Saw this guy on the Howard Stern Show a long time ago, thought he was great and just found him on YouTube. My gawd this guy is offensive. Yet hilarious.
**This is the UNCENSORED version of Yucko**
This Blog is about random things that pop into my head, things that I like and things that I hate.
I'm Old Gregg!
A buddy of mine had me watch this, and my gawd is it funny.
Old Gregg is a transsexual merman who occasionally refers to his vagina (which emits a blinding light) as his "mangina." He inhabits a cave below the lake in a village called Black Lake. Old Gregg is extremely fond of Bailey's Irish Cream, as well as being a watercolor painter.
Kings Island History - The King Cobra
I was bored at work the other day and started looking up roller coasters on various websites…mostly I checked out King’s Island, and the Disney parks. But I found out some pretty interesting stuff.
I love King's Island, and have been there more times than I can count. I don’t remember the first time I went to King’s Island, but do know that I was very young. The park today doesn’t resemble much at all what I saw as a child. Other than the tower, fountains, and the shops, and a handful of rides, the park looks much different today.
There was episode of the Brady Bunch several years back that was filmed at King’s Island. Though the episode was filmed years before I ever went there, their footage looks more like the park I remember visiting at an early age.
One of the most intriguing to me was the King Cobra; as it was a coaster I was always too scared to ride as a kid. I remember just looking at the coaster in awe, hoping one day I would find the courage to take a ride. From a kid's P-O-V, the King Cobra was kind of stunning. It was fast, it was green, it went upside down, and the riders were standing! Sadly, the coaster was gone before I found my love for coasters. Shame.
The King Cobra opened in 1984 (and was originally located where Delirium is today), and was America's first true stand-up coaster. The Cobra lasted about 2 minutes, and reached a top speed of 50mph. Even as rides around it were removed and others built, Cobra held its place for many years, until problems began. King Cobra would operate successfully for 17 years.
In 2001, King Cobra's manufacturer closed their US offices. This posed a problem for Kings Island officials, as getting replacement parts for the ride's systems immediately became difficult. Faced with mounting bills for parts, and the fact that King Cobra's popularity had greatly dropped over the last couple years, the park made the decision to remove the coaster.
In April of 2002, at about the same time Kings Island opened for the season, crews arrived and began to dismantle the ride. The last known status of the King Cobra is that it was up for sale, but has never sold.
So what happened to the King? What happened to this impressive green structure named after one of the deadliest snakes known to man? What happened to this Sadly, The King Cobra was taken down in 2002 to make space for Delirium. I remember going back after a couple of summers and was shocked to see The Cobra missing.
Kings Island - The Antique Cars
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Cincinnati. One of my older sisters was diagnoses with Lupus when she was in the 6th grade. So I guess I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade at the time. Our family took countless trips to a hospital in Cincinnati, every year. I didn’t go on every trip, but went on more than I care to count.
On MOST trips, my mom and dad would try to bring some sort of happiness and laughter out of a sad, depressing, and difficult hospital visit. Whether it be a Red’s game, a trip to the zoo, or a common trip to King’s Island, my mom and dad did their best. It’s strange, because the older I get, the more I realize just how difficult of a time that had to have been for my folks…having a child that is ill and there is nothing in their control they can do about it….I can’t imagine.
So I was a King’s Island regular. And while I loved going to the park, I never rode anything exciting. I was scared of heights and was absolutely terrified of riding roller coasters. Both of my sisters and my dad loved them, so that left me and my mom spending much of the day together.
I remember my oldest sister would try to get me to ride something, anything, and I would always chose not to. I recall I never asked or hinted that I would ride something anyway, so I know I wasn’t seeking attention. I wasn’t hoping they would keep asking me to ride it. I wouldn’t dare…because my sister would go off on how much of a “chicken” I was. I suppose she was right, but comeon. I didn’t want to ride them, and I never understood why she cared that I didn’t.
After being somewhat bombarded because I didn’t want to ride The Beast or something else, my mom would always help pick my spirits up. My mom and I didn’t do a whole lot together growing up, but King’s Island has always been one of the few great memories I have with my mom.
