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Fri, 05/17/2013 - 9:18pm — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
Greetings and welcome to our website. This weekend you can save up to 30% on JR's products from http://www.wweshop.com. Take a look at our page there. It's a great opportunity to share an order with another not withstanding Father's Day is on the horizon. Let's Grill...
St Louis will host @WWE Extreme Rules this Sunday on PPV. Arguably the most physical PPV of the year from WWE because any time inanimate objects become involved in the grappling equation, any thing can happen. If every WWE Superstar comes out of St. Louis unscathed, I will be "Extremely" surprised. I wish everyone involved the best of luck.
Here are my predictions: (No wagering, please)
Cody Rhodes, if you weeill, hasn't won many bouts since growing the 'stache and he won't Sunday either vs. The Miz. This is on the pregame show. (Have you heard about the WWE app?? Watch the pregame there)
Chris Jericho beats Fandango in what will surprise some.
Mark Henry will whip Sheamus' achromatic hide like a Government Mule with a leather strap made in Idaho and will then touch all 4 ring posts to win in controversial fashion.
The Shield win the WWE Tag Titles over Team Hell No. Reigns beats Kane for the deciding fall.
Dean Ambrose wins the United States Title vs. Kofi Kingston in a match that could eventually push Kofi over the proverbial edge. Can Ambrose restore luster to the US Title?
Randy Orton won't lose in his hometown, one would assume, but we all know what occurs when we assume. Nonetheless, I'm going with Rockin' Randall but somewhat reluctantly.
Will Jack Swagger tap to Alberto Del Rio's cross armbreaker OR could Ricardo Rodriguez throw in the towel ala Arnold Skaaland for Bob Backlund years ago to cause Swagger to win? Hmmm...don't see the newly minted hero ADR losing but stranger things have happened.
Ryback takes advantage of John Cena's tender heel/Achilles and snatches victory out of the jaws of defeat to become the NEW, WWE Champion!! (In The Fink's voice)
Been pondering the Steel Cage match scenario for a few days and I keep coming back to BA-ROCK....LES-NAR!! w/ the help of Paul Heyman winning the rubber match over HHH. The Meyer Lansky of WWE, @HeymanHustle, seemingly has as much on the line here as BA-ROCK....LES-NAR as Dr Heyman-stein and his monster win in the city that Muchnick built.
Wow...according to me it sounds like it may be a long night for the fan favorites on PPV Sunday night but a little antagonist angst makes for interesting television as in a hot, Monday Night Raw in Kansas City.
St Louis will be sold out Sunday Night which is always great and enhances the work rate of everyone involved especially if the crowd is emotionally invested in the proceedings. Look for some "sleeper" performances by some talents who have the golden opportunity to take another step forward as they maximize their minutes. Opportunity awaits and I wonder who will seize it?
Guessing we are due a couple of shockers as the build to Summer Slam unofficially gets underway Sunday night, too. (Could the Black Scorpion return to STL to the infamous scene of an old crime?)
Broadcasters Cole, JBL and The King should have a productive night as the matches are generally unique and there are some compelling stories to tell with the goal, as always, being to tell compelling stories and enhance everyone who steps into the ring while being entertainingly witty with their repartee.
The Mrs. and I will be watching from the comfort of our Norman home on PPV and I'm looking forward to seeing what fans are talking about once the PPV has concluded.
BTW...I will be live Tweeting during the PPV @JRsBBQ.
Got caught in a mild hailstorm over killing a feral hog on Shawn Michaels' Texas ranch this past week from some folks on Twitter @JRsBBQ. People need to research feral hogs and learn how destructive and non productive they are. Their only redeeming qualities, that I can think of, are pork chops, bacon, etc for deserving families who need the free groceries. This is a "Lighten Up Francis" moment if there ever was one.
Check out how to save up to 30% OFF this weekend during the EXTREME SALE at http://www.wweshop.com on JR's products just in time for the grilling season.
If you live in the UK, Ireland or anywhere in Europe, visit our friends in Manchester @americansoda on Twitter and shop online for JR's deliciousness at http://www.americansoda.co.uk.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ
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Sun, 05/19/2013 - 11:27am — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
If you are reading this on Sunday, the EXTREME SALE at http://www.wweshop.com where you can save up to 30% OFF on JR's products ends tonight. Hit the website and check out the deals and be ready for grilling season. Some fans are telling me that they are sharing an order with friends or family members plus getting Dad something for Father's Day. Let's Grill!
Big night in St. Louis tonight with one of the world's most significant, wrestling cities hosting WWE Extreme Rules on PPV.
