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

I was asked what place “3rd Party Wrestling Journalists” have in the biz and my answer is that they have a right to earn a living the same as any one else. They are not doing anything illegal or immoral and I am sure at times on certain subjects, keep the fans updated in more detail on the general state of the business than individual, company owned sites do. My issue, if one wants to call it an issue, is that many sites report things as fact, when in actuality, they are reporting rumors. I have been the “victim” of rumors reported as fact on numerous occasions, especially when I was head of the WWE Talent Relations Department. Nonetheless, just as virtually any other site one can name covering any genre, there will be times when things one reads proves to be false, but that’s not a revelation. Anthony- Sounds like you have a “thing” for Trish…nothing wrong with that mind you. Michelle McCool reminds me of Trish in that Michelle is highly intelligent, like Trish, is naturally athletic, like Trish, and has a strong, competitive desire to improve her in-ring skills, just as Trish did when she was in the WWE. That’s why Michelle McCool reminds me of Trish Stratus, whether it “irks you” or not. Chris- Will Jeff Hardy ever win the “big one?” Can’t say for sure, but never in The Rainbow Haired Warrior’s career has his chances of winning “the big one” been better. His star is shining brighter than ever. Darren- I agree that Harry Smith looked good in his non televised match Monday night in Birmingham. I have no idea when he will debut on TV, but Harry is definitely a “keeper.” One would have to assume that Harry’s father, The British Bulldog Davyboy Smith, certainly has the credentials to be honored in the WWE HOF some day. Randy- Thanks for ordering the autographed shirt and the bags of Beef Jerky and I am pleased that you are happy with your purchase. That’s always the bottom line with us….happy customers. I do have a Sooner ringtone on my cell phone. No surprise there, huh? Clinton- Santino Marella has been a pleasant surprise in my book as he has become an entertaining character on Raw and is one of those “easy to dislike” wrestlers with good verbal timing. Jesselee- I have heard little of the Tony Atlas-C.M. Punk matter and will likely not do any research on it either. This is typical of many “wrestling headlines” that some folks think is really newsworthy. Regarding Teddy Hart, how many more chances should the WWE provide him?? Brainman 214- I have no idea if Atlanta radio station AM750 WSB will ever do another wrestling talk show as I did back in the day. Most likely not but I honestly have not heard. I own all my old WSB Radio shows, “Wrestling with Jim Ross” and we are planning on making them available for purchase here on the site in the upcoming weeks. Some of those shows were classics and I think all true fans will really enjoy listening to them. Stay tuned. T-Money- Jermaine Taylor may have been a disappointment as champ to you but there is significant money in a Pavlik-Taylor return match so it will definitely happen. Pavlik doesn’t seem like the type of fighter who will duck anyone and is going to be fun to follow. Pavlik’s trainer is a high school friend of my friend and OU Coach Bob Stoops as they are all from Youngstown, Ohio. Gerrard- The Randy Couture issue with UFC seem to be a real mess. I can identify with both sides of this matter….a company who thinks what they have done for the talent has been fair and a talent who thinks that the company he gave so much to has under paid and under appreciated him. I am not certain of the personal relationship that Couture had with UFC management but from the outside looking in, it seems like it was not as strong as one would have thought. Plus, outside forces such as agents and attorneys can adversely affect matters such as this too. Until Couture signs an exclusive deal with another MMA company there is always a chance the two parties will reconcile unless stubbornness infiltrates the situation. Chris- It is always nice to be compared to John Madden, who is still at the top of his game. Regarding TV ratings, I maintain my same mantra that one can’t get too high for the great ratings or too low when the bad ones come along. Raw’s rating a week ago was not up to standards and that made “big news” including tons of editorial comments from various sites. This week the rating was back up and no one barely mentioned it. The only time ratings will ever concern me is for there to be a prolonged slump or established trend of unacceptable ratings and that too is subjective. The occasional spike in the numbers up or down is not a hill I choose to die on. David- What do I think of Maria’s in-ring abilities? She’s improving, as she is a hard worker who gives great effort. Christopher- No, Cyber Sunday isn’t rigged. You can vote often and your vote will count. If you want Jeff Hardy to win, as you suggest, then get to voting! Mike- Yes, indeed…I will give you the old Hook ‘Em Horns sign as soon as your Rock vs. HBK match concludes Mike which will be 24 hours after Hell freezes over. Mick- I will be in Orlando on October 30-31 doing some promotional work for the WWE/ Wrestlemania 24. My worst personal moment in the biz hasn’t been any thing related to me such as my two bouts of Bell’s palsy, my Mom dying while I was in the UK for a PPV, or even getting my walking papers on more than one occasion. The Owen Hart tragedy most likely would have to be the worst experience I have endured, as Owen fell to his death only a few feet in front of our announce desk and he was a dear friend. Ryan- What ever happened to…. the One Man Gang (last I heard he was a prison guard down in Louisiana), Kamala ( he still wrestles occasionally and I heard he even recorded a CD and he used to