Following a HUGE Labor day and then capping off the week with some phenomenal football business, J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q had our biggest week last week since our opening! Our plans to open more Oklahoma based stores are moving rapidly forward, including the second store plans to be located on the west side of I-35 in Moore, Oklahoma near the 19th Street exit, which we hope to have open by spring of 2008. After that, the plans are to roll out several stores in 2008 and beyond. Not only is our delicious food carrying the load in the restaurant, but we are also selling a bunch of sauces, Jerky, and merchandise at the store and right here on line. One great sign of a growing restaurant is to have repeat business and we have a noticeable amount of “regulars” who frequent our place, which is super. My wife Jan and I are blessed to be living our dream, as it relates to our second career, that being a “still learning the ropes” restaurateur.

As I mentioned on our last blog, I am currently in negotiations with the WWE to remain with the company for the foreseeable future and those talks are moving along well from my perspective. Unless something pops up unexpectedly, I fully expect to sign a new contract with the WWE in the next few weeks, which has been the goal of the company and yours truly all along. If you want to read the absurd, check out the websites who allegedly have all the details on this matter. Either these sites are talking to someone inside the WWE, who “might” have limited knowledge on this matter, and I stress “limited,” or they are simply running with a rumor and making it a bona fide news story and, of course, we know none of these sites would ever do such a thing, or they have actually talked to me, novel idea, which has not happened. So then, how do these selected wrestling sites know all these alleged details? If any of them want to respond, I would love to know my “real” status with the company and how my contract issues are being addressed internally. Or could you ask your moles to send me a cryptic message just for old time’s sake??

I feel we will be able to work out a win-win arrangement for me to stay at my post on Monday Night Raw along with the other tasks I do on a weekly basis, but if not, and that is a BIG if, I have no regrets or sad songs to sing about the end of my run, if it were to happen. My career has been one, over achievement after another and I have nothing but good memories of the overall journey, even after enduring some challenging times along the way but, then again, who doesn’t in this life? This sure as hell isn’t a “poor me” song and dance. I am positive and loving life, I can assure everyone, except those conspiracy theorists who simply need and crave rumor and innuendo.

I am just as excited about broadcasting Monday Night Raw and the WWE Pay Per Views as I have ever been and I am also just as competitive about doing a good job every time out as I was when I first got in the biz, maybe more. We can all improve our lot in life and I never approach any show feeling I am talented enough to “phone one in”. You will not detect any “coasting” from yours truly come this Sunday night, for example, when all three broadcast teams are sitting side by side broadcasting “Unforgiven” on PPV.

So when you read about the professional demise of yours truly please take those unresearched ramblings with a grain of salt. No one has to remind me of the obvious including my WWE employment history of a few interruptions in service, my well publicized southern accent, my non TV look due to two bouts of Bell’s palsy, and the fact that I don’t have a body builder’s physique or a contemporary television personality’s “look.” Those things are what they are and when one is in my position one can either quit and call it a day or continue to compete. I choose to compete and will continue to compete in some field of play until they throw dirt on my grave. Retirement and living the easy life isn’t in my nature or in my future. I can damn sure still carry my share of the water.

Stay tuned.

Feedback time:

Kyle- Will we ever see Shelton Benjamin’s “Mom” back on TV? I hope not.

Jimmy- I can’t accurately comment on Macho Man’s 2004 World Wide Web Wrestling because I never saw it.

Chase- Stone Cold will be appearing at the Oklahoma State Fair grandstand on Saturday evening, September 22, hosting the annual Monster Truck Show. VIP tickets are available for a meet and greet autograph session with Steve thru the Fair and, I assume, Ticketmaster outlets or at the event.

Mapletechie- The Bills should have won their first game, but they looked like an improved football team. As quarterback J.P. Losman goes, it would seem so goes the Bills. The Bills have one of the better home field advantages in the NFL, that’s for sure.

