Chris, Nancy, & Daniel Benoit found dead

[kjh]

I wouldn't say WWE are completely out of the woods just yet. Dr Phil Astin will almost certainly be prosecuted for illegally overprescribing drugs to Benoit and other wrestlers. Nancy Benoit's family are going to file a wrongful death lawsuit which could name WWE as a defendant. Former and current WWE wrestlers may be forced to testify in both cases about their drug habits. That said, I doubt either of these developments will do much more than cause another bout of bad publicity for the company.

 

It's scary though how WWE isn't taking the Benoit tragedy and subsequent mainstream media blitz as a wake up call. Sure, they've dodged a bullet here. The media can't pin the death on roid rage as they've been craving for. But, if they go back to business as usual, there is a strong possibility that someone else will die on their watch in the next few years for reasons the media can blame them for. In the meantime more people like John Kronus whose past abuses finally catch up with them will die and the death lists will continue to grow making wrestling seem even more deadly. WWE should be asking themselves whether they can survive another tragedy like Pillman's or Eddie's, because next time the media won't be so ignorant or willing to buy their BS.

[Loss]

I do think they needed to speak. And I can understand why the name Chris Benoit is no longer mentioned on WWE TV. But why couldn't they have done a show in memory of Nancy and Daniel? Why have they shown absolutely ZERO sympathy in any of their press releases over Nancy and Daniel? Why do they keep talking about personal choice and responsibility when a wife and 7-year old boy died? It's disgusting.

[Bix]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file...t_findings.html

 

WWE in spin mode over Benoit findings

 

By CHRISTIAN RED

 

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

Posted Wednesday, July 18th 2007, 1:46 PM

 

World Wrestling Entertainment was in full spin control yesterday, doing its best to deflect any theories that 'roid rage might have contributed to the gruesome weekend rampage last month when, police say, WWE star Chris Benoit murdered his wife and 7-year-old son before hanging himself.

 

After Benoit's toxicology report was made public and revealed that the "Canadian Crippler" had high levels of testosterone in his body during the murder-suicide, the WWE issued a hasty, yet inaccurate, statement to downplay the results.

 

"WWE understands that the toxicology reports for Chris Benoit indicate that he tested positive for testosterone and negative for anabolic steroids," read a portion of yesterday's WWE statement.

 

Steroid expert Dr. Gary Wadler, a World Anti-Doping Agency member, was quick to blast the WWE for making "a contradiction in terms."

 

"An anabolic steroid is nothing more than a derivative of testosterone," Wadler told the News, adding that he did not lend much credence to the WWE's current drug-testing program – wrestlers with a 10:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio are not flagged for positive tests – nor the portion of the statement that outlined how Benoit had tested negative for steroids as recently as this past April.

 

"We know nothing about the specifics of that test - we don't know the time, the (urine) specimen produced and whether or not it was unadulterated. We don't know if it was proof positive he wasn't using steroids, especially in this age when athletes are using patches, creams and other sophisticated performance-enhancing drugs.

 

"The WWE testing program - it doesn't even approximate what I call a meaningful testing program. Their whole protocol is all invested in one man (WWE founder Vince McMahon), bow to stern."

 

The testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio compares what is synthetic as opposed to endogenous, or testosterone produced naturally by the human body. An athlete with a 4:1 T/E ratio is considered to have tested positive for illegal amounts of testosterone according to WADA rules. Floyd Landis, the disgraced cyclist who may be stripped of his 2006 Tour De France title, had an 11:1 T/E ratio during his dramatic Stage 17 victory last summer, when he vaulted from 11th place to third and assured himself of victory.

The family of Nancy Benoit is infuriated with the WWE for allowing star announcer Jim Ross to attend the memorial service for Nancy and son Daniel in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, according to a source. McMahon did not attend, but Ross did and was the only bold-faced name to stop and talk with reporters outside the Lady of Lourdes Church before the Catholic service. Ross made a point of quashing the steroid rumors.

