Talkin’ Off The Top Rope Episode #8: Joe Sousa

On Episode #8 of Talkin’ Off The Top Rope, “The Grizzled Vet” Michael McCurdy welcomes longtime friend, promoter, booker, wrestling historian, commentator, and all around wrestling lifer Joe Sousa for a very personal conversation about growing up through the West Coast territory era, discovering wrestling through his father, preserving memories, finding his voice behind the microphone, and eventually helping build Rumble in the Redwoods into something special.This one is different because Joe isn’t just another guest. Mike explains right up front that Joe is part of his own story, one of the people who helped him along the path that eventually led to this show and the Retro Wrestling Archive Podcast Network. Their friendship goes back more than 30 years, and that history gives the episode a warm, familiar, “road story” feel from the very beginning.By the end, this episode is really about connection: fathers and sons, friends who become family, fans who become historians, commentators who become voices of a scene, and small town wrestling shows that become memories people carry with them. Joe Sousa’s story runs through San Francisco, Portland, Humboldt County, APW, WCWC, Cauliflower Alley, and Rumble in the Redwoods, but the throughline is simple: he loves wrestling, he respects the fans, and he wants the stories to be told right.For fans of Portland Wrestling, San Francisco wrestling, Pat Patterson, Ray Stevens, Roddy Piper, Don Owen, Roy Shire, Rumble in the Redwoods, West Coast independent wrestling, old school commentary, and the people who keep regional wrestling history alive, this episode is a must listen.Joe Sousa’s story is the real deal.And that’s why on Talkin’ Off The Top Rope, the stories never die.Follow the Grizzled Vet Michael McCurdy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581684591623Follow him on "X" at @vetgrizzled You contact him at [email protected] ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★