For the next few hours, I will be offering updates and links to stories on the late Chris Benoit. ABC has reported that “instruments of death” were found at the scene and that the wrestling industry itself is about to come under heavy media scrutiny.
I just saw Benoit at Kentucky Kingdom on June 1st, he worked a match with OVW prospect Mike Kruel. They had a good match that really let Kruel show what he had to offer. There was only a couple hundred fans in attendance, yet Kruel looked a little nervous, like he knew this match could make or break him in a lot of peoples eyes. And that he would only look as good as Benoit let him look. And to Benoits credit, he made Kruel look great, he made Kruel look like he might be able to beat Chris Benoit, and what better compliment to a wrestler is there. I remember leaving there feeling so lucky, I had already seen Benoit twice this year (the other time being the Indianapolis RAW before Mania)and it was only June, maybe I might get a chance for a third time, alas it will not happen.
Rightly or not, this will do nothing to help the mainstream image of the business, and that's an anathema to his in-ring efforts to give it respect.
I'm dismayed by the county DA's comments that the final details will be bizarre. I'm not an objective audience to this comments, but they sound like he's trying to get on Nancy Grace's show.
Don't mistake that frustration with any diluted anger toward Benoit. There's still plenty of shock and disappointment toward him. How could fans chant his name in memoriam in light of what the evidence points toward?
Call it a knee-jerk reaction, but in light of this weekend's events, the best thing the WWE can do from here on is pretend that character never existed. That's why, in retrospect, last night's RAW worked so well: They closed the book on Benoit.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Here is a recap of Wade Keller's audio update from last night posted by a member of a board I run:
From Wade Keller's Audio Update:
-He said it is being reported he suffocated his wife and son, perhaps a day apart. And then hung himself. Late Sunday night, he sent a strange text message to a person within the WWE. The police broke into the house at 2:30 pm today and found them in separate rooms.
-Hardly anybody backstage really knew Benoit. He had a very small inner circle that one time included Eddy Guerrero and recently included Chavo Guerrero. But even they had a certain psychological distance from Benoit. Everyone could tell that something wasn't right lately with Benoit.
-A lot of steroids were found in the Benoit household, and Benoit has had bouts with "roid rages". WWE may suffer publicly because of their unenforced "Wellness Policy".
- The person who received the strange text message was in fact Chavo Guerrero, and Keller also mentioned that they're dropping the Mr. McMahon angle and probably won't do anymore Benoit tributes (that is, no more tribute shows - may still do the birth-death dates and picture opening on ECW and Smackdown)
Ffej- The 2005 NCAA "W" Tourney Pick 'Em Champion modernmythpress.com
I have started replies to you 3 or 4 times and everytime abandoned the effort with the, "what's the point". :-/ But the point is Chris was universally hailed as one of the GOOD guys in wrestling. We know Steve Austin is a doucebag. We know Razor Ramon is a screwed up lush. And so on. But Chris was a GOOD guy.
I mean, geez, I can now honestly say that sad as it is, the Ultimate Warrior is actually one of the most level headed guys in the business. Considering the real life screwed upness of the rest of the bunch, he IS class.
Originally posted by beefncheddar(deleted by CRZ on 26.6.07 0937)
It's from the comments section on the article on the deaths at TMZ.com. The commenter is using his second cousin, who supposedly works with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations as a source. I'd really, really like it to be true, but everything I'm hearing in more mainstream news sources is contradicting this.
(deleted by kwik on 26.6.07 1040)
(resurrected by CRZ on 26.6.07 0941)
(edited by CRZ on 26.6.07 0942) For reasons of creative incompetence, this space will be left blank. Advertising opportunities are avaliable though!!! Contact (Number removed due to pending litigation) for details!
Please, no speculative posts. No speculation. No unsourced "news." Those of you who have posted six times can stop for a while. Standard admin disclaimer. Don't post something you'll look back on and regret later. NO STUPID SHIT. Nobody's in the mood for your stupid shit. Especially me.