Lots of pivotal moment in my career had a St. Louis impact. The WCW PPV in the historic, Kiel Auditorium where Ric Flair was revealed to be the masked, Black Scorpion was a memorable night. Flair in a mask was unique but actually calling matches in that facility was a big moment for me personally.
It was in St. Louis where we learned that our friend Brian Pillman had died the night before in Minnesota. Every time that I'm in the Scott Trade Center I vividly remember where I was standing when given the horrific news.
It was in ST. Louis where we got many of the former, NWA World Champions together to be honored at a WWE event. Even legendary promoter Sam Muchnick attended the festivities. Sam was truly the Meyer Lansky of the NWA back in its heyday as he wielded ample power and influence within the Alliance and brought a level of business savvy and civility to the organization.
One of the best nights of my career was sitting in my hotel room with Jack and Jerry Brisco until the wee hours talking old times, listening to Jack talk of the grueling schedule of being the NWA Champion and the ridiculous amount of one night stand bookings. Plus the issues of collecting his money from some promoters who always wanted to "forget" that it was their obligation to pay for the Champion's travel to their next booking.
The burnout factor in being the NWA Champion was intense as the responsibility of being the champion was never ending. I used to wonder how the champ's even got a workout in or did something as mundane as do their laundry or dry cleaning.
I've been lucky to work some amazing events for WWE in St. Louis and always felt the cities special place in the b\fabric of our business. I hope that everyone involved on Sunday's PPV understand this as well whether it be in ring talent or broadcaster. The market is ripe with wrestling history including producing the great Lou Thesz who won his first, NWA title in St. Louis in 1937 at the age of 21.
Of course it was in ST. Louis on Monday night Raw that we celebrated the life of Owen Hart after he accidentally fell to his death the night before in Kansas City at the Over the Edge PPV.
Poignant memories in deed for me in the city of St. Louis, Missouri.
Larry Matysik has written several books based on his experiences in the biz in St. Louis of which I've enjoyed and encourage those who like to read about wrestling history to check out.
It's really too bad that WWE was unable to buy the St. Louis Wrestling TV tape library so it could have been preserved for years to come to the largest audience possible. We tried and just couldn't get it done.
I do expect St. Louis to be a host city for a WrestleMania some day, too.
To address some Tweets @JRsBBQ:
WWE is about as likely to work w/ Impact Wrestling on an event as I am wearing burnt orange to the Oklahoma-Texass Red River Rivalry Game. Ain't gonna happen. WWE has zero to gain by this and I'm surprised that some fans actually think that it "could" happen.
TNA Owner Dixie Carter is a bright lady and made a timely sound byte that many fans, I'm sure, were excited to read but let's be honest...it's not going to happen.
The Mid South Wrestling DVD from WWE will be released in September and I'm getting an advance copy likely in early to mid June. Some of the biz' biggest stars will be highlighted when they were jut getting started including the duo of the Bladerunners, Sting and Rock aka the Ultimate Warrior, young Rob Ricksteiner who became the incomparable Dog Face Gremlin Rick Steiner, the Midnight Express vs. Rock n Roll Express rivalry which was as good as it gets in tag team wrestling that I ever witnessed, and even some RARE footage of yours truly going to a Muslim Church with Muhammad Ali and my poolside interviews with "The Champ" at this LA home prior to him coming to Mid South for a Super Dome show and SO much more in the three disc set. The DVD is not a documentary but does contain some extensive interviews from many of the men involved in the promotion that were recorded at WM29 and other locales.
Thoughts on the controversial, MSG 'Curtain Call' that took place 17 years ago today in New York City....I've mellowed on this one over the years. When it first occurred, I was so 'Old School' that I did not like it but as the years have gone by, like many things in my life, I've stepped back and taken a longer look at such matters. It certainly did not 'kill the business" nor did it affect the business in any significant way other than Hall and Nash left WWE and had great success in WCW and spearheaded the Monday Night Wars which was good for everyone involved in my view.
For those who are asking, I am still working one a 'One Man Show' concept that is in the formative stages. It won't be a stand up routine as I don't have an act, per se, but will be more autobiographical and, hopefully, motivational & informative. I will also engage the audience in conversation with Q&A time. I'll keep every one posted as I'm going to need to sell some tickets.
Speaking of Q&A's, the Q&A's section here has been updated as of Sunday midday.
I will be live Tweeting @JRsBBQ during @WWE Extreme Rules tonight.
My compete list of Extreme Rules predictions are here in a blog that I posed Saturday. Check them out.
