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Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Sergeant Slaughter doesn't have a first name either. He's just Sergeant Slaughter, a Vietnam vet with a sharp campaign hat and mirrored sunglasses. He's billed as being from Parris Island, South Carolina, but that's a Marine base, not a hometown. And it's probably not a fine point anyone should take up with a 6 foot 6, 305-pound wrestler. The wrestler who performs Sergeant Slaughter does have a name and backstory, however. His name is Robert Rudolph Remus. He made his debut in 1974, wrestling for the AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION (AWA). Even though he gained a modicum of notoriety wrestling in the AWA and Japan, it wasn't until 1980 that he truly hit his stride. That was the year he became Sergeant Slaughter. Professional wrestling would never be the same again; and neither would I. A massive jawline beneath a pencil-thin moustache; a tree-trunk neck with a gleaming silver whistle swinging from it. In my ten-year old mind, this was how the ideal drill instructor should look, and soon enough, I wanted to wear a smart soldier uniform too. It was my way of looking strong and authoritative.... ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY I am a big fan of the 1981 film My Dinner with Andre. The film stars Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory as fictionalized versions of themselves. They play old friends who haven't seen each other in five years and agree to meet for dinner. Andre is a theater director and Wallace is a playwright. The entire movie, the entire dinner, is just a conversation between two men who haven't seen each other in quite some time and have completely different worldviews. What follows is a parody of My Dinner with Andre mixed with the philosophy of Roland Barthes, a French philosopher who wrote a piece on wrestling. I hope this parody doesn't go over anybody's head or bore anybody to death. With that in mind, I simply had to do this. I simply had to break the rules. Hey, this show is about bad guys. What good is a bad guy who doesn't break the rules? I hope you enjoy it. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, we dive into one of the most shocking moments in pro wrestling history—Ric Flair’s apparent heart attack on a live WCW broadcast. Was it real, or was it just another wrestling storyline? Host Ariel Gonzalez breaks down the dramatic scene, the slow response from WCW officials, and the lasting impact of this controversial angle. We also explore real-life medical emergencies in sports, including Fabrice Muamba’s on-field cardiac arrest, and discuss how the reaction time of first responders can make all the difference. Plus, Ariel reflects on Flair’s legendary career, his actual health battles, and why "The Nature Boy" remains one of wrestling’s most unforgettable icons. For more, check out the full article on the Sports History Network here. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Ariel has a conversation with Bill Black, founder of NDN All-Stars. NDN All-Stars website What IS NDN All-Stars all about?**From NDN All-Stars website.** I’m Bill Black, and I am the “General Manager” of NDN All-Stars. It is my honor and responsibility to select the members of the All Star team that is NDN All-Stars. I am a descendent of the Okanogan Band of Indians, part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. My father made a point of raising my brother and me to be proud of our Native American heritage. We frequently attended pow wows and many ceremonial activities as I was growing up.  I am a family man. I am married and have two kids who have been involved in their Native culture and athletics as they have grown up. They proudly carry their Okanogan names, given to them by their grandfather. They have been raised to have respect for their culture and those who have come before them. In addition to encouraging my involvement with my Native culture, my parents also prompted me to explore many other activities growing up. I was involved with Boy Scouts, music, leadership activities and athletics. I played football and helped found the rowing program at my high school. I played trombone in all of the bands at my high school, and recorded and toured with an elite jazz ensemble while in college. Then I played music professionally for a few years in the greater Seattle area.  With the encouragement of my parents – and to be honest, a LOT of their financial support, I attended the Art Institute of Seattle, and channeled my innate creativity into a career as a commercial artist, something that I still call my career to this day.  All of these activities and experiences my parents encouraged, and allowed, me to take part in opened the world up to me and helped me see just how many possibilities there are for a once little kid from Nespelem Elementary School, a small town on the Colville Reservation. Recently, I have taken on the role of High School Commercial Art Teacher at Omak High School, in Omak, WA. I see and work with about 150 students on a daily basis, and about half of those kids are tribal members or decendents. I interact with these young people every day. I see the clothes they wear. I hear them talking about their world and who the cool new athlete is… Growing up in and around “Indian Country” I noticed something. Of my “heroes” that I looked up to and wanted to emulate, there were none that were Native American. Music idols, pro athletes, etc. Other cultures and ethnic backgrounds were represented… My favorite athletes growing up were Muhammad Ali, Walter Payton, Dennis Johnson, Bruce Bochte and Steve Largent. (I lived in the Seattle area so this list is a little biased…) I thought “Why are there no ‘Indian guys’? Were they not good enough? Or did they hide their cultural background? Black kids had Dr. J and Walter Payton and Dwight Gooden. White kids had TONS of athletes to look up to…” This thought stuck with me as I grew up. Where are the Native athletes for us to look to? There are numerous Indian heroes from history – but many of those are heroes from the struggles of war and invasion. Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse… the list is long. Important people who played a major role in our history. But what about recent history? Are there no Native American heroes that were great outside of the context of...