 

"This is not a steroid issue. That horse needs to be put in the barn and unsaddled. This was a domestic issue. There's a lot of other criteria that has to be involved in it. I still can't believe it even happened. It's a domestic issue, but more than anything it's a tragedy. This is not a steroid issue. It's a mother and little boy, (they) are dead and that's the bottom line as far as I'm concerned," Ross said Saturday.

 

According to the source, Nancy's parents Maureen and Paul Toffoloni and Nancy's younger sister Sandra Toffoloni Sanchez did not consider Ross an invited guest, and were incensed that he made a colorful entrance, including his trademark black cowboy hat.

 

"They thought it was a media ploy by the WWE," the source told the News. "The way he stopped to talk with the media. He also sat in the back of the church and then was the first to leave after the service." Media members were not allowed into the service.

 

Despite the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's chief medical examiner Dr. Kris Sperry also downplaying the role steroids might have played in the tragedy, both Wadler and Dr. Todd Schlifstein, a sports medicine rehab physician and steroid expert at NYU Medical Center, said given Benoit's past steroid and drug abuse, it would be difficult to dismiss the 'roid rage angle so easily.

 

"When you have a stockpile of steroids and a doctor (Phil Astin) prescribing a 10-month supply every three weeks, obviously you're abusing steroids. And abusing steroids has been proven to be linked with aggressive behavior," said Schlifstein. "It's hard to label this as a one-drug problem. More likely, this is a multi-drug casualty. When someone does use high doses of steroids for a long period of time, it's very common for them to use other drugs as well, drugs like Xanax to help control the symptoms of steroid use, like aggression and anger."

 

The toxicology report said no traces of GHB – the infamous "date-rape" drug – were found in Benoit, but GHB stays in urine less than 8 hours and in blood between 8 and 12 hours. Many labs are not properly set up to carry out GHB testing. The News has reported that Benoit abused GHB in the past.

[Tim Evans]

They only way people will think WWE is taking it seriously is if Batista and Lashley are depushed. WWE has treated this shitty no doubt. I don't see things changing and it will come back and bite them in the ass when another big name dies.

[Loss]

Batista or Lashley dying, sadly, wouldn't change a thing. HHH, Undertaker or Austin dropping dead are the only ones that I could actually see making a difference in the way they do things in the future.

[Guest teke184]

Batista or Lashley dying, sadly, wouldn't change a thing. HHH, Undertaker or Austin dropping dead are the only ones that I could actually see making a difference in the way they do things in the future.

I'm not sure that Austin or Taker would do it.

 

Austin's had enough problems in the past 10 years that they can play off a lot of his health issues as being associated with long-term damage on his neck. (Painkiller addiction, alcohol abuse, steroid abuse, etc.)

 

 

 

Triple H would make them rethink things, if only because it would finally hit home with Vince that guys being total steroid-monsters severely shortens their life expectancy.

 

With Trips being Vince's son-in-law and the father of his granddaughter, it would be a HUGE personal hit for him.

[Bix]

Austin was also in WCW for 4 years. HE DID HIS DAMAGE THERE!

[maxpower]

This is a great read in light of recent events:

 

http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/h...t.asp?aID=20212

[Tim Evans]

Great read? Maybe I don't get the humor but I thought that sucked.

[Loss]

Tim, re-read Kennedy's blog entry from a little while back, then re-read this.

[Marty]

Fucking sickening of JR. This is far more vile than any comments he's made since the passings. I think the funeral for Nancy and David should've been far more private than what it was (I mean, shit, do we even know the date of Chris' funeral?) and limited to only family and close friends (I noticed in some photos that Vicki Guerrero was there, for example), but JR could've at least *pretended* to be genuine (i.e. lose the cowboy hat, tell the media to get lost, etc.). Perhaps Loss was right when discussing the McMahon death angle when he said that the WWE is more upfront about their lack of genuine nature.

[S.L.L.]

TMZ reports the death of John Kronus

 

TMZ isn't exactly The New York Times, but when the death of John Kronus gets even that much media coverage, it seems really, really foreboding for Vince McMahon.

