This Sunday, we’ll be moving everything to our website, http://www.shiningwizards.com. Our server will host all of our old episodes, and they will all be available from Number 1 to Number 91, as well as all the Call Times, all the blog posts, everything you can find now, all under one roof.
So join us Sunday as we unveil the new site. And don’t forget to change your links!
It was Thanksgiving 2011 when Eddie, Matt, and I had our first show. We had planned on doing the show together, in the same room, just three guys talking about wrestling. But on that first night, we started over Skype. To be honest (and despite starting in different places), the simple idea worked. It was friends doing what they always did. Except now, it would be recorded. I mean, if we found it interesting and entertaining, maybe others would, too.
But the show would become more than just three friends talking about wrestling. It would become a place where the up and coming independent stars could get face time and talk about themselves. It became a place where the few listeners we had could watch matches along with us and laugh and mock what we watched. It became a place where the stars could be free to say what they’ve always wanted to say bout couldn’t. And it also became a place where wrestlers could be caught in lies.
The show has brought together many others from the podcasting world. Good people that share the same passion for the business that we do. People from north of the border, across the pond, on the other side of the world, and even Staten Island. Yes, this little show that spun from something so generic as a conversation about a pretend sport has grown exponentially.
Now, almost eighteen months later, we stand on the verge of a weekend filled with live shows, hundreds of wrestlers from past and present (as well as the stars of the future), and, at least for Matt and me, a first WrestleMania. Our year-long plan is going to be realized; our number one fan, Daniel Lopez, will be joining us all the way from Yuma, Arizona, based on Matt’s idea to do something nice for someone who supported us from day one. Eight months ago, I thought it would be a wonderful idea to toss our name into the foray that would be WrestleCon. Now, over one hundred wrestlers and about 50 vendors later, we will be right there, front and center, for perhaps the biggest gathering of wrestlers ever. To boot, four of them will be there as our guests. Several months ago, we worked together with Eric Tapout and managed to secure a place at Pro Wrestling Syndicate’s Super Card, doing a live show during the biggest weekend in wrestling. Even more than that, John Morrison, the Shaman of Sexy, is slated to be our guest for the meet and greet. It’s amazing that in such a short time, we’ve come so far. We truly have been blessed.
So where does that take us now? It takes us to Metuchen tomorrow night for a huge show with PWS; a place to see some great wrestling and meet some great people that have been supporting us. It takes us to Secaucus for WrestleCon; right in the center of some of the greatest talent from all eras and all areas of the business. It takes us to the Granddaddy of them all, WrestleMania 29. And, of course, it takes us beyond; back to the studio, doing what we love to do. Three guys doing some wrestling talk… and talk about wrestling. Thanks for supporting us. Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride so far. ‘Cause we have.
Take a trip back in time and revisit Episode 10 from January 19, 2012. Matt, Eddie, Tony, and Grandmaster B watch a match from Piledriver Pro Wrestling, November 26, 2005, Vader vs. Masked Maniak (name subsequently changed to Mask Wrestler).
Matt talks to the Greatest Unsigned Talent Today Greek God Papadon. Matt and Eddie talk Wrestling, Wrestling Talk, some DDP Yoga and PWS. Its a good time, check it out. WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
Matt and Eddie get the chance to talk to TNA Superstar Christopher Daniels.
Matt talks to M Dogg 20 Matt Cross, they touch on everything from his days in the backyard to his time on Tough Enough. They also cover everything in between from ECW to working The Ultimate Warriors return show and much more.
Hello, fellow Wizards! It’s me, your long lost and favorite Shining Wizard, Tony. While I’ve been away for so long (and who can blame me? Living by the motto “if it’s on the table, take it,” I’m making those papers), I have managed to stay abreast (huh uh) of some of the happenings of the wrestling world. Working 13 hour days kinda sucks; well, maybe not really. I mean, I don’t have to watch any of Raw, which has been down in the ratings (probably making Eddie really happy), and it feels like forever since I’ve been on the show. Today, however, I’m taking it somewhat easier at work, and I thought it would be a perfect time to hit on some great stories that happened this past week.
