Thanks for stopping by and spending a few moments here in the land of WWE and BBQ. All is well in both ... unless you know something that I don't know.

WrestleMania XXV is on the lips of everyone in WWE as we continue to count down the days until the big event in Houston at Reliant Stadium which looks like it will be packed with around 60 something thousand WWE fans.I can only imagine how great the stadium will look come show time. Early in the afternoon on the day of WrestleMania is one of my favorite times as it allows one to leisurely walk around the ringside area and even sneak upstairs to look down at the entire lay of the land. It is sort of the calm before the storm because when the show starts, it's on!

Monday Night Raw had a little bit of everything on it from Jacksonville, Fla., this week including a face-to-face between two WWE Icons, the crowning of a new IC Champion, an alleged affair involving WWE management, a new title match signed for the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania and a home invasion.

Just for my money, there might not be a match at WrestleMania more eagerly anticipated than the one-on-one between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. Both men are sure-fire "first ballot" HOF'ers and as HBK pointed out Monday night, Undertaker has never defeated Michaels. Do you remember their epic Hell in a Cell Match? These two Superstars will likely never meet again in an environment such as WrestleMania. For me, simply as a fan, this is a "must-see" match, just as last year was when Ric Flair had his farewell match in Orlando at 'Mania ironically thanks to HBK.

No one that I can recall has ever been a better "big match" wrestler than Shawn Michaels, but one could argue that Undertaker is "right there" being 16-0 at WrestleMania. 16-0 is freakish when one really thinks about it and breaks down all the stars that have lost at WrestleMania events but are, as they should be, still considered legends. "The Streak" will never be approached in my opinion, and if anyone can beat 'Taker it's Mr. WrestleMania.

Speaking of the Demon of Death Valley, 'Taker gets the opportunity to avenge his recent Friday Night SmackDown loss to Vladimir Kozlov come this Friday night on MyNetworkTV in a main event that the "World's Angriest Announcer" and yours truly look forward to broadcasting.

Did Triple H take things too far with his home invasion of Randy Orton's abode this past Monday night? Many will say yes on this one. I say settle this in the ring where it counts, but I also realize how personal an issue this matter is. I think WWE should do all that they can to keep these men separated until April 5, but the judicial system may provide an unlikely assist on this matter, too. I guess we get to see more lawyers on Raw which is always a treat as we all love the barristers of our world.

JBL is the new Intercontinental Champion after defeating CM Punk who will still compete, I assume, in the Money in the Bank Ladder match at WrestleMania.Does this mean that the brash talking Texan turned Big Apple native will defend the IC Title at WrestleMania? When was the last time the IC Title was at stake at the WWE's premier, annual event? Nonetheless JBL vs. whomever at WrestleMania will be hard-pressed to out-perform the WrestleMania Intercontinental Title Bout between "Macho Man" Randy Savage and 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.  That bout was arguably the greatest IC Title bout in WrestleMania history.

Good grief, what is apparently going on behind closed doors in WWE these days? First we find out that Edge apparently has a fling with wedding planner Alicia Fox just prior to the Edge-Vickie Guerrero nuptials and now there is video proof that allegedly Big Show and Mrs. Edge are romantically involved. We need an All My Children-type score card to keep up with all these comings and goings. Will the WWE Board of Directors look into possible a conflict of interest issue as it relates to this most recent issue and GM Vickie Guerrero? Or will the Board feel that what people do on their private time is their business? This really is "As the WWE Turns" isn't it?

BTW Edge faces an invigorated Kofi Kingston this Friday night on SmackDown, with Kingston having plenty of motivation and momentum. Kofi qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, with a little assist from Ric Flair, Monday night plus, it was Edge who disabled Kingston just prior to the World Heavyweight Title bout inside the Elimination Chamber that resulted that night in Edge becoming the champ and with Kofi hitting the trainer's room.

Carlito and is younger brother Primo, the one with the normal hair, are the reigning WWE Tag Team Champions, but this Friday night they attempt to unify the tag titles in WWE by defeating Miz and Morrison for their World Tag Team Titles. Personally, I think it makes sense to unify the tag titles but that feat is easier said than done.

Matt Hardy, sporting what some say is the young, Abe Lincoln-like beard, will apparently "speak his mind" Friday night on SmackDown. Going out on a limb here, one could assume this sermon will involve jealousy, insecurity, and paranoia which, with tongue firmly planted in one's cheek, would be new topics to the grappling game.

The King may be jealous of Tazz this Friday night when SmackDown presents Melina and Maria vs. Maryse and Michelle McCool in a Diva tag bout. The King loves M&M's and this bout represents ample amounts of "M's" without question. BTW did you know that Lawler has more free, WWE black T- =shirts than any man alive? Jerome wore yet another affordable T-shirt Monday night, and we should always remember that King's favorite price is "Free 98."

