Will Vince use the Benoit situation to his advantage?

[Guest the HiTman]

You can never use a bad situation to your advantage correctly. Which was made apparant after Eddie's death. However, the Benoit situation is on another level and has put wrestling in the spot light once again.

 

The WWE have the opportunity to do something with their weekly shows and PPV's now while people are interested and keep them hooked.

 

So my question is whether Vince will ultimately use this situation to his advantage or will he shy away and keep the WWE on the 'low-down'?

[Guest Jung]

He needs to totally re-address the issue of roids for starters. Get everyone in the company, and I mean everyone off them, or they get fired.

 

There has to be a proper clampdown, he's had too many warnings and he's just gone "yeah we'll do something about it" and very clearly they haven't.

 

As I said in the other thread, reduce the schedule they work and have a proper clampdown on steroid.

[Guest Da Showstoppa]

WWE is walking a hair fine tightrope now. Vincent McMahon will not want anyone to get the slightest impression WWE are seeking to take advantage - in fact as witnessed by the erasure of Benoit from their history I would suggest WWE will remain extremely lowkey.

 

Let's be brutally honest here, the mainstream media will be gunning for wrestling now and any slip will be pounced on and magnified in order to shift newspapers or gain viewers. This will be a crusade, and WWE needs to portray themselves as tooth white bright. If anything I imagine that the only things coming from Titan tower will be an announcement of a "zero tollerance" drug policy. I also fully expect the McMahon death angle to be erased too.

 

 

Mike

[The Icon 152]

He needs to totally re-address the issue of roids for starters. Get everyone in the company, and I mean everyone off them, or they get fired.

 

There has to be a proper clampdown, he's had too many warnings and he's just gone "yeah we'll do something about it" and very clearly they haven't.

 

As I said in the other thread, reduce the schedule they work and have a proper clampdown on steroid.

 

It would mean a whole lot of firings. It's only guesswork of course but I would say everybody from Rey Mesterio and Jamie Noble (obvious) to HHH (less obvious these days but possible) and Batista is currently or has being on roids for long periods. They can't fire half the roster no matter how much good it would do, and it would do a lot of good if it killed steroid use.

[Guest Jung]

Why fire them?

 

They have to give them some time obviously, say a month, but after that no prisoners. He has to clamp down and actually do something and not be all Italian FA about it.

 

Majority of them do it, have a big meeting to say get off them or we will not employ you, use Benoit, Eddie whoever as an example, and say it has to end.

 

There isn't any other way of doing it. They are going to have to try and blackball the word "steroids". Remove it completely from wrestling. Incredibly difficult I know, but its the only way.

[The Icon 152]

Why fire them?

 

They have to give them some time obviously, say a month, but after that no prisoners. He has to clamp down and actually do something and not be all Italian FA about it.

 

Majority of them do it, have a big meeting to say get off them or we will not employ you, use Benoit, Eddie whoever as an example, and say it has to end.

 

There isn't any other way of doing it. They are going to have to try and blackball the word "steroids". Remove it completely from wrestling. Incredibly difficult I know, but its the only way.

 

Vince tried that in 1992 after the steroid scandel. Not so much a complete blackball but for sure an attempt. For what ever reason it failed. They tried again with the drug policy last year but that was abandoned as well.

 

They should and may try a third time and like you say they really need to succeed and remove steroids 100% from the sport.

[Guest Jung]

As from your Figure 4 newsletter you posted, perhaps this time, it won't be them who's in charge of it.

[The Icon 152]

Yes perhaps and that would be good.

[Guest Jung]

It would be great, albeit they'd have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

[Murph 93]

Well, hopefully this will show other wrestlers what steroids can do, I mean, Vince can have these policies and all, but if the wrestler's going to take steroids, then he's going to take them.

 

On a side note, I start a course of steroids tomorrow morning :(

[Guest THE Stately]

As from your Figure 4 newsletter you posted, perhaps this time, it won't be them who's in charge of it.

 

From what I understand, the current tests ARE administered by an outside company. One should also bear in mind steroids are prescribed medicines and have legit therapeutic value....though we'd have to be incredibly naive to believe every single person with a script has one that's 100% "for medicinal purposes only." The thing is, you can't very well flunk someone on a test if what shows up is prescribed, nor can one just outright accuse someone of abuse without substantial proof. (Fox News, CNN, etc not included.)

 

Same thing with more traditional prescription medicine--which can also be abused. I don't mean just by wrestlers, I mean *anyone* looking for a buzz.

 

Also, I'm under the impression it's extremely tough to detect HGH (Human Growth Hormones), a popular substitute for the more common steroids.

