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

Ah, the times they are a-changing – and upon further review – for the better. This Friday night will be my first broadcasting voyage with my new partner, Mick Foley, and I am looking forward to watching the airing of Friday Night SmackDown with great anticipation. Mick is one of my oldest friends in the biz, which as most vets will attest, is a business where a guy can count their bonafide friends on one hand – which is akin to most forms of sports and entertainment. Mick Foley is a great human being, a bestselling author, a legit Hardcore Legend and a student of the game. Not a bad combo for this Okie to deal with I assure you. Upon getting drafted my reactions were one of shock and surprise. I was never disappointed about coming to Friday Night SmackDown as I am a loyal viewer of the broadcast and have been for years. Hell, I broadcast the very first SmackDown way back in the day. Friday Night SmackDown is an integral facet of WWE and I am going to put forth my best effort and make it even better. However, after “playing for one team” for so many years and establishing routines and relationships, particularly with “The King,” I wasn’t immediately prepared to change addresses. I likely did not endear myself to some with that attitude, but I have always been honest with my feelings, and my emotions for the product are authentic, sometimes to a fault.   After all, Monday Night Raw was never about “me.” It was and always will be about the product. Announcers’ jobs are to embellish the product and to enhance the Superstars who perform in the ring. As Shakespeare said, “the play is the thing.” (Down here in Oklahoma we like to say the “sauce” is the thing, but that‘s another story.) Read the rest of J.R.'s column at WWE.com »