The Taz Show, Bodyslams & Beyond (Episode 10)
Host: Taz
Guests: Mauro Ranallo and Jim Ross
Release Date: Oct. 2, 2015
DIRECT LINK TO LISTEN/DOWNLOAD
Report by: Sean Sumey, PWPodcasts Reporter
HOT TOPICS
– TAZ REVIEWS SMACKDOWN: Not a match by match break down, but still plenty of opinions from Taz.
– TAZ GIVES HIS PREDICTIONS FOR THE MSG SHOW: Taz discusses each match and gives you his thoughts on what should go down on this weekend’s card.
– MAURO RANALLO INTERVIEW: The voice of New Japan Wrestling on AXS TV phones in and discusses what he is up to.
– BBQ PIGSKIN WITH GOOD ‘OL JR: Tha man in the black hat calls in to give his thoughts on the upcoming weekend of college and pro football.
– TAZ TAKES LISTENERS CALLS: Which wrestling managers were known for blowing whistles?
SUBJECTS COVERED (w/Time Stamps)
(00:00-00:35) Ads
(00:36-01:08) Show intro
(01:09) Taz opens the show and apologizes for starting late. Taz explains that in New York, the weather has been bad and is interfering with things. Jim Ross will be on the show for his segment BBQ Pigskin. Taz will also speak with Mauro Ranallo.
(04:44) Steelers vs. The Ravens. Michael Vick stepped in as quarterback. The Ravens were victorious. The Steelers blew it. Poor offensive decisions are to blame. Steelers kicker Josh Scobee needs to improve. There are high school kickers that don’t miss field goals that are under 50 yards. The game should never come down to one play. If the entire team puts in a good effort, you don’t have to rely on one kicker.
(08:30) Taz takes a call from Jeremy in Las Vegas. Jeremy is familiar with Kevin Cross from Hump Day Promos. Jeremy is a fan and believes Cross will eventually make it to the big time. Taz no longer wants independent wrestlers sending in promo tapes. Jeremy saw a match between Cross and Bobby Roode and was very impressed. Taz points out that Roode can have a good match with anyone. Taz said a true talent can have a great match with a lesser worker. Jeremy also saw a match between Cross and Joey Ryan. Taz said Ryan is another great talent that should be in WWE.
(12:00) Taz feels for the families and victims involved in the Oregon shooting. Taz is keeping them in his thoughts and prayers.
(12:40) Seth is out due to the impending birth of his next child. Seth will be back in a few weeks. Brian will be filling in for Seth.
(14:34) Taz takes a call from Earl in Wisconsin. Earl lets the listeners know that people on hold can now hear the show while they are on hold. Earl is a Cowboys fan and wants to know what Taz thinks about their chances with the recent string of injuries. Taz tells Cowboys fans not to freak out. Dallas is the most micromanaged team out there and their management will make decisions that help the team. Earl grew up watching World Class Championship Wrestling. Earl remembers a manager who blew a whistle constantly and wants to know if that is where Bill Alfonso got the gimmick. Taz points out that John Tolos played “Coach” and also used a whistle. Taz doesn’t know who the manager in World Class was.
(20:26-20:37) Break
(20:47-22:41) Taz does a live read for DraftKings.com. Play for free with promo code TAZ.
(23:20) Taz wants to talk about Smackdown. Corporate Kane was ringside to keep Demon Kane from interfering in the Seth Rollins match with New Day and the Dudleys. Taz is interested in the Kane angle. Taz said that, at times, crowd noise is amplified or added to sweeten the show. Taz felt the crowd reaction was genuine for this angle. Kane gets injured and helped to the back, but the cameras catch his smirk as he was leaving. Pyro hits and out comes Demon Kane. Kane comes out and destroys everyone in his path. Taz talks about Seth Rollins escaping through the crowd. Taz really thinks that WWE is punking out the audience that has jumped the barriers. The talent is going into the crowd to show that WWE is serious about crowd control. Taz said this is the second time in seven or eight days that talent has gone into the crowd.
