Fantasy Football

I had a friend turn me on to a cool fantasy football site that I just joined.  I am not getting paid to promote it, I just love the concept.

www.1timesports.com

No Draft, you can pick any player you want each week...1 time.  They have a huge prize pool too.  Stay Strong and Be Unstoppable with YRG...BANG! - DDP

5:55 PM - 0 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

New website, New Movies, Old School Wrestling...

3:38 PM - 5 Comments - 10 Kudos - Add Comment

DDP meets Dirty Harry

9:42 AM - 14 Comments - 24 Kudos - Add Comment

DDP visits the troops...gets a must read letter

I've recently finished back to back Tours of Afghanistan and more recently Iraq... When I get back from a place like Afghanistan or Iraq I always have a whole bunch of stories from the places I've been and people I've met and lived with... stories about our troops... the guys and gals that who put their lives on the line for US everyday... Heroes... Real Heroes... it doesn't matter if believe in the war or you Hate the war... as Americans we always LOVE the WARRIOR... it always take me a while to write this email because I want to take you on the ride with me ... This was my 4th tour to see our troops and when I got home I started to write about my journey ... Now you have to understand when I write something like this having ADD and dyslexia it can take weeks... I was about half way finished with this email when I got an email from a Navy CPT Francis Lukenbill who shared with me what happened to his nephew after I left Iraq.

He was one of those kids who grew watching DDP in his living room when he was growing up maybe ages 5 through 12... like so many kids growing up in the late 90's he loved the Monday Night Wrestling Wars every Monday and Thursday... So when he saw me in Iraq on his way to mission I must of seemed like a mirage... From what I heard he was more than a little excited to meet DDP... sometimes these guys are so excited meet one of their childhood heroes they will run over one of the beautiful women also on tour to get to them... It's amazing the impact you can have on someone life... it's something I have never taken for granted... His name was SGT Christopher C. Simpson... When ever I take pictures with anyone I almost always put my right hand straight out in from of me making half my trademarked Diamond Cutter hand sign and get the other person complete the sign... everyone always laughs or at least smiles and has good time with it... I may do that same picture a 100 times in a row and then out of NO Where I go to do the hand sign and I reach up and grab the guys neck in the real Diamond Cutter and everyone POPS BIG TIME... they love it... this will email is the about one of those times... it's so personal to me that after writing the email over and over again I realize that this is the only thing that belongs in this trip to Iraq...

These are the exact emails ... I asked the families if it was OK to let you read and they loved the idea... like so many families they do not want their sons to be forgotten...

Subject: Diamond Dallas Page Fan Killed in the Line of Duty

Dear Diamond Dallas,

My name is Francis Lukenbill, Uncle of SGT Christopher C. Simpson USA. The attached photo is of the two of you during a recent visit you made to Iraq. This is a beautiful picture...one loved by Chris.

Sadly, Christopher was killed in action on Monday 17 March while honorably and willingly serving his country. He and his friend SSGT Mike Elledge were taken swiftly and painlessly as their Humvee was cowardly attacked.

His mother, father, brother, fiancé , and a multitude of relatives and friends are grief stricken by this tragedy. Please accept the family's thanks for giving us the image of the two of you that we laughed over many an hour during the past few weeks.

Remember him and all who serve. Thank you, too, for visiting them in country... Sincerely, (Uncle) Luke

Needless to say this hit me hard…I had to breath through it and then wrote Uncle Luke this note:

Luke,

Hey bro I just received your email and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I was to read about your loss... it brings tears to my eyes as I am writing this email while flying back home from NY where I did a personal appearance and reffed a match last night... Of course I hit someone with a Diamond Cutter as well... Chris would have loved it...Many people have let me know that they are proud of me for going over to see our boys in Iraq and Afghanistan yet there are others who ask me why I continue to do it... it's to dangerous they say... My response is always the same... I quote Demi Moore from "A Few Good Men" when she is asked the question why do you love the guys so much... her reply ... "Because they are the ones who stand on the wall and risk there lives every day and say... your going to be safe tonight..." I'm not sure if that is the exact quote but it gets the point across...

