Steve Still Likes Beer (Dr. Tom Prichard PART 2) - SAS CLASSIC

Summary

The Steve Austin Show - "Steve Still Likes Beer (Dr. Tom Prichard PART 2)" - SAS CLASSIC

Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Steve Austin
Guests: Dr. Tom Prichard (main), Kristen Austin (second half)

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Episode Overview

This episode of the Steve Austin Show is a double-header: the first half is the conclusion of Steve’s two-part conversation with legendary wrestling trainer Dr. Tom Prichard, focusing on wrestling psychology, character work, training the boss (Vince McMahon), and the launch of Prichard’s new wrestling school with Glenn “Kane” Jacobs. The second half sees Steve joined by his wife Kristen to humorously debunk viral rumors about his drinking and lifestyle, while offering classic Austin life updates and storytelling.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Importance of Character in Wrestling ([00:10]-[04:11])

• Memory Lane: Steve recounts a pivotal road trip with Tom, where Tom challenged Steve and Brian Lee (“Prime Time”) to define their characters beyond their ring names.
  • Steve Austin: “I was just trying to be a pro wrestler. I wasn't thinking about a character... You were the first person that made me think about that.” ([01:43])
• Tom’s Teaching Philosophy: Tom stresses you don’t know if you can coach until you do it, and that wrestling – like ice cream – comes in different flavors. No single “right way.”
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “It's like ice cream, different flavors. You like Rocky Road, I like strawberries. It's all good.” ([04:00])
• Character Development: Tom urges students to study widely—movies, music, books—to discover what resonates for their in-ring personas.

2. Insider Stories: Vince McMahon Training and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre ([08:09]-[13:46])

• Vince as a Trainee: Tom tells stories about late-night training sessions with Vince McMahon, prepping for matches against Steve.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “I was making Vince McMahon’s first blade... but you cracked him hard way!” ([08:32])
• Commitment to Performance: Both Steve and Tom reflect on Vince’s willingness to “do anything” for the fans, including taking major bumps and even asking Tom to teach him the Stunner.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “He’s not the easiest guy to maneuver... He has that performer’s ego, he has a performer’s heart...” ([12:17])
• Bumping and Intensity: Steve laughs about Vince treating him like a rag doll in the cage match, driven by adrenaline and crowd heat.
  • Steve Austin: “He would throw me so hard I couldn't take a proper bump for him. Yeah.” ([13:35])

3. Launching the JP Wrestling Academy ([14:47]-[20:42])

• School Basics: Tom details how he and Glenn Jacobs (Kane), with Devin Driscoll and D1 Sports in Knoxville, are opening a new wrestling school.
  • Open House: Jan 3, Classes start: Jan 7, 16-week course; 20-student cap; 20x20 WWE-sized ring; 5 nights/week; 1 hour conditioning + 3 hours wrestling each night.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “I'm going to have a 16 week course... at D1 Sports Complex in Knoxville, Tennessee ... five nights a week ... character development... you get a certificate.” ([15:05]-[17:15])
• Contrast with Old-School Training: Steve compares his own early days: once a week, two hours, 25 students, “the drizzling shits” for true learning.
  • Steve Austin: “The good thing about what you're doing is, first of all, I ain't blowing smoke up your ass. You're an awesome teacher... but you just got to have that repetition.” ([18:45])
• Career Opportunities: Tom mentions alumni connections to help graduates start getting bookings. Open House Jan 3; JPWrestlingAcademy.com.

4. Modern vs. Classic Wrestling: Changes, Fundamentals, and Learning the Business ([21:15]-[25:46])

• Curriculum Philosophy: Tom emphasizes wrestling can’t be fully “cookie-cutter”; lessons adapt to students, and sometimes you need to move on and return later.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “Nobody takes a hip toss like Harley Race, except Harley Race. You can't mimic stuff like that.” ([22:36])
• Speed and Athleticism: Both discuss the faster, more athletic style of today compared to territory days, but agree fundamentals—“blocking and tackling”—remain vital.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “They're missing the veteran who's ... telling you when to slow down ... they're missing that because it doesn't exist anymore.” ([25:55])

5. Life After Wrestling: Transition and Life Lessons ([27:45]-[31:43])

• Retirement Adjustment: Steve discusses the abrupt, difficult transition after forced retirement. Tom shares his own story—how training kept him close to the business, but letting go took years.
  • Steve Austin: “When I got out ... I was 38. I wasn't ready to retire ... I didn't have an exit strategy.” ([28:14])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “It took me a little longer because I was so used to being around it ... even to this day ... you're still wired different just for the fact of what you've done.” ([29:53])

6. Family, Marriage, & Sobriety ([31:43]-[35:44])

• Marrying Outside the Business: Both recount meeting their wives (each through unusual circumstances) and reflecting on finding stability post-wrestling.
  • Steve Austin: “One of the greatest things that ever happened to me.” ([31:43])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “She's been with me this long, she's probably the best thing to happen to me because I would've been dead a long time ago.” ([34:31])
• Struggles with Addiction: Tom credits his wife and WWE’s intervention for saving him during a severe period, including rehab with Eddie Guerrero.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “Here come the ambulance ... Shane called me ... You're going to Atlanta ... [rehab] ... Thank God you're here, man… [with Eddie Guerrero].” ([34:44])

7. Wrestling Lingo and Marriage ([35:44]-[37:03])

• Carny Language at Home: Humorous exchange about their wives understanding wrestling slang.
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “When I said, hey, would you give me that gimmick over there, please? ... she knew exactly what I was talking about.” ([36:43])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Wrestling Character:
  • Steve Austin: “You were the first person that made me think about that.” ([01:43])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “It doesn't matter what you say to people, but they'll always remember how you made them feel.” ([04:11])
• On Vince McMahon’s Work Ethic:
  • Steve Austin: “He would do absolutely anything to give the fans their money's worth.” ([09:48])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “That's part of his work ethic that you gotta respect.” ([12:43])
• On Leaving Wrestling:
  • Steve Austin: “Once I got out ... I was 38. I wasn't ready to retire.” ([28:14])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “It's just something that's in you. As long as you're alive, I think that's going to be a part of it.” ([31:43])
• On Marriage:
  • Steve Austin: “One of the greatest things that ever happened to me.” ([31:43])
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “She would've left me a long time ago if she didn't get it, I'm convinced.” ([36:41])
• On Wrestling School Philosophy:
  • Dr. Tom Prichard: “You have to crawl before you walk ... in 16 weeks, you're not going to learn everything ... but you can have a 15 to 20 minute match and tell a story.” ([23:48])

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Second Half – Austin Family Road Trip, Rumor Control, and Life Updates

([38:28]-[65:11])

1. Road Trip Stories and Family Hijinks ([38:28]-[43:49])

• Steve and Kristen recount their hectic trip from the ranch to LA, including dog Callie’s pool antics, adopting a “new” old horse, and the classic Austin sense of humor about being a “limo driver” for wife and pets.
  • Steve Austin: “It looks like I'm driving Miss Daisy... Who the fuck is he talking to?” ([40:11])
  • Kristen Austin: “Usually a free horse never means free ... already paid for his physical.” ([40:57])

2. Debunking Internet Rumors: Beer, Diets, and Cannabis ([43:49]-[54:50])

• Steve addresses viral rumors claiming he quit beer, took up pot, and became a full-time yogi.
  • “I ain't give up no damn alcohol... I quit drinking temporarily to reach a goal weight.” ([46:54])
  • Explains cutting alcohol while dieting, plugging his “Broken Skull IPA” and the story behind its creation.
    • Steve Austin: “It's the best damn IPA in the United States of America.” ([48:18])
  • Confirmed: he still loves and markets beer, occasionally needs to “cut down” for diet, and is not a regular marijuana user, despite a humorous story about a joint and a border stop.
    • Steve Austin: “As far as the medicinal marijuana goes, I ain't a dope guy. I tried smoking some dope, didn’t like it.” ([54:50])
  • On yoga: not giving up his hard-edged persona, just enjoying DDP Yoga for flexibility and strength.

3. Life Updates: Fitness, Hiking, and Hobbies ([56:05]-[62:21])

• Candid takes on workout routines, hiking mishaps, memorable banter over Kristen’s addiction to carrying water, and Steve’s forgetfulness leaving gear behind after a hunting trip.

