My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 123: WrestleMania Preview

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 123: WrestleMania Preview [ 48:34 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (816)

Since 2006, Kevin and Chad have made the trek to WrestleMania, except WrestleManias 23, 31 and now 33. The two discuss this year’s card in depth in this week’s episode, which happens to be 123. Disclaimer: Kevin originally tried booking Sean Waltman “The 1-2-3- Kid” on the show, but came up short.

Are you excited about this year’s WrestleMania? What will be the match of the night? Should Goldberg be going in as Universal Champion? And will the Broken Hardys show up anywhere over WrestleMania week(end)?

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@ManiaCrawl (Twitter & Instagram)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)
@itomharness (Twitter & Instagram)
@25thHourRadio

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 29: Cookies, Bacon, and Baseball

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 29: Cookies, Bacon, and Baseball [ 43:04 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1053)

The great debate ensues this week – what’s better? Homemade cookies or cookies from the bakery?

Also, bacon is just fine in brownies (and pants aren’t necessary, Salt).

Nebraska football, basketball, and baseball are all *close* – close to being those teams that the fans want them to be. The baseball team just beat Cal Poly on Saturday in a double header. Spring practice is set to resume this week, and the upcoming Red/White Game in a couple weeks could bring with it twenty or so four- and five-star recruits to Lincoln.

But what would put Darin Erstad on the hot seat, or possibly get him out of Lincoln (which we hope doesn’t happen), and who’s on the short list of names to replace him, should that come to pass. Plus, who’s standing out this Spring on the gridiron?

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
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The Corn Nation Twitter
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The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko 

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 25: Hold ‘Em or Fold ‘Em

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“Listen, here’s the thing. If you can’t spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker.”

Those are the first words in the 1998 movie Rounders. Now unless you play cards or really love young Matt Damon, my guess is you probably haven’t seen it. It’s actually a who’s who of late 90’s actors. Damon, Edward Norton, John Malkovich, John Turturro, Famke Janssen, and more.

Rounders is about a bright college guy who has earned a good amount of money by playing cards. See, he’s a gambler. And he knows when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. But when his friend (Norton’s Worm) is in deep with loan sharks, Mike McDermott comes out of retirement to go after the big payday that he hopes will save his buddy.

You get one of the all-time great lines from Malkovich, who is a Russian poker great and likely criminal known as Teddy KGB. Spoiler alert, at the end, Damon’s character wins, and they have only one choice.

It’s hilarious because it’s not a good Russian accent. But it will forever live in Hollywood lore.

That you don’t see in this clip is that the card on the river is the same card in 2006’s Casino Royale, the ace of spades. Now I admit that I watched some Bond movies before Daniel Craig took on the lead role, but Casino Royale was the first Bond movie I ever owned, and is probably my favorite. I think I can credit the Texas Hold ‘Em tie-in for that.

I love playing Texas Hold ‘Em. I don’t say that to mean you’ll see me on the World Series of Poker or anything. I mean, I’m not good. But I enjoy it. I enjoy the camaraderie of sitting at the table, usually with friends, and having laughs over some cards and usually beer.

I remember the first time I played Hold ‘Em. I was in Colorado Springs visiting my friends Joe and Danielle. We were hanging out at the bar they frequented with people they’d known for some time. We sat down and started a game, and in said game, I eventually was dealt pocket rockets. Talk about poker face – I’m sure I was damn-near sweating trying to contain my excitement. Turns out that of the five cards dealt on the table, the other two aces were up. BAM! Four of a kind. It was amazing.

A couple years later, the Jaycees organization of which I was a member had a little poker tournament. I eliminated my friends Dan and Kevin in a short amount of time by being, let me see if I remember it correctly…”a river-catching m@!#&% f@!#&%.”

I went to a casino once for a friend’s bachelor party and decided I was going to go sit in with the regulars in the Texas Hold ‘Em room. What I didn’t know until I got there was that it was a $60 buy-in and they weren’t as nice as the guys I played cards with regularly. I ended up losing all my money, but I won one hand, and did so with a full house.

The bulk of my card playing came from the guys in The Cellar on Friday nights. We’d get two games in each week, at $5 a game. Kick in a quarter each game for the straight flush fund (a couple guys would cash in big on that), and $5 all-you-can-drink from the keg, and you had a good, cheap night of entertainment with a good bunch of guys. I even managed to win a few times there.

So now I want to watch Rounders. But mostly, I want to play some cards. I’ll start with the boy. When he’s old enough, I’ll teach him War. That was a fun game. A lot better than that Go Fish nonsense.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 24: With Anticipation

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Hype! Hype! Hype! If media was a professional wrestler, it’d be one half of the Hype Bros.

The crazy one.

But dammit, I’m so excited to get home tonight and watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. 

I saw it opening weekend (the Saturday showing) with my buddy RJ, and then we had a little conversation about it for the podcast. But if you recall at the time, I stated that I dozed slightly in the theater. It’s not the first time it has happened, but it did occur during a movie that I was very eager to see, and got out of the house to do so.

And I waited until after I saw the movie to listen to podcast reviews or read anything about it, so I know I missed some good, integral parts of the story.

But tonight…all that changes.

I can’t tell you the last time I went into a store and bought a physical movie. I started going the digital route, and am enjoying that immensely. It’s weird. When I lived in a smaller town, I could easily zip over to Wal-Mart and get groceries and browse the movie selection. But now, even though I live in a more populated area and there are clearly more shopping options……none of them are on my way home. And they’re all over-crowded.

So digital it is.

Anticipation is a funny thing. If no one told us to be excited for the newest movie, video game, comic book series (or writer/artist duo), or new album, would we care? But in this era of the 24-hour news cycle, where they have to talk about something all the time, you get more information that you ever probably thought you’d want or need.

Anticipation builds.

We’re on the “Road to Wrestlemania” and we have been since the Royal Rumble. Or more accurately, we have been since the Monday after Wrestlemania last year.

We’re in the middle of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and brackets and boards are filled with anticipation. And unless you had that perfect bracket (and you don’t, thank you Rhode Island), or are a fan of the remaining teams vying for the championship, your interest has probably waned somewhat. The caveat there is if you’re just a basketball fan and love this time of year.

Major League Baseball is getting closer to its opening day.

And there’s already buzz generated for movies that are still a year or more away. And much more hype (or anticipation) will be cultivated at Comic Con.

Since I pre-ordered Rogue One, I technically could have watched it last night after 11pm, but knew I wouldn’t stay awake through the entire thing…again. So I erred on the side of caution. So tonight when I go home, I’m going to hug my son, kiss my wife, have a little dinner, put the boy to bed, record an episode of Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast, and watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

It’s also why you’re getting this post now – because after I get that recording ready to go, I’m going dark…and hoping to stay awake.

May the Force be with you.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 23: Dream with Me

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I have weird dreams.

Seriously.

I should write them down first thing in the morning so that I can share them with you here.

Now, they aren’t all winners. They aren’t all memorable. And many are mundane. When I was a youngster, I had dreams that I was sitting in class and the teacher was coming around collecting homework and I didn’t have mine completed. I DIDN’T HAVE MY HOMEWORK COMPLETED!!!

Probably not the best gif, but…no, you’re right. There’s no excuse for it.

Now I have mundane dreams of answering phone calls and responding to e-mails. But every once in awhile, a dream will occur that raises eyebrows about what the hell is going on in my brain.

When I was in college, I had a dream that I was in a downtown office building, skyscraper style. The building was under attack. I’m running around the halls grabbing guns. I shotgun a dude through his chest. Then I grab a sniper rifle and get to the window. With the zoom feature, I look at the roof of the building over, and as I squeeze the trigger to take out an enemy, I see the RPG that they fired a second earlier. Explosion. Vision goes red. When my vision clears, I am a few floors down, running through the hallways again upping my arsenal. My thought at the time was “what the – I’ve already been here before!” That’s right, my dream was a first-person shooter video game.

I have three “nightmares” from my childhood that I remember vividly. One was me hanging on the ledge of a skyscraper (I must like city architecture) while Slimer was just inside the glass laughing at me. I was in my single-digits. I had another where Jason fired up a chainsaw (oddly not his weapon of choice) at the foot of my bed. The third was when I opened the door to the garage and saw my dad, which alone isn’t bad. But there was a two-car garage full of my dad. There had to be a hundred of him. I don’t know why, but it caused some sort of dad-overload. I was young for all of these dreams.

Take this morning for instance. Now granted, I don’t remember every detail. But I can recall the high points.

It’s the end of the world…in a Marvel movie. I know this because at one point I’m on a roof with my wife, a few other family members, and some random people. There’s an atmospheric…event, I suppose. It’s storming. There’s debris in the air. At one point, I remark that all will eventually be well, as Thor will likely save the day. What, you don’t dream of Thor? Actually, he didn’t make an appearance. As I said, it’s the end of the world. And no one brought any damn food! No one but me…because I’m a fatty, and I had my lunch with me from that day. Two turkey sandwiches. The problem? It was a Friday – in Lent – so I couldn’t have the turkey sandwiches.

And then I woke up.

Dreams are weird. I don’t know what inspires them and I don’t know how to interpret them. For me, they’re just sleepy-time entertainment. And honestly, that’s all I really need them to be. Maybe I’m swimming in the shallow end of the pool, but I am not looking for the deeper meaning in any of these. They are what they are. I occasionally dream, and sometimes I remember bits and pieces of said dreams. And for me, that’s good enough.

Have any weird dream or moment in a dream that has stuck with you through the years? Leave it in the comments.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 22: Tornado Season

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First, let me just say…RIP Bill Paxton. That guy was great.

He had a great career, and a life too short. But with roles in Weird Science, Terminator, Aliens, Navy Seals, True Lies and Apollo 13, Titanic, The Hatfields and McCoys, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, he left his mark on the nerd genre.

And then there was the little 1996 picture known as Twister. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the topic of today’s post.

Not the movie, but tornadoes.

You see, I live in a part of the world known as “Tornado Alley.” Tornadoes are unpredictable as hell. When they hit, they are devastating. They can even stop a Superman in his tracks, which was unfortunate since I was so hopeful that Kevin Costner would be a solid Pa Kent. But that wasn’t the case, or at least not in the way we thought.

“Stop! Collaborate and listen!”

A couple years ago, a couple tornadoes ripped through Illinois, both north and south of my location at the time. This is a picture of Washington, IL after the storm.

On February 29, 2012, an EF4 tornado woke up the small town of Harrisburg, IL. I’ve been to Harrisburg, years ago, back when I was in college. Southeastern Illinois College had a good basketball team. They were in our conference. So I had been there. This was the Catholic Church after the tornado.

Now, I’ve been fortunate that I’ve never been through one. But it got close in my radio days. So when that happened, I went into shelter mode and would broadcast from under the desk.

I remember having a backpack of tornado preparedness when I was in my teens. I had a walkman with headphones, a flashlight, and a granola bar I swapped out every couple months or so. It also had a novelty baseball helmet, you know…just in case.

Here’s what I’ve learned. Every region of the country has its unavoidable geographic anomalies. The Midwest has tornadoes. California has earthquakes. Florida has Hurricanes. The northeast has Patriots fans. It’s really summed up in this clip from Sports Illustrated’s Greatest Sports Follies (1989): 

So that’s my post about tornado season. Thanks to Jay for the topic. I think I’ve proven in the last 3+ weeks that I’ll write about damn near anything. Have a topic idea? Leave it in the comments.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 21: Life is a Musical

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I admit it’s not the most catchy title.

I was actually inspired to write this topic while listening to What Happened When…Monday, a podcast that talks about WCW, Jim Crockett Promotions, and more old, defeated wrestling companies. It is hosted by Conrad Thompson and legendary Voice of Professional Wrestling South of the Mason-Dixon Line, Tony Schiavone. This week’s episode is about WCW’s October 1990 pay-per-view Halloween Havoc. In it, announcers Paul Heyman and Jim Ross were dressed as Count Dracula and a Prohibition-era mobster, respectively. Schiavone went “under a hood” (a mask, for you non-wrestlers) as the Phantom of the Opera. When asked by Thompson why he made that decision, Schiavone responded that he loved musicals.

He and I have that in common.

I grew up around musicals. And though I stated yesterday that I don’t listen to much music anymore, it’s still a big part of my life. I think I stated in an earlier post that of the couple movies we did have as a kid, they were usually ripped from another cassette (1980’s pirating, everybody). But we also had The Sound of Music that had been taped from the television. You know it was the 80’s with this vintage McDonald’s commercial:

Yes – even the damn Für Elise commercial was stuck in my brain.

But it wasn’t just The Sound of Music. I was and still am a big fan of The Music Man. That was a fun movie…Robert Preston, a young Ron Howard, the mom from the Partridge Family, and Buddy Hackett. SHIPOOPI!

My mom was in a singing group when I was younger, so a couple times a year I’d have to put on a tie and go to a nice theater and sit still while she and 20 or so other adults sang songs that I mostly didn’t recognize. But from time to time, mom would bring home a movie to study and better understand the source material.

Then there were the childhood staples that would appear on television…The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Then at one point, mom had the two-disc stage version of Phantom of the Opera. And I enjoyed listening to that well enough, but there’s one point in the production where Christine lets out a high-pitched note that is almost a scream. I swear, to this day it still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I think times have changed and musicals are more widely accepted. With box office successes like Les Misérables and Into the Woods, there’s a likelihood that we’ll continue to see musicals make a strong resurgence. Just look at La La Land.

I could see Hamilton getting a big screen makeover, unless Lin-Manuel Miranda has it exclusively for stage. I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know how it would translate to film. I’m also curious about Wicked on the big screen. I doubt I’d get to see that in person, so a movie version would be appreciated. Am I missing any? I don’t know. I don’t get out much.

But here’s one you can watch on Netflix – a fan-favorite animated feature film that spawned a four-film franchise – Shrek: the Musical.

So what are some good musicals I left off the list?

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 20: Mid-Life and All That Jazz

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I’m trying to do this post before 11:35 at night so that you might actually see it on the day that it is meant to be posted. The problem with that is that I have no idea what to write about. So I’m currently driving home from work. It’s 7:30. Don’t worry, you safety monitors, I am using the talk to text function on my phone.

It has come to my attention and I am old. Not particularly as far as birthdays go. I’m only 34. But I feel old. And most of the audio that I listen to is sports talk radio for podcast. And when I am listening to music, it is rarely from this millennium. I like a lot of classic rock. I like a lot of older classic country. But I’m also down with some great classical symphonic or orchestral pieces.

My biggest problem is that I feel old. I have joint aches and pains, and my back or neck typically always hurt. I know that regular exercise and eating better would help “to hold back the hands of time,” as DDP would say. But I’m also very good at coming up with excuses for not exercising. I stay up too late, usually working on one of these posts, and I hit that snooze button in the morning so I never get out of bed and get even a quick workout in.

Troy is an underrated movie, in my opinion.

On the nutrition side, I know I still have a way to go. Portion control has always been my Achilles’ heel. But I also suck at making right food decisions. I like junk food. I like pizza. I like french fries. And don’t give me started on ice cream. But I’m taking it step-by-step, and I’m happy to report that since I gave up soda at the beginning of the year, I have lost 13 pounds. I doubt that eliminating soda was the only factor. I am eating more fruit, drinking more water, and have introduced more vegetables into my diet. I am working on eliminating the between meal snacking, but I have found that especially on the weekend it is very difficult to achieve. My friend Kevin over at My 1-2-3 Cents would consider this an accountability post, but I really just want to improve my overall health so that I can be with my family longer.

Kevin used to use that #FindMyAbs. I know my six-pack in in there, I’m just keeping it well-insulated. I have a goal weight in mind. I believe it is attainable. And I hope to reach it by the end of the year.

Until then, you probably won’t get many more posts like this. Let me know in the comments what type of blog posts you like to read, and let’s finish the next 20 days of Fresh Content with a good discussion on a wide range of topics here at Nerds United.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 122: #AskMy123Cents

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 122: #AskMy123Cents [ 21:43 | 29.84 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (704)

Today I turn to the listeners of the show to be my co-host. It’s another installment of #AskMy123Cents. Some great questions for this week’s episode. I was asked about The Hardy Boyz, The Dudleys, DDP and Stride Pro Wrestling.

Be sure to give a review on iTunes or leave your feedback here. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on things as well. Thanks for being a supporter of My 1-2-3 Cents. Check out the blog, YouTube Channel and social media accounts.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@ManiaCrawl (Twitter & Instagram)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)
@itomharness (Twitter & Instagram)
@25thHourRadio

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 19: Shaving Nerdom

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A little over three years ago, I sat in my office at the dealership talking on Facebook with a longtime friend of mine. We were just talking about wrestling, tv, sports, video games. Now you’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t recall exactly how we got on the topic, but Jared asked me what I used to shave. At the time, I was using the Gillette Pro Fusion razor and blade cartridges with the matching shaving gel from a can.

He talked to me a little about wet shaving, and its many forms. I went out a few days (and more conversations) later and bought a wet shaving starter kit from Maggard Razors. For $25-$30, I was able to get a feel for the activity and see if I wanted to invest in it further.

One of the first soaps I bought came in a little orange tube, and it was called Spanish Leather, by Geo F Trumper. After I inhaled deeply of its scent, I was immediately whisked back to my pre-teens when I would stay at my grandparents’ house. That was the shaving soap my grandfather used. I hadn’t smelled it in almost 20 years from the time he passed in 1995. I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and I was hooked.

Forget Dollar Shave Club. Forget Harry’s Razors. If you want a truly great shave, get a double-edged razor. If you are tired of throwing money away on blade cartridges, let me tell you that about two and a half years ago, I ordered a pack of 100-razors (Gillette…for what it’s worth) from Amazon. That pack is now priced at $17.99. I was paying at least that much for a 4-pack of cartridges at Wal-Mart of all places.

