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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

HOF Forecast: Sunny!

Courtesy: WWE
By Kevin Hunsperger

The 2011 class of the WWE Hall of Fame suddenly seems a little brighter.  Former diva Sunny will soon be added.

I keep reminding myself that the WWE Hall of Fame has a lot of folks in there who are more on the entertainment side than the sports side of it.  After all, guys like Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, and Randy Savage aren't in there yet, so you've got to talk it for what it is.

My immediate reaction though was why not Miss Elizabeth.  I believe she was a pioneer in terms of the role of the women in wrestling outside the ring.  She was really the WWF/WWE's first non wrestling woman.

Many have called Sunny the original Diva.  I guess it depends if you considered Liz a Diva whether you agree with that.  The more thought I put into it, the less I'm inclined to classify Elizabeth as a "diva."  But I will agree that Sunny was certainly the first Diva as we know them today.  That's not to take anything away from Wendi Ritcher, the Fabulous Moolah, or "Sensational" Sherri Martel.  But you guys know what I mean.

Sunny was clearly there for eye candy.  She was the beauty in a land of beasts.  And back in 1995 when she first appeared with her boyfriend Chris Candido, aka Skip, Sunny was a breath of fresh air.  In her years with the WWE, she managed several different teams including the Bodydonnas, the Godwins, the Smoking Gunns, and the Legion of Doom.  She also had some time with Ron Simmons when he arrived as Faarooq Assad.  She was part of the changing of the guard with getting the traditional male manager out and bringing in the babes.

But I don't ever remember Sunny actually wrestling.  At least not when she was in the WWF.  I've read that she did do some wrestling in WCW in 2000.  This time is a complete blur to me.  I remember Chris Candido signing with WCW, but I don't ever remember Sunny, aka Tammy Sytch joining him there.

Of course she was a part of the Miss Wrestlemania battle royal at Wrestlemania 25.  So while she didn't have a huge role as a wrestler, she did lay the groundwork for the modern day Diva.  She kept the fans (mostly male) entertained with her antics, and added something extra to the WWF when the company really was struggling in the 1990's.

I look forward to seeing her at the Hall of Fame ceremony and will be curious to hear what she says about the honor.  It's too bad Chris is no longer here to be there for the event too.

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