Richie Sambora ‏@TheRealSambora 3h

Fell asleep for a little.......

It was all a dream!

If I were Richie and John wouldn't return my calls like the rumor is saying, I would just show up. Could you imagine the look on Johns face?

Nah, I went a little overboard there.

I LOL'd.

Yeah, he should just jump in the DC pit and hold up a big banner saying, 'Let me play!' :lol:

Looks like he fell asleep during the tweet. :D

OR better yet a sign for "She Don't Know Me"

...the entertainment value of that would be priceless.

Quick theory. Yesterday was Richie's dad's birthday. Wouldn't he be in NJ with his mother and visit his dad's grave? Just a thought. I think that photo with Nikki and Sean was cleverly posted to throw everyone off. His tweet about how he fell asleep for a little suggests to me that he is either nervous or excited for something.

Good detective work on that 'new' picture; as of last night when I went to bed, I assumed all hope was lost....

Now it's 8 a.m. here and I remain hopeful, for now, anyway. Also, I, too, Lol'd at Richie's Tweet.

The idea of him sitting in the audience and holding a sign is awesome lol. But my dream would be to just see him walk out onstage, no announcement that he's there beforehand, and start into one of his guitar riffs as the concert begins.

Me too, the crowd will go ballistic! I am keeping my fingers crossed.....no matter what, still going to have a great time.

The "prayer" video is on vh1 classic right now. I hope today is the return of Richie Sambora. Watching this video made me think of all those interviews they used to do when they would talk about "the Godfather " mentality . Not discussing family business with outsiders. Are those days gone? Or have they done a good job of keeping to that mentality?

I mentioned that on this thread a while back. Hope it happens tonight.

Well, even with this whole supposed 'dispute', neither of them have actually said much. It's the media and their 'sources' that are stirring the pot with numerous theories as to why Richie left the tour.

But the comments Jon and Richie /did/ make to the media showed a few cracks in the armor, so-to-speak. But even those weren't enough to really give us an idea of what started this whole thing.

Throughout this, they have stuck to "personal reasons." A lot of the media (and fans) are frustrated with just how vague that term is and think Richie owes them an explanation. But if we truly admire them not discussing "family business" then I do think they have kept to that remarkably well during this whole fiasco. As much as some want to know what happened, we may well never find out.

BTW, here are some more pictures of Richie and Nikki:

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps4fc488a4.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...pse359ba04.jpg

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps093da92a.jpg

Yep, they would including myself but I do not expect him to be there! Best thing is he is there, starts on stage on his own with I believe but Phil is also in the band up with Hugh and gets to play a few solos and jams with Richie.

Won't happen tho!

Nikki just posted this about filming that segment for Japanese TV:

http://www.nikkirichclothing.com/nik...for-women-201/

Richie Sambora ‏@TheRealSambora 16m

This jettlag really workin for me. It's amazing what you can get done when everyone's asleep...

Welcome back Richie....assuming he means jetlag from the flight to NJ. Which is odd because I was told he was here as of last night to be with his mother on his dad's birthday. I think he means jetlag from last night, which could explain his fall asleep tweet.

Anyway....enjoy the show tonight and bring rain gear everyone. Mid 60s and rain possible.

Yada yada yada. Y'all are really getting some false hope, aren't ye?

i hope you are right man but i dont think there is any chance he ll be back at this point

My friend is going to the show tonight and he is going to text me and tell me if Richie is playing.

I'm going out of town so if Richie is back tonight, I'll probably miss the explosion of the internet when it happens. I don't think he'll be back tonight though.

Come back for two shows right before a month long break? Makes no sense to me, and there are soooooooo many fans who are ecstatic because they fully believe he'll be there on stage. And maybe he will but, ain't gonna hold my breath. :)

But just think how it could be spun: "Guitar Hero Returns for Hometown Shows!"

It would be good PR, anyway. Has Richie missed any Jersey shows in the past? Can't remember.

Teasing, or completely oblivious to the hype?

Can't help thinking some are getting their hopes up a little too much- better having low expectations and being surprised, than going in all optimistic and having your hopes crushed!

Yeah, seems kind of cruel if Richie were to tease like that, knowing how so many fans want him back for the New Jersey shows, if he wasn't going to be there.

On the other hand, a lot of his previous Tweets showed that he seemed oblivious to how they came across, so....

I think your strategy of low expectations is good. The roller-coaster of emotion I've felt as a fan -- (and this is from someone who /isn't/ going to any shows on this tour) has already exhausted me at times.

This! It does seem at times he really doesn't understand the magnitude of many fan's displeasure with him or many other fans never ending hope that he'll show up at a particular show. I really think he's in la-la land at times. :D

I didnt even put the jaglag comment together as he might have flown to jersery...but its only a three hour difference from LA to NJ. Not too sure if that really is considered at jet lag lol..Phil is retweeting people as usual on twitter about the show tonight. I wouldn't get my hopes up, but it would be great to see him take the stage again

If Richie does play tonight, one of these 2 songs should open the show: Undivided or Blood on Blood.
Or better yet, Richie sings Every Road Leads Home To You, as in home to Bon Jovi.

I suppose he could still be referring to his jetlag from his trip home from Europe, but wasn't that quite awhile ago by now? To make a comment like that on the day of the New Jersey show if you're talking about two-week-old jetlag....*shakes head*

If he takes the stage tonight it would make my decision to by myself a ticket for vegas a little easier, but I just dont know if I really want to go see the same show. I wonder if Jon plans on changing it up a little on the second pass over the west coast.

Seems like most acts these days are sticking to the same set list more often than not.

I hear ya Becky, I will be at the show but I am not expecting hell to freeze over LOL.

What I missed? Why do we think Richie will be back tonight?

Just go back like 2 or 3 pages and you'll find all the "information".

I had a weird dream last night that I was at tonight's show and Richie did come back. They started with Lost Highway and there was utter euphoria.

However a dream isn't real and is merely a thought/wish in one's subconscious. He definitely wont be back tonight. We'll be lucky if he's back in September, but 100% not tonight.

Well, when I posted it, "today" was Wednesday. Actually, not here. It was past midnight, but I knew it didn't matter. Anyhow, I don't know about this jetlag thing, but it could very well be from Europe. And I've already mentioned all the other reasons why I don't think he'll come back tonight, so I won't repeat them. I think you're all getting your hopes up over basically nothing and that makes me sad, but I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling this ordeal as much.

Richie must be disappointed at the last few PBPs too, so he's trying to stir up some interest.

Someone said Ava is with Richie at his house... so doubtful. She apparently tweeted it.

He must be busy designing some skirts.
Oddly I can imagine Richie sitting down with Ava and discussing the new pair of jeans that are so trendy. Just like he used to sit with Jon to write.