Way Back WhensDay: Astrosniks

Just a few Astrosniks

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Regular readers of this blog know of my obsession with the Smurfs.  About a year or so after the little blue guys made their debut here in the United States, McDonald's Happy Meals started featuring a similar creature.  They were little green martians called Astrosniks.

The green guys wore purple suits, and just like the Smurfs, each had its own personality and subsequent name.  I remember collecting many of them as a child and having them interact with my Smurfs (and California Raisins from Hardee's).  However, unlike my Smurfs, I somehow let the 'Sniks get away.  To this day I have no idea what happened to the collectible little toys.

Not Smurfs, but international Astorsniks
Photo from: figuritasdesergio.blogspot.com

Even though we here in the USA only saw Astrosniks with the Happy Meals, the toys date back to the 1970's and started in Germany.  According to my research, that line of Astrosniks were different colors than the green ones we had here.  Although I remember a gold colored robot Astrosnik and a female one, as well as a dragon that was presumably the little aliens' pet.

I don't know that Astrosniks ever developed into anything more than those little plastic figures.  Maybe the public wasn't ready for something to compete with the Smurfs, Snorks, and other out of this world creatures.  Or perhaps, the company that created the Sniks (Bullyland) had no desire to take them beyond the toy.  Regardless, these little green toys had a big impact on my childhood as I'm sure many of you remember playing with the Astrosniks too.

Isn't That Special?

Triple H lays down the law
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

It's probably been addressed somewhere, but I have to ask because I haven't seen a definitive answer.  First, the Chief Executive Officer of the WWE, Vince McMahon, announces that Brad Maddox will be the special guest referee for the main event of SummerSlam 2013.  Within a matter of moments, Triple H, the company's Chief Operating Officer, entered the ring and delivered a pedigree to Maddox.  He then declared himself the special guest referee.  An angered McMahon waved his hands and exited the ring.

This is the part I don't understand.  Most (and maybe that's the key word) corporations are run by the CEO.  The COO would be the second in command, but clearly that wasn't the case in this latest installment of Raw.  I know applying logic to wrestling sometimes shouldn't even be attempted.  I suppose that is the case in the power structure/struggle currently going on in the WWE.

Cena, Triple H, and Bryan
Photo courtesy: WWE

With Triple H (as of Tuesday afternoon) still the ref for SummerSlam, I have to wonder if there's going to be some sort of LA Screw Job.  I really hope this match remains on the up and up (as much as a wrestling match can be) and McMahon doesn't get involved too.

I don't like repeating rumors, but I've heard this one several times and I hope it's not true.  This current battle between McMahon and Hunter is leading to a Triple H-"Stone Cold" Steve Austin match at Wrestlemania.  The two would be battling for control of the WWE with Austin working for McMahon.  I think most of us can agree this should not happen, and like I said as of right now it's merely a rumor.

My other concern with Triple H as the ref is that it's going to overshadow what is likely to be an excellent match between John Cena and Daniel Bryan.  It's no doubt Bryan's biggest match to date and could potentially be one of Cena's best outings.  This pissing match between Vince and Trips really doesn't need to take the forefront.  Of course there's also the Randy Orton Money in the Bank briefcase factor too, but I've already been negative enough in this blog.

My vow today was to write a positive post, but I have failed at that.  I'm in a pissy mood anyway, so this just feels good to do some more venting.  Way Back WhensDay will be positive tomorrow, I promise.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

As my week away from work is coming to a close, I decided to share with you all what I did on my vacation.  Typically I don't take a whole week off from work at a time, as I usually spread it out and take a few days off here and there.  But this summer, my niece and nephew and parents were spending a week here with us, so I wanted to have some quality family time.

In the past when they've all been here, I've had to get up at 2 am to go to work, which has limited my time with everyone.  Because our kids have activities over the final week of summer break, my parents decided it was best to come here, so we were able to do some fun things and all five cousins were able to spend some quality time with their grandparents.

