I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 229

JR joins Austin this episode to talk Big Dust
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: 229 (June 16, 2015)
Run Time: 1:31:44
Guest: Jim Ross (48:06)

Summary: Steve Austin is still on location filming Broken Skull Challenge, but he’s rocked by the news of the death of Dusty Rhodes. After a disjointed opening, Austin traces his own path in wrestling from the first time he saw Rhodes on TV in Houston as a child to when Rhodes hired him to work for WCW and how his career progressed from there. Austin breaks down Rhodes’ microphone skills before calling Ross for his memories. Ross speaks to the first third of Rhodes’ career and how he first reach superstardom as a babyface. The guys talk about how they heard the news and their reactions, but mostly talk about all the reasons they admired the legend.

Quote of the week: Austin: “This guy, he knew what the business was about and he was layin’ it down. … When “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes passed away, the contributions that that guy gave to the business, were about as — I don’t know. About as, I don’t know. I don’t know what else he coulda done to contribute any more. Just from the aspect of promos, from the body of work, the blood, the stories, the reality, the ideas, the creativity — I’m sittin’ here just rambling. That damn Dusty.”

Why you should listen: Austin and Ross both fairly credit Rhodes with a good portion of their careers in wrestling, and both remained in regular contact with him over the years. They present themselves with raw emotions (Austin more so than Ross) and do a good job celebrating a great man.

Why you should skip it: You’re not ready to cry more over losing Dusty Rhodes. You prefer video tributes or just watching the man’s work instead of hearing others talk about their favorite moments. You can’t handle Austin being so clearly distracted by trying to speak before he’s let the reality of the loss sink in fully. Other than those, it’s hard to suggest anyone avoid this episode.

Final thoughts: I was going to hold off on the Tuesday show and combine it with Thursday’s, running both early next week. But it’s Dusty Week here on TWB, and this episode deserves your attention. If you have any affinity for Austin, this is your best chance to share grief with a man who loved Dusty Rhodes as a child, a boss and a friend. Ross is, of course, a not great podcaster or blogger these days, but here he plays to every one of his strengths. Don’t let your distaste of JR turn you away. Rhodes deserves to be remembered by everyone, and hearing these stories from those who knew him well is an important part of the grieving process.