But here’s what I truly love about wet shaving. There are so many skilled people who create some amazing products, from soaps and aftershaves to brushes and razors. That’s where I spend my money. I have a brush I love. I have a few different razors, just enough to keep it interesting. But when I hear about a new soap from a well-respected artisan, well, I get a little trigger-happy and I end up making a purchase. I mean…I have a lot. And yet, compared to others, my shave den is still in its infancy.

So if you’re thinking about a different way to shave, I really encourage wet shaving. And as a bonus, you’ll join a great community of people with whom you can share ideas and on occasion, even some hardware.

Here are some pictures of some of my favorite shaves. 

This new-found hobby has brought with it a new goal in life…to someday be a barber and have my own barbershop. That’s a few years down the road just yet. But it’s definitely in the front of my mind.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 18: A Bold and Brave Batman Statement

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This is a DC Movie hot take years in the making. I will state here as I tend to do…these are just my thoughts. I’m fairly certain I’m in the minority on this issue. So take it with a grain of salt.

I like Batman Begins more than The Dark Knight. I’m not saying it’s better, but I am saying I like it more.

Two villains made their big screen debut in Batman Begins. We got Scarecrow and Ra’a al Ghul. Granted, Scarecrow worked for the “Head of the Demon,” so in a way, a Gotham villain was doing the bidding of the League of Shadows. But we got to see two rogues that we had not seen in any previous live action Batman setting.

The Dark Knight was great. I’m not saying it wasn’t. And while Heath Ledger’s Joker became the new benchmark of all Jokers before or after, it was the third live iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime.

In all other Batman versions, we see the finished product. Even in the 1989 Michael Keaton Batman, while the Caped Crusader was relatively unknown, he had all of the components together, the suit, the gadgets, the mystique. What I liked about Batman Begins is we got a chance to see the brief aftermath of the Wayne murders, the momentary encounter between a young Bruce and a young cop by the name of James Gordon. And that paid off at the end of the Nolan series when Batman said that “a hero can be anyone.”

We got to see Bruce travel the world and eventually end up in the League of Shadows, a key component of his training that had been left out of previous movies. It is his refusal to kill for the League that caused the rift between him and Ra’s. That he won’t “cleanse” Gotham City, but feels he can save it his way (and ultimately does), really sets the two apart from each other and makes it the ultimate stakes. While Ra’s would like his foe vanquished, you recall that as the train is speeding to certain doom, Bats says “I won’t kill you…but I don’t have to save you.”

To me, it shows that Batman as a vigilante or hero is still in his infancy. I think an older, more experienced Batman would not let al Ghul die in the wreck so he would have to face justice. Scarecrow we know evaded capture until the The Dark Knight.

Now in an uncharacteristic move, Batman does repeat a line that Rachel says to Bruce earlier in the movie, giving away his secret identity. But if you can’t trust someone you’ve known since childhood, who can you trust?

I love both movies. But it was really nice to see more of the Batman origin besides that one night in Crime Alley (which we’ve seen again in Batman v Superman). It was good to see how he got where he ended up.

Those are my thoughts. What are yours? As always, there’s that comment section here or on Facebook. Let me know.

 

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 28: Horne, Hoops, and Huskers

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 28 [ 43:54 | 60.3 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1606)

It’s a brand new Five Heart Podcast and the boys are back talking all-things Nebraska.

There have been a couple departures from the Nebraska men’s basketball team as Jeriah Horne allegedly sought his release, while Nick Fuller will play as a graduate transfer elsewhere next year.

Also, the Nebraska baseball team put together a nice home win over Charleston Friday. Plus, former Huskers had their Pro Day this week, another former Husker signed with the evil empire, and Spring Practices are ongoing.

Also, Greg gets in trouble for not having a Yahoo! email address and therefore not participating in the Corn Nation Bracket Challenge.

The plugs never change, but I’ll never not tell you what they are.

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Greg Mehochko 

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 17: These are a Few of my Favorite Video Games

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And if you didn’t sing that to the tune of the Rodgers & Hammerstein tune from the 1959 Broadway Musical (and 1965 feature film) Sound of Music…

I essentially grew up with video games. I was among the first generations who have known them in some form almost my whole life.

And as it turns out, I erroneously credited the wrong family member with my introduction to them.

For years, I thought that my tech-savvy aunt and uncle gave my sister and me and Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It wasn’t until recently that, when the topic came up in conversation between me and my mom, she corrected me by stating that my dad waited in line at the store to get one for us.

OOPS!

That will make you feel like crap to hear that you’ve been falsely attributing something as epic as that (in the minds of a youngster) for roughly 25 years.

Among the games we had on that original console were the Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combo, a version of Jeopardy, a 7Up game with Spot, the 7Up Mascot. Spot was the red dot (or in the game, blue, green, or yellow) on the can, and the game had a very Othello/Reversi feel to it. You wanted your color to dominate the board. Of course, Spot was there before these shirts were popular:

 

I’m trying to think of other games I had on the NES, but the one that really stands out was Dragon Warrior, a single-player game where you roamed a massive kingdom on the ultimate quest to hunt a (or THE) dragon. I don’t know…I never beat the game, sadly…one of my many video game failures.

 

When I was 13 or 14, I finally saved up enough money to buy a Super Nintendo. I don’t remember how much it cost, but I do remember my dad saying to me “do you really want to spend your money on that?” And, obviously…I did.

It came with the full Super Mario Bros. All Stars collection as well as Super Mario World. Eventually I added a sports game or two, Super Mario Kart, and other games I don’t really remember. Because why would I remember games I had and played for an extended period of time? One of those stand-out games on that console was College Slam, exactly like NBA Jam, except college.

I eventually added an N64. Mom sold the NES and the ten or so games at a garage sale for $10 (that’s a steal, even in 199x). In 2002, I sold the Super Nintendo and the N64, and with that and some extra money I had, I bought an XBox. I eventually added and would later sell a PS2. But I got a couple years out of it.

I would have an XBox 360, but that was replaced by a PS3, and the 360 now has a home outside of Dallas, TX. The PS3 is in my bedroom (for dvd/bluray/Netflix) and a PS4 resides in my living room. In fact, I’m streaming Netflix on it right now…the new Disney’s Pete’s Dragon.

That’s my history with gaming consoles. But since this post is supposed to be about the games, I should probably name at least a few titles I enjoyed over the years. The problem is I’ve never been very good at video games. Most of my friends would agree, especially if they were stuck with me as a teammate for online gameplay. I was marginally decent at Halo. I was junk at Gears of War. God of War, however, was an enjoyable game/franchise. I remember seeing a little bit of the gameplay on G4 (or Tech TV, I don’t remember when they made the change), and seeing Ares terrorizing Athens, with his fiery beard. I’ve always had a soft spot for ancient mythologies, so that caught my attention.

I have also really enjoyed most of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and the Batman Arkham series.

Historically, I’m a Mario Kart kid at heart. Also, throw back to when EA Sports had NCAA Football, and sprinkle in some Madden.

Those are a few of my favorite games.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 16: It’s Not That Bad

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Josh Brolin: Thanos – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Megan Fox: April O’Neil – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mikaela – Transformers
Michael Fassbender: Magneto – X-Men
Will Arnett: Batman – The Lego Movie, Lego Batman
Michael Shannon: Zod – Man of Steel
Wes Bentley: Bleackheart – Ghost Rider
John Malkovich: Marvin – Red
Jeffrey Dean Morgan: Thomas Wayne – Batman v Superman, Negan – The Walking Dead

They’ve all “walked between worlds,” so to speak. In addition to their roles as stated above, they all met in one 2010 DC movie: Jonah Hex.

Now, this movie was critically panned, and relatively ignored by fans as well. With an estimated budget around $47mil, it only brought in just over $10.5mil, not ideal for a summer blockbuster in the middle of the comic book cinema age.

Let’s take a few minutes to discuss what I didn’t think worked for the picture. Let’s start with the weapons of mass destruction. Imagine it’s the late 19th century. While revolvers and “six shooters” are running rampant, there’s no company making those massive cannons.

Secondly, there’s nowhere in any Jonah Hex comic book before the time of this movie that said Hex had supernatural abilities. That makes the fact that Jonah can wake the dead and get information from then something that’s exclusive to the movie…and if there’s one thing comics nerds hate, it’s that Hollywood doesn’t stay true to the source material.

Here’s the thing – I enjoyed this movie. As we all know, I’m not a hard-hitting movie critic. But I am a fan. I enjoyed the tone of this movie, and how they tried telling a comic book story in a comic book way. I think had it not been a comic book character, it’s still a compelling story. “Man comes back from the brink of death to avenge the lives of his wife and son were killed by the man whose son was killed by the first man.”

I thought Brolin was a great Jonah Hex even though he has said since then that he hated his time working on it. Megan Fox was there and had her usual stints of showing skin and making wisecracks, but she showed she was also pretty fearless in fending off a male attacker in her bedroom. I liked Malkovich, as he is always a believable bad guy. And I’m such a fan of Fassbender’s work that I’ve sat through a lot of movies just to see him perform.

Look, the long of the short is that you’ve probably already make up your mind about this movie, and that’s fine. But dammit, give it a watch with some more realistic expectations. I think you’ll find “it’s not that bad.”

But at the same time, we look at the talent in this movie and know we can’t blame them. They all went to bigger and better things.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 15: The Importance of Reading

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Books are good and reading is good.

As a fan of reading, and dare I say, a lifelong reader myself, I really hope that our son picks up the habit.

I call it a habit and not a hobby because if you’re dedicated, wow, it can get pricey. But what I love about books, novels in particular, is that they demand that you pay attention and immerse yourself in the story. It can build your imagination, more so than a comic book, and certainly more than a video game. A video game takes the nest step by allowing you to live out the character.

He’s not yet 15 months old and our son has a shelf full of books. It’s great. Yes, some of them are the obligatory big books with big letters mad out of some cardboard-type material, but it’s a start. I go to the store and I look for books for him as much as toys. I’ve been able to get some children’s Batman books and Star Wars books. I’ve even tried doing some live videos as I read him a book at bedtime, but holding him, holding a phone, and holding the book…it didn’t go well.

Some of my favorite books that he will have when he’s older are the “Ordinary People Change the World” series, written by one of my favorite writers and people, Brad Meltzer, with art by Chris Eliopoulos. It’s a great series written and drawn for kids, telling the true stories of tremendous people in easy-to-digest ways for kids.

Meltzer even signed this copy of I Am Abraham Lincoln.

I’d rather build a library for our boy than just about anything else. I want him to choose his own path and do what makes him happy, pursuing his dreams. I just hope he has a book in his hands while he does it.

Tim from Twilight Comics shared this picture a week or so ago and I shared it on the Nerds United Facebook page but I want to share it here as well.

Start ’em young and they;’ll love reading their whole life. That’s my goal.

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post or any of the Fresh Content series, please share them on your social media. And if you have an idea for a future post, drop it in the comments.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 14: Comic Cons Go BOOM!

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Imagine it’s 1970 (I can’t, I’m not old enough) in San Diego. You’re at the U.S. Grant Hotel in the first days of August. Among the guests there is the King, Jack Kirby. And welcome to San Diego’s Golden State Comic-Con.

It was a different era.

I honestly didn’t even hear about “comic con” until about ten-ish years ago. Maybe it was before that. I don’t know. I was a late bloomer. But the San Diego Comic Con has seen steady growth since its beginning, when it had 300 guests. It eclipsed the hundred-thousand visitor mark in 2005 with 103,000 visitors. That was a year after the “meager palace of Midgard,” Hall H opened. In 2015, 167,000 of you crazy bastards were there.

As far as information goes, we nerds anxiously, if not patiently, await the goodies that come from San Diego each summer.

Since San Diego’s International Comic Con became such a big hit, other cities have begun holding similar events. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Kansas City, and Seattle are just a few places to host their own. And there are promotion companies like Wizard World who bring their Cons to various cities. And it has branched out beyond that. Smaller markets have smaller Cons, but still provide a great atmosphere and bring good names to regions and areas that may not ever have the opportunity to meet these creators or actors again.

It’s why I think very highly of these Cons. I was asked to give my opinion on the rise of the numerous comic cons. There’s my answer. I love ’em.

Now, my social calendar for the year includes a comic con trip. For the last three years, I’ve made the short drive to Cape Girardeau, MO for the Cape Comic Con. I’ve been able to meet writers and artists, actors and cosplayers, wrestlers, and a promoter who truly cares about the product he puts out there for his guests. Everything about this is top-notch, and Ken’s a helluva guy who has been doing this in Cape for over a decade.

I get to go down there, get some audio, hopefully put together an episode or two of the podcast. But I also get to spend some time with some of my best friends. And I’m hoping my schedule allows for that again this year. Ken has Cape Girardeau ready for another amazing weekend at the end of April. I just hope to be there to be a part of it.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 13: My Mom’s Birthday

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So I’m going to preface all of the following with this statement, sure to be controversial:

My mom’s better than your mom.

Today is her birthday. So I’m going to dedicate this post to her.

My folks, probably mom in particular, didn’t receive the recognition they deserved for all of the stuff they did, not until years later anyway.

I remember being young (4-5) when mom worked nights, and my older sister was in school. I remember the lunches with the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the “s’more” from the microwave. I remember sitting on the family room floor with her as we played He-Man.

As I got older, I remember being a more integral part of the Christmas cookie production process, and even getting to help ice the beloved cut-outs. I remember being in second grade and on a school field trip to St. Louis’s The Magic House and telling the entire bus, “Hey everybody, today is my mom’s _____ birthday!” In my defense, I was 7. I didn’t know that you aren’t supposed to announce women’s ages.

I know that now.

Over the years, I gave my mom her fair share of headaches. You know that line “I brought you into this world and I can take you out of it?” I heard that a lot…that and “you want to live to see your next birthday?” And it wasn’t because I was some demonic kid…I just did a lot of little things (or didn’t do the little things I was told to do) that caused unnecessary tension in our relationship. I was a typical teenager. But even before that, I remember being 9 or 10 and mom asking me “what happened to my sweet little boy?” *GUT SHOT*

As I got older, I found new ways to irritate my mom. I got a tattoo up in Sturgis, SD and came home and showed the family. Mom was not amused. Then she found the one on my back that I sometimes forget about and was none-too-pleased. I was in my 20’s for those particular shenanigans.

I remember vividly mom finding my stash of beer in the trunk of my car and storming into the house with it. I was 19. She was pissed. My dad’s response was “of all the beers, why Natty Light?” (I was in college, dad. I was working two jobs and it was cheap.)

But through it all, mom has always been one of my biggest supporters, and always wanted what was best for me. I’m very fortunate in that regard. I know I’m blessed in ways many people are not, and for too long I took it for granted.

So happy birthday, Mom. Sorry for all the times I made you worry about me. I hope you have had a wonderful day and, even though you won’t read this, likely, unless someone emails you the link, just know that I love ya.

Disclaimer – the tattoo in the featured image is not mine. That’s a Google Image Search.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 121: Impact Analysis

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 121: Impact Analysis [ 64.91 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (583)

TNA has a new name and a new look. Impact Wrestling made its official debut last Thursday night. Do you like the changes? Kevin and Chad take some time to analysis the current state of affairs.

Alberto El Patron, former WWE World Champion, is the new Impact Wrestling Champion. Bruce Prichard is back. And so is Dutch Mantell. How do you feel? Weigh in after listening to this week’s episode of My 1-2-3 Cents.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@ManiaCrawl (Twitter & Instagram)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)
@itomharness (Twitter & Instagram)
@25thHourRadio

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 12: Swiss Army Man

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I owe much of this post to my buddy Kenny, who told me that Amazon Prime is worth the money for parents of young kids who don’t feel like battling crowds and stores.

And he was right!

So not only do I get to avoid crowds, but I get free shipping on most of my purchases (those eligible). And I have access to Amazon Prime Video. So I have that app on my PS4 and go between that and Netflix. It’s great.

Mix that with a podcast I heard awhile back. I think it was from last fall, an episode of The Nerdist podcast. It was a conversation with Daniel Radcliffe, and in that episode, he mentioned a movie called Swiss Army Man.

Well guess what movie is on Amazon Prime Video.

So I watched Swiss Army Man earlier. The premise is that a guy (Hank, as played by Paul Dano) is stranded on a small island and he’s trying to hang himself. Then a dead body (Manny, played by Radcliffe) washes up on shore and farts and trembles. Hank then rides Manny to the mainland and the two have an adventure trying to return to civilization. Manny seemingly is coming back to life. Hank discovers that Manny’s body can do special things, a variety of feats that make him useful to the duo’s joint survival. It’s hard to explain – and honestly, it’s better for your enjoyment when I don’t try to explain it.

There are twists and turns along the way, and eventually they do make it back to civilization (oops, spoiler), but Hank quickly changes his mind and wants to take Manny back to the wilderness.

It’s a fun, irreverent movie that won an award at Sundance and is worth a watch. It’s a little weird at times, but that just adds to the big finish.

Enjoy the trailer and then go seek out the movie.

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 7: LA LA LAME

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Positive Cynicism Episode 7: LA LA LAME [ 12:48 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (609)

With the Academy Awards behind us, Chad Smart finally saw the movie Faye Dunaway named Best Picture of 2016, La La Land.  True to form for Chad, he did not share the sentiments of most of the people who saw the Ryan Gosling/Emma Stone musical tribute to Los Angeles. Find out why the movie didn’t live up to the hype and whether movies today will be fondly remembered in 20 years.  The Question of the Week deals with choice superpowers.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 11: Unusual Conflicts

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Today’s post came about because Josh sent me a message that he deemed was an “important question.”

Could Aquaman psychically control the creature from the black lagoon if their paths crossed?

I thought about it briefly and then told him I had to consult an expert. I messaged Tim from Twilight Comics and posed the question to him. He laughed and said he didn’t know. Then he came back and said “My high school buddy is with me. He says ‘yes.’ So I’m going with that. He’s a LONG time Justice League fan.”