A Smurfy night out

The weather during the week was less than ideal for outdoor activities, as there was a lot of rain.  Monday we didn't let that dampen our spirits as we headed out to see the Smurfs 2, in 3D.  Even though I'm an avid fan of the Smurf franchise, I didn't hold high expectations for the movie.  I was pleasantly surprised, but best of all, the kids seemed to enjoy it too, even my 3 year old nephew who had fallen asleep in the car on the way and woke up about 30 minutes into it.  He also refused to put on his 3D glasses.

Tuesday was spent at the new Junior High School, picking up schedules and walking around the building.  My daughter had dance class and one son had marching band practice.  We caught a late dinner at Boondocks in Carbondale.  Once again, it was a great meal.

Dragon slayers at "Castle Park"

Wednesday the rain finally broke for a bit and we were able to head over to Jeremy "Boo" Rochman Memorial Park.  It's also known as Castle Park, and if you're ever in southern Illinois (Carbondale area specifically), I highly recommend visiting.  The park is a tribute to Jeremy Rochman who died years ago in an accident.  His family built the park in his memory.

There's a huge castle, complete with secret passages, a dungeon, and a giant bell.  The park also has several dragons, knights, gargoyles, and just about anything else medieval you can imagine.  My nephew had a blast, but even my pre-teen son and niece loved it too.  My daughter loves the park as well, as she lead her cousins to all the sites.  My dad and I spent some time chasing the kids around, but soon found ourselves sitting in the pavilion decorated with suns.

Nice bass!

Thursday after baseball practice and another downpour, we ventured over to the pond near our house with fishing reels in hand.  It was the first time my nephew had been fishing and it didn't take long for him to pull a bluegill out.  He caught three total that day, and I can still hear him saying "Unca Kebin, I got one."  He was so excited.  My seven year old daughter had the catch of the day, a giant bass.  Everyone caught several fish that afternoon and even though we released them back into the water, we will have memories to feast on for years to come (I know that's a cheesy line, but it felt right)

The Root Beer Saloon
Alto Pass, IL

Friday was probably the wettest day of the week.  We headed south to Alto Pass to check out the Root Beer Saloon.  We've lived here for almost 10 years and have never been, so this was an adventure for all of us.  True to their word, the saloon specializes in root beer.  We all ordered a round of root beer floats and enjoyed the ambiance of stuffed ducks, snakes, and other critters.  Photography inside is limited, so you can see what it looks like on the outside.  We wanted to visit the Bald Knob Cross of Peace as well, but when we finished our floats, it was pouring down rain to the point where it was hard seeing out of the wind shield.

The Hunspergers meet the Robertsons
Photo courtesy: Gorilla Grid Media 

Friday night, my wife and I were fortunate enough to attend the Quack Attack fundraiser at Carterville High School.  It was a speaking engagement with Jase and Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame. Before the talk, we were able to get a picture with the Robertsons.

Jase did most of the talking and shared stories of his faith and family.  He also talked about his passion for hunting.  At the end, two of their children, Reed and Mia, joined their parents on stage.  Missy and the children sang an amazing rendition of Amazing Grace.  It was a fun evening and a great way to wrap up the week.

On Crab Orchard Lake

But wait, there's more.  Saturday we finally had a day without rain.  We'd promised the kids all week that we'd take the boat out, and since my parents were leaving with my niece and nephew Saturday evening, we had to squeeze in a few hours of boating.  We took advantage of the sun and warmer weather and hit Crab Orchard Lake.  We spent some time playing on one of the beaches before towing the kids behind on the boat on our newly repaired Hot Dog floatation device.  We even hauled our dog Juno out with us too.  She's still not so sure about being out on the water, but I think she enjoyed herself.

So that's it in a nutshell: my staycation.  I needed a break from work and it was great spending some quality time with not just my wife and kids, but my parents and niece and nephew.  Oh yeah, and I broke two personal records running during the week, one on Monday and another on Friday.  I'm gearing up for the Warrior Dash again in September.   Thanks for reading.

Fill in the Blank Friday: Daniel Bryan

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I think it would be hard to argue that right now, Daniel Bryan is the most over guy in the WWE.  In a matter of weeks he will have the biggest match of his career when he faces John Cena for the WWE Championship at Summer Slam.  I'd love to see the title change hands that night (and not have Randy Orton cash in his Money in the Bank contract), but I'm not holding my breath.

