ECW Rating Is In, Kane/Royal Rumble, JR Comments On Drugs, Heyman/TNA, More
ECW last night did a 1.2 rating.
Kane has been added to the Royal Rumble.
Jim Ross has posted his latest blog entry on his official web site. Below are the highlights:
- Many fans were disappointed that Ric Flair was not on Raw Monday and I don't know why he wasn't but I do know that many fans are talking about the Flair retirement scenario wherever I travel. Hopefully "Naitch" will make an appearance next Monday when Raw originates from Mobile, Alabama. From what I can tell it would see that Raw goes full time HD in two weeks.
- I received a nice email Tuesday from Bret "The Hitman" Hart, who is relaxing in Hawaii after his exhausting book tour. Bret and I are going to try and hook up one day soon and he has been kind enough to be willing to provide us some "Hitman" gear for our next J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q, which is opening in Moore, Oklahoma in April. I have not spoken to a single individual who has read Bret's book who hasn't said that the book wasn't simply awesome. I can't wait to read it and the one common denominator regarding the book is that it is honest. Some wrestling books I have read were so bogus it was embarrassing for all involved, even though many of the less than honest and self serving publications still made the author some pretty good bucks.
- Wrestling promos were much better when wrestlers were provided bullet points and then went on their own instincts and passion rather than have someone try and script what the wrestlers should say.
- No one is irreplaceable ? not even The Undertaker. Nonetheless, The Undertaker's legacy will live forever in the WWE.
- I think that older stars can be effectively used to help create awareness for the younger stars, if it is efficiently presented. If Ron Simmons' air time for saying "damn" is retarding the growth of younger wrestlers, then something is really wrong. I would like to see the WWE utilize Arn Anderson and Dusty Rhodes in verbal roles as well. That's just me.
- When wrestlers are put in a position to be B level actors, at best, or comedians, it oftentimes falls flat. Many people have their own visions for the product. And mine is reality based physicality, spiced with natural verbalizing. OVER THE YEARS WATCHING WRESTLERS ASSUME THE ROLES OF BAD ACTORS IS UNCOMFORTABLE.
- Candice is due back in January as I last heard, but Helms is more likely to return in 4-6 months from neck surgery. I have heard that Helms is doing better. The first few months of his recovery have been challenging.
- On why he watched the monitors as opposed to the ring during a show: "I watch the monitors because they show me the same thing that you see at home, and that is what I am paid to describe."
- For any fan to compare Jeff Hardy to HBK isn't fair to Jeff. HBK has a long body of work that will live for years to come. Jeff needs to put several years of great matches together before he can be compared to Shawn Michaels, in my opinion. However, there is no one hotter than Jeff Hardy in the WWE, as we speak. I hope Jeff's dreams come true, for sure.
- On whether WWE is paying Paul Heyman not to work for TNA: "I never knew that Heyman was being paid to sit home and to not go to TNA. Whoever said Heyman wanted to go to TNA or if TNA wanted Heyman?? Paul is creating projects for film and TV as I understand it. He called me on January 3 to wish me a happy birthday, but I missed his call."