Hey, that rationale works for me. It’s good enough for us.

But I opened up a thread on the Facebook Page asking what match-ups in comics or pop culture you’d like me to evaluate in tonight’s post. So here we go:

Batman versus Predator – Josh

Josh admits that his fist suggestion has already been done in comics. In fact, it has been done three times.

And wouldn’t you know, the Dark Knight has won each meeting he has had with the Predator(s).

Buffy versus a Lot of People – Sean Benner (Check out Episode 73 for more from Sean)

I never got into Buffy. It was never something that I made an earnest attempt to watch. In all honesty, I’ve seen the movie more times than I’ve seen any episodes. So I don’t understand the fawning that many in my generation have for this show. But I’ll do my best.

Buffy vs Cassie Hack – Cassie Hack (of Image Comics’ Hack/Slash) has fighting capability as well as healing powers and “berserker rage.” Depending on what part of her life you get Buffy, she could have invulnerability. But for the sake of this, I’ll say see just has the heightened strength, increased agility, etc. I’ll take healing powers over all of that, though. Buffy is 0-1.

Buffy vs Black Widow -I honestly think this is a tougher one to decide. I’m actually pick Black Widow in it because I think based on training alone, she’d be a little less discretionary.*

Buffy vs Blade – Sean’s last match-up pits a couple of vampire hunters against each other, so while it might be a cop out, I am actually going to say that after Blade learns that their mission is the same, there would be no conflict, and they’d work together to defeat the threat at that time. But I don’t see it being a long partnership, and I think their personalities would clash. They would part ways amicably, and know that if things ever got bad enough, they could call on the other for aid.

Buffy versus Morbius – Adam

Keeping with the Buffy theme for some unknown reason, it’s Buffy against an actual vampire. Those familiar with the character will remember that he was introduced in 1971 as a bit of a villain before he took on a more positive personality. Granted, I’d call it more of an anti-hero. So the question again goes back to “would Buffy kill a creature even if it has the capacity for good?” I think they’d work it out. But if they absolutely could not prevent conflict, I’d take Buffy.

Indiana Jones/Lara Croft versus Xenomorphs – Josh

The question was posed as “Indiana Jones or the Tomb Raider opens an ancient tomb and the xenomorphs come out. The fallacy in the question, in my opinion, is that either of those two would wander upon a tomb and just accidentally open it up. I don’t think that would happen. Two highly educated people such as them wouldn’t just go randomly opening every tomb “just because.” And you can bet your hind end that if they did, they’d have a plan. Therefore, I say Indy or Lara would win.

Charles Xavier versus Stephen Hawking – Adam

Xavier wins this and it’s not even close. No offense to Hawking, but Xavier has all of his knowledge, and if he wanted, he could obtain all of your knowledge as well. Plus, while Hawking has theorized about space, Xavier has been there.

Scooby Doo Gang versus Spider-Man – Hope

This wasn’t presented so much as a fight, but “could the Scooby-Doo Gang correctly identify Spider-Man’s alter-ego (obviously, before he’s unmasked)?” Here’s the thing about that – Spider-Man isn’t Old Man Tucker down at the amusement park or the lumber mill. It’s Spider-Man. And he’s been Peter Parker/Spider-Man for a very long time, meaning he’s good at living the double life. The Gang is good at picking up and reading clues, but Spidey is just too good. So no, Hope, the Scooby Doo Gang wouldn’t be able to deduce Spider-Man’s real identity.

Han Solo versus Star Lord – Adam

Here’s another case of “damn, I hope we’d never have to find out.” One’s a scavenger by trade. The other is a smuggler. I could actually see them working together more than on opposite sides. But that being said, I could also see a situation where they are both are after the same artifact or relic, but for different prospective buyers. So there could be some conflict. But I have to go with my heart, and my heart says Han Solo. Because Han shoots first!

Superman versus…

…. – Adam

This is one intriguing matchup. As you already know, Superman famously went toe-to-toe with The Greatest in what I believe ended up being a draw. That was done under a red sun, thus negating Superman’s powers. In this match, I mean, honestly, Superman should win. But it’s John Cena, the 16-time WWE World Champion. So my guess is Cena eliminates Superman from the Royal Rumble in a shocking heel turn. At the Elimination Chamber PPV, Supes gets his revenge by causing a distraction that results in Cena losing his championship opportunity at Wrestlemania. That pits these two former friends against one another at the biggest show of them all, where Superman gets a clean win in 17:39, using a flying piledriver. Wrestling Observer gave it 2 3/4 stars.

I actually did start this post on Saturday, but then I fell asleep. I fell asleep and slept through the rest of Saturday night. The * marks where I was when I fell asleep, thus delaying the delay. I’ve actually been trying to finish it for about five hours, to no success, until now. I hope you enjoyed it. I should have another post for you later tonight.

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 27: No One Likes Going to Washington DC

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 27: No One Likes Going to Washington DC [ 49:03 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1426)

Episode 27 is here and Greg and Brian are talking about the first (and only) Snack Cracker Tournament of Champions. But that can’t be the only tournament discussed. So the guys talk about the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in Washington DC. What has gone right for the conference? What hasn’t? And what’s the big picture?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK! Look for it in 2018, and a week earlier.

Despite the late season slump and the overtime loss to Penn State in the first round of the tournament, Tim Miles is expected to be back next year, as Husker fans learned just moments after the final buzzer sounded Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Nebraska Baseball is off to a slow start, but there may be a reason behind that, as we learned that Nebraska has the nation’s toughest schedule so far.

And the Husker wrestling team is preparing to send its athletes to St. Louis for the NCAA National Tournament.

Plus…Captain D’s and hospitality room food.

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Featured Photo: Mar 8, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Glynn Watson Jr. (5) reacts in the final seconds of overtime against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Big Ten Conference Tournament at Verizon Center. The Nittany Lions won 76-67 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke/USA Today

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 10: Disney Tries to Out-Do Disney

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Maleficent. Alice in Wonderland. Cinderella. The Jungle Book. Beauty and the Beast. The Little Mermaid. And on and on.

Walt Disney Studios is bringing some of your favorite animated characters back to life on the big screen in live-action versions of some of their cartoon classics. What began with a retelling of the sleeping beauty story has made possible seemingly every cartoon in the Disney “vault.”

I really enjoyed Maleficent as a being told from the “villain’s” point of view, casting a dark shadow on The noble King Stefan and painting of the traditional evil witch in a sympathetic, albeit victim/survivors light. Sleeping Beauty is a movie I remember fondly from my childhood. We didn’t have many movies on VHS, and the ones that we did have were always copied from one cassette to another or recorded from television. The Disney movies that we did have, like Sleeping Beauty, work copies my aunt had made for us from her official VHS tape’s. So I probably watch more Sleeping Beauty than I should have growing up, but it’s a simple tail with a happy ending. “Good triumphs over evil, the wicked get what they deserve.” The movie Maleficent took that notion and spend it on his head.

I admit that I have never seen the live action version of Cinderella. I haven’t seen the cartoon in over 25 years. I don’t even know who stars in the movie. I don’t know how close it is to the cartoon. So I can’t comment on that.

I have to say that I enjoyed Alice in Wonderland, as well as the sequel Through the Looking Glass. Good fun movies. I’d say there easy maybe more focus on the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) than there needed to be. But it’s Johnny Depp, and he’s the “name,” the star power. But they told a good tale, and one that was visually striking.

The Jungle Book was a critical and box office success, and just like its animated predecessor, showed you could do a lot with anthropomorphic mammals. Jon Favreau is a genius. We’ve said that before. My sister saw the movie before me and asked me if I liked the original. When I said I did, she said “you probably won’t like this one. It’s really dark.” I’ll tell you what I didn’t like about it…they took away the damn vultures!

Now…here’s where we may have jumped the land shark (good brew, by the way). When you have an animated movie with talking and singing animals, why would you make a movie that’s largely computer-animated with the same types of animals saying the same words and singing the same songs? Favreau has an upcoming project coming out which you may or may not have heard of. The Lion King. The Lion King has been hugely globally popular since it came out. They turned it into a Broadway show. The soundtrack is the best-selling soundtrack album to an animated feature in the United States.

So how do you improve on that?

But Disney is also casting for a live-action Aladdin movie. It was Universal Studios that was making a Little Mermaid re-imagining, but that project has been out of the headlines since Chloe Moretz dropped out last September.

And a Dumbo movie…that’s apparently a very real thing.

Now on to Beauty and the Beast, which hits theaters next week. It has enough of a blend of human and non-human entities that it can be a reasonable re-telling. Now don’t get me wrong…this movie will be able to print its own money. But you’ll be able to substitute the animated humans with actual humans, so it makes more sense than a cartoon animal to a better looking cartoon animal.

Since I don’t know when I’ll talk about it again I HAVE to bring up the issue of LeFou, Gaston’s hetero-lifemate that we found out last week is a little less hetero in this movie. And that’s fine. I don’t care. I doubt it will have any bearing on the actual plot of the movie. My biggest question is will we get an Olaf sighting?

Allow me to remind you…Josh Gad plays LeFou. Josh Gad also voiced Olaf in the movie Frozen. You may have heard of it. Well, in the 1991 version, LeFou is incognito, hiding outside Belle and Maurice’s home and he is…YOU GUESSED IT…A SNOWMAN!!!

It’s a simple Easter Egg they could slip in. I hope they do.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 9: Cartoons for Adults, or Adult Cartoons

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I never watched a whole lot of MTV growing up. I think I’m in that weird age bracket where most of its programming didn’t appeal to me. I was never going to watch My So-Called Life. Daria was never a big interest to me. And I knew more of Beavis and Butthead from my friends at school than from watching the show itself. I did watch some Singled Out when my older sister had the remote for the TV. But it was never my go to channel on television.

I remember being a freshman in high school. Wait, sophomore. I remember being a sophomore in high school. I had Study Hall just before lunch, which was GREAT. Most days, the teacher would let us out a minute early or so so we could be among the first in line. The teacher for Study Hall was also the school’s librarian, and one day he said he had some work to do in the library, and essentially told us to govern ourselves as high schoolers should. He was probably out of the room for five minutes when [REDACTED] got up and turned on the television. Now I don’t know why, but the high school had HBO. So being a studious bunch that we were, we all put down own pencils and pens and watched Beavis and Butthead Do America. We couldn’t laugh much because we didn’t want to get caught. But I remember sitting there feeling like a rebel. Yeah, I COULD be doing homework, but we din’t have HBO at the house, so I obviously had to watch it there.

Fast-forward to the summer of 1999. It’s my 17th birthday and I’ve just started working at McDonald’s (a job that would last a mere three months). My friend Joe is in town visiting from Washington state. He and our friend Brandon had taken in a showing of South Park the Movie: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut a few days prior. I KNOW! The jerks didn’t even wait for me. But the three of us did go after I was of age. Here’s how that worked, and when I tell people, they don’t believe me. We went to the Wehrenberg 14 Cine in O’Fallon, IL. Because of the nature of the picture, we were carded (yes, carded) when we bought our tickets, when they tore the tickets and gave us our ticket stubs, and again just before we entered the assigned theater. If you’re keeping track at home, and I don’t see how you couldn’t be, our IDs were checked three times.

Now look, over the years, both of these movies have been in my collection, but I don’t watch them that much anymore. I’d like to think that it’s because I’ve matured in some way, but in reality, I have most of the songs from South Park memorized, and there have been more movies made since those two. I mean, even the Simpsons had their own feature film.

But there are others as well – like 2015’s Hell and Back, a stop-motion story about a group of friends who finds a book they shouldn’t open but they do, with pages in it that they shouldn’t read, but they do. You know, that whole tale.

Then in 2016, SONY put out an adult-humor, CGI animated feature Sausage Party, which is tonight’s entertainment. Now, I’ve already been warned that I probably won’t like it, based on its indictment of organized religion. But I’m going to try to look at it through the lens of “well this is just a ridiculous farce” and hope to enjoy it on some base level.

I’ll update this post at that time.

**UPDATE** I watched Sausage Party Thursday night. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. Knowing that it was about a wiener trying to get in the bun, I expected sophomoric humor. I knew to expect some religious, or more like anti-religious statements. And I knew there’s be a ton of profanity. But I didn’t enjoy it like I would have ten or fifteen years ago. But that’s just me. I know it was a big success.

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 74: Iron Man Commentary

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Nerds United Episode 74: Iron Man Commentary [ 2:16:25 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1197)

It’s been awhile since I did an audio commentary track…going all the way back to Episode 16 (October 2014, for what it’s worth) when I was joined by guests Joe Dodd and Justin Holman to provide a commentary track for Justice League War. By the way…you have asked and I have heard and I do hope to get some of these guys together for Throne of Atlantis and more DC Animated movies.

But we’re switching side and getting to the beginning of Marvel’s cinematic universe, the one that started it all, 2008’s Iron Man. And I’m joined by my friend and past guest RJ Gallucci for a commentary track.
Grab the movie, queue it up, and hit play when we tell you. It’s all the conversation you’d punch people for if they were in the theater with you. But it also has with it the knowledge of nine years of cinematic universe that we didn’t know about back in 2008.

Want more episodes like this? Leave a comment telling me what movie you want us to tackle. We plan on hitting the entire MCU and in the order they were released.

But what movies outside of the MCU are of interest to you? Let me know.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 7: Harry and the Gang

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So it’s Tuesday evening and I wasn’t 100% what I was going to write about, but then I was scanning my junk email folder and I saw that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was available for digital purchase.

I have always had a hate/love history with Harry Potter. As in…I hated it for no reason initially.

See, I can be a bit of a contrarian when it comes to what’s popular. I KNOW! You wouldn’t think so coming from me.

But let’s go back to when the Sorcerer’s Stone first arrived on US store shelves…1998. I was 16, and it took a little time for it to gain traction. I remember my younger cousin having the first book, and then the second. It was my YOUNGER cousin, and I was already in high school and such, so I wrote off the idea of ever getting into this story.

So when the movie came out in 2001, it really wasn’t on my radar. But I was 19, and my radar was college and work. So I didn’t see the movie.

In fact, it probably was somewhere in 2003 when my folks had a special month or two free trial of the premium cable shows that I actually ever first watched the first two Harry Potter movies. After I watched it, I’d watch it again. If I was flipping through the channels and saw they were on, I watched them.

Fast-forward to about 2006 and some of my roommates are discussing when the final book is supposed to be out. I actually saw on the shelf books one through six. These were people my age, and they knew the story, read the books, and looked forward to the next one like I anticipated the next game in the Halo series.

This is where it gets hazy. I don’t remember if I watched the available movies with those friends or not. I do know that at one point I got caught up on all of the movies, and even took my wife to the theater to see Deathly Hallows Pars 1 and 2.

Now all movies are out, and I have the bluray set of all eight films. I know I have a favorite movie, being Deathly Hallows 2, as it’s the end of the story, and it was good to finally get some resolution. Second favorite may be The Sorcerer’s Stone, or possibly even Prisoner of Azkaban. I got burnt out on Chamber of Secrets and Goblet of Fire from watching them too much. And I really want to have Order of the Phoenix higher on my list. I’m guessing that it’s because of my disdain for Dolores Umbridge, who was a truly horrible character. Half-Blood Prince is seriously good as well.

A while back, I was close to pulling the trigger and buying the Kindle version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. My biggest issue right now is that I already know how the story ends. So I’m not sure if I’m willing to invest the time and money to read the books.

So…convince me.

A new episode of the Nerds United Podcast will be a little later than usual in the day, since it’s almost midnight when this post was finished. So be looking for that.

Truth be told, I had hoped to have this post done by about 8pm. My son fell asleep early, and so I got the laptop out. But it was a long day and apparently I needed the sleep too, as I dozed off and on (while sitting relatively perfectly upright) for about three hours. So here I am, putting a bow on this post. Your Fresh Content tomorrow will be the podcast, and I’ll be back writing on Thursday.

Remember to have Iron Man handy tomorrow.

Oh yeah…I went ahead and bought Fantastic Beasts. Looking forward to watching that this weekend with my family.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 6: Not My Archie

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I preface everything I’m about to say in this post by starting out with the fact that I have not seen a single episode of the CW’s Riverdale series.

I don’t have to.

In my honest opinion, it doesn’t look any different than any other teen-based hour-long drama on television, and the main elements of classic Archie are gone.

Here’s what I remember about Archie (before its recent comic-book makeover):

  • Kind, freckle-faced ginger caught in a bit of an awkward love triangle with Betty and Veronica
  • Goofy best friend who wears a funny hat and has a huge appetite
  • Girl-next-door type (reminds me of the Mary Ann archetype)
  • Your diva (Ginger, except not in the new-aged definition of ginger I used above)
  • Rival for ladies’ affections (Reggie Mantle)
  • MOOSE! He’s big and a little slow, but he’s the jock of the group, and gosh darn it, I never associated myself with him whatsoever.
  • And a lot more

I fully admit that I didn’t read a TON of Archie…maybe half a dozen issues over the years. But when I think of Archie, I think of classic cars and soda hops, lettermen’s jackets and a “simpler time.”

I don’t think of a hyper-sexualized tv show that bears little resemblance to its comic book origin. Now I know there’s always been a bit of sexual tension in Archie books because of the Betty-Veronica dilemma. 

But I always took that as a bit more innocent than I probably should have. So I still look at Archie through a kid’s perspective, relatively speaking. And maybe that’s my problem…I never evolved even as the characters evolved.

But in the end, my lone opinion doesn’t matter much. Riverdale has an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One review states, “Riverdale offers an amusingly self-aware reimagining of its classic source material that proves eerie, odd, daring, and above all addictive.”

And like I said, I don’t watch the show. I’m going pretty well on preconceived notions and the few commercials I catch when I’m fast-forwarding through commercials in The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow.

So, am I right? Am I wrong? Has anyone reading this actually watched Riverdale? If so, let me know in the comments.

