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

Even though I am still battling pneumonia, I was able to stay coherent (no wise cracks please) and enjoy Monday Night Raw in my overstuffed, recliner from our home in Norman even with tornadoes in the area.

What a start to Raw with the Jericho/Flair interaction. Jericho’s sucker punch lead to Flair’s demise which resulted in 11 staples inserted in “Naitch’s” head. Nice job Chris and I hope that you are proud of your actions. I am surprised that jerry Lawler didn’t intervene but King has so much respect for Flair that Lawler knew that if he did intervene on Ric’s behalf that flair would have likely been offended. It’s this thing called pride that so many of the old school guys have and that the younger generation in wrestling still doesn’t

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

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

It is great to get back to Norman, Okla., after one of the more challenging road trips in recent memory that included sitting in the lovely but talented Indianapolis Airport for approximately nine hours, Wednesday, with much of that spent watching the World’s Strongest Man hibernate in a chair built for someone the size of Hornswoggle. Henry’s snoring was epic and many folks took photos of him sleeping during our long weather-related delay. Bottom line, as “Stone Cold” would say, is that Mother Nature is undefeated and likely to stay such. It took me more than 14 hours to get from Indy to OKC on Wednesday. I know, poor me.

The Joe Louis Arena was rocking on Sunday night on what I thought was a very solid night of WWE action especially in the ECW, World Title and

Greetings, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all from a BBQ loving, Oklahoma Sooner football fan who is happy to be home as holiday air travel is about as enjoyable as discussing the BCS with JBL.

My suggestion to those of you that have a choice of flying or not this holiday season would be, “Are you nuts?!” Tuesday morning I was at the Toronto airport at 4:30 (that’s 3:30 Oklahoma time) and the place was an insane asylum.

It was a worse scene than our pal the Fink OD’ing on chocolate covered pretzels.

How hot was Trish Stratus Monday night when she teamed with Raw’s #1 man John Cena? Trish got the proverbial “Road Warrior” pop when she was introduced to her home town fans. Just curious, but why have some of my most unforgettable moments happened

From under the custom-made, black hat, it has been a busy week for the WWE’s resident Oklahoma Sooner loving, barbecue restaurateur with appearances on Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, and NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The news that former ECW announcer Mike Adamle was named the General Manager of Monday Night Raw certainly was a shocker to most who follow sports-entertainment, notwithstanding those men and women who still earn their paychecks on the Raw brand … many of whom were legitimately dumbfounded with Adamle’s announcement Monday from Washington D.C. I do know that my old broadcasting partner, who I will reunite with on NBC’s Saturday Night’s Main Event, Jerry “The King” Lawler, is on edge regarding Adamle becoming