Friday Night SmackDown emanates from Tulsa ,Oklahoma this week and the beautiful, new BOK (Bank of Oklahoma) Center. Tulsa was the hub for the first wrestling territory that I worked in when I launched this wacky journey 35 years ago.

Things have changed so much since I not only refereed my first bout, which was also in Tulsa, to broadcasting my first match in a barn on the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. 

BTW, what ever happened to time limits in wrestling bouts? Who deemed that time limits in wrestling bouts was a bad thing? I assume that I'm too old school to "get it."

I assure you that The Fink remembers time limits not to mention how many great bouts when to the "curfew" over the years in Madison Square Garden?

It's been a tough week for SD G.M. Teddy Long as he has been on one helluva limo ride that started in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and will, in all likelihood, end in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

At least Teddy had his seat belt "buckled up." But what about a change of underwear?! Bathroom break??

What's the over/under that The Undertaker's Hell's Gate gets reinstated before the "Hell in a Cell" PPV one week from this Sunday? The hold is legal, plain and simple.

Intriguing main event this week on Friday Night Smackdown pitting Big Show vs. Batista. Is Batista favored because he is a "one name star" or should we go with the biggest dog in the hunt?

Locker room "dirt" has it that Batista, Big Dave to his close pals, is working on some new offensive weaponry.

J.R.'s Family BBQ helped with catering in Tulsa on Tuesday and the ribs, among other delicacies, were a hit! I saw my friend Stocky Balboa eating the world's best ribs like it was his last meal before the long walk to the "chair." 

Speaking of J.R.'s, we have several hot, new sales packages that include FREE SHIPPING and that save you ample dollars at www.jrsbarbq.com. Check it out today along with our blogs and popular Q&A section of our BBQ website.

Looking forward to the John Morison vs. Dolph (Don't call me Zig) Ziggler Intercontinental Title Bout at the "Hell in a Cell" PPV. Did I mention that this event is one week from this Sunday? These two, young SD stars have the opportunity to elevate their game and perception with how they compete in less than two weeks in Newark, New Jersey. The long term future of Friday Night Smackdown largely rests on the shoulders of young men like Morrison and Ziggler as it relates to not only SD but the WWE in general.

Big things are expected for Drew McIntyre on Friday nights and the native of Scotland obviously has ample physical potential but I'm anxious to see how he handles the pressure if he's tossed the ball.  The spotlight is going to shine on McIntyre, without question, and I for one hope that he can handle it. Many powerful people within WWE have exceptional hopes for McIntyre as do I.

Reverend Al Sharpton will guest host Raw this Monday from Albany, N.Y., which is the state capital of New York, and Sharpton has been rumored for years to be a potential candidate for Governor of that state. I would love to see Rev Al cut loose and give some one "heck" (PG, you know) Monday night in one of those "vintage" Raw comedic moments. 

Don't "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Rev Al, let it loose and steal the show Monday night.

I'm not sure what to expect next week on the 10th Anniversary of SmackDown and I don't know if any alums are going to attend for the festivities in Boston. One of my fondest memories of Boston was working a PPV with the late, great WWE HOF'er Gorilla Monsoon at the old Boston Garden on a balmy night that made everyone uneasy. Was that the night that "The King," and perhaps next Mayor of Memphis, lead the King's Court in battle against Doink and his band of vertically challenged, merry men? 

I look for Randy Orton to regain the WWE Title inside "Hell in a Cell" when he faces current WWE Champion John Cena. This rivalry stretches longer than Ali-Frasier, but for some reason I feel that Orton seems to have the charismatic Cena's number. Time will tell. I hope that I am wrong.

The WWE Superstars from SD/ECW are in Spain and France this week with all the events in France totally selling out far in advance. Spending a couple of nice, quality days in Paris can't be a bad thing. The married men on this trip best do some shopping for their brides while in Paris and I'm not talking about a stinking T-shirt either or something from the duty-free shop. 

Several WWE Superstars took home half full bottles of our J.R.'s Original BBQ Sauce and our J.R.'s HOT BBQ Sauce that were left from Tuesday's catering. I think we served over 60 pounds of hickory smoked ribs to the crew and to the wrestlers.

