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JR's Blog: Ross Report Podcast news, ROH PPV, Impact Improves, Lesnar Has To Headline Summer Slam, BAH GAWD shirts SELLING!, Sting, Grill with JR's

Posted: Jun 22nd 2014 By: Jim Ross

Hopefully, this finds everyone well and enjoying a happy weekend. All's good in Norman, Oklahoma as we start the grill.....

The Ross Report is ranked #8 at this writing on the iTunes Top 300 Sports/Recreation charts which is great considering every show that ranks above us as of today has multiple shows per week. We hang in the top ten every week on our one show that drops every Tuesday at 6 pm pacific time. These amazing results are thanks to the support you folks give us in downloading our Ross Reports for FREE from podcastone.com and from iTunes. We are grateful for your support.

The current Ross Report w/ MVP has been widely praised and is a riveting story that some enterprising film maker should think of exploring. Most young men who serve 9 1/2 years in prison don't come out on the other side as MVP has and his story is one of inspiration. I hope that you listen to it and all our podcasts. Plus, MVP's take on the late, Chris Benoit was compelling as well.

Big weekend for ROH and I hope that they are ready for it. Sad that most of us did not see as much promotion on the 'barker channels' for ROH's PPV this weekend as one would have preferred but the hay's in the barn now. My hope is that ROH can pull this off without any significant production snafus and that the talents slow down, tell logical stories, SELL, have believable conclusions to the matches and give the announcers time to tell a meaningful story and not just try and keep up with the non stop action with wall to wall talking.

"Spot' management is critical in these shows and the last thing that ROH mgmt should want is for the audience to be 'numb' by the main event at the end of the night. I wish everyone involved the best of luck and am hopeful for their success.

TNA Impact was a much better TV show this past Thursday night on Spike but many of the in ring talking segments could have been just as successful and impactful if they had been shorter. Why pro wrestling companies feel that succinct, soundbytes and cutting to the chase are out of style is beyond me. Plus, having a talent like MVP in MULTIPLE segments only waters down the talent. Overexposure used to be a viable concern of all bookers and upper mgmt types, IE Andre, Bruno, JYD, etc, on weekly TV shows, but it doesn't seem as if it is any longer which is fundamentally wrong.

It would be interesting to see Impact Wrestling and ROH develop some sort of working relationship as it pertains to the use of talent. It likely won't happen but it's worth discussing and no one has anything to lose by sitting down and talking.

Nonetheless, I wish Impact well in their expensive venture taping three nights later this month in NYC. It's a helluva time to load their gun with different and more potent ammo and let the horses run. Impact becoming somewhat TV14, working more aggressively ala Mid South Wrestling's or All Japan back in the day old, in ring style would be a site for sore eyes.

Jeff Hardy going back to being Jeff Hardy and not Willow is a step in the right direction. Jeff can and is a big star but only if he's positioned that way. Getting Jeff back on track needs to be a priority but I'm a big time Jeff Hardy fan. If TNA builds their core, then the established core can better help the younger talents become established. Plus, it's easier to re-heat established talent than it is to get 'new' over but 'new' can get over with the help of other talents who are essentially made men.

The topic of over exposure is not an Impact Wrestling exclusive by the way as all TV wrestling shows go to the well much too often and use the same talents over and over again which generally doesn't enhance said talent's equity.

The 'BAH GAWD' tees from prowrestlingtees.com/jimross are starting to go crazy and are threatening the 'Tougher Than a $2 Steak' & my personal favorite 'Slobber Knocker' shirts for #1. Remember with every JR's shirt that you buy you will receive a FREE RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross T shirt as well while supplies last. Visit http://www.prowrestlingtees.com/jimross today.....looking is free.

Anyone that thinks that Brock Lesnar won't be the WWE World Champion sooner or later this year in WWE isn't paying attention. Lesnar is WWE's mot imposing, name worthy, PPV selling superstar who can PASS THE TORCH the best to the next "Big Thing" who seems to be Roman Reigns. As I have stated on my fantasy booking segments on the Ross Report, I fully expect this to go down at WM31.

I'd book Lesnar to headline Summer Slam in Los Angeles and build the card around him. Yes, I'm prepared for the onset of knee jerkers who will say that Brock is part time and that part time talents are efficient. I don't concur and think that overexposure is running rampant in the wrestling biz and Lesnar certainly isn't over exposed. The WWE World Champion doesn't need to be on every TV or at every live event. That concept is antiquated.

If some fans feel that this may be too predicable, then perhaps some are over thinking a pro wrestling storyline that makes sense. Making sense when executing a story line is much more important than doing the unpredictably stupid moves to just 'surprise' he audience. Don't get me wrong, I love a good pro wrestling surprise as much as the next fan but NOT at the expense of doing the right thing.

I will be talking to @Sting next week for a future Ross Report Podcast that will drop on Tuesday July 15 at 6 pm pacific time. We've got a lot of ground to cover and have been friends since he broke into the biz almost 30 years ago. Steve Borden is one of the nicest people in wrestling and his son is the starting tight end at the University of Kentucky.

Remember that you can order JR's online with quick, easy ordering from: wweshop.com, americansoda.co.uk, and beyondtheropes.co.uk.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you support ROH on PPV this weekend and give them a fighting chance to prove to Sinclair Broadcasting that buying ROH was the right thing and that making a 100% commitment to their brand is smart business.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