Remember to visit http://www.americansoda.co.uk for JR's products in the UK, Ireland and Europe. Follow them on twitter @americansoda.
Thanks to those who support our efforts, as well, at http://www.wweshop.com.
Enjoy Extreme Rules on PPV!
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ
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Credit: JRSBARBQ.com
Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry, discussing the possible relationship between WWE and the NFLPA. Here are the highlights…
“I flew to Washington , D.C. Tuesday evening and met with the NFLPA on Wednesday morning. It was a productive meeting as the NFLPA group is in contact with literally hundreds of high level athletes who become detached from the NFL and are looking for their next career opportunity.
Obviously, not every former football player will fit into WWE Developmental but some will and those that do have a chance to use their God given athleticism and their extroverted personalities to fit into the system and hopefully become WWE stars some day.
Over the years, the wrestling business has been dotted with stars who have had a football background including Bronko Nagurski who was a former NWA Champion and is a member of the NFL’s inaugural Hall of Fame class.
Some critics say that WWE is making a mistake going this route to which I wholeheartedly disagree. We are looking for athletes who have outgoing personalities and who are fans of the genre of sports entertainment and who WANT to become WWE Superstars. Great athletes who don’t have any emotional investment in the world of sports entertainment need not apply.
The great thing about a former NFL player, no matter their level of league experience, is that we know that we are getting an athlete of a high level and their pedigree and background can be thoroughly checked to make sure that it’s a good ‘marriage.’ There are literally scores of talented, educated young men who have lived their football dreams and are now ready to embark on another career course. If we are successful matching athleticism with the necessary aptitude of a given talent, then WWE and its fanbase wins.
Time will tell how this potential arrangement works out for all involved but WWE will continue to look far and wide for potential WWE talents including other sports groups and organizations worldwide, the independent wrestling circuit, and beyond.”
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Jim Ross posted his latest blog at JRSBBQ.com. Here are some highlights:
Daniel Bryan: "For my money, no one on any WWE broadcast over shadows Daniel Bryan who is arguably the best technical wrestler in the business and his consistent performances week after week often times goes unmentioned."
The Shield: "The Shield continues to evolve and their unit is becoming one of the hottest entities within WWE in years. If they can stay healthy, which there are no guarantees, and continue to evolve and master their craft these three can be big time players in WWE for years to come. Hopefully, they will continue down their current path as I would like to see where that would take the trio at WM30 in New Orleans."
Bray Wyatt Family vignette: "The Bray Wyatt Family vignette was spot on and after seeing them perform as much as I have in NXT I can attest that they will, without question, contribute positively to WWE once they arrive on RAW and/or Smackdown.
"Wyatt has success and athleticism in his blood and has that rare, second gear that most big men do not possess. I can't stress how important that is.
"Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are big, rugged dudes who, at times, remind me of a young Mick Foley or Bruiser Brody inasmuch as they are 'brawlers' who move well for being such big men."
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Tickets are on sale now in the UK for my first, Spoken Word tour in London on Sunday August 25 and in in Manchester on Monday August 26. The Cardiff date had issues with the venue and a new, third date has been finalized. @PSI_Events has more details on this.. Let's Grill!
Apparently tickets started very briskly Friday morning when they went on sale in London and Manchester for the first ever "Evening with Jim Ross" events...my first foray into the Spoken Word world.
Just got word that the Cardiff date will be held on Saturday August 24 at the Hilton Hotel Cardiff and tickets are on sale as of 7 PM UK time at jrcardiff.evenbrite.co.uk.
I will take the live audience on a journey that starts when I became a wrestling fan growing up as an only child in Westville, Oklahoma through the early days of my career in the territories, the corporate years in the wrestling business, overcoming a few hurdles along the way and up until the present day. These events will also feature a healthy, Q&A session and will conclude with a VIP, personal meet and greet, photo and autograph session.
If our concept works in the UK we hope to schedule more dates there and there's been talk of doing a tour in Australia, where I've never traveled, and in North America as well. Time will tell but It's something that has me excited as I feel the presentation has potential.
I've updated the Q&A section of the site and appreciate many submitting good, succinct questions. I hope that you will check them out and leave your own questions if you choose.
For fans attending our Spoken Word tour we are trying to work out with @americansoda to have JR's BBQ Sauces, Ketchup and Mustard on sale at the events for those asking.
This Saturday morning I return to yahoosportsradio.com with @seanpendergast at 10:30 am central time to talk a little WWE and more. Listen on your radio or online. Great, 30 minutes of radio.
