WZ Hall Of Fame Induction Thread – Jim Ross

[Dave]

NOTE: This thread was created after talking to Tastycles, the “Old School” section moderator about creating it. I was given a list of candidates that I could create a thread about and have not created it off of my own back. We request that you DO NOT create WZ Hall Of Fame induction threads without asking Tastycles first.

Jim Ross, also known as “Gool Ol’ J.R.” is the next candidate for the WrestleZone Forums Hall Of Fame. Known to some as “The Voice Of The WWE”, Jim Ross has been commentating and working for World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment since 1992 and has become a member of the WWE Hall Of Fame as a commentator. However, before WWF/E Jim Ross worked for Universal Wresting Federation and soon after Bill Watts bought the territory, JR was given the spot of lead play-by-play commentator that would prove to be the start of something special for him.

Soon afterwards, Jim Ross would commentate with World Championship Wrestling for a couple of years and would eventually be released after a turbulent relationship with, then, executive producer Eric Bischoff. Ross would resign as a member of the WCW booking committee and would later sign with the World Wrestling Federation and would make his on-screen debut at WrestleMania 6 after taking over from another legend, Gorilla Monsoon. However, it was not all good news and JR was eventually fired after suffering a Bells Palsy attack and until 1996, Ross had a very unstable career with the WWF and Smoky Mountain Wrestling.

However, after securing a seat on the announce tables of the WWF/E, numerous attempts to get Ross involved in the storylines and angles and turn him heel, ultimately failed as the fans latched onto JR. After the brand extension, JR was handed a seat on the Raw announce table and held the position for almost a decade, JR served as play-by-play commentator. He would also take up the reigns as WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, a career path that would allow him to uncover multiple superstars. In 2005, Jim Ross stepped away from the management side of the WWE and cited the reduction of work-load as the reason.

In 2007, Jim Ross was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame for the many services that he has given to the company, alongside his long-running colour commentator partner, Jerry “The King” Lawler. JR went on to suffer one more Bells Palsy attack in 2009 on route to a show and would not be seen on TV since that attack. Recovering his health, JR decided that he would take up his role as a talent scout for the WWE once more and has since resumed.

JR is one of the most beloved personalities to ever work for the WWE. He has been called the greatest of all time by both his peers and the fans that have hung on his every work for 20 years. Beside The King, one of the most prolific partnerships in commentary history was forged and a bond between the fans and the commentary table was formed. Ross has commentated over the likes of Bret and Owen Hart, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. He has feuded with Vince McMahon and has forged friendships that outlast the duration of my life.

So, with that being said, does Jim Ross, a true servant to the world of commentary and the WWE deserve a place in the very prolific WZ Hall Of Fame?

 

[goodlay]

JR is the man I miss the most on the weekly WWE shows. I feel he is the greatest announcer in the history of this business. If there was one guy who was the true voice of the WWE, it was JR. His voice is plastered on so many classic moments in WWE history. He just has that natural gift of putting so much passion and emotion into calling the action. He really brought out the best in Lawler too, as The King just isn't the same along side Cole. I was really anticipating his return to the announce table, and he even said on his blog he was trying to return for HBK/Taker at WM 26. Well, unfortunately that didn't happen and apparently WWE thinks that JR doesn't connect with today's audience which makes no sense when you have a complete tool like Michael Cole calling the action. So, JR is done announcing, unless he jumps ship to TNA but JR isn't that type of guy so I doubt we will see that.

Regardless, JR had one hell of a career calling countless of WWE classics, and he definitely deserves a spot in the WZ HOF.

 

[mister_b1LL]

Totally. I put JR alongside Gorilla Monsoon as the two guys that have the greatest voices in professional wrestling history. They still put his soundbites on promos for matches like Hell In A Cell (Satan's Structure) (Devil's Playground) even though he's not currently active as a commentator. I also think he's one of the reasons why Stone Cold was so popular because of their friendship. Whenever Stone Cold came out JR always sounded like Jesus was coming to the ring to save us from sin or something and it helped put him over as the most awesome force in the WWE.

 

[Ferbian]

Jim Ross has contributed to great wrestling matches by having a very unique style of commentating the matches, his words such as "slobberknocker" the usage of "BY GOD" and his random yells and amazing reactions that actually helps the wrestlers performing the move, and the wrestlers who takes the impact of the move, get over and to sell the move well.

Jim Ross has been a commentator for years, and has been in numerous promotions, he's a WWE Hall of Fame inductee, and has done everything in this business in terms of commentating matches, and definitely deserves to be in the glorious Wrestlezone Forum Hall of Fame.

 

[shattered dreams]

Should Jim Ross be in most any pro wrestling hall of fame? Yes. Should he be in the wrestlezone hall of fame right now? Maybe not. This is taking nothing away from what he has accomplished but simply looking at how elite the hall is at the moment. What I am getting at is there are a lot of people more deserving than Jim Ross to be in that are not at the moment. I think when push comes to shove Ross is an in a year or two type guy to me instead of right now. So it is an interesting case of do you look at it simply on his merit alone or compare it to those who are in and not in at the moment.

 

[Nova Secura]

As if it needs saying. The commentator that made undertaker throwing foley off of the cell better then it was live. The man that single handedly made 99% of all the matches he called more enjoyable then anyone else could. If you think of a OH MY GAWD moment with in the wwe since 1996, was he or was he not on comentary during that match to add that J.R speciality to it. And less we forget he has a PINFALL VICTORY OVER HHHHow many announcers can claim that?. He in my mind is deserving to be in the WZ hall of fame.