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

Thanks for stopping by and paying us a visit. I returned in good shape with Sooners on their team plane LATE Saturday night after OU lost to long time rival Nebraska 10-3.

We have three new offers available now in our on line store that I hope that you'll check out. Also remember that our products make great stocking stuffers and if you are looking for multiple, unique gifts for large groups of family, friends and employees or co-workers that our case priced products that offer FREE shipping are great ideas.

Get your order in early and avoid the last minute holiday shipping frenzy. Plus, to personalize your cookbooks I need a little time. Order away!

BBQ'ed Random Thoughts....

My first trip to Lincoln, Nebraska for a football game was a tremendous experience. Being on the Sooner sideline during the Nebraska game with men like Barry Switzer, Joe Washington, and Heisman Trophy winners such as Steve Owens, Billy Sims, Jason White, and Sam Bradford was cool for this sports fan. The Nebraska fans were the most classy and polite sports fans that I have ever encountered. What a great group of representatives for their state.

WWE's European tour is roaring along and is doing big business. Minehead sold out a 5,000 seat arena on Saturday night in a main event bout featuring John Cena vs. Sheamus which I would have to have seen but read it was a really good main event. Great opportunity for young Sheamus who is making the most of his opportunities as he should. When a wrestler is young, especially young, there is never a time where one can afford to take a night off or phone in  a match. Every match is imperative to impress the higher up's and Sheamus seems to get that simple formula.

Düsseldorf, Germany saw over 8,000 fans on hand that garnered almost 3/4 of a million dollars.

Nottingham on Sunday night also had approximately 8,000 fans on hand that gross near half a million bucks.

There have been no significant injuries on this tour other than the usual bumps and bruises that go with the job. This succession of one night stands isn't an easy way to earn a living but it's the life these men and women have chosen and it certainly affords them the opportunities  to earn significant monies of which, if they are smart, they can prepare better than the Average Joe for the long haul and life after wrestling.

With that said, I get so many Q&A's from young men primarily who want advice on how to become a wrestler. I am not over optimistic about this choice of a vocation if one isn't interested in first obtaining a college degree or learning a viable trade. Reason being is so few are going to make it as wrestlers and having nothing to fall back on isn't wise. I would tell my own children this information....earning a living in pro wrestling isn't easy or too likely to happen for the vast majority of those who dream of being a wrestling star. I always say chase one's dreams but be realistic when doing so.

Fedor Emelianenko won his CBS fight Saturday night with not too many strains and pains but also not without some angst and a bloody face which likely added to the moment. Fedor really needed to win to help CBS build their MMA franchise around their only big time, marketable star. Brett Rogers, who did much more press than did Fedor because Fedor allegedly doesn't speak English well enough, was obviously gassed in the second round and became easy prey for the hard hitting Russian who continues to build his mystique and legend among MMA fans.

Remember, CBS's involvement in MMA isn't about building the sport it is solely about building a TV rating. That's not a bad thing for a TV network but somewhere CBS might get it that building stars will build their TV brand and building their TV brand will build their ratings.

O.K. so Chris Jericho made an error in judgment with an insensitive remark recently that has made TMZ, etc headlines. Chris' choice of words are regretful but he is one of the most open minded and fair people that I know. Now this Lobo dude is running with the press op's which under score that Lobo wasn't as emotionally distraught over this untimely incident that has been blown largely out of proportion. Next.

Acclaimed actor Mickey Rourke "really" wants to wrestle in a big time WWE match? Wow. I'm tapping on this one. This would not be my personal cup of tea so you might as well consider it booked. I have no idea where this matter may or may not be going but perhaps it will be something that could be done on Raw. I don't know what to make of this and know only what I've read on the internet.

Either some fans are not watching the genre any longer or they have memory issues such as yours truly. I swear I had a ton of folks this weekend tell me how much they loved my work with Jerry Lawler. JR and The King haven't been a team since June of '08.

Plus, many of them think that I can flip the switch and automatically go back and work with King any time I choose. If I could reunite our team I would but that's not a call that I can make. Plus, who knows what's going to happen when I return to work? I sure as heck don't know nor am I fixating over things that are out of my control. Do I still really need to travel every week and be on a weekly TV show? Good question from where I'm sitting today.

WWE had a huge night in Liverpool, one of the King's favorite stops as he is a huge Beatles fan. Sunday night the sell out crowd in Liverpool bought over $600,000 worth of tickets to watch WWE. That's serious money here in Norman, Oklahoma! That would buy a bunch of J.R.'s Hall of Fame Ribs, slow smoked brisket and pulled pork my friends. There were almost 9,000 fans packed in the arena in Liverpool Sunday evening.

If you order something Sunday night we will do our best to ship it Monday. Bottom line we are going to ship your orders out as best we can within hours of receiving them. For the personalized cookbooks, please don't delay as this is the only item that we have that is going to take us a little time to do it right for you. Each book will be personalized to the person to which you want the book to go.

Thanks and come back and see us.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R,