Back Porch FanHouse

Ric Flair Travels Down Under to Put Hulk Hogan in His Place

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

It's 1986 up in here. Hulk Hogan is in Australia promoting Hulkamania (Saturday night in Melbourne ... tickets have to be still available) and during a Wednesday press conference things got out of control. (As out of control as one might expect at a press conference touting an event that involves people who fake fight for a living.)

In any event, Ric Flair, also apart of the spectacle, pimp-slapped Hogan as the two ironically "traded insults over women." And then things got, well, predictable. But there was plenty of blood to distract us from the banalities. Video proof after the jump.

Nothing like a pair of card-carrying AARPs putting on a play to drum up interest in more old-timers in tights pretending to slap-fighting.

Note to Australia: you know wrestling is fake, right? I'll just assume the news anchor doesn't really believe "things got out of control" since the presser-turned-bloodbath is straight out of the pro wrasslin' playbook.

Ric Flair Travels Down Under to Put Hulk Hogan in His Place originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wrestler 'The Miz' Wants to Make Eric Mangini Poop Himself

Adam Gretz — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling, NFL

I have to admit, I'm not much of a wrestling fan, so the only thing I know about the WWE performer who goes by "The Miz" is that he was a cast member on MTV's The Real World during its New York season, as well as various other "reality" shows. Apparently, he's also a Cleveland Browns fan and isn't all that excited about the job first-year head coach Eric Mangini is doing.

During a chat with ESPN.com's Jon Robinson earlier this week, The Miz decided to weigh in on the current situation in Cleveland, and as it turns out, everybody sucks, and he wants to forcefully make Mangini poop his pants.

How's that for a mental image?

From Robinson:

"A person I'd like to see and smack the s--- out of is Eric Mangini. That's what I'd like to do. He is doing absolutely horrific. He is horrible," says the longtime Browns fan. "Brady Quinn sucks. Derek Anderson sucks. But the reason why they suck is that their offensive line is not giving them time to throw the ball. I want to smack Eric Mangini so hard he poops himself. The Browns are the new Lions. It's horrific."

There's really not much else to add to that except, "wow." And I'm not sure which comment is more brutally honest: everybody sucks, or that the Browns are "the new Lions."

Wrestler 'The Miz' Wants to Make Eric Mangini Poop Himself originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shane McMahon's Greatest Hits

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

In a rather shocking announcement, Shane McMahon has resigned from World Wrestling Entertainment. The son of WWE chairman Vince McMahon, Shane, 39, says he wants to pursue ventures outside of WWE.

Along with all his work behind the scenes as Executive Vice President of Global Media, Shane also spent some time as an on-air character in WWE. We'll relive some of his greatest moments -- complete with video -- after the jump.

Since Shane was never the kind of sculpted comic-book character that pro wrestling seems to enjoy most of the time, he had to rely on his willingness to perform stunts to get himself over as a serious competitor.

His most famous stunt likely came at the Backlash pay-per-view in 2001. Shane was wrestling in a Last Man Standing match against Big Show, and he took to the top of the TitanTron to finish the job.

As part of a storyline feud with his father, Shane had wrestled that year at Wrestlemania. His match against Vince wasn't going to be pretty, since neither were ever formally trained as wrestlers.

Finally, Shane returned to the ring in 2009 to feud with then-WWE champion Randy Orton. His last televised match was this doozy against Orton.

Shane was criticized by some for the stunts he was willing to perform, but there is no denying that he knew how to entertain, and he was smart enough to keep himself off television for most of his time with the company.

Shane McMahon's Greatest Hits originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Captain Lou Albano Dies: Pro Wrestler, Manager, Actor Was 76

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:44:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Captain Lou Albano, the former professional wrestler whose WWF fame as a manager in the 1980s was surpassed by his crossover fame as a collaborator with Cyndi Lauper, has died. He was 76.

The New York Daily News reports:

He was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1996, paying tribute to Albano's management of 15 WWE tag team champions and WWE title holder Ivan Koloff.

The colorful and kooky Albano was dubbed "The Guiding Light" for his "management" work.

"One of the company's most popular and charismatic legends," the WWE said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed."

Born Louis Vincent Albano, Captain Lou grew up in New York and briefly went to Tennessee on a football scholarship before turning his attention full-time to wrestling. He and his tag team partner Tony Altimore were known as The Sicilians and at one point in the 1960s held the WWWF tag team championship, but he was more famous to wrestling fans as a manager of popular wrestlers including the tag team champion British Bulldogs.

He found his greatest fame outside the ring working with Lauper, including appearing as her father in the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video. He continued to work as an actor in the 1990s.

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Captain Lou Albano Dies: Pro Wrestler, Manager, Actor Was 76 originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Roethlisberger Appears on WWE RAW, Doesn't Get Sacked Once

Ryan Wilson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling, NFL

Sunday night's offensive explosion against the Chargers was just the warm-up act for the Steelers, it turns out. Because 24 hours later, Ben Roethlisberger and his offensive line were guest hosts on WWE's RAW. The footage has found its way onto YouTube and it's 10 delightful minutes of horrific acting, unintentional comedy, and unimaginable storylines (spoiler alert: Ben didn't get sacked once).

