Hard Times Podcast

Hard Times Podcast

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A somewhat irregular discussion of professional wrestling, hosted by Elle Collins and Megan Nielsen

Elle Collins and Megan Nielsen


    • Sep 14, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 40m AVG DURATION
    • 53 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Hard Times Podcast

    SummerSlam, All Out, 2 NXTs, and Sasha's Wig Reveal

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2019 114:17


    Megan and Elle catch up with the end of the Summer, featuring Candice LeRae vs Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver Toronto, SummerSlam, Tyler Bate vs Walter at NXT UK TakeOver Cardiff, All Out, Longhorn Steakhouse, Sasha and Bayley’s heel turn, and more!

    All Elite Wrestling, Listener Questions, and More!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2019 134:55


    This episode was recorded a while ago, so we don’t cover SummerSlam, but we’ve got plenty to say about AEW’s last two shows, plus we answer a bunch of listener questions!

    AEW Double Or Nothing (and a little bit of Money in the Bank 2019)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2019


    Hard Times has been resurrected by the power of All Elite Wrestling’s Double Or Nothing PPV! But before diving headfirst into that, Elle and Megan spend a few minutes talking about the women’s events at Money in the Bank.

    Elimination Chamber 2019, featuring Lauren Moran

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2019 110:52


    We’re welcoming back our friend Lauren Moran, the artist behind the famously bloody “The Man” T-shirt, to talk about Elimination Chamber, and everything else that’s been going on lately.

    NXT TakeOver Phoenix and the 2019 Royal Rumble

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2019 127:28


    We’re back with our first long meaty regular episode in a long time! TakeOver Phoenix, the Royal Rumble, a woman in the men's rumble, the Man in the women's rumble, the problem with men in general, Women of Wrestling, and more!

    Impact Homecoming, featuring Stella Cheeks and Erin Cline from Not Your Demographic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2019 58:05


    Live to tape from inside a car in the parking lot of The Impact Asylum in Nashville Tennessee, Elle and Megan are joined by Stella Cheeks and Erin Cline, co-hosts of our sister podcast Not Your Demographic. Anything we lack in sound quality (we really did record in a car), we make up for in enthusiasm (we really had just watched the show live).

    A Little TLC From The Road

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2019 49:59


    Let’s have a quick discussion about WWE TLC on our way to see Impact Homecoming!

    Survivor Series 2018 and TakeOver WarGames

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2018 90:15


    In which we discuss Survivor Series, WarGames, Total Divas, our exciting January plans, and of course, The Man. Plus Elle’s controversial picks for the hottest wrestlers of the ‘80s.

    Evolution and Everything After

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2018 86:54


    Let’s talk about WWE Evolution, and some of the other weird stuff that’s going on in wrestling lately.

    Fantasy Booking Special (Plus Total Divas!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2018 99:21


    After months of various troubles, we’re back with our long-promised fantasy booking based on the draft we did back in July! Plus, we talk about Total Divas!

    Extreme Rules 2018 and Slammiversary XVI

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2018 109:27


    It's time to talk about Extreme Rules, an oddly paced show with some weird finishes, and Slammiversary XVI, a show that was just about perfect. Along the way we also talk about Miz and Mrs, WWE Evolution, and more.

    The Hard Times Fantasy Draft, plus GLOW

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2018 63:00


    In addition to talking about RAW, SmackDown, GLOW, and the Mae Young Classic, we draft our own WWE rosters, just for fun. Next time, we'll book them! If you listen, it all makes sense (probably).

    NXT Chicago II and Money in the Bank 2018

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2018 125:30


    Chicago street fights, ladders and briefcases, the two gayest matches of the year, undead bridesmaids, murder in the woods, and of course Sasha and Bayley.

    Backlash 2018 and an Intro to Impact Wrestling with Stella Cheeks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2018 176:34


    A double episode, which means twice as much Hard Times as usual! Elle and Megan talk about the series of poor decisions that was Backlash, plus Elle and Stella Cheeks of Not Your Demographic talk about Impact Wrestling, which Elle just started watching and Stella's been watching for years. Also wrestling crushes, a new opening theme, and more!Support the show on Patreon!Follow Megan, Elle, and the show on Twitter.Listen on iTunes.

    NXT TakeOver New Orleans and WrestleMania 34

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2018 122:45


    It's WrestleMania! And also TakeOver! Two hours of Elle and Megan's thoughts and feelings about ten hours of wrestling! Plus some thoughts about Raw, but SmackDown hadn't happened yet when we recorded!

    Elimination Chamber and Fastlane 2018

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2018 124:41


    Elimination Chamber! Fastlane! The last two split-roster PPVs (at least for a while)! Also, Kimbler Lee! Ultimate Deletion! Mixed Match Challenge! Elle's birthday! (nothing about Daniel Bryan, because the news literally broke five minutes after we finished recording)

    Takeover Philadelphia and Royal Rumble 2018

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2018 121:20


    We have plenty to say about Takeover Philly and the Royal Rumble. Promising up-and-comers, returning legends, and invading MMA fighters.

