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JR's Blog: State Fair of Texas...Back to Work...Weekend Update...FREE SHIPPING of JR's Products Continues

Posted: Oct 19th 2009 By: CMBurnham

What a weekend with our quick trip down to Dallas for the Oklahoma vs. Texas college football game that saw my Sooners lose ugly 16-13 against their arch rivals in their 104th meeting that might have been different if OU's Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradford hadn't gone down with another shoulder injury in the 1st quarter. But that's football and injuries are a part of the game. Congrats to the 'Horns on the win. I'm sure that I will hear it at work on Tuesday as I always do when OU loses as some relish in the misfortunes of others and like to be obnoxious jackasses. I have learned over the years to simply blow it off and put these folks on "ignore."

We are doing a somewhat steady flow of business in our on line store which totally funds this website. The more business we do the longer we can continue to grow the site which I enjoy interacting with you on several days a week. So, your business with us is not only needed and viable but much appreciated.

If one has never attended the Oklahoma-Texas game which is held in conjunction with the State Fair of Texas it is a really cool event even if you're not a football fan. The setting is one of a kind and I hope that the game never moves to the new, Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. The Sooners are in a rare spot, 3-3, after starting the preseason as one of the top 2-4 teams in the land but major injuries have put a damper on those aspirations. I steadfastly remain a Sooner fan no matter if they win or lose because I am emotionally invested in the team and have made a commitment to them. I will be traveling to Lawrence, Kansas this Saturday for another Big 12 game vs. the Kansas Jayhawks before heading Sunday morning to Pittsburgh for WWE's Bragging Rights.

Getting out of the Cotton Bowl after losing wasn't as tumultuous as usual as the 11 a.m. start did not facilitate so many drunk, obnoxious fans who could care less who they curse or F Bomb in front of including ladies and children. The defiant young male demographic who abuse booze and are so insecure that they feel compelled to get drunked up and make an ass out of themselves doesn't speak overwhelmingly positive for the future "leaders" and adults in general of our society.

No website has any definitive news on why Shane McMahon resigned from his family's company, WWE, on Friday. Perhaps more news sites will elaborate on this matter come Monday as Friday is always the best day to drop big news as sometimes it gets somewhat lost on the weekend. Nonetheless no one knows why Shane seemingly abruptly decided to leave the family business and I don't feel that any one will know the reason until he declares what his next venture will be. Shane has a great formal education not to mention years of "on the job" training since starting out on the ring crew as a teen during the summers. I know Shane has many interests and who's to say that he simply wants to reassess where he is in his life and spend more time with his family which includes two sons? Until Shane himself makes an official statement as to what he is going to tee up next, then every thing any one can read, report or write about is pure speculation. Shane has excellent people skills and a unique skill set in a one of a kind genre that employs basic promotional and organization skills that should be transferable to many businesses.

I have always found it amazing when fans cannot understand when someone who is seemingly entrenched in the wrestling business decides to explore other opportunities. Both the Rock and Stone Cold have been dissed because they no longer have the desire to "wrestle" but have both said that they would be interested in making selected appearances at the right place and the right time. For some fans that isn't good enough. I admire "wrestlers" or "wrestling people" who want to explore other opportunities. Life cannot become one dimensional and one cannot allow their own lives to revolve around one, singular entity. That mindset isn't healthy or smart. Unless one is in a very unique position, IE ownership, and that's arguable, one should not allow the wrestling biz or any other biz to become their "life." Those that due usually end up miserable and make those around them unhappy as well. I have great empathy for ex-wrestlers who have to or feel compelled to to hang on to whatever they can within the wrestling business under the guise of "loving the business" while it's really all about not having any marketable skills to replace their income. This is just one of the reasons that I always encourage young wrestlers to be to get college degrees so that they will have something to fall back on in case becoming a wrestling star doesn't' work out....and it usually doesn't. If 2-3 out of 100 prospect become legit, main event level wrestling stars then a company should feel fortunate.

WWE's recent tour of Mexico has been huge. Mexico City Saturday night had over 20,000 fans in attendance paying almost 3/4 of a million bucks in ticket sales not to mention the merchandise sold. Monterrey also sold out earlier in the weekend with over 11,000 fans grossing close to half a million dollars. From my experiences over the years, doing over 7,000 tickets in Columbus, Georgia and over 6,000 fans in Huntsville, Alabama is strong business especially with disposable income being what it is during our down-turned economy in the States. The WWE also sold out Puebla, Mexico with over 10,000 paying close to $500K.

Bragging Rights in Pittsburgh still have seats available as about 75% of the seats are gone but one could surmise that by next Sunday the old Igloo will be packed.

