Being 40-something isn't old

Facing 40 (2013)

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Twenty years ago I thought 30 was old. Then I turned 30 and my thoughts quickly changed. In fact for me turning 30 was much harder than turning 40. I spent my 20s establishing my career and my family. When 30 was looming I still had a lot I wanted to accomplish. Because I hadn't reached those goals I viewed myself as a failure. 

Right before my 31st birthday, I made a big move in my career. We uprooted our family which had been planted in Indiana and headed to southern Illinois. On paper, the move was lateral, but I quickly started to climb the ladder at WSIL-TV and became the morning co-anchor. About a year after that our daughter was born. By then I was nearly 33 and felt accomplished. So by the time 40 rolled around, I had no worries.

Eyes on the prize

Now that I'm in my mid-40s, I have my eyes on new prizes. Building the blog, podcast and my presence on social media are all on my new to-do list. Some days I feel like time is slipping away and I'm never going to reach the top of the mountain. Then I'm reminded of others who were well into middle age before they made their impact. Here are some of the inspiring examples I found.

Col. Harland Sanders

We all know KFC and Colonel Sanders. Like many people, I assumed the Colonel had been a long time fixture in the fast food wars. I was wrong. He was 65 years old when his blend of 11 herbs and spices made him a household name. Sanders actually used his social security checks to franchise Kentucky Fried Chicken. 

Grandma Moses in action

Grandma Moses was even older. She became one of the best-known folk artists of all-time and didn't even start painting until age 78. Sam Walton didn't open his first Walmart until he was 44 (the age I just turned last week).

Self-high five for DDP's first world title win
Courtesy: WWE

And finally a wrestling connection to all this. "Diamond" Dallas Page's in-ring career didn't start until age 36. He won his first world championship at 43. He's now one of the most loved and respected figures in the world of sports entertainment.

While I know we're all going to die one day, I also know being middle aged doesn't mean giving up. Too often people hit a point in life and think it's too late or lack the motivation to keep climbing. I just have to work harder to prove myself. I'm patient, I'm hungry and I'm determined.

WrestleMania was built on celebrity involvement

WrestleMania promo photo
Courtesy: WWE

 By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I've complained a lot in the past about part-timers and celebrities swooping in at WrestleMania and stealing the spotlight from active members of the roster. After some serious thought and hearing the opinions of others, I had an epiphany over the weekend. Rewind to 1985 and the very first WrestleMania. It was all about the celebrities. Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, Muhammed Ali, Billy Martin and Liberace were all featured at the inaugural event. They're what made WrestleMania stand out from a usual wrestling show at Madison Square Garden. The company could have simply done Hulk Hogan & Jimmy Snuka vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff, but would we be gearing up for WrestleMania 33 today had that been the featured match?

Mr. T at WrestleMania
Courtesy: WWE

As the years passed, the celebrity involvement didn't wane. Mr. T was back in the ring at WrestleMania II. There was a cavalcade of stars like Elvira, Susan St. James and William "The Refrigerator" Perry (along with several other NFL stars for the battle royal). Through the years we've seen the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Snooki and Floyd "Money" Mayweather step through the ropes at WrestleMania. I've found as a fan that my level of dislike for this idea depends more upon my fandom of the celebrity in question than the actual use of a non-Superstar.

Goldberg vs. Lesnar
Courtesy: WWE

The same is true of part-timers or Legends coming in. They too should be treated like the celebrity appearance. They're attractions. And I think there was a lot of casual fans who have enjoyed seeing the Goldberg comeback. It's been well documented here that while I'm not a fan of his, I do appreciate what Goldberg has done for wrestling. That being said, I don't have a problem with him having a match at WrestleMania, but I am still not on board with him being the champion.

The Rock & Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 31
Courtesy: WWE

Long story short, the very foundation on which WrestleMania is built upon is based on the celebrity factor. Plus these days between the kickoff show, the multi-Superstar matches and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, pretty much everyone gets a chance to be part of the biggest event of the year. Let's chill and enjoy the show, and save our criticism for AFTER WrestleMania because you know, wrestling fans know how to better book an event. Oh, and I was fully behind the rumored Rock/Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H/Stephanie McMahon match for last year's event.