So many guys come up to me while I was over there (this was my 4 trip over... once to Afghanistan and my 3rd to Iraq) ... they would tell me how they grew up watching me in there living rooms and many have even told me it was like I was part of their family... That's powerful to me... and then they say something like... you just don't know DDP... you just don't know... but I do... I know what it means to these boys to get to hang out with a guy they dreamed of being like...their childhood hero... I do know and it always brings a HUGE smile to my face as I see their faces light up... no matter how burned out I am at the time those guys and gals totally energizes me... that's why when I go over there I try to do more than just shake hands and make them laugh by putting them in the Diamond Cutter like I did to Chris... Btw... I did the Diamond Cutter picture hundreds of times on that last tour and I actually remember taking this picture with Chris... He loved it... I hadn't done it that day till right there and he loved it... The Diamond Cutter move would always come out of no where... so it surprised the boys and made them laugh and remember... it took them out of that shit hole they were living in for just a moment and all of a sudden they were back in there living rooms and DDP just popped through their TV and put a Diamond Cutter on them... when ever I did it like that it was always priceless... and I then I wouldn't do it for awhile unless some asked to have me to put them in the Diamond Cutter...which was always my honor to do... When ever I would get the chance to do a setting where I could actually have the boys sit down and speak to them for about an hour I would talk about my concept of Living Life at 90% ... the formula is (Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% about how you react to it... then I would do a Q an A with them or even take them through my YRG workout... I really love spending that kind of Quality time with them... but any contact at all is always as morale boosting for them as it is for ME...

I may have been one of Chris's hero but just so you know... he was and is my HERO and I won't forget him... I will put this picture up on my wall in my house... So he's never forgotten... Thank you so much for sending me the picture of him and I together... if it's Ok with you I would like to put this up when I write my next email story about going to Iraq for my Diamond Dallas Page site... I would also like to put the email you wrote me within my email as well if it is all right with you... I think to many people forget who and where these guys are (out of site out of mind) and I believe it's important that they are reminded so they are not forgotten... but you let me know bro... I'll do what ever works for you...

Deepest Sympathy to all your family and friends

D. Dallas Page

His Uncle emails me and then his Mom:

Dear DDP,

I can not tell you how your awesome note has blessed and touched our family. I called Chris' mom, Kate (my sister) when I saw your note in my in box. I could not wait to share it...she was on the cell phone with Chris' father, Scott, at the same time (kinda two fisting it...). He was equally touched. I immediately forwarded your e-mail to as many family and friends as I could and Kate and Scott are doing the same as we speak. As a friend of mine just said after reading your note, "This is really beautiful...I can't believe how Chris is still affecting people's lives in new and beautiful ways..." How true this is...

Chris' family is totally supportive of your use of the photo and e-mail...anything to help your cause and others in Harms Way. We live in a great country for sure...Chris would want to share...his heart was huge and his love for his fellow man was equally grand.

The fact that you actually remembered Chris is very special...you are family now!

There are many military personnel in our clan and please know that if there is anything we can ever do for you in support of your outreach...you must let me know.

Thank you for your courage and I know I speak for you when I say, thank you, SGT Christopher Curtis Simpson, for yours.

God's Speed to you...

Gratefully,

Uncle Luke, Captain, United States Navy

PS. My wife, Joy, quoted Demi More this week as well...you got it perfect!

From: Kate Mclaughlin

Subject: Re: I am so very sorry for your loss... DDP Chris's MOM

Dear Diamond Dallas,

My name is Kate and I am the mother of our Fallen HERO Christopher. I will never forget the phone call that I got shortly after his Diamond Cutter. He said. "Mom you are never going to believe what happened to me" Of course my response "No Chris probably not". He said Diamond Dallas Page just put me in a Diamond Cutter. I say " Chris who and what is that and he proceeded to tell me.

When I saw the picture that he sent me my heart was filled with joy, I was very excited for him that he got to meet some great people. He touched the lives of many. I thank you for touching his life in the time of need when i was not there. He was a mommy's boy and called me ever other day if not ever day even being over there. I would continuously tell him how proud I was and how much I love him. Maybe at some point if you are ever in the Hampton VA area I would be happy to share videos. I am going to miss his smile his soft spoken words and the phone calls but I know that someone had a greater mission for him. I thank you again for all you do and continue to do to support our troops. I am honored that that picture will be hanging in your house you were his HERO.

Please use the picture again I am Honored but if you could send me you web page site I would love to see the article. As I told Chris I'm computer illiterate so e-mail is about my speed.

Thanks again for what you do and never hesitate to contact my brother for what ever he will be more then happy to help. He is incredible. He has been military for 25 years and he told me his most difficult but honorable mission was escorting his nephew home. I have a bond with him that will last forever (even closer then siblings) It gave me comfort to know that Chris was with someone he loved and respected very much and Luke talked to him the whole trip. Thanks again for our memory that I will cherish for ever and your picture will to hang in my house.

GOD BLESS THE GOOD GUYS

HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

Kate Mclaughlin (Chris's Mom)

I had some great times meeting our troops on this tour but felt this email should only be about Chris... another American HERO...

Here is a list of the many bases we visited and met some really great guys who always appreciate DDP and the lovely ladies that I came with Bonnie Jill Laflin (Lakers cheerleader and Scout) Gabrielle Tuite (The Prices Right/Stuff Mag model) Cynthia Watros (Lost/Drew Carrey Show)... pictures on the site...

