Wow ... what a crazy week! Nothing like not knowing where one is traveling until a few hours before one has to leave. After 30-plus years in this wacky business, I've learned to roll with the punches and thus made stops in Chicago, Louisville, and Cincinnati before flying back into OKC Wednesday morning after a five-day trip.
What was my first stop upon arriving back in the Sooner state? ... J.R.'s Family BBQ in Norman, Okla., of course, for some much needed comfort food.
I thought I had a challenging week until I thought of the many, many 18-wheelers that carry WWE equipment that headed West from Cincy, presumably to Denver, but instead are now in route to Los Angeles. Plus all of the airplane tickets that had to be changed which is a nightmare for the hard working folks at WWE travel.
A couple of WWE staffers were going to ride their motorcycles from OKC to Denver while a Superstar I know was going to have his cycle shipped to Denver and ride it back to the Midwest. The best laid plans ...
Yours truly felt like "The Sopranos" Silvio Dante when he recited a line from "The Godfather" and said, "Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in" after being called out of the bullpen Monday night after Big Show demolished Jerry Lawler for no viable reason other than the 500 pounder could to join Michael Cole on commentary.
Working along side Michael was fun and I hope that those of you that watched Raw enjoyed the two of us trying to keep up with all the action and developments on Raw.
If not, "Oh, my."
Speaking of "Uncle Jerry" Lawler, he would MUCH rather wrestle than announce and would likely give up broadcasting in a heart beat to wrestle regularly on WWE TV. Jerry wrestles a bunch in the indepedent world and still sells tickets.
Certainly Raw is a different animal than is Friday Night SmackDown as Mondays are paced differently and have more verbal interaction between Superstars than does SD.
Many people were wondering what I was doing in Louisville in the first place and "how convenient" it was that I just happened to be standing by. The answer is that we taped our Superstars bout between C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho Monday night at Freedom Hall. Plus, I have friends in Louisville who I wanted to see and we were a manageable drive away, 100 miles, from our next stop, Cincinnati, where Friday Night SmackDown emanated.
I'm not sure what is going to happen this Monday night in the Staples Center where Raw will be live on the USA Network as it relates to the commentary team seeing as though King is in the main event, a 10 man tag team bout. I have to be there any way so perhaps I will be called upon again to assist Cole. Who knows? If not I will watch the show backstage with Dr. Joe E. Styles and we can form a team to "Monday morning quarterback" what we are seeing and "knock people" from our past. (come on...loosen up...you know that we would NEVER do that and that those are simply feeble attempts at humor......don't you?)
One has to feel badly for WWE fans of Colorado who got multiple events cancelled due to the much publicized scheduling snafu with the Pepsi Center in Denver. One doesn't have to be their class valedictorian to figure out that Denver Nuggets and Pepsi Center owner Phil Kroenke won't have, shall we say, a "positive light" shining on him Monday night on Raw in Los Angeles. I don't think that I am going out on a limb on that assumption.
Matt Hardy allegedly has 3 broken "metacarpal" bones in his hand. For those fans who hang on every word spoken, I think I mispronounced such on Monday Night. Shame on me.
And to think that I once made A's in both Human Applied Anatomy and Kinesiology in college.
Friday Night Smackdown is another solid outing on MyNetworkTV this week. Todd "Ocho Cinco" Grisham has another stellar night from the home of the Cincinnati Bengals. I took young Todd to lunch at the world famous Montgomery Inn BBQ out near the Cincy Airport and much to my chagrin it was a disappointment. The last time I was there the food was great but someone in the kitchen dropped the ball as the ribs and pulled pork were "sauced" to death. Bummer.
There are no surprises why the great Brett Favre saw Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama to get his biceps tendon evaluated. Andrews is simply the best in the world at what he does and has "repaired" many, many wrestlers over the years not to mention some of the biggest names in main stream sports.
It looks like T.G. (Todd Grisham...not tons o' gel) and I will be making most of the Monday Raw events as that is where many of our WWE Superstars bouts that air on Thursday nights on WGN America will be taped.