If you want to order some of our delicious sauces or our fantastic J.R.'s Chipolte Ketchup or some of our 97% Fat Free Beef Jerky and get FREE SHIPPING then check our our new offers at www.jrsbarbq.com. 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out WWEClassics.com where many of the historic matches do have time limits and the rules were much easier to ascertain as to what is a disqualification and what isn't. 

Get ready for an exciting stretch in WWE leading into the "Hell in a Cell" PPV one week from this Sunday. I will never forget the very first Hell in a Cell" bout ever promoted in WWE and of which that I broadcast. Of course, you remember who was in it, right?

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. 

www.jrsbarbq.com                    

Greetings from Norman, Oklahoma ... the home of the rapidly becoming, world-famous, J.R.'s Family BBQ!

I always enjoy going to Canada and am not on the same train as referring to our northerly neighbors as "Bizarroland" or even the "Great White North."

The ending of the World Title match between "The First-Ever Straightedge World Champion," CM Punk and The Undertaker in Montreal had a somewhat rancid smell to it that reeked of conspiracy. It smelled like 12-year-old, bad, smoked meat.  

It sort of reminded me of my friend Billy Ray who comes into J.R.'s in Norman and spends a paltry $4.95 for all the homemade pinto beans and jalapeno cornbread he can eat and then recreates a particular scene from "Blazing Saddles." But NOT in the dining room let me make that clear.  

Also, I think that some, not all, Montreal fans, took the low road during Dolph Ziggler's disrespectful confrontation with WWE HOF'er Pat Patterson. Did Ziggler deserve to be booed? Absolutely. But the additional profanity that came with it, especially with women and children present, wasn't cool. that he has the career that Pat Patterson had that began in 1958. Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens were arguably, according to many "experts," the absolute best tag team ever to lace up their boots.

BTW #2 ... Patterson would have had little interest in the Maria's of his generation as Pat would have stayed focused on his in ring challenges unlike Dolph, who will face John Morrison for the Intercontinental Title at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, who feels that his sweat socks don't stink.

Triple H will be escorting Floyd Mayweather Jr. to the ring Saturday night on PPV when "Money" faces Juan Marquez in Las Vegas. That sounds like a great opportunity and a memorable night for "The Game."

Hopefully "The Cerebral Assassin" (Thanks, J.R.) will get some camera time and maybe, just maybe, an actual mention of who he is by HBO's announce team lead by the lovely and talented Jim Lampley. Perhaps Lampley's broadcast partner Larry Merchant will segue into a Gorgeous George reference considering the Gorgeous one likely was popular in Larry's younger days ... I'm just saying.

MVP, who toils away on the "other," two-hour, WWE weekly broadcast, Raw (please no emails about bitterness, jealousy, etc as that ship has sailed and this was a joke for goodness sake) looked more impressive Monday night going sleeveless than his usual ring attire. If you have the "guns," my man, show 'em off. 

MVP is a fan of the University of Miami football team and my Oklahoma Sooners travel to South Florida to play the 'Canes on Oct. 3. I plan on attending the game with MVP, except that we will be on seperate sidelines come kickoff time. 

Will my Kanye West mention on Friday Night SmackDown this week on MyNetworkTV live or find eternal life on the cutting room floor? I'll go with it not making air but it was family friendly on our very PG broadcast. 

Nice to see Batista back on Friday Night SmackDown, as he looks sleeker and quicker to me. Big Dave says that he's gonna be "the man" on Friday night but obviously others on the roster feel differently. Batista kicks off Friday Night SmackDown this week at the very beginning of the show. 

I'll assure you that the SmackDown Divas will likely enjoy the presence of "The Animal" on Friday nights as Batista is a renowned ladies man ... not that there's any thing wrong with that as long as it doesn't adversely affect one's day job.

The big, 10th Anniversary of SmackDown show will be taped in Boston on Sept.29 and I for one am clamoring that Michael Cole and the retired JBL be reunited ... kick Grisham and yours truly out of the announce table at ringside ... and reprise their outstanding team of a few years ago. Cole called more SmackDown's than any other broadcaster. The King and I called the first one. I'm sure that some of SD's biggest moments will be celebrated on a show that was named after one of The Rock's cliches. 