WWE has scheduled the aforementioned King and Ol J.R. to both appear at WWE Fan Axxess on Thursday night April 2, Jerry from 6-8 p.m. and me from 8-10 p.m. at the "Announce a Match" exhibit. It's almost like having the band back together but not quite. I wish we were going to have a J.R.'s Family BBQ exhibit at Axxess, but we simply couldn't work out the details. We do have several great specials right now on the site at www.jrsbarbq.com that I invite you to check out. We have some great deals that include some breaks in the ridiculous shipping costs we all have to deal with these days.  

Finlay or The Brian Kendrick will qualify for the final Money in the Bank Ladder Match slot for WrestleMania. Take the Irish and the over. I hear that "The Quiet Man" Finlay has consulted with Notre Dame's Charlie Weis and has a great game plan prepared for Kendrick including accounting for Ezekiel Jackson. I just had a great idea ...WWE should handcuff the plus-sized Coach Weis to Ezekiel which would severely limit Jackson's movement! I think King may still carry a set of 'cuffs in his carry-on but you didn't hear that from me.

WrestleMania's main events are of the inter-branded nature, which makes announcer types wonder out loud what bouts that they will be broadcasting down in Houston. I hope that all three teams get plenty of opportunities at WrestleMania. The Slammy Award-winning couple of Todd "Why Do I Love Soccer" Grisham and Matt "Don't call me Pronoun Boy" Striker will likely add their insights to 'Mania along with HOF'er Lawler and his new best buddy Michael Cole, if that is his real name. I think my pal Stocky Balboa has some inside info on that matter but we'll let that one lie for now because that's "vintage" Stocky.."Oh, My!"

Congrats to Koko B. Ware, who BTW, got the "B" aspect of his name while wrestling for fellow 2009 HOF'er Cowboy Bill Watts in the Mid South Wrestling days. For the record, Koko was an outstanding high school football nose guard back in the day. It will be good to see Koko again along with the King's first cousin and the Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All Time, the Honky Tonk Man, who will induct the "Birdman" in Houston.

Thanks for stopping by WWE.com and also for checking out www.jrsbarbq.com when the opportunity arises. I enjoy your e-mails at both sites and also write several blogs weekly on a variety of topics at the BBQ site.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.

As soon as I stepped out of Bradley Airport Monday evening near Hartford, Conn., I realized why I missed living in the Nutmeg State so much when I saw a foot of snow and felt the 14 degree weather. Today, as I write yet another award-winning, stimulating blog, it is 80 degrees in Norman, Okla., but somehow we will suffer through it and endure another day “Down South.”

Love going to the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino where this Friday Night SmackDown will emanate from on MyNetworkTV starring “MYTazz,” but for anyone who doesn’t think that the economy doesn’t affect all areas of our society, think again. The beautiful casino in Uncasville was somewhat desolate until the WWE Universe packed the arena there for the Tuesday night double-header TV taping.

Many younger readers might not fully understand the challenges facing their parents, etc due to the economy that the Republicans blame on the Democrats and the Democrats blame on the Republicans with neither group of professional politicians seemingly willing to want to work together for fear one party might get more credit than the other. Sounds like “politics” in the old territory days in wrestling but that’s a chapter for a book some day.

From what I am told, only a handful of WrestleMania tickets are still available for the biggest event of the year down in Houston on Sunday, April 5. The remaining tickets start at $40, which is a tremendous value in today’s marketplace. Even fewer tickets remain for the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony the night before WrestleMania, which will feature “Stone Cold” Steve Austin among many, many legends including my mentor, “Cowboy” Bill Watts.

Watts was a freak of a big athlete in his day and was bench-pressing 500 pounds in the ’60s when it certainly wasn’t fashionable. Watts had to actually pull weight to play on the Oklahoma University football team under the legendary coach Bud Wilkinson as Bud did not want any of his linemen to weight more than 225 pounds in the late ’50s. Watts wrestled more years than not around 285-300 pounds and headlined wrestling territories all over North America. Watts was a true student of the business and his business acumen helped him discover and provide breaks to some of wrestling’s biggest and most prominent names. I hope I can do him justice when inducting him at the 2009 HOF Ceremony. Bill was also a great addition to the Legends Roundtable panel recently when we talked about African American athletes in WWE and for the upcoming Roundtable about Texas Wrestling. WWE 24/7 On Demand is still, for my money, the best TV wrestling investment out there.

BTW the legendary Wahoo McDaniel, a former football teammate of Watts at OU, was the man who got Bill into the squared circle, as Watts was looking to make a career for himself in pro football.   

Friday Night SmackDown features a contract signing for the World Title Bout to be held at WrestleMania between Edge and No. 1 contender Big Show. Most contract signings, like situations featuring pies and cakes, don’t end as planned and Friday night likely won’t be any different.

Some Friday night’s I think I am bearing witness to a daytime soap opera with all the rumor and innuendo surrounding what is or isn’t going on in the relationship of SmackDown G.M. Vickie Guerrero, her husband Edge and now with the added, significantly sized, element of Big Show in the mix. Some weeks I’m not sure if I’m watching “Days of Our Lives,” “All My Children” or SmackDown. If Mrs. Edge somehow comes up “with child” then business will really pick up.

