Jim Ross Comments On 'Net Reporters, Injuries, Lashley, More

Jim Ross has posted another blog entry on his official web site. As always, it is a very interesting read. Below are the highlights:

- I was asked what place "3rd Party Wrestling Journalists" have in the biz and my answer is that they have a right to earn a living the same as any one else. They are not doing anything illegal or immoral and I am sure at times on certain subjects, keep the fans updated in more detail on the general state of the business than individual, company owned sites do. My issue, if one wants to call it an issue, is that many sites report things as fact, when in actuality, they are reporting rumors. I have been the "victim" of rumors reported as fact on numerous occasions, especially when I was head of the WWE Talent Relations Department. Nonetheless, just as virtually any other site one can name covering any genre, there will be times when things one reads proves to be false, but that's not a revelation.

- Will Jeff Hardy ever win the "big one?" Can't say for sure, but never in The Rainbow Haired Warrior's career has his chances of winning "the big one" been better. His star is shining brighter than ever.

- I agree that Harry Smith looked good in his non televised match Monday night in Birmingham. I have no idea when he will debut on TV, but Harry is definitely a "keeper." One would have to assume that Harry's father, The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, certainly has the credentials to be honored in the WWE HOF some day.

- Santino Marella has been a pleasant surprise in my book, as he has become an entertaining character on Raw and is one of those "easy to dislike" wrestlers with good verbal timing.

- No, Cyber Sunday isn't rigged. You can vote often and your vote will count.

- What ever happened to?. the One Man Gang (last I heard he was a prison guard down in Louisiana), Kamala ( he still wrestles occasionally and I heard he even recorded a CD and he used to have a small trucking company) and Koko Ware (King told me Koko was a house painter in the Memphis area.)

- Teddy Hart was released by the WWE officially and this has been reported in a variety of places. Teddy has bona fide in ring skills but apparently has issues positively interfacing within a team concept. Call it maturity issues or a lack thereof or whatever you choose, but it is unfortunate that Teddy was not able to capitalize on his latest opportunity with the WWE. It seems now as if that ship has sailed.

- "Why didn't Rey Mysterio seek out Umaga upon Rey's return from injury?" Different brands I assume. Plus Rey is a smart guy.

- I would have personally enjoyed seeing Lita exit the WWE in a different manner, but she will always have my respect and I have nothing but great memories of her. I can still remember the day she first met with me in my Stamford office, as she was dressed very professionally in a business suit.

- I think it will be very challenging for the fans to NOT chant for DX if HBK and HHH paths cross on camera on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans enjoy cheering for DX so I say at some point, "Give it to them!"

- Where's The Fink? He is alive and well working out of the WWE offices, where he is still the very first employee ever hired by the company and the only individual to perform at EVERY Wrestlemania. Howard Finkel is a WWE HOFer in my book!

-Yes, I think that both Dory and Terry Funk should be in the WWE HOF. Who could intelligently disagree with that one??

- In "The Man on the Moon," I assume I played Lance Russell, which is really weird because Lance Russell was obviously there and played the ring announcer. I never asked Director Milos Foreman why I was doing play by play, but I can tell you that many of my lines were ad-libbed because the wrestling scenes ran longer than the writers envisioned. I would have been happy to have been the ring announcer, but that is not what the movie folks wanted. I think the black hat is going to stay with me for as long as I continue to appear on TV, as it is sort of a trademark it would seem.

- I think Lashley is set to return in December, the last I heard. That's sort of up to Mother Nature, as it relates to Lashley's shoulder healing.