Instead of Garvin, how about Windham

Barry Windham & Ron Garvin as U.S. Tag Team Champions

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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In 1986, Magnum TA was a star on the rise. Most wrestling fans thought he was a sure pick to beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. I was among those who thought Terry Allen was next in line to 'be the man.' However, a tragic car accident in October of that year nearly cost TA his life. His career in the ring did come to an end.

Magnum TA

Obviously, I don't know what the backstage plans were, but it seemed like, besides Magnum, Dusty Rhodes was the only other top babyface contender for the championship. He and Flair had traded the belt earlier in the summer. I had fully expected Magnum to pick up the win sometime in 1987. 

Ronnie Garvin as champ

It felt like Crockett was struggling for a hero not only to replace Magnum TA but also to not fall back on Dusty again. Nikita Koloff seemed to be that guy as he united with Rhodes and fought in Magnum's honor. But by fall of 1987, Ronnie Garvin was deemed the heir apparent and beat Flair for the championship. I liked "Hands of Stone", but he never struck me as a world champion material, especially in the Ric Flair era.

JR & Barry Windham

However, Barry Windham is one of the all-time greats to never win the NWA (or WWE) Heavyweight Championships. I'd been a fan of Windham's since his Florida days and right before his first run in WWF where he and Mike Rotunda won the WWF tag team titles. It was that experience and his overall look and work in the ring that always made me think Windham should have been considered for the run Garvin had.

At the same time period, Windham was toiling on the mid-card and defending the Western States Heritage Championship. Remember that title? He eventually dropped that to Larry Zybszko and then pursued "Dr. Death" Steve Williams' UWF Heavyweight Championship.

Horsemen

However, Windham had the pedigree as a second generation wrestler. At that time I don't think he'd really been tested with Flair, but the two would have some classic matches prior to Barry joining the Four Horsemen in 1988. Still, a run as NWA Heavyweight Champion was on my shortlist of 'wants' when watching pro wrestling back in the day.

What are your thoughts? Let me know here or head over to the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page and weigh in.

Previous 'Instead of' blogs

Instead of Diesel, how about Bulldog?

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Magnum TA vs. Disney World

Magnum TA vs. Mickey Mouse

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I debated writing this blog because I know it's going to irritate some who read it. Many people who check out My 1-2-3 Cents know I'm a journalist by day. I've been in the world of broadcast news for two decades. So from time to time, I go into reporter mode when it comes to responding to things going on in the wrestling world.

Chances are you've seen the tweets from Tessa Blanchard, the step daughter of wrestling legend, Magnum T.A. She says Magnum and her siblings were denied entry into the Magic Kingdom in Orlando recently. According to the tweet it was because Magnum uses a Segway to assist with walking. More than 30 years ago, TA was severely injured in a car crash. 

Here's where I become annoyed with wrestling fans. Many responded to the tweets by saying fans should boycott Disney. They criticized the move as they thought Disney was targeting one of their favorite stars. However, doing some research on the subject, Disney banned Segways more than a decade ago. In fact, the issue became such a hot topic the United States Supreme Court got involved and ruled in favor of Disney. 

Magnum T.A. with Bill Apter

Admittedly, I don't know all the facts about Magnum's situation. But Disney enacted the ban because they say Segways are too unstable. It's been in place since 2004. Their website doesn't specifically say Segways aren't allowed, however it does talk about just using wheelchairs or Electric Conveyance Vehicles. Chairs can be rented for $12 a day and the ECVs are $50. I've read the ECVs didn't have the controls on the correct side for TA.

None of us were there, we can only base our opinions on what was tweeted by a third party who also wasn't at the park. I'm a Disney fan. I'm a Magnum TA and Tessa Blanchard fan. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding of some kind. We don't know for sure if park officials tried to offer an alternative. Each time my family has visited the theme parks, we've never had any problems. In fact, they have gone above and beyond to make our experiences outstanding, including two times when my mom had to use a wheelchair to get around.

It's natural to pick a side. But really both sides could have likely handled this situation differently. Hopefully, this incident will raise awareness and serve as a reminder of what guests with disabilities need to prepare for before arriving at Disney World or Land. 

The summer the U.S. Title mattered most

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Fifteen years ago when WWE purchased WCW they kept the United States championship among a handful of other belts and of course wrestlers. Through the years those other titles and Superstars have faded away, leaving the U.S. Title the only remaining regular staple of the old WCW days. (The title was unified briefly in late 2001 before coming back in 2003.)

