The Lapsed Fan

The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania journey has come to the farewell moment for Mr. WrestleMania himself, as Shawn Michaels dances one last time on the grand stage against perhaps his best career foil, The Undertaker, at WrestleMania 26.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro dive into the rectangular opening atop University of Phoenix Stadium for a full accounting of 2010’s Mania, and chronicle the fading away of a cast of Mania mainstays symbolized by the main event.This deep dive includes:- What the hell went wrong with the seemingly can’t-miss Bret Hart/Vince McMahon angle, and some simple tweaks that would have made all the difference. Related: Bret’s sartorial challenges.- The implosion of Legacy. Too soon?- The intrusive commentary and sloganeering of Matt Striker, making his one-and-done appearance in the Mania booth- Edge wins the Rumble only to job at Mania, continuing the gradual, frustrating eroding of the Rumble’s significance in the late 2000s- Snap Into a Slim James- The last Money in the Bank match at Mania, and how the gimmick was beginning to lose steam- Triple H calls himself “the guy that everybody wants to step into the ring with at WrestleMania to make a name for themselves” … and then pins Sheamus clean in the middle - CM Punk’s brilliance begins to emerge- A Cena title win the crowd does not crap on, and flashes of brilliance from Batista in the tail end of his signature run - The Undertaker’s first LEAPING tombstoneAll that and so much more, plus Dave Meltzer to detail the story behind Bret Hart’s decision to return to the WWE storyline fold 13 years after Montreal.With only four WrestleManias to go in The Lapsed Fan’s journey, it’s imperative you get on board for WrestleMania 26!

WrestleMania 25 marked the silver anniversary of sports entertainment’s grandest spectacle, and more importantly it marks stop 25 on The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania podcast journey.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro delve into Reliant Stadium in Houston and the epic confrontation between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. Why was it so great? Greatest match in Mania history? Second greatest? this classic is dissected once and for all by your co-chairmen.Plus:- The hits and misses of the HHH v. Orton main event, why Orton should have come in champion, and why the match layout only served to hurt matters- Jeff Hardy v. Matt Hardy, the match no one asked for with risks no one wanted to see taken (though a Twist of Fate on a guy with a chair necklace in undeniably cool)- Kofi Kingston uses a busted “Money in the Bank” ladder as stilts, and Shelton Benjamin jumps from the highest perch he can find- Why Deuce’s botched catch of Undertaker’s soaring plancha ultimately helped, not hurt, the HBK match- Kid Rock tests our collective patience- A Diva Battle Royal, and Sunny is in there somewhere- The full story behind Mickey Rourke’s paranoia over Jericho shooting on him, and how the hell MMA great Frank Shamrock ended up in the front row.All that and so much more as the Mains toasted to 25 years in 2010. Listen as guru Dave Meltzer lays out the full greatness of the Mickey Rourke saga and the brillian of HBK/Taker.Only five Manias to go on The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week voyage!

The Lapsed Fan catches some rays under the Florida sun this week, as TLF’s 30-week WrestleMania journey arrives at WrestleMania 24 in 2008 in Orlando. It’s the final bow in a WWE ring of Ric Flair, and we’re having a hard time keeping these gators down.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro go deep on a notable and quirk Mania, from Floyd Mayweather taking a sidewalk slam and then knocking out Big Show, to Kim Kardashian as guest host, to a heel going over in the WWE championship match, even trumping the Royal Rumble winner.The hosts chop up:- The range of emotions felt through the Ric Flair retirement weekend, from frustration with a botched run-up to the heartbreaking visuals looking back of Flair’s late, youngest son cheering his dad on- Flair opens his Hall of Fame speech with an unforgettable line- How the Era of Orton could have been something, and was squandered- All told, how did Floyd Mayweather do?- The most impressive WrestleMania production set to date, taking ugly stacks of tired, brown concrete and bringing it to life- The downside of the massive production, as fans are burned with pyro- WWE is actually ahead of the curve in giving CM Punk the Money in the Bank win- The first HD Mania!- The Battle for Brand SupremacyPlus Dave Meltzer details the behind-the-scenes happenings that led up to the show, from the origin of the Ric Flair retirement idea to the many manifestations of Floyd Mayweather’s planned role in the show. All that and so much more, as The Lapsed Fan braves some rough environs to get to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando for the 24th installment of a one-of-a-kind odyssey.Get Lapsed across the face by downloading the latest Lapsed Fan podcast here.

