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JR's Blog: Saturday Blog..NXT..Full Sail..Over The Limit..Legends Roundtables..Andre's B-Day..Order JR's Today!

Posted: May 20th 2012 By: CMBurnham

Busy but productive week but enough about me...let's roll with some random thoughts.

The rebranding of NXT at Full Sail University on Thursday night was exciting. It's great to be provided the opportunity to help with any new, WWE venture especially one that will help facilitate young talents the opportunity to move to the main WWE roster perhaps a little faster.

NXT will air on TV as it has been but I'm unsure as to where it airs, many of you who currently watch it know that info better than I, nor do I know exactly when the four, one hour broadcasts we taped Thursday evening will launch but I'm assuming that it won't be for a few weeks.

NXT has not replaced FCW on TV as FCW will continue to tape its shows as it has been doing for quite some time. FCW actually tapes their next grouping of TV shows next Thursday at the FCW Arena in Tampa, as usual.

Apparently, NXT airs somewhat extensively outside the USA already. Again, I 'm not sure of where fans in the USA will be able to see the new, NXT at this time. I'm sure that WWE.com will have all that info.

I do know that if one likes plenty of in ring action that new, NXT will provide it.

Yours truly broadcast all four programs working with William Regal, Bryon Saxton and Chris Russo in various incarnations.

Several young talents stood out Thursday night but arguably the best match of the night was Tyson Kidd vs. Michael McGillicutty that was recorded early in the evening. This match was outstanding in my view and was one of the best bouts that I've seen on any WWE TV show in the past several weeks.

WWE returns to Winter Haven, Florida and Full Sail University in June and, as with many new ventures, tweaks will be made to make the experience even more productive and enjoyable for the fans in attendance at the approximate 500 seat arena which I felt like produced a great look.

One of the most ignorant Tweets that I received this week @JRsBBQ was from a person wanting to know how I felt about being 'demoted' with being assigned to help with the new, NXT. I look at contributing to NXT as an extremely positive thing and when one says that they are a team player, one either is, 100%, or they aren't at all.

As I've said many times, WWE's future is tied directly to the development of new stars and new stars begin to form their foundation in the talent development program, IE FCW, and continues on the new, NXT.

I'm heading to Connecticut next week to tape two Legends Roundtables that will air later in the year at a time TBD. The two topics are going to be 'The History of Monday Night Raw' and 'The History of Hardcore Wrestling.'

Older fans know that hardcore wrestling started long before ECW was created but younger fans might debate that point. ECW made hardcore wrestling topical but by no means did ECW 'invent' the genre. Multiple, wrestling territories were having blood feuds utilizing 'weapons' long before the founding fathers and talents at ECW were born. Plus, ECW was a much about attitude as it was the going's on in the ring.

Good news for 'Over the Limit' PPV fans this Sunday night, none of the officiating crew that worked the OKC-Laker game Friday night will be assigned to any WWE bouts.

'Over the Limit' features WWE's top antagonist, John Laurinaitis, versus WWE's top fan favorite, John Cena, in what I expect to be a match chocked full of surprises. How can it not be loaded with twists and turns? Laurinaitis, a former star in Japan and outstanding flag bearer for the Sheepherders aka Bushwhackers, is cornered with his job on the line. Obviously, it doesn't take the class Valedictorian to figure out that 'Big Johnny' needs a few cards up his sleeve because to think that 'Big Johnny' can actually beat Cena one on one is a violation of my own, personal wellness/sanity test.

Even though I feel, and with some bias, that the Undertaker-HHH HIAC bout at WM28 is the best match of the year thus far, I fully expect CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Title at 'Over the Limit' to rival the aforementioned WrestleMania classic.

Punk and Daniel have traveled many miles, figuratively together, and now finally get the opportunity on a WWE PPV to display their skills in a main event forum against each other. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this match and would be willing to buy the PPV if only for this bout. The subtleties that these two, skilled artisans of the squared circle possess and will utilize plus the story that they will tell is an announcer's dream.

Great day to fire up the grill here in Norman, Oklahoma. I hope that you will check out all the great, packages that are available at this link http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss. Our products make superb gift ideas, including Father's Day, and are made with our family's own recipes and with premium ingredients.

JR's All Purpose Seasoning is also a badass dry rub. It's the best dry rub, honestly, that I've ever used. Using this one, simple seasoning makes a world of difference in so many things not only on your grill but in your kitchen as well.

My new installment on WWE.com on the Classics page regarding my announcing partners should be posted soon. This go around I discuss @tonyschiavone24 with who I had a great time including broadcasting the very first, live Clash of the Champions. Keep an eye out for this feature re: Tony Schiavone.

Don't forget Strikeforce on Showtime tonight. @mauroranallo and @patmiletich will have the call. May have to go to picture in picture with @okcthunder vs @Lakers.

The Big 12 vs.SEC champions facing in a new bowl game beginning in 2014 sounds awesome but I'm very curious as to where the game will be played. My vote is for it to be in Cowboys Stadium that can hold 100,000 for football or, at worst, rotate the sites between Reliant Stadium in Houston, Cowboys Stadium and the Super Dome. As the lay of the college football landscape currently lies, this new bowl game will be, arguably, the biggest game of the year only trailing the National Championship Game and even then, depending on who gets to the final game, may outdistance it.

Today would have been Andre the Giant's 66th birthday. The '8th Wonder of the World' was the true definition of an 'attraction' wrestler. When not over exposed, IE not seen on weekly, national TV, Andre was kept special. When Andre came to a territory the Frenchman was an attraction of extraordinary magnitude. Virtually every true, wrestling fan has some memory of Andre and we that worked with him are no different.

Andre was fortunate in some ways to come along when he did as overexposure on national and global TV for attraction type talents shortens their shelf life considerably. Overexposure for any performer isn't good but it's especially tough on talents who are best seen on special occasions and not weekly. Plus, the world in general is producing more, BIG athletes than at any time in history.

One of the most fun aspects of being a part of projects like the new, NXT is seeing old friends at these events. Nice seeing Dusty Rhodes, Sean Waltman, Michael Hayes, Tom Prichard, Steve Keirn, Billy DeMott, Terry Taylor, Norman Smiley, Ricky Steamboat, Billy Kidman, and others that I'm sure that I'm leaving out. My theory is that tomorrow's are not guaranteed so it's always good to see people from 'back in the day' when the opportunities arise.

First chink in the armour of UFC sensation Jon 'Bones' Jones being exposed with his arrest on alleged driving under the influence? Look, everyone can make mistakes, Lord knows I've made plenty, but it's how one rebounds from those errors that is the true measure of a man. 'Bones' can damn sure fight and seemingly is a cornerstone for UFC for many years to come but, not unlike any other high profile athlete/entertainer, Jones must realize that he will never just be a 'regular guy' again. He's under a microscope that is more intense now than ever before thanks to the advancements in social media, etc. Plus, no matter the era, drinking and driving is an absolute no-no.

Most athletes love the fame and fortune that comes with success and the opportunities that they are afforded. However, many of them feel that they shouldn't have to change who they are to receive these life changing benefits. I'm not saying that 'Bones' has this mindset but we can all name athletes from several sports who feel/felt that they were entitled to the riches that they earned and, therefore, they should be able to conduct themselves as they choose.

I couldn't disagree more.

The Q&A Section of the site has been updated as of Saturday morning. Take a quick look at the questions that many have sent me and their answers.

Our Twitter account is growing weekly by amazing numbers @JRsBBQ. I invite you to follow us.

Again, here's the link to goodness, http://www/wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss where some great products await.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.