Tag Archives: Bruno Sammartino

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

Episode 277: Fake Bricks

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at an issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, cover date September 1983. Fortylong years ago! We discuss:

–The raging war the Apter Mags have declared on the World Wrestling Federation. It was far worse than we remembered.
–In addition, the magazine was clearly in the corner of the Atlanta based World Championship Wrestling, heaping praise upon the promotion and pushing the editors’ appearances on their television show.
–Two world titles, not three? Really?
–“Was Bruno The Greatest WWF Champion Ever”? This couldn’t be a a backhanded jab at WWF champion Bob Backlund…could it?
–What was Kevin Von Erich’s greatest match? Listen to the podcast for the answer, then join the Facebook group to watch it!
–Dan Shocket was real, and he was a treasure.

Plus you can’t review an old Apter Mag without having some fun with the advertisements, 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 260: 1989 Was Not Just A Taylor Swift Album

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING popular guest Jim Valley returns and we answer questions from our listeners, including:

–Why would the NWA crown Gene Kiniski as it’s World Champion after he dropped a series of matches in the WWWF while challenging Bruno?
–Many wrestling families claim to be the “first family of wrestling” but who do you we think is most worthy of that moniker?
–What was our favorite year of pro wrestling and what events from that year make it our favorite?
–Is Superstar Billy Graham the most influential wrestler of all time?
–Why would the NWA crown Gene Kiniski as the World Champion after he dropped a series of matches in the WWWF challenging Bruno? (Were there other credible alternatives for the NWA?).
–Would ECW have been more successful if they’d toured more and changed their style to fit the area they were in?

Plus Johnny Mac responds to those who say it was a mistake to take the WWWF title off of Superstar Billy Graham “so early”, 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 242: Revisiting Larryland

There was so much more to discuss regarding the Bruno Sammartino vs Larry Zybysko feud after last week’s well recieved episode, so Steve and John discuss it! This week on STICK TO WRESTLING:

–Larry Zybysko never returned to the WWF after his 1980 run. Larry claims he was blackballed due to demanding more money at the Shea Stadium show, yet he remained booked in the WWF until the beginning of 1981. We break down what we think may have happened.
–Was Vince Sr. actually powerful enough to get Larry completely blackballed from the wrestling business?
–What was Larry Zybysko doing between the end of his 1980 WWF run and the beginning of his 1983 Georgia run?
–There was money to be made if Larry Zybysko returned to the WWF in 1982 or 1983. Couldn’t something have been worked out?
–The WWF seemed to be having more angles starting around this time. Was there a reason for that?
–Was what happened at the end of the Bruno vs Zybysko Shea Stadium match a hint of a new wrinkle in this storyline?

We don’t just discuss Larry Zybysko on this episode, but we do discuss a proposed WWF championship scenario that a WWF wrestler from this era discussed with Johnny Mac 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 224: The Other Bi-Centennial Kings

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined again by popular returning guest Steve Generelli, and we field questions from the Stick To Wrestling Universe on the year 1976. On the slate:

–What if Bruno Sammartino was unable to return to the WWWF after his neck injury? Would the promotion have survived?
–What were our thoughts on the buildup to the Muhammad Ali v Antonio Inoki match, and the match itself?
–What are our thoughts on how was Terry Funk booked as NWA champion?
–How was Harley Race viewed in 1976 after his very brief run as NWA champion?
–Which promotion had the strongest roster?
–What might have happened with Johnny Valentine in 1976 had he not been disabled in a late 1975 plane crash?

Plus John and Steve do an “Extra Innings” segment where they talk baseball from the 1970’s, so what are you waiting for? Download and listen to this podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING: 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 177: We Don’t Need You, Fred

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular guest host Jammie Ward, as we discuss what was going on in the WWF forty years ago during the Fall of 1981! We discuss:

–The WWF title being held up in New York State only in an absolutely crazy scenario following a Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine match.

–Bruno Sammartino wrestling in his “retirement” match. He was still active six years later.

–Killer Khan breaks Andre The Giant’s leg…in a Rochester, NY hotel room, apparently.

–Pedro Morales surprisingly regains the Intercontinental Title.

–Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura invade the WWF with Fred Blassie as their manager. Ventura later complained that they didn’t need a manager, hence the episode’s title.

–Both Dusty Rhodes and Mil Mascaras are making appearances, but have limited roles.

Plus Johnny Mac tells you what crazy lengths he went to in order to find out the result of the Bob Backlund vs Greg Valentine match, so what are 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 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 173: You Don’t Know This Man

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is once again joined by Thomas Bane as we present Part Two of our look at the 1992 Phil Donahue show where Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, Superstar Billy Graham, Barry Orton, Dave Meltzer, John Arezzi, and Murray Hodgkin all appear.

This is from the period where the WWF’s sex and drug scandals were at their peak, and we took a look at what got the WWF to this place. There are accusations of steroid use, rampant use of recreational drugs, sexual harassment and sexual assault, and more. We take a look at everything that is being said.

Stick To Wrestling- 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 172: Without Taking Us Around The World

On this week’s STICK TO WRESTLING popular co-host Thomas Bane returns and we review the 1992 Phil Donahue show where Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, Superstar Billy Graham, Barry Orton, Dave Meltzer, John Arezzi, and Murray Hodgkin all appear. This is from the period where the WWF’s sex and drug scandals were at their peak, and we took a look at what got the WWF to this place, Vince McMahon’s strategy, Superstar Billy Graham’s allegations, and much more.

Plus Johnny Mac tells a funny Mel Phillips story, so what are 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 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 155: Hanging At The Mall With Lord Al

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Neil Shochet! Neil grew up in watching WWF and NWA wrestling in Baltimore, and he and John have some cool stories to share.

–David Schultz making things uncomfortable for Jerry Lawler (and everyone else) at Cauliflower Alley.

–Prank calling Ronnie Garvin.

–Prank calling Kevin Von Erich

–Rip Rogers playing high school football on the same team as John Mellencamp.

–Bruno Sammartino having a bad day.

–A scary airport encounter with Ken Patera

Plus Johnny Mac talks about why he’s never getting on an airplane again, plus we talk Shawn Cassidy,  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 148: What If Bruno Had WHAT?

STICK TO WRESTLING is once again joined by popular guest John Jance, and we enter into an alternative universe. Bruno Sammartino was seriously injured in 1976, and told promoter Vince McMahon Sr that he wanted out. Bruno cut way down on his dates right after losing the WWWF title to Superstar Billy Graham and was completely out of wrestling by the end of 1981. But what if Bruno has Ricflairitis, a condition one suffers from when they can’t walk away from the business? We discuss that and the butterfly effect it would have had.

–When does Vince Jr. finally pull the title from Bruno?

–What effect would this have had on the careers of Superstar Billy Graham and Bob Backlund?

–When would Bruno finally have to retire?

–What impact would this have had on David Sammartino’s career? Would it have hurt Bruno if the fans knew he was old enough to have an adult son?

–How often did Bruno wrestle after dropping the title to Graham? The answer may surprise you.

Plus John Jance shares a story about corresponding with a young Dave Meltzer and how not everything was a secret back in the day, 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