At one point, the short fella in the double-breasted suit (Jericho? Jon Gruden on the juice?) challenged Big Ben and his offensive line (a "gang of useless mesomorphs") to take on the Big Show. And that's when things got ... RAW (!).

Video after the jump.

Roethlisberger may not have the refined sensibilities of a Tom Brady or an Eli Manning, but give him this: he knows his audience. And Monday night it was an arena full of Steelers fans who still think wrasslin's is real.

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Stepping Into the Ring

On Monday night, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger exchanged barbs with The Big Show and Chris Jericho on WWE Raw. Big Ben is not the only sports star to make the crossover to pro wrestling, if only for a night. Click through to see other appearances in the ring by athletes.

Scott Boehm, Getty Images

Stepping Into the Ring

Scott Boehm, Getty Images

NBA legend Karl Malone showed off his amateur wrestling skills in World Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s, even going toe-to-toe with Hulk Hogan during a pay-per-view event in 1998.

Lenny Ignelzi, AP

Former NBA bad boy Dennis "The Worm" Rodman was no stranger to taking bumps in WCW as well. Rodman teamed up with Hogan and the "nWo" and fought such stars as the late Curt Hennig in 2000.

Scott Barbour, Getty Images

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, right, served as a "special enforcer" during Wrestlemania XIV for a title match between Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Winslow Townson, AP

Former welterweight boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., left, collected a $20 million payday when he stepped into the ring against Big Show at WrestleMania XXIV.

Jesse Grant, WireImage

Former NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones made his pro wrestling debut for TNA in 2007, but the Tennessee Titans would not allow him to touch anyone or be touched in the pay-per-view event.

John Raoux, AP

Kurt Angle, a gold medalist in the 1996 Olympics, parlayed a successful amateur wrestling career into a lucrative professional wrestling career when he joined WWE in 1999. He now works for TNA Wrestling.

K. Mazur, WireImage

Ben Roethlisberger Appears on WWE RAW, Doesn't Get Sacked Once originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Tomlin Offers 'No Comment' on News That Big Ben Will Host WWE Raw

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling, NFL

The Steelers are 1-2, without Troy Polamalu, and face a huge test against the Chargers on Sunday night. The biggest story line heading into the weekend? Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' offensive line headlining a WWE Raw (!) event Monday night.

Evidently, there are concerns that Big Ben and his five fat friends aren't taking their day jobs seriously. Because everyone knows that true professionals think about football every waking moment.

In any event, left tackle Max Starks isn't worried. Via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

"It is just like saying that television is a distraction. It is on a Monday evening, six days away from a game. We have an off day the next day. I don't see how that is considered a distraction. ... For us, we are regular guys just like everybody else. If people go out on the weekends, is that a distraction from your work Monday through Friday? I don't think so."

And that's pretty much my take. If these guys want to kick it at a wrasslin' match, knock yourselves out. There are worse ways to spend your time away from football.

Also worth mentioning: head coach Mike Tomlin sounded like he didn't know about Big Ben's plans before the media brought it up, but would only offer a "no comment." Thankfully, left guard Chris Kemoeatu served as the voice of reason (which is like Limas Sweed leading a seminar on How to Make Catching Touchdown Passes Look Easy!): "It is our day off ... so, I don't know, did we have to clear it with Coach? I guess if he tells us otherwise. On your day off, you want to get your mind off football and there is stuff like this we can do."

Mike Tomlin Offers 'No Comment' on News That Big Ben Will Host WWE Raw originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Only Thing Better Than Ric Flair Lotto Tix? Voicemail to Gamecock's AD

Will Brinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Ric Flair is one of those celebrities who won't go away. I'm cool with that -- I enjoy his presence at Panthers games on the Jumbotron and I freaking LOVE his lottery tickets (when you purchase one, the little register screen says, "WOOOOOO!" which is just beyond awesome). Know what I love more than that though? The voicemail he left on the South Carolina athletic director's answering machine before the Ole Miss game last Thursday.

It's basically the most awesome thing of all time. (Hear it after the jump.)

via Deadspin

Only Thing Better Than Ric Flair Lotto Tix? Voicemail to Gamecock's AD originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Roethlisberger to Host WWE Raw

Will Brinson — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling, NFL

If you, like me, think that Ben Roethlisberger is the perfect athlete to host WWE Raw, then it's time to back a whole truckload of justification up to the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and dump it on the classy Steelers fans who will be streaming in to watch fake wrestling next Monday.

Because, yup, Roethlisberger is indeed the guest host of Raw (via Camel Clutch).

