Tag Archives: 1984

Episode 294: The Expansion Has Launched

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take mailbag questions on the WWF’s national expansion!

–What would the wrestling business have looked like had the first Wrestlemania flopped?
–What if there was more cooperation between the NWA promoters? Could they have survived, or even won the war?
–Were there any wrestlers that the WWF wanted but couldn’t get?
–Who would have been a great fit in the WWF but never ended up there?
–Could Ken Patera gotten King Kong Bundy’s spot at Wrestlemania 2 had he not encountered legal difficulties?
–Would the non-WWF promoters have been smarter focusing on their home turf instead of expanding?

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to listen to this wicked good episode!

STICK TO WRESTLING, give us 60 minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawboned weekly pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 292: This Is Not Entertaining Television

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue our review of the WWF during the month of January, 1984. This was one of the most tumultuous and chaotic months in any company in pro wrestling history. On the discussion table:

–Bob Backlund has a new tag team partner, and he’s from Venice Beach, CA.
–Magnificent Muraco vs Tito Santana! That match sure sounds good on paper, but was it in reality?
–The WWF continues to upgrade it’s television production.
–The silliness of three-out-of-five fall tag team matches.
–Little did we know that Tony Atlas was not still an ascending star, he had already peaked.
–The sad demise of Chief Jay Strongbow.

Plus there are weird Carl Yastrzemski analogies to be had, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to listen to this wicked good episode!

STICK TO WRESTLING, give us 60 minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawboned weekly pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 291: Wrecking Ball

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue our discussion of the WWF’s national expansion and we take a close look oat the radical changes the WWF underwent during January 1984. We discuss:

–The Iron Sheik has made the jump from a mid-level heel in the southern territories to the one of the elite positions in pro wrestling. Sometimes, timing is everything.
–Gene Okerlund has arrived, causing us all to turn down the volume on our television sets.
–The WWF introduces it’s first new manager in over ten years, a little known wrestler by the name of Roddy Piper.
–Bob Backlund enlists the help of another little known wrestler by the name of Hulk Hogan to help him against Captain Lou Albano and The Samoans. The Backlund / Hogan alliance did not last very long.
–Jimmy Snuka’s stock had already peaked, we just didn’t know yet. There was another small detail regarding Snuka that we were unaware of.
–John Studd had been with the WWF since 1982 and it was time for him to move on…except it wasn’t. The entire game really was changing right in front of out eyes.

Plus Johnny Mac tells the story about the day he learned that Bob Backlund had lost the WWF title, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to listen to this wicked good episode!

STICK TO WRESTLING, give us 60 minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawboned weekly pro wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 279: And Now The End Is Near

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we begin our review of the WWF during the Fall of 1983! We talk Magnificent Muraco, Bob Backlund, Buddy Rogers, Sgt. Slaughter, Captain Lou Albano, Rocky Johnson, Andre The Giant, Masked Superstar, Tito Santana, The Samoans, The Grand Wizard, Tony Atlas, and even Michael Hayes!

Plus there’s rare audio of the WWF from this era and a “For Review Purposes” bonus segment, so what are you waiting for? Listen to this episode for a wicked good time!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawbone wrestling podcast!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 276: Wine Coolers

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at the first ever episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event! Among the discussion topics:

–The mainstream celebrities and front and center for this one, as we see Cyndi Lauper, Mt. T, and Hulk Hogan within seconds of the event’s start.
–This aired on Mother’s Day weekend, and Hulk Hogan says “this is a special match for my Mother, Brother”.
–Paul Orndorff finally turns babyface after being in limbo since Wrestlemania.
–Did the WWF make the right choice when selecting Wendi Richter as the star of their women’s division?
–Fred Blassie is starting to look old…too old.
–Who could have imagined a babyface Lou Albano and a babyface George Steele just a year earlier?

Plus Greg Gagne’s claims of the AWA getting a similar show on CBS are debunked, Johnhy Mac shares memories of watching this event, AND we have a new “For Review Purposes” segment, as it aired, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING…give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawbone wrestling podcast!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 208: World Class With A Different Lance

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Lance Peterson, who lived in Dallas during the glory days of World Class Championship Wrestling. He saw all of the big angles, went to the Texas Stadium shows, the Cotton Bowl shows, and much more. We discuss:

–The rise of the Von Erichs as mainstream stars in the Metroplex.

–WCCW’s break from the NWA.

–The creation of a Von Erich cousin named Lance.

–The return of Gino Hernandez, right when it was needed.