Hardy dysfunctional family updates … the brothers will compete this Friday night in Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches, but in separate bouts. Jeff is still adamant about not fighting his own flesh and blood, which I personally feel he is doing out of respect to his Dad and he and Matt’s late Mother.

Someone e-mailed www.jrsbarbq.com and suggested that Matt Hardy was sporting the “young Abe Lincoln” look with Matt’s nifty beard.

If Jeff can go the duration and never fight his brother, then the “Strange Enigma” is a better man than most of us. However, if both Hardy’s qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, their confrontation will be inevitable.

All in all, 8 men will qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match and will represent all three brands at WrestleMania, which probably means that all three announce teams will broadcast that high-risk, human demolition derby together. I wonder what the score sheet for obscure, wrestling or pop culture references will be in that one? I think I would lean toward the “over,” whatever that may be.

Who’s the best tag team in WWE? Hard to argue it isn’t Miz and Morrison even though my most politically correct answer would be Carlito and Primo, SmackDown’s WWE Tag Team Champs. Are these two teams building toward a unification match for the WWE and World Tag Team Titles? For the record, what brand are Miz and Morrison officially members?

This just in … N.Y. Yankees A-Rod may need hip surgery or so says his brother … not his cousin mind you, but his brother. It amazes me every year when MLB starts that so many “stars” seemingly discover that they are not physically ready to play. N.Y. Mets pitching ace Johan Santana, no relation to Carlos Santana, tweaked his pitching arm just in time to miss most of the running in spring practice but says he will “take one for the team’ and start opening day. I also don’t get what the big deal is about starting opening day. O.K., that’s enough of the MLB rant for this week. 

One more thing, both New York baseball teams could use a man like Stocky Balboa as their strength and conditioning coach, a man of conviction, a heavy consumer of protein and broccoli rabe, and who wears a Marciano-like size 44 stout.

Michelle McCool joins the “World’s Angriest Announcer” and me this Friday night for some commentary and Michelle shocks the world by talking about, gasp, herself! I don’t think Ms. McCool has too many allies in the world of the WWE Divas which, come to think of it, is a reality show waiting to happen. I think WWE should put a select group of Divas on a tour bus and make a cross country drive from say, Stamford, Conn. to the West Coast with, of course, a stop off at J.R.’s Family BBQ on I-35 just South of OKC where they could engage in the obligatory food fight. The Fink could either be the driver or the chaperone, Stocky Balboa could be in charge of security, conditioning and any thing that required actual thought, the Brooklyn Brawler could be the group’s “Dr. Phil” while Harvey Whippleman could document the going’s on for another book. You do know that Harvey AKA Bruno Lauer has an autobiography available entitled “Wrestling with the Truth,” right? Throw in “The King” and Ric Flair as “Entertainment Director’s” and one has just developed a hit … BROTHER!!

Speak of “Brudda,” a Jimmy Snuka reference for those keeping score at home, who will Chris Jericho next insult and humiliate in his seemingly unquenchable thirst to embarrass every wrestling legend that he can prior to the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania? The King was outspoken about Jericho’s actions Monday night in Boston to which Michael Cole replied off camera, “Oh, my.” (Sorry, I think the world of Michael Cole who is THE voice of Monday Night Raw, but I couldn’t resist.)

I would not suggest that Jericho get in Lawler’s face as “The King” still is in grappling shape and would much rather wrestle than announce I can assure you. From what “The King” has told me on many occasions, there are only a couple of things in life that Jerry enjoys more than wrestling and one of them involves Cleveland sports and the other is, well, you know. Moving on …

Yours truly spoke briefly to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin earlier this week and Austin was busy, as usual, and was on his way to the gym while I was on my way home from Connecticut, Wednesday. I know Austin will steal the show come the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, because whatever he says he will say from his heart and mean it and it won’t take him a week to make his point. I have been unofficially consulting with Austin on some new projects from the world of J.R.’s Family BBQ as his eye for marketing, etc is uncanny. Plus, he’s a consumer of our products which helps.

JBL says he is going to make history at WrestleMania? I’ll take JBL at his word, his blogs here on WWE.com are great reads, but I would suggest that many of his adversaries would like for JBL to make verbal history at WrestleMania by taking a vow of silence. BTW have you had your Mamajuana today?

One can sure tell the change in attitude of Legacy these days. Someone deeply rooted on Raw recently told me that young pups Rhodes and DiBiase really think that they are “big shots” to quote my source and have really become elitists. My suggestion to Legacy is that they need to address how they plan on surviving between now and WrestleMania as Triple H made a deal to keep his hands off Master Randy Orton, as I understand it, and not Cody and Ted … which sounds like the names of two members of a boy band, but I digress.

Orton’s WrestleMania opponent and reigning WWE Champion, Triple H, will face the rampaging Umaga this Friday night on SmackDown, which will cap the end of one hellacious week for Mr. McMahon’s son-in-law. It’s hard to say whether Umaga is catching The Game on a good week for the big Samoan or not. Tune in Friday night and see.

