Q&A w/ JR, Part II
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
With our wrestling discussion in the books, here’s what else is going on with our favorite wrestling announcer, Jim Ross.
BP: You’ve been saying your second JR’s Family Bar-B-Q restaurant is going to open sometime soon, what’s the latest?
JR: Our second restaurant is going to open July 14 (Monday). It’s going to be right off the 19th street exit in Moore near the Wal-Mart and Lowe’s.
BP: What can we expect from this second one?
JR: It’s going to be a lot bigger, almost twice the size of our first one. We’re going to have 14 TVs, and those are going to be bigger than the ones we have now.
The first restaurant had a real homely-like atmosphere. We don’t want to get away from that, but this is going to be a chance to bring in more people.
BP: One of the many appeals of JR’s is the sports memorabilia. Without giving away too much, what are some of the items for display?
JR: My goal, which we’re well on our way to attaining, is to have a signed OU football game jersey from every OU NFL alum. It’s a pretty big task, but it’s going well.
I became friends with Brett Favre during his rookie season. He was with the Atlanta Falcons while I was still with the team. At WrestleMania XIV, I received a package, and it turned out to be a signed Favre jersey. That’s something really special.
BP: Last July, the restaurant biz was just a dream. Now you’re onto restaurant No. 2, did you ever think it would take off like this?
JR: No, I had no idea (laughs). I wish I could say I had this vision, but I have to give a lot of credit to my partner, Hal Smith.
Hal is a restaurateur. He owns Charleston’s and Louie’s. He knows what he’s doing. I just had a dream, and Hal has made that dream a reality.
BP: Alright, you’re in Norman, going to Moore. What’s next for JR’s?
JR: We’re definitely exploring our options. We’d like to put a couple in the Oklahoma City area and a couple in Tulsa. From there, we’re really looking at Lawton. Lawton has some really big schools and a military base, it’s a perfect environment.
I always say I don’t think Colonel Sanders knew that he would become the face of chicken. I’d love to be the Colonel Sanders of Bar-B-Q.
BP: How successful is the line of JR’s merchandise doing?
JR: That’s doing great. We have a lot of new and creative ideas we’re looking to try to implement. There are a lot of T-shirt designs we’re mulling over.
BP: UFC President Dana White has said he would like to come to Oklahoma City in the next six to 12 months. Your impressions of MMA?
JR: I love MMA, it’s an exploding sport. There’s a lot more structure than what there used to be. I am a major college wrestling fan. And what MMA does is give those kids a chance to still use their skills after college. Not every wrestler wants to go to the Olympics, and of course, not every wrestler can.
But with MMA, at least some of their skills can carry over. They have to learn some new skills, but they can still use their grappling abilities.
BP: What’s one of the big reasons why you feel the sport is doing gangbusters?
JR: I think a big part that not too many people are talking about is the addition of Marc Ratner to the scene. Ratner is big in Nevada, and he was the big boxing guy for so long with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. But when he made the jump to MMA, he gave it a lot of credibility with state commissions. He’s one of the most respected guys I know, and I think it’s only a matter of time before New York starts to sanction events.
As a huge boxing and MMA fan, leave it to a “wrestling” guy to make the Boneman realize just how big Marc Ratner is. That’s an excellent and valid point if I’ve ever heard one.
Again, just want to thank JR for his time. I’m sure he could have had better things to do on a Thursday afternoon.
He’s still courteous to everyone who wants a photo or autograph. He’s just as comfortable talking wrestling with me as he is talking OU athletics with Joe Castiglione (who happened to enter JR’s about 10 minutes after yours truly).
Stay tuned Tuesday as the Boneman will be back with a full recap of Raw. For the first time ever, I don’t plan on making any signs for the event. I just want to enjoy it 
Q&A w/ JR, Part I
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
There are some things I just won’t pass up in life. And right near the top of that list is a chance to shoot the breeze with Norman’s very own Jim Ross.
Yeah, I know, he’s just a “wrestling announcer.” But the values he lives by and the things he can teach those willing to learn are just some of the things that make him special. Just because he is known as the wrestling guy does not mean there is not more to the man.
That’s why it pained me to see him look so shaken Monday night after being moved from Raw to SmackDown. At first glance, everyone thought it was a selfish “woe is me” situation.
But it’s not.
Now the Boneman may not love wrestling the way he used. Gone are the days of taping every TV show, buying every PPV and wrestling with my brothers in the basement. But if the WWE is going to come to OKC, I’m still making the trip.
I had a chance to sit down with JR at his restaurant in Norman and pick the brain of the WWE Hall of Famer.
BP: Obviously, last Monday came as a shock to you. Did you know anything about the switch before the show?
JR: I had no idea. I think that’s where people get the wrong idea. It wasn’t that I was mad or upset about going to SmackDown. I compare it to any athlete who has been on one team for so long, and then all the sudden leaves for another team late in his career.
