By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Last week, WWE responded to former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski's criticism of WWE related to Lance Cade's death during an interview on NESN. WWE's attempt to de-credit Nowinski was published in The Atlantic publication on Friday.

Nowinski responded to The Hill, an influential political news outlet, late last week. The Hill published his response today at the beginning of the news cycle covering former WWE CEO Linda McMahon's U.S. Senate campaign in Connecticut. The following is a break down of WWE's points and Nowinski's responses.

-- WWE's Point 1: "Chris Nowinski did not reveal, as required, that he suffered previous concussions before signing his contract with WWE."

Nowinski responded: he "was unaware that I had a concussion history until the last one."

-- WWE's Point 2: "He states WWE suggested that its performers take steroids. However, at no time does he ever state that it was suggested that he do so."

Nowinski responded: the push to take banned substances at the WWE was implicit. 
"The point I was making was that they reward people who take steroids," Nowinski said, adding that performers who do get "top billing."

-- WWE's Point 3: His comments that WWE talent perform in matches 200 days a year is not factual. In 2009, the average active roster talent performed 135 days.

Nowinski responded: there's a difference between the average number of days a wrestler works and the range. "Not every talent performs 200 days a year," he said. "I may have rounded up."

Caldwell's Analysis: WWE likely used some fuzzy math on the "135 days" figure, incorporating talent who had breaks in 2009 due to injuries, planned time off, or joining/being released by the company mid-way through the year. Looking at the first-half of 2010, which we have been tracking wins/losses, the top wrestlers in WWE on a full-time schedule worked between 80-90 matches. Take that to a full year and the top wrestlers are wrestling between 160-180 matches this year, not accounting for travel days in-between matches. It's well-above the "135 days" figure WWE cited.

-- WWE's Point 4: Mr. Nowinski states, "They have an environment where it's absolutely unsafe to work in that ring." "They have no oversight into what actually happens in the ring." If so, then why would Mr. Nowinski have ever wanted to be a part of such an environment?

-- WWE's Point 5: "It is very dubious that he ever had a conversation with Lance Cade much less Lance Cade confiding to a total stranger that he used painkillers and steroids."

Nowisnki responded: "They don't think I've ever met my 2003 tag team partner in the WWE developmental system who I worked with in Cincinnati and Louisville in 2002-2003 almost daily and saw regularly while working with WWE until 2007?"

"Linda [McMahon] can spend $24 million on a campaign, you'd think they could hire a decent PR person," he added.

-- WWE's Point 6: "Although renowned in the field of CTE, we are unaware of any specific qualifications or medical degrees that he possesses which would qualify him as an expert on steroids and pain killers."

Nowinski responded: he admits he can't prove that Cade told him he was using steroids. 

"I can never prove I had that conversation with Lance because Lance died when he was 29 years old," he said. "They want to call me a liar -- the person who can confirm it is dead after he worked for them for [almost a decade]."

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