4. Southern California Wildfires, Pets, and Future Plans ([62:21]-[65:11])

• Reflections on recent wildfires near Thousand Oaks and Malibu, gratitude for family safety, and city-life quirks.
  • Steve Austin: “Devastation is crazy, man ... let’s leave it on a high note.” ([64:43])
• Ending on a promise: Steve Austin: “After being sober for 32 days, I get a fuckin’ cheat meal. So I'm gonna go and eat a shit pile of sushi tonight.” ([65:05])

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Timestamps for Essential Segments

• Introduction & Character Development: [00:10]-[04:11]
• Vince McMahon Training Stories: [08:09]-[13:46]
• Prichard Wrestling School Plans: [14:47]-[20:42]
• Modern vs. Classic Wrestling: [25:46]-[27:45]
• Life After Wrestling: [27:45]-[31:43]
• Marriage & Sobriety Stories: [31:43]-[36:43]
• Saying Goodbye/School Promotion: [37:03]-[37:51]
• Austin Family Road Trip & Horse Story: [38:28]-[44:00]
• Debunking Rumors (Beer, Pot, Yoga): [43:49]-[54:50]
• Fitness, Hiking, Hunting Mishaps: [56:05]-[62:21]
• Wildfires and Final Life Updates: [62:21]-[65:11]

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Conclusion

This episode exemplifies Steve Austin’s mix of humor, straight-shooting, and wrestling storytelling. Dr. Tom Prichard’s insights on wrestling psychology and training are essential listening for wrestling fans and aspiring pros. The second half, with Kristen, provides levity, personal anecdotes, and sets the record straight on Steve's lifestyle—he’s still the same beer-loving, hard-training Stone Cold, just taking diet breaks and getting in better shape.

The episode works both as a glimpse into wrestling’s past and present, a window into life after the ring, and a reminder not to believe every rumor you read online—especially about Stone Cold and his beer.

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Notable Quote to Close:

"I ain't gonna quit drinking for the rest of my life, Kristen. I'm in the beer business."
– Steve Austin ([49:35])

Transcript

[Announcer]

From Hollywood, California, by way of the Broken Skull Ranch, this is the Steve Austin Show.

[Steve Austin]

Give me a Hell yeah.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Hell yeah.

[Announcer]

Now here's Steve Austin.

[Steve Austin]

All right everybody, welcome to Steve Austin Show. I am coming to you from the mean streets of Los Angeles, California today. I have just got finished driving from the broken Skull Ranch 2.0 with my family, my wife Kristen and my two dogs Callie and Moolah. Just rolled into 316 Gimmick street and it was an extravaganza of a drive. I tell you what, today's podcast got a good one for for you. I'm going to wrap up my two part conversation with my good friend Dr. Tom Prichard. We're going to be talking about pro wrestling and we're going to talk about his new wrestling school that him and Glenn Jacobs Kane are starting in Knoxville, Tennessee. I have given you the information over and over about this school. If you're interested in a career in the business of professional wrestling, look no further. Because if you in the Knoxville area or you want to fly somewhere to learn how to work, this is a damn good place to start. Open House at D1 Sports in Knoxville January 3rd at 7pm Open House. The first class will be January 7th. All information for this school is on the website jprrestlingacademy.com Check it out, man. There's a few places I would recommend you go to learn how to work. This is on top of my list, bottom line. Also, I want to put to bed some rumors that got started about a week or two ago when I was talking about drinking beer and being on a diet. My illustrious wife Kristen joins me on the podcast as we shoot the shit, talk about our trip, all the things we got going on. And I diffuse, dissect and digest and shit out a bunch of answers about my relationship and my habits with alcohol and food and working out and DDP yoga and everything. So I'm answering all the questions and putting all the bullshit to rest. Stay tuned because I'm going to cover that in the second half of the podcast. Want to shine that first spotlight on Dr. Tom Prichard as we continue our conversation and then we're going to bring it home. I'm going to tell you right now, I told my wife, I said shit, I I've been on this damn eating program for about 32 days. We're going to sushi tonight to get a cheat meal. So dig the podcast. Send me a suggestion, comment or question to questionsteveaustinshow.com if you got any kind of comments or want to ask me a question or ask me to talk to somebody. And that's the bottom line. Let's kick it up. Let's start it up and put this motherfucker in motion. Dr. Tom Prichard, part two. I want to shift gears to talk about your wrestling school that you're about to open. Because one time we were riding down the road and I'd ask you a million questions after we developed our relationship and our friendship always had a lot of respect for you. You were always very fair to me and gave me a lot of information in your time, I'll never forget. It was one of my trademark stories, which I've told a million times. But we were driving down the road, and I think you might have been driving at the time. I might have been riding shotgun, but prime time was in the backseat and you looked at me, maybe I was driving. You said, steve, what's so stunning about Stunning Steve? And you asked Brian, prime time, what's so prime time about Brian Lee? And that was the first time, you know, hell, I was just trying to be a pro wrestler. I wasn't thinking about a character. I wasn't thinking about a being. I wasn't thinking about my relationship with the crowd, what the crowd thought of me, who I was, that they could think of me or form an opinion of me. I was just trying to be a wrestler. I was caught up in the mechanics, the 101 stuff, and then get to the psychology, a couple different layers of that. But I wasn't a character. When you asked me that question, something that was a story that I'd never forgot. And I didn't have an answer for you because when. When Dutch Mantell made up Stunning Steve Austin, he had given me Steve Austin, which I rejected because I didn't want to copy the Million Dollar man, the Six Million Dollar man, but going out and I needed a name, so that's what I come up with. So anyway, I'm Steve Austin. But, dude, I go, you know, I go through my career and I'm just. I'm not thinking anything about being a character. And you're the first person that made me think about that. Your desire to start up this wrestling school. Do you remember that conversation first?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I actually do, yeah. Because when I asked Brian, he said, like, primetime Deion Sanders, I said, I don't get it. And a lot of wrestling fans may not get it either, because I don't see that in what you're saying. And I do remember that just thinking, because that was at A stage in my career where I think if that was 91, I think it was 90, early 90s, you know, I'd hit 30. And I'd been wrestling for about 10, 11 years, and I think two at that time. Jerry Jarrett opened a wrestling school around Nashville, and I'd gone down and just helped out, Just. Just tried to teach and. And you really don't know if you can teach until you do it. You don't know if you're a coach until you do it. You know, I have my way, you have your way. But the right way and the only way does not exist. There's one way to do it, there's another way to do it. It's like ice cream, different flavors. You like rocky road, I like strawberries. It's all good. It's just what works. The. That is all of a sudden, you know, I know what I should have done early in my career, but I didn't do what I needed to do. And one of the things I say is, you do whatever it takes. Well, I did whatever it took to get in the business. But then once I had these opportunities in front of me, I was in a bad place. What I was asking you guys is. Because now I've seen it through the years, and I'd heard it and watched guys change gimmicks different times. Taurus bowl was one of the guys. Juan Reynosa changed his gimmick a couple times, just out of the blue. So now I started thinking, stunning Steve, does it resonate? No. But you got to find out who you are. The ringmaster. No, it's not it. So all of a sudden, you find out, and I tell guys this all the time now, to watch movies, listen to music, you know, read the paper, just read books, read something. You might find one thing out of 20 movies or 30 books or a million songs, but you hear that one thing that resonates. And that's pretty much what happened with you, right? I mean, you guys are sitting there watching tv, and all of a sudden, you know, falls into place. Well, then you find out who you really are, because that's who you really are. You're a redneck from Texas who likes to drink beer. And you're not. You're not a bad guy even at this stage of your life. Again, that's what makes you. You with that uniqueness of understanding, how much of an influence you are on this business to this. And yet you can still understand what it's like when you first started. And I think, again, it doesn't matter what you say to people, but they'll always remember how you made them feel. And that's not everybody has that quality or ability to do that. That's a huge thing in wrestling is communicating with people, communicating with your fans, with your audience. And during the 90s, man, you took it by a storm once you became a stone Cole, Steve Austin and once things fell into place, my God, you were the first guy to work with Vince McMahon. Think about that. If I can tell a story real quick about Vince because we used to train. He wanted to train sometimes at 11 o' clock at night just for this match with you. And he was going to get juice. I don't know if it's the first match or second match, but I had to make his blade that night. So I'm making Vince McMahon's first blade and he's never out of his life, okay. And he's working with the hottest superstar in the business at that. So he gets juiced during the match and I come back and I would never go into Vince's office, never after, unless I was really needed to go there. I didn't really need to go there but I was so happy for him that he got used blade that night. And I went back, I said what a job, that was great. He goes, I didn't, never had to use it. So what do you mean? Because no, he cracked me hard way. Look at here, look on the top of his head. He hit him with the chair, split him wide open. But you know, that was the kind of guy he was. He was ready for the blade. But once, once you hard weighed him, he didn't need it. I guess you were the guy that.

