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

Another successful road trip is in the books and any time one can arrive home safely—it is a good day. Things are busy around Norman, Oklahoma as our BBQ Restaurant is beginning to take shape and as we have stated before, we are shooting to open by mid-June. In the meantime, the Beef Jerky business has exploded because the Jerky is quite simply really good and is certainly affordable. Your feedback on our products is always welcome, including our sauces which continue to sell well and will be the same sauces we utilize in our restaurant! We are taking positive steps to be able to sell our sauces and jerky in the UK, but are still working through the details. We will let everyone know when we get the green light.

It is always great getting back to Atlanta, where I lived for several years while working with WCW when we officed at the CNN Center. I still have many friends in “Hotlanta” and will always consider it one of “my homes away from home”. Backlash was a hot show and seemed to deliver either what was expected or over-expected from the first match until the conclusion of the show. A really good pay per view for my money and the Mrs and I bought the show.

We are initiating our long overdue FAQ section to the site ASAP. I think this will be a much needed element to our site. Hey, we’re learning as we go.

I will be writing the foreword for the upcoming Ted DiBiase book. The book is still unfinished, but Ted is going to devote more to the wrestling side of his life than he did in his previous book which came out a few years ago.

Let’s get to a few of your comments:

C.J.- The Horsemen quote you mentioned, meant that the 4 Horsemen became the first nationally exposed faction to become the top drawing entity on the broadcast (TBS) and for the company they worked for (NWA). It proved to all that with the necessary elements in place that a faction could become the headliners in any wrestling territory if executed properly. The Freebirds should also be considered as forerunners to successful factions, as there were three `Birds on the team instead of the traditional two-man team. The Horsemen with 4 members and a manager were definitely a faction and paved the way for others that followed them in my opinion.

David K.- If I had to hire 10 wrestlers to “protect my business,” it would probably be Dr. Death, Haku and any one else they chose to hang with.

Johnny-I would seriously doubt that a 3rd national, wrestling promotion will ever succeed in the United States. I think a 2nd national promotion is in a challenging spot as well. The start-up cost of doing a promotion correctly, and the years it takes to develop home grown stars, makes some investors uneasy—and rightfully so.

Shannon- I have never seen Johnny Valiant on an episode of “The Sopranos”. I may have missed him, but I am a “Sopranos” junkie.

David- I think our sauce is available at the WWE facility in Niagara Falls and from the WWE Shopzone.

Ed- Yes sir, I consider myself a Southern guy, which means what? Simply, I am from the rural southwest and I probably have more in common with others with similar backgrounds. That’s certainly not to say that I don’t have a bunch of friends that are not from the South. Regarding a young wrestler having wrestling ability vs. charisma it is imperative for an individual to have the ability to perform in the ring from a mechanical and fundamental standpoint—but without charisma today’s wrestler is going to be stiffly challenged to ever become a long term main eventer. Great charisma and average wrestling skills describes some of the biggest names in the history of the business.

Jason- Mrs. J.R. does all the clothes shopping and the tie I wore Monday was a Joseph Abboud tie. She will be happy you noticed.

Steve- I thought Green Bay should have gone for offense as well. Brett Favre needs some weapons to utilize. I hope the Packer O-line is ready to protect their Hall of Fame QB.

Mike- I am sure that the UK fans will be seeing “The Condemned” soon. It is worth the wait.

Ryan- Lee Roy Selmon is generally regarded as the best player to ever play at Oklahoma University. I have met Lee Roy on various occasions and he is a wonderful human being. I will be anxious to try his BBQ for sure.

Yasmin- I have heard zilch about Randy Orton going over to ECW.

Troy- Three things young wrestlers should avoid would include: Drug/Alcohol abuse, never stop learning the psychology of wrestling, and to not allow themselves to think that their career and all the wonderful things it provides will last forever.

