When you start to fly through the short list of guys who were professional wrestling managers, Jimmy Hart would have to be on near the top.  Hart, notorious for using a megaphone and being the prototypical ‘heel’ character during the WWE’s rise to prominence in the eighties, is very happy with his legacy.  Hart was in the limelight before he got into wrestling as a member of the band, The Gentry’s.  He still does some work for the WWE and was just on RAW a couple of weeks ago.  He was a better interview than I could have imagined he would be and I am happy to share his comments.

Paneech: Jimmy, thanks for talking with me.  You are in an elite handful of wrestling managers:  Captain Lou Albano, Bobby Heenan, The Grand Wizard, and Freddie Blassie to name a few.  Your body didn’t take the abuse, but you had to travel and live that lifestyle, what do you do now?

Hart: I still do stuff for WWE.  I did a skit on television with R Truth for Summerslam a couple of weeks before that event happened. I still do some radio and television from a fan access capacity.  I still love the wrestling and am still very active.  I do Wrestling’s Weekend Warriors, which is basically younger guys who have nine-to-five jobs but wrestle at high schools and armories on weekends.  I also have a girl show that we put together.  It’s kind of like GLOW, but it is more of a combination of Hee Haw meets Laugh-In meets The Man Show, it is called Rassle-licious. It is skits and we have fun with it.  I am also doing a little with music.  Back in the day I wrote some of the songs the wrestlers entered to.  I did Shawn Michaels music, the Road Warriors entrance music, and of course, I’m A Real American for Hulk Hogan.

Paneech: You have a well-storied friendship with Hogan.  Do you keep in touch with many of the guys you worked with?

Hart: Yeah, I just talked to the Hulkster last week.  I just did some work with the Nasty Boys and also recently worked with Brutus Beefcake.  Three weeks ago, I was in Atlanta with Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart.  I don’t fish or eat out much so I run into the guys at events.  I love doing this and wake up pinching myself asking if I really got paid for what I have done all of these years.  It’s fun doing the WWE thing for so many years now, but I also did WCW, Hogan Knows Best, and Thunder In Paradise.

Paneech: Tell me more about your musical backround and what you like to listen to these days.

Hart: I was in a band, probably before you were born, called the Gentrys.  We had a million seller called ‘Keep On Dancin’.  We did a lot of Dick Clark tours and were pretty successful in the sixties.  I still like Steely Dan, The Beach Boys, and Van Halen.  One of the first tours we did was with Sonny & Cher and The Beach Boys and I remember one night, Dick Clark was talking to all of the acts about giving the people their moneys worth but remember if you dress like the audience you will end up in the audience someday.  That’s why I still wear the crazy jackets and carry the megaphone.  Successful musicians had their gimmick.  Look at Liberace with the piano, or Elton John.  They wore the crazy outfits and separated themselves as stars.

Paneech: What do you think of pro wrestling and the direction it is headed in now?

Hart: Everybody has an opinion.  The wrestling programs have to adapt because sponsors are so important now.  What worked years ago has to be adapted to meet today’s demands.  Some companies were doing stuff that would be considered too far over the top as little as three years ago.  You need McDonalds and other major companies to sponsor your product and you have got to keep it pretty clean, and I feel WWE is doing a really good job following the unwritten guidelines.  The shows are more family oriented and they sell a ton of merchandise on the road.  If the kids really want to go, the parents are gonna bring them.

Paneech: The WWE is running an angle with CM Punk where he is the spokesman against Vince McMahon and taking responsibility for changes.  You have been affiliated for years, what do you think about the whole angle?

Hart: Well number one, CM Punk is saying some nasty stuff, but he is still with the company, so that should throw up a flag that it is a great working angle.  I love CM Punk and the Miz.  I like the direction that these newer guys are taking the company.  We look back and say ‘why didn’t we do something like that’.  Don’t send me no flowers because Jimmy Hart ain’t dead yet, baby! I am still slim and trim and can talk and still have the megaphone.  By the way, Vince [McMahon] brought me that megaphone from Japan to use.  I am a phone call away and always ready to work for the company.