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Eddie and Matt get together after 2 weeks to talk about everything from IPPVs to Fall Brawl 93.
So Tony wants me to write more Blogs. Well I finally have gotten the chance to write one for you kind folks. I can honestly say I didn’t sit in front of my computer tonight to write this Blog. No I sat down 90 minutes ago for the ROH IPPV Death Before Dishonor X “State of Emergency”. Well if I am writing a Blog, then I must not be watching the IPPV.
Let me go back to last weekend and we can all take the journey to tonight. So last Saturday I had the wonderful pleasure of having the worst stomach bug I have ever had. I threw up in about 20 different places, but that’s not the point of this little gem. With the girlfriend in Miami for the weekend it was just me and The Great Muta on the couch. Just then I got an email from DGUSA/Evolve reminding me of the Evolve/CZW IPPV doubleheader. AWESOME!!! I can put the garbage can next to the couch, and get to enjoy some IPPV for the 1st time ever.
So I went over to wwnlive.com and checked out the situation. Evolve allows you to buy the IPPV 3 different ways. The price ranges from 14.99 to 24.99. And each viewing offers you extra’s and what not. I paid 24.99, and I got the Evolve 17 IPPV live feed, On Demand option anytime, and the DVD when it gets released. Not bad for 25 bucks. So I head over to the link and it starts like 3 minutes late, but the picture quality is perfect and the audio is awesome. The Show was amazing,Gabe Sapolsky and Evolve set the standard for wrestling IPPV. It was perfect.
So there is about a 40 minute break before the CZW show. Now I was very happy with the Evolve IPPV, so I figured the CZW IPPV should be great as well. Same building, same camera set up, all that jazz. So I order the IPPV and have time to kill. I ain’t feeling so hot, so I take a nap and wake up around 8:30 in a panic. Thinking I missed the first half hour of the show. Well to my surprise, I go to the link, and its a blank screen with a bunch of people cursing about the stream and what not. I jump on Twitter and learn from some friends that CZW is having an issue with the stream. So I didn’t miss anything. So I feel pretty good about that. So I sit and I wait for the IPPV to start. Finally around 9pm the show starts, and the quality is absolute horseshit. The Audio is awful, the video stream is choppy. I gave it 15 minutes, then get pissed off and turned the IPPV off and went to bed.
Fast Forward to tonight. I never really get a weekend off, so when I took off this weekend I had planned on doing something involving wrestling. Chikara was doing the King Of Trio’s Tournament over in Easton, about and hour from me. ECWA was holding the 45th Anniversary Show in Delaware. And ROH was having there IPPV. After driving down to Philly for a wedding Friday I didn’t really feel like going anywhere, especially after looking at the ROH Card. Recent Interview and friend of the show ACH was making his ROH Debut, and Mike Mondo was going after the TV Title. So this was an easy choice. Throw in Steen/Rhino and I was hooked. I went 1 for 2 last week on IPPV, so I was batting .500 I figured its ROH, they gotta know what they are doing. Even though I know they have had issues in the past. The card was to good to pass up.
So I get all set up for the IPPV. I go get some booze, set up the area around the computer all nice and get set to enjoy. 8:30 comes and the ROH website is down. So I once again head over to Twitter to see if anyone else is having an issue. I happen to come across a whole bunch of people who are having problems, including ROH Star Tommaso Ciampa. About an hour later, people still don’t have the stream and people are fucking pissed off. To top it off, whoever is running the ROH Twitter account is posting the results of the matches that we are missing. I understand you have fans who want to know the results, but you have to factor in the issues with the stream and the fact that in this day and age, people are gonna be all over Twitter and Facebook pissing and moaning about not getting a stream and finding out if anyone else is having those issues. So why would you post the results? I know its just someone’s job, but I am pissed. 15 Bucks isn’t all the money in the world, but I paid for this IPPV along with a bunch of other people, and we aren’t getting shit. So I am pissed off.