COP Old Mod
COP Callahan (mall)
FOB Loyalty
FOB Rustamiyah
Camp Taji
Camp Victory (where we stayed)
Camp Striker
FOB Hammer
FOB Luftimiyah

I will post more pics from my trip to Iraq.  I also have 300 pictures on www.DiamondDallasPage.com

Dallas Page

10:12 AM - 22 Comments - 39 Kudos - Add Comment

My Thoughts on Wrestlemania

Hey Guys
     
  I know you all want to hear about my trip to Iraq, which was a great adventure.  But it is going to take me a few weeks to write all of that up.
             
  In the meantime I have been flooded with questions on www.myspace.com/yrgworkout ,www.diamonddallaspage.com and  even www.yrgworkout.com asking me about  Ric Flair’s retirement and Wrestlemania. Let me address the Nature Boy  first…many of you know by the comments of what Ric Flair thought about  DDP in his book (I don’t remember the name) and my response on youtube (you  will have to search for it to find it), that Ric and Page’s relationship  was never one of real friendship. Ric was always a class act and cool in my  face but behind my back he never believed I had what it took to be a top guy.  Early on in my career Ric ran the show at WCW and I was one level up from a  job guy (a guy who loses all the time). To Ric’s credit why would he  believe in a guy who started at 35, tore his rotator cuff at 36 and got fired…and  came back at 37 would ever be a top guy... It had never happened before...  Looking back I guess I understand why he thought I would never be anything  in this business.
             
  That being said, The Nature Boy Ric Flair , the leader of the 4 horseman, the  limousine riding, lear  jet flying, 60 minute man… is something I grew up watching and admiring  in my early 20’s…who didn’t want to be the Nature Boy…Whooo!  With what I achieved in the wrestling business and working with Ric from 1997  on I thought I had overcame all the hurdles of getting Ric’s respect.  That is until someone told me what he wrote about me, Diamond Dallas Page ,  in his book…If I am not mistaken he also buried Mick Foley and Brett  Hart so I guess I am in pretty good company. All that being said, I have pretty  much always been able to separate Ric from the Nature Boy Ric Flair the TV  character. To me the Nature Boy Ric Flair has always been the best of the best,  he transcends the words Legend and Icon…just like Dusty Rhodes said the  Nature Boy Ric Flair is a National Treasure. I thought he had a spectacular  match with HBK at Wrestlemania. I also thought this was one of the best WM’s  in a long time. That a guy could wrestle for 36 years and deliver that match  at 59 years old is nothing less than spectacular.
             
  In the 1980’s The Nature Boy helped change the face of professional wrestling.  His charismatic passion and warmth ran through the crowd like a running stream  of hot water. The Nature Boy loves and lived to wrestle!
             
              HBK’s sendoff "I’m sorry, I love you" before he knocked him out was straight from the heart. It reminded me of the time I watched Larry Holmes send "The Greatest" Muhammad Ali off into the pasture. Shawn didn’t want to put Flair out but like Larry he knew he had to and if any one was one to do it ... it should be him.
                           
  Do I honestly think you will never see Ric Flair in the ring again? Stop it!  Ha! Nature Boy and Vince left everybody wanting more… I’ll believe the  Nature Boy career is really over the day the Rolling Stones stop touring…
             
              I thought that this was one of the best WrestleMania’s in long time. I was wondering how Big Show was going to make a match with a 5’7" 147 pound guy watchable…but he didn’t just make it watchable, I really enjoyed it. And if you haven’t watched it then find it or buy the replay…having done celebrities matches with Karl Malone, Dennis Rodman and Jay Leno I know what goes into these matches and it is a lot of work…Mayweather is a great showman and athlete but just because you have been watching wrestling since you were a little kid doesn’t mean you can get in the ring and do it. Big Show took care of him and the kid took some stiff bumps. I guarantee you his entire body was never that sore after a boxing match. Today Mayweather              fights maybe twice a year…Big Show is on the road wrestling for more than 250 days…even Ken Shamrock said he got hurt more in wrestling ring than he ever did in the UFC.
                           
  I pretty much raised the Big Show in his early days in the wrestling business.  I actually helped him get ready for his first match ever with Hogan and traveled  with him his first 5 years….to say I am proud of him would be an understatement.  The thing that I love most about this match is that the people were really  behind Big Show, like they were behind Andre back in the day…if Show  is handled properly he may finally be able to fill the Giants boots…he  sure as hell has the talent and charisma to do it.
             