 

Let's not forget a lot of people are greedy and stupid, when it comes right down to it. So you can bet, no matter what the warnings and risks, there will always be guys looking to cheat. And there will always be young people behaving recklessly with no regard for paying for it later.

[Guest Telf]

As far as WWE "taking advantage" of this situation because they're back in the big time spotlight, it's simply not going to happen. You can't be that unethical on such a huge scale. Vince, guarenteed, will know better

 

If the toxicology reports do indeed suggest that steroids did play a part in what caused Benoit to do what he did, then of course WWE need to take extra steps

 

My current understanding of the Wellness Policy, which may or may not be accurate, is that it's designed to cut out illegal use and the abuse of prescriptions. Now if a doctor has prescribed talent with steroids then that's fair enough if they then take at intervals as prescribed

 

It's completely swings and roundabouts to be honest. They take the steroids to ease the pain and stay in workable shape. If WWE really wanted to take the ball by the horns, they would dramatically decrease the amount of live shows in a year, so the talent gets more of a "natural" rest. This obviously comes with serious business implications

 

It all comes down to the fact that there is an issue with steroids in the wrestling business, but i'm a believer in that WWE, through the Wellness Policy, has done enough to solve some of the problems; and it's certain talent who are abusing the drugs beyond prescription

[Nimf 324]

On a side note, I start a course of steroids tomorrow morning :(

It's not steroids that are bad, it's the abuse of them...So don't you be abusing those steroids!!!

[Guest dpddave]

As nimf said its the abuse of steriods that are bad,when used on a proper cycle there not as bad.

 

Also theres other legal products wrestlers could be using to help with there muscle mass....methyl 1-D is perfectly legal and gives 75% of the results steriods do.

[Guest Twig]

I think that a distinction needs to be made between what's best for the wrestlers, sorry, Superstars, and what's best for Vince. A lack of house shows would allow wrestlers to rest and actually only work a couple nights a week (like John Cena recently implied), but would mean that his employees generate less money for Vince. If he were to stop rewarding and pushing blatantly undertalentled wresters with greek god-like physiques, fewer wrestlers would feel the need to juice like they do. But the sport may loose some interest from makrs who marvel at the size and power of these guys. So, to answer the question... No. Vince's first commitment is too his board members and stock holders. I can see him running a billion dollar industry on the backs of roided up, strung out, worn down wrestlers until he no longer can.

 

It would be incredibly advantageous to build the WWE around a guy like Bryan Danielson. Kids can relate to his appearance, pastey-white, and a bit scrawny. But he can wrestler his ass off, and people will see that workrate and skill is what will get you to the top and not a needle in your ass. Advantageous yes, but it'll still never happen... just like CZW, Daneilson is too good to wrestle there. :lol

Edited June 29, 2007 by Twig

[Paul 584]

Plus dont the guys get more money from house shows than Tv tapings?

[Burakiosaurus 129]

WWE could develop an angle/storyline around it, but how would the wrestlers react to it and would they take it on? i didn't think it could get worse after the Necrophilia angle, but hey, never say never

 

i would personally like to see the some kind of angle built around the whole Benoit thing

[Guest Ed_666]

They should and may try a third time and like you say they really need to succeed and remove steroids 100% from the sport.

 

No, they don't. As mentioned, most wrestlers probably have legally prescribed steroids, and stopping them taking those would increase recovery times from various injuries.

 

Also imagine if there'd never been steroids in wrestling, how many of the top stars may well not have made it - Hogan, Rock, Cena etc

 

Excluding the legal argument, if a person decides to use something which is bad for him, in an attempt in increase his chances of being successful in his career, who are we to say they can't do it?

 

Ed

[Guest Bluestiger99]

No, they don't. As mentioned, most wrestlers probably have legally prescribed steroids, and stopping them taking those would increase recovery times from various injuries.

 

Excluding the legal argument, if a person decides to use something which is bad for him, in an attempt in increase his chances of being successful in his career, who are we to say they can't do it?

 

Ed

 

The same arguement could be made about anything though. Crack, or any other illicit drugs. I think if WWE are going to have a wellness policy, it needs to be strictly enforced, and just something that talent know will be forgotten in a couple months. I know that wrestlers may be on perscription, but if they aren't they need to have swift and severe consequences. Decreasing the work load is also needed, and that is why it won't happen.

[Guest The Franchise]

Or maybe the WWE needs to cut back on their schedules.

