Bonding Over Sweaty Men in Spandex

Me, my dad, and my brother

By Kevin Hunsperger


Since it's Father's Day, I decided to revamp a blog I wrote two years ago on my other site.  This one looks back at my obsession with wrestling and how it started as a bonding experience with my dad and younger brother.

It was the early 1980's.  I'm guessing around 1981 or so.  I was about 8 years old and HATED professional wrestling.  My dad and brother, who's a year a half younger than me, were always watching it on TV.  This was before WWF had gone global.  Growing up in St. Louis, Wrestling at the Chase was a staple in our household.  But I never liked it.  I never got into any sports really.

Then in the summer of 1983, I finally gave wrestling a try.  I'm doing my best to remember, but I think it was a WWF Tuesday Night Titans show with Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka that really sticks out.  I also remember watching a show with my dad where Andre the Giant pulverized Nikolia Volkoff with a chair.  In my naivete, I remember thinking if this attack wasn't stopped, surely the Russian government would wage World War 3 on the United States (even though Andre was a Frenchman).

It seemed like back then, there were ALWAYS shows going on in St. Louis.  Usually NWA sanctioned events.  I can remember my dad, brother, and uncles attending events at the Kiel Auditorium and seeing the likes of Dick the Bruiser, Ric Flair, and a young babyface Ted DiBiase.  To this day I'm jealous of the fact that I was anti wrestling at the time and missed the classic brawl between Andre the Giant and Bruiser Brody.  I never had the chance to see Andre wrestle live.

But finally, I accepted wrestling and in December 1984, with my brother, dad, Uncle Dan (RIP), Uncle Tom, and a handful of family friends, we attended a WWF House Show at the old St. Louis Arena.  For folks who live in the Lou, you know the one I'm talking about, it had the checker dome top.  The main event was Hulk Hogan defending against Brutus Beefcake.  These were the pre-barber days of course.  We saw other superstars like Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, Junkyard Dog, and Cowboy Bob Orton.  What a great first house show for a kid.  I can still vividly remember most of that night and the excitement us kids felt when Hulk Hogan came bursting through the curtain to get to the ring.

A WWF House Show in 1986 featuring Iron Sheik

In the months and years that followed, we added more house shows.  We watched Ric Flair battle Bruiser Brody and Kerry Von Erich on separate occasions.  Back in 1986 we watched Harley Race win the "King of the Ring" tournament by pinning Ricky Steamboat in the finals.  It was a great match.  In addition to going to house shows, we watched World Class Championship Wrestling Sunday mornings at 10, followed by WWF Superstars at 11.  Sunday nights I would catch Mid South wrestling on cable and WWF ran shows on TBS back then too.

As we got older, my brother didn't watch as much wrestling, but dad and I still did.  We didn't really go to the house shows like we used to, but he did take me to the Kiel again to watch Wrestlemania 4 on closed circuit television.  It was like watching a movie, but instead we were surrounded by other wrestling fans.  It was pretty cool, and I got my authentic Hulkamania shirt there.  I still wear it for YouTube videos.

Shortly after that my dad took me to a neighboring town to get a closer look at King Kong Bundy.  Bundy was at the grand opening of the store taking Polaroid pictures with fans.  It was my first chance to meet a wrestling star up close, but for whatever reason I choked and didn't do it.  I told my dad the line was too long and I didn't want to stay.  I wish now that I would have stuck around.  In hindsight, I've stood in much longer lines to wait to meet much lesser stars.

After I went to college and moved back home, I didn't have a whole lot of friends who were in to wrestling.  Dad was there for me though.  We went to a couple more WWF house shows at the Kiel, which by then was the Savvis Center.  One was on Father's Day.  That was fun, spending the evening with my dad watching the likes of Shawn Michaels, Goldust, the Ultimate Warrior, and the not yet pushed Stone Cold Steve Austin.  We went again several months later and watched Rocky Maivia defend the Intercontinental title against Owen Hart.

