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

Damn, that's a boat load of cash that Floyd "Money", "Pretty Boy", "The Greatest Fighter on Earth" Mayweather, Jr. is apparently getting to step in the ring with the Big Show at Wrestlemania 24. Twenty million dollars will buy "Money" a bunch of J.R.'s Bar-B-Q, let me tell you and even a few "I've Got Big Nuts" T-shirts, which you should be ordering today for yourself. I still don't know what the match stipulations will be, but considering that Big Show is going to box an exhibition bout on the next Monday Night Raw, one could assume that the Mayweather-Show attraction at WM24 will be a boxing contest. However, we all know what happens when one assumes, especially in the wrestling biz, don't we?

Many boxing purists have expressed concerns about Mayweather venturing into the world of sports entertainment, as if professional boxing was pristine. Mayweather's decision to perform against the 400 pound Big Show could send shock waves through the boxing world if Floyd were to get injured and for one to say that can't happen could be considered Pet Coon goofy. For the record, how much publicity is enough to cover a $20M tab? I don't have that answer, but if 1,000,000 fans world wide buy the pay per view on March 30 then the investment in Mayweather most likely would have been a good one. The investment in Mayweather and the P.R. it will garner after WM24 is worth a bunch. One thing is for sure and that is Mayweather has a lightning rod-like personality that motivates many fans to dislike him and that is not likely to change between now and WM24.

I just wish I would have been invited to attend the Wrestlemania 24 Press Conference to see if I could have picked up an extra hundred or two of Floyd's "walking around" money he threw out to the crowd.

By the way, the late Gorilla Monsoon used to carry upwards to ten grand in his front pocket with a large rubber band wrapped around the cash instead of using a money clip. I asked him once why he carried so much cash with him and Gorilla replied, "I might want to buy something." Bobby Heenan, who was standing nearby, then said, "What....a ranch?"

Boxing writers can bitch and moan all they want about their meal ticket potentially being put on the shelf if things don't go "Money's" way in Orlando, but perhaps they might want to critique the Heavyweight Title fight that I watched on HBO from Madison Square Garden between Klitschko and Ibragimov to unify a couple of titles that ended up being a snoozer. Mick Foley might describe the lethargic heavyweight title fight between the two athletes, whose names are not even on my spell check, as like watching an Al Snow match, but I won't use that analogy because I happen to think highly of Al or "Hal" as I usually call him.

While on this boxing binge today, I was embarrassed, as an American citizen, to watch the highly entertaining and moving HBO special on boxing legend Joe Louis. I strongly suggest you watch it if you have the opportunity. Racism and greed are both prominently featured, but some great life lessons are taught also. It is one helluva production about a great man who served his country well only to get dumped on by his homeland and the people he apparently trusted the most on his management team.

I spent Sunday night in Phoenix celebrating with Ric Flair, not only his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, of which he is sincerely excited about, but also Ric's 59th birthday. We have actually spent a few of his birthdays together over the years and this one was rather subdued compared to some of our "all nighters," but it did last a few hours on the patio of a local Phoenix establishment. As a matter of fact, we celebrated both Sunday and Monday night before Ric left for Germany to do some public relations work for the WWE and I headed back to Norman to sell some Bar-B-Q. BTW if anyone finds my glasses at the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix please turn them into lost and found. Thank you. Perhaps I am lucky that is all I lost after the birthday celebration.

Ric and I got into a discussion with other WWE personnel about legit, tough guys in wrestling and someone asked who was tougher, Harley Race or Wahoo McDaniel, and the answer was an easy one for both of us and especially for Flair, Race. Wahoo was one bad dude and an amazing athlete who played football at Oklahoma and still holds the record at OU for the longest punt. Wahoo ran with a young quarterback in New York by the name of Joe Namath while both were playing for the NY Jets, until it was discovered that Wahoo was taking the impressionable young QB out virtually every night enjoying the many saloons and lovely ladies of the Big Apple. Linebacker Wahoo would be traded and Namath would eventually lead the Jets to a Super Bowl title.

Back to Harley, Race could be nasty and was a deluxe street fighter with a deadly left hand. Ric also pointed out that Harley was prone to head butt his victims and break their noses in a tavern or two around the globe.

They don't make wrestlers like Harley or Wahoo any more.

One quick Wahoo story, the three of us, Flair, Wahoo, and I, were hurrying to catch the last flight out of Asheville, N.C. on a Sunday afternoon to get us to Atlanta after taping two TV shows for Crockett Promotions, or maybe it was WCW. Wahoo was driving his rental car from the arena to the airport and breaking every traffic law known to man, speeding, running lights, not yielding, honking his horn relentlessly, much to the delight of a hysterically laughing Nature Boy. It was a good thing I was wearing a dark suit and we will leave that matter alone. With no place to park and time running out to catch our flight, Wahoo parked the Hertz rental vehicle on the sidewalk directly in front of the airport and so close to the front doors that the automatic doors at the airport's entrance kept opening and shutting. Wahoo left the motor running as we grabbed our bags and actually made our flight. True story.

