Dangerous Conversations Episode #4: Remembering SID!

[00:00:00] Speaker A: The Legends of Memphis Wrestling Return to Jackson, Saturday, September 21st at the picture Perfect Event Center. It will be a night to remember featuring the stars you watched every Saturday morning on tv. Be there for the Fan Fest meet and greet at 3:30 and the official Memphis Wrestling hall of Fame induction ceremony at 7pm featuring Jerry the King Lawler, Superstar Bill Dundee, the Boogie Woogie Man, Handsome Jimmy Valiant, Dangerous Doug Gilbert, Wildfire Tommy Rich, the Rock n Roll Express, pg. 13 Downtown Bruno the Birdman, Coco Beware Dr. Tom Prichard, the Dirty White Boy, Tony Anthony, Nightmare Danny dav, Terry Golden, Sir Mo the Spellbinder, Tony Falk, Carl Fergie, Jerry Calhoun, Michael St. John and more. Plus a special reunion of the stars from TV5 Power Pro Wrestling and KAW. The Legends of Memphis Wrestling return to Jackson, Saturday September 21st at the Picture Perfect Event center sponsored by Budweiser Pro Shingle, Thomas Media Slide N Ride Rodeo and WBBJ tv. Tickets are on sale now. Go to eventbrite and search official Memphis Wrestling hall of Fame. [00:01:00] Speaker B: SAM. [00:01:25] Speaker C: Hey everybody. Welcome to episode four of Dangerous Conversations with Doug Gilbert. I'm your host, Gene Jackson, and it's my pleasure to welcome once again the man you came to hear, Dangerous Doug Gilbert. Doug, how we doing man? [00:01:37] Speaker B: Man Gene I'm good. How are you doing? [00:01:39] Speaker C: I'm doing well, I'm doing well. We're rolling right along. We're in our our fourth week of the show and you know we, I know we told everybody at the end of last week for everybody who listened to the global episode and thank you for all the great feedback we've been getting on it. I'm glad people enjoyed it. People said they learned a lot about the global organization that they weren't aware of. Have you gotten any feedback on that? [00:02:04] Speaker B: Yeah, I have and I've had people say that to me also. And I'm glad to me what we do this for. I'm glad, I hope people can learn some stuff that they haven't heard in the past or don't know. And yeah, it's been real positive feedback I've got so I'm real happy with that. [00:02:21] Speaker C: Man. We sure, sure appreciate everybody that's listening, everybody that's sharing and telling folks about it because that's, that's going to help us grow and help get more people listening and, and we love the feedback and any questions you have, be sure you send them to us. Doug Gilbert, podcast outlook.com I know @ the end of that episode we told everybody that this week we were going to be Talking about Bill Watts, Universal Wrestling Federation. And that was our intent. But we've kind of called an audible today. We felt like today's episode would be better served to talk about something else today. Unfortunately, as most of you know by now, on Monday, a man that was, uh, I know, a good friend of Doug's and Eddie's and a guy I was a huge fan of, I follow his entire career. Big Sid, Sid Vicious. Sid UD passed away. And we felt like we need to do an episode. Doug, he was close to you and your family. And let's. Let's talk about that. [00:03:28] Speaker B: You know, man, Gene, Sid, like I said, some weeks a little tougher than others. And this week, like I said, it's been a tough one. And Sid is for sure and always will be a family friend. I mean, I've known Sid since I was a young man, and my brother knew Sid very well, man. Me and Sid traveled a lot together and everything. The first thing, just right off the bat, I don't tell everybody. I hope they'd be praying for his family and kids and grandkids and everything. I mean, what people. You know, a lot of things people didn't see was. I mean, see it as far as being a husband, father, grandfather, man. He loved his family and everything. I mean, you know, all what people see on TV and. And that's what we want them to see is AC is a big, giant monster. But not. I mean, he was a loving family guy and everything. And, I mean, it's. Things like that. Like I said, it's like there's some. Some weeks that's. That's, you know, tougher than others. And like I said, it's been a tough one. [00:04:38] Speaker C: It doesn't get any easier. I know you've lost a lot of friends in this business and family and over the years, and, you know, it does. It never gets any easier. And I know that's. That's the case. And. And one reason I wanted to do this episode with you, you know, is for you to be able to share some, you know, some stories of times you've spent with Sid and your brother. [00:04:59] Speaker B: And. [00:05:00] Speaker C: But another thing is just kind of get out there because something you just touched on, I think it's a really good point, is Sid's a guy that a lot of people, they don't know about the man behind the character. [00:05:10] Speaker B: No, no, no. Oh. I mean, you hear a couple tales or a bunch of different tales, but. But you don't hear unless it wanted you to know him or about him. Nobody did And I enjoyed like said being Sid was both kind of early birds in which I get up in the morning about 4. And Sid did also and, and he'd get ready to go to the gym and I'd be getting up, going to work or piddling with something or getting ready to bush hog or something. And he would call and I would call him. And you know, we both sports fanatics, so we'd talk about a little sports and, and we'd talk about just different business stuff and the real estate. And I mean, Sid was into a lot of different stuff that people didn't know about. I mean, he had contracting services with like bush hoggin, like counties and stuff. I mean, he was into a lot of different things that, that it took him as a. Being a businessman that you, you'd have to be a businessman to do what he did and everything. But I mean, we talk about sports, we talk about the wrestling business a little bit, but I mean, football, baseball, basketball. And we'd always. The funnest thing, he'd call me during one of the games and he'd say, are we gonna bet? And I'd say yes, Sid, we'll bet. And it was always $1. We wasn't really bet. We was betting, but we wasn't betting. And it was funny thing one time because he told me, he said somebody said something about betting. He said I'm not betting my money. So I mean, you know, but that was the thing. Are we gonna bet? Like it's a big deal and like. But we might bet on like six or seven games, but it was always a week, a dollar on each game. We, we never knew who, who was the winner, but it was just a cool thing. And like I said, that was one of the early. My early morning. There two or three guys that I talked to early in the morning like that, and he was one of them. [00:07:10] Speaker C: One thing that I, I find really unique about Sid, and it tells you a lot about him is Sid married his wife Sabrina, and in December of 1983 and was still married to her to this day. You know, a lot of wrestlers, man, they, they go through these marriages and they have a rough home life. But, you know, he was. He married Sabrina in 1983. They had two sons, Frank and Gunner. Some of you may know Frank from being a cast member on the CBS reality TV show Big Brother for a couple of seasons. And Gunner dipped his toe in wrestling. [00:07:43] Speaker B: And yeah, Sid was real proud of that, the, the Big Brother deal. And he would talk like when he was on the Road people would different people to ask him questions about that. But he was really proud of his. [00:07:53] Speaker C: Sons and you know, at the end of the day having main evented WrestleManias and did all the things that Sid did in his life. I mean at the end of the day kind of like as you were just kind of talking about you guys conversation like he was just a country boy from Arkansas, right. I mean he never, he never got a big head. He was just. [00:08:16] Speaker B: And he would, I mean and if, if he liked you he would tell you that or I mean he didn't have to tell you knew but mean that that was just said he didn't. I mean here's the thing. Sid accomplished a whole lot. I mean anybody can say what they want, which they do about all of us anyway. But. But I mean you know Sids there ain't a whole lot of people made 200, 250 grand in a night wrestling. And Sid done very well financially. Like I said, he was a family man still married, him and his wife. He loved his kids man like one which you know the after, after Sid had his injury and I was just thinking about different things that that, that went on and I mean I always, we always stayed in touch. But I asked him one time, I said he was talking about wrestling. I said well do you want to wrestle anymore? And he said I think so. And so that led into me and him talking and, and his first match that he wrestled with Gene, you probably know the date when he had his accident with his leg and everything. But the first match I could