Off Topic: Chris Benoit

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 26 Jun 2007, 09:54

WWE.com has provided a new update on the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide situation where they paint a rough timeline of the weekend's events relating to the story.

The WWE.com story is below.

Benoit's death part of a double murder-suicide
Written: June 25, 2007

According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has learned.

Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday's live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE's Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.

Authorities representing the Sheriff's Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit's new Fayetteville home Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the discovery at approximately 4 p.m.

At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities' findings as a double murder-suicide from within the home.

WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.

The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.

WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff's Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.

Chambers2 · Post by **Chambers2** » 26 Jun 2007, 10:09

Fcuk'N'Ell ....thats a bad bad bad case of roid rage

RIP (apart from Chris Benoit who can rot in hell)

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:08

My God! What a tragedy.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:16

find it strange that the Tv companies in america aired a tribute to Benoit, the fornicator just killed his family.
its a shocking thing thats happened , but he's not a fornicating hero.
the tv company didn't show its usual 3 hour show, but instead showed his past fights , makes you sick really,

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:28

Old bones Ian wrote:find it strange that the Tv companies in america aired a tribute to Benoit, the fornicator just killed his family.
its a shocking thing thats happened , but he's not a effing hero.
the tv company didn't show its usual 3 hour show, but instead showed his past fights , makes you sick really,

I hope that had this taken place a few days before the wrestling show, then no way would there have been a tribute show. But it took place a few hours - I'm sure the WWF didn't know half the facts that they know now. Quite possibly only knew that the 3 were dead and an investigation was taking place. It was really a tough situation for them, had it been that Beniot had been murdered along with their family and the WWF just cancelled the show - there would have been some outrage for them not informing the fans. I believe they have done "the show must go on" style tribute shows for past stars who have died suddenly and young.

In hindsight, it would have been better if the WWF would have cancelled it completely... but it was a tough decision to make at the time.

From what I have read, it appears that there will be no tributes in future WWF programming.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 26 Jun 2007, 11:30

Old bones Ian wrote:find it strange that the Tv companies in america aired a tribute to Benoit, the fornicator just killed his family.
its a shocking thing thats happened , but he's not a effing hero.
the tv company didn't show its usual 3 hour show, but instead showed his past fights , makes you sick really,

He quite obviously had some serious demons/psychological problems to do it, so I don't think it was cold-blooded murder in the normal sense. Still, probably unwise to have held a tribute night, but then again as of Monday night it hadn't been confirmed it was he who was the murderer.

Christ, if he had killed them on Friday or Saturday and himself on Monday, imagine if he had turned up to compete on the PPV...

Manos de Oro · Post by **Manos de Oro** » 26 Jun 2007, 13:34

stujones wrote:I believe they have done "the show must go on" style tribute shows for past stars who have died suddenly and young.

I used to watch this pseudo-panto when I was younger. One night I remember staying up watching it live on Sky Sports. There was an accident (off-screen) with one of the performer entrances and it later transpired during the broadcast that he had died. The viewers were informed, in ever surreptitious terms. I went to bed cold that night and felt a chill all through school the next day; to be honest it has never left. No matter how big it is/gets, that outfit always has a backwater murkiness to it for me.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 26 Jun 2007, 13:46

Very few wrestlers seem to live past 40 these days, whether they go out like Benoit, die of a mishap like Owen Hart, have a heart attack due to years of steroid abuse or die because of their dependency to pain killers.

Wrestlers are on the road something like 300 days a year, it takes an unsual personality to live the lifestyle, putting up with nightly injuries etc. Go through any wrestlers bag and you'll usually find a pharmacy of drugs.

I've also noticed that wrestlers who tend to make past 40, tend to be insane like the Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Rowdy Piper, Iron Sheik etc.

I think they need to do an investigation into the wrestling lifestyle as it has no unions, no off days and seems to attract a lot of eccentric and psychotic personalities.

ebeneezer · Post by **ebeneezer** » 26 Jun 2007, 14:27

Apparently the text messages he sent to his friends were really disturbing apparently talking about his wife and son vomiting blood.

These were sent after he killed them.

It was totally premeditated now that we know he killed his wife on saturday, killed his son on sunday then topped himself early on monday.

leforge · Post by **leforge** » 26 Jun 2007, 16:12

Is it the steroids they do they are seem to die young

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 26 Jun 2007, 17:10

Cannibal wrote:Very few wrestlers seem to live past 40 these days, whether they go out like Benoit, die of a mishap like Owen Hart, have a heart attack due to years of steroid abuse or die because of their dependency to pain killers.

