Jim Cornette on Jake Roberts' Advice For Younger Wrestlers 

Bret Hart started as a referee too. Another pearl from Jake: "Don't do drugs; those are for me!"

Being a referee is extremely valuable to a rookie, they can learn about ring positioning, helping pass spots between wrestlers, learning about hard cams. Plus once you learn it you have something to fall back on in case you get hurt, or age out of being an active in-ring wrestler. There are many other jobs that a rookie should do. Being a cameraman is good because you can learn to anticipate impact, and have a more close-up view of the action to learn how and when to call spots. Being a security guard is great too, you learn to watch the crowd, how they react, what they react to, and when a fan is about to get squirrely. If you start as a rookie performing all of the tasks in a company then it will help you tremendously as your career goes along, everything from helping with commentary, to setting up cameras, to learning to edit shows. Plus as a rookie you can pop a mask on, put a few guys over, get a feel for the in-ring stuff, all while performing the other duties. All while helping setup and tear down the ring of course too.

If I was Jake I would’ve told the Younger Wrestlers to play 22 when the others played 21.

If I remember correctly, Jake has said that getting in the ring as a ref gave him a chance to learn the psychology of working with the crowd. When Jake finally became a wrestler, he was a master at getting a reaction from the crowd.

Modern wrestlers: _"But refs don't get to dive off a ladder in the ring onto chairs on the floor!! I don't _*_wanna_*_ !"_

That Jake episode of Joe Rogan is worth listening to. He tells some great stories about traveling with the snakes and the guy who supplied them to the WWF. He also tells some great stories about Andre.

Teddy Long started as a ref too and he also said it was a really good way to start in the business.

Jake the Snake Roberts said one of the most intelligent things I've ever heard "You can't shame me, I have to do that myself!" pretty much resonates in all contexts of life.

I think the good example would be Nick Patrick. Tried to be a wrestler, blew out his knee. They made him a referee and he was able to make a good living for himself. There's a lot of jobs in wrestling, and maybe you're not going to be the superstar world champion, but you can still do something and support your family.

He’s signaling for it! He’s calling for the DDT, Brain!

"I'm going to count to 10 and if you don't break that hold, then a disqualification is going to be the least of your worries, son."

Can you imagine Andre or someone massive like The Warlord or a young Brock being a ref. They'd totally draw attention away from the match lol

lmao imagining Batista breaking in as a referee is pretty funny.

Young Tom Zenk reffed in the AWA. They often put the students in as refs I believe.

Best way to start Saturday.

Barry Windham started as a referee and he becane one of the best workers in the business.

When you switch companies get your deal guaranteed so your new boss can't tear up your contract

Dean Malenko started off as a ref as well.

Before watching the video let me guess what it is: Dont drink the bottle of piss and dont commit animal & drug abuse

I worked 2 and half years, not as a wrestler, but as a ring announcer for two indy companies, and I started to pick up on the booking. Because the ring announcer needs to know who's over and what the finish is.

Jeff Jarrett made sense. Jake's too tall. Referees should never be bigger than the workers. I'm surprised Cornie doesn't know that.

Jim Ross started in the business as a referee. Teddy Long too. Barry Windham, many have started as a referee.

Like LT's advice in The Waterboy. "Don't smoke crack."

*“When someone books you to get hit with a guitar, tell ‘em, ‘fuck you!’*

Advice... Don't drink the piss...

Setting up and taking down the ring is also a good place to start

Jake a true legend,invented the legit hold the ddt that knocked out the 1st guy that took it now it would be a 2 count if it was off the top rope

Jake should've told younger wrestlers that alcohol and smoking crack leads to an AEW contract

Remember when Jake wanted to give Bray a gumdrop? 🤣🤣🤣

It would be a good advice if we were still in the territory days. There you could be a ref in one territory, gain that kind of experience, then go to another one, be a wrestler, go around the country, when you get back to the place where you were ref, they already forgot about it. Now you have a few bigger promotions with TV deals and a lot of indy mudshows. The latter won't give you any usable experience, and with the former you can't really go with being ref on TV for months or years, then finish that and show up as a wrestler shortly after. The best way today is what Jim told about MJF: go around, pay attention to detail, learn from people with actual valid experience. JR said that MJF has lunch with him as often as possible, and they talk about wrestling and MJF is trying to learn as much as he can.