So then why is there no WWE broadcast called the Slobber-Knocker Hour? 

BTW #3...I wonder what ever happened to Nurse Slobberknockers? I was a little groggy when I first saw the young lady on TV and can only remember a "couple" of  things about her. I wonder what that could be? Oh, well, nonetheless, I hope that she's happy in nursing.

It looks as if three bouts will actually be held inside Heck in a Cell (can we still say Hell?) on Oct. 4 on PPV. The other bouts will contested as they normally would. 

Is Trish Stratus hot as a brunette or what?! I can still remember the day she first walked into my office at WWE and we negotiated her first contract that lead to her winning seven WWE Women's Titles. 

We have several new sales packages now on line at www.jrsbarbq.comthat include FREE SHIPPING to our customers in the USA.  Check them out and save yourself a bunch of money on BBQ Sauces, our undefeated Chipotle Ketchup, and the best Beef Jerky in the land. 

BTW #4....my family sincerely appreciates everyone's business and support and that's me being very serious.

ECW Champion Christian and one of his most viable adversaries William Regal, I know that "WOO WOO" is the new, No. 1 contender, have unbelievable chemistry. Christian and Regal both are under appreciated by some but let me assure you that if I were picking a roster that I would fight to get both of them on it.

Congrats to WWE Home Video and the talented folks at the WWE TV facility for winning a CableFAX Award for their production of the WWE 24/7 On Demand program, "The Soul of Wrestling" which focused on the challenges that African American performers had surviving a racist climate in pro wrestling back in the day. Teddy Long and Tony Atlas were outstanding on the panel that included Dusty Rhodes and Cowboy Bill Watts. I can't remember who the host was but it seems as if it was a BBQ loving, Oklahoma Sooner fan, and WWE Hall of Famer but the name escapes me.

BTW #5...why is it that Monday Night Raw has one WWE Hall of Fame member regularly appearing on the broadcast, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Memphis, Tennessee's favorite son, and he isn't even in the show open? 

I hope that everyone has a great weekend, watches plenty of WWE TV including "WWE Superstars" on WGN America Thursday night and Friday Night SmackDown on MyNetworkTV. We will have an exciting weekend in Norman as the University of Tulsa comes to town to play the Sooners and our BBQ Joint will be jumping. 

This Tuesday SmackDown and ECW will be in Tulsa at the new, BOK Center which will be the first-ever wrestling event in the new facility. This is the city where I started my wrestling career more than 30 years ago and it is going to be great to return this Tuesday. I sure hope we have a big crowd and that they're loud and bring plenty of signs. Plus, I don't have to get on an airplane to get to work. Yee Haw!!  

If you like football and want to read my weekly blog on the Sooners game check out www.ouinsider.com.

Don't forget to head to www.jrsbarbq.com when you have time and check out our new sale that includes FREE SHIPPING!!

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.      

Hello from Norman, Oklahoma ... the home of J.R.'s Family BBQ and the Oklahoma Sooners. My upcoming weekend will be filled with OU football and WWE's Breaking Point in Montreal ... and of course a little old school, slow smoked BBQ. All great slices of Americana ... except the Quebec part which is French, of course.  

Congrats to the Fink for doing a Hall of Fame job Monday night working with TV legend Bob Barker. No one has done more wearing a sequined jacket since Michael Jackson's glory days than Howard Finkel did on Raw. It was good to hear Howard's voice again on WWE TV.

Friday Night SmackDown this week is a solid show and is coming off the heels of more than 3 million viewers watching last week on MyNetworkTV, which is a significant accomplishment. 

We are doing great business with our two BBQ sauces and our Chipolte Ketchup plus our 97-percent Fat Free Beef Jerky which you can buy on line at www.jrsbarbq.com. My thanks to the WWE Universe for your support.

Montreal, Quebec, is a city with a great wrestling heritage that spans many decades. It's too bad that many fans only know of Montreal wrestling for the 1997 Survivor Series as the city has a renowned history within the wrestling business. I'm sure that the fans in Montreal will be in rare form Sunday night or at least I hope so as the live audience plays a huge role in how good a show is and how it is perceived on TV.

