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JR's Blog: Good News From Restaurant Closing; Sting; Announcing; Zeus; Hitman; JR/King back Together?; On Line Biz On Fire

Posted: May 19th 2010 By: mikeiles

Life is getting back to normal as we know it with a weekend full of wacky weather including softball size hail and the closing of our Norman restaurant. For the record, we flipped our 2nd J.R.'s to a Louie's Sports Grill in Moore, Oklahoma just a few months after it was opened. We made a mistake and built it too big including a huge, sports type bar which made no sense after the fact when one was attempting to promote a 'family restaurant.' Another case of too many cooks in the kitchen. It happens in the restaurant biz just like the wrestling biz. We had a great learning experience, kept our losses under control, and are already 'over it' and moving positively forward. Thanks to all of you that have contacted us with your well wishes as they are very thoughtful.

We will likely be adding some items to our site including some authentic, laminated, suitable for framing menus from JR's BBQ, the red, heavy plastic cups, dish washer safe BTW, with our logo on them that we used for our beverages, brand new sauce, squirt bottles with our logo and more things as we continue to to stuff from the BBQ joint to storage. Plus, we have a limited number of caps and T shirts in stock that we would like to sell you if there is a market for them. We do not have all sizes and colors but we have about 400 left. We've also got caps which are easy to ship and one might be able to ship T shirts and Caps along with cookbook to countries outside the USA if we can make the approiate arrangements. We will keep you informed.

Our JR's Cookbook is selling like crazy and folks have discovered that many, many wrestling stories in it plus all the photos not to mention the idiot proof recipes that will make the family cook a hero. I have been personalizing the books with a wide variety of hilarious inscriptions and this is a $19.88 package, all in, shipped any where in the USA. Signed several books tonight and they really do make an affordable, unique gift idea.

Some fans have concerns that my sound byte on the WWE show open 'The world is catching' may soon go away and that's one I can't answer. I'm actually surprised that it has lasted this long but I can tell you that I am very proud that it is included with several other classic sound bytes.

Emailers calling me out on me thinking that the recent Jim Cornette rant was much to do about nothing. Corney knows how to play an audience like Charlie Daniels knows how to play a fiddle. I'd bet a case of J.R.'s Original BBQ Sauce that J.C's on line traffic at www.jimcornette.com increased greatly when he manipulated all those who were gullible enough to take the bait. That won't be JC's last rant I assure you and the more out spoken and crazy he gets the more goods he sells. There is a method to his madness I assure you. Would I have had the Spalding's to do what Cornette did? Hell, no.

Emailers feedback....

Yes...I do like the Motor City Machine Guns and feel that they would be more effective if 1. I got to know who in the hell they are and 2. slow down a step or two. I love their energy and youth.

Beats the hell out of me...I have no idea what WWE's future plans are for going forward with the Guest Host deal. Would it work better once a month and make the Guest Host really special? Perhaps. The deal is that I don't talk to the people who handle that business and we are both mutually pleased with that arrangement.

Speaking of Guest Hosts...old Buzz Aldrin might have spend too much time on Big Show's tour bus in Toronto as Show's bus used to be Toby Keith's and is customized with beer, bourbon and vodka on tap the last time that I was invited on board. Buzz' verbal moment with Zach Ryder was DeNiro/Pacino-esque. Riveting TV. I actually laughed out loud at that segment.

What do I think of Bret Hart winning the US Title in Toronto. Happy for TO...surprised in general...don't think I'd get used to it if I were a Hitman fan.

What were my thoughts on Zeus the wrestler? Lacking in skills...significant 'look'....right place right time....thanks for coming.

