The New Day - WWE

1) WWE wrestlers Big E, Xavier Woods, and Kofi Kingston make up the pro wrestling stable known as The New Day and perform on WWE's SmackDown Brand.

2) The New Day holds the WWE record for the longest Tag Team Championship reign as they held the titles for 483 consecutive days spanning from April 26th, 2015 to December 18th, 2017, breaking the previous 28 year-old-record held by Demolition.

3) The New Day competes under the Freebird Rule when Tag Team Champions, which allows any two of the three members to defend the title on any given night. Their finishing moves include The Midnight Hour and the UpUpDownDown. 

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D: Who was your favorite wrestler growing up?

Big E: Goldberg
Xavier Woods: (The boys believe he said either Sting or Scorpion but are not exactly sure?)
Kofi: Shawn Michaels

D's Follow Up: I like Goldberg too because he was a heavyweight champion and beat Brock Lesnar. I do like Sting because of the scorpions on his outfit and he was a champion too. I like Shawn Michaels because of his music and he used to fly high like Kofi. My favorite wrestler is Andre the Giant because he was so huge and nobody would want to fight him. 

J: What sports did you play growing up?

Big E: Wrestling and football. For sure I know we all did wrestling.
Kofi: I know we all wrestled and we also played football too.

J's Follow Up: It is not a surprise that they all wrestled and they all played football. I play flag football but wrestling is not my favorite. But I like WWE.


Chad to Kofi (from friend Logan): When are you going to win the Royal Rumble? We think you're ready and one of the best to compete in the Rumble.

Kofi: Thanks, I appreciate it. Hopefully soon, right?

Chad's Follow Up:  Kofi has been one of the greatest Royal Rumble competitors of all time in my opinion and I don't believe he's come close to winning the event. Kofi is known for his historic Royal Rumble Saves that are simply jaw dropping. I hope that one day Kofi will be one of the last men standing in the Rumble because he has certainly earned his shot and is one of WWE's top stars. 




D to Kofi: I like it when you do the Midnight Hour (finishing move)!

Kofi: Thank you! I like it too.

The New Day is one of our favorite WWE tag teams of all time and one of the WWE Universe's most popular tag teams ever. They are also the most entertaining, just take a look a their entrance. With that said, we knew we wanted to take advantage of a rare opportunity to meet all three members of The New Day as they were the celebrity showcase superstars at the Autorama World of Wheels show in Rosemont. Although, we were in line an hour and a half ahead of their scheduled signing time, we ended up waiting over 3 hours to meet the former WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions and we all agree it was worth every second. 

While standing in line for over three hours, we got to meet so many people who love wrestling as much as we do. Making new friends and talking with people who have the same passion for the WWE or sports as we do is one my favorite parts of going to these events with Jordan and Danny. 

The boys have been bringing their beloved Money in the Bank briefcases with them to get signed at each event and they become a big topic while standing in line, especially since they have collected over 30+ signatures to date and counting (The New Day, The Miz, Daniel Bryan, Carmella and more). Many people in line wanted to hold their briefcases and two young boys wanted to take pictures with the MITB briefcases and have dreams that they will one day cash in and become WWE champion too!

When we finally made it to meet Big E, Xavier, and Kofi, they were as awesome and fun as expected and they took the time to shake hands and talk to each of us and answer questions. This was the case for every single person in line and although it made the line go slower, everyone left with a special experience with The New Day. 

Known for their fun loving antics and positivity, The New Day bring the party with them wherever they go and this time it happened to be at the Rosemont Convention Center. We are thankful that Autorama World of Wheels brought in The New Day and we are thankful to Big E, Xavier, and Kofi for giving us an experience we won't soon forget.

The Miz - WWE

1) The Miz is currently the most must see superstar in World Wrestling Entertainment and has been wrestling on the WWE main roster since April of 2006. 

2) One of seventeen Grand Slam Champions in WWE history, The Miz has won the WWE Championship (1 time), Intercontinental Championship (8 times and is current champion), United States Championship (2 times), Tag Team Champion (6 times) and also won the 2010 Money in the Bank ladder match.

3) The Miz is married to former WWE wrestler Maryse who also manages The Miz on WWE RAW. They call themselves the "It couple" and are expecting their first child in April.