Mickey Mantle (one of JR’s idols growing up) is and always will be a New York Yankee. How sad was it to see the great Johnny Unitas as a Los Angeles Ram after all those years with the Colts?
I was just leaving my comfort zone, leaving home base. And I wasn’t prepared for it.
BP: With the change coming so close to the OKC Raw event, will you still be in attendance?
JR: Definitely. I have a ticket, but I don’t think I’m going to sit in the crowd. I feel that would be too big of a distraction. And I certainly don’t want to do that to Michael Cole (the new Raw announcer). This is not about putting me over as a star, so I’m still going to be there, but I don’t want to play a big role. I may make a cameo appearance. If so, that’s fine. Who knows, maybe this time I won’t get my butt kicked in front of the hometown fans?
BP: How long did it take for you to accept your new role?
JR: My flight to Houston (for the SmackDown tapings) was delayed for two hours because of lightning. That gave me time to think. This is just a new challenge for me. I love challenges, and this is the latest one.
A lot of effort has been put in making SmackDown a different show. I’m just a part of that puzzle. You see guys like Jeff Hardy and Triple H making the move and you add that with someone like Edge and all the sudden there is a lot of potential.
People think “oh, they’ll just be traded back.” Well, it hasn’t happened. They wanted to change things up, and they have. Now is my chance to help elevate the show help out the company however I can.
BP: You talk about this being a new challenge, what are some of your goals now?
JR: First and foremost, I want to make myself and Mick Foley (his SmackDown partner) the best broadcasting team in the WWE. It isn’t going to be easy because myself and “The King” Jerry Lawler — you know, we had a special kind of chemistry. I feel like I have a lot to offer to Mick and can really help him improve. Well, at least after 35 years in this business, I hope I have a lot to offer him.
BP: I know it’s early in the partnership, but how is Foley different from Lawler. And from what you see, do you think Foley is in this for the long haul?
JR: I love Mick. Mick’s a great guy, and he’s really intelligent. He’ll spend a lot more time preparing because his style is just different than The King’s. Mick will be reading People magazine and trying to stay fresh on everything.
I can’t speak for Mick, but I sure feel like he wants to be here for a long time. It keeps him fresh in wrestling fans’ minds when they see him once a week. It still gives him plenty of time to write because you know how good a writer he is. I don’t think he is treating this as a part-time thing. He’s showing a lot of dedication. And speaking for both of us, we’re overachievers. I did all I could to get Mick hired back in 1996. I knew that if he didn’t become a major player, at least he would be a great asset to the boys. But I always knew he could become a star. His work ethic is tough to match. When you put two personalities like that together, who really think alike and have the same priorities, there’s no telling what can happen. We’re always striving to get better.
BP: With SmackDown being taped, how is the post-production process going to be for you?
JR: Yeah, we’ve got that all set up now. They’re going to run a DSL cable through my house and have already sent a headset. I’m going to be able to stay home and do everything, so that’s a big bonus.
BP: I always feel weird trying to pitch a story idea to my boss that pertains wrestling. Is it sports, is it entertainment? I know it’s not a new question, but what’s your take on that?
JR: Wrestling is like nothing else in the world. People don’t know if it’s sports or entertainment. But what I know is it attracts a lot of people to the arenas. Millions of people are watching the shows on TV, buying the merchandise. And it really helps out the economy. A lot of money is made when the WWE comes to town. Wrestling is a part of Americana is some shape or form. It’s not up to me to decide where it stands. All I know is I’ve been in this business a long time and have loved it. I have so many great memories that will always be special to me.
Stay tuned for Part II of the conversation with good ol’ JR here on the Boneman’s Blog. We stray away from wrestling and tackle such topics as MMA, Bar-B-Q (you know his second restaurant is opening), marketing the man with the black hat, OU football and other items.
Many thanks to JR for taking the time from his busy schedule from promoting the Raw and SmackDown events in OKC and Tulsa to sit down and impart some knowledge to this young whippersnapper.
Sadollah: The Latest Champ
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Well, Amir Sadollah is the latest Ultimate Fighter. Again, happy I didn’t make a prediction as I would’ve chosen C.B. Dollaway to take TUF 7 final.
After the two exchanged kicks, Dollaway was able to get a double leg takedown which turned into Amir’s guard. Dollaway passed the guard into a crucifix.
As Dollaway is pounding Sadollah, Amir gets an armbar. Game, set, match in less than two minutes of the first round. Dollaway did a single tap that he tried to play off. But it was an obvious tap as he had nowhere to go.
Congrats to Sadollah who will be under a microscope from here on out. He’s a newbie to the MMA game
I remember watching Dollaway two years ago when Arizona State wrestled Oklahoma. Former OU wrestler Justin Dyer scored a technical fall in that bout for a big win for the Sooners.
