Tag Archives: Wrestling

Episode 254: Handing Over The Wheel

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined once again by Brian Solomon, the man behind the “Shut Up And Wrestle” podcast! When asked by Brian what the show was going to be about, Johnny Mac told him he could do whatever he wanted and this is the finished product. On this week’s docket.

–Brian was in the room during many creative meetings at WWE, and he tells us about it.
–Related…politics in wrestling? Say it ain’t so!
–The WWF’s puzzling decision regarding the main event at Summeslam ’93.
–Steve Austin’s sudden departure from the WWF in 2002.
–More discussion of the Bruno Sammartino vs Larry Zybysko feud.
–Pro wrestling’s transition from a business model based on ticket sales to what it has become today.

Plus we share personal anecdotes about meeting the legendary Lou Thesz, 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 253: Please Don’t Shout

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we talk 1983 AWA Wrestling with lots of rare audio! Discussions on this week’s episode include:

–Greg Gagne had been a wrestler for ten years and grew up in a wrestling family, yet John and Steve have to explain to him that babyfaces aren’t supposed to be whiny.
–We finally figure out who should have replaced Hulk Hogan as the AWA’s top babyface.
–The AWA may not have done a lot of long term planning, but they had big plans for Jerry Blackwell. We tell you about them.
–Mad Dog Vachon, the AWA’s neighborhood bully.
–A pro wrestling television broadcast; the perfect place to have Verne Gagne recommend a local to raise one of your horses.
–Vince McMahon ALLEGEDLY had a mole in the AWA’s locker room. We tell you it allegedly was.

It’s a longer than usual episode, 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 252: Fifty Years Ago In The Sunshine State

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at a fifty year old episode of Championship Wrestling from Florida, hosted by the great Gorson Solie! It’s a look at a time long gone by as we focus on the talent, the promotion, and the general wrestling scene in 1973. We discuss the following:
–Stan Hansen wrestling Tosh Togo just a few months into his pro wrestling career.
–Why having regional wrestling companies was fun and will always be missed.
–Rubberman Johnny Walker seems to be near the end of his career, but that turnes out not to be the case.
–Mike Graham was a lot better than the IWC makes him out to be.
–Jack Brisco absolutely had the look and vibe of a future NWA champion, and we wouldn’t have to wait much longer to see it.
–Wrestling may have moved a bit slower in 1973, but everything just meant more.
Plus we ask and answer the “what were they trying to acomplish with this episode” question, 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 251: Dusty Bashing Season

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we take a look at the NWA during the Spring of 1988! Lot’s to discuss here with the first Clash of the Champions special, the Crockett Cup tournament, Lex Luger’s recent turn, the Midnight Rider, and there were only three members of the Four Horsemen…until Barry Windham’s turn. On the discussion table:

–We took questions from the Stick To Wrestling Universe, and most of the questions were about Dusty Rhodes’ role as the booker of the company. What should have been done with Dusty?
–Nikita Koloff returns! Or was it Nikita’s much smaller younger brother?
–Al Perez and Gary Hart invade the NWA. Why did we expect more from them?
–The NWA had the mother of all angles just sitting there waiting for them, and they blew it. We’ll tell you which one it was.
–Why did Sting get the main event at the Clash of the Champions instead of Lex Luger?
–Can the NWA of this timeframe be discussed without a long talk about the Midnight Rider?

Plus Johnny Mac provides two big, diverse answers to the “who should have replaced Dusty Rhodes as the NWA’s booker” question, 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 250: One Hundred Years Of Brian Last

We celebrate the 250th edition of STICK TO WRESTLING by being joined by Arcadian Vanguard’s founder – The Great Brian Last! It’s a lively and fun conversation as we discuss, among other things:

–Would Sgt. Slaughter have made a good opponent for Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 2?
–What should have been done with Bob Backlund after the left the WWF?
–We share our Mount Rushmore of bad announcers.
–What WWF tag teams would we have liked to have seen in a Crockett Cup tournament?
–Should Eric Embry have been a bigger star?
–What’s the angriest pro wrestling has ever made us?