 

What happened with the late Chris Benoit was indeed a very sad tragedy. :sad5:

 

The Steriod situation has been a topic for so long its becoming very repetitive. What does the WWE expect? I mean when you are on the road as much as they are with limited rest week after week after week every single year eventually your body has to given in to injuries as well as fatigue.

 

If in fact Benoit was taking them you cant hold those things alone as liable figures as to why he did what he did. Steroids wouldnt be needed as much if their schedules on the road wouldnt be so grueling. When you have so many superstars at your disposal you figure Vince would have an easier time pushing people while giving others a little rest.

 

I mean really how could Vince use this to his advantage? "Dont do drugs?" "Dont try this at home?" At this point I say dont point the finger at wrestlers taking steroids. They are simply doing what they have to do just to stay healthy in order to make a living. Vince McMahon is the one that has these guys out there killing themselves and keeping them away from their families. And we are the spectators of all of that week after week,month after month,and year after year.

 

I mean how many wrestlers do we have to lose in order to get the message that maybe its time for the full time grueling schedule that pro-wrestlers go through to be changed in order to cut down on the use of steroids as well as cut back possibly on these career-threatning injuries that occur on a daily basis. :info7:

[Guest Ed_666]

The same arguement could be made about anything though. Crack, or any other illicit drugs. I think if WWE are going to have a wellness policy, it needs to be strictly enforced, and just something that talent know will be forgotten in a couple months. I know that wrestlers may be on perscription, but if they aren't they need to have swift and severe consequences. Decreasing the work load is also needed, and that is why it won't happen.

 

No it couldn't, that argument makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Crack (or any other drugs) AREN'T prescribed by doctors for the wrestlers.

Crack etc DOES NOT enhance the career prospects of wrestlers, or enable them to perform more and therefore earn more money.

 

The whole point of the Wellness Policy was that wrestlers who didn't have a prescription can't take steroids, and so far, no-one has tested positive for them, as it's an independant company testing, so we'd have heard.

 

Obviously wrestlers who are taking steroids on prescription can't be tested because they'd obviously show them, but it's ok for them to have them.

 

Everyone is assuming there is a huge problem with steroids now, just cause one guy who HAPPENED to take steroids killed his family. It's totally unrelated as far as everyone else goes as saying "video games made me kill all my friends at school". Sure maybe for one person who is already a borderline psychotic, but that doesn't mean you should ban them, just like you shouldn't ban steroids.

 

Ed

[Guest Slim Jim]

Lots of guys have been caught by the welness program. At first they suspended them, but since then they've just stopped paying them for 30 days so we never find out about it.

[Guest Twig]

The whole point of the Wellness Policy was that wrestlers who didn't have a prescription can't take steroids, and so far, no-one has tested positive for them, as it's an independant company testing, so we'd have heard.

 

Obviously wrestlers who are taking steroids on prescription can't be tested because they'd obviously show them, but it's ok for them to have them.

 

Everyone is assuming there is a huge problem with steroids now, just cause one guy who HAPPENED to take steroids killed his family. It's totally unrelated as far as everyone else goes as saying "video games made me kill all my friends at school". Sure maybe for one person who is already a borderline psychotic, but that doesn't mean you should ban them, just like you shouldn't ban steroids.

 

Ed

 

I don't think anyone outside of the influence of an overhyped dramatized media actually think that steroids killed the Benoits. But that doesn't change the fact then when you abuse them they cause serious physical and mental damage. They should be banned. Especially because from what I've heard anabolic steroids are not what one would prescribe to heal muscle injuries, they serve a different purpose and should not be taken in the amounts and with the regularity that wrestlers who use them to bulk up do.

[Guest Ed_666]

Lots of guys have been caught by the welness program. At first they suspended them, but since then they've just stopped paying them for 30 days so we never find out about it.

 

So who are all these wrestlers that have been caught?

 

Also WWE is a public limited company, I'm sure they have to keep records of who they pay and when.

 

Also, the point is the WWE is doing MORE than they have to about steroids, it's not up to them to police wrestlers, they should be taking responsibility for themselves. Do your bosses make you take tests to make sure you're not taking anything which could harm you?

 

Ed

[Guest Twig]

So who are all these wrestlers that have been caught?

 

Also WWE is a public limited company, I'm sure they have to keep records of who they pay and when.

 

Also, the point is the WWE is doing MORE than they have to about steroids, it's not up to them to police wrestlers, they should be taking responsibility for themselves. Do your bosses make you take tests to make sure you're not taking anything which could harm you?

 

Ed

 

I'm not going to give the WWE any credit until they stop perpetuating the cycle in which wrestlers use drugs to keep up with the schedule and get a push.