The HunsBurger 2.0

Yum
Courtesy: Tom Harness

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Four years ago CrossRoads Coffee Company in Carterville created the Kevin HunsBurger. I've written about it plenty of times before, but bring it up to set the tone for the today's post. I wrote a blog recently about hoping that a burger joint here in southern Illinois would bring back the HunsBurger. It was, for the most part, a joke on my part, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear back from two restaurants.

The HunsBurger

S&B's Burger Joint in Carbondale got to work on the idea. I exchanged a few emails with the owner and we worked out the details. It was decided the month of March the Reuben would be the HunsBurger. The burger is "a blend of corned beef brisket & ground Angus beef grilled to perfection, topped with Bavarian sauerkraut, loads of melted Swiss cheese, deli mustard and 1000 Island." 

The burger concept is not about me. Because of my last name and the fact that I was called Kevin Hunsburger a million times as a kid, it has made sense to work with restaurants on this. But the reason I've endorsed the idea both times is because a portion of the sales from the HunsBurger goes to charity. At CrossRoads, we raised hundreds of dollars for the American Cancer Society. Now S&B's is donating one dollar from each HunsBurger to the Austin Wade Foundation.

Austin was a classmate of my oldest son. When the boys were in sixth grade Austin died as the result of a brain tumor. His family and friends have honored his legacy some five years later. The Austin Wade Foundation helps families with a child battling cancer pay for expenses associated with the disease. My hope is that S&B's sells at least 250 HunsBurgers and the foundation receives $250 to continue helping families during a difficult time.

Thumbs up
Courtesy: Tom Harness

So if you live in southern Illinois, please stop by S&B's Burger Joint in the University Mall in Carbondale and try the HunsBurger. The promotion goes on until March 31. Thank you, all and thanks to S&B's for supporting such a great organization. 

Not so Fast(lane)

Spear!
Courtesy: WWE 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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If you've been paying attention you probably know I'm not thrilled with the results from Fastlane. It is what it is, and I'll get to my feelings on the Goldberg champion win and YOUR 3 Cents too in a moment. But I also want to touch on the other travesty of justice that went down: ending Charlotte Flair's pay-per-view win streak.

Bayley retains
Courtesy: WWE

It was destined to end, I just wish WWE would have done it on a bigger show, like oh let's say the biggest freakin' show of the year in five weeks, WrestleMania. I don't mind so much that it's Bayley who ended the streak, but after seeing these two go at it on NXT and now on Raw, someone outside the box would have been refreshing. I guess I got my hopes up when I saw some speculation last week that NXT Women's Champion Asuka was mentioned as a possible WrestleMania opponent for Charlotte. I don't want to rush to judgment and will wait patiently to see what's next for the women.

Now to Goldberg. Quick recap: never been a fan, but that doesn't mean I don't respect what he did for the business in the late 90s and during his brief run in WWE. I'm not a fan of anyone coming in after a 13.5-year hiatus and being handed a title shot in his third match back. I'm even less of a fan of that person winning the championship in less than 30 seconds. And even lesser of a fan of that new champion facing another part-time performer (who has been suspended from UFC for drug violations).

Goldberg wins
Courtesy: WWE

Let's also approach this from another side. Why would Chris Jericho cost Kevin Owens the WWE Universal Championship when all signs are pointing to a match with KO at Mania? Wouldn't Jericho have wanted to be the one to end Owens' reign? Enough of my venting, here's what others are saying on the My 1-2-3 Cents social media sites. Some are for Goldberg, others share my thoughts.

Courtesy: WWE

• Chad: (poop emoji) "Nostalgia only goes so far. The main event at the biggest show of the year shouldn't be between two guys who will wrestle probably six times this year combined."
• goodbirger: "As a casual wrestling fan, I dig it. It will make me want to watch for the time being. Also, I hate that belt. I wish they would use a throwback belt for the big title."
• Martin Endersby: (thumbs down) "Time for WWE to probably ditch the old guard and part-timers. There's more than enough young, rising talent out there."
• Greg Mehochko: "I agree with Martin. I know (or at least 'I'm pretty sure') WWE has something more "big picture" in mind. But you just took the main event (or co-main) of WrestleMania and gave it to two part-time guys."
• Garrett Turner: "If WWE really wants to build up their roster as legitimate, they would not have their Universal Champion (Kevin Owens at the time) lose in less than a minute to someone who hadn't held the world title in 13+ years!! I get the fact that he is a huge draw and brings back nostalgia. But if he gets winded walking to the ring, I dread what we have in store for us at WrestleMania between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar. I feel like they should focus their efforts on building stars and not relying on those of the past."
  
