This has been an amazing week and it is just getting started. When one "emotionally invests" in Wrestlemania, one runs a gambit of personal emotions during Wrestlemania week. Considering it took me 19 years as a professional to earn my way to WWE, this week will be one that will have enough, varied emotions this old, Okie to fill a whole week of "Dr. Phil's" and perhaps a couple of days on the couch (figuratively speaking) with "Oprah."

Wrestlemania 25 this Sunday in Houston is an event that, as a wrestling fan, I can't see how any true wrestling fan would miss. It is estimated that over 70,000 fans will pack Houston's Reliant Stadium to experience the extravaganza live and that perhaps over 1,000,000 more will purchase the pay per view on a Global basis.

I always go to Wrestlemania planning to "pace myself" and to not over prepare, over indulge, over talk, etc and every year I find myself in a variety of unique situations that beat my best laid plans like a "government mule." Yes, I get caught up in the moment and I enjoy every single second of the experience from the time we arrive on Thursday until I will put my head on a pillow LATE Sunday night.

Many have said that I "out punted my coverage" when I married my lovely, Italian wife (and they are correct) and thank goodness she is a loving, tolerant and patient woman. She understands my passion for the business and that this is our Super Bowl, Final Four, World Cup, and World Series all rolled into a 4 hour window that comes along only once a year. Lord, I already need a decaf.

People often ask me on my BBQ website www.jrsbarbq.com if I still get nervous after all these years. To borrow a phrase from future WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin, "Oh, Hell Yeah!" When any broadcaster or wrestler says that he or she doesn't get nervous heading into 'Mania that's the day that person needs to consider making a timely exit to explore "future endeavors".

I'll know that I will be as nervous as a "lady of the night in church" but thank goodness I will be wearing dark pants.

Several matches in particular have piqued my interest come Sunday at 7 Eastern/4 Pacific. To every individual on the card "their match" should be considered the Wrestlemania main event complete with their opportunity to create their own, personal Wrestlemania Moment.

On an old, school personal level,  The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels match may be at the top of my "must see" list and that is to take away nothing from any other bout. I saw Shawn compete in his first wrestling territory in about 1984 when he worked for Cowboy Bill Watts' Mid South Wrestling. I recall Shawn being fined his first week in the territory for inadvertently missing a TV taping. HBK likely got fined around $25-50 which stung back in those days but he was never fined again by the big Cowboy. Shawn was a quick study who learned his lessons well and has gone on to become, arguably next to Ric Flair, as the greatest in ring performer in the history of the business. For my BBQ, no one rises to the occasion and takes their game to a different level in big match situation than does Shawn Michaels. No big match situation is bigger than performing in a main event at Wrestlemania. To retire Ric Flair at WM24 and follow that up withending the Undertaker's 16-0 winning streak at WM25 would be an unforgettable Wrestlemania moment that would live in wrestling folklore forever.

I first saw Taker competing in Dallas, helped facilitate his arrival in WCW and then saw him leave Atlanta for the big time of WWE to become "the Phenom" and perhaps the most feared and respected man in WWE history. I used to think that no one would ever approach "Andre status" until the Undertaker kept evolving and standing the test of time and 16 men who all tried to end WWE's most impressive streak ever. Andre stands alone no longer as "The Boss" now stands shoulder to shoulder with the Demon of Death Valley on a pedestal that, as of today, has room for only these two bigger than life individuals. 

This is only my assumption but I am of the belief that both 'Taker and HBK have been thinking of this match, on this day, with the opportunity to make history in a subliminal way for years. It was a match that had to happen. It is a match that will happen. It is a match that will take place on the most grandiose stage that could ever be erected, the 25th Anniversary of Wrestlemania.

Can Michaels win Sunday? Without question. Michaels has been the mental maestro the past several weeks in orchestrating some elaborate and effective mind games on the master of the mind games, the Undertaker.

Will HBK win? That's a tougher question. I look at it this way. If any one can, Michaels is the man. But until some one actually does put the Undertaker's Wrestlemania winning streak at 16-1 I mildly suggest that "The Steak" will live for another year on Sunday during this magnificent four hour masterpiece. No wagering, please.

The personal war between HHH and Randy Orton for the WWE Title may be as much about the champion extracting retribution from Mr. RKO as much as it is about The Game retaining what I know means more to him professionally than any thing on earth. With that said, I could see Orton winning the WWE Title simply because of the rage that HHH will bring with him to the ring. When men of great passion and pride who have been wronged to the degree that Orton has crossed the line time and time again with HHH, I feel "The Game" may be vulnerable and that Orton, too, may be just that damn good. I am admittedly biased and my heart wants HHH to leave Houston the WWE Champion but my head says Orton has done a marvelous job of playing human chess with perhaps the best chess player in the business. Orton wins a controversial, heart stopper. 