We started by usually getting some sort of souvenir, and she’d usually get me some overpriced juice drink in a cheap Scooby Doo bottle. It was our “secret” that she bought it for me, and we wouldn’t tell my dad. Now, my dad always knew, I’m sure…I didn’t just find a plastic Scooby Doo head, and my dad wouldn’t have cared anyway, but it was always fun to try to keep it from him.
My mom and I would go to a lot of the shows, ride the train, shop in the stores, ride a few rides, and it was often the same things every year. But one ride that REALLY stands out were the Antique Cars. My mom and I would ride those several times in one visit to King’s Island. I’d sit in the front and she’d ride in the back and I would drive her along the set path. Looking back it, I really admire her. She didn’t like rides either, so it was obvious we’d be together, but she was always so kind. The day before she’d be in a hospital listening to my sister cry while they put huge needles in her back. But then and there she was with me, with her family, and she did the best she could to make us smile. It’s just amazing to me.
I remember the cars so vividly, and I honestly felt a little sadness when I discovered that they were removed from the park.
Anyhow, The Antique Cars had one of the longest stays at King’s Island, as it operated from 1972 to 2004. All the ride consisted of was an old antique car (imagine that) on a guided track that allowed you to drive over bridges and around trees. Up to four people can fit in a car, one driver and three passengers. The cars went about 5mph, so the ride seemed to last awhile.
It was two tracks, one with a station in Rivertown, and the other in Coney Mall. The Rivertown track stopped operation around 1997.
The space given to the Antique Cars was actually quite large considering how boring the ride itself was. As a child I really enjoyed it, because I was able to drive a car on what looked closed enough to an actually road…it even had street signs!
Sadly, the cars and tracks were removed in August of 2004, and a new Italian Job Stunt Track coaster was added to the park. It was rumored that the cars were too old and were falling apart. It is also said that the cars are fine, and there is talk of putting the Antique Cars back in at King’s Island, just at a different location in the park.
And it’s also been said that the cars (or at least some of them) were sent to the World of Fun theme park, where they are used on an attraction much like they were at King’s Island (called the Le Taxi Tour at WOF).
Wrestling Video Games
Anyone that knows me and knows me well, know that video games and pro wrestling are two of my favorite things. And when you combine the two, I am pretty close to Heaven. That being said, a recent conversation with a friend about wrestling video games seemed to re-spark my interest in games played years before.
That being said, I thought I'd take a look at the games that helped fuel my love for professional wrestling, and the wrestling that helped feul my love for video games:
That being said, I thought I'd take a look at the games that helped fuel my love for professional wrestling, and the wrestling that helped feul my love for video games:
WWF WrestleMania - NES
This is one of the first Nintendo games that I owned. To tell the truth, it really doesn’t have a lot going for it. Back then, it was fantastic! I used to play the hell out of it with my friend Johnny, that lived down the street. I used to kick his a**, too!
There were only six wrestlers (Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ted DiBiase, Randy Savage, The Honky Tonk Man, and Bam Bam Bigelow), and they all had exactly the same moves. But we still argued over who could be Hogan. Andre was the backup. It is still fun to play, but purely for nostalgia’s sake. The only major advancement this game brought to the table was that it was the first wrestling to to feature actual pro wrestlers.
The moves were sloppy, the punches were hard to land, and there was the bizarre touch of power-up items thrown into the ring by one of the unseen fans...but still, I heart this game!
There were only six wrestlers (Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ted DiBiase, Randy Savage, The Honky Tonk Man, and Bam Bam Bigelow), and they all had exactly the same moves. But we still argued over who could be Hogan. Andre was the backup. It is still fun to play, but purely for nostalgia’s sake. The only major advancement this game brought to the table was that it was the first wrestling to to feature actual pro wrestlers.
The moves were sloppy, the punches were hard to land, and there was the bizarre touch of power-up items thrown into the ring by one of the unseen fans...but still, I heart this game!
