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

Bar-B-Qed Feedback from J.R. to you… Kevin- The CNN snafu on their piece on wrestling and drug use contained very little new info and was simply an OK piece of business, production quality wise, but the altering of John Cena’s statements was disturbing and discredited the entire broadcast. However, for anyone to put the blame on Ted Turner for this matter is wrong. Ted’s not involved with CNN, as best I know. Milan- As I understand it, Gregory Helms’ estimated return date is March of 2008. My advice to Gregory would be to not rush it and make double sure that he is 100%, as neck surgeries are nothing on which to compromise the healing time. Clint- I really like Mizzou’s team that OU beat by 10 in Norman earlier this season, but until someone puts a loss on Kansas I have to lean toward the Fighting Manginos against MU for the game to be played at Arrowhead Stadium in K.C. The Big 12 North has most likely never had a bigger game played in their division since the Big 12 was formed. This year’s Big 12 Title game on December 1 in San Antonio should be a real classic. Jerry- I do not know the thought process regarding the WWE Spinner Belt, and its continued use. For me, it is much to do about nothing. I find it amazing that so many folks actually take their time to comment on the style of that particular title belt. Personally it’s a non issue for me. Chris- “Lighten up Francis” is a quote from the Bill Murray film “Stripes,” which happens to be one of my all time favorite movies. I don’t know much about the University of Minnesota football team, but I can suggest that they do a better job in keeping their home grown high school stars in Minnesota, such as James Laurniatis who is now at Ohio State. Ironically, the “Great White Father of Oklahoma Football” Bud Wilkinson, our legendary former head coach, was a Minnesota grad and former Gopher football star WAY back in the day. Dreamboy- Miguel Cotto definitely has a chance against the Mayweather-Hatton winner but if “The Hitman” stays on his roll, I don’t know if he is touchable at this point in time. Hatton’s no frills style is extremely marketable. John M.- To the best of my knowledge the writer’s strike has no affect on the WWE. Nate- HBK has had numerous memorable matches since he returned from his 4 year exile. I can’t recall an occasion where Michaels hasn’t elevated whomever with which he is in the ring. HBK matches with Hogan, Cena, and HHH, among others, all were uniquely contested and enjoyed from my personal perspective. Bryan- We do ship the new Redneck Gift Baskets to Canada so order away. Again, if any one has any authentic wrestling memorabilia they want to discuss trading for some J.R. products, please let me know as we are in the process of gathering items for our next restaurant. I hope we are able to put up a special section here on the site just for this sort of thing. Michael- My wife has never appeared in a Monday Night Raw skit, nor will she. She has seen yours truly in enough of them to know that sort of thing isn’t her cup of tea. Remember, My wife had to watch the Dr. Heiney skit sober while I had the pleasure of seeing it medicated as I just got out the hospital earlier in the day and was still sedated. Dave- I do not want any creative submissions sent to this site, and the webmaster has been instructed to not include them whatsoever. The WWE has individuals sign releases when they want to submit ideas. Contact the WWE Human Resources Department if you are interested in such contributions and please – not here. Vic- Professional wrestling will likely never be totally respected by the elitist, main stream media and will most likely only be covered in depth when there is a tragedy or comparable bad news. The main stream media has never done wrestling any favors and it isn’t likely to change significantly in the future. Even the wrestling media seemingly finds that focusing on the controversial aspects of the business is a better story for them to market on their sites. That’s no indictment to the wrestling websites, but it simply follows the trend in the media – whether it be Dog the Bounty Hunter spewing out racist rants and then crying about it, Britney Spears being a bad driver and an “unfit” mother, Barry Bonds getting indicted or someone failing a drug test. Scott- I have a hard time believing that the UFC isn’t totally real. Sure as hell looks real to me. I could see where some fighters might be under matched to as to build them up to a bigger, more lucrative fight down the road, but the actual fights sure look legit to me. So, yes the MMA is the real deal. Dave- Thanks for your years of service to the USA serving in the Navy. I can’t take any credit for the WWE’s stance on supporting the military although I fully support it. The upper management of the WWE has done a wonderful job in this regard and I feel that the WWE’s support of the men of women of the military will continue for years to come. Some of our critics will accuse me of kissing ass here, but that’s how I feel. The WWE’s support of the military is a good thing, but if some want to twist that into a “company line” mentality, have at it. Kimberly- I have yet to check out “We Are Marshall” as I am not a big fan of its star, but I will most likely watch it in the future. I understand it is a great story. I can still remember when that tragedy occurred. Mike- I personally did not emotionally invest in the 2007 Diva Search Contest, basically because I was not around the contestants enough to get to know them. It seemed as if the contest was organized well, but selecting Divas isn’t my area of interest or expertise. Mike- The WWE and I are negotiating for a new multi year contract. The negotiations are progressing, but we haven’t ironed out all the details as of yet. Hopefully, this matter will be finalized soon. This is the same status as it was the last blog this subject was addressed. In a perfect world I would like “A-Rod” money, but I am willing to negotiate down from