Jim Ross Offers Thoughts on CM Punk Situation

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross runs his very own blog at jrsbarbq.com.

In his latest post, Ross discussed CM Punk, the internet reaction to his controversial podcast, as well as his feelings on how WWE should work with their talent:

I have not sat down and listened to the CM Punk conversation with Colt Cabana due to the Thanksgiving week activities. Some of my Twitter followers could not understand why I did not make time to listen to the interview. For years,  I put the wrestling business way a head of my own family more times that I want to admit. Those days are over. I’m still a fan of the business and always will be but it’s time that I balance my life better so that ‘s why I did not carve out time away from family and friends to listen to Punk’s interview.

I have been involved in MANY issues with talents ranging from high profile matters such as Steve Austin/WWE, among many others. The issue is this….when communications break down and athletes feel their bodies changing and not for the better plus they feel under appreciated and under paid, it necessitates that a process be put in play to address every facet of the talent’s issues. Obviously, WWE and Punk had lack of communication issues that apparently went on far too long and the issues addressed by Punk in his interview, based on what I’ve read online, festered and went unsolved.

Often times it is better for the talent to be given a leave of absence to allow feelings to become less emotional and bodies to heal. However, as always evaluating an issue of this magnitude in hindsight is generally 20/20. I don’t know how all the internal conversations went between Punk and WWE. We’ve heard only one side of the story thus far. In general terms my philosophy was that I either solved the problem or eliminated it. Perhaps that methodology is out of date these days but at some point if every thing has been done to rectify a grievance and it’s still a negative situation it becomes obvious that the two parties need to part ways. Was every thing done to address Punk’s issues? I have no idea but if his issues had been simmering for a long period of time then they may have been unsolvable. That I don’t know.

Its also very important for any company to pay  close attention to all talents and it’s also a fact that all talents can’t be treated the same because all people are different. The wrestling business breeds paranoia and a variety of insecurities much like Hollywood actors and many athletes because the nature of their genres generally have shorter shelf lives as it relates to one’s career. In other words, managing a talent roster in any pro wrestling company is and always has been a 24/7 proposition.  I can ell you that it was the most emotionally draining, exhausting and stressful job that I ever had. It affected my health but I was blessed that it did not adversely affect my marriage. I’m a lucky man in that department.

I am truly sorry that this matter ever got to the point that it did. I was and still am a fan of CM Punk and enjoyed being around him whether he was Punk the wrestler or Phil Brooks the man. I also owe WWE a great deal as they allowed me to contribute to their company and helped provide for my family for 21 years. For me, this whole matter is a no win situation for everyone involved.

For those wondering how I feel about WWE and how they manage their talent roster today, I can’t answer that question because I’m not around them and rarely talk to any one from the company which isn’t a complaint but merely a statement of fact and that includes management and talents. I do know that WWE is serious about the medical status of their talent but I do feel that road schedules need to be constantly re-evaluated as it relates on how many days any one works on the road no matter their role. Some folks have different levels of tolerance as it relates to being on the road and how they deal with their injuries. Again, everyone is DIFFERENT and that’s why everyone on the roster can’t be dealt with the same. Rules. yes but communication, no.

At the end of the day it would seem to be, as an outsider simply observing and having talked to no one involved in this matter that the entire issue is an example of basic, poor communications.

To read the post in its entirety, click here.

Editor’s Note

It’s obviously hard for Ross to go into too much detail, having not heard the podcast yet. It’s clear that he still likes Punk as a person and wishes him the best moving forward. I’ll be interested to hear if Ross changes his opinions once he sits down and gives “The Art of Wrestling” a few hours of his time. 

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