[WWE] Chris Benoit and family found dead

[Laven]

awe that sucks, I liked Adams when he was Crush. I would say Scott Steiner might be next heh that dude is fucking huge

[Lyrical]

ottawasun.com - Other Sports - Benoit's brain badly damaged

Looks like the doctors are ruling that Benoit's brain was so damaged that he couldn't be held responsible for killing his family. What a crock.


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What caused Chris Benoit to do the unspeakable, killing his young son, his wife and himself on a tragic Atlanta weekend less than eight months ago?

Was it depression? Steroid rage? A cocktail combination of pills, drugs and untreated concussions?

Or all of the above?

Tonight, on the CBC investigative series The Fifth Estate, the life and death of the Canadian wrestling icon -- along with the convoluted and troubled life of so many of his ring colleagues -- is examined by former CFLer turned reporter Bob McKeown.

The answers aren't certain. The theories remain just that. But the story of how it happened -- Sun Media obtained a copy of the script -- why it happened, and quite possibly what caused this tragedy of life, sport and entertainment to occur in the backdrop of so many other catastrophes at least offers explanations.

"Benoit's brain looked like the brain of an individual suffering from a specific type of dementia normally seen in people in their 80s or 90s," Dr. Bennett Omalu tells The Fifth Estate. "We don't think it (the murders) was steroid rage. We think it's a different syndrome."

The investigation of Benoit's brain began with a strange call. Mike Benoit, Chris' father, picked up the phone and the voice on the other end asked: "Could he have Chris Benoit's brain?"

Mike Benoit was stunned. "And I kept looking at the phone thinking, 'is this is the National Enquirer? Like, who is this?' "

The brain made its way to Dr. Julian Bailes, the former neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and to his colleague, Omalu.

The doctors believe an abnormal protein, usually found in the brains of elderly people with dementia -- but rarely in middle-aged men -- led to the murder/suicide. They also believe Benoit was not responsible for his actions.

WWE boss Vince McMahon rejects the doctors' argument, saying Benoit could not have functioned as well as he did if he was suffering from dementia.

What is clear is that Benoit was the beneficiary, then the victim of his lifestyle and desire for success.

The fact pro wrestlers die young isn't new. What's startling is the fact their death rate is 7-10 times higher than the general population of similar age.

"If you read their life story, you'll see a very common thread," Bailes says of athletes who die young. "A failure in their personal life, failure in their business life, depression, suicide attempts and then suicide completion."

Chris Benoit's father needs something to hope for.

"I can't bring my son back, can't bring my daughter-in-law back, can't bring my grandson back. But I can make changes going forward," he says. "The wrestling industry will change and they'll change dramatically because of what happened to Chris Benoit."

[Eomer]

Why is it a crock? Did you examine his brain? Are you an expert in the functioning of the human brain and the effects of multiple severe injuries to it?

You can watch the report here: Chris Benoit, Wrestler : Fight to the Death : the fifth estate : CBC News

Typically The Fifth Estate does some pretty damn good reports.

[FulorianC]

Uh, he's dead. Who cares if he was 'responsible' or not? There's nobody left that would be possible to hold accountable if he was responsible.

[Speedteeth_DRo]

That CBC story is a great watch if you are a wrestling fan and have 40 mins to kill at work.

[Tuco]

The guy did diving headbutts for a living, I think it's no wonder he had brain damage.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Eomer

Why is it a crock? Did you examine his brain? Are you an expert in the functioning of the human brain and the effects of multiple severe injuries to it?

I buy the WWE's argument more than the doctor's. If he was in such a state of dementia, how could he be such a good wrestler? As far as being technically sound, he was one of less than a handful of wrestler known as being up there with Kurt Angle (who won an Olympic gold medal). How can a guy that is supposed to have the mental state of an impaired 80 year old able to pull off technically perfect matches?

Not only that, but I live a few miles from his home here in Atlanta. The local news is playing his phone messages that he sent to other wrestlers that day. He spoke very clearly and lucidly, with no pauses. On the day he strangled his son and wife, he certainly didn't sounded like an 80 year old in a state of dementia.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Tuco

The guy did diving headbutts for a living, I think it's no wonder he had brain damage.

