AS I SEE IT 10/24: Yet more on the Jim Ross situation

AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com

Jim Ross underwent surgery on October 18 to remove part of his colon. About eight inches of Ross's colon was removed during the surgery, after which the ends of the colon were re-attached. Ross was in the hospital last week, with an additional month of recovery expected.

The WWE.com report on Ross's surgery indicated that Ross's wife states that he is "hanging tough"; but that they are "very happy with how the surgery went" and that "Ross is in great hands and is being taken care of."

It's most important to note that no cancer was found during the surgery, which is something that I know that I'd considered as a possibility, given the relative delicacy that Ross's medical situation had been treated with by many online wrestling sources.

Readers have continued to send in their opinions on the Ross angle.

From Merlon Mayrand:

"Tasteless, despicable, way over the line, but then again...typical VKM style.

What was said by you and the others on your posting pretty much sums it up.

My paternal grandfather, my father, and two uncles on my father's side died of colon cancer...one uncle was only 50. I've managed to make it to 64 and why I haven't gotten colon cancer yet is beyond me. When I was younger I fully expected to die of colon cancer before my 60th birthday.

I even had a family physician suggest to me that at age 50 I should consider an intestinal "re-sectioning" at that area where the colon cancer starts...according to the family colon cancer history.

So, when I read about JR's health situation and then think about Linda's below the belt kick, and my family's history of colon cancer...well, you might say I felt the kick too.

I have no plans to watch RAW tonight because there's nothing whatsoever the "gang of three" can do to make the situation right.

We all thought the WWE had reached the bottom of the barrel with the HHH/ Katie screw in the casket debacle, and then there's all the other crap that's gone on, stupid "diva" contests, letting girls go that CAN wrestle, not pushing young talent, then letting them go, not understanding how to push their cruiserweight division, the Edge/ Lita/Matt Hardy situation...interestingly, besides getting screwed by Edge, now Matt is being screwed by Vince...again, and then just about the dumbest bonehead move...letting Dan Puder go...remember Dan Puder? He's the kid who make "our Olympic hero" Kurt Angle look like a fool when he put the keylock on him. It happened so fast that Angle didn't even see it comin'. Then there's the always exciting HHH vs Ric Flair angle...certainly bound to boost ratings...not. Yup, a match between the VKM's son-in-law and a guy who should've hung it up long ago. And, now what to do with Kane? Another Edge/Lita angle? Pleeeeze! Team him up with the Undertaker for a legends fest with the Orton's? Big ratings...not.

Now, we read that we're going to be entertained by little people on Friday Night Smackdown. Now, don't get me wrong Bob, God made all of us...tall & small and in a rainbow of colors. However, one must admit that the WWE has become a circus sideshow (in reality and in their "entertainment") and this latest idea by the WWE puts them further into that mold.

I used to enjoy watching Smackdown because I felt that they wrestled more and did the soaps less. Now, with their level of wrestling "entertainment" doing the "Titanic" thing..hmm, lets see now, what to do, what to do...I got it, my neighbor is having her home painted...maybe I'll go over there and watch the paint dry tonight.

Anyhow, TNA does it for me...what can I say, I'm an old AWA fan.

From Curtis Boyland:

"Well I just read your column, and you basically took the words right out of my mouth. This is the absolutely stupidest thing that the WWE has ever done in the years I've watched it.

I've been watching wrestling since 1988 and I've seen a lot of dumb things done by Vince you know about the upcoming "juniors division" on Smackdown, Katie Vick,and a certain cage match on RAW between Regal and Jericho which absolutely sucked (I forgot the date) but this whole deal with J.R. is completely unacceptable.

Like you said Linda McMahon could never act to save her life [EDITOR'S NOTE: Actually, SHE said it] and my thing is this if you're gonna have the guy go out at least have him go out a lot better than how they did it which was a low blow in a state which usually boos him cause he's a huge Sooners fan.

Another thing...the Mike Goldberg thing; even if he didn't sign him it wouldn't work because of something I personally call the 'UFC curse'. I've discovered that UFC guys don't make it in the wrestling business 9 times out of 10. Think Ken Shamrock, Daniel Puder, Tank Abbott. All got involved in the wrestling business but ended up getting the ax. It's almost like Vince wants to kill the business but all I can hope for is that TNA will get the ratings it needs to make it a Monday Night War once again to help Vince get his head out of his ass.