I thought that Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, did a super job on the Oscars Sunday night. The Great One's opportunity to be a presenter is amazing exposure for the bona fide movie star, who has the wrestling business in his blood. The Rock looks like he is in immaculate physical condition and it will be so special to see him induct his grandfather and his father into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 29 in Orlando's Amway Arena.

I don't expect Rock's hectic schedule to allow him to make an appearance at WM24 but seeing him on Saturday at the HOF ceremony will be memorable and having The Rock back on "WWE soil" is long overdue.

It looks as if a JBL-Finlay match may be in the making for WM24, or so it would seem, with the interesting news about Hornswoggle's DNA Monday night. The term DNA has slowly creeped onto a wrestling show. Now that, friends and neighbors, is a long way from a Harley Race head butt.

Just so you will know, I am not too old to appreciate the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who will provide WM24 with one of its theme songs. I mean, I would love to see my pals ZZ Top rock a Wrestlemania someday or perhaps the Eagles perform at the "Granddaddy of 'Em All" (got one in) in my lifetime, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers are bad-ass.

I hope that the King doesn't drink any of JBL's "elixir" Mamajuana before "Bunny Mania" in the Citrus Bowl. Perhaps the more docile Joey "Catfight" Styles should call this one with Tazz, so King can better enjoy the attraction and pray for a wardrobe malfunction.

We get lots of visitors from the UK here on our site and I think I have a scoop for you and it doesn't concern the smashing, Burchill siblings. I think that perhaps football great, David Beckham, might be the voice on the Geico Insurance lizard on their popular commercials.

Speaking of the UK, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who earns 11.2M annually for being the commissioner of the NFL (and to think I most likely could have gotten that commissioner's job in Smoky Mountain Wrestling once upon a time), thinks an NFL team can make it basing out of London. Hellacious road trips would await west coast based United States NFL teams, but the concept might work. Someone once told me that approximately 250,000 people lived in the London area that are either American citizens or have close American ties. Sounds like a great place for a "J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q" franchise someday. BTW, we ship our sauces, merchandise and our autographed cookbooks to the UK.

I do want to thank the attention starved individual who brought the cute sign to the Phoenix Raw Monday night that said "J.R.'s BBQ Sux" which provided the lovely P.R. for our eatery. You are too kind.

NFL note.....the Miami Dolphins, with the #1 pick in the NFL Draft, should trade down and harvest some much needed draft picks. Last year's #1 pick, QB JaMarcus Russell pocketed $32M guaranteed for signing, albeit very late with the Oakland Raiders, and Russell certainly did not earn his money in 2007.

Brilliant move by the Big 12 Conference, as they will play their conference championship football game in December in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium. I love visiting K.C. especially for their "Q" but attending a night football game in December in K.C. is challenging because of the cold weather. Why not play this huge game in a dome every December and be more fan friendly?

The Money in the Bank Ladder match is taking shape to be the 3rd or 4th most viable bout at WM24. It will be a "thrill show" with plenty of "Holy S#&@" moments, that we all love so much.

Uh, yes I am aware that HBK once was the trainer for Lance Cade, many moons ago. No, I did not forget that fact. Now, may we please move on? Thank you very much.

How cool is it going to be to see Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels at WM24? Great atmosphere, emotion, passion, a wonderful story/memory no matter what the outcome, featuring two of the greatest of ALL TIME doing what they were put here on Earth to do. Following that match might be the old, proverbial kiss of death for Ric and Shawn's fellow superstars.

A limited number of tickets are still available for WM24, but my sense is that they will begin rolling out the door quickly, now that the card is taking shape. Over 60,000 tickets have been sold and if you are planning on attending WM24, whatever you do, don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime to witness history at the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony. This year's HOF is going to make the 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Ceremony have a tough act to follow. 2007 HOF tickets become available to the general public this Saturday, March 1.

Friday morning is another few minutes of yours truly having fun on the Buckethead Radio Show, which you can hear live at 8 eastern time Friday morning or listen to the archived version at www.bucketheadradioshow.com.

We have new Q&As going up all the time here on the site, so come back and visit us soon. Our online store never closes, for your shopping convenience, and we do appreciate any and all business. An "I've Got Big Nuts" or "I Love Big Nuts" T shirt has your name written all over it.

Thanks for stopping by and come back and see us.
BOOMER SOONER!
J.R.