Noticed this morning by Noise Nation member Heather M., the IronPigs appear to have created yet another “Club” for their fans.
This time though, no kids and no ladies.. this one Gentlemen, is for you!
Calling it the “Iron Heads”, the cost is a tidy sum of $30 per member and benefits include:
– IronHeads T-Shirt
– IronHeads Cooler Bag (Wonder if this is allowed in the park?)
– Batting Practice Viewing & Tailgate on August 19th (No mention if game ticket is included here)
– Ball park tour on July 21st
– Group night on August 19th (No mention if game ticket is included here)
For men aged 21 years or older only.
While some may feel this is long overdue we can always look at the Kids Club, Diamond Divas and Silver Pigs as allowing women, children and the elderly to go first. A bit archaic but that’s not a discussion for a sports blog… 🙂
Anyways, I’ll hold my opinion on this. How do you all feel about it? I want to hear your thoughts…
Good value? Something you will participate in? Let’s do a survey!
On the infamous shopper’s day known as “Black Friday” there will be one shop calling it a Red Friday as the Lehigh Valley’s own Philadelphia Phillie, Brian Schneider will be at Polish Water Ice in Coplay signing autographs from Noon until 1:00pm free with any purchase!
While the great news of meeting a Phillie is awesome enough, I took some time to read up on the Polish Water Ice.
It’s not your typical Italian Water Ice. With its great taste, comes Polish Water Ice’s uniqueness. Rather than serving a stored product, Polish Water Ice is made while you wait for it.
It couldn’t be any fresher!
The inventor, who comes from a Polish background, has a degree in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering and has always wanted to invent a product that is “out of this world.” The homemade recipe contains no fat or cholesterol. Each flavor is perfected to refresh you.
When we combine our Polish Water Ice with soft serve ice cream, it creates our Polish Freeze which is unmatched.
Polish Water Ice started in the kitchen of Thomas B. Curyto, Sr. in the early 1990’s. Having always appreciated Italian water ice, he researched how to make it and came up with his own recipe. As he continued to produce this refreshing dessert at home, it started becoming popular among his friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances. At times, they would visit Tom just to have his water ice!
Products include the Polish Water Ice, The Polish Chiller, The Polish Freeze, The Ice Cap and the Polish Shake!
Come on out, take a break from shopping and get yourself and the family a treat on Friday November 25th at Noon at Polish Water Ice!
Schneider will be signing anything provided and the first 50 fans will receive a free photo!
Polish Water Ice
2355 Old Post rd (rte 329)
Coplay, PA 18052
The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls final bout of the season is tomorrow!!
I can’t say enough of how fun these bouts are. If you want more details, check out The Corner Seat Blog or just ask Jimmy T!
The Rollergirls will also be selling “Stache’s” and will hold a silent auction to support men’s health issues!
These are some nice Stache's!
Full details on the event are below:
I’ve got an extra ticket… first to claim it, in person, at the event… will get it! Find me and say… “Laugh! Cheer! Bring on the Beer!” (A dance performance may or may not be required) 🙂
Bethlehem, PA: The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks announced today that they have terminated the contract of Head Coach Rich Britt to go in another direction for the 2012 IFL season. Britt came to the franchise as its first Head Coach in November of 2010, after stints in the now defunct AF2 and with the Sioux City Bandits, formerly of the IFL.
“The ownership group for the Steelhawks and Mr. Britt had differing views as to the direction that we wanted to take the team going forward,” stated Steelhawks Owner and President Glenn Clark. “We decided to make this move now in order to give Coach Britt and the Steelhawks time to prepare for the 2012 season.”
In the immediate future, Steelhawks executives will begin the process of filling their Head Coaching vacancy. The team will open up training camp in early February, with their first game scheduled for Friday, February 24th at the Chicago Slaughter. The franchise’s Home Opener is scheduled for Sunday, March 11th at 4 p.m. against the Bloomington Extreme.
It’s Post-World Series time and teams will have to start working on their 2012 talent. A part of this is the Free Agent declarations. Some of these folks are out of options or simply signed a 1 year contract.