And he's not coming alone. Roethlisberger, the youngest Super Bowl winning quarterback in NFL history, will be bringing protection in the form of his Steelers' offensive line teammates to Wilkes-Barre.

"Big Ben" joins the prestigious list of past Raw celebrity guest hosts, including Olympic gold medalist Shaquille O'Neal, Emmy-winning actor Jeremy Piven and television legend Bob Barker.

How, um, prestigious.

(Aside No. 1: Here's where I won't get into the whole thing about insulting Shaq or mentioning that Piven is more famous as Ari Gold than he is as himself, because that means I have to take a shot at Bob Barker, and if there's one thing I won't do, it's rip the Price Is Right. Unless that skinny fella Drew Carey is running it; then it's totally fine to make fun of it.

Aside: No. 2: If the WWE really wants to make waves with their "celebrity" wrestlers, they should just pay now-notorious coach-punchers Tom Cable and Mike Locksley big bucks to fight each other. I'd watch that.)

Anyway, you should know the drill by now: Roethlisberger will come strolling out with his offensive line after being introduced by some dude YELLING INTO THE MIC. At some point after that, four or five wrestlers will scream something about "Even the BROWNS are tougher than these losers!"

That will, of course, elicit boos and swear words from the what-passes-for-white-collar Pennsylvania crowd. Then Ben & Co. will get into a fake fight with the wrestlers, with him nearly being "finished" before some steroid-face decides to leap off the turnbuckle. Roethlisberger, predictably, will roll out of the way and then pin the gentleman on the mat as the crowd cheers wildly.

The following day, SportsCenter will air this clip 5,000 times. Should be fun.

Ben Roethlisberger to Host WWE Raw originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linda McMahon's Campaign Ad Mentions 'Company,' Leaves Off Part About WWE

Ryan Wilson — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Last week, Linda McMahon, WWE CEO and wife to Vince, formally announced that she would enter the Connecticut Senate race. One of the biggest obstacles she'll face in a crowded Republican field will be her 30-year association with professional wrestling, especially, as The Fix's Chris Cillizza wrote at the time, "...the sort purveyed by Linda's husband Vince -- is heavy on lewd storylines and the constant whispers of steroid abuse"

So how do you run for national office while tiptoeing around how you spent the previous three decades of your professional life? Glad you asked. (Via Hugging Harold Reynolds):

That's right, you just talk up the fact that you started a business, point out that it's now publicly traded, and throw in the part about said business creating jobs in Connecticut. Oh, and you don't actually mention the name of the company.

Linda McMahon's Campaign Ad Mentions 'Company,' Leaves Off Part About WWE originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWE CEO Linda McMahon to Run for Senate in CT

Ryan Wilson — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Vince McMahon's official title is Chairman of the Board of World Wrestling Entertainment. And his wife, Linda, is currently WWE's CEO. But she's got her sights set on something more than overseeing an operation that has made millions on the backs of a bunch of sweaty dudes running around in their underpants.

Via The Fix, Mrs. McMahon, Republican, "will formally enter the Connecticut Senate race today, adding a celebrity element to a contest that promises to be among the most competitive in the country."

According to remarks she will make later today, MacMahon thinks "Washington is out of control, and sadly, Senator Chris Dodd has lost his way and our trust." Not particularly original -- it's the same excuse just about every other politician running for national office has used at some point in their career -- but you can't just come out and say, "Hey, look, I know I'm smarter than Ventura, Schwarzenegger and Franken so let's drop the act and just put me in office."

For now, though, McMahon will have to navigate a minefield of issues as she makes the case for her candidacy. The Fix's Chris Cillizza points out that, "professional wrestling -- particularly the sort purveyed by Linda's husband Vince -- is heavy on lewd storylines and the constant whispers of steroid abuse."

While Linda McMahon has stayed almost entirely behind the scenes -- the Fix is a longtime devotee of the squared circle so trust us on this one -- she will [still] have to answer for some of the more questionable actions of the company she heads.

McMahon is clearly aware of the sense that her candidacy is a publicity stunt and, perhaps to counteract those concerns, she has brought in a top notch consulting team to guide her bid.

No idea why anybody would think this is a publicity stunt. None.

WWE CEO Linda McMahon to Run for Senate in CT originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWE's Jeff Hardy Arrested, Jailed on Drug Charges

Ryan Wilson — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: PEDs, Pro Wrestling, Twitter

WWE's Jeff Hardy was arrested and jailed in North Carolina on Friday after authorities searched his home and found enough drugs to start a small pharmacy. Via ProWrestling.net, police "discovered 262 Vicodin pills, 180 Soma pills, 555 milliliters of anabolic steroids, and a residual amount of powder cocaine and items of drug paraphernalia."

Apparently, you just can't just stockpile this stuff in your industrial-sized medicine cabinet with the intent to start your own business. Even if you own one of those white lab coats.

The WWE star is facing "two counts of felony possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule three controlled substance, felony maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance, felony possession of cocaine, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia."

