Jim Ross Comments on The Latest in the WWE
Jim Ross has a new blog entry available on his official website. Below are the highlights:
- It looks as if as many as one dozen candidates may run for Mayor of Memphis including several professional politicos. The African American vote in Memphis will be critical for Jerry Lawler and his opponents. From what I read in the Memphis media, some of the black candidates may divide a large segment of Memphis voters which might enhance the King's chances of winning the election. Nonetheless it will be a daunting challenge for any candidate to win the October special election without an established, clear cut favorite and, unfortunately, it may be the candidate who spends the most money on TV and radio ads that "buys" their way into running the city of Memphis. The current Mayor is leaving office but will enjoy, from what I understand, an approximate $90K annual pension of which the Mayor of Memphis earns after one term in office or so it was told to me. The King has tremendous name identity in his home town but his path to City Hall won't be easy and is going to require using a great deal of "shoe leather" and pressing the flesh and spending virtually every waking minute working on his campaign. I haven't talked to Jerry in a couple of weeks but likely will soon, in Philly at the Night of Champions, and will be interested in seeing how his campaign is going.
- I got a nice email from "Hitman" Bret Hart a day or so ago and he is moving around very well with his new knee that replaced the original equipment several weeks ago. Bret is spending time in Calgary this summer and we were hoping to get together when WWE is in Alberta in a few weeks but that looks iffy due to our respective schedules. Bret and I stay in somewhat regular contact and I know he's been keeping an eye on the Hart Dynasty which are now appearing regularly on Friday Night Smackdown.
- I have recorded an United Way commercial with such luminaries as OU Head Football Coach Bob Stoops, OU Head Women's Hoops Coach Sherri Coale, Heisman Trophy winners Steve Owens, Billy Sims, and Jason White. I'm not sure how I made the cut on this one but I am proud to be associated with all these folks and even prouder to help the United Way. When the commercial is done we hope to get a copy to air here on our site. It is important for all of us to give back to our communities especially in today's challenging times. When I think about kids who don't have enough food to eat it makes me want to do more.
- Got somewhat of a break this week as I found out late Friday afternoon that the Smackdown announce team wasn't needed in Raleigh Monday to tape a Superstars' match. We will record ours on Tuesday prior to taping Friday Night Smackdown in Richmond, Virginia. I do plan on getting to Richmond, which was a vital part of the old Jim Crockett Promotions NWA territory back in the day, so I can watch my friends Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill of ZZ Top fame "host" Monday Night Raw.
- I'm beginning to like the guest host business for Raw more and feel like there are many WWE HOF'ers, for example, who can talk and who would be great "one off" hosts of WWE's top television priority, the home of the "A Listers," Monday Night Raw. Certainly celeb's who have projects to promote are viable candidates and especially those that are fans of the genre such as Seth Green last week in Orlando and ZZ Top coming up this Monday from North Carolina State University.
- It looks as if as many as one dozen candidates may run for Mayor of Memphis including several professional politicos. The African American vote in Memphis will be critical for Jerry Lawler and his opponents. From what I read in the Memphis media, some of the black candidates may divide a large segment of Memphis voters which might enhance the King's chances of winning the election. Nonetheless it will be a daunting challenge for any candidate to win the October special election without an established, clear cut favorite and, unfortunately, it may be the candidate who spends the most money on TV and radio ads that "buys" their way into running the city of Memphis. The current Mayor is leaving office but will enjoy, from what I understand, an approximate $90K annual pension of which the Mayor of Memphis earns after one term in office or so it was told to me. The King has tremendous name identity in his home town but his path to City Hall won't be easy and is going to require using a great deal of "shoe leather" and pressing the flesh and spending virtually every waking minute working on his campaign. I haven't talked to Jerry in a couple of weeks but likely will soon, in Philly at the Night of Champions, and will be interested in seeing how his campaign is going.
- I got a nice email from "Hitman" Bret Hart a day or so ago and he is moving around very well with his new knee that replaced the original equipment several weeks ago. Bret is spending time in Calgary this summer and we were hoping to get together when WWE is in Alberta in a few weeks but that looks iffy due to our respective schedules. Bret and I stay in somewhat regular contact and I know he's been keeping an eye on the Hart Dynasty which are now appearing regularly on Friday Night Smackdown.
- I have recorded an United Way commercial with such luminaries as OU Head Football Coach Bob Stoops, OU Head Women's Hoops Coach Sherri Coale, Heisman Trophy winners Steve Owens, Billy Sims, and Jason White. I'm not sure how I made the cut on this one but I am proud to be associated with all these folks and even prouder to help the United Way. When the commercial is done we hope to get a copy to air here on our site. It is important for all of us to give back to our communities especially in today's challenging times. When I think about kids who don't have enough food to eat it makes me want to do more.
- Got somewhat of a break this week as I found out late Friday afternoon that the Smackdown announce team wasn't needed in Raleigh Monday to tape a Superstars' match. We will record ours on Tuesday prior to taping Friday Night Smackdown in Richmond, Virginia. I do plan on getting to Richmond, which was a vital part of the old Jim Crockett Promotions NWA territory back in the day, so I can watch my friends Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill of ZZ Top fame "host" Monday Night Raw.
- I'm beginning to like the guest host business for Raw more and feel like there are many WWE HOF'ers, for example, who can talk and who would be great "one off" hosts of WWE's top television priority, the home of the "A Listers," Monday Night Raw. Certainly celeb's who have projects to promote are viable candidates and especially those that are fans of the genre such as Seth Green last week in Orlando and ZZ Top coming up this Monday from North Carolina State University.
Labels: jerry lawler, jim ross
