It's hard to believe that Summerslam is virtually upon us as the mega PPV is one week from this Sunday in Los Angeles. That means that all the WWE TV broadcasts between now and then will be dotted with S'Slam content and, hopefully, a few surprises.

I think surprises in wrestling are good things. It's like getting an out-of-the-blue inheritance from an unlikely source such as The Fink, Stocky Balboa, or even the reportedly frugal Mr. McMahon. 

Getting Shawn Michaels back for Summerslam is a boost to the WWE Universe and gives Monday Night Raw a much needed shot in the arm as HBK is simply a one of a kind performer and is one of WWE's greatest assets.  I can hear it now on an impassioned Monday evening..."VINTAGE Shawn Michaels.....Oh, My!"

Getting Shawn Michaels back on Monday Night Raw would have been the equivalent of the Minnesota Vikings signing a fit and ready Bret Favre to play quarterback this year.

Todd Grisham, who is like traveling with Ryan Secrest inasmuch as being a young, rock star like personality, and I enjoyed our jaunt through Alberta early in the week. Grisham found out that Tim Horton's is not a place for steak but can handle ones donut needs famously.

It's funny how roles change over time as years ago I was the "driver" on road trips with Gorilla Monsoon who told me endless stories of the biz and helped me grow as a broadcaster. Now days, Todd does the driving and I ride shotgun and tell him the stories and hope to assist in making him a better, wrestling broadcaster. I am still working on my "side kick" skills.  

Of course the most famous illustration of mentoring in WWE was when The Fink mentored Lilian Garcia back in the day. What a striking couple they were at the Hertz counter.

Friday Night Smackdown is the best, wrestling TV show produced by WWE this week. Yes, SD once again takes the WWE's top broadcast, Monday Night Raw, to the woodshed. 

You don't have to accept my hyperbole as you can watch the broadcast Friday night on MyNetworkTV and judge for yourself. I will admit it isn't as enjoyable on mute and I will tip you off that Grisham and I look as if we just returned from a baby shower as he wore pink and I wore blue. Where else can you get this insight on the inner sanctum of WWE?

Friday night is headlined by C.M. Punk trying to finally get a victory over John Morrison after Morrison has lite Punk's fire twice and is 2-0 against the Straight Edge Superstar on Friday nights. 

Punk and Morrison have great chemistry and their rivalry feels fresh and new to me which is always appealing to any fan of their favorite genre. Plus these two really get physical with each other.

Yours truly has always thought that there was "something" unique about Mike "Fort Knox" beyond me comparing him from time to time with the late Bruiser Brody.  BTW that comparison has drawn the ire of some on the Internet who, between treating their acne issues, have condemned me for drawing the comparison. The irony of that is that most likely those making this particular criticism never saw Brody in person much less knew him personally as did I. Knox has a impactful evening this week on Smackdown and let's leave it at that.

It has often been told to me that I "out punted my coverage" when I married my Pittsburgh native, Italian wife Jan and that is a contention of which I can't deny. However, when one talks about "out-punting their coverage" what's the story with the giddy Maria and her new boyfriend Dolph Ziggler? I wish them all the happiness in the world but for some reason I just don't see a happy ending in this relationship. Can't Maria do better?   

Does Maria remind anyone else of actress Goldie Hawn who has dated her boyfriend Kurt Russell now for 26 years without marrying him? For those of you that know who Heidi Montag is but not Goldie Hawn perhaps you should do a Google search and obtain more info.

I am told or "sources say," if that's more provacative, that the SD Divas are shocked at how strong Layla is especially her hand strength. Layla, who is London born and bred, isn't the biggest Diva on the roster but may be the strongest pound for pound. Layla, one of my favorite Eric Clapton songs, shows noticeable improvement in the ring this Friday night as she meets the "screamer" Melina.

Jeff Hardy, who is the most popular superstar in WWE as we speak, will defend his World Title at Summerslam come hell or high water from what I am told. The Pious Punk has done his best to physically damage the North Carolina born World Champ but we've all seen Hardy's resilience over the years in the face of long odds.