think about that he come that he actually got back in the ring. Me and a guy wrestled him and a guy. And I thought that was, that was really cool and everything. [00:09:34] Speaker C: But yeah, because I mean that was one of the most gruesome injuries in a wrestling ring. I can't think of of one more, more, you know, harder to watch than, than the injury that Sid suffered at Starcade that year with, with his leg breaking. [00:09:49] Speaker B: Oh yeah, that, that's. I tell people I don't want to see, you know, which we're all different and I don't see nothing like that. Like it's just. That was awful deal. But like I said he, he stayed positive and, and come through it and, and as had lived a good long time after that and everything. But that was one of the deals. One is a weekend me and him traveled up to uh, somewhere in the edge of Kentucky for some reason was a hazard or something and we done an appearance at a, at some kind of convention and Then we went the next night to and wrestled at hpw. That would have been in Columbus, Indiana, I think it would have been. And that's where I think the first time Sid got back in the ring since, you know, his leg deal and everything. That's pretty special, man. I was just thinking of different things. Yeah. After people had called me the other day. But that's from. I mean, from starting of see his career and I mean, Sid would tell you or if anyone spoke with him that, you know, at the start of his career, my brother had a good opportunity to help him and. And he did. And Sid, I always, you know, thought a lot of that. [00:11:12] Speaker C: I've listened to pretty much any interview I could find over the years. I would always listen to if I Sid was doing one. Just try to Lear learned something about the guy, you know, and come to find out he had a podcast for a little bit that I didn't know about that I recently discovered and had been listening to. And you know, he talked about on there. You know, people always ask, you know, how he. How he got into the wrestling business and he had a chance encounter with Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo in the gym. Imagine that. Most people run ins and see it happen in gym. Right. [00:11:44] Speaker B: I see it. Told me he said, he said, you know, they. They tell that story since they don't actually tell it right. And I started laughing. Well, what is it? I didn't even know what the story was. You tell. I'm really up on things. And then he told me something about Lanny talking to him and looking at him and. And something about. I forget what the deal about this. The shirt he had on or Randy had on a laugh because he said like his shirt was too up two sizes too small or something. I think that Randy had on. But they was looking at him and they'd ask him did he ever think about being on Pro Wrestler or something. But see, it was funny. Said they was kind of. It's kind of strange. And I laughed and said for saying that and everything. But. But he was always like I said, I think said Darren, if you listen. Well, this is a strange thing. He said to me about two. Two months ago, he said we need to start a podcast. I said we need to start a what? Or maybe it's three months ago. And he was talking about him being on there and me being on it and us doing it together. And I said, shoot, Sid. I said, how would we do that? Or something. Which I thought, man. He seriously, for about two weeks straight, there he was saying that, but he told me he had one and he said he'd talk about music. So you. You've heard it? I. I've never listened to a gen or anything, but he told me to go over, like, music. And I said, love music. And he had all the. The old albums, the big albums and everything. And we talked about music, but he loved music. But he told me he went over, like, on the podcast, music stuff and different stuff that he liked. So. Did you say you listen to one of the podcasts? [00:13:25] Speaker C: I heard a few of them. He's got like. They're like 20 to 30 minutes a piece, and for the first. I'm like four episodes into it. And those first few episodes, they kind of go through his, you know, kind of walk through his career. Right. And then as you go on. Yeah, he starts talking about music and other things, and then we work that into the. The first few episodes as well. [00:13:44] Speaker B: And I think the guy. The guy that was doing it with him when he from Canada, maybe it seemed like that's what he told me at one time or something, or do. [00:13:52] Speaker C: You know who this guy, like, whoever he was talking to, this guy was like, at his house the first couple episodes, which that guy may have come down. If it's who I'm thinking of. I'm not sure. Well, it ain't who I'm thinking of because I would recognize his voice, but. [00:14:06] Speaker B: Right. Well, it seemed like he might have come and sit because that was my question. Said. I said, well, who would sit? I said, mayor, you'd have to have somebody do this for us. He said, oh, I get a guy to set it up and you just come to my house and. And we talk. Which, you know, and that would have been interesting. I mean, he'd have been funny to talk with about stuff. And like I said, Sid was really entertaining and really what a lot of people wouldn't believe. He's quite funny. I mean, got a good sense of humor. [00:14:34] Speaker C: It's funny the first time me and you talked about getting this podcast going when I first, you know, pitched you the idea. And it's funny because you said, man, you'll never believe who actually was talking to me about wanting to do a podcast that we probably could get on here. And I said, who? And you said, see it? And I was like, really? And you're like, yeah. And I was like, oh, man, that would be. That would be great to have Sid on here. So, you know, that's something that, you know, we had in the back of our mind that was something that was going to happen, you know, eventually. And you know, I really, I really hate that it's. That's not going to happen. [00:15:05] Speaker B: Right. [00:15:07] Speaker C: But you know, he talked about in that interview and I've heard him in shoot interviews and I've heard him a lot of places because the guy was asking, he's like, hey, you know, meeting Savage and Pafo led to you meeting Tojo Yamamoto, who trained him some. He has. We might have to share some links to that because it's, it's pretty, it's pretty fun to listen to Sid tell some of these stories. He talked about training with Tojo and then Sid said he got into a skirmish down on Beale street. Non wrestling related. Just him and his buddies were down on Bill street and he got a little bit of a fight and he broke his foot in the process. And he said, he, he called Tojo up. He's like, hey man, I'm not gonna be able to train this week. I broke my foot and told you was like, you go to hell. You'll never come back again. You never come back again. He said. So that was when I was done with Tojo, I guess. [00:15:56] Speaker B: Right. [00:15:56] Speaker C: But he tells about meeting Lawler at a softball game and eventually that leading to the tag team match that people point to as his, his first match where he famously did Lord Humongous teaming with Austin Idle against Jerry Lawler and Nick Bachwinkle in the Mid South Coliseum. I don't know if that was literally his first match, but it was certainly early, early on. [00:16:20] Speaker B: Oh yeah, that had to be one of the. Actually, I think Lawler had brought him in under a. Just a black hood like maybe a couple weeks before that and wanted to see what he could do. And I think that was probably the first time. But he seen right then that, that, you know, he could do something with him and he thought he had some talent. So that, that kind of helped progress things on, I think. [00:16:47] Speaker C: Well, I think anybody that laid eyes on Sid from the wrestling business knew, like, we got to do something with this guy. Like, I remember as a kid having those little he man action figures. I remember my mom told me one time she like, those things are so silly. Nobody in real life looks like that Sid Vicious look like a he man action figure came to life, you know. [00:17:06] Speaker B: Oh, he looked, he looked amazing. I mean, you put him beside anybody and I, I mean in the wrestling business during those days and I mean, they might be as far as like your, you know, your guys in the, the muscle contest or whatever, they Might have been wider and, or whatever, but they'd been shorter and they wouldn't have looked like. Sid was put together from top to bottom. I mean, and he was, she said, was strong as a bear. And I mean, he could, he could lift a thousand pounds, seemed like. And I mean, but I mean, he. [00:17:39] Speaker C: Had been working on a farm. He was an athlete. So like, you know, it's not like he woke up one day and when he was in his 20s, like, hey, I'm gonna start working out to be a