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JR's Blog: @steveaustinBSR & @CMT have a hit!..Montreal Screw Job..NWHOF/Waterloo..@RealKurtAngle on Ross Report Podcast Tues @ 9 pm est..Goodbye Santino

Posted: Jul 8th 2014 By: Jim Ross

Greetings from a sultry, Norman, Oklahoma where the temps today are going to approach 100 degrees. It's easy to execute the Arn Anderson philosophy of sitting poolside today which means that "my fat looks better brown than white." BTW our T shirt biz at prowrestlingtees.com/jimross is rocking as you get a RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross Shirt FREE, while they last, with the purchase of any of our new, JR's shirts. Check it out as we fire up the grill....

It's hard to believe that it was almost 17 years ago when the infamous Montreal Screw Job went down at the 1997 Survivor Series. I still have people asking me to this day if I was "in on it." The answer is absolutely not. The King and I had no clue what was going down and I'm happy that we didn't know.

That night turned Mr. McMahon into one of the hottest heels in the history of WWE and made him the perfect villain to butt heads with the Attitude Era's biggest star @steveaustinBSR. It was a marriage made in Hell and made WWE and many of those affiliated with the company a great deal of cash at a critical time in the company's history.

Someone asked me if @JerryLawler will dread going back to Montreal because that's where he almost died, he actually did die for a few minutes, of a heart attack. I haven't talked to King in a good while but my best guess would be no. That's not how Jerry lives his life. He's not the "world's oldest teenager" for nothing. More people would be better off taking Lawler's easy come, easy go approach to life in many areas.

Really enjoyed the debut of Steve Austin's new @CMT show 'The Broken Skull Challenge." The obstacle course is an ass kicker and will likely turn baby face based on what I saw on the show Sunday night. I'd like to know a little more about the contestants and that can be accomplished by succinct, graphics as the show progresses. Nonetheless, the star of the show, Stone Cold, is all over this production and his 'tag team partner' and creation, the obstacle course, may be Hell in a Cell-like inasmuch as it will likely develop its own personality before the show ends. Check it out and put it on your DVR list.

Excited about participating in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame festivities July 18-19 in Waterloo, Iowa that's just around the corner. It's the most fan friendly event around and why more wrestling fans haven't discovered it is beyond me. I'm bring plenty of sauce and Jerky.

Some fans are confused as it relates to one of the few rules left in pro wrestling....here you go...the offender must break on FOUR or they will be disqualified on the FIVE count.

Twitter question @JRsBBQ: Will WWE ever abandon their current PG TV rating? I honestly don't know but why would I know? I'd guess the answer is likely no. If WWE feels that it would cost them sponsors the answer is definitely no. I feel that the TV rating isn't WWE's biggest challenge as that appears to be establishing new stars and hoping that multiple talents can get "hot." I do think, however, that some older, established matches don't work well under the PG umbrella but that's merely a personal opinion. That would include Last Man Standing, etc.

My first of a very entertaining two part podcast with Kurt Angle drops this Tuesday at 9 pm eastern time on podcastone.com and iTunes. The Angle conversation is a provocative, two parter that I feel fans will truly embrace. We leave no stone unturned as best as I recall and talk about all the good, bad, and ugly moments of Kurt's amazing HOF level career. He's open and honest and doesn't run from any topic. I hope that you will download this one starting Tuesday at 9 pm eastern time.

A sizeable, new shipment of JR's products is being shipped to the UK to restock both americansoda.co.uk and beyondtheropes.co.uk. Hopefully they will keep an eye on the sales and not allow themselves to run out again this year. My sincere thanks to both companies for distributing our products in the UK, Ireland and Europe and most of all to the great fans in that part of the world for supporting us. I hope to tour the region in the spring of 2015 if details can be worked out. That's all TBD but fingers are crossed.

I'm always going to be a "fat guy in a little coat" but since quitting smoking cold turkey in January my blood pressure has dropped to acceptable levels and I just hired a personal trainer who I work with three days a week. I'm trying to get healthier but the no red meat and no fried food marching orders from one of my doctors is testing my will power. My pal William Regal is endorsing me to eat only grass fed beef.

Thank goodness for JR's Main Event Mustard, our Jalapeno, Honey Mustard, as it is now my "go to" healthy condiment of choice by a wide margin.

If you are interested in when specific guests who are going to appear on my Podcast simply look at the home page of this site before you leave as they are all listed through September.

For American, tackle football fans remember this....pre season rankings mean little except to those in the media and the fans who are jonesing for a football fix. I take the college football rankings seriously about the end of October or early November.

Sad to hear that Santino Marella is retiring from in ring wrestling for WWE due to issues with his neck. I was at ringside with Jerry Lawler when Santino won the IC title for the first time in Milan, Italy and vividly remember how emotional he was in the ring and particularly back at the hotel after the match when celebrating with "the boys." Santino has natural, comedic timing and I'm certain that he will carve out a name for himself in a variety of areas not only in Ontario and throughout Canada but perhaps even in Hollywood. I could easily see WWE using Santino in one of their films plus he's a wonderful ambassador for the company, as well. I am grateful that I was around when his WWE run started and he has fulfilled every role ever asked of him and has done them well. The irony of the Santino character is that the Canadian can actually perform well as a wrestler but will likely always be known as a comedic, TV character in the wrestling biz. Comedy in wrestling can work if the talents involved are as talented as Anthony Carelli aka Santino Marella but, unfortunately, few are. I wish 'Santino' only the best and it was a genuine pleasure working with him. Santino, if you read this, thanks for some great laughs and....get an agent.

I also vividly recall Vince McMahon telling me earlier in the day in Milan about giving Santino the last name of Marella to honor the late Gorilla Monsoon aka Bob Marella which brought tears to both of us.

The four pack of JR's products that includes a personally signed thank you card designed by artist extraordinaire @RobSchamberger is our hottest selling package at wweshop.com. The signed art alone is a $20 value and the entire package sells for less than that.

Thanks to all that made the @RondaRousey Ross Report podcast one of the most listened to podcasts in the world last week. We are still getting downloads on it. Ronda spent much more time with me last week than she did in the octagon on Saturday night.

I hope to be live Tweeting from @JRsBBQ tonight for the RAW from Montreal. I hope that if WWE HOFer and Montreal native Pat Patterson is on hand that he makes it out in one piece or some of his fans will go banana.

The Q&A's that made the cut are updated at Ask JR here on the site. Thanks for the visit and please tell others about our site.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.