    Hard Times Together

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2018 123:22


    We've returned for 2018! WarGames, Survivor Series, Clash of Champions, Wrestle Kingdom, and Total Divas! Promises we'll hopefully keep! Paige and Absolution and Riott Squad and more!

    TLC etc

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2017 99:13


    We're back! We talk about TLC at length, plus stuff we missed during our hiatus: Hell in a Cell, Sami's heel turn, the return of the Shield, why Elle stopped watching Total Bellas, and more!

    The Mae Young Classic

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2017 85:10


    The Mae Young Classic has come and gone, and you know we're never going to run out of things to say about women's wrestling! All our favorite matches, the wrestlers who won us over (plus the ones we already loved), a complete discussion of the last three rounds, plus the usual "but is WWE bad actually?" segment. And then Total Bellas!

    Takeover Brooklyn III and Summerslam 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2017 90:48


    We finally found the time to talk about Summerslam and the show that always surpasses it, NXT Brooklyn! Great tag team matches! Excellent women's matches with questionable booking! Men's title matches of varying quality! Large men with beards!

    Wrestling is Happiness

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2017 85:02


    Rather than talk about Battleground, we decided to put together a list of wrestling and wrestling-related videos that make us happy when we're feeling blue, and share that happiness with you the listeners. Check the website for the complete list and links to stuff you can watch online.

    Balls

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2017 71:14


    It's time to talk about the PPV with the most ridiculous name, in which Dean Ambrose fights the Miz for the 400th time, Roman does his best to murder Braun, and Brock falls in love with Samoa Joe. We also talk about the Mae Young Classic, but this was recorded last week so we didn't know anything yet, including how to pronounce Princesa Sugehit.

    Money in the Bank 2017, its aftermath, and GLOW

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2017 77:03


    Elle and Megan talk about Money in the Bank, the whole big mess that grew out of Money in the Bank, and why it's time for Ellsworth to leave. After that, we talk about GLOW on Netflix and how much we love it and everyone involved with it.

    Extreme Rules 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2017 81:11


    Extreme Rules isn't very extreme, which leaves us some time to speculate about Money in the Bank. And of course we have some thoughts about the recent Bayley discourse.

    Takeover Chicago and Backlash 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2017 121:08


    NXT Takeover Chicago (it was amazing!), Backlash (it had its moments!), the season finale of Total Divas (it had Mr. Belding!), plus the long-awaited return of Wrestle Crush of the Month.

    Payback 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2017 87:28


    We recorded this two weeks ago, so it's a little dated now (the Total Divas season hadn't ended and Birdie Bella Bryan had yet to enter the world), but better late than never, right? Anyway, we both liked Payback a lot.

    Chikara: The Renaissance Dawns and Total Divas

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2017 95:02


    Continuing our glacially-paced series of bonus episodes, we're discussing the very first Chikara show, The Renaissance Dawns. In which everyone is so young that Ultramantis is wearing red and Colt Cabana isn't even funny. Then we spend almost as long talking about recent episodes of Total Divas, because how could we not? The Chikara discussion is hopefully interesting even if you haven't seen the show, but if you want to skip ahead, the Total Divas convo begins at 01:02:50.

    NXT Takeover Orlando with Stella Cheeks and Erin Cline

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2017 80:36


    Stella Cheeks and Erin Cline from Not Your Demographic team up with Elle and Megan to cover the year's biggest weekend of wrestling! You can hear us talk about the Hall of Fame ceremony and NXT Takeover Orlando on this show, and then we're moving over to Not Your Demo to discuss WrestleMania itself. If you're not already a subscriber to their show, now's a great time.

    Fully Loaded 2000

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2017 111:51


    For another donor-requested bonus episode, we're going back for the first time to the Attitude Era to talk about Fully Loaded 2000! Lita's style, Edge's face, Undertaker's motorcycle, and a complete lack of discernible babyfaces!

    Fastlane and Trying to Get the Taste of Fastlane Out of Our Mouths

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2017 103:42


    Shocking revelations about why there was no Elimination Chamber episode, Fastlane just about makes us give up on positivity, Megan went to a Chikara show, and more!

    NXT Takeover San Antonio and Royal Rumble 2017

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2017 83:25


    We run through the cards of Takeover and the Royal Rumble, and discuss Peyton and Billie's relationship, Seth Rollins' injury, why the Rumble needs surprised, and more.

    WWE UK Tournament/Chikara Season Finale

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2017 121:58


    Megan and Elle spend a little time talking about the WWE UK Tournament from a couple weeks back, and a lot of time talking about the Chikara Finale from December. Plus a long digression about intergender wrestling, and plenty of other stuff along the way.

    The Best (or at least Our Favorites) of 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2017 104:05


    It's a new year, and Hard Times is a year old! So we figured it makes sense to talk about our favorite people and events from the year in wrestling that just ended. Plus some discussion about indie stars arriving in WWE, the resurgence of relationship angles, and more.