Plus Johnny Mac shares a really disgusting story about attending a Cincinnati Reds game, 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 249: He Can Read

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Gregg Savarese, and we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania 14! Discussed on this week’s episode:

–A pre-show public workout that drew a sea of people and got a huge amount of local coverage.
–The WWF gIves the Road Warriors one last chance to reclaim their 80’s stardom.
–Gennifer Flowers was on two segments on the show. When was the last time her name crossed your mind?
–Why juNior heavyweights / cruiserweights never get over in the United States.
–The type of storyline for the Undertaker vs Kane feud was like something we’d never seen before. Did we love it or hate it?
–Shawn Michaels was FURIOUS after the show. We tell you why.

Gregg attended the show live and has some great anecdotes from that night and we have an Extra Innings segment where we discuss the greatest omission of the Baseball Hall of Fame, 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 247: Ice Cream or Cancer?

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we review and celebrate the 35th Anniversary of Wrestlemania 4! We discuss:

–Is the story true? Was Ted Dibiase originally scheduled to win the WWF title at Wrestlemania 4?
–How the finish of the tournament was leaked to major media outlets.
–It was borderline shocking to see some of the freakish physiques displayed on this afternoon.
–Was Greg Valentine’s win over Ricky Steamboat really that big of an upset?
–Did there really need to be fourteen wrestlers in the tournament?
–Bobby Heenan has a drastically reduced role than from the year before.
–Was this the worst Pay Per View ever presented by a major wrestling company?

Plus Johnny Mac shares a story about why the entire crew of wrestlers seemed not to be at their best on this afternoon, 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 246: The Impersonations Are Accurate

This week STICK TO WRESTLING is joined by Todd Goss, who is practically a combination of an encyclopedia and a search engine when it comes to classic Mid-Atlantic Wrestling dating back to the 1940’s! Listen to this podcast and you will learn:

–How Ric Flair ended up becoming a babyface.
–What started the feud between Ivan Koloff and the Iron Sheik.
–Why Jimmy Snuka started wearing wrestling boots again.
–The IWA’s attempt to promote in the Carolinas.
–All of the wrestlers who got their start at the bottom of the card in the Mid-Atlantic territory.
–Paul Jones was so much more than a bad manager with an odd appearance.
–How Iron Sheik was the Rick Steiner of his day.

And more, plus Todd tells us about his friendship with Jim Barnett and him growing up in North Carolina as a wrestling fan, , 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 245: Call Security

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING John and Steve are once again joined by Jon Boucher for Part Two of our review of the WWF during the Winter of 1983! We discuss:

–The WWF debuts in San Diego and Los Angeles. There’s no overstating what a big deal this was.
–The organic and obvious Andre The Giant vs Big John Studd feud is finally underway.
–Ivan Koloff returns to the WWF after a lengthy absence.
–The Samoans win the WWF tag titles from the Strongbows, and Jules Strongbow would soon be gone from the territory.
–Iron Mike Sharpe makes his WWF debut with Captain Lou Albano as his manager. Things seemed promising at first!
–The WWF and Georgia Championship Wrestling were stepping on each other’s toes in Ohio. It was just the beginning.

Plus we have lots of audio from this era and Johnny Mac talks about meeting Johnny Rodz and Pete Sanchez, 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 244: Big, Green, and Ugly

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING John and Steve are joined by  returning guest Jon Boucher, and we discuss the goings on in the WWF during the Winter of 1983. All three member on the panel grew up in the Northeast during this era, so they have a lot to share.

–Bob Backlund gets a replacement championship belt after Superstar Billy Graham destroyed the old one. .
–Big John Studd’s bodyslam challenge continues, but with more worthy challengers.
–Magnificent Muraco regains the IC title and is positioned for another big run in the territory.
–Related, Pedro Morales will soon be gone. He had a memorable run as the WWF’s Number Two babyface, but he’s nearing the end.
–The Strongbows vs Fuji and Saito series keeps dragging along.
–Ivan Koloff returns to the place where he was once world champion after a long absence.

Plus there’s classic audio and we tackle the question of how world champions rebound after losing the title, 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