J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q

Random Thoughts...

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 14:29 — J.R.

Posted in:

First of all I hope everyone is healthy, happy and relatively sane. From the tone and tenor of some of our more recent emails, I much admit it feels like something is “in the air” as many people were seemingly angry when they wrote to us. I have been guilty of writing when angry upon occasion myself and I usually regret what I have said after the fact. During my long career in this business yours truly has been hammered several times for my “presentation skills” but rarely for my honesty.

I am still getting people who lash out at me because of something that they did not like in the WWE, i.e. the ECW PPV. I am not sure why I get this barrage of negative info with the expressed purposes for “J.R. to do something about it.” You have to be kidding me! I am in no position whatsoever to change anything you see on TV or elsewhere within the WWE or any wrestling company. Nor do I want to be. It is a no win situation to be in and at this stage of my career I choose to not be involved in that process. Not only does my personal taste regarding the product fall in the minority side of the equation, but I also don’t need the stress of constantly trying to come up with fresh programming on a 51 week a year basis.
In my opinion it is insane for anyone, inside or outside the business, to think that every week will be a great TV show when other TV shows have a “season” and allow their stars and creative people time to re-charge their batteries. Can any company’s weekly TV vehicles improve…absolutely. No matter what any of us do for a living there is always room for improvement.

I don’t mind getting “hammered” on our site but please be selective in what I am held accountable for although I do enjoy reading the spirited emails we have been receiving.

It has been challenging keeping up with the plethora of wrestling pay per views over the past few weeks. Many fans have raised hell about the ECW PPV but I was traveling and did not see it live but plan on watching it in the future even though some have written and warned me not to. Since the inception of wrestling pay per views I have been knee deep in more of them than perhaps any broadcaster in history and have had my share of less than stellar moments and have been a part of some stinkeroos. That does not ease the pain of those that are still bemoaning the fact they felt they bought a bad show recently but it probably wasn’t the first not will it probably be the last. That is no consolation to those that felt they did not get their hard earned monies worth but it is the truth.

There is a big Battle Royal on Raw this Monday from Washington D.C. for a live show that is 3 hours long and stars ONE HOUR EARLIER than normal. Battle Royals are usually feast of famine from my personal perspective and, hopefully, with the winner getting a same night WWE Title match Monday’s effort will be one of the better battle royals that have been featured. Back in the day, I refereed many battle royals and usually all the older about to be washed up wrestlers were thrown in the mix and that usually was a recipe for disaster. That should not be the case Monday in Washington D.C.

As I have mentioned this is NOT a WWE site, but I am awfully proud of the WWE men and women who traveled thousands of miles to entertain the troops defending our country. I am not a fan of the war in Iraq but I do admire the young men and women who are fulfilling their obligation to their country and doing their best to fight terrorism. I could easily go on a rant here about President Bush, a former male cheerleader at Yale not that there is anything wrong with that, but I won’t pile on. Hopefully, George W.’s legacy will not solely be the war on terror but that might be unavoidable. Enough on politics. Good job WWE for bringing some smiles on the faces of some deserving soldiers.

Bret “The Hitman” Hart still continues to get excellent reviews in Aladdin’s Genie. I would love to see the play if ever given the opportunity.
Bret is one of my all time favorite in ring competitors….ever. I also can’t wait to read Bret’s biography.

I hope K-Fed is taking his match with John Cena seriously for the first Raw of 2007. They won’t be playing flag football.

What better way to spend New Year’s Eve than flying to Miami on New Year’s Eve and then kicking off 2007 broadcasting Raw? Some of us are just too blessed aren’t we?

Nice to see beautiful Stacey Keibler on the cover of the December Fitness Magazine. Stacey is a wonderful young woman who I hope has a HUGE 2007!

I get deluged with mail regarding the WWE Hall of Fame. Firstly, I am no longer any part of the selection process since moving to Oklahoma. I do not know who will be inducted in 2007 although several men and women are deserving. No matter who is selected, there will always be some that will bitch and moan that “their favorite” did not get the nod. As my Dad would say, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I can identify with that but there is always “next year”. Or, you can just make yourself miserable and question the selection process. Pick your poison. I do think voting on www.wwe.com should have a role in the process. That’s just a personal opinion.

I have to say that some of the recent WWE DVD’s have been awesome. The Pillman product is a must see in my opinion. I love the AWA DVD and some of the match content on that one is priceless. Hulk’s DVD is historic and fun to watch as is Roddy Piper’s, too. These are great holiday gift ideas for new fans, old fans, or simply fans of documentary styled DVDs. I did some work Monday on an upcoming Four Horseman DVD that will be released in the future. That one should be awesome too. Man, I had some great parties with the Horsemen back in the day. My liver would agree.

Signs at wrestling matches…..please stop my pain. I can’t say the right thing it seems. I do not know what the policies are regarding signs at wrestling events nor do I care. Really, I do not care. When I go to work I have a zillion more things to deal with than what signs are being displayed, confiscated, held up or whatever. I DO NOT care. I don’t think signs should be obscene. If that’s OK with you, that is my opinion. I would not endorse promoting other wrestling companies but that’s just me. If you feel compelled to bring a sign to an event, have at it. If you feel your sign is clever and needs to be seen on TV then by all means bring it with you. If it gets confiscated, don’t kick the slats out of the crib. If the “sign police” are on the case so be it. Does it truly matter at the end of the day? The WWE showed a sign a fan brought right after I suffered facial paralysis with Bells palsy that read “J.R. Has Lost His Smile”. I wasn’t overwhelmed upon seeing it and I thought it was classless but it did not kill me and it was NOT confiscated. If I had been on sign patrol that night, I would have taken it and asked the individual why he or she wrote it. Was it someone starved for attention or someone who likes to celebrate in the misery of others? If this sign had been confiscated would that have been right or wrong? First amendment or bad taste? Classless or clever? Does any one really give a damn?! Perhaps this is a bigger issue than I perceive but it doesn’t affect me one way or another except when I happen to glance up and see a sign that busts my Spauldings…which I might deserve.