• Ken Johnson: "He came back to put butts in the seats. He deserves to be champ for a week or so."
• Robert Wilson: "Yay, because the new young talent has no respect. They want it easy the old talent paved the way and still has a big following and spend the money there is a need for new faces but don't discount the vets."
  Thank you to everyone who weighed in. I will say this title change makes me feel a lot less sad about not being in Orlando this year for Mania. Hopefully, the show will still be great. I am curious to see what happens with this match now. And hey at least Neville retained the Cruiserweight Title... 

The Fabulous Tony Flood

The Fabulous Tony Flood 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Fans, wrestlers and management of Stride Pro Wrestling have been fooled for the last few months. At the show in January, general manager Sam Hunter fired Tony Flood for attacking and injuring Legacy champion Jerry Travelstead prior to a title defense. Flood was physically removed from the building by security but somehow ended up backstage later in the night, dressed as a luchador named Alejandro Fabuloso. 

El Magnifico & El Fabuloso
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

El Fabuloso debuted that night as the tag team partner for El Magnifico. I'd never given it much thought as both luchadors showed up to Stride shows already with their masks on. They spoke broken English and I haven't really used my Spanish minor from 20+ years ago much so I never had much interaction with either man. 

Ref bump

At the No Love Lost show in February, Fabuloso won a fatal four-way to become the number one contender to the Legacy Championship. Then at the One Year Anniversary Show in March, Fabuloso got his shot. Late in the match, referee Lane Austin got knocked down and that's when Alexxa Flood emerged with a chair. She hit the champ a couple times with it. Fabuloso stopped that attack, only to blast T-Dawg several more times, rendering the champ unconscious and pinning him for the belt. 

Attacked!

GM Hunter was understandably upset with the actions and demanded Fabuloso unmask immediately. He did and Tony Flood then explained his actions and how he'd even fooled Hunter. When Alejandro Fabuloso signed the contract he actually did it as Anthony Flood, making the deal to return ironclad. But Hunter has promised Flood isn't going to catch a break. So the next few months should be interesting, to say the least.

The happy couple

Congratulations to Flood for fooling all of us and finally capturing gold in Stride. However, I don't envy you at all as your actions (along with Alexxa's) may end up costing you in the long run. Good luck.

Goldberg doesn't need the Universal Championship

Face to face
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I know I've been critical of Goldberg since his return right before the Survivor Series in late 2016. My criticism isn't meant to be negative, I'm just expressing the other side of the argument as many fans are popping over his return. I preface this all with the caveat: I've never been a Goldberg fan. I don't hate the guy, I just never connected with him as a fan. I think in part because I was always a WWF guy over WCW in the Monday Night Wars, but even when he signed with WWE in 2003, I felt "meh." 

But putting my own thoughts and feelings to the side for a moment, I see the value in bringing back legends. Society in general loves nostalgia. That's why shows and cartoons from the 80s are coming back in big screen form. Yes, I've seen The Smurfs Movie, Scooby-Doo and the new Ghostbusters. I will probably go see Baywatch later this year. And I marked out when the Rock came back. But I don't think he should have had a run with the belt again.

Goldberg
Courtesy: WWE

As much as I love seeing my favorites come back and work with the current roster, I find value in those former Superstars helping establish the future. The Rock killing the Wyatt Family last year at WrestleMania and Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and Mick Foley beating up on The League of Nations did nothing for these full-time Superstars. Putting the Universal Championship on Goldberg this weekend will be another example of that.

Kevin Owens
Courtesy: WWE

I know there will be those who argue Kevin Owens looks more like a pro bowler than a pro wrestler and a "fat guy" shouldn't be representing WWE. I couldn't disagree more and I've laid out my points on that in the past so I won't rehash it here. A year from now Owens will still be around. Will Goldberg? What about in five years? I'm not suggesting Owens cleanly beat Goldberg, especially considering Goldberg is headed to Mania against Brock Lesnar, but I don't think he should be going into the event as champion either.

Owens vs. Jericho
Courtesy: WWE

I don't read spoilers or speculation usually so I don't know what the plan is right now. But in my 1-2-3 cents, Goldberg will win by either disqualification or count out. This can set up Owens-Jericho at Mania with both the U.S. and Universal championships on the line. By dirty means, Owens wins both (Jericho is allegedly going to tour with Fozzy next month). Then Owens can drop the Universal Championship to Finn Balor and I'll be quiet (not likely) about the situation. But putting the gold on Goldberg is a band-aid solution that does nothing to help the current crop of Superstars.