When Edge defends the Heavyweight Championship of the World against both the 7'-450 pound Big Show and the ubiquitous John Cena in a Triple Threat Match, a contestthat has sudden death properties considering the first man to score a pin or submission wins the match and there fore the Title, this high profile, main event will be not about love and marriage but about three men who "need" to be the World's Champ. I am a lean that Edgeloses, the odds say that he will, I have struggled with the fact that unless Big Show makes a fatal error that he can't be touched in a clean bout but my guts say that I have seen Cena rise the the oddasion too many times to bail on Cena now. I see Cena winning the title because, and this rationale might not hold water, he SAID he going to. I love John Cena's will and his undeniable attitude. I don't know how, I don't know who, I don't know when but my favorite slab of hickory smoked ribs in going on the kid from West Newbury, Mass.

Without question this particular Wrestlemania is some of the most unpredictable bouts in recent memory in the annals of WWE. That makes this event all the better. 

Rumor has it that a three man broadcast booth will cover the action at WM25. This has not been confirmed as I wri this and certainly could change by bell time of 7 Eastern/4 Pacific but the opportunity to reunite with Jerry Lawler and to join the voice of Monday Night Raw Michael Cole excites me. If this were to come about what an a honor to work with these two men and it will be especially fun to hook back up with the King. Again, this is not official but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Turning our attention to the WWE Hall of Fame, this one is all about my friend and a man that I have shared many, many laughs, cries, good times and the not so good. Stone Cold Steve Austin is going to bring "Attitude" into the WWE Hall of Fame which is fitting for a man who revolutionized an industry. Thank goodness I was in the right place at the right time to be able to sign Steve to his first WWE contract. He, among several others, sure made me look good when I was Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. when asked recently what made Steve so special I answered simply that it was his passion. Steve's passion to be the best ever drove him unrelentingly to become the most prolific box office sensation in the history of the wrestling business. Vince McMahon has the esteemed honor of inducting Steve Austin into the WWE Hall of Fame. Vince is a lucky man because no human being alive ever deserved to be inducted more and arguably no human being alive ever meant as much to McMahon's WWE than did Stone Cold Steve Austin. Steve, I love you like family and I am so proud that I will be a part of the festivities to see you get your ring. There might be one Crown Royal in my future late Saturday night.  

I'll do my best to have the best, 3 minute speech I can possibly muster to introduced my mentor and the man who game me my first job in the business in 1974, the legendary wrestler turned booker turned promoter Cowboy Bill Watts who broke into the business in 1962 and was headlining Madison Square Garden in 3 short years and had one of the most storied runs ever with another WWE legend Bruno Sammartino that resulted at a then unheard of FOUR sellouts in "The Garden." For you wrestling historians and trivial buffs take a look at how many WWE HOF'ers that Bill Watts either discovered or gave them their break to become main event stars that lead to legendary careers. It is truly amazing. Bill turns 70 in early May so what a magnificant early birthday present for the "Big Cowboy", "Bombastic Bill", "The Hat", and even "Buckethead" as the late JYD used to call the boss when Bill wasn't around. Cowboy Bill Watts will walk tall into the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Class and I'll be the proudest fan in the house. 

I hope to see many of you at Wrestlemania Axxess Thursday and Friday night and encourage you to hit the WWE concession stands and scarf up our famous J.R.'s BBQ Sauce, Bar Nuts and more and if you see wandering around please allow me to sign them for you.  It would be my honor. 

Wrestlemania is more about the fans of the WWE Universe than any one else because without fans where would the rest of us ya-hoos be? Thank you!

The Tazz, my friend, my colleague, and the Original Human Suplex Machine and I will broadcast Friday Night Smackdown on MyNetworkTV with many of the elements brought to you by the lovely and talented Todd Grisham and the Dick Clark of WWE Jerry Lawler who will also get his beloved and ample face time as the MC of the WWE HOF Induction Ceremony if he can be pried away from the Cleveland Indians-Houston Astros MLB exhibition game being played Friday and Saturday in Houston. Jerome loves him some Indians.

Check out more from www.jrsbarbq.comfor more of my candid thoughts on Wrestlemania 25. This Sunday is going to be special following the heels of the emotional, heartfelt WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony that I still say needs two full hours to do the product justice. 

See you in Houston this week or on PPV Sunday at 7 eastern/4 pacific!

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.