Metcalfe’s Musings

By Jim Metcalfe, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Friday, July 6, 2007 (1 year, 2 months ago)
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The Benoit murders/suicide case seems to be getting more and more bizarre.
As I write this, the situation with the Wikipedia update on the death of Nancy Benoit — 14 hours prior to her body being found — had hit the wires.
I looked it up and apparently, the anonymous poster did this as a result of some information he/she had received about Benoit missing the “Vengeance” pay-per-view due to a family situation and “speculated” that she was dead.
This poster passed this along, never, in his/her words, thinking that this was what really happened and claiming a coincidence.
This person also wrote that he/she was not associated with WWE — as had been speculated — or the Benoit family but is from Stamford, CT., home of the World Wrestling Entertainment organization.
You know, I just find that this was mere “coincidence” difficult to believe. If it is, one has to wonder what all the speculation was about and where it was coming from.
I guess I would try to remain anonymous, too.
I found it interesting that the WWE withdrew its earlier claim that it was impossible for steroids to have anything to do with this heinous — and if you read Jim “JR” Ross’s post on PWMania.com, totally out of character — act.
Chris Jericho — a long-time wrestling colleague of Benoit’s whom he considered a friend and mentor, as one who would stop him from going off when he wanted to pound someone — concurred with JR’s assessment: this heinous act didn’t “belong” to this man.
Were there signs? Apparently, hours before he murdered his wife, Benoit was wearing a “Violence” T-shirt at his doctor’s office, again, something seemingly out of character to those that knew him. Ross, who claimed to have closely known both Chris and Nancy professionally and personally, wrote that he knew Benoit as a gentleman and the couple never indicated there was any trouble, even with Daniel.
Debra Marshall, ex-wife of Stone Cold Steve Austin, made an eye-opening — and very sad, if true — claim on the Hannity and Colmes show the other night: 60 — 60!!! — wrestlers under the age of 45 have died in the last 10 years, many with enlarged hearts and other unnatural problems, likely due to steroid and other performance-enhancing drug use.
I did some research on the Gary Wills’ web site, listing all the deceased wrestlers going back to the beginning. For example, Jeannette Wolfe died at 18 in 1957. Mark Mendian died at the age of 20 — during or after a match in 2000 — as did Xtreme in 2004. All-American Jeff Peterson Oro died at 21 in 1993 and Chris Von Erich (by suicide) in 1991.  “Big E Sleeze died at 22 in 1997, as did The Spider in 2005.
An aide here: talk about a jinxed family; the von Erichs. Mike and Kerry also committed suicide and — according to Wikipedia — David died under mysterious circumstances. Kevin is the lone one remaining.
Chris Cash and six others died at 23.
Jimmy Beal died in his 20s. Kelly “The Diva” Tabor died at 28 of apparently still-unknown causes — ruled a heart attack.
This is not to suggest that all of these dead-too-young people died from steroids and these types of drugs: some committed suicide, others were in accidents, still others died of accidental overdoses of painkillers or simple alcoholism and some of cancers.
Here’s one rub: steroids have been linked to steroids — remember Lyle Alzado?
Here’s another: it seems as if a lot of wrestlers have died at early ages since its inception, from the time when it was a carnival act. This profession takes a heavy toll on the body; it seems that alcohol and painkillers are a very ordinary and increasing part of the lifestyle to deal with the wear and tear.
Many wrestlers died at ripe old ages but it seems as you progress through to now, many have died at not ripe old ages. It has to give one pause for thought.
Marshall claimed her ex used steroids and she saw the violence and rage — others saw the effects of his abuse on her.
Then she made a claim that is disturbing: nothing was ever done about the abuse because of the money involved for the owner — Vince McMahon. She made another claim that will only be known by God; if she had spoken up before, Nancy and Daniel Benoit might still be alive.
Greta Van Susteren interviewed Bret “The Hit Man” Hart the other night and made mention of the fact that Benoit tested negative April 10.
Hart made a curious statement — to me, at least — to the effect that those wrestlers he talks to are making a concerted effort to make sure these drugs are out of their system when they are tested.
I might be naive — or knave, as Bugs Bunny would put it — but does that mean these tests aren’t random and they quit juicing in time; or does it mean they are getting off these performance-enhancers?
Here’s a query that I have going around in my mind: did the fact that Benoit did do ’roids and other performance-enhancers have anything to do with his son’s condition? Remember, they were treating Daniel with HGH because they felt he was too small but did those drugs alter Chris’s DNA or something in any way?
There has also been speculation that these deaths and that of “Sensational Sherri” Martel — a wrestler and manager — a week earlier were linked. She apparently didn’t die of natural causes but according to police reports, no foul play was suspected.
A former wrestler, Kevin Sullivan, links these deaths.
See what I mean?
It all adds up to this question that everyone wants answered? what would make this seemingly mild-manners, polite, gentle man — outside of the ring — commit this totally opposite act against the ones he loved?
If it was not steroids, what was it? Is it the personality that causes these men and women to get into this profession that is ultimately the problem? I refer to those who claim that if it wouldn’t be drugs and alcohol, it would be something else that would kill these men and women early.
Do you know what I think might scare people: if this wonderful guy could just snap, could we not all be susceptible?
Food for thought.