Bob- I am shocked at Michigan’s results thus far this season. For the winningest program in college football to be 0-2, as I write this, is unbelievable. I don’t know what the deal is, but obviously the first reaction is to fire veteran coach Lloyd Carr who many insiders say will and has planned on retiring at the end of the season anyway. I don’t see Michigan firing Carr during the season. However, I don’t think it is time to bury the Wolverines, as they have the talent to regroup and play inspired football and break many Big 10 hearts before this season is over. Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State “seem” to be the leading contenders to win the Big 10 Conference this year, but it is a long season.

Ivan- OU thumping Miami really isn’t about redemption from over 20 years ago of heartache caused by the Canes. It was a nice win for OU, but there is so much more to be done by the Sooners to achieve the team goals of winning the Big 12 South, the Big 12 Title and hopefully playing for a national title in the Sugar Bowl in January. I think beating Miami may have helped heal some old wounds from long time fans, like me, but the players and the coaching staff by and large couldn’t have cared less about what happened over 20 years ago when the majority of Sooner players weren’t even born.

Marcus- I personally think Shane McMahon is an entertaining TV character, but his corporate work and travel keeps him more than busy. Shane will most likely see more TV duty in the future, or at least one would think so, but his primary focus is WWE corporate business matters that are ever growing.

Ron- OU QB Sam Bradford is the real deal. I talked to Stone Cold last night and he brought Sam up and also feels the redshirt freshman is doing a super job running the Sooner offense. This could be one of those Sooner Magic years for OU and if your mom and girl friend have to wear OU attire after a Sooner win I would suggest that they will be donning the crimson and cream more often than not this season.

Tevin- I never heard that Hornswaggle was going to headline Wrestlemania. That’s news to me and nor did I hear that the illegitimate son storyline was destined for a ‘Mania main event. Did you hear that or simply assume it?

Chris- What was it now about “the U”? So it’s all “about the U” is it? Strange but it did not look that way Saturday in Norman. It felt like it was more “about the who is our QB” rather than “it’s all about the who…I mean the U”. Never fear as you will get your chance for pay back in 2009 in Miami but it is too bad it won’t be at the old Orange Bowl.

JMB- for as long as I can remember, no jokes please, titles normally only changed hands when there was a pinfall or submission. Obviously, the original idea was for championships to be earned by having a clearly defined winner. I think it takes away from the prestige of a title if a championship can be won by disqualification or count out on a regular and ongoing basis.

Shawn- my opinion only but under the current lay of the land I would say that the Intercontinental title and the United States title are pretty much on equal footing.

Big Time Fan- the last I heard was that Bob Holly was still having issues with his last injury. I don’t know when or if he will get medical clearance. Bob is tougher than a $2 steak, so one should never count him out.

Bruce- Adrian Peterson is definitely the real deal at running back for the Minnesota Vikings. AD is a great young man, too, that I hope stays out of trouble and doesn’t hang with a posse or take up with the wrong people. That’s exactly what I told him when I last saw him the day he was flying to Minneapolis to join the team, after signing his deal. If #28 can simply stay healthy, his NFL career is potentially amazing. The Vikes got a great player in the former Sooner. I also advised AD to not purchase any Pit Bull dogs.

Todd- I, too, loved the Punk- Morrison match on ECW recently, but feel that those two young men would have had just as good a match under any circumstances and whether the match was on TV or not. Both Morrison and Punk “stepped up” in Cincinnati and had one of the better matches on any brand of the year. Having the time to wrestle a competitive match and to tell a compelling story helps greatly. I applaud both athletes who should both continue to improve, as time goes on, if they use sound decision making and display the needed work ethic which both have proven to possess.

Chris- The Hogan “pop” when he walks thru the curtain can be awe-inspiring. It is like a great classic rock band (ZZ Top or The Eagles) taking the stage after being “off the road” for an extended length of time. Hulk has connected with his fans and will always have a legion of supporters who love to see him live when the opportunity presents itself.

Some have asked my thoughts on the documentary “Beyond the Mat’. I did not dislike the film and it was well produced and edited. I did feel that it was somewhat one dimensional in that it seemingly showed only the perceived underbelly of the business which is not a true and accurate description of the business as a whole. Plus, I did a ton of work for free on what I was told was going to be a limited released, art film. To the best of my knowledge, no one who appeared on this project earned a quarter. Someone made money on it but it sure as heck wasn’t any of the talents, including yours truly.