wrestler. Like, he had been, you know, being in shape his whole life. [00:17:52] Speaker B: And Sid was always. There's one thing about being, being having muscles and then knowing how to use the muscles. But like you said, Sid was country strong. I mean, he worked. [00:18:03] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:18:04] Speaker B: As a kid, you know, all through his adult life. And I mean he. I don't know if you remember this, but we talked about it first, about being like with his family and stuff. He used to bring Seth. It was. Did you ever, did you ever meet Seth on the road, who is a kid with down syndrome and everything? And he would come to the coliseum and I met Seth a bunch. But Sid was so nice to him, took him around. He actually was on one of the. What was it? The nitro. The wwc? Wcw. Wasn't natural. [00:18:38] Speaker C: I think I was gonna say. I never met him, but I saw him TV with. [00:18:41] Speaker B: Is that right? Well, there you go. Yeah, he was a cool. He was a cool kid, which he's good grown man now, but I mean, he was cool and still was always real nice to him and his family. Still to this, you know, last week, spoke with him and everything. And I always thought that was really cool. [00:19:01] Speaker C: Yeah, definitely. And so you can speak to this. We're talking. Since we were just talking about like the kind of shapes it was in. You traveled with him a lot, you've known him for years. Tell people the regimen of like going to the gym and his diet and like how serious. Like he didn't look like that by accident. Like you said, he was country strong, but he also worked at it every day of his life. [00:19:24] Speaker B: Oh yeah, his regimen, his regular regimen was getting up, like I said, around 4 o', clock, going straight to the gym, working out, kind of loosen back up, go home, eat. I mean he, he ate so clean also. I mean, not only as far as his training, but his eating and everything. He. He would go home, eat a. I say a big meal. What. I mean, a lot of food, but food that's good for you, right? He Would. He might take a nap, then he would get up, he would go back to the gym, he would come back home, he would eat again, and then that night, he would go back. His regular routine would have sunk most people. Like I said, he. His regular routine was three times to. On. You know, his regular stuff was three times a day. And now if he. If he was on the road or something, you know, he would make sure he got trained at least one good time. But, I mean, I always. The way he looked like he did was he ate so clean, and I mean, he trained so much. I mean, he. He would train, eat, train, eat, train, heat. And that was his life. And if he was at home, he'd do that during the day, at night, at night, if he could go play softball, that was an extra treat for him. He loved his softball and everything. And. And that's, you know, just. I think that was the thing, just to get all the other stuff I was buying. [00:20:53] Speaker C: Right, right. So, you know, like I say, you know, people have asked, well, hey, you know, who do you credit for getting you in the business? And every interview I've ever. From that podcast to every shoot interview, every interview I've heard, Sid would always say, and I actually wanted to try to get an audio clip of this, and I didn't get a chance to get it, but maybe I can put it in there later, put it up on the Facebook page. Sid has always said the man that he credits for giving him the opportunities that made him a star is Eddie Gilbert. Without fail. He has always said that. [00:21:28] Speaker B: Yeah, he always. I heard him say that. And he said to me so many times, we'd be talking about different things, but he'd say, the. I think that he would never forget was him coming in. His wife's dad had a car lot, and my brother had called the car lot, had the somebody to give him that number for Sid. And he called there and left his name. And my brother didn't ask him could he leave his number. And they said, yeah. And he left his name and number. And Sid told me, said when I got in, said I asked him, so, what's going on? They said, well, this guy called for you. And he said, what guy? And they said, some guy named Eddie Gilbert. Do you know him? And he said, oh, man, I was tickled to death. And then they give gift, said his phone number, and he called Eddie. And I say, he. I mean, he always told everybody that Eddie's the one that got him hired. And. And which it was funny because he'd Been to Japan and he told me stories, which is funny with me going to Japan so much, but he told me stories about him going over there and going a couple weeks before the tour started, how long it seemed like it was, and that they told him, you know, that it would be a, a great money deal for his future and it would be a great actual deal for him. And Eddie asked me, he told Eddie what they told him and Eddie said, well, are you happy in Japan? And he said, well, I'd rather be home. And I think Eddie wound up telling him, well, we can guarantee, I think it's like 150 grand or something and you be at home or you can go to Japan and stay over there 20 something weeks a year and. But you know, it's up to you, you know, whatever you want to do. But Eddie said, but I think if I was you, you can make a lot of money here in the state. So I would think, yeah, that you should do that. And that's what he wound up doing. And like I said, you see the results from that, I think they turned out pretty well. [00:23:29] Speaker C: Oh yeah, I think he made the right decision. But I know, I've heard it said and I think, I think Sid had said that when they brought him over to Japan that they were working towards like making him the, the new Brody or working towards the Brody spot. [00:23:43] Speaker B: That's what they told him, that's what they was going to do. And I mean that would, and I guarantee he would have done well at that also. But like me and him, as far as talking, he, he'd. I don't. It's just after a little while over there you, I mean if you're kind of on the edge about things anyway and then you're over there for. After you're there for a few weeks and I think the first time he stayed like six weeks and you know he come back and he had a good amount of money and that was good thing, that's what he went for. But it was being away for six weeks, you know, it seemed a whole lot longer than that when he was over there and everything. And that's what, I mean they had told him that's what they was going to do and I mean with his look and everything, I mean on the first deal they really, they pushed it real big and I mean he wound up at one of the last nights had a, a big match with, I think it was a noi and but I mean they was really going, you know, that's really going to push him to the moon. Like I said, Eddie talked to him and, and, and I think one good thing and s really appreciated this because he told me a lot of times before that, you know, Eddie put him in the right situation to learn and put him with the right guy. As far as, you know, Danny Spivey did know and everything and that's what City told me that he said that we're gonna put you with Danny and you know, you be you. But I think you learn a lot from Danny. Danny was really good. I mean, and everything, you know, Danny been to Japan and all around the world and worked with everybody else. [00:25:14] Speaker C: So yeah, absolutely. That pairing, I've heard him say a lot. I think you're just saying that it was crucial to his development because he had this experienced guy because dance five he'd been in the business at that point, what, 10 years? Probably? [00:25:27] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, probably so. And he told me that, you know, Danny wasn't shy. By no means. You know, he was as far as, I mean he was a, he was like Sid. He was a big and he was a tough guy. I mean he might not have had the as many muscles as said did, but like I said, he was a smart fellow and big tough guy. And like I said, Sid, I think the good thing with that is Sid really respected him and everything and watched him and, and he really learned from him, I think. [00:25:56] Speaker C: Yeah, if, if you want to, if you want to have some fun and see just how tough those two guys were, just go on YouTube and search skyscrapers and watch some of those poor enhancement guys. They, they had a tough time wrestling Sid and Danny Spivey. [00:26:12] Speaker B: I was fixing to say, hey, they earned their money, didn't they? [00:26:16] Speaker C: They did. I think a lot of people might have second guessed their career choice after some of those matches. [00:26:21] Speaker B: Yeah, but, and like I said, but I mean, and man, both of you know what I mean? You watch those and. But both of them guys, like I said, they was big and rough, tough and everything. But man, both of those guys said Danny both super nice and, and believe it or