6 Reader Responses to “Metcalfe’s Musings”

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  1. #1 — Added 1 year, 2 months ago

    A big part of me beleives that Chris Benoit did do this to his family, but another part of me still questions that. Reasons being all of the bizarre facts in teh case. Isn’t it possible that this could have been a murder-cover up to look like Chris did it? After all, there is all the talk about the McMahons and what about Vince when he got caught in the steroid ring. Is it possible that this could be somewhat the same thing and Chris wanted out? He and his family murdered because he knew way too much?
    My personal opinion is that there is too much that is not being told and what is being told does not add up. Too me it is so rotten of a dead fish that it stinks to high heaven.

    Posted on July 6, 2007 at 11:45 am by Benny

  2. #2 — Added 1 year, 2 months ago

    Is the public so naive as to ‘chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence’?

    It’s simple. Big time ‘rasslin’ is a big performance spectacle…inside and outside the ring. Alot of money and political wrangling going on. With all the campaigning taking place, there are some big issues being spotlighted that can be used to promote certain candidates and their platforms. Some people think of campaign time as a kind of war. And if there are a few casualties involved to make a statement regarding violence and religion … well … the Muslims kill and commit suicide for their beliefs …don’t they?

    Posted on July 6, 2007 at 1:07 pm by Kimberly Adkins

  3. #3 — Added 1 year, 1 month ago

    In sports such as football and baseball steroids is used to give the user an edge over his competition. In “professional” wrestling, there is no edge. Everything is scripted out, the outcome of the match is already known by the wrestlers. So it isn’t like Chris Benoit had to use steroids to give him an edge over Batista. However, in wrestling steroids is being used for cosmetic purposes, and not performance purposes.

    Still, the use of steroids is illegal, and the WWE as well as other wrestling promoters should take the necessary steps needed to make their wrestling brands drug free. Especially, when a large part of their target audience is children.

    As far as expecting these wrestling promoters to really push against the use of illegal drugs by their employees? I think they will compromise the system before they compromise their wallets. The Batista’s and Triple H’s are worth far too much money to lose.

    -Ken

    Posted on July 20, 2007 at 3:29 pm by "Ken"

  4. #4 — Added 1 year, 1 month ago

    So far the authorites have only stated that this “APPEARS” to be a double homicide/suicide case; they haven’t made it official, as they say it is an ongoing investigation. They got the toxology report back finding that though Chris Benoit had steroids in his system, it wasn’t at levels to make him go into a roid rage. So obviously roid rage is ruled out.

    So why hasn’t the authorities made it official that this is a double homicide/murder case. Is there something they know that they haven’t told us that makes them question the suicide part? Do they believe it may actually be a triple homicide case, and was set up to look like suicide?

    I admit that I hope that is the case, because up to now I have lost all respect I had for Chris Benoit. I don’t want to believe that he did this horrific thing to his family.

    -Ken

    Posted on July 20, 2007 at 3:40 pm by "Ken"

  5. #5 — Added 1 year, 1 month ago

    I notice that it’s NEVER, EVER Vince McMahon’s fault.

    This guy sits being interviewed with Meredith Viera the next day….looking absolutely GROTESQUE, like a cartoon rendition of a muscleman…and denies that steroids are harmful.

    The problem will never be dealt with because Vinnie Mac will never admit that a problem exists.

    Why should he? He makes money from the wrestlers. He doesn’t give a damn about them or their families.

    Posted on July 22, 2007 at 5:59 pm by Terry C, NJ

  6. #6 — Added 1 year, 1 month ago

    What Chris Benoit did was, indeed, “out of character” for him as we knew him. But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, as the cliche goes. We just never know what is going on in someone’s life and home.

    I’m 31 and was a wrestling fan from the mid-80s to mid-90s, but quickly got turned off by the more power Vince McDickhead was acquiring by the hour, it seemed. He was gobbling up regional promotions and turning wrestling into a complete laughingstock jammed with carnival-like “entertainers” as opposed to wrestlers, like people were used to in the past.

    My personal feeling is that these wrestlers are drinking heavily and taking so many drugs because there is no off-season for them. How can a person be required to perform physical activity over 300 days a year and not be affected by it?

    I’m not condoning the physical and mental abuse their wives suffer with everyday, but these wrestlers need to be unionized and get the appropriate benefits (the same ones that people in every other major sport get).

    Vince McMahon calls what he does “entertainment” so he doesn’t have to be subjected to the rules that govern sporting organizations. That’s less money for him to pocket.

    How can he live with himself putting his employees through so much physical labor and when they can’t make him any more money, he throws them away?

    Posted on July 23, 2007 at 3:39 am by Donna