Also that night was Danny Hodge night at McCasland Fieldhouse. And if you know anything about Hodge, you know full well what he did.
They placed a trash can at center mat and gave Hodge an apple. And as he’s done for the last 60 years, he crushed that sucker with one hand.
It never gets old, and OU coach Jack Spates can never say enough good things about the legend of Hodge.
Also interesting nugget from that match is just how many college wrestlers are going straight from the NCAA to some form of MMA.
It’s most prevalent at Oklahoma State, and it’s a huge reason for the boom of MMA in Oklahoma.
Good news for me and for us other fight nuts.
Weekend Fight Review: All Hail The King!
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
I’m just glad I didn’t go on record with any of my fight picks. Showtime’s big fight: Arthur Abraham KO 4 Edison Miranda.
I guess it’s time to say goodbye to Edison Miranda as an elite fighter. He’s always going to be in those fights where you say he’ll get you or you’ll get him – whatever comes first.
I admit to not being sold on Arthur Abraham, but that was impressive. The King is not known for his left hook, but that was the punch that took out Miranda because he was never expecting it.
A fourth round knockout, turning some heads in the US, can’t think of a better debut for the Armenian fighter with the huge German following.
Up next on his docket should be a mega fight with Ohio’s Kelly Pavlik. But just because it should doesn’t mean it will happen.
HBO’s big fight: Chris Arreola W/Disq. 3 Chazz Witherspoon.
I’ve seen Arreola fight a couple of times before. It’s that pressure that does it, he never lets up. He entered with 11 straight KOs. A technicality took away No. 12.
Witherspoon showed his Philly roots, refusing to clutch and grab though it may have saved him. He took so many flush shots that I was amazed he went as long as he did.
We’re slowly but surely starting to make some hay in the heavyweights. Friday on ESPN2, undefeated American Alonzo Butler dropped his first bout. We need to weed out the Pretenders from the Contenders.
Arreola is proving himself to be the class of the division. For my money, keep your eye on an Atlanta-based heavyweight named Kevin Johnson. The man has a jab that’s killer…when he chooses to use it.
The less said about Andre Berto’s seventh round KO, the better. I feel like Larry Merchant after Shane Mosley starched Adrian Stone: “So what?”
Berto needs to step up and needs to do it now. This fight should not have been on HBO and definitely shouldn’t have been a main event.
Three fights, three knockouts, not bad. On tap this week is the Filipino sensation, Manny Pacquiao, against David Diaz for a lightweight championship. I’m looking forward to this one.
Promoters are missing the boat…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Well, we are officially entering dem Dog Days of summer. NBA Finals are done, Tiger Woods is out for the year, what’s left??
If Mixed Martial Arts and boxing promoters were smart, it would be weekly doses of competitive fights.
Sigh.
Instead, we’ll get one or two weekends a month that feature anything remotely entertaining.
For a sport that is supposedly dying (boxing) and for one that is ever-increasingly on the rise (MMA), summer should be a cash cow.
Still a healthy two months away from football and minus the big interleague rivalries in baseball, there’s not much to hold one’s interest for the next couple of months.
MMA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship in particular, are not doing too badly. There are so many shows that it won’t be long until we’re at UFC 100.
But boxing should/needs to make some movement during this time. Try to finagle a couple of dates on national networks, do something.
Instead, we’re treated to a couple of ho-hum Boxing After Dark and ShoBox cards. No disrespect to any of the fighters on the cards, but a geek like me is the only one who is pumped to see Andre Berto this weekend.
The last big summer fights featured Mike Tyson. It doesn’t have to be that way. It can’t be that way.
Meanwhile, Saturday will also pit another edition of Ultimate Fighter on Spike. So yeah, there are programs on. But with nothing, and the Boneman means nothing, being offered as competition, the promoters have chances to really make a mark.
Unfortunately, they’re not.
Who are you competing with??
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Competition is healthy. Well, most of the time. There are other instances where it simply just isn’t making sense to the Boneman.
And there is no more glaring example than with the boxing dual dates on the two big time channels, HBO and Showtime.
Take this Saturday. HBO presents a doubleheader of boxing featuring welterweight prospect Andre Berto and heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon.
But for the third time this year already, Showtime is countering with something else — a heavily anticipated rematch between Edison Miranda and Arthur Abraham. I don’t want to put Showtime in a bad light because sometimes it’s HBO pulling the same stunt.
For a sport that needs all the exposure it can get, why compete against each other? This isn’t a brand name war between HBO and Showtime. You think I care if the big fight is on HBO or Showtime? Maybe five years ago I did, but with the announce team of Steve Albert and Al Bernstein now at Showtime, they’re on par with Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant.