[Steve Austin]

Was trained in Vince back in the day when I was working with him.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I'm the guy, man, I never knew that. Oh, I thought you did my go to the studio and, and again, you know, I was just, I was, had just moved to Stanford too. Not, not that long, maybe a year, two years I guess when, whenever you worked with him first time, I don't, I don't remember the year but we would come to the studio where that ring was and they hated us there because of all the bumps. But sometimes he would want to train 11 o' clock at night because he'd been working all day. So I was, I was at, you know, I was on Titan time back then and I worked with the boss and in fact we even for the cage match where he took the bump on the table, we measured that out at the studio and he got up on the cage. Had the cage on the ring and everything. We measured it and he, we put the bump pads and everything else. He took the bump, I think he took it like three times. Said, I've got it, I've got it. And sure enough, during the match, he bounced on the table, didn't break.

[Steve Austin]

But that was him, that was in Memphis at the pyramid. And I remember that St. Valentine's Day massacre. And he told me about taking that bump, and I didn't, didn't have any knowledge of it until that day. And I said, okay, so, you know, here's how it's going to go down. And I was going to bounce his head off that top of that cage and he was going to spring back and land on that table. Now, had he landed just 6 to 9 inches further in towards the center of that table in that sweet spot, he'd have been just fine. But he didn't. I mean, he kicked as hard as he could, but he landed right on the edge, that spine of that table, which is the worst place that you could land. Yeah, dude, I was up there on that cage. I saw his head whipped down. It was like I was watching it in slow motion, right? It was like the cel. But my sale on his bump was like a chute. I'm thinking, jesus Christ, are you shitting me? Did this just happen? My question to you is, and I give Vince all the credit in the world because I don't know what your relationship is with a man, and mine is good. I just always respected the fact that Vince would go, he would do absolutely anything to give the fans their money's worth. He wouldn't ask anybody to do something that he wouldn't do himself. And he wasn't a natural born athlete. I know his dad never really wanted him to be inside this squared circle. He wanted to. You know, he barely let him get in to promote. The only reason he let him get in the business was he was having a hard time promoting Bangor, Maine. And he said, if you can go make that town a success, I'll let you in the business. So he damn sure never wanted him to work inside the squared circle. So my question to you, in trying to teach the boss, you know, the greatest, to me, probably the greatest promoter that ever lived, what's the protocol, the etiquette? How does it go down when you're trying to teach the guy who owns it all how to frickin work?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

It was, it was great. But, but it was, you're right, he's not a natural athlete, but you know how Vince can be very empathetic and understand you and be on your level. You know how he's talking to you like he's very. He's got cool Vince. Then you got, then you got the boss vents. Well, during the studio he was like cool Vince and you know, but. But then he can be. He can be boss Vince when he wants to be too, obviously, but working man. All we really did was lock up and we took some headlocks over. He's grab my arm and he's wanting to throw punches and man, oh man, I'm covering up, but he's knocking the living shit out of me, which is, which is all right. That's what I was there for. I remember he even gave me a couple stunners. I don't know if we. If he ever gave you a stunner in the match or not, but he wanted to try a couple stunners too. I do remember that very well. And we went over that with him.

[Steve Austin]

But.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

But it was, it was a very cool thing, man, because the people who haven't had the opportunity to meet with Vince and be one on one with him, and trust me, I haven't had that many. I've had maybe five, maybe five real one on ones where it's. Where it's personal, you know, talk, which. Which he does with anybody who has the time to sit with him and get to know him. I think he'll take that time with pretty much anybody. Basically, he would show up, we'd get in the ring, he'd stretch out, and then he'd start stretching ropes, and then I would just start circling and he'd start circling. So. All right, come on, pal, let's do it. And just playing around when we lock up, man. You locked up with him and he's not, he's not the easiest guy to maneuver.

[Steve Austin]

No, no.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

And he, he doesn't, he doesn't realize that, but he has that. He has that performer's ego. He has a performer's heart, and that's where he really wants to be. So I respect the hell out of him too, for doing. I respect the whole family, man. Shane, Stephanie as well. The only one I hadn't got in the ring with is Linda, you know, and I think she's doing just fine. But yeah, it was, it was a very cool thing because like I said, sometimes we'd be there late at night and I wondered, like, when are the hell are we going to finish up, man? And he just kept going and going. So that's Part of his work ethic that you gotta respect.

[Steve Austin]

The thing about working with Vince, going back to that St. Valentine's Day massacre at the pyramid. The guy goes to sling me into the cage and you know, dude, if you and me are working and I'm gonna run you into the cage, I'm gonna grab the back of your neck, maybe just a handful here or whatever in the back, but I'm just gonna basically guide you. There's gonna be a little bit of force, but you're gonna take your own bump. We got out there that night, it was sold out. That crowd was red hot. They were ready to see Stone cold and Vista McMahon in a cage match. And boy, I guarantee you, you know how it is when you walk out there, dude, I mean that was your happy place. And when that place blew for me, that was my happy place. And we just live and die for that. But I'll tell you what, the adrenaline was in Vince so much he basically rag dolled me. And it's that kind of, it's like, God damn dude, let me take my own bump. But he would throw me so hard I couldn't take a proper bump for him. Yeah.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Now he did give me turnbuckles and I told him to stop dragging, but I guess he never got it, man. So, yeah.

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[Steve Austin]

So when are you going to start the wrestling school up and tell me about this? Love to teach because you know, not everybody makes a good teacher. Obviously you do and you're a huge mentor on me and my career. So tell me about the need or the interest to start up this wrestling school.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Well, what happened was Glenn Jacobs came was running for mayor and this been about two years in the making. He came to me one time and said, you know, all these guys are opening up wrestling schools and I've got this house in Dandridge and it's just sitting there. I'm wondering if we can put a ring in the garage and maybe have people stay at the house, you know, and just come from the house, go to the garage, train and start something, start a school. And I said, I don't think so, man. I don't know. We went down, looked at the garage and it was too small. So there's a guy by the name of Devin Driscoll here in Knoxville. He owns a place called D1 Sports. I trained him to wrestle about 10 years ago, and he and a guy named Mick Drake are a tag team. Booker T. Loves him. Diamond Dallas Page gave him his finisher, you know, so they're going all over the country working and stuff, but he owns D1 Sports here in Knoxville and it's a beautiful gym. And he said, man, I would love to have a program here at D1. So we got together, Glenn and I, and talked to Devin and we came up with this idea. And starting January 7th in Knoxville, I'm going to have a 16 week course. So go January 7th through April 26th at D1 Sports Complex in Knoxville, Tennessee. We have an open house January 3rd at D1, where everybody can come out at 7 o' clock and we're going to talk about the wrestling school and what to expect and answer any questions they have. Because it's, you know, you paid for a wrestling school in Texas, right?

[Steve Austin]

Correct.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

And like you said, you had 25 people, one ring, two instructors, one day a week. Two days a week, one day a week. Well, this is going to go five days a week. I'm going to be the instructor. We have a limit on 20 people. We have a 20 by 20 ring coming, which is the size of WWE, WWF. I keep saying WWF, WWE ring. And most of the major companies, we also. Here's what we're gonna offer. We're gonna have. Let me turn this off.

[Steve Austin]

Tom Pritchard owes everybody on my podcast a beer, please. Keep going. There we go.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Thank you. Okay, like I said, five nights a week, Monday through Friday, we're gonna go 6 to 10pm we're gonna have one hour schedule for strength and conditioning by this guy, Kyle Hayes, who used to be a former NXT trainer in Orlando. His brother Sean still trains in Orlando. Kyle's a real good gu. People stretch out. You get the strength and conditioning program, the same thing they're doing for nxt, and then we're gonna have three hours of wrestling. We're gonna have one night a week for the character development like you were talking about. You know, what makes you you. Why would you connect or how would you connect with anybody? Why would anybody care about what you do? And how does that happen? So I'm gonna be doing the training. After 16 weeks, you'll get a certificate saying you completed 16 weeks of professional wrestling training under my guidance and everything. All the information that you need to know. And you can contact [e-mail] it has the pricing, it has the address from D1 in Knoxville. We invite anybody from out of town to come down and just see what we're about. There's plenty of hotels. There's a Visit Knoxville video on the front page. Our webmaster has done and did a real good job with it. But starting January 7th, the first class will go through April 26th, five nights a week. That's about it, man. JPRrestlingAcademy.com Going back to my first days.

