Greetings From Allentown

As we head toward WrestleMania 35, the show goes back in time for a look at the final edition of WWF Championship Wrestling prior to the first WrestleMania, from March 30, 1985! - Mr. T and Hulk Hogan get ready for the WrestleMania main event the only way they know how: with a Rocky-esque training montage video! - An update segment on the Junkyard Dog devolves into an examination of Lord Al Hayes’ TV manner, Vince McMahon fetishes, and wondering if it’s hypocritical to discuss - The last minute steps taken to clear up confusion about WrestleMania and the busy week in the company - King Kong Bundy’s strange decision on his attire - The first ever Savage-Steamboat match* in the WWF! - Another controversial incident involving fruit in Piper’s Pit - The great Buddy Rose is relegated to enhancement work but finds a way to shine - Trying to figure out why Bruno Sammartino took over play by play for nearly a minute Plus: - Using non-“Born in the USA” Bruce Springsteen songs for other WWF talents over the years -

From Television City: a look at Mr. Belvedere looking like quite the fool, battling an addiction to pinball in an episode of "Mr. Belvedere" originally airing November 29, 1985 on ABC!

For I must be travelling on now, because there’s so much World Class left to see….this week covers the debut of Michael Hayes as the first Freebird to land in WCCW in the October 16, 1982 edition of World Class Championship Wrestling TV! - How the crowd reacted to Michael Hayes as the super cool babyface on his arrival - Jay Saldi states his case for the Angelo Mosca wing of the Wrestling Broadcasting Hall of Fame with the help of his PWI subscription - A Ric Flair interview for the ages: cool, calm and collected while being accused of something for which he’d later be a victim - The sad story of the Magic Dragon - Referees in WCCW: ranging from barely mobile to putting out a wrestler with one punch - A tag team match where nobody involved comes close to their potential - Explaining the Von Erichs by assigning them to baseball positions - Bugsy McGraw and different parenting in the early 80s Plus: - Bonus live commentary in the arena from last Monday’s RAW match between Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe - A strange

After over six months, it's time to check in with Bill Watts and the UWF with a look at the January 17, 1987 episode of UWF TV! - The Freebirds run roughshod over everything and also evoke a comparison to a memorable movie trio - Positive aspects of how Bill Watts would run his TV shows - Michael Hayes tests his legal acumen in an effort to win titles - A better use of Eddie Gilbert for 1987: Roddy Piper's "vice president" - The One Man Gang shows creative use of a table - Enjoying the fired up babyface version of Ted DiBiase - Sting uses his head in the dumbest possible way - Making excuses for the lovely Missy Hyatt - Matches get sidetracked and why that didn't matter this time - The obscurity of the then-TV champion of the UWF Plus: - The weirdness of how/why/when this video came from - Trying to get comfortable while podcasting - An explanation of an angle from the 1989 Royal Rumble - A few "original" commercials - Sports moments of 2007: Patrik Stefan, Schilling loses a no no, Devin Hester dazzles, Ran

This week the show rewinds to a classic episode from 2017 looking at WWF Superstars from June 3, 1989 as Peter says goodbye to a dear friend. Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com

This week’s show is a look at the big WWF Superstars of Wrestling from November 22, 1986! - The Macho Man literally goes for the throat of challenger Ricky Steamboat - Randy Savage’s November 1986: the best TV month ever for a champion - Calling for Danny Davis limitations on appearances within a single show - The Honky Tonk Man acts fast after losing a “Vote of Confidence” from “fans” - Examining “the match before the live crowd after the big angle” - Bruno Sammartino takes a spin as a broadcast journalist - A brief musical tribute to Dick Slater’s WWF run as the Confederate “Rebel” Plus: - Fact checking the wild claims of Vince McMahon on commentary - Gene Okerlund’s Update center troubles of late 86 - Jesse Ventura takes it to Vince over his grammar corrections - The enhancement talent who defeated Mick Foley in their first ever match - Chanting “boring” at a stupid time - Sports moments of 2006: the Detroit Tigers provide hope, the New Orleans Saints provide inspiration, Ben Watson is superhuman, Ty Con