I do think that Orton knows he’s going to be taken for an aggressive and perhaps overdue trip to the woodshed at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania by Triple H, who pretty much made his intentions known Monday night. With that said, and if it is true, one can only imagine the sense of urgency and apprehension that Mr. RKO will feel in the hours leading up to WrestleMania match time.      

What an honor it will be for me to be able to sit ringside, unless you know something that I don’t know, at WrestleMania and witness history when two of WWE’s greatest, all-time Icons, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, wrestle in what many fans of each Superstar will argue is the true main event of this year’s WrestleMania. Has Undertaker’s 16-0 record ever been in more jeopardy than it will be in a mere, few weeks? I think not simply because ‘Taker has never wrestled any one at WrestleMania with the big match wrestling skills of HBK. HBK may have named himself “Mr. WrestleMania” but it is hard to argue that moniker doesn’t fit like a glove. Michaels’ resiliency, agility and speed will obviously present a unique set of problems for Undertaker to overcome deep in the heart of Texas which is so special to both of the future WWE Hall of Famers.

With ‘Taker a SmackDown wrestler and HBK a Raw wrestler, one has to wonder just who will be announcing this classic bout?

As far as I know, I will both be at WrestleMania Axxess on Thursday evening, April 2, and will be doing a little announcing with the fans at one of the many features at WWE Fan Axxess. Check elsewhere on WWE.com for more info as it becomes available. I really enjoy attending Axxess and simply being a fan.

Natalya is arguably the best pure wrestling Diva in the entire WWE. Natalya’s use of her Uncle Bret hart’s “Sharpshooter” is a real equalizer in any match in which Natalya competes. Tyson Kidd seems to have a nice upside too, and I could see some great bouts between Kidd and the returning Evan Bourne down the road.

ECW has arguably the best young wrestler in WWE in Jack Swagger, who one would assume would be a coveted draft pick come the annual WWE Draft Night on April 13 in Atlanta during a three-hour episode of Monday Night Raw. I keep getting asked by fans I see on the road and at our BBQ joints if I know if any of the TV announcers will be drafted this year and I don’t. I didn’t know last year either, but that move to Friday night’s has worked out fine for me. I do expect some MAJOR moves during the Draft on what should be a “can’t-miss” TV show.

If you have the time, please check out our online store at www.jrsbarbq.com as “Baby needs new shoes.”

Have a great weekend and continue to count your blessings.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.            

It’s been another big week in the WWE headlined by some Friday Night Smackdown Superstars spearheading Monday Night Raw to a MASSIVE TV rating, no I’m not talking about large, flat screens but the number of people actually watching Monday Night’ Raw, the announcement of the 2010 Wrestlemania heading to the desert, Ricky Steamboat going into the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame, and one of the best bell to bell, MyNetworkTV Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts in several weeks on tap Friday night.

Seriously, congrats to the Monday Night Raw brand for earning an awesome TV rating this past week as fans tuned in big time to see HHH confront Randy Orton. Raw blew away ESPN’s Big Monday college hoops doubleheader that actually featured the Kansas at Oklahoma Big 12 battle that yours truly attended. Also, loud talking heads who might have been wrestling managers in another life,  Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity,  saw more viewers watch Raw than both the O’Reilly Factor and Hannity COMBINED. How fair and balanced is that?

Stone Cold Steve Austin once told me that Ricky Steamboat was Steve’s all time favorite wrestling opponent so I find it ironic that both Steamboat and Stone Cold will both be inducted on Saturday night April 4 in the Toyota Center in Houston. With Dusty Rhodes slated to induct the amazing, Funk Brothers and now hearing that Ric Flair will induct Steamboat, the inductees had better be on their games or they might get upstaged by their inductors!

The post HOF party is shaping up nicely. I can already hear Mrs. J.R. say, with firm conviction, “Give me the car keys, J.R.” Smart woman my wife.

I hope I enjoy the trip back to Phoenix, o.k. officially Glendale, Arizona better than my last experience at the exquisite stadium where WM26 will be held. That would be the trip to the wood shed my Oklahoma Sooners took at the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.   

Just in case you didn’t notice it, Chris Jericho, whose book “My Life in Spandex” is a must read, has a big mouth and has verbally done all he can to “steal the show” the past several weeks on Monday nights. Jericho may follow only Randy “It’s Not My Fault” Orton as the most disliked athlete in WWE.

By the way, whose fault is it Randy, your cousin’s?

So the ubiquitous John Cena is coming to Friday Night Smackdown this week is he? Don’t except the attitudinal Cena to get a warm welcome from Smackdown management after his “400 pound beast” remark he made to Smackdown G.M. Vickie Guerrero Monday night. I look for “Handsome John” (quick, which Henry Fonda movie was that borrowed?) to not have a good Friday night back on his old show.