The TLC match may not have over joyed Punk when he was given the news by still-on-probation, SD GM Teddy Long but this match does Jeff Hardy no favors either. The Championship will hang about 20 feet above the ring and both wrestlers start off on equal footing when the bell rings. So there is no championship advantage and the first man to climb the ladder and possess the title belt is the champion. Tables, Ladders, and Chairs may be Jeff Hardy's downfall at Summerslam especially with Jeff's neck injury and Punk's success on the big stage with Ladders.

Remind me not to buy any motivational books written by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino who was allegedly caught in a dalliance with a women in a "high end restaurant" which is the media's description, not mine.

It would appear that Kane and the Great Khali will meet in the ring at Summerslam but that's not official but what I hear on the grapevine.....that's a Credence Clearwater Revial/John Fogerty reference for you baby boomers. If Kane and Khali do square off it won't be a Brisco-Funk, Steamboat-Savage, British Bulldog-Hart Foundation classic but interesting nonetheless. I may change into my bowling shoes to call that one. 

Speaking of the Bulldogs-Hart Foundation, check out an upcoming installment of "J.R.s Picks" (no, not nose but a selection of outstanding mat classics) coming soon on WWEClassics.com. We look at a 1985 bout from MSG in NYC between the two teams and this one is an excellent tag team outing. Do you remember the days when great tag team bouts happened with regularity?

I'm not one to over hype stuff just for the sake of shilling but I do encourage all long time or devout fans to check out WWEClassics.com and relive some of the greatest moments in grappling. 

Great week for the Hart Dynasty as they returned to their native Alberta and received a hero's welcome as they should. I mention on Smackdown that David Hart Smith and Natalya Neidhart's grandfather Stu Hart played pro football in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos. This week,  Friday Night Smackdown emanates from Edmonton and we don't mention the dated term "Bizarroland" once on our broadcast. Sorry to disappoint you but did I tell you that young Todd wore pink?

We are offering FREE SHIPPING on selected items in our pesonal on line store that you can check out by going to www.jrsbarbq.com. I'm also blogging there several times each week and we also take your questions on our popular Q&A section of the site.

The talented, if you don't believe me just ask him, Chris Jericho joins "the announcers" on Friday Night Smackdown for a sampling of commentary during the scheduled Big Show vs. JTG bout. Jericho has significant verbal skills if he ever chose to pursue it and has the skills to success where other many wrestlers failed when trying to become a ringside broadcaster.

I shutter to think that a day might come when wrestling broadcasters will become like many ESPN SportsCenter anchors and attempt to make themselves and not the game's that they cover the story. 

Yours truly has been doing some sports talk radio work on AM1400 KREF in Norman, Oklahoma that can be seen online with streaming, live video. Right now I appear on Wednesday afternoons but soon I expect an announcement to be made of a more permanent arrangement to where I do a hour or so late in the week and we will be able to take your calls and emails. 

Got an email today from my dear friend and WWE HOF'er Gerry Brisco who recently underwent heart surgery but is recovering amazingly well and is looking forward to coming back to work at WWE TV events. If you want to watch some great tag team work, check out the Brisco Brothers vs. Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood from the Mid Atlantic territory.  These four put on a clinic. 

"Citizen" Lance Storm, proprietor of the Storm Wrestling Academy in Calgary, was a guest of WWE in both Calgary and Edmonton. Lance runs a highly regarded wrestling school now and still looks like he could still wrestle a great, 60 minute bout if need be.

Football season is just around the corner which is one of my favorite times of the year. Last season I attended EVERY Oklahoma Sooner football game at home and away and plan on doing so again this year. It takes some long term planning and necessitates a few "short nights" to pull it off but I love following my team. I've already made my plans to travel from Lincoln, Nebraska to Sheffield, England in November which, by the way, there are no "non stops."

Please visit us at our fan friendly, BBQ website which continues to grow weekly, www.jrsbarbq.com and check out all the great deals in our on line store that's open 24/7.

boomer Sooner!

J.R.