When looking at the card and making my predictions, I must say that this one is especially challenging. It's hard to say, in my view, what's going to happen and, honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

So ... of the matches and info that I received from Stocky Balboa and his crew of young Turks that work for WWE.com ... here we go:

The Great Khali vs. Kane ... this one could be held in a bowling alley considering that it is the man, as I understand it, who beats his opponent into oblivion with a Singapore cane that wins the match. Two huge men swinging for the fences and each other's head likely makes for a short bout and I see Kane winning this one. This is a SmackDown contest.

Christian defends the ECW Title against William Regal ... this could be the sleeper bout of the night especially if this match exceeds 12-15 minutes in duration. These two athletes have good chemistry and a high skill level. Christian will be lucky to hold on to his title with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson both at ringside, if that is the case. Assuming that Regal has his allies with him, I see Regal winning the ECW Title at Breaking Point. Josh "I Love Charlie Weis" Mathews and Matt "Mr. Baseball Trivia" Striker will have the call of this title bout.   

Chris Jericho and Big Show vs. MVP and Mark Henry for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles ... rough start of the week for Jericho and Show, who might be mistaken for the world's largest, angriest Amish man, as Monday Night Raw wasn't kind to them. The World's Strongest Man and Montel Vontavious Porter are an impressive duo but I see the tag team champions retaining their titles in a close one. I'm not sure who will call this bout but it might be your erstwhile SmackDown duo of Grisham and J.R. or it could be the "vintage" team of Michael Cole and The King.

DX vs. Legacy ... submissions count anywhere ... this specific match will be a first for me. This Raw bout will likely be unpredictable and it's "highly unlikely" (a subtle, Gorilla Monsoon reference) that the match will end in the ring but I think it would be cool if it did. Any time a match leaves the arena for any extended length of time it seems as if the live crowd is taken out of the mix. Nonetheless this wold be a tremendous coup for Legacy to win but I just can't see either Legacy member making Triple H or HBK submit on PPV. DX wins.

Randy Orton defends the WWE Title against John Cena in an "I Quit" Match. The loser must say "I Quit" as I assume the referee will be carrying a wireless mic to document the proceedings. Orton and Cena are certainly no strangers to each other and this sort of match really depends on who wants it more and who is willing to resort to whatever it takes to make the other verbally "Quit" to the world. Cena says he won't say "I Quit" and considering that's the only way that he can lose I'm hanging my black hat on John Cena to regain the WWE Title in what I perceive to be the last match of the evening. 

For the record, the best "I Quit" Match I ever saw was Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA many moons ago. You can watch this timeless piece of business on www.wweclassics.com. Or was it Flair vs. Terry Funk when I worked with Gordon Solie? Nonetheless they are all there on www.wweclassics.com.

The SmackDown main event is for the World Heavyweight Title featuring CM Punk defending the championship against The Undertaker in a match that must end via submission. Based on the research that I have been provided, The Undertaker has never submitted in WWE so if The Demon of Death Valley does so Sunday it will be a first and will give the pious Punk some major bragging rights. Even though Punk has won many titles, defeating The Undertaker via submission on a WWE pay-per-view will be the most memorable achievement in the "Second City Saint's" career. My heart says The Undertaker wins but my head, for some indescribable reason, says to give Punk a slight nod. I hope that I'm wrong but I go with the champion to retain. 

Punk might not "supposed to win" according to many fans but the best "team" doesn't always get the "W" using my Sooners' loss to BYU last Saturday night in Dallas as an example. However, BYU found a way to win and I think perhaps CM Punk will do the same thing against the future WWE Hall of Famer.

Just guessing and based on the number of bouts that I have been provided, I would suggest that another bout might be added to the event. My assumption is that it might be another Raw bout.

I do have it on pretty good authority that John Morrison will be defending his IC Title soon against Dolph Ziggler but that it will not be at WWE Breaking Point. This budding rivalry has the potential to be "special," in time.