It is ironic that both him and one of his best friends died supposedly to their signature moves. Eddie Guerrero's family blamed his "frog splash" off of the top rope as causing too much damage to his joints, so he had to take a ton of pain-killers as a result. At least that's what the family says.

[Tuco]

I think pretty much every experienced wrestler takes pain killers en masse though. I do appreciate the irony your statement provided!

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Tuco

I think pretty much every experienced wrestler takes pain killers en masse though.

They get tested now, so I think it'd be pretty hard to load up on pain killers like the old days. The way he did the splash, he took most of the collision from the other wrestler by landing on his elbow joint and knee caps. The family argued that he was having to take more painkillers than other wrestlers because he insisted on taking the brunt of the collision. Also, how many painkillers do you have to take to die of a heart attack at age 37? Even from some comments that Chavo and Batista said, Eddie was taking more painkillers than the norm for a wrestler. By their account, he wanted to put on a good show for the fans. They said that when he wasn't in front of the cameras, he could barely walk normally from all the pain. But when it was showtime, he went balls out.

[Tuco]

Yeah I see your point.



still lolling at my "He does flying headbutts for a living" comment.

That's why Scotty 2 Hotty and the Rock are the smartest wrestlers for choosing to do these finishing moves.





I will also take this time to remember when I commented at how I wouldn't be surprised if Geralt of Rivia did the worm to finish opponents in the Witcher. Holy shit sometimes I'd be knee deep in zombies and he'd start doing some fancy finisher while getting his ass kicked. Next thing you'd know he'd start the worm man.

[Lyrical]

Originally Posted by Tuco

Yeah I see your point.

From what other wrestlers have said, he could have made more contact stomach-to-stomach, but tried to put almost 100% of the impact on his joints. But he really wanted to protect people he was wrestling with.

[gavinrad]

Originally Posted by Lyrical

I buy the WWE's argument more than the doctor's. If he was in such a state of dementia, how could he be such a good wrestler? As far as being technically sound, he was one of less than a handful of wrestler known as being up there with Kurt Angle (who won an Olympic gold medal). How can a guy that is supposed to have the mental state of an impaired 80 year old able to pull off technically perfect matches?

Uh, this is a joke.

Did you ever see Kurt Angle and and Chris Benoit wrestle? Angle was so obviously holding back so that he didn't embarass Benoit that it was painful to watch. I doubt that anyone in all of professional wrestling could beat Angle at amateur wrestling.

[jayrebb]

Where do you even begin to point the finger with benoit?

The guy was on EVERYTHING. He was on every psychosis causing drug possible.

I mean fucking WOW. This guy should have COMBUSTED INTO FLAMES with the shit he was on.

Xanax (psychosis proven side effect look it up, the kiddies think Xanax is a joke. No benzo is a joke, they can all cause extreme psychosis)
Methamphetamine(nuff said, extreme psychosis. Want to know what a little taste of psychosis feels like? Sniff 40-50 milligrams of Ritalin and talk to me in 8 hours. Go ahead)
GHB (Was legal in the 90's, has nothing to do with his mental state or death. It is a healthy dietary supplement)
Massive concussive damage to the brain (He was on his deathbed with brain damage)
Abused steroids with his neanderthal brain while doped up on every psychosis causing drug known to man.

The guy had a fucking laundry list of registered drugs that cause psychosis with the FDA. LEGITIMATE PRESCRIPTIONS. The FDA killed Benoit. Keep sucking up your government approved bullshit.

The fact is pro wrestlers are ROCK STARS. They use EVERY DRUG AVAILABLE. THEY ARE ALCOHOLICS. THEY ARE DOPE FIENDS. THEY ALL USE COCAINE TO PERFORM. THEY USE HEROIN, NUBAIN, MORPHINE.

Now go call into CNN and Faux News with this ground breaking information that pro wrestlers do every drug known to man. You wont find any surprise over here. They take drugs till they die. Get over it already, its their choice to be a dope head.