I never felt like the U.S. Title carried the kind of significance it had during the days WCW days. I'd actually take it a step further and argue since the NWA era. Once the Monday Night Wars fully ignited and big matches were a part of weekly TV, championships were devalued with constant changes. Guys who should have probably never worn gold were crowned champion, sometimes for just a few days or weeks.

However in the summer of 1986 Magnum TA and Nikita Koloff were a part of a best of seven series to crown a new U.S. champion. It all started after TA attacked NWA President Bob Geigel with a baseball bat. As the champ, he was stripped of the gold and set up the matches between TA and the top contender Koloff. 

This was the best thing to happen in wrestling that summer. Despite Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes being locked in an epic feud with Rhodes beating the champ for the NWA Title, the TA-Koloff feud one upped that. There was so much drama and emotion attached to the series. In the WWF, Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff were waging a new war with each other, but NWA was updating the U.S. Title feud on weekly TV programs, as matches happened during the Great American Bash. Back then the Bash was a series of shows around the country. 

Koloff eventually won the series and the championship. A few months later, sadly, TA would be involved in a career ending car accident that nearly took his life. It's been said TA was bound for a run as World Champion, which I'm inclined to believe as he was one of the best workers in that era. 

He and Koloff gave wrestling fans something to talk about in the summer of '86, long before SummerSlam would take the world by storm. TA had an epic feud with Tully Blanchard when he captured the gold in the first place. It's rivalries like these that are missing for the overall storytelling of WWE. 

Legacies the WWE needs

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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There's no shortage of second and third generation Superstars in WWE.  Notables on the current roster include Charlotte, Bray Wyatt, The Usos and Natalya.  Being the son or daughter of a legendary wrestler can be a double-edged sword.  We've seen some rise to new heights, while others struggled to make a name for themselves.  Here are a few legacies I'd like to see in WWE sometime soon.

Ross, Kevin and Marshall Von Erich

Rumors that Marshall and Ross Von Erich are going to be a part of NXT have been circulating for quite some time.  The sons of WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Von Erich and grandsons of the late, great Fritz Von Erich (also in the HOF) are amazing in the ring.  They worked briefly for TNA and do a lot of wrestling in Japan.  Growing up I was a huge fan of the Von Erichs and these two young men have picked up where their father and uncles left off.  They've inherited the talent from Kerry and Kevin and take it to the next level.  With WrestleMania being in Dallas this year, I'm still holding out hope that they'll be a part of the NXT show Friday night.  

Tessa in action
(Courtesy: BK Photography)

Tessa Blanchard would be an excellent addition to the Divas Revolution.  She's the daughter of Four Horsemen original and WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard and granddaughter of Joe Blanchard.  Her stepdad is the great Magnum TA, so she's surrounded by wrestling greatness.  Her sling shot back suplex reminds me of her father's finisher 30 years ago.  Tessa is only 20 years old, but has a couple of years experience already.  She will continue to develop and hone her craft and I have no doubt we'll see her on Raw one day soon, and as more than just a member of Adam Rose's entourage.  

Richie Steamboat
(Courtesy: WWE)

Richie Steamboat was a talented member of the FCW roster when it was WWE's developmental territory. He held the FCW title and was a tag champion with Seth Rollins.  Richie is no longer wrestling because of an injury and surgery.  However, in the wrestling business you never say never.   His father, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (also in the hall of fame) came back after a 15 year hiatus and wowed the crowd at WrestleMania 25.  He stuck around briefly and wrestled Chris Jericho a few more times.  I have no idea what Richie is up to these days, but with his bloodline, hopefully he's able to get in the ring again and make his way to the main roster.  

Fantasy Friday: Sting

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Sting is one of the few wrestling stars of the modern era to not compete in the WWE. Through the years, he always stayed loyal to WCW.  Today, I take a closer look at three guys I wish Sting would have had the opportunity to wrestle.  Not everyone on my list is from the WWE. And for the record, I prefer the "beach bum" version of Sting over "Crow" or "Joker" Sting.

Shawn Michaels
Photo courtesy: WWE

1. Shawn Michaels: Sting came from a history of tag team wrestling, being paired early in his career with the Ultimate Warrior as the Blade Runners, and then with Rick Steiner in the UWF.  He and Chris Adams also teamed briefly after Sting's face turn and of course he and Lex Luger and Nikita Koloff were paired up in WCW.  My point is, like Shawn Michaels, Sting comes from a tag team past.  But then both men excelled and achieved singles success.  Sting and the Heartbreak Kid are among the greatest wrestlers of all time.  They've both had great matches with Ric Flair.