I got an interesting voice mail this week from my old friend Stone Cold Steve Austin who is on his annual deer hunting trip in spacious South Texas. The Texas Rattlesnake loves to hunt and hang out with his Texas buddies which goes to show you how little that the arguably greatest box office attraction in wrestling history has NOT changed. Over the years wrestling has not been over run with people one would want to hang with on a regular basis but Stone Cold is definitely one of the best. I will also admit I am not totally unbiased.

We have created some great sauce and merchandise offers for your consideration especially with the holidays literally upon us. Please take just a moment to visit our on line store and check these “deals” out. I sure would appreciate it. Thanks and be well.
J.R.

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Comments

Tue, 12/19/2006 - 01:34 — Brock (not verified)

To the post regarding the ratings. Get a life. That was 1999. One of the biggest single years in the entire history of the sport. For the WWE to even pull half that number now, with the collapse of WCW and the implosion of the ECW, is absolutely stunning. It is a credit to the work the WWE did in the three tears after the collapse and implosion of virtually every promotion in North America. Yes, RAW leaves quite a few things to be desired, but it is still RAW. Quit rehashing old ratings and old buy rates and focus you attention on rehashing the spirit and pride of professional wrestling that has since been killed. Ratings mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Get your head out of the dirt sheets and take a breath... PLEASE... For the love of JR... Besides what do you expect? No six year period in wrestling has ever mirrored the six years that came before. If you want the nWo, but a tape or DVD. If you want The Rock, find a friend with the right tapes. If you want today what you had in 1999, keep praying. The boom is over and we'll all have to wait for the next one to roll around. Until then, stop with the ratings and focus on the shows. Ones opinion is not an opinion if one waits for the numbers to create it. Think about it.

Tue, 12/19/2006 - 01:25 — Brock (not verified)

JR, You are right. You are not the enemy. And Yes, I was more than a little PO'd when I wrote my posts. I'm PO'd because the sport I grew up with is being beaten and buried by this neo-sports entertainment. We wrestling fans, we lowly wrestling fans, have no way to voice our opinion on the current product with the promise of being heard. You are one of the very few outlets to vent either rage or appreciation, or whatever the case may be. John Cena is terrible because he is. No more, no less. Triple H and Shawn Michaels are terrible as DX now because they are older, but no less talented, and anything but rebellious. It doesn't have the same feel or the same shock. It isn't what it once was and that's that, as they say. I was one of the growing crowd who thought that Umaga and Samoa Joe were one in the same. The difference now is huge and growing. As a fan of the great Samoa Joe, I find myself falling into the Umaga story head over heels because of hoe well Umaga is put together from the writers table to the mic. It is a genius gimmick. Umaga reminds me of the late great Yokozuna. He was a man who, in his prime, could work a crowd just as well as the Hulkster. I can see that in Umaga. As long as the WWE keeps his mouth shut. Don't let Umaga talk. Sabu lost about 90% of his appeal the first time he opened his mouth on "ECW" television. Don't let this happen to what could be the biggest thing to hit the wrestling business in years. I'm not saying you have that kind of say, you've stated you don't and that's word enough for me, I'm just saying he could be huge, and I mean HUGE. The writers need to go back and watch a lot of the old Yokozuna tapes. How he would only say "BANZAI" at the end of his promos and then stare into infinity. I got that feel on RAW tonight and I want it next week and the week after that. Umaga is a great worker and gimmick and is more than worthy of a good long WWE title run. That's it for me. Take it easy JR.

Mon, 12/18/2006 - 03:38 — Garry (not verified)

hey jim, i was wonder if we would ever see in the ring Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. Hulk Hogan at wrestlemania 23 in detroit and do u ever think it will happen? Also i was wonder if another match would ever happen with Randy Savage vs. Triple H sometime down the road and what would u think if those 2 matches ever happened?

Sun, 12/17/2006 - 18:29 — Dan (not verified)

Yes. You don't care. You don't care about the fans. And I don't care about you or anything the WWE has to put out there anymore. I don't care.

Sun, 12/17/2006 - 13:24 — Cory!! Strode (not verified)

JR, As someone who also works in a field where there "aren't any days off", I wish you could have gotten 1/1/07 off to see the Sooners. I'm just dropping a note with sympathy, seeing as how I have missed out on a lot of things I would have wanted to do because I couldn't get the day off. Hopefully things work a bit better in the future for you!

Sat, 12/16/2006 - 13:38 — Kevin (not verified)

First time here, And I'm really saddened to see people put signs up like that. I'm shocked that people didn't kick his ass for a sign with such cruel and sadistic humor. Commentary isn't about appearance it's about entertaining and informing the fans. A job which i can openly say you are one of the best in commentary in history of sports entertainment. actually I can go as far as saying you and Jerry commentating is what makes Raw special. You both add to the entertainment of wrestling and you both have kept me watching Raw for many years. HERES TO THE FUTURE!