[Bix]

Gotta drag this over:

 

I was asked to attend the services of Nancy and Daniel Benoit by the WWE to represent the company and I did so willingly...but I can assure all who matter, that my intentions were honorable and I was not sent to Daytona to do “damage control” as some have speculated.

Awesome I want to hear Jim Ross explain how he didn't rub dirt in the Toffoloni's couch.

 

 

[Loss]

So, Scott Keith is apparently writing a book about the death rate in wrestling and the Benoit case.

 

I'm glad PWO is kinda under the radar, or else some of us might get plagiarized.

[Marty]

So, Scott Keith is apparently writing a book about the death rate in wrestling and the Benoit case.

 

I'm glad PWO is kinda under the radar, or else some of us might get plagiarized.

Even if that happened and everyone all sued for whatever he was making in book sales, Scott himself has fallen under the radar so much that I don't think it'd be worth everyone suing for $10 apiece.

[Guest Will]

This got posted over at the DVDVR board:

 

 

 

I'd really love to see John Cena being interviewed and have this pop up on the screen.

 

"Now John, can you please explain why you appear ready to EXPLODE in this photograph?"

[Bix]

Remember, he's never done "anabolics."

[maxpower]

Remember, he's never done "anabolics."

Exactly. Lance Storm was on Figure 4 Daily last week and he told of Cena not only publicly saying he's never done anabolic steroids but also telling fellow wrestlers the same. But he always makes sure to say he's never done anabolic steroids which leaves him tons of wiggle room.

[Dylan Waco]

This got posted over at the DVDVR board:

 

 

 

"Word life, this is basic anabolics.

[tomk]

Batista or Lashley dying, sadly, wouldn't change a thing. HHH, Undertaker or Austin dropping dead are the only ones that I could actually see making a difference in the way they do things in the future.

 

I don't know. I think this is a Captain Save a Ho situation, where everyone in wrestling knows that they're whores, and everyone outside of wrestling feels that wrestlers deserve about as much social status as whores.

 

No one will push for changes in the way stuff is done in future if they drop dead.

 

They may have to kill their wives and kids on the way out for something to change.

 

I maybe too cycical here but...

 

So, Scott Keith is apparently writing a book about the death rate in wrestling and the Benoit case.

 

I'm glad PWO is kinda under the radar, or else some of us might get plagiarized.

So I was plagarized by Ketih in the past. It was always weird seeing what talking points he chooses to grab. It never really bothered me unless he completely misused or misinterpreted my jokes/commentary. That said if he's really writting a book on this, someone should forward this stuff to him as I'd rather he plagarized you than some of the other current writtings on the web.

[tomk]

Yeah really thumbs up for Lance Storm here.

 

I should know better than to compliment Lance Storm.

Apparently you can be drug free and still an idiot.

 

http://www.stormwrestling.com/072007.html

 

Lance Storm on Marc Mero:

 

 

Not EVERYONE else was doing it and those of use who weren’t either suffered for it, or gave into the pressure and got dragged down the toilet with you...but admit that you were part of the problem, and realize that your past actions may have pushed others into drug use...It just angers me when the people who started the problem or continued to perpetuate it, deny they are the biggest part of the problem, and then after reaping the rewards of their actions later claim victim status and try to dump all the responsibility on those who are likely more guilty of not stopping the problem or looking the other way than actually causing the problem in the first place.

Yes it was Mero's steroid use that pushed other wrestlers to put the needle to their ass while the promotion is only guily of not stopping the problem or looking the other way.

[sek69]

You know, at least when a WWE employee spouts ridiculous bullshit you can say "well, he's trying to keep his job", but Lance is just an idiot. I mean, technically there's no one forcing wrestlers to take drugs but to act like you don't know what compels them to do so is just plain retarded. How can anyone argue that to get any significant push in the WWE you need to be either A. freakishly tall B. freakishly fat or C. freakishly muscled. You can be in the WWE without any of those qualifications, but don't expect to get too much further than the midcard if that.

