By Dr. Bryan Alvarez

Got a question? Send it to me using the Contact Us link on the main menu!

Q: Who are Bryan and Vinny?

A: Bryan Alvarez has been the editor of Figure Four Weekly since 1995. Besides the newsletter, he has also written wrestling columns for Penthouse Magazine (Mat Max!) in 1999 and 2000; co-authored Death of WCW with RD Reynolds in 2004; and wrestled professionally throughout the US since 1998 (and quite unprofessionally in the Youth Wrestling Federation, a backyard promotion that had weekly television on Seattle Public Access for over two years in the early 90s). He currently works as host of Wrestling Observer Live on the Sports Byline Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 122 every Sunday night from 5-7 PM PST; writes monthly columns for Fighting Spirit Magazine in the UK; writes weekly columns for The Fight Network in Toronto, and hosts Figure Four Daily and the Bryan & Vinny Show on this website. Vincent Verhei is his friend.

Q: No, seriously, I want to know more about Vince.

A: Vince went to high school with Bryan, though they rarely hung out together at the time. Years later, Vince saw Bryan's name on the results of an indy show and figured out how to get a hold of him. He figured that if he pretended to be Bryan's friend, Bryan could get him into wrestling. Bryan figured that if he pretended to be Vince's friend, he'd have someone to drive him to shows. They've been pretending to be friends ever since. From 2000 to 2005, Vince wrestled approximately 120 matches, perhaps a dozen of which were any good. He's been a devoted fan of the business for nearly 20 years. When he's not watching wrestling, he can be found editing a fishing magazine (eh, it pays the bills), watching sports or just being generally unproductive.

Q: Why should I sign up for the subscription area?

A: Our subscription area is like the Smithsonian; it would take you a lifetime to get through everything. A full list of member benefits is down below, but in short, you get access to 1,000-plus hours of archived radio shows and 1.5 million words on pro-wrestling and MMA in the form of 330+ archived newsletters, plus four new issues and over 30 hours of new audio each month. And that's just the beginning.

Q: Why should I sign up for PayPal recurring?

A: If you opt for a recurring PayPal subscription, your rate is locked in. If you pay $7.99 per month and rates at some point go up to $8.99, you will continue to pay $7.99 each month until you cancel.

Q: I am doing monthly recurring now, but I want to sign up for a longer term. How should I do that?

A: Your best bet is to wait until your subscription is almost expired, sign up for the new rate, and then make sure to cancel your old subscription through PayPal.

Q: My subscription expired, but I want to sign back up and keep my old username and password.

A: Click the "Need to Renew?" link under the log-in box. Sign in using your usual username and password. You will be taken to a page with a pull-down menu where you can easily sign back up.

Q: I don't have a credit card or PayPal. Can I still sign up?

A: Of course. We accept checks and money orders to Figure Four Weekly, PO BOX 426, Woodinville, WA 98072. Click the "Subscribe" button on the left to see our current rates, and make sure you include your e-mail address with the order and what you'd like your username and password to be.

Q: How do I change my username or password?

A: At this point it cannot be done manually and you must e-mail Webmaster Tony at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: What is the "hardcopy"?

A: Back in the day, Figure Four Weekly was the main draw. Once we started up F4Wonline.com, the radio shows rapidly became the main event, and some people, after subscribing for months, are stunned to learn that there is, in fact, a newsletter still. It is published on the site every Tuesday night. Subscribers have the option of getting a 12-page hardcopy issue mailed to their home every Wednesday.

Q: Is the hardcopy the same as the online version?

A: The only difference is that it is printed up and mailed to your house. The content is identical.

Q: I have a hardcopy package but didn't get an issue this week, or have never received one.

A: If you have never received a hardcopy, something went wrong on our end. Contact Bryan and we'll fix it right up. Same with those who missed an issue. Keep in mind the US Postal Service sucks (and in fact, as a person who has been mailing regularly since 1995, they get worse with each postal hike), so give it a few extra days before contacting us.

Q: How do I cancel my subscription?

A: If you have a PayPal recurring subscription, simply log on to your PayPal account and click the cancel button. If you ordered via credit card or one-time PayPal payment you will not be re-billed and thus do not have to cancel anything. You will, of course, have to resubscribe manually when your term is up.

Q: I'm a writer for another website. Can I recap news bits from the newsletter and such on my site?

A: You are welcome to do so provided you re-write it (as opposed to just copying and pasting it) and provide a link to www.f4wonline.com (not "F4W" or "Figure Four Weekly" please).

Q: I'd like to interview Bryan or Vinny. How do I set that up?

