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JR's Blog: The OKC RAW, What's Next? JR's 2nd Thoughts, Gorilla Monsoon, Brian Pillman, New JR's Products Follow JR on Twitter @JRsBBQ

Posted: Oct 7th 2011 By: CMBurnham

What a week and we have a lot of ground to cover so let's kickoff this piece of business.

Monday night in Lafayette was as surreal a night as I can recall on Monday Night Raw. Taking part of the walk out in protest of how HHH is managing Raw was an experience that I have never had in all my years in the business.

Describing how it felt to be the last one to leave ringside is hard to put into words but if I had it to do over again I would re-think my decision.

I did what I thought was the right thing to do at the time but within a few hours of doing so I had second thoughts.

With that said, I will be in my home state of Oklahoma Monday night out of respect for the state and for the WWE Universe who have supported MNR and my career for many, many years. Whether or not I return to RAW the following week will depend on HHH stepping down as the man in charge of Monday Night Raw.

I know that several WWE Superstars will be competing Monday Night in OKC including John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, the Big Show, and CM Punk.

I've also heard rumors that the Superstars who walked off Monday night in protest may travel to OKC and might even protest outside the arena.

Nonetheless, its the last WWE event in Oklahoma this year and the first Raw following this past Monday's controversial night and shapes up to be a compelling evening.

I owe the fans of my home state and the WWE Universe a great deal and out of respect to all the aforementioned I will do all I can to resume what I love doing. Indeed, Monday will be a most interesting day and MNR feels as unpredictable as any broadcast that I can remember.

Let's address a few questions sent to us at our Q&A section of this site and via Twitter @JRsBBQ...

No...I had zero to do with the 'JR commentates UFC You Tube video' that was making the rounds recently but I did get a good laugh out of it. Someone did a bunch of work on that project.

Yes..Mark Henry has made a definitive impact in WWE and I would be shocked if Henry loses the World Title any time soon. However, I also don't feel that he's unbeatable because no one is. Mark Henry has upped his game as much as any one I can name in recent times in WWE. Could the new and improved Mark Henry possibly face the Undertaker at WM28? Any thing is possible.

Will there be more Legends Roundtables taped? Yes and I will be on the panel for the next taping which is set for mid October. I don't know the subjects to be discussed but assume that we will produce two programs that will be airing at a time to be announced. As I write this the complete panel is still being comprised.

Comparing the WWE Title and the old, NWA title is really an 'apples to oranges' type of thing. The NWA Title was at its strongest when there were many, viable wrestling territories worldwide and international business, especially in Japan, was strong. Those days, at least for now, are non existent. With that said, I really haven't thought too much about John Cena breaking Ric Flair's record for most title reigns with the WWE Championship. It certainly seems possible as I don't know how much longer Cena plans to compete but safe to say it won't be as long as Naitch has been lacing his boots.

Excluding the USA, the UK is the #2 area of the world that buys our products from http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss. Overall, our on line business is really growing nicely as we prepare for what we hope will be an ambitious holiday season. We will also be adding four, new flavors of Beef Jerky and an All Purpose Seasoning to our inventory within a week or so. The products are done, shipped and are with WWE and we are just waiting on WWE to go through their processes to launch the new items. I hope that you give them a try.

Those that have seen an advance copy of the Bret-Shawn DVD that is available on October 25 have raved about it. I stand by what I said in that conducting that interview with both men sitting side by side across from me was one of the most memorable experiences of my career. I have immense respect for Hitman and HBK's honesty and willingness to tell an amazing story of their rivalry and relationship.

Yes I do believe that tag team wrestling has a chance to make a come back in WWE based on what I have seen recently. Time will tell but there are some positive signs that would indicate that WWE is more committed than in recent years to develop more viable tag teams. However, for any one to think that today's tag team scene will soon rival previous eras when teams stayed together for years and refined their skills isn't likely, at least that's one guy's opinion.

Some are confused as to why my voice was heard on some WWE content in some bouts that originally aired in 1992 specifically along side Gorilla Monsoon. We re-voiced the bouts likely due to legal issues with the original call or to simply have a fresh take on certain bouts.

Speaking of Gorilla, this is the anniversary of his death and there is rarely a day that goes by that I don't think of him. I can truthfully say that if it had not been for Bob Marella's friendship and support when I first arrived at WWE in 1993 from the 'enemy' WCW that I seriously doubt that I would have had the Hall of Fame career in WWE that I have been blessed to have. Gorilla Monsoon was one of the finest men that I have ever known in any walk of life. His organic, on air chemistry with Bobby Heenan was unmatched. This business that we have chosen for our professional lives is tough in so many ways and, quite honestly, isn't conducive for cultivating long term, true, friendships. I can look any person in the eye and say that 'Gino' as he was called was a great friend and mentor to me who will always hold a fond place in my heart. It's too bad that the young wrestlers of today never got the chance to get to know Gorilla Monsoon and to sit under his learning tree.

Another important person in my life died this week many years ago even though it only seems like it was yesterday. Brian Pillman was one of a kind. A classic overachiever with a brilliant mind for the business and the brazen guts of a riverboat gambler. When Brian sustained a mangled foot in the Humvee accident, I truly believed that his life started to head in the wrong direction. Brian knew that after ankle fusion that he would never be the in ring performer that he longed to be. No one that I have ever known had more of an obsession to be a major, wrestling star that Brian Pillman. As hard as I tried, I could never get Brian to regroup and to focus on being a great, color commentator in wrestling. Every time I travel to St. Louis, I think of where I was when I got the news that Brian had been found dead in a hotel room in the Twin Cities. A little piece of me died that day too. Brian Pillman was a special person and another who left us much too soon. RIP, buddy.

I'm traveling to Dallas to attend the Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas Saturday at noon eastern on ABC. I'm excited to be riding down and back in an Oklahoma State Trooper black and white with the security detail. I've been in a black and white a time or two but never got to ride 'shotgun.' Keep an eye for the black hat on the Sooner sideline.

Follow us on Twitter @JRsBBQ as we are on our way to a half a million followers and have approximately 230,000 followers. Twitter is a unique entity and several people grow massive sets of Spauldings when commenting about a variety of topics. Just remember that 'F Bombs' will get you blocked as will incessant, unrelenting negativity.

WWEShop ships to countries far and wide and I invite you to support our efforts in building our family brand of products by checking out this link, http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss.

If you are a fan of college football, check this out.. http://oklahoma.247sports.com/Article/JRs-Seven-Points-to-Ponder-Texas-43038.

Be well every one and count your blessings. Tomorrow is not guaranteed so life every day positively and to the fullest.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.