Q&A w/ JR, Part I
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
There are some things I just won’t pass up in life. And right near the top of that list is a chance to shoot the breeze with Norman’s very own Jim Ross.
Yeah, I know, he’s just a “wrestling announcer.” But the values he lives by and the things he can teach those willing to learn are just some of the things that make him special. Just because he is known as the wrestling guy does not mean there is not more to the man.
That’s why it pained me to see him look so shaken Monday night after being moved from Raw to SmackDown. At first glance, everyone thought it was a selfish “woe is me” situation.
But it’s not.
Now the Boneman may not love wrestling the way he used. Gone are the days of taping every TV show, buying every PPV and wrestling with my brothers in the basement. But if the WWE is going to come to OKC, I’m still making the trip.
I had a chance to sit down with JR at his restaurant in Norman and pick the brain of the WWE Hall of Famer.
BP: Obviously, last Monday came as a shock to you. Did you know anything about the switch before the show?
JR: I had no idea. I think that’s where people get the wrong idea. It wasn’t that I was mad or upset about going to SmackDown. I compare it to any athlete who has been on one team for so long, and then all the sudden leaves for another team late in his career.
Mickey Mantle (one of JR’s idols growing up) is and always will be a New York Yankee. How sad was it to see the great Johnny Unitas as a Los Angeles Ram after all those years with the Colts?
I was just leaving my comfort zone, leaving home base. And I wasn’t prepared for it.
BP: With the change coming so close to the OKC Raw event, will you still be in attendance?
JR: Definitely. I have a ticket, but I don’t think I’m going to sit in the crowd. I feel that would be too big of a distraction. And I certainly don’t want to do that to Michael Cole (the new Raw announcer). This is not about putting me over as a star, so I’m still going to be there, but I don’t want to play a big role. I may make a cameo appearance. If so, that’s fine. Who knows, maybe this time I won’t get my butt kicked in front of the hometown fans?
BP: How long did it take for you to accept your new role?
JR: My flight to Houston (for the SmackDown tapings) was delayed for two hours because of lightning. That gave me time to think. This is just a new challenge for me. I love challenges, and this is the latest one.
A lot of effort has been put in making SmackDown a different show. I’m just a part of that puzzle. You see guys like Jeff Hardy and Triple H making the move and you add that with someone like Edge and all the sudden there is a lot of potential.
People think “oh, they’ll just be traded back.” Well, it hasn’t happened. They wanted to change things up, and they have. Now is my chance to help elevate the show help out the company however I can.
BP: You talk about this being a new challenge, what are some of your goals now?
JR: First and foremost, I want to make myself and Mick Foley (his SmackDown partner) the best broadcasting team in the WWE. It isn’t going to be easy because myself and “The King” Jerry Lawler — you know, we had a special kind of chemistry. I feel like I have a lot to offer to Mick and can really help him improve. Well, at least after 35 years in this business, I hope I have a lot to offer him.
BP: I know it’s early in the partnership, but how is Foley different from Lawler. And from what you see, do you think Foley is in this for the long haul?
JR: I love Mick. Mick’s a great guy, and he’s really intelligent. He’ll spend a lot more time preparing because his style is just different than The King’s. Mick will be reading People magazine and trying to stay fresh on everything.
I can’t speak for Mick, but I sure feel like he wants to be here for a long time. It keeps him fresh in wrestling fans’ minds when they see him once a week. It still gives him plenty of time to write because you know how good a writer he is. I don’t think he is treating this as a part-time thing. He’s showing a lot of dedication. And speaking for both of us, we’re overachievers. I did all I could to get Mick hired back in 1996. I knew that if he didn’t become a major player, at least he would be a great asset to the boys. But I always knew he could become a star. His work ethic is tough to match. When you put two personalities like that together, who really think alike and have the same priorities, there’s no telling what can happen. We’re always striving to get better.
BP: With SmackDown being taped, how is the post-production process going to be for you?
JR: Yeah, we’ve got that all set up now. They’re going to run a DSL cable through my house and have already sent a headset. I’m going to be able to stay home and do everything, so that’s a big bonus.
BP: I always feel weird trying to pitch a story idea to my boss that pertains wrestling. Is it sports, is it entertainment? I know it’s not a new question, but what’s your take on that?
JR: Wrestling is like nothing else in the world. People don’t know if it’s sports or entertainment. But what I know is it attracts a lot of people to the arenas. Millions of people are watching the shows on TV, buying the merchandise. And it really helps out the economy. A lot of money is made when the WWE comes to town. Wrestling is a part of Americana is some shape or form. It’s not up to me to decide where it stands. All I know is I’ve been in this business a long time and have loved it. I have so many great memories that will always be special to me.
Stay tuned for Part II of the conversation with good ol’ JR here on the Boneman’s Blog. We stray away from wrestling and tackle such topics as MMA, Bar-B-Q (you know his second restaurant is opening), marketing the man with the black hat, OU football and other items.
Many thanks to JR for taking the time from his busy schedule from promoting the Raw and SmackDown events in OKC and Tulsa to sit down and impart some knowledge to this young whippersnapper.
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Pretty darn good read. JR and the writer have on unmistakable and intangible quality that makes them likeable–heart. Can’t wait for part 2!
As an aside, wrestling, boxing, and MMA on one combat-oriented blog? This is definitely a place worth visiting on a regular basis.