Hardy's brother posted his bail -- allegedly $125,000 -- which, as PWTorch.com's James Caldwell writes, "... doesn't seem like a very smart investment" for "an estimated $2,500 worth of drugs." No, no it doesn't.

For his part, Hardy tweets that the news of his arrest has been blown out of proportion. "A lot of exaggerations are out there today, don't believe everything you read 4 it is not true, I am at home and fine-thanks for your concern."

WWE's Jeff Hardy Arrested, Jailed on Drug Charges originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cody Rhodes No Chip Off the Old Block

Tom Herrera — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video Games, Pro Wrestling, FanHouse Exclusive

On the surface, WWE's Cody Rhodes doesn't remind you of his father, the legendary Dusty Rhodes, and that's a good thing. With interests ranging from video games to superheroes, Cody seems to connect with a young generation of viewers, not just the tradition or "Legacy" in which he follows.

FanHouse recently spoke with the 24-year-old about THQ's WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 game, the honor of wrestling at SummerSlam, and his in-depth thoughts on the professional wrestling industry. Read our complete interview after the jump.

I wanted to ask you an offbeat question to start, because being a huge video game fan I found it fascinating that you actually have a Triforce from The Legend of Zelda on your boot?
Cody Rhodes: The Triforce, man, yeah! I tell people all the time, I was part of The Wizard generation, I love video games. When I was younger, instead of reading books I played video games and one of the things I genuinely thought I could apply towards my life was the meaning of the Triforce -- the power, courage, and wisdom -- so I slapped it on my boots.

Speaking of video games, I wanted to get your take on WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010. What are you looking forward to the most?
I know the game is taking a page out of Madden's book, in terms of going for a hyper-realism. And the gameplay itself might slow down, but the realism and graphics and the collision detection, they're trying to improve it greatly. The game is a real, real fun game, but it hasn't always been a pick-up game. I think this year might be the first time that it's easier to pick up and play, and it's for the casual fan as well.

I heard there's this new paint tool in the game so you can create logos and tattoos for the characters. Would you give yourself a Triforce tattoo? What kind of tattoo do you think Shawn Michaels and Triple H should get?
Well, you know what, I absolutely would give myself a Triforce tattoo if I had the opportunity. Shawn Michaels has that questionable heart on his arm with the sword and all that. If we're going with game references and I'm putting a Triforce on my body, I think maybe a Kirby would be a good fit for them. Shawn could have Kirby on the other arm.

(laughing) That works. You'll also be able to share content like story lines in this year's version. Do you play any fans online generally? And what's the weirdest thing a fan has ever sent or gave you?
On Xbox Live I have an ambiguous gamer tag like anyone else, so no one really knows they're playing me usually. And that's probably a good thing, because I'm a pretty ruthless trash-talker online and my game never follows, ever. I'm never as good as I say I am, in Halo, Madden, especially Madden it's miserable. I'm OK at Fight Night Round 4, I'm picking that one up. I had the chance the other day to redeem my THQ challenge from this past WrestleMania and punked out Kofi Kingston with Mike Tyson, so I feel a little better.

I have to admit I was a little jealous when I found out that you actually have the original X-Men arcade game in your garage? I pumped a lot of quarters into that one back in the day.
(laughing) Yeah man, it's in my garage! It's the original, original. It's all six players. It's unreal. The problem is though, it will stay in my garage, because it is too big to get in the house.

That and WrestleFest were definitely the two best arcade games. So when you're playing wrestling games, who is your favorite character to use other than yourself?
I enjoyed playing as my father on the recent Legends of WrestleMania game, that was unique. I like playing as some of these unsung heroes. I played as Rick Rude a lot in the Legends game, guys like that.

You know, when I think back to wrestlers like Rick Rude, Ultimate Warrior and a lot of the old WWE personalities, they seem straight out of a comic book. Being a big comic book fan yourself, do you think that kind of cartoonish character could get over with fans today?
The WWE universe is very fluid. Once you think you know what they like, they like something else, or they dislike something else. In my opinion, I don't think so. Since the rise of Steve Austin and since a character like John Cena came across, I think wrestling and sports entertainment go in these circles where fans want a little more grit. A little more reality. I actually laughed out loud this week when I looked at a picture of Warrior, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. I loved it, but today I think they'd be perhaps laughed out of an arena just because fans are looking for more of a -- and they always are -- but more of an emotional connection with the different superstars, you know?