             
              The Triple threat match for the WWE championship was tremendous as well. Great psychology and near falls. Like most of you I thought there was no way they would keep the title on Orton even though that is what I wanted to see. Watching that match unfold I could tell that, as always, HHH was the ring General. The match and finish was phenomenal. Even though Randy didn’t win with the RKO/Diamond Cutter…
                           
  It brought me back to June of 2002 when I called Randy Orton and told him I  was going to retire and I told him I wanted him to take my Diamond Cutter finish…he  was so respectful he said "No Diamond, that is yours, you came up with  that" and I said "Randy, I don’t want some Jabroni ripping  it off…I want you to keep it going and take it to another level"...and  he has. I believe someday Randy will become the biggest baby face in the company.
             
  But my favorite match was for the World Title with Edge and the Undertaker.  Going in, there was no way I thought Taker would take a loss at WM being 15-0.  But the story they told  was so good that the last 5 minutes of that match they both had me actually  believing at times that this was going to be the end of the winning streak  with one tremendous false finish after another. For Taker being 6’9",  280+ pounds and 43 years old he brought it the same way he did when he was  33 and I know how beat up his body is…damn he must have been sore the  next day. A great wrestling match is all about creating the element of doubt.  As a fan, you are so sure that this guy is going to win or lose and then BANG!...we  flip it on you. I thought Edge losing to Taker moved him even further up the  ladder. Reminded me of the time that Stone Cold lost to Brett Hart…which  literally made Austin a made man. In other words, I really enjoyed WM. So those  are my thoughts... in the next week or so I’ll send out the email on my journey  back to Iraq.
             
             
  Get Healthy... Stay Strong... Be Unstoppable and Do your YRG or else!
  DDP
 
  DiamondDallasPage.com
  YRGworkout.com
  YRG 4 Life!

7:09 AM - 28 Comments - 48 Kudos - Add Comment

I am heading to Texas for Fear Fest and then to Iraq

Hey Cutters...

Dallas goes to Dallas... Texas, that is...That is right, this week I will be at Fear Fest in Dallas this Saturday and Sunday.  For details, go to http://www.txfearfest.com. I will be signing autographs and taking pictures with  the World Championship Title on Saturday and then, on Sunday morning, there will be a screening of our movie Driftwood... Speaking of Driftwood, we are jacked that it is up for a Saturn Award for "Best DVD Release".  This is like the Oscars for Horror and Sci-Fi.  You can see more at www.SaturnAwards.org Also, Driftwood has blown up in all the European markets so now it can be found throughout the world! After Driftwood is  over we will be doing a Q and A... Also on the card with me at Texas Fear Fest is the one  and only Robert Englund... On Saturday night we will be doing a special screening of Tim Sullivan's  other movie 2001 Maniacs.

CLICK  HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FEAR FEST NOW

Speaking of Horror, I met with Rob Zombie last week…talk about a guy who is busy.  RZ does so many different things that when the writers' strike happened in LA, instead of doing what most writers did and not work…he went on tour with Ozzie.  He talked about his next upcoming movie that is about some bad ass biker dudes. He said I can't imagine where you might fit in that movie and we both laughed. Hopefully something will shake out with RZ in one of his future projects.   One of the really cool things Rob told me was he is still doing the organic juicing that I turned him on to 4 years ago and  he's is still doing his version of the YRG Workout that he can remember…like everyone else he made  the YRG Workout his own... Very Cool.

Speaking of YRG, my man Arthur just taught his first YRG Workout class in Baltimore, MD at Big Vanilla Arnold … http://www.bigvanilla.com/arnold/. It still blows my mind that a year ago Arthur was walking on canes (for over 15 years) and weighed over 290 pounds at 5'7".  Now he can not only walk but RUN and is teaching YRG Workout classes.  He will be at the YRG Summit in April in Los Angeles.  We have had a lot of people ask if they can attend even if they do not want to be a YRG trainer because they just want to learn more about YRG.  So now we have discounted the cost to people who want to come to the 2 day classes but not get certified.  Go to www.YRGWorkout.com to see more.

After I leave Fearfest on Sunday, I will be heading back to Iraq for a 12 day tour where I will be speaking to the Troops about living life at 90% and taking them through the YRG Workout.

Many of you have asked for an update on Lex Luger, he is out of the hospital and living in his own apartment.  From what I understand he is getting feeling back in his body.

Get Healthy... Stay Strong... Be Unstoppable and Do your YRG or   else!

D. Dallas Page

7:56 AM - 13 Comments - 24 Kudos - Add Comment

My Trip overseas with Jimmy Hart, the Hammer and Nikolai

Well, obviously, I am back from Afghanistan and it took about a week for the jet lag to wear off. When I got in at around 6 PM my buddy Johnny G picked me up from the airport and ran me over to Equinox to do my 7:15 pm class… Yes, and I did this is after 27 hours of travel.

