Author Topic: (24th July) - Love Or Hate? (Read 8375 times)

leonp1981 · « **on:** July 24, 2009, 04:23:59 PM »

Jim 'JR' Ross

Is Jim Ross the 'Voice of WWE', having spent 12 years commentating on Monday Night Raw, as well as PPV's, his voice being synonymous with some of the most famous moments in WWE history. Is he more than just a commentator, a true wrestling fan who loves what he does, and enhances any match he calls? A man who has overcome several obstacles, including a serious illness, to deserve his place in the Hall of Fame?

OR

Is he an overrated average commentator, championed by people too young to have heard Gordon Solie or Gorilla Monsoon. Does he collect these accolades due to the lack of competition rather than his own ability? Does he deserve his place in the Hall of Fame?

cheftim · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2009, 04:26:32 PM »

He definitely deserves the HOF. But he'll always be sitting back seat to Bobby, Perfect, VKM, Jess, and the Gorilla.

Montague · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2009, 05:55:07 PM »

I’ve always like J.R.
He’s the closest thing we have to a Solie/Monsoon today.

Monsoon wrestled, so he was a credible source. His history made him passionate about the storied business.
Solie exuded knowledge and said the right things at the right time. His tenured experience and commitment exemplified his passion.

Ross has been around the business for a long time. He knows what to say and when & how to say it.
More animated and more emotion than Monsoon.
His longevity and real life WWF executive roles have given him the experience necessary to legitimize his character in the fans’ eyes.

Ross deserves his accolades.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2009, 07:34:02 AM »

Quote from: Montague on July 24, 2009, 05:55:07 PM

I’ve always like J.R.
He’s the closest thing we have to a Solie/Monsoon today.

Monsoon wrestled, so he was a credible source. His history made him passionate about the storied business.
Solie exuded knowledge and said the right things at the right time. His tenured experience and commitment exemplified his passion.

Ross has been around the business for a long time. He knows what to say and when & how to say it.
More animated and more emotion than Monsoon.
His longevity and real life WWF executive roles have given him the experience necessary to legitimize his character in the fans’ eyes.

Ross deserves his accolades.

Do you think his commentating would have been better or worse if he had worked alongside someone like Bobby Heenan? I know I used to prefer King when he was more of a heel.

Montague · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2009, 08:23:54 AM »

Hard to say.
I don’t think you could conclude anything from Heenan’s work with Gino Monsoon because it would have been a different kind of on air relationship between Ross & Bobby.

A lot of folks forget that Heenan went about 220 lbs., was at (or just over) the 6-ft. mark, and used to wrestle. Even so, Bobby could act chicken shit and beg off of Gorilla, who also wrestled, but was a lot bigger and tougher.

Heenan also worked well with Mike Tenay because “The Professor” came across so intelligently. Even though Tenay was no match for Heenan physically, he was intellectually imposing. Mike could rattle off a few sophisticated paragraphs of dialogue and Heenan would act all confused and frustrated, and basically concede. But Tenay was no J.R. He was skilled, but lacked the presence and rapport that Ross has with the fans.

Lawler is a (semi)retired wrestler, as was Heenan.
Jerry is a heel announcer, as was Heenan. Considering those similarities, I think Bobby & J.R. would have at least been on par with the J.R./King team.

However, Lawler’s best material was blue, generic, redundant/recycled, and a lot of it was public domain (or stock) lines that many other people have used.

Heenan’s comments were contextual (pertaining to the events at hand). Heenan would’ve offered something humorous, but with more substance, where Lawler may simply just scream, “PUPPIES!”

I think Ross would have had a little bit more to work with in Heenan.
But unless we could travel back in time and put Bobby in “The King’s” place, we’ll never know for sure.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2009, 08:28:42 AM »

Quote from: Montague on July 25, 2009, 08:23:54 AM

Hard to say.
I don’t think you could conclude anything from Heenan’s work with Gino Monsoon because it would have been a different kind of on air relationship between Ross & Bobby.