Me & Mason at a WWE House Show in 2009

Now, I'm the dad with a kid who likes wrestling.  Guess it's in his genes.  Although he's not as hardcore about it as I was (I never missed a show), Mason does enjoy it a lot.  He has a bunch of action figures (they're not dolls) and likes to watch Raw when he has the chance.  Unlike me, Mason is obsessed with all sports, not just wrestling.

A couple years ago, I took him to his first WWE house show.  I bought him John Cena wrist bands and a Triple H t-shirt.  I know, nobody's perfect.  Every year he asks to go to Wrestlemania with me, and one of these times he'll get his chance.  But the Royal Rumble is coming to St. Louis in January, and I've already promised to take him there.  It will be his first pay per view.  I was 17 when I attended my first one, he'll only be 10.  Pretty cool.

I'm sure there are lots of sons who have memories of their fathers and grandfathers taking them to see wrestling when they were growing up.  There's something about bonding over sweaty guys in spandex with the men in your life.

Happy Father's Day.

Who's Your Daddy?

Vince & Shane McMahon at the Hollywood WOF

By Kevin Hunsperger

Having some fun this Father's Day weekend and looking at some of my favorite wrestling dads.  I think we can all mostly agree, that Vince McMahon is probably the big daddy of them all.  Wouldn't you?  I mean, I don't know where wrestling would be today without the contributions he made in the early 80's and the changes that followed.

Of course a lot of the smaller promotions and regional territories would probably disagree with that.  But let's face it, Vince (and his superstars) took wrestling and made it a house hold world.  A global phenomenon.  He made it somewhat "cool."  Well, okay maybe not cool, but you know what I mean.

Vincent K. and Vincent J. McMahon

Wrestling (now sports entertainment) is in Vince's blood.  He, of course, started off in the early years helping with his father's World Wide Wrestling Federation.  The younger Vince helped put the ring together, ran errands, and did some commentary.  Heck, even after he bought the company from his father in the early 80's and continued doing the commentary on WWF Superstars, I had no idea he actually owned the company.  But remember, I was just a kid.

Vince's dad, Vince Sr. took over the business from his father, Jess McMahon.  Jess was a promoter for years before dying of a cerebral hemorrhage.  That's when Vince, Sr. took over and created the WWWF (courtesy: Wikipedia)

Of course, Vince's children have gotten involved in the family business too.  His son Shane recently left the company to pursue other interests.  But daughter Stephanie and her husband Triple H are on the creative team and run a lot of things back stage.  They have children too, so one would assume they'll be involved at some point too.

The Von Erich family

Fritz Von Erich:  Remember, this is about MY favorite wrestling families and fathers.  As a kid, the Von Erichs were the ultimate wrestling family.  They were athletic, good looking, and nice guys.  They could do nothing wrong.  They were heroes.  Many of you have read my posts about Kerry Von Erich, one of my all time favorites.  Fritz ran World Class Championship Wrestling and made his sons the top baby faces of the company.  It was a successful formula.  The shows were always exciting as new villains would come in and try to take the "pretty boys" out.

By the time I had started watching, Fritz was retired, but we know how that works in the wrestling business.  He had come out of retirement to team with Mike and Kevin against the Freebirds.  It was on the same card that Kerry beat Ric Flair for the NWA title.  Hard to believe that was 27 years ago.   It's also hard to ignore his contribution to the world of wrestling.  Some many superstars ran through World Class on their way to the top.  The Ultimate Warrior, Rick Rude, and King Kong Bundy all come to mind.

Outside of the ring, Fritz may not have been Ward Cleaver.  But to the fans who adored he and his boys, he could do no wrong.  Rest in peace Fritz, Kerry, David, Mike, and Chris.

