Your resident Okie has been as busy as a fruit merchant this week working on a variety of WWE projects including ECW, SmackDown, WWE 24/7, WWE Home Video, and WWE.com.

But alas all is well in Oklahoma as the business at J.R.’s Family BBQ Restaurants is good plus the No. 2 ranked Oklahoma Sooners have a huge, home game this Saturday night against the nationally-ranked TCU Horned Frogs. 

For those of you that may be scratching your head on just what in the heck the meaning of “busy as a fruit merchant” is, please allow me to elaborate. When I was a kid growing up in eastern Oklahoma, fruit merchants would set up shop along varying intersections and sell fresh fruits and vegetables out of the back of their pickup trucks. If business wasn’t good in a particular locale, then they moved quickly to another. Reason being is that they sold perishable goods which had short shelf lives and these merchants were constantly moving to find the most traffic and the best locations to sell their good. Hence, “busy as a fruit merchant.” 

Random thoughts from under the black hat:

Congrats to all involved on Monday Night Raw for their 800th episode, which was conveniently reminded to us viewers exactly 800 times in the two-hour broadcast. 

Perhaps someday Monday Night Raw will once again regain their status as being the “A” show in the WWE from Friday Night SmackDown. 

Impressive night Monday for Lance Cade taking a fall on the great Shawn Michaels, but does this strapping, young, talented superstar Cade go to the Ray Charles Barber College to get his hair cut?

Chris Jericho is on an Edge-like roll on Raw much as the Rated-R Superstar was on before he took an extended, all expenses paid vacation by Undertaker to Hell. 

Jericho is definitely an individual, but there are influences of other greats in his game, in my view, including The Rock and Ric Flair. Many of the WWE’s top Superstars have been influenced by some of the greats of the mat. 

Hopefully, the young men coming into WWE today will adopt these same principles, but to do so they need to put down their video games and “Crackberrys.”  

Charlie Haas’ newly-minted impressions of wrestling personalities, etc. may provide the Seton Hall grad — they must be so proud of Chuck — the biggest career comeback since the pending Britney Spears rebound.

Dolph Ziggler. Now that is one cool name. What’s his dad’s name, Zig? And what might Mr. Ziggler’s claim to fame be? This one might even “Stump the Fink.” 

Do Raw fans love to hate Randy Orton or do they hate to love him? 

For the record, my beloved SmackDown broadcast partner Tazz hates everyone, but somehow tolerates the choke friendly New York Mets and the struggling New York Jets who I hope actually do well this season … but were as embarrassed as a fat man being caught naked swimming when the water was cold Monday night.

For the American citizens reading this, aren’t you proud of our Federal Government these days? Bail out “this” you collective group of buffoons. 

ECW’s Matt Striker is one of the brightest young broadcasters to come along in WWE in years. For those of you that caught ECW Tuesday night I hope you enjoyed the proceedings. Striker is well prepared and uses some timely albeit at times obscure references during his commentary. Good stuff from where I was sitting. I would enjoy working with Striker any time but let’s get one thing straight, Striker ain’t no Tazz. 

I had the urge to shriek “CAT FIGHT” Tuesday night during the Michelle McCool (that is her real name) and Maryse (who was born without a last name, poor girl) but out of my deep, unabiding respect for the esteemed and eternal “Voice of ECW” and current WWE.com guru the good Dr. Joe E. Styles, I refrained. No one could scream “CAT FIGHT” like my man Joe who makes a fashion statement every time he dons another of his custom made, black designer suits with the hidden, built-in pocket protector.  

Actually, Joe’s trendy, black attire reminds me of how some of WWE’s old road agents back in the day would travel on a two-week, international tour. They generally took one, SMALL bag that included one pair of BLACK pants and, perhaps, two BLACK shirts along with a quart-sized bottle of roll on deodorant.  

Can you say “gamey” boys and girls?

I love the ECW format whereas they are going to feature the WWE’s youngest competitors who are seeking fame and fortune. Some of these folks may last only for a few weeks or they may establish themselves as future WrestleMania main-eventers.

Remember that ECW starts one hour earlier beginning next Tuesday night on Sci Fi at 9/8 p.m. CT. 

Just curious, but why does ECW General Manager Teddy Long need an assistant? Don’t get me wrong, as Tiffany is easy on the eyes, but she never seems to carry a notebook or even a Blackberry with her. Does Tiffany even know short-hand or how to take dictation? Nonetheless ‘Ol Theodore has fine taste in his support staff. 

WrestleMania tickets go on sale on Nov. 8, which is an important date for all of us in WWE. Reliant Stadium is a showplace, or it will be again once Ike’s damage is repaired, and will be a magnificent venue for WM25. Yours truly attended a Big 12 Championship game there one year between Oklahoma and Colorado and was thoroughly impressed with the facility. 

Friday Night SmackDown moves to MyNetworkTV on Friday Oct.3, on a broadcast that will be taped this coming Tuesday in Green Bay, Wisc. Word on the street is that all the broadcast teams might be asked to attend and work the premiere on the new network. If that happens, I can’t be held responsible for what my partner, who invented the T-Bone Suplex, might do to his peers. The “Human Suplex Machine” even scares me, and I’m his partner. It better be a decaf day for Tazz or there could be problems. 

Plus, Tazz has “people.”

The final Friday Night SmackDown on The CW Network is this Friday night and is headlined by an awesome first bout of the night featuring WWE Champion Triple H and his  No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy teaming to face the duo of MVP and THE Brian Kendrick. This main event starts the evening, so do not be late when joining us Friday night. We need these ratings to continue to build as “baby needs new shoes” and I need to enhance my job security as I don’t have enough years for the gold retirement watch all announcers clamor for.  

Our popular Q&A section of our Web site at www.jrsbarbq.com is rocking, as has our traffic, over the past several weeks. Plus, ever since Chuck Haas impersonated yours truly on Raw our site has been doing great business in our online store, which never closes, and features many items for less than 10 bucks. I want to think all the wonderful WWE fans for your support and business. 

However, for those of you who don’t check us out or are not customers, I wish upon you a long car trip with Tazz or to play Out-Think the Fink for 24 hours straight sitting in the Fink’s cubicle at the Styles Center in Stamford,Conn.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R