A lot of folks forget that Heenan went about 220 lbs., was at (or just over) the 6-ft. mark, and used to wrestle. Even so, Bobby could act chicken shit and beg off of Gorilla, who also wrestled, but was a lot bigger and tougher.

Heenan also worked well with Mike Tenay because “The Professor” came across so intelligently. Even though Tenay was no match for Heenan physically, he was intellectually imposing. Mike could rattle off a few sophisticated paragraphs of dialogue and Heenan would act all confused and frustrated, and basically concede. But Tenay was no J.R. He was skilled, but lacked the presence and rapport that Ross has with the fans.

Lawler is a (semi)retired wrestler, as was Heenan.
Jerry is a heel announcer, as was Heenan. Considering those similarities, I think Bobby & J.R. would have at least been on par with the J.R./King team.

However, Lawler’s best material was blue, generic, redundant/recycled, and a lot of it was public domain (or stock) lines that many other people have used.

Heenan’s comments were contextual (pertaining to the events at hand). Heenan would’ve offered something humorous, but with more substance, where Lawler may simply just scream, “PUPPIES!”

I think Ross would have had a little bit more to work with in Heenan.
But unless we could travel back in time and put Bobby in “The King’s” place, we’ll never know for sure.

Some interesting points there. I personally like JR, I think he's good at what he does. I do prefer the 'old' King, but like you said, it's completely different listening to old matches with Heenan on them, he had a very quick wit.

Oh and I used to love 'PUPPIES!'

Montague · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2009, 08:32:29 AM »

I miss those days, too.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2009, 09:33:36 AM »

Quote from: Montague on July 25, 2009, 08:32:29 AM

I miss those days, too.

I think it'll back around in the next few years. This PG stuff is OK, but they'll soon realise that it's not gonna work in the long term. We all watched as kids, and the product grew up with us, with most of us being teens/20's during the Attitude Era, and we are still watching now. The kids who are watching now are gonna grow up and get bored with the current stuff, so Vince will have to change things up again.

Boobs, beer and barbed wire!

Montague · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2009, 06:17:02 PM »

Agree.
Many things in pro wrestling go in cycles.
Also, the old man’s had to push back plans to “mature” his product in the wake of negative press in the past.

Remember when he wanted to take the Fed in a more “extreme” direction that targeted the older demographic, but held off because of pressure from the steroid scandal in the early 90’s?
What did we get instead?

cheftim · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2009, 07:52:32 PM »

So how do explain this marmot?

leonp1981 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2009, 08:15:06 PM »

Quote from: cheftim on July 25, 2009, 07:52:32 PM

So how do explain this marmot?

I hate that little bastard.

Montague · « **Reply #11 on:** July 26, 2009, 04:42:35 AM »

Just one more sign of where the Federation is right now.

Hulkster · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2009, 10:43:19 AM »

Quote from: Montague on July 24, 2009, 05:55:07 PM

I’ve always like J.R.
He’s the closest thing we have to a Solie/Monsoon today.

Monsoon wrestled, so he was a credible source. His history made him passionate about the storied business.
Solie exuded knowledge and said the right things at the right time. His tenured experience and commitment exemplified his passion.

Ross has been around the business for a long time. He knows what to say and when & how to say it.
More animated and more emotion than Monsoon.
His longevity and real life WWF executive roles have given him the experience necessary to legitimize his character in the fans’ eyes.

Ross deserves his accolades.

I agree. he is good.

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2009, 11:20:26 AM »

Thought he had a lot of potential in the UWF and NWA days.....thought he was unbearable for about a 10 year span in the WWF.....seems to have mellowed out over the last few years.

the "goooooood laaaaaarrrrrddddd !!!!" era was the unbearable period.

Hulkster · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2009, 08:00:06 PM »

nothing was as bad as King when he went through his screaming 'puppies' phase every second.

or Tony Schaivone every night of his career LOL

Montague · « **Reply #15 on:** July 27, 2009, 04:20:00 AM »

Quote from: Hulkster on July 26, 2009, 08:00:06 PM

nothing was as bad as King when he went through his screaming 'puppies' phase every second.

or Tony Schaivone every night of his career LOL

Tool.

