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JR's Blog: Tuesday Update..Countdown's on for Holiday Shopping Here..Random Thoughts

Posted: Dec 9th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Thanks for stopping by on a cold, rainy day here in Norman, Oklahoma. I hope that you will tell a friend about our site and the super offers that we have for the holidays in our on line store, many that include FREE SHIPPING.

Our $15.60 The Game Blitz Package ends in just a few days on December 12 as does our personally autographed copies of "J.R.'s Cookbook" which is selling really well. I will inscribe what ever you want on the cookbooks and thus far we've had some really creative and funny nicknames and other phrases that really have put a personal touch on the books. Note that I'm gonna "keep it clean" but that doesn't mean that we can't have fun with it. Orders received any time by midnight eastern time Saturday December 12 will be accepted for both the $15.60 package and the signed cookbook deal.

Random Thoughts.....

Huge crowd in Dallas Monday night to experience Monday Night Raw live at the American Airlines Center. The AAC is a great venue to watch an event much less produce one. A real first rate facility in every respect. I can still recall broadcast the three hour, Raw return to the USA Network a few years ago from the AAC after I was told that I was being replaced on Raw and then that was finalized the next week in Corpus Christi.

That whole uncomfortable matter was really a blessing in disguise as I had refused to take off work to deal with a "stomach ache" which turned lout to be a perforated intestine, diverticulitis, and a tumor on my colon. My doctor recently told me that I was approximately 30 days away from death which was one helluva wake up call. That's why if and/or when I get back on the road and restart the travel grind that I will be 100% healthy or at least that will be the goal.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban likely got cheered in the only major arena in America as the controversial, young billionaire is essentially one of the most vilified individuals in pro sports. Cuban is defiant, has been fined by NBA Commissioner David Stern many times and basically has been caught on TV court side acting like a tool. Nonetheless Cuban did a solid job on Raw and one could tell that the Mavs owner keeps up with the product or was tremendously prepared.

Cuban would have made a fantastic, villain manager back in the day (managers would work today, also, trust me) as his natural, organic personality is one that easily creates true angst much like the wrestling personas of Jim Cornette and Paul Heyman. However, I would say that Cuban made the right call professionally as I heard last night he went from stamp collector to billionaire (what??) which might have left out his computer technology days where he cashed out with a Texas sized truck load of dough.

Cuban's involvement in Raw got WWE on ESPN SportsCenter Monday night within moments of the broadcast ending in Dallas. It was a "slam dunk" pun intended that Cuban was going to make ESPN talking heads, who are just so glib and witty when speaking of wrestling, speak about more "outrageous behavior" from the owner of an NBA franchise.

Memorable night for the young Irishman Sheamus who gets to punch his first major, dance card this Sunday in San Antonio at TLC on PPV when the physical and athletic newcomer faces John Cena for the WWE Title. Sheamus is akin to portraying the Boise State role against OU in a Fiesta Bowl a few years back and most sports fans remember how that one ended. I do as I was in my hotel room in Miami, Florida sweating bullets and emptying my mini bar watching the closing moments of the game on TV. This "upset" came out of no where and with Boise State pulling off some amazing plays at the end of the overtime to win a game that they were not supposed to win. Can Sheamus do the same at TLC by putting Cena thru a table and without having to pin or submit the champion?

BTW I watched a portion of the 4th quarter and the OT of the aforementioned Fiesta Bowl after broadcasting the Cena vs. K-Fed match which will likely not make my top ten matches that I've ever called for those of you keeping score at home.

Raw has become a unique entity inasmuch as it's likely to continue to be produced to have ample non, in-ring elements coupled with the actual matches most of which seem to be succinct. The most significant thing that I remembered when I awoke this morning from watching Raw live is the Cena-Sheamus-Cuban scenario and that may have been because it was positioned to be the last thing that I saw on the show. The other TLC PPV, RAW bouts should be solid contests but they were significantly overshadowed, from my perspective, by the table enhanced closing moments of Raw. I wonder if this means that the WWE Title bout will close the show this Sunday?

Thanks to my friend Dennis Brent, who lives down in the Dallas area now with his wife Lynn, we are now represented on Facebook. Check out http://facebook.dj/jrbbq/ and see what Dennis has done. Dennis has a great collection of wrestling memorabilia including the original "Black Scorpion" mask signed by Ric Flair and a cool baseball singed by several world champs including Lou Thesz on the sweet spot. Dennis ought to start his own website as it would be unique and feature some items that can't be found elsewhere. Dennis also is one of the foremost collectors of Nolan Ryan memorabilia in the world.

It's back to the doctor's today for me as I will be seeing a Rheumatologist today which is a first. I had to go on line to find out what a Rheumatologist does in their world of specialty medicine. However, I'm feeling better every day and remain upbeat and optimistic that I have not called my last match and that my next one might be sooner than some expect.

There are some good wrestling DVDs out right now including the Hulk DVD, The History of the WWE Title, Batista's "I Walk Alone," and the compelling, Jeff Hardy DVD. I'm not trying to shill here but I've seen all 4 of these DVDs and I think that most fans will enjoy then and they make nice stocking stuffers here at the holiday season, too. Hey, If I don't' like a product that I think fans like me might be interested in, then I won't endorse it. That sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm always right but I am honest.