[Steve Austin]

Trying to learn the business. And gentleman, Chris Adams School, he had one other guy, a Spanish wrestler named Chico, A little bit more on the luchador side of the game, but a great instructor for tumbling and just learning how to bump. We were there on Saturday mornings right after that television taping, and I think the class lasted about two hours. There was one ring, it was about. I think it was probably about 18 footer. Back in the day, it could have been 20. I think it was 18. And there was 25, 30 of us with two instructors and one ring. So one ring is fine when you're trying to just go from turnbuckle to turnbuckle with your tumbling drills, taking a flat back, stuff like that, but two hours, so what you've got going, and this is only one day a week, as you know, Tom, when I went to that USWA territory, and you're working a minimum of five to six times a week, seven if you're lucky, and get a chance to work at Sunday, you really pick up things a lot faster just because of the repetition, just repetition. And in working out there, you always got to change your shit up because, you know some of the marks are following you from town to town. So the fact that you've got four hours of class, one strength and conditioning, three in the ring, and you're doing character development, and you're doing it five days a week is awesome because if you're trying to learn the business like I did, one lesson a week splitting time with two instructors, with 25 people, dude, that was the drizzling shits. Now it got me in. And Chris Adams was a great trainer. I'm not saying that I'm just saying the good thing about what you're doing is, first of all, I ain't blowing smoke up your ass. You're an awesome teacher. You're an awesome coach. You know, the ins and outs of the business, psychology, character mechanics, everything. But you just got to have that repetition. And I think to me, not only just with the instruction, but just the repetition and the frequency is everything when you're trying to learn the business.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

It really is. And we're going to do our best. Also, as soon as these guys are done, we have connections to help them get booked around here. Up in the South, I think it's Cleveland and around the Georgia area, too. So, I mean, we know everybody. We figure everybody who comes and wants to listen to what we have to say. They're looking to find out how to break into professional wrestling. So if anything, I think this is the best opportunity to come out and check us out. So again, the open house is January 3rd, and we start January 7th. So I just hope everybody who hears this and everybody gets a chance to check it out.

[Steve Austin]

What kind of thought have you put in just to as far as the curriculum? Because, like, when I first learned, I mean, dude, it was, you know, learning how to take a flat back bump, some tumbling, and then a little bit later, we started a little bit of chain wrestling, although very little of it. So, I mean, is it going to be kind of like along those lines or.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Well, here's the thing. You're right. You have to have repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. But you have to crawl before you walk. But you need to learn how to walk in the ring. You need to learn how to lock up. And we're going to go from the beginning to the end. We're going to go from basics and get fundamentals. In 16 weeks, you're not going to learn everything. That's where starting wrestling in front of crowds and going to shows is going to help you, because that's really where you learn. I actually wrote a curriculum and published it. But I told when I was asked before my previous job to write a curriculum, I explained that that's really not the way this business is learned. It's really not the way that's done because I was training the developmental guys and. And I didn't want to go cookie cutter. Here's the other thing I found as a teacher. You know, some days it's not clicking sometimes, you know, if you're trying to take a hip toss, you're trying to do just a simple move, a takeover, that's not really that hard. But something's missing, something's not happening.

[Steve Austin]

Don't dwell on it.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Let's move on to something else. And that I think takes a feeling as well as a coach and a teacher, because it's worked for me. If we move away from it today and we come back to it either tomorrow or the next day, chances are you'll get it. Because you would have thought about it and watched it back on film and tape and figured out a different way to do it. But nobody takes a hip toss like Harley Race, except Harley Race. You cannot mimic stuff like that. There's just certain things that they look cool because that person makes it look cool. But for you to try it, it's not going to look the same. So I have a curriculum. We're going to start at the beginning, walking, locking up, basic, basic fundamentals. And then we're going to build where you can have a 15 to 20 minute where you're going to be able to tell a story by the end of 16 weeks. Not going to be anything Brisco Funk or Shawn Michaels. Triple H won't be in that category after 16 weeks if you don't have any experience. But we'll get you to where you can tell a story in a wrestling match for 15 or 20 minutes. But I have a curriculum. I've got a 16 week program worked out, but it's a living document.

[Steve Austin]

I like to think back in the day and you got into business before I did. But by the time I came around to Uswa in 1990, we would be in Nashville at the fairgrounds. And Nashville is a facility where the heels dressed on one side of the building and the babies dressed on the other side of the building. And this is when everybody was still calling matches in the ring. And you know, I was totally new to the territory. And all of a sudden Frank Morrell or that other guy Paul would come over and then they'd say, hey, so and so's gonna hit you with this finish tonight or you're going to catch something quick on so and so. And that was it, dude, that was all you knew going to the ring. So I'm sitting there thinking, on one hand I was very nervous, but on the other hand, you know, when I look back, you know, I didn't have anything to remember. There was nothing to forget because I had nothing to remember. So, you know, as green as I was, and I was only Steve Austin and I would become stunning Steve Austin, but you know, if I'd have had a character back then, I could have totally been that character because I wasn't trying to remember move after move after move. The business has changed, it's sped up. So is baseball. I mean, well, baseball slowed down, but the athletes are better athletes. The football, pro football is just played at light speed now. It's almost like a video game. What are your thoughts on just. And this is not an indictment on the system. This is just the way pro wrestling, sports entertainment has evolved going back from the days and like you were saying, coming up on stuff in late 60s and 70s and I told you yesterday on the phone, my favorite period was that mid-80s, Mid South, NWA style. But what are your thoughts on the way the business has evolved into really no high spots into a couple of high spots into 93, Steamboat Savage and attitude era coming out of that great stuff from the mid-80s. And now we with short attention span theater. The guys and gals are such tremendous athletes, much more athletic than we were. But the business has sped up as well. What are your thoughts on that?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I think it is inevitable that the world is going to change. I mean we have to accept that. But one thing I do not believe will ever go away are the fundamentals and basics. It's still blocking and tackling when you come right down to it. But football can change, baseball can change. Everything's going to change. No doubt because people demand faster, newer, brighter, shinier. Give me something new. They are better athletes, no doubt, but they're missing the things that we had because those things don't exist anymore. They're missing the veteran who's at the end of his leg or at the end of his time working with you every night, telling you when to slow down, now, come up now, no, too fast and then back down. They're missing that because it doesn't exist anymore. So you can't fault them necessarily. I enjoy watching some aspects and elements of the business knowing what I know about the system. You know, it's a great system for lack of any other system to go to. In other words, the system of driving in the cars and every night working the same towns every night, doing angles every night just does not exist because it's not the same model that we grew up watching and grew up in. So I don't want to be one of those guys who say, oh, you know, back in my day, kid, it was so much. Well, it was more. I want more of my taste because that, that interested me. If I watched it today, I don't know who or what would make me want to do this. Would it Be the lights, the glamour, the glitz. I don't know, man, because there wasn't a whole lot of, you know, shiny stuff. Watching West Texas and East Texas wrestling. It was just some badass, crazy looking guys coming to the rink. Now it's more better looking athletes, no doubt. Better in shape. No doubt. Is there feeling there? At times, yes. But there's other times when I'm not so convinced and I think you should be able to convince everybody all the time.

[Steve Austin]

Here's a question for you. You know, going through everything that you've been through, the highs and lows. How long did you last in the ring, Tom? How long was your career? Actively?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Actively, I think in 96 when I kind of see. Because I just had a match this year, which is terrible and it was horrible because I damn sure can't work, basically 16 years, I guess, because in 96 is when it really stopped. I started training guys in August of 96, so that's 16.

[Steve Austin]

Okay. I made about 13, I guess I had in there, period for neck fusion. So I don't know, solid, you know, from start to finish. I don't even know exactly how long I lasted, but when I got out of the business, I was forced to retire. When I got out, I was 38. I wasn't ready to retire, you know, I was ready to, to keep going. All I wanted to be in my life was a pro wrestler and here I was one. And then I had to ride off into the sunset. So once I got out of the business, I didn't have an exit strategy. You know, I was no different than so many of the other guys. And, you know, a lot of guys get caught up in the wheels of the grind and they're no longer with us. So it just, it took me kind of three years personally, actually. I've said this before, but I mean, hell, man, I just hunted fish and drank a whole lot just to kind of. I didn't have anything to fill that void when you got out of the business, dude. I mean, because like you were talking about at the beginning of the podcast, I mean, you're wired pretty different if you want to do something extreme like MMA fighters wired a little bit different.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Pro wrestlers wired a little different. Truck drivers, I mean, anything to a degree or really in general, I guess, wired specifically for that task. So guys, like, when you come off that, you know, that adrenaline rush, the gypsy lifestyle, the rock and roll lifestyle, everything that goes with it, sometimes living like a frigging Trojan and then it's gone. How did you what I call it is returning into being a civilian again. Now I'm not one of the boys anymore. I'm a civilian. How long did it take you to return to whatever is normal for Tom Pritchard?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Well, yeah, see, because I never really had a normal life. That's the whole thing that was the hard part because I kind of tapered in in 96. And that's when I wasn't wrestling full time anymore. Started training, going on the roads, wrestling with the guys, working with the guys I was training sometimes. So even when I got released because I was still training the guys, so I was still in. But I got released, you know, twice. And this last time, it. It took me a little longer because I was so used to being around it and so used to doing what I was doing. And it took me, good gosh, probably about three years too, you know, because you're not calling everybody that, you know, I stayed in touch with a couple people from there, but then again, when you don't see everybody all the time, you don't talk all the time, and it's just everybody gets busy doing things. And, you know, it is one of those things even, even to this day, you know, you're still wired different just for the fact of what you've done. And I think about that. I never really had a normal life, no matter growing up or eventually when I got to, especially when Mark Lewin came into my life, I thought, oh, my God, Jesus, if this is the way it's going to be. But Lewin, you know, because he was so far out there and I knew about him and King Curtis, he would tell stories about King Curtis and he would tell stories about the cookie. You know, those memories really haven't left me. You know, I still consider myself again, like, like you said as well, you're still part of the business because it's just something that's in you. As long as you're alive, I think that's going to be a part of it, you know, maybe not the main part anymore, but at the same time, it was something so much ingrained in me for all my life that I don't think I'll ever fully get that feeling out of me.