Paneech: So moving forward, will pro wrestling hinge on advertisement dollars and gimmicks versus athleticism?

Hart: If you do what you have done, you will always have what you always had.  If you are having good fortune with something, you have to keep it up.  If you are doing bad, you better change it.  If you have a restaurant and the food isn’t selling, you better change the menu.  Vince is doing great right now, so why change?  WWE is still the greatest show on earth.  They have the best production and the best talent.

One Word Answers

Favorite Meal Of The Day: I still like my vegetables and pasta.  I like beans and cornbread with turnip greens.

Favorite Sports Team: New York Yankees.  I liked Brett Favre when he played for Green Bay.  Vinny Testaverde at one time lived next door to me, so I rooted for his teams.  I want to see Michael Vick do well for all he has been through.  Both of the Mannings, Peyton and Eli, and I want to see Tim Tebow do good.  If he really sucks at what he does, then criticize him.

Biggest Phobia: Snakes.  You know when I was in that angle with Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, they would throw that big snake on me every night.  God, I hated that!

Worst Habit: Letting people know what I really think and giving an honest opinion without burning any bridges.

Well, it was the shortest set of one word answers ever on this website.  There are no one word answers from Jimmy Hart.  He is still as colorful and descriptive as ever!

]]> http://www.paneech.com/2011/09/12/interview-with-jimmy-the-mouth-of-the-south-hart/feed/ 0 http://www.paneech.com/2009/12/27/why-mike-holmgren-will-not-help-things-out-in-cleveland/ http://www.paneech.com/2009/12/27/why-mike-holmgren-will-not-help-things-out-in-cleveland/#comments Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:10:23 +0000 Paneech http://paneech.com/?p=1184

Cleveland has recently announced that Mike Holmgren is the new Browns Team President.  The deal was very generous as the former Packers and Seahawks Coach is set to make $10 million per year.  Some say it is a great move because Holmgren is battle-tested and knows the steps that have to be taken.  Here are five reasons why Holmgren will ultimately fail in Cleveland:

1. Early success by the Browns over the next couple of years will have people chirping about what a great job Holmgren is doing.  Naive people take notice, this is a case of ‘Bill Parcells Syndrome’, when you go somewhere that is rock bottom and have moderate success and the media calls you a genius for “turning things around“.  Nothing stays the same.  If the Browns finish 2009 with three or four wins, and the Holmgren group goes 8-8 next season, fans will be yapping their praise toward Holmgren.
2. The Browns did not check the references.  Didn’t this experiment already happen in Seattle?  Holmgren was paid generously by a city that had never won much and got a Seahawks team to the Super Bowl, as a coach.  With the fancy GM/President hat on his head in Seattle, Holmgren floundered until he was placed exclusively on the sidelines to coach.  A month later, and what I sensed as fear of not being able to get close to the success of the Super Bowl Seahawks team, you started hearing Holmgren say he wanted off of the sidelines and was just tired of coaching.
3. He needs to make moves now, if he is going to make any.  Will Eric Mangini be back as the coach?  Will Brady Quinn return as a quarterback? A Starter?  Will Josh Cribbs, all 180 pounds of him, get moved to running back?  (Brilliant move Browns fans.  You might as well bring back Michael Dean Perry to return kickoffs since Cribbs is busy.)  If Holmgren plans on making changes, he needs to make them at around 4:05 PM on January 3rd when the regular season comes to an end.  In the typical Browns draft style of what feels like picking names out of a hat, Holmgren needs to pick one side of the ball to beef up for next season, probably the needier of the two, defense.  Draft a good linebacker from USC instead of passing on him twice so he can destroy you twice a year in Cincinnati.
4. No Brett Favre.  Brett Favre was in his prime when Holmgren had him in Green Bay.  Now, at age 40, Favre is leading a Minnesota team and has had his name thrown around in the MVP circles.  Did Holmgren underachieve with Favre in Green Bay?  You bet he did.  Favre was the perfect cornerstone to build a team around and there just wasn’t enough winning going on, yet one Super Bowl victory with Reggie White, Sterling Sharpe, and of course Favre made him a “good coach”.
5. Keep the wallet open.  Holmgren will probably can Mangini.  Who is next, Urban Meyer?  The Browns will then be paying several coaches instead of one.  Romeo Crennel is still on the payroll, Mangini would surely collect a check for a few more years, Holmgren is now making rock star money, and whomever is selected to lead the fiasco next year will be handsomely rewarded.  Will there be any money left to pay players with?