One of the most frequently asked questions that we get here is when a NXT wrestler is going to be brought up to either a RAW or Smackdown roster. Firstly, I am far removed from the creative loop that makes those decisions so I generally hear later in the process. Secondly, the NXT talents should NOT want to be called up until there is a definitive plan for them such as we are seeing with the Wyatt Family. I like the idea of doing several weeks of vignettes on the talents so that when they do appear their debut has more significance and the audience has been somewhat preconditioned to the TV personas of the talent featured. Just to show up on a TV show usually doesn't move the needle in my view.
While some fans have issues with the TV persona of Fandango, I find him to fit within the flamboyant, sports entertainer category of which there have been many predecessors. Obviously, Fandango's exclusivity comes from his dancing. Great talents like Gorgeous George, the Honky Tonk Man , exotic Adrian Street, Nature Boy Ric Flair and countless others come to mind when one uses the word flamboyant or colorful to describe a wrester. The jury is still out, in my view, whether Fandango will be a fan favorite or a villain as it seems, at least to me anyway, that the fans haven't fully made up their mind on that distinction. I like Summer Rae, who is essentially a valet, working with Fandango as I feel she has a significant up side based on her work that I've seen in NXT. The good news about this pairing is that both talents are hungry for success and Fandango has proven to me on various occasions that he can get the work done bell to bell.
Good to see that @CMPunk has been able to take some time off and decompress before he returns to the grind of the road in his hometown of Chicago at Payback. Going on nothing but my own gut instincts, I'd suggest that we fans don't see Punk until the night of the PPV in Chicago. He's going to receive a massive ovation from the always rabid All State Arena crowd and will arguably be the most popular wrestler in the arena that night. I might be wrong but it seems as if the fans enjoy cheering Punk more than they do jeering him.
Planning on attending the Softball World Series in OKC where my Oklahoma Sooners are the #1 seed,
Too many sports types bitch about the officiating in the NBA playoff and the umpires in MLB for that matter. It's all a part of the game. Get over it. Players make turnovers, errors, and coaches soil the sheets with lame brain decisions....it's all a part of the game. Be creative sports people and come up with something more compelling than the officiating storyline. It's old. Next.
I do the same thing in NCAA Women's Hoops but normally with tongue in cheek and in an attempt to find some humor in their ineptness.
Anxious to see an advance copy of the Mid South DVD that is to be released in September by WWE. Those that are familiar with Mid South seem as if they can't wait on the release while others, likely younger fans haven't a clue as to what , when, who, Mid South was. I expect to preview the DVD in early to mid June.
Getting lots of questions on Bob Holly's book especially as it relates to the ill fated Brawl For It All but I haven't read the book so I can't speak to Bob's opinion on what occurred. I do hope that Bob does well with the book and I enjoyed working with him in WWE and always kept my word with Bob and treated him fairly and like a man. We certainly supported Bob during his injuries and would do it all over again if given the opportunity. Bob was a tough, old school guy who was likely underrated by many which is unfortunate.
Keep JR's products in mind for Father's Day gift packages from http://www.wweshop.com and in the UK, Ireland and Europe from http://www.americansoda.co.uk.
Thanks for stopping by and please follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ where we have exceeded 800,000 followers.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ
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Sun, 06/02/2013 - 10:42am — J.R.
Posted in:Wrestling
Catching a beautiful Sunday here in Norman, Oklahoma after more tornados this week that killed 9 people in our area. We have been very fortunate thus far and certainly need to build a tornado shelter here at our home. That matter has been re-prioritized I can assure you. Let's Grill...
We have less than 100 tickets remaining for our Spoken Word show in London on Sunday August 25. The VIP Meet and Greet tickets for London sold out in the first few hours tickets went on Friday.
Tickets are also on sale, including the VIP Meet and Greet tickets, for Cardiff which is our first date on Saturday August 24 at the Cardiff Hilton Hotel and for the Manchester Comedy Store on Monday August 26.
Tickets can be purchased for this first ever Spoken Word tour for all three events at http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/
I can't wait for the opportunity to interact with the fans in such intimate settings and I look forward to not only talking about my journey that started on a farm in eastern Oklahoma, working in the territory era, and culminating with being an Executive Vice President of WWE and being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Q&A portion of the three shows should be a blast.
I've updated the Q&A section of the site as of Sunday morning Okie time. Check them out and feel free to ask your own questions but I encourage you to keep them succinct.
RAW last week had an increased freshness to it. If one looks back a year ago you will find many talents who were not on the RAW radar but today are prominent on the WWE's flagship broadcast.
