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JR's Blog: Weekend Update...FREE SHIPPING Still Available On Sauce and Jerky

Posted: Oct 12th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Here's hoping that everyone had a nice weekend. I attended the Oklahoma-Baylor game Saturday afternoon in Norman and then closed down J.cR.'s Family BBQ at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday night after we had one of the biggest nights of the year selling "Q." Business has been consistently growing at our little place that seats about 100 folks located on the east side of I35 at exit 109 in Norman. I was at our place until closing both Friday and Saturday nights and plan on being their Monday afternoon at some point as well. Later this week, it's a car trip with the Mrs. down to Dallas to take in the Red River Rivalry featuring the Oklahoma vs. Texas college football game, some shopping for my lovely wife and good food with many of our pals.

Our most sincere condolences go out to our friend Harley Race whose wife B.J. passed away on Friday. I was shocked when I heard the news and feel such empathy for the great Harley Race not to mention B.J.'s many, many friends. She was Harley's best friend and constant companion and was always a joy to be around.

At this year's Wrestlemania, my wife and I went to dinner with Steve Austin and his "better half" and who would end up sitting right next to us at an isolated spot in the steakhouse but Ric Flair and Harley Race. Needless to say, the stories and laughter flowed like the red vino that was being enjoyed. I know that Harley has had a huge impact on Flair's career and that Ric took B.J.'s untimely passing hard.

B.J. Race will be missed by all that knew her. Please keep Harley and his family in your prayers.

Speaking of Austin, his new film "Damaged" debuted at #5 at the I-Tunes UK store and #3 on the overall DVD sales at HMV which is the biggest retailer in the UK. That's a great start for "Damaged" and I encourage you to check it out when it becomes available in your neck of the woods. Steve is apparently going to start filming another movie in Vancouver in the next few weeks. He's a busy "Texas Rattlesnake."

CBS is going to feature Fedor, duh, on their big fight night in November but no Gina Carano which is a mistake. If you look at the CBS card produced with Showtime, who is going to do the promo work for this show? These people could take a page out of the book of how to promote pro wrestling and make sure that the "stars" can adequately communicate with their primary audience which is North America the last I looked. Carano is nothing but money and is on one of the latest ESPN the Magazine covers and should be featured on he show along with the legendary Russian, Fedor. One also has to think that this fight will be promoted heavily on CBS' coverage of NFL football but how? By exploiting 47 year old former NFL star Herschel Walker? Perhaps the promoters should retain a "manager" for Fedor to cut promos to the media. I'm just saying. Plus, those in charge don't want to compile a fight card of names most average Joe's can't pronounce, relate to or connect with and join the NHL as one of the most poorly marketed major sports in the world.

I read on line where WWE was kicking around the "War Games" theme for a possible return to PPV. I think that's a good idea as the traditional "War Games" concept was two teams of five and the bad guys winning every coin toss in existence which allowed them to always start with a 2 on 1 advantage. No, I don't endorse that "every match be a War Games match" but I do think that it makes for a cool theme name and having one "War Games" bout would be marketable if the table was set correctly with the right talents that all had organic reasons to be "teammates." Please read this carefully and don't go into business for yourself inasmuch as I'm saying that this is going to happen but that it was merely something that I read being discussed on line and we all know all those things can be at times.

BTW JJ Dillon got seriously injured in a War Games match once upon a time by the Road Warriors where JJ came close to breaking his neck but instead seriously damaged his shoulder.

WWE owns the "War Games" name as it came with the other intellectual property in the fire sale with WCW. Having a War Games themed PPV would create awareness for a new audience of younger fans many of whom have never seen a live presentation of this unique match. Plus, it might open the door for a DVD on this topic.

Wrestling promoters are going to find out in due time that what was once considered "old" will become "new" to a young fan base. No matter how it's sliced, pro wrestling will always be about good versus evil, the home team vs. the visitors, us against them, etc with the money being on compelling, believable characters that have the skills to help facilitate the suspension of one's disbelief.

How many Raw vs. Smackdown bouts will there end up being at Bragging Rights? I don't have the answer but I'm assuming just one or maybe two and the second one could even be a Divas bout. Again, that's individual speculation as the only thing that I've heard is a big, Raw vs. Smackdown tag bout which will likely be a focus of Raw and SD this week. It's hard to believe that there is another PPV in just a couple of weeks. These three week turnarounds from PPV to PPV are like NASCAR pit stops.

The SD vs. Raw theme is timely in promoting the new WWE video game that yours truly toiled away on for several weeks and that I hope sells like crazy as "baby needs new shoes." THQ did a great job evolving the video game concept and "gamer's" tell me that this version is really improved and innovative.

We've gotten many emails about why WWE is changing so many of their PPV names. I haven't been consulted nor am I complaining about such but obviously it's with the thought of better marketing upcoming PPV events and therefore increasing the # of PPV buys these events garner. I would be surprised if any of the old school originals are changed but I see no issue in re-branding some of the other lesser tenured PPV's.

If re-branding some PPV's makes the talent more cash, then it is a fabulous idea.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year as it is not only my wedding anniversary, October 12, but it's also that little, college football game down in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Texas vs. OU is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college athletics and one that I have enjoyed in person most years since 1971. UT is loaded again and the Longhorns seem to be healthy. The Sooners have talent but the injury bug has bitten them. Poor us....as I can see 'Horns fans rolling their eyes as I pound away on the keyboard. This game is always unpredictable as are most, long term rivalries but Texas will be heavily favored to win and keep their National Title hopes healthy. Oklahoma is looking to win to stay in the hunt for their 4th consecutive, Big 12 Title.

For OU to win, the Sooners have to essentially play a near perfect game and their best game of the year by far. It might be a long day for us Oklahoma fans but nonetheless I'm going to enjoy the experience as always and may the better team win. I'll have plenty more to say on this topic this week on www.ouinsider.com.

Some of the funniest things I have ever witnessed were the times that Cowboy Bill Watts, former Sooner, and the late Captain Redneck Dick Murdoch, a DEVOUT 'Horns fan, would attend the OU-Texas game together, drink way too much cold beer while cheering their teams on, and then take their team's loss out on some unsuspecting, inebriated individuals very aggressively. Watts and Murdoch knocked out many a rowdy drunk leaving the Cotton Bowl after "the game."

The first time I went to the game in '71, I bought my tickets from the Dallas City Jail from a guy who had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly the night before the game and who did not have the funds to bail himself out of jail. A friendly member of Dallas' finest helped "broker" the deal.

Ah, the good old days.

Our Q&A Section has been updated again and I invite you to check it out.

Thanks for all the orders that are coming in and remember that FREE SHIPPING is still available some some money saving packages featuring our BBQ Sauces, Chipolte Ketchup and 97% Fat Free Beef Jerky.

My wife Jan deserves to be anointed a Saint as she has been married to me for 16 years on Monday. I was sitting next to Ric Flair on a US Airways flight many years ago and my now bride was our flight attendant. Fate is a wonderful thing.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, Ric Flair, WWE, WCW, Bill Watts, Dick Murdoch