D: What are you most excited about as you become a new dad soon?

The Miz: I am most excited to meet her and I hope to set a good example for her.

D's Follow Up: I think it would be cool for Miz to teach her tricks like how to walk and talk and jump and be a good example for her. 

Photo Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

J: Who was your favorite wrestler growing up?

The Miz: The Ultimate Warrior

J's Follow Up: The Ultimate Warrior is aaaawwwwweeessssoooommmeeee and I've watched a lot of his matches too. Some of my favorite wrestlers are R-Truth, The Miz, and Bo Dallas.

The Miz: Mitchell Trubisky, yeah? (referring to Jordan's hat with #10 and Mitchell's signature stitched in)

Jordan: Yep.

Dad: We know you're a Browns fan, what do you think of Deshone Kizer? Is he the answer?

The Miz: He needs about 4 years of experience.

The boys and I headed north from Chicagoland to Milwaukee (West Allis) to meet one of our favorite WWE superstars, The Miz, at the Cricket Wireless store for a special meet and greet before WWE RAW. The Miz is the most must see WWE superstar today and he didn't disappoint as he met with hundreds of WWE fans. Thankfully, Danny won three skip the line passes for us as he battled another boy in a rock, paper, scissors showdown and saved us at least an hour of waiting in the freezing temperatures of Wisconsin. 

The Miz has all of the personality and charisma that he displays on TV every Monday night and he truly was AWESOME. I've been watching The Miz from his days on The Real World, The Challenge on MTV and now his rise to the greatest Intercontinental Champion in WWE history. The Miz truly is must see TV.

The Miz was excited to meet J and D and was happy to answer their questions and sign their Money in the Bank briefcases and photo. Jordan had the opportunity to wear The Miz's real Intercontinental Championship belt and he said it weighed more than his own brother. When you have the opportunity to wear The Miz's belt just hours before he walks down the aisle with it in front of thousands in the arena and millions at home, you take advantage of it! For one day, the three of us were part of The Miztourage and it was a day we'll never forget. 

Robbie Gould - San Francisco 49ers

1) Robbie Gould is a placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers who also played for the New York Giants (2016) and Chicago Bears (2005-2015).

2) Gould is the all-time leading scorer for the Chicago Bears with 1,207 career points and the career leader in field goals made with 276.

3) When he's not competing on the football field, Robbie can be found on the golf course. Robbie is an avid golfer who has played multiple celebrity golf tour events including the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament and the Ace Hardware shootout among others. Robbie also hosts annual celebrity fundraising golf outings for his Goulden Touch foundation and raised over $1.7 million in 2016 and 2017 alone for the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

D: Do you have a favorite pregame meal?

RG: Morning meal- eggs, hash browns, fruit, and the key to the morning meal waffle with butter and syrup. Night game will be steak, salad, sweet potatoes, and fruit.

 

D's Follow Up: I like all of Robbie's morning foods like eggs, fruit, hash browns and I like my waffle with syrup but no butter. Steak is one of my favorite foods and I love fruit. I don't eat salad or sweet potatoes. They both seem like healthy meals before a game.


J (asked by Mom): I'm always encouraging my two sons (7 and 10) to read. Do you have a favorite children's book? (From your childhood or now.)

RG: Spoon is a great one to read. It's for smaller kids but has a great story.

Mom's Follow Up: Mom's Follow Up: I read a lot of children's literature so I'm familiar with Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and it's such a sweet book about a spoon who wants to be like everyone else until he realizes he should be proud of who he is. I love so many of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books but I would have to say that I Wish You More is my favorite of hers. You might recognize Amy Krouse Rosenthal from her piece in the New York Times called You May Want to Marry My Husband or you might know her children's or adult books. Sadly, Amy passed away in March of 2017. Luckily, she shared so much joy and love and magic with the world before she left. Because we live near Chicago, where Amy lived, I was able to visit AKR: A Beauty Salon at Carrie Secrist Gallery, an exhibit that celebrated Amy's life. It was an amazing place that helped me slow down and appreciate all that is beautiful about life. I blogged about my experience if you'd like to see and hear more about it.

