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Though pro wrestling is "fake", in terms of being scripted, the physical bumps most wrestlers take certainly aren't fake. I think that factor (which is also related to taking painkillers) plays a big role in the pre-mature deaths, along with the steroids.
Incidentally, I agree with the idea that many larger guys, even well-built larger guys, tend to have shorter lives, and that probably plays a factor too.
I don't have the facts behind it, but wouldn't over use of steroids be far and away more damaging then over use of pain killers to ones long term health? I obviously know they are both terrible for you, but I would have thought steroids were the more evil of the two vices.
Yeah, I also hate biased stats and they can stick out like a sore thumb. I just don't like defending anything about the wrestling culture - and I was a BIG fan when I was a kid (even into my teenage years, Im ashamed to admit). So even though it prob was not the best comparison I think the general point of the article is dead on.
I agree with the premise of the article....I'm just trying to get a *feel* for just how much worse it is than if the guys had just worked as car salesmen, plumbers, accountants (ohhhhhhhh yeaaaaah, the balance sheet reconciles! ) or whatnot.
Forgive me for being analytical about it, tearing stuff apart like this especially when there is limited information is something I do for a living.
I don't have the facts behind it, but wouldn't over use of steroids be far and away more damaging then over use of pain killers to ones long term health? I obviously know they are both terrible for you, but I would have thought steroids were the more evil of the two vices.
That would be my suspicion especially since those guys were taking Roids back in the days where guys were using some crazy crap in mega doses, including veterinary steroids in some cases.
However, some of the interactions especially with alchohol can cause liver and other organ damage.
Most of the deaths are heart related with drugs being #2.
Except for the heart attacks they probably compare to actors or rockstars.
Too bad about Andre the Giant, I LOVED that guys sense of humor (Pricess Bride is a classic). However, no matter his profession and he never used steroids....his sheer size made him living to a ripe old age highly unlikely.
Then there is also incidents like Chris Benoit shooting his wife/children/himself in what was described as a roid rage - though I don't recall if that was ever proved.
The Chris Benoit "roid rage" story was nothing more than pure media fabrication for sensationalistic purposes. I am sure it is possible that steroids played a small role in his instability. But the fact ist he guy had abused pain pills for decades, suffered multiple severe concussions over his career, and also lost his very close and dear friend Eddie Guerrero not long before he did what he did.
Roid rage is just a fun sensationalistic term for the media to throw around. Funny thing is the so called experts the media relies on to push that BS on viewers likely could not name more than one or 2 types of anabolic steroids, nor could they elaborate on the differences in physical and mental aspects of the different types.
Not trying to hijack the thread, just still hits a nerve with me to think how many so called medical experts were on TV after the Benoit tragedy jumping up and down yelling it was roid rage while ignoring the other blatant factors in the story like pain pill abuse and a history of severe concussions.
The Chris Benoit "roid rage" story was nothing more than pure media fabrication for sensationalistic purposes. I am sure it is possible that steroids played a small role in his instability. But the fact ist he guy had abused pain pills for decades, suffered multiple severe concussions over his career, and also lost his very close and dear friend Eddie Guerrero not long before he did what he did.
Roid rage is just a fun sensationalistic term for the media to throw around. Funny thing is the so called experts the media relies on to push that BS on viewers likely could not name more than one or 2 types of anabolic steroids, nor could they elaborate on the differences in physical and mental aspects of the different types.
Not trying to hijack the thread, just still hits a nerve with me to think how many so called medical experts were on TV after the Benoit tragedy jumping up and down yelling it was roid rage while ignoring the other blatant factors in the story like pain pill abuse and a history of severe concussions.
Yeah, and thats why I had mentioned that is wasn't proved, but I do know a few guys that take or have taken roids that have told me they have had bursts of anger that would seem to be very out of character for them prior to using roids. Thats totally anecdotal, but I don't think it is far fetched for people to "rage" on roids - though that in no way means Benoit's actions were a result of using.
The schedules these guys perform where they're on the 2/3 or more of the year on top of the possibility of chronic pain and working hurt only encourages drug abuse. I think the thing I did not appreciare for a long time was that these guys are often driving themselves from event to event and only getting a fraction of the sleep they should. I remember watching some documentary with Chyna and I think Triple H in it back in the day, and they were driving themselves around in a rental car from show to show. They were some of the biggest stars in the WWF at the time. Truckers turn to drugs to stay awake due to their long hours on the road, and I have no doubt wrestlers do too. I don't think chronic drug use is conducive to long life.
Part of the problem is that there is no offseason. Performers are treated like regular non-athletic entertainers even though they get beat up just as much as NFL players, if not more. The other factor is that they favor large individuals, either freakishly fat or muscular. If they are smaller they are expected to do more stunts like jumping off 15-foot ladders. The total shock on their bodies is very high, along with the pain. These factors cause wrestlers to take pain killers and steroids. The obese wrestlers like Yokozuna had eating disorders, but so do some of the bodybuilder type wrestlers. A lot of wrestlers blame the promoters, with good reason. I think the solution is to tour year round, but cycle the roster so wrestlers get off-seasons.
Just to quote the article, the following are the ones that died:
Macho Man(2010)
Andre the Giant(1993)
Mr. Perfect(2003)
Miss Elizabeth(2003)
The British Bulldog(2002)
Dino Bravo(1993)
The Texas Tornado(1993)
Joey Marella(1994)
Hawk(2003)
Hercules(2004)
Earthquake(2006)
Crush(2007)
Big Boss Man(2004)
Just to quote the article, the following are the ones that died:
Macho Man(2010)
Andre the Giant(1993)
Mr. Perfect(2003)
Miss Elizabeth(2003)
The British Bulldog(2002)
Dino Bravo(1993)
The Texas Tornado(1993)
Joey Marella(1994)
Hawk(2003)
Hercules(2004)
Earthquake(2006)
Crush(2007)
Big Boss Man(2004)
I think only two of the above (Andre - physical effects of childhood onset acromegaly, Joey Marella - car accident) died either due to non-natural causes or natural causes that would cause death at a young age regardless of profession. (Doctors told Andre the Giant when he was a teenager or in his early 20s he'd be fortunate to live until he was 40 years old due to his untreated acromegaly.)
EDIT: It appears Earthquake died of bladder cancer, which would also likely not be wrestling-related.
I think only two of the above (Andre - complications due to acromegaly, Joey Marella - car accident) died either due to non-natural causes or natural causes that would cause death at a young age. (Doctors told Andre the Giant when he was a teenager or in his early 20s he'd be fortunate to live until he was 40 years old.)
Not sure if Savage died from drug use. I know Bravo was murdered, and Tornado committed suicide. So Andre, Marella, Bravo, and Tornado were the only ones to die from non-drug use.
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) or whatnot.