Regarding Sabu being inducted into the WWE HOF…..I can’t give a “right” answer on this one, but only my opinion. Sabu has had a distinguished career without question, but my guess is that he will not be WWE HOF material and for some reason I would surmise that Sabu could care less.

Any Dream Match I could envision with all participants being in their prime would have to include, HBK vs. The Rock, Austin vs. Hulk, HHH vs. Harley Race, Ric Flair vs. Jack Brisco, and Mick Foley vs. Bruiser Brody….to name a few and there could be 100s.

Ian- I feel your pain with your Notre Dame team having its woes. We Sooner fans have been there, including losing two national title games in this decade alone. I never waiver on my commitment to my team and when I get too low I simply put in a DVD of a great OU game and relive the way I felt on that day.

Fisha- There are many, many things that Ric Flair can do for the business after his in-ring days have concluded. The list is potentially limitless. However, it takes two to tango and Ric may want to move on to other challenges/businesses outside wrestling. That is a question only Ric can accurately answer. I feel we will see Ric again in the WWE, sooner than later. As I have stated here many, many times I am a big Ric Flair fan and feel that Ric can be a valuable asset for the business for years to come, IF he so chooses.

Bill- I did not know that KC Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzales has Bell’s palsy but I would say to him to be patient and for most people who are afflicted with Bell’s it usually goes away in 6-8 weeks. The symptoms of migraine like headaches, hearing sensitivities, numb tongue, slurred speech, the inability to blink one’s eyes, and the self conscious nature it causes one to endure because of the physical appearance it causes, is a psychological challenge one has to suck up and get over. Tony Gonzales is a man’s man and a magnificent athlete and he will have little problem, to my way of thinking, of continuing to move forward and overcoming this issue. There is still no cure for Bell’s unfortunately for those of us who can’t shake it.

Mark- Jerry Lawler has never drank a drop of alcohol in his life and when he did the business with Jake Roberts in 1996 Jake did pour liquor in King’s face but Jerry spit it out. For the record, the King hated doing that piece of business because of the alcohol involved.

Shannon- Please stop with the Savage/HOF questions. Thank you.

Chris- I am pulling for the “J.R.’s Bar-B-Q Skittles” fantasy football league team!!

Nick- If I had to pick one over the other, as it relates to potential match quality, I would probably select War Games over the Elimination Chamber.

I have been asked if I attend Indy wrestling events and the answer is no. I am already busy as I can be and my role of scouting young talent has changed from the old days. It is others’ jobs to attend Indy wrestling events, not mine. I am busy enough without adding more to my plate. Nor do I watch many wrestling DVDs except for those the WWE has produced in recent years.

Josh- If you come to our place in Norman I will be happy to record a radio liner for your friend’s station, if I am around. I am usually in town Tuesday-Saturday for the record. Come and see us and enjoy the great food, courteous service, and our extensive collection of memorabilia. We are open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., unless the Sooners have a night game, at which time we are usually open until midnight or so.

Lisa- I enjoy food, as you can probably tell by looking, so when I come to Buffalo I usually have an order of wings, or three, and I have been known to eat some Wecks, but I sort of prefer the wings. I have also visited Niagara Falls on several occasions and have enjoyed it each time. I would recommend it to any one who hasn’t been there. The WWE presence in Niagara Falls is really neat.

Dan- I have long been an advocate of a Legends’ Video Game where the greats of the game, in their prime, could wrestle each other. I think it would be great to see Stone Cold and the Rock face the Horsemen for example. I know the WWE has this concept on the drawing board and I hope it becomes a reality one day. This might be the video game to get me hooked on the genre. However, I can say without question that the most fun I have had working on a video game was the recent Raw vs. Smackdown 08 video game that will be out soon. The storyline elements of this game are extremely unique and creative to my way of thinking. Some of the things I experienced doing voice-overs for the new THQ game really surprised me.

Chris- I am not aware that tickets for the December PPV have even gone on sale yet in Pittsburgh and if it isn’t listed on the WWE website perhaps some one in the Pittsburgh area could help us with the info. Small world indeed meeting an OU fan in the UK. You might try emailing the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh for more accurate and updated info.

