I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 209

Austin tackles rumors of heat with WWE
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show
Episode: 209 (April 7, 2015)
Run Time: 1:37:19
Guest: None

Summary: Stone Cold is hanging around the Broken Skull Ranch with his wife, Kristin. They shoot the breeze a bit before Austin shoots down rumors of a supposed conflict with WWE. Then he and Kristin take turns reading listener questions, which leads to discussion about beer, WWE booking, Tough Enough, the CPAP machine, WrestleMania 31, UFC and pro boxing, eating unusual animals, working with Ricky Steamboat, Austin’s taste in music, being slotted in a show’s opening match, his old Hyundai Excel and how to combat food cravings.

Quote of the week: “Again, there was a deal that coulda been made, a deal was not made, and WWE went the direction they went, I went the direction I’m going in. Hey man, down the road, if we partner up and get back in business and do something, that’ll be gangbusters, because for the rest of my life I will always have WWE blood running through my veins. That company was a big part in creating a lot of the success and putting me on the map. By the same token, I was good for their business model. I came along at a time when the chips were down and when WWE and Steve Austin are in business together it’s always a good thing and it’s always a fun thing. So no matter what anybody says, there’s no animosity from any standpoint. … No heat, no where, it’s cool, moving on.”

Why you should listen: Regular listeners to Austin’s show put no credence to the reports of an Austin-WWE rift, but it’s good for Austin to go on record with his explanation. Further, he openly acknowledges the main problem with his email shows: He picks questions he’s already answered, so even fresh episodes come off like repeats. Having his wife involved in the process breaks up the monotony nicely, and on the whole it’s just nice to hear Austin sound refreshed and reinvigorated.

Why you should skip it: Despite those upgrades, it’s still just an email response show. The interesting topics deserve more time than they get while the less compelling responses seem to drag on forever. The wrestling stuff is staggered throughout, so you’ll have to sit through some of the chaff to get at the wheat.

Final thoughts: My biggest takeaway from this episode is wishing more Internet rumors would be addressed head on in some forum from a trusted source, but it’s rare to have someone like Austin with the combination of prominent platform and not a damn thing to lose. Beyond that, his wife is his best co-host, and he should consider always having her around for the shows when all he’s going to do is read and respond to questions. That was a big plus.