New podcast heading your way this Wednesday. It’s an audio commentary to a movie, THE movie that started it all. Have Iron Man handy…you’ll need it.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 120: ManiaCrawl

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 120: ManiaCrawl [ 25:47 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (788)
It’s WrestleMania season and that means it’s time for ManiaCrawl. The event made its debut hours before WrestleMania 29 in New Jersey. The concept is simple, wrestling fans in town for WrestleMania or SummerSlam meet at the designated bars and enjoy each others company. ManiaCrawl is also a fundraiser for Connor’s Cure.

But here’s the best part, even if you can’t be there in person, you can help the cause. Donations can be made online. If you are in Orlando for WrestleMania, I highly recommend going. We went last year in Dallas and had a blast. I’ll be back for New Orleans.

Keep an eye on the My 1-2-3 Cents blog and social media sites. I’ll have thoughts on FastLane posted there this week, along with everything else going on in the world of professional wrestling.

 

 

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@ManiaCrawl (Twitter & Instagram)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)
@itomharness (Twitter & Instagram)
@25thHourRadio

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 5: Your Brick and Mortar

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Do you read comics? (Y/N – Circle One)

How do you obtain your comics? It’s 2017. You can get comics in lots of different ways. Maybe you go straight to the publisher and subscribe and have them delivered to your door. Maybe you have one of them there newfangled technology applications where you can read digital versions of comics on your mobile device or computer.

But I like to think that most of you still take the time to seek out your local comic book shop, browse the racks and shelves there. Talk with the people in the store, the workers and the other patrons. Pick out the titles you like, and then maybe grab something new.

I do this a lot.

I’ve made no secret that my go-to comic book store is Twilight Comics in Swansea, IL. I have been going there for almost ten years. I’ve had the owner Brian on the podcast a couple times. I even had him on terrestrial radio when I still worked there. Most of the staff knows me and starts getting my pull folder ready after I walk through the door.

But on many of my visits, I ask the question,”what do you recommend?” It has led to this acquisition:

I enjoyed the #1 issue so much that on a later visit I bought Volume 1. (Thanks Tim)

At my last visit, I grabbed this off the shelf and asked Brian what he could tell me about it (it’s the deluxe edition and was wrapped in plastic.

Brian said “it’s depressing.” Boy, he wasn’t kidding. But it’s one I’m enjoying as I go on. Plus, Alex Ross on art. So – it’s visually astounding.

And if there’s something you want that they don’t have in stock, most comic shops will order it for you. Here’s a fun little secret – THEY WANT YOUR BUSINESS!!!

I’ve found comic stores across the country as some of the friendliest and most welcoming places around. But when you find one that you can call “home,” it becomes more than a mere business transaction. You develop relationships with one another.

Now here’s what I want you to do. There have been lots of articles/columns/blogs/videos in the last few months about what’s really hurting local comic book stores. And it’s not the evolution of digital media. It’s people who have a pull list and never go in to claim it. It’s actually something I was guilty of for awhile. There were stretches where I could only get to Twilight Comics once every three or so months. They are paying for your books until you go in and get them. Please – go get ’em. You’ll help your comic book shop and as a bonus, you’ll get your comics.

Then do what I do – ask “what else ya got” and expand your horizons.

You’re welcome.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 4: What Happened to Saturdays?

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So I think we can all agree that Saturdays as a kid rocked so much harder than Saturdays as an adult.

Or maybe it’s just me.

You see, I’ve never had a job where I routinely had Saturdays off. In fact, most of the jobs I’ve worked, I’ve worked Saturdays.

Granted, for ten and a half years, I sat behind a radio sound board. And for over three years, I have a desk and a relatively sedentary lifestyle. This is the epitome of a first world problem. I’m not out there every day breaking my back. I would if I had to. I have worked in a factory. It’s just that at this moment, it’s not that I’m currently doing.

What I’m talking about, however, is a bigger picture. I remember Saturday morning cartoons. To me, it was the best. It was the late 1980’s and early 90’s. I was anywhere from six to twelve years old. I was the first one out of bed. (Fast forward to now and sleep is a lot more appealing.) I was on the floor playing or laying on the couch or sitting in my dad’s recliner.

I WAS THE KING!!!

And I only had about four channels to choose from (this is where I seem to think we’re in the late-eighties territory).

SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS!!!

I remember the Smurfs (and Kevin Hunsperger pops) and a plethora of Hanna Barbera. What I remember watching was a who’s who of cartoons:

Smurfs
Fat Albert
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Garfield and Friends
Fantastic Four
Spider-Man
Wacky Races (in re-run)

And a lot more. Sometimes while I watched cartoons, I would read some of the old comics that were handed down to me by one of my uncles.

And after my parents got up, it wasn’t long before the house was filled with the smell of coffee brewing and bacon frying. Either pancakes or waffles, French toast or eggs would follow.

After breakfast, there were chores to be done. If you were lucky, it was a short list of chores that left a lot of time to play after.

I think the notion of “Saturday morning cartoons” have gone the way of the dodo because of the boom of cable programming. “Too many options.” You have Cartoon Network, Boomerang, the Disney channels, Nickelodeon, and more. It used to be just a few channels with cartoons. Now it is countless channels with even more viewing options, plus OnDemand and the streaming services.

These days, I’m out of the door sometimes before my son is even awake. Almost always before he has had his first diaper change of the day. And I’m at work before breakfast. I hope some day to be able to be home with my son for these little moments he will have as he grows older. Plus…I really want some damn waffles.

All right, that’s the end of the post. You know that that means. It’s time for:

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 6: Aussie Love

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Positive Cynicism Episode 6: Aussie Love [ 1:00:00 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (604)

On this week’s episode, host Chad Smart is joined by Sean Reynolds to discuss the Sean’s decision to move halfway around the world because of a girl.

What challenges did Sean encounter moving to a new country? Does he regret the decision? What does the future hold? Most of these questions and others are tackled in a probing discussion. After referencing every scene from “Bart Vs. Australia” discussion turns to the random question of the week which involves the world of architecture.

 

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 3: Remember the Old School

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Yippee! It’s a post that doesn’t involve doctors.

The backstory on tonight’s post is bad I was watching a cartoon with my 14-month-old son tonight. We’ve been watching a lot of computer animated cartoons recently, and I wanted to throw something in the machine that was a tad more on the classic side. So I reached for the 1963 Disney animated feature The Sword in the Stone.

Before I go any further, I just want to say that I always knew a movie (or more than one) could be made from the Arthurian legend, a story that embodies the supernatural aspects of King Arthur in a way that Clive Owens’ role as the legendary king did not. That was a more grounded take, based somewhat in reality. But I’m anxious for a full on LEGEND and am excited that is finally coming to the big screen later this year with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

So the root of this post is I was watching The Sword in the Stone and I was reminded how drastically animation has changed, especially in the last 25 years. Even Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King were largely done by animators at their desks drawing. And that doesn’t include the non-Disney animated features like 20th Century Fox’ 1992 offering FernGully: The Last Rainforest or The Land Before Time. 

I recall hearing that Disney Animated Studio’s first attempt at computer animation was for The Lion King when there was a wildabeest stampede in the ravine that ultimately (**SPOILER ALERT**) led to the death of Mufasa. Computer animation was more obvious in Disney’s Hercules in the scene where Herc battles the Hydra.

https://youtu.be/hRNvoxxSNsY

Now, I’m not complaining about the technical advancements that have led to the near extinction of animation as it used to be done. Do I miss the classic look from animation? Very much so. It’s a cleaner product now, no doubt about it. But I still yearn for the style of seeing pen or pencil marks on the screen. And let’s not forget that with computer-based animation, you also lose the ability as a collector to have an original animation cel like this in your home.

Animation cel from Disney’s FIRST animated feature. Thanks, Google.

But admittedly, it’s difficult to argue about the finished products. Companies like Pixar, Disney Animation, Dreamworks Animation and more are knocking it out of the park with the quality, and they all employ such talented artists.

But since I can’t just have anything nice without complaining about it, there’s my old man,”things were better back in my day” opinion.

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 26

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 26 [ 46:41 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1245)

Well, this was one hell of a podcast.

Fresh off the heels of the Nebraska Men’s Basketball team’s third straight disappointing loss, this time at the hands of tournament-bound Minnesota, the guys talk largely about the team’s shortcomings, and how it can’t be blamed on one person, player or coach. It comes down to this: It Tim Miles’ head IS on the chopping block, what can spare his termination?

And for the record, we are both big Tim Miles fans. And as Greg has said numerous times, he wants Miles at the helm when Nebraska gets that first tournament win. And Brian has said that whoever that coach is to achieve the feat gets a statue outside of the PBA.

But we end the show on a positive note, commending the Nebraska wrestlers who were top-ten pre-seeds to the Big Ten Tournament, including All American Eric Montoya, a 2-seed at 133 pounds.

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The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko 

Featured image: Eric Montoya is No. 2 at 133 pounds in the Big Ten pre-seeds.
Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/Nebraska Communications

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 2: Doctor! Doctor! Gimme the News!

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What is my obsession with doctors? If you go back about eighteen months, you’ll remember that I already wrote about Doctor Strange and the topic of today’s post, Doctor Fate.

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been feeling “great” lately. But I finally made an appointment to see a doctor. Granted, I can’t get in to see him until April 4. And when I was calling to make the appointment, I was taking the approach of “well, I’m older. I need to be seeing a physician regularly.” The lady on the other end of the line was surprised when I said I hadn’t seen a doctor regularly since I was still seeing a pediatrician. So figure…half of my life I haven’t been going to a doctor with any regularity. But more like on an “as needed” basis.

Well, I’m 34, and that’s not going to fly anymore.

So I have doctors on the brain.

Yesterday (late), you got the Doctor Strange movie post. It was a brief overview of a truly enjoyable movie-watching experience.

Today, I want to talk a little bit more about Doctor Fate, and why he might be the most powerful character in the DC Universe.

Think about it. When you think of “powerful characters” on the DC side, you typically think of the Last Son of Krypton. And you know his weaknesses…the glowing green rock that doesn’t glow when not exposed to a Kryptonian, a red sun, and magic. Or as SupeFan98 wrote on ComicVine (HEY! It’s better than Wikipedia):

While not so much an actual weakness, Superman’s invulnerability offers no protection against magic. The explanation for this is simple; Superman’s powers, extraordinary as they are, are the result of natural phenomenon, not supernatural. As a result, spells cast on Superman affect him the same as they would anyone else.

That’s a sizable weakness, when there are Doctor Fate’s and John Constantine’s out there. The constant Marvel/DC battle line is drawn between Superman and the Hulk, because they both have ridiculous strength and they can both leap incredibly long distances.

And we’ll never know the outcome of *THAT* fight. Just like we will never see Superman and Doctor Fate do battle.

But since Doctor Fate also shares traits like super-strength, flight, and invulnerability, but also has telekinesis, telepathy, and of course, spellbinding. It’s an outlandish thing to say, but since Fate’s powers seem to align with Superman’s weaknesses, it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.

And this all came to mind from the announcement I saw that Doctor Fate was coming to Injustice 2…so you get a fun video of that, too.

So that’s that. Tomorrow – I’m hoping to talk about something that’s not Doctor-related. But as for tonight, I’m going to record a new Five Heart Podcast and probably watch Doctor Strange again.

And check out the on-going title Doctor Fate, which started in 2015. I’m currently reading it.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 1: Call the Doctor

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Well, it’s March 1, 2017, and in the Christian faiths, it is Ash Wednesday, forty days before Easter. In the Roman Catholic faith, it is a day to fast and abstain from meat (as we will abstain from meat every Friday between now and Easter Sunday.

The common thread around Lent is for Catholics to “give something up,” to sacrifice something for the season. Now when you’re a kid, it could be something like giving up candy, or cookies, or ice cream. As an adult, I’ve given up McDonald’s, soda, beer (that was tough), and ice cream (because I love ice cream).

This isn’t a religious post or anything, but I’m just setting the stage for all of it to make sense.

This year, I’m working on curbing my swearing. I have a 14-month-old son who’s getting really good at mimicking our words and sounds. Naturally he is saying “mama,” “dada,” “yeah,” “hi,” “milk,” and once, I think I heard him say “boob.” So…I have to watch my mouth, because I don’t want to get THAT call from daycare. So I created this…

And it already has $2.25 in it, with another quarter due to it. And those are just the ones I caught as I police myself on this. After Easter, I’ll take the money I raised with my potty mouth and donate it to our church.

Okay, that’s part of it.

Another thing I’m trying to do this year is maintain some discipline on the content front. So I’m hoping/planning 40 days of new content, which will be written and spoken. So you’ll get the podcasts on the weekly (hoping to get a new episode recorded this weekend, actually).

So…back to this post, and the title. I finally saw Doctor Strange last week, and while I hope to sit down at length and talk about it in an upcoming episode, this will have to suffice for now.

First of all – Doctor Strange in the MCU first appeared on my radar in Captain America: Winter Soldier, when he was named among other more anonymous threats to Hydra. The placing of that makes it seem that the Doctor Strange movie would take place before the events of Winter Soldier, which would indicate that Strange was still largely unknown (albeit active) during Captain America: Civil War (and also Avengers 2: Age of Ultron.

Here’s what I really enjoyed about this movie – it took things to a mystical place, a place you can’t explain with science. In a universe of Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and Falcon, it was a pleasant departure. I will say that Thor touched on some similar themes, including his famous line to Jane Porter:

But as beautiful as Asgard was in Thor and Thor 2, there was something visually stunning about Doctor Strange. The Inception-inspired cityscape bending was not only done with seamless SFX, but the story was told in a way that made sense. If you think about it, the sorcerers live in the world that has yet to realize they exist. Sleight of hand, misdirection, illusion. It’s what magic is. So it’s completely natural to think that most of the regular world wouldn’t be aware of its existence. So the mirror dimension helps the filmmakers tell the story, manipulate “the world” in a way that doesn’t actually affect the real world.

It was great to see the astral plane. It was amazing to see Doctor Strange in the Dark Dimension, and his use of the Eye of Agamotto (*cough*TIME GEM*cough*) had me rolling. Take THAT, Dormammu.

I thought the cast was brilliant, from Benedict Cumberbatch to Rachel McAdams, the sublime Tilda Swinton, the brilliant-in-everything Mads Mikkelsen, and the incomparable Chiwetel Ejiofor and everyone I didn’t mention…the talent they brought in for this movie just continues to show what Marvel is capable of.

Long story short (since it’s late), if you haven’t seen Doctor Strange, you shouldn’t wait any longer. It’s available in the digital format and as of yesterday, is available on bluray and dvd as well. Don’t wait any longer. After all, time is no longer on your side.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 119: Diamond Dallas Page

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 119: Diamond Dallas Page [ 36:17 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (762)

I’m excited to share this week’s podcast! It’s an interview with the latest inductee announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Diamond Dallas Page. I have to thank my friend Rob Fairless from the 25th Hour Radio Show for setting this one up. My buddy Tom Harness (Harness Digital Marketing) and I interviewed DDP last week, hours after the Hall of Fame announcement.

DDP talks about life in the ring as well as his DDP Yoga program and the new apps he has recently rolled out including DDP Yoga Now and the DDP’s Video Alarm. You can find both in the app store.

In addition to the DDP interview, there a few other shout-outs this week for indy wrestling. “Farmer” Billy Hills and Dell Tucker are the new Cape Championship Wrestling tag team champions. Congrats to both on being the first tag champs for the company. Also, Stride Pro Wrestling returns March 4 with a big anniversary show. Bell time is 6:30 at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@DDPYoga (Twitter)
@RealDDP (Twitter)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)
@itomharness (Twitter & Instagram)
@25thHourRadio

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 5: I Love L.A.

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Positive Cynicism Episode 5: I Love L.A. [ 23:39 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (664)

It’s celebration time this week on Positive Cynicism.  Host Chad Smart celebrates the ten year anniversary of moving to Los Angeles with some anecdotes about experiences he had in the City of Angels.  After reminiscing about the last decade, it’s time to look towards the future and the next crazy sports trip. This one may be a bit too extreme. As always, the episode ends with the “Question of the Week.”

Some places for Positive Cynicism:

Twitter
Facebook (Coming soon)
Chad Smart
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network on Twitter
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network on Facebook

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 25

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 25 [ 43:02 | 59.1 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1094)

Nebrasketball dominates the conversation in the 25th episode of the Five Heart Podcast. This is a show where we talk about a nice win over Ohio State, the second of two good wins after a 1-point overtime loss to Wisconsin.

Tim Miles…man…the article put out this past Monday seemed to generate as much heat as it was meant to put out the flames. It’s unfair to throw Miles under the bus. Yet some fans are willing to do that. So we talk about Tim Miles and Nebraska Men’s Basketball, recruiting, and the best players to don the Scarlet and Cream in the Tim Miles era.

Also, no way is Illinois a bubble team.

Hey, remember to subscribe to the show on iTunes or Stitcher.

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The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko 

Featured Image: Feb 23, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Tim Miles looks on during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter/USA Today

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 73: Take a Trip ‘West of Oz’

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Nerds United Episode 73: Take a Trip 'West of Oz' [ 59:31 | 81.75 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (759)

It’s a story you’re so familiar with…or maybe not. What if I told you that in the beloved 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, you were only getting 2/3 of the story? What if I told you that over the course of nine issues, you’d get three new creators’ take on the full story?

Cover for West of Oz #1

Meet Sean Benner, Nick Winand, and Cat Luong. They are the creative force behind West of Oz, a re-imagining of the beloved L Frank Baum story. In Episode 73, I talk with all three about their own personal origin stories, about the source material and how they all got attached to this project.

This show wouldn’t be possible without three-time guest and longtime friend of the show Jay Peteranetz. And in our discussion, we’ll learn how he played such a critical part in the creation of West of Oz.

So don’t click your heels. You don;t find any ruby slippers here. Just enjoy the show and SUPPORT THE KICKSTARTER!

