J.R. blogs on Jerry Brisco; Michael Jackson; Sapp vs. Lashley and more

June 27, 2009   ·  
Steve Mclaren   ·   steve@gawdalmighty.com

Jim Ross has been hammering out the blogs in recent days. The Smackdown announcer just posted up a new blog with another update on his good friend Jerry Brisco; thoughts on Michael Jackson’s death; Sapp vs. Lashley; The Bash and Smackdown.

First, the latest on the health of Jerry Brisco:

I spoke with my old friend Jerry Brisco on Friday and he was feeling better and looking forward to what he hopes will be his heart procedure next week in Tampa.

As tests continue to be done and more info is provided Jerry, it has been discovered that he did not have any artery blockage whatsoever including his neck and that the sole source of his strokes was a result of a faulty heart valve along with a small hole in his heart both of which Jerry was born.

It is amazing that Jerry was able to participate and succeed at such a high level athletically his entire life with a heart defect while showing no ill affects of the issue.

Jerry’s speech, as a result of the stroke issues, has improved tremendously since I talked to him last but I told him that he would always sound like an Okie which I don’t perceive to be a bad thing.

So the sole culprit of Jerry Brisco’s health issues was a heart issue that he was born with and that he has been living with his entire life. The hospital stay after surgery is generally only 1-3 days while recovery time for such procedures is 4-6 weeks as a rule.

With that said, it will probably be 2-3 months before Jerry is back at 100% and with his ticker then operating without defects I suspect the former Oklahoma State Cowboy will feel better than he has in years.

Jerry Brisco, is a deserving WWE Hall of Famer, who has been a major asset to WWE for many, many years and is a credit to the profession. Brisco’s eye for talent and his ability to recruit top quality athletes is an invaluable asset for WWE.

J.R. recalls the time he turned down an invitation to attend Michael Jackson’s house

Many years ago I turned down an opportunity to join my wife, along with several WWE corporate types, at a private function at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. I believe the occasion was a birthday party for a Jackson family member.

My wife recalls the Jackson kids asking if “J.R. was o.k.” as that apparently was around the time Kane BBQ’ed yours truly. Many within the Jackson household followed WWE on TV regularly as Jan remembers getting bombarded with questions and some of the Jacksons have attended WWE events over the years.

My wife recalls the experience as being a great deal of fun and remembers being pretty sure that she saw Michael in costume wearing a “fat suit” so as to not to distract from the other family member’s birthday celebration by causing a commotion amongst the visiting guests.

Neverland Ranch was an extraordinary place for an individual’s residence even someone as unique as Michael Jackson. Coming off the untimely death of Jackson this week at only 50 years of age, in hindsight I wish I had accompanied the Mrs on this trip.

Jackson was an impeccable showman with precision like timing and possessed amazing crowd psychology…..which are all enviable traits of a great wrestler in any decade past, present or future.

On Sapp vs. Lashley, which is tonight live on PPV:

Lots of ticket selling trash being talked about from big Bob Sapp who tangles with former WWE alum Bobby Lashley this weekend in Biloxi.

Unless Lashley walks in front of a gigantic, Sapp right hand and/or attempts to trade punches with the one dimensional Sapp, Lashley should be able to take his much larger foe down and pound Sapp into submission Saturday night.

On The Bash tomorrow:

Looks like the SD brand will have 4 bouts at “The Bash” this Sunday on pay per view from Sacramento. Although I look for the “Three Stages of Hell” match to close the show, at least that would be my suggestion.

I do feel that Jeff Hardy challenging C.M. Punk for the World Title and the IC Title vs. Rey Mysterio’s mask when Mr. 619 faces Chris Jericho will rival any bouts at the event.

The PPV seems loaded with content and should move along at a fast clip.

And finally, last night’s Smackdown:

Enjoy Friday Night Smackdown this week as it felt like a really solid effort while we were taping it on Tuesday evening in Milwaukee.

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