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 19:17 — Brandon (not verified)

Hi Jr, My name is Brandon, and I am a 20 year old college student from Madison, Wisconsin. First and foremost as a first time visitor to this website I want to say a sincere "thank you" for your hardwork and dedication to a business which so many of us love so much. You have helped to create so many special moments in WWE history which I will never forget. Whenever I think back to a great WWE match, your unbridled emotion and passion for telling the story, and ability to make the characters in them truly "larger than life" will always be synonymous with those matches. I also wanted to thank you for taking time out of your busy life to interact directly with some of the wrestling fans. It truly speaks volumes to the kind of class act you are. With that said, I was hoping to get a personal take from you on John Cena. Personally I want to like John Cena. His charisma and intensity in the ring is a welcome site, and I've always enjoyed his battleraps and other tools he uses to cut effective promos. I believe Cena, along with some of the younger blood such as Randy Orton, have the potential to be future hall-of-famers. As we all know, however, Cena receives mixed reactions from the fans at many of the venues he performs at. Currently, Cena continues to be billed as a "face" by WWE management. Based on these mixed reactions and your own personal thoughts on "The Champ", does John Cena truly have what it takes to take World Wrestling Entertainment back to the promised land? Do you believe a heel turn for Cena would help or hurt WWE at this point? Would a reverberation in Cena's character back to more of a "white rapper" persona and less of "The Marine" help to spark more interest in WWE television? Thank you for your time.

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 16:11 — JT (not verified)

Hi, JR!Just wanted to drop a line from California and say that even if the WWE is taking some bad storylines, I don't think it would be nearly the same without you and Jerry Lawler every week. It's always a pleasure to watch RAW and hear your commentary in contrast to Cole and JBL, or Tazz and Styles; it's distinct, and your experience with the business as well as a sense of humor comes out in your voice. I agree with the post you made; the comment about the palsy was atrocious, and shouldn't have been made, and I'm glad to see you've recovered quite a bit and returned to the show. Please continue to keep up the good work on RAW, and in your future endeavors(I'll use the WWE form letter statement, but I mean it-stick around!). Sincerely, JT

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 07:19 — Bryan Mathews (not verified)

Jim, I just want to really want to tell you how great I think you are.Your ability to grow along with a product that is constantly changing, shows the kind of love and dedication we all should convey to our business. Thank you Jim Bryan Mathews "The Real Deal"

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 03:45 — Duane (not verified)

Hi J.R.! I've been hearing "on the street" that a local MMA fighter Mavrick Harvey will be coming to ECW soon. As of late he's been fighting in Kage Kombat and Valor fighting. Do you know anything about it and if so, how he's looking in training for Pro Wrestling? Thanks and have a great holiday season! P.S. - took your advise on the ECW PPV thing! Ready to see what the future will bring!

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 03:21 — Emmett (not verified)

hey why is the road dogga and billy mad at dx? I mean they had their chance to saty. they claim Vince McMahon wasnt behind. all they had to do was sit back and wait their turn. some people dont see things from the business point a veiw. they just see the right now instead of looking further down the road. I really think it was just a publicity stunt. whats your stand point on what they said?

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 01:52 — Randy (not verified)

What did you think of Lord Alfred Hayes as an announcer and did you ever get a chance to meet him? I think that, despite his embarrassing moments, he gets a bad rep as announcer from alot of people. What do you think? -1- Randy

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 00:04 — M. Sopp & B. James (not verified)

Good Ol' JR! How ya doin buddy? Just let me ask you one question... how do YOU feel about The Million Dollar challege from the Voodoo Kin Mafia against Dumb To The Xtreme... Michael Hickenbottom & Paul Levesque?

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 23:57 — A.P.J. (not verified)

Great site JR. I have always enjoyed your commentary along with Jerry Lawler. There is one thing that I have started to observe over the past few weeks. The "great" WWE fans who buy a ticket to watch a live WWE show bring signs that promote other companies and instead of enjoying the main event, they find it nessecary to chant another promotion's name for eg. "T.N.A". The fans did the same when ECW was not airing any more (look what they have now). I'm a loyal WWE fan and I find this very strange. I saw the ECW pay-per-view and I admit it wasn't the type of show one would expect from WWE(Raw or Smackdown). But i didn't expect much from a star lacking brand such as ECW in the first place and I bought the pay-per-view knowingly. In my opinion this ECW pay-per-view was reasonably better then any TNA pay-per-view I've had a chance to see. ECW delievered a WWE type of show and in my opinion they out performed their competition, yet the fans chant "T.N.A" at WWE shows. TNA is a decent time filler. All the wrestlers that i enjoyed watching in WWE or WCW and who are now in TNA are not nearly as good as they were with WWE or WCW. Back to the idiots that chant "T.N.A" at the WWE shows, "If an annoying kid crys at a toy store, doesn't mean that his mommy will buy him a toy". This chanting is not going to accomplish anything, and its simply stupid. I'm going to continue to enjoy the entertaining product that the WWE brodcasts each week and if I'm not satisfied with what they offer, I'll simply detach my self with the company instead of bitching about it and ruining it for the other fans. Thanks for reading and hopefully I'll be fortunate enough to recieve a reply from J.R.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 18:46 — Brian Hatter (not verified)

One more Question? Do you think that WWE should give The Undertaker one more title push beofre his career ends??

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 18:37 — Brian Hatter (not verified)

Hi J.R., I have always said you are the best in the business even back in your WCW/NWA days. I know that you have no more involvment in official dealings, but I had a question. Why is WWE so concerned with guys that have "the look" these days. I can't stand TNA for the most part. Many of their so-called "stars" coundn't handle being a WWE star. Why would they pass on a guy like Samoa Joe. The guy for his size can do some amazing things in the ring, and when you stack him up against a HHH, or John Cena. I think that those matches would be absolutley off the charts. Do you think WWE has lost its edge as far as some of the promos go? With the whole VKM thing. I think Shawn and Hunter should at least say something. Besides VKM couldn't hold D-x's jock straps. Were talking about HHH and HBK. I count 14 or 15 World titles between the two Not to mention Intercontinental, European, Tag Team, amd some of WWE's biggest matches of all time. One last thing. I think you hit the nail right on the head about the in-ring Psychology. Thanks for reading