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 118: Barbwire Will Break ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 118: Barbwire Will Break 'Broken' Matt Hardy [ 32:49 | 45.07 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (691)

Cape Championship Wrestling is a relatively new company based in southeast Missouri. Each month special guests are brought in and are a part of the show. Past stars have included King Ricochet, Trevor Murdoch and James Ellsworth. “Broken” Matt Hardy is coming to the promotion this Saturday night, Feb. 25. He faces the CCW Champion Brandon Barbwire.

Barbwire is the guest on this week’s show. He talks more about his career and his time as CCW champ. Barbwire also discusses how he prepares for someone like Matt Hardy and the other legends of wrestling he’s faced in his 13-year career.

CCW features plenty of fine talent from the region, including Brandon Espinosa, Farmer Billy Hills and Sarah Summers. Saturday’s show will crown the company’s first tag team champions too. Bell time is 6 p.m. and there is a chance to do a meet and greet with “Broken” Matt Hardy prior to the action.

You can get more information on the show right here.

 

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@CCWrestling573 (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 24

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 24 [ 43:18 | 59.48 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1052)

Greg and Brian return with a bunch of topics, and in their traditional way, branch out on topics like walk-on football, Nebrasketball, the first day of the Nebraska Baseball season, Danny Woodhead, and more.

Nana Atenken is mentioned as is the “basketball culture” in Illinois. It brings to light that Nebraska doesn’t have that basketball culture, but that it does have a wrestling culture. So Greg brings up the lack of wrestling coverage on Corn Nation (and may have inadvertently volunteered himself for the job).

Better name: DiCaprio Bootles or Mojo Hagge?

And in the “See Also” category, we mention a couple of championship-caliber Jordans…Michael Jordan and Jordan Burroughs. Plus, famous television series finales.

And here are your friendly plugs and they’re grrrrrrreat!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko 

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 4: Being Social

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Positive Cynicism Episode 4: Being Social [ 26:56 | 37 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (620)

What if you had a podcast and no one listened? How well do you know your “friends” on  Facebook?  In this week’s episode, Chad examines the love-hate relationship he has with social media.  On one hand, social media is a necessary tool to build a brand.  On the other hand, social media has become a wasteland for one sided non-conversation postings. Is it possible for the two sides to co-exist? Listen and find out.  Plus, the random question of the week looks to the future.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter:

Chad Smart
Positive Cynicism (on iTunes)
Positive Cynicism (coming soon to Facebook)
Jittery Monkey Podcasts (on Twitter)
Jittery Monkey Podcasts (on iTunes)

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 117: He Has the Whole World (Title) in His Hands

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 117: He Has the Whole World (Title) in His Hands [ 11:44 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (637)

By now you know that Bray Wyatt has won the WWE World Heavyweight Title. On the surface, this is great news. But being a sometimes wrestling pessimist, I worry about what this means for the future. Will Bray carry the gold beyond WrestleMania in a few weeks?

This week’s episode is a quick one. And full disclosure, I had to record in the car on the way to work. Sorry for the delay. As always, thanks for listening and sharing the show.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 3: Listen to Hear

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Positive Cynicism Episode 3: Listen to Hear [ 5:47 | 7.95 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (675)

So let’s run down the episodes we’ve had thus far:

Episode 1 – a commentary about the divide we have here in America, based on political viewpoints. Items covered included the election, the Trump inauguration, and the protests that took place immediately following.

Episode 2 – Last week’s episode was a recap of the NHL All-Star Weekend, with friend of the show and hockey enthusiast Mike DeKalb as the guest. You can check out his blog at hockeytransplant.com. The two also introduced the segment known as the Random Question of the Week.

This week’s episode is just five minutes long and answers a new Random Question of the Week.

“How can we bring people together to talk about their difference in opinions?”

Take five minutes out of your day to hear host Chad Smart’s thoughts. Then go out and engage in a positive conversation.

Then join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter:

Chad Smart
Positive Cynicism (on iTunes)
Jittery Monkey Podcasts (on Twitter)
Jittery Monkey Podcasts (on iTunes)
Mike DeKalb

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 23

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 23 [ 44:19 | 60.87 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2435)

Well, after taking a week off so the Bri-Guy could recover after National Signing Day, the Five Heart Podcast is back!

On the docket this week is a recap of Brian’s signing day schedule, also known as “NO SLEEP TIL LINCOLN!” Actually, that would be a really good recruiting motto for the future.

Open scholarships after signing day mean a lot of things…dedicated walk-ons earn a scholly, or you look outside the program and see which graduate transfers you can lure to Nebraska.

The 2017 NFL Draft is approaching, and we have a list of Huskers that may or may not be chosen on Draft Weekend. There’s some dissension in the ranks, so if you agree disagree, or think we left someone out, be sure to leave a comment!

Finally…Nebrasketball. Damn it all.

Now on to the plugs!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko 

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 72

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Nerds United Episode 72 [ 26:54 | 36.95 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (639)

Well, you may have seen the news that Netflix is adding an original show in 2017 based on a wildly popular video game series…

That’s right…the Belmont Family is back to continue its immortal feud with the undead. But this brings about a larger discussion about video games and how well they translate to other mediums. From Super Mario Bros. to Lara Croft Tomb Raider to Assassin’s Creed, video games haven’t always translated well to the big screen.

So why do I think Castlevania will succeed where its predecessors have failed?

That big, beautiful N.

Look at what Netflix has done with the Marvel properties they were given. They are both popular and critically acclaimed. When you look at the stories that Netflix has been able to tell on adopted characters, it has to fill you with confidence knowing that Castlevania will get a “Marvel-esque” treatment, and plenty of time to tell a well-developed story.

Stick around to the end of the show when I give you a chance to shape how the next episode will sound. And as always, thanks for tuning in, sharing with your friends, and being the best dang audience around!

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 116: Red Wants Gold

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 116: Red Wants Gold [ 23:50 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (725)

Stride Pro Wrestling has been around for nearly a year. The company was founded in Marion, Illinois and puts on monthly shows at the CMA Dojo inside the Illinois Star Centre Mall. Not only are there the monthly shows, Stride offers a training school for future wrestlers. Red Daniels is the first graduate of the program.

Red was green in those early days but has quickly developed into a great talent. His tactics aren’t always above the board, as he’s joined forces with “Hitman” Jake Capone and “Big” Roger Matheus as the Midwest Mafia. It’s proven to be a smart move, as the Daniels and Capone have earned a shot against Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champions Jay Spade and Joey O’Riley.

That championship match happens Saturday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Several other matches have been announced, head to the Stride Pro Wrestling Facebook page or My 1-2-3 Cents for more details. (Photo for this post courtesy: Steve Belcher)

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@positivcynicism (Twitter)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@theReddaniels (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism Episode 2: You’re an (NHL) All Star (aka As Long as Punk’s Happy)

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Positive Cynicism Episode 2: You're an (NHL) All Star (aka As Long as Punk's Happy) [ 1:09:43 | 95.75 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (689)

This week on Positive Cynicism host Chad Smart is joined by hockeytransplant.com blogger Mike DeKalb as they discuss NHL All Star Weekend 2017.  From NHL Fan Fair to the All Star game and everything in between, Chad and Mike break down all the All Star events and give their opinions on what worked and what could use some improvements for future All Star weekends. Off the ice experiences consisted of hunting NHL mascots and celebrity encounters with Star Trek: The Next Generation whipping boy Wil Wheaton and former WWE Champion CM Punk. After expounding on all things NHL All Star the episode concludes with the Random Question of the Week.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 115: WTF WWE?

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 115: WTF WWE? [ 31:38 | 43.45 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (667)

The 2017 Royal Rumble is officially in the books. Kevin and Chad analyze the 30th annual event and talk more about what happened at the Alamo Dome and what the Road to WrestleMania looks like.

The two will also talk about big wins by Neville, The Club and John Cena who has now tied Ric Flair’s 16 times as World Champion.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Positive Cynicism

Positive Cynicism: The Debut

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Positive Cynicism: The Debut [ 45:36 | 62.64 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (783)

On the first episode of  Positive Cynicism, host Chad Smart finds out hosting a podcast is not as easy as it sounds (literally). After struggling with organizing thoughts, Chad weighs in on the current political climate of America and has several words for anyone opposed to the Trump Presidency.

The episode ends with a look at the recent Oscar nominations and if anyone outside of Hollywood actually saw any of the movies nominated. Share you nominations for Best Picture on Twitter, @chadsmart.

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 22

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 22 [ 50:49 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2006)

All right ladies and gentlemen, this is it…we’re mere days away from (drumroll please) NATIONAL SIGNING DAY!!!

Is this the last time we’re talking about recruits this cycle? Well that seems unlikely. Next week we’ll have the recap of Wednesday. Heck, Brian even gives you a peek behind the curtain to inform you that next week’s show will be a day late so he can catch up on some sleep.

Who’s N? Who’s on the feNce? There’s a lot of national buzz around this recruiting class – and we’re all as anxious as anyone for Wednesday.

And Greg takes something innocuous and makes it really inappropriate and laughs..and it brings the show to a screeching halt.

In other words…it’s just another episode of the Five Heart Podcast!

And now – all the links that have signed their financial aid agreements and are ready to step foot on campus!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page 
The Corn Nation Twitter 
The Corn Nation Facebook Page 
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page 
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle 
Greg Mehochko 

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 114: Ready to Rumble

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 114: Ready to Rumble [ 42:59 | 59.04 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (674)

The 2017 Royal Rumble is just days away and Kevin and Chad are running down the card. They pick the winners for the undercard and analyze the 30 man over the top rope event. Who do you think will win?

The official rules for the My 1-2-3 Cents Royal Rumble contest have been announced too. Look for more details on the Facebook page this week.  Also Monday, January 23 is My 1-2-3 Cents Day (and the birth of Hulkamania). Be sure to read more about how to participate and win prizes here.

Also coming soon, Chad’s new podcast, Positive Cynicism. It’s the latest show to be a part of the Jittery Monkey Podcasting Network.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 21

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 21 [ 1:01:16 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1481)

Episode 21…recorded the night of (another?) disappointing Nebrasketball loss.

Damn.

It seems the most frustrating part of this is that this is a Nebraska men’s basketball team that is competing very well with these other schools, but they just can’t close it out. And it sucks.

But that’s not all we’re discussing in the episode that, if weeks were years in the podcast realm, would be old enough to drink. We also talk about the once-again busy recruiting season, the final push before National Signing Day (Wednesday, February 1…Brian will be busy all day).

Also, some tomfoolery afoot about sleep number beds and wives who steal covers (it’s okay – they aren’t listening anyway). Also, fried chicken wrapped up (or sometimes the wrapping) of some of your favorite Mexican foods (Mexican in name only…and that is also suspect.

What the devil are we talking about? I guess you will want to check out the show for all the delicious details.

And now – all the plugs and links to fill your fajita!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page 
The Corn Nation Twitter 
The Corn Nation Facebook Page 
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page 
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle 
Greg Mehochko 
Burrito-Ville 

Featured Photo: Jan 18, 2017; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Michael Jacobson (12) shoots over Ohio State Buckeyes center Trevor Thompson (32) in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Ohio State won 67-66. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 113: What Happened When … Kevin Wrestled

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 113: What Happened When ... Kevin Wrestled [ 1:06:23 | 91.17 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (718)

January 14, 2012 is one of those nights I’ll never forget. It was the one and only time I got to step in the ring and have a match. It was with All American Pro Wrestling, against Mike Masters. You can watch the match on YouTube here.

pac generico
Photo courtesy: Jason Wilkey

Also that night PAC squared off against El Generico. You know them better today as Neville and Sami Zayn. You can see their match (which I also helped call) here.

So this week’s podcast is an homage to my favorite show Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard. Nerds United and Five Heart Podcast host (and Jittery Monkey Network creator) Greg Mehockho plays the role of Conrad Thompson and asks “what happened when Kevin wrestled?”

Big thanks to Greg for the idea and the questions. I had hoped to have Mike Masters on for his perspective, but our schedules did not allow. Sometime this year we’ll make it happen.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 20

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 20 [ 33:03 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1728)

This week’s episode touches on the recent changes made to the football team’s coaching staff (yes, with an announcement pending at some point Saturday). Does the dismissal of two of Mike Riley’s longtime assistants mean that the “Nicest Guy in College Football” is feeling a sense of urgency?

What does the new defensive coordinator bring to Lincoln? Does it mean Nebraska could see a 3-4 defensive scheme for the first time in over twenty years?

Well, I don’t know!

Plenty of recruiting talk as we are just weeks from National Signing Day: Coaches are out on the road and kids are scheduling trips to the Heartland. Let’s see what the final push will bring.

A little frivolity in the episode as well, as the guys discuss a couple late-1990s movies. And Greg’s dog tries to intervene and take over the show (hence the featured image). So there’s that.

And now…all the links that are fit to print!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 112: Dan “The Beast” Severn

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 112: Dan "The Beast" Severn [ 59:41 | 81.98 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (654)

It’s a new year and UFC Hall of Famer Dan “The Beast” Severn is staying busy. The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion is still very active, teaching children and adults the art of amateur wrestling and self-defense.

I recently had the honor of speaking with The Beast. He is a gracious and humble man who shares his insight with all of us. Thanks to Rob Fairless from The 25th Hour Radio Show for helping me set up this interview.

You can keep up with Severn on his official website and check out his book The Realest Guy in the Room. Jim Cornette wrote the forward for it, and we talk about the relationship between Severn and Corny. We also discuss Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar among other topics.

Social Media shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 19

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 19 [ 41:50 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1312)

The Nebraska Men’s Basketball Team is 3-0 to open conference play. That hasn’t happened since the Big 8 days in 1975-76. I wasn’t even alive then. Think about THAT!

In Episode 19, we talk about this unexpected and unbelievable beginning to the conference slate for Nebrasketball. We also talk about the sad ending to the Nebraska football season in the Music City Bowl. They can’t all be winners. Washington knows that (and I hope Alabama learns the lesson). But Nebraska’s loss to Tennessee had some bright moments.

Also there is some recruitnik talk, as the Huskers received a commitment during Thursday’s Husker basketball win. And this weekend could prove to be a big one on a national stage this weekend.

All the plugs deserving of a 3-0 Nebrasketball team in conference play.

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

Featured Image: Jan 5, 2017; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Ed Morrow Jr. (30) and guard Glynn Watson Jr. (5) fight for the loose ball against Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cordell Pemsl (35) in the first overtime at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska won 93-90. (Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports)

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 111: Ask My 1-2-3 Cents

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 111: Ask My 1-2-3 Cents [ 29:43 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (820)

Happy New Year. Hope 2017 is off to a great start for you. In this week’s episode, I’m answering your questions.

There were several great questions submitted to the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page and Twitter account with #AskMy123Cents. Thanks to all who participated. I’ll do it again in the future.

Speaking of the future, next week in episode 112, I’ll be chatting with UFC Hall of Famer and former NWA World Champion Dan “The Beast” Severn. That show will drop Monday, Jan. 9.

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

My 1-2-3 Cents

Slammin’ with Smitty – CCW Year End Review

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Hey all!! Jared back at ya and man have I come back with a purpose this time!! Its time to talk about Cape Championship Wrestling!! Now, I’ll have a bigger post that I’ll put up later with a bit more detail about CCW. If you want more information on your own time before I get around to telling you about it, head on over to http://www.capewrestling.com or Like them on Facebook.

I can talk all day about CCW and at some point, I’m going to! But today is focused. Laser focused with pinpoint accuracy! Well…I don’t know that we’ll go that far because, let’s be serious, there’s NOTHING about me that is 100% accurate. I’m human after all, and a moderately lazy one at that. However, today comes along at the right time to do so. Its my Year End Review of CCW! With 2016 days away from finally being over (which, I think we can all agree has been a pretty rough year all around) and a fresh start on the way, I thought it was a great time to take a chance back to reflect on a great first year of action in Cape Championship Wrestling.

CCW officially fired out of the chamber in July at the Osage Center right here in Cape Girardeau, with a monthly show every month after except for this month, as to allow for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. During my Year End review here, I’m going to talk about my favorite match from each card, then I’m going to pick my favorite match of the year, my favorite talent of the year and then talk about hopes, thoughts and predictions for 2017.

The first card in July featured a 3 match tournament for the CCW belt, which featured talent such as “Sexy” Sarge O’Riley vs Brandon Barbwire and Billy Hills vs Jason Vaughn. We saw the debut of the Pinnacle, being lead by the boisterous (is that too much credit?) Jeff O’Dell, and were swerved in the end, as Jeff O’Dell formed his group with Sarge, Billy Hills, Sweet Sarah Summers and, unexpectedly, Brandon Barbwire, who was crowned the very first CCW champion. Also that night, we had Davey Vega vs Hollis Giroux, Jake Dirden vs Genesis and Lil Bit vs Diamond Doll. This night got the wheels turning and got the CCW crowd familiarized with the talent that would be coming in. Myself, being a big Jake Dirden fan, was beyond ecstatic that he was going to be a part of CCW. I was also very excited to see Davey Vega, Billy Hills and Jason Vaughn. At the end of the night, I was enjoying everyone, both new to me and those I was familiar with! CCW far exceeded my expectations and, even though I already knew that I would support everything they would do, this first show cemented that with me. Looking back at that show, it really is hard for me to pick a favorite match. I loved the Davey vs Hollis match. I really enjoyed the story telling in the matches with Brandon Barbwire, too. So as I think on it now, I think the match with Brandon Barbwire and Billy Hills in the finals of the CCW Title Tournament will be my match of the night for the debut CCW show.

