Jim Ross is back with another blog and Q&A update over at jrsbarbq.com. Here are some of the highlights:

- Ross on WWE’s Legends of WrestleMania: Yours truly worked several hours Friday night on the upcoming THQ produced video game featuring amny of the greatest the legends ever of the WWE. I presented the THQ rep a J.R.’s BBQ truckers cap, our $9.99 red neck special which is available here in our store, and he was most appreciative. Hey, some folks collect caps, what can I say? The creative on this game is being kept under wraps as it relates to all the amazing stars that will be featured. Nontheless creative fans will be able to book some of the greatest, dream matches ever. We are slated to do two more days of voice overs next week. To tell you that I am simply having a blast doing audio bytes for these guys would be a major understatement. This is the game that will likely encourage me to get video game friendly.

- Ross on WWE and Politics: Interesting note that several WWE wrestlers are attending the upcoming Democratic and Republican National Conventions. It’s good that some wrestlers want to see the political process of selecting our Presidential candidates and not just do a drive by for a photo op even though there will be plenty of those. I’m not sure whos going where but I do know that Batista and President Bill Clinton would have a helluva time together considering they are both socially inclined. We dont’ do many politics on this site but I will tell you that Ihaven’t decided who I am going to vote for come November. Professional politicians who can’t even balance our country’s check book and who govern only to be re-elected and not to better our country have used up all their “passes” with me.

- Ross on Shelton Benjamin and Jeff Hardy: Really nice, old school match on Friday Night Smackdown between Finlay and Shelton Benjamin. Both men wrestled aggressively and in a bad mood. I loved the physicality. It seems as if Benjamin is starting to come into his own. Amazing athletic gifts like Shelton’s should be taken advantage of by the bearer. I like what I have been seeing lately from the amateur standout from the University of Minnesota. Whin in college, Shelton was a regular workout partner with Brock Lesnar after Bejamin used up his eligibility for the Gophers. I’ve heard that some of their wrestling room workouts were special to watch. Shelton would seem to have the skills to have been a superior MMA competitor if he had chosen that route. Shelton has told me many times that people can’t fully comprehend just how fast Lesnar is not to mention that his strength is freakish.

- Jim Ross on Takeshi Morishima in WWE: I haven’t heard a word about how well his matches went. I watched his match in Moline and it was o.k. Not bad, not great. It looks like Morishima might want to focus on his athletic conditioning and hit the gym more frequently. I am not being negative here only realistic. Morishima has “something” that seems like it might be worth exploring. I like his timing and there is no doubt potential with this young man.

Labels: jeff hardy, jim ross, shelton benjamin, Takeshi Morishima, WWE Legends of WrestleMania

Posted by Matt Loede at 4:48 PM | Permalink | Comments

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog entry on his official website. Below are the highlights:

On Monday's Raw: I did get to see Monday Night Raw from Chicago nonetheless as the All State Arena holds many great memories for me. No, I am not specifically talking about the infamous "Country Whipping Match", and I use the term "match" loosely, that Jonathan Coachman and I had once upon a time. Chicago was the location where my induction into the WWE Hall of Fame was announced. It was one helluva moment for me and was overwhelming. I felt like Sally Field must have felt at the Oscars one year when she emotionally said, "They like me...they really like me." Enough of that.

On Chris Jericho: Chris Jericho has become an easy man to dislike these days and looks to be the hottest antagonist in the WWE now that fellow Canadian Edge is vacationing in his condo in Hell. I hear it is nice there this time of the year even though it is the hurricane season.

Jericho's accidental punch to Rebecca Michaels' mouth resulted in still yet to be confirmed damage to the young mother of two and the wife of HBK. It was obvious Sunday that her lip had swollen quickly immediately after she was struck by Jericho. This personal issue is arguably the most compelling matter in the WWE these days.

On Ric Flair: Ric Flair refereeing? I read of this recent Flair news item and I'm not sure that I agree with this assignment. "Naitch" is and will always be "The Man' but "The Man" doesn't need to be refereeing any wrestling matches...at least in my view. Perhaps it's just me and the respect that I hold for Ric but the Nature Boy being a referee seems beneath Flair at this stage of his game. But one has to assume that a nice payday awaits pro wrestling's greatest in ring performer.

On the Championship Scramble: WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson told me that he loved the idea of the "Championship Scramble" coming up at Unforgiven in about 3 weeks. Patterson created the Royal Rumble concept and apparently Pat has visualized the "Championship Scramble" and he feels certain that it will be exciting. Before critics damn the match perhaps we should allow it to actually happen. I am reserving my opinion until I see the match. The success of this unique attraction is all in the execution, as usual. Plus it is a chance for multiple wrestlers to shine. Someone we unexpect may have a jaw dropping performance.

On Takeshi Morishima: Takeshi Morishima had a non televised match that I witnessed on Tuesday night before we taped Friday Night Smackdown. Morishima wrestles for the Ring of Honor organization which does a really nice job with their promotion for the record. When I saw Morishima in his wrestling attire I thought that the late Terry Gordy, who toured Japan many, many times back in the day, had fathered a "love child". Morishima's physique reminded me of the late Freebird in an crazy sort of way. If the young Japanese athlete can get to Gordy's level in the ring then Takeshi will have done something special because Gordy was extraordinarly special. I hope that WWE 24/7 highlights the tag team bouts that Gordy and Dr. Death had with the Steiner Brothers many years ago in WCW. These four gave the term Slobber-Knocker new meaning.

Labels: 2008 unforgiven, c.m. punk, ric flair, Takeshi Morishima

Posted by Matt Loede at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments