Chasing Amy Into the Hall of Fame

Amy "Lita" Dumas as Women's Champion
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE has announced the third inductee for the Class of 2014 Hall of Fame ceremony this year.  It's none other than Amy Dumas.  Fans know her better as Lita.  I think the announcement of Lita is a solid choice, with the exception of Trish Stratus, she's the most accomplished women's wrestler of the 21st century in the WWE.

Lita held the WWE Women's title four times in her six year run with the company.  She had some great matches with Stratus.  The two had a great rivalry and friendship during their time in WWE, as they both pretty much came up through the system together and left around the same time.

Lita vs. Trish
Courtesy: WWE

I don't know that there has been a Diva quite like Lita in terms of wrestling ability.  She trained in Mexico and the luchador influence has taken her to new heights (yes I went there).  Lita and Trish dominated the women's division either as friends or opponents.  It was a true resurgence of women's wrestling with some truly gifted athletes leading the way. Molly Holly, Victoria, and Jazz were also great talents during that era.

Lita & Edge
Courtesy: WWE

Besides being a talented wrestler, Lita also served as a valet for many Superstars through the years.  Her debut was with Essa Rios, but it didn't take long for her to throw support behind the likes of Matt and Jeff Hardy, Kane, and Edge.  Those angles turned into some really compelling storylines and real life drama added some flare to the product.  

We all know the shelf life for a Diva is much shorter than a Superstar, and Lita definitely made the most of her years in WWE.  It was nice seeing her come back and defeat Heath Slater in 2012, although I'm sure he'd disagree.  It's weird to me seeing the stars of the Attitude Era, many who are my age and even a few years younger get inducted into the Hall of Fame.  I need to stop thinking it's an honor reserved for the "old timers" or I need to accept that I'm (we're) getting old too.  None-the-less, congrats to Lita.  I'll be in New Orleans eager to see the ceremony on April 5. 

Why I Hate Vienna Sausages

No thanks

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

We've currently got a newsroom game going on where our producer Weston has been hiding two small cans of Vienna Sausages in either mine or my co-anchor Jalah's things.  To be fair, we've done the same to him.  I'm also guilty in being the person who brought the cans of meat into the building in the first place.

My friend Chris willed them to me when he moved from the area recently.  He did that because I HATE Vienna Sausages.  If anyone from Libby's is reading this, it really has nothing to do with your product and I'm sorry for my strong dislike.  Please allow me to tell the story behind my disdain...  Oh before I do, this may be a little too graphic for some of you, so you might want to stop reading and skip to the YouTube clip near the end of this post.

I was in the second grade, and a classmate had eaten Vienna Sausages for lunch.  Up until that point, I'd never had them, and I had no aversion to them either.  Then, after recess and being out running around, we were settling back into our afternoon studies, when his stomach sounded like the wounded triceratops in Jurassic Park.  It wasn't long before he had lost his lunch right beside my desk.  Mixed in with all the puke, there were chunks of undigested Vienna Sausages.  

Dare Day
I'm eating it, kinda...

This happened more than 30 years ago and yet that image is still burned in my brain.  I never had any interest in eating the product after that.  I thought I never would have to until a few years ago on "Dare Day" my co-anchor Emily challenged me to eat a Vienna Sausage LIVE on the air.  I didn't know this was coming, and took just a small bite.  It's not the taste that bothers me, well it kinda is, but more importantly it's that image of them swimming in bile and mucus on the brown carpeted floor of Mrs. Morrow's second grade classroom that prevents me from ever enjoying the snack.

So the game of hide the Vienna Sausages will likely continue.  If you're wondering, they were already expired when I got them, so we chose to not donate them to a food pantry, although I have to wonder does canned meat ever really go bad?  

Tis the Season for Sting Rumors

Fan art
whatculture.com

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For years, wrestling fans online have posted their hopes and desires for Sting to sign with the WWE.  I'd say three years ago when the 2/21/11 promos started airing on Raw and SmackDown! fans truly thought the former WCW and TNA champion was going to be joining the WWE and challenging the Undertaker's unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania 27.  It didn't take long to learn that the Stinger was not coming to the E, and fans seemed very disappointed.

More fantasy booking
ultimatesportstalk.com

There's always a buzz this time of year that Sting is going to sign with the WWE.  It's started up again this year, however, according to Impact Wrestling's website as of this posting, Sting is still listed on the roster page.  But that hasn't stopped fans from hoping that Sting will somehow show up in New Orleans to take on The Undertaker.  But seriously, I don't understand why fans want this match in 2014.

Yes, I do hope that Sting signs with the WWE, at the very least a Legends deal.  I think it's safe to say Sting is the "one who got away" fro Vince McMahon during the prime of his career.  I was always a bigger WWF/E fan than WCW fan back in the day.  I would have loved to seen "beach bum" Sting as a part of the company in the early 90's.  But now Sting is nearly 55 years old.  He's been wrestling for decades.  I'm not saying age should be a deterrent, but realistically Sting vs. Undertaker (who is no spring chicken either) should have happened at least 10 years ago, probably 15.  