It is back to 1984 for a look at the short-lived experiment that was Pro Wrestling USA! Jack Reynolds is a gaffe machine, Terry Funk saves the day (again), Jimmy Hart as your utility manager, the weirdly muted crowd, Bob Backlund comes off creepy, plus original commercials, one of which that will blow your mind! (Offer not valid to those born before 1976) Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC16Sz3wzIaPndSBPfj_L6dQ

It’s back to 1985 for a look at WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event from October 5, 1985! - Uncle Elmer gets married and gets his balls busted by Jesse Ventura - The concept of following Golden Era WWF through only Saturday Night’s Main Event - Political differences between faces and heels on the issue of free speech - Acceptance of non-finishes just to see Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff fight - Weird attire to wear to a wedding - Greg Valentine takes on a new project and gets the tag team title as retainer - The Body Shop as a B-show talk segment - Poor Jerry Valiant: from Oprah to Uncle Elmer in ‘85 Plus: - The many feelings of attending a wedding in a Catholic church - Righteous anger about the guy with the airhorn - The hangover of the defending World Series champs - A fun fact about one the NBC TV executives - The importance of the 1985 Geneva summit between Reagan and Gorbachev - Sports moments of 2004: the first time Dave Roberts helped the Red Sox win a playoff game, Damon slays the Yankees, Bill Walton

With some regrets it is back to January 1984 for a look at some AWA TV aimed at the St. Louis market! - Trying to stay sane watching this very AWA show - A comparison for Ken Resnick trying to replace Gene Okerlund, who they couldn’t edit out of the show - The hilarity of two white dudes dressing up like Arab sheiks - Why a Billy Robinson wouldn’t be a pro wrestler in the modern era - World champ Nick Bockwinkel: not quite so gangsta - Talking about anything but the sad downfall of Superstar Billy Graham - Pondering trying Jesse Ventura as a top babyface - Tom Stone carries Baron Von Raschke to the match of the night(!) Plus: - The many many many MANY issues with the AWA’s t-shirt - A brief history of channel 30 KDNL-TV in St. Louis - The importance of having characters in your everyday life - More Karate Kid 2 talk! - Referees who just aren’t trying or giving a crap - Sports moments of 2003: what Bartman should have done, a personal anecdote on the River City Relay, confessions about game 7 of the ALCS, an

Revving up the Delorean to 88 MPH for a trip back to 1985 and a look at NWA Worldwide from Jim Crockett Promotions from March 23! - Bizarre scrambles: Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes together, and Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon opposing Slick Ric! - Early Arn Anderson: waiting for that first spinebuster - Enjoying the Jimmy Valiant/Paul Jones Army never-ending war - Who is the greatest Cold War era Soviet Russian wrestler? - Why Magnum TA was a better choice as heir apparent babyface than Ricky Steamboat would have been - Buddy Landel’s uphill battle as a “Nature Boy” Plus: - The fire that destroyed the Crockett family’s minor league ballpark - David Crockett attempts to blow up the concept of time - Who would have been a good addition from the world of wrestling to the USA For Africa crew singing “We Are The World” - Sports moments of 2002: the SF Giants tempt fate, Sacramento gets jobbed, an all-time hockey fight and the conflicted emotions it brings up now, and Super Bowl 36 - YouTube Comment Theater Email: G

Taking a look at when the WWF was trying to rejuvenate the company with a loaded episode of Superstars from October 31, 1992! - The interconnected events making up the “interesting times” for the WWF - A rare Superstars/Challenge crossover! - The Nasty Boys lash out at Jimmy Hart for a double-cross: shouldn’t they have seen this coming? - Marty Jannetty seeks vengeance on Shawn Michaels but ends up with seven years of bad luck - Ground Zero of all Doink offshoots - Yokozuna makes his Superstars debut - Why Tatanka’s push and Big Bossman’s de-push are directly related - Nailz needs a tissue and a chill pill - Pondering having Paul Bearer as a funeral director Plus: - The unsung hero of a baby shower - A cautionary tale of social media postings - Wrestling and another event in an arena on the same day - Sports moments of 2001: Bledsoe, Piazza, Iverson, and an embarrassing moment - Vinnie Vegas Corner: Super Bowl LIII edition with prop bets! Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Fa

