Buzz: Why Cade Was Released, McMahon/Jackass, UFC Figures and More...

* J.R. recently gave incite in his latest blog, as to why Lance Cade was really let go...

"Lance Cade was dismissed from the WWE because, like many humans, he made a major league mistake while utilizing bad judgment that cost him his job. This included Lance having a seizure on an airplane and having to have emergency medial care. Luckily, Lilian Garcia was on the same flight and was instrumental in helping Lance get taken to a hospital where a battery of tests were run that luckily determined that there was nothing seriously wrong with the young man such as a brain tumor, etc.

Everyone makes mistakes, Lord knows I have made plenty in my career, but in this day and time some mistakes just simply can't be condoned. To some fans, Lance Cade will likely still be perceived as the victim in this matter and his punishment too harsh.

Under the circumstances of the situation, I don't know what other decision the WWE could have made. I'm just relieved that it wasn't me in my former role that would have had to address this matter. I really like this kid and hope that he continues to follow his dreams. Second chances are not foreign in the wrestling business so perhaps that could be in Lance's future but that's just a personal observation."

* Word backstage is that Vince McMahon was elated with the way the segment with Johnny and Chris from Jackass, Glamarella, The Great Khali, Big Dick Johnson and Hornswoggle went on this week's RAW.

* If you haven't seen the latest November issue of Maxim with Stacy Keibler gracing the cover...I suggest you pick one(or two) up.



* UFC and Ringside Collectibles debuted their new line of action figures at the Fall Toy Fair in Dallas. Click here to check out Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar in the Octagon.

Buzz: JR/Young Talent, Lashley, Masters Shoots on Warrior

* I personally felt that J.R. made some very valid points in his most recent blog, about the young talent in the industry that have made it, but are taking it for granted and not looking at the big picture...

"Listening to some young wrestlers talk amongst themselves recently, I was shocked to hear of the variety of subject matters they so "profoundly" discussed. IPods, IPhones, "I" period but nothing about wrestling, counters, submissions, paying their taxes, saving their money, hiring a financial planner, preparing for their future....you get the picture. It is easy for many of today's wrestlers to bitch and moan about their position in their chosen profession or lack thereof and provide an overall woe is me version of their lives to whomever will listen but change for the better, or worse, starts with looking in the mirror. I walked away from this inadvertent eavesdropping shaking my head but thinking that young wrestlers are no different than young stockbrokers (bad analogy), young professionals, etc. All company's can do a better job in putting the right tools in the hands of their people but only the people themselves can make the tools work for them. Broke and seemingly helpless wrestlers from any era can largely blame themselves for not having the common sense or discipline to prepare for their futures. "

* Bobby Lashley has signed on to train with American Top Team MMA out of Florida. It's recognized as one of the, if not the top training center for today's MMA fighters. Some of the fighters that have or are currently representing the camp are Jeff "Snowman" Monson, Thiago Alves, Antonio 'Pezao' Silva and Thiago Silva.

* Chris Masters refers to The Warrior as the "The Ultimate @$$hole" in a recent interview with SLAM!. Masters was on the same show that The Warrior made his lackluster return to pro wrestling on, and hasn't been heard from since. "The guy is 50 years old and he expected the red carpet rolled out for him in NWE. We were doing a three-week tour of Spain and they brought him in to create a buzz for the product. He had one match to do with Orlando Jordan for our big show in Barcelona. They rented him a house and flew out his wife and daughters and all I was hearing about from the guys higher up was his bitching and saying, 'I am the Ultimate Warrior, you should be promoting this more,' and doing everything he possibly could to be a dick and make it hard for those of us who were working every day busting our asses."

"The guy trained for this match like it was a bodybuilding show. He hadn’t wrestled legitimately in about 15 years, because let's be honest that WCW run doesn’t even count. He gave Orlando a hiptoss and a backdrop and then blew up in two minutes; there was nothing that Orlando could do. He stunk the whole joint out. We were backstage and it was unlike any atmosphere I have ever felt. We asked Juventud Guerrera what they were chanting in Spanish and it was things like boring and bullsh--. Whatever he thinks his value is, he is completely delusional. It is safe to say the Ultimate Warrior is an asshole, the best way to describe him is ugh."

Buzz: Lenny Lane, WWE Kids, HBO and More

* "Rock and Roll" Buck...no I take it back, Lenny Lane jobbed to “The All-American American” Jack Swagger(who could start a stable with Miz and Morrison called "The Triple A D-Bags") last night on ECW. I guess that answers yesterday's question of how his tryout went.

* WWE has launched a new kids site justly called WWEKids.com. It's obviously geared toward ages 5-12. But the Rey Mysterio match game is addicting.

* Edge revealed, in an interview with BetweenTheRopes.com, that the reason he took time off was not to nurse injuries, but to recharge his batteries. "I needed to kind of just get a break and kind of step back from the 120 mile per hour pace and lifestyle for a little bit," he said. "I actually asked for it. Nobody has to force me to take time off."

* According to JR, More than 50 wrestlers are featured on this weeks Smackdown premier on My Network TV.

* In a page out of Darren Aronofsky's("The Wrestler") book, HBO will be producing a drama series called "Everybody Hurts", based on the world of pro wrestling in the 1970's. Former WCW VP of Marketing Aaron Blitzstein will be writing the show that focuses on a family run pro wrestling territory base out of New York...Hmmm...where have I heard that story before...Oh, nope, my bad...the McMahon's live in Connecticut.