Stu Hart: I never really saw a whole lot of Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling, but anyone who has ever followed wrestling knows the patriarch of the Hart family had a big impact on the business.  Stu himself was a tough wrestler.  Hearing the stories from other wrestlers about being stretched by the big man has made me wince in pain.  Of course Bret Hart is the most famous of the clan.  He and his brother Owen both became international superstars in the WWF.  Other members of the Hart clan made occasion appearances on WWF shows, even Stu and his wife Helen.

Stu's legacy continues today.  His granddaughter Natalya Neidhart and grandson David Hart Smith are both stars in the WWE.  They are both grossly underused by the company right now, I hope they'll one day get a chance to shine again.  Like the Von Erichs, I was lucky to be in the audience when Stu was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  One of the all time great fathers in the business.

Dusty Rhodes: The American Dream has two sons who have followed in his famous footsteps.  More than 20 years ago Dustin Rhodes stepped into the ring and wrestled along his dad.  Dusty and Dustin teamed up briefly in the WWF to battle Ted DiBiase and Virgil.  The father and son duo would eventually leave the company and go to WCW.  I know for sure they teamed up once against the Nasty Boys, or maybe it was with the Nasty Boys against Col. Parker's stable.  I'm trying to remember the details,  I could look it up, but it's kinda late.  Point is, they too were able to wrestle together.

Fast forward a couple of years and Dustin becomes Goldust and for a time was estranged from Dusty.  The two have obviously reconciled and now Dusty's other son Cody is a rising star in the WWE.  Although it's unlikely we'll see the three of them team up, it would be nice to have one match with the three of them.  I thought when Cody was in Legacy there was going to be some type of program with the dads too.

I've always liked the Dream.  He's entertaining and was always good on the stick.  Goldust was a favorite of mine in the mid 90's.  He certainly stood out in a lackluster era of wrestling in the WWF.  Cody has really grown on me.  I really hope he gets a better push and climbs the ladder to the top.

Honorable mentions: Ted DiBiase, Mike Rotunda, Bob Orton, Davey Boy Smith, Jimmy Snuka, Black Jack Mulligan, Johnny Valentine, Gory Guerrero, Ricky Steamboat, and Rocky Johnson.

These are the dads who stick out to me.  There are plenty more, but these are just a few of my favorites.
Who are yours?

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10 Questions with Jeremiah Riggs

By Kevin Hunsperger

Chad and I are attempting to reach out to wrestlers and learn more about them and share those details with you, our loyal readers.  It's in an effort to get the word out about our blog, and also expose fans to wrestlers who may or may not have a lot of name recognition.  Chad first interviewed Dasher Hatfield from Chikara Pro.  We appreciate him taking the time to participate.

I was able to make contact with Tough Enough contestant Jeremiah Riggs.  I haven't blogged a whole lot about Tough Enough, not sure that I have at all.  But Jeremiah was my pick to win.  After doing research on him for the interview, I learned a few things about him.  I used that info for the basis of some of my questions.

So a big thanks to Jeremiah and his agent Allen.  I appreciate them participating and responding so quickly.  Enjoy.

Note all the photos in this post are courtesy: WWE.


1.  Who is Jeremiah Riggs?  Give us some background on yourself.

I'm just a boy from Mississippi who works hard and who loves my family. I grew up in Vicksburg, MS. I played football in high school then a little in college before I joined the army. I served in the Ranger battalion and when I got out I started training MMA with Alan Belcher. I decided to take it seriously and moved to California to train with Frank Shamrock and eventually got on The Ultimate Fighter. After the show I went back home to Vicksburg packed up and moved to Illinois to train with Matt Hughes and the HIT Squad. I started training a little at IMA outside Nashville too and got on a win streak and fought for Strikeforce and Bellator. Before going into wrestling I walked away on a five fight win streak.

2.  Which of your reality shows was a bigger risk to your health, Tough Enough, Ultimate Fighter, or Daisy of Love?

I'd have to say Tough Enough. Ultimate Fighter was fun but I only got one fight. It was early in my career and I didn't have much training. When I was on Tough Enough that was a totally different animal. We trained our asses off everyday. They pushed us to see who was really Tough Enough. I was in good shape so I didn't have as hard of a time as some of the others but it was very tough training.