Sorry Browns fans, I wish the future had something for you.  If you are content with making the playoffs a couple of times over the next five seasons then rejoice, that plan is now in place.  If you wanted to exceed just making the playoffs, then be bitter about the hiring of Mike Holmgren.

I know that there are still five weeks left in the NFL’s regular season.  I also know that people who vote like to do things to shake the can sometimes.  In this case, considering Brett Favre over Drew Brees for the NFL MVP would be a travesty.

Brees threw at least five passes in New Orleans 38-17 pasting of New England that could only be caught if thrown to a perfect location.  He has been doing this game after game all year long.  As a biased Saints fan, I have watched Brees shred defenses with this sort of precision passing all year.

How many people think the Saints are a flash in the pan now?  This was supposed to be the game that proved what a rouse this team was.  Yeah, they play in a crappy division, but so has Pittsburgh for the last few years.  When the Saints are in full stride, the only way to beat them is to outscore them, and I just do not see that happening. 

Looking at the rest of their schedule, New Orleans has a Thursday game with Dallas in a couple of weeks that could pose a threat to going undefeated.  They also play scrappy Atlanta again, but I don’t think anyone can beat the Saints this season.  They can beat themselves, which is probably the better choice.

Give Brees the trophy now.  And thank you San Diego a million times over for the gift you have given New Orleans!

Two great players on one team.  Two accomplished athletes who love to compete, but love to win more.  Two guys with one goal, to bring an NBA Championship to Cleveland.  If last night was any indicator, two guys have their work cut out.  The Cavs started the game on a positive note.  They were finishing, Anthony Parker looked like the right peg for the vacant hole, and for a moment, I believed that the two men pictured would be able to carry the rest of the load.  Unfortunately, the Cavs fell into ‘predictable’ mode in the second half and played like they did against Orlando in last years postseason.  It’s one game, I won’t kick and scream yet, but changes must be made to the offense.  Boston 95, Cleveland 89. 

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• Not Qualified To Comment says there is a racism problem in the Chicago Cubs organization that has existed for years.
• Major League Jerk points out the inconsistencies that are plaguing the Chicago Bears.
• Josh Q. Public takes a further look at last nights Cavs vs Celtics matchup in the article titled Paul Pierce and the Celtics.
• Guyism says that Andre Agassi has fessed up on his use of controlled substances and has some pretty funny-looking pics of the tennis great.
• PSAMP thinks that Mike Tomlin, Head Coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is such a boss. The Mike Tomlin rap song by Freak Show.
• Chicago’s MMA is giving away a Joachim Hansen signed jersey.  Click on the link to find out how you can win.
• MoonDog Sports takes a look at Halloween costumes that just aren’t going to work.
• Style Points has the information of more Favre’s coming through the pipeline, as Brett has a nephew who is excelling as a high school quarterback.
• Outside The Boxscore has video of Terry Bradshaw’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel.
• Sports Untapped calls the Kansas City Chiefs disgruntled running back, Larry Johnson, the king of apologies.

When I predicted the New Orleans Saints to win the Super Bowl this season I was heckled and ridiculed.  Sunday, in a game that was termed a showdown of two NFC powerhouses, Drew Brees had has way for most of the contest in a 47-28 blowout over the New York Giants.  With the win, the Saints improved to 5-0, the first time thhey have started a season with five victories since 1993.