Here's another...
http://teardroptc.blogspot.com

Another reason I don't want to see this match at Wrestlemania, why have Sting's first big pay per view result in a loss to the Undertaker?  On the flip side of the coin, why have the Streak end at the hands of  a guy who's older than Taker and is not going to be around for any length of time?  If the WWE does chose to end the Streak at some point, it needs to happen to someone who will benefit from that move.  With the exception of CM Punk, the Undertaker's last several Wrestlemania opponents had nothing left to prove.  Ending the streak would have been a feather in the cap, but not likely to excel anyone's career.  It would have been wasted.

Again, I'd like to see Sting come in and have a few matches, put over some guys and then get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  There's all kinds of rumors out there, so we're going to have to wait and see if 2014 will be the year the Stinger steps into a WWE for the first time in his nearly 30 year career.

I Am Dexter

The Dexters

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

This blog is not a confession about my double life as a vigilante serial killer from Miami.  Nor do I double as a red-headed brainiac with my own lab.  Long before either of these Dexters were a part of pop culture, most of my friends knew me by that "geeky" name.

It was September 1991.  I was a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University when a friend I've known since before kindergarten was down for a visit.  I was watching an episode of The Simpsons on VHS with a group of friends.  It was the one where Martin tutors Bart.  Before they get to that point, Bart says to Martin, "Throw me the ball Poindexter."  My friend announced to the room, "That's how Hunsperger was when we were kids."

Martin Prince
aka Poindexter

Instantly, people started calling me Poindexter.  However that seemed like too much to say, so it was quickly shortened to Dexter.  Even though the origin of the nickname was a jab at just how geeky I was as a child, I liked it.  Dexter sounded cool to me and I embraced the new moniker. It didn't take long before everyone I knew started calling me Dexter or Dex.  In fact, I stopped introducing myself as Kevin and just presented my nickname.  My boss at Chuck E. Cheese ordered me a name tag that said Dexter.  And in a low point of my college days, I changed the title of Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up" to you guessed it, "I Wanna Dex You Up."  Sad admission, but true.

As the college years went on and this strange new thing called the Internet came about, my first email address was dexter@midwest.net.  When I switched to AOL, I became TVDexter (because I was pursuing a job in television news)  My wife and I actually added Dexter to our list of names for our first born son.  It made it to the Top 10, but I didn't want the first and last names to end with "ER", and Dex Hunsperger just didn't sound right.

Dexter and friends...

That nickname was given to me more than 20 years ago, and my college friends still call me Dexter.  Now when I meet people and they hear the name, they assume it's because of the Showtime hit show.  I think the Michael C. Hall character has given the name some cred and people think it's cool.  But then I tell them the Martin story and they don't seem quite as impressed.

Some people get offended when they're given a nickname, I've always thought of it as a term of endearment.  When I give someone a nickname I keep that in mind.  Try not to insult the person, and be sure to make it fun.  If they're adamantly opposed, back off... a little.

Way Back WhensDay: Mr. Wizard's World

Mr. Wizard's World

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

One of the first programs I remember watching on Nickelodean was Mr. Wizard's World.  Along with You Can't Do That On Television and the animated series Danger Mouse, Mr. Wizard's World was one of my favorite shows.  Each episode featured Don "Mr. Wizard" Herbert and a variety of inquisitive kids around my age.

This was his third run on TV, after hosting a shows in the 1950's, 60's and 70's.  The 80's incarnation of the show on Nickelodean crammed several different experiments into the 30 minute show.  Kids got to blow stuff up or look other forms of danger right in the eye.  I wasn't a huge fan of science, but Mr. Wizard made it fun and actually sparked my interest in the subject.  I wish he would have been on when I took chemistry my junior year in high school as I struggled in that class.

Boom!

I think it's safe to say that Mr. Wizard laid the ground work for other science based TV shows like Beckman's World and Bill Nye the Science Guy.  He wasn't an over-the-top character.  Mr. Wizard was a grandfatherly figure who showed kids how to use science in their daily lives and in some cases how to create some pranks too.  He kind of reminded me of Mr. Drummond from Diff'rent Strokes.

Mr. Wizard died in 2007 at the age of 89.  Thanks to YouTube, his legacy will live on.  DVDs of his past shows are also available.  Thanks for the memories Mr. Wizard.

Can't We All Just Get Along

Tons of Funk break up
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

It seems every few months I write a blog either condemning or praising the tag team division in the WWE.  Sadly, this post is going to be a critical one, as I'm not sticking with my own personal goal to write about more positive things.  But I will say until recently I thought the tag team division in the WWE was pretty solid.  After recent actions on Raw and SmackDown!, I've adjusted that line of thought.

I grew up in the 80's and watching tag teams like the Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Road Warriors, Midnight Express, Rock N Roll Express, and Demolition.  Tag team wrestling ruled back then and even into the 90's with The Steiner Brothers, The Dudley Boys, The New Age Outlaws,  Harlem Heat and plenty more.

