National Wrestling Alliance: The Untold Story of the Monopoly That Strangled Pro Wrestling

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Tim Hornbaker
Publisher: ECW Press
Released: 5/07

The Good
Tim Hornbaker’s book on the history of the NWA is perhaps the most comprehensive on pro-wrestling that will be written. He essentially tells the story of pro-wrestling in much of North America and even Japan over the last hundred years. While this could have been narrower in scope, Hornbaker took liberties to be more far-reaching and almost encyclopedic in approach. The main thread is detailing the formation of the Alliance, its developments, its challenges from “outlaw” promoters and even the U.S. government, the decline of the Alliance and the stories of all the players. The immense amounts of information make this superior to Chokehold and Sex, Lies and Headlocks, which had similar goals. Hornbaker has chapters dedicated to “Strangler” Lewis, Toots Mondt, Sam Muchnick, Fred Kohler and Lou Thesz, which all relate to the NWA story through fascinating mini-bios. He also has thorough pieces on numerous key pro-wrestlers who often doubled as bookers and promoters. Perhaps more interestingly, Hornbaker covers nearly everyone who has ever been an Alliance member, which are stories seldom told because they were often not performers or that aspect of their career is not told. This book is a must-have for the pro-wrestling historian. 

The Bad
Tim Hornbaker’s book is as extensive a book on pro-wrestling history as there is on the market. In just over three hundred and fifty pages, he shoehorns an amazing amount of detailed information. Unlike the history in books like Pain and Passion, Death of WCW and some autobiographies by wrestler/promoters, Hornbaker’s writing style is more substance over style. The complaints of a friend who felt the boringness of this book had overshadowed all the great information inside were convincing. This is not a “fun” read, the two lawsuit chapters are, in fact, largely dull, despite their importance. However, just as one would not read an encyclopedia from cover to cover, so is the case here. This book is a phenomenal resource and a lackluster pleasure book. 

The Rating: ****3/4

Gypsy Joe Shoot Interview [Highspots]

The Good
Gypsy Joe is more than just the oldest active pro-wrestler in history and the man who was assaulted by New Jack on an indy show, he is a man who has traveled the world and experienced a great number of things.  His tales of working around Tennessee, battling Rusher Kimura in Japan and getting screwed over time and time again make for some unique listening material.  While criticizing George Gulas, Shawn Michaels and Jerry Lawler is not unusual, Gypsy Joe actually knocks Harley Race and some other people that would surprise you.  He definitely had an distinct career that has led him to his distinct perspective on the business and his place in it.

The Bad
Generally, pro-wrestler's backstories are over-covered, bland or unimportant, but when Gypsy Joe's childhood and late start in the business are not really covered, I became intrigued.  Coming up as a Latin-American and trying to get a break seems like a hard luck story that you'd want to hear, but he does not really touch upon it.  Instead, he goes on about how he is so tough, worked on top everywhere and how innovative he was.  Without undermining his true accomplishments, Gypsy Joe needed to be much more honest for me to take him seriously.  Instead, he sounds like what "El Guapo" Bas Rutten would sound like if he really was Spanish with all the accented nonsense he spews.  He hints at bitterness, disappointment and anger, but all along puts himself over again and again.  Once New Jack's name is brought up, he gets all fired up and is never able to bring it back down.  These qualities really brought this down into the mediocre category.

The Rating: ***

"Cowboy" Bob Kelly on Ringside Rap (2/25/2010)

The Good
Here's a great idea, take three distinctly different (but all excellent) pro-wrestling people together and have on a great host.  Ringside Rap features Rich Tate (whose Peach State Pandemonium site is one of the best resources of its kind), Mike Sempervieve (whose work with Zach Arnold, Dr. Keith Lipinski, Bryan Alvarez and others has made me a big fan of his) and Les Thatcher (a highly experience veteran with a great on-air personality) together and sometimes they have on some unique guests.  Just listening to these three talk about the winter of 2010 has some entertainment value, but that pales in comparison to the appearance of "Cowboy" Bob Kelly.  Here's why this is an "epic win."  Those three hosts are all great in their own way.  Rich Tate poses some solid questions, Semp "sits under the learning tree" (as he says) and Les Thatcher talks about every rinky-dink arena throughout Louisiana and Alabama to get Kelly going.  Well, Cowboy Kelly needs no pushing.  He is a storyteller of the first order and I was glued to this interview.  The Gulf Coast is often underplayed, but if you know a little about it, this is a wonderful listen.  From Don Fargo's shenanigans and Maw Bass's major heat to Ken Lucas's workrate and the Cajun fans before the Mid-South era, Bob Kelly is able to really inform and entertain throughout.  I also thought a different side of Les Thatcher came out because he's so often talking about current goings-on that one forgets he working in the Southern heat and experiencing amazing things.

The Bad
I don't know if I'd call this a perfect interview, it was a bit sorted at times and only ran for an hour.  However, it was never dull and I enjoyed every bit of it.  This shows how the right conditions and chemistry make for a great interview more than well-researched chronology and such.  I stumbled across this and will definitely be tuning in to this show again.

The Rating: ****1/2

Barry Windham [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
As highly regarded as Barry Windham was as a worker, he seems like he's an underrated interview.  Here, shortly after being released by the WWE (where he was an agent), he is as candid as you'd want without seeming bitter or angry.  His honest is really unique as he talks about his own steroid use, recklessness of himself and the boys as well as the people who held him back.  I would argue that he is one of the most insightful workers into the true nature of wrestling today and the fact he's a free agent is a travesty because he seems like a huge asset.  Windham also throws in a couple classic road stories to give his interview some flavor.  If you like the man himself, old-school, new school or whatever, you'll enjoy this.

The Bad
The interviewer (typical RF Video issue) jumps around horribly after the going through a timeline since the last interview.  Jumping from TNA to the Iron Shiek to the Four Horsemen is an example of why most of this 2:30 interview seems disjointed.  If Barry Windham was not a helluva talker, this could have been just awful.

The Rating: ****1/2