In the game, Brees was 23-30 for for 369 yards and four touchdowns.  More impressive than the statistics were the throws he made.  Anyone who saw the game would agree that Brees was razor sharp, especially in the first half, as he consistently abused the Giants with precision passes that could only be thrown in a small window for completions.  Brees almost broke his own franchise record of 17 consecutive completions, but came up short with 15.   

If you analyze the depth of skill position players the Saints have, the combinations of who is on the field at the same time is limitless.  At running back, Pierre Thomas will be the workhorse and Mike Bell will spell Thomas at times.  The most recognizable Saint, Reggie Bush, will be used in greater frequency at some point this season when a defense feels like shutting down everything else.  Heath Evans is a true fullback who can get the ball around the goal-line as he did against the Giants.

At wide receiver, there are so many quality choices.  Marques Colston, a no-namer that got the Saints booed for selecting him on Draft Day out of Hofstra a few years ago, is a tall guy who runs great routes and has great hands.  Robert Meachum and Lance Moore are both healthy at the same time.  Devery Henderson is an undersized gamebreaker who poses the big threat.  Throw in Jeremy Shockey at TE, and you have the most complete core of receivers in the NFL.

The Saints defense only has to play sufficiently to get victories.  This offense has the potential to go down as one of the best in NFL Football history, and I would not be surprised to see Brees re-write the record books this season.

The only team being compared to New Orleans in the NFC is Minnesota.  The Vikings are a well-rounded team on both sides of the ball.  Keep this in mind though, Brett Favre started 7-1 in New York last season before his old bones started to ache.  Will Tarverius Jackson be enough to make Minnesota better than New Orleans?  I think not.

Everyone reading this knows who the guy in the middle is.  The other two guys are probably the best at what they do in Youngstown.  The man on the right is Dana Balash, WFMJ Sports.  Dana has been covering Youngstown area sports for a long time and people will not get sick of him because he has an obvious passion for what he is doing.  Balash is the go to guy for area sports.  Maybe I am biased because of his longevity, but to sit in a press conference when he is present is like going to school.  He asks the right questions. 

The gentleman on the left is Joe Scalzo, who I have stolen (and credited) information from concerning Kelly Pavlik on this website.  Scalzo recently ran in the Peace Race this past Sunday and finished 11th in his age bracket.  Sitting next to Scalzo at a few Scrappers games has been rewarding in many ways.  He is the most genuine person I have met in all media so far.  Joe has a firm grip on the boxing beat, but his true colors shine in Thursday editions of The Vindicator when he does his high school footbal rap.  Scalzo’s style is so genuine because he uses real life situations such as stories about his wife, personal texts he has received from a coach for not picking the local team to win, or just raving about a bands halftime performance from an obscure Columbiana County school. 

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• Vindy.com publshed Scalzo’s rendition of running the race Sunday, going back to run the last mile with his wife, and being satisfied with a reputable finish.  If you read this you will know why I am such a big fan of Joe Scalzo.
• Josh Q. Public draws a unique comparison of what it feels like for a Packers fan to watch Brett Favre as a Viking against what it felt like for Red Sox fans to watch Roger Clemens pitch for the Yankees.
• Detroit4Lyfe has video of Pistons rookie Austin Daye hustling back on defense to block a shot of D Wade’s in what should have been an easy lay-up.
• The Cage Doctors present 11 of the bloodiest MMA photos I have ever seen.
• PSAMP has visual proof that the WWE Divas looked pretty good in Steeler stuff on RAW last night.
• Buster Sports tracks the recruitment of college basketball star-to-be Harrison Barnes with neat plane tracking graphics.
• Not Qualified To Comment found some pretty cool footage of Johnny Knox returning a kickoff for a TD Sunday.  Watch the video closely as the ballboy keeps up with Knox for several yards.
• NESW Sports has video of Kobe Bryant shutting up Derek Rose. 
• Babes Love Baseball writer Sooze is going to the Twins vs Tigers one game playoff today in Minnesota.  Sooze writes about why 162 games are just not enough.

