As Good As Gold

"The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony
One To Watch

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I bought my first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1984.  I can still remember it, heck I still have it.  It was the December 1984 issue, Barry Windham was on the cover and my idol Kerry Von Erich was the centerfold.  For the next 11 years I bought the publication.  I've still got them.

Last year something cool happened.  PWI featured my friend and colleague in the business, Chris Hagstrom.  At the time Chris was the executive producer of All American Pro Wrestling, a company I was doing play-by-play for.  It was awesome to know that all our hard work had paid off and AAPW was being mentioned on the same pages as WWE, TNA, and Ring of Honor.

In the most recent issue of PWI, another friend in the business stepped into the national wrestling spotlight.  "The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony graces the pages of PWI.  The magazine did a feature on Anthony, who is a competitor with Traditional Championship Wrestling.  He's a part of their "One to Watch" segment.  Golden Boy is no stranger to PWI, as they ranked him at number 434 in the most recent PWI 500.

"Golden Boy" in action
Photo courtesy: Jason Wilkey

Big props to Anthony, who has worked very hard to get where he is today.  I know The Golden Boy doesn't look like you're typical wrestler, but inside that ring he's like his catch implies, "good as gold."  I had the opportunity to work with Anthony in AAPW.  I always enjoyed him in the ring, as he was a throwback to the old school legends.  His work on the mic was always on par too.  I always enjoyed being in the promo area when it was time for the Golden Boy to do his work.

Getting pied
AAPW Fan Fest 2011

Anthony always took time to give me advice with my delivery as a commentator and helped me prepare mentally for my professional wrestling debut.  He also took a pie to the face (actually dozens) during a Fan Fest event.  I'm proud to say I got to pie him as well.

I haven't seen the Golden Boy in more than a year, which is unfortunate.  I'm not able to travel as much as I'd like to and watch other independent promotions, but I'd highly recommend if Greg Anthony comes to your town, check him.

All Tied Up

Nerd alert?
Do you like the tie?

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

For more than 15 years I have worked in the world of TV news.  Most of that time I've been front and center on WSIL TV's News 3 This Morning.  Almost every weekday morning for the last 8 and a half years I've suited up with a tie.  Today, I decided to try something different.  After finding a pretty cool (in my opinion at least) bow tie at Kohl's, I thought I'd try it.

I have colleagues and friends who have pulled off the bow tie look.  It's no longer geek, or at least I thought so.  I'll be the first to admit, I probably debuted the new look a little too early.  After watching a "how to" video on YouTube, I figured I'd try it myself.  After several failed attempts, I finally got the hang of it, kinda.  That was Monday afternoon.  Tuesday morning, it took me 20 minutes to finish what I started.  Far from perfect, but I thought it looked alright to go on the air.

I thought I'd get some feed back from the Facebook world, after posting a pic on both my personal and professional pages.  I don't know if my friends are being more generous, but overwhelmingly on my personal page my friends have said they like it.  The viewers of News 3 This Morning for the most part, seem to hate the look.  Some said it was too nerdy looking, with viewers comparing me to the likes of the late Senator Paul Simon and Pee Wee Herman (I know you are, but what am I?)  Others thought the tie wasn't tied right.  Yeah, I'll admit that, I should have worked more on it before the show.  I even had a couple say I was too handsome for a bow tie.  That one flattered me.

No tie for this guy

Not since my decision to go tie-less on the air has my look solicited so many comments.  I love the feedback.  I will continue to practice tying my new bow tie and hopefully I can get it to look more acceptable.  But who knows, maybe I'll buy an ascot next...

In all seriousness though, thanks for your feedback.  I'm not offended by the comments, I'm actually flattered that many people are weighing in.  I'd love to know what you think.  Post a comment here or drop me an email.  kevinhunsperger@gmail.com

Throwback Thursday: Maybe It Should Have Been Censored...

Uncensored 1995
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Turning back the hands of time, and  heading back to March 1995.  WCW held its first Uncensored pay per view.  This was before the Monday Night Wars were officially in place, as Nitro was still about six months from debuting, but WCW definitely was ready for a war.