Perhaps the Wyatt Family introductory vignette put the freshness tag over the top for me and I consider "new' as being better more often than not. The Wyatt vignettes were expertly produced and edited which isn't surprising coming from WWE TV personnel.
Speaking recently on Bray Wyatt's "2nd gear" that some did not understand it is essentially the same thing as a great, defensive lineman in the NFL being able to explode off the ball and then change gears again when needed to make a play. It's not something that every athlete, no matter their size, possesses. Wyatt's grandfather, WWE HOFer Blackjack Mulligan was a massive beast who was once recruited to play college football by the legendary Bear Bryant along with football coaching legend Bum Phillips so athleticism runs in the family. Wyatt's father, Mike Rotunda was an outstanding, two sport star at Syracuse in football and in wrestling. So the bottom line is that Bray Wyatt has good athletic DNA.
Nonetheless the level of success that the Wyatt Family achieves is going to be largely up to them and not the family scrapbook. I like the trio and feel that they will contribute quickly once they arrive in WWE on RAW or Smackdown. I'd also assume that we will see another Wyatt Family vignette on RAW this week.
The key for any young talent getting the 'call up' is to never rest on their laurels as if they have 'made it.' They haven't 'made it.' They've only been provided the opportunity to 'make it' as becoming great and becoming a perennial main eventer is an on going, evolutionary process. It includes conducting one's self like a professional, continuing to study the game and maintaining an aggressive regime with their strength and conditioning program.
I'd also assume that we will see more of the on going breakout build continue for Curtis Axel who's now being mentored by Paul Heyman. @RealKingRegal and I have both said for months that, after seeing various Curtis Axel matches on NXT, that the 3rd generation athlete was ready for something significant. However, even though a talent is 'ready' there has be be a place for him or her to make an impactful entry or re-entrance to RAW or Smackdown.
Pairing Axel with @HeymanHustle is highly strategic and having the young Minnesota native face HHH and John Cena his first two weeks on RAW has people talking. That's more than they were doing when the kid was named McGillicutty.
Bottom line based on the feedback that I receive either on Twitter @JRsBBQ or here at our Q&A section of the site, is that many fans have little to no patience to allow a talent to organically evolve or a storyline to develop in a deliberate, logical manner. Many fans, again I assume the younger ones, want instant gratification as in '30 minutes or it's free' sort of a deal.
Got an email that reported that Bobby Eaton was slowly improving and was up and walking around in the hospital and would likely get a pace maker installed this coming week to help Bobby's heart condition. Please keep Beautiful Bobby in your prayers.
It's hard to name a ton of teams that were better than the Midnight Express...at least it is for me. They are right there with the Assassins as the TOP villain tag duo I've ever seen.
Happy to see that @HeelZiggler is getting better after sustaining a major concussion but he's still not ready to step back into he ring until he passes a battery of medical tests and is thoroughly evaluated by WWE medical personnel. Back in the territory wrestling days, Ziggler would have likely returned already because promoters only paid wrestlers when they worked. Wrestler health and safety wasn't a huge priority in past generations of the territorial system or so it seemed to me.
The "good, old days" weren't so good in many ways.
With Ziggler out, Big E Langston has been getting more in ring work which is a good thing. @BigELangston is a keeper in my view whose best days lie ahead of him. He's a quality human being who is an asset in any locker room environment which has significant value from where I sit.
Anyone who actually thinks that WWE attempting to develop a relationship with the NFLPA is wrong or ill timed has a very unique view on the recruiting of world class athletes for WWE especially with the fact that there are no full time territories developing large numbers of talents for WWE to potentially utilize. Approximately 400, excellent athletes will look for work outside the NFL each year and if they are young enough and have the required aptitude for the genre then why wouldn't WWE want to give some of them a look?
Order JR's products online at http://www.wweshop.com and in the UK part of the world at http://www.americansoda.co.uk. Keep us in mind for Father's Day shopping. Our packages make for great Dad's Day gifts.
You're invited to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.
Always like to remind every one of the @steveaustinBSR podcast which is a hit and my friends @MichaelCole and @JCLayfield and their @LayfieldReport APP and radio show. It's very entertaining to hear one's friends talk about topics other than wrestling, etc. These men are serious about their respective projects and I enjoy supporting them.
Thanks for stopping by and come back and see us.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ
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Beautiful day in Norman, Oklahoma after an early morning storm blew through including hail. Mother Nature was angry this morning my friends. Please keep us in mind for Father's Day gift giving at http://www.wweshop.com where you can find some great packages. Same goes for our friends in Manchester, England at http://www.americansoda.co.uk. Let's Grill!!
