Jim Ross ain't a happy camper.

As many of you know, I was "drafted" to Smackdown Monday night in the "random lottery". Obviously that means I will be leaving Monday Night Raw and my long time partner Jerry Lawler.

I am not happy about this surprise development.

I also contemplated calling it a career Monday night and not going to Houston to tape SD.

After speaking with my wife and thinking on this matter until 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, I have decided to do the right thing for the fans who care and the talent who care and begin my new assignment.

It has been explained to me that the WWE's Smackdown tenure on My Network is a high priority within the corporation. Allegedly, my presence is needed in that effort.

Many are speculating about when I learned of this development...the same time those of you were watching at home. I should have detected something with the demeanor of certain individuals either thru their plastic, poker faces or the perceived smirk that I thought I might have seen on some of their faces during the day.

As far as going to Connecticut each week to do Smackdown post production, that's not going to happen. Either Mick Foley can handle it or the WWE can install a DSL line in my home to facilitate the work.

I will miss working with the King as the wrestling biz is one in which a guy can count his legit friends on one hand...even after a 30 plus year career. King has been like a brother to me....albeit an "older brother". We will remain friends no matter that our team has been corporately imploded.

I believe that I have been strongly loyal to the WWE no matter the hands that were dealt to me over the years. In my tenure there I have earned a good living of which I am thankful. I will fulfill my commitments that I have made because unlike many in the business, my word is still my bond.

I can't predict how long my Smackdown tenure will be, but I can promise that no matter how long or short it is that I will do my utmost best while sitting at ringside. I am not the kind of man who will "phone in" a damn thing.

My sincere thanks to all of you who have supported me on RAW over the years. I hope I was able to provide you a memory or two. Hopefully, we can create new memories now on Smackdown.

Based on my professional experiences, I look at each broadcast as potentially my last, which helps keep me motivated. So with that said we begin another chapter in my crazy life in the unpredictable world of 'rasslin.

I still plan on attending RAW in my home market of OKC next Monday and I hear that tickets are still available. Any one have any extras?

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.

http://www.jrsbarbq.com/2008/06/24/jr's-post-draft-thoughts/

Really it seems like nothing good can come of this, so why would they do it. Cole is a good announcer, well at least decent, and he deserves the bump after one of the Raw memebers left the company, but to switch them now, when Ross is probably nearing retirement with his health, he will be gone anyway, why not let him stay on Raw for the rest of his carrer, thats what he, and everyone else seems to want. And Cole seems to really like Smackdown, hes the voice of Smackdown.

And add to the fact they weren't told, thats really terrible, they should have been told beforehand, I mean, didn't WWE think that maybe moving the announcers, without telling them, could, I don't know... maybe cause problems?

This was a huge mistake by WWE.

Oh and JR posted another blog about this already:

http://www.jrsbarbq.com/2008/06/24/upon-further-review/

Changes in one's life take some adjusting to especially at my stage of the game. This week I received an unexpected change in my professional address. Within hours of writing an emotional blog, I am positively moving on. I am going to do all I can to make Smackdown the best program the WWE produces. Working side by side with Mick Foley should be fun. It will be entertaining I assure you. Mick is a great friend and a man I greatly respect. The Smackdown roster is loaded with exceptional talent and the WWE wants the brand to grow and I intend to do all that I can in my role to facilitate that growth.

The abruptness of the "trade" shocked me. I most likely responded in a non professional way in the eyes of some fans. That's their prerogative and each has the right to their opinion, As do I. Not to be cliche, but wrestling has been great to my family and me. I owe it to the business to "man up" and to kick ass on Smackdown. That's my plan. My emotions are what they are and I will not apologize for my candor or honesty. My feathers were ruffled...poor me. I still bring bona fide passion to every broadcast and fully expect to deliver come show time. As I write this I am in the midst of some travel delays, but I will definitely be in Houston and will be looking forward to "business picking up". I will practice what I have preached and feel that after sleeping on this major change all things happen for a reason. Life is good. My tank has been re-fueled. Let's have some fun. For those of you that were offended by my earlier rant I apologize. For those that think "old J.R." can't get the job done, I suggest you sit back and watch. I wish my good pal The King and Michael Cole great success but my professional priority is to help Smackdown kick ass. In more ways than one, "the game is on".

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.

Changes in one's life take some adjusting to especially at my stage of the game. This week I received an unexpected change in my professional address. Within hours of writing an emotional blog, I am positively moving on. I am going to do all I can to make Smackdown the best program the WWE produces. Working side by side with Mick Foley should be fun. It will be entertaining I assure you. Mick is a great friend and a man I greatly respect. The Smackdown roster is loaded with exceptional talent and the WWE wants the brand to grow and I intend to do all that I can in my role to facilitate that growth.

The abruptness of the "trade" shocked me. I most likely responded in a non professional way in the eyes of some fans. That's their prerogative and each has the right to their opinion, As do I. Not to be cliche, but wrestling has been great to my family and me. I owe it to the business to "man up" and to kick ass on Smackdown. That's my plan. My emotions are what they are and I will not apologize for my candor or honesty. My feathers were ruffled...poor me. I still bring bona fide passion to every broadcast and fully expect to deliver come show time. As I write this I am in the midst of some travel delays, but I will definitely be in Houston and will be looking forward to "business picking up". I will practice what I have preached and feel that after sleeping on this major change all things happen for a reason. Life is good. My tank has been re-fueled. Let's have some fun. For those of you that were offended by my earlier rant I apologize. For those that think "old J.R." can't get the job done, I suggest you sit back and watch. I wish my good pal The King and Michael Cole great success but my professional priority is to help Smackdown kick ass. In more ways than one, "the game is on".

Boomer Sooner!
J.R.

tman93

Really lame they didnt at least consult him. I would be far more pissed off if I was JR. Good thing he seems like such a great person and handled it well.SeriousThreat

You have to wonder if anyone was consulted about moving brands. If JR didn't know, it seems doubtful that anyone else would, either. That's pretty ****ty, IMO. But who am i to judge how Vince McMahon does business?

[QUOTE="SeriousThreat"]Really lame they didnt at least consult him. I would be far more pissed off if I was JR. Good thing he seems like such a great person and handled it well.The_Dude14

You have to wonder if anyone was consulted about moving brands. If JR didn't know, it seems doubtful that anyone else would, either. That's pretty ****ty, IMO. But who am i to judge how Vince McMahon does business?

But I think for people who don't wrestle they arn't told. Like Rey (Probably told thats why he was there), Kennedy (Talked about how he wasn't told last year, probably not this year) Umaga, JR and Cole (their suprise looked really, really ligit.) and maybe but doubtful, HHH, he did look quite angry if you saw his face.