(30:15) Taz is a big iced coffee fan. Taz drinks his iced coffee black. Brian doesn’t drink coffee. Brian drinks green tea. Brian used to work outside a Dunkin’ Donuts and hates the smell of coffee. Taz loves his caffeine. Taz sees people giving their kids soda or diet soda and points out that they are giving their children stimulants. Taz said his son wasn’t a big soda drinker when he was young but was a big beer-drinker since age six. Taz said this time of year means its time to transition from iced coffee to hot coffee. Taz went to Dunkin’ Donuts this morning and got a hot dark roast and is digging it.
(33:30) Taz is pumped for the upcoming WWE Live show in Madison Square Garden. The build between Brock Lesnar and Big Show has been good. Taz still doesn’t think its a rivalry, but does agree that its a history. Big Show is an under-rated athlete. Lesnar is going to be victorious. Taz is still interested to see how WWE does it. John Cena will defend his U.S. Title against Seth Rollins in a steel cage. Taz said this screams Saturday house show in the Garden. There is a strong history with steel cages in the Garden. Taz doesn’t want to predict a winner but knows it will be a good match. New Day will defend their Tag Team Championships against The Dudleys. This will be the Dudleys’s first Garden appearance since WrestleMania 20. Taz believes the Dudleys will be victorious and win their 10th WWE Tag Team Championships. Taz mentions how a listener disagreed and felt that New Day will keep the titles and will go on to face the Dudleys in a tables match, possibly at Hell in a Cell. Taz feels the Garden is a perfect opportunity for the Dudleys to go over. The New Day doesn’t need the titles and are made. Kevin Owens will defend his Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho. Taz says Owens will retain. Taz likes that Jericho will have Lance Storm and Don Callis in attendance for Jericho’s 25th anniversary of being in pro wrestling.
(43:29) Taz takes a call from Jose in Florida. Jose agrees with Taz that WWE is baiting the fans by having the talent go into the crowd. Taz said that when the fans see the wrestlers up close and in their face they will think twice. Taz said its easy to jump in when guys have their backs turned. It’s another thing when the guys are coming to them.
(46:20) Taz thinks WWE could do more with the Intercontinental Championship. Taz would still love to see a program between Cesaro and Kevin Owens. The IC Title needs to be made.
(48:01) Taz takes a call from John in Arkansas. Pork Chop John remembers the whistle-blowing ref in World Class. It was Ahman Hussein. Pork Chop John also remembers the “Golden Greek” John Tolos appearing in Herb Abram’s UWF.
(49:32-49:43) Break.
(49:44-51:08) Taz does a live read for Sleeper Bot.
(51:10-1:17:33) Mauro Ranallo appears by telephone. Mauro and Taz are both Italian and share some memories. Mauro remembers Taz’s WWE debut in the Garden against the undefeated Kurt Angle. Mauro thought that was going to lead to a big push for Taz. Taz jokes that he thought the same thing. Mauro started in wrestling as a manager on the independents in Vancouver. Mauro talked about not knowing what kayfabe and heat meant. Taz puts over Mauro’s work on AXS TV. Mauro said he visualized success and originally thought that he could be the World Champion. Even though that hasn’t worked out, Mauro is content with his success. Mauro puts over Taz for adding shoot elements to his commentating. Taz mentioned how Joey Styles, Jim Ross, and others put so much prep work into the broadcasts. Taz could never do that. Mario said its important to know the moves, but also tries to add some personality to a show for a casual fan or their wife or girlfriend.
Mauro talks about New Japan. Mauro said when they first started the broadcasts on AXS TV, he and Josh Barnett were put in a hotel room and asked to announce for 12 shows over three days. Mauro said Josh wouldn’t watch the tapes prior to their commentary because he wanted to be genuine in his reactions. Mauro did check them out so he would be familiar. Mauro talks about the lost art of selling. Taz said he was always big on facial expressions. Mauro admires Paul Heyman for making the most out of what he had with ECW. Taz jokes that Mauro gave him a backhanded compliment. Mauro said that with Taz’s physicality and his dimensions, he has done a lot. Taz gives Paul Heyman a lot of credit for all that he did with ECW. Mauro said New Japan is the best wrestling on TV right now. Mauro talks about Wrestle Kingdom 10 and recalls that Jim Ross did a great job last year calling the action. Mauro also puts over Joey Styles as one of the great wrestling announcers in our lifetime. Taz said Joey brought realism to the product.
