Eddie Sharkey Talks About Training the Road Warriors, McMahon Breaking Up the Territories, more
Eddie Sharkey talks training; Ken Resnick has dinner with an icon
Legendary pro wrestling promoter and trainer Eddie Sharkey was a guest on VOC Nation Wrestling with History. Ken Resnick and Bruce Wirt talked to Sharkey about his start as a trainer, the breakdown of the territory system, his legendary coaching tree, and much more. Here are a few highlights:
On how he got into training: “I had to get a job so I went to work – I was going to be a bartender – in a place called (inaudible). I had to work as a bouncer for a month or two before there was an opening. That’s where they all were: Rick Rude was there, Animal, Hawk, Barry Darsow…it was the toughest place in Minneapolis, and Minneapolis is a real tough town. They asked me if I’d like to get back into the business training, and I said ‘no, I’m out of it.’…so Hawk came up and handed me five $100 bills, and that was it…I was in it for 20 years after that.”
On the difference between training in the 80s versus today: “Nothing. Wrestling’s still the same moves, the same holds. Different people, different attitudes, but basically still the same. If you’re good you make it, if you’re not you don’t.”
On training the Road Warriors: “I realized there was something special, but I never dreamt they’d be the best in the world. We never dreamt of that…I basically taught them how to fall, how to protect themselves, how to not get hurt, and how to not hurt their opponent. The rest they kinda picked up on their own.”
On if he was bothered by Vince McMahon breaking the territory rules: “No I couldn’t care less. I didn’t care. Vince offered Vern millions of dollars for the territory. He offered him everything, he offered him the world. Vern just got real nasty with him so (McMahon) came in and took it all.”
On what quality if most important to be successful in wrestling: “The most important thing about a professional wrestler is your friends – having friends in the business. It’s amazing that it hasn’t changed that much…just be a good guy, and a good worker. Especially a good guy. You don’t realize how important that is. You’re in a car, you’re driving to Winnipeg or driving to Chicago..if you don’t have that, you don’t have nothing – – you’re going to have bad matches.”
Ken Resnick on meeting George HW Bush: “I was lucky enough to be able to have dinner with then Vice President George H W Bush – – Bush 41, the late President. When he found out who I was, you know he was from the Houston area, he asked if I had met Paul Bosch and said he was a big wrestling fan which took me a little by surprise. I’m thinking, here I am talking wrestling with the Vice President of the United States! I said to him that I was a little surprised that (he) liked to watch (wrestling). He said ‘you know why? It’s just so clear: You know immediately who the good guy is and who the bad guy is; you don’t have to wonder and you can choose who you want to root for… There’s no mystery.’ Often times today I’ll watch Raw, or AEW, or Impact…I’ll be halfway through the match on TV and I still don’t know who the babyface and who the heel is.”
Link to the episode here:
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/vocnation/episodes/2020-06-10T20_11_37-07_00
Wrestling with History featuring former WWE/AWA broadcaster Ken Resnick and former Philadelphia Radio personality Bruce Wirt airs every Wednesday at 930pm ET on VOC Nation.
VOC Nation provides daily, interactive talk radio, geared toward the professional wrestling community.
Other notable show hosts include former WWE/TNA star Shelly Martinez (Shelly LIVE – Tuesdays), former WCW performer The Maestro (WCW Retro – Thursdays), former TNA Impact talent Wes Brisco (Brisco and Big Ace), Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Brady Hicks, and more!
Since 2010, VOC Nation has brought listeners into the minds of the biggest stars in pro wrestling and entertainment. Subscribe to the podcasts for free, and visit vocnation.com for live programming.
