Tag Archives: 1979

Episode 134: The WWF MVPs, Part One

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Steve Generalli, a knowledgeable longtime WWF fan. In the first segment of a two part series, we talk about the Most Valuable Players of the Bob Backlund era, year by year. We cover:

–Bob Backlund, and how he was a huge success as Bruno Sammartino’s successor.

–Bruno Sammartino, as he disappears when Backlund wins the title and re-appears when the time is right.

–Ivan Koloff, and why he was so valuable as a challenger.

–Peter Maivia, and the turn that made him a main eventer.

–Greg Valentine, and how his first WWWF run made both he and Bob Backlund bigger stars.

–Pat Patterson, and how his four match series vs Bob Backlund at Madison Square Garden was so brilliantly booked.

Steve and I give you the top five on our WWF MVP ballot for 1978, 1979, and 1980, so what are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO this wicked good bad boy!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 117: Artificial Charisma

This week Steve Generalli returns to Stick To Wrestling and we talk the year of 1979 in the WWWF, which became the WWF that year. We dig into:

–Victor Rivera returning as a heel.

–The return of Bulldog Brower after a “team of doctors” declared him stable enough to compete.

–Greg Valentine’s debut, and him introducing the figure four leglock to the Northeast and breaking Cheif Jay Strongbow’s leg with it.

–The oddball pushes given to Roddy Piper and Bad News Allen Coage.

–The Valiants adding a third brother to the mix.

–A preliminary guy named Bob Fulton who would go onto big things.

And much, much more! Plus Johnny Mac goes on a non-wrestling related rant, so what are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO this wicked good bad boy!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam 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 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

Episode 63: Even With A Broken Arm…

Stick To Wrestling’s Summer Series continues as John McAdam and Sean Good win are joined by Brad Breitzman, and we discuss the territories in the Summer of 1979!

GEORGIA: Bobby Heenan arrives in Georgia and dominates, managing Masked Superstar, Blackjack Lanza, and Killer Karl Kox. Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff are the lead heels, while Tommy Rich is emerging as a superstar and a contender for the NWA title.

MID-ATLANTIC: Jimmy Snuka turns heel, is managed by the returning Buddy Rogers, and wins the U.S. Title. Ric Flair shockingly turns babyface and is going around the horn teaming with former arch-rival Ricky Steamboat.

FLORIDA: Dusty Rhodes finally wins the NWA title from Harley Race but loses it five days later when Terry Funk appears out of nowhere to “break” Dusty’s arm right before the second title switch. Don’t worry, Booker Dusty makes sure Wrestler Dusty loses via DQ. Manny Fernandez arrives and gets his first big push in a major promotion, whileJim Garvin is also getting a big push as Killer Karl Kox’s protege.

AWA: The highly unusual tag team of Verne Gagne and Mad Dog Vachon are the tag team champions, while Jesse Ventura feuds with Paul Ellering. With Jim Brunzell temporarily off to the Carolinas, Greg Gagne is getting a major singles push as a challenger to Nick Bockwinkel.

MEMPHIS: Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee went around the horn with two brash youngsters named Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy before Lawler turns heel. Also teaming: the sibling duo of Terry and Eddie Boulder, brother!

MID-SOUTH WRESTLING: This promotion was gaining momentum, drawing over 15,000 to the Superdome twice. Bill Watts and Mr. Wrestling II were the lead babyfaces, and superstars such as Andre The Giant and Dusty Rhodes were making special appearances.

There’s more, including a special birthday shoutout. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY!

STICK TO WRESTLING! Give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a wicked good podcast every week.

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

Episode 62: Stop Your Sobbing

On this week’s Stick To Wrestling podcast we continue our Summer Series as we take a look at the Summer of 1979 in the WWF as John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by fellow old school WWF fanatic Randy Barrier. On the table this week:

–Pat Patterson wins the North American title, and then “wins” the Intercontinental Title.

–Swede Hanson gets a main event in Madison Square Garden, Pat Patterson gets an unprecedented four match series against Bob Backlund, and Roddy Piper gets the shaft. John shares his theory of how Hanson got that spot.

–“Millions Sob As Volkoff Attacks Bruno”. That really was on the cover of “The Wrestler” magazine after Volkoff did exactly that in the Summer of 1979.

–The Greg Valentine vs Chief Jay Strongbow feud, which started with Strongbow writhing in agony with a broken leg at ringside while the matches went on as scheduled with the heels taunting him.

–The Valiant Brothers main evented Madison Square Garden in 1974 and 1975, then finally returned in 1979…but things just weren’t the same. What went wrong?

Plus, Randy provides a firsthand account of Jimmy Valiant turning on Chief Jay Strongbow in 1971.

What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD THIS BAD BOY! STICK TO WRESTLING! Give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you a wicked good podcast.

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