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 18:00 — Brad (not verified)

Hey JR part of the problem with the ECW PPV, was it was a week right after the Survivor Series (Too Soon in my opinion), not much was promoted about the PPV beyound the Extreme Elimination Chamber & the Hardyz/MNM match. I never seen it personally to say if I liked it or not because I usually only order Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Summer Slam, & Survivor Series. any PPVs I order beyond that I base purely on what the match lineup shapes up to be. People seem to fail to realize you been out of the management loop for over a year atleast now.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 17:49 — Ricky (not verified)

Hey J.R what's up. I just wanted to talk about all this hype involving the VKM bashing DX. What the heck is that all about. The VKM or whatever you call them have no rights in saying that they are the reason that Dx is so big today. If anything it was HBK and HHH and a little bit of X-Pac who made it big not road dogg and Billy Gunn. I hope that Dx does accept there little $1,000,000 challenge just so that they can beat the living crap out of them. PS:Go Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 16:59 — Kevin Harris (not verified)

JR... Has there ever been any talk of just outright banning signs? They annoy the crap out of me on TV, as the people who bring them seem to be more interested in the attention that they can steal with them, and when I'm in an arena filled with them, I miss much of the action because some idiot spends more time with the sign up than watching the match. I remember when the signs were "Hulk Rules" "Four Horsemen 4 ever"...Now they all read "JOHN ROBERTS IS NOT HERE", "THE PEARL IS IN THE RIVER" and other things that only amuse the person who made it and their D&D buddies. Let's just ban them and be done with it.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 16:03 — Tom (not verified)

Hey JR. love your commentating and I am a huge, all be it recentley, fan of the WWE and especially RAW. I thought RAW this week was great. But one thing really annoyed me. That is the aftermath of the Victoria/Torrie match. I really can't understand why they had Masters attack Torrie. I know that WWE is developing a fued between Carlito and Masters but we already saw them in a match earlier in the night. On the otherhand, they could have done more to push Mickie vs. Victoria which I feel has the potential to be a great fued, much like the Mickie/Trish fued from earlier in the year. I just think that more should have done to push Mickie/Victoria.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 15:42 — Matt Dees (not verified)

JR, Im not trying to Mark out by any means, but the fact of the matter is that WWE disinigrated from it's former "Attitude" era once the death of WCW unfolded, 4 Years ago TNA had in no way any oz of competition, and they keep getting bigger and bigger, Fans expect More when there is competition in the air, Personally I felt like it Sunday Night Heat ever had their own PPV as a brand, well The ECW PPV would definitley get the nod, horrible matches with no build up, You See with TNA they can throw a match on the card, and make it amazing either way, ECW's creative focus was disrupted by the Politics of the back stage area, RVD got caught smokin pot, whatever the case maybe, They decide not to put the title back on him, and in my opinion when his contract is up, he will go to TNA, Its not a matter of Heat, its not a matter of a Gimmick, its not about Katie Vick or Cheerleaders, its a matter of competition, I have A HUGE amount of respect for you JR, and by no means am I bashing WWE or you, I Buy every single PPV, but Buying Everyone, regardless of if its TNA or WWE, I notice the difference, King Booker gets alot of heat, but can he have a 5 star match? WWE lost the Attitude era, and then WWF got the F out and replaced it with E, We dont want to see Tatanka and Henry Godwin, We want to See Beniot Vs Triple H or Michael's Vs Lashley, THE MAIN POINT OF THE ROSTER SPLIT WAS TO CREATE COMPETITION BETWEEN BRANDS BECAUSE THERE WAS NONE, ITS TIME TO END IT, I WANNA SEE SOME BETTER MATCHES JR, Please spread the word to someone, I still wanna buy WWE PPV's but I really feel like I had my 40 Dollars that I work very hard for stolen from me, it was THE WORST PPV OF ALL TIME, Even Worse then WWA or WCW in the year 2000, Your the Voice of the Fans JR, you are a wrestling Genius and the best broadcaster of all time, So help the fans out JR and lets get some Competition going here! It brings out the best in both parties

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 15:15 — Jason Johnson (not verified)

Hello J.R. Been a big fan since the early 80's .Since i was little I've wanted to be a part of the wrestling buisness in someway either announcing,referee,ring crew or whatever.I live in Louisville which is where OVW is located and was wondering if you knew how i would go about contacting them for possible employment and if i would need a college degree to be in broadcasting.Thanks a lot and keep up the good work.Also I read your comments on Lawler's early matches and just wanted to say that every tues. night at the Louisville Gardens back then I watched some of the best matches of his career live from the front row

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 15:05 — Jonny (not verified)

I have always liked Mr. Perfect. Why wasn't he given a huge push in 2002? After all, he was perfect.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 14:56 — Jay Pope (not verified)