The company had signed big names like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jimmy Hart, and Brutus Beefcake from WWF the year prior.  The main event of Uncensored featured a horrific strap match between WCW champion Hogan and top contender and former champ Vader.  Ric Flair was in Vader's corner for the contest, and long story short ended up costing his man the match.

For some reason, and maybe because it was uncensored, Hogan was allowed to drag Flair to all four corners of the ring and win the match.  It was an encounter filled with mystery men, sneak attacks, and general non-sense.  Flair had been involved in Savage's match against Avalanche earlier in the night.  This time though the Nature Boy was in drag.  Yes, Flair attacked Savage dressed like a woman.

Hogan haters unite
Uncensored 1996
Photo courtesy: WWE

Indeed this was a ridiculous night of wrestling action, but the following year may have taken the cake.  The main event featured Hogan and Savage teaming up in Doomsday Cage Match against the Alliance to End Hulkamania.  Really that could have been millions of people, myself included, but on that particular night, the alliance included the likes of Flair, Arn Anderson, Meng, the Barbarian, Lex Luger, Kevin Sullivan, Z-Gangsta (Zeus), and The Ultimate Solution.  The two baby faces overcame the odds and beat the gang of eight heels.

Dustin Rhodes vs BTBully
Uncensored 1995
Photo courtesy: WWWE

Year after year though WCW presented a craptastic pay per view in March with Uncensored.  I never enjoyed the event, but hey what do I know?  Hey without it, we may have never gotten Goldust, since Dustin Rhodes was fired after his King of the Road match with the Blacktop Bully.  So something good did come out of the event after all.

Stopping a Charging Bull

Pro Wrestling Collision staff and wrestlers help Fester
Photo courtesy: Pro Wrestling Collision

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

To say things got out of hand at the last Pro Wrestling Collision taping would be an understatement.  There were sneak attacks, cheap shots, and even a verbal attack on a five year old girl.  It was crazy.

Perhaps the most surreal moments of the night was waiting the behemoth Bull Bronson lay waste on Collision referees, security staff, and senior ring announcer Bob Fester.  Bronson had previously attacked "The Serial Thriller" Shane Rich.  After refusing to stop the punishment, refs and security tried unsuccessfully to calm down Bull.  Then in a bold move, Bob, a man I have the utmost respect for, attempted to soothe the savage beast.  Blinded by rage, Bronson took a swipe at the 60+ year old Fester.  Bob immediately dropped to the floor and had to be helped back to his feet.

I'm glad that Pro Wrestling Collision owner Chris Hagstrom decided to suspend Bull Bronson.  The safety of everyone had really become a factor.  In a show of support to Bob, my broadcast partner Jerome Cusson has decided to sit out of this weekend's taping.  His full explanation can be read right here.  It's a move I respect and support, but as they say, the show must go on.  Hagstrom will join me in the booth Saturday night and has assured me that security will be increased to ensure the safety of the fans, wrestlers, and staff.  I appreciate the move and look forward to calling a night of solid action.

Here's a preview of what you'll see.  Tickets are just $10.  Join us in Carbondale Saturday night.  It's a big night as Matt Cage follows up on the verbal smackdown he laid on Heath Hatton and his family at the February show.  Hatton's title is on the line, as well as his pride.

The Submission Squad joins us to challenge tag team champions Ace Hawkins and Brandon Espinosa.  The No Limits Title will be defended Saturday night too, as Joey O'Riley puts the gold up against his friend and former tag team partner, Jay Spade.  This will also be the debut of Spade in Pro Wrestling Collision.

Justice, Shane Rich, El Matadoro, and Ax Allwardt are also slated to appear.  No doubt it'll be an emotionally charged and memorable night of independent wrestling action.

