When wrestlers retweet

Roddy Piper, The Rock and George Steele
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I'll start this off with a thank you to my buddy Tom Harness for the topic idea. Social media has given everyone access to their favorite celebrities like never before. Twitter has been one of the easiest ways to make that connection. As a lifelong wrestling fan, I mark out each time a pro wrestler likes, retweets or responds to one of my messages on social media. When I get a follow back, I get especially excited. (name dropping Neville, Titus O'Neal and Brodus Clay here.)

Sometimes a Superstar or Legend will retweet a blog I've written and mentioned them or a podcast interview they've done with me. I always appreciate those moments because the post gets extra engagement. Fans of these Superstars and Legends will like and retweet too and it creates a new chain reaction. But here are a few standout moments via social media and Superstars.

WrestleMania
Courtesy: WWE

1. In the Spring of 2015, I wrote a very personal blog about a friend of mine who died when we were 12. It was days before the first WrestleMania. Going to another friend's home to watch that event helped me in the grieving process. It was the first time in days that I hadn't cried. I tagged "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in my tweet and Hot Rod retweeted it. Part of me wants to believe he read that blog too. As wrestling fans know, Piper died a few months later. That retweet meant the world to me and it's something I'll be forever grateful for.

The Rock and I

2. Several years ago I posted a picture of myself and a wax figure of The Rock from Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. I included @TheRock in the message talking about how I failed to do the People's Eyebrow like the Great One. He actually liked the tweet, which made my day.

3. LinkedIn is a social media platform I'm still trying to figure out the best way to use it. Years ago, I was part of WWE group where fans would post their blogs or podcasts. On a couple of different occasions, George "The Animal" Steele commented on my posts. I know for sure he read the blogs because he sited specific things I had written. Again, it was another mark out moment for me.

In memory 2017

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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We lost several legends of the ring in 2017, including many from my childhood. May they all rest in peace. You can see more on the website Wrestler Deaths.

How the WWF made Saturday night's better

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I hope the World Wildlife Fund doesn't sue me over the title, but it's a more accurate description for the topic at hand. It was on this date 32 years ago (May 11, 1985) that Saturday Night's Main Event first took to the airwaves. I was 12 years old and had been a fan of wrestling for a couple years at that point. Back then the only access to WWF programming I had was Tuesday Night Titans and WWF Superstars of Wrestling. There were also the VHS tapes the company produced and of course WrestleMania had just appeared on closed circuit TV.

As I was flipping through the TV Guide that afternoon (yes, I read TV Guide like a book) I came across an ad promoting Saturday Night's Main Event. (I tried finding a pic on Google, but had no luck) The wrestling show was filling the time slot held by Saturday Night Live. Hulk Hogan was featured in the black and white photo, as he was scheduled to face "Cowboy" Bob Orton for the WWF Championship.

Orton vs. Hogan
Courtesy: WWE

This was exciting news for several reasons. The Hulkster was wrestling on TV and against someone who posed a threat (remember, I was only 12). Other Superstars would be wrestling in matches that weren't the usual squash matches we'd grown accustomed to. And Wendi Richter was going to be in action (again, remember I was 12). There was no way I was going to miss any of this action. I stayed up late that night and watched the show on what now I realize was a small screen TV in my bedroom. 

Not only were the matches featuring more competitive opponents, the production value of the show was on point. I still think of SNME every time I hear the song Obsession by Animotion and Take Me Home by Phil Collins. The short promos that were cut at the start of each episode did exactly what they were supposed to do to get me excited for the matches. I also loved that the main event was either the opening match or near the start of the show so if I did doze off and forgot to set the VCR, I wouldn't miss the big event. I hated waiting weeks for a new show to air, but eventually grew to enjoy SNL.

Cyndi Lauper & Wendi Richter
Courtesy: WWE

It's been a long time since WWE replicated Saturday Night's Main Event. The last reboot was in 2006 and wrapped up in 2008. I'll never forget those early days and especially that first show. George "The Animal" Steele turning good after being attacked by Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, Hulkamania running wild all over Bob Orton and Roddy Piper and Richter successfully retain the Women's Championship. 

 

Remembering George "The Animal" Steele

George "The Animal" Steele
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Another wrestling legend has died. WWE confirmed the news earlier that Hall of Famer, George "The Animal" Steele died Friday at the age of 79. Steele had in poor health recently. 

By the time I started watching wrestling, Steele was nearing the end of his in-ring career. I've blogged before about the night I was flipping channels with some friends and came across Jimmy Snuka (RIP) and Don Muraco battling it out. That same night "The Animal" cut a promo that consisted of him just shouting "YES" a lot. I can't remember who the interviewer was, but George just gave one-word answers. His loud voice boomed, but his hairy torso and bald head also stood out to me. We began mimicking his style long after the wrestling action had come to an end.

