Jim Ross is the arguably the most beloved commentator in wrestling history. His calls are some of the most epic and memorable of all-time. He was the voice of wrestling's hottest period and the man responsible for getting some of the most compelling stories ever over with the viewing audience. He is a Hall of Famer, and justifiably so. In 1996, though, he underwent a heel turn that now, some two decades later, still does not make a lick of sense. Frustrated with the lack of faith his peers and fans had in him when he promised to deliver Razor Ramon and Diesel on a September episode of Raw, Ross stood in the enter of the ring and unleashed a venomous rant directed at boss Vince McMahon. He revealed that he had been fired twice (once after suffering a crippling bout of Bell's Palsy), then continued to rant about the mistreatment the experienced at the hands of wrestling's most powerful man. The problem was, the fans in Hershey, Pennsylvania that night had no idea how to take the rant. The smart fans popped but the rest sat in stunned silence. After all, it was Good Ol' J.R. How were they supposed to boo him? It didn't help that a lot weren't clued in to the fact that Vince was the actual boss (ah the days of kayfabe WWF Presidents...). In the weeks that followed, Ross became the second heel commentator at the desk, joining Jerry "The King" Lawler alongside McMahon. As it became apparent that the reincarnated (fake) Ramon and Diesel were not connecting with fans, and the heel work from Ross was overwhelming the rest of the announce team, the heel persona was suddenly and inexplicably dropped. It was probably for the best. Ross was never particularly effective in the role, coming across as a bitter, middle-aged man rather than a credible heel that people actually wanted to hate. Sadly, he would turn heel again three years later, bringing about the same complaints that were present during the first failed run.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