Originally posted by beefncheddarSaw this posted in a different place, with no link provided. Make of it what you will. I haven't seen it posted/reported anywhere else.
speculation
This is similar to what I've seen over at ExtremeSkins and NeoGaf. This is said to have been posted in this comments of the the Benoit story on TMZ.com. I take it with a grain of salt. I'm waiting until more information is released this afternoon from the officials. No matter how this whole thing pans out, It's very sad and tragic.
If the AP or CNN or other news sources report something, that's okay. TMZ is not the AP, and TMZ's comment section surely isn't the AP.
If semi-anonymous comments turn out to be right, we'll find out in a little bit anyway. There's no rush to be the first person to report things here. If they're not, it's best not to propagate false news.
Originally posted by CRZPlease, no speculative posts. No speculation. No unsourced "news." Those of you who have posted six times can stop for a while. Standard admin disclaimer. Don't post something you'll look back on and regret later. NO STUPID SHIT. Nobody's in the mood for your stupid shit. Especially me.
I have been lurking because I really do not what to say. I misted when CM Punk was on RAW. I cried like a baby when Stephanie was on. By the time Chavo was on I had no more tears left, although Edge's line about two Canadians fighting over beer shattered me.
I want to say something about celebrating a life, but it's three lives, all cut tragically short, for reasons we may never understand properly, and I am not sure that I want to ever understand.
I know someone in thread mentioned not "cutting promos" and this post will look a bit like one. It is sincerely meant in the honor and respect for Chris Benoit as the wrestling performer.
I was out of town the whole weekend away from the internet and pretty much wrestling. I WAS in Georgia, a serious "twist of fate", irony, or just coincidence, at a FAMILY REUNION! To be on my way back home to get a call from two close friends of mine on such a horrible tragedy emotionally wrecked my psyche.
I've watched Chris Benoit since he was on a WCW Clash of Champions where he wrestled Brad Armstrong and the match finished with a tiger suplex. Since then I've watched him develop, some what change, and totally become a premier athlete in wrestling.
I don't remember much of his WCW history as some of you do that is why I start below where I do.
I remember when he "Won the WCW title". It was his last day with WCW as it was for Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, and Eddie Guerrero.
Since then I think I've seen Chris Benoit have his best days and put on some of the greatest wrestling matches on sheer intensity alone. He did give his all every night and I was lucky enough to see Chris Benoit when he was world champion in 2004 at Bad Blood in Columbus, Ohio.
I remember they tried to build up Kane as the true monster heel and Benoit wouldn't be able to beat him. Yet they had a good match, Kane lost, and "Chris Benoit is 4 REAL!"
Chris Benoit thrived on intensity alone and I think it really defined his passion, love, and time he spent in the ring. You couldn't just asign him a label, term, or one word. I truly believe Chris Benoit was almost indescribable. People held back what should have been a world champion many times over down to the middle of the pack. I won't name anyone because it isn't the time nor the place to point out what others did, didn't do, or have said against this man.
What is the measure of a man? Some say it's his personal life, family, and how they keep it all together. Well, in light of recent events, I choose not use that as his measure.
Chris Benoit measure was in front of us every time he stepped out into that ring. No body can touch that. He did, what he did do, it all for us. We can not say thank you enough to someone who goes out every night and puts the weight of the world on his shoulders to entertain people. That is what he did plain and simple.
God knows I've been on this board time in and time out not being the best person. I recently started going back to Church and it's been about month. I'm not one who preaches and I know I'm not right nor ever will be about some things in life or wrestling.
I just leave you with this...always remember Chris Benoit for what he did, how he made you happy, and keep his legacy alive.
Remember to tell everyone that you consider to be a loved one that you do LOVE them because you never know when it might be that fated last time.
God bless you all...
RIP Chris Benoit, Nancy (Woman) Benoit, and Daniel.
(edited by jwrestle on 26.6.07 1202)
"World, Canadian, Celtic, Fusion all pulled off as there own."
Great stuff really, I enjoyed getting to see the first stunner. savio sold it like murder. Is it just me or is trips bigger in that picture than he was early in his WWF career?