On the most recent episode of the ‘Ross Report’ podcast, Jim Ross opened up the show to discuss the passing of his wife Jan Ross. His guest for this episode is WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, as well as current WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg, and you can listen to the podcast in its entirety at this link. Below are a few highlights:
On How Things Are Different Now Than His Previous WWE Run:
All my weekends are relative, but I have to say that this is the biggest one coming up, considering that this time around when I am done with it, I won’t be going home by myself, I come home to a family now so everything is completed. I try to look at it differently. Actually JR, as opposed to 13 years ago, I’m going to try to have fun with this one.
On How His Family Has Enjoyed His Latest WWE Run:
To get it from the horse’s mouth, you’ll have to get it from the horse’s mouth to get the true essence of it, but I truly believe that they are proud, and I really am appreciative that they’ve been able to get a little beef of it, which is why I did it. My son and I just watched Raw, still going on right now, but at the end of the day, I’m doing stuff I never thought I’d do again so I don’t want to be corny, but I really have to thank those who gave me the opportunities to become the coolest Dad on the Plant. Priorities change, you talk to a lot of people about it for the past months, but things are a little bit different now, since I’m #25 in the Goldberg Household behind the goats and the goldfish, it’s just a different setting here now, so it’s pretty cool.
On How His Body Currently Feels Going into His Match at Mania:
My body feels horrible. I’m always feeling horrible. I’m the type of person, which most of us are in the wrestling business. We try to be at our best at all times. All things considered, to think that 13 years removed when I hung up the tights and boots that I am actually to a point where I can look myself in the mirror and not be completely terrified that I am wearing my drawers in front of all these people. It’s not just the physical appearance, which is a lot of it, but it’s the ability to do what I did. It’s funny, I told Vince, I told him that I would probably remember all the things that I had forgotten right when I say goodbye because I forgot I chewed gum in the ring, I forgot the certain sequence in my pyro. There’s just certain things I completely spaced out on, that are being pieced together in real time each time I go out there. It’s something I didn’t think about for quite some time, so it’s hard to remember your regime for quite some time.
On the Pressure of Having to Perform in Front of Today’s WWE Crowd:
I greatly appreciate that from the WWE and people who made me feel special on my return. Every time I go out, I am pleasantly surprised that one person cheers for me or doesn’t hit me with something. I am humbled each time I go out there. Granted, there are different markets so you are going to get different perceptions than a heel market, or whatever it may be, but for the most part I am in awe and greatly appreciate the reception. It’s now in the habit of having to deliver. They are excited but now you have to deliver and I don’t want to be a mark of what people think, it’s tough. At the end of the day, I was the Mike Tyson of Wrestling. People didn’t pay to see me fight for 15 minutes. I remember when Big Show and I went around the country, I’d spear and jackhammer him every night on every live event, and people went nuts. This is a different generation, different crowd. They are in control, they are volatile. They want to see what they had seen on You Tube, they’re not as forgiving, but at the end of the day, we all try to be the best we can be. It ain’t just for me now, I have my son and I have video, photos, that I compare with from back in the day, so it’s just a tough thing every time I go out. It’s a tumultuous task, but at the end of the day it is all worth it to se a smile on my family’s face.
