Another Wrestler Gone

[Mr. Kinsley]

I realize many of you here are wrestling fans, and since I didn't see it mentioned here I thought you'd want to know.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=3397651&page=1

 

Not to jump to conclusions, but on the heels of the Benoit tradgedy this really has to make you stop and think about the necessity of this "sport." Yeah, it used to be cool back in the days of Superfly Snuka, but the people in charge of it now just seem out of hand.

[boywiththorninside]

Wrestling? How about this music thing? This rock and roll thing.

 

Hank Williams

Buddy Holly

Richie Valens

Elvis

John Lennon

Stu Sutcliffe

Jimi Hendrix

Jim Morrison

Janis Joplin

Mama Cass

Brian Jones

Gram Parsons

Keith Moon

Dennis Wilson

Richard Manuel

Rick Danko

Pig Pen

Keith Godchaux

John Bonham

Skynrd

[Mr. Kinsley]

The difference there is musicians are self-inflicting their demise of their own volition (car/plane crashes not withstanding). Pro wrestlers are pretty much forced into steroid use. Yeah, they chose to go into wrestling, and they chose their lifestyle, but we all know that people crave that kind of fame and attention. It's just like with baseball, where kids in high school have a dream of one day playing in the major leagues. Steroids are seen as the magic key that will open that door. I guess the only reason we aren't seeing the same sort of problem with quite so many premature deaths in real sports (Lyle Alzado being the most obvious exception that comes immediately to mind) is that they are trying to not be too obvious about it. Wrestlers don't really care, in fact for them the whole point of taking the stuff is to look like some sort of cartoon character.

[EL the Famous]

To note...outside of what seemed to be the appearance at the odd indie circuit show, this guy has been retired since 2002. Not saying that the litany of pro wrestlers who have died way too young (not all from steroids and/or drugs) isn't longer than it should be...it pains me to say, you could probably make the same sort of list for any large group of people.