Tag Archives: NWA

Episode 51: Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair….Black Bart

On this week’s WICKED GOOD Stick To Wrestling podcast Johnny and Seanny have wrestling historian Seth Hanson as our guest. Seth knows his stuff, is a great guest, and an even better Twitter follow!

This week we discuss the 1986 demise of World Class Championship Wrestling. Included in this conversation:

–Did the Freebirds return to World Class too soon?

–Should WCCW have pulled out of the NWA and anointed Rick Ruse as their world champion? |

–Should Chris Adams have remained as a heel, with Gino Hernandez turning babyface?

–World Class lost a lot of talent to Bill Watts’ UWF right after the 1986 Texas Stadium show, and replaced them with with some older veterans. Was this the way to go?

–Al Madril and Brian Adidas became the lead heel faction. We’re there better options? Really, were there worse options? –Black Bart was made WCCW world champion. Was there a better option? Really, was there a worse option?

Plus, we share more general knowledge and thoughts on WCCW in general, and what led up to the 1986 collapse. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 50: Welcome To Viceland!

On this week’s WICKED GOOD Stick To Wrestling podcast Johnny and Seanny have Randy Smith as the guest. Randy has been a hardcore fan for 30 years and started reading the newsletters in the mid-80’s. He knows his wrestling, plus back in the day all of the crazy stuff happened in HIS hotel room.

This week we review the six part “Dark Side Of The Ring” series.

–Did the WWF unknowingly book Randy and Elizabeth’s divorce? Plus, don’t get Randy Savage mad at a Waffle House.

–Tony Atlas finally has a forum to talk about Bruiser Brody’s murder! We talk about how awful it must have been for Barbara Goodish, hearing the news in San Juan from Abdullah The Butcher, and having to get her husband’s remains home from a foreign land. Oh, and guess what match was on the first live card Johnny Mac ever saw?

–Was Bret Hart in on the Montreal screw job? Couldn’t the WWF have planned this any better? Who was the bad guy here, Bret or the WWF?

–Was it really a mistake bringing Lance Von Erich into World Class? Should Fritz Von Erich have overreacted so badly at the thought of The Magnificent Lance main eventing at Billy Bob’s?

–We talk about how Gino Hernandez’ Mom came across as a hero in his doc, and how everyone in the wrestling business did not. Plus, John shares some details that was left out of the documentary, and talks about a shocking story that the documentary confirmed.

–What picture was Viceland trying to paint with the Moolah doc? We’re not quite sure.

Plus, we acknowledge the 20th Anniversary of the death of Owen Hart, and share where we were when we learned it happened and our general thoughts on the tragedy, including how a bunch of petty nonsense got a husband and a father killed. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 49: Inspirational Wrestler Of The Year

This week’s WICKED GOOD Stick To Wrestling podcast starts with John and Sean discussing the Bret Hart vs Tom Magee match and documentary. Was this really a Holy Grail?

Then we take a deep dive into the 1984 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards year end awards and the Pro Wrestling Illustrated year end awards. We took a look at who did win the following awards, and who we think should have:

-Match of the Year.
-Manager of the Year.
-Rookie of the Year.
-Inspirational Wrestler of the Year.
-Most Hated Wrestler of the Year.
-Most Popular Wrestler.
-Most Improved Wrestler.
-Tag Team of the Year.
-Wrestler of the Year.

Plus we talk about why the mutants from “I Am Legend” should move to metro-Boston. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 48: It’s All The Accountant’s Fault!

On this week’s Stick To Wrestling John and Sean are joined by Jon Boucher, a smart, longtime fan and a friend of the show!

This is Part Two of our mailbag show, where we take listener questions from the Stick To Wrestling Facebook group and we discussed the following at length:

–Was there an “accountant” who should have, but maybe didn’t, keep Jim Crockett up to date on how much debt they were in, or is he a non-existent scapegoat?

–What promotion should have had television in Boston that didn’t? –If you couldn’t get Terry Funk to come to WCW in 1989, who would be your choice to be the legend rival for Ric Flair after The Steamboat trilogy?

