Greetings from under the black, 200X Resistol hat from your BBQ loving Okie who is enjoying the ride down the Road to WrestleMania, including the next Monday Night Raw in our nation’s capital.
 
It was red hot in the US Airways Arena Monday night in Phoenix, and the crowd wasn’t bad either. A great crowd in the desert, as a matter of fact. It sure beats the last time I watched a live event emanating from Phoenix; it was the Fiesta Bowl, where Boise State beat Oklahoma in one of the wildest college football games I have seen in many years. I still have it on my DVR at home, not that I refuse to let it go but…
 
This week’s Raw Superstar of the Week is somewhat of a no-brainer. Even our esteemed panel of Cowboy Bill, Klondike Bill and Wild Bill were in total agreement. This week’s winner is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. We’ll have more on the Texas Rattlesnake momentarily.
 
Interesting times seem to lie ahead for John Cena and HBK. Times they are a changing, or so it would seem anyway. Can we expect an implosion from this decorated duo prior to WrestleMania 23? Both men seem to be at the top of their game and this match will be the WrestleMania 23 main event in my eyes no matter who may close the show…all due respect to whoever I may have just insulted. 
 
Randy Orton was sucking “hind teat” last week as it relates to WrestleMania, but The Legend Killer got a reprieve from the home office by being placed in a Triple Threat Match Monday. Orton will face against Ric Flair and Carlito, with the winner earning the eighth and final spot in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania. Does that mean that two of these men will be on the outside looking in? For Flair, at this stage of his game, that could be huge. I feel Ric Flair deserves to compete at WrestleMania, but just like March Madness, one has to earn his way to the “Big Dance.”  
 
Speaking of trouble in paradise, egomaniacs Orton and Edge seem to be willing to stab each other in the back to further their individual careers…which should come as no shock to most sane people. Think about it; if Orton wins Monday night he will compete against Edge in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Let’s not forget that Edge has NEVER lost at WrestleMania. Indeed, boys and girls, interesting times lie ahead.
 
It was good to see Mick Foley, one of the most brilliant authors of our time, appear on Raw Monday night. Obviously, he painstakingly selected his attire for the evening; who else would have worn the old CPO plaid jacket in Phoenix even though it does it cool in the evenings? Plus, the hole in the rear of Mick’s sweats wasn’t that obvious. I am reading Hardcore Diaries, actively in fact, after seeing where I was personally included in the latest literary contribution from Mrs. Foley’s baby boy. I will probably take it with me on my next road trip, which is in a couple of days. Mick is a great storyteller and I have enjoyed what I have read thus far. No, I am not surprised, as I have enjoyed all of Mick’s work, including his novel that was quite sick and twisted.
 
Mickie James did not win the Women’s Title on Monday night but at least she was able to walk out of the ring. For a moment, that fact seemed to escape me. Melina is a “Barracuda” (my thanks to Heart) by the by and has evil tendencies inside the ring. Melina is evil stepmother material.
 
Did Ol’ J.R. make a subtle Sopranos reference when the term “Johnny Cakes” was mentioned on Raw Monday evening? Nah.
 
The Great Khali is 7 foot 3 inches tall and weighs approximately 420 pounds. Need I say more?
 
Great to see Nick Bockwinkel be announced as going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Nick reminded me of “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers back in the day and was styling and profiling before Ric Flair, who actually grew up watching Nick compete in the Minneapolis-based AWA. Nick was a smooth operator in the ring and a superb strategist who understood holds and counters. Nick was also a great communicator and had a wonderful command of the English language. I expect Nick’s former manager Bobby Heenan to induct him, but that is another assumption on my part. If so though, get ready for some great stories.
 
And now, back to Stone Cold. When the glass broke in Phoenix, Steve Austin got one of the loudest and most emotional reactions from WWE fans that I have heard in a long time. The guest referee for the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania isn’t a “corporate guy” and will probably merely dislike “The Donald,” as opposed to his strong dislike of Mr. McMahon. One thing is for sure: Austin will make doubly damn sure that one of the billionaires leaves WrestleMania totally bald.

It was great to see Steve back on Raw and I look forward to his return this Monday in Washington, D.C. Steve has mentioned that he will try to come down to the opening of “J.R.’s Family BBQ” in Norman, Okla. in mid-May. Steve has a bottle of each of our four sauces in his “icebox.”  Austin was able to garner an amazing reaction from the fans without saying one word…amazing. For Mr. McMahon and The Donald’s sake, I hope Steve doesn’t have a flashback to filming The Condemned, where Austin opened several giant sized cans of whoop-ass on numerous individuals.
 
We’ll see you Monday night. Boomer Sooner!

J.R.