I didn't see Byte This but to have Coach bury the guy about his illness was also wrong. Coach is hated not because he's a heel he's hated because he sucks. He draws the "get the hell off my TV" heat and I can't believe Vince hasn't said anything to him about that. I will be praying for J.R. and I would like to see how they do this but if they do replace him well let's hope he says the two words which could make things better for me...'JOEY STYLES!!!!'"

From Jack DeFranco:

"Hey Bob,

I just read your article and I also believe that this whole JR firing crap sucks. When I started watching wrestling in March of 1998, I loved to hear the commentary of JR on every RAW broadcast. I loved the "SLOBBER KNOCKERS", the "STOMPING A MUDHOLE AND WALKIN' IT DRY" and "STONE COLD, STONE COLD, GOD ALMIGHTY STONE COLD JUST STUNNED VINCE MCMAHON."

When I played the videogames, I would do JR's voice for the match commentary. JR was as important to RAW in that era as Stone Cold and the Undertaker and DX. Tonight I have the displeasure of hearing "I'm the Coach, I would kiss Mr. McMahon's ass if my job depended on it." I can't believe this. It may not just be the end of an era, but the end of a wrestling tradition, and that is good color commentary. I love the King just as much as JR, but you can't have one without the other. If this was happening to the King, I would still be voicing my opinions. The two of them are the absolute best ever.

Michael Cole and Tazz are okay, but that's Smack Down, it's okay. Todd Grisham is somewhat annoying and when you put Coach with him it's a nightmare. I remember when Coach first arrived in WWE. The only thing he was good for was for The Rock to push around in his interviews. It just sucks. JR was RAW and the show may never be the same. With Ross gone the only good wrestling commentary I could hear is Mike Tenay and Don West every week on Impact. At least TNA management won't do anything that stupid to fire one of them. What I think WWE should do is go a little old school for a while. I saw that Randy Savage and Roddy Piper used to do commentary with Vince back in the early 90's. They should get superstars like Chris Jericho, Roddy Piper, or Steve Austin to commentate on RAW for a while, then when the time is right, bring back JR. "

In other news relating to a recent column, Smart Mark Video has put the DVD for the Chris Cash Memorial "Down With Sickness 4 Ever" show, which was held September 10 at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA to memorialize Christopher "Chris Ca$h" Bauman, who was killed in an motorcycle/car accident earlier this summer.

Matches included:

  • Andy Sumner vs. Danny Havoc

  • Battle Royal

  • Eddie Kingston & B-Boy vs. vs. Adam Flash & The Messiah

  • John Zandig Open Challenge

  • Tables Match
    Jon Dahmer vs. Ian Knoxx vs. GQ

  • Ladder Match
    Ruckus vs. Derek Frazier vs. Nate Webb vs. Niles Young

    Bonus footage

  • Bonus Match 11/9/2002 - Ladder Match - Chris Cash vs. Ruckus vs. Sonjay Dutt

  • Bonus Match 12/13/2004 - Ladder Match - Chris Cash vs. Joker

  • "The Boyz" remember Chris Cash

  • Chris Cash Tribute Music Video

    The DVD is available for $20 with sales benefitting the Bauman family.

    To purchase the DVD, go to Smart Mark Video.com.

    As I've been doing in recent columns, I'd like my readers, wherever they may live, to take some time and consider how they might help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The various charities listed below can receive donations online through the Network for Good portal.

    To donate cash by telephone:

  • American Red Cross (800) HELP NOW/(800) 435-7669 English; (800) 257-7575 Spanish
  • America's Second Harvest (800) 344-8070

    To donate cash or volunteer:

  • Adventist Community Services -- (800) 381-7171
  • Catholic Charities, USA -- (703) 549-1390
  • Christian Disaster Response -- (941) 956-5183/(941) 551-9554
  • Christian Reformed World Relief Committee -- (800) 848-5818
  • Church World Service -- (800) 297-1516
  • Convoy of Hope -- (417) 823-8998
  • Lutheran Disaster Response -- (800) 638-3522
  • Mennonite Disaster Service -- (717) 859-2210
  • Nazarene Disaster Response -- (888) 256-5886
  • Presbyterian Disaster Assistance -- (800) 872-3283
  • Salvation Army -- (800) SAL-ARMY/(800) 725-2769
  • Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief (800) 462-8657, ext. 6440
  • United Methodist Committee on Relief -- (800) 554-8583

    Until next time....

    _________________________________________________________

    If you have comments/questions, or if you'd like to add the AS I SEE IT column to your website, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)