[Steve Austin]

Man. I had some. Some high times and low times on the road, like a lot of guys did. And then, you know, finally I got out of the business and the woman I ended up marrying was never a professional wrestling fan, and she was a special education teacher and some of her students brought a calendar to class and she saw me in the gym and asked my buddy, my training partner who ran the gym, hey, is that that stone Cold guy? And yeah, we trained together. And she said, do you think he'll come read to my students? I don't know, ask him. Anyway, 14 years later, we're together. One of the greatest things that ever happened to me. As we were trying to get set up for this podcast, I heard your wife in the background. How long have you been married?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

We'll be married 18 years December. Man.

[Steve Austin]

Holy cow. How'd you do that?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Well, I was. I was a member of the He Man Woman Haters club for the longest time. You know, I really was. You saw my picture everywhere. But it's a funny story. She's. She's a dirty white girl's sister. I hadn't seen her in years. And then one night I called. I was calling the dirty white boy from Stanford. I was in Connecticut, it downtown Stanford, if that tells you anything. At the Biltmore right across from Stanford Mall. Have you been to the Stanford Mall?

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, I think I have.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I think you have to anyway, but. So I'm right down there, if that gives you any idea where I'm at. And I called Tony's house and she answered the phone because she was. She was staying with Tony and Kim. She had been in a bad marriage. And so anyway, I started talking to her and I thought, you know, she sounds nice. And she's like 27 at that time. And I thought, why don't we get together one night and she's in Tennessee and I'm at Stanford. Well, I flew in a weekend. Like flew in on a Friday, had to fly out to go to towns on a Sunday. I was working TVs at that time as a producer slash agent. How about that? Anyway, so we met, we hooked up and yeah, we. After about two years, a long distance relationship, I said, hey, I'll be in Charlotte December 20th. You want to get married next day or December 19th, whatever it was. I flew because we got married because I was in proximity to the town in true wrestler fashion. So we got married. And in 18 years, this is probably the best one you write. You know, it takes a special one to be with somebody like this.

[Steve Austin]

So she had an understanding of the business before she got into it though.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Yeah, she did. But you know, she wasn't really aware of the extracurricular activities necessarily, you know, and so she thought when she saw me it was just a weekend thing when she didn't understand. No, this was pretty much a lifestyle. And then that kind of, you know. But she didn't leave me. That was a good thing, you know? So I guess because she's. She's been with me this long, she's probably the best thing to happen to me because I would have been dead a long time ago.

[Steve Austin]

You really think so?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I wasn't planning down a deep hole. I wasn't planning to live to 30. I mean, you know, Jake says that a lot, and other people say that a lot, but. But there was a time when it got pretty sticky.

[Steve Austin]

What'd you do to come out of all that?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

My wife. It was one of those nights where she was in Tennessee and I was in Stamford, and I fell asleep on the phone, and she didn't know what was going on. So here come the ambulance and took me to Stanford Hospital. Next day, Shane called me and Sundays, you have 15 minutes to pack a bag. You're going to Atlanta now. I gotta go to King of the Ring in Fresno. No, no, you're going to Atlanta. So I went to Atlanta, and they put you in a special place there. And two weeks later, Eddie Guerrero showed up. Thank God you're here, man, because I'm going crazy. And so we spent our summer, that summer in Atlanta. It was at TRC Talbot Recovery Campus. And I had spent another little bit of time, too, but, you know, that's what I'm saying, man. You just. Sometimes you get caught up in things and you. You don't know you're in that rat race until all of a sudden a bigger rat passes you and you go, oh, my God.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, it's an interesting business with a lot of interesting things that you can get yourself into. Last question. You and your wife have known each other for, obviously, a long time. The few people that you are close with are you. Like me, like my wife. We don't speak carny to each other. But she knows kayfabe. She knows. She knows my basics. General wrestler's vocabulary. And it's like, when I'm talking with someone who's never been around the business of wrestling, I can talk without using wrestling terms, but I find that I like using them. Like my longtime friend Ted Fowler down at my ranch, you know, he knows, you know, if I say, dude, is that a shoot? He knows that. Is that real, Right? So there's a few people that I, you know, will. You know, they may know five or 10 words, whereas my wife probably knows 20. 20. Are you like that?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Isn't it nice?

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Yeah, it is. That's how I knew this one was a keeper. You know, because she just. When I said, hey, would you give me that gimmick over there, please? Yeah, she know exactly what I'm talking about. Hey, how about that furnham over there? Yeah. By the way. Yeah, yeah, she gets it, man. So, I mean, she. She would have left me a long time ago if she did. I'm convinced.

[Steve Austin]

Tom, it was good catching up with you. I know that neither of us are actually, you know, phone call every single week kind of guys, but definitely like to stay in touch with you. And once you guys get the wrestling school up and running, man, if you want to come back on the show, dude, and talk about it and see what's. Give us a progress report, man, I'd love to have you back on.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Yeah, that sounds great. I really appreciate you having me on. I've been wanting to talk to you for a while, too. But I'm happy for everything, man, that you have the opportunity, like I said, to go hunt and have the freedom to do whatever you want to do is a great thing, man. Thank you for having me on. I really appreciate it.

[Steve Austin]

Tom, best of luck with the wrestling school. And I'm gonna end my open. I'll cover everything as well in my clothes. I'll cover everything as well. But anyway, hey, Tom, good talking with you and best luck with that school, brother.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I appreciate it. Thank you, Steve.

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[Dr. Tom Prichard]

I will have my vineyards.

[Announcer]

Good burger.

[Steve Austin]

This is what I do.

[Announcer]

Fast food, Beverly Hills Cop, the Girl with a dragon tattoo, and Julie and Julia.

[Steve Austin]

Bon appetit.

[Announcer]

All for free on your favorite devices. Pluto TV Stream now pay Never. This is the Steve Austin show.

[Steve Austin]

All right, everybody, welcome to back to the podcast. Just wrapped up my conversation with Dr. Tom Pritchard talking about all things professional wrestling and the fact that him and Kane Glenn Jacobs opened up a wrestling school over in Knoxville, Tennessee. Shit, but fly down there and put on a seminar. Christian, let's talk about our day. Good morning. Good afternoon. How are you?

[Kristen Austin]

I'm great, Steve. We made it back to Marina del Rey safe.

[Steve Austin]

God damn, we're both about halfway lit. I mean haggard. I don't mean high or drunk. I will talk about the in a minute. All the damn rumors been floating around on the damn Internet. I want to clear some shit up. Hell, we got up by 4am this morning, started guzzling down coffee, threw all our shit in the Yukon xl And hauled ass running radar. We took it pretty easy, made good time.

[Kristen Austin]

We.

[Steve Austin]

Well, here's the thing. Callie, our black lab, she's a year and a half old, and she's always used to going everywhere with me, so I always put her in the shotgun seat. Well, when we get ready to come home as a family unit, I like when my wife rides shotgun because she can sit there and navigate. We can have a conversation and all that stuff. And every now and then, she'll try to take a little cat nap on me. But when Callie gets in there, Moolah loves to lay back on her bed. Moolah will sleep the entire way. So, Kristen, we got that Yukon xl and you can fold those seats down and you can fold the one seat up. It's like a jump seat. So that's Kristen's seat.

[Dr. Tom Prichard]

Seat.

[Steve Austin]

The. The passenger seat behind the shotgun.

[Kristen Austin]

It's like two feet wide.

[Steve Austin]

Two feet wide. She's back here with Moolah on her left hand side and her big ass.

[Kristen Austin]

Splayed out in her bed.

