Greetings From Allentown

Eight days away from WrestleMania 2, Hulk Hogan has a rare singles bout on weekly TV on this edition of WWF All American Wrestling from March 30, 1986!

- Comprehensive commentary on every celebrity invited to WrestleMania 2 from Joan Rivers all the way down to Herb, including those who no showed the event!

- The back story of NFL battle royal participant Bill Fralic and why he came off as such a natural heel

- Gorilla Monsoon with a great line about the Funks

- Lamenting the failure of the WWF to give King Kong Bundy a proper face run

- Who is the best midcard friend you could have for life?

Also:

- The most likely man to save America these next few weeks and his similarities to John Cena

- Life in self-quarantine

- The scene in Burlington, VT over the weekend

Finishing up the two show series on the end of the Bill Watts-era UWF with a look at the first show under the control of Jim Crockett Promotions from May 2, 1987!

- The invasion angle begins....with JCP midcarder Big Bubba Rogers coming in to challenge for the UWF title

- Why the match between Big Bubba and One Man Gang was so unique

- An insanely idiotic production snafu that spoiled a big angle within the show

- The fate of the top ten UWF guys for 1987-88

- Chris Adams' remarkable patience with Terry Taylor's obvious douchebaggery

- John Milton Ayers: the best choice for a commissioner?

- The coincidence of two guys named Steve Cox who played football at University of Tulsa around the same time

Also:

- Pandemics and how this might impact Summerslam in Boston months from now

- A pair of ref bumps leads to another rant about Earl Hebner's "all about me" refereeing

- Reiterating an admittedly nutty plan for DST that everyone can agree on

- YouTube Comment Theater!

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This week starts a two episode journey through the end of the Universal Wrestling Federation as we knew it, but will we feel fine after this final Bill Watts controlled show from April 25, 1987?

- Some economic data from the core UWF territory to shine light on the economic troubles hitting their fanbase

- The oddities of TV production for a promotion on its last legs

- Chris Adams is open about his legal issues and attempts a PSA

- The trouble with Terry Taylor's voice

- Dr. Death's strange views about the people of Japan

- Trying to figure out why the WWF would take Sam Houston over Eddie Gilbert

- Gary Young: The Forrest Gump of late-stage UWF?

Also:

- The mystery of the UWF's magazine

- Exploring the notion that Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" album is really about something else

- A righteous rant about current WWE RAW production foibles

- The perfect Leap Day spent at an old WrestleMania venue

- The return of YouTube Comment Theater!

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It’s a leap year so this show features a look at a WWF Superstars from a Leap Day, February 29, 1992!

- Jake Roberts puts an end to the Funeral Parlor but can’t keep the Undertaker down

- The story of purchasing an El Matador Hasbro

- A bizarre turn of events leading to the Money Inc. tag team title win and the Natural Disasters split from Jimmy Hart

- Why in the hell are Kerry Von Erich matches making it to TV after his very public arrest?

- Inspired by Papa Shango, a quick overview of the origins of voodoo

- Rocking out to the Repo Man theme

- Why ’92 Hulk Hogan is like a fading sports team dynasty

Plus:

- An idea for a Tito Santana/Virgil movie celebrating their friendship

- The craziness of the 1992 US Presidential primary season

- An impassioned defense of the Sid-Hogan WM8 match, excluding the botched finish

- TWO VIRGIL PROMOS, but sadly also two IRS promos

- A resolution to watch more movies

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Walking through Memphis without the King on hand for this edition of Memphis Wrestling from April 28, 1984!

- Jimmy Hart as an oncologist and football coach rolled into one

- Randy Savage: the best TV match guy of all time?

- The gigantic miss that was the “New Fabulous Ones” of Tommy Rich and Eddie Gilbert

- Jim Neidhart as the best friend you could possibly have

- Ravishing Rick Rude struggles with his confidence

- Harley Davidson, the proto-Hillbilly Jim

- Norvell Austin as an overlooked figure in wrestling history

Plus:

- A rant about current NXT matches and an impromptu grievance about the Ruthless Aggression documentary

- The Japanese adventures of southern “rasslers”

- Struggling with the “TV time remaining” match

- Dave Brown as VP of the USA or Speaker of the House

- YouTube Comment Theater!

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Things are moving fast on the road to Starrcade ’86 on this edition of Jim Crockett Promotions World Championship Wrestling from November 1, 1986!

