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CONCUSSIONS IN PRO WRESTLING

I'm a long time fan of PWTorch.com and a fan of wrestling even longer. Your coverage of the Benoit tragedy is unparalleled. But I have must admit, yesterday's findings by the Sports Legacy Institute were actually not a surprise to me. The Tuesday night ECW broadcast prior to the weekend of Benoit's demise stood out to me the second I turned on Raw the following Monday night for the now infamous tribute show.

If you go back to the ECW broadcast, Benoit wrestled Elijah Burke in the main event. During the match, Benoit performed his signature flying headbutt which was countered by Burke by raising his knees to block Benoit's impact. I remember watching that Tuesday night just how exceptionally brutal the impact was from Benoit's head hitting Burke's knees that night. I thought about Benoit's repaired neck, but I really thought to myself, how many concussions Benoit must receive from performing that move three or four times per week.

I will never forget that ECW main event. I will never forget thinking during the tribute Raw, which replayed that same match, that Benoit's head hitting Burke's knees added to what had happened to the Benoit family. I, like Michael Benoit, also feel a little better when I think of this partial explanation to the tragedy. But then I fear what is to come in the future to some of my heroes. Most recently, Umaga and his multiple chairshot send-off from Triple H. I hope the WWE can act on this immediately by utilizing prop chairs or other safer foreign objects so my children can grow up to also love these gladiators, the drama, and the sport my Grandfather passionately introduced me to when I was young.

Thanks for your time.

Don Everett
Lincoln Park, N.J.

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I thought I should share this info with you. However, because this concerns work that I did in my professional capacity as a prosecutor in my country, I'd prefer if you don't name me if you use this info subsequently.

I recently prosecuted a case where a man stabbed his wife to death. Normally, that would be murder. However, the accused had a history of mental illness (schizophrenia and alcohol dependence), as well as a history of uncontrolled diabetes. In fact, his diabetes was so bad that both his legs had been amputated - he had actually killed his wife by crawling up to her while she was sleeping and stabbing her.

He was sent for a psychiatric assessment. It was found that, besides his mental illnesses, his diabetes had also caused several strokes which caused permanent brain damage - scarring of the brain tissue. In turn, the medical opinion was that this brain damage would lead to personality changes, including poor impulse control. Exactly like Chris Benoit.

In this case, his other mental illnesses - taken together with the physiological brain damage caused by the strokes - amounted to 'diminished responsibility', which is a defence to murder under our law (which is largely the same as British law, on this topic). So the charge against him was amended to manslaughter, and he pleaded guilty.

Pat McNeil can probably give a better opinion from a U.S. legal perspective, but this is my own real example of how brain damage can actually be a legal excuse for murder, mitigating it down to manslaughter. I'm pretty sure that US law would have similar provisions.

I really hope WWE (and other wrestling companies) clean themselves up. I want to watch wrestling without feeling guilty.

Regards,

Name Withheld By Request

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I started watching in the mid-'80s when Hulkamania was running wild and I don't remember wrestlers taking the bumps they do nowaday. And I ask myself, "Was wrestling more entertaining back then or now"? I'd say I was much more excited about Tuesday Night Titans at that time than Raw or Smackdown today.

Most of the heavy bumps taken back then were from just a few of the high flyers and most of the chairshots were to the back. But with the advent of Extreme Wrestling, the high-impact moves have become almost a needed part of a wrestling match.

I remember a time when storylines were as important as the matches themselves and that's what made wrestling so fun for me. I've always known it was scripted so I could really not care less how real they make it look in the ring with all the blood and dangerous moves. There was a time when a running powerslam was considered a high-impact move and it was good enough for me.

I hate seeing what the future may bring for all these wrestlers if things keep going as they are. If they want more realistic looking matches, then add more submission moves and keep the chairshots below the head.

Wrestling has tried to make up for its shortcomings with storylines by adding the thrilling moves. Bring us back some characters and good storylines and the people will still watch a "not-as-exciting" match because they care about the outcome.

Mike Shamblin

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RIC FLAIR GONE FROM WWE?

I love Ric Flair. There is just something cool about a guy who can be characterized by one noise: WOO!

Flair has had his ups and downs in television recently. His highest ups would have to be his involvement with Evolution and being co-owner with Vince McMahon. There's a promise of great storylines and TV time when you're teamed with Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton, or competing against Vince McMahon for ownership and control. He could be an evil owner like McMahon. I still remember him scolding the Toronto crowd with Big Show behind him nodding by yelling AND SCREW THE MAPLE LEAFS! But he could also be a thorn in Vince's side with 50 percent control.

But then, there's the lows. Aside from Ron Simmons-like one-word appearances by adding a "WOO!" at special moments, what has he done lately? The biggest storyline was his teaming with Carlito. I'm sure his "you young guys have no passion, no heart!" speech was how he really felt about how an aging wrestler's place among young, talented wrestlers who don't work or even try to be better.

Ric can still have a special place on WWE programming, but it is up to him to promote himself when given opportunities, just like it is up to other, younger, talented stars to do the same. Ric may feel entitled at this point in his career, after winning numerous titles throughout his career and being on the show forever, but he, too, cannot take what he has for granted, much like the younger stars that are obviously slacking off.

What would I like to see in Flair's future? He was a wonderful GM/owner, both as an evil owner and a Vince pest, so why not have him replace William Regal? He can also be comic relief, when people are feeling especially high and mighty, or a little upset. Just walk in and yell "WOO" to loosen the mood. Another role he would excel at as a mentor for an up-and-coming star. Shelton Benjamin comes to mind - and it would go well with his recently blond-dyed hair!

So Ric, I hope you stay in WWE, earn enough to retire healthy, and have a continued role in WWE after you leave the ring. If you go to TNA, there's less job security and not nearly the sized audience, but if you think it's where you belong, follow your heart.

A.A. Norman
Tulsa, Okla.

NICK HOGAN CRITICS: HYPOCRITES

Most of the people that are getting on Nick Hogan for driving the high speeds are the same people who probably text message while they drive, talk on their cell phones while they drive, play on their lap tops, etc. Yes, Nick, not Hulk, made a bad choice, but most of the people who criticize probably are just as bad drivers and have been lucky they have not caused a serious accident yet.

I am tired of always hearing, "Oh, blame the parents." When I was 17, I knew better, when I did something wrong, I took the heat.

Mike Malesev

PWTORCH FORMAT CONVENTIONS

For the sake of clarity to our readers (and to save us time editing these same things over and over), please follow these simple conventions when writing Torch Reax:

-Wrestlers teaming together should be connected with "&" symbol (e.g. Hunter & Michaels, Devon & Ray) or with a "/" (e.g. Animal/Hawk, Harris/Storm), but not dashes and not the word "and."

-To designate wrestlers who are fighting, feuding, or wrestling each other, put a dash (-) between them (e.g. Michaels-McMahon, Jarrett-Sting, Hogan-Andre) or use "vs."

-The word versus should always be abbreviated this way: "vs." with a period afterward (not "v." or "v/s" or "VS" or "VS." or any other way).

-Plus, it's just our policy, but we don't indulge wrestling promotions' strange spelling fetishes where they spell Raw, Smackdown, Heat, Impact, etc. with the haphazard capitalization of various leTTeRz. It seems very "junior high," so no Raw (it's Raw), no iMPACT (it's Impact), etc.

-Please try to avoid overuse of dot-dot-dots. If you have a thought that's "trailing off," you can use for effect, but otherwise, just use periods, commas, and our personal favorite, semicolons if you dare. We have always had a policy of only one exclamation point and no ALL CAPS. Let your words convey the meaning of your point. There's many to choose from out there.

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