Its 7pm and im strapping my Knee pads on.... First off i wanted to tell a short story....Back in 2010 i met a guy named Robert at a tournament in Klammath Falls Oregon..He was a little guy but he walked right up to me and introduced himself and took down my phone number as if we had known each other for years....I didnt think too much of it......Later on in the day this same guy won the novice event... A month or 2 went by and out of no where 3 words popped up everywhere for the Armwrestling World to see..... those letters were the UAL.... i was immedietely drawn to this.... And i went right to the website...... there was a phone number that was listed on this website to call for info on an upcoming tournament in Venice Beach.... I called the number.....A man answered Hey Mac!!!! I was like WTF???? It was Robert...the same guy i met in Klammath Falls Oregon.. he told me all about the event and said he would see me there..... I was beyond excited.....But i was broke off my ass....So there was no way of going.....I asked my Wife several times if we could make it work and there was just no way..... as the days went by more and more info was posted about this spectacular event.....Supermatches...Big Money....special Guests and amazing talent...and with everyday i couldnt go...the more and more i was sick to my stomach.... i was like the kid who waited by the Christmas tree for that bike...but never got it.... A few weeks before the Venice Beach event my family and I were up at my Moms house for the weekend.... MybMom and Step Dad asked me about this event in Venice Beach that i kept talking about every 5 seconds.. I told them....They listened...and within one hour I was Told by my Mom Linda Rodrigues that she and my Step Dad would help me get to that event...I was beyond excited...I was freaking out....And When My wife found out we were going....She was happy as well cause we got a weekend alone.... So before i really get the knee pads on...I want to start from the beginning....I want to thank Randy Weaver for finding me and introducing me to the armwrestling world.....I wanna thank my Dad and Step Mom for taking me to my first event in 2009..and funding pretty much every event from then on....I want to thank ALL of the California Armbenders for taking me in and treating me like family..training me and teaching me to armwrestle.....I want to thank Tom Nelson for giving me my nickname....... I want to thank my Mom and Step Dad for helping me get to the event that changed my life.....I want to thank My wife for Always supporting me even when she cant stand me.. I want to thank Luke Kindt for really working hard with me and teaching me to be a champion.......And i want to thank Robert Drenk and Bill Collins for creating something so amazing...The UAL.... Since day one the UAL has made me happy...frustrated ...sad....impatient, angry and excited.....I went thru all the emotions when it first started...I wanted to be apart of the BIG SHOW...i was immediately drawn to the excitement of it....and when I got my first shot at the big show in 2011 at UAL Tahoe......I was beside myself....being introduced by Neil Pickup was the most incredible feeling an armwrestler can feel.... It only got better from there...and with every new event....it got bigger and better..Everyone wanted to be in the SHOW...The UAL puts on the best shows in Armwrestling.... But it takes a crew to put on a show...a Great Crew.... Mike Timoschuk..Rizzo, Dean Chance, Cynthia Sue Daum Stacy Drenk Matthew Dohman and so many more...when you are at an event you are apart of the Family...The UAL family... and its an amazing feeling....My own personal experience has been a wonderful ride so far...I have met great friends like Jonathan Hoffman.. Jake Smith.... Jeremy Petruncio...and soooooooo many more..... I have got to meet legends like Travis Bagent...John Brzenk.. .Ron Bath...Richard Lupkes...Michael Todd... Kevin Bongard and the list goes on and on and on.... I am very happy to be surrounded by greatness. We all have been promised amazing things since the beginning....and that time has finally come.... between Robert and Bill and the UAL staff....They did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Robert and Bill have almost gone Broke making sure we are all taken care of..... We are all gonna be super stars...With Neil Pickup...Travis Bagent and Bruce Buffer on the mic making us all look like Rock Stars.... Everyone get ready to be a star...Its going to be huge.....Its been a long road...And I will admit there have been days i have gotten so frustrated I was ready to give up.... and you know what??? So was Robert and Bill...But They NEVER did...They kept on and made HUGE sacrifices for ALL of us.... And now we are all on our way.... So with that being said....Thank you to Bill And Robert for starting this amazing league....Thank you for always going out of your way for all of us and this sport.... thank you to Chris Chandler for an amazing experience that i wont ever forget...Thank you to Brian Brandon and Lisa for driving all the way to Santa Ana to support me. Thank you to Jonathan Hoffman for having the balls to sacrifice your arm for competition..I have a huge amount of respect for you...... To Jeremy Petruncio...Thank you for being genuine and a good friend...Icing my arm and giving me the pep talk i needed to do my best.... This was an amazing experience that was amazing for my whole family....The UAL made me look like a Rock star in front of my Wife and 2 kids...My wife was so proud of me...and my 2 kids looked at me like i was the most amazing Dad in the world.. Robert and Stacy and Bill and Ginger are a part of my family...And I am so happy that Robert came to Klammath Falls and walked up to me and introduced himself.... This is just the beginning.... Thank you to The ENTIRE UAL staff... Im taking the Knee Pads Off Now...9
Posted on: Tue, 20 May 2014 02:55:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015