Joey Styles comments on Twitter regarding Barack Obama have caused some concern within WWE about a potential backlash from their website advertisers. There is also the chance that it may have an effect on Linda McMahon’s school board role and the non-partisan Smackdown Your Vote campaign. Vince McMahon by and large agrees with Styles’ pro-Republican rhetoric, which has helped Styles become somewhat of a favourite of Vince’s despite his unfavourable earlier status. Reports indicate that WWE’s inner circle tends to view favourably those who express far-right political views, with numerous discussions aboard Air McMahon and in company meetings expousing anti-Democrat opinions.
Meanwhile, it seems that the meeting between talent and Stephanie McMahon from a few weeks ago regarding the wrestlers coming up with their own ideas has already been forgotten about. With very few exceptions amongst the top-level guys, it seems there is as little chance as ever for talent to have their own ideas being approved by creative.
Jim Mitchell wrote an e-mail to Jim Ross thanking him for compliments that JR had made about his work. He asked that “I realize WWE is not geared toward managers at this time, but if I were to inquire about future employment, what would be the proper procedure for doing so? Would I need to send a package to John Laurinaitis in Stamford or in care of someone at the FCW facility in Tampa?†JR suggested that he set up a meeting with Dusty Rhodes or Steve Kerin in Florida. Mitchell then wrote them a letter enquiring about on-air talent positions, mentioning his background as a manager and some Youtube links to his work. Keirn sent him a brief reply about a try-out in Florida on May 1st. Mitchell asked for more details and Keirn replied that “You are trying out for WWE, what else?†Keirn did not respond to Mitchell’s enquiries about when to arrive or what to bring. Mitchell began working on promos for Mike Knox, Umaga and Vladimir Kozlov, figuring that those were the heels he would be most likely to manage. When he arrived in Tampa he was informed by Keirn that “We’re not doing manager tryouts today, only wrestlers.†Mitchell showed Keirn their e-mail correspondence, which he had brought with him, in which he made it clear he was looking to be a manager and had been invited by Keirn to the tryouts. Keirn reiterated that manager and announcer tryouts were in January or February. Mitchell had previously sent in his information to the WWF in the 1990s but was always turned down.
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 15th June 2009 (subscribe here)