It’s spilling over into the MMA world now. Affliction is trying to make a name for itself as a brand and will put on their first PPV on July 19. Now the UFC has plans for a special LIVE event on Spike to counteract that. What is wrong with this picture?
As a diehard fight fan, I’ll find a way to watch both boxing cards this Saturday (one live, one West Coast feed). And I’ll prob do the same July 19 (still debating which one to watch live). But I shouldn’t have to make that choice.
But since I’ve already said I’ll find a way, the organizations still win. They know they can compete against each other because people like me, well, we’ll gripe about it but in the end, we’re still going to watch. We’re a sick people.
Local scene
- Bricktown hotel and convention center hosts a seven-bout boxing card Thursday night. The fights are for a great cause, trying to knockout Parkinson’s disease. Main event features NABC light heavyweight champion James Johnson against Tony Kennedy. This is the first time the event has been held in Oklahoma.
Can Kelly Pavlik save boxing?
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
That’s a Herculean task for one man, but Pavlik has shown he’s been up to just about everything so far.
Plus, he’s done a pretty good job of proving me wrong…a real good job. I thought Edison Miranda was going to take him out. My belief was Pavlik was nothing more than a Vs. fighter. He’d been on that network so much, I attached that stigma to him.
But he starched Miranda to move on to one of my faves, Jermain Taylor. I was all ready to call my brothers after Taylor floored Pavlik in the second round last September.
Pavlik showed his toughness among other things to knockout my boy in the seventh. In the rematch, a body shot in the 11th ended all hopes of Taylor getting revenge.
But Pavlik is more than just what he does in the ring. He personifies everything that is right about the sport. From his top-notch character to his down-to-earth attitude, he’s what the public needs to see more of.
He’s even got a local connection. Pavlik and OU football coach Bob Stoops both come from Youngstown, Ohio. Stoops was in attendance for the rematch with Taylor in February.
Pavlik took care of business against Gary Lockett last Saturday. I’ll give him a pass for the lack of real opposition on that one. But once again, it’s time to step back up to face the big boys again.
You can find flaws, both professional and personal, in just about every boxer. So far with Pavlik, we only have the professional ones, and it’s the fun kind. He likes to go slug it out too much. Well, that only leads to exciting fights that people want to see – nothing wrong with that.
Boxing doesn’t need to be “saved,” but a name that the Average Joe recognizes and cares about that isn’t Mike Tyson or Oscar De La Hoya couldn’t hurt. For my money, Pavlik’s the future.
Side note: We saw an end of an era when Contender champ Sergio Mora outworked one of my all-time faves, Vernon Forrest, to win his first world title last Saturday. Forrest’s victory over Shane Mosley is still one of my favorite moments in boxing. Forrest was one of the good guys. But he just doesn’t have it anymore. Thanks for the memories, Viper.
- The Fight Doctor
You’ve made it happen…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Boneman’s Bout Blog? There’s nothing like a little alliteration in a blog title. Anyway, I had been pining for some sort of fight blog the last couple of months, but you never know if the interest is going to be there.
But on May 31, YOU showed the interest was there. The OKC market produced the highest rating of any CBS affiliate during the main event of the EliteXC bout featuring Kimbo Slice and James Thompson (and his ear).
With numerical proof in the bag, this blog has been created for everything that involves fighting in one way or another.
My interest in mixed martial arts began in 1997 with Ken Shamrock and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Remember back in the day when there were no rounds in the UFC?
Through the years I’ve had my favorites (Vitor Belfort and Mark Coleman come to mind), and I’ve had my, umm, let’s say not favorites (looking at you, Tank Abbott and Chuck Liddell). It’s been exciting to see the sport expand and even cooler because of the interest in MMA with former OU and OSU wrestlers.
So, we’ll dabble a little in the MMA world and try to sift through the vast amount of organizations to find the legit ones (including our very own C3 program).
Boxing is hands down my favorite sport. My love affair began on Dec. 19, 1998, with a doubleheader on HBO featuring David Tua vs. Hasim Rahman and a little known youngster named Floyd Mayweather against Angel Manfredy.
I remember being scared Floyd would lose. Ha, nine years later, it still hasn’t even come close to happening (save for one Jose Luis Castillo fight).
The OKC fight scene is trying to make a comeback. We still have “The Champ” Sean O’Grady. As long as we have a strong boxing mind like that in our back pockets, there’s always hope for bigger and better things.
And finally, with the Olympics coming up, I’ll be voicing my wrestling opinions. I’ll try to let my man-crush on both Teyon Ware and Sam Hazewinkel, former Sooners, not distract me, but I had a blast covering those two at OU. And yeah, you’ll probably hear a little WWE talk, especially when I head out to Raw at the Ford Center on June 30.
It’s The Boneman’s Bout Blog, the greatest thing to hit NewsOK since…uhh, well, we’ll come back to that later. How about I start putting up some entries first, and we’ll gauge it from there?