3.  Were you surprised by the pop you received on the live finale of Tough Enough and the response you got on Facebook and Twitter?

Yes and no. When I was on RAW I knew that I had some fans because I get a lot of messages on Twitter and Facebook but when they all started cheering for me when Bill said my name it was very cool. It was almost surreal. I appreciate the fans recognizing me and it does mean a lot to me. As a poor kid growing up in Mississippi I only dreamed of doing stuff like this. I try not to get a big head. I just love every minute of it.

Twitter is a cool deal. Fans can message me whatever is on their mind and I can message them back. I think it's great. I also think it's important to answer the fans and do what I can to keep up with em. If they think enough of me to write me I owe it to them to try to answer back as many as I can. I know I wouldn't be where I am unless the people cared about me. If they see me on TV and don't care and don't tweet about me my career is in trouble. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you are a fan of my you are a friend of mine. You are helping me provide for my family. The support means everything to me.

My twitter is @jeremiahriggs

4.  Which star, past or present would you most like to face in the ring and why?

I don't know. I get asked that a lot. I grew up watching Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Jake the Snake, Rick Rude, Ric Flair, Scott Steiner, Stone Cold, and a lot more. I met a lot of the current stars like John Cena, and the Miz during the show and my times on RAW and they were all very cool and supportive. If I get the call to be a part of the WWE I'll square off with whoever they tell me to. And I'll do it with a smile on my face.

5.  Compare your training with Dutch Mantell and the training you went through on Tough Enough?

Well, that's not really fair to compare the two. Last January my manager and I were in talks with TNA in Nashville and they told me if I was trained they would sign me. We looked around and found Dutch's school which is just outside of Nashville so I signed up. When I was enrolled at his school my MMA career was blowing up. I was in the middle of a five fight win streak and I just got the call to fight for Bellator so I didn't get to train with Dutch like I wanted to because I had to have a training camp. After I won at Bellator I got the call to fight for Strikeforce, they are the #2 MMA promotion and I couldn't tell them no. I wanted to train with Dutch but at the time I couldn't afford to walk away from my opportunites in MMA.

The two classes I went to at Dutch's were fun and I learned a lot. Dutch really focused on conditioning which is the same thing they did on the show. Dutch would have us do hindu squats, and stuff like that which is what we did on the show. I didn't go to many classes but he did teach me the importance of conditioning which helped me on the show immensly. If you are looking for a school in the southeast I definitely recommend you talk to him. Some of my friends from Nashville are now training with him and he has made them into legit pro wrestlers.

6.  Who was your favorite trainer on the show?

They all were great. Trish is like a big sister. Bill is like a drill sergeant who is there to push you to be your best. Stone Cold is the boss and Booker T was like that uncle who wants to see you succeed. Out of all of them I really got along with Booker the best. That's not a knock against any of the other ones but me and Booker really got along behind the scenes. We talked and cut up all the time and he went way out of his way to let me know he saw something in me. I really like Steve too. I actually talked to him earlier today. I think he and I are a lot alike. We both are country boys who enjoy hunting and we are cut from the same cloth. I'd like to think that he sees a little of me in him and that's why we get along.

7.  Who have been your role models that helped to get you to where you are today?

My dad without a doubt. He's always busted his butt to provide for his family. Right now he's serving in Afghanistan and I can't wait for him to come home.

8.  You are no doubt a tough guy, is there anyone in the WWE you wouldn't want to shoot with?

I don't mean to sound cocky but I feel like I could hold my own with just about anyone because of my MMA training. I've rolled with Matt Hughes, sparred with Robbie Lawler and Brian Foster so I feel I can hang with the best of the best. There are some guys in the WWE who are pretty badass though. I know Jack Swagger is a legit wrestler and I bet he's tough as nails on the ground. Big Show is another guy who I bet would give me problems. He's a big strong dude and if he got on top of me he'd be pretty hard to get off.

