WWE has played host to some of the most iconic managers in the history of professional wrestling, with personalities such as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Paul Bearer, and Jimmy Hart being near the top of that list. However, two names that get credit for not only portraying a manager onscreen, but also having a great mind for the wrestling business overall are Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette. Both men have experience overseeing creative, with Heyman being the owner of ECW and Cornette in control of Smoky Mountain Wrestling during the '90s. Speaking on "Grilling JR," Jim Ross named both Heyman and Cornette as the most brilliant managers he's been around, and specifically credited Cornette for his continuous work in the industry despite being a controversial figure. 

"Happy birthday Corny, he's still brilliant. There's no doubt, most brilliant manager I've ever been around he and Paul Heyman. I had a lot of fun working with those guys, but Corny is special, there's no doubt he's very special ... I just love the guy, I know he's controversial, and he stirs up the s**t, but that's the business he's in right now ... it's insane to say that, but I miss a lot of the things Cornette did. He was great on the booking committees, always had ideas, and believe it or not he added logic to what we were doing because he understood the business."

Ross also expressed that he doesn't mind if Cornette remains controversial because he continues to contribute to the business, and has been able to create success for himself through his online presence.