Music to our ears or a sour note

Lawrence Taylor along with Salt 'n Pepa at WrestleMania 11
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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WrestleMania has always been about wrestling, duh. But entertainment has been a huge part of the annual spectacle too. Whether it's performers doing America the Beautiful, singing/rapping a Superstar's entrance music or performing a mini-concert, fans are used to seeing music's brightest stars share the stage with their favorite wrestlers.

This year it's been announced Pitbull, Flo Rida, Stephen Marley and LunchMoney Lewis will be performing this year. Granted, I am way outside the WWE's target demo these days (I only know two of the four men listed) I still find this a bit unsettling as a wrestling fan. Believe me, I get it that WWE wants mainstream press with WrestleMania each year. They also want to entice casual fans to tune in and hope a small concert will hook in those extra folks. But that being said, I've never been a fan of these performances. Let me explain...

It's not because I don't know the players involved, or I'm not huge fans of the two I do know. Bon Jovi, Huey Lewis and the News or the late great Michael Jackson himself could have performed during Mania and I would have the same point. I'm there for the wrestling and the storylines. I'd much rather guys like Neville and Austin Aries get a chance to perform in front of a full stadium than one that's a third of the way full as fans trickle in during the kick-off show. 

Snoop Dogg & Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 32
Courtesy: WWE

Believe me, I've been there before. Getting into AT&T Stadium last year was a nightmare as 100,000 of us were trying to make it to our seats. Chad and I missed two of the opening matches in the fray. Later on the card, Snoop Dogg (newly inducted into the Hall of Fame) rapped his cousin, Sasha Banks' entrance to the ring. Those types of performances I don't mind.

Kid Rock & friends
Courtesy: WWE

I used Flo Rida's concert at WrestleMania 28 as a chance to hit the restroom. No disrespect intended, but I'd do the same thing this year. I liked Kid Rock's performance at WrestleMania 25. He sang as the participants in the Divas Battle Royal made their way to the ring. When the performance kills two birds with one stone, I don't mind it. But when the show is its own thing, I don't like it.

Ray Charles performs America the Beautiful at WrestleMania 2
Courtesy: WWE

I know my words won't change anything in the future. But the discussion came up on a recent Facebook post by a friend (Matthew Dudley) so I figured I'd address it here. Others feel this way, while there are plenty more who love the concert feeling comparing it to the Halftime Show at the Super Bowl. I get the analogy, but fans aren't missing any football action because of it...

Mania Memories: Touchdown!

LT vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (WWE)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

By the time the eleventh installment of Wrestlemania rolled around, the WWF had a different look.  Top stars like Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, and the Ultimate Warrior were long gone.  The company was banking on guys like Diesel, Shawn Michaels, and Bret Hart to carry the torch and take the WWF to the next level.

While these guys were in some cases still proving themselves, there were no bonafide top tier guys like we'd seen with Hogan and Savage and Warrior (at least in my view).  So the WWF looked outside the ring and to the gridiron for that push.  They found it in Lawrence Taylor.  The NFL linebacker found himself in the main event of Wrestlemania 11, facing off against Bam Bam Bigelow.  For what it's worth, this was probably one of the better celebrity matches I've seen.  LT and Bam Bam told a great story, especially when you consider Taylor hadn't wrestled before. I take my hat off to Bigelow for agreeing to the match and putting over a non wrestler.  It could have really hurt him in the long run, and while I don't think it necessarily helped him, it certainly showed he's a team player.  It was a gamble making the match the main event, behind the world title match between Diesel and Michaels and Hart's match with Bob Backlund (not that I would consider it a main event)

HBK vs. Diesel (WWE)

Eleven was also Shawn's first bid for the WWF title.  He came up short against his former bodyguard, but essentially set himself up to become a baby face and one of the biggest stars in the history of the business.  Hart beat Backlund in a submission rematch from the 1994 Survivor Series.  Roddy Piper again served as the guest referee for this contest.