WWF Wrestlemania Challenge – NES
It’s a testament to how WWF crazy I was when I bought this that. If this game WASN’T licensed by the WWF and didn’t have their characters on the game, it would have been a complete waste. Since it was licensed and did have their characters on the game, it barely becomes playable.
There were a few nice touches such as each wrestler’s entrance music playing while they were in the ring, featuring a particularly good rendition of Rick Rude’s theme and a surprisingly good one for Andre which was composed just for the game (in reality Andre never had entrance music).
It was also impossible for the smaller wrestlers to suplex Andre or The Big Boss Man due to their size, although somewhat inconsistently the Ultimate Warrior could press Andre over his head and throw him clean out of the ring which was irksome as once thrown out – it was impossible for Andre to get back in for some reason.
Glitches include horrendous slowdown, wrestlers occasionally walking through the ropes and hovering above the crowd and getting counted while still in the ring. WTF!?!?!
Still, as an early WWF license it was competent enough and exhibited the decent presentation but poor execution that would characterize the games for years to come.
There were a few nice touches such as each wrestler’s entrance music playing while they were in the ring, featuring a particularly good rendition of Rick Rude’s theme and a surprisingly good one for Andre which was composed just for the game (in reality Andre never had entrance music).
It was also impossible for the smaller wrestlers to suplex Andre or The Big Boss Man due to their size, although somewhat inconsistently the Ultimate Warrior could press Andre over his head and throw him clean out of the ring which was irksome as once thrown out – it was impossible for Andre to get back in for some reason.
Glitches include horrendous slowdown, wrestlers occasionally walking through the ropes and hovering above the crowd and getting counted while still in the ring. WTF!?!?!
Still, as an early WWF license it was competent enough and exhibited the decent presentation but poor execution that would characterize the games for years to come.
WWF Wrestlefest – Arcade
Back in the day I remember some of the other kids at school going crazy about this and its easy to see why. The graphics were great for their time. The only problem that I had with this game is that I could rarely find it anywhere to play. As a kid, the family used to take numerous trips to Cincinnati, Ohio so that my sisters could go to a doctor. I found that in Cincinnati, I was more likely to find an arcade that had this game in it.
If I found it, I was going to play it! I don’t know if I ever won a match…I doubt that I did. I just remember bring mesmerized by the screen and the characters I could play as that were not on previous releases, such as The Legion of Doom, Demolition, and Earthquake.
Not only did this game feature some phenomenal graphics for the time, but it also had some great gameplay that was highlighted by a fun grappling system. When locking up with an opponent, you could bridge into various situations including slams, suplexes, submissions, punching contests, and all sorts of memorable scenarios.
There was also a steel cage match included, and this allowed for some great head bashing against the metal walls; the look of the match was very accurate to the real-life gimmick, as well.
If I found it, I was going to play it! I don’t know if I ever won a match…I doubt that I did. I just remember bring mesmerized by the screen and the characters I could play as that were not on previous releases, such as The Legion of Doom, Demolition, and Earthquake.
Not only did this game feature some phenomenal graphics for the time, but it also had some great gameplay that was highlighted by a fun grappling system. When locking up with an opponent, you could bridge into various situations including slams, suplexes, submissions, punching contests, and all sorts of memorable scenarios.
There was also a steel cage match included, and this allowed for some great head bashing against the metal walls; the look of the match was very accurate to the real-life gimmick, as well.
WCW vs NWO World Tour – N64
More than ever, winning became a matter of pure skill and this was the first in a number of AKI’s N64 wrestling games which only ever got better.
I am surprised that my game cartridge still works on this one, I played this game so much back in the day. It was released at a time that my interest in pro wrestling had never been higher. The nWo was growing, ang was posing a serious threat to the WCW.
In the comfort of my own home, I could pick sides and dish out the pain on my TV Screen. Never before had a game featured so many guys on the roster, and they had different outfits that you could chose from! Aside from guys on the WCW and nWo roster, the game also featured guys from other “leagues” that often resembled actual wrestlers who were night signed by the WCW. Good feature!