With Todd Grisham entrenched in marital bliss as I write this and on his way to Aruba, I will work with a new partner in Columbia, South Carolina Tuesday night when we tape the last Friday Night Smackdown prior to next weekend's Bragging Rights PPV. Perhaps Jerry "The King" Lawler will reunite with yours truly for this broadcast while Grisham, WWE's version of Ryan Seacrest, is on his honeymoon. Let's all just start this rumor and see if if can become a reality. You got to admit that it's good "dirt." I can see it now on some wrestling websites, "JR says he will work with King on Tuesday in Columbia."

It is funny how people walk up to me all the time and either say that they wish King and I would hook back up on Raw OR that they still watch me every week on Monday night. I get the first part and I tell them that wasn't my call to split our team and that it wasn't something that I would have done but it is what it is and I can't do any thing about it. On the second statement, I can only assume that they are either B.S.'ing me about watching Raw every week and catching my work or that they simply have stopped watching and don't know that I've been gone from Raw since June of 08.

Even though the King did not win the Memphis Mayor's race he will rebound quickly as his "one can't grieve forever" mantra is one that he lives by and has since we've known each other. Based on the citizenry of Memphis being 70 % African American, perhaps what has been said that a Caucasian Mayor will never be elected there again is true. This isn't a "Rush Limbaugh" statement by yours truly but what many old school politicians have said about the state of politics in King's hometown. At least he tried and he deserves credit for trying to be put in a position to help his hometown. If the new Mayor was smart he would find something positive and constructive for Jerry to do to help Memphis which is enduring horrifically trying times.

We had a great weekend at our BBQ joint in Norman this week which came at a good time. Being a small business owner, especially in the fickle world of the restaurant business is challenging these days. But I like challenges and I do know that our business is better when I'm there than when I'm not which is certainly something worth thinking about in the future.

We've updated our Q&A Section of the site since returning from our trip to the woodshed in Dallas Saturday night. Check it out. If you don't see your question answered then it obviously was deleted because it was either a repeat question or WAY out there especially from those who are seemingly obsessed with certain wrestlers. I am not a messenger service and am not passing on any "messages" from those that should be writing Dr. Phil and not J.R. I almost think that I could do a book of satire on the emails that I have deleted over the years and that it would be hilarious. Please keep your questions succinct as many get axed for simply being too long. Also the one's that start with, "I have three questions for you" often times don't make the team.

I saw my old pal Dennis Brent down in Dallas Thursday night. Dennis has been diagnosed with M.S. and is battling it well. Dennis has some unbelievable collectibles from decades of the being in the wrestling business and him publishing a book of photos and short stories about some of the biz's biggest stars and events would be awesome. Dennis has some of the most unique, signed, one of a kind selection of swag you can ever hope to see. Write that book Dennis!

I am not going to be in Jacksonville but would enjoy slipping into town and just hanging out on Snoop Dogg's tour bus Monday night.

Planning on watching last Friday's SD with Grisham and Cole Sunday between NFL games. Anxious to hear how they sound. The old wrestling folk lore of an announcer missing work is the kiss of death is laugh out loud funny but some folks love to report on the dark side of any issue and reflect back to other generations for their cases in point. If I'm not good enough to "start" then I deserve to be "benched" or, as General Skandar Akbar used to say, "be given my walking papers."

OU hoops Coach Jeff Capel, who grew up in the Carolinas and played point guard at Duke, is a huge fan of Ric Flair as I found out during a couple of social functions that I attended with Coach Capel recently. Jeff has a great recollection of the Four Horsemen days who were his favorites.

Speaking of "Naitch" he called me Saturday morning early to wish me good luck at the Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl which was a classy gesture. He's excited to be going to Australia to wrestle but Flair vs. Hogan isn't what I would book as it would be Flair and Hogan together against two, younger athletic guys. Ric going down under to make a big payday doesn't bother me at all nor do I think it bothers HBK who a fan recently asked about in our Q&A section of this site.

We are preparing to introduce J. R.'s Homemade Fried Pies on our menu soon and it will be the main event of deserts in our area. Perhaps we can figure out a way to ship to other destinations in the USA. How's this sound, a homemade, fried Apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar seasoning?

We are also going to be hickory smoking 14 pound turkeys for Thanksgiving and will have a sign up sheet for those in the area to make sure that they get their amazingly, delicious Turkey for their family's enjoyment for Thanksgiving. At this time, we are not going to ship to USA locales but we would love to if there was a demand. The 14 pound birds, deliciously smoked are going to retail for $34.99.

Thanks for stopping by and please tell a friend about our site.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.