Steele vs. Hogan
Courtesy: WWE

Steele would team up with Mr. Fuji and battle Hulk Hogan and "Mean" Gene Okerlund not long after I discovered wrestling. The match was featured on a Coliseum Home video we had rented and watched one summer afternoon. Steele eventually went from the unpredictable monster to a more lovable good guy. He and Capt. Lou Albano worked well together and Steele even managed to work his way to an Intercontinental Title match against "Macho Man" Randy Savage at WrestleMania II.

The Animal & Mine
Courtesy: WWE

He worked a few more years on screen with WWF before retiring and doing some work as an agent. The Animal became one of the first Hall of Fame inductees and I think during his speech it was the first time I hadn't heard his non-sensical way of talking. When I was younger, I really bought into the character, which was memorable due to the hairy body, green tongue, turnbuckle munching and "Mine" doll.

Just a few of years ago Steele commented on a couple of blogs I had posted on a WWE site on LinkedIn. I was honored to know that someone of his stature was reading my work. Rest in Peace "Animal", you will be missed by many.

Soothing the Savage Beasts

Steele, Bushwhackers, & Kamala

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

In recent years we've seen monsters like Kane, Big Show, and The Great Khali toned down and turned into lovable or at least likable baby faces.  It's not a new trend by any means (even though Kane has returned to his demonic ways), and to illustrate the point, I'm going to talk about a few of my favorite examples of soothing the savage beasts of wrestling in the 1980's.

George "The Animal" Steele
Photo courtesy: WWE

George "The Animal" Steele lived up to his name through his career.  When I started watching wrestling in 1983, George was still wrestling as a bad guy.  He tore his opponents apart as his manager at the time, Mr. Fuji watched with that sly smile on his face.  During the summer of 1984, he and Fuji teamed up to take on Hulk Hogan and announcer "Mean" Gene Okerlund.  This match is my first real memory of Steele wrestling.  He would flail his arms around and groan like a madman in ring.  It was a site to behold and worked well at psyching out his opponents and leaving fans to wonder just how crazy the guy was.  I know prior to all that he had had some intense matches with then WWF Champion Bruno Sammartino as well.

Right after the first Wrestlemania and on what I believe was the first Saturday Night's Main Event, The Animal was abandoned by his tag team partners The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff along with manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie.  The trio left George to get beaten in a six man tag team match against Barry Windham, Mike Rotunda, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.  The abandonment lead George to the wildly popular baby face manager Captain Lou Albano.  Over time, The Captain did his best to tame the Animal.  He underwent shock treatment, but alas, once an animal always an animal.  After Albano retired, George went it alone, but toted around a stuffed version of himself, called Mine.  I always wanted one of those plush toys, but never got one.

"George's manager! Win! Lizabeth!"
Photo courtesy: WWE

He feuded with "Macho Man" Randy Savage over the hand of the lovely Miss Elizabeth, as well as the Intercontinental championship.  The Animal came up short against Savage at Wrestlemania II for the belt.  Later, the two had a match on SNME, in which the winner "got" Liz.  As a preteen fan, and a mark for George, I thought for sure that night he'd win and a new era for the Beauty and the Beast would be underway.  It didn't happen though. But his turn, along with his love for turnbuckles, his green tongue, and his hairy torso landed him on ice cream bars, tshirts, and action figures (I still have my George LJN figure).  He also joined forces with the likes of Junkyard Dog and Steamboat.

The bloody and battered Sheepherders

Before The Bushwhackers became the beloved and dimwitted duo of the WWF, they were the brutally dangerous Sheepherders in the Midsouth and other wrestling territories.  As the Sheepherders, I can remember some of their bloody and brutal matches against the Fantastics.  Luke Williams and Butch Miller would go back and forth with Tommy Rogers and Bobby Fulton.  Before I'd started watching them on TV though, the Sheepherders (also known as the Kiwis) had spilled a lot of blood around the world.  

The Bushwhackers
Photo courtesy: WWE

I was shocked in 1989, when they surfaced on WWF television as a couple of arm waving cousins.  Their look hadn't really changed, but their attitude certainly did.  The fans took to them like a fish takes to water.  And speaking of fish, the Bushwhackers loved eating sardines.  Luke and Butch never achieved WWF gold, but their run was successful none-the-less as they secured a place in the hearts of wrestling fans around the world.  The popular duo also appeared on the TV show Family Matters.

