Jim Ross

“There have always been extraordinarily tough men in the business of sports-entertainment. My view is that one can't be in the sports-entertainment business successfully and long term without being tough.”

“Tough wrestlers have never been uncommon. Competing and performing through injuries, enduring crazy travel schedules and wrestling with no offseason just lends itself for one to have to be tough to make it long term and with success in sports-entertainment.”

“I'm still a wrestling fan: That's how I started out, that's how I will end the day.”

“When you grow up on a farm, you grow up fast.”

“The black man's journey within the genre of grappling wasn't unlike the challenges their brethren faced in professional sports, entertainment and, most importantly, everyday life. To say it was challenging would be a massive understatement.”

“Without question, Jerry 'The King' Lawler is my most recognizable partner and my favorite to work with over the years. We endured several things together that reach far beyond merely signing on and subsequently saying 'good night everybody' at the end of the show.”

“Vince was so great at the 'Mr. McMahon' character that some people think he wouldn't want to help people in real life, and that's just not true.”

“My first broadcast partner provided color commentary even though he was totally blind. Leroy McGuirk was a former NCAA Wrestling Champion at Oklahoma State University and long time kingpin of the NWA Junior Heavyweight Division before losing his sight in a car accident in Little Rock in the early 1950s.”

“Sept. 11, 2001, still feels like a blur to me. I wish it were simply a bad, re-occurring dream, but unfortunately it isn't.”

“For anyone to say that The Rock made a bad decision in pursuing a film career, with the success that film career has garnered, is ill-advised.”

“I am an emotional guy. I try to be very honest.”

“Jericho uses tried and true, fundamental pro wrestling villain techniques to make him effective. He's a master in ring psychologist.”

“I've heard Jerry do mini concerts while driving, especially when the music of The Beatles or a handful of other 'British Invasion' bands aired. Hearing Jerry Lawler sing with a British accent is quite an experience.”

“It has been my experience that the greatest performers in the genre of sports-entertainment are usually natural extensions of their own, true personality.”

“Aug. 2, 1992, was one of the most memorable moments in sports-entertainment. It was on that night in Baltimore, that Ron Simmons became the first African American recognized as World Heavyweight Champion in wrestling.”

“The fans of the U.K. are tremendously supportive of the efforts of the WWE Superstars, which is why every wrestler I know loves to be a part of the tours to the U.K.”

“Most fans don't realize how challenging it is to broadcast live TV, especially in a hybrid genre such as WWE.”

“Broadcasting is a team effort and two, or three, individuals not functioning as a team cannot be as effective as they can if they set aside their own agendas and focus on what they see on their TV monitors and embellish the TV personas of the talents involved. I've been blessed to have had many outstanding partners.”

“I always say the wrestlers provide the music and the announcers write the lyrics. You have to feel what you're seeing and experiencing to write the best lyrics.”

“Working with one's boss is a totally different dynamic than working with a peer, especially when doing live or live-to-tape commentary of a genre as unique as sports-entertainment.”