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY An ode to the "jobbers" of wrestling. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY One of the things Bob Backlund learned early on from ring mentor Terry Funk was to not impose his wrestling style on his opponent, but rather adapt to his opponent’s style. It’s a technique aimed at getting his opponent over with the crowd. And that’s what Backlund did with all his opponents. Bob Backlund held the WWF Heavyweight championship from February 20, 1978, to December 26, 1983, an incredible 2,138-day title reign. It is one of the longest reigns in pro wrestling history. Backlund had over 800 successful title defenses during his championship. This is an amazing feat when you consider the range of opponents Backlund defended against. There was Ken Patera, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Big John Studd, Hulk Hogan, Sergeant Slaughter, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Ric Flair and Harley Race..... ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Ariel shares the story of his own battle with Bell's Palsy and integrates the story of Jim Ross, one of the most well-known people that has struggled with this condition. Known to the wrestling world as "J.R.," he is widely considered the best ringside announcer in WWE/WWF history. You can learn more about this episode on the SHN website. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Harv Aronson of Total Sports Recall joins Ariel to discuss some wrestling history. You can check out Harv's podcast and work at the links below: Total Sports Recall website Total Sports Recall podcast Total Sports Recall on the Sports History Network ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY One of my favorite audiobooks of 2023 was Matt Singer’s Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever. As a lifelong fan of the two film critics, I geeked out on learning about the humble and somewhat shaky origins of their groundbreaking film review show Sneak Previews.  It was also fascinating to learn how much the show’s format—two eminent critics engaged in a verbal duel—inspired other shows to do the same. Political shows like CNN’s Crossfire and the syndicated The McLaughlin Group were now rife with heated crosstalk and contentious debate.  There is no doubt the format was adopted by a lot of other shows too. Unscripted and unpredictable, the format could be counted on to deliver a certain edginess to the audience…if done right. Now I can’t prove this, but I have a sneaking suspicion Vince McMahon took a cue from Siskel & Ebert when he thought of using a heel to do ringside color commentary on his weekly wrestling broadcasts. The year was 1984 and Vince McMahon was looking to shake things up at the WWF, so this heel had to be a triple threat: quick-witted, opinionated, and charismatic. Enter Jesse “The Body” Ventura. He was all three.... ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY The most common regret expressed by people before they die is: “ I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.” That’s a sentiment echoed throughout 350 DAYS, a film by Fulvio Cecere and Darren Antola, focusing on the toll pro wrestlers endure on their bodies, families, and psyches working all year round on the road. For most of the wrestlers, the 350 days away from their families was the most severe toll of all. Having missed so many holiday seasons away from my family working to make ends meet, I identified with them, as will many viewers who’ve had to make similar sacrifices. “ I wish I had spent more time with the people I love.....” You can see the full article here. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE OUTLINE This is the first interview on Wrestling With Heels On. This week we have Brian R. Solomon, author and podcaster, and part of the Arcadian Vanguard Network to share stories about The Original Sheik. Below is an Amazon link to Brian's book we discuss (this is an affiliate link). Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik Here is an Amazon link to all of Brian's books In this episode, we cover: INTRODUCTION: The Sheik on the New You Asked For ItJohnny Red Shoes DuganBrian R. Solomon's Book BRIAN R. SOLOMON INTERVIEW: Why the Sheik?Humble beginningsBlading and AbdullahFire and more fireTerritorial feudingHard-core wrestlingBobby HeenanPlaying the Sheik on filmArabic pride for the Sheik? AUTHOR - BRIAN R. SOLOMON ***From Brian's Amazon bio*** I've led a rich and varied life, and I like to think that's reflected in my rather... eclectic body of work! From my days as a researcher and biographical profiler with esteemed reference publisher H.W. Wilson, to my time spent within the wild world of professional wrestling, to my well-earned role as a general pop culture and film commentator, I've written nearly everything but stereo instructions. However, one thing I've never written about is locomotives--so please don't confuse me with that *other* Brian Solomon! ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY It came to me a week later while I was watching the eleven a.m. WWF ALL-STAR WRESTLING show. DUTCH DOOGAN, my alter ego, would look like BIG JOHN STUDD.  Like I said before, BIG JOHN STUDD was six foot ten. He weighed 365 pounds--a mountain of a man who looked like he could chop down trees without an axe. There weren’t too many wrestlers his size in the 80’s so he was a natural to challenge Andre’s status as the one and only true giant in wrestling. And so a rivalry was born.  Thing is, every time Studd claimed he was the true giant in wrestling; Andre would get pissed off…for real. Not only did Andre hate Studd’s claims, he hated the way Studd entered the ring: crossing his leg over the top rope just like Andre did. And it didn’t help Studd’s cause that he truly did want to be considered the true giant in wrestling. Big John Studd wanted to be the bigger star and so went out of his way to prove it.  ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY I was struggling to write this episode so I turned to poetry for inspiration. The poem was Maya Angelou's CAGED BIRD. It is a poem that sounds like an allegory to the victims of morbid jealousy--the kind of extreme jealousy I can only assume Elizabeth Hulette struggled with for years; the kind of jealousy I grew up seeing firsthand.  ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY For anybody who doesn’t know, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is generally considered one of the greatest wrestling managers of all time. His professional wrestling career began in Indianapolis in 1967. Starting out as a backstage helper who helped set up rings and carried jackets, Heenan quickly realized his meager 180-pound weight would keep him from becoming an in-the-ring wrestler.... ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0

Wrestling With Heels On is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. EPISODE SUMMARY Had I been anti-stereotyping, I would have kept myself from enjoying SCOTT HALL, a.k.a. RAZOR RAMON—one of the greatest wrestling heels of all time. We lost Scott Hall this year on March 14, 2022. He was 63 years old when he died in Marietta, Georgia. He died from hip-replacement complications that lead to three heart attacks over the course of a weekend.  As stated in the New York Times, the WWE called Mr. Hall “a hugely influential superstar” in an official statement they released upon news of his death. The WWE got it right. Scott Hall was hugely influential. He came to prominence at a time when other future stars were on the rise: Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Undertaker, to name a few..... Check out the rest of the blog post here. ABOUT WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON Wrestling With Heels On Web Page Hi EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL GONZALEZ, ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NOW LIVING IN THE GARDEN STATE AND I HAVE A NEW PODCAST SHOW CALLED WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK, OF COURSE. ON THE PODCAST, I GET TO REMINISCENCE ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING BAD GUYS FROM YESTERYEAR. LIGHT ON STATS AND HEAVY ON NOSTALGIA, THIS LITTLE TRIP DOWN VILLAINY LANE GIVES ME A CHANCE TO VISIT THE DARK CORRIDORS OF MY WRESTLING SOUL. AND IT’S ALSO FUN TO HAVE A PODCAST.  SO JOIN ME AS I WAX NOSTALGIC ABOUT MY FAVORITE WRESTLING WEIRDOS AND NE’ER DO WELLS, THE NO-GOODNIKS OF A NO-LONGER TIME THAT STILL HAUNT ME TODAY. JUST KEEP IN MIND, LIKE SOME PEOPLE MY AGE, MY RECALL OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS CAN GET A LITTLE WOBBLY SOMETIMES. SO DON’T WORRY IF I GET IT WRONG. OH! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? I’M WRESTLING WITH HEELS ON. Mentioned in this episode: Sports History Network Theme Song This theme song was produced by Ron "Tyke" Oliver of Music Meets Sportz https://sites.google.com/view/sportsfanztastic/sports-history-network?authuser=0