Tag Archives: John McAdam

Episode 81: 1989 Was Thirty Years Ago

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by popular guest Jeff Bowdren as we a look back at the 1989 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. We talk Wrestler of the Year, Best Feud, Best Heel, and more!
Jeff Bowdren and John McAdam provided much commentary and analysis in the 1989 Observer Yearbook, so who better to provide a review of the awards?
But wait- this is only Part One of this conversation!
Part Two will be released next week. Happy 2020, everyone!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 80: Winning “Least Favorite Wrestler” In A Landslide

On this week’s Stick To Wrestling, John McAdam and Sean Goodwin review the year in wrestling review the year in wrestling that was 1994, using the Wrestling Observer newsletter and Pro Wrestling Illustrated year end award issues as a guide. We discuss:

–Sabu incredibly getting more Wrestler Of The Year votes in the Observer than any other North American star.
–Hulk Hogan wins PWI’s Wrestler of the Year award, and Johnny Mac explains why he, in hindsight, thinks he should have won the Observer’s as well.
–ECW was working it’s magic, getting fans to think that performers like Sabu, Public Enemy, and The Sandman were a lot more skilled than they were. ECW did a wonderful job hiding their individual and collective flaws, and we talk about it.
–Bob Backlund’s 1994 character. Was it any good?
–We re-live Public Enemy debuting- and flopping- on Monday Nitro.
–Art Barr won Best Heel, Best Tag Team with Eddie Guerrero, and was part of Feud of the Year in the Observer. Was the sky the limit for Barr?
Plus Johnny Mac expresses his undying distain for the “Hell Raisers” tag team of Road Warrior Hawk and Kensuke Sasake and then takes a shot at Ole Anderson’s booking.

What are you waiting for? Download and listen to this WICKED GOOD BAD BOY!

Stick To Wrestling- give us sixty minutes and we’ll give you, perhaps indeed, 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 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 77: Seventy Years Of The King

Stick To Wrestling welcomes Shawn Heimberger as this week’ guest, since one guy on the show with that name apparently isn’t enough.

It’s Jerry Lawler’s 70th birthday and we celebrate The King’s legendary career! Jerry had two no questions asked Hall of Fame careers, first as a Memphis wrestler and then again as a WWF commentator and personality. We talk about some of the highlights of Lawler’s career, and also:

–Jim Cornette resigns from NWA Powerrr, his top ten one liners of all time, and his heat with Baby Doll.

–WWE Survivor Series, and the decline of The Fiend.

–Did Bob Backlund draw houses in the WWF, or did they draw in spite of him?

–Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee: real life rivals.

–What is our favorite Jerry Lawler match of all time?

–What is our favorite Jerry Lawler angle of all time?

–Did the 1982 Pedro Morales vs Greg Valentine feud get the right push?

Plus Shawn talks about Bob Backlund evolving into a nerdy gym teacher.

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 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 75: Paul Ellering Was The Original Miss Elizabeth

Very recently the WWE Network released footage from the November 6, 1983 show held at The Omni arena in Atlanta. What’s old is truly new again as this was formerly unseen material! We analyze:

–The Brad Armstrong vs Joe Lightfoot opener.
–Ron Garvin defending the TV title against Jake Roberts.
–The Jimmy Valiant vs The Great Kabuki feud moving deeper into the south.
–Abdullah the Butcher vs the newly turned Buzz Sawyer in a bounty match.
–The Road Warriors defending the National Tag Titles against the odd team of Dusty Rhodes and Brett Sawyer.
–The main event of Ted Dibiase vs Tommy Rich, and how Ted Dibiase was a godsend to this promotion. The 11/6/83 version of Tommy Rich, not so much.

Plus we take shots at Paul Ellering and Ole Anderson, and we talk about the buildup and planned push of the Sawyer brothers. What are you waiting for?

DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS BAD BOY!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 74: Nat Loubet says you can leave The Ring magazines laying around

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin review the February 1982 issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated!

–Was Bob Backlund’s WWF title actually saved by the referees?
–Ken Patera, Man on the Run…FROM HIMSELF.
–We talk about “The Hotseat”, a regular interview feature in the Apter Mags.
–How the magazines had to cover their tracks after Mr. Wrestling II’s scheduled but aborted turn.
–We discuss how the Apter Magazines and the promotions worked to a mutual benefit.
–Steve Farhood analyzes Dusty Rhodes’ emotional state by the food he orders in a restaurant.
–Did Vince McMahon ever making overtures toward hiring Bill Apter?
–We talk about Dan Shocket’s heel turn.
–In the 70’s Bruno Sammartino and Mil Mascaras were frequently on the cover of the magazines, and we discuss why.
–The NWA discusses the “lax violation of it’s rules”.
–Masked Superstar, SUSPENDED!
–Which of the Apter Mag writers were real, and which were fictional?
–And then there’s the advertisements in these magazines. Hoo boy. Plus Johnny Mac discusses his sordid history as a youngster with fake Ids.

What are you waiting for? 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 73: They’re not booing. They’re saying “DUUUUUUDES”

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by Jammie Ward, and we review Halloween Havoc ’89, thirty years later. Both John and Jammie attended the show and can provide a unique perspective. We discuss:

–The NWA had four consecutive outstanding Pay-per-view events before this one. Could they run the streak to five?
–Who got the biggest pop on this show?
–Should Lex Luger have been in the main event instead of The Great Muta?
–How did The Skyscrapers wind up feuding with the Road Warriors?
–What were our initial thoughts on Brian Pillman?
–What was it like when Doom made their first appearance, having never been on television before?
–Why was the promotion jobbing Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express?
–Can Stick To Wrestling provide a first-hand, full, detailed, moment by moment description of everything, smell of the air, sounds of the fans, as the Dynamic Dudes are announced? Of course we can!

Plus Jammie shares a story about standing on a chair at the show, the chair collapsing while Lex Luger laughed at him and offered no assistance. What are you waiting for, 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 72: Really Big Guys Who Pretend To Fight

This week John McAdam and Sean Goodwin are joined by Tony Caro, coming to you all the way from Thailand! We do one more week of mailbox questions, featuring:

– Starrcade ’87- if it did well on PPV, how does that change history?

– Pat Patterson was the only wrestler to get four championship matches in one run against Bob Backlund. Who else could have pulled this off?

– It’s 1988. Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard remain in the NWA. What happens next with them?

– 90’s indy promotions; which was our favorite?

– Kevin, David, and Kerry Von Erich- how would they have fared if their Dad had not been a promoter?

– The Andersons- who was the best?

– NWA POWERR- what do we think?

– What if Randy Savage went to the AWA instead of Memphis in 1983?

– Junior Heavyweights- why did they not get over in the United States?

Plus we show our contempt for the way WCW booked Bret Hart on the 20th anniversary of him winning the United States title, also known as booking him to fail. What are you waiting for? DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN TO THIS BAD BOY!

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