Martin- I don’t know enough about concussions and their long term affects to intelligently respond to your query about Chris Benoit and the most recent finding that his apparent brain condition may have lead to the unspeakable acts of a few months ago. Obviously, the condition of Chris’ mental state is a huge unanswered question, as it relates to why he allegedly did what he is accused of inside his home. I think there are many questions regarding this tragedy that we will never know, but I do feel that there is much more to this story than has been told or revealed thus far. To me, there are numerous unanswered questions that have yet to be explained, plus I still can’t come to grips that Chris Benoit was a calculated murderer. I still question what role alcohol had in this seemingly senseless disaster. I also feel that this investigation should continue to attempt to bring closure to the families involved much less Chris’ many fans. It’s strange that now that the “buzz” has ended regarding this matter that the United States national news broadcasts have seemingly forgotten it.

Adam- If LSU plays USC for the national title in New Orleans in the Louisiana Superdome, I would lean toward LSU winning a quasi “home game.” My family’s experience in New Orleans when OU played LSU for the National Title a few years back was not a positive one. Some Bengal Tiger fans were obnoxiously drunk and disorderly and used the most profane language around women and children one could possibly image. Not classy at all for the vocal minority representing the purple and gold. I believe in being an avid fan of one’s team but not at the expense of wallowing in the gutter and embarrassing one’s self and putting women and children on the defensive.

John- Doing a two hour show is challenging and demanding on a weekly basis for any one. I have not kept track of TNA lately, been a little busy, but if they go to 2 hours, I wish them luck. If it means more wrestling and less talking for them or anyone else doing a weekly two hour show then it might be a good thing in my opinion. But remember that I am sort of an old school dinosaur who likes wrestling and physicality better than an over abundance of talk.

J20- Thanks for checking us out from the UK. I have great memories from Starrcade ’89 working with Jim Cornette and Terry Funk. How could that NOT have been a blast? Two of the greatest personalities in the history of the business sitting on either side of yours truly was pretty damn good TV. Personally, I like one night tournaments but I don’t think many in the WWE share my point of view on this particular matter.

Eric- I too would love to see Styles and Tazz call more than one PPV match. I am sure that in time they definitely will. They’re a damn good team.

We got lots of feedback regarding the ABC Sports announcers, namely Ed Cunningham, saying some great things about J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q during the OU-Miami game on Saturday. The ABC production crew, about 20 of them, was in our place Thursday night prior to the game and then came back the next day to get some footage and to eat more “Q”! I received a ton of text messages and emails from friends after the on air mention of our place. It was a super thing for our ever growing business but the bottom line is that if the food had not been off the hook we would have never made air. The credit goes to the team at J.R.’s for their hard work and the great food they produce.

Matt in the UK- Every company goes thru challenging times and the WWE is no exception. However, I do like what I see regarding the changes the WWE is making regarding beefing up their Wellness Program which some talents and their doctors will apparently go to any length to circumvent. Going public with individuals who fail drug tests is a great start, in addition to suspending, without pay, the individuals who make stupid and ill advised decisions. Its 30 days off without pay for the first violation, 60 days off without pay for the second violation and termination for the third offense. Times and trends are changing, for the better as I see them, but we will still hear about past issues of a generation of two ago from some who enjoy revisiting history for the sake of a story. Perhaps that is fair, as one can’t correct the present or prepare for the future if one doesn’t understand the past, but I do know that the WWE is reaching out to help older, previously contracted WWE wrestlers to offer assistance with any substance abuse issues they may currently have which is a HUGE step forward and shows a renewed commitment to helping these older, veteran talents. However, it always starts and stops with the individual who has to acknowledge that he or she has a problem and then work diligently to solve the matter and then lead a clean lifestyle once the rehab has been successfully completed. Some where along the way don’t you think that personal accountability has to figure more prominently into the equation?

We will be carrying WWE Unforgiven at J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q Sunday, but we will monitor the sound so that the place isn’t so loud that our regular guests take their leave early in the dining process. Our guests will be able to hear some of the commentary and ambiance but perhaps not as loud as Summerslam was.

