The following comes from reviving my inner child and wrestling fan from months of recapturing the "Glory" days of WWE, AWA, and WCW(NWA), from watching dvd releases of the all time greats and greatest moments that will live in on for eternal time in infinity. Growing up on the Superstars and Wrestlers of the 1980's and 1990'
s I have come to enjoy two particular athletes for the same reasons, they were "Best in the Business" at what they do. The two men in which I am speaking of are Chris Benoit and Curt "Mr Perfect" Henning. These two Superstars caught my eye for the mere fact that were high energy, technically sound in their craft, and well far beyond their years.
Their lives were abruptly ended at the young age of 45 and 40 years old, Curt Henning was found dead in a hotel room down in Tampa, Florida and Chris Benoit had committed a double murder and then later suicide via noose from a rope off a piece of gym equipment. Now right off the bat this sounds like two different tragedies, but I am writing this blog because I want to tell you that they are no different, they are equally Tragic. Curt Henning was nearing the end of career and only wrestling on smaller circuits around the country and was using Cocaine and unfortunately overdosed and ended his life too early. Chris Benoit on the other hand murdered his wife and child and then himself, and yet they are mourned in two separate ways. One was entered into the Hall of Fame of the Wrestling Business and the other is not spoken of since.
I am not condoning, murder over drug use but I am simply arguing that Benoit should be inducted into the Hall of Fame for the same reasons that Henning was inducted, Benoit was a good wrestler and Sports Entertainer and regardless of what the end result was if the WWE can over look a wrestler down on the ditches using Cocaine to be revered than why can they not over look Benoit's low point in his life struggling with years of steroid use complications and numerous concussions endured during his matches through out his career that have made WWE and at one time WCW millions of dollars.
The "they are no different, they are equally Tragic" line in your blog...is just absurd. You can not expect the same Hall of Fame" outcomes from 2 great wrestlers with different "endings."
ReplyDeleteWhy did WWE erase everything about Chris Benoit? He wasn’t mentioned in the Top 50 Superstars of All Time DVD, he wasn’t even mentioned in WWE.com’s top 10 submission specialists countdown and I can’t even click on his name to see which date he won a title. Just because he had issues in his life and murdered his family and himself doesn’t mean he wasn’t a great perfomer. <--- That I get.
He gave 5 star matches many times and should be considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
Aside from that, I’m fine with WWE’s decision to exclude him from any lists or countdowns. You really thought they would include a man who murdered his WIFE and SON in their own countdown of the top 50 GREATEST wrestlers in history? A man who, from a public relations perspective, caused as much anguish and embarrassment for that company as he did?
The man was great, no doubt, perhaps the best, but he’s poison now. He went and flushed his own legacy down the toilet. Vince McMahon did not do that. He did. It’s the same reason he’s never going into the Hall of Fame, nor should he. There are just some things in life you simply cannot ignore when it comes to separating the person from the performer. Karma is a b*tch.
The point is.. even though Benoit is gone, he should still be held accountable.
I understand your Response, and I fully acknowledge that, however what I am trying to point out is you have another 5 star wrestler who had a tragic ending as well, when Curt Henning made the CHOSE to USE COCAINE and overdosed where is the KARMA for him how can one turn your head on Cocaine and not turn your head on Murder. In my opinion this speaks HYPOCRITICAL B*** SH*T on the part of the WWE. Both are immoral and unethical actions and should be treated alike
DeleteThis is just a silly argument.Ok, let's celebrate a murderer's life and career the same way we do with a drug addict. And it's WWE's fault. (sarcasm) The NFL had hundreds of drug addicted athletes too, but should we induct OJ into the Hall of Fame too? (along w Benoit?) Your line "Both are immoral and unethical actions and should be treated alike"...is really juvenile. You are taking wrestling way too seriously and can't seem to comprehend the difference between man and wrestler.
ReplyDeleteO.J. Simpson ran 11,236 rushing yards and is on the NFL's all-time rushing list, He was named NFL Player of the Year in , and played in six Pro Bowls. He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14 game season and he's the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games in his career.
He killed his wife and Ron Goldman and should we be happy Simpson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Should WWE model after this? The answer is NO.
Correct Kyle! Total Nonstop Action Wrestling employee and former WWF/E co-worker Kurt Angle chose to comment more on the frenzy created by the crime, stating "This is not WWE’s fault and this is not Vince McMahon’s fault. Chris Benoit was responsible for his own actions." Angle, was right. He ruined his legacy and those are the consequences.
ReplyDeleteHow many wrestlers have defended Benoit? None.
Kyle and Mike I do agree with you both my problem is that the company is willing to aknowledge the legacy of a drug addict and not willing aknowledge the legacy of an individual who lost the capcity to know the difference between right and wrong through years of putting his body through hell for the "good" of the business. If you want to look the NFL, as an example you should look at how they have changed the rules of the game today compared to the rules of the game of yesteryear. The contact rule alone is proof enough that years of concusions in any industry is enough to destroy individual's mental capacity to live a fully functional life. An I am not being juvenile I am being a realist and understanding how the real world is, and being inducted to any hall of fame should be an honor and represented by up standing citizens.
ReplyDeleteExactly Mike. Angle, Jericho, Guerrero, etc..many others know the word "accountability." Benoit's wife was killed in an upstairs "family room," her body found bound by her hands and feet, and that there was "blood under her head." The couple's 7-year-old son was killed in his upstairs bedroom. Both deaths were attributed to asphyxiation.
ReplyDeleteBenoit will never be in the Hall of Fame nor would anyone ever consider him to be in it.
Myself and many others feel Benoit is a scum bag. http://www.ewrestlingnews.com/community/entry.php?39617-The-Chris-Benoit-debate-Should-WWE-acknowledge-him Hundreds of blogs have not defended him. He is in a hell.
ReplyDeleteKyle check out this blog.