What-if Mania: Flair vs. Hogan

Hogan & Flair circa 1986
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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In 1992 wrestling fans thought they'd finally get the WrestleMania dream match of a lifetime, Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair. Flair had just won the WWF Championship at the Royal Rumble and all signs were pointing to Hogan and Flair at WrestleMania VIII. However, the plug was pulled on the idea and we got Flair against Randy Savage and Hogan faced Sid.

Dusty vs. Flair
Courtesy: WWE

With this blog, I'm rewriting history and starting with WrestleMania II. Sorry King Kong Bundy, I'm putting in Ric Flair. To get there, we have to start at Starrcade 1985. You may recall Dusty Rhodes pinned Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship that night. But the decision was later reversed and the belt went back to Flair. However, for this story, Dusty keeps the belt and Flair leaves for the WWF.

Bundy vs. Hogan
Courtesy: WWE

On Saturday Night's Main Event in February 1986, Hogan defends the championship against Bundy (instead of Don Muraco). During the course of the match, manager Bobby Heenan gets flustered and waves feverishly toward the back. Flair, in a spectacular robe, emerges through the curtain much to the shock of the fans. He hits the ring and chop blocks Hogan's knee. The referee calls for the bell and Flair and Bundy proceed with the attack. 

Bundy launches an Avalanche as Flair slaps on the Figure Four Leg Lock. Hogan is helpless as Heenan's henchmen continue to torture the champ. Andre the Giant eventually makes it to the ring to save Hogan, setting up a staredown with Bundy. 

Hogan vs. Flair
Courtesy: WWE

Hogan later challenges Flair to a match at WrestleMania (not inside the big blue cage). "Nature Boy" and his manager, Heenan, accept and the two collide in the main event of the second installment of WrestleMania. Hulkamania was, of course, running wild at the time so Hogan retains in the first showdown with Flair... Bundy goes into the WWF/NFL Battle Royal to keep the feud with Andre going. As for the rest of Flair's run, I don't know, I'm only doing the Mania match.

I know by bringing Ric Flair in at that time changes a lot of history for both WWF and NWA. In 1986 it's fair to say both Hogan and Flair were at the top of their respective games. The match would have been more appealing compared to five and a half years later when the two started meeting on the house show circuit. 

Podcast ponderings

Jitterymonkey.com

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Every week for more than two years I have recorded and shared My 1-2-3 Cents the Podcast on the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network and iTunes. Many of those shows have a guest related to the world of professional wrestling. Sometimes it's just me rambling about the latest in the world of sports entertainment. And other times Chad joins me to talk more about the business.

The market is saturated with wrestling related shows. When I started in late 2014 I don't feel like there were as many former wrestlers (or personalities) doing shows. Recently there's been a huge surge in this and I wonder more often than not what this uptick means for small shows like My 1-2-3 Cents.

Conrad & Bruce Something to Wrestle With
Courtesy: MLW Radio

Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, for example, has millions of listeners. I just crunched the numbers for 2017 and in the first 11 weeks of the year, My 1-2-3 Cents is averaging 80 listeners per show. Episodes with indy wrestlers typically do better because they share the podcast on their social media accounts.

Two-time My 1-2-3 Cents guest Jeff Jarrett

I enjoy doing a wrestling-themed show but wonder if the genre has too much coverage, especially by experts in the field. I firmly believe podcasting is the wave of the future and allows everyday people to have a voice. I know I should be more excited about the fact that 80 people on average give a damn about what I have to say instead of thinking ONLY 80 people listen. Plus I've had a chance to meet (in person and/or on the phone) many greats in wrestling.

Friends, what can I do to boost my audience? I'd love your 1-2-3 Cents on the subject. Thanks for reading and listening to the show. 

Foreign Object Friday: Finlay's shillelagh

Hornswoggle & Finlay with their shillelaghs
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's St. Patrick's Day so it only makes sense to talk about Irish Superstar Fit Finlay and his shillelagh in today's Foreign Object Friday. The official definition of a shillelagh is a thick stick of blackthorn or oak used in Ireland, typically as a weapon.

Lashley tastes the shillelagh
Courtesy: WWE

Like Jimmy Hart's megaphone, Mr. Fuji's cane and Jim Cornette's tennis racket, Finlay's shillelagh was often at his side. He used it more than a time or two against opponents both big and small. Bobby Lashley tasted the shillelagh after Little Bastard (eventually Hornswoggle) slid him the weapon. That blow helped Finlay capture the U.S. Championship. 

