Paul Heyman has posted a blog on the UK Sun's website as part of his "Heyman Hustle" series, and this week the Extreme Mad Scientist offers perhaps the most inside of insider's views on the personality conflict between billionaire Vincent Kennedy McMahon and the best announcer in wrestling history, Good Ol' JR Jim Ross.

World Wrestling Entertainment shifts its rosters every year in the annual draft, and on Monday, "Good Ol' JR" was drafted from the flagship cablecast Monday Night Raw to Smackdown, which is headed for MyNetworkTV in the fall. While serving Bonnie Hammer on NBC-U's USA Network is of great importance to Vince McMahon, serving Greg Meitel's MyNetworkTV keeps a broadcast network on WWE's clearance list.

Ross was not informed of the planned move, and was surprised by the revelation of the Raw-to-Smackdown move when it was announced live on Raw. McMahon even ordered camera shots, up close and personal on Ross, to document the shock he was feeling. Ross, of course, felt disrespected and betrayed.

So JR wrote a blog the next morning about how disrespected he felt, saying "I am not happy with this surprise development." Later on Tuesday, as his Smackdown debut loomed, he wrote a second blog vowing to make the show and his new announcing partnership with Mick Foley "kick ass." But Ross had publicly vented regarding his hurt and anger, and there was no taking that back.

Enter Paul Heyman,the man Foley coined "The Mad Scientist," the former owner and creative mastermind behind the original ECW, and perhaps as importantly, a Lead Writer within the WWE creative team from 2001-2006. Paul Heyman. performing as Paul E. Dangerously, was Ross' color commentator in WCW in the late 80s and early 90s. Heyman, fresh off his 7 year stint at the helm of ECW, became Ross' color commentator on Monday Night Raw in 2001 when Jerry Lawler walked because his wife (who left him a few months later) fell out of favor with management and had to be fired. In his capacity as creative team member, Heyman was also a top advisor, much like JR, to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Heyman left WWE quietly sometime in 2007 after turning down an offer to run the developmental system. He had a major falling out with the McMahons over Vince re-booking the December to Dismember pay per view event on December 3, 2006.

Heyman wrote a blog on the entire situation, trying to sort out the complex personalities, and it's a most interesting read. Here's a key excerpt:

 

"I'm not surprised Vince McMahon didn't tell JR. I'm not surprised Jim Ross was disrespected. I'm not surprised they stuck a camera in his face to capture the real life turmoil going through his head when a bombshell just got lowered on him.

I'm surprised Jim Ross was surprised!

There's a lot to say about JR in this situation.

He knows Vince as well as anyone, besides Stephanie, Shane and Kevin Dunn.

He's been at the office at 7:30am when Vince wanted to handle something right away and not wait "til the lawyers get in".

He's been there at 10pm, still waiting for Vince to finish working out so they can conclude their 6 pm "end of the day" review of items. Jim Ross knows how Vince thinks, how he reacts to things, how the man operates.

So Jim Ross is surprised when Vince abuses him on live television?

What clues did Good Ol' JR miss?

Was it the way Vince dogs him on the plane and would encourage HHH to join in on the fray? Was it the way Vince has, on multiple occasions, demonstrated the desire to send him out to pasture?

Psssst... when they try to replace you three or four times, they don't all of a sudden change their mind and say: "Hey! He's our type now! We want him long term!"

Maybe I'm surprised that JR was surprised because I personally wouldn't have stayed if I was propped in a hospital bed with part of my colon in a medical waste container awaiting word on cancer and watching my boss do a 12 minute skit about pulling my head out of my arse.

So why is JR surprised? How could he be caught off guard? How could ever think a swerve wasn't coming, a curve ball being thrown, a disruption to any "normalcy" wasn't being contemplated?

Did Jim Ross dare Vince McMahon by publicly stating in advance "I have no interest in switching brands"? Maybe. It certainly didn't DISSUADE Vince from doing it. But I think the cross Jim Ross must bear is a little heavier than that.

Jim Ross, in my opinion, has cut a Faustian Bargain in life."

If you ever wanted a true insider's view of WWE politics and personalities, this is it. To read the entire blog, go to http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1350062.ece.

 

You can check out all previous blogs, including insightful comments on Chris Benoit, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, Maria Kanellis, and Donald Trump's involvement in MMA at www.heymanhustle.com.

 

 

 

 

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