Two weeks in the NFL books for 2009 already.  I predicted the Saints to win the Super Bowl three weeks ago, and took a vocal beating from everyone I saw out who read the article.  It was quiet this week.  If Drew Brees stays healthy, he will shatter many NFL records this season.

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• The World of Isaac posted photos and video of some drunk women behaving badly at a Lions game and starting all kinds of trouble.
• Josh Q. Public warns Brock Lesnar to watch himself because Herschel Walker is ready to fight in the cage.  Bootlegger Sports also chimed in on Herschel Walker saying to enjoy him now because he will not be alive in a year.
• Zoner Sports has video of a hockey fight which comes real early on the cusp of the new season.
• Outside The Boxscore posted a funny animated video of how Brett Favre makes decisions.
• Detroit4Lyfe reports that old Tiger Stadium has officially been demolished but the memories will live on.
• Style Points gives Milton Bradley’s side of the story as to why he has been suspended for the rest of the season.
• Just Blog Baby apologizes on bended knee for calling the Raiders Michael Huff a ‘bust’.
• PSAMP asks mercifully if the Pirates season is over yet.
• Moon Dog Sports provides video of Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones picking his nose.
• Buster Sports lays out a tale of the tape between Sarah Palin and Lane Kiffin.

What a horrible weekend for the nationally covered Ohio sports teams!  It’s football season, but they are still playing baseball.  Didn’t matter which level, didn’t matter which sport, all that matters is that my home state, in a 24-hour span, was 0-5 against teams from other states.

The fun started Saturday night when Ohio State hosted USC.  I excitedly watched the Buckeyes dominate the trenches, field position, and play the Tressel ‘three yards and a cloud of dust’  brand of football.  That worked, for three-and-a-half quarters.  Pete Carroll found a way to call a 90+ yard drive to doom the Buckeyes as they went on to lose 18-15.

Sunday, a whole new grouping of ways to lose at various sports came into play.

The Cleveland Indians managed to get only two hits in losing to the Kansas City Royals.  They also gave up seven runs in losing 7-0 to a team with a winning percentage of under .400 at the time. 

The Cincinnati Reds were a little better in losing to the Cubs.  They managed to score a couple of runs, but the Cubbies managed to score five. 

The Cincinnati Bengals probably gave the home loyalists the biggest stomach ache.  A deflected pass lands right into the hands of a Denver receiver who has absolutely no one around him because two Bengals defensive backs and a linebacker had fallen like dominoes.  Brandon Stokley = Hero.  Knock the ball down… DOWN… not up.  12-7 Broncos.

The Cleveland Browns played with purpose for a half.  They basically took away Adrian Peterson and dared Brett Favre to beat them.  A few coaching adjustments at halftime solved the problem and Peterson ran like a deer in a vacant field.  Vikings 34-20.

Remedy?  Musical coaches.  Let’s put Mangini in a Reds uniform.  He can develop a wildcat bunt or something.  He has that chubby baseball look anyway.  Jim Tressel can go coach the Indians.  What would be the odds of him playing the lines with a one run lead to take away extra-base hits?  Eric Wedge would look good in the Bengals stuff.  He is used to dealing with injury-prone lefties who can’t throw anyway.  Marvin Lewis can go to Ohio State.  And by default, Dusty Baker would coach the Browns.

0-5. 

What kind of DH would Superman have been?  If we cut his head out of the picture and tape on Mark McGwire, we would have about the same physique.  So this means that Superman was probably juicing before this at-bat.  Kryptonite would have been a change-up, and the X-Ray Vision would have come in handy to spot a good corked bat to use.