Up next was probably my favorite card of the year for CCW and that was the August show, CCW Homecoming at the AC Brase Arena Building. As a side note, if you get a chance to check out a show at the Arena Building, please do. It has such a vintage, old school feel about it. In fact, Elvis played concerts there, Metallica played live in the 80’s with Cliff Burton, even the Poffo family brought their ICW shows to the Arena Building in the 80’s, featuring Randy “Macho Man” Savage prior to his signing with the then WWF. This show featured my favorite star of the independent scenes, Ricochet, the Paducah, Kentucky native taking on a veteran of the Mid South wrestling scene, Austin Lane, the Best of the Best. We also saw CCW debuts of “Tornado” Tony Kozina, CJ Shine, BT Daramola, Dale Wylde and the Missouri Wrestling Revival Missouri Champion Brandon Espinosa. Obviously, my favorite match of that night was Ricochet vs Austin Lane. That night, I got to meet Ricochet (which, truthfully, it wasn’t the first time as I met him several years ago prior to him becoming the name that he is now) and I also became a fan of Austin Lane. Wow that was quite a match. However, I do have to talk about Billy Hills vs Espy as that was truly a great match in itself with a lot of dramatic sequences. The women, Lil Bit and Diamond Doll, also had one of their best matches in CCW that night as well. And, I can’t go without mentioning the story telling involved with Jake Dirden and Brandon Barbwire in that championship match. So with that second card, we were beginning to see just how great CCW as going to be.

Come September, CCW moved back over to the Osage Center in a card called Best of the Best, as we were treated to Austin Lane vs Brandon Barbwire in a dual stipulation match. If Austin won, he would become the number one contender to the CCW title. However, if Brandon won, he would earn the right to Austin Lane’s nickname the Best of the Best (and, just so Brandon remembers, Austin is from rope to rope, pillar to post the BEST OF THE BEST). Austin Lane also had some help in his corner as one of the craziest people to ever step foot in a ring, PSYCHO, made his CCW debut. Also, we witnessed what became the most important debut in CCW’s short history…THE DEBUT OF BLASTER!!! That alone was worth the price of admission! This night had several great matches. The Diamond Doll vs Lil Bit “I Quit” match was VERY intense, many times my wife and I were gasping with a “holy crap” feel as they just tore into each other. Brandon and Austin exceeded the expectations I had placed on that match, as it offered the full spectrum of entertainment in the ring from funny spots, to high flying moments, to some very dramatic moments. It was a wonderfully done match from the pre-match build up all the way to the final bell. However, the match that night that I’ll pick as the best match was Brandon Espinosa vs Ace Hawkins for the MWR Missouri Championship. Wow, is really all I can say. Two former tag partners putting on one heck of a match for that strap, featuring a plethora (do you even know what a plethora is?) of 2.99999 counts, high flying, hard hitting action. I could do nothing more than stand and applaud afterward as the crowd, fittingly, gave them multiple “this is awesome” chants. Well deserved!

For October, CCW went on the road for the first time to Chaffee, Missouri, home of the Red Devils, for the Red Devil’s Revenge show! This was a fun night, as we had James Ellsworth, yes the WWE superstar, live in the building against Tony Kozina! CJ Shine and Brandon Espinosa squared off in a hard hitting match, we saw the debut of THE Cody Wilson in a triple threat with Hollis Giroux and Jake Dirden, the in-ring debut of Ms Sweet Sarah Summers, the CCW debut of Marni Gras, a great title match with Brandon Barbwire and Austin Lane, and a gritty street fight grudge match with Jason Vaughn and Farmer Billy Hills. Three matches stand out to me on this one, as the MWR Title match with Espy and CJ Shine was a GREAT match to get the night started and was probably the best match I’ve seen CJ Shine in so far. I did feel bad for him, though, as Espy can chop a man’s chest off. Secondly, the title match was simply amazing. The War Child motorcycle group was there to make sure that The Pinnacle wasn’t going to interfere in this match, which was a great addition to that title match. However, the match of the night for me that night was Farmer Billy Hills vs Jason Vaughn. This stemmed from an incident in the summer where Billy Hills (although he won’t admit to doing this) RAN OVER Jason Vaughn in his pick up truck. So these two brutes had it out, beating each other with chairs, kendo sticks, tables, toy ponies (true story, bro) and so much more. The action spilled out of the ring many times, ultimately ending in ring with Jason getting the W and putting an end to this intense feud.

The last show of the year for CCW featured another debut, as CCW debuted in Delta, Missouri for Knockout November! Brandon Barbwire and Hollis Giroux were set to main event with a title match, along with Lil Bit and Sarah Summers squaring off, Austin Lane and Billy Hills in a #1 contenders match, a 4 on 4 Team CCW vs Team Pinnacle match, as well as talk of a mystery opponent, picked by Jeff O’Dell, for Jason Vaughn. However, injuries plagued this card as not only Austin Lane was hurt, but the CCW gold jewel himself, Brandon Barbwire, was ruled out of commission due to some sort of intense training injury. He seemed fine by me. But who am I to really know what happened, right? However, we were still treated to a great show as another Mid South legend, Dell Tucker, made his CCW debut. In the kick off match, another young talent from Kansas City, Phoenix, took on THE Cody Wilson in just an amazing match and a great debut by Phoenix. I had a chance to talk with the young man at intermission and I do hope to see him again in the future. Jeff O’Dell had two big secrets up his sleeve. His mystery opponent for Jason Vaughn was D’Mone, a beast out of Memphis who is built like a brick wall and athletic as he was strong. Also, unbeknownst to us, JEFF O’DELL BROUGHT BACK BLASTER!! Blaster came out to take on Dell Tucker and was quickly dispatched, then stuck around as part of the Pinnacle vs CCW 4v4 match. With this match, the winning team would be able to select their stipulation for the first card of 2017 in January. In the end, team CCW won as Lil Bit pinned Farmer Billy Hills in a surprising upset, resulting in CCW selection the STEEL CAGE as their stipulation for the show in January. Hands down, Phoenix and Cody Wilson had the match of the night for me, but if I picked it #1, 1B would be the 4 vs 4 tag match between CCW and The Pinnacle, setting up January’s show.

 

So, overall, my match of the year for CCW is going to Ricochet vs Austin Lane. But so many great matches happened that I talked about in my ramblings up there. CCW really came out of the gate swinging from their first show and I have to really hand it to Ken Murphy, Jason Wells, Lee Montgomery, Adam Rister and Double H for delivering such a great product in 2016. All of that action only happened in four months!! Can you imagine what 2017 has in store?

Speaking of 2017….
15589498_361800490841887_8582469401560180514_n

January is firing off hard and heavy with the return to the AC Brase Arena. Look at that card! Just look at it!! WOW!!! 2017 will be a banner year for wrestling here in Cape Girardeau, with talks of a HUGE show coming up in April that will coincide with the annual Cape Comic Con, which is also put on and promoted by Ken Murphy. This annual event usually features current/former wrestling talents and this year, it sounds like CCW’s April show will be their Wrestlemania equivalent with a lot of hype already surrounding it. So, if you haven’t had a chance to go to a show and are a wrestling fan, get your tickets now!! And, be sure to check out some of these great links to keep updated on everything CCW!

http://www.podzilla1985.com/  (click on the Pro Wrestling Unscripted shows)

http://www.capewrestling.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CapeChampionshipWrestling/

https://missouriwrestlingrevival.com/

http://www.my123cents.com/

http://jitterymonkey.com/category/my123cents/

http://www.ontheropesnetwork.com/

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 18

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After last week’s well-received Very Special Christmas Special, this week’s episode sees the return of Brian after a successful trip back to Lincoln. We talk about menu items for Christmas and New Years (whose toes Brian would lick to avoid eating black eyed peas).

Greg fired a few quick hypothetical situations at Brian. His responses are the things of legend.

And hey, there’s a bowl game today. Nebraska and Tennessee from Nashville, TN and the Music City Bowl (that reminds me…I need to set the DVR).

Also, there’s a lengthy discussion about what we ate over the Christmas weekend.

All the plugs for when you don’t make it to midnight on New Year’s Eve!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

Featured Image: Senior QB Ryker Fyfe runs in the open field during Nebraska’s 28-7 win over Maryland on Nov. 19. Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

Nerds United

The Future of Leia Organa

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As I write this, I do so with the typical sadness we nerds get at the passing of one of our definable figures.

Let’s face it…2016 has been absolutely brutal for celebrity deaths.

We lost David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and Glenn Frey (among others) in January. We should have known.

THE SIGNS WERE THERE!!!

We are more aware of celebrity deaths as we get older because these are names we grew up with.

Prince, Merle Haggard, Doris Roberts, Muhammad Ali, Gordie Howe, Anton Yelchin, Pat Summitt, Kenny “R2-D2” Baker, Gene Wilder, Arnold Palmer, Florence Henderson and countless more. Hell, this month alone has seen the passing of Alan Thicke, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Greg Lake, George Michael, and as we learned today, Carrie Fisher.

We could all use a hug from Han right about now.
We could all use a hug from Han right about now.

Fisher suffered a cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles just days ago, but was reported as of this morning to be in stable condition. Sadly, she succumbed to the event earlier today. She was 60 years old.

Known largely for her role of Leia Organa, Fisher has appeared in four main saga movies, from the original trilogy to Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Variety has reported that all of Fisher’s scenes for Episode VIII had been filmed.

But the question remains, and though it may seem callous and uncaring, bare with me: what will come of the Princess Leia character after Episode VIII?

Star Wars: The Force Awakens L to R: C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), Admiral Statura (Ken Leung), and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Photo Credit: David James ©Lucasfilm 2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens L to R: C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), Admiral Statura (Ken Leung), and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Photo Credit: David James ©Lucasfilm 2015

I don’t know the plan for the Leia character. SPOILERS AHEAD!!! We know that in the third act of Episode VII The Force Awakens, Han Solo is killed by Kylo Ren. How does this affect Leia? How does she retaliate in the next chapter of the saga? So many questions.

I pose the following questions to you, and I encourage you to respond in the comments either here or on Facebook.

  1. Should the story be altered in any way (not that we know what the story is) to allow for a graceful departure of Leia’s character?
  2. Based on what we saw in Rogue One and the technological advancements in CGI and the ability to bring characters to life despite their actors being deceased, is that a direction you’d like to see them go with Leia?

I get it…I feel shitty even considering the notion of a Star Wars Universe without Carrie Fisher. But thanks to 2016, that’s the world we live in now.

So what I’m trying to say is:

SCREW YOU 2016!!!

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 110: The 2016 Centy Awards

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 110: The 2016 Centy Awards [ 56:59 | 78.26 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (659)

It’s the end of the year and Kevin and Chad are celebrating with the annual Centy Awards. As you can see by the picture “Broken” Matt Hardy and Charlotte Flair are among the honorees. What do these two wrestlers have in common? Listen to the show!

We also name the first-ever All Out of Bubblegum Award winner in honor of the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

Do you agree with our picks? Share your thoughts with us here or on social media. Thanks for the support through the years on the My 1-2-3 Cents blog, YouTube channel and Facebook page.

We hope you had/have a great holiday season. Here’s to 2017.

Social media shoutouts:

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@HeyHeyItsConrad (Twitter)
@realDonaldTrump (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 17

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 17 [ 29:08 | 40.02 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1112)

It’s a completely different format for our First Annual Very Special Christmas Special. Also – there’s no Brian, as he’s with family, leaving Greg all by himself.

BUT GREG HAD AN IDEA!

“Let’s share the load.” And so – the Christmas Wish for Nebraska Athletics was born.

Emails were sent, text messages too. And even a message to a former Husker for his Chronicled contribution (that’s right…I initiated that)!

So we rounded up the willing participants, and they recorded their Christmas Wishes that they’d like to see come true for the betterment of Nebraska Athletics (no mention of turning down the speakers at Memorial Stadium).

It’s an episode without Brian, and we’re all a little poorer for it. But we will push on, because it’s what he would want us to do.

Merry Christmas! And GO BIG RED!

All the plugs under your tree!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

Pick up your Corn Nation Ugly Christmas Sweater t-shirt right here!

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 109: Dalton’s New World Order

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 109: Dalton's New World Order [ 11:28 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (624)

I recently met a young wrestling fan named Dalton with a rare disease called ADL. His dying wish was to attend WrestleMania 33, but unfortunately, he passed away before that could happen. You can read more about Dalton here.

If you want to help I would suggest donating to the family’s GoFundMe page, it would be more than appreciated. Email me kevinhunsperger@gmail.com or contact the Granted office at (812) 425-9474 if you have any other questions.

Merry Christmas. Chad and I will have the Centy Awards next week for you.

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 71 – The Rogue Two

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Felicity Jones is Jyn Erso, the key component to the rebellion, before anyone named "Skywalker" comes along.
Felicity Jones is Jyn Erso, the key component to the rebellion, before anyone named “Skywalker” comes along.

Well, it finally happened. For the first time since Captain America: Civil War, I made it to the movie theater. Plans were set in motion a couple months ago for my friend RJ and I to take in an opening-weekend viewing of Rogue One. And despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, we made it happen at The Edge in Belleville, IL.

Leather seats that recline. They even bring the food and beverages out to you. It was amazing (the word of the day).

So here is a little chat we had from the cab of my truck. That’s right – it’s another truck episode! But that’s just because everyone was asleep at the house when we got back and I didn’t want to disturb anyone. BECAUSE I’M CONSIDERATE!!!

And as always, this is a spoiler-free podcast without any click-bait titles.

It’s a wonder anyone ever listens to these at all. But if you do, and if you enjoy it, please tell your friends.

Gracias, mi amigos!

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 16

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Brian and Greg are back in an all-new, informative AND entertaining podcast.

In this episode, they guys are joined by Corn Nation’s volleyball expert Ty Peteranetz, who’s stuck in Springfield, Illinois for the evening. Ty is on his way home from Columbus, Ohio where he witnessed Nebraska volleyball lose to Texas in the semifinal. But as the guys stress, he got some Tim Horton’s…so it all worked out.

Ty breaks down what occurred in the match as well as who Nebraska will look to lose to graduation and who will be back next year.

The guys also touched on the info that was given late this week that the 2016 Music City Bowl would not include Jordan Westerkamp.

So to prove you can’t have a Husker podcast without talking football, this trio spends some time talking about Huskers as they head to the bowl game, the off-season, the combine, AND future Huskers yet to arrive.

As always, the plugs get you where you need to go:

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 108: Road Block, Linda McMahon & Crossover Appeal

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 108: Road Block, Linda McMahon & Crossover Appeal [ 66.14 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1070)

Chad and Kevin are back for an all-new episode of My 1-2-3 Cents. The two are discussing three hot topics in wrestling this week. The upcoming Road Block: End of the Line event, Linda McMahon’s role in the Trump administration and the crossover appeal of WWE Superstars like John Cena, the Rock and Batista.

During the discussion, we try to name who the next big crossover Superstar will be. Who do you think will go from the ring to Hollywood next and have the most success in doing so?

Social media shoutouts:

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 15

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 15 [ 32:26 | 44.55 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1239)

It’s Episode 15 of the Five Heart Podcast and Brian and Greg start off by spending a few minutes talking about the amazing come-from-behind win for the Nebraska women’s volleyball team. We dubbed it Nebraska’s most impressive comeback ever.

We also discuss bowl season, and a very central location that could be utilized for a bowl game (if we needed a 43rd bowl game). We talk about the Music City Bowl featuring the once-overrated Tennessee Volunteers and the once-overrated Nebraska Cornhuskers. That will be fun. Stay tuned for that one on Friday, December 30.

We tried getting out of there without mentioning the loss to Creighton, but sadly were unable to do so…so consider it mentioned.

As always, feedback is welcome. Share with your friends. Etc. Etc.

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
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The Corn Nation Facebook Page
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The Jittery Monkey Twitter
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 107: Jason Tha Brain Knows All

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 107: Jason Tha Brain Knows All [ 22:51 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (678)

This week’s guest is Jason “Tha Brain” Wells from Cape Championship Wrestling. The promotion is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and features a lot of great independent talent. Tickets for their next show Caged Chaos (Jan. 28) go on sale Monday, December 5. The featured guest is former ROH champion, Davey Richards.

You can get tickets starting at 5 p.m. (12/5) right here. The card has already taken shape.

CCW champion Brandon Barbwire w Jeff O’Dell takes on Hollis Giroux in a steel cage match for the Championship.

TNA Star Davey Richards takes on Tony Kozina.

Austin Lane & Lil Bit vs Sarah Summers & “Farmer” Billy Hills

Dell Tucker vs Jason Vaughn

The Blaster vs Cody Wilson

D’Mone vs Double H’s Surprise

Be sure to also check out this post about Dalton Minnick. He’s an 11-year-old wrestling fan fighting for his life right now. His family is trying to get visits, pics and figures from wrestlers around the country. You can learn more here.

Stride Pro Wrestling also returns at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion on Saturday, Dec. 10. It’s Star Wars night. Come with a Star Wars shirt and get ready for Hostile Holiday. Bell time is 6:30 p.m. See ya there.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@CCWrestling573  (Twitter & Instagram)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 14

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 14 [ 44:07 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1408)

You know what sucks? Losing to Iowa. I mean…it is the drizzling shits. And you know what? We can’t do anything about it now. We passive observers couldn’t do anything about it last week when it happened.

IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 10: Running back LeShun Daniels #29 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs up the field in front of linebacker Dedrick Young #5 and safety Aaron Williams #24 of the Nebraska Huskers during the second quarter, on November 25, 2016 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 10: Running back LeShun Daniels #29 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs up the field in front of linebacker Dedrick Young #5 and safety Aaron Williams #24 of the Nebraska Huskers during the second quarter, on November 25, 2016 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

In this episode, Greg and Brian discuss recruiting classes past, present, and future. Who has lived up to the hype, who has not.

And speaking of recruiting, the Husker coaching staff is all over the country taking advantage of the off weekend by doing some coast-to-coast recruiting!

https://twitter.com/HuskerFBNation/status/804399416866181120

There’s also brief conversation at the end that is PURELY SPECULATIVE about where the Huskers may end up in the bowl game scenario.

Here are the plugs that keep your world spinning.