Below are the Phillies’ Minor League free agents:
Pitchers AAA
Brian Bass
Eddie Bonine
Nate Bump
Dave Bush
Juan Perez
LHP: Ryan Edell
Ryan Feierabend
AA
Derrick Loop (AA)
Joe Esposito (AA)
Les Walrond (AA)
A
Tommy Palica
Catchers
Tim Kennelly – AA
Torre Langley – A
Jeff Lanning – A
Infielders
Tagg Bozied – AAA
Jeff Larish – AAA
Josh Barfield – AAA
Ozzie Chavez – AA
Paco Figueroa – AA
Kevin Frandsen – AAA
Fidel Hernandez – AA
Steve Singleton – AA
Outfielders
Brent Clevlen – AA
Terry Evans – AA
Chris Frey – AA
Cyle Hankerd – Hi A
Chris Lubanski – AA
Scott Podsednik – AAA
Mike Spidale – AA
Rich Thompson – AAA
Delwyn Young – AAA
Being a kid in the 80’s, I faithfully watched pro wrestling every Saturday morning. I recorded each episode on VHS and would re-watch several times to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I remember begging to attend a Wrestlemania III viewing party. (It was on Closed Circuit TV back then) I had those big rubber wrestlers and have a photo of me getting a headlock from Salvatore Bellomo at a wedding reception of a family friend.
The best was when the WWF would show up at Ag Hall right here in Allentown! My favorites, the British Bulldogs were there. The Superstar Billy Graham and many other legends of pro wrestling. Even got Tony Garea’s autograph at the snack stand there. (He spilled his coffee in the process)
Allentown has a rich pro wrestling history. There’s a school here. The Nasty Boys, The Samoans… The Rock!
Now for the big announcement…
On December 8th, pro wrestling returns to Allentown with an event at Crocodile Rock on Hamilton St. in Allentown featuring the stars of Micro Championship Wrestling!!
You may have seen these folks on the TruTV billed as “Hulk Hogan’s MCW”. I watched the series and loved every minute of it. These wrestlers go out there and put on a great show and we have the opportunity to see them live!
Didn’t see the show? Let me fill you in…
MCW is a company that has one goal in mind and that is to turn everyone who experiences one of our unique events into a Micro Maniac for life.
I asked MCW what the Allentown line up looked like and scheduled to appear are:
Short Sleeve Sampson
One of the most famous and talented midget wrestlers in the industry today. He stands at 4’2″ and weighs 120lbs.
Sampson was born and raised in Providence, RI. and currently resides in Syracuse, NY with his wife and 8 year old daughter.
Sampson has competed in all major promotions around the world and is known for being the toughest midget to enter the ring.
Sampson has appeared in WWE on three occasions as miniature versions of larger wrestlers. In 2003, he appeared as Mini-Angle, performing an Angle-style ankle lock on Kurt Angle, who was posing as John Cena. The following year, he appeared as Mini-Taker and was almost tombstoned by JBL until being saved by the Undertaker and then getting chokeslammed by him, and in 2006 he appeared as Kenny from the Spirit Squad along with Demo and Meatball of MCW and others to make up a mini Spirit Squad and performed a skit with Tripple H and Shawn Michaels of DX
Outside of the promos, Sampson competed in Smackdown’s Juniors Division in 2005; participating in the first ever Juniors match against Pitbull Patterson. He also made an appearance on Raw as Pocket Rocket, the one night only tag team partner for The Heart Throbs in a match against Viscera and his mini version partner. On the November 23, 2009 edition of WWE Raw Sampson was seen serving DX the Lawsuit papers from Hornswoggle. In 2006 Sampson made his debut in TNA’s Bound for Glory PPV in the Kevin Nash X-Division Invitational Battle Royal being the only midget wrestler in that match. In 2007 he appeared in the TNA Christmas Special where he portrayed Chris Sabin of the Motor City Machine Guns. He was involved in a skit involving Bubba Ray & Devon Dudley and Johnny Devine which turned into a tag match.Sampson will never back down from a fight, no matter how big or small and is known for taking on all challengers! Using his 13 years of wrestling experience and his finishers; The Inch Worm or the Frog Splash he will rise above his competition. Pure guts and determination has made Short Sleeve Sampson not only a fan favorite, but a hero to children of all ages!