not, laid back, you know, cats. [00:26:38] Speaker C: But you know what people have told, people have said. And then Sid confirmed this in an interview that. And this is, I mean to me this is a hell of a guy. Like some of those guys and those one on one, like a couple years later, say like around 89, 90, those guys would go out there, you know, and take, you know, sits, choke slams and power bombs. The guys that made it look really good. Guys like that Lee Scott, who's kind of famous for the bumps he take. Sid would go back there after the match and put a couple hundred bucks in their hands, like, thank you, man. I appreciate it. And you know, that ain't something he had to do, you know what I mean? Like, that's. That's pretty cool. [00:27:16] Speaker B: I don't know. Like I said, Sid done a lot of stuff like that, but. But a lot of all that stuff you don't never hear anything about. About. You just, you know, and I mean, that's the nature of our business in some aspect is you hear more or, or, I don't know me and you've talked about. People want to hear bad, I guess, more than they want to hear good. You know, it's not a. It's not a. A big deal if somebody's kind of a good person or does good things. It's a bigger deal if they've done something bad at certain points. But still was really, really nice to a lot of people, you know, like the, you know, the eliminators here, when they come down to USWA and everything. I mean, they. I remember when they was leaving, like, you know, they. Perry and John would go train and everything. I remember Sid telling me one time, you know, right when they was about to leave, one of them said to him, said, man, I need some money. So when I get back home and I got back up north, they would, you know, have money to be on their feet. And I remember Sid had told me that he told. I'm sure it was Lawler then said just their last week here, which I had about two weeks left, said just put them in a program with me. And I was looking at when he told me this, and I said, in a program with you? And he said, yeah. And he said, I told him so they would make some money. And then he said he'd give them both a couple hundred bucks each, but he give them money. He got them booked against him as in a handicap deal, just against him around the whole loop. But, I mean, it was something that meant something. And so he got him a good pal for the week plus, and he'd give him some money too. So, I mean, that's stuff like that that people don't hear about and everything. It's, you know, the way some of us guys are. [00:29:02] Speaker C: Yeah, that's. That's good to hear. Do you remember, like, do you remember when you met Sid, where and when. [00:29:10] Speaker B: That would have been, Gene? Right after he had broke in the business here. That would have been in that been the next year when was it that him and Idle Rest Law where you. [00:29:27] Speaker C: Said what, what it was in 87, I believe. [00:29:29] Speaker B: I think 80. It might have been 87 or the first of 88. [00:29:37] Speaker C: Because in 88, I think probably around April, March, April is when he ended up in Continental as well. Humongous with Bruno. [00:29:48] Speaker B: And yeah, I had met him in Memphis just before that. But as far as getting to know him real well myself, it was during the Continental days is when I really got to know him. And what was cool about, like I said, I was telling you about us all have an apartment in that apartment there in Montgomery. Sid was one of the guys that live, like I said, we stayed in hotel rooms, you know, like three or four nights a week. But, but we all, we'd split apartment, just keep an apartment in Montgomery. That's where the office was at for the Continental territory. And Sid was one of the ones of us that that was, you know, split and we had the apartment there. And that was really cool and everything. And that's when I really got to know Sid real well and traveled with him from then on a whole lot. [00:30:38] Speaker D: Hey, guys, Ray Russell here, curator of the Wrestlecopia Podcast Network, inviting you guys to listen to many of the programs here as part of the Wrestlecopia brand, including but not limited to the Wrestling Memory Grenade, currently covering the 1988 in the WWF project. You can also listen to the Regional Wrestling podcast where we talk the territories, whether it's Jamie Ward with Georgia 81, Roman Gomez with the UWF in 1986, or Gene Jackson covering Memphis in 85. Three projects going on right now over there at Regional Wrestling. You can also listen to the Wrestling Stoop with the legend himself, Bob Roop. Bob goes back in time each and every week, covering not just his career, but countless stories and interactions with hundreds of wrestling names spanning his two decades in the business. But that's not all. You can also check out the Puro Wrestling Academy with the professor of Puroresu, Mr. Dan Guineity. 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[00:32:31] Speaker C: Sid said in, in some of those interviews as well that really Continental was like the most fun he had in his career. Even though he was just starting out and everything. He's like been traveling with you guys and that apartment and you know, hanging out with Bruno and all that stuff that, you know, he's had so many fond memories and it was just a lot of fun. Do you have any, any other fun stories from, from the Continental days? [00:32:56] Speaker B: Man, I think it was, it was fun for him because it was being on the road and it was working and it was making a living for the first time in the wrestling business and seeing what it was like to, to actually be in the wrestling business. Because Sid will tell you or would tell you that when he grew up, he did, he watched wrestling, but he wasn't a big wrestling fan is the way he would put it to me that, you know, he was more, I mean he told me like he was saying about the farming, the work, he's more working and wasn't too much into very much stuff. He liked sports but as far as when he watched wrestling, he liked wrestling but he wasn't a big wrestling fan. Which you know, some people are like that or some people are like myself that grew up on wrestling and everything. But he, but in like I said, I mean there's different things like you know, my brother put him with, put Shane, Shane Douglas with Sid and Continental and that was kind of a cool deal with him as a tag team with Lord Humongous and, and Shane and that was cool. And then there's just different things about down there I think give him the opportunity as far as character wise for the Lord Hugh Mongus gimmick to see it itself, which he always told me. He said one thing about the Lord Humongous, you know, you couldn't make any facial expressions. So he said, you know, everybody wonders why I try to make so many facial expressions now and everything. Well, you know, when you underneath the mask, you couldn't. He said. So now I think a lot of times I try to do too much as far as expression wise, which I always thought it was, it was great how he done, you know, pretty much everything that he done and everything. But it was, that was a fun time in Continental. Like I said, I think it really, I think it was good for him and I think Eddie put him in a lot of spots to help himself and I think, you know, he'd done real well with it. [00:34:51] Speaker C: Well, that's what I was going to say. You know, I remember going to the Lavender Coliseum in Columbus and watching Lord Humongous against nightmare Danny Davis. Of course I was a big nightmare Danny Davis fan. Eventually became a big Lord Humongous fan. Looking back now, knowing what I know now, that was another instance of Eddie taking care of him, him being so green and everything because Danny, I mean, my goodness, you look at all the people Danny went on to train and the hand he's had in all these different careers. I'm sure it was no accident that his first feud in Continental was with Danny Davis because he knew that Danny could work with him and he was learning on the job, you know. [00:35:27] Speaker B: Well, you know, it's funny you say that it was that and I mean, you know, after him and Danny, pretty quick after that then I wound up working a program with Danny because Danny was like the kind of, I think the half training guy there. Every one of us that come through that was young Danny to work program with. But I mean that was always good. I used to tell people it was funny. Like Bob Armstrong told me one time that he like he brought my dad in to kind of to get Scott going. Scott Armstrong in which my dad worked program with Scott for like three or four months straight and everything. Scott always talks to him about it but yeah, Danny was great for that. Like I said Sid work program with him and, and Danny was so good. Like I said, all of us guys, I mean he helped all of us out which, but I mean like I said, Sid was