The Wayback with Ryan Sickler

Episode 107: The Sickler Brothers PART 2 | Baltimore Junkyard Series

Release Date: January 15, 2026
Guests: Todd Sickler, Derek Sickler

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt, hilarious, and nostalgia-fueled episode of “The Wayback,” Ryan Sickler is joined by his brothers, Todd and Derek, for part two of the highly requested ‘Sickler Brothers’ reunion—a key chapter in the Baltimore Junkyard Series. The trio reminisces about their childhood, brushes with trouble, family dynamics, wild neighborhood stories, and the indelible marks left by their parents. Through laughter, vulnerable memories, and Baltimore flavor, the brothers explore the formative moments that shaped them, offering listeners a front-row seat to both the chaos and love of growing up Sickler.

Key Topics and Discussions

1. Neighborhood Stories & Baltimore Memories

• Eccentric Neighbors and Childhood Escapades
  • The brothers recall a peculiar neighbor ("the crazy guy behind us" [06:23]) and the memory of a man with "100 rabbits."
    • “Yeah, he had a hundred rabbits. That’s right.” – Ryan [07:06]
    • “He might have ate them.” – Todd [07:09]
  • The physical and cultural changes of their old neighborhood buildings, like 7 Chase Street.
• Getting in Trouble and Childhood Mischief
  • The infamous incident of Derek throwing a rock at a car [07:27].
  • The brothers laughing over their history with fake pages at Kmart (“Erwin, circular, please come to the front.” [08:59]) and embarrassing their own kids with similar stunts.

2. Family Stories: Discipline, Siblings, and Parental Pranks

• Punishments and Sibling Rivalries
  • Todd rarely got punished, but Derek recalls a rock-throwing event as the worst trouble he got in [07:26].
  • Wrestling moves gone wrong: British Bulldogs and DDTs lead to holes in walls and real injuries [11:13].
  • “I remember one time I got you so good with the DDT and you went right down on concrete.” – Ryan [11:18]
• Classic Parental Antics & Embarrassment
  • Mom's unique discipline: stories of Ryan hiding after getting punched and keys being thrown into the snowy yard to buy time [10:04].
  • Dad’s penchant for embarrassing his kids, especially in front of girls:
    • “Hey girls, here’s my son Ryan.” – Ryan imitating his dad [19:14]
  • Multi-generational pranking: Todd and Ryan carrying on their parents’ embarrassing traditions with their own kids [19:52].

3. The 912 North Ave Parties & Youthful Antics

• Wild House Parties and Teenage Shenanigans
  • “What do you remember about some 912 parties?” – Ryan [12:39]
  • Tales of passed-out friends (Eric Lee and Joe Brown) in the bathtub after drinking Purple Passion or Cisco [12:43, 12:50].
  • The “bitchin’ kitchen” and bathroom chaos.
• Household Pets & Animal Stories
  • Flopsy the rabbit and the sickly state of household pets amidst wild teenage life [13:32].

4. Grandma’s House & Family Food Culture

• Iconic Decor and Memories
  • Grandma’s house remembered for “that Last Supper painting above the couch” and a constant supply of good eats [14:08].
  • Signature foods: “Doritos, cheese… Frosted Flakes, ham, bread, Martin’s potato rolls, peanut butter cups…” [14:50-14:59].
  • “I think I kept Tostinos in business for… years. Pizza rolls were dinner.” – Todd [15:13]

5. Remembering Dad: Influence, Bonding, and Lasting Impressions

• Shared Sports and Outdoor Adventures

  • Derek: “I just remember going to all the sports stuff. He would always go to your guys’ games and I would always… I’d be there with him.” [15:30]
  • Ryan and Todd recall fishing trips, especially to Liberty Lake, and walking out onto the frozen reservoir [16:41–17:08].
    • “That’s what hooked me on fishing…” – Todd [17:11]

• Dad’s Humor, Musical Influence & Embarrassment

  • The “tenor/ten or twelve miles” joke and other musical pranks [18:17].
  • Shared memory of listening to B.B. King and surprising two black men who saw three white kids grooving in the car [17:46–18:07].