Dolph Ziggler is rapidly climbing the ladder on SD and has tons of potential. This week I describe Ziggler as "rudely perfect" and wonder how many fans will get it when they hear it? Dolph has a great amateur background which compliments his in ring style. I'm not saying that Ziggler isn't a little overbearing but no one can deny the young man's physical skills.
John Morrison, he of "Mojo Rising" references, may be the hottest up and coming performer in all WWE. Morrison seems to have a nice balance between the "high risk" style of offense and a really solid ground game. the key word is "balance." Morrison also was a skilled, amateur wrestler who also began competing in gymnastics as a young boy.
It looks like we are getting closer to the epic, in ring battle between Layla and Eve (unfortunately neither lady has a viable last name) on Friday Night SmackDown. This may rival Elvira Snodgrass vs. June Byers from MANY moons ago....or so I read. The Fink could provide us more info on that matter being the accomplished "historian" that he is. Plus, Howard will gladly field any New York Mets or Jets questions that you may have. The Jets might be fun to watch this NFL season but many feel that the Mets will fold like an accordion as usual before the World Series rolls around.
Back to the Divas, this Friday night Gail Kim faces Michelle McCool to determine the #1 contnder for Melina's WWE Women's Title. At least Gail and Michelle have last names.
We are excited to be switching from glass bottles to plastic bottles for our BBQ Sauces and our Chipolte Ketchup in the very near future. We think that our Original Sauce will be available in the plastic bottles as early as next week. We also are selling a ton of our locally made to our recipe J.R.'s Beef Jerky which is a nice, healthy, low carb snack on our BBQ website. Our dry rub is also available on the site and it is the only seasoning we use on much of our smoked meats including our new smoked chicken which is so moist, tender, and healthy. Don't you wish you were sitting at J.R.'s now? Check out our many items in our store plus our blogs and Question & Answer section of our site at www.jrsbarbq.com.
Just a suggestion but I think Joe E. Styles, or Stocky Balboa, who looks amazingly like the Doctor of Dot Com, should handle ALL the announcing at "Extreme Rules" because who is more "extreme" when it comes to broadcasting than the man who gave the term, "CATFIGHT!!!" historical significance?
Yes, I did predict that Big Show will defeat John Cena in their submission only match at "Extreme Rules" down in New Orleans in a couple of weeks. Time will tell on this one but my picks are usually much better in college football than they are for WWE contests.
Rey Mysterio tells us why his mask is so important to his heritage and his career on Friday Night SmackDown during an interview with yours truly. The history of masked, luchadors is intriguing.
Rumor has it that Alicia Fox' (that's A. Fox to her closest friends) hair was arrested Tuesday in Cincy for allegedly being "out of control." Probably just another of those damn, Internet rumors.
It's been a busy week around the Ross Ponderosa here in Oklahoma. dodging tornadoes and selling plenty of "Q" while doing my homework for this Sunday's PPV in Chicago known as Judgment Day.
Here are a few predictions and slow, smoked random thoughts:
The Quiznos TV ads where the oven is talking to the young, male cook are spooky. Somebody might have been standing too closer to the smoker when those ads were created.
According to WWE.com, Shad of Cryme Tyme fame allegedly has the "hots" for Eve of Friday Night SmackDown fame. Wow, now that's a revelation considering most healthy men do have more than the casual "wondering eye" (no offense to Jack Elam) to the former Southern Cal coed.
Melina will not grace the cover of any milk cartons nor is she living in Arizona under an assumed name as the WWE Women's Champion will make an emotional return to Friday Night SmackDown this week, and will compete in tag team action.
I watched an old tape, from the mid '70s of a young Bruiser Brody and the rugged Brody and SD's Mike Knox do have some of the same tendencies.
John Morrison did a nice job on commentary Thursday night on "WWE Superstars" on WGN America. Morrison has the chance to be one of a handful of potential "break through" stars on SmackDown in 2009.
Morrison was the one with the flowing, long locks, while yours truly was wearing a black hat, and the other guy, TG, had the head full of hair gel.
Batista will not win the WWE Title Sunday at Judgment Day. Want to know why? Just keep reading.