* Those of you with the new TNA iMPACT video game for XBOX 360 can play against Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal today and tomorrow. All you have to do is send a friend request to SamoaGWF(October 1) and JLethalGWF(October 2), and be online half an hour before the 'Game with Fame' session starts on Wednesday October 1 at 8:00 P.M. ET and Thursday October 2 at 7:00 P.M. ET. For more details click here.

JR on Foley, Tazz, Brock and More

JR just dropped some knowledge on us in his latest and greatest...

On Mick Foley's departure...
"The speculation regarding Mick Foley allowing his contract to lapse with the WWE and knowing at least a portion of Mick's future plans has finally ended. Obviously, Mick cannot and will not be a full time wrestler for any organization but one can easily see Mick wrestling sporadically meaning once or twice a year if everyone involved in this scenario is of sound mind. Mick has many diverse, creative interests and my sense is that he is looking to explore TV opportunities that might come his way. Many of us have said for years that Mick would be great in a TV sitcom. Plus Mick has many more books left to write. No matter what Mick does I wish him only the best. "

"...it would appear that Mick did not burn any bridges with the WWE and a return engagement with the WWE isn't beyond the realm of possibilities for Mick Foley in the future. "

Thoughts on Couture vs Lesnar...
"It will be interesting to see what the betting line will be on the upcoming, November UFC fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture. Scheduled for 5 five minute rounds, this might give Couture the slight edge but this one is really a pick 'em or so it would seem. Some say that the longer the fight goes the more it favors Couture who is 45 years of age,over a decade Lesnar's senior, and will give up some 50+ pounds come fight time to Brock. Couture's wife mentioned that she felt sorry for Lesnar having only 3 MMA fights under his belt while her husband had a huge experience advantage. Certainly Mrs. Couture has the right to her opinion and she is absolutely correct regarding the experience edge her husband holds over Lesnar but it might not be wise to start adding more fuel to the fire of this fight that might become the most talked about in MMA history going into it. Couture has never fought a big man with Lesnar's combined quickness and strength. This only adds to the hype for this bout that I will not miss on PPV IF I don't make it to Vegas to see it live."

Any spoilers for the Smackdown channel switch?
"Friday Night Smackdown debuts on October 3 on MyNetworkTV. I wonder if there will be any major changes on the show prior to then? Could someone be "future endeavored" prior to the debut? Will any major guests be booked for the premier? Could any trades be on tap? Why is the sky blue?"

On working with the human suplex machine...
"Tazz and I are making progress and matriculating on down the field but we are not where we will eventually be once we have had more time to develop natural chemistry which just comes via hard work and time together.

I would suggest that the best way to describe our team is that it's a work in progress."

Any thoughts on the DNC or RNC?
" I do not like today's politics or professional politicians. This country needs to initiate some tough changes to benefit ALL the people and not just for SOME of the people.



Where's Ventura when we need him??"

...I wonder who he's voting for...

What about Unforgiven this Sunday?

"Something tells me that Sunday's Unforgiven which has sort of flown under the radar with only a 3 week build on TV including a pre-emption for Raw and the Labor Day holiday to contend with will have some shocking moments and major surprises come Sunday. These types of PPV's usually out deliver what is expected of them as often times expectations by the fans are not that lofty for these short turnaround events. I am intrigued to see the "Scramble" bouts and even more stoked to see Shawn Michaels, with one healthy arm, fight, not wrestle, Chris Jericho. Even though HBK is injured this bout will take place and to whoever has to follow it all I can say is good luck. "

JR's Latest: Cena's Surgery Details,

JR graced us with a short and sweet blog that highlighted the following...

John Cena's neck surgery procedure...

"John's surgery was a micro-surgical removal of a large piece of disc material that infringing John's spine. Cena told me that the doctors took a small piece of bone from a cadaver to use for the neck fusion. "

(I think I just threw up in my mouth a little)

How long will he be out?

"Cena is expected to begin physical therapy next week and could be back in the ring in between 2-4 months according to Dr. Maroon. "

How's Smackdown this week?

"Friday Night Smackdown was a nice wrestling show, in my view, featuring two particularly good matches including Jeff Hardy vs. MVP and HHH vs. Shelton Benjamin. Add a couple of debuts of newcomers plus a live appearance by the Undertaker and I would suggest that Friday Night Smackdown is a keeper. The show was long on wrestling and not overly long on talk which is always a nice formula in my old school eyes."

Morning Buzz: The Wrestler@NYFF, Harley's Camp and More

'The Wrestler', stars Mickey Rourke as a has-been pro wrestler named Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who heads back to the ring with the hopes of a comeback and Marisa Tomei who co-stars as stripper(thank you God), gives Rourke a place to stay, which in turn creates a friendship between the wrestler and her son. The movie has been officially added to the list of movies playing during the New York Film Festival this fall. Click here for pics(scroll half way down).

- If you're serious about being a wrestler in Japan or elsewhere, it would be wise to attend Harley Race's 5 day camp this fall. With representatives from Japan and WWE(Ricky Steamboat) attending, you WILL get pointed in the right direction to reach your dreams and goals in the biz. Click here for more info.

