NEU » nded pitcher, were going

Ric Flair has called himself the stylin, profilin, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin n dealin son of a gun throughout much of his 40-plus year professional wrestling career.But he can probably add death cheating to that catchphrase.Two-time WWE Hall of Famer told the Dan Le Batard Show on ESPN Radio Thursday afternoon that he once survived getting hit by lightning.Flair said the incident occurred at an airport in Richmond, Virginia, back in the 1970s, where he was in town to have a match with Ricky Steamboat at the Richmond Coliseum.?I got off the plane and was walking, he said. I didnt go 10, 15 feet when all of a sudden I felt this pressure boom, and man, my umbrella shot 50 feet in the air.I thought, What the hell? Lightning hit the top of my umbrella, bounced off and hit the guy in the eye five feet behind me and killed him. Right there. I just stood there looking at the guy and froze, it scared me to death. People were running out the door to get the guy.Flair was then jokingly asked by Le Batard how he was was still alive.I dont know, Flair replied. Ive always wondered what kind of a lawsuit that was, because it was really a big deal, hence probably the steel tips coming off umbrellas at that point.Flair, 67, said that his body is in no pain despite the wear and tear of a career that saw him compete in just about every major U.S. promotion.Im blessed guys, all my friends are banged up, and Im having a good time, he added.But it was a trip to work for a Japanese wrestling promotion that Flair told Le Batard spawned the best drinking story of all time.Flair said he had been working in the Florida wrestling territory for a week in the 1980s, on barely six hours combined sleep for the entire stay, before he had to fly out from Tampa to Chicago, and then on to Tokyo.I started saying I wasnt gonna do it, because I had to land in Tokyo and wrestle three consecutive one-hour matches, Flair said. So all the way over, I drank bloody marys, booze, beer, everything, for thirteen-and-a-half hours.When I got there, and I had talked myself out of this, I could hear them calling me down in baggage claim. I said screw this. I walked over across to the next gate and said, Im going back to the States, whens your next flight? They said, Wheres your bags? I said, I dont care, Im just leaving them here. And then he boarded me, Tokyo to Seattle, Seattle to Chicago, then back to Charlotte.Well I was so flipped when I got down on the plane, I started drinking again. I was looking around for someone to talk to. I said, Hey, you mind if I talk to you? The guy said no. For eight hours we drank and talked. I got him hammered. I said, I think Im having a nervous breakdown. He said, I think maybe you are. And anyway, he sent me a Christmas card for five years making sure I was OK!I got all the way back to Charlotte -- and youre not gonna believe this -- I hadnt slept yet, right? And I got off the plane and there was my wife, and they said youve got to go all the way back. I had to go all the way back, Charlotte to Chicago to Tokyo, and wrestle an hour that day. I still made it back!But Flair, who has been divorced three times and separated from his fourth wife in 2012, credited his current fiancé Wendy Barlow with helping him put his party lifestyle behind him, saying the turbulence in his life has all been self-inflicted.Im not gonna lie to you. The worst thing ... wrestling was easy, its what I did to myself from 11 to 3 or 4 [a.m.] depending what city I was in, he said. But that was my coping mechanism. I just got exhausted.I found one that can put up with me, he added of his fiancé. Yes, Im very happy. I do get lonely. Im not a guy that will sit home and drink. I never drink when Im at home. I like the action. I like to be in the action, and a lot of women dont like that. Wendy, I call her two-drink Louie, but shell at least stay with me. And Ive gone from nightclubs to Carrabbas. A big night [for me now is] at Carrabbas. Wendy, can we stay til 9?Jarred Vanderbilt Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Michael Porter Jersey . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. http://www.authenticnuggetsproshop.com/Paul-Millsap-Jersey/ . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Gary Harris Jersey . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. Jarred Vanderbilt Nuggets Jersey . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings.LOS ANGELES -- Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is set to start at first base Saturday for the first time in nearly a year, manager John Farrell announced before Fridays series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Ortiz, who has said hell retire after this season, has appeared in 99 games as a designated hitter or pinch hitter. The 40-year-old veteran of 20 seasons did not play in Friday nights 9-0 win in the Dodgers National League park. He entered the day ranked fifth in the American League with a .311 batting average, second with 87 RBIs and second in all of MLB with a 1.021 OPS.Farrell said he spoke to Ortiz about the possibility of his playing first base after Thursdays extra-inning victory at the Seattle Mariners and again Friday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Ortiz has started just 277 of his 2,356 career games at first base, but he was eager to take the field, Farrell said.He wants to play, and anytime we can get that bat in the lineup, particularly against a right-handed pitcher, were going to put him in there, Farrell said.The Doddgers started left-hander Scott Kazmir on Friday and are scheduled to start a left-hander Sunday against the Red Sox, keeping Hanley Ramirez in the starting lineup at first base, but right-hander Ross Stripling is set to start Saturdays game, scheduled for 1 p.dddddddddddd.m. local time.This is one game, and granted, I totally understand the potential risk-reward here, but if it wasnt signed off by all parties, particularly David and the way he feels, we wouldnt even consider it, Farrell said. But you know what, games are taking on an added importance.The Red Sox enter the weekend two games behind the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East and a half-game ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the wild-card race.Should the Red Sox make it to the World Series, playing Ortiz at first base in NL stadiums would be in the plans.We dont want him sitting, Farrell said. Hopefully, thats a decision we have to make. ' ' '