Miz and Morrison were so busy wrestling C.M. (Chicago Made) Punk Monday night in a Money in the Bank qualifying match that the World Tag Champs did not get the chance to mention that they were challenging for the WWE Tag Titles against Carlito and Primo on Friday Night Smackdown this week. I wonder where the Bella Twins stand on this matter. Where’s Detective Fink? He’ll get to the bottom of this Bella Twins conundrum. Nonetheless M&M have a chance to unify the tag titles Friday night.

The Undertaker has many potential apparent suitors wanting to face the Demon of Death Valley at WM25 but first ‘Taker has to face Vladimir Kozlov this Friday night on Smackdown. This bout feels like one of those “trap games” some sports teams play from time to time. Kozlov has yet to be pinned or made to submit on MyNetworkTV’s #1 rated broadcast so something has to give this week.

My friend Stocky Balboa says that the Undertaker-Kozlov match could be a main event any where in the world but I can’t say that sort of wrestle-speak for fear of hearing Randy Orton-like voices in my head.

O.K., so it seems that Matt Hardy is extremely jealous of his younger brother Jeff. Point established and point made. The two brothers, sorry Matt, are slated to compete Friday night but has any one stopped and wondered how their Dad feels about this dysfunctional family train wreck? Matt and Jeff lost their Mom when they were both kids and their Dad has raised them as a single parent. My guess is that Mr. Hardy is torn up over this matter which is a shame since he’s a heck of a nice “Good ‘Ol Boy.”

This may not be a popular statement, but I think it is a shame for brothers to fight. Being an only child I know that if I had a brother I would be reluctant to fight him in public…if you will.

The “World’s Angriest Announcer” and his sidekick are joined by MVP this Friday night for some commentary. It wouldn’t surprise me to see MVP go into that line of work once his wrestling days have concluded. However, for now MVP is focused on winning Shelton Benjamin’s United States Title.

The Legends of Wrestlemania Video Game from THQ is going to be released with much anticipation and fanfare on March 24. This video game makes it possible for fans to make their own dream matches from a roster of approximately 40 of Wrestlemania’s greatest stars. I love the concept of the game, who ever thought of it is a genius, and I know that Jerry Lawler and I had a great time handling the voice overs and we reverted back to a more adversarial time in our former partnership. You did know that the King and I reunited for this project didn’t you?

I am currently reading, no jokes please, the new book on the life of Andre the Giant. So far so good as it seems to do a nice job of revisiting the life of the “8th Wonder of the World” who was not only an amazing in ring attraction but the also the most represented and feared man in any locker room. Plus, one never wanted to volunteer to pick up the tab at any ‘happy hour” Andre attended. Oh, yeah the book is entitled “Andre the Giant, A Legendary Life.”

Many fans are sending me suggestions at www.jrsbarbq.com for their most memorable Smackdown moments for a story I am going to write for this very website. I would appreciate yours too if you have the time to check out our website. Plus, we have some great deals on some unique packages of our products that are available to you in our on line store.

We are headed back up to the lovely, Nutmeg State for next week’s Friday Night Smackdown doubleheader Tuesday night at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Yes, I will arrive early on Monday and perhaps try my luck at a game of chance and enjoy one of our favorite facilities to produce WWE TV. We hope to see you there if you’re in that neck of the woods.

Enjoy Friday Night Smackdown this week or Tazz will be dispatched to Suplex you out of your shoes…..not really, but he still can. It features some great wrestling plus you receive, absolutely for free, the witty banter and repertoire of “The World’s Angriest Announcer” and your favorite Okie who’s happy to still be along for the ride.

Be well everyone.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.  

Editor's Note: Don't miss "J.R.'s Pick of the Month" on WWE.com Legacy, WWE.com's 24/7 online subscription service, featuring thousands of hours of classic footage and matches. And you can enjoy it all, watching anytime on your schedule, for less than $4 a month! Subscribe now!

No Way Out is in the books, you know “the books,” and “My Tazz,” MyNetworkTV’s biggest star, and I are back from the Pacific Northwest after a couple of days in Seattle and two days in Portland. It was an interesting road trip to say the least, and I usually don’t … say the least that is. 

In case you haven’t heard, Edge, who still works for his wife on Friday Night SmackDown, is the new World Heavyweight Champion much to the chagrin of the ubiquitous John Cena and the Raw Universe. WWE HOF’er Bobby “The Brain” Heenan has been called “Weasel” in the past, but I’m sure “The Brain” would be willing to loan Edge the “Weasel” moniker as that is how the Ontario native became an eight-timer, by weaseling his way into the World Title Elimination Chamber Match at N.W.O. after eliminating Kofi Kingston. I would like to think that if something like that happened in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match that a SmackDown Superstar would have not allowed such a travesty. My how things have changed on WWE’s beloved “A” broadcast, or so it would appear.

I wonder what the over/under is for Edge holding the World Title past WM25? Let’s give that some thought over the next few weeks.

Notwithstanding the fact that Jeff Hardy pinned Edge in less than 5 minutes last Sunday in Portland, one might assume, and we all know what happens when one assumes, that Edge might not want to get to comfy sleeping with the massive title that still reminds me of when WWE HOF’er Ric Flair wore that particular gold championship.

