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

Greetings from under the black, custom-made hat from your BBQ lovin’, tornado dodging, Oklahoma neighbor who is counting down the days until WrestleMania 25 in Houston’s Reliant Stadium while inviting you to join us this week for Friday Night SmackDown on MyNetworkTV as we bring you episode 501.

We will see all eight participants who will compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania in an eight-man tag this week on SmackDown. The good news is that Hornswoggle did not enter the “Tazz zone” and attempt to provide guest grunting … or commentary during this bout. “The World’s Angriest Announcer” might not have “cottoned” to Finlay’s son donning headsets. I have thought about it a fair amount and I still don’t

Many thoughts come to my mind when I think of this Friday night’s 500th episode celebration of SmackDown. Some fans may not remember that yours truly was the first play-by-play voice of SmackDown when it debuted on Thursday nights on the UPN television network on Aug. 26, 1999 in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

I can remember several facets of that somewhat chaotic and stressful TV taping day which was, to be exact, Aug. 24, 1999. Apparently the term “network TV” had many on edge, even though when the show came on the air it was going to be business as usual as far as I was concerned.

After the Owen Hart tragedy, Kemper has never been one of my favorite places to work, but let me make one thing perfectly clear about that statement. It has nothing to do with the

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.,

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

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

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

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

The past few days have gone by like a blur. They've escaped like Fink's hair ... gone in a flash. But it's all good.

Mrs. J.R. and I had the privilege of attending the Super Bowl and watching my wife's beloved Steelers win their unprecedented sixth NFL Title. (Ten more and they tie Ric Flair in the world title category.) I loved the Super Bowl experience from start to finish but I must say, and remember that I am a HUGE football fan, that it wasn't as overwhelming as the emotions that I have felt at WrestleMania's in the past. We actually sat behind a fellow who was a Steeler fan and who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida who has already purchased his WrestleMania tickets. Small world, huh?

Then on Monday night I am in Tampa and watching Monday Night Raw when I hear that Ric Flair will be