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Latest WWE Photos

In this image released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, WWE wrester and actor John Cena gestures while attending a Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Dodgers, Juan Ocampo) ** NO SALES **

Los Angeles Dodgers

Snapshots of WWE Stars

In this image released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, WWE wrester and actor John Cena throws out the ceremonial first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Dodgers, Juan Ocampo) ** NO SALES **

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 20: WWE Superstar John Cena throws the ceremonial first pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they play the Chicago Cubs on August 20, 2009 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images)

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LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 20: WWE Superstar John Cena reacts after throwing the ceremonial first pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they play the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Cena

Getty Images

LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 20: WWE Superstar John Cena throws out the first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Cena

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LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 20: WWE Superstar John Cena smiles after throwing out the first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Cena

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LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 20: WWE Superstar John Cena smiles before throwing out the first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Cena

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Yeah, I completely see that. Another one of the differences is I think the heels (aka bad guys) appeared to be bolder types in the '80s and '90s, with fans truly hating these guys. When I spoke to Honky Tonk Man, he said that nobody wants to be a real bad guy anymore. Do you think that's true these days?
It's tough when you classify, but Honky Tonk Man knows what he's talking about. A lot of guys, it's not that they don't wanna be bad or edgy, but there are just a lot of guys who want to be the next Rock. They want to be the next John Cena. And when you attempt to be the next anything, you're going to fall flat on your face. When we walk into an arena, if the fans boo us out of the building, and the fans go ballistic when John Cena gives us an attitude adjustment, or when Triple H tries to give one of us the Pedigree, that's what the experience is about. It's about putting smiles on the fans' faces. In my case, and I can speak for Ted (DiBiase) and Randy (Orton) in this instance, we are three guys who are pretty rough around the edges and genuinely don't mind being bad guys.

You have such a great heritage rooted in wrestling, with your father Dusty and your brother Dustin, and you're even the nephew of Jerry Sags formerly of The Nasty Boys. Is it harder to break out of the mold because of that?
It can be ... You walk in the door and there's a bull's-eye slapped on your back. There's the, of course, readied statement that he or she is only here because of he or she. That's why I get along with Ted DiBiase, because right when we walked in that was just motivating. It wasn't a burden, it was motivation. It was, hey, well there's no shame in saying I wanna be better than "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, and in his case, I wanna be better than "The Million Dollar Man." That's why I think we've gotten this far. Now we're gonna have the opportunity to wrestle D-Generation X at SummerSlam and we're gonna tear the house down. And that opportunity has been given to us because we didn't want to be juniors. I can remember Ted DiBiase's first day. He came in and they announced him as Ted DiBiase, Jr., and he said "No thank you, I'm Ted DiBiase." I was sold on him then.

You mentioned teaming with DiBiase against, I guess what is this, the fourth incarnation of D-X at SummerSlam? Do you think the outcome will be any different now that the playing field is level and Triple H has a partner?
This is my take on D-Generation X. The shtick is as funny as ever. These videos we see backstage, the things they did with the McMahon family the last time, those things are as funny as can be to me. But these two are aging superstars, and they are the tops in their field, but nobody lasts forever. I think the outcome will be different than it has been in the past. We would like to be on the top of the business, and we're willing to do the legwork to be on the top of the business. Their jokes are just as funny, but I'm not sure they can hang in the ring with The Legacy.

I think the age difference between Shawn Michaels and you is almost like two decades. That's pretty unreal, no?
(laughing) All I can say is this: I very much am looking forward to wrestling with Shawn Michaels, whether he likes it or not, because Shawn Michaels was my favorite wrestler growing up. My poor old dad had to hear that countless times. In the ring, to be billed on the same card as him, I could go nuts and be a fan over it, but I'm gonna approach it as a competitor in the game that I'm in.

When do you see a wrestler like Michaels or Triple H retiring? Has it changed these days, where guys have to start thinking about how long they can really do this before their bodies start to break down?
Well, Triple H is just a model of how to take care of yourself. Everything from his diet to his passion for bodybuilding, his lifestyle is the model. Other professional wrestlers in the past may not have taken appropriate care of themselves. That's what is kind of scary about Triple H, and in some respects, Shawn Michaels, even with the injuries he's sustained in his career. Those guys aren't going away until somebody says, "I wanna have your spot." So I don't see it happening anytime soon.

How does it feel to be a part of SummerSlam -- one of the storied, original four WWE pay-per-views?
Ahh, I get angry when young talent doesn't realize how big of a deal that is. When I grew up, SummerSlam 1992, I must've gone to a Blockbuster every week and rented that, and re-rented it. Now I'm on SummerSlam wrestling two guys who have been on countless of the big four shows. You can get as excited or giddy about the match as you want, but all they are for me and for most of the superstars, is they're an opportunity. They're the chance to submit -- and no pun intended -- your legacy ... to say this is what I was capable of on that night.

You rose quickly from your Ohio Valley Wrestling roots to WWE stardom. You were a tag-team champ just months after a TV debut. What or who do you credit the most for that rise?
You mention I rose very quickly from OVW to the Monday Night Raw show, and I'll be the first to state it -- I rose too quickly. In the past year, I've made so many improvements from my physique to my in-ring ability, and sought out the best -- from a strength trainer to some of the best in-ring technicians to teach me. Initially, I didn't have all those tools. I just had the want. I guess if I had to credit somebody, oddly enough, I would credit Vince McMahon. He saw something in me and I won't let him down.

