Hall of faming ain't easy

Godfather as IC champ
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Earlier in the week the Godfather was announced as the next member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2016.  So far he and the legendary Sting are the two confirmed inductees.  I haven't seen the "leaked" list of others, so I'm limiting my thoughts to just the Godfather in this post.

Chad & Papa Shango

We started a conversation on Episode 66 of My 1-2-3 Cents the podcast about Godfather's induction.  The character was certainly over with the fans during the Attitude Era, myself included.  But I also liked the Papa Shango character Charles Wright (the man behind Godfather) played.  So is he Hall of Fame worthy?  The debate comes up each year.

While there are men and women who I think should be in the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later, I don't think anyone currently in should not be there.  Each Superstar, Diva and announcer is there for a reason.  Guys like Koko B. Ware, Junkyard Dog and Big John Studd may have never wore gold in the WWE, but each person enshrined has made some kind of impact on me as a fan through the years.  (I'm not going to comment on the Celebrity Wing.)

Chad & The Godfather

Another factor WWE considers is name recognition.  As Chad pointed out on the show, more fans today know who The Godfather is than say "Superstar" Billy Graham.  Remember, it's a business.  WWE will cash in with merchandise sales and a desire for fans to meet the new inductees during Axxess.  

On the more morbid side of things, there are a lot of greats who are no longer with us and may never make it into the HOF based on that.  It's been reported the company doesn't like to do a lot of posthumous inductions in the same year.  There's a growing list of worthy men who aren't in as a result.

Ho train
Courtesy: WWE

Final thought, is WWE being hypocritical by keeping Chyna out of the Hall of Fame because of her adult film past and inducting a pimp who was always accompanied to the ring by hos?  Share your thoughts here or on the Facebook page.

Boo: Papa Don't Preach

Papa Shango
Photo by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE has had its share of memorable, yet ridiculous characters through the years.  Case in point, today's subject Papa Shango.  This voodoo master was arrived in the WWF in 1992 (holy cow, I can't believe it's been 20 years already).  His biggest claim to fame in my view was when he ran interference during the Hulk Hogan-Sycho Sid match at Wrestlemania VIII.

As the two heels were double teaming the Hulkster, the Ultimate Warrior made his big return.  This set up a feud between the former champ and the unusual Shango.  One particularly memorable time of the feud was when Papa put a hex on the Warrior, forcing him to vomit pea soup much like Linda Blair in the Exorcist.

Shango did these kinds of tricks all the time, mostly to the jobbers he beat in the ring.  I can remember one having either his boots or hands catch fire.  That did happen, didn't it?  Another time, the Warrior began sweating what looked like motor oil.  It was reminiscent of those cheesy B movies from the 1970's and 80's.  You definitely had to suspend reality when Shango was around.

Wrestle Reunion 2012
Los Angeles
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

I only got to see him live in action once, and that was at a house show in Cape Girardeau.  He challenged Bret Hart for the WWF heavyweight title.  Hart won the match of course, but I can't remember if it was via the sharpshooter.

Of course we know Papa Shango morphed into Kama the Ultimate Fighting machine before finding his most successful gimmick of the Godfather.  No doubt though that as Shango, he made a good first impression on the WWE Universe before evolving into more realistic characters.