Ah, the times they are a-changing – and upon further review – for the better.

This Friday night will be my first broadcasting voyage with my new partner, Mick Foley, and I am looking forward to watching the airing of Friday Night SmackDown with great anticipation. Mick is one of my oldest friends in the biz, which as most vets will attest, is a business where a guy can count their bonafide friends on one hand – which is akin to most forms of sports and entertainment. Mick Foley is a great human being, a bestselling author, a legit Hardcore Legend and a student of the game. Not a bad combo for this Okie to deal with I assure you.

Upon getting drafted my reactions were one of shock and surprise. I was never disappointed about coming to Friday Night SmackDown as I am a loyal viewer of the broadcast and have been for years. Hell, I broadcast the very first SmackDown way back in the day. Friday Night SmackDown is an integral facet of WWE and I am going to put forth my best effort and make it even better.

However, after “playing for one team” for so many years and establishing routines and relationships, particularly with “The King,” I wasn’t immediately prepared to change addresses. I likely did not endear myself to some with that attitude, but I have always been honest with my feelings, and my emotions for the product are authentic, sometimes to a fault.  

After all, Monday Night Raw was never about “me.” It was and always will be about the product. Announcers’ jobs are to embellish the product and to enhance the Superstars who perform in the ring. As Shakespeare said, “the play is the thing.” (Down here in Oklahoma we like to say the “sauce” is the thing, but that‘s another story.)
 
I want to wish Michael Cole nothing but continued success, and I hope he has as many years and as much fun on Raw as I had. I know Michael will have a blast working with Jerry Lawler just as I will in teaming with Mrs. Foley’s baby boy.

But just so everyone knows where this Sooner stands, and I consider this to be an important point, Mick and I have one goal: To become the best broadcasting team in WWE on the top TV show in the company.    

The SmackDown roster has a new look and feel that will likely result in enhanced energy and an exciting, fresh dynamic for the broadcast.

Opportunities abound on SmackDown for the new athletes who now call it home. Getting a future WWE Hall of Famer in Triple H is a coup. The WWE Champion is at the top of his game, no pun intended, and will set the standard for the roster – and it will be a high standard to say the least.

Jeff Hardy is arguably the most popular Superstar in WWE by many observers’ accounts. Don’t take my word for it, as all you have to do is listen to the WWE fans’ response when the “Ultimate Risk-Taker” is introduced. Jeff Hardy’s career should reach its zenith on Friday Night SmackDown, much to the delight of Jeff Hardy fans around the world. I can foresee great things in the future for the younger of the two, talented Hardy Brothers. 

No one should ever underestimate the abilities of Umaga. Athletic, super heavyweights are a rare breed and Umaga is an amazing athlete. Umaga may end up being the greatest Samoan wrestler ever when size, power, and athleticism are all considered.

From where I sit, Mr. Kennedy, Carlito and Shelton Benjamin are all main-eventers waiting to happen. If all three of these talented men wrestle to their full potential, all three are future champions.  

I love Brian Kendrick’s “upside” – no matter Brian’s perceived “lack of size” which is a non-issue in my eyes. Think Rey Mysterio here. 

Trevor Murdoch has the heart of a champion, and I would never tell anyone with a great work ethic (and who had the benefit of sitting under the legendary Harley Race’s learning tree,) that their wrestling dreams could not come true. Murdoch could be a real sleeper on SmackDown as a wrestler not a singer.

DH Smith was born and bred to be a wrestler, and my instincts tell me that Smith has a mean, aggressive streak that we have yet to see. When any “insiders” talk about young wrestlers with unlimited potential, DH Smith’s name always comes up.

These are just some of the new individuals who will be provided the opportunity to build their WWE legacy on Friday Night SmackDown. Plus, the list of incumbents lead by the World Heavyweight Champion Edge is extremely impressive as well. Edge is arguably the best in WWE doing what he does.

The Friday Night SmackDown roster, from top to bottom, is as good as any roster has been in WWE in years.

In the meantime, let’s not forget that Night of Champions, a pay-per-view exclusive emanating from the sold-out American Airlines Center in Dallas this Sunday, will further shape the new landscape of WWE. With every match a title bout, something’s got to give in “Big D.”