Wrestlers are on the road something like 300 days a year, it takes an unsual personality to live the lifestyle, putting up with nightly injuries etc. Go through any wrestlers bag and you'll usually find a pharmacy of drugs.

I've also noticed that wrestlers who tend to make past 40, tend to be insane like the Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Rowdy Piper, Iron Sheik etc.

I think they need to do an investigation into the wrestling lifestyle as it has no unions, no off days and seems to attract a lot of eccentric and psychotic personalities.

The fans of more "legit" combat sports look down their nose at wrestling because "it doesn't hurt", which is just plain ridiculous. It's actually a paradox that they have to mask the GENUINE injuries in order to meet such a demanding schedule. They have to "fight" all over the country several times a week, and sometimes in other countries too. Case in point: A few weeks ago, John Cena was in Portugal on Friday night, Ireland on Saturday night, and back in the States for Monday Night Raw. Now, even if you did a desk job, that schedule would be bad for your health, let alone doing something as physically and mentally intense (mentally for the pressure to perform to an exact standard in front of a huge live audience).

If they get injured, the wrestlers still have to work through it with no recuperation time unless it's a serious injury requiring surgery. More often than not, they still need to be "written" out of their current storyline, which means continuing in the match in which they got injured so as to reach a "natural" conclusion, or having one last match to tie the loose ends together before their hiatus.

Consequently, yes, there is a very high dependency on pain killers and uppers. Also, there is no minimum medical standard to pass, since it isn't officially a sport, so wrestlers can fight injured, can fight with broken down bodies (Terry Funk can barely walk but is still wrestling) and can fight well into their 50s and sometimes even 60s.

No, it isn't sport, but it DOES hurt, and it is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. Wrestlers deserve our respect.

Dirk Kelly · Post by **Dirk Kelly** » 26 Jun 2007, 18:18

If anyone gets the chance, fan or not, watch the documentary - Beyond The Matt, a faciniating insight into wrestling. Showing Jake the Snake meeting his long lost daughter after many years and she berates him for leaving, he explains that 'Vince' made him wrestle on the Monday, travel Tuesday, wrestle Wednesday, travel Thursday, wrestle Friday and then do a massive show on the Saturday. Sunday was the day off but they were too far away to go home. If they didn't they were sacked!

He then stormed off and then the crew caught up with him he was sucking on the crack pipe.

Really disturbing journey about injury, pain killers, drug use the works.

Thank god wrestling isn't boxing as the calls for it to be banned would be huge, I;m not a massive fan but can reel off names of wrestlers who've either died, committed sucide, mained others or are druggies:

Stone Cold (injured)
Brett Hart (injured)
Owen Hart (died in ring)
Kerry Von Erich (sucide)
Gross (injured)
The British Bulldog (broke a bouncers back, crippled and I think sucide)
Earthquake (died)
Andre (died)
Rick Rude (died)
Mr Perfect (died)

Could go on for a few more, but none of the above were old men!

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 26 Jun 2007, 18:28

Anyone who doubts that it doesn't hurt should also watch Wrestling with Shadows a documentary on the Hart family. You get to see a 70/80 year old Stu Hart teach some youngsters. He has one in a hold and is telling the other student quite calmy "you see, now I've put the hold on him so strong that he cannot breath"...then adds (still calmy) "you know how I can tell this?" "Well his lips have gone blue"

Completely agree with Oliver Fennell... One of the hardest jobs on earth. They deserve their fortune they get, but apart from those who are "lucky" enough to get WWF jobs, the money is crap aswell.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 26 Jun 2007, 19:26

I remember seeing an interview with Piper once that I think got him sacked from the WWE at the time because he was so candid.

He was basically talking about the lifestyle where one drug led to another.

You'd get injured, so you'd start taking pain killers to mask it or else lose your spot and income.

You'd then have to work about 5 nights a week, sometimes twice in one night in 2 different states.

After a while of this your body will start fighting with you, so you start taking cocaine or speed to get you up and through a show.

Sometimes after shows, you'll go out and party

Then you'd be so wired that you'd have to take downers just to get to sleep.

Then the exhaustion kicks in and then you take drugs just to get through travelling and more uppers to get you through the next show or public appearence.

Then being on the round as long as you are, your married life takes a strain and you barely see your kids.

Fucked up life really.

ArtOfWar · Post by **ArtOfWar** » 26 Jun 2007, 19:43

As has been mentioned, wrestlers seem to have tonnes of problems. Almost all of them are on the juice and that can't help matters.