John Cena is obviously not 100 percent physically ready to compete in Chicago against a near 500-pound mammoth of a man which leads me to lean to a Big Show victory against Cena this Sunday. Bottom line, as Stone Cold used to say, is that I don't see Cena leaving the All State Arena in good shape Sunday evening a few minutes past supper time.
I could tie in Judgment Day with a Last Supper reference here, but I choose not to go there ... thank you very much.
Christian vs. Jack Swagger for the ECW Title should be an exciting bout that I see Swagger winning and regaining his ECW Title. Christian can retain if he can confuse and out quick the young Oklahoman, but few in WWE can handle Swagger in a straight up wrestling bout. I'm looking forward to watching this match from our plushy seats at ringside complete with tepid, bottled water.
Swagger's former, Sooner roommate and current Chicago Bear defensive lineman Dusty Dvorachek will be sitting at ringside alongside Bears' All Pro D-tackle Tommie Harris, so perhaps the Oklahoma crowd will bring Perry, Okla.'s Swagger some good luck.
For you baseball fans, word on the street is that Alfonso Soriano of the Cubbies may attend as well. Of course, this is just one of those "Internet rumors" so who knows if it will actually materialize?
Yours truly will join some of the Chicago Bears Saturday evening for some red meat in steak happy Chicago. This will ensure that my tank is full for Sunday's PPV. It will be game day, as The Rock used to say on PPV Sundays, and I have to be prepared to hang with Alabama Crimson Tide fan Todd (that's 2 D's) Grisham in one of my favorite cities in the world.
Were you as impressed with the impact made by the newest rendition of the "Hart Foundation" Tuesday night on ECW as was I? I don't know what David Hart Smith, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya Neidhart will call their faction, but they turned many heads within WWE Tuesday night. This Canadian trio should add ample "spice" to the ECW weekly offering starring Josh "Is My Nose Bleeding?" Mathews and Matt "I'm Smarter than You Are" Striker ... two of my favorite broadcasters.
The Miz continues to impress on Monday night's both on the mic and in the ring. If Miz can stay on his current "roll" then by WrestleMania time, Miz might find himself in rarefied air. Don't roll your eyes my pulled pork eating friends, it could happen.
Another Judgment Day prediction ... The King will wear a T-shirt ... likely black ... and will have his "Clark Kent" spit curl well in place for any photo op that might come his way.
That's "Vintage" stuff.
WWE.com is posting HUGE numbers, and many may try and impress the WWE Board of Directors by taking credit for WWE.com's success. But let's be honest about this matter. The success of WWE.com can be easily contributed to four people. The men behind the success of this ever-growing venture are: Al Gore, who, as we all know, discovered the Internet, newsman/TV personality Bill Kurtis who has made the Internet cool with his TV ads, WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel who is really the "big toe" of this entity, and, of course, Dr. Joe E. Styles who keeps every one on point and motivated with the occasional and unpredictable streak through the office embellished by the shrieking of "CATFIGHT" from time to time. Congrats, gentlemen, for a job well done.
Jeff Hardy's chances of beating Edge for the World Title at Judgment Day may be akin to a basketball team who lives and dies with their three-point shooting. As Marv Albert might say, while wearing men's clothing, Jeff wins by going "Downtown!" This title bout should be spectacular, but I see Edge retaining his title. But remember that I am rarely correct in these predictions, but it does make it easier for me to write a blog on PPV weeks.
C.M. Punk returns to his hometown to face The Samoan Bulldozer and surely, I know ... don't call me Shirley, Punk won't lose in his hometown, will he? I think it will be an uphill struggle for "Chicago Made," but if he does lose, he's still got his Money in the Bank contract that he can cash in whenever he chooses and why not in his hometown??
The Intercontinental Title is up for grabs when champion Rey Mysterio faces conspiracy theorist Chris Jericho. Jericho wants everyone's respect perhaps more than he does the IC Title, or so it seems at times. I like Jericho's chances in this one, but Rey seems to always defy the odds so my brisket is on Mr. 619.