just really talented. [00:36:17] Speaker C: You know, you mentioned Shane Douglas and that was always kind of one of Eddie's guys. There was, you could kind of tell when Eddie was booking somewhere because you start seeing certain guys start popping up and Shane was one of them. And I always like that in Eddie's booking he didn't just do like generic wrestling angles and just the same old things that people did. It was really fun the way that Lord Humongous turned a baby face with Shane where it turns out Shane's like his cousin. And there was a slow burn over a few weeks time, you know, where it all transpired and, and again, you know, putting him in a tag team there as he Would later with Spivey even though Shane Douglas wasn't real experienced himself. But it gave him a chance to but tag out and Shane to take this but. [00:37:04] Speaker B: But such a pure baby face. And then you got the. The Lord humongous gimmick which like. Like I said we like we always talk about, you know with your face completely covered it's hard for you for the to get any sympathy on it which can be hard to get sympathy when you're just as big and look like Sid did also. But what I'm saying it was a good pairing as far as. Because like I said you had Shane that, that I mean the people get behind. They give that hot tag Sid and people go nuts. And like I said Sid would do all his stuff and I mean he was super over down there. [00:37:38] Speaker C: He was. I remember. So I tell you how you get sympathy on a. On a 6 foot 9 monster in a hockey mask. You have Randy Collie throw ink in his eyes and blind him. [00:37:47] Speaker B: That that how that done it didn't did. [00:37:51] Speaker C: I remember he disappeared for a couple weeks and and Randy Collie was Detroit demolition and the D.I. bob. Bob Carter. Bob Blackburn. Right. Those guys were in a match and somebody brought a gift wrap package to ringside and when. When they opened up the package I think Bruno was down there too. Bruno opens the package, they pull out a ink stained hockey mask and all of a sudden War Machine by Kiss starts playing. And all he did was come down the aisle and just stalk them around the ring like Jason Voorhees or something and they ran for their lives and people went nuts. And he was made like he was. I mean like I said between that and paired up with Shane he was. He was off to the races as one of the top baby faces there in comp. [00:38:36] Speaker B: Oh he was. And I mean he was over I mean which Eddie had different stuff for him to do on TV. And like you said as far as you know just kind of personalizing. You know you think it'd be hard to personalize a kind of humongous something with him. But there was quite a few different things that 80 done with him that I don't think people had done before and everything. And I think the one good thing is is like I said, Eddie said was friends and I think and you know Sid listen Ed and Eddie could tell him what. What he thought what he thought was right. And and 99 of the time Sid would go along and. And get everything over that. Eddie told it. [00:39:20] Speaker C: Something I always thought was a cool thing and, and Bruno's told this a lot and maybe someday we can, we can get Bruno on here and let him tell some, some of his experiences and see it as well. But I know Bruno, I've heard Bruno tell several times that, you know, those two travel together in Continental and Memphis and different places. Got to be really great friends. And Sid always told Bruno, he said, if I make it up to the wwf, I'm gonna get you a job, I'm gonna get you up there. And he made good on that. Sid made it to the WWF and eventually Harvey Whippleman was there by his side and was his manager and had a long, I mean Bruno worked there for years and years and years after that. [00:40:02] Speaker B: Yeah, and I mean Sid did get him the, the tryout, but I mean after that Bruno had to keep his job himself and. Yeah, and everything. But yeah, but I mean, yes, I mean his word, if he told you something he was going to do it and I mean they would have to, somebody would have had to told him something wrong if it wasn't the truth, whatever he told you. And I mean, it was just like I said, there's so many different things. I mean, like I said as far as traveling and, and you know, just traveling here, working in Memphis territory, we said we had a bunch of good times in here and I mean it was cool. Me and him went to New Orleans for WrestleCon. I guess we went for the same guy, but we hung out there for a weekend and that was really cool. We had a good time. We went to New York together to some sign ins and different things and we went to Philly to think a wrestlecon up there and that was really cool. But I mean I've traveled kind of all over with, with Sid and had some great times, great memories. And you mentioned Bruno earlier and I talked to him earlier in the week and, and I told him I should probably Bruno myself, probably about travel with Sid as much or more than anybody. And I said we've been in some spots and we Bruno. And he said, yeah. And we kind of reminisced a little bit. [00:41:27] Speaker C: Yeah. So you know, Sid went on, you know, like say he came up through Memphis and Continental, he went to WCW and he, you know, he headlined the Starcade, he feuded with Sting, team with Big Van Vader and then eventually went on to headline a couple of WrestleManias. He was multiple time world champion across WWF, WCW, the USWA. But throughout all that time and you know, all these worldwide promotions and pay per views and he headlined, you know, he would, he would Always find his way back to Memphis and it was more so just about being back home right so he could be there close to his family. [00:42:07] Speaker B: Well you know what people. That's the strange thing Gene. People will not at different times why he done something for. But I'll be dang if I don't think every time that he wanted to go home and he went if he didn't wind up walking back in a better spot than he did when he left and I that was hard because he was always in good spots. But I mean he's the only person that I can think of right now and somebody might tell me that. That I'm wrong after I say this but was sitting there with a 750000 or million dollar contract waiting for him to sign and from WCW and Vincent wanted him back and they talked him out of signing that and he signed with Vince and everything. But I mean and then he told me that the. The idea thing would have for him to took the contract but he wanted to go because they made him so many promises and everything and he thought that was the. The route to go and we all got to do what we. You know it's like Gene, if they. If somebody told you something two or three different companies told you something and you'd wind up picking the one that you thought you know that you wanted or what you thought would be best for you. And he told me in that instance during that time though he said he probably did that the wrong thing but there's not that many people that you're going to be able to talk to that's. That's has looked at that. It has looked at $750,000 million dollars guaranteed laying on the table and not took it. And then, and then like I said there's not too many people that. That I know. A bunch of people in wrestling business and a bunch of wrestlers, a bunch of promoters, a bunch of everything else but I don't know that many that's made 200, 250 grand in one night. And he did so. So what I'm saying is is it don't matter. People can knock whatever or say well he didn't stay here, he left here or went there man that during that time as long as he was happy with what he was doing that that was the right thing. And I mean that's. You know you got to respect people for doing what they want to do. [00:44:19] Speaker C: And I assume for any. Maybe you can confirm or tell me if I'm wrong but I feel like all of Sid's decisions like that were always about. It was never about ego and who's going to make me like the bigger star. It was always just what he thought was going to be best for his family in the long run. Right. It was about where he could make the most money and do the most good for his career. It wasn't about like, oh, they're going to push me. I'm going to be the, the top star. It was just about what was best for them. [00:44:45] Speaker B: Right? It was what was best and what he thought was best for the future. And I mean, it was, you know, one of the main things. 