- JR just released his RAW thoughts, where he talks about RAW, Punk, SummerSlam and more. Also, they finally have the new website up! Boomer-Sooner!

- Speaking of RAW reviews, Jake 'The Snake' Roberts has once again pulled no punches with his thoughts on the subject.

- In regards to the Randy Orton 'accident'. It's nice knowing that other sites are starting to take heed to what I said yesterday - I'm not alone!

Morning Buzz: WWE Releases Another, Snake's Take and More

-WWE thanked Chris "Braden Walker" Harris for stopping by. I'm sure we haven't heard the last on this.

-In Jake "The Snake's" recent RAW blog, he talks up Paul Burchill, gives good advice for workers, likesa the character of the Santino Marella, thinks CM Punk looks like someone pissed on his head and much much more. Always entertaining.

- According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Michael Hayes will be taking Freddie Prinze, Jr. under his wing. Which in turn means he will be on SmackDown. Why doesn't WWE hire Matt Stone and Trey Parker to write?

- JR just wrote a whole blog dedicated to comparing Brett Favre to Ric Flair.

- I'm looking forward to attending UFC 87 on Saturday night and will have a weekend recap for you on that event as well.

JR's 2 Cents on Flair, Lesnar and More

Jim Ross gives some thoughts on the latest events in his recent keyboard mashing...

"The announcement a few days ago that Ric Flair and the WWE had mutually agreed to part ways surprised me."

"I do know that Ric had apparently received several offers to do numerous outside projects that were beyond the parameters of the WWE and that he seemed keenly interested in doing. Since the memorable Hall of Fame/Wrestlemania retirement weekend that really sent Ric off in style, Flair’s popularity is arguably at an all time high. There is no doubt that Ric can stay very busy over the next several months and earn significant money in the process."

"...I hope that Ric doesn’t succumb to a big money offer to actually wrestle. Any one who would pitch that idea doesn’t have Ric’s best interests at heart. "

Now that we got the 'Naitch' business out of the way, let's talk about the announcer moves. Are the temp or permanent?

"With Foley’s status as it is, I would not be surprised to see both Striker and Tazz back in the same, fill-in roles that they fulfilled this week on next week’s ECW and Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts. I also thought that Todd Grisham did a really nice job in his second week on ECW after replacing Mike Adamle who is the new, Raw G.M."

A big weekend for UFC and wrestling fans...

"From what I hear, and this isn’t official but what sources tell me, the UFC can actually cut Lesnar if he loses his first two fights and as we all remember that Brock lost his debut by being careless and allowing his inexperience to be exposed. Heath Herring, Lesnar’s opponent in Lesnar’s home town of the Twin Cities, is a veteran of many, many high profile fights over the years and Herring has far less pressure on him going into this fight than one would assume Lesnar has."

Admale's debut as GM of RAW...

"New Raw G.M.Mike Adamle did a solid job Monday night much to the chagrin of apparently an ample amount of Adamle haters. Being any brand’s G.M. is infinitely easier than being a member of any brand’s broadcast team. It would not surprise me to see Adamle settle in, get comfortable, and over exceed the expectations of his critics."

What about the Brett Favre cluster...fudge?

"The Green Bay Packers, an organization that I have long followed and respected, have completely bungled their dealings with the face of the franchise, QB Brett Favre. I am a player’s guy as a rule and this matter has been a complete embarrassment to the Packers, Favre’s family and the national Football League."

...and the status of Kennedy - Kennedy?

"Mr. Kennedy dislocated his shoulder Monday night in Macon in a match with U.S. Champion Shelton Benjamin and looks to be out of action for a few weeks depending on the results of his latest MRI."

JR Defends Adamle, Get's Political, Talks Prinze and More

Boomer Sooner everyone (does anyone really know what the hell a Sooner is anyway?), JR graced us once again with his online presence and shared his thought about current happenings...

"The object of any creative endeavor should be to establish wrestling stars and all those that are involved in the process should focus on that particular matter. Secondly, Adamle has yet to have one complete Raw episode under his belt but he has apparently already been deemed a disaster by many fans and some pundits."

LEAVE BRITNEY...I MEAN MIKE ALONE!

...and why does he keep referring to me as a pundit?

"It seems like the least we can do is give the guy a fair shake at creating is own persona before websites start polls and more editorials are written damning Adamle’s selection."

"When I walked out to help with commentary on Monday night, which was an 11th hour decision BTW, many of the veterans told me that they "just knew" that I was going to be the next Raw G.M. That would not be a role that would interest me but I won’t die on that hill for fear of being "promoted"."

Well, I guess that confirms that no one knew who the GM was to be.

"...the look on Cena’s face when Adamle was announced as the new General Manager of Raw was priceless."

What about his love of MMA and the Presidential race?

"Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s views on the MMA world concerned me when they were originally made and I hope that the veteran, Arizona politician has changed his views. McCain once made some bold and uneducated remarks about the genre many years ago that seemingly were not researched and appeared to be lip service and made McCain be perceived as being completely out of touch."

Old age does that to a person. Little known fact: McCain used to wrestle in high school against Lou Thesz(okay, that's not true...McCain graduated long before Lou made it to high school.)