Don’t think that I won’t be in Oklahoma City on Monday for Raw, as it is one of the biggest nights of the year in my home market. J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q is a co-sponsor of the event, which will rock the home of the future OKC NBA franchise. I might score a ringside seat for the show, but I will definitely want to experience the OKC/Raw experience firsthand. I might even hand out thousands of huge signs that say www.jrsbarbq.com just for the hell of it. That was a joke, by the way.

Plus, I am looking forward to SmackDown next week in Tulsa, which is where my journey in wrestling began in the ’70s. It will mark the first time that I have broadcast a wrestling event there in at least 20 years. UWF Wrestling made Tulsa its TV home for some red-hot Sunday nights under the leadership of Cowboy Bill Watts, who still lives in the area. It will be like old home week.

Life is good … and so is the BBQ!

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.  

Editor's Note: You can read J.R.'s previous Superstar of the Week columns at his column archives page.

I am excited about my first broadcast on Smackdown this Friday night and hope that you tune in. Mick Foley is going to be a great partner and our goal is to quickly become the WWE's top broadcast duo.

Smackdown has an exciting new roster to a large degree and from top to bottom one of the best rosters assembled in the WWE in years. There is no viable reason that I can think of that would preclude Smackdown from becoming the dominate brand in the WWE much "Sooner" than later.

I truly hope all the fans that have followed the work of yours truly will check out Friday Night Smackdown beginning this Friday and every Friday.

Moving to Smackdown is a great opportunity for yours truly and after the initial shock and disappointment of leaving The King and Monday Night Raw after oh so many years, I am postive, clear headed, and ready to carve a new niche in my career with this challenge.

Again, I sincerely appreciate everyone's sentiments during this amazing week but nothing lasts forever except for our passion for wrestling and "business is about to pick up" on Smackdown!

Boomer Sooner,

J.R. (www.jrsbarbq.com)

Greetings from under the black, custom made hat from WWE’s resident Okie fresh back from Utah where, surprisingly, The King did not marry three new wives or buy a hardware store. So if you had the under in the office pool, you won!

Seriously, the Salt Lake City crowd was red hot as was the 90-degree day we all enjoyed there; especially those that were wearing suits and sweating pulled pork.
 
This week’s Raw Superstar of the Week did not even have a match Monday night, but certainly made an impact and has Raw fans talking. The coveted award this week goes to Lance Cade, even though he was suckered into getting a barber college-like hair cut, but without question, raised his game significantly just before Raw left the air Monday night.
 
John Cena vs. Umaga, the saga continues, saw Cena win and not “get hurt” as Cena looks to be building some momentum going into the June 29 Night of Champions pay-per-view in Dallas where the Celtics fan will face WWE kingpin Triple H for the prized WWE Title. Cena, who has been known to enjoy the occasional cold beverage, will roll into San Antonio in a celebratory mood after his Boston team finished off the Lakers this week in the NBA Finals, but let’s not forget that the strongman could also be a draftee before the three-hour broadcast is completed.
 
If both Umaga and Cena remain on the Raw roster after the WWE’s Annual Draft, it will be a miracle.
 
Can any one speculate as to why the details of the 2008 Draft are being kept so secretive? We don’t even know the format … who picks first … why that brand would get the first pick … is it a lottery draft where all the names are placed in a hopper and drawn at random … how many draft picks will each brand receive … will trades be made on WWE.com after Raw leaves the air Monday night? Inquiring minds really need to know. This is good “dirt.”
 
All I know is that Undertaker is no longer in the WWE Draft and no matter who is drafted where, the line-up for Night of Champions stays as advertised.
 
Who knew Charlie Haas had the vocal skills to pull off MC’ing the Summertime Beach Bikini Blowout (whoever named that contest most likely never has been an announcer), but also who would have thought that Haas would have channeled Val Venis’ voice for a few moments either? BOO-YA!
 
Are we really supposed to believe that the purpose of the bikini contest was to feature the Divas’ “attire”? That’s about as believable as The King becoming a cabana boy for Siegfried and Roy … not that there would be anything wrong with that.
 