Friday Night SmackDown has a scent of “Diva Mania” this week when Maria and Eve Torres, in only her second bout, face reigning Divas Champion Maryse and the first Divas Champion Michelle McCool. These M&M’s won’t melt in one’s mouth or one’s hand and will give the inexperienced duo of Maria and Eve all they can handle. The underlying story regarding the Divas Title and how badly McCool wants it back is something to keep one’s eye on as well as if there wasn’t enough already for any red-blooded, male to keep an eye on already in this tag bout.

BTW Maryse is the “World’s Angriest Announcer’s” favorite Diva or so I strongly suspect. I think the former “Human Suplex Machine” should sell Maryse posters in the old, Farrah Fawcett mold (so I dated myself, so what, ask your Dad as he will know) to raise funds for the mighty, Long Island Junior Ducks who will field one of the great, young baseball teams in the entire northeast this season. I know my pal Stocky Balboa has people who can get Tazz a “brother-in-law” deal on such tasteful imagery. 

MVP has a banner night this Friday on MyNetworkTV as the “Baller” is on the hunt for the United States Title currently held by the best all-around athlete in WWE, Shelton Benjamin. MVP is definitely getting back to his old self by again, but the jury is still out as to whether or not MVP can beat Benjamin in a straight up, one-on-one title bout. MVP has true Junkyard Dog-like charisma from bell-to-bell which isn’t a bad thing when one is compared to a WWE Hall of Famer. This is not to be confused with the fact that R-Truth possesses a JYD-like smile as I have mentioned before on TV, in case you are keeping score at home. This is what is known in the biz as a “Finkel Fact.”

I am pleased to see that there are several top competitors who have their sights set on the U.S. Title. This is a prestigious championship with some of the game’s biggest names holding United States gold over the years including the very first champ, WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race, one of the toughest and most talented grapplers of any generation.

This Friday night you will see one of the most unique interviews yours truly has ever conducted. I sit down to speak with Triple H about Randy Orton’s atrocious actions of Monday night that saw Orton not only attempt to put Shane McMahon back in the hospital but saw Orton actually RKO “The Game’s” wife Stephanie McMahon. This compelling and intense interview has very little to do with wrestling, but is deeply personal as you will clearly see even if you did not hear a word said. Orton’s actions Monday night were an embarrassment to the business.

Orton should be held accountable for his actions but knowing Randal, he will likely put the blame elsewhere, perhaps on his “cousin.”

Scotty Goldman, a budding star here on WWE.com (You’re welcome, Dr. Styles), will have plenty to talk about after he faces Umaga this week on SmackDown. Umaga looks to have dropped some pounds and is looking quicker nowadays, but just as powerful as ever. In my view, Umaga belongs in the elite super heavyweight category with Andre the Giant, Yokozuna, and Big Van Vader all of whom were athletic and agile for such huge men.

Even though JBL and HBK went into business for themselves last Monday on Raw inasmuch as each wants the opportunity to end the Undertaker’s winning streak of 16-0 at WrestleMania, I do applaud SmackDown G.M. Vickie “I wear the pants in the family” Guerrero for adding SD’s undefeated Russian Vladimir Kozlov to the mix.

As sure as I love my Oklahoma Sooners, I don’t think Undertaker will ever lose at WrestleMania no matter who the “Demon of Death Valley” faces. “The Streak” (nice T-shirt idea for the 25th Anniversary or WrestleMania) lives!

The main event for Friday night sees Edge face Jeff Hardy in a stem-winder of a match. Listen closely to Jeff’s reception from the fans in Portland as it was like a bona fide rock star and perhaps something like when Freebird Michael P.S.” Hayes sings Lynyrd Skynyrd’s timeless anthem, “Freebird” at weddings and bar mitzvahs, but only much louder.

In case you have the chance to rent a red Hummer from a nationally known rental car agency any where in the Seattle/Portland area, please be very careful. Tazz and I stopped at a little spot for lunch on Monday between Seattle and Portland called the 49’er Café and we both had large bowls of homemade, bean soup. Then, unfortunately, we essentially re-enacted the camp fire scene from Mel Brooks’ classic film "Blazing Saddles" for the next several hours. That vehicle will never be the same, and I even had to burn the clothes I was wearing.

Unfortunately it is not a week to celebrate for Triple H, but congratulations nonetheless for becoming the winningest WWE Champion in history with his victory Sunday night inside the Elimination Chamber. Triple H and Undertaker had some of the most exciting exchanges I can remember seeing in a long, long time in Seattle when they were the final two left in the Chamber. Old school wrestling is alive and well when it comes to two veterans like “The Game” and “The Deadman” and long time wrestling fans are better off for it.

