Posted on 06/25/2007 3:53:58 PM PDT by HitmanLV
We are still awaiting further details, but PWInsider.com is extremely saddened to report that former WWE and WCW World champion Chris Benoit and his wife, former WCW and ECW personality Nancy "Woman" Benoit were both found dead today in Atlanta, Georgia. Obviously this will be a huge developing story in the days to come but at this point, we'd like to express our deepest condolences to the Benoits' family, friends, and fans at this time.
A meeting is currently ongoing at WWE TV and it is expected that tonight's three hour Raw will now be dedicated to Benoit's memory.
6:09 Update: WWE.com issued the following statement this afternoon:
"WWE is sad to report that Chris Benoit and his family have been found dead in their home. Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Tonight's Raw will be a tribute to Chris and his family."
I remember Ox Baker and his infamous “heart punch”!
Looks like Vince is going to apologize for doing the tribute show.
http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=20013
Sorry wrestling fans, but that is really f&*%ed up - if that’s true, I hope he burns in hell
Wrestling was better with different territories. People moved around and it kept things fresh. The names you mentioned were great, particularly Jack Brisco (credible technical wrestler, takes on all comers) and Professor Toru Tanaka, a legend!
The mighty midgets were always a crowdpleaser!
Wrestling has been pretty bad lately. As in the last 2 decades. :-)
Good. I suggested last night that given the breaking news, the WWE would be in an unenviable spot today after paying teary-eyed tribute to what looks to be a double murderer.
Last night must have been a long, sleepless night for the WWE Inner Circle. It’s going to be a long week, too.
The time line isn’t really 100% established, but that’s the gist of it, yes.
It’s going to be a very long week. The details are starting to trickle out & they are gruesome.
Dick the Bruiser would tear his own forehead. When he started bleeding you knew the other guy was going to get his head handed to him.
In an interview with ESPN.com on Tuesday, Ballard indicated that the boy had needle marks in his arms. The district attorney said he believed that the boy had been given growth hormones for some time because the family considered him undersized.
I thought it was very telling that when I visited the WWE website to read about the death of Benoit they already had their defense up and running. Nothing about Benoit. They were in attack mode toward those who were attacking steroids, etc.
Protect the drug campaign. Everyone knows it makes your bones brittle. I could go on, but the point is that Vince could demand more from his employees, not for his sake but for their own. He doesn't have to be daddy, just a person who cares more about humanity than money.
All of the “bleeders” did this.
They would carry a razor blade and cut their foreheads as they certainly didn’t trust the other guy to do it. The old guys like Wahoo McDaniels, Johnny Valentine and Ivan Putski all had terribly scarred faces but mostly their foreheads.
People talk about McMahon’s “death stunt” but may not know that at one time when Stephani was pregnant he wanted to do an incest story line about him being the father. When she refused he recommended that it would be Shane’s baby.
Sick stuff and thankfully she refused this too.
The wellness aspect is a good program, but even it couldn’t have prevented something like this.
McMahon could stop pushing people with the steroid look, regardless of talent, and that would help a lot, too.
Also, the 365 day a year schedule doesn’t help. If every wrestler would have time off for a few weeks every quarter, for example, that would help their bodies heal, get some good rest and give them time for their families. Say 5 weeks on, 1 month off.
Less money for the wrestlers, though - that won’t be popular. And when someone is on top, they don’t want to leave because the top spots are jealously guarded.
I don’t entirely blame Vinnie Mac for feeling defensive. The media has 3 dead bodies and are hot to blame someone. Since the actual killer is dead, go after Vince. He didn’t do this. It really sucks. I don’t blame him at all. Maybe his tactics could be better, though.
If I were running the show, I wouldn’t go for the super roided look at all. Then again, Benoit was pushed because of skill and less for a good physique. He didn’t have an overstated physique at all. On my watch, Benoit would have probably been handled the same way. Hard to cast a stone at Vinnie Mac over this, sorry.
Correction: “Say 5 weeks on, 1 month off” should have been “Say 5 months on, one month off.”
Or maybe 4 months on, 1 month off.
Or maybe 3 months on, 2 weeks off.
Something like that.
Preach on brother! I remember as a kid loving to watch “local” wrestling on Saturday mornings. Leaping Lanny Poffo and all the rest of the gang wrestling in a high school math room with about 20 spectators. LOL
For a completely unsubstantiated list of hundreds of nutty goings on, check out this link.
Abdullah the Butcher has a BBQ joint in Atlanta these days. He used to blade like a maniac — and even today, if he’s n the restaurant and you ask him politely, he’ll stick a fork in his head. (Yeah. My brothers are beasts.)
Wasn't his brother the Macho Man?
I barely remember Lanny, but I do remember him.
I've only been watching since the early 80s (I grew up on Memphis based USWA with the King, Koko BeWare, the Moondogs, Miss Texas....man those were the days) so I can fully agree. Hell my favorite wrestler is the Dead Man himself, the Undertaker (dammit I can't wait till he comes back. He's currently out after having his biceps surgically repaired. Due back in Oct just in time to mark 17 years of kicking ass in the WWE)
However, Vince could come out with a zero tolerance policy tomorrow. No one could stop him from doing that. He could have them pee in a cup every week if he so desired. Then he wouldn't have to be on defense when the death of one of his atheletes occurs.
Ultimate power = ultimate decisions
If it were me, I would seize the opportunity to open up the "sport" of wrestling and clean house. If you write a good enough story, wrestling works without steroids. It's theatre. If they're good enough they don't need any enhancement.
The problem is in the writing, not the muscles.
I met some of the early wrestlers years ago.
I personally encountered Andre the Giant in Corpus Christi.
I was talking to a friend while not paying attention to where I was going and ran into something. I looked around and my face had smacked into his ass! Talk about surreal.
I also had a run in with Kamala. The Corpus arena was small and old fashion and just had metal folding chairs. The place was packed. He came down the main aisle and I tossed a few gentle insults.
He took a right into my row and I stood up. After a second or two I realized that I was alone as everyone with brains hauled ass. I bravely stood there petrified in fear unable to move. His thighs were knocking chairs right and left as they were spaced fine for me but far too close together for him.
I raised a shaky fist and he gave me a great big wink and then turned and walked to the ring.
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