I would love to see WWE add a Jesse Ventura vs. former Vice President Dick Cheney (very aptly named gentleman) to this Sunday's event, but apparently Dick's not up for it. Bad heart you know. Ventura lashed out in the news media at Cheney this week over the whole water boarding fiasco but enough of that nonsense. I'll let cunning Keith Olbermann and battling Bill O'Reilly handle that business.
I miss "The Sopranos" and "Deadwood." Just thought I would throw that in because this is my blog you know.
That means the obligatory mention of our BBQ Web site, www.jrsbarbq.com is forthcoming. Check us out for our weekly blogs and our Question & Answer section of the site. We also have several, price friendly specials in our on line store that never closes. We ship within hours of receiving your orders or my sister-in-law gets no holiday gifts.
And the reason that Batista won't win the WWE Title at Judgment Day is ... FOCUS. The Animal is so focused on maiming Mr. RKO that I see Big Dave making a tactical error that costs him big time Sunday. However, I also see Batista beating Randall Orton up like a government mule, too. Could actually get nasty.
Thanks for stopping by and come back and see us. I look forward as always to seeing the WWE fans Sunday in Chicago and Tuesday in Cincinnati. Not sure what to treat myself to in Cincy, Skyline Chili or Montgomery Inn BBQ. I will be traveling with young Matt Striker and, because he is smarter than the rest of us, I will let him make the call.
Random BBQ'ed thoughts from under the custom made, black Oklahoma hat.
This week's Friday Night Smackdown emanates from the Igloo in Pittsburgh, home of Sid "the Kid" Crosby, yes we watch hockey in Oklahoma, and it is a broadcast that continues to establish rivalries and begin to establish newly drafted competitors to the Friday night brand.
And yes, it's still a hotter show than Monday Night Raw. O.K. so I'm not overly objective about the team for which I play. Is that so wrong? Should a man not be passionate about his brand? Can I not show my feelings? Is it so wrong for a man to cry?
Lighten Up Francis.
The main event Friday night between #1 contender Jeff Hardy and the "disrespected" Chris Jericho is a stout, two segment bout.
Jericho is so talented both athletically and verbally but the verbal aspect of his game is wearing thin on many. It might be akin to taking a long, van trip with Cryme Tyme and a couple of Divas and having to stop for coffee every time one saw a Starbucks. After a few hours, no matter how entertaining the journey was when it started, it would get old.
C.M. (Chicago Made) Punk is looking forward to his return to the Windy City for Judgment Day (what in the hell ever happened to the "E" in Judgment anyway??) in his home town. Punk is attitudinal and talented and needs more mic time because his outspoken nature is entertaining or at least it is to me.
I expect several members of the Chicago Bears, some of them former OU Sooners, to attend the PPV in the All State arena which is one of the most amazing venues in the world to see WWE in person.
Rey Mysterio is elated to be back on Friday Night Smackdown and I can't think of any WWE Superstar who has developed more popularity on the Friday night broadcast than the masked underdog of all peoples. We have a silver, Mysterio mask Rey wore when he returned from injury last year at Summerslam that is beautifully framed for display at J.R.s Family BBQ in Norman. This was a gracious gift from Rey and it is most appreciated. Thanks Rey!
If John Morrison has displayed some young, HBK tendencies at times, then the Shaman isn't the only young Smackdown star who reminds yours truly of other famous wrestlers of yesteryear.
Dolph Ziggler has a little young "Mr. Perfect" in him and I'm not just talking about his hair color. Ziggler is cocky, confident and athletic just like Curt Hennig was.
Big, raw boned Mike Knox reminds me of a young Frank Goodish aka Bruiser Brody circa the mid 70's. Goodish/Brody was a big man who was athletic, quick for his size, had great balance, and a mean streak. Plus the behind the scenes Goodish/Brody was very well read and had a high IQ. Knox at this stage of his game has similar traits.
Only time will tell if Morrison, Ziggler, and Knox achieve the same level of success of the men of which they remind me.
Today I was at our BBQ joint enjoying a sampling of hickory smoked chicken, pulled pork, and chopped brisket (no eye rolling please) and I had the opportunity to meet some WWE fans from the Atlanta area. They had just flown from Atlanta to OKC to attend the graduation ceremony at Oklahoma State which is only a little over an hour and change north of our place. We had a nice visit and they encouraged us to put a J.R.'s in Atlanta. Who knows, some day it might happen.
