Wrestling

[Jeff]

That reminds me that in 2007 I re-watched Badd Blood from '97 as it was the ten year mark of the event which was the first broadcast wrestling show I attended (and the only ppv to date). It amazed me then noting how many of the wrestlers on the show were dead. I had forgotten too that the event took place the day that Brian Pillman died, and I remember wondering what had happened to his match with Goldust, as no announcement was made to the live audience.

Besides that I noted that Road Warrior Hawk, Owen Hart, Brian 'Crush' Adams (who had died just before I rewatched it), British Bulldog, and Rick Rude who didn't wrestle but accompanied Shawn Micheals to the ring were no longer with us then..

[Larry]

Besides that I noted that Road Warrior Hawk, Owen Hart, Brian 'Crush' Adams (who had died just before I rewatched it), British Bulldog, and Rick Rude who didn't wrestle but accompanied Shawn Micheals to the ring were no longer with us then..

you do wonder just how many of these deaths are related to steroid abuse and other drugs.

[Lissa]

All of those except Owen Hart's. There aren't many things that cause men in their late 30s and early 40s to have fatal heart attacks. Especially in heavy drug users.

[Larry]

All of those except Owen Hart's. There aren't many things that cause men in their late 30s and early 40s to have fatal heart attacks. Especially in heavy drug users.

I seem to recall that Kurt Angle, was kicked out of the WWF, because he had an addiction to pain killers the WWF, might have publicaly a zero tolerance to steroid abuse but I reckon privatly they turn a blind eye to it. You look at some one like HHH , today and compare him to how he looked 10 years ago and his body is far more musculer now and I find it hard to believe that that change is just down to just weight training/lifting.

[Lissa]

WWE will offer to pay for anyone in the business to go through drug rehab. If you're on the payroll, fail a drugs test and refuse their request to go to rehab you'll be fired. They don't want anyone to die but they certainly don't want anyone to die while working for the company. Kurt didn't think he had a problem, wouldn't go to rehab so they fired him.

I don't believe they turn a blind eye to drug use - it's just that drug testing is more of an IQ test than a substance test. If you're smart and wealthy enough to get the good stuff (synthesised human growth hormone - that sort of thing) you probably won't get caught by the existing tests. If you're foolish or use the cheap and easily detectable stuff then you'll get flagged eventually.

Further evidence that the tests are on the level - all performance talent gets drug tested. At the same time this policy came in, Vince McMahon quietly cancelled his contract as performance talent. Thus he appears on TV - without being directly paid for it - and doesn't have to get tested.

Vince is over 60.

[Jeff]

I think there is more to it than just using HGH, which isn't nearly as effective as a steroid than the real thing. It seems to me that the WWE drug testing policy only flags drugs that you do not have a prescription for, so rather than it being down to pricier drugs, I believe it has more to do with finding a quack doctor to give you a prescription for steroids. If I recall, at the time of Chris Benoit's death it was discovered that he was being prescribed large amounts of steroids for a "hormone imbalance". Then there was the controversy immediately after where Mysterio spent 30 days off in 2007 after being linked to Dr. Phil Astin, who was also Benoit's doctor, and possibly there were some other suspensions around that time too.. I think John Morrison, Mr. Kennedy/Anderson, and Umaga all spent some time off around then too... none of those guys had failed drug tests though, they were caught only because of the prescription controversy.

[Larry]

have to that film staring John Cena, that they having been trailing over the last few months looks good - it got me thinking that quite a few of the WWF wrestlers could have the potential to be good actors. Then again a lot of what they do on RAW and Smackdown, each week is effectivly acting.

[Jeff]

The trailer they have been airing makes it look decent, but the critc reviews didn't seem so good. I believe one compared the script's quality to being that of an after school TV special.

[Larry]

The trailer they have been airing makes it look decent, but the critc reviews didn't seem so good. I believe one compared the script's quality to being that of an after school TV special.

well it certainly won't be the first film where that's happened.

[Lissa]

This girl really wasn't happy Miz beat Randy Orton for the title on Monday.

[Jeff]

IGN's Matt Fowler has dubbed her "Scowly". I wonder for how many weeks he will continue to make her a part of his weekly wrestling wrap up.

