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JR's Blog: NXT..Cole/Bryan..Lovitz vs. Rosie..Evans vs Rampage=Ernie Ladd vs JYD..FREE Topps Trading Cards..FREE SHIPPING

Posted: May 26th 2010 By: CMBurnham

Thanks for stopping by our website. Good week here in Oklahoma weather wise as all us Okies are ready to move on from 'tornado season.' It's always BBQ season here and we are in the midst of that Grilling time of the year which many of us love. Hope you will enjoy our products during this special time of the year. We sure appreciate your business.

Random thoughts:

With all the injuries to the Raw roster seemingly coming in a matter of a few hours over the weekend, Monday Night Raw exceeded my expectations.

Any time a wrestling company is going through transitional periods, which all do and always have, and gets hammered with injuries on top of it, it makes for interesting days. Now is truly the time for athletes to capitalize on the minutes that they receive. It's like coming off the bench in a NBA playoff game, all of one's minutes are big and are critical for the team's success.

I've seen multiple stars made during unique times and it's all about capitalizing on one's opportunities.

Answered a question that I was surprised to see Bret Hart named Raw G.M. simply because I know Hitman has many interests and traveling to Raw each week is a three day piece of business. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than pleased with the selection and anxious to know more about the back story of the appointment . Plus, Bret adds needed star power to the flagship broadcast of which there's never too much.

We've often talked about the lack of main event level depth within the business and when a rash of injuries occurs this point is magnified even more. This happened to the Oklahoma Sooner football team last year as injuries essentially eliminated two, first round NFL Draft picks, Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham, from the entire season. As a result OU did not have the year that was projected for them.

It will be very interesting to see how all of the individuals involved in the United States Title and the Intercontinental Title picture will step up and add some needed sizzle and steak to WWE's presentation. I look at it as a great opportunity for several individuals including some who many emailers consistently mention as being 'underutilized.'

'New' always makes things more interesting but it is a damn shame that injuries have to be a catalyst in 'new' becoming more of a priority.

Excited to watch NXT tonight and see the Michael Cole/Daniel Bryan issue continue to unfold. Got my work out in early today so that I would make sure and be home for the festivities on Syfy. This has been a well played out issue as far as I'm concerned and is as talked about as any issue that's been featured on NXT.

Wade Barrett seemingly has the best chance to win the competition but who knows for sure? Again, if WWE can mine one star out of the NXT group they will be doing well. If they can get 2-3 potential main eventers then that's really good.

Jon Lovitz' Rosie O'Donnell line was funny Monday night. It also might get Lovitz' ass beat if he ever runs into his former 'League of Their Own' co-star. She would have a slight size advantage.....not that there is any thing wrong with that Ms. O'Connell. Want some Chipotle Ketchup...on the house?

No...I have zero issues about the 2014 Super Bowl being played in New Jersey in February. I do think that obvious considerations IE the use of tents, etc for the fan experience will be viable but as far as the game itself, I have no concerns. Football was born in cold weather but let's hope that the game is not played in sleet but a little snow wouldn't put my drawers in a wad.

No...to an emailer who asked if I expected to see JBL back in the ring at some point. I think that limo has driven off into the sunset and is properly funded to boot. Could John make a guest appearance/cameo in a non wrestling role some day in WWE? I assume that he could and I would invest in that happening before he would ever don the tights again. I plan on seeing JBL on my next 'book trip' to New York City.

I would have loved to have broadcast a WWE PPV with JBL before all was said and done. Yeah, I know, we're 'too Southern' but it also might have been lightning in a bottle. It sure as hell wouldn't have been dull.

We've acquired some JR's Topps Trading Cards and I have signed many of them and we will be including them in some of the orders that offer a free photo. If you order something that includes a free photo just let us know if you prefer a WWE 'vintage' photo, a JR @ the Homeland Grocery Store photo or a signed Topps Trading card.Remember, they're FREE so don't hold our feet to the fire but we will do all we can to accommodate you.

I like Ashton Kutcher but I know I'm more apt to make sure that I don't miss a moment of Raw next week if his wife Demi Moore made a succinct cameo. I'm just saying...Ms Moore was somewhat extraordinary in 'Striptease' which I thought should have been a comedy and not an attempt at drama. Nonetheless Burt Reynolds played a great, crooked, Southern politician....Congressman David Dilbeck.

Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson have talked themselves likely into a helluva pay day this Saturday in Vegas on yet another UFC PPV event. This upcoming fight is the epitome of a personal issue embellished in such a way as to monetize the dislike and 'grudge' element of the confrontation. Selected high road journalists may question the method to the verbal madness that has ensued between the two rivals but I've loved it. For some it was too old school, pro wresting. However, Evans and Jackson's promos were real, organic, and from the heart albeit perhaps enhanced somewhat for our entertainment purposes. Nonetheless both men are dead serious about taking care of their business this weekend with the winner moving on to face Shogun Rua for yet another big money, Championship fight.

Rampage, who will guest host Raw on June 7, will likely be the fan favorite in this match from what I can tell. Some insiders always seem to question Jackson's physical conditioning and how much weight he has to cut to make 205. Not knowing how Rampage's training has gone, I'm a slight lean for Evans but reserve the right to change my mind if I hear otherwise before Saturday.

Losing Forrest Griffin to injury unquestionably hurt the under card for this PPV especially on a PPV crowded month of May but how does any MMA fan even consider not seeing Rampage vs. Evans live this Saturday night?

These two, gifted African American athletes have said some deeply personal things to each other in the build for this fight that only they could have said to the other. It sort of reminds me of way back in the day when villain Ernie Ladd used to talk trash to hero the Junkyard Dog as Ernie could get away with saying things that only another black man could say to another man of color. It made that issue very personal and the two of them sold lots of tickets throughout the Mid South Wrestling territory.

I think that the bottom line of this topic is that when two individuals are so emotionally invested in their physical conflict that nothing needs to be written for them. What's said comes from the heart and soul of the men involved and although it may make some people cringe it also makes us all remember that we cannot miss this fight.

Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan have another classic to call this weekend. I would be lying if I said I wasn't envious.

Speaking of MMA, I've heard some rumblings that when Batista gets healthy that he might try his hand in the MMA world. This rumor is FAR from official but I do know that Batista has been doing some MMA training and has a bona fide interest in the genre. This would be a huge challenge for Batista if he indeed attempts to compete in MMA at a high level which, again, is not a done deal.

Thanks for supporting our efforts here on our site with your orders. We appreciate your business and will do all we can to make and keep you happy.

We're grilling chicken tonight, brushing it with our Original BBQ Sauce at the end of the grilling process, letting it cool somewhat and then chopping the chicken up to top a salad. Nice, low fat, high protein meal that hits the spot on a warm night. As my late Mama would say, it keeps the house cool.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Ernie Ladd, Junkyard Dog, MSW