Chris Benoit

Diabhal Beag

Wrestling is a scummy business though. I can understand and have no issue with people being able to watch Benoit matches, even enjoy them. A similar point of discussion, not on the same level of tragedy, people still rave about World Class in spite of the Von Erichs tragedy. A lot of people still talk about watching it to this day. Obviously Benoit is a different scale of tragedy and the biggest example of a ****up but shouldn't people receive similar criticism for watching a promotion with the hindsight of what happens to that family? That doesn't happen though.

I don't think there's a right or wrong. Just an issue of personal tolerance really. If you judge somebody for watching a guy like Benoit you have to look long and hard at this artform with some of it's saddest aspects and judge yourself. So many horrible people that shouldn't really be supported in any way are adored and fawned upon as legends. We're all enjoying an industry that's still pretty horrible. Looking down on others is a bit pointless.

Bounty Hunter

Really have huge respect for Chris Nowinski and the work he is doing. Good listen that (MNGs post)

bradlente

It's hard to imagine someone getting into his body of work now and enjoying it after what happened,but when you've been a fan for a long time and consider some of the matches he was involved in as the greatest you've ever seen then it's a bit different.It's not easy to omit those matches when you watched them live and remember them with rose tinted glasses.Also it takes away the credit due to those non-crazy killers that did a great job in them as well.

Ageyev

Don't know if this will work (it's blocked on mobile and you've to verify your age) but here's the documentary on concussions which I mentioned, Head Games: The Global Concussion Crisis. It is mainly focused on sports like NFL but there's a piece on wrestling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaXuqceTdYQ

bradlente

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Wrestling is a scummy business though.

This is the be all and end all for me.Lots have died and others have sacrificed everything for the business.Many are glorified and revered because their end was far more tragic rather than horrific when you compare it to Benoit.The fact is the business has wreaked devastation on the old guard because of the way it was back in the heyday.
Things have changed significantly but when I look back at all the deaths I find it hard to separate Benoit from others.The contentious difference is that he killed in his demise.

ibFoxer

Sin Eater wrote: »

I do too. I understand why others have issues, but i don't mind a Chris Benoit match at all.

That said, I'm not about to put on my Chris Benoit tshirt (The one with the x-ray of a broken bone) that I still have in the closet and stroll around town.

I actually related the whole story to the missus this afternoon (the massive amounts of concussions, Benoit clearly suffering from a mental illness/imbalance at the time, etc) and what i said was, if it had happened 3 or 4 years previous, then i'd probably feel a lot different about the subject, but in my honest opinion i don't think the Benoit of 2007 was the same man of 2004.

As an aside, although obviously not on the same scale as a Double Murder/Suicide, i also related to her how Stone Cold had been arrested, fined, put on probation and given community service for Domestic/Spousal Abuse in the early 2000's, and how his ex-wife had claimed no fewer than 3 separate occasions of this. She wondered why a man who beat up his wife, but has all the appearances of someone who is completely in charge of their faculties, is still so popular, while a man who clearly had demons, and appears to have suffered a mental break, is condemned to hell. I understand the individual crimes are chalk and cheese, but it does make me think a little bit.

Ageyev

Well as evidenced by some comments on this thread as well as countless others across the internet since 2007 and on retro review podcasts, Benoit hasn't been 'condemned to hell' by every wrestling fan. I agree with Rovert that you have to perform serious moral acrobatics to come to the point where one can talk with a straight face about 'separating the character/wrestler' from the man who murdered a child and a woman.

You could question WWE's position though. They had no problem booking Jimmy Snuka after a woman died from head trauma in mysterious circumstances in his hotel room; they put convicted rapist Mike Tyson on their TV show and the Hall of Fame; Mae Young was far from lilly white in how she treated women wrestlers who paid to be trained by her. Their stance on including footage of Benoit seems to have softened a bit with the Network launch.

Steve Austin was asked on a call-in show last year about what he did to Debra and he refused to say anything about it.

ibFoxer

Ageyev wrote: »

You could question WWE's position though. They had no problem booking Jimmy Snuka after a woman died from head trauma in mysterious circumstances in his hotel room; they put convicted rapist Mike Tyson on their TV show and the Hall of Fame; Mae Young was far from lilly white in how she treated women wrestlers who paid to be trained by her.

Good shout. Like i said, makes me think.

Also, condemned to hell might have been a bit strong, but i'm certain everyone gets where i'm coming from.

riffmongous

Anyone else hear JBL at the RR say 'Only 2 men have ever won the RR from position number 1, one of of whom was Shawn Michaels..' Awkward!

Professional Griefer

riffmongous wrote: »

Anyone else hear JBL at the RR say 'Only 2 men have ever won the RR from position number 1, one of of whom was Shawn Michaels..' Awkward!

He also said the other was Rey tbf.

Loughc

Professional Griefer wrote: »

He also said the other was Rey tbf.

Are you sure? Because Rey entered in at number 2 the year he won.

Professional Griefer

Loughc wrote: »

Are you sure? Because Rey entered in at number 2 the year he won.

Yea I know but I'm pretty sure I heard JBL mention Rey as well.

Loughc

Professional Griefer wrote: »

Yea I know but I'm pretty sure I heard JBL mention Rey as well.

Did he? I honestly can't say I heard him mention him with regards number 1. I remember the quote below though.

riffmongous wrote: »

Anyone else hear JBL at the RR say 'Only 2 men have ever won the RR from position number 1, one of of whom was Shawn Michaels..' Awkward!

riffmongous

I remember him mentioning Ray too but I thought it came later in the show and not after the awkward silence

Professional Griefer

Yep, you're right. Just had a quick look and he only mentioned HBK.

laoch na mona

i was a big beniot fan, like others I find it difficult to watch some of his matches because I know what the trauma was leading to, but I can't get over how scummy it is for his employer to take no responsibility for what happened considering it was a result of injuries he suffered on the job.

didn't know his son wants to be a wrestler thats a **** situation to be in

rovert

laoch na mona wrote: »

i was a big beniot fan, like others I find it difficult to watch some of his matches because I know what the trauma was leading to, but I can't get over how scummy it is for his employer to take no responsibility for what happened considering it was a result of injuries he suffered on the job.

In fairness WWE does do strict concussion testing now and pretty much eliminated chairshots to the head. WWE were very shady when it came to Benoit though.

d

laoch na mona wrote: »

idn't know his son wants to be a wrestler thats a **** situation to be in

Read this if you want to know the score on that:
http://www.cagesideseats.com/indies-independent-wrestling-indy-promotions/2014/5/10/5705430/david-benoits-pro-wrestling-debut-cancelled-under-strange

I haven't heard a peep about him being a Wrestler since.

Ageyev

rovert wrote: »

In fairness WWE does do strict concussion testing now...

CM Punk wants to have a word :pac: