Greetings to all from under the black, custom made hat from WWE’s resident Okie, who has looked forward to this week much like many of us do for WrestleMania … it’s time for Saturday’s Oklahoma-Texas Red River Rivalry college football game in Dallas. More on that later, but now on to the ever-popular “Random Thoughts.” (Which is a metaphor for one not knowing exactly what to write about so one writes about many things.)

Even though the “World’s Angriest Announcer” and me had only two matches to broadcast at No Mercy, I personally enjoyed the pay-per-view and thought the fans in Portland helped elevate the presentation. The final three bouts of the pay-per-view, two of which were ironically, wink-wink, broadcast by the Friday Night SmackDown announce duo, really rocked and closed No Mercy on a noticeably, high note.

What are some of the things we may have learned at No Mercy? Here’s a short list:

• ECW Champion Matt Hardy is a legit, main eventer who has elevated his game. Matt is an overachiever who believes in himself, which is contrary to our American political system. Matt does really well when he isn’t dating a WWE Diva. 
• No one seems to be sure what role WWE HOF’er Tony Atlas fulfills in Mark Henry’s world.
• Beth Phoenix is a winner but is her “better half” Santino Marella?
• Did Kane use sound judgment in getting himself intentionally disqualified against Rey Mysterio?
• What did we learn from the MVP, RKO, Priceless, Punk, and Kofi impromptu talk fest? MVP perhaps made the most valid point of the moment when he said he was under utilized. Agreed.
• Batista is truly an Animal.
• JBL loves his money seemingly more than he wanted to beat Batista Sunday night. Of course, I could be wrong.
• Cryme Tyme “borrowed’ JBL’s limo. Thanks for coming Cryme Tyme. Drive safely.
• Undertaker and Big Show beat the hell out of each other from the get-go.
• Show’s punching power, due in part to his extensive boxing training while he was away from WWE, is freakish.
• Would Show have knocked out Taker if Taker’s head had not been smacked into the exposed turnbuckle first?
• Triple H and Jeff Hardy had one of the best, pure wrestling matches WWE has featured in years.
• I would love to see more wrestling matches like The Game vs. Jeff, wouldn’t you? It was matches like these two had that made me a fan.
• HBK is arguably still the best all-around, in-ring performer currently active in the business today.
• Chris Jericho is MUCH tougher than he is given credit for. The World Champion represents Raw with controversy and chaos.

The energy level in Spokane was really nice on Tuesday night, and I think that fact will be reflected in Friday night’s SmackDown broadcast on MyNetworkTV. Thanks, Spokane, for bringing your passion and having fun.

Just curious, but why do some fans bring homemade signs that they know from the get-go aren’t going to make the cut? Is it to simply garner attention for them or are some people simply that pet coon goofy?

The Doctor of Dot-Com-Onomics, the man in black, Joe E. Styles has WWE.com on a roll and the site has never been better. I have been writing columns/blogs on this site for years and I can tell you that WWE.com is more fun to read than at any time since I have been in WWE and that is more than 15 years now.

Friday Night SmackDown’s main event, Triple H vs. Big Show for the WWE Title, is big in more ways than one. I had dinner recently with Show, and he is confident that he can become the WWE Champion much “Sooner” than later. If you’re wondering what the big fellow consumed, it was an 8-ounce fillet, a Caesar salad, and steamed broccoli. The Show’s days of devouring half dozen Burger King double-Whoppers seem to be history.

 Travel update ... yours truly took a cost-efficient and on-time Southwest Airlines flight that was about an hour gate to gate from Portland to Spokane Monday, while my partner Tazz rode with all his pals (he was alone) in a 6-hour-plus car trip. WWE.com is making a mistake not sending a small video camera with Tazz on these trips, because the angry man somehow meets the damndest people on his road journeys. Why, you may ask, doesn’t J.R. make these trips with his new partner?

That’s easy to answer, I wasn’t invited. But don’t grieve long as I would rather take the one-hour flight than make a 6-hour drive. I made plenty of 6-hour drives over the years for my mentor and Mid South Wrestling promoter Cowboy Bill Watts to earn a whopping 40 bucks many, many nights. That $40 had to cover road and living expenses. 

Ah, the good ‘Ol days, right, Fink?

What is so intriguing that Brie Bella and Hornswoggle, to name a couple of folks, seemingly enjoy spending an inordinate amount of time under the ring? Where’s the WWE “spy cam” when it’s really needed?

R-Truth, if that is his real name, wants to know, “WHAT’S UP?!”

A little known fact, but allegedly, The Fink is currently working on a Yiddish, rap album that will be dedicated to two of his all-time heroes, MLB HOF’er Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg.

MVP may be on the verge of losing a load of cash. Tune in to Friday Night SmackDown and we will update you.

Now, one more time, which one of you is Hawkins and which one is Ryder?

Is Primo making his older brother Carlito look like the second best athlete on the team?

“Sources say” The Great Khali is in a rather amorous mood these days, which is more info than I probably needed to share in this space. But I did hear that Lilian Garcia, after locking lips with the Punjabi Giant Monday night, was looking at condos in Bombay … but that may simply be one of those nasty, Internet rumors.

Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but I’m voting for the Honky Tonk Man to challenge Santino “Unibrow” Marella at Cyber Sunday in about three weeks in Phoenix.

Vladimir Kozlov is on an amazing roll, but I was thinking out loud the other day about just how devastating would Kozlov be if he had a great manager at ringside ala the incomparable Bobby Heenan in “The Brain’s” heyday? That would indeed be a lethal combination.

Yours truly will be traveling to Dallas this week to attend the OU-UT big-time college football game, and if you see a familiar black hat on the Sooner sideline on the ABC broadcast it will likely be yours truly. I am really a romantic at heart as evidenced that Mrs. J.R. and I are celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary this weekend, with me taking her to the Cotton Bowl for the Red River Rivalry. Nothing says true love like a State Fair of Texas corndog, an ice cold beverage, and people dressed in Crimson and Cream and Burnt Orange cursing each other.

Plus, I will be a guest on ESPN’s College Football Live this Friday afternoon at 3:30/2:30 CT, offering my prediction on the game and my three keys to the game.

Yours truly was caught in a TMZ-like act after Friday Night SmackDown in Spokane went off the air on MyNetwork TV, but sources say that the tape lives and could perhaps emerge on WWE.com.

Say it ain’t so, Joe.

Our Web site, www.jrsbarbq.com is really growing and our online business is super. I hope that you will consider our little operation as an option for your holiday shopping needs which will be upon us before you know it. We have many , many cool items for under 10 bucks including our signature BBQ Sauces, the world’s greatest ketchup, our famous Chipotle Ketchup and the hugely popular Jalapeño Honey Mustard. Plus, we have “Got Sauce” T-Shirts, our logo T-shirts and black, J.R. BBQ trucker caps. Of course, one of our best-sellers is our Beef Jerky, which is low in carbs and is 97 percent fat-free. I write several blogs a week there and answer your e-mailed questions again at  www.jrsbarbq.com. Thanks!

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.