When do you see yourself breaking off the tag-team circuit and establishing yourself as a solo star?
I always get told this from my father, and as much as I don't want him to be, he is right about this ... when it's time. One thing we have been very fortunate of, is we have not been rushed. We have been allowed to grow, and that's a real treat. I know that Ted has ambitions to be a singles superstar and I have ambitions myself. I would say that, perhaps in the year 2010 you might see, not so much a split of The Legacy, but different paths being taken.

Many claim there hasn't been kind of a breakout solo star in a while. Do you think it's tougher to establish stars today? And not naming yourself, who can make that jump in your opinion?
I personally think that when people say stuff like that, when people say there hasn't been a breakout, I ask them if they saw the last breakout coming. Did anyone foresee "Stone Cold" Steve Austin? Did anyone see John Cena coming? If anyone tells you yes, then they're lying to you. Monday Night Raw is like a varsity team. And it's filled with freshmen. Very talented, very young, but it's something the fans are now getting to grow with. It's a cool experience. I can remember watching Michaels go from tag to Intercontinental Champion to taking the longest run possible to the WWE championship. I think it might be a while till somebody becomes that breakout star, but I know that you have a lot of hopefuls. You have a United States Champion who's more talented than most in Kofi Kingston. You have a legit All-American in Jack Swagger. You have a guy who can do things that Cirque du Soleil can't do with wires and walls in Evan Bourne. And you have me and Ted DiBiase, who will spend our dying breath on trying to make sure that we're remembered for something else than being the sons of "The Million Dollar Man" and "The American Dream."

Final question. I read you're a big T.O. fan, but have been committed to the Cowboys. Are you sticking with the Cowboys now that T.O.'s moved on? And give me your Super Bowl pick for this season.
Here's the issue. My sister was a cheerleader for the Cowboys for two seasons. It was her life ambition and she now sits at home and watches that CMT show, and we're still die-hard Cowboys fans. But I have to support who I think is the best player, and just most entertaining player in the NFL, so I have to support Terrell Owens. If I'm giving you my Super Bowl pick ... it's gonna be the Buffalo Bills.

(laughing) Nice.
Yeah, I gotta support him.

Cody Rhodes No Chip Off the Old Block originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kurt Angle Arrested for Harassment, Possession of HGH

Matt Snyder — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Kurt Angle, a professional wrestler for Total Nonstop Action, has been arrested in Moon, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Pittsburgh) on charges of violating a protection from abuse order, possession of human growth hormone and harassment.

According to the police report, Angle -- who was driving his Cadillac despite already being under DUI suspension -- was allegedly stalking his girlfriend after having already been served with a protection from abuse order (henceforth PFA). To further cloud matters, Angle also had possession of Hygetropin, an illegal human growth hormone, and a capped syringe.

Angle was taken under arrest for these alleged crimes, though he told the police on the scene he had a legal prescription for the HGH. He also claimed he knew about the PFA order and was not following his girlfriend.

According to several wrestling sources, the victim in this case is Rhaka Khan, a female wrestler, also with TNA.

In the police report, the victim alleges she was using the Internet at a Moon-area Starbucks, for fear she wasn't safe from Angle using her own computer at home, and she saw Angle circling the parking lot and staring her down. She then said she hurried off to a new location and noticed she was followed by Angle. She also noted that she could see Angle "accessing her cell phone" and she feared he was deleting evidence of past abuse.

Angle told the arresting officers that he was simply looking for a hotel room in the area, and he voluntarily offered that he was in possession of the victim's cell phone.

Angle, 40, is one of professional wrestling's biggest stars. He came from an amateur wrestling background, after winning a gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was a national championship wrestler in the NCAA before that.

After the Olympics, he initially signed with the WWE (WWF, at the time) and catapulted to main event status in a meteoric rise. Eventually, his relationship soured with WWE's front office, as Angle had severe injury issues, which lead to some problems with painkillers. He was ordered by WWE officials to first slow it down and then to shut himself down due to concerns about his health. This caused a chain reaction which led to a bad breakup between Angle and the WWE, and he immediately joined TNA.

Interestingly enough, there is behind-the-scenes talk of internal strife -- in the form of a power struggle -- at TNA, revolving around Angle and Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett is also a former WWE star who is one of the founders of TNA. Reportedly, Karen Angle -- Kurt's ex-wife -- has moved in with Jarrett, who lost his wife to cancer a few years back. Considering Angle was still headlining events, though, he seemed to have the upper hand in the power struggle. Now, he's been arrested and appears to be coming unglued.

Angle is set to defend his TNA championship against Matt Morgan and Sting on a pay-per-view, coincidentally named Hard Justice. The event is scheduled for Sunday night. No decision has been made yet from TNA regarding what they'll do about Angle's inclusion or exclusion.