9.  Besides yourself, who would you have picked to win Tough Enough and why?

I'd say Luke. He was my best friend in the house and I think he was probably the most polished and ready to go into the WWE. The fans were booing him already so I think he'd be a good fit.

10.  What's next for you?

Right now I'm back in the gym and have been working back home. I'm heading up to Dutch's next week to get some more training in. I feel as long as I keep working hard good things are going to happen. I'll get there. You hadn't seen the last of Jeremiah Riggs.

Thanks again to Jeremiah.  Be sure to like us on Facebook.  Follow us on Twitter.  And subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Positive Review of Impact Wrestling

Photo from impactwrestling.com

By Chad Smart

No, it’s not April Fool’s Day and I’m not joking. The 6/16/11 episode of Impact Wrestling was actually entertaining and didn’t have me pulling my hair out in frustration. Was it perfect? No, but then every show has room for improvement. Impact was a huge step up from the last time I watched and has me interested in next week’s shows. As a disclaimer though, I caught an online repeat at 11pm that didn’t include commercials. Maybe the lateness of watching the show, or the fact I didn’t have to sit through 4 minute annoying commercial blocks that can cause me to lose interest in any show skewered my perception. Whatever the case, I figured since I’ve spent months criticizing TNA, it’s only fair I also give them praise when I like the show. Onto my review of the show.

From impactwrestling.com

I started watching towards the end of the Mr. Anderson/Gunner promo. Since I didn’t have to sit through an extended promo (which has become stale http://my123cents.blogspot.com/2011/06/wrestling-format-best-if-used-before.html) my annoyance level was kept to a minimum.  The Mr. Anderson character doesn’t do anything for me. I think he’s quickly entered John Cena territory as far as being repetitive and juvenile on the mic. Mr. Anderson being champion doesn’t make me interested in any upcoming title matches either. I haven’t seen enough of Gunner to really have an opinion. From reading the results over the last few weeks it seems someone in TNA is really high on Gunner and is trying to make him a star. I have no problems with TNA using homegrown talent and making them the focus. That’s something I’ve been begging them to do for years. Though Gunner doesn’t really look like a star. He looks like generic indy wrestler template #3. But I’m willing to give TNA the benefit of a doubt and see if they can continue to focus on Gunner or if they get distracted and forget about him after a month.

From impactwrestling.com

The Bound For Glory Series is an interesting concept. Since every match counts (TV and house shows) I’m curious to see if the numbers are correct or if there will be some creative accounting done to ensure a specific wrestler wins the tournament. Most of the top tier guys don’t work house shows while the wrestlers who do house shows don’t wrestle at every show. Will we see some guys kept off of TV for a few weeks to keep their numbers low?  Or am I looking for a fire when there isn’t any smoke?  The bigger question will be if TNA can actually stay focused on this until Bound For Glory. How long did the rankings system last before it magically disappeared?

From impactwrestling.com

While I’m not really a fan of ODB or Miss Jackie, I do like the idea of them coming in and attacking Velvet Sky. Curious to see if they go after other “beautiful” knockouts as well or if they only feud with Velvet before disappearing again. The beat down was one of the most intense I’ve seen from women’s wrestling. It’s stuff like that that will separate TNA from WWE.

I’m a sucker for good comedy, which is why I enjoyed the Eric Young challenging, and beating Jason Hervey segment. It came out of nowhere and was kept short. Still don’t understand why EY goes from wacky character to serious wrestler on a weekly basis, but this week was entertaining. Don’t understand why Matt Morgan wouldn’t want to be TV champion though.

Destination X pay per view could be good if they let the wrestlers go all out and don’t overbook the show. Hopefully this will lead to the X division being more than an afterthought. It was interesting to see Kid Kash back in TNA given his history with the company. Would have liked to seen some interaction between Jimmy Rave and Christy Hemme for continuity’s sake. I’m not a huge Austin Aries fan but I can’t deny he has presence and has a solid fan base. The 3-way match with these guys was a great reminder of how good the X-Division can be when given the chance. Curious to see next’s week match with three new stars to TNA.

Samoa Joe and RVD put on a good match to kick off the Bound for Glory series. It’s a shame these two have been put on the back burner for no apparent reason.

The main event was all right. As I said earlier, Anderson doesn’t interest me and Gunner is still too new for me to get excited about. With Kurt Angle being the number one contender will Gunner hang around long enough to get a title shot he deserves after beating both Anderson and Sting while they were champ?

From impactwrestling.com

The street fight between Jeff Jarrett and Kurt Angle was something different. I don’t think there’s been a televised street fight since Eddie Guerrerro had one in 2002 or 2003. (I don’t remember his opponent and don’t have time to look it up. Sorry) I liked how they had the rest of the guys out there watching. Though I don’t know why they didn’t have Taz and Tenay doing commentary. Wait, did I just say I wanted to hear TNA commentary. Something must be wrong with me. Actually the commentary on the show wasn’t intolerable. Maybe TNA is starting to come around.

Overall, I was entertained by more than I was annoyed by while watching Impact. Hope this is a new direction TNATNA. 

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Wrestling Format: Best if Used Before 1998

Photo from WWE

By Chad Smart

Loyal readers of my123cents know for the most part I’ve stopped watching all weekly television programs. Though I do intend to get caught up on NWA: Hollywood soon. Until my recent trip back to Illinois, I hadn’t watched Raw, Impact or Smackdown for about four weeks. While I was back home, I sat down with friends and watched the last two week’s Raw broadcasts. The first week, I watched the entire show even though I kept getting sleepier and sleepier with each passing segment. This past week’s "All-Star" Raw, I watched the first of the three hours before giving up and leaving to go make sure I have everything gathered for my trip back to California on Tuesday.

After not watching All-Star Raw, I really started analyzing the show to see why I can no longer sit through and episode. The reasoning is much more involved than simply, I don’t like John Cena. The biggest reason is the formula or template for the show is beyond stale. The writers are using the same show format that was big during the Attitude era that has been dead for ten years. It’s time for a major overhaul. Just like how the Crash TV format changed the way wrestling landscape in 1997, it’s time for a new direction for televised wrestling.

I’m typing this on Thursday, June 16, 2011. I’m going to predict next Monday’s Raw with begin one of two ways. Either John Cena will start the show talking about his match with R-Truth and how Cena overcame a challenge to remain WWE champion. After a few minutes of Cena rambling on, Truth will come out and demand a rematch. Or, R-Truth will start the show talking about how his lost at the pay per view was further proof of a C-O-N-spiracy. Cena will then enter the ring toss out some juvenile insults and Truth will demand a rematch.

From WWE

The extended promos to start the show have run their course. Why can’t the shows start with a match occasionally? I understand the idea is to grab the viewer’s attention at the start of the show, but what is more likely to capture the attention of somebody flipping through the channels, two guys talking or an energetic fast paced match? It’s time to flip the script.

One of the other issues with wrestling shows is how the same guys are featured week after week. I blame this factor on the overabundance of pay per views. Since pay per views have to be promoted on a weekly basis, guys who are feuding need to be on the shows to hype up their matches. Because feuds last for two or three pay per views at a time, it’s not uncommon for shows to have the "been there seen that" feel for weeks at a time. Meanwhile new talent, or guys who aren’t in pay per view programs are either regulated to Superstars/Explosion or not on a weekly program at all. So instead of building new stars, stars are ridden until they become overexposed and played out and then there is no one ready to step up and take their spot.

From WWE

My biggest annoyance with the current televised programs is the booking on the fly style of filling out the show. I know wrestling is more sports-ENTERTAINMENT rather than SPORTS-entertainment, but can we at least pretend there’s someone putting the shows together before they go on air? A couple weeks ago on Raw, Jack Swagger challenged Booker T. to a match. What would have happened if Booker had said, no? Why was there a segment of the show that wasn’t booked 45 minutes into the show? Then you have the GM or the Network booking main events during the opening promos. Shows should be booked a week in advanced. I understand the appeal of unpredictability, but does UFC or boxing ever have a show where matches aren’t set before the show starts?

These are just a few of the elements in wrestling I feel are stale and need to be revamped. I’m sure there are others. Let us know what you think. Does televised wrestling need to be revamped or do you think the shows are fine the way they currently air?

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Hogan vs. Warrior: Part 3

Photo from WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

It seems that it's becoming hip, or maybe not, for wrestlers to engage in a war of words on Twitter.  A year or so ago, Chris Jericho (@imajericho) and the Miz (@mikethemiz) did some playful back and forth insults to one another.  I found it entertaining and laughed at most of the jokes, knowing they were just that, jokes.

In recent months though, some wrestlers are using their Twitter accounts to wage war against former enemies (or friends).  And it seems like most of them are taking aim at Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan4Real).  First it was Bret Hart (@BretHart), then Honky Tonk Man (@OfficialHTM), and now it's the Ultimate Warrior (@UlitmateWarrior).

I debated to even write about this, but it's been interesting reading the back and forth.  But it's really not so much of a back and forth, as Hogan hasn't really responded to many of the allegations Warrior has made.  On Friday, Warrior is supposed to launch a 55 minute tirade on Hogan.  I watched a clip of the video the other day.  There are accusations of drug abuse and sexual promiscuity with Hogan and his former wife.  In fact, Warrior claims he was the only wrestler to tell Hogan he wouldn't sleep with Linda. 

Hogan-Warrior Part 2 (WCW)

Warrior's other beef with Hogan is the way Hogan talked about "Macho Man" Randy Savage in the days following his death.  Hogan claims the two were making amends after 10 years of not speaking.  Warrior calls that a bogus claim and even blames the Hogans for the split between Savage and Elizabeth years ago.

I have to believe that part of this is bitterness from the Warrior.  Hogan has had some slams back at some of the other comments.  I'm sure there are shades of truth coming from both sides.  According to TMZ at one point Hogan was/is considering filing a lawsuit against the Warrior.  From things I've read from other wrestlers (namely Bret Hart's book, but there are others) both men seem to have inflated egos.  I suppose that is standard in the world of wrestling though. 

Lately, I've been so anti-Hogan, I want to "be a Warrior" but his rants are so crazy at times, it's hard to believe everything he's saying.  I've heard comments from some fans that this is all a ruse to do a third installment of Warrior vs. Hogan, this time in TNA.  For the love of God, I hope that is not true.  I don't want to see Hogan back in the ring, ever.  I haven't seen the Warrior in years, so I won't pass judgment on him, yet.

So what do you think?  Should the Warrior and Hogan go one more time?  Or is this a legit feud between two legends?  Yes, I consider the Ultimate Warrior a legend.  And I do think he deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame one day too. 

Bottom line I guess, I'm not sure how much I care about either of these guys at this point, but if someone were to make a comeback, I'd rather see the Ultimate Warrior.  I feel like he left the business
behind and didn't try to stick around and get his family and friends over.

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Where's Waldo... I Mean Zack Ryder?

MIA: Zack Ryder

By Chad Smart

Monday Night Raw was live from Long Island this past Monday.  There was a lot of hope and speculation Long Island native and Internet sensation, Zack Ryder would see the fruits of his labor for his YouTube show rewarded with a match on the show. After the three-hour show was over, fans were left asking, where was Zack? This apparent snub led to several WWE wrestlers, and fans, taking to Twitter to voice their disappointment in WWE creative not giving Zack something to do on the show.  


