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JR's Blog: Signs, Signs, Everywhere's a Sign...Sports Illustrated...Lesnar-Mir...Joanie Lauer...Channel Changers

Posted: Dec 29th 2008 By: mikeiles

Greetings to all to to all Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. It has been an enjoyable holiday for the Ross family thanks in large part to my wife Jan who should be called "Janaclaus" for all her efforts in making everyone in our family especially happy during this joyous time of the year. I really "out punted my coverage" when I married my Italian wife from Pittsburgh. Let's get to some random thoughts and some responses from some of the feedback I have received from a few of you regarding recent blogs.

Signs at wrestling events.....we have established that I am not a member or the "sign police" of the WWE....I also do not make policy as to what signs are allowed to appear on the WWE's TV shows in the arenas that the WWE rents for production of these broadcasts. If it were up to me and the signs were not profane and of bad taste, I would not confiscate any of them. Some of you said I was the "face of wrestling" which is really scary in itself. I am "not worthy" nor do I consider myself such. Nonetheless what you read here are my personal opinions and nothing more. We write blogs and answer Q&A's in hopes of creating traffic for our BBQ site which in turn will hopefully encourage more of you to shop with us. In other words, all the content on this site is essentially my take on things with the motive of these blogs, etc to encourage you to visit and to shop. How's that for honesty?

Also, who is right or wrong about what constitutes is good taste or isn't? Not me. I realize that many of the adults who read this site aren't huge fans of John Cena. That's an individual call as I am a fan of Cena's but I know him much differently that do those who only see John on TV. Nonetheless I do not personally feel that a sign that says "We've Cena 'Nuff" is unacceptable but if the people who are renting the facility do then so be it.

I think fans should have fun bringing their signs and displaying them. I have always considered myself a wrestling fan of some distinction for well over half a century but I doubt if I would go to the trouble to create a sign and bring it with me to an arena. I salute the fans that do. That's certainly dedication and passion on display.

I have always viewed the number of signs at a televised event as a sign of the times for the business. The more signs, the better shape the business is in, in some unofficial perhaps wacky methodology.

So what's the right answer regarding the sign issue? I wish I had it. I don't. I still encourage fans to bring their signs and to express themselves in creative, classy ways all the while remembering who their audience is. I guess perhaps that simple, common sense is the best medicine for this issue that will likely be a forgotten item in a few weeks. Bottom line for you future sign makers is that if you "think" your sign might get confiscated or is in bad taste then it probably is and should be left at home. If you are of the defiant nature and feel your sign "needs" to be displayed come hell or high water then do what you feel is right.

I've seen signs at events that were amazingly funny and creative. I've seen some that were hurtful and that I was happy that my own family did not experience as did I. It will always be feast or famine when it comes to matters such as this but again perhaps common sense is the only logical answer one can utilize in making what is perceived to be a good decision on signage.

PG rated wrestling shows.....that 's what the WWE is offering and that's what my primary area of concern is because that who employs me and pays me. I personally like the PG ratings for many reasons. Selfishly, now my daughter will allow her 5 and 3 year old daughters to watch their grandpa on Friday nights because the program content isn't as edgy and doesn't have to be constantly monitored or at least monitored as closely.

Did I enjoy the "attitude era" of wrestling? Absolutely. I also enjoyed the Oklahoma Sooners of Coach Barry Switzer running the wishbone offense but that's not the offensive philosophy of Coach Bob Stoops' Sooners these days. But I still love my team. Point being is that I am a wrestling fan and we as wrestling fans will always have our favorite eras. Was the "Attitude Era" my favorite period of all time in wrestling? Probably not, but I still liked it as I have written. But now we've moved on.

PG is more family friendly. PG is more advertiser friendly. PG is more network friendly. The key to PG is not unlike any other era and that is still getting stars "hot" and involved in reality based, personal issues that are highlighted by physicality and athleticism.