Kamala battles Hulk Hogan
Photo courtesy: WWE

The one transition from savage beast to gentle giant that I don't think worked so well was Kamala.  As the Ugandan Headhunter, Kamala struck fear in the hearts of his opponents and wrestling fans.  He was a huge attraction in companies like World Class Championship Wrestling, WWF, and WCW.  He was a crazed lunatic in that ring, often ignoring his handlers Friday or Kim Chee.  He threw caution into the wind as he would splash his already beaten opponent.  Kamala would gnaw on his foe's forehead, appearing to the cannibal fans worried he might be.  And I loved every minute of it.

Slick & Kamala go bowling
Photo courtesy: WWE

By late 1992 or early 1993, the WWF decided to pair the Ugandan with the newly saved Slick.  The Doctor of Style had become a reverend and began preaching to Kamala.  He tried in vain to integrate the beast into society.  One of the memorable vignettes came when the two went bowling.  I didn't like the conversion and was thankful they never gave Kamala a speaking role, as I really enjoyed his brutal, headhunter gimmick.  

All three of these examples bring back fond memories for me.  They're just a few of the savage beasts who became soothed along the way.  They're all legendary and have earned their spots in wrestling history.  Thank you gentlemen.

Way Back WhensDay: Tuesday Night Titans

Tuesday Night Titans
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Long before Monday Night Raw, the WWF had a weekly cable show called Tuesday Night Titans.  It was talk show meets wrestling, with all kinds of ridiculousness along the way.  I remember tuning in each week and watching on the USA Network as Vince McMahon (not knowing he owned the company at the time) and Lord Alfred Hayes would interview Superstars, managers, and audience members. (Eventually "Mean" Gene Okerlund would become host.)

Macho Man & Mean Gene
Photo courtesy: WWE

The show started even before Prime Time Wrestling started airing on Mondays. The only WWF fix we'd get back then was Superstars on Sunday mornings and TNT on Tuesday nights.  MTV aired a couple of WWF specials, but this was before Saturday Night's Main Event or even pay per view matches.  TNT's format was like the Tonight Show, with silly skits and an occasional match or at least highlights from one to help keep ongoing storylines alive.

How now, brown cow.

I was 11 years old when I started watching, and for whatever reason the episode that sticks out in my mind the most was the night Captain Lou Albano and Vince McMahon visited a shock therapist to help "cure" George "The Animal" Steele.  This was right after Animal turned good and was being made into a lovable character and not the brutal beast he once was.

McMahon was on hand to document the treatment and what George was going through.  Captain Lou talked us through the procedure as Doctor Sigmund Ziff hooked up the Animal.  Finally to show us it was working, Steele uttered the following with a glazed look in his eyes, "How now, brown cow."  I can still hear him saying it and the "breakthrough" the Captain thought he'd reached, until Ziff turned up the juice and the Animal ran from the room.

Crocket & Tubbs? 

Other memorable moments was the introduction of the show "Fuji Vice" with Mr. Fuji and Don Muraco.  It was cheesy 80's fun, as the manager and Superstar spoofed the popular show Miami Vice.  The two did parodies of other 80's programming as well.  Roddy Piper had an experience with the Ghosts of Christmas and Kamala "ate" a live chicken on the air one week.  The show was crazy, but it was good fun.

I wonder now that the network is in full swing if the WWE will consider doing more programming like Tuesday Night Titans.  They certainly have the talent to pull it off.  They could also show the classic episodes, which I imagine is a real possibility.

Way Back WhensDay: WWF Stretch Wrestlers

WWF LJN Stretch Wrestlers

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

When I was much, much younger my brother and I had a Stretch Armstrong doll (yes, I'm comfortable saying doll) as well as his nemesis the Stretch Monster.  They were lots of fun, but at one point, they each busted open and the gelled corn syrup inside oozed out, rendering the toy useless.

Hot Rod

So for whatever reason, in the late 80's, I decided that the newly released LJN Stretch Wrestlers had to join my collection of bendable figures and standard ones.  I only had two of the eight WWF Superstars that were released in the series.  "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat did battle from time to time at my house.  King Kong Bundy, Hulk Hogan, George "The Animal" Steele, Junkyard Dog, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff were also made in stretch form.

Busted figures

The figures were fun for a bit, but in no way particle when it came to having matches.  Sure they movable, unlike the LJN figures that preceded them.  But they were heavy and clunky.  And there's the issue of them tearing open.  

Eventually I stopped playing with my toys and packed them away in my closet. I'm a pack rat, so when I went to pull out my Piper (not a sexual thing) he had busted open and was losing his innards.  It was more of a dust/sand product and not the syrupy stuff inside Stretch Armstrong.

