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The 7 - Guest Columns - Outsider's "How Many More"
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JohnPi
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#1 Posted on 23.5.02 1218.25
Reposted on: 23.5.09 1223.04
"How many sports entertainers would re-sculpt their bodies if they didn't have to? If Vince didn't subtly imply that a wrestler wouldn't get on television otherwise? "

I don't want to sound too much like a smart-ass, but really, how did you find out that Vince McMahon tells his wrestlers to "re-sculpt their bodies"? Is this in an interview somewhere? Were you having a conversation with Vince?

There are a lot of articles that I read, and it sounds like the writer intimatly knows what Vince (or any other wrestler, for that matter) is thinking. I don't know about you, but I have not found enough actual quotes from Vince, or credibly verified reports of his actions, to say I know for sure that he is an evil man and treats his wrestlers like cattle. In fact, just the contrary. In Mick Foley's book, Mick tells of how generous Vince is; and The Rock always talks about how nice Vince is to him.

If the facts to exist that Vince is this ego-maniacal, power-hungry, insensitive hose beast prick that a lot of people like to think, I'd love to see it. If I could be proven wrong, then I'd freely admit that I'm wrong.

A more likely scenario:

Obviously there is a lot of (real) competition to get ring time and TV time in the WWE. There is a lot of talent out there that want to work for the formost wrestling company in the world. Now, to make yourself stand out in a crowd of such talent, you must be the best in every aspect of your gimmick. You've got to be the brightest. You've got to be the most in shape. You've gotta look your best. That's not just in wrestling, that's in any occupation. Now, one way to elevate yourself in the wrestling business is to be the biggest, and do the most dangerous spots. Without any nudging from the company, people will figue out on their own that one way to do this is to use performance enhancing drugs, and pain killers. Is this Vince's fault that wrestlers figure this out? If this stuff is so bad, then maybe it should be illegal.

But really, if you want to point fingers (which it sounds like you do) then maybe we should, as fans, point the finger at ourselves. If we didn't pay the money, tune in the TV, and in general go NUTS when the wrestlers do the painful moves, are sculpted like David, and benefit from all the enhancements that drugs can provide, then maybe the wrestlers wouldn't feel the need to abuse these substances.


This, of course, is a bit of a simplification, but it is also a bit of a simplification to just blame Vince and Co. everytime a tragedy like this occured. Do you really think a union would stop this sort of action? In my opinion, if you just provided a guarunteed safety net to the wrestlers that if they screwed up, then they'd be taken care of, they'd take even less care of themselves, because there are no apparent consequences.

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TheBucsFan
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#2 Posted on 23.5.02 1224.24
Reposted on: 23.5.09 1227.28
The key word in the quote you provided was "subtly". I think what the author is/was trying to say is that by pushing the bigger, more muscular guys, Vince McMahon is basically telling his wrestlers that is the way to get more TV time.
shea
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#3 Posted on 23.5.02 1325.08
Reposted on: 23.5.09 1327.37
The article's bottom-line point was that employees need some kind of protection from unscrupulous employers who are only interested in making more money for themselves.

Wrestlers consistently become addicted to drugs and a lot of them die from it. If something can be done about that, wouldn't that be the right thing to do?

PS: he did say "subtly imply". That's a long way from a direct order.


(edited by shea on 23.5.02 1146)
Scorpio
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#4 Posted on 23.5.02 1526.14
Reposted on: 23.5.09 1526.28
Outsider, great article. If only we could get the right people to see it...
StampedeFan23
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#5 Posted on 23.5.02 2304.10
Reposted on: 23.5.09 2304.55
I don't want to sound too much like a smart-ass, but really, how did you find out that Vince McMahon tells his wrestlers to "re-sculpt their bodies"? Is this in an interview somewhere? Were you having a conversation with Vince?

To relate this to Davey Boy's recent death, try reading Tom Billington's biography. Even though Tom knew he was a tremendous wrestler, he knew he couldn't make it in the wreslting world with his size. So he started doing steroids. Same with Davey. Davey was one of the best light heavyweights in the world before the wrestling world changed to feature big guys. So, he changed. Tom, Davey, Superstar Billy Graham: they are all casualties of the modern world of wrestling. I'm glad that Lou Thesz is not around to see this. No wonder he was so disgusted with the modern wrestling product...
BigDaddyLoco
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#6 Posted on 24.5.02 0148.29
Reposted on: 24.5.09 0149.24

    But really, if you want to point fingers (which it sounds like you do) then maybe we should, as fans, point the finger at ourselves. If we didn't pay the money, tune in the TV, and in general go NUTS when the wrestlers do the painful moves, are sculpted like David, and benefit from all the enhancements that drugs can provide, then maybe the wrestlers wouldn't feel the need to abuse these substances.


I hate this arguement.

The fans aren't the ones to blame if Jeff Hardy breaks his kneck flying off a ladder. Or if Tommy Dreamer or Mick Foley can't walk when they are at the age of 50. You can't blame us for Benoit's *enhancements*.

Eddy is the perfect example. Here's a guy with an average build, in wrestling terms, a talented wrestler, great on the mic, but he's too small. To small to be a serious threat. All the charisma and all the talent couldn't get him to the top in WCW or the WWF.

He came back from his absense a lot bigger. He's now a *chizled* Eddy. He's in a program with Austin. I don't think he is anymore or less popular with the average fan because of his look...but maybe he is more popluar with the man who really matters, Vince.



J. Kyle
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Y!:
#7 Posted on 24.5.02 0401.35
Reposted on: 24.5.09 0402.34
I think the Outsider is dead on in his thoughts everytime he speaks. Keep up the good work.
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