Hardcore Haven – Details, episodes & analysis

It’s time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review a book! Specifically, TOD IS GOD by ECW former owner and Commisioner and current podcaster and pawn broker Tod Gordon

Discussed: the trifecta of off-topic Lukeisms - Hulk Hogan (naturally), The Drew Carey Show (obviously), and Basketball (inevitably),reading Holes to children and the words we were surprised were in this book, the difference between Hak and Hack, the difference between Rockin' Robin and Rockin' Rebel, how Paul Heyman and Tod Gordon are both sorta kinda nepo babies, Paul being the cool one, early days with TWA, the bargain price of joining the NWA, and the conundrum of the wrestling book, Luke's prudish streak, and 2 Cold's appendage - among other tangents! And it's all on the new BONUS episode of Harcore Haven! 

And check out our Patreon for another heaping helping of BONUS content - our 2025 "State of Wrestling" check-up - out TOMORROW (August 22nd, 2025).  Listen here: https://www.patreon.com/c/valuedog/

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IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Bonus theme song by Booji Bomb.

It’s time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 197 and 198 of ECW, from February 4th & 11th, 1997!

Witness the comeuppance of Dr. Death, a freckled vow by the Funker, the ECW debut of ponytailed Lance Storm (taking on Balls, no less), the formation of the Dudley Boys as we know them, and a dissection of what makes Joe Rogan so insufferable. It's all over the map and so full of tangents it should be... barely legal. And it's all on the new episode of Harcore Haven! 

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IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It’s time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 181 and 182 of ECW, from October 8th & 15th, 1996.

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IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It’s time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 179 and 180 of ECW, from September 24th & October 1st, 1996.

Discussed: Christopher Nolan's gut punches, a whole lotta colliding worlds, cutting out Sabu's botches, Roman Reigns' "head of the household" gimmick, the early stages of ECW's invasion of WWF, Dr. Death's dead eyes, how long someone big and muscly spends in the gym (we have no idea), and more. 

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IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 177 and 178 of ECW, from September 10th & 17th, 1996.

Discussed: clear dye jobs, the dead fish bridge in Regina, Lance Wright on trial (and how bullyable he is), the spoken word cadence in promos, the Fullington bloodline, Tyler's 7th birthday, how many stretcher jobs is too many stretcher jobs, the time that a “real journalist” came to the ECW Arena, Taz speaking French, the origins of the Death Valley Driver, and a whole lot more. 

We also chatted so much about WRESTLEMANIA XL, Peacemaker, the James Gunn vibe, and so many other increasingly nerdy tangents that there’s a bonus extended version of this episode for all you knuckleheads on Patreon. Over 20 minutes of bull! Enjoy.

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Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 175 and 176 of ECW, from August 27th & September 3rd, 1996.

Discussed: dipping into your parent's stash, our meme ideas, how Taylor Swift brought rap to the masses, the ECW debuts of Doug Furnas and Johnny Smith (such SEO!), the weight class system, the power of making it boring, some very choice ECW merch design, remuneration and renumeration, Taz-voice, and a whole lot more, ya knuckelheads. 

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Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/valuedog

Sponsor - Zencastr
Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 173 and 174 of ECW, from August 13th & 20th, 1996.

The ECW crew travels to Japan and we say goodbye to a legend as Pitbull #1 -  Gary Wolfe - reveals a sudden and career-ending injury. 

Sponsor - Zencastr
Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Buy a shirt! Buy a shirt. 
Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/valuedog

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 171 and 172 of ECW, from July 30th & August 6th, 1996.

Discussed: inheriting from the Westons, entrepreneurship with your Mom, Luke's furniture arrangements, Brendan's junior movie reviews, Shane Douglas' divorced Dad vibes, Taz slang, the potential of Failure, wrestling's relationship with s**t rock, a preview of the rest of 1996, and much more. 

Sponsor - Zencastr
Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Buy a shirt! Buy a shirt. 
Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/valuedog

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 169 and 170 of ECW, from July 16th & 23rd, 1996.

Discussed: our quarter-life podcast crisis, watching Casino at a hotel, the pathology of the forbidden, what the term "short King" has accomplished, Undertaker's new energy drink "Tiger Hips", and more (let's be honest, you stopped reading this 15 seconds ago). 

And there's a big announcement around the 28:00 mark. 

And if anyone has any questions about the whole Tommy Cairo thing, you might want to binge this whole series. 

Sponsor - Zencastr
Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Buy a shirt! Buy a shirt. 
Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/valuedog

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX

It's time for Luke Pennock & Brendan Flaherty to review episode 166 and 167 of ECW, from July 2nd & 9th, 1996.

Discussed: Luke's "5 good years" principle, Cape Feare and the CD Plus "Urban" section, the cult leader gimmick, Sandman's curved screen TV, our new 50k subsriber milestone pledge, marketing strategies at Big Turtle, how to train cats, the storied legacy of the ECW TV title, a massive return (it's Sal!), Luke's first kiss, and more - that's just the first third tbh. 

Sponsor - Zencastr
Use my special code HAVEN to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan.

Buy a shirt! Buy a shirt. 
Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/valuedog

IG & Twitter: @hcorehavenpod
Contact us: hardcoreahavenpod@gmail.com

Luke on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/pukelennock/

Logo by Raymond Biesinger
Theme song by RANX