In addition to the 'beyond the mat' documentary that Dopey recommended, you should also watch a few 'shoot' interviews which you can see on that wrestling channel on Sky. Wrestlers always talk candidly and in detail on those, and most of them seem to have problems either from wrestling, or in the personal lives.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 26 Jun 2007, 19:54

They just released full details.

He strangled his wife with a power cord on Friday. There was blood under her head and she was wrapped in a towel.

Smothered his son with a bag on Saturday. There was no sign of struggle.

Then he hung himself in his weight room on Sunday, using a cord from one of the weight machines to do it.

Beside both the son and the wife, they found a bible.

Collins2000 · Post by **Collins2000** » 26 Jun 2007, 22:54

oliverfennell wrote:
Cannibal wrote:Very few wrestlers seem to live past 40 these days, whether they go out like Benoit, die of a mishap like Owen Hart, have a heart attack due to years of steroid abuse or die because of their dependency to pain killers.

Wrestlers are on the road something like 300 days a year, it takes an unsual personality to live the lifestyle, putting up with nightly injuries etc. Go through any wrestlers bag and you'll usually find a pharmacy of drugs.

I've also noticed that wrestlers who tend to make past 40, tend to be insane like the Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Rowdy Piper, Iron Sheik etc.

I think they need to do an investigation into the wrestling lifestyle as it has no unions, no off days and seems to attract a lot of eccentric and psychotic personalities.
The fans of more "legit" combat sports look down their nose at wrestling because "it doesn't hurt", which is just plain ridiculous. It's actually a paradox that they have to mask the GENUINE injuries in order to meet such a demanding schedule. They have to "fight" all over the country several times a week, and sometimes in other countries too. Case in point: A few weeks ago, John Cena was in Portugal on Friday night, Ireland on Saturday night, and back in the States for Monday Night Raw. Now, even if you did a desk job, that schedule would be bad for your health, let alone doing something as physically and mentally intense (mentally for the pressure to perform to an exact standard in front of a huge live audience).

If they get injured, the wrestlers still have to work through it with no recuperation time unless it's a serious injury requiring surgery. More often than not, they still need to be "written" out of their current storyline, which means continuing in the match in which they got injured so as to reach a "natural" conclusion, or having one last match to tie the loose ends together before their hiatus.

Consequently, yes, there is a very high dependency on pain killers and uppers. Also, there is no minimum medical standard to pass, since it isn't officially a sport, so wrestlers can fight injured, can fight with broken down bodies (Terry Funk can barely walk but is still wrestling) and can fight well into their 50s and sometimes even 60s.

No, it isn't sport, but it DOES hurt, and it is one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. Wrestlers deserve our respect.

Olive, professional wrestling is 'looked down on' by other sports because it is choreographed. That's all.

As entertainment, it's great. Who could forget McMahon's face when he thought he was going to kiss Trish's bum..................... only to find his head shoved right up Rikishi's sweaty arse crack seconds later?

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 27 Jun 2007, 04:35

Can't remember that particular incident... but yes, it's great entertainment at times. So what if it's scripted - so is theatre!

Secondly, I back the recommendations to watch Beyond the Mat. It is first of all a very well crafted documentary which would be compelling viewing on a human interest level, even if you don't like wrestling. It should also shine a light on the dark side of the industry and also instil in you respect for the "play actors". Whether it's the physical injuries from an individual match (Mick Foley), from a long career (Terry Funk), or the aforementioned psychological injuries (Jake the Snake), nobody will come away from this film thinking wrestling is anything to sniff at.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 27 Jun 2007, 08:25

I wonder what kind of pay structure these guys are on?

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 27 Jun 2007, 08:35

At the time of the WWE's late 90s peak, I read in one of the trade magazines that main draw Steve Austin was on a $6m annual salary. The Rock must have been on similar a year or two later. Scale down through the ranks appropriately.

Small hall wrestlers literally make a few tens of dollars/pounds per night.

Cannibal · Post by **Cannibal** » 27 Jun 2007, 08:51

I trained to be a wrestler for 2 years in Ireland. Here in most promotions you don't get paid at all, they act like they're doing you a favour by putting you on the show.

Then on top of that you have to set up the ring for them, sound checks etc and do all the things that a ring crew would do for WWE all free of charge.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 27 Jun 2007, 09:35

Yes, they used to claim it was a sport but I think this was re-named "sports entertainment" more because of an issue with false advertising i.e. misleading the customer with inaccurate descriptions. I know there was a big steroid scandal in the 80s, but I don't think this affected the branding. Steroids are surely still illegal even in this context? After all, there is competition of a sort i.e. career progression which steroid use would give you an unfair advantage in.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 27 Jun 2007, 12:26

Timeline and text messages:

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/detailedbenoittimeline