Tag Archives: Starrcade

Episode 335: The Million Dollar…Yeah, Riiiight.

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we honor the 40th Anniversary of Starrcade ’84 with Biran Rodriguez as the guest! On this discussion table this week:

–Who could possibly think one million dollars in 1984 money was actually at stake in the main event? The supposed prize was presented in a way that made it difficult to take seriously. Fans back then were asked to suspend disbelief, but the exaggerated stakes of the match led to questions about the believability of such a high reward in a worked sport like pro wrestling.
–The Ricky Steamboat vs Tully Blanchard match was fantastic, but there was fallout. The impact of the match on both men’s careers and the company’s future is analyzed, with a look at what happened next, particularly in terms of how it fit into the larger booking picture of the time.
–Gordon Solie nicknames a tag team “The Scandinavian Connection”. Huh?
–Why slow motion replays are a terrible idea in a worked sport. It often exposes the artifice of the action and ruins the illusion of competition.
–As the head booker for much of the NWA’s programming, Dusty Rhodes’ creative decisions at Starrcade ’84 are put under the microscope. The discussion highlights both his brilliant storytelling and some of the decisions that could have been better, offering insights into how his booking shaped the show.
–Why babyface turns in wrestling are often carry a fatal flaw.

This episode honors one of the most significant events in wrestling history while dissecting the good, the bad, and the questionable decisions that came with it. It’s a celebration of Starrcade ‘84, but also a candid discussion of its legacy in the world of pro wrestling, so what are you waiting for? Download this WICKED GOOD podcast today!

STICK TO WRESTLING: Give us sixty minutes and perhaps indeed, we’ll give you a rawboned weekly classic wrestling podcast.

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 288: U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular returning guest Christian Boddie and we celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Starrcade ’88! We discuss:

–The NWA being purchased by Ted Turner.
–Dusty Rhodes attempts to cling to power.
–Ric Flair, and his role in everything that was going on in the company.
–Steve Williams- just how to you use this guy in a U.S. based promotion?
–Jim Cornette vs Paul E. Dangerously, the hottest feud in the game.
–With Nikita Koloff gone, was there any role for Ivan Koloff?

Plus we take shots at Dusty Rhodes for portraying himself as John Wayne’s character in the film “True Grit”, so what are you waiting for? Listen to this wicked good episode!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 286: Jack’s Stupid Little Brother*

*That’s a compliment. Jerry Brisco was a great heel playing that role.

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we present Part Two of out review of Starrcade ’83! On the discussion table:

–Why was Angelo Mosca getting so much spotlight?
–It was a shock when Jack and Jerry Brisco turned heel, but they were perfect in the role.
–Ricky Steamboat’s one weakness.
–The internet’s overreaction to Gene Kiniski’s refereeing.
–Was Hulk Hogan really supposed to appear on this show?
–They were booking the United States championship quite poorly.

Plus we have a “for review purposes” segment with Todd Goss, who was fourth row ringside for the event, so what are you waiting for? Listen to this episode for a wicked good time!

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

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 285: Everything I Don’t Like Is Vince Russo

This week on the 40th Anniversary of Starrcade ’83, we review and pay tribute to this legendary show! On the discussion table:

–What if Harley Race no showed this event, as per Vince McMahon’s request? Could this event have been salvaged?
–The world is becoming a smaller place and the fans are starting to notice copycat gimmicks and angles…like Downtown Charlie Brown.
–The Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine was both brutal and a classic.
–Lots and lots of blood on this show!
–The promotion did a lot to give Starrcade ’83 the feel of a truly major event.
–How would Kevin Sullivan and his gimmick fit into the old Mid-Atlantic territory?

Plus a family traveled 180 miles for this event and Johnny Mac tells you why he’s not impressed, so what are you waiting for? Listen to this episode for a wicked good time!

Produced by Lou Kipilman

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

Episode 180: The Greatest Heel Turn Ever

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular guest host Steve Crawford as we present Part Two of our conversation on Starrcade ’86, which happened 35 years ago this month. We discuss:

–The Midnight Express vs The Road Warriors Scaffold Match, a bout that wasn’t just dangerous, it was reckless. No one should have ever been asked to participate in one of these.(Did they do another one the next year? Of course they did).

–This was the absolute peak of the Rock & Roll Express, as the promotion would soon make a giant marketing error with them.

–We now have what was once unthinkable- A Russian babyface.

–The future of the Arn Anderson and Ole Anderson team after not winning the tag titles from the Rock & Roll Express.

–What was the original plan for Magnum T.A. on this night? (Yes, loyal listeners, this has been previously discussed on Stick To Wrestling. But someone asked).

–WHY wasn’t this event available on pay-per-view television?

Plus we provide physics information from “The Splat Calculator” and Mike Gunter provides his reaction to Jim Cornette’s bump from the second row, 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 179: A Very Poor Investment

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by popular guest host Steve Crawford as we discuss Starrcade ’86, which happened 35 years ago this month. We discuss:

–Dusty Rhodes is in his 40’s, but he adopts the hairstyle of college football sensation Brian Bosworth. The Boz had twenty years on Dusty, so that’s not a good choice.

–Speaking of hair, not having any made you a “bald headed geek” in 1986. How times change.

–The Four Horsemen, as a unit, threaten to boycott Starrcade unless Tully Blanchard gets the match he wants against Dusty Rhodes.

–Brad Armstrong, Tim Horner, and Don Kernodle: good workers, but what can a promotion really do with them?

–Nelson Royal sits in front of a campfire and explains what a Bunkhouse Stampede is.

–Dutch Mantel and Bobby Jaggers bought some expensive looking gear for their Kansas Jayhawks gimmick, which lasted about six months and they never got pushed. Whoops.

Plus Steve guesses how many of these matches involved blood and Johnny Mac goes on an anti-Peacock rant, 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 96: December, 1983 (Oh, What a Night)

This week on Stick To Wrestling we take a look back at the wrestling events that were held on December 25, 1983. It’s a significant date because it’s the final night of holiday shows before the WWF expanded nationally. We touch upon:

–The decline of Georgia Championship Wrestling and the dreadful Mr. R angle.

–The AWA ran a major show on this night, and their age problems are showing as the main event is a 49 year old Nick Bockwinkel defends against a 54 year old Mad Dog Vachon.

–Mid-Atlantic Wrestling is also having problems, as they continue to run stale programs from Starrcade.

And of course Johnny Mac takes shot after shot on Ole Anderson’s 1983 booking, and Georgia Championship Wrestling’s general lack of quality control, 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 24: Seventeen hours in the car for a bad NWA card

On this episode we discuss Johnny Mac’s L-O-N-G Thanksgiving Weekend that was packed with wrestling back in 1987:

-Wednesday: A JCP show at the Long Island Coliseum.
-Thursday: The first-ever Survivor Series.
-Saturday: The Starrcade ’87 tape arrives via overnight mail.

John and Sean discuss these shows and the events surrounding them, as we take a snapshot of what the wrestling world was like at this time in 1987.

Tune in every week for STICK TO WRESTLING, the only WICKED COOL wrestling podcast!

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