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JR's Blog: More on JR's New Broadcasting Role...'Taker will be in Europe...Josh Barnett...Kreuz Market...HBK Retirement Plans

Posted: Apr 11th 2009 By: mikeiles

Random thoughts while getting ready to attend the Oklahoma Sooner Football Spring Game Saturday in Norman and taking a moment to exhale for a few minutes from 'rasslin. Here's a variety of random thoughts on a wide range of topics for your perusal.

Lots is being made of my pending, new broadcast role in WWE. Personally, it is a non issue to me as I know that I will hopefully still be able to contribute to the broadcasts in a positive manner. Times change, philosophies change, and the constant quest to improve and present the product seemingly never ends. We'll see how it works. I don't plan on stinking the joint out I assure you and I also plan on pushing whoever works with me to raise their game. Time will tell. The new journey will officially unfold after the "Draft" but I start this next phase of my career Friday night on Smackdown. It will be a work in progress but I definitely put in the effort to make it the best it can be.

The Undertaker is still scheduled to travel on the upcoming European tour after his "near miss" at WM25 in the instant classic versus Shawn Michaels. I would easily surmise that both future HOF'ers will be considerably sore for several days after laying it all on the line in Reliant Stadium.

I'm getting plenty of emails telling me how wrong I am to call the Undertaker vs. HBK the best Wrestlemania match ever. Every one has their opinions but I am not taking any ass chewing for making my statement and have no issue hitting the delete key on my trusty computer from defiant fans with too much free time.

I had a nice visit with MMA's Josh Barnett at WM25 and he discussed training with DH (Harry) Smith. Smith looks physically great and has all the physical gifts one needs to be a big star in WWE. The son of the British Bulldog just needs to allow his personality to evolve and to become a little more out going. I have every belief that the young man will make it big some day. I found Josh to be a great guy, highly intelligent and looking forward to some day fighting "Fedor." Josh is also a fan of my work which I found to be very flattering.

Gail King and Michelle McCool had a really solid Diva's bout on Smackdown taped Tuesday in lovely, friendly Austin, Texas and I will be anxious to see how it is presented after it goes through the editing process. I hope that I get the opportunity to call more Kim-McCool bouts on TV in the future. Divas that get athletically physical make the process work for me.

Thursday there were even more WWE fans stopping by JR's BBQ in Norman on their way back from Wrestlemania. We had a ton of fans stop by on their way down to Houston or coming from Houston in the past week or so. Being on I-35 just south of OKC at exit 109 is nice and convenient for many travelers. Business has picked up in Norman!

Matt Striker and I visited Lockhart, Texas Monday afternoon and had one helluva meal at Kreuz Market, a BBQ and Sausage joint that has been in business since 1900. Assistant Manager Roy Perez was a wonderful host and the food was unbelievable. The entire experience could not have been better.

I am deleting all the "Heath Ledger" comment emails for the record. I screwed up, I sincerely apologized and now we are moving on.

For some emailers, yes, I get the "joke" that Santino and Santina are the same person. Duh.

Yes fans, Finley can beat people without the use of his shillelagh and, no, I don't know why he seems to use it to the point of overkill in the minds of some fans.

For the record, there is no official word as to when HBK is going to retire and I also realize on a recent radio interview that Shawn indicated that WM26 "might" be his last one. I hope that we don't wear this subject out between now and an official announcement by Shawn. HBK is still amazing, who's better, and I hope he sticks around for a few more years but if he does decided to retire he's darned sure earned it. Let's not jump the gun because after the draining experience of a Wrestlemania many veterans tend to re-evaluate their careers. Trust me on that one.

Happy for Josh Mathews to finally get a cup of coffee on a main line TV show such as ECW. Josh has earned his opportunity and has the youthful look WWE covets. I am truly happy for this hard working, young man.

For the record, I do not feel obligated to answer every single question that we receive. Some are redundant, some are regarding topics that I will not dwell upon, and some, to be blunt, are pet coon goofy. When I get an email that says, "You did not answer my last email....or I don't understand why you didn't answer my last question" one can consider those emails deleted.

I got to visit with Bobby Heenan at WM25 backstage at the HOF. Bobby has been through hell and the visual affects of his jaw reconstruction surgery are evident. He has trouble talking but still has his magnificent sense of humor. He beamed when he showed me photos of his grandson who is a handsome little man indeed. I love Bobby Heenan and trust me when I say that no one EVER in this business was ever better at wrestling/managing/announcing than was "The Brain." Bobby befriended me when I came to WWE in 1993 and I worked WM9 with Bobby and Randy Savage. Bobby was there for me when many in WWE wanted nothing to do with "the WCW guy."

Another question we seem to be getting a great deal is when or if Stone Cold is returning to the ring. As best that I know the answer is never. Why would any human being risk spending significant time in a wheel chair and horrifically affecting one's quality of life to wrestle "one more match?" For any one to compare Steve's neck injury and subsequent invasive surgery to every other wrestler's neck surgery is naive and, quite honestly, ignorant. Steve will never step back in the ring to "half ass" it and go through the motions at half or three quarter speed just for the pay day or to make some obsessed, die hards happy. He has only one gear and if that gear is going to put his health at risk then why would he do it? Let's hope that every Stone Cold fan around the world will continue to show their love and respect for Steve when they have the chance to support his film work. Trust me, if Steve could step back in the ring and give it 100% without fear of rising permanent injury then he would.

Got another question, again, whether I think that either Stu or Owen Hart will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. My answer is and has been, yes. I think that perhaps one of them could go in next year for the sake of starting a 2010 HOF rumor.

Speaking of the Hart's, yours truly is sending Bret Hart some of JR's Sauces to his home in Hawaii. Bret is a great friend and he and I have to facilitate more opportunities to get together. If you haven't read Bret's autobiography then what are you waiting for? Any fan of the genre of wrestling or who simply likes to read great writings should read this amazing piece of literature. Buy the book.

Let's try this one more time....as of now the next time WWE will be in Oklahoma will be this September. Raw is slated for the BOK Center in Tulsa on Monday September 28 and SmackDown/ECW in OKC's Ford Center on Tuesday September 29. And no I don't have any extra, comp tickets.

Not sure why Mickey Rourke needed a physical entourage to accompany him to WM25 that included MMA pioneer and star Frank Shamrock but whatever. I am a fan of Shamrock's work but never got to visit with him in Houston as he seemed a little "distant" or preoccupied while at 'Mania. Nonetheless he is a great MMA representative both in and out of the ring.

I hope you enjoy Friday Night Smackdown this week and I will be anxious to read the feedback on the announcing even though that isn't why you should watch the show because just as 'OL, Bill Shakespeare said, "the play is the thing."

Thanks for helping support this site with your business in our store. We are soon going to we switching to plastic bottles for our products which will help lessen shipping costs. We are also going to make some significant concept changes in our Moore location which will help us diversify and to focus on our original store in Norman where I spend most of my "free time." Stay tuned.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, ECW, WCW