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JR's Blog: JR's Wednesday Blog..Si Robertson & Bones Jones..London RAW Thoughts..NXT..NFL..Order JR's Today!

Posted: Apr 24th 2013 By: mikeiles

Bombshell!! It was 28 degrees last night in Norman and will be 80 by Sunday. If you don't like Oklahoma weather just hang around a day or two as it always changes. Weather report over...let's grill

Enjoyed many aspects of the London RAW Monday night and found it much easier to watch from home than to fly across the proverbial pond to kiss Sir Michael Cole's feet.

It felt like there was much more in ring content Monday night which, for an old school guy, I always enjoy. No matter is the match is 5 star classic or a ho hummer, I'm simply a fan of the ring product on any wrestling broadcast more than any other aspect.

Certainly not saying that I don't like a passionate, organic promo because I do as it was largely the promos that got me hooked on wrestling when I was a boy. They felt real, sounded real, and appeared to come straight from the heart of the speaker to a 10 year old only child growing up in Eastern Oklahoma who hung intently on every second of the one hour, locally produced TV show..

It's always great to see Undertaker on free TV and he never fails to give me my monies worth but, admittedly, I am extremely biased. I made a statement on Twitter earlier in the week @JRsBBQ that many disagreed with that I thought that Taker had overtaken Andre the Giant as the Greatest 'Big Man' in the history of the biz. Frankly, factoring in tenure, leadership, productivity, tickets sold, etc, a viable argument can be made that the Undertaker isn't the greatest star ever in the genre.

Even though the Shield had some indy experience before joining NXT, the training that the trio received in Florida has served them well. Further proof to me that NXT is the true future of WWE as it relates to the TV product which is what drives the entire company. Nothing's more important than talent and television within WWE.

The Shield had a pivotal week in the world of WWE TV and it continues this Friday night on Smackdown. Already some fans are clamoring for the trio to break up and go their separate ways. I content that it's too early for that and that there are many productive miles left in this new, hot faction that has a chance to become one of the more significant groups ever assembled in WWE.

Enjoying the development of Big E Langston who is an intelligent, grounded athlete of immense strength and overall athleticism. E's still evolving/growing but he is making steady progress from my perspective. Patience is the key here which many young talents and seemingly even more fans have little.

Ryback had a productive week in his transition to becoming a 'villain' and challenging the polarizing, WWE Champion John Cena. I think that these two will have sound chemistry when they meet at the Extreme Rules PPV and wouldn't be surprised to see Ryback win the WWE Title. Seems as if it is enviable that the Vegas wrecking ball will be 'the man' at some point in the future as he is one of the more focused and hellbent on success performers that I have encountered in many years.

As I have said many times, if a talent doesn't want to headline WrestleMania and be WWE Champion, WWE has recruited the wrong athlete. No matter the apparent challenges of accomplishing such, the goals must remain the same and the work to accomplish such has to continue. Compromise and comfort zones are the beginning of the end in my view.

Anxious to see what the next step in the progressive chart is for World Champion Dolph Ziggler who was a Jerry Brisco recruit during our days working together and after Dolph had a stellar career wrestling at Kent State. Ziggler is a special talent whether he be a friend or foe who's uncanny timing and natural athletic skills are next to impossible to find.

A little housekeeping of which I apologize to regular readers:

I am STILL working with WWE and hope to until the day I die. My primary focus is in talent development which has been a passion since we created the developmental system way back in the day.

The day I 'retire' is when you read a blurb about my passing away. Retire and do what?

There are no plans on me going back on the air on a weekly basis that I'm aware of but I'd be happy to do so if needed. I'm grateful for my tenure or 'run' as is said inside the biz and have zero left to prove at the announce table. ( I think that @MichaelCole @JCLayfield and @JerryLawler are doing great on RAW.)

Would I like to try my hand at broadcasting entities other than WWE? Sure if WWE was cool with it and did not consider it a conflict of interest and it fit within my WWE work.

The Mid South Wrestling DVD is due out in September but I don't know what is going to make the final edit of the multiple DVD release.

We are still working to get JR's products into grocery stores but at this time outside the Norman, Oklahoma Homeland Stores it's only available in the USA, Canada, Australia, etc online from http://www.wweshop.com @WWEShop on Twitter.

Yes, our products are available in the UK, Ireland and Europe via @americansoda in Manchester and a hand full of their stores plus online at http://www.americansoda.co.uk.

Whew!

Anxious to get back down to Orlando for more NXT tapings as @JohnCena will join the party on Thursday May 2 @FullSail University in Winter Haven, Fla. I'm curious to see who has improved their game since we were last there notwithstanding how many have gotten stronger and more athletic.

I'll soon be involved in a meeting with the NFLPA in Washington D.C. to further discuss the recruiting process of former NFL players with the aptitude and other requirements to become a candidate for WWE training.

Anxious to watch the NFL Draft Thursday night on ESPN for the selections but not so enthralled to have to listen to all the talking heads essentially shout out their conversations. The live audience in Radio City Music Hall in NYC will likely make WWE fans think of the live crowd at RAW the night after WM29.

I wonder when the 'brain surgeons" who make the decisions regarding CFB conferences, etc will stop and study basic geography while at the same time putting their fans first before counting the massive TV money that is currently coming their way?

Favorite match considerations for me would be Dr. Death vs. Terry Gordy and Doc and Bam Bam vs. the Steiners. Anyone remember those wars? They weren't for the weak at heart I assure you.

I'm a proud, life member of the Cauliflower Alley Club and wholeheartedly encourage all true wrestling fans to check out their website http://www.cauliflloweralleyclub.org and consider joining the club. The annual reunion just happened in Vegas, it was a blast, but I'm still of the mindset that CAC would be infinitely better served if the event moved to June where kids could come with their parents and more WWE talents could attend as well. Just my two cents.

I don't see Chael Sonnen beating Jon 'Bones' Jones this Saturday night on PPV in an eagerly anticipated fight for the #UFC Light Heavyweight Title but one never knows. Knockouts and submissions can come quickly and without notice in the Octagon. Sonnen and Michael Bisping have both done an excellent job of 'selling' the PPV but the same can't be said for Bones who stands to make much more money for his company and himself by doing more 'selling.'

Whether some purists, et al like it or not, we live in a 'hype' society that thrives on the 'sensational' aka the 'must see' and a well marketed, promoted event. Hell, @DuckDynastyAE season finale will likely have an audience of 7M+ because of the hype and the uniqueness of sending a gaggle of Louisiana duck hunters to Hawaii. Hype. Sensationalism. Salesmanship. Sizzle.

So, yes. Bones Jones can learn a thing or two from Si Robertson. That's the first time those two names have been used together in a sentence IN THE HISTORY OF BLOGGING!!!!

I will be live Tweeting during the @UFC PPV Saturday night if anyone cares. Should be some outstanding fights with some unforeseen outcomes.

Follow me on Twitter @JRsBBQ.

Try some JR's BBQ Sauces, Chipotle Ketchup, Main Event Mustard and All Purpose Seasoning and don't forget our hottest selling product...five flavors of custom, made from head to toe, JR's Beef Jerky which is 97% Fat Free.

The Q&A's here on the site are updated.

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.