99 of the people, like, leading up to WrestleMania was, would have been saying, well, what are we going to do after WrestleMania? Well, to the WrestleMania that he worked against Hogan in the main event, was that eight or nine, I think, or something? Yeah. He told me he was so ready to go before WrestleMania that he had the, the three months before that, the build up. He said it just seemed like it took forever and he could not wait for that night to come and get over with. Not. I said, what do you mean, man? I said, people would. He said, doug, it was just so crazy. We was never getting to go home. He said. I told him a couple months before that I was just fixing to leave, and they said, no, at least make it through mania. So he told me he kind of promised them that he would. He did. And quick after that, though, I think he was out of there. Yeah, but, but that's, that's what the people, they looked at and say, well, I wonder why this happened or why'd that happen? And he told me that they was lucky that, you know, he stayed that long. But, I mean, most people would, would cut one of their arms off for that opportunity, but it was just, it was at the point where he said that he was just going to have to get away and everything. And like I said, if you, you listen to somebody and you hear like I did, you understand, I mean, it's not which I, I knew, I knew how to take most things we said and everything. And like I said, see it at a breaking point. When he got to it like that deal, he would, he would, he'd leave for a little bit. But like I said, I swear, you know, people can knock it or whatever, but then when you, you're going six months to a year and all of a sudden they want you back and they're offering huge money again, I don't think you really hurt yourself and you give your body a break and the whole time that he wasn't actually working, he was still training and working out. I mean, he stayed in shape. So, you know, that part wouldn't hurt him. By no means. [00:46:49] Speaker C: I mean, that was the thing. I mean people could get upset and you know, Vince McMahon could probably be mad that he couldn't control Sid and like he could other people. But the, the bottom line was you weren't going to pit, pull another Sid just out anywhere like six months, eight months later when he decided to come back. He's still 6 foot 9, he's still a monster, he still draws money, People still want to see him. And you can't just pull that out of Ohio Valley or wherever you're trying to pull talent from. [00:47:16] Speaker B: And I'm gonna tell you, I mean, he drew money everywhere. But Gene, if you would have been with him like I was up in that, the northeast area. Oh my gosh, those people in New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, I mean anywhere up that way, gosh, we'd wrestle at, you know, small colleges or big high schools and draw three or 4,000 people. And just, just with, I said, and I'd work in Sid and they'd have like five or six other matches. But I mean they might be one other guy that had come off of WW WWF TV or might not be. No guys come off and I mean they draw 3,000 or 4,000 and it would be, it would be like, you know, your miniature little WWF crowd. But I mean they would go wild and Sid would come out and everything. I thought, gosh, this guy, which I knew he was over. But I mean, those nights in a sending ring, they hit his music and stuff and he'd come out. I thought, man, this dude is, is so over. I mean it was like a, it was like a different type of over. If you can imagine that. [00:48:21] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, if you want to, if you're listening to this, if you want to go look at, I think It's Survivor Series 96, where Sid's wrestling Shawn Michaels for the title and Sid's supposed to be the heel and Sean's at the peak of his, his baby face run. And in New York City, they were all about Sid in that match. Like they turned on Shawn Michaels. [00:48:41] Speaker B: Was that, was that where, that's where Sid did the promo one. They both do promos and since it. You might be the champion, but you're, you're dealing a big man sport or something. I can't remember Sid's actual line, but he said that. But I mean the people was, I thought Man. Which I watched back after he told me a couple of things that, that they went back and forth and said. And I thought that's cool, you know, I mean, it's kind of at least they was doing their own stuff. Whether, you know, anybody likes or not. It wasn't rolled out for them or nothing. They were kind of saying and kind of, kind of, kind of shooting on the square. Ribbon on square a little bit. But. But I mean, saying what they actually both thought and everything. [00:49:26] Speaker C: Yeah, I was always. I thought that was so cool. It was kind of like what you said. It just was an illustration of just how over he was in the North. Even though he was a Southern boy and his career started and kicked off in the south, he became a monster star in the north, you know, for his entire career. [00:49:42] Speaker B: Oh yeah, they, they loved him. Like I said, we'd go do signings and stuff and they was just, just crazy about which. Which I'm not saying about the South. He drew a bunch of money in the south and everywhere else he went to, it was just like he was a freaking celebrity figure up there in the Northeast. [00:50:00] Speaker C: And it was really cool for the USWA because here you've got, you know, this guy who he's just a few months away from. He just recently had been in the ring with Hogan at WrestleMania, then later he had just been feuding with Shawn Michaels on tv and now he's here he is wrestling Lawler for the unified title around the horn. He's not just at the Mid South Coliseum. He's going to the towns and, and that was a huge shot in the arm for Memphis and of course help make money for all you guys there. So I'm sure everybody appreciated that. [00:50:31] Speaker B: And, and here's the thing, what people don't really realize, Gene, about that is, is every time he would go back for one of his major runs in which, I mean, I. You could pick, I guess between them and say, but to me they was all good runs because, I mean, every time he went back, I think he done well. But before he would go back, every time he would at least come here, usually at least two to four weeks and like you said, make the loot. Man was in some tag matches together and I saw one as we was talking about him working against the Eliminators on the Loop. But then when me and him worked some tags against him and that. And that was cool. And like I said, he, he would always, before he ever went back, he'd come back and just want to kind of tune up and for about a month to usually a month, six weeks. And it didn't matter if his wwf, wcw, where it was, he'd come back and, you know, get his legs back under him and then there he'd go again and do well. And it's a funny thing because he told me one time, said somebody told me, I'll be thankful for the Ultimate Warrior. I said, and I'm thinking, why would they tell him that for. And I, I laughed when he told me. He said, because they said every time he would leave, Vince would call me and. But, you know, I, I didn't like, you know, I was more into our product at the time and watching us work and not that product. But I've. I guess that's. You would probably know what he's saying there. But he said that. He said they had, you know, the big, like the entrances were. Were the main four or five guys like Sean and Undertaker and them had their great entrances, which he said they had one made for the Ultimate Warrior and they wound up changing it a little bit and putting Sid across there. But it was one of those times when, yeah, Ultimate Warrior and Vince had got into it. And Sid said, you see this? And he said, I don't even know what it was. It's just a big thing of lights. But he said, didn't you see a Sid in the middle of it? And I popped one time I actually, me and him was looking at something and I saw it and he said, that's what I'm talking about right there. He said, look, I'm telling how much money they paid for it for him. Then he quit. And then they called me and I come in, they just put seed in the middle of it. And I got over me. I popped. [00:52:42] Speaker C: Folks, if you. If you look around online, you'll find that picture of Sid standing the ring with that big sign that Doug's talking about. And if you look at it, you can tell where they took an Ultimate Warrior sign logo and spin split it and made it into the words Sid. [00:52:57] Speaker B: But is that not. [00:52:58] Speaker C: I mean, that's dead on. But yes, there are several instances where Warrior just flaked out on them and suddenly Sid shows back up. So I just imagine Sid sitting at home in Arkansas. You know, Vince calls and has to throw because, I mean, at that point Sid's got all the leverage. So I'm sure he brokered some pretty sweet deals. Well, he told me to come back up there. [00:53:18] Speaker B: Well, that's what he told me. They flew for like a. I think it was a Baltimore show. They flew their jet down here to get him, and they got him on the phone and just asked him would he at least do that one night? And they made a deal with him for that one night, but told him they wanted to sit down with him when he got there. And they flew their jet down here to