"How in the name of sanity can this country get so deeply in debt? No matter who is elected in November, that individual will inherit a spending deficit that is frightening. How can our public officials be so irresponsible? The drift of this non wrestling diatribe is that I hope everyone registers to vote and goes to the polls this fall. No matter who one votes for, I hope that those that are eligible exercise their right to vote."

I'm voting for Mike Ditka again.

"Chris Jericho’s verbal skills are at the front of the class right now which makes Jericho one of the most exciting talents to keep one’s eye on in the future. One has to wonder that when Jericho has finally finished his business with HBK, if that is not already the case, who’s next for Jericho, C.M. Punk? Jericho defies the antiquated concept that a wrestler has to be over 6 feet tall and north of 250 pounds or so to be able to sell tickets and be a main eventer."

Agreed.

"Speaking of the World’s Heavyweight Champion,..."

Do we have to?

"...I felt like C.M. Punk did a solid job in providing commentary for the first two segments of the Saturday Night’s Main Event that airs this Saturday on NBC at 9/8 central. Punk is an intelligent competitor who "gets it" and is a quick study. Punk is a legit tough kid who doesn’t drink, smoke or do illegal drugs."

Maybe he should, I might like him more - Just kidding!(but seriously...that Bud Light Lime is refreshing...and would make a nice tattoo on him)

Speaking of fruits...

"My take on Todd Grisham’s first outing as the new play by play voice of ECW was that Todd was successful. Todd has been around 5 years or so and he has the product knowledge and the quick wit to be a nice fit on the Tuesday night broadcast."

Nevermind, that would have been a better Michael Cole segway.

"Friday Night Smackdown has one of the most compelling endings that I can recall in years. The show, as a whole, has a fair amount of wrestling, some many of you will enjoy and, naturally, some that some of you won’t….same as always. I do know that Kennedy vs. Benjamin was a solid, two segment wrestling match while "The" Brian Kendrick continues to impress. Jeff Hardy vs. The Great Khali certainly had its moments between two wrestlers with completely opposite styles. But back to my original point, the build to the last segment of Friday Night Smackdown is intriguing and the payoff is one of the most memorable moments on WWE TV in a long time."

...I'm at the edge of my seat, my only hope is that the guy who sees Sarah Michelle Geller naked everyday is somehow involved.

"Freddie Prinze, Jr. is going to be involved creatively in the Smackdown brand from what I gather. Freddie is a big time wrestling fan and seems like a respectful and intelligent individual in the brief moment that we had to say hello a day or two ago . It will be interesting to see Freddie’s future contributions within the unique, WWE community. Freddie has achieved some great success in Hollywood but the WWE is a much different animal that most perceive until they enter the "WWE Universe". I just hope that Friday Night Smackdown continues to feature more wrestling than not which is what I feel is still the WWE’s most uniquely, marketable asset, in ring wrestling."

Seacrest Out!

Morning Buzz: Brooke + Politics, Matt Morgan and More

- On an always entertaining episode of The Soup over the weekend, they covered the clip on 'Brooke Knows Best' where our favorite level headed Hogan(sigh) talks about why she doesn't vote and wouldn't vote for a woman because they're too hormonal. You can't make this stuff up.



- M-m-m-m-Matt Mmm-('The Blueprint') Morgan is officially the newest American Gladiator. Check out his profile here.

- JR got a little testi(cle) in his new blog when he wrote about some hack bloggers criticizing his comparing Brian Kendrick to the late Brian Pillman. I wonder who that douche was?

- In the age of the 2nd generation wrestlers, Ricky Steamboat Jr. will be headlining his first pro wrestling main event when he meets the masked Mr. Florida on an independent show Aug. 9 in Mooresville, N.C. according to Charleston.net. Jr., was last seen by wrestling fans as a youngster accompanying his dad to the ring about 20 years ago...holy crap, do I feel old.

Jr's Thoughts on the Bash

His Post-Bash blog is up. Highlights...

Positive thoughts

"Overall I thought the Great American Bash was a solid show that had some good moments. No athlete “mailed it in,” which is something I personally always look for, nor was the PPV a “talkfest”. I do wish some of the bouts had more time for them to transact their business.

The biggest news out of the WWE Tag Title bout is that the titles, can’t say “straps,” are on Smackdown. Hawkins and Ryder could make a fine duo in time, but I still have “major” problems telling them apart.

Shelton Benjamin grabbed the brass ring..again. Let’s see if this gifted athlete can “run w/ the ball” and finally live up to his potential. Matt Hardy will likely turn his sights on the ECW Title if I were guessing."

Negative thoughts

"I did not like the conclusion of the Punk- Batista World Title Bout thanks to Kane and his newly rediscovered criminally insane mind. I hate to see title bouts at a PPV end via disqualification, etc so thanks Kane…for nothing.

Cena vs JBL was bowling show ugly, physical and dangerous, especially being surrounded by metal and concrete. The JBL win surprised me."

Main event

"It’s obvious HHH and Edge have great chemistry. Looking into the future speculatively, I would suggest that Edge will now focus on his marital issues, while HHH awaits his next, big challenge."

JR's Pre Bash Blog: Rampage, ECW Taping, Torrie and More

Jim Ross washes the BBQ sauce of his hands long enough to type up his recent thoughts before the Great American Bash:

History lesson

"Speaking of the Bash, it debuted in July 1985 in Charlotte with Ric Flair defeating Nikita Koloff to retain the NWA Title."