If things do continue to go badly for him and his relationship with TNA, there may not be anywhere else to turn. It's unlikely Vince McMahon would take Angle back in WWE after the ugly separation, especially now with the HGH arrest, considering the WWE is still trying to rid itself from performance-enhancing drug discussions and accusations in the wake of so many untimely deaths (Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, etc.). Angle is likely too old and broken down to get into any form of MMA fighting. Thus, his career in the spotlight can probably only remain if he's allowed to stay with TNA.

Unfortunately, it appears things are currently on a crash course to ending badly in the public eye for Angle, who had previously been considered wrestling's "real deal."

UPDATE: Angle remained in the main event of TNA's PPV on Sunday night and defeated Sting and Matt Morgan to retain his championship belt.

Kurt Angle Arrested for Harassment, Possession of HGH originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Do You Become a Pro Wrestler? Go To Wrestling School

Elie Seckbach — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:50:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded Correspondent, brings his exclusive video reporting to FanHouse. Check back regularly for more videos.

MMA bad boy Brock Lesnar used to compete in the WWE, and, while most people would never consider a pro wrestler a top-notch fighter, Lesnar is proving otherwise. In this video we visit Slam City, a pro wresting school located in Van Nuys California. It's just one of 20 pro wrestling schools in the nation. The owners of the Slam City show us what it takes to be a pro wrestler.

Check out the video after the jump.

How Do You Become a Pro Wrestler? Go To Wrestling School originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Blair, Former WWF Killer Bee, Beats Up Sons on Father's Day

Michael David Smith — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Brian Blair, a retired professional wrestler best known as a member of the Killer Bees tag team during the World Wrestling Federation's 1980s heyday, was arrested on Father's Day and charged with punching his sons.

Blair, who dabbled in politics after retiring from wrestling and is a former Hillsborough County Commissioner, was charged with two felony counts of child abuse after he punched his two sons, according to a report posted at NBCMiami.com.

The report cites sheriff's deputies as saying that Blair pushed, grabbed and punched his 17-year-old son, then grabbed his younger son (who is listed in some places as 12 years old and other places as 13) around the throat and punched him in the head.

Blair got his start in pro wrestling in small-time promotions in Florida, then hit the big-time as one half of the Killer Bees in the WWF. Along with tag-team partner Jumpin' Jim Brunzell, Blair's Killer Bees feuded with the likes of the Hart Foundation and the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.

Blair, a conservative Republican who stresses the importance of family values, won a seat on the Hillsborough Conty Commission in 2004 but was defeated in his re-election bid in 2008. His attorney told the Tampa Tribune that despite the unpleasant Father's Day, Blair's wife and sons are "doing great."

Brian Blair, Former WWF Killer Bee, Beats Up Sons on Father's Day originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese Pro Wrestling Legend Mitsuharu Misawa Dies During Match

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

The world of professional wrestling has been through too many untimely deaths in recent years, but Saturday was a rare tragedy in the business.

In Japan, well-known wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa was taking part in a tag team match at an event in Hiroshima. Misawa took a suplex during the match, and he never got off the mat. Misawa was just a few days shy of his 47th birthday.

Details are still a bit sketchy, but the Pro Wrestling Torch offers up some details on what happened.

The pronouncement was less than two hours after he appeared to go unconscious in the ring during a tag team match, but he may have died in the ring and further attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Misawa was involved in a tag team title match with Go Shiozaki against GHC tag team champions Bison Smith & Akitoshi Saito.

Saito gave Misawa a back suplex that appeared to knock Misawa unconscious. He then stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Misawa may not have been well-known to fans in the United States, but many of today's pro wrestlers knew of him, and some have already expressed their shock over Misawa's sudden death.

UPDATE: Zach Arnold has a bit more on what happened.

Misawa, tagging with Go Shiozaki (considered NOAH's big prodigy), faced Bison Smith & Akitoshi Saito (the GHC tag team champions). Saito gave Misawa a back-drop suplex and Misawa suffered a heart attack in the ring. Medical assistance was given in the form of using a defibrillator, but sadly Misawa was pronounced dead while being transported to the hospital at 10:10 PM JST Saturday night. He was 46 years old. When being transported to Hiroshima University hospital, he was unconscious the entire time. This Nippon TV video report contains more on the story. This report says that an employee told police that it was about 10 minutes after the incident that an ambulance was able to provide medical help. The fans at ringside after the back drop started chanting "Misawa! Misawa!" and continued to do so when the ambulance took him away from the building.

Sankei Sports has a report telling about the final moments of Misawa's life as he died in the ring and staff members were looking for any doctors in the crowd to help out after the trainer couldn't revive Misawa. A 35-year old man at ringside was quoted by the newspaper as saying that Misawa seemed 'lifeless' in the match before the back-drop spot. The referee (Nishinaga, who is also the PR director for the company) reportedly asked Misawa, "Can you move?" and Misawa said he couldn't... and died.

The match happened before an estimated 2,300 fans.

