Episode 85: Bruno Sammartino; Human Lawn Dart

This week’s Stick To Wrestling centers around the August 7, 1976 WWWF show from Madison Square Garden. We discuss:

–The reaction toward Stan Hansen after he broke Bruno’s neck.

–Vince McMahon’s as a straightforward 1970’s announcer.

–Why Bob Backlund was selected as the heir to Bruno Sammartino’s throne.

–A young Bruiser Brody’s obvious and immense potential

–Why state athletic commissions STINK.

–The great finish to the Bruno Sammartino vs Stan Hansen cage match.

–Was the year of 1976 the apex of WWWF wrestling in the 1970’s?

–The roles of guys like Johnny Rodz, S.D. Jones, Kevin Sullivan, Johnny Rivera, etc.

–How obvious it was that The Executioners were Killer Kowalski and Chuck O’Connor.

Plus Johnny Mac shares a silly and forgotten Stan Hansen angle. What are you waiting for? Download and listen to the WICKED GOOD BAD BOY.

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes, and perhaps indeed we will give you a RAWBONE podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 84: Way More Than Just “The Rock’s Dad”

This week Stick To Wrestling is joined by Mike Sempervive! We take questions from the Stick To Wrestling Universe and discuss the following:

–Angles that made us angry or sad.

–The wrestlers that had the best chance of replacing Junkyard Dog in Mid-South.

–The best and worst venues where we’ve seen wrestling.

–The women wrestlers from the 70’s and 80’s who could have made it today.

–Jerry Jarrett’s reputation as a payoff man.

Plus we take time to reflect on the career of Rocky Johnson, who was a main eventer in Florida, Georgia, Memphis, Houston, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Portland, plus we talk about his WWF feuds with Roddy Piper and Magnificent Muraco.

Plus we discuss how Stick To Wrestling is the Swede Hanson of Podcasts. What are you waiting for, DOWNLOAD THIS WICKED GOOD BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling, give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we will give you a RAWBONE podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 83: “Overrated” Is Not Synonymous With “Bad”

Stick To Wrestling wraps up our three part 1989 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards review with popular guest Jeff Bowdren! We talk Match of the Year for 1989, a year that had multiple “Match of the DECADE” candidates. We also talk 1979 Rookie of the Year, Best Manager, Best and Worst TV announcer, Best and Worst Major Wrestling Card, Best Wrestling Move, Hardest Worker, and Biggest Shock of the Year.

John McAdam and Jeff Bowdren both provided commentary in the 1989 Wrestling Observer Yearbook, where the awards were announced, and are still highly informed and enthusiastic about the subject at hand!

Plus there’s Joe Montana talk, so what are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS WICKED GOOD BAD BOY.

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we will give you a rawbone podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 82: Culture Club

John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are once again joined by popular guest Jeff Bowdren as we continue to review the Wrestling Observer Awards from 1989. Who was the most obnoxous person in wrestling? Who did the best interviews? Who was the most charismatic? Who was the best brawler? Best flying wrestler? Most overrated (overpushed)? Most underrated (underpushed)? Best promotion? Best Television Show?

Also discussed:

–Who did the Observer culture hate more, Dusty Rhodes or the WWF?

–The NWA, and it’s political games.

–Did Gary Hart sabotage The Great Muta?

–Scotty The Body becomes The Raven.

–The WWF sabotaging a NWA PPV.

–Was 1989 a year where Jerry Lawler did something dumb?

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to this WICKED GOOD BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you, perhaps indeed, a RAWBONE PODCAST!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 81: 1989 Was Thirty Years Ago

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by popular guest Jeff Bowdren as we a look back at the 1989 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. We talk Wrestler of the Year, Best Feud, Best Heel, and more!
Jeff Bowdren and John McAdam provided much commentary and analysis in the 1989 Observer Yearbook, so who better to provide a review of the awards?
But wait- this is only Part One of this conversation!
Part Two will be released next week. Happy 2020, everyone!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 80: Winning “Least Favorite Wrestler” In A Landslide

On this week’s Stick To Wrestling, John McAdam and Sean Goodwin review the year in wrestling review the year in wrestling that was 1994, using the Wrestling Observer newsletter and Pro Wrestling Illustrated year end award issues as a guide. We discuss:

–Sabu incredibly getting more Wrestler Of The Year votes in the Observer than any other North American star.
–Hulk Hogan wins PWI’s Wrestler of the Year award, and Johnny Mac explains why he, in hindsight, thinks he should have won the Observer’s as well.
–ECW was working it’s magic, getting fans to think that performers like Sabu, Public Enemy, and The Sandman were a lot more skilled than they were. ECW did a wonderful job hiding their individual and collective flaws, and we talk about it.
–Bob Backlund’s 1994 character. Was it any good?
–We re-live Public Enemy debuting- and flopping- on Monday Nitro.
–Art Barr won Best Heel, Best Tag Team with Eddie Guerrero, and was part of Feud of the Year in the Observer. Was the sky the limit for Barr?
Plus Johnny Mac expresses his undying distain for the “Hell Raisers” tag team of Road Warrior Hawk and Kensuke Sasake and then takes a shot at Ole Anderson’s booking.