- The very necessary but ballsy move of Dusty Rhodes to turn hated Russian Nikita Koloff into a beloved babyface

- A Four Horsemen planned strike of Starrcade?

- Ravishing Rick Rude stumbles over a promo

- Disappointment with Jimmy Garvin’s gear

- The Battle of Philadelphia: JCP vs the WWF both run Philly on October 18, 1986

- David Crockett is a true taskmaster on the final interview of the show

- One surprise about the build to Starrcade 86

Plus:

- Another example of how bleeping audio is always funny

- Three Musketeers: the Ronnie Garvin of candy?

- Similarities between Creedence Clearwater Revival and the 2000s LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers

- Getting an autograph from a wrestler without actually meeting them

- YouTube Comment Theater!

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In the shadow of the NWO lighting WCW on fire, the WWF keeps chugging along with this edition of Superstars from July 20, 1996!

- The quiet building of Stone Cold Steve Austin between his King of the Ring win and start of feud with Bret Hart

- A detailed examination of Hunter Hearst Helmsley’s “punishment” for the MSG Curtain Call

- The Goon debuts in the WWF with some great costuming

- Embarassment is shared over involvement in an e-fed in the early 90s

- What has to be done to replace the Ultimate Warrior with Sid

- Camp Cornette’s place in the list of awesome trios groups

- In Your House: International Incident: hidden gem of a show?

Plus:

- Dok Hendrix and the singing of the Superstars theme

- Taking a car in for service leads to a weekend long odyssey

- Another look at Vince McMahon laughs through the years

- Pitching a Sycho Sid sitcom

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The Horsemen needed help on how to train your Dragon on this edition of World Championship Wrestling from January 21, 1989!

- Ricky Steamboat returns to the NWA and has Ric Flair’s number

- Eddie Gilbert’s role in Steamboat-Flair as a shining moment

- Michael Hayes rides solo and brings to mind a famous movie character from the 90s

- Kevin Sullivan’s accent: great accent or the greatest accent?

- Jack Victory as the utility masked man

- Butch Reed returns leading to a call to question all references to wrestlers’ football careers

Plus:

- Thoughts on the late Kobe Bryant

- Taking a trip to Rhode Island to see (part of) the Royal Rumble

- What exactly constitutes a “Gamesmaster”?

- More YouTube shenanigans

- Vinnie Vegas Corner limps to the finish with Super Bowl LIV

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A famous edition of Piper’s Pit highlights WWF All Star Wrestling from April 14, 1984!

- Roddy Piper invites longtime enhancement talent Frankie Williams on the Pit and has his way with him in memorable fashion

- A tribute to the late Rocky Johnson with a story of his youth in Canada

- Hulk Hogan’s great entrance to take on Afa the Samoan

- Tito Santana’s wide variety of opponents early in his IC title run

- Thoughts on the recent Sgt. Slaughter Marines imbroglio

- Attempting to ignore Pvt. Terry Daniels by discussing a Norm McDonald movie

Plus:

- Another medical update, now with actual good news!

- Original commercials, including one with baseball player Graig Nettles referencing current events in sports!

- The editing of Gary Michael Cappetta on All Star

- A quality Bob Backlund interview takes a weird turn at the end

- The return of YouTube Comment Theater!

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You can’t go wrong with a Dangerous Alliance six man match, and that is the feature on this edition of WCW Pro from January 18, 1992!

- The issues that held back the Dangerous Alliance that weren’t Bill Watts

- A star power rating of 83.33% in the main event

- The utterly pointless 1992 El Gigante and his hilarious injury in Japan

- Cactus Jack’s bizarre month: falling down stairs, fighting with his sometimes friend, teaming with Buddy Lee Parker, and odd opponents

- The WCW Patriots and their planned community of WCW Special Forces

- We will always love The Bodyguard Mr. Hughes

- Glimpsing Big Josh’s future appeal to children

Plus:

- Another medical update, now with lots more gross fluid!

- Abdullah The Butcher’s bad luck on GFA

- Lex Luger gets the Lesnar treatment

- The tenuous connection between the 1990 Dallas Cowboys, the 1991 New England Patriots, and Monday Night Football

- Celebrating the lack of Van Hammer on the show

- Vinnie Vegas Corner for the NFL Conference title games for you to bet against my picks

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