WWF Superstars quiz from mental_floss

My friend Kathleen introduced me to mental_floss magazine about a year ago. Since then, I've picked up a few of their books (I love the Genius instruction Manual) and I've become a daily reader of the mental_floss blog. I think a lot of WWdN readers will dig it, too, especially if you enjoyed the Intellectual Devotional book that I mentioned last year.

They run quizzes on their blog that always kick my ass . . .  until today's WWF action figure quiz.

I loved these action figures when I was a kid. They were heavy, they were sculpted, they were totally different than any other action figure before or since, and during an era when wrestling video games didn't exist (this is before Exciting Hour gave us the Insane Worrier and his pals) playing with them in the Sling 'Em-Fling 'Em Wrestling Ring was the closest we could get to recreating our favorite matches . . . or inventing our own stories and rivalries:

"The Iron Sheik would never team up with Hulk Hogan!"
"Oh yeah, watch this!"

Ah, youth.

This is probably one of those generational things, but if you used to get up early on the weekends to watch Mean Gene and Jesse The Body Ventura do commentary while The Hart Foundation took on The Killer Bees, you're going to love it.

I took the quiz this morning, and scored 86% (12 out of 14.) I would have scored 13 out of 14 if I hadn't second-guessed myself on [redacted] when I should have just trusted my instincts. I do that a lot, goddammit. In my defense, there was one guy who I've never heard of, because he was, sadly, after my time. God, it kills me to say that. Why can't wrestling stay preserved in amber, existing only from 1980-1986? Because we wouldn't have Mankind and The Undertaker's legendary Hell in a Cell match if we did, that's why.

Comments

[Peasweet]

You rock, Wil. You remind me so much of my husband, it's crazy. Glad you are writing again and feeling better!

[FusedLight]

Good Ghu! You mean our ex-governor, Jesse Ventura, used to be a WRESTLER????

GcB

[camias designs]

I wish I could say wrestling excited me. That's a boy/girl difference perhaps. I did play with my brother's tranformers, tho.

[Kathleen]

See? It is the Best. Magazine. Evar. I'm going to have to start doing the quizzes now.

Those action figures were cool. One of my cousins had them. I was "supposed" to play with Barbies but I liked the wrestling action figures and Hot Wheels better.

[Pierce]

That quiz rock Wil! And I'm with Peasweet, it is good to see you back and feeling better.

I scored the same as you 12 out of 14. The second to last one really threw me which is kind of sad considering I still have a tote full of those action figures sitting in the corner (I just can't bring myself to part with them).

[Kathleen]

I just scored 7/10 on the Men Who Experiemented with Beards quiz. Because I know from beards.

[Liz]

Holy crap, talk about a blast from the past!! I miss the old-school days of the WWF.

I saw WWF live when I was maybe 7 years old...this was before Hulk Hogan, when the WWF was still doing charity events for local fire departments and so forth. I got to see a very drunken Superstar Billy Graham lose to SD Jones. Then we got to see the Wild Samoans in all their badass glory. And then, we got to see Jimmy Superfly Snuka!!

My sister, who was 5 at the time, ran to the end of our row and was staring down the aisle at the Wild Samoans. She stuck her tongue out at one of them! My father saw it, and was sure she was about to be killed. He headed over there, and he saw one of the Wild Samoans look at her, and stick his tongue out back at her! I love that story.

I only got 11 out of 14 on the quiz, but I have an autographed photo of Ivan Putski!

[LilBlkRainCld]

I have to say that was the coolest-ly geeky thing ever. Considering I wasn't born until late 1980 I think my 10 of 14 score isn't half bad. Aaahhhh nostalgia!

[FEJ]

I got 11 out of 14. Wasnt sure on Ricky "the Dragon" steamboat or Acidi. The details weren't as tight as nowdays. I totally loved those days. The original Wrestlemania parties we would have.

[staticnullvoid]

11 of 14... the last 3 were really tough.

p.s. i think we may have had the same childhood minus the acting thing.

---
#13 of 300

[Ryan Waddell]

Ouch. 50%. But to be fair, I'd never heard of Corporal Kirschner, Special Delivery Jones, Ted Arcidi, or Terry Funk. So I was already working on guesswork at best for 4 out of 14 of them. :)

[1BigBank]

Two names already mentioned in previous comments were my favs.

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat & Jimmy Superfly Snuka were awesome.

Then I learned the whole thing was choreographed like a dance routine so I found my way over to boxing.

Sugar Ray Leonard was probably the best I've ever seen. Super fast.

Hey glad you're feeling better Wil.

Mark.