• Defining Experiences: Concerts and Road Trips

  • Iconic “Together Forever” concert story with Beastie Boys and Run DMC, and more chronic embarrassment by Dad [18:49–19:14]:
    • “They had a blow up dick… they had girls in cages… Dad embarrassing the out of me because there were… a row of college girls right here. And he’d be like, hey girls, here’s my son Ryan.” – Ryan [19:03, 19:14]

6. Forging Signatures and The Last Photo with Dad

• The Mr. Mangle Math Test Story
  • Both Ryan and Todd fail a test and independently forge their dad’s signature, only to get caught by Mr. Mangle, their strict but fair teacher [21:09–22:24].
  • Mr. Mangle visits the house to confirm the signatures and takes a photo with their father—a picture which, after his sudden death, turns out to be the last photo ever taken of him [22:24–24:14].
  • “And because we cheated and forged that test is the last picture we ever got of our dad. Pretty good one.” – Ryan [24:14]
  • Reflection on how a small act of mischief unintentionally preserved a precious familial memory.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [06:36] Ryan on the neighbor’s psycho look:
  “He made up some dumbass story where, like, he could get in his place right there and she let him come through and he's all got that psycho look in his eyes. Like, what the…”
• [07:06] Todd:
  “Yeah, he had a hundred rabbits. That’s right.”
  Ryan: “He might have ate them.”
• [08:59] Todd recalling Kmart pranks:
  “People would, like, run to that aisle to get a deal, and there wasn't shit going on there.”
• [10:04] Todd remembering Ryan’s reaction to mom:
  “I remember you taking her keys off the fucking ring and throwing into a foot [of snow].”
• [11:13] Ryan on wrestling mishaps:
  “British bulldogs right through the wall, dude.”
• [15:13] Todd on food at home:
  “I think I kept Tostinos in business for I don't know how many years. Pizza rolls. Like pizza rolls were dinner.”
• [17:05] Todd on fishing:
  “One of them trips is what hooked me on fishing because I had this big, giant bass… this thing jumps out of water and snaps my line like it, you know, like it was nothing.”
• [19:14] Ryan on dad’s public embarrassment:
  “Hey girls, here’s my son Ryan. I’m like, dad, shut the up. He would do that non stop.”
• [22:24] Ryan on the last photo with their father:
  “…he did not fucking come by. And then our father dies… that is actually the last picture ever taken with my father. And it blows me away that two humans… go into a class, forge all that. And it ends up… the last picture we ever got of our dad.”

Important Timestamps

• 06:05 – Introduction of Todd and Derek Sickler & the excitement of finally having both brothers on the podcast
• 07:26 – Derek and Todd discuss punishments and troublemaking
• 08:59 – The Kmart paging prank and how the brothers replicate it with their own kids
• 10:04 – Trudy stories: keys thrown in the snow, hiding, and sibling altercations
• 11:13 – Childhood wrestling injuries and epic DDT on concrete
• 12:39 – Stories from 912 North Ave parties; house mayhem
• 13:32 – Pet rabbit tales and wild house living
• 14:08 – Grandma’s house: food, art, and family traditions
• 15:13 – The home menu and the impact on their adult eating habits
• 16:41–17:11 – Fishing trips with dad and the pivotal lost big bass
• 18:49–19:14 – The Together Forever tour story, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and dad’s legendary embarrassment
• 21:09–24:14 – The forged signature incident, Mr. Mangle’s house call, and the story behind the last photo ever taken with their father

Episode Tone and Atmosphere

The tone is consistently light-hearted, candid, and affectionate. The conversation flows naturally between the three brothers, filled with playful teasing, bursts of laughter, raw honesty about family hardships, and moments of heartfelt reflection. Ryan sets the stage for open vulnerability, allowing his brothers to share both joyous and bittersweet moments, maintaining the authentic, down-to-earth spirit listeners love about “The Wayback.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Wayback is a nostalgic rollercoaster—evoking childhood joys, sibling mischief, lessons learned the hard way, and the unexpected ways family bonds are preserved. Anchored by Ryan’s comedic timing but deepened by genuine emotion, it’s an intimate look at brotherhood and the legacy of parents, with universal laughs and touching reminders of the fleeting nature of time.

End of Summary