BTW all foods at J.R.'s Family BBQ are Major League Baseball "approved" which means that newly suspended Manny Ramirez can dine at J.R.'s all he wants with no worries and Manny's first meal is on me. Manny can play baseball but obviously Manny isn't too bright. Of course, even after his hiatus Manny will still make about $34M this year which is a bunch of BBQ. So much for "Mannywood."
Why is Umaga so seemingly hellbent on destroying C.M. Punk? I don't get it. I think dot com guru Dr. Joe E. Styles should dispatch either Stocky Balboa or HOF'er Howard Finkel to get an exclusive with Umaga even if they have to fly to the "ISLE" of Samoa. Sure beats the "ISLE" of Malta this time of year. I guarantee you that "The Fink" could find an inexpensive airfare which would be even less than some executive's lunches in New York City.
Wow...what happened to Charlie Haas? The native Okie and grad of Seton Hall had his most physically aggressive outing in a WWE ring in years this week on Smackdown. Watch this week and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Did you know? Ricky Ortiz is now a member of the Friday Night Smackdown roster? "Sources say" that Ortiz isn't too popular in the locker room but I have no idea why nor do I know if that "rumor" is true. Might be the rally towel.
Edge does color commentary with Todd Grisham and me on Friday night during the Jeff-Jericho main event. Edge has a future at the announce desk after his wrestling days have ended. I've worked with the best in the business over the last 30+ years and I will assure you that Edge could quickly rise to the level of many of the men that I have broadcast with and do so in a short length of time.
ESPN's Rachel Nichols being assigned to go to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to report on the Bret Favre situation feels about as out of place as the Great Khali being selected to read the great works of Hemingway to elementary school kids in the Carolinas. I'm happy that Bret is staying retired even though he would have had a blast playing with Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. I'll bet little Rachel didn't have any BBQ while down in Mississippi.
Curt Hawkins has a new "make over" and wait until you see it. Check that, it's Zach Ryder who has the new "make over" and Ryder wrestles Thursday night on WGN America on WWE Superstars. I guess I answered my own question as to why Hawkins and Ryder needed new looks. Both are much better wrestlers than some folks perceive and now that they are on their own I think we will be pleasantly surprised at how well they both do.
Don't adjust your TV sets, it's just the multiple, color patterns worn by ECW broadcaster Josh Mathews (if that is his real name.) I jest....Josh is a good young man who is going to evolve into a broadcasting fixture in WWE unless he picks up Dusty Rhodes' lisp from working with "The Dream" on broadcasts down in Tampa. Mathews and Matt Striker are fun to listen to on ECW even though Striker is a self professed wrestling nerd which isn't really a bad thing.
Nothing like watching the inmates run the asylum on Raw as WWE Champion Randall Orton and Legacy apparently are doing. GM Vickie Guerrero better grasp the bull by the horns before the "Most Watched Show in the History of the World on Cable TV" implodes.
Speaking of the train wreck known as Raw, why wouldn't WWE officials intervene when Big Show was annihilating John Cena Monday night knowing full well that Cena was on the "injured list?"
When will TMZ report of the alleged relationship between MVP and "The View's" Sherri Shepherd? What, there's no relationship? That's not what I heard. As a matter of fact, Michael Cole inferred to me that the charismatic duo washaving a "Vintage" relationship. Charismatic duo as in MVP and Sherri and NOT Cole and King. Oh, my!
Why isn't WWE.com Shop selling Jerry Lawler T shirts? The King wears new "Kingwear" seemingly every week on Raw almost begging for WWE to sell its first ever Jerry Lawler shirt. Nothing like a man who takes great pains in what he wears on global TV.....a new T shirt every week. Now that's dedication.
Just so you're aware, if Eve and Layla ever do have a real wrestling match T.G. (Todd Grisham) has told me he's going to shriek "CATFIGHT" ala one of my heroes, Joe E. Styles, but I have advised T.G. that he can't follow Joe and to just.......let it go.