J.R., First I would like to say thank you for creating a forum for fans to voice their opinions good or bad. I have to say that you get much deserved praise for your announcing abilities but fans seem to forget that it was you who sought after and signed to contract possibly the greatest array of talent this business has ever seen. You did a tremendous job as V.P. of Talent Relations. Jeff Jarrett's contract issue aside, I believe you did an incredible job and for that roster and the match-ups it created I say THANK YOU. With the current roster and the state of the wwe as a whole, I think it would be prudent to return you to that position. Johnny Ace has been and is a big reason why the roster is filled with talent that has not displayed enough wrestling instincts or ability to warrant being televised. Chris Masters, Khali, Hassan(he would still be on the roster if his character hadn't created outrage), Nathan Jones, Snitsky, Tyson Tomko, Boogeyman, Vito, All Divas save Mickey James and Trinity, along with a number of call ups from developmental that were questionable at best(i.e. the Miz, MVP, Sylvan etc.) And a nuber of talent releases that really boggle the mind(Gail Kim, Jackie, All the Dudleys, Albert, Hass(glad he is back), Christian(ace shares blame with creative), along with several developmental performers that had legit potential. The point is that the roster has lost focus and talent since you were in charge of this area. I know that hiring edicts come from the top but I'm sure when you hired someone you were told to and they flopped you spoke your mind. I'm sure that Ace is just going through the motions. I mean when Oleg Prudius get called up to work houses before a Steve Lewington, or better example, when Oleg, the Miz, MVP, etc get hired before Brian Danielson does(who was trained my Shawn Michaels...hint...perhaps he's good maybe?)something is obviously wrong. I know the heads of WWE really arent into small wrestlers but tell that to the NBA of the NFL. In the 90's almost every NBA team had a 7' center but things changed and its a guard oriented league now. In the 80's and 90's the NFL was all about ground and pound along with defense winning championships. Now its about field position and defenses that can score points off turnovers. Times change. The best wrestling performers are these average sized guys that work their tail off. I really believe you would hire talent and ability over size. Your announcing skill speaks for itself but I really think the fans need guys like you and Heyman in there fighting for us regardless if you get sent home or not. I know that sounds harsh but WWE will not release Heyman or you to go to TNA. Not unless you quit. We need you, your the best man for the job truly you are. In a perfect world Raw and Smackdown would be one roster, ECW would be the training ground for DSW and OVW with a mix of old ECW talent. And there would be legit wrestling talent up and down the roster. There is NO reason that TNA ahould have more up and coming WRESLTERS than WWE. That is a MAJOR blow to the fans perception of the WWE. How can the BEST promotion not have the best talent from around the globe?

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 11:37 — Bill Bias (not verified)

JR The only thing I can think of why people write to you about negative things, is that folks view you as THE face and voice of WWE. Whether Vince likes it or not, a lot of folks think of you first when it comes to WWE. Heck who do you think people would rather sit down and have a drink with, you or Vince? I'm picking you, myself. So would most of the people who watch WWE TV. We all connect to you and King much better than Vince. Bill

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 11:34 — Joe (not verified)

Hi JR, Have you considered BBQ shirts for the merch. section, that feature you on them? Thanks, Joe

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 11:30 — Brian (not verified)

J R, I have been a wrestling fan for over 35 yrs. The old days were superb, but as time have changed, the shows are much better with all the new tech. The color and the sound is so much better today than in the past. You have been the best announcer and color commentator to ever take part in the sport. I agree that John Cena is one of the best products to ever grace th squared circle. maybe some of the talent is not so great but is nede n a certain manner. No matter what others say, keep up the Great work.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 04:35 — Kevin Davis (not verified)

As a fan I would like to say Thank You for the entertainment for all these years.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 01:46 — Joshua Pantalleresco (not verified)

J.R. No one should harp at you with the product. You don't have much say in the creative end, so what can you do to change it? Still, I agree with what some have said. DON'T watch the ECW pay per view. The effort was there, but the ppv wasn't promoted well and it really showed when you saw it. I know there are going to be stinkers, but ppvs aren't cheap either. When you pay 30 or 40 bucks to be entertained by a three hour show, you really hope you get your money's worth. I don't think the ECW ppv delivered. What do you think of WWE cutting down on some of their pay per views in order to promote them? This seems like a crazy time of year with the sheer glut of them. Hopefully things are well and I wish you a happy holidaze. Merry Christmas.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 00:50 — Matt Galloway (not verified)

Wow, Jim, they're not letting you go to the bowl game? You'ven ever asked for time off for something like this, and they're just flat out denying you so you can announce an awful piece of garbage like John Cena vs. Kevin Federline? They couldn't even do an angle to take you off T.V. for a week? Shame on them. They don't appreciate you enough, JR.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 00:08 — Charl33 (not verified)

Hey Jim, its must really p*** you off with theses e-mails from so called 'hardcore' wrestling fans who haven't realised that your job description changed a while ago and yet they still b**** to you like you can do something about it. Well either way, I really enjoy the way you handle alot of the e-mails/comments you get, very professional. I hope we never stop hearing your random wrestling thoughts/opinions even if they (or the feedback) does get heated once in a while.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:56 — Mike (not verified)

JR (if you're reading this), I'm detecting a little sarcasm in that comment you made about being blessed flying to Miami on New Years Eve for Raw the next night. I had read you had asked for that show off to tend to some "personal" matters (we all know of your love for the Sooners). Nice to see loyalty and dedication rewarded (there's my sarcasm). As a long time fan going back to when the old WWWF used to run Friday Night shows at Jack Witchi's Sports Arena in Attleboro, Mass, I and a lot of other current and former fans believe your boss really has lost touch as to what his audience wants to see...his "vision". From his screw up of the original WCW invasion to what he has done to and how he has treated Paul Heyman and ECW, it's just shameful. A lot of big money and great storylines flushed right down the toilet due to, I and many others believe, his my way or the highway attitude. I look forward to the day someone or something bursts this bubble Mr. MacMahon has been living in these past few years. But as long as he's making money and is without serious competition, I don't expect anything to change. Sucker that I am though, i'll keep watching. Keep up the usual great work for as long as you can stand it. Mike in Lake Forest, Ca

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:55 — Hadeeth (not verified)

Hi JR!! Hope you've been having a good week. You were talking about recently released DVD's in this week's blog and I was wondering if there will ever be a DVD on the Women's Championship???? Similar to that of the WWE Championship DVD. It has a lot of history, and I'd love to see past female matches- somethig thats very hard to find!!! Also, on the subject of signs I can completely understand why WWE confiscates some signs, like the one you were talking about. Sometimes, fans can be oblivious to some things. But, I was wondering about this rumor going around that "Thank You Lita" signs were confiscated at Survivor Series. I know Lita was heel, in her last match but, if the rumor is true that seems kind of rude to me. It was her last match and everything, and fans showing appreciation isn't a bad thing. Thank JR, hope you have a good Christmas!! Hope to see some Feedback!!! Hadeeth