As The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania journey unfolds, your hosts have come to the point in WWE history where the curious rise of John Cena began to provoked unique fan responses. Crowds in major markets across the country began to vociferously rejected Cena, all while his merchandise sales and other metrics signaled he was by far the man for the franchise position and the star of the moment.As TLF reached WrestleManias 22 and 23 – both headlined by Cena, where he turns away challenges by Triple H and Shawn Michaels – hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro felt it appropriate to pause and focus on why it was (and is) that Cena is rejected by a such sizable portion of the audience, and how it connects to WWE’s contemporary struggles to elevate Roman Reigns.The Lapsed Fan Solar System weighed in with their thoughts and “Top 3 Reasons Why” lists, and your hosts chop up that feedback in a quest to identify just what it was, and continues to be, that rubs so many people the wrong way about the WWE’s franchise player through the late 2000s.Enjoy this special supplemental look at John Cena and the milieu of 2006/2007 WWE, as The Lapsed Fan’s week-by-week trudge to WrestleMania 31 continues!

With 23 weeks in the books in its 30-week WrestleMania journey, you could say The Lapsed Fan is all grown up. As was the WWE, apparently, on the dawning of Wrestlemania 23, which hit the massive Ford Field in Detroit with an eclectic array of matches, storylines, and moments both famous and infamous.Join hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro as they chronicle the most bought pay-per-view event in WWE history, and recap of what it was like attending all of the weekend festivities live and what does and doesn’t resonate eight years later.The co-chairmen cover:- Fan Axxess, and the surprisingly hollow feeling one gets after a turn in the “Call Your Own Match” booth (complete with audio of Jack and JP’s 2007 call of a Shane Helms v. Matt Hardy match)- “The Condemned” premiere, and what it’s like when a theater full of moviegoers react to an action film on the screen like it’s a live wrestling match - The Mania spots where they dress kids up like WWE stars, including a prepubescent Steve Austin chugging milk instead of beer- Jeff Hardy risks it all one last time on the grand stage by breaking a ladder, and Edge, in half- Flashes of brilliance and promise from Mr. Kennedy- Khali channels Andre, and calls for Kane to slam him on the fly (not really)- The final WrestleMania appearance of Chris Benoit- “Mr. Fuji will investigate”- Why Batista v. Taker deserves praise- Sandman somehow ends up working WrestleMania- How Bobby Lashley was undercut at every turn in the booking of Trump v. Vince- Trump so botches a Stunner sell job that the cameras must completely cut away- HBK v. Cena, better or worse than you remember?- Cena takes a moment to soak it all in after tapping HBK with the best-looking STF he’s ever doneThat and a full rundown of why WrestleMania 23 was so successful, and how the landmark night will be remembered, from guru Dave Meltzer. It’s all part of the freight train that is TLF’s 30-week WrestleMania journey, so jump on boardat stop No. 23 by downloading the show now!

It’s time for The Lapsed Fan to go “Big Time” on its 30-week WrestleMania journey, as your co-chairmen take the deep dive into Chicago’s AllState Arena for WrestleMania 22 in 2006.Join hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro as they dissect the night the WWE definitely said John Cena is our man, whether you like it or not, as he taps Triple H in what was, at the time, a shocking outcome. Plus, contrasts with the half-hearted crowning for Rey Mysterio as World Heavyweight Champion in a finish done for the moment but not the long-term.Also jump in to:- The look on Vince McMahon’s face as his son’s face is shoved in his bare ass- The hardest chair shot in WrestleMania history- Ric Flair takes a superplex off a ladder in 2006. Because, you know, he has to prove himself. Refs do the “X” sign and pretend he’s dead- Kurt Angle’s final Mania appearance, the story of his departure, and why he’s one of the greatest performance in Mania history- Benoit falls to defending the U.S. title on the show two years after taking center stage- The most horrifying moment of Mick Foley’s bump through a flaming table off an Edge spear- Trish v. Mickie in the greatest Diva feud of all time- Jim Ross says: “He is one sick, perverse son of a bitch, he is genuinely evil, he is headed to hell is Vince McMahon.”- CM Punk’s debut Mania appearance, in Easter Egg formAll that plus Dave Meltzer’s reflection on the beginnings of the crowd turning on Cena, the full story behind making the call to put th ebelt on Mysterio, and so much more.So get Lapsed across the face with TLF’s 22nd installment of a one-of-a-kind sojourn by downloading here.