–Which wrestlers in the mid-to-late eighties who never wrestled for Jim Crockett promotions would have made the best Horseman along with Flair, Arn, and Tully?

–What were your earliest exposures to “dirtsheets” and other insider publications?

–What is the most tasteless angle or promotional tactic ever employed by a wrestling company?

–I’m dating a wrestling fan and want to show her some classics, what should I show her?

–Could Greg Gagne have made it outside the AWA?

–If you could watch any piece of wrestling footage whether an angle or specific time period of a territory that doesn’t exist on tape, what would it be?

–Could Gary Hart have been a good managerial fit for the WWF in the mid-80’s and if so what would you see him doing there?

Plus, of course, we spin off more questions from these questions, which is one of the things that makes the Stick To Wrestling podcast WICKED GOOD. Give us sixty minutes and and we’ll make it your favorite podcast.

Plus Sean describes being a live witness at the Mass Transit incident. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 47: Sorry Vince, But We’re Kind Of Tired

On this week’s Stick To Wrestling John and Sean are joined by David Bixenspan, Deadspin’s Wrestling journalist and a guy who knows his wrestling.

This episode is a crowd favorite – a mailbag show! We took listener questions from the Stick To Wrestling Facebook group and we discussed the following:

–What does JCP and the NWA’s future look like if Ric Flair never comes back from the plan crash?

–What if David Von Erich had never passed away? Plus Bix somewhat refutes that decades old story that David’s death was from an overdose.

–If Bob Backlund had not accepted a run as WWWF champion in 1978, who were the other candidates? We’ve asked this question before but we have some new answers.

–What if a Southern wrestling promotion gotten on national cable? Could it have worked?

–Tommy Rich in the WWF. Would him having a run there would have worked with Tommy as a babyface? As a heel? Did Johnny Mac really say he could have had a Hogan-type run there in the early 80’s?

–What if The Freebirds had never left the WWF in 1984?

–What if the WWF had a weekly show on MTV? And much, much, more. It’s a very cool discussion. No…it’s wicked cool! Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you what Wally Cleaver would call a “swell” podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Plus John’ openly mocks Dollar Shave Club! What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 41: The Top 100 Wrestlers of 1984

John McAdam and Sean Goodwin talk about the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s list of the Top 100 Wrestlers for the year of 1984.  We discuss Ric Flair, Dynamite Kid, Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, Riki Choshu, Ricky Steamboat, Davey Boy Smith, Butch Reed, Paul Orndorff, Adrian Adonis, Masa Saito, Randy Savage, Kerry Von Erich, Ted Dibiase, Don Kernodle, and more!

It’s a very cool discussion. Actually, it’s wicked cool!  Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a sweet podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 39: Hulk Hogan’s A Stooge

John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are once again joined by popular guest Thomas Bane!

We take a look at:

–We discuss the passing of Dick Beyer, aka The Destroyer and what a huge role he played in creating wrestling in Japan. Yes, I said creating.
–We also have a long talk about the death and legacy of King Bong Bundy.
–Wait, Jesse Ventura tried to stage a walkout at Wrestlemania 2 so that the WWF would have to recognize the wrestlers as a union? And Hulk Hogan stooged him out? How could Vince have handled this? Hear the details on this episode.
–Bundy left the WWF right before Wrestlemania 4 in 1988. We question his timing.
–Was the NWA ever interested in bringing Bundy in after his WWF departure?
–What would Bundy’s Japan prospects have looked like?
–The origin of the Ric Flair vs Shane Douglas spat.
–Was Bundy better with Bobby Heenan or Jimmy Hart?
–Ted Dibiase, most disappointing manager ever.
–Who were the good babyface managers?
–Irish Terry Gunn…we actually talk about him.
–Should Killer Khan have been a bigger deal in the WWF?
–Why did Pedro Morales defend the Intercontinental Title against half of the tag champions? We have the answer.
–We do a deep dive into how the Sgt. Slaughter vs Pat Patterson started, and how they could have done it better.
–The Bob Backlund vs Stan Hansen Cage Match at MSG was a disappointment. What happened?