Kevin asked yesterday on the My123Cents Facebook page if WWE should have used Zack Ryder on Raw. Several people offered up their opinion saying Zack should have been on the show. I, however don’t think Zack’s non-appearance is really that big of a deal. Hopefully after I lay out my case, you will either agree or understand I am not just going against the grain to be THAT guy.

Photo from WWE

First off lets take a look at Zack Ryder.  Here’s a guy who’s been under contract with WWE for five years. He is a former tag team champion along with Curt Hawkins back when the two were Edgeheads. After that angle played out at Wrestlemania 24, Curt and Zack were separated and neither done anything of note inside a WWE ring. Both have seen more time on Superstars then on Raw or Smackdown. Three months ago if Zack Ryder would have had a match on Raw the majority of fans would have most likely looked at each other and asked, “who’s the new guy?"

  

Zack, not content to accept his position on the roster and wait for his moment to come decided to try and make the moment happen. He started a YouTube show called The True Long Island Story. It was a bold move not only because there was no guarantee people would want to see a weekly Internet show with some nobody (I don’t say that in disrespect. Simply pointing out Zack’s lack of name value at the time.) but also because in the videos, Zack took shots at WWE for not using him in a meaningful way.  Word quickly spread about the videos and Zack became a hit racking up an average of 75,000 views per episode per week.

From YouTube

As the videos became popular, WWE superstars started promoting Zack on their Twitter feeds and in interviews. Top level guys like John Cena, The Miz, and Dolph Ziggler were telling fans and WWE management (I’m guessing not many interviews are done that management isn’t aware of) Zack Ryder needed to become a more integral part of Raw. Unfortunately, the leap from Superstars to Raw has yet to happen on a full time basis.

Now that we’ve covered the backstory of how Zack Ryder started a grassroots campaign to make himself a star, let me tell you why him not being on this week’s Raw isn’t the end of the world.

The theme for this week’s Raw was All-Stars. With the exception of a few divas, everyone on the show is either currently or has been within the last six months placed in a high profile storyline. Zack Ryder, at this time, does not fit into the All-Stars theme.  The show was also the last show before Sunday’s, Capital Combat pay per view. The focus of Raw was to get fans interested in the pay per view so when Sunday rolls around the fans will spend their $44.95 on a show that will not feature Zack Ryder. Sure, WWE could have put Ryder into either meaningless backstage skit, or into a match with someone who will be on the pay per view. However that would have most likely guaranteed Zack would have ended up fist pumping with his back on the mat looking up at the lights. While wins and losses are secondary to the push a wrestler receives, throwing Zack out there for something meaningless could derail his road to stardom before he leaves the gate.

From WWE

Assuming WWE wants to make Zack into a star, and that’s a pretty big assumption at this point, they need to start building him up before putting him into the ring.  WWE did a good job promoting Sin Cara and Kharma before their debuts. That type of build up has been missing from wrestling in the past few years. Now would be the time to do it with Zack. Incorporate bits from his YouTube show talking about how WWE is missing the boat, dropping the ball and getting cold feet about putting him on TV. Have Zack do promos where he says he’s going to seize the brass ring and he can’t be held back.  His time has come and no matter what his dad thinks, Zack Ryder will be the next big thing. The fans who are already Zack Ryder broskis will eat it up and have their fists in the air waiting for their guy to make an impact. The more casual fans will start to think Zack is someone worth caring about and not “just that guy who teamed with Primo.” 

While I think Zack Ryder should be on Raw because it would add some freshness to the show, I don’t see his exclusion from the Long Island episode as a major issue. What I would be more interested in knowing is if Zack or his supporters are going to creative members pitching ideas to get Zack on the show. Then is creative not capable of finding a spot for Zack, or are they then going to Vince McMahon with ideas for Zack and Vince is saying, no.  WWE universe has to accept Zack Ryder as a true Superstar. Woo woo woo, you know it.