2010 CAC Art Abrams Award Honoree: JIM ROSS

Lifetime Achievement?  You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet!
By Jeff Sharkey
Photos compliments of  www.jrsbarbq.com

 
The Art Abrams Award is the honor given out by the Cauliflower Alley Club dedicated to an individual’s lifetime achievements.  A quick look at the previous honorees reveals a stellar list of wrestling’s elite; men and women who can look back on their storied careers and take stock of their accomplishments.  For any of them, this award can be seen as a fashionable cap to their custom-designed legacy within professional wrestling.
 
That concept is a tough-sell to Jim Ross, who has worn many hats since his 1974 introduction into the wrestling business.  As the 2010 recipient of the Art Abrams Award, Ross has most recently cut an impressive silhouette by donning his trademark black Resistol cowboy hat.  But that silhouette has yet to be backlit by the sunset that many of those who call it a career have rode off into. 
 
“I’ve obviously put in more years than I have left,” Ross said.  “But I certainly don’t believe I’m at my final days.  In my mind and my heart, I still have plenty of passion and desire to continue to contribute to wrestling.  In what role that takes for the balance of that time, whatever job description… it could be many things.  This has been a large part of my life, for 36 years.  I’m 58.  I’d love to have another thirty-six.  I’d take having 94 years here on earth… but I do have time left; things I want to accomplish.  I can’t see the end just yet.”
 
Items on the Jim Ross “bucket list” will wait until later on down this page.  Turn back the clock to a time when Ross first became captivated by the roar of the action in the ring.  “In Oklahoma back in the early 1960s, it was largely a junior-heavyweight territory… and Danny Hodge was THE MAN,” Ross said.  “Hodge was considered at the same level or higher than any of the other sports heroes we had.  He was ahead of Mickey Mantle, who had left and gone to New York!   Danny was our guy, who we could go see at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Pavillion on Monday nights.  His matches against Angelo Savoldi were phenomenal, two artists working together.”   Ironically, both Hodge and Savoldi are previous Art Abrams Award recipients.

Not every great match was exclusive to the juniors, though. Ross witnessed larger-than-life struggles in the ring that featured top talent on the other end of the scale; heavyweights with great abilities that dominated both the singles and tag team divisions.   “The Kentuckians, Grizzly Smith and Luke Brown, had a big feud with The Assassins, who were Joe Hamilton and Tom Renesto,”  Ross recalls.  “And in 1965, when I was 13, Jack Brisco debuted in the Oklahoma territory.  He had been a high school star, a star at Oklahoma State, and turned pro after winning the national championship.”
 
In discussing his childhood memories, Ross delivers these accounts with his now-familiar voice.  In mastering that aspect of his craft, however, Ross has been able to keep from silencing that eager young fan’s timbre.  That quality still rings true, the fan perspective remaining ever-present as his memory regresses to this earlier time.  “Wrestling is in my blood; I’ve been a fan for fifty years.   If you’re lucky, you maintain your ability to be a fan even after you get involved in this business,”  Ross said.  “For some guys the fandom erodes, gets filtered away….but I don’t think I’ll ever be at that point. I’m still a fan of the genre.  I don’t know where else I would be; wrestling is my calling.  It allows you to communicate and interact with other fans.  I think it’s what we should do.  I try to be as accessible as I can, and I’ve never tried to talk down to the fans in any of my broadcasts or one-on-one. It’s just not my style.”

It was during Ross’ college experience that his style caught the eye of Bill Watts, who along with LeRoy McGuirk ran a multi-state territory under the Tri-State banner, later to be Mid-South Wrestling when the big Cowboy bought out McGuirk’s share.  “Our college fraternity worked with the Tulsa office for two wrestling shows.  I was the promoter of record, and did some innovative things for the time, which led to two sellouts,”  Ross said.  “It was enough that Bill Watts saw something in me, enough to give me the time of day, and an offer of a job paying $125 a week, all in!  There were no benefits, no 401k… and you were responsible for your own taxes.  But I got started, working on the ring crew and as LeRoy McGuirk’s driver… a gofer, really.   It was the true definition of paying your dues.  I had to survive some lean years doing grunt work.”
 
With one foot in the door, it led to more opportunities, doors Ross could kick open en route to gaining a strong education in many aspects of the wrestling business.  “I was fortunate to work in a lot of areas.  Live event promotion and booking cards, marketing, television syndication, refereeing and ring announcing, play-by-play and color commentary, administrative roles in multiple wrestling companies, working with the talent rosters…” Ross listed, concluding with a mention of his role with WWE during their transition time from a private entity to a publicly traded company.  “I was able to get a real diverse array of experience.”
 

His apprenticeship, of sorts, under Bill Watts gave him a framework by which he could grow professionally and personally.  “In addition to the jobs I mentioned, I also took notes at meetings.  It was an education that I continue to build from,” Ross said.  “I feel that if you stop learning, you start dying.”
 