It’s a very cool discussion. Actually, it’s wicked cool! Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a sweet podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 37: Chi Town Rumble Turns 30!

John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are once again joined by superfan, superpodcaster and superauthor Jeff Bowdren! One day after the thirtieth anniversary of the 1989 NWA Chi-Town Rumble Pay Pay view we take a deep dive into one of the greatest PPVs in history.

We discuss:

–How horribly mispushed Ricky Steamboat was and how, despite being an elite worker, the fans rejected him.
–Was Steamboat’s return to his home promotion a surprise?
–Why the finish to the Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat at this show was arguably the greatest of all time.
–John’s theory on why George Scott was such an awful booker in 1989.
–Hiro Matsuda, The Invisible Manager.
–Was the main event of this show the greatest match of all time?
–How one can tell for certain if a match is going to a one hour draw.
–The Road Warriors turning twice in less than four months, and what a disaster it was.
–The 1989 version of the Varsity Club: Steve Williams, Mike Rotondo, and Dan Spivey. This should have been big.
–How this was the final night of Barry Windham being truly great.
–Mike Rotondo defeating Rick Stiener to regain the NWA TV title. At the time it was a major shock, but we tell you why they did it.
–Did the promotion go out of their way to undermine the red-hot Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, and Stan Lane trio?
–Why Dennis Condrey did not appear on this show as scheduled.

Plus, a story about the time Jeff Bowdren offended Bonnie Steamboat! It’s a very cool discussion. Actually, it’s wicked cool! Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a sweet podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 36: The Hammer

It’s Valentine’s season. We talked about Johnny Valentine on the last show so why not talk about Greg Valentine this week?

John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are once again joined by longtime Carolinas fan Mike Gunter who provides tremendous first-hand perspective on Greg Valentine’s career.

We discuss:

-The Greg Valentine vs Wahoo McDaniel feud and how it tied into Johnny’s feud vs Wahoo.
-Greg Valentine’s run in the WWF in 1979. His run against Bob Backlund and his feud vs Chief Jay Strongbow.
-The start of the Ric Flair vs Greg Valentine feud and how Valentine brutally breaks Ric’s nose for real.
-Greg Valentine’s run in the WWF and how John thought Greg WOULD have won the WWF championship in 1981.
-The legendary Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper feud that led to not just the brutal Dog Collar match at Starrcade ’83 but the series on the road afterward.
-The ad on TV that said Hulk Hogan was coming in to see his buddy Ric Flair win the title!
-Greg’s arrival as a superstar back to the WWF in 1984 and his decline to “just another guy” status.
-Greg as a member of the Four Horsemen in 1988? WHAT? This was a real possibility.
-But wait! An amazing and hilarious story about Greg Valentine buying stereo equipment and accessories from Mike at a strip mall in 1979!

It’s a very cool discussion. Actually, it’s wicked cool! Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a heart-stirring podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.

Episode 35: Valentine’s Day

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Mike Gunter and we focus on Johnny Valentine’s career. Mike grew up in the Carolinas watching Johnny Valentine, and he carries a unique perspective into his career. This week we talk about:

–Mike being IN ATTENDANCE for a Johnny Valentine vs Wahoo McDaniel match and he describes how brutal it was.
–The plane crash that ended Johnny’s career, and what would have become of the rest of his career had that not happened. Mike also provides perspective of what the media coverage of the event was like in the area.
–Tim Woods was in that plane with a bunch of heels. What he did to cover that up was amazing, and we discuss it.
–Johnny Valentine’s feuds with Bearcat Wright and Paul Jones.
–What Johnny Valentine did when he was stuck in Argentina with no money and no way to get home.
–The story of Johnny Valentine getting fired in Florida.
–And of course, Johnny Valentine’s obsession with ribs, some of which were far from harmless.

Plus there’s brief tribute to the late, great Frank Robinson!

It’s a very cool discussion. Actually, it’s wicked cool! Every week give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a breathtaking podcast – STICK TO WRESTLING!

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network.