The New York Daily News has a story up today about drug use in the wrestling business. This story comes in the wake of the Beniot Family Tragedy. The article include quotes from Konnan, Sean Waltman (who admits to his addictions), and Glenn “Disco Inferno” Gilbertti. Waltman blames constant travel and a hard ring on his dependency on drug medications. Gilbertti said that wrestlers lived like “rock stars”. “We couldn’t wait to get to the bar after each show,” Gilberti also talked about the GHB craze in pro wrestling. Konnan talked about how easy it was to get pain medications, when asked he said “Everybody knows a doctor who’s a mark”.
William Regal recently spoke with The Daily Star in the UK on the Benoit Family Tragedy. Regal was a close friend of Benoit, but says “you’d only ever be friends with Chris on his terms”. Regal speculated that something in Benoit’s mind snapped when he killed Nancy and his son Daniel. Regal said that he was going to “remember Chris for everything except the last two days of his life”. “I can only think the poor lad has snapped, killed Nancy and thought that his son, who had problems, would have to grow up without parents and he thought it was a mercy killing. I am hoping someone can tell me so I can put it to bed. I’m going to remember Chris for everything except the last two days of his life.”
The Tupelo, MS Daily Journal had a story today on how last night’s Smackdown show packed the BancorpSouth Arena even after the Benoit tragedy. They interviewed teenage fans who didn’t understand what happened but said it wouldn’t keep them from being fans. One person did say his wife, a big fan, decided to sit this show out citing she didn’t feel good about coming this week.
Jim Ross has updated his blog at www.jrsbarbq.com today, in today’s edition he talks about the opening of his new restaurant, and also answers viewers comments on his earlier comments on the Benoit Family Tragedy. Here are a few things he had to say:
s-shahriar questioned my “being a straight shooter” in “the wake of the Benoit tragedy”. The writer also went on to provide me with a grocery list of storylines that were not to his or her liking. Ironically, on many of the storylines I agreed but I am not sure that comes as a revelation. I am from the old school. I love basic wrestling and the athleticism and toughness that old school wrestling provides more often than not. I am not a major proponent of of more “controversial” and “contemporary” storylines that we see at times in the business these days that feature sight gags and sophomoric type humor. However, I do have many friends that do enjoy these “shock jock-like” escapades but I don’t confront them or belittle them because of their choices. Not everyone likes to watch last season’s football games of their favorite college team during the spring and summer over and over again as I do. Mrs. J.R. certainly doesn’t. Not everyone wants to listen to the Eagles like me but I don’t condemn those that don’t. Hell, a lot of folks may not even like Bar-B-Q! As far as the Benoit tragedy is concerned, I am of the firm belief, and this is MY opinion, that we will never know why a family was massacred at the hands of one of the most unlikely individuals to do such an unthinkable act one could ever imagine. I also do not think this is a “roid rage” incident, nor do I think that even when the toxicology report is made public that we will have the answers the insatiable media is seeking. Does that mean I condone steroid or any other drug abuse, of course not. If there was zero tolerance in all forms of professional sports and entertainment when it came to drug use then it would not hurt my feelings. However, society, not just wrestling, has issues. The times are “a changing” and some of these changes are not necessarily for the better. Is it too late to reverse the deadly trends that many of our friends, neighbors and family members have contributed to or are caught up in? Absolutely not. I also believe that for any one in the media to attempt to place the bulk of the blame of the recent tragedy on the WWE’s shoulders is ridiculous. That is not the theory of an “apologist” but my personal thoughts on this heartbreaking matter.
We also received an comment from an individual named Donnie who did not appreciate my comments about me questioning “Chyna’s credibility” on some of the news programs “Chyna” appeared on in recent weeks. For the record Donnie, Chyna was not fired from the WWE but chose for personal reasons to not resign with the WWE. I know this in detail, as I was the one who spent hours speaking with her on multiple days about her issues that were of a personal nature, but also of a contractual and professional nature. I personally felt like Chyna’s comments were all over the road, at times incoherent, and generally challenging to listen to. That’s my opinion on a website that nos my name and that I personally fund. Also, Donnie, I did not think that Debra Marshall came off so brilliantly either, if you must know. Her saying, “How would you like it if a 500 pound man put his knee in your back?” was a little ridiculous wouldn’t you say, as last I looked Steve Austin has never weighed anywhere close to 500 pounds. Plus, on any domestic abuse case there are two sides to every story, but at no time, I repeat, at no time should a man raise his hand to a woman for any reason. It is wrong to do so and cannot be justified or condoned. Debra’s story is her opinion, of which I am sure at some point she will profit from, of which she has the right to express, but in my opinion she vastly overstated many facts. She made it sound as if virtually every wrestler abused his wife, which I find preposterous. Plus, Donnie, the WWE created and owned the name of “Chyna” and retained the rights of the property they created when she left the company. The performer did not create the stage name nor did she own the rights to such. It’s obvious that you are a Chyna fan, which is fine and admirable, but your emotional investment to the character may be clouding your judgment when it comes to basic business logic. I wish zero ill will on Chyna or anyone else, but one can’t “let the facts get in the way of a good story” and because I was there, unlike you, I think I know what occurred better than most whose information essentially comes from tabloids and internet gossip.
