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The latest episode of WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross' Grilling JR podcast on AdFreeShows.com revolved around the WrestleMania XX PPV from 2004.
Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson also discussed the top stories from nearly 17 years ago during the build-up to WrestleMania 20.
Jeff Hardy, who is presently on RAW, was released from the WWE in 2003 due to substance-abuse issues. During the podcast, Jim Ross reiterated a previously known-fact that Jeff Hardy refused to check himself into rehab, leaving officials with no option but to part ways with the popular Superstar.
The former WWE announcer explained that Jeff Hardy was always primed to receive a push in the WWE. Hardy was a charismatic performer and also quite over with the audience. However, his unreliability prevented WWE from going all the way with Jeff Hardy.
A World Champion was expected to be a trusted workhorse who always showed up at work. Being a WWE World Champion also required the mental fortitude to sustain the pressure, and JR felt that Hardy was not prepared in the early 2000s.
"He was primed. You know we talk about reliability thing. There is no reason that Jeff Hardy would not have been a great WWE Champion or any title. But he just wasn't reliable. And how do you put your championship on somebody you don't have full confidence that they are going to be cool. They are going to be okay. Can they take the pressure of being the champion? Can they take the pressure of going on last night after night?"
He can't retrieve that time: Jim Ross on Jeff Hardy rejecting WWE's offer to go into rehab
Jim Ross was honest with his assessment, and it was also generally agreed backstage, that Jeff Hardy was not ready for a significant push in the WWE.
"Can they take the pressure of putting their company on their shoulders and marching forward? And at that time, that was not the... it's not what everybody thought, they just didn't think Jeff was going to be able to hold on in the scenario."
Ross said Hardy had the golden opportunity to save a few years of his career by enrolling in a rehabilitation program, but his hard-headedness ultimately cost him his job.
"And part of that is just maturing and getting past it...man. Nobody was ever going to bail on him. If he raised his hands, 'I'm ready to go to get help, we would have brought him right back, after the help. After successfully completing a drug and alcohol program. So it was a tough time, and I felt bad about that. Now you look back and say, ''Well, he wasted some time there that he can't retrieve. But he was hard-headed as hell."
"I was really surprised at that decision and when I told Vince, he was surprised as well. You mean he is just going to walk away? You know we are going to push you. You know that he has a great opportunity. Apparently, he'd rather get high than come to work. And so, luckily for everybody involved, for many, many obvious reasons, he has climbed that mountain, and he is looking down on past drug and alcohol abuse."
Jeff Hardy eventually overcame his addictions, returned to the WWE, and scripted a triumphant comeback story that included multiple world title victories.
Please credit 'Grilling JR' and give a H/T to SK Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
