Jim Ross has posted another blog entry on his official website. Below are the wrestling-related highlights:
-Whether one thinks Mondayâs LONG 3 hour Monday Night Raw was good, bad, or indifferent let me apologize for sounding a little “off” Monday night. If it had not been a 3 hour show and leading down the home stretch to Wrestlemania 24, I never would have left Norman and would have taken the week off. The blurred vision in my right eye notwithstanding, the flu bug stomped on me with both feet and I went to bed in Milwaukee Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. and woke up at 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon thinking it was much earlier. I donât remember sleeping that much in years so I guess I was run down enough to merit staying horizontal for well over 12 hours. I thought I had dodged the flu bullet, but the flu bug is seemingly everywhere and now, of course, my wife is sick with the same thing. Hopefully, I will be a little more frisky this Monday night in Lafayette, LA at the Cajundome.
– The 60 day suspension, without pay, for a second violation of the WWE Wellness Program of Jeff Hardy is making headlines on several fronts. This is Jeffâs second strike and with one more he is out of the WWE, which would be a terrible waste of talent and opportunity. To say I am disappointed in these recent events would be an understatement and for those of us who have long believed in Jeff and have pulled for him throughout his career, these self inflicted wounds are especially distressing. For any one to accurately predict what the future holds for Jeff is nothing more than speculation. Only Jeff can determine those answers but the one thing a talent can ill afford to lose is the companyâs trust they work for. Obviously trust has to be an issue at this point in time between the WWE and Jeff Hardy. I can remembering sharing with Shawn Michaels many years ago during one of his darkest periods that I still believed in Shawn and, luckily for all involved, HBK made it back to the WWE a better man and is a bigger asset today for the WWE than he was in his prime. Jeff is still a young man and can still be a big time player in the WWE if Jeff so chooses. Interesting days lie ahead for Jeff Hardy and I for one hope he is able to address his issues, take responsibility for his actions, and get back on the road to happiness and success.
– One thing I want to add here is that the wrestling business is challenging, at best, and by the general nature of the beast doesnât feature too many “easy days at the office”. If one is not having fun in the business, the end is inevitable and becomes not a matter of if but when. I would love to know if Jeff was having fun in the business or if it was burn out or simply other issues that caught up to him. I can relate with the pressures of the business weighing heavily on those who care and sometimes that weight can be perceived as insurmountable.
– I still have no idea exactly what sort of stipulations the Mayweather-Big Show contest will feature. Upon further review, does it matter? I can only assume Floyd will wear boxing gloves as he customarily does and that Show will not as he customarily does. In the old days when there would be a traditional boxer vs. wrestler match that was usually what occurred. My guess is that we will likely not know the exact nature of the bout until WM24.
– One of the most eagerly anticipated matches at WM24 will be the Money in the Bank Ladder Match which, now, will be absent Jeff Hardy. It will be particularly interesting to see who finally qualifies, I assume 8 men, for the match and if each of them take it upon themselves to raise the bar and deliver the goods without one of the WWEâs top stars in the presentation.
– My friend and ABC and ESPN broadcaster Brad Nessler is attending the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony and Wrestlemania with Bradâs wife Nancy. Ness is a great guy, a wonderful friend and fan of RAW and is, like many of us, a huge Ric Flair fan. Ness is a J.R.âs Beef Jerky guy, as is the King who is on a low carb diet, again, and is eating the J.R.âs Beef Jerky, Original Flavor, like he was going to the electric chair.
