My inner child let out an enormous squeal of joy today when I received an email informing me that the one and only J.R, "Good ol' Jim Ross" answered and replied to a question I left on his website! :D :D :D For those of you who don't know, Jim Ross was the play-by-play announcer for the WWE for years and also did incredible work behind the scenes with talent relations. This might not seem as a big deal to anybody, but this man was the voice of my childhood and so many great memories. As I have mentioned before, Professional Wrestling has been one of the few, if not the only, constants in my life. I have been watching it since I was 5 years old and throughout all the years, the good, the bad, the ugly and all the changes, it has always been there for me, bringing me pure joy. This man is an absolute legend and for him to answer MY question, little old me, thousands of miles away in Cape Town, has had me giggling like a little boy for the entire day.
Jim Ross has come up with thousands of catchphrases, nicknames and little sayings that have become so iconic in wrestling. Who could ever forget his "Oh my God! As God is my witness, he is broken in half!" from when The Undertaker threw Mankind from the Hell in a Cell? Nicknames such as "The Game", "The Cerebral Assassin", "The Texas Rattlesnake", "The Deadman", "The Bionic Redneck", "The Dirtiest Player in the Game" and "The American Bad Ass" have all become such classics. Other sayings and catchphrases, such as "Slobber-knocker", "Being whipped like a government mule", "Stomping a mudhole and walking it dry" and "Bleeding like a stuffed pig" are things wrestling fans will never forget. I love this man.
The question wasn't even a big deal, it was just the fact that he answered it that made it so special for me :
AdriaanP Asks: Hello Sir, greetings from Cape Town, South Africa. We all know that you are an enormous American Football fan and I was wondering if you ever watch any international sports such as Rugby? Here in South Africa, Rugby is as much a part of our lives as food and water. If so, what do you think of it? There has always been the American Football vs Rugby "which is more physical and rough" debate, but I think they are both incredibly tough in their own ways. Also, as a huge wrestling fan from Cape Town, I have to ask you what your opinion of Justin Gabriel is? I miss seeing him on TV. Thank you for all the amazing memories and your hard work. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. Adriaan
J.R.'s Answer:
I rarely watch Rugby but enjoy what I know about it. It's certainly for tough men. Not sure why Justin Gabriel hasn't made more of an impact. Something is missing from the equation.
That's all it took to make my day. I spent some time looking at old clips of him and matches he commentated and I was reminded of so many wonderful memories. Yes, I know, wrestling is staged. Yes, I know I am almost 24 and I shouldn't really be watching it anymore and yes, the wrestling fan base is not considered to be the most intellectual people in the world, but goddamn it has been there for me and still continues to be there for me and I don't care what anybody says about it. I will defend it 'til my death. Now. Then. Forever. If anybody is interested in seeing a short clip to see what I am babbling about, The higher pitched voice you'll hear is the voice of another legend, Jerry "The King" Lawler. You'll also get to see some of my favorite moments. I ask you to please have a look, it's only 7 minutes and I guarantee you will, if nothing else, have a good laugh.
That's all folks
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