God bless you Chris

rockfresh126 · Supreme Being

God bless you Chris

VIRALEUS · Supreme Being

Boy this story took a turn for the worse with Benoit now presumed to have murdered his wife and son before killing himself. I've really tried to refrain from hero worship, but I'm as guilty as the next person when it came to Benoit. The guy busted his ass in his profession. At 5'10" he was still "small" for wrestling and that didn't stop him. I don't know if it was the roids or something else within the family that set these unfortunate events off, but I only hope that peace has been found for all parties involved.

ESPN story here

daigz · Supreme Being

Unlike a lot of people, but not us, who are trashing Benoit's wrestling legacy on other sites that he has built over 2 decades, because of what happened, we have to separate Chris Benoit the wrestler and Chris Benoit the person.

Yes, what he appears to have done is inexcusable but we all have to take the high road, from fans, from politicians, from athletes and from WWE, who's really going to be under the microscope now by the way, because of all the wrestlers who continue to die, so that this kind of thing doesn't happen any more.

Chris was a great wrestler. When I was in high school I would watch Stampede Wrestling from Calgary on TSN (the Canadian ESPN) like 17 or 18 years ago and, as I youngster, I could see this guy "had it." Everyone repsected him and those that went years back with him (Chavo, Eddie, Rey Rey, Malenko, Arn Anderson, Vince, Jericho, Angle, HHH, JBL, Edge, Christian Cage, the list goes on) loved him. But he obviously had some hidden personal demons.

This is tragic and it really sucks because there is no excuse for murder-suicide but what is most alarming is that it goes against everything in life that the Chris Benoit legacy stood for; perseverance, respect, being a great influence on others and never giving up.

As wrestling fans, along with the profession itself and the establishement (i.e. law enforcement, doctors, trainers, sociologists and other higher-ups) we have to support each other and work together so that this kind of thing doesn't happen again. As for people who don't "know" wrestling, or even those who do know wrestling, but are now suddenly chiming in with their pot-shots, I ask that you think before you speak. Benoit provided many of us with about 10-20 years of great memories, don't ever forget that even though what he did was inexcusable. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. We need to remember the great wrestling memories Chris Benoit provided us but realize what it looks like he did was wrong and that what appears on the surface (i.e. in the public eye) is one thing but what is bubbling under the surface is something else.

I hope everyone else and I can find peace from this some day.

rockfresh126 · Supreme Being

Great thoughts daigz. If anyone thinks I was a little too much hero worship on my original post, I posted that after just hearing about the deaths of the family, not the details.

Chris was easily in my top five when it came to greatest wrestlers of all time. I admired the man for not only busting his ass every night, but more importantly for the fact that he did whatever was asked of him, and not complaining about it. I met him once after a show, and had a framed autographed picture with him on it with me and him on my wall. Now i don't know what to do with it.

To hear the facts of the last 24 hrs. comes as a huge shock to me. Even after hearing what has happened, theres a part of me that wants to say that there is no way he could have done this. It just goes against everything you've ever heard about Chris. How the hell are Dean Malenko and Chavo feeling today, with everything that's happened, and probably with maybe just now getting over the death of Eddie. Chavo said during an interview on Raw, that he had just been to Chris's house the other day, and was treated like "family." What's he got to be feeling after this? I don't really know what to think about Chris anymore. Do I retain my admiration for one of the best wrestlers of all time? Or is it time to say enough is enough with wrestling. I for one am sick of seeing guys I loved die at a young age.

RIP Eddie, Hennig, Bulldog, Bossman, Rude, Pillman, Owen and anyone else I've left out. What is the world coming too?

daigz · Supreme Being

Don't worry Rockfresh. I know you posted that before the story really took the bizarre turn.

Great thoughts, as well. I say cherish your memories but otherwise I, and maybe I speak for others, are just as confused as you are.

BTW, imagine how shocked everyone in WWE must feel right now. Apparently Vince McMahon was a rock in the locker room on RAW last night. While we may get sick of his ego and his storylines at times, he once again displayed that he is a true leader. Good for him.

Jan · Veteran Member

I find it a bit funny how Vinnie Mac - after rolling out the brisk memorial in the middle of a triple homicide - has become mute regarding Chris save to dispute the 'roids talk.

You'll find a number of tributes to Benoit on youtube as well as some harsh criticisms of him (some simply for the tributes). I can't dispute either side. There are numerous wrestlers with domestic, drug, and traffic offenses, and there have been a lot of tragic ends that you probably forget or learn of one each day (I discovered Mike Awesome hung himself on February, Sherri Martel mysteriously this month). What Chris did will permanently taint his great legacy. But I'm actually HOPING they find drugs in his system because I just can't envision that man committing those horrible acts otherwise. He lived and breathed pro wrestling more than anyone; he had such talent that he brought out the best in his opponent regardless of weight division, age, or ring experience; and I can't think of a time when he suffered from bigheadedness like other superstars. As inhuman as he looks to many now, I still remember him finally breaking down on television and declaring his love at Eddie's wake. He was a human being and I can only assume that he was hurting in his final days. I hope those three are in a better place.

badgirllover · Supreme Being

Everyone here knows well, that an inner man's life is indescribable.

I have learned that one of man's most important, personal victories in life is learning to control his natural, in-born, temperment.

Obviously, it will fire from time to time, but you must train to keep it down.

Even those who are considered the strongest, sometimes break, and then suddenly those we consider sane, we now consider insane.

You can be a light, or a judge.

The fact of the matter is, we don't know what caused it. I might kill a man while drinking alcohol, but it is not just the alcohol doing the killing.

It's a partnership in crime, or basically, an excuse to release regressed rage.

Or 1,000 of 1,000,000 more possible possibilities.

Even Chris's closest friends only have a glimpse of what lies in his conscious.

I would choose to learn from this, and apply it to your own circle of influence.

The lesson? We are responsible for our own choices. I see no reason to damn Chris's for his, but I can "choose" to learn from it.

We need to remember that humans are fragile, words hurt, and compliments never run out of stock.

Choose either logic or emotion to run your life. Emotion, gives a much higher chance of double or triple homicide. Keep your temperment down. Seek to understand, then to be understood.

STARR · Member

As a lifelong fan of wrestling, I was shocked by the actions of the wrestler I long considered to be the best in the business, Chris Benoit. If there were a role model in the business, I had looked on him as the prototype. Hard work and dedication, despite your size, could pay off. The fans seemed to pop loudly for him and from what I heard, he had the respect of the guys in the back. So, when it was determined that he committed the horrific act of murdering his family and then himself, a part of me refused to believe it. Initially.

Now, after hearing some of the horror stories and details wrestlers endure to live THE LIFE, I cannot hang 100% of the blame on Benoits head or the deaths of others wrestlers directly on them. Many people have come out with the excuse, Well, they choose to do what they do or Nobody forced them to take drugs. Both marginally true. Nobody puts an actual gun to their heads and forces them to head down the path they do. I dare say that most of the wrestlers have addictive personalities and their addiction is not to the action so much as it is to the reception we fans give them. To us, they are idols and to many of the teenagers and pre-teens, they are like gods. Its like seeing their favorite superhero in the ring on television week after week. Hell, I REVERE these athletes who day in and day out, 1) perform half-naked or in ridiculous outfits in front of a bunch of strangers on a nightly basis and 2) put their bodies through more in one night than most of us put our bodies through in a whole lifetime.

But both the industry and we fans are complicit in the tragic lives of these men and women we supposedly love. Fans, ask yourself this: how many times have to yelled Boring (either in person or at your television screen) when the wrestlers start chain wrestling or simply use wear-down maneuvers? Now, how often have you cheered wildly when they start landing hi-impact or risky maneuvers? How about chair shots? None of this was meant for the human body, yet we eat it up when we see this. And the industry is even more guilty as they reward the wrestlers who have a certain look or in-ring technique by a more substantial push.

Willing to go through a table? Check. Take a few chairshots? Check. Able to talk smack on the mic and have the physique of a comic book character? Check. Able to have hour long matches with loads and loads of technical moves and counter-moves? Umm.no thanks, try the indies. Trying to get by with only those said skills but limited mic skills? Thanks for applying, but we cannot use you.

How about this? Get injured in the ring? We may (or may not) pay for the medical costs of this, but when you return, you are going to have to toil at the bottom of the card (if you arent released outright) for half a year or better before you get a push again (and therefore, increased money in your pocket). Picture it if you are a small, lightweight with exceptional acrobatic skills and speed. Sorry, that doesnt sellbut if you were more muscular and about 30 to 50 pounds heavierer, more muscular, you could be one of the main draws. What? How do you do that? Not sure, but there ARE ways of doing it. Think Oscar Gutierrez has heard something along those lines? How about Eddie Guerrero?

So these men and women are silently marched down a road there is often no coming back from (unless it is eventually in a body bag) and the companies still get rich on tribute shows to these athletes.

Hell, even gladiators had it better. They actually had unions. They had money pools for the gladiators who were accidentally killed or maimed (yes, it was Hollywood who informed us that they always fought to the death) or for the families they left behind. And best of all, they usually only had to fight three or four times a year! Guess weve come a long way, eh?

How to solve some of the problems? Well, a less hectic schedule and an off-season would be a magnificent place to start. How about what Marc Mero suggested? A two-month off-season after WrestleMania. And perhaps having the wrestlers take a mandatory week off every 5 to 6 weeks. Then perhaps having REAL drug testing like the Olympics has. Factor in making counselors available to the wrestlers who need them and not have the encounters filter their way back to the employers. A pension plan for retired wrestlers would be another revolutionary idea. Sadly, I doubt many (if any) of the current performers would agree to this as it would take money out of their pocket and put it in those of the athletes who no longer can perform but helped the current crop of moneymakers get where they are now.

So it burns me and shames me when I hear how lucky these men and women are or that they are simply doing what they love to do. Both may be true, but we as fellow human beings ought to make it safer for these athletes to ply their trade and give us so many memories.

Sorry for the rant, but conditions need to change and I had to vent somewhere. Here's hoping Chris, Nancy and Daniel have found the peace that eluded them in life. Godspeed.