have a small trucking company) and Koko Ware ( King told me Koko was a house painter in the Memphis area.) Uthornsfan- I don’t have a feel if we will ever see Stone Cold and The Rock in a film together but for some reason I doubt it. They had great on camera chemistry at one time, so it is not impossible, but perhaps improbable. They could do an action/adventure film and both have excellent comedic skills too. I would like to see the two of them pair up but most likely that is a long shot at best. Brian- Teddy Hart was released by the WWE officially and this has been reported in a variety of places. Teddy has bona fide in ring skills but apparently has issues positively interfacing within a team concept. Call it maturity issues or a lack thereof or whatever you choose but it is unfortunate that Teddy was not able to capitalize on his latest opportunity with the WWE. It seems now as if that ship has sailed. Bryan- Randy Orton’s WWE Title reign should be a productive one as Orton is developing the classic traits it takes to accentuate his in ring persona with tried and true methods that have worked for generations. The wrestling biz is not about reinventing the wheel but about perfecting the fundamental skills that have perpetuated the business for decades. Mike- I have no new info on Ric Flair or when he will be back in a WWE ring. My hope and gut feeling is that we have not seen the last of “The Naitch” wrestling for the WWE. I hope I am right on this one. A Large WWE Fan- You are “desperate” for an answer to your question you have asked me “numerous” times?? Who are the top WWE Champions of all time? This is such a subjective question and one that I might answer differently next week. Looking at primarily box office successes and being essentially out of the business as far as being an active wrestler is concerned, my top five in no particular order would be: Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Steve Austin, and The Rock. Happy now, Large Fan? Then go buy some Beef Jerky and get REALLY happy! James- I am a HUGE WWE 24/7 fan and I totally agree with you that 24/7 is persevering wrestling history. Ryan- When you order an autographed cookbook be sure and specify that you would like for J.R. to personalize it by replying to your order confirmation email and we will do our best to make it happen. If that falls thru the cracks on our end we will go to plan B. See you in Virginia and I am thrilled you love our Bar-B-Q Sauce! It makes me feel good that my own battle with Bell’s palsy helped you in some small way. Bruce- You never know where my travels may take me but flying up to the Twin Cities would be fine by me but preferably not in the middle of winter! Unless of course I could work in a Viking game and watch my man Adrian Peterson do his thing. Jeremy- You have asked “over and over” and never got a reply on your question about where is Tony Schiavone. How dare I?! I have only answered this one about 3 times…Tony is alive and well and working in radio in the Atlanta area…I think Gainesville, Ga. Sting hasn’t worked with the WWE because neither side could agree on a contract and, no, I doubt that we will ever see Sting work a full time WWE schedule which essentially means Sting most likely will never wrestle for the WWE. Now watch him sign a deal when he is legally able to do so…. Scoti- THQ’s RAW VS. Smackdown ‘08 is to be released eminently as in any day now as I understand it. Someone will help us out here but it is one helluva video game I assure you. I can’t say as I have ever heard of the wrestling school WWA4 in Atlanta. Mandy- Do I think the talented Jerry Lynn will ever be inducted into the WWE HOF? Mandy, Mandy, Mandy. My guess would be no. Ralf- I always have a smoked meat sandwich while in Montreal usually from Schwartz’s if I am not mistaken. They are really good! Farooq’s Friend- Which CD do I prefer to listen to on the road, Lilian Garcia’s or Macho Man’s? Neither, as I don’t take a CD player on the road with me or a laptop or an iPod. I am a “reader” on planes and a “nap taking fool.” Terry- Thanks for the kind words about our issues regarding Bell’s palsy. I was scared to death when I came back to work and broadcast the main event at Wrestlemania back in the day. Austin and Rock lobbied hard for me to do their match and even though I had to hold one side of my face up we seemed to have got the job done OK. My issue is that I never quit trying to get better as I always wanted to stay in the game because I truly love the business. I have been told many times that people with Bell’s palsy should not be on TV and that I am “lucky” to still be sitting at ringside doing play by play. Hell, I have always considered myself lucky to be sitting at ringside doing what I do on Monday nights. So even though those remarks are hurtful I have not and will not ever let them beat me down or make me quit until my journey has been completed. None of us can win at the game of life if we stop playing it. George/Scotland- I have not seen enough of Drew McIntyre to assess his talent, but my first impression of him was generally a positive one. Sophie- The amount of injuries is underscored, due to the lack of main event depth so when a top hand gets hurt in today’s marketplace it stands out more. But yes, there are too many injuries, as one is too many. I would concur, Sophie, that Trish is a future HOFer but never…ever… call me surely again. Ed- “Why didn’t Rey Mysterio seek out Umaga upon Rey’s return from injury?” Different brands, I assume. Plus, Rey is a smart guy. Ron- I take photos with our Bar-B-Q Restaurant guests all the time and I will be happy to sign an OU football helmet as well. I am usually in and out of our place Wednesday-Saturday or any time I am not on the road. Lee- “Will any new wrestler ever surpass the Rock as an all around in ring