I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from the people going to the YRG classes in at the Sports Park that Angella was teaching for me while I was gone and they told me how she was kicking ass and had made the YRG workout her own... Which was very cool. This is really why I wanted to sneak in and take her YRG class at Equinox.  While Angella was in the "Down Dogg" (not looking up) position I slipped into the back of the class and joined in. She was about 10 minutes into the workout and doing a tremendous job being Angella the Drill Sergeant when Johnny G came in carrying my bags to join the class and Ang  said "Oh my God, I think Dallas is here".  At which point she scanned the room, caught my eye and screamed "You are here" I said "Yeah, keep teaching".  But she insisted I lead the class.  So I bounced up front and continued.  So now you know that if I am on the road and not in LA, there will still be YRG Workouts at Equinox and in the Sports Park because Angella's got my back!  Also, added to the YRG Workout site is "Do YRG Live".  That is where you can find out where YRG Workout classes are and what cities it is coming to.   

If you miss me in Atlanta you can always take the YRG Workout class with Dr. Craig Aaron aka The Yoga-Doc on every Thursday night.

Don't forget the YRG Certification class is going on April 13th and 14th in Los Angeles if  you can make it out there.  See more at www.YRGWorkout.com

A lot of you want to know about my trip overseas with the troops.  I left Washington, DC and 22 hours later arrived in Qatar at Camp As Sayliyah.  This is the place where the troops can come to get some R & R and have a beer that they so deserve.  Of course, they are only allowed 3 beers but after 6 months of being dry it gets you a good buzz.  We were so burned out we checked in and went to sleep for 3 hours and headed right for our "3 beers".  Since Jimmy Hart and Nikolai weren't drinking, the Hammer and I had 6 each.  I gotta tell you right from the get-go I have had a lot of respect for these guys for years but I never thought I would bond so closely with each of them as individuals, but I did.

There were times we laughed so hard we were wiping the tears from our eyes and sometimes that was in the worst of conditions.

On the first day of the tour, Jimmy and I kicked off the 5K race (no, we didn't run we just kicked it off with his mega-phone) and then hit the DFAC autograph session. Afterwards, some of the guys who just finished a 5K run came over to my YRG Workout class at the gym on the base where we had about 80 of them. Jimmy, Hammer and Nikolai (our gang) actually did the YRG Workout also to support me. Colonel Kizner was so impressed with the YRG Workout he talked about incorporating it into their PT program. At the end of the workout we did the 10 second push up contest... 10 seconds down... 10 seconds hold and 10 seconds up... they are hard as hell. We started off with 24 guys and gals... yes, gals as well... these guys were so inspired to win the "I Survived YRG with DDP" t-shirts that the winners (there were 3 of them) actually did eight 10 second push-ups... I stopped the contest right there because they were all winners and I was blown away that they had the intestinal drive to get that far.

The next morning we where off on a C130 to Afghanistan…I thought we were in Afghanistan but I was wrong. Qatar is it's own country. Little did I know the place I was leaving was like Beverly Hills compared to where we were going. A 7-hour flight to Bagram landed us there at 4:00 AM. The thing that really made it suck about getting there at 4 AM was everyone thought we were coming in the following day…it was F'n freezing! They shuffle us off to our quarters which we would call the "Crack House"…I am not kidding. The area we were in was just plywood with a crack in the door that was about 3 inches and the freezing wind came blowing right in... the bunk beds were so small that Nikolai and I couldn't fit in them…we had to put the mattresses on the floor and remember hot air rises. So we had to just laugh it off. Looking back at it now it is actually funny. The next morning, they also found us a better place to crash so went and did our autograph sessions and then visited the hospitals. Then we went to the AFN interview with Sgt. Kruise to promote the rest of the tour and my Inspirational Speaking segment "Living Life at 90%". Keeping the morale up for the troops was the main reason we were all there, and Living Life at 90% is exactly what that is about.

Then we were off to FOB Sharana where we did an autograph signing that they really appreciated…this is a place that people rarely get to. A lot of the signing was just us walking from one building to another to greet the troops…they had to keep working so we went to them. One of the things that was funny to me was that Jimmy Hart had brought all of his really fun "Jimmy Hart" jackets that he wore to the ring but he only got to wear one of them because it too cold to dress like that. If you see Jimmy wearing what looks like the same outfit in every picture that's because that was the warmest thing he had. Same for all of us... Another thing that made this trip so funny was that Nikolai would tell the same bad jokes over and over again. It got to a point were they actually did get funny... well to us anyway. His delivery was priceless and Jimmy would always egg him on. "Come on, Nikolai, tell them the exact same joke again." It's one of those you had to be there moments. By the way, Nikolai is an unbelievable magician... he really is... I want to thank First Sgt. Baptiste for taking us to the Afghani flea market where I got a sweat deal on a really cool watch for me and my girl.