Over time, Ross’ work in the field of announcing showed that he made great strides since his debut.  “LeRoy McGuirk was my first color commentator while I did play-by-play. Since LeRoy was blind, I had to learn to be descriptive in my calls to engage him into the broadcast,” Ross said.  “Bill Watts gave me tapes of Gordon Solie to watch and listen to.  Gordon was a big influence on me.  Bill wanted me to understand his theories, but apply them to my own skill set.  Matches that Danny Hodge had against Hiro Matsuda, with Solie broadcasting, were the tapes I studied most.  Their rivalry became my classbook, and Solie doing the play-by-play was the soundtrack.  I learned all about pacing, getting in and out of holds, near-falls, and all the elements of calling a great match.”
 
In time, Mid-South Wrestling became known as the Universal Wrestling Federation.  In the mid 1980s, UWF syndicated television markets increased the nation’s awareness of the hard-fought, gritty determination that poured from the hearts of its competitors, and announcers, including Ross.  His hard work would be rewarded with new challenges.  “I brokered the sale of the UWF to Jim Crockett Promotions, and I went to work for them as an announcer on their second show along with Bob Caudle… a wonderful man,”  Ross said.  “From there I was put on the WTBS Saturday night show, where I got my legs on a national basis.  I was a Vice-president of Broadcast at WCW, until there was another management change.  That wasn’t a catastrophe, just a time to move on; it was better to look elsewhere.”
 
That move came in 1993, and it was to the World Wrestling Federation, where Ross debuted on pay-per-view at WrestleMania IX in Las Vegas.  “I had been in the business for 19 years at that point, before I got the break,”  Ross said.  “I had earned my keep and paid my dues.  It was always the place to go, the company with the biggest global footprint, and the best opportunity to make money.  Aside from a few short periods with some sabbaticals, I have been there ever since.”

Up to this point, Ross had maintained his frugal nature over the course of his career.  He had learned it from wrestling veterans he grew up watching on TV, then working alongside during his early days.  “There was Red McKim, a helluva worker.  He had a full-time job and retired as a captain of the fire department,” Ross remembers.  “And Irish Mike Clancy, who had moved from Boston, retired as a member of the Tulsa police force, but had been moonlighting as a wrestler.   They both told me to save my money, don’t overextend myself.  They showed me the value of having their day jobs, which had benefits.”

Another sound piece of advice came about while travelling the highways.  “My first travel partner was Skandor Akbar,” Ross said.  “He taught me to skip breakfast, and we’d make our first meal of the day around 3pm at an all-you-can-eat buffet, hot and bargain basement-priced.  Then I could go out and referee that night, and afterward have a snack.”  Lodging was another opportunity to squirrel away more of his paycheck.  “Hotels cost eight dollars back then; you could split a room with two veterans and give them a break on their trans in trade,” Ross said.  “Since they were the senior members, they’d take the beds and I would get the bedspread, and sleep on the floor.  There were lots of ways to save, and you needed to find them.  I went a long time and put myself through a lot of abuse before I ever made over 40 dollars a night.”
 
Once Ross reached the World Wrestling Federation, he took on additional duties outside of the announcing booth.  In particular, his time as Vice President of Talent Relations led him to some of his most rewarding work.  “It was during this time I was probably at my best in helping to build a talent roster.  I think I am most happy and proud that I helped facilitate some careers, where the guys could earn large sums of money, have a better quality of life and make it so their future is financially secure,”  Ross said.  “I hammer home the importance of saving money, paying your taxes, and preparing for the future.  I feel good about that.”  To wit,  Ross’ time under his predecessors’ learning tree allowed these sound principles to take root, and bear the fruit of his experience.  A fruit worth passing along to the current generation of wrestling stars.
 
Asked for his short list of the beneficiaries of his knowledge, Ross is quick to first share the credit with others.  “Keep in mind that it wasn’t all about one guy; it was a team effort.  Gerry Brisco, for one, was invaluable to me in scouting new talent.  You always need to find people with a unique athletic skill set; it’s hard for anyone to make it without one; even someone average-skilled with a desire to make themselves better, that’s okay too,” Ross said.  “It’s not size, height or weight…because great athletes come in all sizes.  The intangibles are what you look for, and it helps if they have an aptitude for the business and were a fan.  Wrestling should be something they have a feel for, or can acquire that feel.  Then you look at the qualities all businesses look for in people: honesty, character, work ethic, a team player… you can’t be lazy. I learned from Bill Watts what to look for;  he allowed me to understand the importance of finding a strong person mentally as well as physically.  Self-motivated people, those with a diligence and desire to get better.  There’s no magical formula for this, but there’s more to it than just the athletic side.”
 
That short list began to grow longer, as Ross selected several names packaged with superlatives.  “There were several people I helped bring into the Turner organization in the 80s.  I watched a lot of product in those days, and though I wasn’t in charge, I could make recommendations when others with a vote were otherwise occupied.  Guys I saw on tape that I thought I could help included Mark Calaway, who is The Undertaker, and Brian Pillman, who had been in Calgary.  They were two of my suggestions… as well as Mick Foley.  These were guys who went on to have pretty distinguished runs in their career… some success and notoriety,” Ross understated.  He moves forward and backward on the timeline as he adds to this impressive lineup.  “I don’t want to forget Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar as two outstanding amateurs that we signed and who have distinguished themselves as success stories and outstanding contributors in their field,” Ross said.