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 106: It Strikes Your Fancy

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 106: It Strikes Your Fancy [ 26:32 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (710)

Professional wrestling fans in southern Illinois already know who J. Wellington Beauregard is. He’s been a part of the wrestling scene in this region for more than a decade. Now as a part of Stride Pro Wrestling, Beauregard has managed some of the biggest and best brawlers in the game. His stable “Damage Inc.” includes former champion Ax Allwardt, “Homicidal” Stephen Davis, Brandon Walker and up-and-comer Scott Phoenix.

scott-phoenix
Scott Phoenix & J. Wellington Beauregard Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Two of Beauregard’s men have big title opportunities on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the CMA Dojo at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion, Illinois. Ax will get a rematch against new Stride Pro Wrestling Champion Heath Hatton. But the match is a fatal four-way and includes “Big” Roger Matheus and Chris Hargas. Also happening at Hostile Holiday: Seasons Beatings event, Phoenix gets a shot at the Legacy Championship held by Jerry Travelstead.

Come out for a fun night of wrestling action. It’s got a Star Wars theme and we’ll be having a good time with that too. Bell time is 6:30 p.m. See you there.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 13

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 13 [ 33:07 | 45.5 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1076)

First and foremost – HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

The Huskers football team improved to 9-2 after a win over the Maryland Terrapins. But devastation strikes the Husker women’s volleyball team as they endure a five-set loss to #2 Minnesota.

Plus, we talk about #EvilIowa and their failures in recruiting. YES, WE TALK RECRUITING THAT ISN’T EVEN NEBRASKA!

darth-herky

While you’re enjoying the drive home from family, let Brian and Greg keep you company and help you unwind. But if you’re one of those crazy people standing in line for something cheap – we appreciate helping you pass the time, but it makes yuo no less crazy.

Tell your friends. Leave your feedback. If you have a minute, head over to iTunes and leave a review. We really appreciate it.

Let the plugs surround you like a cornucopia of joy!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 105: Let’s Give Thanks

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It’s the week of Thanksgiving so after a few failed attempts at getting a guest booked for this week’s show I decided to go with a “What I’m thankful for” podcast. The show is short and sweet, not because I’m not thankful for many things, though.

As I sit here and reflect on what I said on the show I am reminded that I didn’t thank the guy behind Jittery Monkey Podcasting, Greg Mehochko. About two years ago he invited me to join the network and I’m grateful for that. So Greg if you’re reading this, thank you very much. I appreciate being a part of Jittery Monkey.

I’m thankful for all of you for listening and sharing for nearly two years now. There have been some great guests along the way. I’m happy to have this outlet and I’m grateful for each of you. Your support has been awesome here and on My 1-2-3 Cents the blog.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 12

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Brian fights through illness and injury and joins Greg once again for a brand new episode. The Huskers are 8-2 after knocking off Minnesota at Memorial Stadium.

There’s a lot less recruiting talk in this episode, but the guys branch out and talk about more than just the Husker football team. That’s right, the top-ranked volleyball team gets a few minutes at the beginning of the show. This episode was recorded Wednesday evening, a short time after Nebraska defeated #15 Penn State at the Devaney Center.

Also in the episode, Greg reveals his super powers of premonition, centered around this text conversation from Saturday night:

Greg's text conversation with his friend Josh. You'll have to ignore (or at least forgive) the poor use of grammar.
Greg’s text conversation with his friend Josh. You’ll have to ignore (or at least forgive) the poor use of grammar.

And we all know how that ended:

Kieron Williams intercepts the deflected pass (off of Aaron Williams). Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation
Kieron Williams intercepts the deflected pass (off of Aaron Williams). Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

A LOT LESS RAGE from Brian in this episode – so that’s a plus.

Tell your friends. Leave your feedback. If you have a minute, head over to iTunes and leave a review. We really appreciate it.

All the plugs that satisfy:

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 104: One Ton Tournament

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It’s going to be a battle of the big men coming up on Friday, November 25 (the night after Thanksgiving). The 1 Ton Tournament is happening in Tullahoma, Tennessee. This one-night tournament is the brainchild of Jeremiah Plunkett.

The competitors must weigh at least 300 pounds to be entered. Listeners to this show know combatants like “Farmer” Billy Hills and Bull Bronson. You can learn more about the show here.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 11

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That did NOT go how we anticipated or hoped. 62-3.

Hell, the guys dislike that outcome so much that they barely discuss the Ohio State game at all.

oregon-8-0
Tommy Armstrong leads the Huskers onto the field against Oregon. It remains to be seen whether or not Armstrong will be in Action Saturday against Minnesota. Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

Instead, Brian and Greg talk about depth at several positions, but mostly the quarterback position. And speaking of quarterbacks (past, present, and future), the guys delve into legacies of players and what it means to be great.

And Brian doesn’t HATE the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy, it’s just not the trophy he craves the most.

As a side note, Greg recently ordered a couple shirts for my son from Amazon. The name of the store is CornBorn. He bought two 12M shirts, but one was this design that you might enjoy:

Plug it like it’s hot!

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 103: Hatton’s Last Chance

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 103: Hatton's Last Chance [ 25:31 | 35.06 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (777)

Stride Pro Wrestling returns to action Saturday, November 12 at West Frankfort High School. It’s the Redbird Rumble. Several great matches have already been announced including the Stride Pro Wrestling heavyweight title. Heath Hatton gets a last chance opportunity for the gold against Ax Allwardt in a Street Fight. The tag team titles will be defended in a Fatal Four-Way match and “Big” Roger Matheus battles Chris Hargis in a grudge match.

In this week’s show Heath talks about his upcoming match and goes over some of the big events from his career, including an NWA title shot against Adam Pearce and his WWE PPV debut against Ryback in 2012.

Speaking of the upcoming Stride Pro Wrestling show, there’s a new Legacy Champion. Jerry Travelstead beat Tony Flood in a ladder match to win the brand new title. The two put on an amazing match, both coming out worse for the wear as a result.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jittery_monkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 10

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 10 [ 40:59 | 56.29 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1137)

Well, losing sucks. It does. And while you’d like to be able to say that a certain third-down play in overtime was the end-all, be-all reason for the Huskers’ first loss of the season, it’s not.

In Episode 10 of the Five Heart Podcast, Brian and Greg talk about missed opportunities. But what’s more important to realize are the opportunities that still lie ahead for our beloved Big Red.

Bednarik Award Finalist Nate Gerry had two fourth-quarter interceptions Saturday against Wisconsin, but the Huskers only came away with three points. (Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation)
Bednarik Award Finalist Nate Gerry had two fourth-quarter interceptions Saturday against Wisconsin, but the Huskers only came away with three points. (Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation)

Now a “mad” Nebraska team heads to the Horseshoe to face Ohio State. Can the Huskers string together four solid quarters to overcome the odds (two-touchdown underdogs) and shock the nation?

Well, to paraphrase some champions elsewhere…

“AWWWWWWWW HUSKER NATION! DON’T YOU DARE BE SOUR! CLAP FOR YOUR WORLD FAMOUS 5-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS, AND FEEEEEEL THE

The links get you where you need to go.

The Five Heart Podcast Twitter **NEW**
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 102: The Prince of All Goblins

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 102: The Prince of All Goblins [ 25:20 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (619)

Happy Halloween. I’ve been looking forward to the Halloween show for some time now and I’m happy to have had the chance to talk once again with Kobald, the Prince of All Goblins. He’s one of the stars of Chikara Pro and a member of the Batiri. If you’ve never watched, get caught up with the product via Chikaratopia.

chamber-of-horrors
Chamber of Horrors Halloween Havoc ’91

Besides catching up with Kobald in this episode I offer up a quick review of Halloween Havoc ’91. If you’ve never watched, you’re missing out. The Chamber of Horrors match between Sting, El Gigante and The Steiners going against Big Van Vader, Cactus Jack, Abdullah the Butcher and the Diamond Studd. It’s good, campy fun to say the least.

Social Media shoutouts!
@kobald6 (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)
@thebatiri (Twitter)
@chikarapro (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 9

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Brian and Greg are back ahead of Nebraska’s trip to Madison this weekend to face the Wisconsin Badgers.

Can the Huskers invade Camp Randall and get a win? Why does the same media that puts Nebraska int he top ten bitch and moan about Nebraska being in the top ten?

"Rallying the Troops," the Huskers prepare to take the field last Saturday against Purdue. Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation
“Rallying the Troops,” the Huskers prepare to take the field last Saturday against Purdue. Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

Despite their flaws, this team just keeps winning. The guys talk about the upcoming opponent and what the ‘Skers can expect.

The dynamic duo (that’s probably copyrighted) branches off and has a lot of other discussion, and a corn-related pro wrestler gets mentioned from the Twitter feed.

Go Big Red!

And now for the plugs:

The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 70 – Playing Catch Up

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Nerds United Episode 70 - Playing Catch Up [ 34:43 | 47.69 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (777)

I put my son to bed and knocked out a home show before calling it a night. In Episode 70, I start off talking highly about Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.

In fact, I have a lot of positives about many movies that are otherwise crapped upon.

xmen-apocalypse-ivan
The unfinished product and the comparison everyone drew rather quickly. Admit it…you did it too.

And I bring back the debate of Batman v Superman and Captain America Civil War. Not saying one is better than the other, but rather how there is an overlooked similarity and how one gets a pass. (Hint: “He killed my mom.”)

It’s a good time to be a nerd with some great movies coming out and plenty to watch on TV (I didn’t even address The Walking Dead…dammit). My question to you is this: Are you currently reading any comics? If so, sound off in the comments here or on Facebook. I’d love to know what you’re reading and what you think about it. I’ll even read the comments on the next episode (if I remember).

Thanks for checking out the show and I’d really appreciate if you told your nerdy friends about it. Let’s get this thing growing again!

Facebook.com/NerdsUnitedShow
Twitter.com/nerdsunitedshow

Now enjoy the show.

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 101: Hell Hath No Fury…

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 101: Hell Hath No Fury... [ 36:35 | 50.24 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (679)

The Raw brand is back in pay per view form with the annual Hell in a Cell event. It’s set for Sunday and features an unprecedented three HIAC matches. Kevin Owens defends the WWE Universal championship against Seth Rollins, Rusev attempts to regain the U.S. championship from Roman Reigns and Sasha Banks clashes with Charlotte for the Raw Women’s title. That match is the first time the ladies have wrestled in a cell.

Chad and I break down the event as it stands so far. Who should main event? Are three cell matches necessary? Will Sheamus and Cesaro end the New Day’s 400+ tag team title reign?

Social media shout outs!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 8

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Well, the Nebraska Cornhuskers survived their first trip to Bloomington in Big Ten play, topping the Indiana Hoosiers 27-22 and ruining Homecoming.

The Huskers jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter, but were held scoreless until the 4th frame, where they continued to outscore the opposition, this time 10-7.

What stood out in the Week 7 game? Brian and Greg share their thoughts on the game and Number 8 Nebraska’s 6-0 start (bowl eligibility, no doubt about it)!

Photo Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation
Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

Make no mistake…this team is perfect in record only. What needs to improve? Well, getting healthy would help. Big games loom in the near future, but Brian warns not to look past Purdue. 2015 ring a bell anyone?

Enjoy the show, and remember you can get it on iTunes, as well as on Stitcher (that’s new as of this week).

Now for the plugs!

The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 100: Bushwhacked!

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 100: Bushwhacked! [ 26:21 | 36.18 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (626)

First, thank you all for checking out this podcast. This is episode 100 and I wouldn’t be where I am today with the show without your support. I truly appreciate the fact that people are listening and sharing this podcast with their friends. I am focused on finding more quality guest to have on each week as the show moves forward.

For the 100th episode, I was able to book Bushwhacker Luke as my guest. Big thanks to Jerry Travelstead for helping make this happen. Jerry is a school superintendent in Pinckneyville, Illinois. On Saturday, Nov. 5 Bushwhacker Luke will be wrestling at a fundraiser show for the district.

bushwhackerluke-show
Luke talks about his career before, during and after WWE. He also provides an update on his longtime tag team partner Butch Miller. If you live in the area, come on our November 5 and meet Luke. There will be opportunities for photos and autographs too. I’ll be there along with local favorites like Heath Hatton, Ax Allwardt, Farmer Billy Hills and Tony Flood among others.

Social media shout outs!

@BushwhackerLuke (Twitter, Instagram & Facebook)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 7

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 7 [ 30:09 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (672)

Brian and Greg keep it short and sweet today in the Five Heart Podcast, Episode 7.

oregon-30-0
File Photo from Corn Nation’s awesome photographer David McGee

Greg is fighting a cough, so forgive him. But, it’s been a long bye week and the boys talk Indiana vs. Nebraska. Why are people worried about this game? We discuss that, as well as Nebraska’s Fourth Quarter ways. Plus, a quick glimpse in the whole advanced stats vs. box scores and whether you should trust one, the other, both, or neither!

AND WE DIDN’T EVEN MENTION THE CANDY STRIPE UNIFORMS FOR THE HOOSIERS!!!

All of those social media plugs so we can keep in touch:

The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 99: Our 3 Cents

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 99: Our 3 Cents [ 47:03 | 64.63 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (823)

There are plenty of hot topics in the world of professional wrestling this week. Chad joined me to discuss some of them in Episode 99. Things we talk about:

*John Cena tying Ric Flair’s 16 World Title reigns
*Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series rumor
*WWE Network airing TNA & Ring of Honor shows
*TNA’s future
*WWE using WCW event names
*Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks inside Hell in a Cell

The breakdown of the WWE Network pricing (a survey, not a done deal):

wwesurveytiers

Social Media Shoutouts!

@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@chadsmart (Twitter)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

 

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 6

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The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 5-0 and debate rages as to whether or not they’re the worst undefeated team. But we have faith that they are right where they need to be.

The Huskers got to be 5-0 after their 31-16 win over Illinois last Saturday. Sure it was a long dry spell without a score, but that second half was a thing of beauty.

img_0175
Stanley Morgan Jr. reaches the ball forward as his knee hits the ground, extending the play and the drive, which gave the Huskers the lead for good. (Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation)

With a bye week this week, the Huskers have a few players out who need the time off to get healthy. Here’s hoping Tanner Farmer, Alonzo Moore, and a couple others are ready for Indiana, as all indications are that Cethan Carter and Jordan Westerkamp will be out.

Terrell Newby races to the endzone in the fourth quarter against Illinois. (Photo Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation)
Terrell Newby races to the endzone in the fourth quarter against Illinois. (Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation)

AND NEBRASKETBALL PRACTICE HAS BEGUN…without a particular individual who left the program in late June.

Obligatory plugs:

The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 69: Excuses, Excuses

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Nerds United Episode 69: Excuses, Excuses [ 18:57 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (798)

Well, I’m still alive.

And in this episode, I have a litany of reasons why I’ve been slacking, from reading comics to watching comic book-related entertainment materials, to bringing you more award-ignored podcasts.

So here’s what I’ve missed:

Luke Cage

https://youtu.be/snJ-nRgx8o0

“Sweet Christmas!” Am I right?

X-Men Apocalypse

Or did I miss it? I don't know!
Or did I miss it? I don’t know!

Justice League: The New Frontier

You may remember me writing about this a few months back (back when I wrote blogs). Well, it’s topical again!

This is what I call a truck episode. Meaning I was in my truck on the way to work when I recorded it.

And like I said in the show, I am excited for my upcoming guests. It’s all about scheduling and such now. But we’ll see how it goes.

Obligatory plugs:

The Nerds United Facebook Page
The Nerds United Twitter
The Jittery Monkey Facebook Page
The Jittery Monkey Twitter 
The My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook Page
The My 1-2-3 Cents Twitter
The Five Heart Podcast Facebook Page
The Corn Nation Twitter
The Corn Nation Facebook Page
The Craftbeericans Facebook Page
The Craftbeericans Twitter

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 98: Go Figure

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 98: Go Figure [ 21:34 | 29.64 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (742)

When I was in 6th grade WWF and LJN released the first series of wrestling action figures (although everyone I knew called them dolls) in 1985. I instantly became obsessed and collected Hulk Hogan, “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, Andre the Giant, Big John Studd and the Iron Sheik in quick fashion.

Years later, although much too old to play with the figures, I collected the Hasbro and Jakks Pacific brands. Then my son started collecting wrestling figures (he has since stopped though).

But I’ve always been fascinated with the talented people who can make the custom figures. J. Ryan Abney in southeast Missouri is one such artist. You can see his work on his Spooky Customs page. He has an eBay store too, featuring custom figures of the Superstars and Legends you know as well as indy greats. Contact him if you’d like to have your own creation made.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 5

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Greg and Brian are back talking recruiting, recruiting, a little about the road win over Northwestern, recruiting, and I think Illinois is mentioned once or twice.

Seriously…

Recruits gather for a group picture during the Oregon game. Photo Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation
Recruits gather for a group picture during the Oregon game. Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

A simple question of “which recruits are visiting Nebraska this week” (paraphrased) turned into a 35-minute breakdown that included commits planning on joining the Huskers in 2017, athletes on the schedule for visits down the road, and yes, who will be in Lincoln for the Homecoming Game.

Other high points of the show were discussing the following:

  • Tommy Armstrong (Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week)
  • A difference of opinion on the four defensive linemen who departed during the off-season
  • Nebraska vs Illinois in the return of a year ago
  • Greg is interrupted by his dogs, including when his one dog “attacks” him. It’s all saved for posterity.
  • And Brian sings!

This show is brought to you by A&W Root Beer and the Raising Cane’s Chicken, because that’s what Brian was eating and Greg had himself a root beer float.

The Five Heart Podcast is available on iTunes.

And check out the Five Heart Facebook Page.

Follow on Twitter:

Corn Nation
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 97: Taking Things in Stride

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 97: Taking Things in Stride [ 13:31 | 18.57 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (709)

I’ve talked many times before about Stride Pro Wrestling. The independent wrestling company continues to grow in southern Illinois. The next big show is set for Saturday, Oct. 1. Fall Break is being held at the Illinois Star Centre mall in Marion at the CMA Dojo. Bell time is 6:30.