A: You can contact anyone on the staff using the Contact Us link on the left-hand side of the page.

Q: Can I contribute photos to the site?

A: We would love if you contributed photos to the site. We will, of course, give you full credit when we use them. Contact me to discuss how we can get them on our server.

Q: I can't log into the Forum.

A: Use the same username and password you use to access the site.

Q: I have something I want to send you guys. What's the address?

A: Figure Four Weekly, PO BOX 426, Woodinville, WA 98072.

Q: I want to know more about the bumper music!

A: Nearly all of our bumper music is old-time blues performed by such greats as Dick Justice, Lightnin' Hopkins, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, and dozens of others. All of it is in the public domain. Albums are available through Amazon.com, and we also have a CD available in the F4W Online Store, which is linked on the left-hand side of the page.

Q: Where do the wacky songs on the Bryan & Vinny Show come from?

A: All of the songs are created by our great listeners and usually posted in the members-only Forum first.

Q: What about the drops?

A: Same deal.

Q: I have a great idea for a guest!

A: Send it to me! Please use the Contact Us form on the left side of the page, and include all contact information that you might have.

Q: Can I podcast the show to my iPod as a member?

A: Yes.

Q: I'd like to work for the site. Are you hiring?

A: We accept guest editorials, house show reports, and so forth on a volunteer basis. If you're interested in sending something, contact me using the form on the left-hand side of the page.

Q: Who makes the awesome banners?

A: A fine man named Estilo Latino. You can contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you're interested in hiring him for work on your site.

BONUS: Official F4W Insider References FAQ as updated by Capitalcitykyle in the forum:

Q: Is this Bryan's only job?

A: Mostly. Bryan does teach one gymnastics class a week for a steady check.

Q: Why does CM Punk keeping coming up?

A: Jokes are made about Bryan hating CM Punk because of pictures that surfaced on the internet of Punk kissing the Diva Maria. Said pictures where posted on the board on Christmas Eve of 2005, forever breaking Bryan's heart.

Terms:

Barry = Another nickname for Bryan, I believe given to him by Buddy Wayne

BFV = Short for Bryan's Friend Vince

Bryan's Friend Vince = known sidekick and contributing writer for the F4W. Writes lucha and video tape reviews.

Bryan's Friend Shawn = BFV's roommate

Big Dave = can refer to either Smackdown Superstar Batista or Wrestling Observer Newsletter publisher Dave Meltzer. Originated from Ric Flair enthusiastically referring to Batista this way.

Bryan's Cupcake/Angel = Used to refer to Maria, WWE Diva and one-time love of Bryan's life.

Chico = Nickname for Bryan, short for Super Chico, his pro wrestling alter ego.

Chocolate Cake = Bryan's favorite thing

Dick Hummer = Joke name for one-night-only UFC announcer Craig Hummer, who was absolutely horrible. Now used as a joke name for any stand-in UFC announcer.

Frank A. Gotch = First World's Heavyweight Champion and World's finest wrestler. Though fate he has survived over a hundred years and now entertains F4W readers with his Flying Mare Wreftling News-Letter, which appears weekly on the cover of the F4W.

Granny = Bryan's Grandma, known wrestling fan and wonderful lady. Helps Bryan get the newsletter out on time.

Hair Match, The = A hair vs hair match between Super Chico and Vinny V that was so disappointing to Bryan that it has only been seen in clipped form on the Super Chico 6 DVD.

Her = Bryan's Ex-Girlfriend

New HER = Ashley Massaro, winner of the 2005 WWE Diva Search.

Mystery Hispanic = Steve Romero. Comes from Romero's suddenly appearing on Smackdown in order to mysteriously and hispanically do an interview in place of Josh Matthews, and Bryan had no idea who he was or where he came from for some time.

Orlando Jordan's Time Machine -- Bryan's idea for a killer storyline that would have saved Orlando Jordan's career after losing to Chris Benoit in 21 seconds on PPV and his subsequent burial on Smackdown (Jordan's, not Bryan's.) Short version, Jordan gets a time machine, tries to go back and undo the loss, which leads to all sorts of incidents in which whacky hijinx ensue.

PODER~! = Spanish word for power. Came from the slogan of Bryan and Vinny's bowling league team, the Peruvian Leper Colony. Used by Eddie Guerrerro in a Spanish Stacker 2 commercial, which lead to it being introduced to F4W readers by Vince.

Pound and ground: Comes from the misuse of the MMA term "ground and pound" by Michael Cole to describe John Cena's wrestling technique.

Rob Conway's Music = Name used instead of just Rob Conway due to his one-of-a-kind entrance music. Usage: "Rob Conway's Music lost to Tajiri."

Super China Buffet = A favorite restaurant of Bryan & Vince. The story of their antics one week gorging themselves lead to the longest thread in the message board's history, and an annual holiday (which falls on SummerSlam Sunday each year).

Takyama Takedown = When someone tries a throw (usually a belly-to-belly) and fucks it up, resulting in their opponent acheiving the mount position. It's considered the single worst offensive move you can perform in a real fight.

TCS = Todd Grishman. Known as "That Cock Sucker" for his stellar work on the Chris Benoit DVD. Short version of TCSFTBDVD or That Cock Sucker from the Benoit DVD.

Tony/Nailz/admin - Bryan's Sister's Husband, webmaster and creator of Super Chico DVDs.

Whacky - purposely misspelled and believed to be mostly used when referring to lucha and especially lucha submission holds because they are not just wacky, they're WHACKY~!

~! = A big exclamation. Comes from Dean Rasmussen and the Death Valley Driver Review. Proper Usage: The original usage of ~! required that the preceding word also be in all capitals. It indicated that you REALLY REALLY liked something, and were so excited in typing the ! that your finger slipped and hit the ~ too. Example: COLD STONE~! This rule is no longer strictly followed. (Noted to our overseas friends, the ~ key is to the left of the 1/! key on US keyboards, and that's why the ~and ! appear together~!)

FULL UPDATED LIST OF MEMBER BENEFITS:

Daily Radio Shows and Archive: Enjoy a new edition of Figure Four Daily Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (breaking news and exclusive interviews with host Bryan Alvarez), Mike Coughlin's Five Star Radio Show (MMA,etc.) the Adam & Mike Audio Nightmare~! (pro-wrestling, MMA, and even boxing and hockey with Mike Sempervive and Adam Summers), the Dr. Keith Lipinski Show (interviews and wackiness), the Karl Stern Show (pro-wrestling and MMA history), and two to three new editions of the Bryan & Vinny Show every week (TV show and PPV recaps, news commentary, and assorted wackiness with Bryan and buddy Vincent Verhei). Click the "Guests" button for a not-quite-complete list of past appearances. Many of our subscribers say the radio shows are the number-one benefit of subscribing. All shows run between 45 and 90 minutes. In addition, every episode since September 2005 is archived on the site so you can download any you missed to play on your computer, iPod or other portable music player, or burn them to a CD for your own permanent collection.

Weekly Figure Four Newsletter: A brand-new issue of Figure Four Weekly is published every Tuesday evening on the main page of the site. Published since 1995 by Death of WCW co-author Bryan Alvarez, F4W~! is widely regarded as not only the most entertaining weekly read on pro-wrestling and MMA, but also one of the top two newsletters in the world alongside Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer. Each issue is 28,000 words of news and information from every major promotion around the world, and subscribers have the option of getting a 12-page print issue delivered to their home each week. Become an expert and impress your friends with your vast knowledge of both pro-wrestling and the mixed martial arts!

F4W~! Newsletter Archive: Members have access to hundreds of permanently archived issues, with more being added by the week. Currently, over 320 back issues are archived. Over the next couple of years, nearly every issue of Figure Four ever published will be accessible on our website. An encyclopedic 10-plus year history of pro-wrestling -- the equivalent of one thousand 100,000-word books! -- will be available 24/7 at your fingertips.

News, Interview and TV/DVD Review Archives: Get complete access to every news update, interview and TV/DVD review ever published on F4Wonline.com. Literally thousands and thousands of articles are permanently available. Great for research purposes.

Derek Burgan, Keith Lipinski and Mike Coughlin Archives: Every article ever published on this site from three great columnists.

The INFAMOUS F4W~! BOARD: Our exclusive members-only discussion board, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Besides hosting discussions on a wide variety of topics from the world of wrestling and beyond, it is also the place where news breaks most frequently. Join the hundreds of members who participate daily and keep on top of the latest backstage news from WWE, TNA, ROH, OVW, Japan, Mexico and everywhere else! Love the songs played on the Bryan & Vinny Show? Get them here! Also, ask questions for Bryan or Bryan’s Friend Vince in their personal forums. A vast number of our members have pronounced it the single best wrestling board on the Internet.

F4W~! Chat: Open continuously, though the most active times are during Raw, Smackdown, pay-per-views and Wrestling Observer Live on Sunday nights. We also host exclusive chats with Bryan, BFV and other special guests on occasion.

Much More: Contests, daily polls and other surprises!

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