Lots of multi tasking TV viewing Monday night with the OU Women engaged in a 12 inning thriller with Tennessee in the College Softball World Series and an enjoyable RAW from Hartford.
I watched RAW live and kept the OU Women's Softball game in the picture in picture with video only. I disconnected early from the Heat vs. Pacers game. Not a good game and too many non hoops shots of the celebs, etc in the crowd. The overt 'flopping' is taking away from the game experience too. One NBA statement I will make is to never underestimate the value of the home court advantage. If game seven had been in Indy, the outcome might well have been different. Just my two cents. San Antonio will be hard to beat 4 times for any NBA team. Great team synergy and coaching.
Thoroughly enjoyed the start of RAW with the quasi, McMahon Family reunion including the surprise appearance of Stephanie McMahon. RAW started the night with established and new 'feeling' star power. The hook established in the early moments of RAW were brought forward strategically throughout the broadcast calumniating with HHH leaving the arena.
@WWEDanielBryan was the star of RAW.
This is not the first time I've written this. No matter the role or task at hand, Bryan delivers. He's as good as anyone in the business right now, for my money. Anyone who has had training from such men as Billy Robinson, William Regal, Shawn Michaels, and Robby Brookside and who has Bryan's desire and professionalism can't be any thing but good.
Bryan stole the show from 5 other very talented performers in the 6 man tag and Bryan had one of Ryback's best bouts ever.
The Bray Wyatt Family vignettes are outstanding. Expertly produced and edited. They are worth watching multiple times to discern the subtleties of the video.
Loved Curtis Axel's aggressiveness vs. John Cena. The young, 3rd generation talent showed no hesitation competing against WWE's top star. One can't be too aggressive in the ring as a rule and Axel is hungry and it shows. Hopefully, the "I want it now" facet of the fanbase will be patient and allow the Minnesotan to evolve in his new, enhanced role.
We have a few VIP tickets remaining for my upcoming, First Ever Spoken Word tour of the UK in late August. Cardiff on Saturday August 24 at the Hilton Hotel has a handful of VIP Meet & Greet tickets left. This will be my first ever trip to Wales and I'm excited to meet fans in an area that I've never traveled.
VIP tickets for London sold out quickly and less than 100 regular tickets for the Sunday August 25 Show remain.
The Manchester Comedy Store event is on Monday August 26 and there are a handful of VIP seats remaining for the storied venue.
For tickets and other info on this first ever tour of its kind for me please check out http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/
Between my stories of how I've navigated a blessed career from rural Oklahoma to WrestleMania, and beyond, and your Q&A's, we are going to have a great time at all these shows. For those who have VIP Meet and Greet tickets, I assure you that you won't be rushed through the line like cattle as I enjoy meeting fans who make everything possible for those of us who earn a living in the biz.
The Q&A's are updated here on the site. Please submit your questions if you'd like and I ask that everyone keep them succinct.
Excited for @steveaustinBSR 3rd season of Redneck Island on CMT that debuts Wednesday night. I've got my DVR set for the entire season just in case I have a senior moment. I know...what's next...adult Pampers?
I find it amazing, but perhaps I shouldn't, that so many folks that Tweet me @JRsBBQ or email here seem to want me to knock TNA. Some of today's fans are amazing with their unquenchable thirst for dirt, gossip and negativity. I have many, many friends who work for TNA and I hope that they have continued success and continue to grow. Why would I wish them ill will? That makes no sense to me. I'm a fan of the genre and the more people who can be successful within it the better.
I'm envious of the great product placement for JBL's wife's new book on RAW with Damien Sandow. Mrs JBL, Meredith Whitney, is one of the most brilliant individuals on Planet Earth and her just released book "Fate of the States" will be a page turner for those of us wondering what the future may hold regarding our money, the State in which we live and our family's future. I'm sure there is more info @LayfieldReport APP or follow @JCLayfield on Twitter.
I'm a regular listener and you should be too of the Layfield and Cole radio show even though the tough talking Texan takes pot shots at me occasionally. As long as they can touch on the JR's products that we sell at WWEShop.com, I'm good. Seriously, you try to fill as much TV time as JBL and @MichaelCole do every week and you'd know that one will reach for anything that vaguely relates to the genre to use in an entertaining way. I don't envy their workload.
Thanks for stopping by and be sure and stock up on JR's products here during the heart of the grilling season. My family thanks you all for supporting our efforts.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ
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Good day to all. Let's get to grilling....
