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JR's Blog: JR's St.Louis Memories..WWE/TNA Co-Venture..Mid South DVD Info..MSG Curtain Call..WWEShop Sale on JR's Ends Soon

Posted: May 20th 2013 By: CMBurnham

If you are reading this on Sunday, the EXTREME SALE at http://www.wweshop.com where you can save up to 30% OFF on JR's products ends tonight. Hit the website and check out the deals and be ready for grilling season. Some fans are telling me that they are sharing an order with friends or family members plus getting Dad something for Father's Day. Let's Grill!

Big night in St. Louis tonight with one of the world's most significant, wrestling cities hosting WWE Extreme Rules on PPV.

Lots of pivotal moment in my career had a St. Louis impact. The WCW PPV in the historic, Kiel Auditorium where Ric Flair was revealed to be the masked, Black Scorpion was a memorable night. Flair in a mask was unique but actually calling matches in that facility was a big moment for me personally.

It was in St. Louis where we learned that our friend Brian Pillman had died the night before in Minnesota. Every time that I'm in the Scott Trade Center I vividly remember where I was standing when given the horrific news.

It was in ST. Louis where we got many of the former, NWA World Champions together to be honored at a WWE event. Even legendary promoter Sam Muchnick attended the festivities. Sam was truly the Meyer Lansky of the NWA back in its heyday as he wielded ample power and influence within the Alliance and brought a level of business savvy and civility to the organization.

One of the best nights of my career was sitting in my hotel room with Jack and Jerry Brisco until the wee hours talking old times, listening to Jack talk of the grueling schedule of being the NWA Champion and the ridiculous amount of one night stand bookings. Plus the issues of collecting his money from some promoters who always wanted to "forget" that it was their obligation to pay for the Champion's travel to their next booking.

The burnout factor in being the NWA Champion was intense as the responsibility of being the champion was never ending. I used to wonder how the champ's even got a workout in or did something as mundane as do their laundry or dry cleaning.

I've been lucky to work some amazing events for WWE in St. Louis and always felt the cities special place in the fabric of our business. I hope that everyone involved on Sunday's PPV understand this as well whether it be in ring talent or broadcaster. The market is ripe with wrestling history including producing the great Lou Thesz who won his first, NWA title in St. Louis in 1937 at the age of 21.

Of course it was in ST. Louis on Monday Night Raw that we celebrated the life of Owen Hart after he accidentally fell to his death the night before in Kansas City at the Over the Edge PPV.

Poignant memories in deed for me in the city of St. Louis, Missouri.

Larry Matysik has written several books based on his experiences in the biz in St. Louis of which I've enjoyed and encourage those who like to read about wrestling history to check out.

It's really too bad that WWE was unable to buy the St. Louis Wrestling TV tape library so it could have been preserved for years to come to the largest audience possible. We tried and just couldn't get it done.

I do expect St. Louis to be a host city for a WrestleMania some day, too.

To address some Tweets @JRsBBQ:

WWE is about as likely to work w/ Impact Wrestling on an event as I am wearing burnt orange to the Oklahoma-Texass Red River Rivalry Game. Ain't gonna happen. WWE has zero to gain by this and I'm surprised that some fans actually think that it "could" happen.
TNA Owner Dixie Carter is a bright lady and made a timely sound byte that many fans, I'm sure, were excited to read but let's be honest...it's not going to happen.

The Mid South Wrestling DVD from WWE will be released in September and I'm getting an advance copy likely in early to mid June. Some of the biz' biggest stars will be highlighted when they were jut getting started including the duo of the Bladerunners, Sting and Rock aka the Ultimate Warrior, young Rob Rechsteiner who became the incomparable Dog Face Gremlin Rick Steiner, the Midnight Express vs. Rock-N-Roll Express rivalry which was as good as it gets in tag team wrestling that I ever witnessed, and even some RARE footage of yours truly going to a Muslim Church with Muhammad Ali and my poolside interviews with "The Champ" at his LA home prior to him coming to Mid South for a Super Dome show and SO much more in the three disc set. The DVD is not a documentary but does contain some extensive interviews from many of the men involved in the promotion that were recorded at WM29 and other locales.

Thoughts on the controversial, MSG 'Curtain Call' that took place 17 years ago today in New York City....I've mellowed on this one over the years. When it first occurred, I was so 'Old School' that I did not like it but as the years have gone by, like many things in my life, I've stepped back and taken a longer look at such matters. It certainly did not 'kill the business" nor did it affect the business in any significant way other than Hall and Nash left WWE and had great success in WCW and spearheaded the Monday Night Wars which was good for everyone involved in my view.

For those who are asking, I am still working one a 'One Man Show' concept that is in the formative stages. It won't be a stand up routine as I don't have an act, per se, but will be more autobiographical and, hopefully, motivational & informative. I will also engage the audience in conversation with Q&A time. I'll keep every one posted as I'm going to need to sell some tickets.

Speaking of Q&A's, the Q&A's section here has been updated as of Sunday midday.

I will be live Tweeting @JRsBBQ during @WWE Extreme Rules tonight.

My compete list of Extreme Rules predictions are here in a blog that I posed Saturday. Check them out.

Remember to visit http://www.americansoda.co.uk for JR's products in the UK, Ireland and Europe. Follow them on twitter @americansoda.

Thanks to those who support our efforts, as well, at http://www.wweshop.com.

Enjoy Extreme Rules on PPV!

Boomer Sooner!
J.R. @JRsBBQ