Next morning we were off to FOB Salerno. You need to understand... every morning we had to take a flight at 7:00 AM…which means we need to get up at 4:30 AM to be there by 5:00 AM. Did I tell you it was freezing? We got to see some of the troops do tactical maneuvers. This place had been bombed 6 days before we got there and 8 days before that. Which really hit home with Jimmy because his son is with the 82nd over in Iraq. This whole trip was extra special for Jimmy because his son is on his second tour there. I remember walking from one building to another when Hammer said to me "You know, this place has been bombed twice this month" I said "Yeah". Then he said something that was really funny to me, "This place is actually like a real war zone"…I was like "yeah, imagine that". It was the Hammer's first time there. Later that night I did a YRG Workout class in a small Dojo. It is so dark over there that you literally have to walk around with little blue lights because you can't use white ones because of bombings. I don't know how anybody found this dojo in the pitch dark and when I walked in to it nobody was there. Within 5 minutes there were 20 troops and as you may have guessed it was freezing. So to warm up we started our YRG engines. This is the first time I had started a workout with about 20 people and by the middle if the class there was up to 40 troops doing YRG with me. Nikolai again stayed and did pieces of the YRG workout that he could do while Jimmy and Hammer went to get something to drink. After the workout was over, one of the soldiers said to me "I can't believe a non-military man just kick our asses" and I said "How old are you, bro?" and he said "22" so I said then you need to start off that sentence saying that you can't believe "a 51 year old non-military man just kicked your ass" everybody got a kick out of that. Afterwards, we did the 10 second push up contest... this time we started with 8 guys and ended with 2 ... these guys got to 9 before one of them went down... talk about warriors... Remember how dark I told you it was, well after Jimmy and Hammer left.... Hammer ran into a pile of bricks, took a bump and cut his leg open. Jimmy helped him get his act together and busted his chops every day after that. Jimmy is a funny SOB! And Hammer has a great sense of humor.

We went to a couple of other bases and before you knew it we are back to Bagram AF. It was there we saw the FALLEN COMRADE Ceremony for 2 soldiers…now, that was heavy. All soldiers, Marines and Airmen lined up in total silence saluting 2 American Flag draped coffins as they were carried to the aircraft to be flown home…this hit all of us really hard, especially Jimmy... I was honored to be there.

As always, we went from building to building signing autographs and ended up at our biggest event where we did a 2 hour autograph session at the Clam Shell. As a joke, Jimmy and some of the troops presented Hammer with a "Pink Heart" award for the bravery and courage he showed by surviving his confrontation with a pile of bricks. I then went into my Inspirational Talk "Living Life at 90%" which I was treated with a standing ovation. From there, we went right into the YRG Workout. At the end of the workouts, as always, we had 10 second push-up contests… and this was a first ever... the winner was a 47 year old girl who beat out all the guys... she did 5 10 second pushups. The really cool part was the guys were really proud of her because she was a total warrior. I wanna thank Jason for filming my talk and workout while we were there.

Afghanistan is really hard core place to be and it really doesn't have many places to remind you of home ... the only place that felt like home on this tour was a ski chalet that the USO built. At least they have that. This is where the guys get to watch movies and actually have wireless internet that works occasionally. A lot of the places we stayed were tents or shells in the freezing cold. So a lot of your time was spent at the USO if you were in that area. We were actually supposed to head back home the following morning when we got the news that we could actually fight out that night. Hammer was so happy, he jumped up and yelled, "Jimmy, we're going home tonight!" We were really stoked... I thought to myself, "Wow... imagine what these guys must feel like when they find out they're actually going home and we had only been there for 9 days". We were stoked to go home but we were still dreading our 7 hour flight back to Qatar because the plane would be freezing and we had to go through customs again. We were supposed to leave at 12 AM... didn't leave until 4 AM... around 3 AM I ran into and old friend I hadn't seen in nearly 20 years from my days when I used to run night clubs in Ft. Myers... His name was Robert Campbell... What a surprise crazy how I run into people I know everywhere...

Our second surprise was we did not find ourselves on a C130 (a cargo plane) but a C-17. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military airlift aircraft is capable of carrying payloads up to 169,000lb, and has an international range and the ability to land on small airfields. It is so Sweet! If you wanna check it out ... http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/c17/ The really cool part was that the crew were DDP fans from back in the day so I got to actually sit up top with the pilots. This was really cool... almost all windows and I got to wear the night vision goggles so I could see all the snow covered mountains as we took off and watched us roll through thunder clouds which was whole other trip altogether. These jets are $300 million a piece and can ship just about anything. I want to thank those guys for the first class treatment… enjoy the YRG and Buffalo jerking...