Demo is a big person in a little person’s body. At 85 pounds and a foot and a half shorter than some of his fellow MCW wrestlers, Demo not only trains with big people instead of little people, but talks down to his team, calling the shots as co-owner. He considers himself a leader of the MCW, but not everyone thinks he puts in as much time, money and effort into the business as Johnny does.
Demo is one of the only MCW wrestlers with mixed martial arts training. He began his career in 2004 with the DMA’s Dwarf Cage Fighting and then moved on to wrestle with the WWE in 2006. He is trained in sambo wrestling and gladiator style grappling. He calls his signature move the “swan pawn”, where he pulls himself up to the periphery by a backwards flip and does a high fall body-slam.
When he’s not on tour, Demo works at a strip club as a DJ six nights a week. The club reportedly offers any customer $100 if they can pin the powerhouse wrestler down for two minutes. Demo even wears his home-made wrestling outfits and face masks in the strip club when he works the turntables. In the four years he’s worked there, Demo says no one has been able to pin him.
No one loves to see himself on camera more than Meatball. With over 30 videos having gone viral on the Internet, Meatball can’t get enough of the stardom that comes with wrestling. Meatball’s friends and family seem to think wrestling has unleashed the beast. Among his signature moves is one he calls the Five-Finger Death Punch.
Meatball was born and raised in Chicago. His mother and sister worked in the administrative side of a food chain, while his father worked in a lumberyard. Both his father and sister are two inches shorter than he is.
Growing up, Meatball always shied away from attention, finding hobbies that gave him the most alone time, like listening to music or working in print shop. After finishing high school, he traveled through the United States, Europe and Japan, which led to him taking a job as a cargo handler for a local airline.
After 20 years on the job, a friend talked Meatball into becoming a side-kick for a touring boxing team. Thinking it might be a good opportunity to travel, Meatball took the job only to discover an even bigger passion: wrestling. Meatball decided to join the MCW and quickly became the “Man Baby” legend. He finally found his tribe. Meatball is still very quiet and easy to get along with outside of the ring. But inside the ring, he easily steals all the attention and becomes a crowd favorite.
Also known as “Little E the Pimp,” Huggie Cub is a 32-year-old single man who was born and raised in Philadelphia. His mother is an administrative assistant at a college, while his father and sister both work in mutual funds, and his brother works as a contractor.
Huggie was introduced to wrestling by his friend Justice, whom he has known for seven years. Huggie has been in the ring for three years and thinks of himself as “The Wild One.” He is the flamboyant comedian of the group with two signature moves: one he calls the DDT, in which he does a neck-grab from behind and pulls his opponent down to floor, and the other is dubbed Twist of Fate, which is a neck-grab, followed by an arm-pull behind the back.
Huggie, the only little person in his family, wanted to be a professional football player. He graduated from college with a degree in business administration and has worked keeping records for his brother’s contracting business. His hobbies include music, reading the Bible, hanging out with his family and watching sports.
Known as “The Tiniest Terror,” Blixx is the youngest in the group, but he has the biggest edge when it comes to wrestling. “Don’t tell me I can’t.” he often says. While he is often the cause of drama by faking injuries, chasing girls or acting out if he doesn’t get his way, Blixx is the glue that holds the brotherhood of the MCW together. He leads a group prayer before every show, which helps remind the wrestlers to be grateful for their health, their ability to provide for their families and the strength to keep making the sacrifices to be on tour and give the best show they are capable of giving.
Blixx says he lives a double life. When he isn’t inside the ring wrestling, he leads a peaceful and quiet life. Blixx is the only little person in his family of four, born and raised in South Carolina. His mother and sister work in retail, his father was a press manager for a local newspaper, later becoming a chef.
As a child, Blixx’s dream was to become a professional baseball or football player, but when he entered high-school and was not allowed to try out for the sports teams, he quickly dropped out. He never held a job for more than three months. Fast food, retail, telemarketing: nothing clicked. But when friend Justice introduced him to wrestling, he knew he had found his calling.