Many WWE Superstars are already speculating and fixating on who will be going where at WWE’s Annual Draft to be held in a city where I used to reside, Atlanta, on Monday, April 13. I think some individuals are extremely nervous about their potential new address. Last year, I wrote a scathing blog on www.jrsbarbq.com after I was surprisingly moved to SmackDown after many, many moons on Monday Night Raw. That will not happen again as I am ready for anything come April 13. However, if I were to write such a professional obituary I am sure that someone would make WWE suits aware so I could take another trip to the woodshed which has become somewhat of a time share for me.

My latest brainstorm is to suggest that former Tough Enough contestant and current WWE broadcaster Josh Mathews team with Matt “I love obscure references” Striker to handle the WGN program “WWE Superstars” or whatever it may be titled come April.

If you ever travel to Seattle or just happen to live in the area, check out 13 Coins Restaurant near the Sea-Tac Airport which is open 24/7. The “World’s Angriest Announcer” and I dined there after stealing the show from an announcing perspective, hey … that’s my wife told me, at No Way Out and the food was so good that Tazz even momentarily cracked a smile and that was before I offered to pick up the check.

We have some awesome new offers in our on-line store just made available this week at www.jrsbarbq.com and I will update our blogs there several times over the next few days. I plan on speaking more about the announcement of Dory and Terry Funk being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and joining fellow Texan “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on Saturday night, April 4. Dusty Rhodes will induct the Funks even though Terry swears that “The Dream” can’t read … if you will.

Thanks for checking us out this week, and we appreciate the fact that you have made us one of the most-read destinations on WWE.com.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.       

Editor's Note: Don't miss "J.R.'s Pick of the Month" on WWE.com Legacy, WWE.com's 24/7 online subscription service, featuring thousands of hours of classic footage and matches. And you can enjoy it all, watching anytime on your schedule, for less than $4 a month! Subscribe now!

I’ve always felt that living back at home in Oklahoma was more like living in “Paradise Alley” than “Tornado Alley” but that wasn’t the case this week. Luckily for my family we survived the week’s weather in tact of which we are thankful. It’s amazing to see who checks on their friends when these situations occur … and who doesn’t. Our family appreciates those that did I assure you. But as the King always says, “One can’t grieve forever.” So let’s commence with laying the SmackDown!

It was great to see Ric Flair back on WWE programming this week as he added excitement to Monday Night Raw in Oakland, Calif. “Naitch” still has “it” -- that magical intangible that cannot be manufactured or replicated. I don’t know what Ric’s future plans are as they relate to WWE, but I, for one, hope that we see Flair in Houston in some shape, form or fashion during WrestleMania week festivities … as long as he isn’t wrestling. Flair’s verbal exchange with Chris Jericho Monday night got Raw off to a rousing start and was arguably the best aspect of the broadcast.

Christian returning to WWE wasn’t a huge surprise as the speculation of “Captain Charisma” rejoining WWE had been on going for weeks and weeks. However, I was shocked to see Christian show up on ECW and not on Raw or Friday Night SmackDown, which would have been my personal preference. Certainly Christian provides ECW a marketable boost and with Evan “Air” Bourne about to return from an injury along with ECW Champion Jack Swagger progressing so well, even though the last couple of weeks have not been stellar for Swagger, Sci Fi’s Tuesday night show starring Slammy Award winning announcers Todd “I’m funnier than people think” Grisham and Matt “I despise pronouns” Striker has received an extreme makeover in the wink of an eye.

Speaking of ECW, has Natalya officially joined the ECW roster?  

The locker room gossip Tuesday in Fresno had a great deal to do with the upcoming WWE Draft to be held live on Raw on Monday, April 13 in Atlanta. Last year’s Draft was held in June, a memorable evening for yours truly, and resulted in several major roster shifts. The 2008 Draft also proved that anything can happen in WWE. Change can often times be good for all involved and it certainly feels like good timing to shake things up within WWE and essentially start a new “season” of entertainment with some new faces on all three brands.

I wonder if any of the broadcasters will re-locate this time around. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit, not that I am advocating any changes. 

There seems to be an issue brewing regarding the United States Title currently held by Shelton Benjamin between the “Gold Standard,” MVP and Chavo Guerrero. MVP actually got a significant amount of cheers in Fresno when he faced Chavo Guerrero, which you will see this Friday night on SmackDown. The United States Title is one of the most prestigious titles in the game and if you take a look at the men who have held this title and what they have gone on to accomplish, it is impressive. The United States Title merits the increased focus that it is seemingly about to receive.   

The big news regarding SmackDown this Friday night is the return of Jeff Hardy as the former WWE Champion addresses his recent professional and personal turmoil underscored by figuratively getting stabbed in the back by his own brother Matt. I was surprised at what Jeff had to say about the challenges in his life, but you can judge the Extreme Enigma’s comments yourself Friday on MyNetworkTV. Jeff certainly had a different mindset than many would have taken.

There is a strong tag team match on Friday Night SmackDown featuring the only two, true teams in the entire WWE, when the WWE Tag Champions Carlito and Primo Colon face the World Tag Team Champions Miz and Morrison. There is a little something extra at stake in this one, which you will see Friday night at 8/7 CT. Nonetheless, this is one of the better tag bouts seen on TV in recent weeks. I hope that after the WWE Draft that some new teams are formed to challenge the respective tag team champs and add some much needed spark to tag team wrestling in WWE.