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to this WICKED GOOD BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you, perhaps indeed, a RAWBONE PODCAST.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 79: Inspirational Wrestler Of The Year

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by popular guest Thomas Bane as we present Part Two of our look back at the 1979 “Apter Mags” awards as published in the Spring 1980 Sports Review Wrestling magazine. This was the last year before the awards were permanently moved to Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

–Did they get it right by naming Greg Valentine as Most Hated Wrestler?
–Comeback Wrestler of the Year did not yet exist, but who would have gotten it?
–Who was the Most Improved Wrestler by Apter Mag standards?
–How did a guy who finished third in the Rookie of the Year balloting in 1977 actually win it in 1979?
–Arnold Skaaland as Manager of the Year? If you say so.
–Of course, we take Inspirational Wrestler of the Year as seriously as one can.

There’s more as we reflect on the career of Junkyard Dog, and we take a look at Starrcade ’89. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS BAD BOY!

STICK TO WRESTLING- give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed we’ll give you a WICKED GOOD podcast every week!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 78: The Apter Mags 1979 Awards Reviewed, Part 1

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by popular guest host Thomas Bane as we take a look back at the 1979 “Apter Mags” awards as published in the Spring 1980 Sports Review Wrestling magazine. This was the last year before the awards were permanently moved to Pro Wrestling Illustrated. So did the Apter Mags get it right?

Should Harley Race have been 1979 Wrestler of the Year? Ivan Putski and Tito Santana, Tag Team of the Year? Was Harley Race vs. Dusty Rhodes Match of the Year? They didn’t have the Feud of the Year award yet, so we take care of that for you and more on this week’s STICK TO WRESTLING podcast!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes, and we’ll give you a WICKED GOOD podcast every week!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 77: Seventy Years Of The King

Stick To Wrestling welcomes Shawn Heimberger as this week’ guest, since one guy on the show with that name apparently isn’t enough.

It’s Jerry Lawler’s 70th birthday and we celebrate The King’s legendary career! Jerry had two no questions asked Hall of Fame careers, first as a Memphis wrestler and then again as a WWF commentator and personality. We talk about some of the highlights of Lawler’s career, and also:

–Jim Cornette resigns from NWA Powerrr, his top ten one liners of all time, and his heat with Baby Doll.

–WWE Survivor Series, and the decline of The Fiend.

–Did Bob Backlund draw houses in the WWF, or did they draw in spite of him?

–Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee: real life rivals.

–What is our favorite Jerry Lawler match of all time?

–What is our favorite Jerry Lawler angle of all time?

–Did the 1982 Pedro Morales vs Greg Valentine feud get the right push?

Plus Shawn talks about Bob Backlund evolving into a nerdy gym teacher.

What are you waiting for, DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS RAWBONE BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling- Give us sixty minutes and we will give you a WICKED GOOD PODCAST!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 76: Masked Superstar and Austin Idol have the night of their life, no girls involved

It’s Thanksgiving Week, so Stick To Wrestling discusses the Thanksgiving Day shows from thirty and forty years ago! We discuss:

–The miracle of the Georgia tag team titles somehow being vacant before the annual tag team tournament so that they’d be at stake.
–Stan Hansen as a good guy? Unthinkable in the WWF area.
–Who did Big John Studd say he owed everything to?
–What was the greatest shoot remark ever made in a wrestling promo? We’ll fill you in.
–Handicap matches are dumb.
–Who was the Marty Jannetty of a 1979 tag team? We talk about it.
–What if the WWF used Bruno Sammartino to get younger wrestlers over toward the end of his career?
–What should the cash prize for battle royals have been?
–Tim “Mr. Wrestling” Woods gets a farewell tour.
–Draw 3,700 fans putting on a house show, or let your crew spend Thanksgiving with their families? You know how Vince McMahon is going choose.
Plus, what if Tully Blanchard had dedicated himself to being a top star in ECW?

What are you waiting for, DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS RAWBONE BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling- Give us sixty minutes and we will give you a WICKED GOOD PODCAST!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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