[Steve Austin]

And then Callie's riding shotgun with me, and Kristen puts a little blanket in there so her head can get up there on the console. And she's just sleeping her full head off. And it looks like I'm driving Miss Daisy. I'm carrying on a conversation. People like, man, who the fuck is he talking to?

[Kristen Austin]

Or people wonder why I'm sitting in the backseat.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, man, I feel like an Uber driver or a limo driver or something.

[Kristen Austin]

Long distance Uber driver.

[Steve Austin]

God dang. We made good time and man, we were hauling ass and we didn't want to leave. Christian just got our brand new horse. That horse.

[Kristen Austin]

He's not brand new.

[Steve Austin]

No, no, he's brand new to you.

[Kristen Austin]

Yes, he is.

[Steve Austin]

He's 23 years old. He's a Missouri foxtrotter. Enlighten the listeners up about a Missouri foxtrotter.

[Kristen Austin]

And my limited information about the Missouri foxtrotter is they're a gated horse and they have a special trot that is a lot smoother, especially for people with back issues. So I got lucky because I do have back issues and he's a smooth ride, so.

[Steve Austin]

And the best thing is he was free. The people gave him to us.

[Kristen Austin]

Yeah, usually a free horse never means free, so it's really not technically free because I already paid for his physical. I have to get a farrier to come out and take a look at his hooves and get his feet, I mean, his teeth looked at. So it's technically not free. But I didn't pay for his pay for him.

[Steve Austin]

We got him for free. We'll do our due diligence. I mean, it's almost like having a new pet. Yeah, I mean, it's like, you know, like thinking, okay, I called my buddy, my doctor down in San Antonio, Jimmy. And I said, hey, Jimmy. I said, man, I said, is a 23 year old horse too old? He goes, oh, hell no, Steve. They'll live a long time. He goes, man, that's a good horse.

[Kristen Austin]

And he is a good horse.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, he's got good training, he's really mannered, he's mild. We love.

[Kristen Austin]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

But you know, most time when you think, okay, when they said that they were going to give us a horse, I'm like, okay, what's the catch? Motherfucker ready for the glue factory or what? And horse lovers all around the world are shrieking in horror. I would hate to think that, but I mean, you know, you think of something, Something's wrong with him.

[Kristen Austin]

Well, they had. He was left behind and the people couldn't care for him any longer and he needed a new home. So welcome, rebel.

[Steve Austin]

I'm not gonna pat myself on the back Barry Horwood style, but I just rescued a horse, made my wife happy. Yep, I'm a husband of the year. Man, I didn't feel like leaving Nevada. You come back. God damn. We was hauling ass. We screeched in.

[Kristen Austin]

First of all, when we left, it was 11 degrees.

[Steve Austin]

It was 11 degrees. Hell, it's 83 outside.

[Kristen Austin]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

I went from freezing my ass off in shorts, wearing a car heart and an underneath jacket and a base layer to coming back here. And we was both riding in the Yukon, both got our jackets still on. It's hotter than a motherfucker.

[Kristen Austin]

Ugg boots on, big fleece jacket. And we woke it. Get here, it's 84 degrees.

[Steve Austin]

I went from looking like an idiot wearing shorts in Nevada to an idiot wearing a heavy ass camouflage jacket in Los Angeles. Yeah, I'm batting 1,000. Soon as we came in, man, I started busting in all the damn suitcases, coolers, backpacks. Get my sound gear up to record the back half the podcast. After my conversation with Dr. Tom Pritchard and Sharon, my wife hears a trademark sound and I've got about halfway deaf. And she looks at me, she goes, oh, no. I'm thinking, man, what the fuck happened? She goes, your dog. And it was a splash. We came home and Callie is like a psycho for water and she had to jump right in the swimming pool.

[Kristen Austin]

Yep.

[Steve Austin]

And normally all of our older dogs wait for us to give them permission to go in the pool. But Callie don't give a fuck. Whenever she wants to go in, she jumps in the pool. So of course she jumps in, makes a couple laps around the hot tub, jumps in the big pool, just starts swimming around like a shark. Then she comes in and waits by the door. So I dried her little ass off and brought her back inside. But this is my mom.

[Kristen Austin]

She deserved to swim.

[Steve Austin]

She deserved to swim. She was a good dog.

[Kristen Austin]

Yeah.

[Steve Austin]

But anyway, now that we're all settled here in the house, I want to go ahead and take a little bit more time to address in this all of the bullshit rumors that started on the Interweb a week or two ago. Interweb, Internet, same shit. Web website, Internet shit. It's kind of like a random macho man, savage thing. He's called it. What do you call it? The Interscope or the TV Scope or whatever it was. All the damn rumors came out all of a sudden, said, man, shit. Stone Cold Steve Austin has given up all alcohol and started smoking medicinal marijuana and all kinds of horse shit. Here's it. I had so many headlines, and I read this one. This was from the Fix.com. stone Cold Steve Austin gives up trademark beer Chuggin. The legendary WWE star has given up alcohol and taken up yoga. It goes on to say, stone Cold Steve Austin announced on his podcast the Steve Austin show, that he is giving up beer. The WWE wrestler announced to fans that he's doing it for his health, that he hasn't had a drink in over two weeks. And it goes on to quote, and at that time, I hadn't drank it in 14 days. At this point in time, I haven't drank it in, what, 32 days? And then it says, also, quitting beer isn't the only way the WWE legend is boosting his health. He also told listeners he started Diamond Dallas Pages DDP yoga program. Okay, goes on to say about no alcohol, hitting the weights, doing my yoga, doing my weights. He also told listeners about another change, though, one that's less in the interest of his health and more about trying something new. Medical marijuana. I went on to share a story about when I borrowed a joint from somebody and we passed through the Sierra Blanca check station. And I can smell that damn dope in that damn cabinet like a damn bloodhound. And I'm thinking, man, we going down. We getting busted for one fucking joint. Anyway, I tried the damn joint. I tried to smoke dope a time or two way back in my wrestling days. It was. Wasn't shit. Wasn't my cup of tea. But back to the alcohol. I never told nobody. Chris, how long have I been doing this podcast? Five years over probably almost 550 episodes.

[Kristen Austin]

Well, people like to take snippets of what you say and make a story out of it. So you quit alcohol, took up pot.

[Steve Austin]

And started doing yoga.

[Kristen Austin]

Started doing yoga. Pretty soon you're going to be a vegan, you know, driving a Prius. So.

[Steve Austin]

There'S a lot of things I'm not gonna do. One of them is driving a damn Prius.

[Kristen Austin]

What about a Smart Car?

[Steve Austin]

Oh, man, we was coming in on the damn. Was it the 5 or the 405 earlier? And I got behind a Hyundai Accent and a Smart Car, and I'm, like, waiting back behind both of them. I'm. One of these motherfuckers has got to get out of the way. And I figured, okay, the Hyundai accent has got to have a little more than that Smart Car. So I get behind accent, then the Smart Car decides to eat away. Yes, I put my damn blinker on change lanes, sashayed around that motherfucker and haul ass and pass the Smart Car, too.

[Kristen Austin]

Anyway, left.

[Steve Austin]

Boast of my trail of dust.

[Kristen Austin]

Back to the rumors.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah, back to the rumor. Hell, man, I ain't give up no damn alcohol. Christian, how. No. How long have we known each other?

[Kristen Austin]

Since 2004.

[Steve Austin]

How many times have I quit drinking alcohol?

[Kristen Austin]

Every time you go on a diet.

[Steve Austin]

Okay, why did I quit every time I go on a diet?

[Kristen Austin]

So you can lose some lb?

[Steve Austin]

So I can lose some lbs. It's common sense if. Let's just go into the macros. I talked about these last Tuesday just for a split second. Right now, I'm taking in about 2,700 calories a day. I mark it all on my Cronometer app, which I highly suggest to anybody, if you're on an eating program, tracks all your macros protein, carbs, and fats. And I'm in within 150 calories, plus or minus of 2700 calories. So I'm dropping weight. Weight. So, Kristen, if I'm taking in 2700 calories of protein, carbs, and fat, and I'm trying to be at a caloric deficit, is there room for a bottle of wine?

[Kristen Austin]

Absolutely not.

[Steve Austin]

Is there room for three Broken Skull Ranch margaritas?

[Kristen Austin]

Really? Absolutely not.

[Steve Austin]

Is there room for two or three broken skull IPAs?

[Kristen Austin]

Nope.

[Steve Austin]

There ain't room for shit.

[Kristen Austin]

I feel like I'm on Jeopardy.

[Steve Austin]

Yeah. My wife loves Jeopardy. She loves Jeopardy. And Wheel of Fortune. And those shows are so old, they just renewed both of those shows for big money.

[Kristen Austin]

Oh, good.