Going back to the heart of the Attitude Era for the 100th episode with a look at the June 1, 1998 WWF RAW is WAR! - The peak of the Mr. McMahon character trading jabs with his top stars - A Nation vs DX six man tag all-star game! - The Undertaker begins his evolution by dressing poorly - Taka Michinoku and Bradshaw: like a 1960s TV comedy pairing - Shamrock and Severn: division killers? - How and why Val Venis could only exist from 1998-2000 - Admiring the outfit of newcomer Jacqueline - The unselfish Terry Funk risks major injury against Mark Henry - Double J contradicts everything he said months earlier Plus: - A tongue in cheek promo for the charitable Mr. McMahon - What do you do when “Godwinns’ Law” goes bad - Revealing the top 5 from my PTBN GWWE tag team ballot - A method of remaining calm when your team is in a tense playoff game - Sports moments of 2000: Rams/Titans, Pedro/Roger, an ugly incident in Vancouver, the “HC of the NYJ”, - Hatching a diabolical plan to go to WrestleMania in New Jersey E

Climb aboard the Mothership for a look back at WCW Saturday Night from June 28, 1997! - The WCW midcard in 1997: a diverse playground with something for everyone - Nobility is out the window as The Blue Bloods explode - Jeff Jarrett has delusions of grandeur - Appreciating Meng’s theme and pondering a trip to Tonga - Ric Flair steals the one bit that Lex Luger was the best at - Categorizing enhancement tag teams - Konnan in wrestling purgatory - Playing the Mean Gene hotline promo guessing game Plus: - Introducing a wedding wrap-up show segment - Karate Kid 2: The WCW of the Karate Kid series? - Braves baseball on TBS roundup! - Sports moments of ’99: Pedro Martinez, Troy O’Leary, Eugene Robinson, Brett Hull, and an OT winner! - Vinnie Vegas Corner NFL Conference Championship Edition! Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com

This week is a salute to the late “Mean” Gene Okerlund with a look at his first WWF show Wrestling At The Chase from January 1, 1984! - How Okerlund’s arrival helps everyone in the company be better at their jobs - Hulk Hogan returns to the WWF as a true man of the people - A brief overview of wrestling in St. Louis - “Dr. D” David Schultz issues a subtle challenge to the rest of the heel locker room - The curious case of “Mad Dog” Maganoff - Tony Atlas drops a hint that maybe he isn’t crazy about his tag team partner - Adonis and Murdoch: what makes them different makes them great Plus: - Side Headlock-A-Palooza in St. Louis - How a dog food company screwed over an NHL team - Sports moments of ’98: Kerry Wood, Randy Moss, Bryce Drew, and a goalie “fight” - Vinnie Vegas Corner NFL Divisional Edition! Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com

On a unique Greetings From Allentown, this week features a look at the pilot episode of the 1988 wrestling-themed TV show “Learning The Ropes”, starring Lyle Alzado and featuring cameos from Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, and Ronnie Garvin! Plus: - Vinnie Vegas Corner: NFL Wild Card edition! - YouTube Comment Theater! - Sports moments of ’97: Farewell to the Whale, a non-call in the Super Bowl, Wade Boggs takes the hill, and Rick Pitino takes over Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com

Learn all about unique ways to injure someone with a chair by checking out WWF Superstars from October 27, 1996! - Steve Austin attacks Brian Pillman: the last consequential angle ever on Superstars - Sunny Days are the end of days for the Smoking Gunns - Pondering how Psycho Sid could approach a presidential campaign - Examining Triple H’s 1996 Curtain Call “punishment” - An important distinction in the Rocky Maivia debut vignettes - Why The Undertaker had a long streak at WrestleManias - The benefits and honors of being a WWF hillbilly - Reworking the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony Plus: - What is wrong with Marty Jannetty? I mean, this time. - Analysis of the matchups in the 1996 Karate Fighters tournament - Brilliant game planning in Madden 18 - Ahmed Johnson: thoughtful AND eloquent? - Sports moments of ’96: A corrupt umpire, the FoxTrax hockey puck, Magic Johnson gets ejected Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Prowestlingonly.com

