Episode 135 Rocky: The Greatest Sports Movie Franchise Ever Part 1 of 2

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Ding ding, Listener. Grab your mouthpiece and gloves because Steve Haldeman has returned to the show to talk about the Rocky Franchise. This episode is so big we had to cut it into two parts with the first one focusing on Rocky I, II, and III and the second on IV, V, and Rocky Balboa. Topics this week include: Steve returns to the show and your host spills the beans about his fan favorite guest co-host for October. Dinner and a podcast. Poop fuel. How old were you when you discovered Rocky? The decline of boxing in the modern sports landscape. Boxing superstars of yore. Floyd Mayweather and celebrity boxers. The cultural impact of Muhammad Ail and the art of making people care. The thin line between fact and fiction with Rocky. Cue the Rocky intro music. The recurring tropes of Rocky. Stallone. Rocky doesn’t have the personality of an elite GOAT athlete. Carl Weathers: jacked thespian. Random Seagal talk. Lawful Good Rocky. Steve will not talk until we are done with characters…30 seconds later. Paulie aka the bad Rocky. Rocky and Ted Lasso. Tony “Duke” Evers: Forever sweating. Philadelphia is a dump and no one has a good job. Rocky is always knocking people down for the first time. Rocky II: Everything that is wrong with sequels. Rocky quickly falling into a financial ruin because he is Simple Jack and can’t read. Can you medically go into a coma after you give birth? Being popular in Philly. No tricks and a big left hand. Rocky III, a movie that represents the decade it was filmed in. Clubber Lang is terrifying. The Rocky time jump and evolution. Rocky has fallen into the trap and the empire of dirt. Dragging your opponent into a fire fight. Who has the eye of the tiger? Rocky III: racist or progessive for the mid 80s? Rocky and Apollo; more than friends. Rewinding to when Mick is alive and Thunderlips appears. Bambi’s mom dying. Man thighs. American flag shorts. Who wins the private gym fight between Rocky and Apollo.