Memphis and picked him up and flew him there to the show. And then. So I didn't get into specifics on a lot of the money stuff he told me, but I didn't tell him what that deal was, and I guarantee it was. It was huge because, like I said, they had to have him. And that was the only thing you got to realize, Gene, when you're the good deal about Sid replacing somebody, you know, I mean, I don't care whether anybody says the. The ultimate work can work or whatever. He was over, like a million bucks up there. Way was up there. [00:54:12] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:54:13] Speaker B: So for you to have a person that when you hit the music or when the person just comes out, it's above that, then, you know, you've got something, and that means something. And that's the spot that, see, it had with him. So, I mean, he had the leverage right there. And, I mean, that really helped in a lot of ways. And I mean, it's like he told me, though, he said. He said home one time, and he said he thought he might just got paid more for that Wrestlemania than what he did, but he didn't ever really say that to anybody, but he said he sat home one time for 18 months and never missed a check. Which, you know, I hear people telling stories about not getting checks and. And everything, but he said he sat home and didn't miss a check for 18 months and got one, like, every. Every two weeks or something. So, I mean, that's. I'd say that's a sweet deal. Which, I mean, I know you've heard him before saying about, like, what, Sean not working for four years and Vince not ever. [00:55:10] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:55:10] Speaker B: You know, not. Not ever not paying him kick. Just keeping on paying him. I think it was four years or something, but I always thought, you know, people didn't really know that, which, I mean, and I think, you know, all the guys think they should make a little more. But. But I mean, Sid done real well. [00:55:24] Speaker C: With him, and he's a guy who made a ton of money in his career, but he didn't live an extravagant lifestyle. Right. I mean, he. He. He wasn't blowing that money. And that's why he could call his own shots, because he wasn't In a position where it's like, all right, this money's running low. I guess I won't have to try to get back in there. I mean, you know, he. He didn't blow it and live like a. How some people do, like a Ric Flair, right? [00:55:50] Speaker B: He told me one of the guys that come through Memphis during one of his times coming back. But when he was here, he didn't. The guy didn't have much money or anything. Sid said he went back to wwf and he said the guy come up to him and said, so he just had a little T shirt, like Carhartt T shirt or something. Said did. And so the GU walked by him, said, see, won't you get one of these shirts? And I was laughing because him saying that to me about clothes, it was funny when I. He said. I looked him said, one of those shirts. Why I want one of these shirts? One of those shirts for. He said, these cost $400. Why haven't you got one on? Said, because I still got my $400 in my pockets. Why I don't have one on and I'm gonna be wearing. But Sid was on Cop during those. You know, he's talking, this guy. I thought, yeah, that guy just kept his mouth shut and left well enough alone. But I mean, like I said, Sid knew business and money. And I mean, you know, people thinks once some. Someone has left that maybe they're not doing well. But I think that was right. The opposite was said. I think he was always doing well when people, you know, they wouldn't see him. But, I mean, you got to realize how good he done during all those runs. And I mean, then he went home. Said was a smart guy. He got with a. With the, like, one of those chemical companies, farming companies, and they paid him to go talk with people. Also, what you guys just other day had talked to me about that, about no one Said from Dyersburg, Tennessee, and him coming over there, talking to him about farm and stuff. And everything. But Sidney whole. I mean, he knew a lot of stuff. [00:57:17] Speaker C: Yeah, see, my dad used to sell farm equipment. And he called me one time and he was at like, a farm show. And he's like, you're never gonna believe who I saw at the agriculture show this weekend who was up there talking. He's like. He was representing a chemical company. I'm like, who? He said, sid Vicious. I'm like, sid Vicious. He's like, yeah. He's like, he works for this company. And he goes around talking. [00:57:39] Speaker B: And I was like, and, you know, another Guy. Do you remember a guy that kind of resembled Sid? I mean, size wise, his name. He wrestled as Johnny Rotten. [00:57:51] Speaker C: Johnny Rotten. I do that. [00:57:53] Speaker B: That was. That's Sid's buddy, which he passed a few years ago and everything. But he was a great fellow too. And I traveled some with him. Like when Sid was in WWF and. And he wanted to wrestle around here, they'd book him and I'd ride with him. He'd ride with me. And he was a good guy too. He was really. But he was with one of those companies that you're talking about. Like, they'd go and talk with people and everything and you know, they really. They really done well with that. [00:58:20] Speaker C: Well, that's cool. Well, given, you know, given Sid's career that he's had, I really wish that he would have been put into the. The WWE hall of Fame while he was still here to be a part of it. I know online that, you know, there were Twitter accounts and different things that were posting that up and it was, you know, supposedly coming from. Said, I can't picture Sid tweeting. [00:58:44] Speaker B: Oh, that's all right. That's. That's a guy. That's a. That's a guy in California, I think he told me. But he'd get hot because the. The funny thing, like some of his friends was calling him, like, getting hot at him. I don't know what. Which you said. You saying. I had never seen it before, but the guy would be tweeting stuff with somebody that knew Sid was calling him, saying, I can't believe you're saying that since. What do you mean? I'm saying what? Sid didn't know what he's talking about, which. And then he wound up telling me. I think he found out the guy that was doing it is maybe from California or something, which you might know. Gene. I don't. I'm not sure. But he said he wound up. I think he wound up talking to the person one time and said, man, don't be saying stuff like you're saying. Which I thought, I don't guess with the name, the way the guy had it, he could say anything about it or whatever, but he said he wound up. I think talking to the guy. [00:59:33] Speaker C: Was that something that was important to Sid, like a Hall of Fame or something like that? Is that something he. I mean, I mean, nobody's gonna be mad at getting in the hall of Fame, obviously, but I mean, is that something that would have meant a lot to him or. [00:59:43] Speaker B: Man, I think. I think so. The last three or four Years. I think it would have been a lot. I mean, I really do. I mean it didn't hurt nothing that it didn't happen because he knows what he's done and, and he had a great career and everything. But I think it would have, would have really now, before that, I don't know. But I think this last three or four years, yeah, I think it would have been like lot to him. [01:00:05] Speaker C: So, so let's talk about. So Sid, Sid has been. Been battling cancer for, for a while now. And that's not something that was public knowledge and that was intentional. Sid didn't, didn't want that out, which again I think is says a lot for him as well. Only his, his closest friends and family really, really had knowledge of it. When do you remember finding out that news and, and how did, how was it taking it? [01:00:40] Speaker B: Oh, it's been, it's probably been two, two years a little over. I mean it hadn't just been, you know, it hadn't just been the last little bit or anything. I mean he's been been struggling for a while, but he wouldn't say struggling. He's still going to the gym and training and, and he took up box and of all things, me and him. One of the last signings we went to, a guy gave me and him, he gave us each his love. Give me the left one, Sid the right one. But remember Larry Holmes, the boxer of the world champion? Larry Holmes? Larry Holmes had signed one of them and we signed him a couple pictures and he guy gave us, he had, Larry Holmes had autographed both gloves and he gave us and, and I said well said you can have both of them and take them. Because I knew it's like box. And me and him was talking about box and he was showing me different punches. He said Doug, know how many punt really punches they are what they call real punches in boxing? I said, I don't know. Said two. And he said no, six. And he was showing me the punches and the different stuff and he was really, he really enjoyed