I read where Lilian Garcia twittered that her last day in WWE will be on Sept. 21. Lil has been a stalwart on Monday Night Raw for a long time and has one of the most beautiful singing voices around. The South Carolina native beauty will be missed and will be hard to replace as no one sings the National Anthem like Lilian Garcia.

Back to Barker, I remember when the ageless performer fought a gallant battle against his graying hair for many years until he finally said the heck with it. Reminds me of the late Wahoo McDaniel who kept his hair dyed blacker than the ace of spades long after it had turned white and up until he passed away a few years ago. 

I did an interview Monday while I was laying over in Chicago for "Sooner Spectator" magazine about Wahoo who was one of the wildest characters outside the ring I've ever known. Legend has it that Wahoo was traded from the New York Jets because the former Sooner was wearing rookie Joe Namath out with their nightly escapades. Wahoo's golf outings with Mickey Mantle and Lee Trevino were also some classic stories.

I had dinner with Jerry Lawler and our friend Michael O'Brien Sunday night at Gibson's Steakhouse location near O'Hare Airport. Great meal and even better catching up with my old broadcast partner who is in the thick of things in the race for Mayor of Memphis.

Yours truly will be up at 4 a.m. Sunday morning to catch my OKC to Chicago to Montreal flights arriving, hopefully, by around noon Montreal time. If I don't make it for some reason, I'm sure my youthful partner Todd Grisham can find someone to sit in the "side kick's" chair and knock out the handful of SmackDown bouts that are scheduled for WWE Breaking Point. Todd is a quick study and I have every belief that he will become one of WWE's top broadcasters for years to come if he continues to grow in a challenging albeit rewarding role.

If you would like to read more of my blogs, browse our Q&A Section, or take a quick tour through our on line store, please check out www.jrsbarbq.com today. 

Boomer Sooner to all!

J.R.         

EDITOR'S NOTE: Read the latest analysis and upcoming game previews about Oklahoma Sooners football by Jim Ross at OUInsider.com. This week, J.R. previews the Sooners' matchup against Idaho State.

Greetings from under the black, custom made hat from Norman, Oklahoma....the home of J.R.'s Family BBQ.

Great to be back in Oklahoma to enjoy a sunny, 80-degree day with Oklahoma Sooner Football and hickory smoked "Q" in the air. I must admit that my 3:30 a.m. wake up call had me nearing my personal "Breaking Point" Wednesday morning but a wise man once told me that "sleep is your enemy."

This Friday night's Smackdown broadcast was one of the most fun and exciting programs that I have been a part of in a long time. Without question, Friday Night SmackDown seems to be on a roll as it relates to bell-to-bell action over the past several weeks. This week, in my biased opinion, the SD crew does it again and perhaps even continues to raise the bar. 

The Rey Mysterio vs. John Morrison bout for the Intercontinental Title is so good that it could have occurred at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and felt right at home. I'm not hyping, I'm just saying. 

You be the judge for yourself, but if you don't enjoy this title bout that features amazing athleticism and drama then Ol J.R. doesn't like BBQ ... and you know that isn't true.

Also, I think that you will thoroughly enjoy the interaction between Matt Hardy and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk which kicks off and wraps up a heck of a night. 

Punk is raising his antagonist game to new heights and continues to add new "wrinkles" to his repertoire. The "Second City Saint" is proficient in submissions and he better be if he expects to retain his World Title in Montreal at WWE Breaking Point because, to the best of my knowledge, The Undertaker has never submitted and certainly not in a title bout. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

It looks like Kane and The Great Khali will continue their in ring issues until something gets settled in a battle of the big men. I don't look for any Khali/Kane bout to ever be 60 minute classics, but they will be unique as they pit to legit super heavyweights.

One thing is for sure ... if this business was only about "looks," I would have found a career in radio.

Are Chris Jericho and Big Show WWE's version of the "Dream Team"? Can MVP and Mark Henry capture the Unified Tag Team Titles at WWE Breaking Point in their upcoming, one-fall encounter? My money is on Jericho and Show until someone shows me the money ... so to speak.

How badly is Michelle McCool injured? I've heard of no trips to Birmingham, Ala., where they love the Governor, or so sang Lynard Skynard, to see Dr. James Andrews. Could this be a well-orchestrated ruse by the talented Women's Champion? 

