Russo is a hypocrite and JR’s AEW Future

So, it's been a while, a long while, since I posted anything on this website, the reason, well, I don't really watch wrestling anymore, I watch some older stuff every now and then, I sort of keep an eye out on happenings within wrestling but I just don't have the get up and go to really watch it this day and age. Even when I stopped watching wrestling I kept listening to podcasts that covered wrestling in one way or another, I would listen to a wide range of them but then really cut down as my podcast listening time was taken up listening to podcasts on other subjects but then, I just got totally disillusioned with the ones I was listening to, so I just totally stopped altogether. 

I got into a position to be able to listen to Vince Russo's 'Castrating The Mark' podcast. At first I did find it funny in parts where he, and his lapdog, sorry, his co-host, Jeff Lane would mock the likes of Dave Meltzer, Mike Johnson and people of that ilk but I think, his main target is Tony Khan. 

These people don't do themselves any favours however, I can't listen to Russo and not think he is just a hypocrite. The CTM podcast relies on listeners sending in tweets or clips they find online that Russo/Lane will read/listen to and then rip the you know what out of them. I said above, I think Russo is a hypocrite, he takes the piss out of wrestling fans and the 'dirt' sheet writers for being obsessed with wrestling, he often mocks Meltzer for not having anything in his life other than wrestling, the thing is, these two (Russo/Lane) do countless podcasts, they may make a pretty penny off them but are tons of them really needed?

They rip on Meltzer for talking about the amount of fans in a crowd yet they will constantly talk about ratings even though he is not involved in wrestling anymore. I have emailed Jeff Lane as he wants listeners to send in submissions but to no surprise, they have brought up my points on their show. CTM is behind a paywall but if you can get the chance to listen to it, give it a go to see what I am talking about, you will find some stuff funny, I have no doubt of that, you just won't hear Lane disagreeing with Russo, and the fact Lane has the nerve to rip on wrestling fans, writers etc. is laughable, this is a grown man who films himself playing video games.

Anybody who has known me for a while will know I have a hang-up so to speak regarding ratings discussions. most that do these podcasts or write for websites are just fans, should it really matter to a fan what ratings say  WWE RAW or AEW Dynamite do? For me, no, let those in power in the respective companies worry about that, fans should just enjoy the product if they can and if they feel they need to talk/write about wrestling then do that. To put a bow on this, if talking about ratings is something you like to talk about then that's cool if that's your thing, it's not my place to say what you can or can't talk about I just think, fans shouldn't care.

So, what else has been happening, well, I saw a graphic saying Jim Ross was leaving AEW and he would give an update on his contract situation soon. I then thought I'd listen to his podcast for the first time in a while to hear if he covers it with Conshill Thompson, after 15 minutes or so of talking about college football they eventually talked about it, he basically said, his doctor has advised him to take time off, when he flies, his leg hurts him quite bad, for those who don't know, Ross was diagnosed with skin cancer sometime ago and he recovered somewhat but still has issues and as stated, after he flies, he has issues with his leg for a while. Ross is 71yrs old now, he has been well-regarded as the best commentator in wrestling history, some will say Gordon Solie was and maybe even Lance Russell but those who were fans of the NWA and then WCW in the late 80's and early 90's and of course, fans of the WWF from 93 onwards through the Attitude Era until he finally parted ways with the company do regard him as the best. I have to say, I always thought Ross in AEW was a strange combination, of course, you never know why Vince McMahon would not want Ross on TV but people have their own thoughts. Although a great catch by Khan to get him for AEW, not just for his commentary skills but his overall, knowledge for wrestling, of course, while in the WWF/E, one of his jobs was head of talent relations so you'd think that would be a great help to AEW BUT, I said earlier I thought it was a strange combination, Ross and AEW and I mean, Ross has always been a bit of a wrestling traditionalist, yes, he had to commentate through the Attitude Era, which, although was very successful for the WWF featuring some absolutely ridiculous stuff that frankly shouldn't have been anywhere near a wrestling show but AEW, well, although a lot of it is the style of wrestling I was big into as I was a huge fan of independent wrestling and many of the guys in AEW came through the indies (some in the WWE too of course) and I would've thought Ross wouldn't have been a fan and tbh, listening to his podcast since he has been in AEW I have heard little comments here and there that you can hear him pretty much state this.

I wish JR all the best, if he carries on in AEW (or goes to work elsewhere) or just retires and enjoys his family, and carries on his podcasting, maybe if he does retire he can do a college football podcast rather than talk about it on his wrestling one 😉

Thanks for reading guys, my email is on the right hand side if you want to get in touch or you can get me on twitter or X or whatever @WLHSTU

If you want to write for the website, again, get in touch