Regarding the Rock, let’s clarify this one once and for all. The Rock has moved on from wrestling. He is and always will be a fan to a degree because he is a proud, third generation superstar, but he is now a movie star. Moving on for anyone is not a sin and for those that feel that it is please make your comments on that subject elsewhere. To think that Rock has done anything wrong by improving the quality of life, as he sees it, is down right ignorant. There will be no future Rock matches. Can that point be made any clearer??

Regarding someone beating the Great Khali, NO ONE is unbeatable, including the late Andre the Giant and I assure you that the Great Khali is no Andre the Giant. No one else is either, in all due respect for Khali.

There have been a fair amount of comments here regarding Booker T leaving the WWE or not. Thus far I would say that Booker’s absence from TV has zilch to do with an alleged “resignation.” Until Booker or the WWE makes this “rumor” official, I have serious doubts that we have seen Booker for the last time on WWE programming. Being north of 40 it might serve Booker well to slow down his road schedule somewhat, but I can’t see the Houston native hanging up his boots just yet. However, that is a question that can only be addressed by one man (Booker) and he has yet to make that announcement. Personally, if I were Booker I would continue to wrestle and make the cash for as long as my body and my mind say “do it”. This matter will most likely be resolved one way or another within the next couple of months or so. Until then, all one hears is rumor, unless it is from Booker himself or the WWE in an official press release.

I have heard absolutely nothing about the WWE offering Chris Jericho a 7 figure deal OR that Steve Austin is going to wrestle another match soon. That’s more rumor manure. I do hope Jericho comes back to the WWE, for selfish reasons, because I love watching him wrestle, plus the WWE could use another established star on one of its shows. My personal feelings regarding Austin are well documented and we talked just last night and never once discussed him wrestling again and we rarely do quite honestly as that simply isn’t an option for Steve at this time.

Rob- I don’t know the final roster for the Raw vs. Smackdown 08 video game but I do know that there are some major surprises on it. As it relates to Benoit being on the game, if there was time enough to remove him from the game I would assume that was done.

Quinn- I have never confused a wrestling match with religion, so as it relates to the Bible I know who the Biblical King of Kings is and don’t confuse that with any wrestler’s nickname or marketing expression. Nor do I feel guilty about using the term on TV and don’t feel it is blasphemous whatsoever. Same goes for JBL calling himself a “Wrestling God”.

The John Cena reaction some male fans give John is somewhat reminiscent of the male fans reaction way back in the day to the Rock ‘n Roll Express when the women and the kids loved R ‘n R. These reactions rarely bother true pros and I feel that the booing Cena receives doesn’t bother him whatsoever. As I have said, fans who pay their hard earned cash to attend a WWE event should be able to cheer or jeer whoever they damn well please. Cena haters may get their wish come Unforgiven this Sunday on PPV if Orton has his way about things.

Finally, this will be my final word on the Beyond the Mat scene a fan continues to write about where I encouraged prospect Tony Jones to focus his workouts in the gym on his upper body. My opinion was that if the lanky Jones could devote more of his gym workouts on his upper body that it would help his over all presentation and appearance over the long haul. Again, I encouraged this young man, who was a nice kid by the way, to bulk up the old fashioned way….through hard and focused work in the gym lifting weights and maintaining a wise nutritional regime. I know that theory works because here at OU there are several kids who have come here as freshmen and have left as seniors looking like different human beings through organized and systematic weight and strength training and these kids are drug tested regularly to insure no one is cheating or taking unnecessary short cuts. One can believe what they choose, including this fan, but I know what I meant and what was in my heart no matter what an individual’s perception of the matter might be. I have NEVER encouraged any athlete to cheat or put harmful substances in their body.

Thanks for all your comments and I hope you keep them coming. Our on line business is doing well and I would appreciate you checking out our store before you leave this site. Your business is appreciated and needed, I can assure you. Please try our Beef Jerky as we are shipping the Jerky world wide. Same goes for our caps and shirts. Thanks for everything and be well everyone.
BOOMER SOONER!
J.R.