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JR's Blog: Monday Night Thoughts...Doc's Services Friday at 2:30 p.m....Boise State locks up #2 in the Nation

Posted: Jan 5th 2010 By: mikeiles

Busy night with so much on TV that I wanted to watch and discovering that my elaborate 60 inch plasma television's remote control was much smarter than I. Nonetheless we made it through it good shape and I would assume that many hardcore wrestling fans were in BBQ Sauce heaven. Tonight was the first night that I ever tried watching picture in picture and I needed one more screen but I digress.

Here are some random thoughts that I came away with from a big Monday night of TV viewing.

The chemistry and magic between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart still exists after all these years. It's another illustration that "personal issues" are the life's blood of the wrestling business. This particular "personal issue" has been simmering for 12 years and I still felt like an emotionally invested fan watching it.

The dialog between HBK and the Hitman sounded so natural that I thought I was eavesdropping on two old rivals' conversation. They were simply being themselves. Their handshake made the night complete for me but remember that I lived through the debacle of '97 and was just a little immersed in it and spent many, many hours "talking wrestlers off the ledge" so to speak for hours after the controversial incident.

The McMahon-Bret confrontation was well done especially planting the seed early and keeping me hooked until the end of the show for the payoff plus adding some spice to the dish in between.

The Mr. McMahon persona is so easy to dislike and the Chairman got the last word and the final act of physicality in the exchange with his longstanding adversary and left me wanting to see more and wondering how Bret will respond next Monday night? Or will he? This issue has new, fresh legs.

The Legacy/Orton issue has my interest. Something is bound to give there soon one would assume. As evil as Orton's actions are, he's always going to have a fan base because of Randy's youth, look, demeanor and the fact that defiant young males live vicariously though Mr. RKO.

Still love Kofi Kingston and I assure you that Kofi can and most likely will become a big time star but he has to get back to the edge that he demonstrated several weeks ago in Madison Square Garden.

WWE has done a nice job of making Sheamus a relevant, WWE champion who is making many fans look upon the Irishman as the WWE Champ first and a relative newcomer second. I've written about it dozens of times here and that is that new talents have to get in the main event mix and if they distinguish themselves then the company has done well. If they don't distinguish themselves then one merely provides an opportunity for the next hungry, young guy.

Raw provided some long awaited answers/resolutions and some unique "hooks" to encourage me to remember to tune in next Monday night when Mike Tyson is the guest host.

Just my two cents but the longer McMahon can dodge Hitman bullets the better. I can certainly smell something big brewing down the road and I like the aroma.

The apparent inclusion of Stu Hart being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for 2010 was really cool and certainly deserved. Mr. McMahon isn't the kind of man that would go back on his word regarding this matter, is he? Stay tuned.

Quick story, once Stu got bored telling me stories while we were waiting on a tardy Bret to arrive at the Hart home to film some vignettes with Bret and his Dad and Stu took me down in the "dungeon" and demonstrated a few submission holds on me. I was smart enough to tap early and often but he made his points. I made it out alive and without wetting myself or screaming in fear and anguish by using the world's quickest tapping technique.

WWE acknowledging the passing of my friend Steve "Dr. Death" Williams was a pleasant surprise. Doc's 6 year battle with cancer ended last week and was so grueling and painful to watch. Few men in the business have earned more universal respect for how Doc approached his fight with cancer not to mention how he competed in the ring.

On a personal level, I want to thank WWE for mentioning Doc's passing Monday night. That meant a great deal to me. BTW Doc's Memorial Service will be held this Friday afternoon at 2:30 in Lakewood, Colorado at the Mile High Church. This is going to be a tough one for me to attend but it is something that I personally have to do.

I still have a hard time believing that big bear of a man named Dr. Death is actually gone.

Damn...I would have loved to have been a part of Raw Monday night as it felt like it had some really special moments we broadcasters love to experience and hopefully make them just a little more memorable.

It surprised me to see Jeff Hardy on Spike TV Monday night which I am sure will get some fans talking and critics/pundits asking a great deal of questions. I'm a Jeff Hardy fan and I wish him well. Jeff had a great tenure in WWE and considering that I signed him and his brother Matt to their first WWE contracts I will always consider the Hardy brothers as being special. As Hall of Fame Coach Barry Switzer once told me, "Once you recruit a player you recruit them for life."

Knowing how much Ric Flair still enjoys wrestling I was not shocked to see Ric on another channel Monday night. The WWE gave Ric the greatest send-off/retirement presentation that I have ever witnessed but nonetheless "Naitch" has wrestling running through his veins and he's going lace 'em up until he simply can't do it any longer. Ric Flair has been my friend for about 30 years and I wish him well in what ever he does in his career.

Former WWE Champion Kurt Angle, another one of the guys that I signed to their first WWE contract, and A.J. Styles had a truly excellent wrestling match that I got glimpses of Monday night.

My loyalty is clearly still with WWE but I am sure that Monday night proved to be an exciting one for more objective fans. Let the spin begin on what transpired Monday night. Lord knows in the coming days the two wrestling shows will be analyzed to death including minute by minute breakdowns...the mistakes that were made...what some genius would have done differently...what should be done next week and so on.

The end game for me is that the general trend of putting too much content in a show seemingly still exists in today's marketplace. When the announcers have to continually remind me what has already transpired and what is still to come in such an incessant manner because they know that we viewers are on information overload then something is wrong from where I sit nestled in my La-Z-Boy.

Boise State once again ruled the Fiesta Bowl with a win over undefeated TCU. Many folks in my area of the world felt like TCU would win the game but somehow Chris Peterson gets his BSU team ready to play and can create the David vs. Goliath scenario about as good as any coach I can remember in modern times. Boise State won every game they played this year and should be the #2 rated team in the nation behind who ever wins Thursday night between Texas and Alabama. Tuesday night's Orange Bowl unfortunately feels like an afterthought after Monday night's game and the hype surrounding the BCS Championship game on Thursday.

Thanks for dropping by and I invite you to spend a minute or two browsing in our store. The Hot BBQ Sauce and the Chipotle Ketchup are rocking out the door and there is a good reason for it...they're really good products...I guarantee it.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Steve Williams, Ric Flair, A. J. Styles