End the Streak

20 & 0
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Chad Smart
@chadsmart & @my12cents on Twitter

I’ll admit I’m not a fan of The Undertaker coming back for matches at Wrestlemania. Ever since “the streak” became a focal point of Wrestlemania, only the match against Randy Orton had me thinking Undertaker was going to lose. Now Taker takes most of the year off, comes back for the match at Wrestlemania, performs his signature moves, rolls his eyes back in his head while sticking out his tongue while the video screen updates with the new number in the win column. YAWN. 

When the rumors starting floating around saying CM Punk would be Undertaker’s opponent at Wrestlemania 29, I questioned what WWE hoped to accomplish with the match. Had CM Punk not lost the WWE Title to The Rock, I could understand a Streak vs. Longest Title Reign in 25 years build up, even though we’d already seen Taker win the World Title at Wrestlemanias 23 and 24.  Still, there would be something on the line in the match. After Punk lost two pay per view matches to The Rock and a match to John Cena on Raw, I felt putting him into another no-win match wasn’t the most sensible decision to make. Not to mention the manner in which WWE initially set up the match. It all seemed like “we don’t really have anything else for these guys to do so lets put them into a match against each other.”  Then something happened.

Punk mocks Taker
Photo courtesy: WWE

The death of Paul Bearer, while saddening and unfortunate, may have been the best thing to happen for the Punk/Taker match.  The death gave Punk ammunition to use during promos and helped humanize Undertaker. While I still feel Undertaker should have retired after Wrestlemania 28 since 20-0 was a good round number to end the streak, I am now of the opinion the streak should end this year.

While Paul Bearer hasn’t been in Undertaker’s corner at Wrestlemania since Wrestlemania XX, the fact he can’t be in the corner this year could be used to make Undertaker appear weaker than normal. Since it’s a pretty safe bet John Cena will avenge his loss to The Rock from last year and, even with the retirement stipulation, Triple H will most likely avenge his loss, having Taker fail to make CM Punk pay for his disrespecting Paul Bearer, would make Wrestlemania a tad bit more interesting. 

CM Punk doesn’t need to be the person to end the streak, yet it would give him something to brag about whenever he needs to get the crowd riled up. As much as I don’t think the streak should be broken, if there were any time to break it, that time would be now. I don’t know how many more matches Undertaker has left in him. I do know I’m tired of the streak and the sporadic appearances of the Undertaker. If CM Punk were to beat the Undertaker, I would imagine the crowd would go crazy and WWE would get one of the most vocal reactions from an audience that for all likely purposes could be in a frozen silence if the weather doesn’t get better in the next two weeks. Plus, Twitter and Tout would be burning up with reactions from fans at home.

The Undertaker’s matches at Wrestlemania have become stale. It’s time to shake it up and the best way to do that is to end the streak. I’m either crazy or a jaded fan but that’s how I see it. I know I’ll be sitting in the stands chanting, END..THE..STREAK (clap clap clap).  Who is with me?

Feuding Over Movies: Where's David Otunga?

David Otunga in "The Call"
Photo by WWE Studios

By Chad Smart

@chadsmart & @my123cents on Twitter

Based on events over the past couple of weeks, The Miz and Wade Barrett are feuding over which WWE Superstar is in the better movie or which one is the better actor. Or maybe they’re feuding over what is the better movie snack. For those that aren’t aware, The Miz is the lead actor in the latest WWE Films direct to DVD movie The Marine 3. Wade Barrett plays Henchman #4 in the theatrical release Dead Man Down starring Colin Farrell and Terrance Howard.  Neither man should really be crowning himself the next Dwayne Johnson based on these projects.

Wade Barrett & The Miz argue
Photo courtesy: WWE

I have not seen any of the Marine movies so I can’t really comment on The Miz’s performance. Though, I will say, bragging about being a star in a movie that may already be in the discount bin at Wal-Mart isn’t saying much.  I did see Dead Man Down and thought it was good, but too slow paced.  The big shocker though is that the newest addition to the WWE Films library is also one of their best. 