BTW I did not know that Melina was such a relationship therapist. If I would have known, I could have drummed up some business for the former champ over the years. My point is to live and let live. If Maria and Ziggler are happy then so be it. I think Dolph out-punted his coverage, but that's just one man's opinion. Some say I did the same with Mrs J.R. 

Traveling with Todd Grisham is like traveling with a rock star inasmuch as my partner is smart, sexy and powerful according to a hefty lady at the Sheraton Hotel in Cleveland this week. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being hefty or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Hefty ... healthy ... full-figured ... it's all good or so says a man that will never model Speedos. Traveling with the former soccer star helps keep me young and THAT is a good thing and there's always a laugh or two on our journeys.

My latest Oklahoma football blog is available at www.ouinsider.com. It's a short read and will be up on Thursdays weekly and is  entitled "J.R.'s 7 Points to Ponder."

Don't forget that every Wednesday at 5 p.m. I can be heard on the Sean and John Show on Houston's 1560 The Game, sports talk station. They do the streaming audio thing at www.1560thegame.com. We'll talk some WWE, too.

Getting The Undertaker back on Friday Night SmackDown is akin to the New England Patroits having QB Tom Brady in the lineup. The man who is 17-0 at WrestleMania returns this Friday night on SmackDown, but, as always, The Phenom keeps everyone guessing as to when and where. But trust me, The Demon of Death Valley is NOT a no-show. Set the DVRs.

BTW Dolph Ziggler will face the IC champion at WWE Breaking Point, but I am under the impression that it will not be a submission bout. 

To clarify things, Orton defending the WWE Title against Cena in an "I Quit" Match ... Punk vs. Taker for the World Title is a Submission Rules Match, and DX vs. Legacy is a Submissions Count Anywhere Match. All other bouts, as I understand it, are traditional contests. Nonetheless I like the new, fresh concept and am anxious to see a sold out Montreal crowd raising cane for this long-awaited PPV return to Quebec. 

We have some unbelievable specials being assembled for our BBQ site at www.jrsbarbq.com that you should be ashamed of yourself if you don't check them out. 

I am having a blast watching WWEClassics.com on this very site and wholeheartedly encourage you to sample it too. I love the classics just like I love classic rock. 

Thanks for dropping by and I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. Life is good in the world of SmackDown and I am thrilled to be a part of the SmackDown team especially when the in ring action is so hot.

Check out our blogs on www.jrsbarbq.com and feel free to email me your questions there on our Q&A section of that site. 

Be well and count your blessings....

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.            

EDITOR'S NOTE: Read the latest analysis and upcoming game previews about Oklahoma Sooners football by Jim Ross at OUInsider.com. This week, J.R. previews this week's matchup against BYU.

Random, BBQ'ed thoughts from under the black, custom made hat from Norman, Oklahoma....home of J.R.'s Family BBQ Restaurant.

Summerslam delivered the summertime goods in LA. I think Fan Axxess helped create a nice "vibe" in the Staples Center area that helped feed the enthusiasm level of the 17,000+ that were in attendance.

Also, starting the broadcast off hot as in Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler for the IC Title never hurts any thing either.

Years ago the late/great Eddy Guerrero expressed his displeasure to me in being in the first match on a PPV. Eddy felt it was "a slap in the face." We had one of our many personal discussions and I pointed out how important it is on a PPV to really get the show started with substance, get the audience to emotionally invest early, and to set the tone for the night. Eddy "got it," with a smile, and promptly went out and stole the show as I recall.

On a blog post last week on www.jrsbarbq.com I predicted that Summerslam would likely have some significant surprises but I certainly did not forecast the surprise return of The Undertaker. That was a heck of a way to end Summerslam and I will refrain from the obligatory "it was a Smackdown Main Event that closed the show" dribble. 

Guest host idea for Detroit....#1 draft pick of the Detroit Lions, QB Matthew Stafford, who will have more fun guest hosting Raw than he will as the signal caller for the Lions this season.

