My Run In...With ''The Heckler''

Growing up in the biggest city in the world, it was almost a right of passage to attend sporting events and align yourself with a rival team, sometimes influenced by your dad or your older brothers, uncles and even cousins. For me it was the New York Yankees in baseball, the New York Knicks in basketball and oddly enough the San Francisco 49ers in football. I did develop an affinity for the New York Jets since I was pushed in to sides and just wasn't a New York Giant fan, probably due to the inter conference rivalry they had with my Niners. I can remember often going to games and letting the opposing team have it, I mean the things I would say would have earned me a soap sandwich, in my mouth courtesy of my mother had she been present. I learned a lot of these traits from my brothers and friends and followed along as if to keep a tradition alive. But I must admit that listening to fans just spew at players that were of the visiting team, or even at times a player of our own would get me riled up. That is New York. They love you today and would bury you in a heart beat the next if you went 0 for 4 or threw 4 interceptions or went 1 for 12 from the field. You got heckled. Plain and simple. And I remember thinking that it must suck to get badgered by fans day in and day out. Little did I know at that time, years ago, that a heckler would make his way in to my life one day.

A buddy of mine that broke in to the wrestling business before me, but was there with me as I came up the ranks and I have remained friends to this day. Pablo Rodriguez, also known as the ''Mad Whipper Whip'' and I trained together, traveled together and even worked (Wrestled) each other on a couple of occasions. Now Pablo has a radio show that centers around hip hop and is a great listen I may add, http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/DaBodega, (Now that's a plug for you), and also has a face book page (like almost everyone nowadays has), and we at times write each other updates about our kids and sometimes even sports. It was during one of these updates or posts, that I encountered a man known to few or many as ''the heckler.'' The post centered around Lebron James and his move to the Miami Heat, and the backlash it was receiving from fans, media and even former players. I have been critical of the move for one but an individual by the name of Pops Kehoe challenged mine and every one's stance on the subject. I was quick to engage this stranger with my text book knowledge and flare for the dramatic only to be engaged in to a war of words. Who was this ''Pops'' that dared to challenge a man with a pencil, and a propensity of shutting down hecklers?

The more I engaged this heckler, the more he chose to heckle. He even went as far as to attack my five followers, who receive updates on my blogs and those that chime in every week to get the latest on what I am ranting on. I knew I had to respond. I one upped this ''Heckler'' with my basketball knowledge and proved that the Chicago Bulls had been through two separate three-peat's, including one before the signing of Dennis Rodman. This Pops Kehoe would even the score by calling out my Roy Oswalt article and the discrepancy in the contract that I miss handled and did not source correctly. Then the Terrell Owens sweepstakes became our latest spat, and triggered yet another challenge as to whom would sign him first. I sided that the Cincinnati Bengals would, while ''the heckler'' was sure it would be the St. Louis Rams. Although I had won that debate, something strange began to happen. Not only was I engaging this heckler named Pops Kehoe, but I realized that I was, because I found he indeed knows more about sports than your average Joe. He has passion for baseball and football, listens to talk radio, and even took some shots at my articles for being sports ''fluff.''

Although I disagree about the ''fluff'', I do recognize a heckler when I write to one. Since our last engagements of conversations via Pablo's wall on face book, I have shared with him my affinity for Grey's papaya hot dogs and New York pizza, while Pops has convinced me to take a chance and indulge the possibilities of mustard on a pretzel. It's not a match made in heaven but it's worth the ink this article is written on to say, I have been heckled, and it ain't have bad. We all need some constructive criticism, even if at first we don't necessarily like it, you never know if you'll turn to fluff or blow up back like a grenade. Just like all those star athletes I heckled when I was a kid that kept their cool and performed like the pros that they were, Pops Kehoe and I will have our own story to tell...with no ending in site.

By Ephraim Vega
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