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JR's Blog: Sunday Ramblings...Austin vs. Hulk...Rating Announcers...RIP Baron Scicluna..WM26...New Offers Now Available

Posted: Mar 22nd 2010 By: CMBurnham

So it's 70 degrees Friday and then we have two days of temps in the 20's and snow flurries. That's Oklahoma weather...if you don't like it just wait a few minutes and it will change. Nonetheless all is good in the Ross household and with J.R.'s Family BBQ especially our on line biz of which we have some new packages that I hope you'll check out. Our new offer on a 12 bottle, case price of J.R.'s Original BBQ Sauce is a SUPER deal...with FREE SHIPPING!

Here we go...let's tip-off...

There is a nice write up about yours truly receiving the Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award this years at the CAC Banquet on April 21 in Las Vegas at www.califloweralleyclub.org. If any of you are going to the CAC event this year be sure and drop us an email at the Q&A section of the site. Lifetime achievement usually means a person's career is ending and I can assure one and all that isn't the case here.

Jerry Lawler called me yesterday from Poughkeepsie, New York where it was much warmer there than it was here in Norman. King wrestled Tommy Dreamer last night for promoter extraordinare Michael O'Brien at the Mid Hudson Civic Center. WWE HOF'er Roddy Piper also appeared in Piper's Pit. King said the event was sold out which speaks well for the talent and the promotional ability of Michael O'Brien and his group. The King and I talked about WM26 and the fact that we would see him in Phoenix at the team hotel. We both were very blessed to have broadcast so many 'Mania's together and to have developed a rare, wrestling friendship over our years of traveling together.

BTW...some are still sending us wrestling questions and feedback to "CONTACT US" and they are not being read and are being deleted so many of you are wasting your time and ours. Please send your questions, comments, etc to the Q&A section of the site and if I answer them they will appear on the site unless you specifically ask me to not make your feedback public. "CONTACT US" is for people have issues/questions with orders, businesses wanting to do work with us, etc.

Steve Austin garnered some good pub for his DVD "Damage," which is in stores on March 23, today at the NASCAR race in Bristol, Tennessee. Fox positioned Steve well and exposed his film to what one would think is Stone Cold's target demo. Same reason Steve appeared on Raw Monday which was to reconnect with his fan base and let his target demo know about his new, action/adventure film. Again, "Damage" will be available this Tuesday on DVD. Steve will be getting a case of our proudcts this week at his abode in Southern California.

Got an email asking me if I thought that an Austin-Hulk match would have been the biggest bout ever on PPV and that one is hard to answer. It all depends on how the match was built, promoted, and enhanced in a variety of ways specifically if there had been the personal issue element logically and firmly put in place. Unfortunately, the timing of such a match was never favorable for the two men to have the physically demanding match that Austin built his reputation on over the years. Nonetheless, would it have been a great match on paper? Absolutely.

It's funny that I am presented questions to answer, some of which I do and others that I delete, on this website and then when I do answer some of them I am often times panned for addressing specific subjects especially involving other wrestling organizations. Many, many people have asked me about various facets of TNA and I have answered these questions honestly. Yet some internet types thought I broke some sort of sacred, cardinal rule within the business because I actually mentioned another organization on this site. I also mentioned that TNA was not a threat to WWE and that matter is a non issue in my opinion. TNA's success, or failure, will be solely dependent on how they conduct their business and the product that they produce and will, frankly, at the end of the day, have nothing to do with what WWE does or doesn't do.

For those fans attending WM26 in the University of Phoenix Stadium and who have never attended an event there before you are in for a treat. I've been to a Fiesta Bowl there, ugly memory of a disappointing Sooner loss to West Virginia, and the facility is awesome. I can visualize what the stadium will look like once it is packed with over 60,000 fans which is a lock. This is one of the newer, cleaner and more fan friendly stadiums in the country. We are planning on watching the event from a luxury box which will be a new experience for me but one that I'm looking forward. I may have to ease off the old diet that day and enjoy some stadium food and a cold beverage or two. This will be the first Wrestlemania where I can go to the men's room whenever I want/need to answer nature's call. I guarantee you that I will enjoy this trip to the stadium better than the last time I was there. Thank goodness I had to miss OU's first trip to the University of Phoenix Stadium which was the infamous, overtime loss to Boise State and the night of the vintage bout between Cena and K-Fed.