This week The Lapsed Fan goes Hollywood as WWE brings a pivotal event to Staples Center that launched the runs of two future superstars.TLF enters the final third of its 30-week WrestleMania journey by sizing up the World Title wins of John Cena and Batista at WrestleMania 21.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro dive deep into a turning-point evening, including:- Which Hollywood-esque trailers for the show hit and which ones missed.- The final Mania match of Eddie Guerrero’s life in an underappreciated battle with longtime friend Rey Mysterio.- HHH tells WWE Champion JBL to “keep telling yourself you’re good and I’m sure after a while somebody will believe you.”- The very first Money in the Bank launches Edge’s headline run. Plus, what ever became of Shelton Benjamin’s potential?- Hogan returns to dispatch Muhammad Hassan.- Taker versus Orton in the last WM match it felt like Taker could actually lose.- Angle v. Michaels- Why Cena pulled ahead of BatistaThat and so much more, including Dave Meltzer on what this successful 2005 show represents.Head down the home stretch with TLF’s WrestleMania 21 review, available for download now!

It’s 20 weeks in, and we have reached the point in The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania journey where it all begins, again. And while it felt like WrestleMania 20 symbolized change, it turned out not to be the change we thought that March 2004 night in Madison Square Garden.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro take the latest deep dive into the longest Mains ever, recounting what it was like to sit in the MSG balcony that historic night and drinking in the show-closing scene of Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, and what it’s like look to back on it after their deaths.It’s a rather heavy installment of the Lapsed Fan, though levity certainly abounds. The hosts tackle:- Vince puts his baby granddaughter on TV- How John Cena was wholeheartedly embraced in 2004 by the tough New York City crowd, and how that all reversed in just a year- “CLB”- Ric Flair – back when he was muzzled and not allowed to talk for reasons unclear – still manages to captivate in his first in-ring interactions with The Rock- Jesse Ventura, clad in black from head to toe, has a question for MSG. But do they have the answer he wants to hear?- The Playboy Evening Gown match, and other front runners for worst match in history- Processing as best one can the untimely demises of Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero- The blame Lesnar and Goldberg shoulder for the full-throated rejection of their awkward match on their way out the door- He is Gold. And he is Berg.- Taker’s return to the Dead Man, among the biggest pops ever- The screaming that went on as Benoit torqued the crossface on the white-booted Triple HThat and so much more, including probing insight from Dave Meltzer on what it was like to cover the tremendous highs and tragic lows of Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero. It’s where it all began, and for some all ended.

The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week WrestleMania journey reaches stop No. 19 this week, as the WWE invades Safeco Field in Seattle for a show full of forks in the road for a host of key performers, including Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro go deep on a show remembered for its behind-the-scenes drama as much as its in-ring drama, which was considerable. Get Lapsed on the following:- The worm turns on Triple H, as he builds up Booker T as a proud challenger who must stand up for himself in the face of implied racism … and then pins him clean, and hard- Lesnar’s ill-fated leap, and why he just had to hit the F5 afterwards- Austin’s final match, and why his paranoia, pain, and panic nearly kept him from getting into the ring- Limp Bizkit, and the moment Fred Durst has to ask the crowd, “Are you awake yet?”- The first “dual-brand” Wrestlemania, and other distinctions without a difference- Mysterio’s WM debut- Shawn Michaels’ WM return- The best version of Rock’s entrance theme- Hogan v. Vince, a storyline that evoked Vince’s steroid trial, how it miscast Hogan’s actual testimony- Vince peeks over the apronAll that and so much more, including excerpts from a recent chat with Jim Ross about being side-by-side with Austin during his meltdown and Dave Meltzer on what lingers from this show. The 30-week freight train keeps on rolling!