This week features a look at an oddly stacked episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge from February 24, 1991! - Sgt. Slaughter has fun with fire and beats the symbolism into the ground - The New Dream Team explodes and gets a visit from the Ghost of Dream Team Past - Gene Okerlund has a rough go at Toys R Us with the Big Bossman - How Macho Man vs Ultimate Warrior at WM7 would have suffered in the LA Coliseum - The inside scoop of why Gorilla Monsoon hates The Mountie so much - Rick Martel’s ’91 Rumble performance: a template for Flair? - Examining Animal’s promo style - Brawler Facts: 6 things about Steve Lombardi - Jim Duggan vs Pez Whatley for the soul of Greetings From Allentown - A plea for WWE to use nostalgia in a different way Plus: - Hulk Hogan accidentally invents a new kind of WrestleMania - Why Home Alone is NOT a Christmas movie - Speculating on the direction of the vigilante “Mariner” character - Sports moments of ’95: Cal and the Orioles, Hakeem and the Rockets, a national title for BU, and the Ha

We’re heading to Florida(!) for some PWF (Professional Wrestling Federation aka Florida Championship Wrestling) action from April 30, 1989! - Dusty Rhodes and Terry Funk renew their rivalry with brawls, boxes, and hilarious promos defining a “Dusty” - The Nasty Boys plagiarize a once and future rival - A Florida edition of “According to Larry” - The appeal of wrestlers in the “before” phase - A musical tribute to Fred Ottman’s PWF character - Dick Slater as the perpetual “backup running back” to Terry Funk - Oliver Humperdink: enough is enough Plus: - Inventing a backstory for Drake Maverick and the Authors of Pain - Pondering WWF President Jack Tunney as the Event Center host - Sports moments of ’94: AC got OJ in the car, Nancy and the black stick, Cheney and Calipari, two point conversions, and Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes - YouTube Comment Theater! Email: Greetingsfromallentown@gmail.com Twitter: @GFAllentownPod Facebook.com/GreetingsFromAllentown Placetobenation.com/amazon

It was a brand new world for the WWF in January 1993 with the launch of a new show on the USA Network: WWF Mania from January 30, 1993! - Taking stock of Ric Flair’s overall WWF 1991-93 run as it comes to a close - Setting the tone for RAW with the Flair-Perfect match and how it differed from all prior WWF TV matches - How Todd Pettengill may have saved the promotion a ton of money - An era of change stunted by the return of Hulk Hogan - What happens when you call the 800 number of WrestleMania IX tickets? - Kamala forgets how to end matches as a babyface - Tatanka as a “moments” guy and rebooking his match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania - Sean Mooney takes a pun-based challenge - The Undertaker awkwardly chips in on behalf of Headlock on Hunger Plus: - Explaining why Savage went for a pinfall at the 1993 Royal Rumble on Yokozuna - George H.W. Bush yakking on the Japanese prime minister - Pondering a trip to London, England - Dustings of light racism litter the show - Rob Schneider SNL characters - W

This week it’s back to the early days of Ted Turner-owned World Championship Wrestling with a look at NWA Worldwide from June 24, 1989! - The Great Muta vs Scott Steiner: Where the reality of the situation falls short of expectation - Attempting to improve the Dynamic Dudes - A Las Vegas based Sid Vicious at a locals casino playing the blackjack tables - Lex Luger cares not for your top 10 rankings - Calling BS on the geographical spread of WCW contest winners - Ricky Santana vs Wild Bill Irwin as the “who cares” feud of 1989 - Rick Steiner has some fun with Tommy Young - A neck brace keeps Ric Flair from doing his thing - Teddy Long’s bad evil heel laugh Plus: - Why Great Muta would mostly use the green mist - The unfortunate death of an enhancement talent - Proper consumption of Starburst - Career advice for Ricky Santana - Gripes about Rick Steiner’s real estate website - 1992 sports moments: the last great Indy 500, the Dream Team, and a terrible referee call - YouTube Comment Theater! GreetingsFromAll