[Steve Austin]

There was like a bidding war for them. And my wife always turns those things on. And I'm like, I only turn them.

[Kristen Austin]

On when you're not in the house. Because I know you get irritated.

[Steve Austin]

That Jeopardy, that theme song. I dare let. Let Metallica redo that motherfucker. Or Black Label. Anyway, there ain't no room in my diet for alcohol at this point in time. I didn't swear off alcohol forever. Why in the fuck would I do that? I enjoy alcohol responsibly as an adult, and so therefore I will probably drink until my final day on earth. But when I'm trying to meet a deadline, if I'm trying to get in shape, then I've got to eliminate the alcohol if I want to burn fat. Because if you do drink alcohol, you're probably going to go in a caloric surplus. You're probably going to get the munchies. You lose it in your inhibitions. You'll start raiding the refrigerator. I've been there and I've done that. And if you drink alcohol, alcohol jumps into the front of the queue in front of fat to be burned off first because your body treats it as a poison. So ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Hello, McFly. That's why the fuck I stopped drinking alcohol temporarily. Temporarily. Five syllable words. I ain't gonna quit drinking for the rest of my life, Kristen. I'm in the beer business. Do you know, as this podcast drops on November 15, it is the official three year anniversary of the creation and release of Broken Skull ipa, A collaboration with myself and El Segundo Bruin Company. Three years. The beer is highly successful. It's the best damn IPA in the United States of America. I'll never forget when I met Rob Crochall. We started talking. We enjoyed each other's company and we were on the same page. And then we sat down over a table, just the two of us, and there was 12 to 15 beers there. And as we started tasting those beers back and forth, I was telling Rob how I like this. Too much IBUS here. This rolls on too fast, this lingers too much. I don't speak technical beer language, but I didn't need to because Rob understood what I was saying. He had a legal pad and a pen and he was writing shit down. So we finished up the session. I got an Uber ride home because I wasn't in no shape to drive. Rob went back to his house, which is only a few blocks away. And put together the formula for Broken Skull ipa. We went down, I helped mix all the ingredients, we brewed it, and about three, four weeks later, we was ready to try that shit out. And I was nervous, trepidatious when I went in there because I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. And I'm thinking, man, if this shit ain't right, I ain't gonna put my name on it. It might take us seven or eight goes with this. It might take us two years to finally come up with a formula that I love. I drank that beer and I had to kind of just double check because it was so damn good. I didn't want to jump the gun. And I looked over at Rob and I said, that's a good beer.

[Kristen Austin]

No, you said, that's a good damn beer.

[Steve Austin]

No, I didn't. I said, that's a good beer. This is the Design Lee show. Oh. And I said, hang on, I took one more pull. I said, man, that's a good beer. And it was labeled. He had two test batches, and this was labeled when they were doing the research on it as 231. So this was kayfabe batch 231, which was going to be broken skull IPA if I approved it. And so anyway, I went home and I slept on it for a little bit and I woke up the next day and I called Rob and I said, you know what? I said, man, we could probably try to play with things a little bit, but I think we'll fuck it up. I said, man, I said, well, let's go with that formula. And Rob, direct quote to me, he goes, steve, he goes, I'm glad you said that, because if you hadn't said that, I was going to use it for another beer. That's how good it is. So anyway, long story short, to get back to the subject at hand, I'm in the beer business. I drink beer. I love beer. I'm well known for drinking beer on television in a former life as Stone Cold Steve Austin. I think you should drink all alcoholic beverages or anything that's going to alter your personality with moderation and be safe. I just on a podcast one or two ago, I dropped my Broken Skull Ranch Margarita formula, a formula that was probably shit, 10, 12 years in the making. Probably so, because we've been brewing those things up ever since we own the ranch. And I can make chicken salad out of chicken shit any old day of the week. You can bring some that sorry ass margarita mix and give me some Patron Silver or whatever the Fuck is some low grade dog shit tequila. And I can make it taste pretty damn good. But I handcrafted this. Some bitch dude emailed me. I've been getting a lot of emails talking to me and complimenting me on that Broken Skull Ranch margarita mix. And I tell them all, I said, hey, man, I'm glad you like it. And I got a lot of man hours invested in that motherfucker. Because it ain't just I didn't come up on that formula on the first time. That was getting that recipe, that base recipe that I gave you guys on the podcast and then kind of tweaking it and making it my own. So, hey, to answer the question, to put all the rumors to rest, and I hate to even go down this road, but everybody started, you know, spreading the word. My phone started ringing off the hook. Everybody was text messaging me, people were emailing me, people were sending me direct messages. And then some people were flat out upset and heartbroken that I stopped drinking beer. And I had many people who were recovering addicts saying, hey, man, congratulations on your newfound sobriety. And to those people, I say, thank you so much for caring about me. And, you know, that was a rumor. I'm fine. I'm on a diet. That's why I quit. When you try to drop some pounds, you get down to your desired weight, you know, level off on the calories, throw some alcohol back in there, don't go hog wild. But that's what we did every year down there in South Texas. Chris, me and Ted Fowler, 361. We start off drinking the margaritas. After the hunt, we go to the Broken Skull ipa. And after two and a half months of that, we go back to la and I look in the mirror and I say, who the fuck is that? And my wife has to hear me singing the blues about that shit for three months while I burn it off. So long story short, end of story. I quit drinking temporarily to reach a goal late. I did not quit drinking temporarily to improve my health or because I was in harm's way. And as far as the medicinal marijuana goes, I ain't a dope guy. I tried smoking some dope, didn't like.

[Kristen Austin]

It a long time ago.

[Steve Austin]

End up, yeah, end of story. So now I'm like, stone cold sober. Austin420 says, I just smoked a joint. Nah, that was a damn bullshit story I told about the check station, which was a true story, and that was the end of that story. And to go back down, the yoga thing, a lot of people can't believe shit. Stone cold hell raising ass kicking his motherfucker that ever kicked ass in WWE stomping mud holes and walking them dry. He's doing yoga. No, I ain't just doing yoga. I'm doing DDP yoga. And the thing about the DDP yoga is it's like a calisthenic workout with yoga built in. It's like Dallas took yoga and made yoga work for his program, his protocol. So then when he gives it to you, like on a seven day free trial, you can sign up for like when Dallas came over here at the 317 Gimmick street and put me through the workout, I was using chairs and blocks to keep my balance. You modify the program to fit you. Now I don't use the chairs and the blocks, but I'm still going strong. I'm getting more flexible. I got my core strength going up. So yeah, do I do yoga? Not hot yoga, Bikram yoga this, yoga that. Yoga. I do DDP yoga. It's kind of like a macho form of yoga. I dig it.

[Kristen Austin]

Well, and you do all sorts of exercise. You ride your beach cruiser down the beach, you ride your little bike at the ranch, you do all sorts of different types of cardio. So yeah, I mean, it's just you integrate all forms of exercise into your regimen, you know?

[Steve Austin]

Yeah. Now that I'm not drunk all the time, I can actually get in shape, man. I took my wife on his hike the other day. We started hiking in Nevada, man. There's a couple trail heads not too far down the road from our house. So we'll go out there and we'll start walking up. I told Kristen, I said, man, I got to take this new place I found. And she goes, what's the deal with it? I said, man, I said, I really don't know if you're going to make it all the way up. Because we had just been in the gym that day at the ranch and she was training legs, she was doing lunges, squats, all that. And I said, I don't think you're going to make it up just because you already been training legs. So anyway, we jump at the 95 Ford Bronco, drive over there to this mountain and she goes, that doesn't look that steep. I said, well, yeah, it is once you get up past that ledge. I said, let's see how you do. So we started taking off, we started walking, and this time I'd already walked up the damn mountain about three times. Times. And I was wearing my heart rate monitor that Dallas gave me, and I was looking at my heart rate, and it was very refreshing form of cardio because I was getting my heart rate up to like, at 140s, and I wasn't just sitting there spinning a belt on like a treadmill or something like that. And all of a sudden, man, there's some rocks, there's some shit, there's some trash, and there's some steep inclines. If you guys remember the Broken skull challenge way back in the day when we had Heartbreak Hill, this motherfucker make Heartbreak Hill look like it was a damn hump in the road. And my wife made it about halfway up. What happened? You bailed out on me.

[Kristen Austin]

I started getting fearful in my height, you know, like fear of heights all the way up there. And so I'm like, I think I'm just gonna walk down. Because it was like being on the edge of a cliff. It was like a 90 degree angle. I'm trying to walk up it, looking down, going, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

The rib was. We let the water in the Bronco, and I went ahead and locked the Bronco because It takes me 15 minutes to get up, and it takes me about 15 to get down. You'll take a few bumps as you come down, but the water was locked up in the Bronco, so I should have sent the keys up with you.