I need to get busy and catch up on my reading as I have Gary Hart's book, Howard Brody's "Swimming with Piranhas," and Larry Matysik's latest release. My darned right eye issues have made reading for long periods of time a little challenging but I love to read and am anxious to finish all three of these books.

BTW I feel that one of the things that stands out in the the WWE Title DVD is the fact that when a title did change hands that it was perceived as a huge deal. Now, titles change so often that some fans have seemingly lost much of their emotional investment in championships.

I got a great text message from HBK yesterday while he was in Dallas that said if he looked fat on TV on Raw that it was my fault because he enjoyed Monday's catering of J.R.'s BBQ too much. Shawn is one of the guys who regularly checks in with me to see how I'm doing which means so much. It's strange as to the list of guys who contact me regularly since I've been out of commission. I've learned that I will never be "too busy' to ever reach out to a friend who needs a positive word. Several of the guys "hit" me yesterday after having our food in the chow hall at the AAC.

Speaking of Shawn Michaels, we get emails all the time with fans assuming that WM26 will be HBK's last Wrestlemania. I have not heard that confirmed whatsoever and if it is true wouldn't one think that WWE would be preparing to make it a HUGE deal? In my mind's eye, Wrestlemania season officially launches at the Royal Rumble. I am excited about the Match 2010 release of the next HBK DVD which is a countdown of Shawn's Best Matches. Good luck in narrowing that list down to a three disc set.

Nice to see Bobby Heenan get honored in Milwaukee recently with a "Bobby Heenan Day." There are not enough honors available to anoint Heenan who is arguably the greatest all around, multi-skilled performer ever in the business. Bobby's bout with tongue cancer has limited his ability to speak but by watching the You Tube version of the ceremony one can easily tell that "The Brain's" comedic timing and wit are still solidly in place. I don't mind saying that I love Bobby Heenan and some of my most fun times in WWE included hanging with Bobby and Gorilla Monsoon. They took me under their wings when I came to WWE from WCW which was not a popular move to many within WWE's work force. Luckily for me that atmosphere changed for the better over the years.

Got a call from Gerald Brisco Monday and he's feeling good. Still has some more tests to take after the first of the year to see how his heart is performing after heart surgery and dealing with three strokes. Jerry weighs about 190 pounds which is awesome for him and says he is feeling great. I expect Jerry to start scouting talent for WWE in the early part of 2010 and there is no one better at it than him if one wants world class athletes who have an aptitude and personality for pro wrestling. Personally, I don't want everyone to be look alike, body builder, basketball bodies across the board as I think a variety of body types and sizes are essential to provide one's talent roster diversity and uniqueness.

I updated several Q&A's regarding a variety of subjects including the over ballyhooed, "new" Monday night war, my thoughts on the TNA/Hulk relationship, WWE being challenged for their market share of the genre, and even my future as it relates to the TNA organization. I invite you to check these out as those seeking dirt or to spin their own story should have a field day.

My belief remains that all businesses must completely focus on their business and never fixate on the competition. If I worried about every special or every move that our BBQ competition makes in our area I would devote too much time to what the others were doing and not enough on what I can do to make our place better. Companies cannot be built on hype and sizzle although both features are nice to be able to parlay when needed. Sizzle is nice but steak is much better. Yeah, I know that I sound like an out of touch, old schooler to many younger fans but the foundation of the genre of pro wretling is, duh, wrestling, highlighted by amazing athleticism, story telling, personal issues, and physicality. Some talents can pull off the verbal, non wrestling aspect of the business but more fall short of the mark than hit it. There needs to be a balance between Steak and Sizzle and if I were calling the plays, and I'm not nor will I be any time soon, Steak would always tip the scales over Sizzle. Sizzle would never be eliminated but would be featured less to end up meaning more.

It is a tough week for all of us that knew and loved Eddie "Umaga" Fatu and since we all heard of his unexpected and sudden passing on Friday. Since Eddie's passing, I have not had a single day that I have not thought of him and one of the many conversations and interactions that we had during his WWE tenure.

I have no idea of if or how WWE may or may not acknowledge Eddie's passing on TV but I would appreciate those sending emails asking me about this aforementioned matter to stop because I don't have the information and your emails will be deleted. I miss Eddie a great deal, have great respect for his family and many of you are asking questions that I don't have the info to answer. Thanks.

Spent a good part of Raw Monday night signing bottles of HOT, BBQ Sauce and photos for the two offers that end this Saturday night at midnight eastern time. We are shipping virtually 7 days a week via Federal Express so you still have time to place your orders but don't delay too long. My family thanks all of you who have been doing business with us.

Several fans from the El Paso area are asking if I am going to the Sun Bowl pitting OU vs. Stanford on December 31. The answer is, at this time, yes. Hey, I maybe I could stay at Vickie Guerrero's house and enjoy some of her great home cooking.

I'm not doing the WWE.com chat this Sunday but I am watching TLC on PPV. I think it might be a really unique show but I always legitimately am worried about the welfare of the athletes in a TLC type environment.

See you back here soon and thanks, again, for your business.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, Jim Cornette, WWE, Ric Flair, Lou Thesz, Gary Hart, WCW. Gerald Brisco, TNA