Jim Ross updated the blog section of JRsbarbq.com. The following items are among the highlights.

-Ross comments on Ric Flair's departure from WWE: "The announcement a few days ago that Ric Flair and the WWE had mutually agreed to part ways surprised me. When I last spoke to Ric in person we were in Charlotte for Smackdown and I spent several hours with 'Naitch' that lasted well into the middle of the evening/early morning. He had several family members with him and Ric seemed really to be having fun.

"Ric's schedule with the WWE had been somewhat ambitious in Ric's view as Ric was one the road as much or more than he had been with his wrestling schedule in his later career. Nonetheless Ric said he was having a great time as a 'Good Will Ambassador' for the WWE when we spoke. I do know that Ric had apparently received several offers to do numerous outside projects that were beyond the parameters of the WWE and that he seemed keenly interested in doing..."

Powell's POV: Ross had a lot more to say about Flair. He went on to comment on the need for Flair to have business structure, and states that he doesn't believe we've seen the last of Naitch in a recurring television role. Ross and Flair are tight and the fact that J.R. didn't know this was in the works means Flair kept his plan to leave the company very quiet. Strange situation.

-Ross on the WWE announcer situation: "Yours truly had a chance Tuesday afternoon to sit down with Todd Grisham and Matt Striker and offer them some advice and a few dos and don'ts as it relates to wrestling broadcasting. Michael Cole, Tazz, and Joey Styles also contributed to the team effort. Striker is a natural fit at the announce desk or as a wrestling manager and considering that wrestling managers don't seem to be in vogue at this time then Striker's skills are best utilized as we saw Tuesday Night on ECW.

"The former NYC school teacher sat in for Tazz who in turn sat in for a healing Mick Foley on Friday Night Smackdown. With Foley's status as it is, I would not be surprised to see both Striker and Tazz back in the same, fill-in roles that they fulfilled this week on next week's ECW and Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts. I also thought that Todd Grisham did a really nice job in his second week on ECW after replacing Mike Adamle who is the new, Raw G.M."

Powells POV: No argument from me. Grisham and Striker did solid work together. Striker was especially good in his debut performance and Foley's stock may have dropped slightly if WWE officials feel like it won't be a total nightmare if they have to replace him once his contract runs out. Of course, Mick brings some star power to the table that Striker and Tazz don't possess.

Other topics include more on Flair, Brock Lesnar fighting this weekend, the Brett Favre mess.

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