Source PWInsider.com
Jim Ross posted his newest blog entry, which can be seen in it’s entirety if you CLICK HERE
Some Highlights of the blog are:
– A fan wrote me and asked if I thought that there would be more talent cuts within the WWE soon and my honest and direct answer is that I don’t know. However, if forced to make a prediction I would think yes and that unfortunately, but honestly, it isn’t a bad thing to change the bottom and then the middle of the lineup at least annually. Roster “upgrades” was always my goal when I worked in talent relations as it is today. However, the more cooks in the kitchen regarding who goes and who stays makes it more difficult in my opinion.
– Rowdy Roddy Piper was featured on my wife’s favorite show TMZ this week apparently smoking some pot. Roddy’s reason was essentially medical in nature as in treating his cancer but nonetheless it reminded me of the territory days in the 70’s when many wrestlers would smoke pot recreationally on virtually a daily basis which seemed to act as a sedative for some of the higher strung alpha males. As the legend has it, “Hippie” Mike Boyette, who allegedly liked to smoke a joint occasionally, even had marijuana scented air freshener in his vehicle just in case he was pulled over by the police and if they smelled pot Mike would laugh and demonstrate the pot scented, air freshener. I can remember WAY back in the day when JYD’s adoring fans in southern Louisiana would bring Dog grocery sacks full of pot as a show of their admiration. Ernie Ladd used to talk to JYD all the time about what the Big Cat referred to as “demon weed.”
– I read where Abdullah the Butcher is retiring and a big event in his honor will be held soon in Puerto Rico for him. If one throughly examines Abby’s “run”, it is actually pretty damn amazing for a performer who was somewhat athletically limited but made up for it with a unique look and amazing crowd psychology. Abby was a fearless antagonist who perfected a very straight forward and physical style that, over the years, endured racism, the ever changing and fickle territory system, and in ring styles that seemingly morphed on a regular basis to survive for decades, most of the time as a main event star in a wide variety of areas and especially in Japan. I have great respect for Abby’s business acumen and his longevity. Years ago when I was a member of one of the volatile WCW “booking committees”, Abby gave me a heads up that some on the committee were out to “get me” for their own political gain and to have me replaced on the committee. I appreciated the heads up but in hindsight I wish I had helped my detractors facilitate my booking committee demise as being in that asylum was a bigger pain in the ass than it was worth and all for not one extra dollar. The late Gary Hart always called Abby “Butch” which sticks to me this very day. Congrats Abby on a wonderful career and best of luck with the continued success of your Atlanta area restaurant.
– No announcer assignments have been made yet for the Survivor Series that I am aware of and all I know that Tazz, the World’s Angriest Announcer, and I are doing in Boston is the WWE Title Bout and the Casket Match. I assume that there will be more but that’s pure speculation.
– It is my understanding that we are taping two episodes of Friday Night Smackdown in Albany, New York on Tuesday night which might become something that occurs on a more regular basis as a means of being a cost cutting measure. That sure works for me as it means one less week on the road. It is not easy voicing over a pair of shows that total 22 segments of TV but I will trade the extra work for a week at home any time. FYI, I worked until almost 3 a.m. Wednesday night/Thursday morning putting the finishing touches on the commentary for Friday Night Smackdown that airs this Friday night on MyNetworkTV.
Jim Ross always provides an interesting outlook on the business, and this week is no different.