We were all so psyched to knock 3 hours off our flight. We were psyched until we found out we would be sitting 5 hours listening to one miscommunication after another at customs. All I could do was Breathe... So by the time we got to Qatar we were totally spent because we were up for close to 36 hours straight and had to get up the next morning at 4:00 AM to make our flight back home.

Since we had to get up so early and we REALLY wanted to have a beer before we took off so we all took a 4 hour catnap, got up, ate, and had our beers... even Nikolai had one. We were in full force "Mickey Mouse with tattoos mode" meaning we were constantly entertaining and talking and taking pictures with our guys. To this day it always makes my day when one of those guys over there lights up like a Christmas tree when they see one of their heroes they grew up watching who took the time to come there to see them. It's a very special feeling. The reality is that they're not the marks (wrestling term for fan)... we were... They are the real heroes.

Thank God we got to the airport 4 hours early because they had no record of my flights... too MUCH right... Breathe... Luckily there was a wrestling fan at one of the counters who actually recognized me from my short run in TNA… wrestling fans... my life would be completely different without them. I was getting no help at all from anyone so walked over to the section of the guy who knew DDP and gave him a signed picture and said Bro can you help me get out here. Finally, I got on my plane for the 27 hour journey home. Which leads me back to the front of this story where I showed up with Angella at the YRG Workout in Santa Monica, CA.

Next week I'll fill you in all the Great stories I have from Afghanistan...

Get Healthy... Stay Strong... Be Unstoppable and Do your YRG or else!

D. Dallas Page

1:11 PM - 8 Comments - 16 Kudos - Add Comment

I am Back from Afghanistan

I just got back home from Afghanistan and as you may have guessed I'm pretty burnt... it's going to take some time for me to write that email so let me bring you up to date for now...

I've got a great Karma story at the end of this email...

I am happy to report we are finally doing our first YRG Certification classes on April 12th and 13th in Los Angeles, CA ... I have had people writing me from all over the world wondering how they can get certified to teach the YRG workout. I am looking for this to be a pretty big turnout, so sign up ASAP because it's on a first come, first serve basis since space is limited. This informative two-day workshop gives instructors the tools to create dynamic, user-friendly, YRG Workout classes and personal training. The program includes correct physical execution, transitions and modifications to YRG Movements, sequencing, individual and class formats. 

You will also learn effective ways to communicate the methods of developing safe teaching skills for all YRG positions. This program is designed for those interested in teaching YRG, practicing YRG, and learning The YRG Workout. For experienced YRG instructors, this workshop will offer new skills to properly teach a one-on-one YRG personal training program or teach YRG classes in the mainstream health club or gym environment, focusing on the physical fitness benefits of the YRG Workout. And yes, you will get hands-on experience guided by me, DDP, and Dr. Craig Aaron the "Yoga-Doc".

Attendees who pass the course will receive a Certificate of Completion which qualifies them to teach The YRG Workout style classes or give personal YRG Workout training.

If you're interested in pricing plans and an application go to www.YRGWorkout.com and hit "Get YRG Certified" ... If you're thinking of coming then send your info ASAP because space is filling up.

I wanna congratulate Casey Smith, who is a new member of Team YRG, and has already lost 37 pounds in his first 30 days... Damn, Casey, you not only beat Arthur who started at 5' 8'' 297 lost 34 and pounds his first 30 but you also beat record holder Big Rob who started at 6'1'' 476 and lost 36 pounds in the first 30 days. Casey accomplished this over the holidays which really takes dedication to a whole other level! I am really impressed... if you wanna see Casey's after pictures or his other YRG workout positions pictures go to the site and check him out...

 Another great story I got was about a mother and daughter in Gainsville, FL. The YRG Workout is not only about weight loss as Jamie and Lexie use it as a way to bond and feel great! Check them out at www.myspace.com/jamiegutman.

A lot of you have told me how much Arthur's video (that his son Warren edited) has inspired you. Well Pro Indy Wrestler Chris Hawk was so inspired that he took it to another level and issued a fitness challenge and he is putting YRG in one corner vs. any other fitness program that wants to step up in the other. Here is part of his blog:

I have decided that I am going to start a regular program, YRG. Yoga for Regular Guys is that fitness phenom that Diamond Dallas Page has taken to a HIGH DEGREE of prominence.

I have seen DDP extolling the virtues of YRG for a while now, but like a lot of macho men I thought Yoga? Yeah, right! But I was fortunate to run across DDP's MySpace page and on it he has several videos of different people and what YRG has done for them.

I remember seeing DDP on "The Best Damn Sports Show PERIOD" once and he was just going on and on and on about YRG, but I remember thinking "Yeah, right, dude." Usually when people say if it works for them it will work for anyone. And that's what he was saying. He said that his mobility wasn't what it should be from his time in wrestling; he had almost no flexibility. But I was thinking he was an experienced athlete. He, by virtue of making it to the top of the wrestling world, MUST be more predisposed to something like YOGA to work. Hell, in my mind, he could chase mice around trees and become highy in-shaped. In my messed up way of thinking. And I kept thinking that way...until I met Arthur.