that figure. Greenmist 87-Why do wrestling internet writers seemingly like to focus on the negatives of the business and go about their daily bashings of such? I can only point to virtually every other news and entertainment outlet on TV or the net. That sort of info and provocative presentation sell and create interest. Apparently you read this sort of material and it pushed the right button on you to motivate you to write about it to us. I have no issues what any writer says about me, to be honest with you. Do I like some of the half assed analogies some provide regarding this site, of course not. But it has little effect to me in the big picture. I am as honest on this site as I possibly can be, but there are and always will be subjects that I will not address here for personal reasons, including creating unnecessary issues at my day job. Just how smart would that be at the end of the day?? However I do not craft every answer so as to not “incur the wrath of the WWE”, etc. I wasn’t aware of my “empty handed praises” regarding some of my commentary, but perhaps those that provide that info know more about my commentary than do I. Often times the announcers in wrestling as well as other entities are instructed what to say and at times I am sure those comments do not resonate with the fans or the wrestling media. I respect the opinions of others although I don’t agree with all of them just as they don’t all agree with mine. Some of these same sites also published reports a week or two ago that my contract with the WWE had lapsed and I was working without a contract. None of that was true but there was no correction, that I have been made aware of, and these sites simply continued with business as usual as if nothing ever happened. And for the record, I did not dislike the HBK-Cena match from days gone by, but what do I know about what I personally like or not as I obviously want to stay in the “wrath free zone”. Clique- I prepare for a big event by reading tons of material on the history of the event in question IE the Survivor Series, etc. and bios and title histories, ETC. of the wrestlers involved in the presentation. I have always been a preparation freak and to my own admission sometimes to the point of over kill. I miss the days of doing my prep and then going to ringside and letting it rip, but those days are long gone by and large as the way wrestling is produced on TV has changed, many ways for the better, including how announcers are managed. I am sure football broadcasters, etc. would say the say thing. jujitsujamo-If you perceive that there is a “downturn” in domestic wrestling business, and I don’t agree with that by the way, then I can’t fault the MMA world. The old promoter’s philosophy is that if one has what the customers want to see that they will come. If the domestic market is overly soft then it is because the consumers are not being provided with what they want to see. Thomas- Wrestling announcers get fed lines all the time. Over the years I have been fed lines that I have said that I wouldn’t have said on my own, but I can also admit that I have said things on my own that were lame as hell, in hindsight. Justin- I must admit that J.R. being used as a surrogate of Stone Cold’s and a vehicle for wrestlers to get back at Austin has to be wearing thin, one has to assume. It worked well back in the day but I don’t know how much cache it carries nowadays. However, the quarter hour ratings that included this material on Raw weren’t bad. Justin- Brett Favre should be the MVP of the NFL for leading a young Green Bay Packer Team to such an amazing record thus far this season. Adrian Peterson will be back for the Vikes this season as I understand it, but Minnesota has to find a QB and a throwing game or AD will be nothing, but an expensive memory sooner than later in the Twin Cities. Joshua- The same crew produces Raw that produces Smackdown, so I don’t know why or if there is such a difference as you have pointed out. Raw seems to carry more clout, but I attribute that to the amazing tenure of almost 15 years in prime time on cable TV… and of course the announce team. :^) Sallisaw Dave- How about them Black Diamonds?!! We really appreciate your holiday orders and you will definitely get you your online items in plenty of time for the holidays. Your Wild Horse Mountain Bar-B-Q is damn good and I have eaten there many times when I was in the Sallisaw area officiating football and basketball games back in the day. I hope more folks will follow your lead and do some holiday shopping with us here on the site. Jimmy from Ct- Yes indeed I remember meeting you at Gibson’s Steak House in Chicago, what a great eatery, but for me to compare Kennedy to The Rock would not be fair to Kennedy or accurate at this time. Kennedy does have charisma, but time will tell how much Kennedy evolves and how big a star he becomes. Much of Kennedy’s success will also be determined by the level of talent he competes with on an ongoing basis and how hard Kennedy pushes himself. I am among the many fans that feel Kennedy has a definitive upside but to say today that Kennedy is the next Rock would be a stretch. However if Kennedy does become the next Rock, it will be great for everyone. Riley- As a Vikings fan I am sure you are aware that the life expectancy of a NFL running back is something like 4 or 5 years. If you get 7-8 seasons out of Adrian Peterson you will exceed the average. However AD does run more vertically than one would recommend and he hates to avoid a collision. Minnesota needs more offensive weapons, namely a QB and a NFL worth passing game to compliment #28 who has the potential to be one of the league’s all time bests. Unfortunately I am of the belief that AD won’t be a 10-15 year back ala Emmitt Smith, etc. Shadow- I like the Pittsburgh Steelers and feel they made a great hire to replace Bill Cowher with Mike Tomlin. Can the Steelers upend the Pats this season? That’s a tough one but with their strong running game, Big Ben and the ability to harass NE QB