More thoughts on Rampage Jackson's tough week

"Hopefully all those that are close to "Rampage" will place this athlete’s health over all other matters concerning the Memphis native who has been a life long fan of fellow Memphis native and my former, long time broadcast partner Jerry Lawler. I pray that there are no drug issues in this young man’s life that we are unaware of and that Quinton receives the treatment he needs to live a healthy life."

What about rumors that ECW will start taping before RAW?

"That horse ain’t leaving the barn. Could there be some combo ECW/Raw live events? Sure. There could also be on going ECW/Smackdown live events too at the same time. However, that has zero to do with ECW moving its TV production to Monday night which, again, I don’t think will happen."

The latest on Torrie Wilson

"The beautiful Torrie Wilson, now in the clothing business in Houston, sent the Mrs. and me a hot, pink bikini that she wore on TV and autographed that we will frame and display in our Norman or Moore restaurant."

I'm on my way to Oklahoma!

"This one will have to have bullet proof glass and be anchored to the wall..."

Oh.

Bumping into old friends

"It was great seeing my old friend Terry Allen aka Magnum T.A. Tuesday night in Charlotte. Terry recently underwent back surgery and was walking with the aid of a crutch while he heals but was in great spirits. This guy has great character and perseverance and I never once have ever heard him say "poor me" due to the hand that was dealt him. Terry’s two, beautiful young daughters were wonderful to meet."

T.A. was bad ass!

NBA team in Oklahoma...

"It looks as if the OKC NBA team is going to be called the Oklahoma Thunder from what I hear"

...that doesn't make any sense. Why not the Cowboys, Marshall's, Q's, Briskets or Boomer-Sooners?

Morning Buzz: Brooke Hogan, Ric Flair's show and More

- In Touch and Life & Style magazines are both reporting that Playboy has made the offer to Brooke Hogan to appear nude in the magazine...! No word to whether she accepted or denied the offer.

Did Hulk Hogan push a handicapped person down a flight of stairs or kick a puppy? First Nick, then the Linda problems, he has diarrhea of the mouth when it comes to the Graziano's, now his baby girl might be in one of the biggest selling Playboy issues of all time! I know I'll buy 2 copies.

- Coming this Tuesday to WWE.com you can check out Ric Flair's new series called "Stylin' and Profilin'". To see the preview, click here.

- The August 2nd Saturday Night's Main Event will be taped on July 28th in Washinton D.C..

- According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, second guessing of the announcers switch increased this past week. Internally, there is said to be a tremendous amount of unhappiness with the Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler combination on Raw. Some officials have actually discussed shooting an angle that would put the old teams back together, but pretty much everyone believes that it's not happening anytime soon. Also, Vince is said to not be thinking about reverting the change, and just trying to get Cole to be the Raw announcer he wants him to be.

-Monty Brown made his in ring return at a PCW event a couple of weeks ago...

JR's Latest Entry: Flair, FCW and Much More

Boomer Sooner has a ton of BBQ merchandise and food sales going on. You can check out his blog for more info, but here's the meat of it...(get it? BBQ...meat...sorry)

What can we look forward to on Smackdown this week?

"Friday Night Smackdown is a unique broadcast and one that I am anxious to watch after the WWE TV folks finish their edits and production enhancements. The common thread that runs through the show is the "Reception of Edge and Vickie’s Wedding" which certainly seemed to have have its "moments" including the final few moments of the broadcast. We also had some intriguing wrestling bouts including a Hardy vs. Hardy match that completely surprised me as it relates to the direction the bout took."

The latest on the Ric Flair front...

"'Naitch' is still one of a kind, is happy, and enjoying life and has many unique and perhaps headline making opportunities ahead of him that will play out soon. And no, I am not going the "spoiler" route with this info in this space but, as a huge Flair fan, and without resorting to hyperbole I was extremely interested, as will many of you, in the potential of some of Ric’s future opportunities."

Dammit.

Thoughts on FCW's big tapings...

"Big week for Florida Championship Wrestling as they tape their first TV show this week at the new facility. I wish them all the best of luck. I was asked to provide the play by play for the first show but schedule’s would not permit it. I have heard that Todd Grisham will be handling the honors. FCW, in my opinion, should be operated like a NFL camp or perhaps and more specifically like a college athletic program where the athletes are tested physically, socially, academically and in character issues on an ongoing and regular basis. Again, I stress that the staff of FCW is under a microscope as much as any WWE employee from where I sit. The future of the company is the development of new stars and the WWE has no bigger assets than their talent."

GAB thoughts going into this weekend...

"The Great American Bash is this Sunday and it looks like Michael Francis Foley and yours truly will have 4 bouts to call. I do assume that HHH vs. Edge will close the show which seems to make sense to me but now that I am a Friday Night Smackdown team member I’m not overly unbiased."

"One of the most over analyzed bouts leading into the GAB this Sunday is the C.M. Punk vs. Batista World Title Bout."

"I like Punk’s uniqueness and his upward mobility and think he can only get better over time…in other words, Punk’s best days still lie ahead of him. Nonetheless I would not be shocked to see Batista win Sunday. However, that’s not to say I would be shocked with a Punk win either over the more established former champ."

We remember legends that left way too early...