How are the Braves doing, Tony?

Playboy · « **Reply #16 on:** July 27, 2009, 04:36:32 AM »

J.R has and willalways be one of the best commentators out there. He is the best play by play man easily. Gorilla, Heenen, Perfect & Jessy were good but I think J.R. ranks right up there. They are all unique and great in their own way.

Montague · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2009, 05:29:37 AM »

Yes.

But not Schiavonne.

The Showstoppa · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2009, 05:40:58 AM »

Quote from: Playboy on July 27, 2009, 04:36:32 AM

J.R has and willalways be one of the best commentators out there. He is the best play by play man easily. Gorilla, Heenen, Perfect & Jessy were good but I think J.R. ranks right up there. They are all unique and great in their own way.

Did you ever get a chance to listen to Solie? JR is a very distant second. No hyperbole, just called the action and made it seem like a real athletic event instead of "sports entertainment..."

Playboy · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2009, 07:13:55 AM »

Quote from: The Showstoppa on July 27, 2009, 05:40:58 AM

Did you ever get a chance to listen to Solie? JR is a very distant second. No hyperbole, just called the action and made it seem like a real athletic event instead of "sports entertainment..."

Solie was good but I just think J.R is a better all round commentator.

Montague · « **Reply #20 on:** July 27, 2009, 08:53:42 AM »

Quote from: Playboy on July 27, 2009, 07:13:55 AM

Solie was good but I just think J.R is a better all round commentator.

I think J.R.’s style is better suited for today’s climate.
Tony Schiavonne used to call matches like traditional announcers would over a radio – where fans can’t see the action. He would just describe what was happening.

There’s no need for anyone to do that now.
But Solie was the best of his time for very good reason.

cheftim · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2009, 11:40:26 AM »

JR wears a Cowboy hat and King sounds like a Southern Bell. They're Southeners. I bet they both drive pick up trucks and watch Nascar. I'm a New Yorker. We don't wear Cowboy Hats. Not everyone can relate to these two Guys? Not everyone likes these kind of people. Everyone could relate to Bobby, Jess, Monsoon, VKM, and Perfect though. Maybe except for Jesse because of the way he dressed? But his announcing was hands down the best Wrestling has ever heard.

leonp1981 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2009, 12:18:04 PM »

Quote from: cheftim on July 27, 2009, 11:40:26 AM

JR wears a Cowboy hat and King sounds like a Southern Bell. They're Southeners. I bet they both drive pick up trucks and watch Nascar. I'm a New Yorker. We don't wear Cowboy Hats. Not everyone can relate to these two Guys? Not everyone likes these kind of people. Everyone could relate to Bobby, Jess, Monsoon, VKM, and Perfect though. Maybe except for Jesse because of the way he dressed? But his announcing was hands down the best Wrestling has ever heard.

Do you think their accents affect the quality of their commentary? I've heard rumours before that Vince doesn't like having announcers, interviewers, etc. with strong accents.

Playboy · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2009, 12:41:38 PM »

Quote from: leonp1981 on July 27, 2009, 12:18:04 PM

Do you think their accents affect the quality of their commentary? I've heard rumours before that Vince doesn't like having announcers, interviewers, etc. with strong accents.

Absolutely not. The king is funny on the mic and J.R has major experince behind him He even announced for the Atlanta Falcons for a while before comming to the WWE.

cheftim · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2009, 01:28:33 PM »

Quote from: Playboy on July 27, 2009, 12:41:38 PM

Absolutely not. The king is funny on the mic and J.R has major experince behind him He even announced for the Atlanta Falcons for a while before comming to the WWE.

One mans trash is another mans Treasure. I don't think the King is funny at all with that high pitched voice. And about JR. Last time I checked Atlanta was in the South.