Foreign Object Friday: Gaylord Stevens' umbrella

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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We, of course, all remember Jim Cornette's tennis racket, Jimmy Hart's megaphone and Mr. Fuji's cane. For this series, I am going to look at some lesser known objects used throughout the course of wrestling. This week takes us to the indy scene.

Gaylord circa 2009 (I think)
Courtesy: Monica Mileur

For many years indy manager, Gaylord Stevens came to the ring dressed in a suit that was out of style even in the 1970s, a Nintendo Power Glove and his trusty umbrella. He'd go so far as to keep more than one umbrella on hand and tote them around in a bag intended for golf clubs. When the time was right he'd help his guys, whether it was Ax Allwardt, Brandon Walker or "Playboy" Paul Rose get the advantage.

Look closely the umbrella is there

Once All American Pro Wrestling started doing monthly TV tapings, I got to see more and more of Gaylord and his umbrella. I remember it being used against some of the company's top good guys like champion Edmund "Livewire" McGuire, Heath Hatton and Joey O'Riley. I think there was an incident involving special guest Colt Cabana one time too.

Livewire vs. Gaylord
Courtesy: Adam Testa

The umbrella never helped bring gold to any of Gaylord's men (that I recall), but it did make an impact. But one of the most memorable impacts was when Livewire attacked Gaylord with his own weapon. He whacked the devious manager more than once. Some five years later, I'd bet Gaylord is still stinging from those hits.

Gaylord has retired from the wrestling business. It's a shame as he was entertaining and innovative with what he did. I enjoyed interviewing him, watching him do his segment "Old School" and even calling matches with him from time to time. 

Wrestling Seuss style

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I know this isn't exactly Dr. Seuss, but since it is HIS day, I wanted to write another wrestling poem. This time hyping Saturday night's Stride Pro Wrestling show.

The wrestlers of Stride will soon celebrate one year.

That is something hundreds of fan will cheer.

A show is set for this Saturday eve.

For just 10 bucks great action you'll receive.

You won't find a cat in or hat or green eggs and ham, 

but the GM in charge has the first name of Sam.

The champion Hatton teams with Joey and Jay

they'll battle the Mafia where the smackdown will lay.

Red, Roger and Jake are some really bad dudes,

but the good guys will fix those nasty attitudes.

Ax used a chain to knock out the Farmer

now J Wells should buy his guy armor.

Ax and Phoenix will team once again,

But Farmer and Hargas have plans to win.

Diamond and Cash were friends, but are now foes.

On Saturday night they'll come to blows.

A fabulous newcomer from south of the border

wants to win Legacy gold in short order.

But champion TDawg climbed to the top.

He's on a streak that'll be hard to stop.

Then there's the DR Party of Dexter and Bryan.

When their lips move they're most likely lying.

They'll take on two newcomers looking for fame,

but the duo will have to be on top of their game.

Sarah Summers plans to make a big hit

she'll step through the ropes against Little Bit.

Wilk battles Edwards in his return to Stride

no gold on the line, but a whole lot of pride.

These are the matches so don't be insane.

come join the fun and meet our ref Lane.

A bird's eye view of Mother Nature's fury

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I experienced a first in my 20-year career as a journalist. I went up in a helicopter (Black Diamond Aviation) to cover the devastation left behind by Mother Nature here in southern Illinois. I had one time gone up in a luxury chopper with then-U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and other journalists and leaders to view the damage. But this was the first time I climbed into a four-seater and took to the skies.

Several communities were hit hard by tornadoes on the night of Feb. 28. It happened to be five years after the deadly Leap Day Tornado that hit Harrisburg and Ridgway. This week's tornado (tornadoes) had deadly consequences too. A 71-year-old man died in Crossville in White County. 

Crossville

As the pilot flew us (my boss was there too) over that community I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Houses were knocked from their foundations, trees were twisted and ripped in half and debris littered the landscape. Then there would be spots nearby completely unphased. Watching the path that twister took reminded me how completely predictable one can be once it's touched down.

Elkville

Our trip took us over Franklin and Jackson Counties too. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were no reports of lives lost there, but the destruction was apparent. A baseball stadium suffered major damage. Entire roofs on houses were on the ground. And more trees were snapped like toothpicks. 

A little nervous in the sky

Admittedly I was nervous about flying. I'm not a fan of it in general and especially in a mode of transportation I've never been on before. But we were safe the whole time. My years of covering crashes and other tragedies have given me an unrealistic view of the world. The experience did open my eyes to be more grateful and thankful that our house and community was unscathed by the turbulent weather.