Photo credit John J. Kim/ Chicago Tribune

Robbie has always been a family favorite during his time here in Chicago. We were devastated when Robbie was released in September of 2016 and eventually moved on to the New York Giants and now the San Francisco 49ers. Robbie was an amazingly consistent player for the Bears year after year. When the team would put themselves in field goal position, we assumed the kick would be good and 86.9% of the time we were right. Now the San Francisco 49ers fans get to experience what it's like to have a kicker who is automatic.

I can recall us meeting Robbie Gould on three separate occasions during his tenure in Chicago. The first was a signing in 2005 at the US Cellular store in Gurnee during his rookie season, the second was at a credit union in Waukegan the following season and finally Jordan and I took a special trip to Halas Hall for a Chicago Bears All Access radio show in November of 2014. Robbie was always approachable and excited to meet with us and other Bears fans. While we miss Robbie in the navy and orange here in Chicago, he is on a team that is on the rise in the San Francisco 49ers with their new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Robbie looks like he won't be hanging up his cleats any time soon after he connected on an amazing 39 out of 41 field goal attempts in 2017.

We will continue to cheer Robbie on as he continues to kick his way into the NFL record books. We are thankful for our opportunities to meet Robbie in his time here in Chicago and we were excited for him to answer our questions during his #askrobbie segment on Twitter.

Nathan Vasher - Chicago Bears Alumni

1) Nathan Vasher is a former NFL player who played his first six seasons with the Chicago Bears and spent the next season as part of the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions.

2) Vasher led the NFL in interceptions (8) in 2005 and earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl.  

3) Nathan set the NFL record for longest return of any kind in 2005 when he returned a Joe Nedney missed field goal for 108 yard touchdown.

Photo Credit: Getty Images Steve Franz

D (asked by Dad): What was your favorite healthy pregame meal?

NV: I’m big on pasta and I used to eat it before games back in high school. I liked to eat chicken and shrimp too but I definitely didn't want to eat too much before the game.

D's Follow Up: I like noodles like Nathan too. I like my noodles buttered with parmesan. I don't like the sauce. 
I like chicken nuggets and what my dad gives me. I've tried shrimp only once and I didn't like it. I guess they are good foods before a game because he said so.


J (asked by Dad): Did you play any other sports while growing up?

NV: I was a multi-sport athlete growing up. I played soccer until I was 14 and I also played baseball, basketball and track and field while in high school.

J's Follow Up: I play soccer and basketball too. I bet he was good at both because he was such a good football player. I hope to play basketball and soccer in high school like Nathan. 

The boys and I were gifted four amazing seats to the Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions on November 19th from a parent at school and I was also invited to the game by my friend Steve. We took the opportunity to invite Gramma and Papa to their first Bears game and enjoy the nice seats from the United Club with the boys while Steve and I would brave the cold and sit in the 300 level. Unfortunately, their seats were located on the other side of the stadium and they didn't get the opportunity to meet Nathan Vashar before the game, so Steve and I asked the boys' questions for them.

Nathan was an important part of the Bears team that made it to Super Bowl 41. I had the opportunity meet him the season before in 2005 after he set the NFL record with a 108 yard return touchdown. Known as Nate Vash and "The Interceptor", I was a big fan of watching Nathan Vasher play on the Bears dominant defense throughout his six seasons in Chicago. He was a player who always seemed to be around the ball and make a big play if it was in his area. 

It was nice seeing Nathan before the game and he is another former Chicago Bear who decided to stay in the area after his playing days were done. Nathan is now a defensive backs coach for Trinity International University in Bannockburn and continues to do alumni player appearances for the Chicago Bears. Thank you Nathan for taking the time to meet with us in November!

Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs

1) #17 Kris Bryant plays third base for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.

2) Bryant entered Major League Baseball in 2015 and won National League Rookie of the Year and is a 2x All Star (2015, 2016).

3) In 2016, Kris Bryant took home the National League Most Valuable Player award and was a major part the team that won the first World Series championship for the Chicago Cubs since 1908.

J: What is your favorite fruit or vegetable?

KB: Honestly, I don't eat too much of either. I eat a lot of steak and I love cake. They have everything in the clubhouse. I would say strawberries though for fruit to pick one.