Will Sting ever wrestle in WWE? Damned if I know. Does he really 'need' to wrestle in WWE? I wonder why Sting at this stage of his life is even wrestling in TNA. I do think that Sting can make significant money when he fulfills his TNA obligation by participating in a
DVD covering his career that WWE can produced using the multiple hours of tape from Crockett and WCW of Sting. I actually called some of his earliest matches in his career,I mean very early, when he teamed with 'Rock' aka Ultimate Warrior as the Blade Runners that were going to be Bill Watts' counter to the Road Warriors. Those tapes are owned by Ene Watts and family but WWE should continue to try and buy this timeless library.

Following us on Twitter at JRsBBQ? Read my nonsense while I watched the Toronto Raw Monday night.

More questions being emailed to this 'former' wrestling announcer....I NEVER played the 'role' of a wrestling announcer. Wrestling announcer/personalities aren't manufactured as they have the necessary 'it' and 'instincts' or they don't. It's not all about youth and look and that's why the business has done such a poor job of developing the next wave of great broadcasters. Of course, some companies may want their announcers, young and with the 'look' naturally to be somewhat laid back and rarely get excited so as to "not insult the audience." If you buy that theory then you apt to buy any thing. Announcers of distinction are not unlike main event wrestlers in that they either got 'it' or they don't and it is up to mgmt to bring the best out of both. My advice to today's wannabes is to be yourself, love the genre, be a fan, don't be embarrassed to get excited and have thick skin.

Our Original BBQ Sauce is rocking as the three pack for under $20 is really moving. That's a great value and you get a free, autographed photo with Ol JR in a Homeland Grocery Store.

If you want me to sign something for you and you either cannot or won't place an order, I will still help you but you need to send me what it is you want signed and include, and this is the deal breaker, a SELF ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE. The info is at the Contact Us spot on the home page.

We sent some demos off this week to Arlington, Va to a major speaker's bureau that we feel very positive about developing a relationship with. Just read today where Sarah Palin's daughter is getting 15-30K per speech. Stop my pain.

The King and I are brainstorming about doing some appearances together in the upcoming months to put the old, Raw broadcast team back together and have some fun.

Did you know that with every 48 pack case of JR's Beef Jerky it, includes FREE Shipping, that you get a FREE, personalized JR's Cookbook valued at nearly twenty bucks?

I'm doing work on our book virtually every day. It's starting to not have me totally confused and i have called upon several , trusted friends to provide suggestions of which have been extremely helpful. Some want dirt. Really, heavy dirt. Not sure that's the way to go. Yeah, I have plenty of 'dirt' but I really don't want to write an overly negative book. Time will tell, I guess.

Don't forget to hit us at Facebook at http://facebook.dj/jrbbq/.

We're having an interesting week on the professional front. Not much more I can say than that but multiple things are in motion and somewhere soon I want to fish or cut bait. I apologize if this insane ordeal seems to be dragging on endlessly but I am in a very unique position not only as it relates to opportunities outside my usual areas of expertise but the option to not do any thing full time and work on the book and make a few appearances which has been suggested to me by those close to the situation. That feels like semi retirement and I really dislike the 'retirement' word. Then on the other hand, there are areas of interest that I have that would be new and likely invigorating. Sitting in the back yard by the pool working on my first book does have some merit. Or moving to another locale IE Hawaii and doing more writing is another thought. I kinda like that idea.

I will likely never been in this exact situation ever again so I am going to make sure that what ever decision that I do make is the one that makes me happiest and is best for my family. Thanks to practicing what I preached for years to wrestlers, our financial planner has us in a position that we can retire now and be just fine. The problem with that is that I love to work and stay engaged in projects and there are many more things that I want to accomplish plus I love a challenge. And hell, I'm only 58...the 'new' 40!

Now you're challenged to place an order with us here on line and let us make you a happy 'foodie' and a grilling sensation. Thanks for all your wonderful support and kind words that the Mrs. and I sincerely appreciate. We'll take care of you like family I guarantee.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Jim Cornette, Sting, WWE, TNA, WCW, Rock, Ultimate Warrior, Blade Runners, Bill Watts, Jerry Lawler