I think that Sting rose quicker to super stardom and maintained that spot much longer.  Michaels of course was sidelined for years with that back injury, but returned to the ring despite the odds.  Of the three dream opponents I'm going to write about in this post, this has been the hardest one for me to pick a clear cut winner.  It would be an evenly contested match in my opinion, but I am going to give the edge to Sting, but just barely.  I think had this match happened around 1994, it would have been one we'd still be talking about today.

The Dragon

2. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat: I don't think Ricky Steamboat could have a bad match against anyone.  The Dragon is one of those guys I look back on and remember as a hard worker and great technician.  His matches with Flair from the 70's and 80's, along with the "Macho Man" Randy Savage feud in 86-87 made him the legend he is today.  Despite all that though, I do think that Sting would have the advantage in this face vs. face contest.  The two wrestled for years under the WCW banner at the same time, but I'm pretty sure they never had a match against each other.  If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

Magnum T.A.

3.  Magnum T.A.: Magnum T.A.'s career was cut way too short after his car crash in 1986.  Luckily, T.A. survived the ordeal, but he was never able to get back in the ring.  For younger readers, you may not have heard of Magnum T.A. or had the chance to see him wrestle, but he was a fast rising star in the mid 80's.  Magnum had already held the United States and NWA TV championships prior to his crash. He had classic matches with the likes of Flair, Tully Blanchard, and Nikita Koloff.  Had it not been for that accident, I'd like to believe he was on track to defeat Flair for the NWA World's Heavyweight Title.  Unfortunately, we don't know if he would have fulfilled that destiny.  T.A. and Sting are the same age, but because of the things Sting went on to accomplish, I'd give the former TNA and WCW champion the win in this contest too.  I feel had Magnum stayed healthy, this match may have actually happened at some point.

Ultimate Warrior & Sting

Who else would you like to have seen Sting wrestle?  I purposely left the Undertaker off the list because so many people think that's the ultimate dream match.  Speaking of ultimate, I had also consider adding Warrior to the list, as I think the two would have a decent match, with Sting (much like Randy Savage did at Wrestlemania VII) pulling the best out of the Warrior.  Another potential dream opponent for Sting would have been The Rock.

What If, Magnum T.A...

Magnum T.A.

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

This is a blog I'd wanted to write for a long time, but just never sat down to do it.  Then I read today that the 25 year anniversary of Magnum T.A.'s car accident was on October 14.  Twenty-five years.  I can't believe it's been that long.

Quick history lesson, for fans who weren't around in the mid-1980's or have never heard of Magnum T.A. let me explain.  Terry Allen was one of the most popular stars in the NWA.  I'd say it's safe to say he was second only to Dusty Rhodes in terms of top babyfaces in the company back then.  When I started watching, he had just won the U.S. Title from Wahoo McDaniel and had defended it against Kamala at the Great American Bash.  I still remember marking out when he hit his finisher, the belly to belly suplex.

The "I Quit" match

Up next for T.A. was a pretty intense feud with Tully Blanchard.  The two put on some very memorable matches, with Blanchard picking up the U.S. title along the way.  Magnum fought back in an intense "I Quit" steel cage match at Starrcade 1985.  (That match is on the WWE Steel Cage Match DVD)  In between his battles with Blanchard, Magnum was priming the pump against Ric Flair, who was the NWA champion at the time.  The two had some memorable matches as well, but Magnum never got that title run.

After phasing out of the Blanchard feud, Magnum transitioned into a program with the big, burly Russian Nikita Koloff.  That lead to a best of seven series between to the two over the U.S. title.  That's because Magnum had been stripped of the belt for conduct unbecoming a champion and clotheslined then NWA president Bob Geigel.

Koloff won the U.S. title in the seventh and final match of the series.  I'm going to put on my assumption hat here and say that Magnum was going to then start a more intense program with Ric Flair over the NWA championship.  But on October 14, 1986, Magnum's time in the ring came to an end as he nearly lost his life in a car accident.  He slid on a wet road in North Carolina and wrapped his Porsche around a telephone pole.  This was long before the age of the Internet, and TV shows were taped weeks in advance. I think I actually heard the news by reading it as the cover story in Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Sadly, Magnum never wrestled again, but is fortunate to be alive.  He worked hard to rehab and was able to walk to the ring in 1987 and be in the corner of Dusty Rhodes and Nikita Koloff (who turned face in T.A.'s absence) as they won the Crockett Cup Tag Team Tournament.

Had Magnum not suffered that horrific car accident, I have no doubt that he would have won the NWA championship.  I don't think Ronnie Garvin would have had a title run.  And I wonder how much of an impact Sting would have had.  Consider this, about 18 months after that accident took T.A. off the shelf, Sting wrestled Flair in the first of many classics.  It was the much talked about Clash of the Champions time limit draw in March 1988.