The Call, starring Halle Berry opened this past weekend and placed number 2 at the box office with an estimated $18 million. While the previews had me thinking this would be an uninspired paint by numbers action movie, it turned out to be a pretty tense thriller.  The bigger surprise was the actor playing the partner of the main cop, who knew David Otunga was a good actor? I initially didn’t recognize him because he wasn’t wearing a bowtie or holding a thermos of coffee.

Otunga serves as backup
Photo courtesy: WWE Studios

Now don’t start thinking Otunga stole the movie, as his role was only slightly bigger than Wade Barrett’s role in Dead Man Down. Even so, if there’s going to be a feud over who’s the better C-level actor in WWE today, then David Otunga should come out on RAW tonight and demand an Intercontinental title shot at Wrestlemania. 

There have been some feuds started over odd happenings (Edge/Booker T. fought over a Japanese shampoo commercial, Chris Jericho/Kane fought after Jericho spilled coffee on Kane) but I think feuding over who is the better actor in a movie few people know about and less people saw has to be up there with some of the flimsiest reasons to fight. 

Playing Second Fiddle

Secondary champions
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

With the world watching and waiting for Wrestlemania 29 to unfold, I think many fans have noticed the undercard is more than lacking at the moment.  As of this post, Wrestlemania is 24 days and right now there are only four matches.  The Rock vs. John Cena, Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger, The Undertaker vs. CM Punk, and Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H (we're still awaiting Triple H's official response, but I think we all know he's going to accept).  Rumor has it another match will be announced on SmackDown! and without giving it all away, I can tell you who ISN'T a part of it...

Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett,  United States champion Antonio Cesaro,  tag team champions Tell Hell No, and Divas champion Kaitlyn have yet to be announced for the biggest show of the year.  I'm disappointed by this, but not surprised.  Part of me wonders if they'll all even be a part of Wrestlemania this year.  Let's examine the past few years...

Epico, Primo, & Rosa
Photo courtesy: WWE

Wrestlemania 28:

The tag team titles were defended on the pre-show with Epico and Primo beating the Usos and Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel.

U.S. Champion Santino Marella at least made the show, but the title wasn't defended as he lead a losing team representing Teddy Long against a team representing John Laurinaitis.

The Divas title wasn't defended either, but champion Beth Phoenix was in a tag match with Eve against Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos.

The IC, WWE, and World heavyweight (18 seconds) titles were all defended on the show.

Bryan vs. Sheamus
Photo courtesy: WWE

Wrestlemania 27:

The pre-show match was the U.S. Title match that had been announced as happening on the show, but didn't.  Heck, it really didn't end up being a pre-show match either as Sheamus and Daniel Bryan brawled with the lumberjacks, setting up a battle royal that ended up being won by the Great Khali.

No Divas title match nor did the champion Eve wrestle on the show.  Instead it was Snooki and Trish Stratus (a celebrity and a retired Diva) getting the spotlight.

IC champion Wade Barrett and tag team champions Heath Slater (he held gold!) and Justin Gabriel were in an eight man tag match with Corre member Ezekiel Jackson against Santino, Kane, Big Show, and Kofi Kingston.

Drew McIntyre in MITB
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

Wrestlemania 26:

The Miz was the U.S. and tag team champion.  He and the Big Show beat John Morrison and R-Truth.  No U.S. title match though.

The IC champion was Drew McIntyre.  He wrestled in the Money in the Bank match that year.  I can kinda understand that, but I'm have an old school mentality, and would like to see my champions defending their titles on the biggest show of the year.

Maryse was the Divas champ and a part of the 10 Diva tag team match that took Vickie Guerrero to new heights.

You get the picture here.  I know the roster is bigger than it was in the early days of Wrestlemania.  The WWE has also put more focus on the Undertaker's streak and adding guest celebrities to matches than some of their secondary champions.  I understand their desire to get main stream media attention and continue building on the legacy of the Undertaker, but I really wish guys like Cesaro, Barrett, and Bryan would get a chance to shine too. If the Divas title gets defended at 29, it'll be the first time that title has been on the line since Wrestlemania 23.  I know it's early in the planning stages, and in just over three weeks, we'll know who will step on the biggest stage of them all.