"No not the p I s s Jake. Not the p I s s" ' HTM

I’ve been Reffing for 2 years professionally and it helps my wrestling

Bill Alfonzo was a referee before he managed Taz. I wonder whose idea it was to make him a manager? Paul Heyman? Tod Gordon? Alfonzo himself?

Jake Roberts' advice for younger wrestlers: "Don't smoke, unless you want to spend 4 to 8 hours per day connected to an oxygen tank".

I thought this was going to be about Jake recently saying that he tried to give some young wrestler in AEW advice & they blew him off

Dave Bautista as a referee that sounds like a fever dream of old Vince Russo

Kids didn’t travel?? Well maybe not grizzly’s kids, but kids definitely traveled with with Grizzly

This is a little off topic but I love what Jim cornette said about grizzly Smith

I love on the 1992 Royal Rumble how Bobby Heenan is constantly worried about Ric Flair in the match and Gorilla jokes with him about how he's got no chance in it and later in the match when Jake the Snake comes out, both of them at the same time say "Jake the Snake Roberts!" in the same manner, similar to how JR used to say (back in the good days of wrestling "business is about to pick up!") It's sad AEW has the mind of a Jake Roberts yet they do nothing with him. Even if he is an old man that needs to wear O2 backstage, who cares. Guy could easily be a mentor and a good manager to the right talent. I sorta like him with Lance Archer in the beginning but AEW dropped the ball on Archer.

You have to be certain size to be a ref. I worked with an indy wrestler at my first job and talked about breaking in. I wanted to get my feet wet by being a ref. He looked at me from head to toe really quick, shook his head and said "Naw man, you're too tall." 😕 Turns out you definitely gotta be shorter, maybe sorta out of shape (or just lacking in physique) and sometimes older. At least that's what was wanted back in the day.

Jake's hair looks like the Elden Ring.

Serious question for my fellow cult members, who was the better wrestler, Jake Roberts or Diamond Dallas Page?

Shane Mcmahon was also a ref in the 80's, and he helped the ring crew to set up...check it out.

Jake knows his stuff

I remember Mission Pro Wrestling's first All Women/Covid 19 show, with that giant referee towering over the wrestlers. I suppose that works, if you want to fans to think every person in the company is an ass kicker, right down to the ref, but she got phased out, so I guess that was not the intention.

A referee has to perform to a live crowd. And is part of the show.

Smart advice by Jake! And Jim you forget they made Batista a church Deacon 🤦

I would say the kids did travel with grizzly

I mean...kids did travel the roads with Grizzly...

I’d love to be a ref, but I’m 6’4” and I remember reading that they don’t like refs to be physically more imposing than the wrestlers

So Jake 'the snake' Roberts should have actually been Aurelion 'the chameleon' Smith?

I'm a snake. I'm a slithery little snakey snake.

I dont know why, but Rich Bikini is a hilarious name to me

Well, maybe for very young aspiring sports entertainers, but a lot of the big guys would look awkward as refs.

If you are between 17-21? Yes. After that, you know if you are a career wrestler or a career official.

On the contrary Jim, the "kids" did travel a lot with Grizzly... just not his own.

I soooo bad want to sit in the production truck.

Meanwhile all Jon moxley could tell me was to not smoke crack And what the high feels like Lol

No pee drinking referrences - what a let down.

Jake the Snakes advice # 1. Don’t do Crack Cocain # 2. Don’t run out of Crack Cocain # 3. Don’t do Crack Cocain

Say no to crack?

I'm stupid so can u put this in simple terms😥

And wasn't Kenny omega first role a valet 🤣

He’s should stayed a ref. He could have been a heel ref and pulled out a snake.

I feel jake Roberts have nothing to teach the young wrestler nowadays he's just there because of is name.

Whatever advice Jake Roberts gives you, do the opposite.

consider the fact video starts at 0:00

burn one peace from California

Spectrum

Oh Jake roberts the man who was handed opportunity after opportunity but never lived up to his potential. His promos have not aged well and are some of the most overrated ever. This is one legend I don’t respect. His sister was the best wrestler in the family and earned the opportunity Jake got.

Yes but again why should any young guy listen to jakes advice? .. For many years as an adult jake was a known heavy drug user and drinker who wouldn't take advice so why should anyone listen to him? Same with people like Shawn Michaels.. all the stuff he would do in his 20s and early to mid 30s he wouldn't listen to anybody so why should he be allowed to give advice out like he's some sort of angel?

What do you mean? Grizzly Smith always had kids traveling with him! ...oh... You meant his own. Right...