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JR's Blog: RAW from JR's Easy Chair in his agenda-free living room...Things you might not have thought of...Get Ready for San Antonio

Posted: Mar 10th 2009 By: mikeiles

After returning from the gym (go ahead and laugh you jacked up critics) and going through J.R's Drive Through for some smoked turkey and smoked chicken with two sides of green beans I headed home to watch Monday Night Raw which emanated from Jacksonville, Florida. I liked the show and here's why:

I wasn't expecting several great bouts but I was expecting several non wrestling segments to provide me with more info and more motivation to make for me to make an emotional investment in Wrestlemania. I too will buy WM25 on PPV and DVR it while I am in Houston and watch it after I get booed out of Austin for the Smackdown taping upon returning home to Norman on Wednesday. Nonetheless I have made my buying decision and no smart ass I will be paying retail.

As an announcer, I came out of Monday night's show with plenty of material to help build a great story for any match I happen to broadcast come April 5. I refer to these matches that I may happen to call because I don't realistically think that I will know what bouts I will call until the day of Wrestlemania. No worries at all on my end as any announcer worth his salt, or catering, will prepare to call all the bouts booked on any given show especially Wrestlemania.

I won't miss Raw from San Antonio next week when HBK, in his home town, teams with the Undertaker to face new IC Champion JBL and his unlikely partner Russian Vladimir Kozlov. Can you say communication issues? I will be shocked to see any physicality between HBK and Taker but it could happen but I wold be shocked nonetheless. However, how a hard headed, know it all Texan is going to get along with a pure bred, Russian is beyond me. If JBL has issues with Kozlov next Monday then we might have our selves an IC champ that will be the locals favorite in Houston against, potentially, a Russian. Who are the Texas fans going to invest in emotionally, a Texan or a Russian? The over/under for JBL's hook 'em horns sign is about a million.

I really enjoyed the interaction between HBK and UTaker in Raw's first segment and it is shaping up to be icon vs. icon at WM25 and is a match that I really want to broadcast which is why is likely won't happen. BTW when does this HOF seniority stuff begin to kick in? There may be no more anticipated bout at WM25 than Taker vs, Michaels. Any one want to argue that point? I assure that no two men will put more time, effort and their soul in preparing for this match that means so much to both native Texans in Houston's Reliant Stadium. Pride, reputation, experience, being a veteran, carrying WWE on each other's back at various times all factor in to what equates to the ultimate bout at the premier event of the year. No jokes please, but if I were a wrestler I would be leery of following HBK vs. Undertaker. Case closed.

I am interested to see how Ric Flair responds to Chris Jericho's embarrassing moment and Chrissie's challenge of Flair coming our of retirement next week to face Jericho in San Antonio. If I were Flair I would tell Chrissie to forget it and "show me the money" before I committed to any thing. Flair doesn't owe Jericho a match. These are the days that I wish Bruiser Brody was alive and still living in San Antonio as he would love to step in the ring for an impromptu bout with Jericho for no pay or at least a reasonable sized envelope full of cash. Ric....just say no or hell no.

However, it seems inevitable that somewhere down the road that based on what the King has said on multiple times that it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a Hollywood movie Mogul to figure out that a pending Lawler vs Jericho bout has got to happen some time, some where simply based on Lawler's comments on Raw.

So Edge had a thing with the wedding planner, Edge's wife Vickie has has an apparent affair with The Big Show, John Cena doesn't love Vickie, Edge, or Show but Cena does love the World's Heavyweight Title. I'm not sure if this is building to an Enzyte or Cialis commercial or whatever but it is a little weird and we aren't even that close to April 5. Please no octuplets, I'm begging you. If nothing else this is going to be an interesting story to follow all the way to Houston. This matter concerning the World's Heavyweight Title is like an episode of "As The World Turns" and I wonder if old Lou Thesz ever had to deal with as many unique challenges.

Now that JBL is the IC Champion will the IC Title finally get defended at a Wrestlemania? If so, against who? It won't be Punk who is in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Again, keep an eye on that cagey Russian.

No personal issue has ever captivated center stage like the HHH/Orton matter in recent memory. This match will be greatly anticipated and while HHH has not done a damn thing wrong to be booed there is no doubt that Orton will have his share of defiant male fans who would likely cheer for Satan, by the way how is Mr. McMahon, if given the opportunity. My guess is that HHH vs. Orton closes WM25 so if you have an office pool try and go another way. Nonetheless HHH vs. Orton will be an old school, wrestling match that use old school guys can completely and emotionally invest.

Congrats to KoKo B. Ware, a name that was coined in Mid South Wrestling, for being a 2009 inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame class. Many fans don;'t know that KoKo or James as he was known then was one of /Tennessee's best high school nose guards in football his senior year but decided at his size to wrestle and not pursue football. Congrats KoKo and welcome to the club. Here's another wrestler that Bill Watts utilized in the Mid South in a positive way which helped KoKo get noticed by WWE officials. It will be interesting to see if first cousins Lawler and Honky Tonk Man even speak to each other.

What in the hell is "Facebook??"

So their will be a 25 Diva Battle Royal featuring current and past divas all competing for the title of being named the first ever "Miss Wrestlemania." The early betting favorite from Oklahoma is on our OKie native and WWE HOF'er Mae Young.

Was King wearing yet another free, black WWE T shirt. Nonetheless it looked good.

So it was a fun Raw to watch.....lots of new info affecting WM25 and remember that the name of the game of all WWE shows between now and April 5 is to create more interest and essentially "sell" WrestleMania. Monday night's show did a nice job of doing that. The show was loaded with info and surprises.....entertainment properties,,,,and some wrestling. Nest week from San Antonio with HBK teaming with the Undertaker will be red hot. How great would it be if another San Antonino native could be there? Oh, Hell yeah!

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, Jerry Lawler, Lou Thesz, Koko B. Ware, Bill Watts, MSW, Honky Tonk Man, Mae Young