Bundy vs. Undertaker

Bret's younger brother Owen finally got WWF gold by teaming up with Yokozuna to beat the Smoking Gunns.  It was an odd combo, but the two of them worked well together.  Razor Ramon nearly regained the Intercontinental title from Jeff Jarrett when he beat the champ by disqualification.  Undertaker made his return to Wrestlemania keeping his streak alive by beating King Kong Bundy.

In what may have been the biggest case of "look what a difference a year can make" Lex Luger appeared in the opening match with partner British Bulldog as the pair beat the Blu Brothers (not to be confused with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd).  It was a light card for sure, but this was a time when talent was jumping ship to WCW and the WWF was doing what it could to stop the bleeding.  I think Wrestlemania 11 may be one of the more "plain Jane" manias in the rich history of the event.  They used a little star power from LT and brought in Pam Anderson and Jenny McCarthy to be in Diesel and Shawn Michaels' corners respectively.

What did you think of Wrestlemania 11?  Post your comments here or on Facebook.  Thanks for reading, and subscribe to My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube!

The Wrestlemania of Football

Courtesy: The Bleacher Report

Since it's Super Bowl Sunday, a day I like to call the Wrestlemania of football, I thought I'd look at some of the past relationships between the NFL and pro wrestling.

Wrestlemania 2: Probably one of the first major football/wrestling angles involved William "the Refrigerator" Perry and company in the Wrestlemania 2 battle royal.  It pitted a group of players, (including Perry, Harvey Martin, Ernie Holmes, Bill Fralic, Russ Francis, and Jimbo Covert) against a variety of mid card WWF superstars (including the Killer Bees, Hart Foundation, and Bruno Sammartino) and the eventual winner of the event Andre the Giant.
As a preteen at the time not and fulling understanding the workings of the business, I expected The Fridge to win this.  After all, he was a Super Bowl champion, very popular, and the event was in Chicago. I was more than a little surprised to see him eliminated so soon in the match.

Perry would eventual go on to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (celebrity wing) over Wrestlemania 22 weekend in Chicago.  I was there for the induction, as John Cena did the honors.  I actually thought Cena's speech was pretty clever and entertaining.

Courtesy: WWE

Wrestlemania 11: Unless I'm forgetting something, without a doubt the biggest NFL vs. Wrestling angle involved Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow.  The two had gotten into an "altercation" at the 1995 Royal Rumble.  Taylor was in the front row and mocked Bam Bam after his lose (I think) and Bigelow shoved the NFL great.  That esclated and led us to a battle at Wrestlemania 11.

The match was the last one on the card with Taylor going over.  By this time, I was in college and had smartened up.  But again, I was surprised to see the football player go over this time.  Especially considering Vince would let his guys look bad against new comers from opposing companies.  At least that seemed to be the mentality.

I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of "celebrity" wrestling appearances.  But if they're done correctly it's okay.  I think these two examples were fine.  But when Steve "Mongo" McMichael got involved, that's where I wanted to beat my head against the wall.

Courtesy: the Bleacher Report

McMichael's involvement in wrestling started with the whole Taylor Bigelow match at Wrestlemania.  If I remember correctly, he was in LT's corner with a handful of other players.  Later that year, McMichael showed up as an announcer on WCW Monday Nitro.  Listening to that man talk made me want to puncture my ear drums.

Then he transitioned into the ring and eventually became a member of the 4 Horsemen.  I still maintain he's the least deserving member to ever enter that group.  McMichael would also capture the WCW U.S. title.  I think he might have won it a couple of times.

But let me say that my dislike for him probably has nothing to do with him being a football player.  I just thought he was horrible on the announcing.  He was alright in the ring, nothing really stood out.  So I guess I'll stop the bashing now.

Kevin Greene also got involved in an angle with WCW and McMichael.  The late, great Walter Payton was in Razor Ramon's corner one year at SummerSlam.  And who can forget about PacMan Jones and his run as a coholder of the TNA tag team titles.

So while you're cheering for the Packers or the Steelers today, just remember we're only 56 days away from Wrestlemania.  Looking forward to it.

Thanks for reading, and check out My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube too.