It's amazing to me that the WWE had no knowledge of any concussions sustained by Chris Benoit. They may not have any records of such, or even the ability to diagnose one, but their creative team sure knows how to book concussions. I just wonder how many times a WWE booking of a head injury has led to an actual concussion or any sort of brain damage. It's plain ignorance and negligence on their part.
They need to end chairshots to the head. Chairs can still be an effective part of stories, but not as we've seen them used. They also need to end the storyline of Randy Orton kicking people in the head. That just looks awful in light of the latest developments.
I've defended the WWE and the McMahon family for many years, but I just can't anymore. It's made me look foolish too many times. These people live in a world unto themselves. It's really sad, and I hope that Congress can somehow reel them back into reality. I won't hold my breath though.
Mark Townsend
Freeport, Ill.
***
Thanks for your continuing insightful commentary on the Benoit tragedy. As someone who deals with medical related injury issues daily in my work, I would take your recommendation regarding a concussion expert further to require that WWE and TNA have all of their performers undergo MRI or CT scans of their brains. These could be done initially without contrast materials, which carry reactive risks, and which could be required if the initial scan results warranted. Perforrmers whose scans show evidence of long term damage must be evaluated and cleared by a team of neurologists before being allowed to return to the ring.
Also, the use of unprotected chairshots to the head must stop. Other moves involving trauma to the head need to be reviewed to determine if they are safe enough to be allowed to continue. While it is possible that some wrestlers could lose their finisher, there are plenty of other finishers available, even if they have to share moves, which sets up feuds over whose finisher is better (Flair vs. Brisco and Flair vs. Rogers, figure 4 vs. figure 4 come to mind).
I hope that someone will put an end to the madness. I was a big ECW fan, but now I wonder if the use of plunder was worth it.
Thanks again for your thoughtful reporting on this story and for your rebuttals of the talking heads who know nothing of pro wrestling and the former wrestlers looking for their last 15 minutes of fame by pandering to the talking heads or grinding old axes.
Robert Bethea
***
You were dead on with your comments today. Those vicious head shots with the chairs should be banned. The ones to the back I can live with. But not to the head.
But Benoit also had those flying high-risk maneuvers from the top corner rope headbutting his opponent in the middle of the ring. I'm wondering if that particular signature move didn't do more damage to his head over time than chairshots. I think Vince and top brass should evaluate those type of maneuvers as well.
Thanks for listening.
Richard Greene
Cary, N.C.
***
While I will agree with you that the WWE should be alarmed and concerned that it only takes three concussions to manifest later in life as problems, but that is a much bigger issue in the other wrestling companies because as so many wrestling reporters claim the WWE style is a slower style and isn't as hard-hitting.
There was a big reaction among wrestlers initially when roid rage was considered a possible cause of Benoit's actions not only by the mainstream media, but by the wrestling media as well not to mention ex-wrestlers looking for another 15 minutes of fame.
It is about damn time you realized that it was never a realistic hypothesis for what happened over the course of the entire weekend.
Suzanne Abshire
WK: I always said roid rage was merely a potential explanation for him snapping and killing his wife, but never an option for the entirety of the weekend's events. Roid rage is still a potential contributor to him snapping that night (roid rage is more a case of impulse control and short-triggered temper, but an explanation for a rage that lasts longer than several seconds or a minute without other factors present), but his overall despair and depression and hopelessness was a combination of many factors. It was never going to be a simple explanation, and I've been among the loudest voices saying so.
***
Just wanted to drop you a quick note regarding your article. I do 100 percent agree that concussion experts should be on the road with WWE or TNA wrestlers to monitor the amount of head trama they recieve from a night by night basis. I would bet my bottom dollar that there have been wrestlers who had concussions and never even knew it!
Look at Bret Hart as an example, after he recieved the career ending kick to the head from Goldberg. It was at least a day or more before he went for help and was told he had a severe concussion. He went on to finish that match... taking at least two more crashes to his head and neck area. This is what eventually lead (in the long term) to a stroke after a bicycle accident. Bret Hart was able to make a recovery to live a normal life, but was never able to wrestle again. I wonder how many other wrestlers will have that problem as they get older. This is just one example.
With this news about Benoit, maybe it would be a good time to interview Bret and maybe shed somemore light on how Benoit could have been feeling instead of blaming it on steroids.
I pretty much go online three or four times a day to read up on what's happening at the matches. Sometimes I wonder if we care about the wrestlers more than the promoters or the owners! Wrestling has always been known for its "here today, gone tomorrow" attitude. I think a lot of guys take the extra lumps to stay hot.
As stated in an article, Benoit shouldn't have been aloud to do the flying headbutt so often. Having a head trama specialist there could've noticed signs of concussions and forced him to stop. Would that have helped? Maybe. I bet it wouldn't have hurt.
Jason Gosby
Eastern Passage N.S.
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I would have to disagree with your assessment that it was not the "bombshell" announcement early hype indicated it would be.
Having been a fan of Chris Benoit since he first came to WCW, I was really shocked at his murder of Nancy and Daniel. I could not wrap my head around the thought of this hard-working "locker room leader" suddenly snapping and killing his loved ones and himself.
I was saddened at Eddie Guerrero's death, and startled by some of the others, but Chris Benoit's death really hit me hard. Having an explanation for the oddness of his actions, the rashness combined with the calculating nature of his end, eases my mind at least a little. It is also gratifying to know that there is an explanation that can comfort, at least a little, the families that were devastated by the deaths.
I'm certain that Nancy Benoit's family's grief will not be eased by this revelation, but it might be mitigated. Chris Benoit's father is still missing his son, but at least he knows that the child he raised was not a monster.
And, as you yourself wrote, it provides a stark wake-up call for the industry. More than the possibility of "steroid rage," brain damage due to repeated concussions is something pro wrestling must be wary of. I doubt steroids are among Jeff Hardy's risk factors, but his risk-taking wrestling style may need to be altered, at least a little, to keep his head right. In TNA, the X Division is, to a great extent, a bunch of guys who do a lot of high spots, and they will need to look into what they can do to keep themselves safer.
Yesterday's Benoit news may not have been "sexy," in news-speak, but I would say that it was a major and important announcement that should have wide-ranging ramifications. Should have; whether or not it will is, of course, up to the wrestlers and the management, so it's anyone's guess if it does.
Anthony Glassman
Cleveland, Ohio
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