Charge until a trade this midseason.

In addition to her PWHL play, Meixner is a four-time European Women's Hockey League (EWHL) champion, the second-highest all-time scorer in EHV Sabres Vienna history and the fourth-highest scorer all-time for Austria. She also won several snow boarding events while in school.

When I met Meixner, I was standing behind a young fan who was coughing a lot. When she reached Meixner, her dad proudly told Meixner that the girl had a bad cold but really wanted to meet the players. This was also after the kid high-fived Meixner. I sensed Meixner was not too happy to hear that news, but she kept smiling.

I did not hear of Meixner being sick after that, but I was. I caught whatever germ the kid was spewing. I could not move away from the line, because I was the last person in line. I tried giving space, but apparently, I did not leave enough.

Even with a cold as the result, I am still glad I got to go to that practice and game, along with the next game in March. The PWHL is exciting and I really hope for a team in Chicago next seaon.

For more info on the league, go to thepwhl.com. Check here for my recurring coverage. 

Anna Meixner and me in Rosemont, IL-December 2025.

FGCU 's Azul

While in Florida visiting my sister Jean, we saw the Loyola women's basketball team was playing an NIT game in the area. My last night there unexpectedly became a night of cheering for the Ramblers.

The big question was if the Ramblers would have their mascot LU Wolf at the game. If he was there, I would find a way to get a picture. Unfortunately, he was not there.

Florida Gulf Coast University, their opponent, was playing in their home arena. Naturally, their mascot was there. Call me a turncoat, I had to get a picture with him. I do not apologize for my fascination with mascots.

.FGCU's mascot is Azul the Eagle. Introduced in 2001, Azul is named after the school's colors (cobalt blue and emerald green). That's an odd connection. Azul is a multi-time winner of the ASUN Conference Most Valuable Mascot Award. Azul wears jersey No. 23 and leads the "Dirty Birds" student cheering section. "Wings Up" is the official, popular cheer of fans and the Azul.

I was automatically on a mission to get a selfie with the mascot, but he made it easy for me by coming into the stands. Jean became an unintentional photo bomber in my picture, but she is a good sport about it.

I do have to comment on his costume though. While his head was fine, his upper body was okay and his lower body was basically green sweatpants. Call me a mascot snob, I expect a bit more from mascots. FGCU needs to step up their game a bit. Still, I appreciate adding Azul to my collection.

and me in Fort Myers, FL-March 2026.

Dirk Manning at C2E2 2023

This year was a rarity for me. I missed Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, but creator Dirk Manning made it.

I have been a fan of Dirk's for many years. I think I first met him more than a decade ago at the Motor City Comic Con. I have seen him and interviewed him many times since then.

Dirk is often listed as a comic book writer, but he is so much more. Dirk has created several comics, but he also created graphic biographies for wrestler Arn Anderson and announcer Tony Schiavone. In addition to comics, Dirk is the author of the how-to column turned book series Write or Wrong: A Writer’s Guide.

As engaging as he is talented, Dirk is always a popular guest at any comic con. He always makes time for me at cons though and I appreciate that immensely. If you are at a convention, stop by his booth and feel free to give him advice on great ice cream wherever you are. He is an ice cream aficianado.

For more info on Dirk, go to dirkmaning.com. Also, check here for my recurring updates on him.

Dirk Manning and me in Chicago, IL-March 2023.

Stevie Ray at Squared Circle Expo VI

Squared Circle Expo VI was another amazing event. SCX continues to raise the bar for great conventions and not just wrestling cons. SCX is among the best of any convention.

One of the many guests Tony and I wanted to meet was Stevie Ray. Laslon Steven Huffman is the older brother of Booker T, with whom he formed the great Harlem Heat tag team. Together they won the WCW tag tiles 10 times. Stevie Ray also had some success outside of WCW, but it was there which really put him and Booker T into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019.

Obviously, we knew he was a big man (billed as 6'5" and 292), somehow he seemed even bogger. The man is 68 and his is almost as thick as Tony and me together. His arms are huge, too.

One thing that makes these encounters special is when the celebrity is into it and Stevie Ray was. He was very engaging and seemed delighted to meet so many fans. He initiated extra conversation with us, which is always welcome.

This also speaks to the folks who run SCX. While Stevie Ray went above and beyond, I have never had anything near a bad encounter at SCX. The promoters to a great job with bringing in the right people. So kudos to Steve and to the SCX folks.

For more info on SCX, go to squaredcirclex.com. I am already looking forward to next year!

Stevie Ray, Tony and me in Indianapolis, IN-March 2026.

Friend Encounters: Weird Al Yankovic and Troy G.

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Once again I present my media pal Troy at the Big Slick Charity Celebrity Softball Weekend. Troy covers and participates in it and I cover Troy.

Weird Al Yankovic was one of the many celebs who were in Kansas City. Yankovic is such a talented person. Many years and hundreds of parody songs into his career, he is still going strong. Unfortunately, there is no box score to see how he did at the game, but outcomes don't matter, because it's all about raising money. 

The brainchild of Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd and Jason Sudeikis, Big Slick debuted in 2010. It has raised $21 million for Children's Mercy.

I saw so many other celebs with Troy. I really am envious. I also hope to be there some year.

Go to The Geary Stein & Stevens Show to be entertained. Also, check bigslickkc.org for more info on that great event and organization.

Troy and Al Yankovic in Kansas City, MO-May 2024.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #794: Pepper Burruss & Joel Kopischke

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing sports jerseys. Today, I continue my season-long alphabetical journey through all Major League Baseball teams with two longtime Wisconsin staples.

Pepper Burruss was recognized as a Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Excellence recipient last year. He is one of only 14 NFL athletic trainers to be so honored. His 42-year career started with the New York Jets, but he spent 26 years with the Green Bay Packers, retiring after the 2019 season. The Milwaukee Brewers had Burruss toss a ceremonial pitch, which landed him on a Celebrity Jersey Card.

Entertainer Joel Kopischke has been on stage for most of his life. He is known for song parodies, jingles and wide variety of singing styles. He has done jingles for McDonald's, Visa, Kohl's and many other well-known companies. Kopischke earned his Celebrity Jersey Card by entertaining fans at a Brewers game.

Cards That Never Were: Lamar Johnson Topps 1975

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 borrow from far too many to list, but I appreciate all of their efforts.

First baseman Lamar Johnson was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 1968 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 1974 playing a few games in September after playing most of the year in AAA. After playing most of 1975 in AAA, he was up for good in 1976. He was part of several platoons at first base through the 1981 season, usually playing the most games. He became a free agent and signed with the Texas Rangers before the 1982 season, but was released before the 1983 season to end his MLB career. For his career, Johnson played in 792 games, hitting .287 with 64 HRs, 381 RBIs and 294 run scored.

Topps gave Johnson cards in sets 1976-'83. That left a 1975 card missing. His 1976 card was a multi-player rookie card, which I previously made into a solo card. Now his full run is complete.