If he had stopped there, Ross would have garnered more than enough accolades to hang his signature hat on.  But like a fine booking plan, Ross has done a slow build to the main event.  “Stone Cold Steve Austin was someone who always had a great upside; he was a lifelong fan with a tremendous passion and work ethic… but he found that great character inside him and brought it out.  He just had to find his creative niche,” Ross said.  “Then there was The Rock, who had left the CFL and the Calgary Stampeders’ practice squad…another guy I really like.   He was educated, intelligent, and a third generation performer with great physical gifts, and he wanted to be a star.  He was never content to be a sixth man in the lineup.”
 
Ross concluded with a look at those currently active WWE headlining talents who also matured under his watch.  “John Cena is another great talent, a former college offensive lineman and another lifelong fan.  He’s a very high character guy,” Ross said.  “And I’m especially proud I was able to re-recruit Shawn Michaels to come back, so he could leave on his own terms instead of due to injury.  He’s one of the all-time greats.”
 
His 17-year tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment is one filled with high points, so many to name that again, Ross humbly accepts all kudos while pointing toward the value of teamwork in making it all possible.  “With such incredible talent, and a great marketing machine behind them, all elements together led to an unparalleled era of live event business in our history,”  Ross said.  “We also drew some of the biggest TV ratings, and we had pay-per-views with more than one million buys.  This data proves that the company has done a phenomenal job on many fronts.”

Currently, there’s another opportunity in Ross’ life that he and his wife, Jan, are focusing on; a fully functioning website, www.jrsbarbq.com .  A quick visit to that site reveals the latest happenings as it relates to the couple’s business ventures.  They include JR’s Family Bar-B-Q restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma, and an online store filled with their own recipes for barbecue sauce, chipotle ketchup, and beef jerky.  “I’m a foodie,”  Ross states proudly.  “My mother was a great cook, and so is my wife.  I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household where suppertime was important.  We had great family fare, and a lot of these recipes from my mother and grandmother are included in my cookbook, along with some road stories.”  
 
Ross has released two separate cookbooks to date.  The first, co-authored by Dennis Brent, is titled CAN YOU TAKE THE HEAT?  This release made the New York Times Best Seller list.  The second, JR’S COOKBOOK, is sold through the website.   “Our three priorities are to sustain our sales through the website, first and foremost. We are following the trend of selling via the Internet as a major component of what we do.  The potential for growth is extraordinary!  Then, we have a goal of getting our products in grocery stores.   Our third objective is the restaurant, which is by far our most volatile venture; generally I’m a low-risk kind of person,” Ross said.

So there you have it.  A span of 36 years; a career in wrestling that many would trade for.  But as mentioned earlier, Jim Ross still dutifully shows up ready to go to work.  Has the CAC booked a false finish for their Lifetime Achievement Award this time? 
 
“I’d like to help a business grow in two key areas, ” Ross said, “I think I could be part of a plan to positively effect the broadcasting aspect of wrestling; and to have some part in creating the next wave of main eventers; developing new stars.  That’s what I’d be interested in doing.”
 
It’s a formula for success that Ross has been an active part of in the past for WWE, and as mentioned previously, it takes a special person to emerge from the pack to stand out on the crest of that new wave of talent.  “In WWE, I wanted recruits that could evolve into, or have a strong desire to main event WrestleMania,” Ross said.  “I sign people who have that intent…and although some of them will fall short of that goal, you’re building a strong brand in the process, with guys who can still make a strong contribution.  You can help them find better lives for themselves and their families.  I’d be glad to have the opportunity to help them facilitate their dreams.”

As it relates to the broadcasting side, Ross offers up this morsel of wisdom.  “There is nothing better than to have the opportunity to broadcast a great match.  When you get those fans to invest time in the matchup, with performers and their skills battling over personal issues, you can have a lot of fun,”  Ross said.  “If I can make a fan enjoy the match a little bit more, to enhance it that much more in the fan’s eye… that’s the bottom line.  I like to hear back, to be thanked for telling a great story.”
 
CAC reunion attendees will get the chance to interact with Jim Ross, to compliment him for all his previous work, and to offer encouragement to continue with his conviction of adding to the legacy for which he will be honored on April 21.  “I feel like a pair of brown shoes at a formal wedding,” Ross said.  “But I am humbled by the recognition from the Cauliflower Alley Club.  I’m honored to be a part of the process this year.  I really enjoyed (attending in 2008); it was a very rewarding experience. I’d like to be a part of it for many years to come.  The CAC is an organization that is unpretentious, and doesn’t stand on ceremony. They have a lot of hardworking people who just want to give back to the wrestling business; they have a true desire to do good things.”
 
So for those who come to pay their respects to Ross and the other CAC honorees, be alerted that Ross can use the occasion to reflect on his climb, which started at the very bottom. “I worked my way through the system, overcame challenges and made sacrifices, and I never let my passions wane,” Ross said.  But like every self-motivated individual, Jim Ross reserves the right to be a relevant part of events going forward as well.  “I don’t plan on retiring just yet.  My goal is to stay involved to some degreee.  That part of the story is yet to be written.”