Zbyskzo: I Just Don't Find Wrestling Entertaining The Way It Is Right Now
Posted: Mar 31st 2011 By: CMBurnham
This week, ?The Living Legend? himself, Larry Zbyszko steps IN THE ROOM with Brady Hicks, DJ, and Kevin McElvaney to look back at his more than 30 year career in the wrestling business. Check it out as Zbyszko looks back on mentoring under (and turning on) Bruno Sammartino, his war of words with Chris Jericho, the instrumental role he played in WCW?s rise and the New World Order?s emergence, and his thoughts on how to change the business for the better. Plus, the guys offer their WrestleMania thoughts and predictions. Check it out at thebradyhicks.com.
For a direct link to the show:
http://thebradyhicks.com/podpress_trac/web/2346/0/2011-03-29%20larry%20zbyszko.mp3
On Keeping Up With The Business:
To be honest, I just don?t find wrestling entertaining the way it is right now. I just don?t watch it. I wish it was better for the new generation, it could be great but they make the guys look like morons. I just don?t watch it because it?s all silly. There?s no suspense. You can see the same crap you saw tonight any night. Boring. They?ve just gotten stale because what they are doing today is the same thing they were doing 15 years ago. I can honestly say for any of these young guys coming up that I can see why they?d rather get involved in that Ultimate Fighting.
On Comparing His Noteworthy Bruno and WCW Angles:
It was kind of a night and day. The first one was my idea, turning on Bruno, but he was the one who taught me the psychology and taught me how to do it. I learned from him. Then 20-some years later, the New World Order worked because I programmed it. It was done the way
Bruno would have done it. It was just done right. I?m the one that programmed it and set it up.
On Chris Jericho:
I don?t do Internet stuff. I did ?Last Call [with Scott Hall]? because Scott came and set it up at the house. I don?t want to waste time on the kid, though. What else can I really say about him? Listen to the show [Last Call]. He?s just better off dancing.
On How to Fix the Business:
The basic problem is that they just don?t know how to make stars any more. What do they call them, Superstars? Everybody?s the same. Everybody?s inter-changeable. It?s just repetitive. You?ll see the same matches for the next year that you see any other time you turn on the TV. And instead of all these creative writers, all that they need is a booker. They could be telling stories through the matches. You don?t need all these segments. The wrestling fans are tired of skits. Everybody I talk to ? every radio show ? says that. If everybody feels that way, wouldn?t you do what the customer wants and get rid of so many skits?
On Comparing TNA to WWE:
I love the TNA people. They?ve got some great people there. What TNA does ? they?re very nice people and all that ? is that this is what WWE does, so this is what we have to do. WWE has 15 minutes of matches in an hour and 25 minutes and all those skits ? we have to have 15 minutes of wrestling and all those skits. They only do things because that?s what WWE does, without understanding the rhyme or reason for it.
On Comparing TNA to WCW:
They?re not being the same as WCW was, that?s the problem. They?re not operating the way WCW did it. A lot of those guys have no idea how WCW did it. They weren?t there.
All that, plus ? also at thebradyhicks.com ? great podcasts from Matt ?Doink? Borne (who welcomes The Iron Sheik), ?Dr. Wrestling? Rich Jones answering listener feedback, What?s Wrong With Wrestling and WrestleDope both breaking down WrestleMania, a review of the WWE All-Stars video game, and a special look back at TNA?s Don West stepping IN THE ROOM. Plus, dozens of great stories, including coverage of AngryMarks.com?s AMP interview with Brady Hicks, a new Fantasy Draft contest, the results of the Match Madness contest, WWE?s misuse of Kane, WrestleMania from an outsider?s perspective, why The Miz should leave WM as champion, thoughts of Chris Candido entering the WWE Hall of Fame someday, Wade Barrett?s historic IC title win, coverage of the Rock-Cena war and the impact this war has had on fans, 10 Wrestlers who SHOULD be on TV, WWE DVDs now streaming on Netflix, thoughts on Brady?s interview with Sunny, and alternate wrestling venues.
Thanks for supporting the In the Room podcast on thebradyhicks.com. To leave a message for the show, you can e-mail us at intheroompodcast@gmail.com or call (206) 337-1031. And while you?re at the site, be sure to check out great interviews with AJ Styles (8/9/10), Kurt Angle (10/8/10), Serena Deeb (11/8/10), Madison Rayne (6/8/10), and Kevin Thorn (10/25/10).
Supplemental Information
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Spotlight in History
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Week of Sun 10-18 to Sat: 10-24
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- 10-21 2006 J. T. LaMotta def. John O'Malley for the IZW Cruiserweight Title
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- 10-21 2022 Tego def. Mr. Wobble for the TexPro Texas Title
- 10-21 2023 Wolf of War def. Martin Justice for the EPW International Title
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- 10-21 2023 Native Law (Sheriff Schultz & Nashoba) def. K. O. A. (Caine Carter & Devion Black) for the NCWO Tag Team Titles
- 10-21 2023 Malik Mayfield def. Clayton Bloodstone for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
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- 10-22 2005 Big Van Vader def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
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- 10-22 2011 Fuel def. Jonathan Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Title
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- 10-22 2023 The Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) def. Native Law (Sheriff Schultz & Nashoba) for the NCWO Tag Team Titles
- 10-23 1965 Lee Fields & Bobby Fields became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
- 10-23 1967 Spoiler #1 & Gary Hart def. Brute Bernard & Mike Paidousis for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
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- 10-23 2021 Luke Langley def. Alex Royal for the WFC Heavyweight Title
- 10-24 1983 Jimmy Garvin def. Chris Adams for the WCCW Television Title
- 10-24 1998 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Dan Wilder & Bernard Funk) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 10-24 2004 Se7en def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
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