ROH is supposed to be the alternative to WWE and TNA. And there is a whole fan base out there looking for wrestling. Now you may not agree with the way these guys put on matches, or how they don’t always sell the big moves, but its so much better then what is on TV right now. So it blows my mind, that ROH is in a position to pick up wrestling fans who don’t wanna see John Cena every week, and they shit the bed. This isn’t the only time ROH has had issues with the IPPV feed. If this happened once, I would understand, but from what I got from this evening, it happens at every IPPV. So Jim I suggest you get off your ass and give Gabe a call. Put it behind you, and figure out what you need to do to run a successful IPPV, because you have it all in place. The Talent is there. The Stories are good. The price of an IPPV is 3 times less expensive then a WWE PPV, and 2 times less expensive then a TNA PPV. And to top it off you are owned by a Broadcast Company!!!
I love ROH and I want nothing but them to be successful, but you need to figure this shit out, cause its a fucking joke. I go on the podcast and praise the product, and this is the experience I have? People ordered this IPPV because I suggested it. Now I look like a bigger asshole then usual. Thanks ROH.
Finally got the stream working, just in time for the 2nd half of the IPPV. Until next time. Go Fuck Yourself
Shining Wizards Matt
We just opened our brand new store. And our first t-shirts are sweet. Tired of being a star? Be what you are! Be proud, BE A MARK! Rock our new t-shirt and tell the world what you really are!
And if that’s not enough, Matt is offering a Box of Wizardry? For 10 bucks, buy our junk!
We all know the association between the world of wrestling and the carnival world. Hell, the lexicon used by both is the same. The carny folk ply their wares and make their money looking for marks who think they are smarter than the carnival. But, as expected, the mark falls for the trick and money is made. Even when the mark wins, he still doesn’t really win, for the fact that he takes home a cupie doll (humor me) doesn’t change the fact that he probably spent ten times what it’s worth, even if he only spent a dollar to win it. Moreso, the games are rigged in favor of the carnival. Just like a casino. The odds are always against you. Even when you win, you never really win.
So Dolph Ziggler had a great showing last night at No Way Out in front of a less than to capacity crowd at the Izod Center (I wonder if the panic is starting to set in about WrestleMania ticket sales for next year).
I have been wanting to write this blog for a long time. I just haven’t gotten around to doing it because I feared after writing it I may finally write myself off as a wrestling fan. I am 34 years old. My first memory of wrestling was watching Hulk Hogan wrestle on one of the old MSG shows. When my dad told me the Hulk was on, I thought he was talking about the incredible Hulk so I wasn’t interested…until I saw him. 
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So WWE is explaining the Johnny Ace gaff by stating that he and Big Show had an agreement “in principle” on Saturday, and then made it official with a contract AFTER the PPV. Wonderful. At least they didn’t completely ignore it the way they usually do.
I admit it. I’ve been a fan of belt designs for as long as I can remember. I have vivid images of the early 80s WWWF gold belt with the green strap, an image familiar if you’ve ever seen the Iron Shiek and Hulk Hogan’s title victories.
We are having technical problems with WordPress. Our files are still on the server but for some reason are no longer playable. We are working on it. Sorry for the inconvenience.
EDIT: It turns out that Justin Credible was in no condition to work that night. We hope he is doing better.
Click here for Episode 28 and to read some excerpts from our interview with Justin just a few weeks ago.
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So Brock gives his valuable soundbytes last night. Cena only stepped in because Brock left. Brock isn’t an entertainer. He’s an ass kicker. Well, all this may be true. But it’s all seeming like a rehash of the Rock.