Little Boogie Man gets hit
Courtesy: WWE

Little Boogie Man was also abused by the shillelagh. Finlay used it during he and Hornswoggle's feud with the Boogie Man and his diminutive counterpart. Even the World's Strongest Man Mark Henry has been whacked with the wooden stick too.

Father and son
Courtesy: WWE

Eventually, Finlay and his son turned good, but that didn't necessarily mean an end to the shillelagh shenanigans. It was used among several other foreign objects during Finlay's Belfast Brawl match against JBL at WrestleMania 24. There were even times Finlay relied on Hornswoggle as a weapon too, launching his pint-sized partner on unsuspecting foes.

Tag teams that should have won gold

Rockers, Stallions and Islanders
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Many times we see on social media fans talking about wrestlers who should have been the World Heavyweight Champion. I've even written a blog or two about it myself. But tag teams are never really brought into the conversation. Here are three tag teams who should have won the WWF Tag Team Championship.

Tag team champs... NOT
Courtesy: WWE

The Rockers technically beat the Hart Foundation for the belts in the fall of 1990. However, there were issues with the ring that night and the footage never aired on TV. Back then there was a saying if it didn't happen on TV, it didn't happen, so Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty were never recognized as the champs. I always enjoyed the duo and was disappointed when they split them up. We all know Michaels went on to have an amazing solo career and also won the tag titles with various partners, including Diesel, Steve Austin and Triple H. Jannetty and The 1-2-3 Kid had a brief run as champions too. 

The Young Stallions vs. The Hart Foundation
Courtesy: WWE

Paul Roma and Jim Powers were both "enhancement talent" in the mid-1980s. But then in 1987, the two caught fire and The Young Stallions started climbing the tag team ranks. The two joined the Killer Bees as the survivors of the tag team match at the first Survivor Series. They seemed to be the perfect underdog duo and destined to eventually win the gold after years of toiling. Imagine had they beat the Hart Foundation for the belts in '87 instead of Strike Force. Not knocking Rick Martel or Tito Santana, but the angle could have gone very similarly with Roma turning heel and becoming the Model. Again, no knock to Martel who did extraordinary in that role. 

The Islanders vs. The Young Stallions
Courtesy: WWE

The Islanders were a solid babyface team in the 80s. Then one day they joined forces with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. The trio worked well together as Haku and Tama put their years of experience to good work. Haku would eventually win the belts with Andre the Giant. The Islanders could have been The Brain's first champs, but it wasn't meant to be.

I realize putting the titles on any of these teams would have disrupted the history of the WWF. But it would have been nice to see these three hard working teams be rewarded for their skills. 

The Sweet 16 awesomely bad WrestleMania matches

The Sweet 16 of Awesomely Bad WrestleManias
Photos by WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Full disclosure, I know NOTHING about college basketball or most sports in general. But I do know that it's time for the NCAA Tournament and March Madness. I've always wanted to take advantage of the craze, so I'm going to attempt my own shot at the sweetness the tournament provides.

I've come up with 16 awesomely bad WrestleMania matches through the years. Later tonight I will seed these matches and do a tournament on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page (cheap plug for you to go and like it). Each day your votes will decide who advances in the tournament. One match will occur each day. I don't know yet if awesomely bad means you liked the match or hated it, I'm leaning toward liked.

Here are the matches (in no particular order) that I'm proposing. I'm open to suggestions, but get your ideas to me by 6am CST March 16.

Adrian Adonis vs. Uncle Elmer: WrestleMania 2

Undertaker vs. The Giant Gonzalez: WrestleMania 9

The Divas Battle Royal (Santina wins): WrestleMania 25

Sable vs. Tori: WrestleMania 15

Rocky Maivia vs. The Sultan: WrestleMania 13

Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon: WrestleMania 26

Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper (Boxing match): WrestleMania 2

Big Show vs. Akebono (Sumo match): WrestleMania 21

Undertaker vs. Big Bossman (Hell in a Cell): WrestleMania 15

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Michael Cole: WrestleMania 27

Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar: WrestleMania 20

Kane vs. The Great Khali: WrestleMania 23

Men on Mission vs. The Quebecers: WrestleMania 10

King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook vs. Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver & Haiti Kid: WrestleMania 3

Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley: WrestleMania 12

British Bulldogs & Koko B. Ware vs. The Islanders & Bobby "The Brain" Heenan: WrestleMania 4