I wish the Stretch Wrestlers would have stood the test of time, as I like incorporating old toys in my videos and blogs.  They were fun while they lasted, but unfortunately my figures didn't last very long.

Mania Memories: Proof Sequels Aren't Better

Bundy vs. Hogan (WWE)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

I think of all the Wrestlemanias, the second installment of the show may have been one of the worst.  It's the only Wrestlemania in the nearly 30 year history of the event to be held on a Monday.  It's also the only Mania to broadcast from three different arenas in three different states (New York, Illinois, and California).

Wrestlemania 2 was also the most packed with "celebrity" appearances.  Because there were three different venues, each one had guest ring announcers, time keepers, and commentators.  We got some of the "flavor of the month" stars like Herb from Burger King (who remembers him?), Clara Peller (Where's the Beef?), and Cathy Lee Crosby from That's Incredible.  There was also a battle royal featuring six NFL football players, along with a handful of celebrity referees.

George Wells and Damien

I don't want to beat up Wrestlemania 2 too badly.  But with matches like George Wells vs. Jake "the Snake" Roberts, Uncle Elmer vs. Adrian Adonis, and Hercules vs. Ricky Steamboat; it's easy to see how this could be panned by some critics.  Of course, the original Mania had some squash matches too, but this was the follow up, this should have taken it a step up.  I've read that Steamboat was originally supposed to wrestle Bret Hart (according to the book Hitman, so take it for what it's worth).  I think that match would have totally stolen the show.

The Bulldogs reign supreme

I think the highlight of Wrestlemania 2 for me was the British Bulldogs winning the world tag team titles from Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake.  The Bulldogs are my all time favorite team, and seeing how hard they'd worked to get to that match and then finally win the gold was truly a mark out moment for me.  They had not just Capt. Lou Albano in their corner, but celebrity rocker Ozzy Osbourne as well.  Of course, I was 13 at the time, so Hulk Hogan beating King Kong Bundy in that classic blue steel cage match was also a favorite moment of mine.

Savage comes crashing down

I also liked it when Roddy Piper got disqualified in his boxing match with Mr. T.  Although I wasn't the biggest Hot Rod fan at the time, I wasn't crazy about Mr. T's involvement for a second year in a row, and in a boxing match no less.  Randy Savage made his Wrestlemania debut on the card by pinning George "The Animal" Steele.  Again, not a great match considering this was for the Intercontinental title, but Savage and Steele were engaged in a feud not just for the belt, but the affection of Miss Elizabeth.  Savage of course won on both accounts.

Andre dumps the Foundation

Andre the Giant reigned supreme in the battle royal, last dumping the Hart Foundation to the arena floor at the Rosemont Horizon.  As much hype as the football players got leading up to this battle royal, I thought for sure William "the Refrigerator" Perry would have lasted a lot longer.  Instead, he was eliminated by Big John Studd, which I then thought might lead to some sort of follow up angle, but this was in a time before weekly multi-hour shows and monthly pay per views (in fact, Wrestlemania was it), so I guess they ended it that night.

I'm curious to hear what you thought of the second Wrestlemania.  Where do you rank it in comparison to other shows?  Post your thoughts here or on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook wall.

Silly Sidekicks

Al Snow, Head, Mankind, & Mr. Socko (WWE)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

From time to time I like to take a break from scrutinizing the performances of Impact Wrestling and WWE and post something I file under the "Random, But Awesome" column on the My 1-2-3 Cents website.  In the past I've written about some of my favorite animals in the wrestling world, today I'm going to look at some of the non living sidekicks wrestlers have adopted through the years.

Mr. Socko is probably my favorite of these inanimate objects.  I'm pretty sure he made his debut during the Mr. McMahon hospital skit with Mankind.  The sock puppet was so over, Mick Foley began using Mr. Socko in his matches.  He would pull the sock from his tights and cram it into his opponent's mouth as he applied the dreaded mandible claw.  The idea was that the sock was the disgusting and sweaty footwear of Foley and having it put into one's mouth was the ultimate insult to injury moment.

Meet Mr. Socko!

Of course the sock was popular and it became something the WWF was able to market.  Soon kids everywhere could have their very own Mr. Socko.  But really, they could have just made it at home, after all it was literally a sock with a sharpie created set of eyes and goatee.  Socko was also instrumental in the creation of the Rock 'n Sock Connection with Mankind and the Rock.  And that lead to the highest rated segment of all time on Raw, the This is Your Life skit.  The Socko gimmick worked and it caught my attention.  I still from time to time will put a clean sock on my hand and pretend it's Socko.  Yes, I just admitted that.  Don't judge me.

