In the tradition of NPR's Todd Holzman, Baltimore-based producer Aaron Henkin uses sport (never mind that this "sport" is professional wrestling) to look behind the music (USSR national anthem) at the fascinating and moving story of one of the WWF's greatest heels, Nicolai "The Mad Russian" Volkoff.

Listeners will hear archival tape of televised matches mixed with the reflections of the meditating, vegetarian Volkoff of today. Henkin contrasts the chutzpah of a young man that would ask arenas full of stark raving rasslin' fans in the 1980s to sing the USSR's national anthem with the Volkoff's true feelings: he hated communism and fled to this country to escape Stalinist persecution.

At 15:27, this piece feels about three minutes too long, but listeners will love Henkin's thoughtful blend of action and cold war history, through the eyes of a man who was arguably one of America's most visible cold warriors.