Heath Hatton is the new number one contender for Ax Allwardt’s Stride Pro Wrestling championship. He gets his title match November 12 in West Frankfort, Illinois. We talk more about that show as well as the rivalry with Ax that has been one of southern Illinois’ most intense.

Hatton also trains the newest crop of indy wrestlers in southern Illinois at the Stride Pro Wrestling school. Check out Facebook for more on the program. And don’t forget to read the My 1-2-3 Cents blog.

Social Media Shoutouts!

@StrideWrestling (Twitter)
@strideprowrestling (Instagram)
@Heath_Hatton (Twitter)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@Craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)
@HarnessDM (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Corn Nation’s Five Heart Podcast Episode 4

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Corn Nation's Five Heart Podcast Episode 4 [ 50:50 | 69.81 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (723)
Senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong leads the team onto the field before Saturday's game against Oregon. (Photo Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation)
Senior quarterback Tommy Armstrong leads the team onto the field before Saturday’s game against Oregon. (Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation)

THREE AND OH, BABY!

The Nebraska Cornhuskers remain undefeated after a 35-32 win over the previously-ranked Oregon Ducks.

STRIKE UP THE BAND!

Two words…Tommy Armstrong. That kid (he probably qualifies as an adult by now) battled through cramps and dehydration to will the Huskers to victory. It certainly wasn’t the Tommy Armstrong Show, as he had plenty of help from a Terrell Newby and Devine Ozigbo, his reliable receiving corps, and an offensive line that has grown leaps and bounds.

The defense played great against the team speed of Oregon, and this guy had a couple solid plays, one that really contributed to his growing legend.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, etc etc." (Photo by David McGee - Corn Nation)
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, etc etc.” (Photo by David McGee – Corn Nation)

Listen in as Brian and Greg talk about the Oregon game, look forward to the game at the Wildcat Jungle in Evanston, and and touch on a few other topics in the newest Five Heart Podcast, available on iTunes.

And check out the Five Heart Facebook Page to cast your vote for the Five Heart Podcast logo.

Follow on Twitter:

Corn Nation
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network

*Featured Image – The Husker defense celebrates after making the stop that preserves the win for the home team. Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 96: The Space Monkey Has Landed

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 96: The Space Monkey Has Landed [ 16:53 | 23.2 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (673)

For nearly two years, there have been some interesting guests on My 1-2-3 Cents the Podcast. But the Space Monkey may be the most unique. He and I have a “conversation” about his career in the squared circle.

Space Monkey has been wrestling for about two years and has worked for companies along the East coast and into Canada. I first noticed him on social media (@PWSpaceMonkey) a few weeks ago after he competed in Chikara Pro.

This week’s show also features some news and notes from around the world of professional wrestling. I share my take on the rumors WWE is interested in buying TNA. Read more on the My 1-2-3 Cents blog.

Don’t forget to rate and review the show on iTunes or Jittery Monkey, screenshot it and tag us on social media. Be honest. You’ll be entered into a contest to win a prize whether you give the show one star or five stars. I want to make this a better show for all of us.

Shoutouts!

@PWSpaceMonkey (Twitter & Instagram)
@my123cents (Twitter & Instagram)
@kevinhunsperger (Twitter)
@kevin_hunsperger (Instagram)
@jitterymunkey (Twitter)
@NerdsUnitedShow (Twitter)
@craftbeericans (Twitter & Instagram)

Five Heart Podcast

Five Heart Podcast Episode 3

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Five Heart Podcast Episode 3 [ 1:00:49 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (919)

In Episode 3 of the Five Heart Podcast, Greg and Brian talk about the Wyoming game and all the goodies that went on, like:

  • Tommy Armstrong setting a new record for touchdowns thrown in a career
  • Jordan Westerkamp being on the receiving end of the record-breaking pass
Credit David McGee - Corn Nation*
Credit David McGee – Corn Nation
  • Nate Gerry penalized for handing a football back to a quarterback
  • Devine Ozigbo continuing his hot start to the season
  • Ryker Fyfe with a nice TD pass
  • A defense that kicked it into high gear as a Wyoming QB self-destructed

Also, there’s a great discussion at the outset about Ski Soda and Cracker Barrel.

Predictions for Saturday’s game against the Oregon Ducks.

And remember…Five Heart is all the heard you need.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes and receive each new episode downloaded automatically each week.

Follow on Twitter:

Corn Nation
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network

*Featured Photo – A University of Nebraska Marching Band Member having a good time during halftime of Saturday’s 52-17 win over the Pokes. Credit David McGee – Corn Nation*

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 95: “Leaping” Lanny Poffo is a Genius

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 95: "Leaping" Lanny Poffo is a Genius [ 34:34 | 47.48 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (823)

This week’s episode is a conversation with “Leaping” Lanny Poffo, who eventually became the Genius in the WWF. I did this interview for a friend of mine Rob Fairless and his radio broadcast, The 25th Hour Radio Show. Rob was unable to do the interview, so I filled in for him.

As you’ll hear in the intro, I try to talk more to Lanny about his career and not focus so much on “Macho Man” Randy Savage like many other interviewers do. I feel like Lanny often gets lost in the shuffle, but has a very interesting career too. He shares stories of wrestling in a suit of armor, how the poetry gimmick started and what it was like working for the family’s wrestling company in the late 1970s.

Also on the show I share some thoughts on CM Punk and his UFC debut. Look for blog posts this week on Backlash and other wrestling happenings; and don’t forget to tune in Thursday at noon CST for Lucha Lunch Live on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page.

Other plugs:
Twitter:
@my123cents
@kevinhunsperger
@jitterymunkey
@The25th_Hour
@NerdsUnitedShow
@craftbeercians
@HarnessDM

 

Five Heart Podcast

Five Heart Podcast Episode 2

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Standard Podcast [ 55:41 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (786)

We are back! The censors did not take Brian or myself off the air, so we decided to come back for another round.

Brian and I talk about what we saw in the Fresno game, as well as some recruiting thoughts I coaxed out of the jolly old man himself, as well as the touching tribute to Sam Foltz.

I talked about #runtheballguy and I think, just think, that Brian got a little terse about it. Finally, we discuss the upcoming Wyoming tilt tomorrow and talk about the visit from the Oregon Ducks next week. 

We appreciate each one of you as we get this podcast going.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes and receive each new episode downloaded automatically each week.

Follow on Twitter:

Corn Nation
Brian Towle
Greg Mehochko
Jittery Monkey Podcast Network

*Featured Photo – The Huskers and their fans remembered and honored punter Sam Foltz last Saturday night in Lincoln. Credit David McGee – Corn Nation*

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 94: Backlash Preview

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 94: Backlash Preview [ 34:36 | 47.52 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (670)

The first WWE Network Special in the wake of the draft is coming up Sunday, September 11. SmackDown Live presents Backlash and the card is set up to be a great night of wrestling action.

In this episode of the My 1-2-3 Cents Podcast, Kevin and Chad rundown the event card from the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles to the crowning of a new Women’s Champion and Tag Team Champions.

Be sure to check out the My 1-2-3 Cents blog and find us on various forms of social media including Facebook, Twitter & Instagram (@my123cents). Don’t forget we’re giving away prizes to our listeners.

Head over to iTunes and rate the show, give a rating and then write up a quick review. Please be honest with your thoughts, you won’t hurt my feelings. Let me know what you like about the show and what you’d change. If you listen through Jittery Monkey, leave a comment.
Screen capture your review and tag us on social media: @kevinhunsperger or @my123cents on Twitter or post it on the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page.  Winners will be picked at random and announced on the October 10 podcast. So you’ve got plenty of time to enter and win!
Five Heart Podcast

Five Heart Podcast Episode 1 – Welcome Back

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Five Hearts Podcast Episode 1 - Welcome Back [ 62.18 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (921)
Photo Credit: David McGee - Corn Nation
Photo Credit: David McGee – Corn Nation

We all know the importance of being a 3-, 4-, or 5-star recruit. But it’s the 5-heart recruits that make us feel that something special.

Greg and Brian put the band back together in an all-new podcast.

In the debut episode, the guys talk about recent happenings in Husker football (dating all the way back to 2014), the game that Minnesota tried to give away, and a look ahead to the new season.

FOOTBALL IS BACK!

Enjoy the show.

My 1-2-3 Cents

Slammin’ With Smitty – CCW Homecoming

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smitty and ricochet
“The Future of Flight” Ricochet and Smitty.

Cape Championship Wrestling made a splash in its inaugural show in July and this past weekend, they raised the bar once again with their CCW Homecoming show at the historic AC Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The Arena Building was once a tour stop for International Championship Wrestling, which was ran by Angelo Poffo and featured his son’s Lanny Poffo and, oh what was his name…oh yeah, Macho Man Randy Savage! History flows through this building and now, Cape Championship Wrestling calls it home!

The night kicked off with promoter Ken Murphy and GM Hunter Hendricks in the ring, in which Hunter Hendricks noted that The Pinnacle, led by Jeff O’Dell, had been making things rough and that he was going to do his best to ensure that tonight went smoothly. Suddenly, The Pinnacle’s music hit. Jeff O’Dell, Sarge O’Riley, Billy Hills, Sarah Summers and CCW Champion, Brandon Barbwire, came to ringside. In a show of dominance, they cornered Hunter Hendricks, before Jeff O’Dell laid out his group’s plans for dominance for the evening, even saying they would show up in the main event.

The first match of the night featured a very well-traveled and well-respected veteran, “Tornado” Tony Kozina taking on young challenger CJ Shine. CJ Shine tried to use his overly confident (ie, cocky) demeanor to bully Kozina throughout the match. However, once Tony laid in some MASSIVE knife edge chops, the momentum slowly began to turn toward Kozina. Tony hit a vaulting senton bomb, then later hit a springboard bulldog to secure the win!

Up next, BT Daramola took on God’s Gift to Wrestling “Drop Dead” Dale Wylde. Daramola got the crowd behind him early on. Wylde, after he continued to admire himself in his mirror, slowed the pace of the match by grinding the momentum down and controlling the energy of Daramola. Wylde slipped in a few, well, less than honest attacks and ultimately took the win by a quick schoolboy roll up.

Sexy Sarge was up next and in the weeks prior to Homecoming, he had issued an open challenge, stating that if nobody answered it, he would still come down and give the fans a show. His idea of a show would be a tutorial on what he calls “porn star dancing.” Thank the Good Lord above that his challenge was answered while he was in the ring by none other than young star Hollis Giroux!

From Kansas City, MO, it's Hollis Giroux!!!
From Kansas City, MO, it’s Hollis Giroux!!!

Jeff O’Dell, assuming Hollis was out to join The Pinnacle, soon learned that Hollis was out there to stop Sarge’s display. This was a great match with a lot of back and forth action, even some outside interference from Jeff O’Dell. The match ended when O’Dell mistakenly tripped up Sarge while hitting the rops, which led to a Superkick and a victory for Hollis Giroux. After the match, Sarge and O’Dell had words which almost led to Sarge punching O’Dell when suddenly, Drop Dead Dale Wylde ran into the ring to save Jeff O’Dell! After that, O’Dell claimed that Sarge had been replaced by a younger, better looking version, to which Sarge replied that he didn’t need The Pinnacle, that he regretted the decision to join and was now out to reclaim the love from the fans.

Coming back from intermission, GM Hunter Hendricks came out to announce there was a change in the women’s match. Paloma Starr had been booked to take on Lil Bit, however, Paloma was unable to attend due to other obligations. Lil Bit’s new opponent turned out to be none other than her nemesis, Diamond Doll! Lil Bit and Diamond Doll had a match on the inaugural show, which resulted in Diamond Doll attacking Lil Bit after the bell. These two had another intense match with each other, featuring a lot of back and forth offense and flat out brawling. The ending saw Diamond Doll roll up Lil Bit and use the ropes for leverage for the win due to the fact that the ref didn’t see the feet on the ropes! I smell a rubber match coming!

The following match featured a title defense of the prestigious Missouri Heavyweight Championship, featuring champion Brandon Espinosa making his CCW debut against Farmer Billy Hills with Sarah Summers. Farmer got this match after he, seemingly, took out his prior opponent “The Fury” Jason Vaughn in what we will just call an automobile accident.

Farmer Billy Hills with an advantage in this Missouri Heavyweight Championship title match against (c) Brandon "Espy" Espinosa.
Farmer Billy Hills with an advantage in this Missouri Heavyweight Championship title match against (c) Brandon “Espy” Espinosa.

Early on, Farmer used his size and strength to push Espy around the ring. Espy was able to turn the tides with his quickness and his own deceptive strength. Billy began favoring his shoulder midway through, but was still able to weather the storm of power moves, showing his grit and determination.  Suddenly, Jason Vaughn’s music started playing and a bewildered Hills looked at the entrance. This gave Espy enough time to launch an attack that, in the end, resulted in a win from an armbar submission. (Editor’s note – somebody here say “armbar?”) What a performance from both guys and a great title defense from Espinosa!

The co-main event was up next, featuring The Monster, Jake Dirden against CCW Champion, Brandon Barbwire with Jeff O’Dell. Ever since winning the CCW Championship in July, Brandon has developed his boisterous personality, and came into the night with a large chip on his shoulder due to the fact he wasn’t in the main event. Jake Dirden came into the night with one thing in mind, to claim a title and destroy Barbwire. This match was a slugfest, with the champ, Barbwire, taking large amounts of punishment early on. However, Barwire absorbed the damage and turned the tides after throwing Dirden into the ring post outside. Toward the end of the match, Barbwire ran to grab the CCW Title belt and then brought it into the ring as a weapon! Dirden, seeing what was transpiring,  knocked the belt from Barbwire’s hand, then hit The Cure on the belt! It looked like a sure-fire win, however, Jeff O’Dell distracted the referee long enough for Barbwire to be able to kick out of the eventual pin.

Brandon Barbwire needed the aid of the Championship Belt to defend against Jake Dirden. (Courtesy YouTube)
Brandon Barbwire needed the aid of the Championship Belt to defend against Jake Dirden. (Courtesy YouTube)

This ignited the Monster, as he lunged for O’Dell, who was now on the ring apron. Barbwire attacked, but again was hit with The Cure, which again, O’Dell distracted the ref. Dirden went after O’Dell one more time, however, this time the champion was able to hit Dirden with the belt to take the win and hold onto his title.

The Main Event of the evening featured one of the biggest names on the independent wrestling scene across the world, Ricochet! There’s a chance you’ve seen him on Lucha Underground as Prince Puma, or possibly from the match against Will Ospreay, among many others, but he brought his insane talents to Cape Girardeau for a huge match up with the Best of the Best, Austin Lane. Prior to the match, Hunter Hendricks brought out a second referee to stand guard to prevent The Pinnacle from coming to ringside. The match started with some humor as Austin Lane refused to shake Ricochet’s hand, but then business picked up in a hurry as both guys were able to reverse out of a series of chain wrestling holds, in which neither guy was able to gain an advantage, each competitor holding a counter for the other’s move. Ricochet finally gained an advantage outside with a series of chops which led to him being able to hit The People’s Moonsault in the middle of the ring once they returned.

A clip of @kingricochet from the #capechampionshipwrestling show. #indywrestling #wrestling

A video posted by @my123cents on

However, Austin Lane was able to regain his composure and launch a counter attack and at one point, scoring a 2.9999 count. The athletic abilities of these two wowed the crowd. At one point, Jeff O’Dell  tried to interfere, but was caught at the entrance area and sent back. The match ultimately went in the favor of Ricochet, with a wonderful sequence of his Benadryller kick, followed by a high knee to the face, and capped off with a well-executed Shooting Star Press. During the celebration, The Pinnacle ran down to ringside and attacked Austin Lane, which prompted Ricochet to run back out and help his opponent. Hunter Hendricks came out and stated that since Brandon Barbwire was so desperate to get into the main event, that he will be on the next show against 2 TUFF TONY! After that announcement, The Pinnacle was sent back, while Austin Lane thanked Ricochet and the crowd.

Cape Championship Wrestling will be back at the AC Brase Arena Building for their next card on September 24th, featuring 2 Tuff Tony and Brandon Barbwire for the CCW Title, plus many matches still to come! Don’t miss out on another great show in September!

My 1-2-3 Cents

My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 93: Hey, Hey It’s Conrad

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My 1-2-3 Cents Episode 93: Hey, Hey It's Conrad [ 37:31 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (854)
Conrad Thompson
Conrad Thompson

This week the co-host of both The Ric Flair Show and Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, Conrad Thompson, joins the podcast. Both shows are on MLW Radio.

The Ric Flair Show has weekly guests ranging from Cody Rhodes to Kurt Angle to Ken Patera and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard is a weekly stroll down memory lane as Prichard recalls certain storylines during his time in WWE. I love the format of this show in particular.

On My 1-2-3 Cents the Podcast we discuss both shows and how Conrad went from wrestling fan to hanging out with the greatest of all time. We also talk about current events in wrestling and our thoughts on the state of WWE.

I’m also starting a new contest. Go to iTunes, subscribe and leave a rating and a review. Screenshot it and tag me on social media with it. The My 1-2-3 Cents prize vault is full and we need to get things out you!

Social media shoutouts:

Twitter:
@kevinhunsperger
@my123cents
@jitterymunkey
@HeyHeyItsConrad
@RicFlairShow
@RicFlairNatrBoy
@bruceprichard
@PrichardShow
@craftbeericans
@stridewrestling
@CCWrestling573
@NerdsUnitedShow

Instagram:
@kevin_hunsperger
@my123cents
@craftbeericans
@strideprowrestling

Snapchat:
hunsperger

Tune in every Thursday for a Facebook Live event to supplement the podcast. Subscribe to the YouTube channel too and don’t forget about the Craftbeericans.

Building an empire one podcast at a time.