Taz talks about working in Japan and getting his teeth kicked out of his mouth. Mauro talked about Bas Rutten working in Japan and knocking out his opponent when he wasn’t supposed to. Mauro lives in Southern California right near Bas and Frank Shamrock. Taz puts over Mauro’s website and says he loves the videos Mauro posts. Mauro would love to work in WWE but is having a blast. Mauro calls himself the “Bi-polar Rock n Roller.” Mauro opens up about his mental health issues and wants to be an example for those struggling. Mauro wants to end the stigma and show that mental health isn’t something to be ashamed of.
(1:17:49-1:18:03) Break.
(1:18:27-1:39:27) BBQ Pigskin with Jim Ross. JR is a big fan of Mauro Ranallo. Taz announces that Chick-fil-a is opening their first New York location. Taz said that all the great eating establishments come from the South. JR and Taz discuss Chick-fil-a and their religious roots. Taz uses the Chik-fil-a as a transition into college football. JR talks about Oklahoma taking on West Virginia University. Taz picks on JR for stealing his gimmick and wearing sunglasses. JR is picking Oklahoma over WVU. JR is picking Indiana over Ohio State University. JR is picking Notre Dame to lose in an upset to Clemson.
The talk then turns to pro football. JR believes the Giants and Jets will lose. Taz goes back to college football and wants to discuss Utah and Oregon. JR said that Oregon is suffering from not having a great quarterback. JR explains that when a school has a great quarterback, it becomes hard for them to get a solid back-up because no one strives to be a back-up. JR said Oregon doesn’t have a very complicated offense and believes other teams have figured them out. JR and Taz discuss this weekend’s Washington Redskins game before going over the WWE Live event at MSG. JR said the show will be sold out. The last televised house show from MSG was WWE in 1997 with JR and Jim Cornette on commentary. JR said that wouldn’t happen today because he and Cornette were “too Southern” and would probably call too many holds.
JR always loved working in the Garden. Taz asks JR who his favorite color commentator was to work with but says he isn’t allowed to pick Lawler, Heyman, Matt Striker, or Cornette. JR picks Taz and said that he is trying to sell BBQ sauce and tickets to his one-man show and isn’t trying to get heat with Taz. Taz remembers the show he and JR called when Vince McMahon blew out both of his quad muscles. Taz then loses JR, but says its all good because they were about to wrap up.
(1:39:43) Taz returns to his predictions for the MSG card and says he feels Owens will retain the IC Title. They get JR back on the line who predicts Lesnar over Big Show in under 15 minutes. Taz askes JR about the Dudleys winning. JR said it wouldn’t surprise him because New Day is struggling to be heels. JR suggests Undertaker and Kane teaming up to take on heel Dudleys down the line. JR likes Taz’s idea of Cesaro vs. Owens in a series. JR would then like to see Owens and Samoa Joe work a program. JR recaps that he is picking West Virginia, Clemson, and Indiana to be victorious. After JR is gone, Taz returns to his predictions for MSG. Taz picks Sheamus over Randy Orton and Rusev over Ziggler. Taz will be appearing at Legends of the Ring in New Jersey this weekend.
(1:44:52) The show ends.
RATE & REVIEW
6 out of 10: I felt this was a pretty solid show. Taz did an admirable job of adjusting to a show without Seth. Taz didn’t take as many listener calls but still, I felt he kept the flow of the show going. Ranallo and Jim Ross were both entertaining. There were a few parts of the show that made me laugh, as always. Taz has a strong personality that really shines in this format compared to his announcing days. As always, I welcome your comments and critiques.
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