The main event for Friday Night Smackdown this week, as most every one should know by now, is for the World Title inside a "solid," steel cage (are there any other kinds of cages used in wrestling?) pitting Champion C.M. Punk vs. Jeff Hardy. Awesome presentation and you can trust me on which I speak.

"It's BIG Jerry, Big!" (Obscure Seinfeld reference.)

While reading "Norm" in the Las Vegas newspaper, great stuff by the way if one enjoys celeb and sports "dirt," and saw where Mr. McMahon celebrated his 64th birthday after Monday night Raw at a swanky eatery called Moon located in the Palms Hotel. I guess my invite got lost in the mail. Nonetheless my belated congratulations to the Chairman of WWE on his birthday and for being the "big toe" of WWE.

Saw a photo of the coolest man in the world,Jack Nicholson, Lorne Michaels (SNL Big Cheese), and Sir Paul McCartney sitting behind home plate at a New York Yankees game this week. A couple of observations, I would wager a slab of the world's greatest ribs that the seats were freebies.....why was Sir Paul the only one NOT wearing shades....and was that Stocky Balboa in a dark suit sitting near this impressive entourage providing security?

The Rise and Fall of WCW DVD is getting lots of play from various sources. This controversial DVD has some folks singing its praises, including me, and others blasting it for a variety of reasons. As Bruce Wayne once said, "I THINK I have a plan." The purpose of producing a controversial DVD, in addition to selling many, many units and earning mucho dinaro, is to create talk and this recent release has successfully done so. When I originally reviewed this DVD last week at www.jrsbarbq.com I mentioned that I watched it until about 4 a.m. one morning and especially loved the bouts that were included. Critics of this who have BBQ'ed yours truly like a Brisket need to understand that my opinion is just that, my opinion. I also have a unique perspective on this subject as I lpersonally lived through it which would give me a different point of view than one who watched all the developments occur from afar. Bottom line, as Steve Austin would say, is that every one should watch the DVD and then draw their own conclusions.

Old friend and former wrestler now Pro Bass Fisherman, Pat Rose, the world's most dangerous angler, has become affiliated with Secret Weapon Lures. Good deal for Pat and a good deal for Secret WEapon Lures. Keep that in mind the next time you decide to drop your line in the water. 

ANOTHER guest host idea for Monday Night Raw....Paula Abdul. Unlike Floyd "Money" Mayweather, Paula would actually arrive at work on time, coming straight from "happy hour," if need be and dance her way to the ring at the top of the show with The Fink. Without question, this couple would epitomize the marketing phrase of "Smart, Sexy and Powerful."

"Turning Point" will be a unique PPV presented by WWE in Montreal, home of Georges St. Pierre of MMA fame, and aptly enough the main events at "Turning Point" will be submision bouts in some form or another. When pins are eliminated from the equation, wrestling bouts depart from the norm and new ground is traveled. There is no shame in losing a match via submission and I am surprised that more competitors today don't better utilize submission maneuvers. Manipulation of an opponent's joints negates size and strength advantages one might have to overcome. 

The Wrestlemania 25 special airs on most NBC stations this Saturday night at 9/8 central. Check your local listings as some markets airing of the network premier of WM25 may vary. I got a sneak peak at the presentation of the Undertaker-HBK match and it was emotionally awesome. 

Friday is the last day of our HUGE SALE at www.jrsbarbq.com. Just wanted to throw that in there as "baby needs new shoes." Check it out...if you will. 

Just a casual observation but my photo used on this website makes me look like "The Hanging Judge" Roy Bean....who, for the record, was a ruggedly handsome man.   

The photo looks like I am either auditioning for a role in a western film or that I just returned from a "local, medical facility" after my annual check up from Dr. Heiney. 

UGH.

I'll be writing a succinct blog this football season for www.ouinsider.com which will be posted at the end of the week during the season. If you are a football fan, that's American, tackle football, then I invite you to check it out.

I strongly suggest that you join us this Friday night for Friday Night Smackdown (was I just redundant?) as the Cage Match for the World's Title is a thriller and the broadcast is an emotional roller coaster from its start to the very end of the night.

That's it for this week....I've got to go sell some BBQ Sauce and some Beef Jerky. Be well and always count your blessings.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.