Japanese Pro Wrestling Legend Mitsuharu Misawa Dies During Match originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Sat, 13 Jun 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWE: Randy Orton Does Not Really Want to Head Butt a Mexican Interviewer

Michael David Smith — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

In the old days of professional wrestling, the WWF and other promoters were so adamant that their product was real that when John Stossel dared to ask whether it was fake, he got slapped -- for real. But the pro wrestling industry has changed enough that now the WWE admits it's all staged -- and when a wrestler like Randy Orton freaks out on a reporter, the WWE is quick to say that it was all an act, too.

A WWE spokesman told The Sun that Orton and the Mexican reporter he confronted planned the whole thing:

Orton's threatening behaviour towards a Mexican TV host was a set-up planned beforehand, according to the WWE.

A spokesman for the company confirmed to SunSport that the WWE champion was only pretending to go berserk, after the interviewer accused him of being "fragile".

Known in the wrestling industry as a 'work', the incident was part of a way to promote Orton's unstable bad guy character.

Here's the video of Orton's act:

WWE: Randy Orton Does Not Really Want to Head Butt a Mexican Interviewer originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWE's Randy Orton: 'I Will Head Butt Your Teeth Through Your Skull'

Michael David Smith — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:13:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

WWE star Randy Orton was in a bad mood when he appeared on a Mexican TV show, and his mood got considerably worse when the interviewer asked him if his multiple injuries were a sign that he's "fragile."

"Listen to me," Orton told the interviewer. "You want to talk s**t to me on your own show here, make you look cool? You want to look cool? Say it to my face."

Of course, the interviewer had said it to Orton's face, but at this point, Orton -- who has had altercations with fans in the past -- was on a roll.

"Say it again!" he screamed. "I dare you to say it again! Call me fragile. I will head butt your teeth through your skull! Do you hear me?"

Now, this is pro wrestling, of course, so there's a chance that the whole thing was a set-up. If it was, Orton is an awfully good actor.

Via Deadspin and the Baltimore Sun.

WWE's Randy Orton: 'I Will Head Butt Your Teeth Through Your Skull' originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Wrestler Larry Zbyszko Uses Specter of Steroid Deaths in Supplement Ad

Michael David Smith — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:34:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Retired wrestling stars often speak openly about the use of steroids in professional wrestling, but I've never seen anything quite like this new commercial that former wrestler Larry Zbyszko has made. In the ad, which is for a muscle-building supplement, Zbyszko stands in a graveyard while urging viewers to purchase the supplement instead of using steroids, lest they end up dead.

"My name is Larry Zbyszko," the ad begins, "and for way too long, I've seen a lot of fellow athletes and friends, guys who should have ended up in a hall of fame, wind up here instead -- thanks to years of steroid abuse."

With that, the camera pulls back, and we see that there are tombstones behind Zbyszko. And then Zbyszko gets into his sales pitch.

"You don't need steroids anymore," Zbyszko says. "Morphoplex Massive. It's going to make you bigger, stronger, healthier. You're going to have size, you're going to have endurance and you're going to have power. Morphoplex Massive."

The commercial is so weird on so many levels, but apparently Zbyszko and the folks at Morphoplex think there are a lot of steroid users out there who need the specter of a graveyard to scare them into a safer alternative. I just think it's creepy.

Ex-Wrestler Larry Zbyszko Uses Specter of Steroid Deaths in Supplement Ad originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Mon, 25 May 2009 14:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Benoit's Doctor Sentenced to 10 Years

Matt Snyder — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pro Wrestling

Back in 2007, WWE superstar Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son before taking his own life. In the aftermath, many have blamed excessive steroid abuse by Benoit as having an integral role, despite the fact that it couldn't really be proven that was the cause.

Regardless, the fact that Benoit's Doctor had prescribed him and many others illegal steroids has landed said Doctor in hot water. That's putting it mildly, actually. Dr. Phil Astin, 54, pleaded guilty to 175 counts -- including distribution of illegal drugs to his clients. In return, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

U.S. District Judge Jack Camp said there was no doubt the 54-year-old Astin tried to help hundreds of patients at his western Georgia clinic. But the judge said he could not overlook the fact that at least two patients died as a result of Astin's misconduct.

Thank you, Judge Camp.

Putting Astin behind bars can't bring back those who have suffered because of the Doctor's nefarious activities, but it can protect others from his future misconduct or from Doctors who may have considered it and will now be deterred by this conviction.

All too often professional wrestlers have died premature deaths, and bringing down anyone who had a hand in it is a worthwhile venture. This one in particular stung the wrestling community, as Benoit took two innocent people with him -- including a child. The conviction of this Doctor seems to take the WWE off the hook in this particular case, at least a tad bit, but they should still be more vigorous in testing their employees. Vince McMahon has complained of being held to more scrutiny than the NFL or MLB, for example, in the past, but those leagues don't exactly have the premature death list the WWE does.

Benoit's Doctor Sentenced to 10 Years originally appeared on Back Porch FanHouse on Tue, 12 May 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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