"This week marks the deaths of two great in ring performers and long before their time. Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish was murdered in a shower stall in Puerto Rico and Frank’s alleged killer never was punished for his crimes, at least not formally. One would assume that any person who unnecessarily takes another’s life would have, at best, a guilty conscience over the heinous act. Frank was one of the brightest minds I ever encountered in the wrestling business but had a bad reputation for being a major problem to deal with for wrestling promoters over the years. I never saw this side of Frank personally but knowing some of the promoters that Frank worked for as an independent contractor handling his own business deals, travel arrangements and creative direction why should the wild haired brawler have trusted these wrestlers turned promoters based on many of their track records? I am not condoning "holding up" a promoter or not keeping one’s word but the Frank Goodish that I knew was a sharp, college educated athlete who was on his way to becoming a sports writer before breaking into pro wrestling and was never any thing but a friend to me."

"Terry Gordy also died this week a few years back of an apparent heart attack at only 40 years of age if I recall. Gordy, without question, was the best teenage, pro wrestler that I ever saw in my life."

Edge getting an endorsement deal...

"Nice gig for Edge getting on a national TV commercial for "Slim Jim". It airs for the first time as best I know Friday night on SD."

OOoohh yyyeEEAAHH! SNAP INTO IT!...oops, wrong guy.

What about Rampage Jackson's rampages this week...

"Speaking from experience, incidents like this that make national headlines in a negative vein don’t do the genre any favors especially a genre that is fighting a public perception battle with some uninformed media types and lawmakers. Like pro wrestlers, if the MMA fighters become their own worst enemies due to unfortunate situations like "Rampage" has found himself in then their business’s growth will be adversely affected and the public’s perception will feed right into the nay sayer’s hands."

"Another MMA thought, does anyone think that the UFC, which is the NFL of MMA, is paying too much attention to the upstart Affliction promotion?"

I'm glad you asked JR, because yes I do. They have what the UFC couldn't get...and couldn't keep. Much like WWE/WCW back in the day.

What's the deal with Kendrick?(in a wicked Seinfeld voice)

"Smackdown’s Brian Kendrick reminds me of the late Brian Pillman in so many ways especially Kendrick’s "look" and the legit confidence that Kendrick has in his in- ring abilities. Kendrick’s new associate that you will see this Friday night on SD is named "Ezekiel" and is a 300 pounder with significant presence."

...Really?! Do you have a BBQ rib lodged in your throat that's cutting off circulation to your brain? Ask your buddy The Rattlesnake if that runt reminds him of the "Loose Cannon".

"I remain in Brett Favre’s corner and feel that the Green Bay Packer front office needs to rehabilitate their relationship with the future HOF QB because if any one that thinks that Brett still can’t play QB at a high level in the NFL that person needs counseling. Arguably, aside from Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, who is a better QB in the league than Favre?"

Ok, I'm back to agreeing with you.

Any new memorabilia in the new BBQ joint?

"We were honored this week to receive the wrestling tights Batista wore when he won the Title at WM21. These rights mean the world to J.R.’S Family Bar-B-Q and to Batista, naturally."

Better wash them before the Board of Health finds out.

The latest Orton addition...

"All family members are healthy and Randy’s untimely collarbone injury has a silver lining after all as being home when his new born daughter is a true blessing. It sure beats showering with large, hairy men"

...yes...yes it does.

New Thoughts Under the Bristol...

Highlights from JR's latest...

JBL/Cena in a Parking Lot brawl at GAB
"I read where the John Cena-JBL bout for the Bash will now be held, apparently, in a parking lot outside the arena with street fight type rules. These bouts are extremely dangerous not to mention that they have the propensity of taking the live audience out of the mix because the fight is being held in another locale."

History Lesson:
"This week in 1987 Dr. Death Steve Williams won the UWF Title from Big Bubba Rogers aka The Big Bossman. The UWF had 4 champions in its history, Doc, Bubba/Bossman, the One Man Gang, and Freebird Terry Gordy. In this era, in the mid 80’s, one would be hard pressed to find 4 better, badder and more talented big men than the aforementioned individuals."

Cool memorabilia news:
"Vickie Guerrero has offered to provide Mrs. J.R. and I with some of her late husband Eddie’s wrestling gear for us to frame and display in our J.R.’s Family BBQ Restaurants. I can’t tell you how proud we are of that development."

"We will soon be getting some really cool, authentic DX apparel from HHH and HBK to frame and display in our BBQ places which add even more unique and one of a kind memorabilia to our place. I really appreciate the respect that we are shown by so many athletes by their contributing "swag" to our eateries. When many of the WWE Superstars visited our new place after Monday Night Raw in OKC for a private function and they were blown away by all the memorabilia we have collected over the years including all the sports memorabilia, my Mickey Mantle and John Wayne pieces, etc. Of course, we are known for our great food and service but the atmosphere helps contribute to a fun experience too.

One of our coolest, newest additions to our memorabilia is one of the Undertaker’s black hats of which there has only been like 2-3 since he started wearing them years ago."

Anything else you want to promote?
"Internet Message Boards often times suck. I stopped reading them largely because I felt embarrassed that some people who call themselves real wrestling fans often times use excessive profanity, take the low road, hide behind phony names to make smart ass remarks and nothing any one can write is ever good enough."

...sorry...I have syndrome...