    Starrcade 1985: The Gathering

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2016 88:27


    In the first full length bonus episode requested in our King of Trios fundraiser, we discuss the show that followed the promo that gave our podcast its title. Dusty Rhodes shows Ric Flair what hard times really are, Magnum T.A. and Tully Blanchard are hardcore as hell, and the Atlanta Street Fight is bananas. CONTENT WARNING: Wrestling was an even nastier business in 1985 than it is today. Consequently this podcast contains (mostly brief) discussions of bloody violence, racism, domestic abuse, possible sex abuse, and probably other terrible things I'm forgetting to name.

    Tables, Ladders, and Chairs 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2016 87:14


    It's time to talk about TLC, the show where most of the matches are between people who've fought several times before, but this time they fall off of stuff and hit each other with things. All this and Total Divas too.

    Takeover Toronto and Survivor Series with Steve Orlando

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2016 200:05


    It took us a while to get an episode together about the Thanksgiving week shows, but we've made up for it with a double-length episode featuring special guest Steve Orlando. Over the course of just over three hours, we talk about NXT Takeover Toronto, Survivor Series, and a million other things, most of which are wrestling-related.

    Thanksgiving Week Mini-Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2016 71:16


    We're not covering Survivor Series and Takeover until next week, so this week we're answering some questions from GoFundMe supporters and talking about Total Divas. Also there's holiday travel going on so things are a little askew and Elle is juggling more pets than usual.

    Hell in a Cell 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2016 96:52


    Megan and Elle are back to talk at length about Hell in a Cell, the RAW women's division, Chikara and more.

    Clash of Champions & No Mercy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2016 115:28


    It's been a while! So we talk about Clash of Champions, No Mercy, a Chikara show Megan went to, what's going on with Paige, and more.

    Backlash 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2016 91:25


    Plenty to say about Backlash, and a bunch of other things too: The prestige of the Intercontinental Championship, indie wrestling feelings, queer people (and homophobes) in the WWE, and a quick primer on Appalachian geography.

    Live from King of Trios 2016!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2016 142:01


    Live to tape from a hotel room in Bethlehem PA! It's our King of Trios special! Featuring guests Kieran Shiach, Helena Hart, Aidan Sullivan, and Chris Sims. We recorded on night two, so that's as far as our spoilers go. But we have a lot to say about Sendai Girls, Team Original Divas Revolution, Mustache Mountain, Missile Assault Man, Vlad Radinoff, Jigsaw, and lots more. Thoughts on our favorite matches and at least one that didn't work for us.

    Summerslam 2016 and NXT Takeover Brooklyn with Ashly (aka NewAgeAmazon)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2016 142:22


    Ashly (you may know her better as @NewAgeAmazon) is our special guest as we discuss Summerslam, Takeover Brooklyn II, Talking Smack, Holy Foley, Ashly's extremely brief in-ring career, and a bunch of other stuff. And then at the very end we discover how impossible it is to remember the name "Backlash."

    Bonus: A King of Trios Pitch, plus the Cruiserweight Classic and the New Era

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2016 50:06


    Surprise! It's a bonus episode, in which we talk about Sasha becoming Champion, everything else going on with the brand split, the whole first round of the Cruiserweight classic, and in which we announce our first ever fundraiser!

    Battleground 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2016 106:52


    We both enjoyed Battleground, but that doesn't mean there aren't some things to pick apart along the way. Plus the brand split, Cruiserweight Classic, gas masks, indie wrestling, the return of Daniel Bryan, and why John Cena identifies with Enzo Amore.

    Money in the Bank 2016 and More (with Lauren Moran)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2016 118:24


    In which we have our first ever guest, the delightful Lauren Moran. The three of us discuss NXT Takeover: The End, Money in the Bank, Adorable Trash Possum World Heavyweight Champions, the upcoming Brand Split, Elle's movie pitch, Joshi werewolves and more. There's some audio issues toward the end, unfortunately. Just when we were starting to work them out, we had to jump into recording three people in three corners of the continent.

    Extreme Rules 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2016 70:35


    Extreme Rules! No DQs! Asylum Match! Submission Match! Best Fatal Fourway Ever! The Nature Girl Dana Brook! The Architect Returns! Also Elle reads a book, and we're both totally wrong about what's going on with Apollo and Jericho on RAW. Oh well!Follow Megan, Elle, and the show on Twitter.Listen on iTunes.

    Payback 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2016 60:51


    Payback has come and gone. Megan and Elle worried a lot about Enzo, enjoyed the hell out of the mid-card matches, and got pretty frustrated with how far the women's division has fallen since Mania. Plus an indie match that's all about candy.

    Wrestlemania 32 and NXT Takeover Dallas

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2016 103:45


    Wrestlemania weekend has come and gone, and Elle and Megan are left with feelings. Feelings about the Women's Championship belt, feelings about Shinsuke Nakamura, feelings about Dean Ambrose and Bayley and Charlotte and Sasha and oh man, the feelings about Stephanie McMahon. Not many feelings about the Hell in a Cell match or the main event, though. Weird.

    Pre-Mania Indie Wrestling Bonus Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2016 43:33


    Elle went to three live indie shows in two days! Elle talks a lot about Chikara and Queens of Combat, Megan talks a bit about indie wrestling in Alaska, and we both talk about where else you can hear us on this exciting road to Wrestlemania.

    Fastlane 2016

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2016 107:09


    Sorry, Ryback.

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