Tom Brady the Steelers have a chance albeit it would seem. Greg- No, I am not an “unofficial” spokesman for the WWE. In the opinion of some if I choose to take the high road on issues that may warrant controversy, etc. then shame on me. I don’t profess to the theory that every thing has to be damn this and damn that and did you hear this dirt or guess who is in the “dog house” or this is why this won’t work and my idea is the solution, etc. I will remain as positive and as professional as I can and there will always be B.S. topics, like addressing perceived lame creative that I have nothing to do with nor do I want anything to do with, that I don’t care to waste my time addressing. Those that do not find my “style” appealing don’t have to log on. Simply Put- I have heard that Jakks is going to produce a new J.R. and The King action figure set for 2008, but that isn’t etched in stone. I hope it happens as does Lawler because if they sell we might make a buck or two. Nonetheless, J.R. merchandise is not a high priority in most circles, but it sure as heck is here! Shannon from Australia- Whoever told you that I have a “bad relationship” with Jim Duggan either has a vivid imagination, is not too bright or they simply like to stir the manure, as Jim and I have been friends since the Mid South days in the 80’s. While I was head of talent with the WWE, Jim was under contract elsewhere as I recall, plus he was out of the biz for a while battling cancer. I never refused to hire Jim, as it was never discussed nor did he ever approach me about returning to the WWE. Also, if the day comes when the King and I can’t have fun such as we did with the “Ho” and “SI” business of a few weeks ago, then it is time for us to move along. Do you think you might have just over analyzed this matter somewhat or is this a crusade you feel compelled to discuss? Ralf- Considering I have nothing to do with the production of the 15th Anniversary Raw or any other Raw, I plan on wearing a new suit, working hard as possible and showing up and having fun. What the WWE has in store for all of us is unknown to me, and honestly I would rather be surprised than to have to even think of creating content. But I do think the 3 hour special will be a milestone, but producing 3 live hours of TV including commercial breaks is a tall order to fill, unless some great matches go multiple segments. MK Smith- OU’s Manny Johnson is a wonderful young man who has really stepped up for Oklahoma this season at slot receiver. We love the kids from Gilmer, Texas here in Norman and look forward to getting Justin Johnson up here next season. One can easily see that Manny was raised the right way. My thanks to Gilmer for the Sooners you are sending our way. Brandon- I don’t know if the wrestling internet has necessarily damaged the wrestling business, I tend to think not, but I do think that when results are made public in advance that it tends to affect the way one watches a broadcast. Of course one doesn’t have to read the “spoilers,” but they are hard to resist one has to admit. Gregg- Bischoff’s experiences with Bill Watts were unlike mine. Watts was my mentor and helped me get my start in the business. Watts and Eric crossed paths many years later and Watts had fallen behind the creative curve as he was out of touch with many aspects of the product at that time. As a boss in the wrestling business Watts was always abrasive, must go with the territory, and confrontational, but he damn sure knew the product when he was in it on a daily basis. Bischoff has his opinion and I have mine, which isn’t a bad thing. There were many days when I despised Watts because of how he treated me or others IE being a bully and flaunting his power, but what I learned in my formative years under the Cowboy were priceless and are much appreciated. John Paul- I had fun doing the Sooner lineups for ABC for the Texas A&M game, but our own Bob Barry is still rolling along as the radio voice of the Sooners and I hope he continues for many, many years to come. With that said, I would love to fulfill a childhood dream of being the “radio voice of the Oklahoma Sooners,” but that is one goal that I might never achieve. Matty- Best of luck in medical school in Poland. We appreciate you checking out our site. I do not know the future plans for the WWE website, except that the company has big plans for its growth, but I don’t know what that entails. Bottom line is that I would suspect that you will be able to access more content off WWE.com in the future than ever before. They have some new suits working in that area who seem to be pretty ambitious. Pete- I am an old school dinosaur who is not a believer in “scripts” of any kind in most wrestling presentations, including creatively or medically. Wrestling’s greatest performers are those that had the ability to ad lib and “feel” the crowd and by being extensions of themselves. Scott- Bad week to be an Oregon Duck fan and the injury to QB Dennis Dixon was devastating. I was hoping for an OU-Oregon BCS Title game but that doesn’t seem feasible as I write this. My friend Josh Wilcox, a former Duck and XFL star, I know is dejected as hell over the Arizona upset of his team. Steve- Most old timers will tell you that at one time Gary Hart was considered to be the best manager in the business, as far as being a true antagonist who fans legitimately despised. That’s high praise as Hart was not a “cute” antagonist or one that made fans laugh, but a 100% bad guy who fans wanted to see figuratively lynched. That role has been pretty much doormat for years now. Hart was a big timer in his day, which probably peaked in Florida, Atlanta, and Texas. Thanks for checking us out and for telling a friend about our site. Please do some shopping as our Redneck Gift Buckets are shipping daily plus we have touched on some magic with our marketing of “J.R.’s Nuts,” our Oklahoma grown peanuts. Order today and we will ship your orders out immediately in plenty time for the holidays. Be well every body. BOOMER SOONER! J.R.