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

By Jay C. Upchurch
Sooner Spectator

James William Ross has worn a lot of hats in his lifetime.

He has made a name for himself as a professional wrestling commentator, traveled the globe, written three books, officiated high school football, been a part of the Atlanta Falcons’ broadcast team, and most recently, launched a soon-to-be chain of popular barbecue restaurants.

It would be fair to say Ross has been going non-stop for most of his 56 years. That’s the way he likes it.

But for all of his accomplishments — including being inducted last year into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame and having two of his books become best sellers — Ross is most proud of his association with the University of Oklahoma.

He doesn’t serve in any official capacity with the school, but Ross has been an ambassador for all things OU since he was initially introduced to Sooner football by his grandfather while growing up in Westville, Okla., in the 1950s and ’60s.

Since then, Ross has endeared himself to Sooner faithful everywhere by making “Boomer Sooner” his signature song each time he is introduced during WWE events and telecasts. He often wears Sooner colors along with an OU lapel pin with his trademark black Stetson hat, and when he isn’t busy taking care of his various business interests, he can almost certainly be found at an athletic event involving his favorite school.

“I love the University of Oklahoma. It’s a passion. It’s in my blood,” said Ross. “The origin of my fascination for OU football specifically, and the University of Oklahoma, in general, was instilled in me when I was 3 or 4 years-old. I learned to read by scouring the sports pages of the Tulsa World and Muskogee Phoenix when I was a little boy.

“My Grandfather was a huge OU fan during the Bud Wilkinson era, and honestly, there wasn’t a lot of discussion about other schools or teams.”

To hear Ross tell it, destiny has factored heavily into his abiding loyalty for the Sooners. His life’s journey has been filled with people like Bill Watts, Wahoo McDaniel, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams and a handful of other prominent figures who share an OU heritage.

“When I got out of Northeastern State (college) in Tahlequah, I went into the wrestling business for Bill Watts, who played football for Coach Wilkinson at OU,” explained Ross, known by WWE fans as Jim Ross or just J.R.

“It seems that at every juncture of my life I have had the good fortune to meet and know a lot of people with OU ties,” said Ross.

In the early Eighties, Ross finally got the chance to meet legendary OU coach Barry Switzer, his all-time favorite Sooner hero.

“Hey, I have met a lot of pretty famous people over the years, but meeting Coach Switzer was like meeting Elvis. It doesn’t get any better than that,” he said.

Ross and Switzer have since developed a friendship, as Ross has further established himself as an OU surrogate, of sorts. In recent years, he has been unofficially accepted into the “Sooner Family” by current athletics director Joe Castiglione and coaches like Bob Stoops.

“I travel to as many (football) games as possible and I’ve gotten to know a lot of the coaches and folks involved at OU. I truly appreciate the way everyone there has treated me,” offered Ross, who moved to Norman with his wife, Jan, four years ago.

While most of his spare time is reserved for his beloved Sooners, Ross is still going strong after 35 years in the wrestling business. WWE fans have embraced his character with the Okie drawl, while Monday Night Raw has become the No. 1-rated cable show on TV.

“Boomer Sooner has been played in every major arena is the United States and several places around the world. I feel like take a little bit of OU spirit with me everywhere I go, and I’m proud of that,” said Ross.

The rest of Ross’ time these days is spent on developing and perfecting his restaurant concept. He feels J.R.’s Family Bar-B-Q is an extension of his own kitchen.

“That’s important to me. Our goal is to potentially franchise someday, with the help of Hal Smith. But for that to happen, we need to build our reputation for having quality, friendly service and great food,” said Ross, who opened the doors to the first J.R.’s in Norman spot last summer.

(This story appears in the April 2008 Spring Football issue of Sooners Spectator. Go To www.SoonerSpectator.com for more information.)