I also hate bloggers that tease a stories like "…”Naitch” on Charlotte’s Friday Night Smackdown next week??…" and don't talk about it in their blog. Maybe I'm alone on that one though.

JR's Random Thoughts

Here's highlights from his latest...

What'd he think about the RAW ending this week?
"The program’s ending was intriguing to me involving Kane, who looks to be in line for more prominent exposure, along with The King and Michael Cole. Welcome to Raw, Michael. I am curious to see how this Kane business is followed up next Monday in Raleigh. I talked to King after Raw and he was still woozy after Kane pounded him that Jerry actually got lost in downtown New Orleans looking for the “team hotel” which was the Marriott on Canal Street, not exactly an obscure locale. I hope the King will be able to find Raleigh on Monday and can avoid Kane’s big right hand."

Any new WWE 24/7 updates?
"Yours truly recorded a feature on Terry Funk while in Baton Rouge for WWE 24/7’s “The Film Room with Gordon Solie” which features some really cool film footage largely from the 1970’s that includes a tag match featuring Dory, Jr. and Terry Funk vs. the Jack and Jerry Brisco and a one on one match for the NWA Title between Terry and Jack Brisco."

"Another WWE 24/7 match I was interviewed for in Baton Rouge was the Hart Foundation vs. The Brain Busters tag team rivalry which featured some text book, tag team competition that any young wrestler would benefit from watching."

How is this week's Smackdown?
"There will be lots of wrestling on Friday Night Smackdown this week. In my humble and biased opinion, SD features the best wrestling of any WWE program this week. Edge had another memorable night of TV and is simply on top of his game and doing what he does better than any one in the WWE. I especially enjoyed the HHH-Chavo, Matt Hardy-Benjamin, and Edge-Big Show bouts in particular."

"Uncle Bret Hart will likely be proud of niece Natalya Neidhart on Friday Night Smackdown especially with Nattie’s utilization of “The Hitman’s” vaunted “Sharp Shooter”."

What about the Atlas/Henry combo on ECW?
"Interesting pairing of Tony Atlas and ECW Champ Mark Henry this Tuesday on Sci Fi. Henry traveling with Atlas will allow Mark to sit under a veteran’s learning tree and talk wrestling and the many nuances of the business. I am pulling for Atlas, a WWE HOF’er, who has had some challenging times in recent years including being homeless for a time. I am a big believer in “mentoring” and every successful wrestler I can think of had a mentor in their professional life."

The match between Punk and Batista at the GAB could mean a lot in the careers of both men.
"The C.M. Punk vs. Batista World Title Bout at the Great American Bash will be one of the most analyzed matches of 2008."

JR's Monday Blog

JR's back with an early week posting. Here's your highlights...

He's happy with his new home...
"I will reiterate that moving to Smackdown has been a blessing in disguise for me. And that’s no B.S. "

This week's NEW Ric Flair DVD...
"The new Ric Flair DVD is "gold" and after watching it this weekend unless one absolutely hates "Naitch", and if so shame on you, this particular DVD is a must have for any true wrestling fan’s collection."

The new BBQ joint in Moore, OK has some cool items on display...
"One piece found on one side a personalized, autographed baseball to "Jim" from MLB HOF’er, the greatest Yankee of ‘em all, Oklahoman Mickey Mantle while on the other side of the hanging piece was an autographed Floyd Mayweather glove that "Money" wore at WM24 in his fight with the Big Show. Mrs. J.R. did one helluva job decorating the new place."

What was the deal with JR coming out and confronting Michael Cole in front of the OK crowd last week?
"...[it]was essentially done tongue in cheek (a practical joke) and for entertainment purposes only. I have said many times that I value my friendship with Cole which is a true statement. However, do I think that some Raw fans will still give Michael a hard time in his new role for a while….unfortunately, yes."

As promised(see yesterday's blog), here's his take on the UFC PPV...
"My son in law and I enjoyed the UFC PPV on Saturday night which was highlighted by Forrest Griffin upsetting Rampage Jackson to win the Light Heavyweight Title. Griffin’s win via decision did not surprise me once I saw the fight but I certainly thought that the Memphis native, Jackson, would win the contest going in."

Agreed.

"Josh Koscheck should learn to utilize the fact that, seemingly, most fans don’t like him for whatever reason and go with it. Fans pay big money to watch people get their asses whipped, just ask the WWE’s Edge, and a great antagonist is money in the bank for any promoter."

For the record, I don't hate Koscheck...I just think he's an arrogant prick. Him and Penn should go start a school for A-Holes in order to capitalize on it. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Joe Rogan is a fantastic announcer for MMA.
"Joe Rogan is an excellent announcer and I hope the people making the decisions at the UFC know how valuable Rogan is to the UFC viewers. I am not overly unbiased as you would assume especially considering my on air role, but often times the announcing of specific events are overlooked or taken for granted."

That's what I just said.

What about Forrest's post fight interview where he dropped the F'bomb more times than a kid with Tourette's sitting in church?

"For the UFC to be accepted more universally, language used by Griffin needs to be addressed as it doesn’t’ send out a classy message to a mass audience even though young males may think it was cool. I mean to take nothing away from Forrest Griffin who is one tough son of a gun and is a guy that I will pay to watch fight again but coarse language won’t attract big time sponsors or enhance the building of a brand that is one of the most exciting new sports in the world."

