Tag Archives: 1984

Episode 297: The Ballad Of Colonel Fuji

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue taking our deep dive into the WWF’s historically vital national expansion that began in earnest over forty years ago. The entire pro wrestling landscape is changing dramatically, and we’re here to tell you all about it! On this week’s discussion queue:

–Colonel Fuji, Mr. Fuji’s diabolical relative who carried out horrible misdeeds during World War II. This is AMAZING.
–The WWF is finally using Andre The Giant correctly.
–David Schultz has the audacity to question Hulk Hogan’s heritage, and The Hulkster is not happy.
–Sgt. Slaughter has been Pearl Harbored before, and he’s bounced back. He’ll tell you all about it.
–Andre The Giant is a Frenchman, but he’s not above celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. He’ll tell you all about it.
–Jose Luis Rivera’s magical winning streak runs out of magic.

Plus there’s lots of rare audio from this era, so what hat are you waiting for? Download and 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 296: Completely Sold Out…Or Was It?

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue taking our deep dive into the WWF’s historically vital national expansion that began in earnest over forty years ago. The entire pro wrestling landscape is changing dramatically, and we’re here to tell you all about it! On this week’s discussion queue:

–So Hulk Hogan is now the WWF champion. What role is left for former WWF champion Bob Backlund?
–The organic and logical Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik feud is finally up and running.
–Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff is the main event in many of the WWF’s major arenas. How do you book a finish between these two brand new, red hot stars?
–World Class Championship Wrestling aired in Boston and it was extremely popular. Why did they wait so long to promote a show there?
–The WWF has taken over the wrestling spot for a historically significant television station in St. Louis.
–Roddy Piper is still primarily a manager, and his faction came across as invaders from outside the promotion.

Plus there’s lots of rare audio from this era and Sheldon Goldberg makes a special cameo appearance, so what hat are you waiting for? Download and 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 295: Going Down In Flames

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue to discuss the WWWF’s national expansion and take a close look at what was going on in the promotion in February 1984! We converse about:

–The soon to be legendary weekly “Piper’s Pit” segment comes to life.
–It’s early in Hulk Hogan’s reign, but he’s on tour wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
–Jimmy Snuka gets in trouble in St. Louis with the Missouri State Athletic Commission.
–Speaking of Snuka, there apparently was major, real life heat between he and Bob Backlund. We tell you about it.
–Did Bill Eadie leave the WWF unexpectedly? Did the WWF then use a “fake” Masked Superstar?
–We are introduced to Bret Hart, whom we had never even heard of coming into 1984.

Plus there’s lots of rare audio from this era and we keep a scorecard of wrestlers the WWF has hired away from the other territories, so what hat are you waiting for? Download and 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 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