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• Joe Sports Fan has pictures of the Monday Night Football crew being all euphoric because Brett Favre was playing.
• Josh Q. Public calls the Atlanta Braves Omar Infante “Mr. Clutch”, as he has been delivering for the Braves who are sneaking back into Wildcard contention.
• Sharapova’s Thigh unveils the list of the 40 most undeserving MLB Starting Lineup figures of all-time.
• Buster Sports is reporting that the Dave Matthews Band has been named the official band for ESPN College Gameday.
• NESW Sports has proof that a tatoo doesn’t wash off as some Seattle Seahawks fans are stuck with Mike Holmgren pasted to their bodies forever.
• Steady Burn takes a look at the world gravy wrestling championships, where a victory is to be savored.
• Not Qualified To Comment has proof that those Chinese people can’t be fooled with a bandana and glasses get-up like Steve Nash used to conceal his true identity.
• PSAMP has video of some questionable pee wee football blocking tactics.
• My Sports Rumors analyzes Brett Favre’s Monday Night Football performance and asks “what’s up with that? “
• Bootlegger Sports takes a look at the new Rawlings S100 batting helmet.
• The World Of Isaac posted Rich Rodriguez crying at his last Michigan press conference.  Man up when you get caught cheating!
• Jay Cutler Superstar weighs the numbers of the recent Bears-Broncos game.  Denver fans are gonna regret this trade and these numbers will show you why.
• Cincy Jungle, a Bengals website takes a look at the Andre Smith signing.

This is it, the year when Saints fans can take the paper bags off of their heads.  Yes, I predict New Orleans will get their first ever NFC Championship.  Years of futility and what “could have been” minus injuries, suspensions, and plenty of bad luck, can all be shelved with the year coming in the Big Easy.

Look at the weapons on offense.  Drew Brees spreads the ball around and seems real comfortable with what he has to work with.  Marques Colston is healthy, Lance Moore is a pleasant surprise, and Jeremy Shockey is simply on a mission.  Shockey worked as hard as anyone this offseason and feels he has much to prove.  Oh yeah, the Saints also have a lethal one-two punch at running back with Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.  If their defense can play average to good, this offense should outscore anyone in their path.

I am predicting the Saints to face Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game.  Michael Vick will produce in some capacity and have the city that booed Santa Claus going nuts for him to be on the field more by the end of the regular season.  The much improved receiving core should prosper with the addition of Jeremy Maclin.  This kid is the real deal and I also predict that he will win NFC Rookie of The Year.  A solid defense, a sufficient running game, and a positive Donovan McNabb should prove to be too much in the toughest division in football.

I see the Saints getting by the Eagles in the NFC Championship game and advancing to the Super Bowl.

In the AFC, the more things change, the more they stay the same is my theme for Indianapolis.  Peyton Manning is the most consistent quarterback in the league and the Colts have beefed up the backfield.  This move will aid Manning in using effective play-action as the defense will again have to respect the run.  Bob Sanders is a maniac on defense and is all over the field in every game he participates in.

The only real threat this year in the AFC will be New England.  I know, the Steelers fans are whining already, but don’t expect Big Ben to be the same guy with his allegations and off-field distractions.  Everything, and I mean everything, fell perfectly into place last season.  If that happens this season, I am not sure it will be enough to get by New England or Indy.  Playing in the worst division in football will get the Steelers into the playoffs, but I see an early exit for Pittsburgh this season.

New England will thrive with the return of Tom Brady.  Watch Randy Moss have a huge year.  However, I predict that New England will lose to Indianapolis in the AFC Championship game in a nailbiter.

In February of 2010, I see Indianapolis and New Orleans battling for the big prize.  I am going to predict that New Orleans will win the highest-scoring Super Bowl ever played 41-35.

Other predictions for the year:

• Atlanta will go 8-8 and be hit hard with a rash of injuries.
• Cleveland will win 5 games.
• Edgerrin James will have 1,000 yards rushing for Seattle.
• San Francisco will make the playoffs.
• The Rams will just miss making the playoffs.
• Brett Favre will put up average numbers at best and will be the recipient of a cheap shot when the Vikings play at Green Bay.
• Terrell Owens will get hurt by the time the snow falls in Orchard Park.
• Carson Palmer will miss at least half of the season with nagging injuries.
• Dallas’ new scoreboard will block 6 punts.

Well, those are my predictions for the season, sure to be heckled and ridiculed.  Feel free to comment on things you may agree or disagree with.