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:40 — Scott (not verified)

Hey JR, Any chance a 3rd member of DX comes in 07, maybe X-Pac or China? Also what are the chances Vince brings back the nWo to take on DX. That would be huge!!!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:34 — Brendan (not verified)

JR, great post! Have you seen Teddy Hart's work recently? My god, that man is the future of pro wresting. He is a human highlight reel, but moreover he can really work the mic. He has "it"; connects with you instantly. A spark of realness, charisma, bitterness, volnerability that just makes him the total package in my opinion. I've also been watching some shoot interviews lately (perhaps I've had too much time on my hands) but I found some remarks Kevin Nash made very interesting... he was saying how saturated and watered down Raw feels. Boy, ain't that the truth. There has to be some guys on the roster that might develop som mic skills if given the time and room to do so. I just wonder who. I just think more bulletpoints and less scripting makes for a better feel of the show. Personally, I think it might be interesting for Stephanie to join DX. Then, somehow tweak the group,making them grey hat anti-heros and watch Shawn get the white heat that he is so good at getting. Is religion keeping him in this cheesy, horrible charicature? -I think Kevin Federline v. Cena is a very sad way to begin 2007. How about an iron man match between Benoit and Chavo instead? I remember watching the Steamboat/Flair match on TBS with you and Gordon Solie doing color. I was nine years old, and completely fell in love with the art of professional wresting that night. I thought The Great Muta with all his skill and that green mist was really cool too. Amazing how many talented workers there were back then versus today. - I wonder what Pillman's career woul have been like if he had never had the car accident. He had it all. Two dream matches that would have been cool to see-- (Everyone in their prime) Bret Hart vs. Angle, Randy Savage vs. Eddie Guererro, Flair vs. Rock. All the best, JR!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:33 — Robert Leger (not verified)

I'v been watching wrestling with my Dad since I was two years old, now i get to do the same with my two year old son. J.R I was curious on your toughts on TNA. VKM challanges WWE, I really think the WWE should start responding,they would'nt be expecting it at all. Hoever it would capture the intrest of the fans, wether WWE fans or TNA fans. As a fan there was notting better than watching the Monday night War between WCW and WWE. This hole TNA WWE thing could make verry interesting television if both sides work together just a little. I love watching the WWE and like watching TNA. I would like if you can get back to me with what you think. Your Fan, Rob

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:31 — Richard Crommett (not verified)

I just wanted to tell you keep up the good work, and that Im sorry according to your blog you are going to be missing the Fiesta bowl. Ive been a big fan of pro wrestling for almost all my years, but I must say Im not too impressed at all with K-Fed being on Raw again soon. I think Im gonna skip that one. I wish you could do the same to see your team play. Thanks for all the blog updates letting us inside your head a bit, and Ill be sure to pick up and try some of your BBQ sauce soon, being the grill affectionado I am.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:30 — Joel Geraghty (not verified)

Sorry to hear you didn't get the day off, JR, that really sucks. I hope RAW is a good enough show to make up for it, but calling a Cena/K-Fed match can't be a great consolation prize. I've been watching the Legends Of Wrestling series on WWE 24/7 and I love it. It must have been a ball to tape those shows. I'd love to hear your comments on the show and answer a couple questions if you can. How much ended up on the proverbial "cutting room floor"? Have you heard anything about releasing them on DVD, maybe with deleted scenes? How many shows were taped? And will there be more on an ongoing basis? Sorry for all the questions, but it's an awesome show.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:21 — Kyle Lucas (not verified)

J.R you work in the WWE. You can make a difference! Any way I love the WWE but since 2002, something has been seriously wrong with the creative direction of the business. Please take a look at my Raw thoughts. I now you have a busy life but it will only take 5 minutes and I’d really appreciate it. Raw starts off with John Cena vs Estrada. Estrada tries to bribe his way out of the match by offering Cena a cigar, a watch and money. One thing about this segment I noticed is that Cena will do anything to win the fans over. I mean giving the fans money, we all know that’s just Cena’s attempt to be liked! Man! If he cant take the boos then get out of the ring! Cena then beats up on Estrada. Nitro comes out and kicks Cena in the face. We also see Melina come out and hand Nitro a mic. I used to like Melina but now I just think she tries to hard to be a heel! Anyone can tell that her acting is poor and as much as she tries she will never be as effecive in a heel role as Stephanie McMahon. Overall the first segment was boring! There was nothing that really kept your eyes glued to the TV. The next match was a tag match. Jerry Lawler, Carlito vs Chris Masters and Viscera. Who really cares about this match! I didn’t really care who won or lost. I flicked the channel during this match because it was boring! My brother is young, he’s hip and cool and his words best sum up this match, “this is lame.” The characters seem ok but this match has no real attention grabbing story behind it so it’s really hard to get into! Back in 2000, whenever Benoit and Jericho would wrestle in a match it was so exciting because there was such a strong, alluring storyline behind the match. These days the WWE creative team just doesn’t know how to produce good quality storylines. Next match. Highlanders vs Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. BORING!!!! Once again there is no real story behind the match! The creative team just gets 2 tag teams and puts them in a match. How boring! Where’s the story behind it! This is like having a show without much of a plot and we all know how terrible shows like that are. All I can say is that I sure did change the channel during this match! HHH vs Edge. Boring! I just feel like I’m seeing the same old stuff. Team RKO vs DX. DX beats RKO one week. RKO beats DX the next week. Thats so repetitive it gets boring! The match is interfered with by Orton, Kenny and Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair so now we have a 6 man tag match. DX and Ric Flair vs Kenny and Team RKO. This match didn’t even hold my attention for the entire duration! Once again I didn’t really care who won and let me tell you, as soon as I saw Ric Flair my head dropped in dissappointment. The year is 2006 not 1996. Flair is old, past his prime and puts a younger, hip and cool generation watching, totally OFF! Victoria vs Torie. Victoria biting Tori’s nail off was sad! This entire match was sad and it just shows you how horrible the WWE Women’s division has actually become! Right now there is not one women in the WWE from the attitude era (Chyna, Lita, Trish, Molly, Jacqueline, Ivory - the ones that could wrestle, were beautiful and entertained.) They have been replaced with blondes like Maria or Torie or women who act like complete skanks - Candice Michelle and Melina! If the WWE thinks these beauty’s will drive up ratings they are certaintly wrong. The WWE replacing the divas from the attitude era with these skanky women who cant wrestle for their life sends a wrong message to women out there! It says that in order for women to even get a foot through the door in the WWE, they have to have to have T and A and be very attractive, and I’m sure some women who have dreams of becoming a wrestler dont fit into this category. Umaga vs Jeff Hardy. Once again a match with no real story behind it! BORING! John Cena vs Johnny Nitro. By the time this match came around I was so bored I turned the TV off! Overall RAW was LAME! The majority of the matches have no story behind them what so ever. This week, Raw had a rating of 3.8. Seven years ago, on December 13 1999, Raw did a rating of 6.1. If you dont agree with a single thing I said in this post then let the ratings speak for me. A 6.1 to a 3.8 is a significant drop and clearly proves how poor Raw has become over the past few years!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 23:17 — Kyle Lucas (not verified)

