Greetings from under a somewhat well-worn black Resistol hat from
what has been one of my most challenging weeks in recent memory.
It is hard to believe that Stone Cold Steve Austin has left the
company over differences in creative direction. It is even harder to
believe that his WWE career looks to be at its end as a result of
this matter. There is no secret that Austin and yours truly are very
close friends and have been for years. This was simply as tough a
week for me personally as when I unexpectedly lost my mother and
father, at different times, over the last few years. Steve walking
off the job and ending his career with this company at his own hand
is damn hard to swallow and I still do not fully understand why this
method of protest was selected by one of the fiercest competitors in
the business' history.

I have been aware of his unhappiness as of late regarding creative
and we have had several spirited conversations over this subject as
a
result. However, I never in my wildest dreams ever expected the
Rattlesnake to walk out on his commitments just as he did
immediately
following WrestleMania, which was at that time credited to burnout.
My last of many conversations over the past few weeks with Steve
occurred on our cell phones as he was sitting on a Delta Airlines
jet
in Atlanta Monday afternoon, preparing to fly back to San Antonio.
Our conversation was candid and honest as they always were and he
knew how strongly I felt against the emotional decision he was
making.

To no-show an event is not the way to do business. There is no way
it
can be justified no matter how drastic the circumstances seem to be
or actually are. Problems are solved, or at least thoroughly
addressed, by communicating and when that communication is done in
person it seems to me that these issues generally get worked out and
some degree of closure achieved. We were not given that opportunity
Monday. Instead, the most productive superstar in WWE history
decided
to take his black boots and go home without confronting his
problems,
unlike the way the character had confronted every enemy in his
history-making career in this company.

The Austin I know was the same guy whose bedside I sat at after what
many thought was a career-ending neck surgery. Flat on his back and
in the most challenging of times, he vowed to an audience of two
that
he would return to the ring to do what I truly believe he was put on
this earth to do, and that's entertain our audiences with his "hell-
bent for leather" style that sold more tickets than anyone in this
business' history. I have been at his side during an ugly divorce
that would separate him from his two lovely little daughters and he
survived and persevered. We have talked each other through many
tough
personal issues in our lives, including my two bouts of Bells Palsy
that some in the business found amusing. He was one guy I knew on a
personal level I could always count on to be there for me and me for
him -- until this week.

I truly do not know everything that is bothering Stone Cold Steve
Austin but my guts tell me it is more than simply creative issues. I
wish I did know so I could help make things right for Steve and our
company. As I look around my office here at home, I see many pieces
of memorabilia from the world of sports and entertainment my wife
and
I have collected over the years, including items from my boyhood
heroes John Wayne and Mickey Mantle. But nothing means more to me
than a pair of well-worn black boots Stone Cold Steve Austin wore
during his greatest matches since arriving in this company. On them
he wrote, "J.R., 'Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold!' To the best
in
the business! Your friend, Stone Cold Steve Austin."

None of us can or should ever attempt to take any of Steve Austin's
amazing accomplishments away from him or downplay his overwhelming
work ethic and drive to be the very best in the long and complex
history of this industry. But what Steve did Monday by no-showing an
event for the second time since WrestleMania was wrong and I believe
that down deep in his guts he knows it. Perhaps I was wrong as
Senior
Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE to develop such a close
friendship over the years with Steve. Many of my detractors have
pointed that out on occasion and maybe they were technically right.
So be it. However, I am, and will remain, very proud of our
friendship which makes this entire ordeal so tough. I was asked to
do
a candid interview Thursday for our new TV show Confidential that
will air this Saturday night about what went down this week
regarding
Stone Cold.

The first question the interviewer asked me was, "You don't want to
be here do you?" My answer, "Hell, no." This was the toughest one on
one interview I have ever had to do in my 25 plus year career. As a
broadcaster and administrator, I have found myself in some pretty
emotional and tragic situations on the job, as many longtime fans
know, but this was just so damn hard to discuss and to explain.
Our challenge as a company is to regroup, refocus, and to rebuild.
We
owe that to ourselves, our stockholders, our talents and, most
importantly, to our fans. This journey back to prominence,
notwithstanding Austin's departure, was always going to be a long
and
challenging one and nothing has changed really. It is still going to
be tough but now it looks like several new faces will be provided an
opportunity to step up and play on the very top level. I do not know
who these talents specifically are as I compose this report but I do
know they are on this roster and will give us all they have once
their number is called. I hope they are young and fresh hands. I
hope
they realize the opportunity that awaits them. I hope that they do
not utilize the negative traits of some talents who came before
them,
a few still on our current roster, as their road maps to success.

I hope that remaining veterans on our roster who have had box office
and in-ring success step up and assume leadership roles in the WWE
or, if not, simply step out of the way and make people miserable
elsewhere. We are at a place in time where the things that are truly
important are a positive attitude, work ethic, being unselfish, and
focusing on what we all can do for our company, for the company that
pays our bills, and for our fans who really make it all happen. Now
is not the time for the remaining veterans who may see the end of
their careers unfolding before their very eyes to react like
insecure
children and who refuse to count the many blessings that they have.
This is not about "my people calling your people" or getting "my
agent involved" in attitudinal issues disguised as financial ones.
Now is the time for all of us to step up and do our absolute best
work in our specific areas. Absolutely nothing else will do or
should
be accepted. For those who do not feel that way, as a company, we
should do all we possibly can to eliminate these individuals from
our
roster as quickly as humanly possible.

The results will be an exciting new product with compelling new
stories to tell, rivalries to develop and fresh match-ups to
highlight.
Just as I was thinking of slowing down somewhat to stop and smell
the
roses, so to speak, and attend more Sooners football games and BBQs
I
am now re-directed to doing all I physically and mentally can to get
our business healthy again. We will succeed with this task only when
we are surrounded by positive people who care more about the product
and the company than they care about their own careers and fragile
egos.

As the head of our Talent Relations department, if I am unable to
accomplish this goal, maybe it is time for old J.R. to head back to
Oklahoma and go fishing. However, I will not walk away from this
task
at hand without a fight and when I leave I will give my notice in
person. Thanks for listening and I encourage you to stay tuned.
Unpredictable and interesting times are upon us. I am very anxious
to
see how our entire WWE team responds over the next few weeks.

Take care.

J.R.