Chris is a guy I've never met until he emailed me on myspace. To check out the rest of his blog at www.myspace.com/chrishawkisgreat and see who's stepping up... We have gotten a great response to the new YRG website www.YRGWorkout.com.If you haven't already, I encourage you to check it out and post a comment in the forums if you want.

To any of you who don't know this, whenever anyone purchases any YRG Workout dvd, I always try to follow it up with an email (if for some reason you didn't get an email from me it most likely ended up in your spam filter... Sorry)... and btw it's not coming from an electronic automatic email response, it's actually me who takes the time to personally send out each and every email... Well a little over a month ago, I sent out an email out to someone who had bought the YRG Workout Regular Guys dvd package with the autograph picture... Her name is Betsy and she requested that I personalize it to he boyfriend Adam for Christmas (which of course I did) because he was big fan and loved the book... I love it when that happens... But Betsy took her email a step farther. She also let me know that if I was ever coming to Washington DC that she would do her best to hook me up because she is a publicist for some of the bigger Hotels and restaurants in the DC area... Now this actually happens to me quite a bit, but most times I can't take advantage of people's generosity. I believe everything happens for a reason because I just happened to laying over for two days in DC on my way to Afghanistan to meet with some Professional Speaking agencies... So I took Betsy up on her offer and I have to tell you I had the best time... Betsy hooked me up at the MayFlower Hotel which is the Hotel in DC... and if that wasn't enough she also got one of her best friends Exaire to drive to all my meetings... Later that day Betsy hooked me up with a bunch of newspaper PR as we went to the May Flower gym to do The YRG workout. Oh yeah, what I didn't tell you is that Adam, Betsy's boy friend, had no idea that he was not only going to meet me and boy was it a surprise... like the Diamond Cutter he never saw it coming. That night we all went to dinner and had a hell of a time... I feel like I grew up with these guys ... Of course, we all did a YRG workout before we went out... Thanks for a Great time guys... that was some good Karma...

The next day Steve Yu who is filming the inspirational movie called "Inspired" came down to shoot Arthur, Dylan and I for his movie... I can't wait to see this movie when it's completed because I know he has some great footage of both of those guys...

Next week I'll fill you in all the Great stories I have from Afghanistan...

Get Healthy... Stay Strong... Be Unstoppable and Do your YRG or else!

D. Dallas Page

12:23 AM - 12 Comments - 26 Kudos - Add Comment

Heading out to visit our troops in Afghanistan

First of all, I would like to wish everybody a Healthy and Happy New Year. I want to thank everyone who sent Christmas cards and get well wishes to Lex Luger, there were a lot of you who really came through for Lex and I know he really appreciates your support. Here is the address in case you missed it last time would let to send Lex your best:

Lex Luger
c/o Aaron Chiropractic Center
2000 Powers Ferry Road, Suite I - 10
Marietta GA 30067

So what is new for 2008 for DDP? Well the YRG Workout website went through it's own transformation...and believe me this blows the other YRG site away. For starters, it's interactive. You can comment on Blogs and Forums, get support, join the YRG Chat room and even ask me... DDP... any questions you may have...about YRG, I won't be answering whether wrestling is fake or not, Hah! On the opening page you will see the most inspirational video on the planet... I know that's a BOLD STATEMENT ... but trust me, I can back it UP... Just go check it out and leave a comment in the blog section on the NEW www.YRGWorkout.com website and while your there Join Team YRG.

Just to remind you I will be in Afghanistan from Jan 19th through the 28th with Greg Valentine, Jimmy Hart, and Nikolai Volkoff. While there, I will be speaking to the troops about my inspirational concept of Living Life at 90% and taking each base through the YRG Workout. So if you know anyone over there, let them know we are coming.

On a Final note, I got to go to the Rose Bowl this year. My good friends Chris and Jim Click invited me and Marlon and we had a blast... We met a lot of really great people at the before party and the Clicks are two of the most gracious and generous guys I've ever met. We got there early for a killer buffet... cocktails and poker... I haven't played poker in years... I had forgotten how much fun it is especially when you win... Ha! My buddies team on the other hand didn't win... but boy were those USC fans were happy... I wasn't really concerned who won I was there to enjoy the spectacle since I've never been to one. 

Make this a great holiday!!

Get Healthy... Stay Strong... Be Unstoppable and Do your YRG or else!

D. Dallas Page

7:47 PM - 21 Comments - 35 Kudos - Add Comment

Lex Luger, Tito Ortiz...Happy Holidays!