J.R you work in the WWE. You can make a difference! Any way I love the WWE but since 2002, something has been seriously wrong with the creative direction of the business. Please take a look at my Raw thoughts. I now you have a busy life but it will only take 5 minutes and I'd really appreciate it. Raw starts off with John Cena vs Estrada. Estrada tries to bribe his way out of the match by offering Cena a cigar, a watch and money. One thing about this segment I noticed is that Cena will do anything to win the fans over. I mean giving the fans money, we all know that's just Cena's attempt to be liked! Jesus! If you cant take the boos then get out of the ring! Cena then beats up on Estrada. Nitro comes out and kicks Cena in the face. We also see Melina come out and hand Nitro a mic. I used to like Melina but now I just think she tries to hard to be a heel! Anyone can tell that her acting is poor and as much as she tries she will never be as effecive in a heel role as Stephanie McMahon. Overall the first segment was boring! There was nothing that really kept your eyes glued to the TV. The next match was a tag match. Jerry Lawler, Carlito vs Chris Masters and Viscera. Who really cares about this match! I didn't really care who won or lost. I flicked the channel during this match because it was boring! My brother is young, he's hip and cool and his words best sum up this match, "this is lame." The characters seem ok but this match has no real attention grabbing story behind it so it's really hard to get into! Back in 2000, whenever Benoit and Jericho would wrestle in a match it was so exciting because there was such a strong, alluring storyline behind the match. These days the WWE creative team just doesn't know how to produce good quality storylines. Next match. Highlanders vs Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. BORING!!!! Once again there is no real story behind the match! The creative team just gets 2 tag teams and puts them in a match. How boring! Where's the story behind it! This is like having a show without much of a plot and we all know how terrible shows like that are. All I can say is that I sure did change the channel during this match! HHH vs Edge. Boring! I just feel like I'm seeing the same old crap. Team RKO vs DX. DX beats RKO one week. RKO beats DX the next week. Thats so repetitive it gets boring! The match is interfered with by Orton, Kenny and Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair so now we have a 6 man tag match. DX and Ric Flair vs Kenny and Team RKO. This match didn't even hold my attention for the entire duration! Once again I didn't really care who won and let me tell you, as soon as I saw Ric Flair my head dropped in dissappointment. The year is 2006 not 1996. Flair is old, past his prime and puts a younger, hip and cool generation watching, totally OFF! Victoria vs Torie. Victoria biting Tori's nail off was sad! This entire match was sad and it just shows you how horrible the WWE Women's division has actually become! Right now there is not one women in the WWE from the attitude era (Chyna, Lita, Trish, Molly, Jacqueline, Ivory - the ones that could wrestle, were beautiful and entertained.) They have been replaced with blondes like Maria or Torie or women who act like complete skanks - Candice Michelle and Melina! If the WWE thinks these beauty's will drive up ratings they are certaintly wrong. The WWE replacing the divas from the attitude era with these skanky women who cant wrestle for their life sends a wrong message to women out there! It says that in order for women to even get a foot through the door in the WWE, they have to have to have T and A and be very attractive, and I'm sure some women who have dreams of becoming a wrestler dont fit into this category. Umaga vs Jeff Hardy. Once again a match with no real story behind it! BORING! John Cena vs Johnny Nitro. By the time this match came around I was so bored I turned the TV off! Overall RAW was LAME! The majority of the matches have no story behind them what so ever. This week, Raw had a rating of 3.8. Seven years ago, on December 13 1999, Raw did a rating of 6.1. If you dont agree with a single thing I said in this post then let the ratings speak for me. A 6.1 to a 3.8 is a significant drop and clearly proves how poor Raw has become over the past few years!