As an aside, Fowler is responsible for the occasional GDYC (God Damn You Cole) posters you see in the crowd. I always have fun spotting them, mainly because they are one of those things you may have seen a hundred times and never noticed, but once you know what they are you start noticing them all the time.

[Larry]

watched a documentory the other night on Chris Benoit, a tagic case of a man who never got the help that he so clearly needed in the last few months of his life.

[Jeff]

I hate to say it, but for as much as they have tried to make it sound like he was a great guy that got confused by head injuries, there are things I've heard that make me doubt that. Specifically, I think Jericho mentioned that when he heard what happened he wasn't that surprised. I believe he said that in all the years he had known Benoit, the only times he saw him smile or laugh were in moments of schadenfruede.

[Larry]

I hate to say it, but for as much as they have tried to make it sound like he was a great guy that got confused by head injuries, there are things I've heard that make me doubt that. .

I guess we'll never know the truth and I suspect the WWE, who will always first and formost want to protect their own public image will always portray people like Benoit, as a good guy who just had a breakdown.

[Lissa]

I suspect - based on the last few years - WWE will continue to act as if Chris Benoit never existed.

[Larry]

I suspect - based on the last few years - WWE will continue to act as if Chris Benoit never existed.

better to keep all those rattling skeletons, firmly locked away in the WWE, cupboard.

[Jeff]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU4TD...layer_embedded

[Larry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU4TD...layer_embedded

if ever you needed confirmation of what a fix wrestling is just watch that clip..

[Lissa]

It's just a typically stupid indie spot that hardcore fans love post-ECW. It's been viewed about 1.6 million times and I doubt a single one of them suddenly realised pro wrestling was a "fix". No one has used that word since the 1960s and the business itself has been open about what it is and what it isn't since the 80s. It's absurd to think that any internet clip could "expose" the business when the only marks left in the world are those who believe wrestling fans are dumb enough to think it's all real.

[Larry]

I I doubt a single one of them suddenly realised pro wrestling was a "fix". No one has used that word since the 1960s and the business itself has been open about what it is and what it isn't since the 80s. It's absurd to think that any internet clip could "expose" the business when the only marks left in the world are those who believe wrestling fans are dumb enough to think it's all real.

oh I realise that what always makes me laugh more when I see these things happening or on RAW and Smack down, is how seriouse the commentators are in their "belief" this is really happening.

[Lissa]

But they're part of the show so of course they act like it's real. That's normal for drama. None of the characters laughed at a Dalek in Doctor Who and told the audience that John Scott Martin wasn't really going to kill them. The commentators are performing just as the wrestlers are and it's their job to perpetuate the fantasy to make people buy into it. And most of what they say is being fed to them by Vince anyway through their headphones.

[Paul Monk]

Back in the day when I used to follow wrestling, the plots and storylines and the daft drama of it all was what I loved best. You know its not real but it draws you in and entertains you, which is what it should do.
Plus I always got very annoyed with people who said it was fake (not you Larry as thats not what you said). The outcome may be known but those guys throwing themselves about the place really do that and they really get hurt.
There's a realy good documentary (its quite old now) called Beyond the Mat which has a disturbing sequence of Mick Foley getting hurt in front of his family which shows its not fake.

[Larry]

Plus I always got very annoyed with people who said it was fake (not you Larry as thats not what you said). The outcome may be known but those guys throwing themselves about the place really do that and they really get hurt.
There's a realy good documentary (its quite old now) called Beyond the Mat which has a disturbing sequence of Mick Foley getting hurt in front of his family which shows its not fake.

what these guys do in the ring certainly has a big effect on their bodies and it's really just shear luck that there have not been more serious injuries down the years.

[Jeff]

I smell what the Rock is cooking!

I haven't read the wrestling news sites for a few months, but I'm certainly not buying that he's actually 'back' like he was trying to sell.

[Larry]

I smell what the Rock is cooking!

I haven't read the wrestling news sites for a few months, but I'm certainly not buying that he's actually 'back' like he was trying to sell.

I heard he'd made an appearence on this weeks RAW. over on Gallifrey Base, they were talking about him appearing at Wrestlemania, but I agree I think it's unlikely he'll be returning to the WWE on a perminant basis.