He has taken every thing the WWE has thrown at him and run with it.  Daniel Bryan is without a doubt someone I thought would end up getting lost in the shuffle.  For right now, it appears he's going to continue be one of those to watch, which is good as far as I'm concerned.

Photo courtesy:
WWE

That being said, Bryan is the topic of this week's Fill in the Blank Friday.  Just put your responses in the comment section here.

1.  Daniel Bryan has had a number of top notch matches in his career.  Sticking with just his WWE matches, his best match has been ___________________.

2.  Bryan was a big star on the independent scene long before coming to the WWE.  His best match outside the WWE was against ________________.

3.  Assuming Bryan wins the WWE Championship and holds it until Wrestlemania, the perfect opponent for him at Wrestlemania 30 would be against ________________.

Thanks for playing.

Way Back WhensDay: School Lunch Boxes

My first lunchbox was Pete's Dragon
(This is not my actual lunchbox)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Back to school time is here, and that of course means shopping for school supplies. I can tell you something missing from the stores is the classic lunch box. Today's boxes are more like insulated bags, which are okay and serve the purpose, but for children of the 70's and 80's, nothing beats one of those old school metal lunchboxes.

My first lunch box in kindergarten was Pete's Dragon.  For those who don't know it was a cheesey Disney film from 1977.  It was a combination of animation and live action.  A year later when I started school, I did so with that metal box clutched in my hand.  Along with my sandwich and chips and Hostess snack, there would be juice or chocolate milk inside the Thermos.

Scooby Doo lunchbox

Each year meant a new batch of lunch boxes and each year it was based on more items from popular culture.  In second grade for example, I had a blue plastic Scooby Doo lunch box.  On one side was Scooby and Scrappy Doo at a haunted house, and on the other side was the Flintstones.  Third grade was when my love for the Smurfs started and I had the plastic lunch box to prove it.

Return of the Jedi lunchbox

By fifth grade, the last year of elementary school, Return of the Jedi was the big thing.  So I had a Jedi metal lunchbox.  The thing I loved about those metal lunch boxes was the fact that each side, top  to bottom had different artwork on it.  There were at least six different scenes from your favorite movie or TV show.  The other cool thing about these boxes is they reflected the times.  I remember my brother had a Dukes of Hazard lunch box one year.

As time went on, and we stopped carrying the metal lunch boxes, my dad made use of them.  He still has several of them holding different odds and ends from his tool chest in our basement.  Those old boxes took a lickin' too.  I remember throwing them around and banging the dents out of them.  Unfortunately, I wasn't as lucky with that plastic Scooby Doo box.  I remember the end of the school year I tossed it across the classroom to its usual spot in the back of the room and watching it bust into pieces.

Hulk Hogan lunchbox, brother!

So while I'll like the characters on my plastic lunch boxes, there's something to say about the durability of the old metal ones.  If it was socially acceptable, and they still made them, I'd carry a metal lunchbox to work today.  In fact, my wife bought me a Hulk Hogan plastic lunch box years ago at a yard sale and I did carry it to work for a while.  I guess you're never too old.

What did you carry your lunch in back in the day?

Memories of a College Freshmen

Being awesome in my dorm room

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

I have several friends on Facebook who are about to send their children off to college in the next few days, and of course that got me to thinking about the good ol' days.  Back in May 1991, I was preparing to graduate from high school.  My plans were already made.  I was going to attend the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  It was a 30 minute drive from my parents' house, so I'd live at home and save money.  Then in two years, I'd planned to transfer to Southeast Missouri State University.

My roommate & me

It was the perfect plan in my mind, but something didn't feel right about it as the end of high school grew closer.  I don't know what it was, but in a last minute move, I applied to SEMO and hoped I'd get accepted.  It was the 11th hour, as I sent in the paperwork on the LAST day of my senior year of high school.  Luckily, I got in and I'd be in for the adventure of a lifetime.