Jeff Hardy and Carlito had one of the better matches featured on Raw in quite some time. One has to assume that one or both will be gone from Raw after Monday night in San Antonio. Speaking of San Antonio, yours truly is going down early Sunday afternoon to enjoy the River Walk and to partake in some delicious Mexican food, just in case one might be wondering. I might also do some research and development by sampling some Texas BBQ seeing as though I am rapidly becoming the “Baron of BBQ.” San Antonio is a great city and the last time I was there was the 2007 Big 12 title game in college football when Oklahoma defeated the No. 1 ranked and talented Missouri Tigers.
 
It was a pleasant surprise seeing Ric Flair do a cameo on Monday Night Raw from Salt Lake City. I never dreamed that we would be seeing Ric back on TV this soon after his “retirement,” but I’m not complaining. Ric is still working for WWE as an ambassador, but has no plans whatsoever to return to the ring. One can argue that building up Flair’s return would have been advantageous, but no one can deny that the surprise element didn’t work.
 
The tag team scene on Raw gets stranger by the week. Monday night’s eight-second or so bout between the World Tag Champions, remember them, Hardcore Holly and his complete opposite Cody Rhodes, who had quite the contest (he says with tongue in cheek) with the equally red-hot Cryme Tyme. Thanks for making the trip to the Great Salt Lake, gentlemen, as yours truly is wondering who young Ted (don’t call him Teddy!) DiBiase will select as his partner to become the new World Tag Champions … DiBiase’s words, not mine.
 
The mixed tag match between Kennedy … Kennedy and Women’s Champ Mickie James and the Burchill siblings did not fare well for the Americans. As a result, Katie Lea Burchill has the opportunity to become the first-ever Brit to be WWE Women’s Champion at Night of Champions, and I wouldn’t want to bet a slab of our delicious, hickory smoked ribs that Ms. Burchill doesn’t prevail. However, take into consideration: When was the last time I was right with a prediction? The mid-90s?? Just so you will know, Katie Lea has one heck of a grip, and when she shakes one’s hand, it’s like sticking it in a vice. Her grip reminds me of some girls I used to know who worked on their folks’ dairy farm and milked cows twice daily. 
 
WWE Champion Triple H and Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho, who have never really cared for each other, had a dandy main event Monday night and it even looked as if Jericho might pull one out of his proverbial hat when young Lance Cade decided to get physically involved and assault the WWE Champion.

What’s Cade’s agenda? Yes, Cade was trained by HBK back in the day, but so what? Is Cade jealous of HBK’s friendship with The Game? Does Cade hold some deep seeded animosity against Michaels? Did Cade simply want to get everyone’s attention? Is Cade setting up Jericho? Stay tuned is all I can suggest.
 
Did anyone see The King circa 1988 when he was the AWA Champion on ESPN Classic recently sporting a lovely, wavy MULLET?? Mullet Mania was running wild in the ‘80s, BROTHER!! Seriously, many younger fans of today don’t realize just how good a wrestler The King was back in his prime and, quite honestly, he’s likely better than a fair amount of the competitors we all see on TV these days.
 
This is another busy week as yours truly will join Ric Flair, JBL and Mick Foley along with my favorite host “Mean” Gene Okerlund to tape of couple of what should be intriguing Legends Roundtables for WWE 24/7. Spirited debate will be the order of the day without question.
 
J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q Restaurant No. 2 will open in Moore, Okla., just after the Fourth of July holiday. After spending a couple of days in the store and looking at all the memorabilia on the walls, this store, which is much bigger than our original store in Norman, is going to be spectacular. If anyone is traveling I-35 between OKC and Dallas this summer, please drop by one of the locations and check them out. We will soon have new photos and the return of our Q&A section of our newly redesigned Web site at www.jrsbarbq.com. Please visit us if you have the time.

Thanks! See you in San Antonio for Draft night in WWE!
 
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.                  

Editor's Note: You can read J.R.'s previous Superstar of the Week columns at his column archives page.