Speaking with R-Truth prior to the SmackDown taping this week, his smile and some aspects of his personality remind me of a young, Junkyard Dog from back in the Mid South Wrestling days. However, R- Truth’s opponent this Friday night, Ezekiel Jackson, physically reminds me of JYD and to some degree Hacksaw Butch Reed as far as size and strength are concerned.

Maria gets her long awaited and much sought after match with Michelle McCool, who hasn’t made many friends lately, but Maria needs to be keenly aware of what one wishes for. One would assume that McCool will want to dispatch Maria quickly and then press SmackDown G.M. Vickie Guerrero for a return match for the Divas Title with Maryse.

As a matter of fact, where has Divas Champion Maryse been lately? Other than a brief stint on commentary a few weeks ago that made even the World’s Angriest Announcer Tazz almost jovial the Divas Champion has been rather low key.

Perhaps she’s caught in a room full of mirrors and can’t find her way out. Or, maybe she’s doing some wrestling and/or karaoke training with fellow French Canadian Pat Patterson. They have a fair amount in common you know.

There is one hellacious, Fatal Four Way on tap in the main event this Friday night on SmackDown featuring Triple H, Undertaker, Vladimir Kozlov, and Big Show. Our beloved boss Vickie Guerrero made this match because many feel she wants the four combatants to physically damage each other just hours prior to her hubby and Jeff Hardy joining the aforementioned quartet Sunday in the Elimination Chamber. For my money, this main event was better than any match on any wrestling TV show this week.  

No Way Out on Sunday should be a fun night in Seattle as there are several good matches on the card that Tazz and I will be watching from a great seat at ringside. We only have one match to broadcast, that being the main event which is for the WWE Title inside the Elimination Chamber. I would hope that this match closes the show and why wouldn’t it?

I see Jack Swagger beating Finlay in a physical contest for the ECW Title and hopefully the referee will be smart enough to not fall for the old shillelagh trick again. Finlay is an outstanding mat wrestler as well as being tougher than a $2 steak and doesn’t need a distraction by his son or the use of a wooden weapon to beat anyone. Christian has sauntered into the ECW Title picture, which must make G.M. Teddy Long happy after ECW losing Matt Hardy to SmackDown for no compensation, which made Long look like “Ned in the First Reader.”

One has to love Shane McMahon’s passion and intestinal fortitude as we have all seen Shane O’Mac risk life and limb in the ring. However, I can’t see Randy Orton losing on Sunday after winning the Royal Rumble. Mr. RKO is building momentum heading into WrestleMania XXV to challenge either the World’s Champion or the WWE Champion. Orton vs. Shane is a “No Holds Barred” match, which should eliminate any lame officiating issues and will likely see both men pay a steep physical price that could haunt each of them for quite some time.

The WWE Universe, and you know who you are, would likely be shocked to see John Cena lose the World Title in Raw’s version of the Elimination Chamber Sunday, but it obviously could happen. If it does happen, the complexion of WrestleMania XXV certainly changes. Would that be a bad thing?

Don’t blink Sunday or you might miss Shawn Michaels stealing the show at No Way Out when he faces JBL in a bout with significant financial implications. I’m certainly not saying that HBK winning Sunday is a lay-up, but if Michaels loses I will be one surprised, BBQ aficionado. No one wrestles on pay-per-view, especially in one-on-one matches, better than HBK. And even though JBL may be morally and fiscally corrupt, the self-made millionaire is a jock at heart and JBL rises to the occasion when he gets the opportunity to play in a “big game” such as this.

BTW … HBK is a HUGE fan of J.R.’s 97 percent FAT-FREE Beef Jerky, which you can order from our Web site at www.jrsbarbq.com. Yes, that’s a gratuitous plug, but it also happens to be the truth. 

Speaking of J.R.’s Family BBQ, my pal Stocky Balboa, arguably the toughest human to ever grace the halls of Stamford Catholic High School, is hooked on our Jalapeño Honey Mustard, especially good on Italian cold cut sandwiches and on turkey and chicken sandwiches. With grilling season just around the corner,  I’m sure we’ll also keep Ol’ Stocky stocked up, no pun intended, in J.R.’s Chipotle Ketchup, which is the crowning achievement on any burger or steak. Please take a moment and check out our on line store today for some great products that many WWE Superstars swear by and for some cost saving “deals” that you will appreciate.

The “Human Suplex Machine” aka “the World’s Angriest Announcer” aka “Mr. Long Island Baseball” and I will be driving from Seattle on Monday to Portland where we will have ample opportunity to critique No Way Out, “knock” many people (IE A-Rod), talk sports, especially the “Junior Ducks” and debate on where to stop for lunch but Cracker Barrel always starts out at the top of our list of “possibles.” The SmackDown announce team does indeed live a glamorous life ladies and gentlemen.   

Boomer Sooner,
JR