This week we return to Dayton, Ohio for our Smackdown taping on Tuesday night. This was the city in 1993 that I broadcast the King of the Ring won by the WWE Hall of Famer and wrestling Icon Bret "Hitman" Hart right before I mysteriously disappeared from the PPV scene for an extended amount of time. I guess I didn't have such a great night as I seemingly joined Henry Hill in the witness protection program after that event. What a chapter that will be in my unpublished memoirs.....BROTHER!!
A couple of my blogs created a little controversey this week on www.jrsbarbq.com but such is life. Read them for yourself and you be the judge. We also sell the world's best BBQ Sauce plus autographed caps and cookbooks on our small, BBQ site as well.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week has gone well. It's a great week in Oklahoma when we aren't threatened by a tornado....which...BTW...is another reason I don't like the lyrics of former SD star Matt Hardy's entrance music....but enough of that.
Friday night Smackdown is WWE's best TV broadcast this week as the 2 hour show was a good one from a capacity filled Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. I say that not because of the "announcing" nor, contrary to what some blithering idiots on the 'net have speculated, I am not raging against Monday Night Raw because I am personally not on the WWE's premier broadcast. Nonetheless it makes a good story for the lonely, conspiracy theorists who spend too much time alone in their rooms at their Mom and Dad's house.
FNSD has two excellent, multi segment main events and both of them were for "something." When something tangible is at stake in a wrestling match it obviously makes the match better. It's akin to Major League Baseball in April. Who cares what happens in April except the die hards who hang on every pitch all season long. I'll get interested in MLB after the All Star break, thank you very much.
Friday Night Smackdown (FNSD) will determine a new #1 contender this week and who will face World's Champ Edge at Judgment Day in a few weeks in a red hot, Chicago.
Mr. Money in the Bank, C.M. Punk, also has a memorable evening also involving Edge. Did you know that C.M. stands for "Chicago Made?"
Chris Jericho is dotted throughout FNSD and never fails to deliver whether it be in the ring or outside it. Jericho is an egocentric winner who will add a lightning rod-like element to Friday nights.
Jericho even takes issue with John Morrison which is noteworthy as it seems the fans were on young Morrison's side of this confrontation.
Just so you will know and remember that you heard it here first, John Morrison will be in PPV Main Events within one year, at the latest.
Dolph Ziggler has elevated his game and is talking more, which helps, and is doing more than introducing himself to everyone he meets multiple times each day. His name is "Dolph" Ziggler not "Zig" Ziggler. For you younger folks, Google Zig Ziggler and call it a day.
Mike Knox has some Bruiser Brody-isms about him that encourage me and I'm not talking about the bushy, beard. Knox is not a big, dumb jock and his raw boned frame and nasty disposition will likely take him far in WWE. Brody might have been, behind the scenes, the first "Cerebral Assassin" which is a name I coined for HHH many moons ago.
FNSD got the better of the deal when Teddy Long became G.M. and Vickie Guerrero moved to Monday Night Raw along with her "excuse me" and her sometimes non objective decision making. Ms. Guerrero-Edge and Monday Night Raw seem to be made for one another as Raw has always seemingly had a controversial decision maker at the helm.
I would have made WWE.com's Stocky Balboa the Raw G.M. but, again, I'm an out of touch old schooler who's not hip enough to make a decision such as this. Poor me.
We're shipping lots of autographed caps, "JR's Cookbooks," and T Shirts all over the world especially to WWE fans in the United Kingdom. We are also making positive steps to improve the packaging of our sauces going from heavy glass bottles to more shipping friendly plastic bottles. Many of you have contacted our website to ask questions and make comments plus read our many weekly blogs at www.jsbarbq.com and we appreciate your support.
Dancing and ample "yo's" come to FNSD this week. Todd Grisham got his freak on or so I'm told because I have no clue what that means. Should I know?
Can you believe that some people are already talking about the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame class. There are many, many viable candidates from where I sit and I am happy I'm not the one who has to make these decisions. What's you thoughts?
I will stick to making "upper management" decisions at J.R.'s Family BBQ in Norman, Oklahoma where business has definitely picked up.