that. But he, he had been into that the last year. So I mean he never quit training. Yeah. Sid love, love boxing. I mean as far as his would be traveling, like the last few times we traveled to, we still talk about sports, but boxing had been a real big thing. And like I said he was doing, going to a gym over there in Memphis and there was, it was like a box and like they had all the, the bags, you know, the punching bags that you punched and everything. And he said like a lot of the. You and young up and comers would go there and everything. And one of them asking one time the guy that owned the gym said, do you know who your. You know who you're training with right there? And he's the guy said. The guy told Sid said, tell him who you are. He said ah, I had never done much. Said I won. I was on the Family Feud and, And the guy laughed because he was remember, yeah, wcw. And the guy told him, said man, he's on the Family Feud. And said, yeah. He said what'd you win? And said I won a lot. He said where the money? He said what'd you do with that money? He said oh, I give it to charity, which you, you know, all the guys that did this, the family, few deals, like, you know, whatever they do when they get right. And he said, he said, the guy said, oh man. Said, well, you gotta be pretty cool. Then later on during that day, this guy walked back up to him. The guy on the gym told him who said was he didn't know. And he said man, you, you, you. Sid Fish said, man, I watch you when I was a kid. Which he said went on to, you know, said laughed and told me that was funny stories and everything. But like I said Gene, main thing and I mean, I know we went over some stories but tell everybody, you know, appreciate him praying for Sid's family and kids and grandkids. And like I said, it was always a real good guy to like I said that Seth, he's a great kid growing up and Sid was always good to him. And I mean Sid went to like shelters and you know, he talked with homeless people and you know, all that stuff has never been noticed and Sid didn't want it noticed or anything. I mean, you know, he wouldn't go out and tell people when he done good things like, like me and he was talking. I mean, I don't. Don't know. We want just talk about bad things. But a lot of times people thinks bad things are more interesting than good things. [01:04:10] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean that's definitely the trend in society. Not just the wrestling business, just society in general and social media. People like to, to talk about the bad and dwell on the bad. But man, I've been really, I've been really happy on social media the last couple days. I don't know if you've been on and really noticed it, but there's been a lot of great positive stuff shared about Sid. A lot of, you know, pictures of him with his grandkids and, and people Coming out of the woodwork, telling stories. You know, guys in the business like Booker T. You know, saying how you know him and his brother never would have gotten their opportunity in WCW if see it hadn't helped him and cool stuff like that. [01:04:47] Speaker B: Well, I'm glad you said that because I was going to say, you know Sid like Eddie, I'll see it. Sid got those guys a start and everything and they've done well for themselves. I mean he got him to start like. Like I said, I mean he got Bruno the trap. Bruno had to keep his job himself. But he did get Bruno trial. So that was. That's cool. You know, it's cool when people help other people and everything. Like I said, Eddie was once. It's influences and I'm like I said he'd get along with Sid real well and I did too. And like I said, I mean Sid traveled everywhere together and we had a bunch of good times. [01:05:21] Speaker C: And he's one of those guys that forever in the sport will be. His name is synonymous. He's made a big enough name for himself that he's. He's one of the few guys that all you have to do is say the name Sid and people know exactly who you're talking about. You don't have to say a last name, you don't have to add the psycho. Or that if somebody says, hey man, remember Sid, they know exactly who you're talking about if they're a wrestling fan. And I think that's pretty cool too. [01:05:46] Speaker B: Oh, I think it's really cool. That's why I always told him I don't. I didn't even think you needed a. You didn't need a. You didn't need the Vicious, you didn't need the Psycho. You. All you needed. All he ever needed was just see it all. I mean that was it. Just see it. I mean that's like I said, you would have been shocked if you'd been with me in some of the places. Like, you know, I've seen the most over guys that they are and like I said in that northeast, gosh, he was, he was one of them. Like so I'd be standing ring with him coming out to the ring and just be. I mean you, you had to be there to been around. I've been in some big arenas sold slap out full and electricity in them and like I said up there in the north northeast with him just wherever it was at it was like that. [01:06:29] Speaker C: Really cool, man. Well, we appreciate you coming on here and talking about your friend. I know it's, it's tough to do in the, in the wake of losing him. And, and like I said, it's. [01:06:38] Speaker B: It. [01:06:38] Speaker C: It doesn't get easier, man. I know you've lost a lot of friends and even family in this business over the years, and it, it's hard to. It's hard to deal with it. And I just wanted to be able to come on here and give you a chance to share some of these stories that people don't necessarily know about Sid. [01:06:54] Speaker B: You know what I'm gonna say, Gene, and we can end on this is. Is, man, I'm just gonna think of the good stuff that I, that, you know, the memories that I have, the good memories I have said and think positive about them. And like I said, the main things I like. I appreciate everybody listening. Like I said, I want everybody that is listening if they would pray for his family, kids, grandkids and everything, and he'll be in heaven looking down and. But anyway, I appreciate everybody for listening to me and you. Like I said, some weeks gonna be longer than others and, and you know, we all have things that happen that we'd rather not. But anyway, we're all gonna pull through everything and like me and you've talked before, I appreciate everybody listening to us and I hope we give you some kind of a little bit of knowledge. It'd probably be Gene more than myself giving you the knowledge, but we give you a little bit more than that than. Than you need before you start listening to us. But like I said, we appreciate everybody listening. Peace. Everybody. Be cool. [01:07:57] Speaker C: Hey folks, before we get out of here, I just want to take a moment to remind you to check out Doug Gilbert podcast.com There you can find links to all things related to this podcast and to Doug himself. There are links to the Dangerous Conversation Facebook page where we post all sorts of great content regularly involving the Gilbert family. There's the Dangerous Conversations x Twitter that we have. Plus there's a link to the dangerous Doug Gilbert Facebook and X pages where you can keep up with everything Doug has coming up, like show signings, conventions, you name it. And it's all going to be posted right there by Doug on his social media. He appreciates the support. And if you really want to show support, check out the Gilbert Family Pro Wrestling Tees store featuring a tremendous array of T shirts featuring Doug, Eddie and their father, Tommy Gilbert. And if you've enjoyed listening to this show, please subscribe, rate and review the show on whatever your platform of choice is. It really helps us out and it helps us build the podcast for the future. And if you want to see a plethora of matches, promos and angles involving Doug and Eddie and Tommy, you can check out the Gilbert Family playlist on our YouTube channel over at YouTube.com at Retro Wrestling Archive. But that link is available at Doug Gilbert podcast.com and last but certainly not least, we are proud to be a part of the Wrestlecopia Podcast Network. Going over to wrestlecopia.com and check out all the great wrestling related podcast and content that our friend Ray Russell provides for you over there. You'll certainly be glad that you did hey everybody, Gene Jackson here inviting you to check out the Retro Wrestling Review where each each week I'm joined by some great co hosts who help me review classic episodes of USWA Championship Wrestling. And right now we are doing week by week reviews of 1993. But we don't just do reviews. Sometimes we get a chance to interview some of the people who were there and lived it. Plus do watch alongs. It's a lot of fun. So check out new episodes that drop every Wednesday at wrestlecopia.com and to find links to everything associated associated to the podcast you can go to uswapodcast. Com.