I updated my observations at the recent WWE Tryout Camp I participated in down in Tampa on my last blog that I posted on Sunday after I arrived back in Oklahoma. Check it out.
Big night in Richmond tonight as RAW emanates from the Coliseum that is seemingly timeless. It was the home for many Mid Atlantic Wrestling events over the years. My first TV taping for Crockett Promotions after the Crockett's bought out Cowboy Bill Watts was in Richmond for a double taping of one NWA Pro broadcast and one Worldwide Wrestling show. Bob Caudle and I did the the NWA Pro show which was considered the 'B' show while Tony Schiavone and David Crockett did the 'A' show which was Worldwide.
Those shows were 6 segments in length with five commercial breaks and were the norm in that generation within the genre as it related to local, one hour wrestling shows. Bob and I would tape our show first, sort of the warm up act for Tony and David, and then be through for the evening. These shows were done live to tape and not voiced over in post production.
I'd expect more Payback PPV bouts to be made official tonight considering that this is the last Monday Night RAW prior to the PPV in Chicago on Sunday.
Curious to follow the storyline involving HHH, Mr. McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and, subsequently, Curtis Axel on RAW tonight. I have no idea where this matter is headed but I can say that for Curtis Axel to be in this conversation with the aforementioned individuals is nothing but good for the son of Mr. Perfect.
Will Daniel Bryan continue to steal the show tonight on WWE's flagship broadcast as he has the past few weeks? I'm relatively certain that he will find a way. We had a young man in the recent Tampa tryout camp who reminded me of Daniel Bryan a great deal. I suggested to him that he watch every Daniel Bryan match that he could find. Same body type and a perfectionist in mastering the in ring drills. Plus, he won a Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in wrestling.
John Cena vs. Ryback is the official headliner for the Payback PPV but they will be hard pressed to follow CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho in Punk's hometown and with both men's penchant for show stealing. Two, highly skilled, proud performers like Jericho and Punk will make it very difficult for whatever immediately follows them to succeed. I could see a Divas match being held immediately after Punk/Y2J finish their business in the Windy City.
It's been smart of WWE to continue to hold World Champion Dolph Ziggler out of contact. There should be no rush and to err on the side of caution is always best for any injury especially a concussion. I expect Ziggler to make his presence felt in a big way tonight on RAW just six days prior to Payback. Ziggler is one of WWE's most valuable resources and I fully expect for him to have a breakout year in 2013 leading into something significant at WM30 in New Orleans.
One of the best attributes of the new, WWE Performance Center will be the presence of a full time strength and conditioning coach who will have world class equipment with which to work. Over time, we will see talents transform their bodies and become stronger and more explosive thanks to an organized, systematic training regime that has never been utilized to this degree ever in the business. This matter hasn't been discussed that much but, trust me, it is a huge feature of the new facility.
Just ask successful D1 college sports programs such as Alabama and Oklahoma how important their strength and conditioning programs are. Same goes for the good programs within the NFL.
I've always stressed that any athlete entering WWE Development, or even the Indies, should have a viable, Plan B in their 'back pocket' because most who enter the program, based on the math, won't make it to the main roster. Perhaps those who don't make it and then lash out is because they don't have a viable plan B. However, who's to say that they can't work the Indies and then try to come back to WWE? It's been done in the past. Bottom line is to not burn any bridges in a business as small as sports entertainment or, for that matter, any business.
Only a handful of tickets remain for the VIP Meet and Greet portion of my 1st ever, Spoken Word Tour in the UK coming up in late August. All tickets are selling fast and it looks likely that all be sold out come show time. For info on these shows or to buy tickets just go online to http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/.
Remember that JR's products make great Fathers's Day gifts that can be used on the grill or in the kitchen. Online ordering is easy and efficient that includes delivery to your home by simply logging onto http://www.wweshop.com or in the UK, Europe, etc to http://www.americansoda.co.uk. Amazon in the UK also sells JR's BBQ Sauces, Chipotle Ketchup and Main Event Mustard.
You're invited to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.
Thanks for stopping by and enjoy RAW tonight LIVE from Richmond.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
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On Easter Sunday morning a massive hail storm struck our home and destroyed our roof and gutters. Because we have had so much bad weather including a great deal of rain, the roofers are here today and started hammering incessantly at 6:30 this morning. Nails and shingles particles are everywhere. I'm essentially under "house arrest." Sadly, I can't even access my grill but "one can't grieve forever" as the King used to espouse so, here we go..