Another busy week balancing Monday Night Raw travel, travel to Connecticut from Oklahoma to work on a WWE 24/7 project and spending time with the Mrs. getting our 2nd J.R.'s Family BBQ Restaurant ready to open in less than 3 weeks in Moore, Oklahoma.

Yours truly enjoyed the trip to Salt Lake City, except for the 10 hours it took to get back to Oklahoma from Utah, and the SLC crowd in the E Center was arguably the hottest Raw crowd of 08.

The Jericho/HBK saga has my interest but would be shocked to see Michaels in San Antonio this Monday night even though it is his hometown.

Sounds like HHH and John Cena haved advanced past the "not personal" stage in their pending WWE Title Bout slated for The Night of Champions in Dallas on Sunday June 29 which is the day before the big Monday Night Raw in my home turf of Oklahoma City. This WWE Championship tussel will no doubt go on last in Dallas.

OKC hosting Raw doesn't bring back a plethora of warm memories for yours truly to be perfectly honest with you. I have kissed Mr. McMahon's Ass there, been beated up by such men as Stone Cold, and I have the scar to prove it, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle in one night kicked my arse way back in the day, teamed with King to face the duo of Lance Storm and William Regal, and was completely humiliated and embarassed when the Governor of Oklahoma declared January 24 "Jim Ross Day" in Oklahoma which promptly lead to another in ring debacle.

Last time were were in OKC "Big **** Johnson" (nice name) inserted himself when yours truly was saying good night to the fans and I retaliated by inserting the mic cube into BDJ's head. Oops.

The Good Lord only knows what fate awaits yours truly come Monday June 30 but as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill you will only make one stronger.

Someone told me that over 3.5 MILLION WWE fans have registered on WWE.com to try and win some of Mr. McMahon's personal cash. That's amazing.

The recent and overwhelming success of WWE.com since Joe E. Styles has come on board will no doubt see the former ECW voice get a little more "cheese on his ****per" come review time at which point it is obvious to what Joe E. Styles will proclaim..."OH MY GAWD!!" It will be well deserved but remember kid, it's not what you make in this business but what you save. :)

I was with Stone Cold Steve Austin, among so many wrestling greats including Bret Hart and Dr. Death Steve Williams, at the recent Cauliflower Alley Club's 43rdAnnual Reunion and expect to hear some major news about several new projects that Austin is about to launch. I know many of the details regarding the TV concept that Steve is getting involved with but that will stay well under wraps for the time being but suffice it to say I think Austin fans will love it! I can see Steve easily becoming a viable action adventrue movie star sooner than later especially with some of the projects he has discussed with yours truly.

Personallhy I would love for Steve to do a western and hire me as his lovealble "side-kick" who gets the bullet, or arrow, early in the film. Hey, a guy can day dream can't he?

Why is the WWE Draft format such a damn secret? What if the rumor that Mike Adamle was brought in to replace yours truly is accurate and Adamle leaves Tazz and takes over for 'Ol J.R. on Mondays. Don't think that one hasn't been discussed at some point "behind the scenes".

I look at leaving Raw like an athlete would look at leaving the team that he has played for his entire career. Essentially I have been on Raw for so long that it feels like home and I am not ready to leave home yet...so to speak.

Monday night in San Antonio cold be a most interesting evening for many WWE Superstars and even a few of us ham and eggers.

More on these topics and more on www.jrsbarbq,com.

Thanks! JR

Greetings friends and neighbors from under the black, custom made hat from your resident Okie who is just returning to Norman, Okla., from Las Vegas after having a great time Tuesday and Wednesday visiting with so many wrestling legends and fans at the Cauliflower Alley Club’s 43rd Annual Reunion.

Raw No. 785 emanated from Oakland, Calif., and was perhaps the first-ever “sports-entertainment game show” in the history of television. Picking a Raw Superstar of the Week is challenging, but after looking at the broadcast again, it became clearer. This week’s Raw Superstars of the Week are Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels simply because their interaction was the most memorable in ring activity we have experienced on Raw in quite some time from where I was sitting. Jericho’s physicality on HBK was the most compelling moment of the night for yours truly and I am anxious to see where this extremely personal issue goes this Monday night in Salt Lake City.