PG doesn't equate to "boring" in my opinion as most of my beloved John Wayne movies were PG rated and they have endured for decades. PG means parental guidance is necessary and that is just as true today for kids watching wrestling as it ever has been. Listening to my oldest daughter speak with her daughters about what grandpa does for a living and what the athletes on TV are doing to each other was eye opening. I am proud of any parent who takes the time to educate their children about what is being shown on any TV show.

So, to me, PG isn't a bad thing nor should it limit what is good about wrestling and what has been good about wrestling for decades and that is the wrestling itself. Clearly defined, personal issues involving talented, highly skilled in ring performers who can wrestle and verbalize will still work, PG rating or not.

Some pundits and fans may say that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is making the NFL PG rated twelve months out of the year. I say good for the Commissioner and watch his league continue to grow in popularity, attract more advertisers, take better care of their players, past and present, and create a more positive, non gangster image, of the National Football League.

Again I say if you aren't interested in watching PG programming, then simply don't watch it, no matter what the programming is. Without question I want more and more people to watch Friday Night Smackdown but I can't convince everyone to do so in these blogs. I can assure you that I will do all I can personally can to make it worth your while from my seat at ringside and that I guarantee. However, all our lives are too short and the challenges we are subjected to in today's life are too stringent to over analyze any TV show including the one on which I appear every Friday night.

Most of us channel surf as we sit in our favorite chairs with our TV remotes in hand. When is the last time you watched multiple commercials during one of your favorite TV shows? Do I NOT want you watching Friday Night Smackdown? Of course not. Do I encourage you to change channels if you are so consternated by what you are seeing that it is upsetting you and adversely affecting you. Absolutely.

If I am wrong in this simplistic philosophy, I am sure that some of you will express yourself and that's o.k. too. Again, I'm being honest with you and expressing one man's opinion with which you certainly don't have to agree.

Sports Illustrated...I have subscribed to S.I. longer than I am sure many of you have been alive...I am not planning on canceling my subscription either but S.I. was in the wrong when they inferred that Mick Foley was a role model for the Mickey Rourke character in the film "The Wrestler." I am not "damning" S.I. but the writer simply did not do his home work and unfortunately some readers will accept his account of watching the film with Foley as factual. The writer was wrong and will hopefully address his errors but I'm not holding my breath.

Speaking of S.I., they have a great feature this week on the dogs that were adopted from the Michael Vick fiasco and a great feature on the upcoming Oklahoma-Florida National Title College Football game on January 8.

Really sad to hear about Joanie "Chyna" Lauer's recent troubles. I am thankful she is alive after apparently overdosing on her birthday. I truly hope Joanie gets more professional help, the WWE is an option for her, with whatever issues she has and find true happiness in her life. I'm not sure that her kind of happiness is going to be found in Tinseltown. Joanie was always so health conscious when she was on the WWE roster and the reports about her issues the past several years have been personally troubling to me. She had many challenges in her life LONG before she arrived in the WWE which I honestly feel are at the root of her problems today. Nonetheless, I am no Dr. Phil but I do hope that Joanie gets better and finds a vocation that is personally rewarding to her.

Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar is apparently set for the spring of '09 in perhaps Montreal. Lesnar is one who can self motivate himself primarily for the cash but also as a competitive SOB who will seek a level of retribution for losing his only MMA contest to Mir via submission. Mir shocked the world Saturday night but a bigger shock will be if the rejuvenated Mir can beat Brock Lesnar to unify the UFC Heavyweight Title which in itself is a good thing. The last thing the UFC needs to allow to happen is to become like boxing and have a seemingly endless list of champs per weight class.

Monday I'm heading to Jersey to get ready for the big Tuesday Night doubleheader in the Izod Arena. Should be a lot of fun as we inch closer to the Royal Rumble the last Sunday in January in Detroit. Thanks for checking out our site, for your feedback and for your business.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Mick Foley