Tag Archives: Bob Backlund

Episode 301: Andre’s Restaurant And Related Regrets

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a deep dive into the WWF’s national expansion, taking a close look at what was going on in “The Fed” in March 1984! We discuss:

–Mr. Fuji delivers one of the greatest heel promos of all time. We are being one hundred percent serious.
–A pro wrestler on the cover of a non-wrestling magazine? Unthinkable coming into 1984, but Hulk Hogan changed that.
–He wasn’t quite at Hulk Hogan’s level of popularity but the newly-turned Sgt. Slaughter was red hot, as was his feud with Iron Sheik.
–Was Andre The Giant starting to get stale?
–Paul Orndorff continues to impress.
–Was Tony Atlas scheduled to win the Intercontinental title?

Plus we announce the STICK TO WRESTLING NCAA basketball pool and the prize the winner will receive, so what 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 281: Experiencing Experiences

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we continue our review of the WWF during the Fall of 1983! We talk Bob Backlund, Andre The Giant, Tony Atlas, Iron Sheik, Paul Orndorff, Sgt. Slaughter, Captain Lou Albano. Rocky Johnson, Tito Santana, Fred Blassie, Iron Mike Sharpe, Ivan Putski, Big John Studd, Buddy Rogers, Masked Superstar, Chief Jay Strongbow, Mad Dog Maganoff, Magnificent Muraco, Eddie Gilbert, The Samoans, Pat Patterson, Arnold Skaaland, Adrian Adonis, David Schultz, Gene Okerlund, and more! Plus there’s rare audio of the WWF from this era!

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 280: Stay Sick

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we present Part Two of our look at the WWF during the Fall of 1983!

–This period represents more than the end of the Bob Backlund era. It’s the end of the old WWF / WWWF as we knew it.
–We pay tribute to the late, great, Grand Wizard of Wrestling.
–The Masked Superstar injures Bob Backlund’s protege, and Bob seeks revenge. We have to laugh when we look back at who that protege was.
–There was only one way a heel won a Cage Match in the old WWF, and we discuss how Magnificent Muraco defeated Jimmy Snuka.
–There was only one way a heel won a Strap Match in the old WWF…or so we thought. Jimmy Snuka and Magnificent Muraco threw us a curveball!
–Buddy Rogers’ Corner has been replaced by Victory Corner, hosted by Robert DeBord. Mr. Debord has something in common with the city of Las Vegas and it’s not what you might think.

Plus there’s rare audio and an even more rare occasion where Johnny Mac praises one of Bob Backlund’s interviews, 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 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 278: Ramblin’ Man

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review the WWWF Madison Square Garden show from October 23, 1978 as well as the television show that aired beforehand, all with popular returning guest Vincent Waller! On the discussion table:

–Ernie Ladd had a pretty interesting schedule in 1978, and we tell you about it.
–Bob Backlund is the new WWWF champion…and he also wants to after the tag titles? This did not end well.
–It may not have been a showcase of technical wrestling, but Bruno Sammartino and Superstar Billy Graham had an exciting match with a logical conclusion.
–Some old WWWF preliminary matches were fun! Baron Mikel Scicluna vs S.D. Jones was not.
–Squash matches at Madison Squaare Garden? Do better, WWWF.
–During the Monday Night Wars we could see as many as three turns in a week. The old WWWF had one turn in three years.

Plus Johnny Mac discusses the angle that had mind turning into the wee hours of the morning 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