Sean Liska

Tony did an interview with XPac talking about doing the HTML for John McAdam's old site in exchange for tapes. He's naming exact dates of WAR shows from 1995. There's a PWO poster with billions behind him getting into wrestling.

It's possible. What's interesting to me is that he was the #1 pick in the Former Wrestlers category, which would seem to suggest his standing with them isn't as bad as was thought. It was Current Wrestlers where he struggled, which indicates to me he was punished by keeping himself off of TV so much during the glory days and not having a bigger presence in the industry in the last 15 years.

The payoff thing was more Gulas and then the 90s when revenue was way down. They wouldn't have had such a fantastic roster in the 70s and especially early 80s if the money was so bad, people would have found other places to work.

I agree and commend anyone who feels like they can't support this company on a moral basis anymore! I just didn't agree with what I saw as positioning this as the real line in the sand moment where educated people need to stop supporting the company or be held complicit in it, anyone who has watched for the last few decades has been complicit to some degree, look at that above list.

I'm talking about the Mel Phillips/Tom Cole stuff, not Slaughter.

I don't know how anyone who kept watching after like 1991 can claim any sort of moral superiority over anyone watching now.

It only makes sense that someone with money sees WWE's TV deals, the Bellator TV deal, and wants in. I'm sure there are incorrect details in the story but I buy that we're going to be getting the biggest #2 since WCW in some form in the next 1-3 years.

Hey everybody! I'm a bit of a regular here and I host a podcast with Jerry Jarrett. I really want people to hear this week's episode - we have Eric Embry on and he and Jerry talk publicly together about their Dallas run in the late 80's for the first time ever. It's great wrestling history that I think many here will enjoy. Thanks for your time! Hear it at www.bookingmemphis.libsyn.com.

How do you defend Jerry Jarrett not being in with the money and TV ratings he drew as a booker in a smaller market from 67-87, and the Atlanta run, and as a bonus developing Dundee as a booker to pop Watts's business and Dutch with Puerto Rico. Seems egregious. I know my bias but it has lead to me being more educated on the subject and feeling more passionate about it.

I think I'm literally the only person in the world who has been going through and watching all the 79-80 All Star shows, I just find it relaxing for some reason, so pumped for 81!

This is the thing to me. Dave has always been so pro workers rights, when WWE signed the TV deals he immediately went into a long cover story on how they should have a union. To see so many workers lining up against him - it's a nice time to be Vince McMahon, there's no chance of this group having union talks or saying anything about Saudi Arabia. So it's time for us to stop feeling sorry for them and their independent contractor status and lack of a union and all that.

Ah we get things really going on the 1/12/80 show with Larry Z doing an interview with Vince, saying he can't continue moving his career forward if he's in Bruno's shadow, saying he respects him but just wants a scientific match on TV with him to prove himself. Fun understated promo, reminds me of Memphis, Vince is great as always.

I'll add on because I feel there's some dangerous criticism being leveled against WWE and Alexa/Carmella. We have a 35-year history of being able to see what Vince McMahon likes in people he pushes. Yes, looks are a part of it, whether it's tall jacked up guys or conventionally attractive women. *But* lets be fair here. It has almost never been about in-ring with Vince. It's about your ability to project your character and your ability to cut a promo, or in modern times, deliver scripted lines in a convincing fashion. Kevin Owens has had a main roster run that has wildly surpassed what anyone would have predicted 5 years ago and it's not because of his look. And I don't think it's because of his in-ring either! It's because he can deliver those lines and carry long TV segments. That's a huge asset. That's why CM Punk was the #2 guy in the company for a few years, not because of his look or beautiful top rope elbow. It's why Jericho has been successful for almost 20 years there. It's why they chose Cena over Batista in 05. There are just countless examples of this. Point being - Alexa Bliss in a lot of ways is the female Kevin Owens! Not in looks or work, although I think her work is underrated, but she commands the screen and delivers their lines well. Of course Vince loves Alexa more than a Bayley who just can't deliver lines in the same way. Charlotte got a big run because she could do promo segments and she'll continue to be a featured star for them. They're trying to make progress on handling non-English speakers like Asuka and Nakamura and Almas, but its still difficult for the way they write TV and feuds. It's easier when the champ is someone who can go out in front of 8,000 people and cut a promo for five minutes and keep everyone engaged. Now, if Mandy Rose turns out to be a terrible promo and they still give her a big push, then its a looks thing. But again that's not necessarily a sexist thing when you look at them trying to have Reigns deliver Cena lines and failing miserably.

I would argue Roman's push is more undeservedly based on looks than Alexa's. Alexa can deliver a line and emote.

I want to note that I plan on using the questions submitted in the other thread for the show next week too, those won't be forgotten! My pitch to Charles is basically no one alive besides Vince has seen as much as Jerry and there's no smarter community than here so let's make some magic together. Heck, we can ask him what he heard about Dory Funk's supposed farm accident when it was time for him to lose the NWA title as one random example, the man lived through so much history.

Oh JVK? I knew he was smart but didn't know he was a literature professor. Anyone feel free to reach out to him and have him contact me.

Thanks, I love episode 4, it feels like we're getting to the core of why Memphis was special with how he viewed wrestling as art and went into his love of classical literature and romantic poetry and everything. I'd honestly like to get some literature professor who knows a good amount about pro wrestling to come on and talk with him because I was a little out of my league, if anyone knows one let me know. This stuff isn't going to get a many clicks as talking about Vince or Steve Austin or Undertaker but whatever, I want to get to that core of why Memphis was so great and this is a window into it, .

I'm sure I wouldn't have to twist his arm to do that episode. I would feel obligated to do a ton of research before we do it to make sure its done absolutely right. The episode this week may be my favorite. Just Jerry telling funny stories about a wide range of people who he had unique experiences with, from the predictable like Russo and Dixie to more interesting ones like Flair and Watts. Outside of Russo, it's not meant to be mean-spirited. I try to defend Russo even a little bit but no chance, no chance at all.