J when talking to Cubs World Series MVP Ben Zobrist in November 2016: When we met Kris Bryant he said he likes cake and steak.

BZ: For fruit? When you asked him that question? That sounds like him. And soda. He drinks soda all the time.

J's Follow Up: This is not what I was thinking he was going to say. I thought he'd say broccoli and raspberries or something like that. But he went with cake and steak and also soda. He's like a top 10 baseball player in the league and he eats that. I think it all tastes good and I eat them too. I like cake a little more than steak but I don't try to eat them that much. 

D's Follow Up: I do like cake and steak but steak to me is better than cake. Cake is good to me too. I like to drink soda sometimes because I like Coca-Cola. My mom and dad say no pop unless we go out to eat. Dad always says water is the best.

Jordan and I met Kris Bryant on May 28th, 2015 at ATI Physical Therapy in Zion, IL. After an afternoon where Jordan visited Bannockburn School to celebrate our school's victory as Illinois' top Play 60 school with a visit from Chicago Bears tight ends Zach Miller and Bear Pascoe, we both decided to head north to Zion to meet the #2 overall draft pick from the 2013 MLB draft and highly touted Cubs rookie. At the time, we were excited to meet the future of the Chicago Cubs but we had no idea that one season later he would be named MVP and lead the Cubs to a World Series title. I saw the event earlier in the morning and we quickly made the drive out to Zion right after school. Luckily, I had one of my Cubs hats in my office and off we went.

The event at ATI was a photo opportunity only but we were thrilled to have access to the future of the Cubs! We waited about 45 minutes to shake hands with Kris and Jordan was excited to help me do healthy eating research for school. The Fuel Up to Play 60 team was recording the healthy foods that players from different Chicago teams ate before a game. We would then host a healthy taste test at school with each player's favorite snack. Of course, we were surprised to hear that Kris opts for steak and cake while he's hanging out in the Wrigley Field clubhouse and we had to throw those two foods out of the mix for our event. Being fans of both foods, we did enjoy his honesty and thought his response was awesome... but at least he did mention strawberries. To this day, we still talk about Kris when we have steak for dinner or when we dive into cake. At the time, Kris was brand new to the major leagues and we are guessing that his diet has changed over the past few seasons. With the importance of strength training and nutrition for high level athletes today, we assume the Cubs might have him cutting back on the cake, soda and the steak. If not, more power to him because he has become one of the brightest young stars in Major League Baseball. 

Alshon Jeffery - Philadelphia Eagles

1) Alshon Jeffery is a wide receiver wearing #17 for the Philadelphia Eagles.

2) Jeffery was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2012 and spent his first five seasons in Chicago. In his five seasons in Chicago, Alshon had 26 receiving touchdowns and 4,549 receiving yards and one pro bowl selection.

3) In his first year in Philadelphia, Alshon Jeffery makes his first appearance in the Super Bowl versus the New England Patriots after recording 7 receiving touchdowns and 732 receiving yards on the season.

D: What is your favorite sport to play other than football?

AJ: Basketball.

D's Follow Up: Alshon would be good at basketball because he's fast and has big hands. He's tall and I think he can dunk. I don't think I could beat him in a game.


J: What is your favorite food and can you name your favorite vegetable?

AJ: Lasagna is my favorite food. I like broccoli too.

J's Follow Up: I don't really like lasagna. He might eat it before the game for energy? I like broccoli and he'll probably eat some before the Super Bowl tonight.

There is no athlete we've ever met more than Alshon Jeffery. We've seen him at training camp multiple times, Chicago Huddle tv show, Jewel, three separate autograph signings and more. During his time in Chicago, we viewed Alshon as a dynamic player who was the best receiver we'd ever seen play on the Bears. We also know Alshon as one of the nicest players in the NFL. As you can see in the photos, Alshon was always smiling and always excited to meet with his fans. 

 It was tough to see one of our favorite players leave town last summer but we will always be fans of Alshon Jeffery and we will cheer him on in the Super Bowl as he goes for his first championship against the New England Patriots. This Sunday, we  (except for Danny) will be chanting #FlyEaglesFly.