What’s the over/under this Monday night that Mr. McMahon won’t have a beautiful Diva at his side as his “Vanna White” and perhaps even having the lovely lady dialing the telephone? Congratulations to all the winners of Mr. McMahon’s Million Dollar Mania and don’t forget to pay your taxes.

One can assume that we can expect to see more of Kennedy-Kennedy against the affluent Brit, Paul “Don‘t Call me Churchill” Burchill, or his sister Katie Lea. Furthermore, something tells me that Miss Burchill has Mickie James’ Women’s Title in her sights.

The Glamazon is not in a good mood these days, and Melina is largely the reason why. Bottom line: Mickie James should not trust either The Glamazon, Melina or Miss Burchill, but it does seem that the fiery Latino Melina and Beth Phoenix are on an intriguing collision course. Perhaps they will have a match held entirely ON the announce table which would make my broadcast partner so happy that he would have to have the smile sandblasted off his face.

Charlie Haas is looking for your mouthwash donations. Sorry, Charlie. The Great Mae Young strikes again.

So the Triple H/Cena issue isn’t personal, huh? Of course it’s not, and beginning right ... now … The King doesn’t admire handsome, young women. Right.

John Cena seems to have JBL’s number and that has to P.O. the former Texan turned Manhattanite to no end. It’s enough to make a man load up on Mamajuana and lock himself in a Marriott.

Again, the interaction between HBK and Y2J Monday was great TV and Michaels was lucky (as best I know) that he did not get any glass in his eyes. I would love to see these two get it on in Dallas on June 29 at the Night of Champions pay-per-view event for the Intercontinental Title. These two might just steal themselves a PPV.

Wasn’t it amazing how Umaga was cheered Monday night upon taking the fall in the non-title tag team match against Holly and Rhodes? Fans in the Bay Area have long loved the Samoan athletes since the Cow Palace days of the High Chief Peter Maivia. That had to be the first time Snitsky has been cheered since his former dentist and staff gave Snitsky a standing “O” when he of brown teeth decided to stop seeing his dentist except in Olympic years.

Cody Rhodes and Bob Holly have “issues” and one has to assume that doesn’t bode well for the long term success of their duo. This team seems to have little in common. Let’s put it this way, Cody is an iPod and Hardcore is an 8-track tape, not that there is any thing wrong with that, Bob.

Jillian Hall and Trevor Murdoch in an American Idol-like sing off on Raw …”Oh, My!” (Compliments of Michael Cole.) (Not to be confused with the timeless, “OH MY GAWD,” from our colleague Joe E. Styles.)

What broadcaster has the coolest TV wardrobe in WWE … The Adamle … The King? My vote goes to The Tazz for his colorful The Shirts. Just thought I would mention that….now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Yours truly was a little surprised to see Cryme Tyme upset Santino and Carlito in oh-so-hot-tag team action Monday night. One could go out on a limb and even declare that the Raw tag team scene is in a little turmoil … a storm … a conundrum … a calamity … a date with “The D List’s” Kathy Griffin … a long car trip with Adamle … you get the picture.

Having WWE Champion Triple H and No. 1 contender John Cena sitting in on commentary Monday night was fun for the King and me. I hope we can have more guest broadcasters join us in the future. It adds to the unpredictability of the broadcast which makes it feel more like a vintage Monday Night Raw.

Jeff Hardy received arguably the loudest ovation of the night Monday, and the Thrill Seeker came out looking pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good at the end of the evening.

Triple H and Cena were not pleased with each other as we left you Monday night, but remember, “It’s not personal.” Right … and “Ol J.R. doesn’t like barbecue.

I hope you will check out our Web site at www.jrsbarbq.com , as we are doing some new and exciting things there, which should be happening this week. Our newest J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q will be open just after the July 4th holiday in Moore, Okla., on the west side of I-35 at the 19th street exit. Stay tuned!

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.

Editor's Note: This is J.R.'s first Superstar of the Week column to be published at WWE Fan Nation. You can read J.R.'s previous Superstar of the Week columns at his column archives page.