Didn’t Cena call Rocky out for taking off, while he stood around and led the ship? It would all not be so bad if the Rock lost to Cena. But alas, he didn’t. So now, a loser like Cena is becoming fodder for another returning star.
The thing that makes this different? Brock doesn’t like to talk. He doesn’t like to sing. And while he is quite the dancer (youtube his mariachi celebration) he’d rather lead with his fists. I’m actually liking the Brock thing. I just hope it’s more interesting than the Rock feud.
And I still hope that Cena shows some emotion.
So I just returned from my 1st ever Chikara Pro Live event. I’ll Be A Mummy’s Uncle was held in the Rahway Rec Center, and I had a blast. First off, this show was a 2pm bell time. Who doesn’t love an afternoon wrestling event? I got to see 3 hours of quality wrestling, and when it was all over, I still had the afternoon to enjoy the Mets beating the Phillies. If you have never been to a Chikara show, then I highly suggest you check one out. It’s good wrestling, good angle’s and just overall a good time.
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Sitting here exhausted today. Happy that there’s been huuuuuge increases in listenership the past two weeks. Still not happy that Cena was smiling like a goon when he slapped Brock Lesnar. Can’t have everything, I guess.
Oh, and the Bellas gave notice. End of the month and end of the line. I’m very sad.
Two weeks ago, I made the decision to not watch the overrun on Raw anymore. I’d like to think that a corporation like WWE can figure out how to budget a show so it ends at a normal time, like 11:00. Continue reading
Bruno. Steamboat. Hogan. Magnum. Backlund. Rich. Santana. You can keep naming faces until you turn blue. All of them stand for the good of the world. They bask in the cheers of the people and defend the honor of all that is righteous.
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Welp, since I’m most likely not going to be on the show this week (Matt is actually stepping up from his normal web surfing and informational duties to production, give him hate mail if he sucks), I figured hey, we have a blog, why not let my thoughts be known about WrestleMania.
Join us now LIVE! Click the link and get ready to be entertained!
LIVE USTREAM PODCAST OF THE SHINING WIZARDS WRESTLEMANIA SPECIAL!
You know you want to join us!
You read that right, join us on Sunday at 5PM EDT for a live version of the Shining Wizards Podcast. Eddie, Tony, and Matt will be joined in the studio by Dave “Mega” Powers and “Grandmaster B” Anthony Lombardi for some WrestleMania discussion and inappropriate language. And we will be calling a few lucky people during the show. Why? Because it’s a party, and you’re all invited!!! Look here for the link on Sunday!
OK ladies. This PWS fallout has gone on long enough. I am gonna set the record straight. Eddie and Tony DID NOT throw me under the bus. They DID NOT stab me in the back. They ARE NOT cowards or chicken shits. The 3 of us got together and discussed the fallout from the Blog that I posted. Continue reading
Next weekend, the Four Horsemen will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Rightfully so. And I read yesterday that the one and only American Dream, Dusty Rhodes, and not HHH and HBK, will be inducting them. Good call.
I was hoping to have a great conversation with my good pal Vicious Vin this evening. I was looking forward to us going back and forth for hours on end talking some wrestling. Unfortunately, my father in law, who has been fighting for the past three weeks to stay alive, died last night. While I was hopeful that I would have some time tonight to take my mind off things, I have some family obligations to take care of.
Is it too early to promise a great show on Thursday, when all of us are back in the saddle? Nope. We will.
Thanks for understanding, and thanks for your condolences.
-Tony
So Matt is most likely unavailable until Thursday. Eddie is away for the weekend. But fear not! I spoke to my dear, dear friend, Vicious Vin, and he has agreed to have a one on one with yours truly. We’re working it out for this Sunday night. While it won’t be a new episode proper, I do feel badly that we didn’t have a regular show last night. So long as things go well, I hope this whets your whistle and keeps you guys entertained until the next episode.
And if you don’t know who Vicious Vin is, you’re in for a treat.