I could go on and on about this game. I played this thing for hours, and often enjoyed playing the multi-player version with friends. I remember my buddy JD coming after school and playing it most of the evening. Though still very rough around the edges, this was the punk kid that would soon grow up and kick everyone in the ass. Good times…good times.
This isis not only the best wrestling game ever (at this point), but it's also the best fighting game on the system, which is both sad and impressive at the same time. This game quickly became my 2nd favorite multi-player game for the N64, second only to Golden 007.
I am surprised that my game cartridge still works on this one, I played this game so much back in the day. It was released at a time that my interest in pro wrestling had never been higher. The nWo was growing, ang was posing a serious threat to the WCW.
In the comfort of my own home, I could pick sides and dish out the pain on my TV Screen. Never before had a game featured so many guys on the roster, and they had different outfits that you could chose from! Aside from guys on the WCW and nWo roster, the game also featured guys from other “leagues” that often resembled actual wrestlers who were night signed by the WCW. Good feature!
I could go on and on about this game. I played this thing for hours, and often enjoyed playing the multi-player version with friends. I remember my buddy JD coming after school and playing it most of the evening. Though still very rough around the edges, this was the punk kid that would soon grow up and kick everyone in the ass. Good times…good times.
This isis not only the best wrestling game ever (at this point), but it's also the best fighting game on the system, which is both sad and impressive at the same time. This game quickly became my 2nd favorite multi-player game for the N64, second only to Golden 007.
WCW/NWO Revenge – N64 (1997)
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!! So rather than fiddle around too much with the game mechanics, AKI just made direct improvements to aspects that were clearly lacking in the previous game. More moves, wrestler entrances, managers, PPV arenas and an expanded roster of WCW wrestlers were all worthwhile additions.The entrances were a huge plus, and so were the updated taunts and move sets. Like World Tour, Revenge also game the player the opportunity to select which outfit the wrestler would wear to the ring. Furthermore, you could even change/edit that outfit! If you wanted to see Sting in the nWo…all you had to do is slap a t-shirt on him, and you were done!
This game came out in October of '97, and I had to wait until Christmas of that year to get my hands on a copy. I remember my friend Nick got it the day it came out, and I was on the phone with him as he played the game for the first time. Needless to say, I spent many a day at Nick's house that November and December.
The initial impact of this game wasn’t there, for it was a lot like World Tour…only updated. But that was a good thing! Would Tour was a great game, and Revenge was only better. BUT, that initial amazement of World Tour holds a special place in my heart.
Goodbye, old friend
A buddy of mine, named Jim King, passed away this morning. I used to work with him years ago at the local I.G.A. He was hilarious...one of the funniest people to be around. He always had a smile on his face, and always did his best to make others smile.
We used to take our lunches together, and scout-out the deli to see what they would be fixing. I enjoyed talking with him, laughing with him, and being around him. After I left the store, a mutural friend of ours kept me updated as Jim ran into some serious health problems. After years of fighting, the end came for him this morning.
At least now he is at peace. But that doesn't change the hurt and pain that his friends and family are feeling and will be feeling. My heart goes out to them.
He was in Hospice care for a little over a week, and I kept trying to convince myself to go see him, but I didn't. I just couldn't see Jim like that. I'd rather see him as he was...happy and full of life.
I have nothing but fond memories of him, and will always remember the time he invited me into his house, his garage, and we drank pink lemonade. Today, the world lost an angel, and I lost a friend.
May you rest easy.
We used to take our lunches together, and scout-out the deli to see what they would be fixing. I enjoyed talking with him, laughing with him, and being around him. After I left the store, a mutural friend of ours kept me updated as Jim ran into some serious health problems. After years of fighting, the end came for him this morning.
At least now he is at peace. But that doesn't change the hurt and pain that his friends and family are feeling and will be feeling. My heart goes out to them.
He was in Hospice care for a little over a week, and I kept trying to convince myself to go see him, but I didn't. I just couldn't see Jim like that. I'd rather see him as he was...happy and full of life.
I have nothing but fond memories of him, and will always remember the time he invited me into his house, his garage, and we drank pink lemonade. Today, the world lost an angel, and I lost a friend.
May you rest easy.
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