–Highlights from the Fort Worth TV show that only aired in the Metroplex.

–The downfall of WCCW.

Plus we beat the dead horse of the “Was David Von Erich promised the NWA title” question, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this wicked good bad boy!

STICK TO WRESTING. Give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a wicked good and rawboned podcast!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 106: Graveyard Gallup

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular guest Randy Smith, who was a regular at the WWF All-Star Wrestling TV tapings in Hamburg, PA from 1980 until early 1984. Randy tells us about:

–Randy’s first hand account of the infamous Piper’s Pit where Jimmy Snuka’s head was used as a coconut opener.

–Tor Kamata getting into a parking lot brawl with a fan.

–Iron Mike Sharpe’s unconventional training methods.

–The radical changes that came to All Star Wrestling in 1984.

–Which wrestlers and managers were cool outside the ring, and which were not.

Plus John and Randy share a cool story when they met Lou Thesz in 1988, 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 & Sean Goodwin is a production of the Arcadian Vanguard Podcast Network

Episode 91: Candy Factory

This week Stick To Wrestling has Ricardo Coleman as their guest. Rico grew up in New Orleans as a big fan of Mid-South Wrestling and shares some of his first hand knowledge. We discuss:

–The Mr. Wrestling II vs Magnum T.A. Feud, and how it felt like Magnum was in an abusive relationship.

–Junkyard Dog goes for the ride of his life.

–The real life heat between Cowboy Bill Watts and Jake Roberts.

–Why the WWF sent Gino Hernandez home in 1977.

–Pushing The Nightmare as North American champion in 1985.

–All of the wrestlers Mid-South tried to replace Junkyard Dog with.

–Why Butch Reed didn’t get over after his 1984 babyface turn.

Plus we have a frank conversation about the lack of black competitors in the wrestling business compared to other sports, and Johnny Mac goes on a rant over WWE talking really old guys out of retirement, putting them over, and burying the younger guys in the process. 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 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 68: Sittin’ By The Campfire With Ric

This week the STICK TO WRESTLING podcast has Tyler Judd as the guest. Tyler grew up in rural Virginia and he speaks with first hand expertise of what was going on in the Mid-Atlantic promotion during the Fall of 1984! The times they were a changing for this promotion in 1984, and we get into the details of:

–Dusty Rhodes becoming the new face of the promotion.
–Wahoo’s turn and subsequent run as a babyface. Boy oh boy, Tully Blanchard was a bad influence on that guy.
–We tell you who walked out despite having a major babyface push planned for him.
–What was the plan for Barry Windham in JCP during this time? We tell you.
–What was it like seeing such a huge transition, with Mid-Atlantic losing guys like Greg Valentine, Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, The Briscos, Bob Orton Jr, etc?
–We talk about an absolutely bizarre and hilarious skit featuring Ric Flair and Blackjack Mulligan.
–Mike Rotondo was born ten to fifteen years too late.
–What should the main event of Starrcade ’84 have been?
–Now that Dusty’s here, everyone’s gotta be a cowboy.
–Don Kernodle and his strange 1982 – 1984 odyssey.

Plus, Sean Goodwin shares a brilliant observation about Starrcade ’84 that’s never been discussed before (We know ALL of the discussions. Trust us).

What are you waiting for? Get off your duffs, then DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS BAD BOY!

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

Episode 66: The Day I Had To Bury My Dog

This week Stick To Wrestling is co-hosted by John McAdam and David Bixenspan as we continue STW’s Summer Series (Summer doesn’t end until September 20th, kids), and this is Part Two of our discussion of The Summer of 1984 in wrestling where we cover the following promotions and what was going on in them:

MID-SOUTH: Junkyard Dog jumps to the WWF and gets a brutal burial on television by Bill Watts.

FLORIDA: Dusty Rhodes exits and takes some friends with him but not before one last grandstand, pinning Ric Flair at the Lords Of The Ring in the Orange Bowl.

AWA: Rick Martel wins AWA title in May, mostly defending vs Nick Bockwinkel. Crusher & Baron Von Rashke win tag titles in May, Road Warriors come in and win them in August. The final days of the Bobby Heenan era.

GEORGIA: Nuked by Black Saturday, but still in the game with the Ted Dibiase vs Ron Garvin feud on top. They were using guys like Ole Anderson, Brad Armstrong, and Bob Roop in main events.

MEMPHIS: The New Fabulous Ones are here, but the Original Fabs are back as well. That’s OK, Eddie Gilbert would soon turn.

And more! Give Stick To Wrestling 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.