DukeCaesar

I don't care what anyone says. Heel Michael Cole always burying Daniel Bryan was great. A heel announcer was some next level, outside the box thinking from WWE but because it was always at the expense of the IWC's golden boy, it was universally hated.

I've delved into a couple Piper podcasts. I listened to the Gangrel 2 parter just because I thought it was a unique matchup (and didn't think Piper would have any idea who he was) and I found Gangrel a fun presence on Colt's podcast. I cannot, in good faith, recommend the John Carpenter "interview" however, as it quickly turns into Roddy treating JC like his therapist.

Talkin' Shop on the MLW network of podcasts is pretty hit or miss for me, but this week's with Rob Conway was pretty amusing. A highlight was everyone being perplexed over a supposed rib Austin pulled on The Con-Man in the ring. I always get a kick out of the stories of guys that worked the undercard in WWE. The main eventers' perspective is so much more prevalent in the podcast world today than the underneath guys (at least on the PodcastOne family.)

That Buddy Landell interview was something else. Southern rasslers from his era aren't the most politically correct bunch. The mid-80s NWA was before my time but the whole scene always seems like something that existed decades before it actually did. I was surprised that Landell is only in his early 50s.

It needs to be said again: the Irivine kids are both adorable and awesome. It was refreshing to hear young people that aren't jaded talk about the impressions they get from wrestling. It opens up a whole new perspective on the pro.duct.

Haven't listened to Colt's interview with Vader yet but based on his Austin and JR appearances, he's probably one of the more disappointing podcast guests I've always wanted to hear talk at length. He's kind of a low energy guy. Maybe Colt can come at him from a fresh angle to get something out of him.

Doing some Youtube browsing and randomly stumbled across a Rude/Orndorff cage match from '87 with Nick Bockwinkel of all people on color commentary with Monsoon. Took me by surprise as I never knew this was a thing that happened. It was an awkward fit to say the least.

All the more interesting potential Wrestlemania main event scenarios do involve Reigns instead of Bryan. Heyman turning, Shield involvement, an Austin/Bret WM13-esque double switch.

Now, why would I go and do a thing like that? I already shwahze the guy's podcasts.

I've started saying it like that. And "hibbity dibbity" That's so fruit.

Maybe because it sounded like there was one guy in the audience but that was a good one. In an era of rambling 90 minute podcast interviews, all three of those guys told good stories and made good impressions in about 25 minutes apiece.

I think Austin had him stonewalled though. Why? No one seems to know and its the one topic Stone Cold doesn't ever really address on his podcast. He talked around the situation once but never even mentioned Jarrett by name. I've always fondly looked back on the Double J gimmick. Could be my mid 90s nostalgia, but I miss the tongue in cheek silliness of things like a wrestler using the WWF to springboard to country music success.

I went back and listened to an interview King Kong Bundy gave on Russo's podcast. I'm surprised that Bundy's name doesn't come up more often in discussions of most bitter ex wrestlers. Bundy's burials ran the gamut from Andre, Bret, Punk, Waltman, to Barry Horowitz of all people. He kept obsessing about a "7 page spread" Russo gave 1-2-3 Kid in a 1995 issue of WWF Magazine.

That's not really fair to Chyna considering that in the first half of 99, such luminaries as The Godfather and Road Dogg had short forgettable "reigns." If anything, the Chyna/Jarrett feud put some heat back on the title and in 2000, the superworkers like Angle, Benoit, and Jericho all started having memorable matches for the belt.

Lanny's one of the most straightforward guys in wrestling or one of the biggest BS-ers. I just haven't figured out which.

After the tale Heyman weaved last week about Reigns and the Samoans, that's the story I wanted to see play out. Throwing Bryan into the story (unless its a road block on the Road to Wrestlemania~!) muddles it up. Is there a more valuable guy from a pure workhorse standpoint than Seth Rollins on the roster? The guy's been putting on great matches every show while avoiding falling into the trap of being the "cool heel".

Never heard of Dalton Castile until catching him on the Pittsburgh affiliate's ROH airing about 20 minutes ago. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a call from NXT in his future. Decent look, size, and personality. Also, the Sports Entertainment/Angry Guy stuff with Adam Cole comes off as pretty bush league in my opinion.

ROH needs to be more conscious of Alberto being so much taller than the rest of the roster. Lethal making threats towards him in the middle of the ring looked absolutely ridiculous. Although, I'm not really sure who else on the roster could have come across as a more fearsome antagonist.

I'm not even convinced he knows it's a work. I mean, who has the balls to tell him? That little silent laugh he did after Rollins threw the chair was awesome. I can't be sure if he was in character or just laughing at the ridiculousness of a guy playacting being mad and throwing a chair.

Its a shame Bubba let himself go. I wanted Bully Ray as the Authority mouthpiece looming over Daniel Bryan in the middle of the ring dropping "B+ player" promos on him. Sorry Bryan marks.

Be careful what you wish for. You could get more Egypt or that goofy guy on the Hogan shows.

The way to salvage anything from The Ascension is to make them two delusional guys that claim to have gone toe to toe with all the great 80s/90s tag teams. I feel like the seeds have been planted for such a gimmick.

Cesaro turning babyface and challenging Brock at a fall pay per view was such a huge missed opportunity and something that I thought was certain to happen with how strong Cesaro was being booked after Wrestlemania . With all those 6 month subscriptions that were ending at the time, Cesaro vs. Lesnar would have been a matchup that popped the internet fanbase to re-up their subs.

I like the low-fi backstage stuff of guys talking straight into the camera. It beats the 15 year old tradition of wrestlers standing in the middle of the ring airing their grievances. I think they should take it a step further and straight up steal the old ECW Pulp Fiction style promo packages.

The Zombie should have been a recurring jobber in those early WWECW days. His one brief appearance was so bizarre. Its not often being a long time viewer that you are confronted by something on the wrestling that makes you go "What is this?"