It seems like Backlash was a well received/reviewed PPV and by and large I thought it was a really solid show too after watching it on DVR after returning home.
Yours truly is looking forward to heading up to Pittsburgh, or "6-Burg" with the Mrs, a Steel city native, this Monday for the taping of FNSD. I really enjoy Tuesdays because I am able to watch ECW be taped prior to FNSD and I like hearing young broadcasters Matt Striker and Josh Mathews as they improve each and every week. Matt and Josh will be calling ECW bout(s) at Judgment Day in Chicago which is how one improves ones game.
Is WWE Champion Randy Orton's name pronounced Or-TON or Or-Un. I always enunciated the "T" but diction has not always been my strong suit. "Or-Un" and his Legacy Lap Dogs will make things miserable for folks on Monday night and I have my doubts that even Batista can overcome a 1 on 3 disadvantage but, also, this isn't hockey.
The Diva competition on FNSD has the potential to be extremely competitive and the in ring action could end up being one of the highlights of Friday nights. Melina bringing the WWE Women's Title over from Raw is a good thing. Oh, yeah Melina also brought her entrance which I inadvertently replicated while walking out to the mail box during out last ice storm.
Be well and count your blessings. Also check out www.wrestlersrescue.org to see how you can help WWE and me assit in raising funds for a needed surgical procedure for Steve "Dr. Death" Williams who is a throat cancer survivor. Thanks, in advance, for your help.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 10:12 AM EST
[Blog This!]
I am happy to be in NYC because that means the WWE Nation will pack Madison Square Garden Tuesday night for the taping of ECW/Friday Night Smackdown.
Edge is the new #1 man on SD. Who will be his #1 contender going into Judgment Day? One would assume we'll find out this week on SD. Could be one of several individuals. I'm relatively sure GM Teddy Long will settle this matter in the ring.
Don't count out the multi talented CM Punk because of his Backlash loss to Kane. The Chicago Made Punk is being counted on to be a main event player on Friday night. I like his Muay Tai strikes and his toughness. I wish I knew more about him. FTW Kane has beaten many BTP'ers.
Interesting verbal interation between Edge & Christian at Backlash. Made me think of three letters ....TLC.
Many young fans will never know personally how good Ricky Steamboat was back in "the day." Trust me when I tell you that he was the perfect fan favorite. For yours truly to be inducted into the WWE HOF before "The Dragon", among many others, is humbling and embarassing. Any young wrestlers who want an in ring role model should study Steamboat like a hawk. Modeling one's self like Ricky outside the ring isn't such a bad idea either.
For you Foodies who might be wonder where an Okie goes to eat in NYC, stayed in the game. By that I mean that I had BBQ at "Daisy Mae's BBQ" which was voted NYC's "Best." The wet ribs & the collard greens were really good. I shudder to think how well a JR's BBQ would do in the right NYC locale as it relates to how great our food is compared to NY's "Best" in all due respect. I'm just saying.
One would assume that this week's SD will have a different feel because of the 16 or so new faces to the roster. I'm really anxious to see what SD Superstars look at this week's SD as a fresh start, a new season, etc and raise their respective games. No one is immune to improving their professional skills.
Congrats to Christian for winning the ECW Championship. He will provide the ECW fans with some great bouts & can get it done with a variety of opponents.
I still like fellow Okie Jack Swagger's potential. His attitude is questionable but no one with a brain can deny Swagger's athletic skills.
I am not pleased with the way Edge won the World's Title. It does make me want to see Cena vs Show some day but now we will have to hear Edge speak on Edge throughly on Friday nights. Edge may be the best at what he does in WWE but do need to hear Edge tell us incessantly. Several SD competitors have their sights set on Toronto's gift to WWE (I prefer Trish Stratus) and I think several men have the legit chance to seriously challenge the new champion.
Don't miss my blogs on our bbq site www.jrsbarbq.com where we also sell sauces, dry rubs, caps, shirts, cookbooks, etc in our on line store.
And again, I will repeat my infamous statement from Backlash, "I'm a happily, married man" just like my hero and dot com guru the good doctor Joe E. Styles.