The more I peruse the WWE Payback PPV card slated for this Sunday in the All State Arena in Chicago the more intrigued I am. Several matches have the opportunity to be really good or better and several talents have the opportunity to stamp their own mark on the PPV.
Competition amongst talents is healthy. No one should be 'grandfathered in' as it relates to being a main eventer but should be required to earn it in an ongoing basis. At least, that's my opinion. We had great locker room competition among the talents during the Attitude Era because the roster was so deep with experienced, main event level talents who all wanted a taste of the big money.
No one rested on their laurels. The advantage then over now is that WWE had more top hands who could carry a main event than they currently do. The good news in that assessment is that the roster today is getting younger and I can see very soon down the road where the competition component is going to return in earnest because everyone can't go on last and everyone can't earn the top money on a given show.
I spoke with WWE HOFer Dusty Rhodes Tuesday night and I'm happy to report that 'The Dream' is feeling much better and is looking forward to attending the NXT TV taping next Thursday at Full Sail University near Orlando. Big Dust is already back at work down in Tampa and was in great spirits when we spoke.
Take solace in this Miami heat fans...the way the San Antonio Spurs shot the ball Tuesday night the Eastern Division All Star NBA team would have lost too. Now the big storyline will be how resilient the Heat have been all season after losing a game. The two teams play again in San Antonio Thursday night with the Spurs up two games to one.
I've discovered that the Steve Austin Podcasts are great traveling companions on fights. I've downloaded them to my IPad and listen while flying. You can follow @steveaustinBSR on Twitter. Steve's interview skills are unique and fun to listen to.
Yes, it was the old promoter in me that suggested that Tim Tebow would be able to earn his keep quickly if he ever came to WWE if for nothing else a one off PPV shot. Think of the outside the box publicity that Tebow would garner if he were to ever step in a WWE ring as a performer which is, granted, a long shot at best.
Realizing how much some talents want to make the NXT roster and to subsequently 'graduate' to the next level of WWE, it's not so hard to understand the dismay some talents have when they are either released or not signed following a tryout. I only suggest that they all take the high road and continue to work toward their dreams. The selection process is a subjective one and no one ever said it was infallible.
Enjoying working with the young broadcasters in NXT including veteran William Regal who is actually highly skilled at this aspect of the business. It is my opinion that every announce desk should have a degree of contrasting opinions all traveling in the same direction that should be entertainingly expressed but never at the expense of telling an accurate story of what is being displayed on the monitor.
Brad Maddox has an opportunity to evolve into an entertaining albeit abrasive color commentator if his early work in NXT is any indication. Both NXT broadcast teams are doing really well as of late.
I've updated the Q&A section of the site as of Wednesday morning and invite you to check them out.
Tickets for my first ever Spoken Word Tour which will take place over four night in late August in the UK are selling quickly but a few VIP seats and regular seats are still available. For ticket info, please visit http://www.psievents.eventbrite.com/
Portions of this presentation will be largely autobiographical but my instincts tell me that the Q&A aspect of the nights will be a blast as well. Many fans have never heard stories of the territory days and how a non wrestler, non relative with no business contacts can essentially enter the back door of the guarded pro wrestling fraternity and parlay that into a near 40 year career.
Great savings on several items on the JR page of http://www.wweshop.com including our JR's Cookbook which is loaded with wrestling stories and is authentically and personally autographed by yours truly on sale for only $12.99. WWEShop ships these books to any location in the world. With this sale going on, it's a great time to stock up on JR's products for the grilling season.
http://www.americansoda.co.uk will be selling JR's products at all our UK events in August.
Thanks for stopping by and I invite you to follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
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Source: JR's BBQ
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with a new blog on jrsbarbq.com, featuring thoughts on Payback and more. Here are some highlights:
- Good for Cutis Axel, the new IC Champion. I wish some cynical fans would stop second guessing every more this kid makes until he can get a little farther down the road in his career journey. I'm confident he will evolve into a significant asset for WWE.
- The Ziggler vs. Del Rio match had some psychological qualities of the WM13 bout between Bret Hart and Stone Cold. Great in ring storytelling that provides more questions than answers and plenty of follow up material for episodic TV. Del Rio seems more comfortable in the antagonist tole than he does as a fan favorite. However, I do think that many Hispanic fans will still support their countryman. I'm more interested in the personas of both ADR and Ziggler now than I was prior to Payback.
- With the return of RVD to MITB in July and coming off the heels of a strong Payback PPV, it seems as if WWE is building discernable momentum and potential, potent, PPV selling storylines for Summer Slam in LA.