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 21:30 — Adam S (not verified)

Hi mr. ross, I think most of us whom write to you KNOW that you do not have the 'power' to affect the creative process in the company. I guess we write to you on this forum blog because we feel that at least our comments are read and replied to, which is not the case with wwe.com where our comments are pretty much discarded or deleted upon being recieved without any feedback. We write to you because you are the voice of our wrestling programs, the voice we've heard (in my case) for almost two decades. I guess you have a connection with the fans based on your broadcasting skills (expertly talking to us on a weekly basis) and we get the impression you really care about not only the business of wrestling but also about what the fans whom support this business have to say. This blog is an ideal venue for fans to interact about the various hot topics in this business and to have someone of your experience replying to us is simply an amazing treat. Thanks and take care.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 21:26 — Doug (not verified)

Dear J.R., What do you think of the fact that so many deserving wrestlers are being passed up for the WWE Hall of Fame for the Celebs. Also are wrestlers such as Curt Henning being passed up for the Hall because of what contributed to their death.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 21:24 — Wills (not verified)

Whats up JR. I totally understand your frustrations with all the complaints you recieve about things that are totally out of your power to change. I think the main part of it is that a lot of people are fed up with certain things going on today in Wrestling(yes I said Wrestling) and you being such a high profile employ of the biggest name in Wrestling people might feel like you are the only way their displeasures will be heard. I think the majority of people know that you are a stand up guy and most know that things would be different if you had any say in them. I think what it boils down to is the WWE is supossed to be a form of entertainment for the fans and seemingly some people are not being entertained by whats being presented to them. Of course the rumors that alot of the higher ups do not care what us "internet people" think doesnt help the fact. Is this rumor true? I have no clue as I have never personally seen anyone say such things, but I, as most others have, have read things being said that really makes me lose some respect for certain people if what they say is true. Of course I am in no way reffering to you, as with your own website and blog you obivously dont think to lowly of the internet. I guess what im trying to say (in a long winded way) is that fans arent happy and they want some change but they feel that people in the top posistions dont really care one way or another as long as ratings are up and PPV sales are good. I hope its not true as most of us that have been life long fans still hold that special place in our hearts for wrestling that non fans just dont understand and probably never will. I wish you the very best for the holidays and in life in general as I think you are one of the last true torch bearers for the ways things should be in the sport. Even if the higher ups dont appreciate the knowledge and expierence you bring, the true fans do. So I hope you dont take the "rants" to heart as Im sure they are not directed at you. Being in the position you're in in the WWE people just want to be heard and unfortunatly it may seem like a lot of it falls on you(unfairly). The WWE cant possibly please everyone all the time and I know this, as im sure others do. It just seems like when we are the one paying to be entertained we could have a little bit of voice in what goes on. Im sure you understand this and like I said I hope you dont take it personally. Thanks, Wills

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 21:17 — Lance (not verified)

This is unbelievable. First, they boot your ass out and humiliate you on live TV when they removed you from your broadcasting role last year for someone who couldn't hold your proverbial jock, and now it seems they can't do RAW without you. I normally would agree with the latter part of that statement, but let the man off for one day to watch his team in a bowl game for God's sake! Vince is an ass. And I'm sure Vince would happily agree. I hate him.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 21:01 — James (not verified)

Absolutely, I agree with you that fans should calm down about the current situations. There are hard times and good times. Not everything is perfect, and we cannot change it..either. So, JR, I am just curious about the return of the Inferno Match in Armaggeddon. I am planning on buying this PPV; after all, I love specialty matches like these. However, do you think it is SAFE and a good decision to put an inexperienced MVP to an extremely harsh environment surrounded by fire? Will it be a good performance? One has to consider that Inferno Match is a truly tiring, limiting, straining, and difficult match for even the best wrestler. Will this match be disappointing due to the inexperience of MVP?

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 20:51 — Sebastian (not verified)

Hi J.R. Just wondering if the WWE have any plans to do any televised events here in Australia such as Raw, Smackdown, ECW or any Pay-Per-Views? The UK and Japan have had their turn now it's our's! hehehe Every Live Event held here has sold out. Includng the Global Warning Tour in 2002 which had a crowd of 56,750! In my book, that's Wrestlemania standards! Keep up the good work and keep bringing the WWE to Australia.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 20:49 — Clayton McEwen (not verified)

JR, I appreciate you for one, and for two I have this question. Can you let Stone Cold know he is alot, ALOT, like my brother, after his passing in 2002 I turned to Steve for my memories, because, his pertsonality and interests (IE. Beer and hunting) go hand in hand with my bro. Will you tell him thanks from Clayton in Michigan for just plain being him. Lastly, How can I deal with being a sooner fan surrounded by Notre Dame scary people. :) Your Michigan Boomer Clayton

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 20:46 — Sweet Daddy Bugg (not verified)

Mr. Ross, I wouldn't pay any attention to that idiot that had that sign. You nailed it right on- he/she was an attention whore. I have a question- with Lashley, Batista and Cena holding the company's titles, in your opinion which technically sound wrestler in WWE has the best chance of dethroning any one of these three? I enjoyed it in 2004 when Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero held the titles and were having 4-5 star matches in defense of the titles.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 20:23 — debra hollon (not verified)

hi jr i would like to wish you and your wife a merry chrismas and a happy new year. but i agree with you i was on this message board telling that person that got id but yahoo destored that account that is why i have this one. and everybody there is trying to tell me she is good person. i don' think so. we wann't raised that way. if that is a good person i would hate to see a bad one. but there got to be something in the air. tell stone cold steve austin merry christmas and happy new year for me too. we love yall. don't feel about what people say. i just got where i don't answer that board. i had 2 over there in iraq but thank god they home for now. debra

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 20:19 — Robert Ratcliffe (not verified)

Just wanted to let you know that I sent my local radio station an e-mail with the Cole report. (The one where Cole talks about the suicide bomb). The following morning the aired it on the radio, and thanked the WWE for doing it. Saying that WWE deserves a lot of respect for doing it, which I agree. Just wanted to say thank you and the people around my area got to listen to the great work you all do.