Right now, the NAO are the tag team champions.  I'm not knocking them, but they haven't wrestled in the WWE in about a decade.  They haven't held the titles together since 2000.  They're friends with Triple H.  I'm not saying that's why they're back on TV and the champions, but I certainly think it helps.  My hope is the company is resetting the division and putting the belts on a more established team.

Titus boots Young
Photo courtesy: WWE

In recent weeks some tag teams have broken up, while there have been hints of dissension between other partners.  Brodus Clay has turned on Sweet T, thus ending Tons of Funk.  Titus O'Neil for some reason brutally attacked Darren Young dissolving the Prime Time Players.  The short lived duo of Rey Mysterio and the Big Show appears to be finished, despite a win over the then tag team champions Cody Rhodes and Goldust.  Jack Swagger appears to be on the outs with his Real American brothers Zeb Colter and Antonio Cesaro, and rumors persist that Roman Reigns will be booted from The Shield in the near future.

The Wyatts & The Sheild
Photo courtesy: WWE

While I complain about the lack of really good tag teams, I am impressed by the strength of groups like The Shield and The Wyatt Family.  Even with the rumors of Reigns leaving The Shield, I've also heard that he'll be replaced with another star in developmental.  If they keep the threesome concept, I'd be fine with Reigns moving on to a singles career.

Right now I hope WWE better utilizes the tag teams they have and stops splitting up duos.  I fear that all of these recent breakups will end up further lost in the shuffle than they were before. But I'm going to remain optimistic and hope for the best.

We're Number 1! We're Number 1!

Vince McMahon
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Disclaimer:  Other than a couple years working as a commentator, ring crew member, and one time wrestler, I have no real experience in business aspect of professional wrestling.  I'm just a fan of more than 30 years with an opinion and what I think are good ideas.  I'm writing this post after one of my readers suggested the topic.  Thanks, Pokerface.

My initial thought is at this point: I don't see another company taking that top spot from the WWE.  Sure, sometime down the road it could happen, but for more than 50 years the WWE/F has had (pardon the pun) a strangle hold on the business.  Vince McMahon has completely revolutionized things and for the last 13 years really hasn't had any competition.

That's not to say there aren't plenty of talented wrestlers and performers in TNA, ROH, and the soon-to-be-returning Chikara.  But I just don't see any of these companies knocking Vince from atop the mountain, or even making him budge a little.  As long as Vince is making the day to day decisions and continues to control his company, I think WWE will always be number one.

WWE goes pink
Photo courtesy: WWE

In my opinion the hardest part for another company to dethrone the WWE would be defining their purpose.  The WWE isn't just a wrestling company and it's really not even just sports entertainment anymore.  Vince McMahon and his employees have created something bigger than wrestling itself.  I'm having trouble properly articulating this, but I look at what WWE has done with wrestling and changed it.

Now the Network is coming along in a matter of weeks, and I can't imagine it being anything but a success.  The company has done a number of movies, books, and toys which has put WWE in a league of its own.  Then you add the public service efforts like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Be a Star, and the Wrestlemania Reading Challenge and you can see it's about much more than the wrestling.

Don't get me wrong though, I believe a company can come along and compete with WWE in terms of wrestling.  There are so many great talents out there, not just in the companies I mentioned above, but in other independent companies.  I think to make a run at it, a company needs to have someone with a lot of money and a lot of patience.  Creating a top notch wrestling organization isn't going to happen overnight.  You can't use a bunch of ex-WWE and WCW stars and expect to build something solid either.  I'm not saying disregard these superstars, but they can't be the focus of the company.  Stars like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kurt Angle, and Jeff Hardy weren't able to pull TNA very far in the ratings.

Eric Bischoff & Hulk Hogan
Photo courtesy: TNA 

Fresh talent, creative storytelling, and likable characters are just a few of the ingredients in this formula. There is a lot of speculation that Jeff Jarrett is working on developing a wrestling company.  If it's true,  I hope he's serious about it.  No one who is entering this business should have the mindset that they're going to put Vince McMahon out of business.  I think that's where Eric Bischoff failed with WCW and I think that's part of Dixie Carter's problem in TNA.  The 80's and 90's proved there is room for more than one "big time" promotion.  I miss the days when the AWA, NWA, WWF, MidSouth, and World Class Championship Wrestling all had weekly programs on, featuring great action and entertainment.

In wrapping up, I believe it's possible to create some legitimate competition for the WWE, but I think it's going to take a lot of staying power, money, and talent to take that number one spot.  At this point in time, I'd be happy with a solid number two that's focused on doing its own thing.  I'm really glad that Chikara will be returning in May, and while they'll likely never end up on cable or have their own network, it's great wrestling with excellent storytelling that has turned me into a fan.  Plus, we do have plenty of great independent wrestling out there, so if you haven't already, I'd encourage you to support those efforts too.