After nine years, Hulk Hogan returned to the Wrestlemania stage at the 18th installment in 2002, and lapsed fans around the world rejoiced. Thus, it is only appropriate that The Lapsed Fan podcast go deep on that historic night in Toronto.In the 18th stop of TLF’s 30-week Wrestlemania journey, hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro revisit Skydome in Toronto for a Mania stacked with figures from a cross-current of different eras – from Hogan to Rock to Austin to Hall to HHH to Jericho to Flair to Undertaker to Mr. Perfect to RVD to DDP.Get Lapsed on one of the most eclectic Mains ever, running on the fumes of the WWF’s Attitude boom and a rush of star power freed up year out from the folding of WCW.Your co-chairmen discuss:- WWF’s “Forceable Entry,” and other politically correct slogans- Why the fans were so ready to embrace the old Hogan histrionics again, even if they didn’t know it as they filed into Skydome before the show- Maven- Stern disagreement on the merits of the Undertaker v. Ric Flair match, the first to get across the Streak as a big deal and key storyline point- Vince McMahon injects the WWF with a lethal dose of poison. His greatest promo ever?- Did dropping the “F” from WWF have anything to do with the exodus of fans from the product?- How the squandered WCW invasion angle could have been salvaged by the nWoAll that and another sterling contribution from guru Dave Meltzer make this another can’t miss deep dive into the Mains. It’s become what you need, so scratch that itch by downloading the latest Lapsed Fan!

The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week one-of-a-kind WrestleMania journey arrives this week at the greatest Mania of them all, X-Seven, a true demarcation line for legions who stopped following pro wrestling after the WWF’s Attitude Era.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro go especially deep this week, as your co-chairmen prove more than up to the task of tackling a show wrought with such tremendous historical significance, taking place as it did weeks after the WWF purchased WCW and changed wrestling forever.The podcast includes:- Wide-ranging discussion of the disastrous Steve Austin heel turn, and what minor tweaks could have given a shot at success- The squandered potential of the WCW invasion, and why the top WCW names like Flair, Goldberg, Nash, Hall, and Hogan weren’t brought in right away but all eventually were- Why Shane McMahon’s coast-to-coast dropkick into a trash can resting on his father’s face is the perfect finish to a pro wrestling grudge match- Some 18 months into his WWF run, Kurt Angle dazzles by more than holding his own in a technical masterpiece with Chris Benoit- The lessons of TLC II- HHH v. Ray Lewis? HHH v. Mike Tyson?- Analysis of the most underrated commentary duo in WWF history – JR and Paul Heyman- Why this show was the swansong for so many die hard wrestling fansPlus exclusive audio clips from interviews with Steve Austin on eclipsing Hogan, Eric Bischoff on how the AOL/Time Warner merger spelled WCW’s demise, and Jeff Hardy on why his Mania risks were worth taking. And Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer returns to explain why this show was the greatest in WWF history and the not-so-positive changes it set in motion.Merry Christmas from The Lapsed Fan. Presenting WrestleMania X-Seven, available for download now!

The Lapsed Fan’s 30-week one-of-a-kind WrestleMania journey arrives this week at the greatest Mania of them all, X-Seven, a true demarcation line for legions who stopped following pro wrestling after the WWF’s Attitude Era.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro go especially deep this week, as your co-chairmen prove more than up to the task of tackling a show wrought with such tremendous historical significance, taking place as it did weeks after the WWF purchased WCW and changed wrestling forever.The podcast includes:- Wide-ranging discussion of the disastrous Steve Austin heel turn, and what minor tweaks could have given a shot at success- The squandered potential of the WCW invasion, and why the top WCW names like Flair, Goldberg, Nash, Hall, and Hogan weren’t brought in right away but all eventually were- Why Shane McMahon’s coast-to-coast dropkick into a trash can resting on his father’s face is the perfect finish to a pro wrestling grudge match- Some 18 months into his WWF run, Kurt Angle dazzles by more than holding his own in a technical masterpiece with Chris Benoit- The lessons of TLC II- HHH v. Ray Lewis? HHH v. Mike Tyson?- Analysis of the most underrated commentary duo in WWF history – JR and Paul Heyman- Why this show was the swansong for so many die hard wrestling fansPlus exclusive audio clips from interviews with Steve Austin on eclipsing Hogan, Eric Bischoff on how the AOL/Time Warner merger spelled WCW’s demise, and Jeff Hardy on why his Mania risks were worth taking. And Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer returns to explain why this show was the greatest in WWF history and the not-so-positive changes it set in motion.Merry Christmas from The Lapsed Fan. Presenting WrestleMania X-Seven, available for download now!