Now I'm not saying Sting wouldn't have risen to the occasion, but had Magnum been around, that would have been one less babyface spot open at the top of the card.  But then again, there was a pretty intense wrestling war going on between Crockett Promotions and Titan Sports.  Vince McMahon could have very easily signed the former U.S. champ to the WWF.  Imagine that...

Magnum in 2007 (from WWE.com)

Fans may remember Magnum did show up at Night of Champions a few years ago.  I was glad to see him and hope that one day he too is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  He's another one of those guys who may have never worked for Vince, but has the resume to get into the hall.

What are your thoughts?  Share them here, on Facebook, or Twitter.

Hall of Fame: WCW Style

The 2010 HOF Ceremony in Phoenix

In a recent post I listed a group of superstars I feel should be in the Hall of Fame now.  Many of them I doubt will actually be inducted as a part of the class of 2011.  Part of my reasoning is the fact that Wrestlemania 27 is in Atlanta and many are speculating this ceremony will be  a more WCW driven induction.

So here is a list of WCW (with some WWE experience) hopefuls for the class of 2011.

Spoiler alert:  you won't find Sting on this list.  He is probably the one guy you'd most likely associate with WCW, but since he's still in TNA, I don't think the WWE would induct-yet.

Please not again, most if not all these photos, expect the one above, are from WWE.

Lex Luger

1. Lex Luger:  Love him or hate him, Lex Luger was one of the biggest stars in the history of WCW.   He held the world title, U.S. (on several occasions), and the tag team titles.  Early in his career he was pegged as the guy to beat Ric Flair and take the title.  And as many times as he tried, he always seemed to come up short.  It wasn't until Flair left WCW for the WWF, that he finally got the gold belt. 

While he may not have been the best champion, Luger was leading the company at a time when they'd lost their biggest star.  That's a tough role to fill.  I don't know if the pressure got to him or Vince made him an offer he couldn't refuse, but he soon left Atlanta for the promised land of the WWF. 

There he competed as the Narcissist.  A role that seemed to fit him perfectly.  But then in an attempt to fill the void made by Hulk Hogan's departure, Luger became a babyface patriot, and seemed to be the man who would defeat the giant Yokozuna for the world title.  His attempts failed again, and it seemed that Luger was expected to be someone he wasn't.  He floundered and finally went back to WCW.

He wore the world title again and feuded with the nWo.  In more recent years, Lex has been in poor health after suffering from a stroke.  He's had his share of legal problems too, but that all appears to be behind him now.  Luger is a born again Christian and has made great strides as he recovers from his near crippling stroke.



Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson

 2.  Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard:  These guys could actually go in separately, but they were also on the best teams in WCW in the late 80's.  They were great on their own too.

Tully wore the NWA TV title and U.S. title and had several great matches with the likes of Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A.  In fact, thinking back to my childhood and watching the old NWA shows, I think TA may have been his greatest rival.  I remember a classic cage match between the two in which both men were bloodied and battered. 

Arn was also a TV champion and dubbed the Enforcer of the Horsemen.  Besides Flair, he was the group's other constant.  Arn had some great individual matches with Dusty too.  He and his "cousin" Ole Anderson were the original team in the horsemen, but when Ole got kicked out, he and Tully started teaming up.  I think that was a good move, as the two had some classic matches against the Rock n Roll Express, Road Warriors, and the Midnight Express.

The pair left the NWA in 1989 for the green pastures of the WWF.  They had some great matches there, most notably against the Rockers and the Hart Foundation.  Dubbed the Brain Busters and managed by Bobby Heenan, the two beat Demolition for the WWF tag team titles.  They eventually lost them back to the faces, and quickly left the WWF.  Arn went back to the NWA, Tully headed for the AWA.  It wasn't long after that he retired from wrestling.

Arn kept wrestling and was a part of the Monday Night Wars and reprised his role in the 4 Horsemen.  The Enforcer is still active with the WWE as a trainer.  It's a role that Tully held briefly a few years ago.  Either way, both of these guys deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

3.  Magnum T.A.:  I often wonder, what if? when it comes to Magnum T.A.  Older fans know what I'm talking about.  Terry Allen was at the top of his game back in 1986 when he was nearly killed in a car accident.  The wreck left him unable to walk, much less wrestle.  Through rehab and hard work, he did walk again, but with assistance of a cane.

In the mid 80's T.A. was one of the most sound wrestlers in the business.  He gave Ric Flair a run for his money and many thought he'd be the World champion one day.  He had already been the U.S. and TV champions, feuding with Nikita Koloff and Tully Blanchard. 

