J.R. Comments on What it Takes to be a Top Star

"At a certain point once a guy gets his foot in the door and he starts getting some time on TV, then they really have more ownership than the general public understands. The more-educated fans would rather blame creative. Sometimes they just don’t know what else went on and they don’t know a guy’s attitude and they don’t know who phoned something in or who thinks, “Hey, I don’t really even want to get any higher than this.” You have to understand that some guys get on a semi-main event level, and they don’t know that they can handle the pressure of carrying the show. That’s not for everybody. It takes a very unique individual to be a star, and a main event star. The business is so good now financially that guys who aren’t main-eventers can still earn a great living and prepare for life after wrestling."

"It’s just a matter if seeing who wants it when you get to a certain level. It doesn’t matter if you have a six-minute match on Superstars, go out and steal the show. Go have a great, solid match. Somebody’s going to say, “Who cares about Superstars? Nobody watches it. And it’s only six minutes.” That’s the wrong attitude. That’s a loser’s attitude, and that’s what I’ve told dozens of talents. I don’t give a damn if the show’s airing in Zimbabwe at midnight. This is being taped before all the decision makers, and all your peers and all the crew, so I don’t want to hear about the stage. The stage is that ring. The ring didn’t change. It’s an 18-foot square. The bell rings and there you go. What did you do for me between bell to bell? And more importantly, what did you do for yourself?"

source: baltimore sun