-Tony
PS: Thanks for all the well wishes, things are looking much better today, thankfully.
I understand a lot of people are interested in our take on the whole “Matt’s Review of PWS” thing and believe me, there’s much to talk about.
Despite this, one of the reasons the theater episode aired a few weeks ago was because there were a few personal issues in my life that all happened to occur at the same time, two of which were very severe. And while one has all but cleared up and had a happy ending, unfortunately the other one has taken another turn for the worse. As you guys know, I’m not the emo type, and I don’t like looking to things like Facebook for people to keep me in their prayers or send positive vibes to my way. However, I felt that even a shitty explanation on a blog page is better than “hey, no show tonight,” especially considering what’s happened.
So again, while there is plenty to talk about (and we’ll talk about it soon enough), tonight is, at this point, not going to happen. And if I feel the need to take my mind off things (and if I have time), I’ll blog about the situation later.
Thanks for understanding, and keep supporting us.
-Tony
And I’m most disappointed that my son is going to daycare and NOT to the park with his dad, but some things have to get done today. But here’s some things that popped in the past 2 days that I need to keep fresh for the show this week.
Vince is trying to convince us there’s real heat between the Rock and John Cena. Yeah.
Paul Orndorff beat cancer. Although he now sounds like a pre-pube Peter Brady, it’s good to still have an awesome guy like Mr. Wonderful with us.
Eric Young and ODB are your Knockouts Tag Champs. Yeah.
Funkasaurus is back! So is Word Life.
And apparently, WrestleMania moved to April 21st. Shhhh.
Now it’s time to be out and about. Go out and enjoy the day. And tune in tomorrow night!
-Tony
I’m not going to be as harsh as my friends Matt and Eddie. I will say the first half of the show, Balls yakking all over ringside aside, was solid to awesome. The Zero Gravity match ruled the roost, and we saw a brain buster on the apron, it was sick. Tony Nese and Alex Reynolds put on an awesome match as well. Kevin Matthews and Eddie Kingston was a fun solid match as well. I didn’t catch all of the 6-way, but what I did see was all kinds of fun as well.
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I want to take this time to say I am sorry to Tony, Eddie, Kevin, Dave, and anyone else who took the trip to Rahway this past Friday to see the PWS Super Show. On paper it was a killer line-up. The Powers of Pain, Sami Callihan, Marty Jannetty, Colt Cabana, Jerry Lynn, Matt Hardy, Sid, Amazing Red, Balls Mahoney, AR Fox, Shockmaster, Abdullah The Butcher and “PrimeTime” Sam Roberts.
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The 1st ever Shining Wizards road trip is over and done with, and what a trip it was. Myself, Eddie and our three other friends jumped into the car I rented, which I had rented to avoid everyone being on top of each other. Well the “SUV” they had, was a tight fit for all of us, so thanks a bunch Hertz, I don’t know what 5 people you think can fit in that car, but these 5 didn’t fit as snug as we would have liked.
My name is Matt, and I am a 30 year old man, an adult, who is in love with pro wrestling. I know its silly, people say its for kids, or they say,” don’t you know its fake?”. They ask if I like other men getting all oiled up and grabbing each other while wearing underwear. Well none of that has ever really been a factor to me. I was a kid, 6 or 7 when my father ordered Wrestlemania 4 on PPV. That’s my earliest memory. From that moment on it spawned in to a full time obsession.
Well, the first episode was recorded last night, special thanks to Matt and Eddie for joining me in some wrestling talk. Special thanks also to Steve LaVista and Skull Tavern for letting us steal some awesome music for the intro of the show. And extra special thanks to the year 1987 for providing us with an awesome Survivor Series theme. Posting of the show should be coming soon, be ready!
-Tony Z
The first edition of the Shining Wizards podcast will be recorded on Thanksgiving Night, 2011, and maybe will become the new Thanksgiving tradition.