Blixx has worked in the wrestling industry for 13 years. He began on the management/story side for two years before moving to the mat. He is largely self-taught, copying moves he’s seen on TV. Blixx loves being seen as a baby face before coming back out in his wrestling gear, Goth make-cup, a black trench coat and heavy metal music blasting over the loud speakers for his entrance.
Blixx’s love for wrestling and his team is unparalleled, but his competition days might be limited because of a congenital condition deteriorating the cartilage in his knees. He expects his wrestling career will be over in two years. But Blixx would gladly end his own career as a wrestler long before his knees give out if he could get just one performance at his dream venue in Las Vegas. If he ever reached that goal, he would resign as a wrestler and move into the management side of the business, writing stories, supervising training and managing tag-teams.
Johnny is an all-or-nothing kind of guy. He slept in his car through Wrestling School, sacrificed his marriage and burned bridges with employers – all in the pursuit of his dream to become the CEO of MCW. As if all the sacrifices weren’t enough, he maxed out credit cards purchasing touring trailers, developing merchandise, buying training equipment, hiring talent and funding their travel. With no back-up plan and everything at stake, Johnny continues to invest everything into his wrestling business, believing confidence and the power of positive thinking will be enough to make him succeed.
Born in the Bronx and raised in Long Island by a modest Catholic family, Johnny has always been the black sheep of this family. His mother was a stay-at-home mom, his father worked as a New York City Transit operator, his sister went on to become the president of a bank and his brother has a wife, family and successful career in the air-conditioning industry. But Johnny chose a different path. After graduating high school, Johnny followed his entrepreneurial spirit, taking jobs like fish mongering at local open-air markets, converting an old truck into a mobile coffee shop and eventually falling upon the idea that he could make money with just his body.
Johnny opened a gym and got a second job as a dancer. Making his way to becoming a local celebrity as the host of a 1990 TV show Beach Control, Johnny discovered a new love that he still chases today – being in front of the camera. Johnny met his childhood hero, Hulk Hogan, on the set of Beach Control and found yet another way to make money off his body: wrestling. After the TV show wrapped, Johnny invested everything he had to attend the prestigious Power Plant wrestling school in Atlanta.
Since becoming a wrestler in 1994, Johnny has survived four major elbow injuries, lived off instant noodles and skated through debt to support his far-reaching goal of developing the MCW brand. Johnny says his only source of income is the MCW, and everything he makes gets re-invested back into the business. If his business fails, he has nothing on which to fall back.
If you're a wrestling fan, you know who Tanaka is!
With the return of Andy Tracy to the Phillies organization as a manager, many are wondering/hoping he returns to the IronPig’s dugout.
Warning: Opinion below.
I see Andy starting at Williamsport. It’s a short season, he’ll be able to work with less experienced players and be able to move around the coaching learning curve easier than he would at a higher level. Every new job requires learning and coaching a pro baseball team is no different. Placing a new “rookie” manager at AA or AAA would subject him to criticism (from fans and players alike) for mistakes that are a part of the learning process. New players wouldn’t dare to test a long time ball player like Tracy but a 10 year + minor league journeyman might.
From my experience in the Marine Corps, whenever someone was promoted they were generally transferred soon after. Being in charge of people who just days ago were drinking buddies isn’t any easy path for either party. Williamsport will afford Andy Tracy the opportunity to avoid conflict early in his managerial career.
With that said, I see a good chance that Mickey Morandini will remain in the Phillies organization possibly pushing into Clearwater or Lakewood.
Whoever Morandini replaces will push to AA Reading and the IronPigs will sign outside the organization (If/When Sandberg leaves)
That’s my opinion. It doesn’t reflect that of the entire Noise Nation. Feel free to post your thoughts in the comment section below.
Tonight, Thursday Nov. 3rd, the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks and Precious Metals will be having another Pizza Night at Boston’s Restaurant from 6-8pm! Come join us for some great food in a great atmosphere. Boston’s Allentown is located at 327 Star Road Allentown, PA
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Saturday!!! The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls have a home bout! Details on the flyer below! Come on out and support our favorite Derby!
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