The Ten Count 9.20.13: Top 10 Jim Ross Memories

ALSO, HOW ABOUT THOSE CLEVELAND BROWNS?

From Last Week: In other words, take the Ravens and give the points. #payyourmortgage. Please send your 10% vigorish so I can #paymymortgage as well.

I will say this; they have a tremendous defense and an equally not tremendous offense. I really believe that with a real QB this team can be 10-6. I sent this to Mike and Mike on Sunday. They do these 5 word sentences to describe your team. Mine was “Welcome to Cleveland, Johnny Football”. We can all hope.

(Right before submittal….The Browns trade Trent Richardson. More on that next week about why I don’t hate it.)

Here are the Ground Rules

1. Obviously it has to involve Jim Ross in some way.

2. It can be a moment, promo, business decision, or anything else that Jim Ross has done in the professional wrestling industry. Yes, that’s a lot of room but work with me here.

Without any further ado, here are the Top 10 Jim Ross Memories!

The idea was that JR was bringing back Razor Ramon and Diesel since the WWF owned the trademarks. He was going to be their manager while putting them over on commentary. I know that this didn’t end well as the angle sort of fizzled out but it was a great beginning.

I think my favorite part of the promo is this, JR said:

“I don’t think anybody would disagree that I am the best play-by-play man in this business. I leave the National Football League for a toga. It’s crap!”

This was followed by a very large cheer from the crowd, in 1996. He then took us a little more behind the scenes by saying this:

“Let me tell you how warm-hearted Mr. McMahon is. Mr. McMahon called me into his office on February 11th, 1994 and he fired my ass.”

I think this was the 1st time Vince McMahon was ever called “Mr. McMahon” on WWF television. I really enjoyed the promo and it is a nice way to start this Top 10 list.

This really isn’t a moment but a great memory. JR suffered his 2nd case of Balls Palsy in late 1998 when his mother passed away. He was working backstage feeding lines to Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler while he rehabbed the muscles in his face.

Of course before WrestleMania 15, the WWE tried to turn JR heel again and put him in a “feud” with Michael Cole. And of course, this didn’t work for a 2nd time so something had to be done.

Stone Cold and The Rock both wanted JR to announce their match at WM 15 so McMahon caved and allowed JR to work the main event. This match really made people, including myself; realize that JR is truly the “Voice of the WWE”. JR made a not so memorable match, memorable and at the end of the day isn’t that his whole job. A job he does better than anyone else.

Passion.

It’s the word that best describes Jim Ross. He has passion for the fans, passion for the workers, passion for the product, and passion for the business.

I loved his Hall of Fame speech as it pretty much summed up his entire career. He admitted his mistakes, how he learned from then, and became the greatest announcer in the history of the business.

Passion. He is one of the lucky few who found their true calling in life. I can’t imagine JR doing anything else (except maybe football). That might be soon, who knows???

First thing first, I was there! Let me tell you MSG went nuts once Benoit won the title. Jim Ross summed it all up perfectly while the confetti was falling.

“Benoit has been so close year after year, mile after mile, continent after continent but he never gave up. He never gave up. Benoit has done it….finally, my God finally; Chris Benoit has become the heavyweight champion of this world.”

This shows what JR does so well. He told the story of what just happened, why it’s important, and why should I care. You could feel the real emotion. It is just a shame that this moment has been set aside due to Benoit’s actions but those who remember it know that JR was the soundtrack to it.

Paul Heyman was at JR’s side during the most emotionally charged main event he has ever called. This was the blow off for the Attitude Era as The Rock and Stone Cold fought for the WWF Championship.

Heyman was egging JR the entire match about how he is Stone Cold’s best friend along with teasing how Austin would do anything to win the championship. Vince McMahon came down to ringside and the plan started to come into focus.

While that was happening JR couldn’t believe that his best friend was aligning himself with Vince McMahon. He was hoping that Austin was just using McMahon and that after the match was over Austin would stun McMahon proving that Austin didn’t need him. Instead they shook hands which prompted JR to say this:

“Stone Cold is Shaking Hands with Satan Himself. Someone Tell Me This Isn’t Happening.”

Unfortunately, this heel turn didn’t work out so well but it was a great beginning underscored by the emotion of Jim Ross.

This is from the day after SummerSlam 2001 after Kurt Angle was screwed out of the WWF championship. Steve Austin was the leader of the alliance and was holding court in the ring “celebrating” his championship retention.

All of a sudden, Kurt Angle wrote out in a milk truck in the same way Steve Austin came out in a beer truck back in 1999. Kurt started throwing milk cartons in the ring then he took out a hose and sprayed the ring with milk causing JR to say this:

“The Billion Dollar Princess Has Become a Dairy Queen” – referring to Stephanie McMahon

Probably one of JR’s best laugh out loud funny lines as I laughed downloading this week even though I know it was coming.

At WrestleMania 14 the main event was Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin with Mike Tyson as the special guest enforcer. That was the story in the ring but the story in the back was even more interesting.

Shawn Michaels’ career was coming to an end due to a back injury while Steve Austin was about to become the new face of the WWE. This was the moment the WWF moved in a new direction with a new champion. JR had this to say:

“The Austin Era Has Begun. Stone Cold’s 8 year journey has been culminated.”

JR let us all know something that we all knew in our heart that Austin was the man now. Both his and our new journey was about to begin.

This is probably the most famous match that Jim Ross has called. The sound bytes from this match are legendary, so much so that they are used on for instead massive NBA dunks.

While the sound bytes are great, I think the best call of the match comes after it is over. Here is what JR had to say:

“These 2 men gave you everything in their body. They gave you of their soul here tonight.”

I know that Mick Foley has said that the “Would Somebody Stop the Damn Match” line is the best line in the history of the business on commentary. If that doesn’t say it all, I don’t know what does.

Mick Foley, Steve Austin, Trish Stratus, and Edge are the Hall of Famers Jim Ross signed to their 1st WWE contract.

Triple H, The Rock, John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho and numerous others are the future Hall of Famers that Jim Ross signed to WWE contracts.

Not only in WWE but in WCW and Mid-South Jim Ross formed the rosters, helped book the matches, and dealt with all the personal issues that they had.

JR built the deepest talent roster in the history of the business during the Attitude Era and deserves a ton of credit for his work.

I know this might seem like a weird choice for #1 but hear me out.

I think that Jim Ross was and is the only man who would be able to eloquently deliver the message that this was not a “wrestling angle” and people truly understood what he was saying. He tone and tenor were about as perfect as one could imagine under those circumstances.

The following night he navigated through a show that was never done before and hasn’t been done since. His words were the final “words” and hoping he sees him again someday. These 2 nights proved once and for all he was a great communicator and was the calming voice we needed.

So there you have it, the Top 10 Jim Ross Memories! What is your opinion?

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Next week, in honor of HHH’s new DVD we will look at the Top 10 HHH Matches.

Until then, remember it’s all entertainment and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. And I’m out.