 

Do people who push the "personal choice" argument really think someone like Benoit would be pushed at the level he was with the exact same skill but off roids? On what would they base that opinion on? And for that matter, why doesn't anyone on any of these talk shows (and someone might have, I didn't watch them all) just lay all the cards on the table already and point out that the company that shapes what pro wrestling is defined as is run by a 62 year old man who was recently on the cover of Muscle and Fitness looking like Popeye after a spinach bender? Hell, all you'd need to do is show a clip of Vince walking to the ring for one of his matches and that pretty much would destroy any and all argument made by WWE. You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to put these clues together. That's been the most frustrating thing of all this: You expect WWE to be deceptive and scummy but you'd think someone would do the 5 minutes of prep work necessary to completely own anyone coming on a show simply to spread bullshit.

[Resident Evil]

Yeah really thumbs up for Lance Storm here.

 

I should know better than to compliment Lance Storm.

Apparently you can be drug free and still an idiot.

 

http://www.stormwrestling.com/072007.html

 

Lance Storm on Marc Mero:

 

 

Not EVERYONE else was doing it and those of use who weren’t either suffered for it, or gave into the pressure and got dragged down the toilet with you...but admit that you were part of the problem, and realize that your past actions may have pushed others into drug use...It just angers me when the people who started the problem or continued to perpetuate it, deny they are the biggest part of the problem, and then after reaping the rewards of their actions later claim victim status and try to dump all the responsibility on those who are likely more guilty of not stopping the problem or looking the other way than actually causing the problem in the first place.

Yes it was Mero's steroid use that pushed other wrestlers to put the needle to their ass while the promotion is only guily of not stopping the problem or looking the other way.

 

I agree with Lance here quite a bit. Yes, it was Mero's steroid useage in part that pushed other wrestlers to put the needle in as was all the other wrestlers who did it. He was and they were/are part of the problem.

 

The thing is although wrestling is not a sport where there are wins and losses it does happen to be an extremely physical activity. Moreso than most of the sports out there. Steroids give you an edge to preform this. They give you an athletic edge and allow yourself to take you to the next level. A level that the person who doesn't have roids in him can not reach. That puts them at a disadvantage and is simply not fair. Now of course, wrestling is showmanship as well but the fact remains that it has always been and always will be an athletic spectacle too.

meone who is doing it the right route without help is going to feel compelled to take some juice just to keep up. This happens in bodybuilding and sports as well. In wrestling, you also have the problem of lookingbelievable. Steroids also give you the edge there and make you look more the part. So yes, although it's a personal choice it is wrestlers who are taking steroids that are pushing others who might not otherwise do so to take the juice.

 

Lance is not saying the promotion is only guilty of not stopping the problem or looking away. He's saying that the wrestlers are more likely

guilty of the problem than the promotion is. That the promotion's biggest problem is perhaps just looking the other way on what the wrestlers would do anyway.

 

This is a tremendous point. The mentality of the people in this business is such that they themselves will take help to get ahead. And trust me, even a good portion of the people who don't want to think of doing it as well. The wrestlers will do it on their own because of the way their brains are wired. However, in saying that promotions like the WWE are a big part of the problem as well. There is no denying that.

[kjh]

Yeah, Storm's column was pretty messed up. I get a sense he doesn't realise how lucky he was. He was someone who was blessed with a great natural physique, so he didn't have the same pressure to bulk up like those less fortunate than him. He was also lucky that he didn't have any major injuries during his career, so he didn't have the same pressure to use pain pills to rush back to work for fear of losing his job. Mero on the other hand tore his ACL in February 1997, had major reconstructive knee surgery and reinjured his knee in training for his comeback, but was back wrestling by September, a shell of his former self.

 

Given that Lance Storm was given gimmicks that openly mocked his real life personality, I'm surprised he hasn't yet realised the personal choice argument for the red herring that it is. Was he oblivious to the messages being sent when he was booked as a sanctimonious heel who was too serious and a face who was too boring and needed help lightening up? Did he have to put up with so much hazing from the likes of JBL due to his stubborn sobriety that he forgot that the company condones and breeds that mentality?

[Bix]

Per Meltzer on today's F4D, Benoit's heart was normal. Weird.