[Josh Seipp]

I was watching Wrestlemania 5 with my 9 year old stepson last night (he's a big current wrestling fan) and it was great to hear him talk about how much more interesting the older matches were. "It's so cool that they don't always wrestle the same people!!" was my favorite comment.

I just started reading your blog (found via Twitter) and I must say it's pretty f'n interesting!

[brendoman]

I only missed one, I thought the guy was Barry Horowitz, one of the classic jobbers. I really love Mental Floss. Watching Superstars on Saturday Morning was a ritual when I was a kid.

[Topaz]

Ahhhh.

I fondly remember the exchanges between Mean Gene and the Hulkster. ("Whatta you gonna do, brother, when you got these 32-inch pythons wrapped around you?") And Baron Von Raschke, The Crusher, Bobby "The Brain" Henin, Vern Gagne, etc.

I used to watch rasslin' with my dad - I THINK he knew it was fake, but I was never too sure. He graduated into watching the newer stuff, but I never watched it past the Mean Gene era.

Dad passed away three years ago - soon after his death, I would see ads for the Thursday night WWF and it would make me sad. But recalling watching the Hulk with Dad on Sunday mornings is happy and sad at the same time. Thanks, Wil. I appreciate the spin in the way-back machine.

BTW, Mental Floss ROCKS. My hubby subscribes to it, so I get to read it as well.

I have a feeling you and my mate would get along fabulously. Must be something about being born in 1972 - you're both these pop-culture sponges. He's forever throwing me a line or quote and then saying, "Where's that from? Who said it?" *eye roll*

[gabrielharley]

Why can't wrestling stay preserved in amber, existing only from 1980-1986?

Ah, yes. Mean Gene, the Hulkster, JYD... Of course, for me it was more like 1985-1987.

What I want to know is: was it wide-sweeping 80s kid fad, or does every group of 10-12 year old boys go through a pro wrestling phase?

Hmmm....

[Matthew Cox]

I'm guessing you zoned on Ted Arcidi, Wil? I didn't know him either, but luckily I guessed right! Terry Funk had me confused for a second because I didn't see the resemblance, but the chaps and tights steered me in the right direction (Boy, that's a weird sentence.)

I had all the great 80s toys growing up - Star Wars, GI Joe, He-Man, Transformers, MASK, etc, etc but I really think my favorite was the ring and the wrestlers, especially the Steamboat fig - every now and again I pull up that classic Steamboat/Savage match from Wrestlemania 3 - I don't think I ever saw a better match...

[Special K]

This was great. I live in Charlotte, NC and we've always seen Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, Lex Lugar, and the like bacause they lived here. Rick Flair is still the biggest local celibrity we have (maybe after Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Billy Graham). Good times.

[CrimsonSanX]

Good linkage there, Wil! Got 11 out of 14 myself. The rest I don't believe I remember at all and some I DID get I don't remember. The joys of being a kid in the 80's - and then not remembering a darn thing about it.

I still watch today though somewhat but I have to say the quality has gone quite downhill since 2002. Way too predictable. :(

[Jason]

Thanks for this. It was a trip down memory lane. I never did have any of the action figures, but I managed to get 13/14 (I thought Terry Funk was Harley Race - I don't know how I missed the beard).
I can remember watching Georgia Championship Wrestling back in the late 70s when someone with a dish set up a little transmitter a few miles away (I live in northern Ontario, Canada) and we could watch WTBS and Cinemax. The Freebirds were the coolest badasses ever! I started watching the WWF on WGN with my family when we went over to visit my uncle in the early 80s. He had cable! I remember watching all of these guys right through university.
I know I sound old but I really don't care for the storylines anymore. I watched to see characters that were NOT real-life. I don't need to see storylines about alcoholism, suicide or incest. I never thought of myself as a tightass, but I guess that what time (42 years) does to us. Thanks for helping me remember a more innocent time in my life.

[Suzanne Lanoue]

I really enjoy your blog and most of your Twitter posts, but sometimes it is too much for my cell :) Glad you are doing better!!

[i_bleed_magenta]

i got 13 out of 14 haha...i'm so lame

[Able-X]

the only time i ever liked wrestingling was mid 80's i think. Mainly due to the cartoon probably.

on a completely unrelated note, you got photoshopped Wil:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7454/triumphofwilhf7.jpg

[Becky..Absent Minded Housewife]

I spent too much time looking at their tight tight wrestling panties on Sunday nights. I failed that quiz miserably

[Wiseguy91]

Guys, please tell me you remember M.U.S.C.L.E. men? My brother and I spent hours having matches with these guys on cross-country car trips. The cool ones always fell through the crack in the back seat though... http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/muscle/