I can not sing the praises of Southeast loud enough.  I loved my four and a half years there.  I remember move in day back in August 1991.  My parents and I lugged all my stuff up six flights of stairs.  Those items included a roll of carpet, a college boy fridge, TV, VCR, boom box, and a typewriter.  No CD player.  No lap top or word processor.  I also had a milk crate filled with wrestling magazines because there was no smart phone or Internet in those days.

Just a few friends hanging out

I lived in the residence hall known as Towers West my freshmen year.  Because I wanted a friend of mine from high school, Jim, to be my roommate and he'd been accepted months before me, we ended up landing on the smoking floor.  At first, I wasn't a fan of this, as neither of us smoked, but the Tower was full and the 6 West was the only floor that still had a double vacancy.

Living in the dorm (I know the University prefers the word residence hall) was a blast.  It forced me out of my shell.  I got to meet people I wouldn't normally meet.  I remember late nights of playing spades, drinking Boone's Farm wine, and telling stories.  Thanks to the power of social media, I've been able to reconnect with several of those old friends from 6 West.  I don't regret a single moment from those days, I had fun, but I also stayed focused on the reason I was there, my education.

Cardiac Hill & the Gum Tree circa 2013

The Towers were located right outside the infamous Cardiac Hill.  Most of my classes were located just on the other side of that hill, so several times a day I would huff and puff my way up it.  I recently went back for a visit to the campus and hiked the hill again.  I think it's gotten steeper.  At the top of the hill, you're greeted with the Gum Tree.  It's exactly what it sounds like.  It's a tree plastered with ABC (already been chewed) gum.  I stuck my first piece to that tree nearly 22 years ago, and back in January I did it again.

I am so glad I ended up on the academic path that I did.  Leaving my family and going away to school was one of the best things to happen to me.  There's an instant gaining of independence.  You have to make the decisions about what time your classes will be, when you'll go to bed, what you'll eat for supper.  If you skip class, there's a price to pay.  Professors aren't going to hold your hand and make sure you're turning in assignments.  College is a time to grow up (although there's plenty of time for fun too, don't get me wrong.)  I had one professor who would ask, "Do you know the difference between a high school senior and a college freshmen?... 3 months."   That is true, but I think when you're making your own decisions and then face the consequences, by the time that first year is up, you're a whole new person.

The girls of 8 East

There's another reason I'm glad I attended Southeast when I did.  At the end of my freshmen year,  I ended up meeting my wife.  We had our first date in May 1992 and have been together ever since.  The floor she lived on in the all girls dorms was our "sister floor."

Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg on my experiences at SEMO.  I stayed in the Towers for two more years, moving to South and that's where the real debauchery started.  (I kid, kinda)  After that, I went on to become a founding father of the Mu Kappa chapter of Sigma Nu fraternity where more friendships were born.

Bottom line, I loved college and to anyone who is reading this and about to start their college career, I wish you the best of luck.  Have fun, study hard, and find the people who will be positive influences in your life.

Fill in the Blank Friday: Tito Ortiz

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

There's a lot of online criticism over the appearance of MMA fighter Tito Ortiz on the August 1 episode of Impact Wrestling. I think it's still too early to judge, as I'm not 100% sure that Ortiz is an actually employee of TNA or is Spike TV paying for this.  Many fans are upset that Ortiz was brought in weeks after several talented "wrestlers" were let go.

Photo from Impact Wrestling

Ortiz, who is 38 years old, has never had a professional wrestling match (to my knowledge)  I don't know if he's being brought in to do any wrestling or if this is just a gimmick to cross promote the upcoming Bellator fight against Rampage Jackson.  So, I'm not going to judge the decision, yet.  Instead, I'll let you do the judging.  You know the rules, fill in the blanks here.

1. If Impact Wrestling is indeed paying the bill for Tito Ortiz and had to cut several other wrestlers to do it, they should have brought in __________ instead.

2.  Bringing in MMA fighters will ___________ TNA/Impact Wrestling in the long run.

3.  The most succesful cross over athlete into the professional wrestling has been ___________.