[Kristen Austin]

Yeah. And I'm standing there looking at the water through the window going.

[Steve Austin]

My wife, there's something. You have this infatuation with water. When we get into the car with a Jeep Grand Cherokee to go down to the grocery store, the grocery store is less than a mile away, and Crystal will be out there in the car. She goes, oh, wait a minute. I gotta go get me some water. Like, it's less than a mile.

[Kristen Austin]

I carry water with me everywhere.

[Steve Austin]

I know, but there's water at the fucking store.

[Kristen Austin]

I get thirsty, and I don't want to be deprived of water.

[Steve Austin]

It's almost like a gimmick for you. It's almost like a crutch. You gotta have it.

[Kristen Austin]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Austin]

Oh, Callie with the run in. It's not Hershey anymore. Doing run ins and messing up the podcast. This is my black lab, Callie. I just dried her little ass off and she's. What is this toy? Is that a potato? It's a bear. I don't know what it is, but it's too loud and it's making too much noise. Cali, you've been grounded. No more of this. Go. Go do something else. Cali, are you gonna go and walk with me?

[Kristen Austin]

Anymore up those hills. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I enjoy that. Just I can't go too far up.

[Steve Austin]

There because I get anyway shifting gears, you know, I figured Kristen, in my new moment of clarity with my good memory now because I've kicked off the booze and I quit drinking for life, I thought my memory is going to get better. When I went hunting a few weeks ago in Unit 034 with Kristen's brother, Mitch, Casey and Royce, I told you about them guys out there spotting all them damn deer. And I had my damn binoculars. We're trying to look for these goddamn mule deer. And because I needed to turn a podcast in and because I was so far in the middle of nowhere, I had to cut my hunt short by one day. So I hauled ass. And after the evening hunt on the fourth day, I threw all my shit in my trailer. I loaded up my Kawasaki Mule Pro fxt. I gathered up my gun, I grabbed my cooler, all my groceries, all my bullshit, my protein powder. Didn't take any alcohol because remember, I had quit drinking. And so then I got my pickup truck fired up at diesel and hauled that about 300 miles. Finally made it home, man. Next day I get up, I'm cleaning up my truck, I'm looking for all my shit. Got my rifle. I didn't forget that, thank God. Leave it laying around on the side of the road. And then I started thinking, man, when I took off, I knew I had forgot something. And I'll be God damn if I didn't lose my Leica 10x42 rangefinder binoculars. That's an expensive set of binoculars. When you get a good set of glasses, that glass is supposed to last you for the rest of your lifetime. I've had those binoculars for about 12 years and all of a sudden I can't find those motherfuckers. And then I go into my gym. It turns out I thought I was going to try to work out because I was, you know, at the deer camp. Since I wasn't drinking, I'd be able to get a little workout in. So I took my two 35 pound dumbbells down there, keep my swell on. I didn't touch those God damn dumbbells the whole time, but I took them out, put them in the parking lot. Then I had my two 6 gallon gas tanks for my Kawasaki Mule and I forgot those motherfuckers down there. So I called my brother in law, Mitch. He won't answer the phone. I said, mitch, is there any way. I said, you found my binoculars, my muffler, my Gas cans and all my shit. And he goes, man, I'm in California. I had to go take care of some business. So I'm on the damn edge of my damn seat for five days while he's getting back from California to find out if my binoculars were in the pickup truck or not. I knew they were, but I wasn't sure. Sure enough, he finally sends me back a text message today that he found my 35 pound dumbbells, my two gas cans, they're still in Winnemucca. He's gonna get a friend, come bring him back. He's got my binoculars, my mufflers, and he said all the Doritos, the Cheetos and the Fritos that I was hogging up for my snacks, he had those too. I don't give a shit about the Fritos. I need my binoculars back. I cannot believe I forgot half my shit up there.

[Kristen Austin]

I can.

[Steve Austin]

It was the pressure, trying to turn this award winning podcast.

[Kristen Austin]

And I saw the. I saw Callie carrying your case around. So I figured, well, why would she be carrying the case around without the binoculars?

[Steve Austin]

I know, I saw that case and I'm like, okay, where's binoculars? And I always, I never put them in a case unless I'm traveling. Once I get them out and then I'm done. I saw that case. Okay, where are the binoculars? Okay. But anyway, I found them. They're all accounted for and all that shit. But anyway, we're going to go home now and I'm going to come back. We are home. While we're at our home in Marina Del Rey, I'll tell you what, it was hard to leave there because Kristen, we have two horses on the property, Kristen's horse and a friend of ours horse, and they're kind of starting to bond a little bit. And Kristen goes out there and does some groundwork with them and she's starting to ride her horse. What's your horse's name?

[Kristen Austin]

Rebel.

[Steve Austin]

Old Rebel. We were thinking about changing the horse's name because we didn't name it Rebecca Rebel. But if you change a horse's name, it's bad luck. We can't have no bad luck. Got enough bad luck. If it wasn't bad luck, we would have none at all. Man, she was heartbroken having to leave Rebel today. Them two horses are the most spoiled ass horses in the goddamn country.

[Kristen Austin]

So are these dogs.

[Steve Austin]

I know some of the dogs are begging for attention. They think it's actually time to eat. You gotta watch what you say around these motherfuckers. Because they can spell and they can speak Spanish and they can read sign language, even. So we're gonna go home. I'm gonna come back and close the show. We're back in Southern California for a couple of weeks, and then. Dude, I thought we was gonna see all kinds of smoke from the fires, but the Santa Ana winds have pushed all the damn smoke out. So it's relatively clear out there. If you didn't know anything was going on, you wouldn't know it.

[Kristen Austin]

No, just the freeway is a little bit more crowded today.

[Steve Austin]

Freeway was crowded as shit.

[Kristen Austin]

Shelly wants to be on the podcast.

[Steve Austin]

I know she does, so it'll be interesting. I was planning on going out to Malibu later on this week because there was some business I need to take over out there. So I think I'm gonna get a view of it firsthand. But, man, I don't think it's gonna be the Malibu you and I know, because we lived out there for what, two years?

[Kristen Austin]

Yep.

[Steve Austin]

And then your mother lives in Thousand Oaks. She didn't get evacuated because the winds came in and shifted that fire off course. But she was right in harm's way. She got lucky. But so many people were very unfortunate.

[Kristen Austin]

Yes.

[Steve Austin]

And you're from here. I mean, it's gonna be interesting. Cause I never in a million years, living here for 15 years would thought, you know, that Thousand Oaks, Malibu, that whole area would be on fire.

[Kristen Austin]

Me either.

[Steve Austin]

Devastation is crazy, man. It's like, man, if you're on the east coast, down there in the Gulf coast, hurricanes, tornadoes out there on the west coast, fires and earthquakes, but it's all devastation. But let's leave it on a high note. Cali's chewing some shit up. I'm taking my illustrious wife Kristen to sushi tonight because after being sober for 32 days, I get a fucking cheat meal. So I'm gonna go and eat a shit pile of sushi tonight. Anyway.

[Kristen Austin]

A lot of people would not consider.

[Steve Austin]

That a cheat meal, but it is a cheat meal. I'm gonna eat. I'm gonna eat every bit of sushi they got. And so anyway, trying to straighten out all the rumors about that alcohol shit, I just quit drinking to get back in shape. That's it. Then I'll start back responsibly. I do DDP yoga. I swear by it and stand by it, and. And, yeah, the medicinal marijuana. There's a lot of people in LA smoking that shit. It ain't me. Goodbye. All right, everybody. Give me the. Go home, Q. It's time to wrap up his podcast right off in the sunset. I want to thank Dr. Time Pritchard for joining me on the podcast as we wrapped up our two part conversation. I want to thank my illustrious wife Kristen for putting up with my ass for 14 years and chipping in on the second half of the podcast as I put the rumor rumors to bed about all this bullshit with me stopping drinking and smoking dope and all this other horse shit. Anyway, while I'm talking about that, I got the best beer in the world. Broken Skull IPA from El Segundo Brewing Company. You can find Broken Skull IPA at Whole Foods and Total Wines if you in SoCal. If you ain't in SoCal, you probably shit out of luck. Look for it online and see if you can order it, but this is an IPA that will knock your socks off. If you're looking for a badass pocket knife, I got two of them. Cold Steel Broken Skull Knife and Cold Steel Working man knife. Find them at my Amazon store. Amazon got the best price on both knives. Just go to Amazon.com shop steveaustin Folks, I am on social media, Twitter and Instagram eveaustin BSR. Till next time folks. My name is Steve Austin and I will catch your ass down the road.

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[Steve Austin]

This is what I.

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[Steve Austin]

Bon Appetit.

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