Reenter the new millennium with The Lapsed Fan’s deep dive into WrestleMania 2000, as the TLF 30-week, 30-WrestleMania journey rumbles along.Hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro discuss the first – and hopefully last – Fatal Four Way main event in Mania history, as Triple H announces in no uncertain terms he’ll be the top guy in the organization when he becomes the first heel to go over in a Mania show-closing match.Get on board as the co-chairmen dissect:- Ice T keeping it real by telling the crowd to “grab” their “bitches” (pre Law & Order)- The post-Russo overcompensating by the creative team to keep a risqué flavor about the product- Undertaker becomes a chatty, mortal biker overnight- Did the Rock miss his chance at a WrestleMania moment here?- First Mania as a public company for the WWE- Pete Gas gets color- Head Cheese- Welcome to WrestleMania Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dudleys, Hardys, and other assorted key players.Plus another sterling installment from Dave Meltzer on the state of the industry in 2000 – WWE’s most lucrative year – as the wheels begin to fall off at WCW.Get Lapsed across the face as a one-of-a-kind accounting of WrestleMania and the WWE continues with installment 16 of the TLF journey, available now for download!

The WWF was firmly ensconced in the “Attitude Era” as WrestleMania XV dawned in 1999, and the event from Philadelphia in so many ways illustrates the promotional philosophy that catapulted the company into record profits. You know what that means – it’s Lapsed Fan Deep Dive time.Join hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro as TLF reaches the precise midpoint of its 30-week WrestleMania podcast journey. This week, it’s a look at all the guts and brains behind the WWF at this point in time, with Stone Cold Steve Austin overcoming increasingly absurd odds to trump Vince McMahon, the Corporation, and chief career foil The Rock to finally get his hands back on the WWF title, a prize a vengeful McMahon was bent on keeping away from him.This deep dive includes:- The Big Bossman is lynched from the Hell in a Cell ceiling, and the clumsy “IS IT SYMBOLIC?” cry from announcers to head off any outrage the company was at the time used to – enjoyed? – dealing with- The Hardcore Title, and why- The first, only, and last shoot match in WrestleMania history as Butterbean dominates Bart Gunn as if he were a plate of warm biscuits- Welcome to the WWF, Paul “The Big Show” Wight, and why he never reached the heights foretold- The first signs the rocket was going to be strapped to the back of one-day company boss Triple H- “Are you boys ready for the Grind?” and other awkwardness- The first of a series of storied collisions between The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, two once-in-a-lifetime stars who happened to blossom at the exact same timeThat and another indelible contributions from Dave Meltzer, charting the most explosive period of growth in WWF history, including through-the-roof quarter-hour Raw ratings, as the foundation of WCW begins to crumble.All that and so much more, as The Lapsed Fan continues its one-of-a-kind journey through the history of the WrestleMania. Get on board, before it’s too late.

It can be said that not since Hulk Hogan and Mr. T linked up at the first Wrestlemania did the WWF’s grand stage see a more gaming-changing celebrity presence than Mike Tyson, who in the run-up to Wrestlemania 14 set the atmosphere in which Stone Cole Steve Austin could blossom into the biggest money generator the industry had seen.This week on The Lapsed Fan podcast’s 14th installment of a 30-week Wrestlemania journey, your co-chairmen chart the flash points and culmination of the arrival of Austin as the face of the WWF at Wrestlemania 14 and the lucrative changes it sent in motion. It’s the night the WWF finally got over losing Hulk Hogan.Join hosts Jack Encarnacao and JP Sarro as they go deep on:- What it was like to take in the seminal event in person as teenagers- How much Tyson got- The noticeable push-and-pull between tradition and the WWF’s edgy new direction, as the “New Generation” logo and the scratch “Attitude” logo co-exist for the last time on a Mania broadcast- Flashes of brilliance as “The Rock” Rocyk Maivia gets comfortable in his own skin and talks dirty to Gennifer Flowers- The lone Mania appearance of the Rock n’ Roll Express- Paul Bearer calls Undertaker a “god damned murderer” several times, and the match that resulted- The night Sable became the most over diva in WWF history- Why LOD 2000 went nowherePlus another sterling contribution from Wrestling Observer guru Dave Meltzer on the negotiations and machinations behind securing Tyson, if HBK balked at doing the job to Stone Cold, and if it was obvious that night that Austin would be the man for a long time to come.Assess this crucial flash point in WWF history as only the Lapsed Fan can by downloading TLF’s WM14 deep dive, right here.