In his latest blog entry, Jim Ross wrote the following:
As I mentioned on our last blog, I am currently in negotiations with the WWE to remain with the company for the foreseeable future and those talks are moving along well from my perspective. Unless something pops up unexpectedly, I fully expect to sign a new contract with the WWE in the next few weeks, which has been the goal of the company and yours truly all along. If you want to read the absurd, check out the websites who allegedly have all the details on this matter. Either these sites are talking to someone inside the WWE, who “might†have limited knowledge on this matter, and I stress “limited,†or they are simply running with a rumor and making it a bona fide news story and, of course, we know none of these sites would ever do such a thing, or they have actually talked to me, novel idea, which has not happened. So then, how do these selected wrestling sites know all these alleged details? If any of them want to respond, I would love to know my “real†status with the company and how my contract issues are being addressed internally. Or could you ask your moles to send me a cryptic message just for old time’s sake??
I feel we will be able to work out a win-win arrangement for me to stay at my post on Monday Night Raw along with the other tasks I do on a weekly basis, but if not, and that is a BIG if, I have no regrets or sad songs to sing about the end of my run, if it were to happen. My career has been one, over achievement after another and I have nothing but good memories of the overall journey, even after enduring some challenging times along the way but, then again, who doesn’t in this life? This sure as hell isn’t a “poor me†song and dance. I am positive and loving life, I can assure everyone, except those conspiracy theorists who simply need and crave rumor and innuendo.
I am just as excited about broadcasting Monday Night Raw and the WWE Pay Per Views as I have ever been and I am also just as competitive about doing a good job every time out as I was when I first got in the biz, maybe more. We can all improve our lot in life and I never approach any show feeling I am talented enough to “phone one inâ€Â. You will not detect any “coasting†from yours truly come this Sunday night, for example, when all three broadcast teams are sitting side by side broadcasting “Unforgiven†on PPV.
So when you read about the professional demise of yours truly please take those unresearched ramblings with a grain of salt. No one has to remind me of the obvious including my WWE employment history of a few interruptions in service, my well publicized southern accent, my non TV look due to two bouts of Bell’s palsy, and the fact that I don’t have a body builder’s physique or a contemporary television personality’s “look.†Those things are what they are and when one is in my position one can either quit and call it a day or continue to compete. I choose to compete and will continue to compete in some field of play until they throw dirt on my grave. Retirement and living the easy life isn’t in my nature or in my future. I can damn sure still carry my share of the water.
He goes on to write about Shelton Benjamin’s mamma, Shane McMahon’s WWE responsibilities, Bob Holly’s toughness, Sabu’s chances of being a WWE hall of famer, Lawler having never drank alcohol, the role of concussions in the Benoit tragedy, what dream matches he may want to see and more. One piece of news he breaks, which is quite interesting, is this: “WWE is reaching out to help older, previously contracted WWE wrestlers to offer assistance with any substance abuse issues they may currently have which is a HUGE step forward and shows a renewed commitment to helping these older, veteran talents.” You can read the entry here.
Torrie Wilson’s MySpace blog features the following comments: “Another point of concern is that I am being told that some of those stupid wrestling sites that people go to for who knows why are saying that WWE Divas are using steroids! Well,first of all take a look at us! Also, I think that all you have to do is spend a little time on the road or at a gym with any one of us. I will gladly drag somebody’s naysaying butt to the gym with me for a 7 to 10 mile run before hitting the weights for 45 minutes. I absolutely hate when people try to devalue someone’s hard work to make themselves feel better. I do have to thank those people though, because they do keep us working hard, which is what we do best!”
Finally, addressing a rumor that was reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer, Shelly “Ariel” Martinez wrote the following in a MySpace bulletin: “No, it is NOT true, you CANNOT pay a fee to wrestle me. I am NOT taking ‘personal’ sessions. Just wanted to clear that up. I guess internet reports are saying this is true. I have gotten tons of emails reguarding the post and I wanted to go ON the record and clear that mess up.” There’s a similar post on her blog.