George Steele & Mine (WWE)

Another one of my favorites goes back to the 1980's.  Prior to 1985, George "The Animal" Steele was a savage beast.  He was brutal in the ring, hence the name "Animal."  However, he changed his ways and developed a soft side after being attacked by the Iron Sheik and Nikolia Volkoff.  Captain Lou Albano soon started managing George and revealing the Animal was more like a manchild than a monster.  So of course with the whole PG thing in full effect and the global scope of the WWF, it only made sense to market some sort of toy, right?  That's where "Mine" comes in.  He was basically a plush version of Steele.  He had a hairy body, just like George.  Mine had a bald head and a green tongue.  All like the Animal.  George would carry him to the ring and yell "Mine!"  I never owned one of these critters, but I will admit again, sometimes I will just shout "Mine!" when no one is around, just like the Animal did.  Again, don't judge.

Al Snow and his gal, Head (WWE)

Who doesn't like a little head?  We all know Al Snow did.  His mannequin head was just as popular as he was back in the day.   Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Head made her debut in the original ECW.  Snow's character was a bit crazy, and he used to carry the bodyless figure around and talk to her.  Both Snow and Head had the phrase "HELP ME" written backwards on their foreheads.  Snow would use Head from time to time to whack an opponent and pick up a victory.  The gimmick was so popular, Snow's theme song in the WWF started off with "What does everybody want? Head!  What does everybody need? Head!"  This of course was the height of the Attitude Era were such double entendres were acceptable.  Eventually Head would make way for a live sidekick for Snow, his dog Pepper.  And we all know what happened to Pepper.  Seconds on that pepper steak anyone?

Ugh, it's Rocko

So those are my three favs.  I guess honorable mentions can go to Perry Saturn's "Moppy", Chavo Guerrero's horse "Pepe" in WCW, and the Legion of Doom's dummy Rocko.  Although I will NEVER understand the whole point of that gimmick.  That one was soaked in lame sauce as far as I'm concerned.  Maybe that's a post for another day.

In the meantime, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  As always, thanks!

Freak of the Week: The Original Animal

Courtesy: WWE

Long before "the Animal" Batista or Road Warrior Animal, there was another wrestler with that moniker.  George 'the Animal' Steele.  And he's this week's freak of the week.

The first time I remember seeing George was on an old WWF show back in the summer of 1983.  This was before I was a fulltime fan of wrestling, and everything was still "real" to me.  I was 10 years old at the time and remember being freaked out by the Animal.  He had a green tongue, bald head, and covered with hair on his torso.  He was a monster back then.  He didn't do a whole lot of talking, he just tore his opponent apart in the ring.  If I remember correctly it was either Mr. Fuji or Classy Freddy Blassie was managing him at the time.  He truly was an animal.

George was a heel most of his time in the WWF.  Then in 1985, shortly after the first Wrestlemania, George was teaming with tag team champions Iron Sheik and Nikola Volkoff against Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, and Mike Rotunda on Saturday Night's Main Event.  George was left alone in the ring.  His partners wouldn't tag him, and Steamboat ended up rolling him up for the pin.  Of course Sheik and Volkoff were upset and attacked the Animal after the match.  Capt. Lou Albano, who was managing Windham and Rotunda at the time, came into the ring and helped George.  The two were then paired up.

I remember the old skits on Tuesday Night Titans where George went through therapy to become "normal."  But it never seemed to work.  George did become a kinder, gentler wrestler.  He was still tough as a $2 steak (sorry JR), but he almost became a cartoon character.  This was of course during the rock 'n' wrestling era where the WWF was marketing to kids.

When Albano retired in 1986, George received "help" from a stuffed critter he called "Mine."  See the photo above to understand more of this.  During his run as a babyface, George feuded with Macho Man Randy Savage for Elizabeth's hand.  I remember one match on SNME that if George won, he'd "get" Elizabeth.  Of course he lost, and his poor heart remained broken.

Besides the green tongue and the stuffed animal, George was also known for his crazy walk/dance motions in the ring.  Almost like a primate moving around.  And after his matches he would tear open the turnbuckle and "eat" the stuffing inside.

George is a WWE Hall of Famer and now retired.  I remember being somewhat disappointed when I saw him in a commercial and he wasn't as wild and  crazy as he was in the ring.  He was a real person afterall.

The character though went from being a crazed lunatic to a lovable human teddy bear.  That seems to be the trend in wrestling.  Turning these violent guys into cuddly creatures.  Makes them more marketable I suppose.

So let's rip open a turnbuckle and salute this week's freak, the original animal.  "MINE!"