JR's Holiday Weekend Blog

Jim Ross's new Smackdown schedule allows him to be home on the weekends, which he's a big fan of. He put's the BBQ down for a few minutes in order to give us his latest blog...

- He officially put an end to the rumors that Smackdown! will be going live...
"I also did some more research on the rumor that Smackdown was going to be changed to a live broadcast on Friday nights and my "sources close to the decision makers" say it is absolutely not going to happen. Take that as you may as some folks would rather believe rumor than factual info."

The King and JR back together for one night only?
"The King and I, remember us, will be making an autograph/photo op appearance on Long Island on Saturday July 19." (The night before the GAB)

Has he caught Michael Cole's announcing on RAW yet?
"I got a chance to watch the OKC Raw on my DVR this week and I thought Michael Cole did a super job handling the show in my home state under less than positive surroundings."

What about the Trevor Murdoch release?
"It was surprising to see that likable Trevor Murdoch was released this week from the WWE. This one really caught me off guard as I personally always liked the Harley Race trained wrestler who I know will land on his feet and continue to grow in the business that he loves. I was looking forward to calling Murdoch’s Smackdown bouts but, as The King always says, one can’t grieve forever. I do wish Murdoch nothing but success and great health. This business is all about challenges and obstacles and how one handles them."

...Bam Neely thoughts?
"I wonder how good Bam Neely, nice name, will eventually become as an individual wrestler as time marches on? Bam, if that is his real name, sort of reminds me of Big Bubba Rogers aka The Big Bossman aka Ray Traylor from back in the day."

We'll see what he has to say in the next couple of days about the big UFC fights this weekend, because I'm sure he lost good barbecue money when Forrest beat Rampage.

JR's Latest Entry

The newest edition to Smackdown commentary, sat down to give everyone his recent blog...long blog.

How was week 2?

"Friday Night Smackdown was a really fun show to tape Tuesday night in the Tulsa Convention Center and brought back some really great memories of yesteryear."

"On a side note, I mistakenly walked into a storage closet which I mistook for a make shift office that was one door over and I remembered "busting" a well known wrestler smoking pot in that room well over 20 years ago."

Sounds...fun

"If you listen to the commentary Friday night with Mick Foley and me, you just might mine some interesting nuggets out of the show which very well could bring a smile to your face. Mick and I are working diligently to improve our commentary and we remain steadfast with our goal of becoming the best broadcast duo on any WWE TV program."

Might mine?

OK, so he's liking it?

"I will say this, there is much more in ring action on Smackdown than Monday Night Raw which fits my wrestling tastes to a "T". This Friday’s show is no exception and if you are sidetracked by July 4th activities, as many of us likely will be, please record the show and view it at your leisure. I saw one Internet report that said it was a great event to attend and another fan who took the opposite point of view."

Even with rumor's about how much he's making?

"Someone dug out old info and used it as if it was current but why let the facts get in the way of a good tale? Nonetheless, I have made a great living in the WWE and unlike some of my peers have saved most of that money and have been fortunate enough to make some sound investments. No "poor me" B.S. here but what many of you have been reading isn’t accurate info, if that matters to you."

What about the rumor of Smackdown going live?

"Read a rumor where Friday Night Smackdown may go "live" several times a year which is also new news to me. I feel it is "highly unlikely" that this will happen but time will tell I suppose. My money is on that it won’t happen with the exception being the Friday night prior to WM25 in Houston. Even if it does, I have no issue with it as long as I don’ t have to miss any OU Football games then the Friday night business could become an issue."

Thought's on the TMZ Mark Henry/Michale Hayes conspiracy theory?

"I found it somewhat insulting that TMZ’s website would discount Mark Henry’s athletic abilities and entertainment skills pretty much in total by inferring that Henry became ECW Champion simply because of his ethnicity. Henry’s entire career has been marred by injuries plus let’s not confuse the difference in a traditional wrestler with a wrestling "attraction" a la Andre The Giant which is what Mark Henry is in my professional opinion, an attraction. Mark deserves this opportunity because he has earned it and now it will be up to Mark to raise his game and run with the ball. Henry’s "look" and verbal skills intrigue me."

Atlas Ortiz?(see this morning's Buzz)

"ECW’s Atlas Ortiz, if that is his real name, once played college football for Tulsa University and played on the Golden Hurricane team that upset Oklahoma prior to my friend Bob Stoops taking over the Sooner program in 1999."

BBQ Boy's Latest Blog

JR's latest blog, after last night's RAW appearance...

Creating that on air chemistry:
"This will be my second Smackdown with my new color analyst Mick Foley and we should be better than we were last week which I did not think was a bad effort. Developing chemistry takes time and I know without fail we will arrive at that desired destination as it is just a matter of when not if."

Night of Champions:
"The Night of Champions ended up being a solid, decent investment of a PPV and the huge crowd at the American Airlines Center selected the matches in which they emotionally invested and supported them in kind. I thought the last two title bouts of the evening were especially top notch and apparently the live audience did as well as they seemed to be into them."

Addressing the OKC crowd on RAW last night:
"I did not "write" any thing down to say nor did any one else if you are keeping score at home or simply just need to know that info. From what I understand neither did Edge. Certainly Raw was an unpredictable program which has been its trademark over the years which is essentially the reason it is live every week."