talent?” Most likely, but it won’t be easy, nor soon it would seem. That’s like the NHL seeking another Gretsky….it’s a great goal but “Great Ones” don’t grow on trees. Tom- Thanks for the lead on where to buy a DVD copy of “The Wrestler”. Lara- I would have personally enjoyed seeing Lita exit the WWE in a different manner, but she will always have my respect and I have nothing but great memories of her. I can still remember the day she first met with me in my Stamford office as she was dressed very professionally in a business suit. Oli- I think it will be very challenging for the fans to NOT chant for DX if HBK and HHH paths cross on camera on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans enjoy cheering for DX, so I say at some point, “Give it to them!” Mike- We feel we make the best Beef Jerky available and I am pleased that you like it too. Thanks for ordering it from us, as our Jerky biz is booming here on the site. One never knows from week to week who is going to be upset next in the world of college football, but I will firmly say that more major upsets are still to come. Hopefully not for OU, as we had our upset when we lost to Colorado 24-23. Kyle- I don’t know how the WWE going public with their stock, business infrastructure, etc could affect the working atmosphere. It really didn’t for me and that’s all I can accurately speak on. KSjoe- Kansas football coach Mark Mangino loves food and is a helluva football coach, as evidenced by KU’s season thus far. The journey isn’t over but if KU’s early season schedule doesn’t allow them to be bitten in the backside in the next few weeks, it could be OU-KU in the Big 12 Title Game in San Antonio in early December. Mangino is a brilliant Xs and Os coach. The Jayhawks are having a memorable year to say the least. Brady from Oklahoma- If you are so hellbent on Jeff Hardy wrestling Randy Orton at Cyber Sunday, then get to voting! Jeff is deserving of the opportunity but so is Kennedy and for damn sure so is HBK. Having a trio of worthy contenders is not a bad problem to have, but your vote counts. I don’t know that Jeff won’t be voted in and neither does any one else until the votes are tabulated. David- Where’s The Fink? He is alive and well working out of the WWE offices where he is still the very first employee ever hired by the company and the only individual to perform at EVERY Wrestlemania. Howard Finkel is a WWE HOFer in my book! James-Yes, I think that both Dory and Terry Funk should be in the WWE HOF. Who could intelligently disagree with that one?? Jacob- I assume the Money in the Bank briefcase will be hung from the lighting grid at the Citrus Bowl for Wrestlemania 24. Boomer- Have I ever published a cookbook?! Yessir…TWO of them and one of them, “J.R.’s Cookbook” is being sold on this very website and autographed by yours truly AND you get FREE shipping within the Continental USA. Sean Chandler- I think Stone Cold would be perfect for a well written and produced western movie. He has that Clint Eastwood-like glint in his eye at times, as if he is just dying to shoot someone. As they say in Hollyweird, if the script is good and the “deal” is right, there is no doubt in my mind that Steve Austin would do a western film. Logan- I have HUGE respect for the Nebraska football program and all I can say is that Husker fans deserve better than Billy Callahan. See you in Omaha for Monday Night Raw! Dan- In all due respect, comparing Teddy Hart with HBK is, well, highly inaccurate to remain polite. I value your input here, but on this one I have to strongly disagree. Being around both on a one on one basis I can assure you I know of what I speak on this matter. Immaturity and perpetual volatility doesn’t always translate into cash. Plus HBK was a proven commodity when he had issues at work whereas Teddy is still unproven at the big show. Ted has talent without question as a high flyer but he seems to be his own worst enemy unfortunately. Stinky Sullivan- You gotta love J.R.’s “Aunt B’s Apple Dumpling ala mode!” Yes indeed, I would love to do some voice over work for King of the Hill, which has long been one of my favorite shows. There is no doubt that Macho Man’s voice is extremely distinctive. Oswald- In “The Man on the Moon” I assume I played Lance Russell, which is really weird because Lance Russell was obviously there and played the ring announcer. I never asked Director Milos Foreman why I was doing play by play, but I can tell you that many of my lines were ad-libbed because the wrestling scenes ran longer than the writers envisioned. I would have been happy to have been the ring announcer, but that is not what the movie folks wanted. I think the black hat is going to stay with me for as long as I continue to appear on TV, as it is sort of a trademark it would seem. Matt Johnson- Thanks so much for your well thought out comment Matt dissing HHH. I don’t recall ever “calling out” any wrestler for being involved behind the scenes, so why would you bring up such a lame subject unless you are desperate to stir the manure. For the record I have never had a single issue with HHH and am happy to be the one who signed him to his WWE contract way back in the day. I judge HHH just as I would any other wrestler and that is by how he treats me and his work ethic. Period. Jacob- As best I know, Mr. McMahon is a Washington Redskins fan and not a Patriots fan. M- We were instructed to say we were broadcasting from the “U.K.” and not Birmingham, specifically Monday night. I am not sure why. Maurice- I think Lashley is set to return in December, the last I heard. That’s sort of up to Mother Nature, as it relates to Lashley’s shoulder healing. Thanks for stopping by and please visit our store and check out all the special offers we are putting together just for you. Your business is appreciated! BOOMER SOONER! J.R.