Besides the great matches with those two and Flair, another memory of TA I have is from the Great American Bash (I think) and he was wrestling Kamala.  The Ugandan Giant was on the attack, but was subdued by the champ's patented belly to belly suplex.  I was amazed a guy of Magnum's size could do that to such a big man. 

"Sweet", "Loverboy", "Beautiful", & Jim Cornette

4.  The Midnight Express AND Jim Cornette:
When I saw the Midnight Express, I'm talking about the four guys pictured.  Although they weren't all together all the time, I think all of them are HOF worthy.

My first memories of "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton and "Loverboy" Dennis Condrey were in World Class.  They teamed up with their obnoxious, tennis racket wielding manager Jim Cornette.  They embroiled in a feud with the Fantastics and had some stellar matches in the territory over the tag team titles.

It wasn't long before they jumped to the NWA and had a natural rivalry with the Rock n Roll Express.  The duo also went head to head with two of the toughest guys on the block, the Road Warriors.  They engaged in that memorable scaffold match at Starrcade.  Who's idea was it to put a scaffold over the ring anyway?

Eventually the Loverboy would be replaced with a younger, more athletic "Sweet" Stan Lane.  While I think Condrey and Eaton worked well together, I think Lane and Eaton were the better version of the ME.  They would eventually turn face and win the tag team titles from Arn and Tully.  A heel version of the Road Warriors would then claim the belts.

What can I say about Cornette.  He's one of the best managers in the history of the business.  A classic heel who lead the way for many men in the business, including Big Bubba Rogers, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, and the British Bulldog among others.  Let's not hold The New Midnight Express against him though.

Cornette's not on the best of terms with the WWE right now, so I don't know how likely it would be for him to get in, but at some point he and his team deserve a spot in the hall.

The Great Muta

5.  The Great Muta: Muta made a big impact on the NWA back in the late 80's.  I remember him getting involved in the Ric Flair-Terry Funk feud.  Besides sparking a rivalry with Flair, he also battled Sting and beat him for the TV Title.

Muta was a great addition to the roster back then, as he did moves that a lot of American fans weren't exposed to before.   I can't really explain it, but he raised the bar for wrestling here in the United States.   He continued to wrestle in Japan and the NWA/WCW for years.

Barry Windham

6.  Barry Windham:  Barry Windham jumped between NWA/WCW and the WWF several times in his career, but I think it's safe to say his most success was in the NWA.  I mean come on, two of his three stints in the WWF he was saddled with the silly name "Widowmaker" and "The Stalker".  And don't forget about "Blackjack" Windham (that came after the Stalker gimmick fell flat)

Anyway, Barry Windham gave Flair a run for his money back in the mid to late 80's.  Many thought he might even win the world title (myself included)  And while he never got that strap, Windham was quite successful.

He won several of the secondary titles and did have a run as NWA "world" champion.  He beat Muta for that title.  But I never really viewed that title as the world title.  At that time, there was the WCW world champion, so I never understood how you could have two world champions in the same company and on the same show.  It's not quite the same as the whole Raw and Smackdown world champions we have today.  But I digress...

Windham's impact on wrestling was quite significant and he did have success in the WWF too as a world tag team champion with Mike Rotunda.

Damn! It's me and Ron Simmons

7.  Ron Simmons: A fan just tuning in to wrestling today, would only know Ron Simmons as the guy who comes out and shouts "DAMN!" when something bizarre is happening on screen.

But Ron Simmons was quite the star back in the day.  Even before heading to the WWF and getting that crappy Faarooq Asad gimmick, (remember that hideous gear he wore?) Simmons was an established star.

After a successful run as a college football standout and some time in the pro's, Simmons turned to professional wrestling.   He spent the early days of his career in the NWA/WCW, where he won the tag team titles with Butch Reed as a part of Doom.  He also wore the U.S. tag titles with Big Josh (who became Doink the Clown).

But Simmon's biggest accomplishment was winning the world heavyweight championship.   He was the first African American to hold that title.  His reign didn't stand out as he was booked in some crappy matches with the likes of the Barbarian (a world title contender, really?) He lost the title back to Vader about five months after winning it.

But I'd say he made an impact on wrestling history with his work in WCW and in the WWF, and should at some point be inducted into the HOF.

Obviously, this is a short list there are plenty of others who wrestled in WCW who are worthy of induction.  Some that I left off but should be considered include Vader (who I think will go in at some point), Nikita Koloff, and his "uncle" Ivan (who is a former WWWF champion).  The Rock n Roll Express, Goldberg, and J.J. Dillon will all someday be considered for induction some day too.

So if you had to cast a WCW Hall of Fame, who would you chose?