Speaking of the Fiesta Bowl, I watched the 1982 Fiesta Bowl played at Sun Devil Stadium pitting Oklahoma versus Arizona State last night on a local, OKC cable station. Steve "Dr Death" Williams was the starting right guard for the Sooners and old #76 had to weight 330 if he weighed an ounce. Our late and dear friend was a human, road grader on my favorite team. Cowboy Bill Watts got Doc to drop many needed pounds soon thereafter to get help Doc ready for Steve's pro wrestling career. I know Doc went on an ill advised diet of eating basically nothing but tuna right out of the can all day, every day for weeks. Gosh, did Ol Doc got gnarly and edgy. I told that story at Doc's funeral. But what a big hearted, gentle soul was Steve who was also an amazing athlete and could be a beast any time that he flipped the switch.

Some fans don't understand how difficult it is for me to critique current wrestling announcers. I was asked to "evaluate" Mike Tenay and Taz. I like both guys and both are friends. Same goes for Michael Cole and Todd Grisham. I have great respect for all these men. It really doesn't matter what I do or don't think of their work and no matter what I say it will be over analyzed by some and be interpreted as to what "J.R. really means." Announcing today's wrestling product is much different than it was when I first started. I worked through multiple trends/changes within the genre and was luckily to be able to modify my game to fit the times and the in ring presentation. Fans often times forget that any announcer can only work with the product that they see in their monitors and follow the mandate and instructions with which they are produced. That's not just pro wrestling but sports in general. Great games are easier to call than blow outs.

Some pundits are speculating that one reason that I am not broadcasting at WM26 is due to existing health issues which is inaccurate and, based on some things that I have read and heard, laughable. I am blessed with good health as we speak for which I am very thankful and my good health is a bigger blessing than announcing any wrestling event or anything else that I could do on a professional level. I will admit that going on the road 51 weeks a year and then continuing the work cycle once I return from a road trip isn't smart for any one. Bottom line is that I consider having good health as my greatest gift and I am blessed to be where I am right now in my life.

We are getting a great deal of questions asking if Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker can replicate or exceed last year's masterpiece at WM25 in Houston. My honest answer is, "yes they can." Two, seasoned, talented and intelligent wrestlers know what buttons to push, they know what works for them in the context of this match and they know that the stipulations attached to this performance are greatly enhanced over last year. The high drama surrounding HBK-Taker is akin to a "big fight feel" and my sincere believe is that we fans will all be seeing history made and a match that we will talk about for years to come no matter the outcome. That's not my BS but that's how I truly feel about this contest for which I feel lucky as hell that I'm going to be able to see live.

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker at WM26 is arguably the biggest, most significant match, for a variety of reasons, that WWE has ever presented. Yeah...I know...big statement...but I mean every word of what I say. When one thinks about what these two men have meant to the WWE and the business in general over an extended period of time then my remarks may even be an understatement.

Condolences go to the family and friends of Baron Mikel Scicluna who passed away this weekend at the age of 80 from cancer. "Mike" was a true gentleman who exuded immense class and professionalism of which many in the business today, especially those young people who are just starting their careers, could learn a thing or two. The WWE HOF'er, class of 1996 and inducted by the beloved Gorilla Monsoon, had great respect for the business and is one of the few men that I can recall that I never heard any of his peers ever "trash or knock" in a biz known for insecurities and paranoia based, trash talking. I met the Baron, a WWWF fixture for many years, on several occasions in Pittsburgh and he was a joy to be around. RIP Baron Mikel Scicluna.

You can follow our travails on Twitter at JRsBBQ. BTW, yes, the real, bona fide Stone Cold Steve Austin is on Twitter at steveaustinBSR.

We've got several new offers on the site and have reduced the cost of a case of our sauces especially our #1 seller, JR's Original BBQ Sauce. Thanks for your business and keep us in mind as the official, grilling season is upon us.

Life is good in Oklahoma as we prepare to watch the OU women hoops team play in the NCAA sub regional tonight here in Norman. Plus, next week is a nice trip to Phoenix on tap.

Thanks for stopping by and continue to count your blessings.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Roddy Piper, TNA, WWE, Steve Williams, Bill Watts