Josh P- Adrian Peterson is a warrior on the football field and will train as hard in practice as any player on the field. The Vikings have a potential all time great on their hands if AD can stay healthy. I have seen AD run a 4.3 forty and his strength is freakish. Toughness is one of his greatest attributes. I hope, as I do for all young newly rich athletes, that Adrian continues to make good choices in life and focuses strictly on making his team the best they can be. I think Viking fans will love AD. Rufus Alexander also went to the Vikes and was a great outside linebacker who loves to hit. Rufus’ issue may be his speed but I always felt Rufus had “football speed”. WWE Hall of Famer Sika of the Wild Samoans son, Joe Anoai, has signed with Minnesota too, as a free agent defensive tackle. I would love to see Joe in the ring some day as he is an amazing and big athlete.

Mike- I seriously doubt if the closed nightclub in NYC formerly known as “The World” and owned by the WWE, will ever be re-opened as “The World”. It seems that ship has sailed and another business occupies the space, as I understand it. As a matter of fact, I don’t think the WWE holds the lease on the property any longer.

Victor- I would say that the chances of Arn Anderson getting back in the ring are slim and none—and slim just rode out of town. I would love to see it, but I don’t think AA’s neck would allow it.

Jim- Will we ever have a Bar-B-Q place in Tulsa? I sure hope so, but first our place in Norman has to be a success.

Sam- I am sure the new Wembley Stadium in London would be a great site for a WWE PPV. I don’t think it is a matter of “if”, but more of a matter of “when”.

O.L.- My feeling that Freddie Blassie was the “Babe Ruth” of wrestling villains was a personal opinion. Freddie was a globally recognized bad guy who drew big money and sold lots of tickets in every major territory in the world over a long period of time. Gorgeous George was more of an attraction type wrestler who never stayed too long in any territory. Blassie was as famous in Japan, perhaps more so, than he was in the USA and he was absolutely huge here. (If you want to know more about his life and career, I encourage you to read his autobiography, published right before his passing).

Jeff- I was as shocked as the next guy when I was watching the Horsemen DVD and heard Paul Roma’s comments about Flair “being jealous” of Roma. Paul is welcome to his opinion, which I still find perplexing, but I never personally felt Roma ever fit into the Horsemen group.

Mike- Lilian Garcia is taking longer to return from ACL surgery than perhaps some originally thought. Don’t worry, she will be back soon.

Nick- The Backlash camera crew was the same group of talented men that have worked for the WWE for years, and who do an outstanding job every week. These guys are a vital part of the WWE family as are all of the tech’s who are invaluable to the success of any WWE broadcast. The WWE TV group doesn’t always get the props they deserve, but they do a helluva job, even with a killer travel schedule. Many of them work some of the biggest sporting events in the world, when they are not doing their thing with the WWE. Our TV crew is one of the very best in television.

Ben- I don’t have a favorite Bar-B-Q spot in Minnesota, but I am open to suggestions. If I ever make it up to a Vikings game with AD and Rufus now Vikings, I will need a good Bar-B-Q place to try.

Floyd- I was born on January 3, 1952 in Fort Bragg, California. My dad was a laborer in a logging camp and I remember him telling me years later that he worked on the “green chain” which I don’t know exactly what that meant. Dad graduated from Westville, Oklahoma High School in 1951 and he and my mom headed to California from eastern Oklahoma on the old Route 66. I spend time in Ft. Bragg and in Santa Rosa where my grandparents lived for a time. I also remember watching Roy shire’s wrestling show on TV that featured Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens when I was in the 4th grade there.

Kevin- Commercial breaks are absolutely necessary on free TV broadcasts. No commercials equals no show. I agree they can be perceived as problematic, but they are a necessary element to keeping free tv shows on the air. I think commercials are why people like TiVo and DVR’s.

Barry- I have no favorite Starrcade, but I remember one Scaffold Match that was at a Bash that sucked pond water because 3 of the 4 participants were afraid of heights and did not let any one know until the day of the PPV.

Brad- What are your chances for a “date with Melina?” About the same as J.R. negotiating a deal to model Speedo Swimwear. “Highly Unlikely.”

Casey- What was the match that got me “hooked” on wrestling? I think their were two. Danny Hodge vs. Hiro Matsuda and The Assassins vs. The Kentuckians.

Please spend a moment or two in our store if you have the time or inclination. We sincerely appreciate your business and truly feel we produce some excellent products because I would never sell you anything I did not feel was good or I would want my own family to enjoy.

We will be back with more this week.

Thanks! J.R.