Ask the Editor ASK THE EDITOR: Counselors on road, death rate in wrestling, time for new leader Jul 4, 2007 - 2:41:00 PM

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QUESTION: PWTorch.com reader Jeff Manildi writes: First of all, thank you for all that you do in your work. I appreciate the integrity in your reporting and analysis, and your general concern for the well being of people, especially wrestlers.

In the middle of this horrible situation with Chris Benoit, and all the pain that has come out of it, two things have struck me to the most. The first thing was Edge's statement during the tribute show when he said something along the lines of, he had three people he could talk to in this business and there was only one left. And the second was the link that one of your readers sent in to Benoit's tribute to Eddie. He said something a long the lines of, Eddie was the only person he could talk to. Eddie would always be there to talk him through the issues in his life. As much as I disapprove of Benoit's actions, in that moment I couldn't help but have compassion for the man.

In that moment my anger was toward the WWE. It's almost as if Benoit was crying out, and no one heard him. As a pastor I have worked with many people that have been close to the edge, and many times they were brought back by something as simple as having someone consistent to confide in. Also, my line of work can tend to be a lonely one because I just can't vent to just anyone within the congregation when I myself am having a difficult time.

So my questions is: has the WWE ever had a Chaplin or counselor on the road with them for any length of time? Has it ever been discussed? Or at the very least, did they have someone available during the deaths of Owen or Eddie, a grief counselor, anything? I know most sports organizations have a Chaplin and even services before games or practices. It seems that the Wellness Policy, as flawed as it already is, is very one-sided. It's one thing to be well physically, but the other half of the battle seems to be the emotional and mental, and possibly spiritual, health of the wrestlers. As calculated as Benoit's actions seemed, I doubt there was one single cause for his break, but had he had someone to talk to maybe these things wouldn't have piled up for as long as they did. Thanks again for the good work!

WK: No, to the best of my knowledge they have never had anything resembled a couselor or Chaplin on the road to address mental health concerns or questions. It was something I requested they add right after Eddie Guerrero died. There is a scepticism that wrestlers would actually utilize the couselor, but who cares if 90 percent of the wrestlers wouldn't? The key is that the counselor is around for one, two, or three times a year someone really needs someone to talk to - after a bad phone call with a spouse, after bad news about a parent's health, after receiving word that a son or daughter has a major crisis. It's difficult being thousands of miles away from home more than half of their lives, including long stretches. In my experience, I've been on the phone with wrestlers I consider friends who put up a front in public but would go to a counselor in a second when things were going poorly outside of work (or at work, for that matter) if they trusted the confidentiality of the meeting.

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QUESTION: Stephen Rooney writes: USA Today statistics, including a seven times higher death rate among wrestlers under 45 than the general population and that wrestlers are 12 times as likely to die of heart disease. Wade, just wondering why people don’t bring up the fact that wrestling is a job, it's an industry just like construction where 56 people died last year! I know many were accidents, but it's also down to grown men making mistakes and not begin able to look after themselves.

WK: If the construction industry wasn't taking steps to reduce the quantity of deaths and injuries, people would be outraged. Even if pro wrestling had a lower death rate than gardeners, if there is something that could be done to save lives or improve lives, why not do it?

Pro wrestling has so many unique traits that work against the long-term health of many of its wrestlers that it is different from other occupations. Travelling on the road away from home at least a few days virtually every week of the year (with a couple off at most - Raw is live all but one or two Mondays a year, other than when taped when on a long tour). This is exciting and do-able for twentysomethings who are wide-eyed at seeing the world and being treated like a celebrity. Once they get into their thirties and have kids and their bodies don't recover as quickly before, when pro athletes in other sports begin to contemplate retirement, pro wrestlers are entering their prime earning years. The pressure to keep going for the payoff for the years invested in their twenties is great. Without any systematic, predictable time off of substantial length (six weeks, twice a year, every year), the grind catches up to wrestlers. Combine that with the inertia of the drug culture - for both practical, aesthetic, and social/recreational reasons, with performers (unlike construction workers) not going home to their families every night, it leads to a lifestyle for many that is destructive.

The problem have crept up on the industry over the last 30 years like someone who gained a pound or two every year from age 30 to 60 - they've become obese, but so gradually, they hardly noticed the changes. Pro wrestling cannot function the way it functions just because 80 percent appear to be handling it okay, and the younger wrestlers say the system is just fine (because they haven't put in the ten years of mileage and grind that the thirtysomethings do). There are simple, practical, workable changes the business can make to improve the quality of life of all and reduce the broken lives and deaths over time. Why not? Why not?

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QUESTION: Mike in Syracuse writes: In the wake of the Benoit tragedy and all of the problems of pro wrestling having a spotlight shined on it one thing came to mind. UFC was a dead company for a long time, the original owners took it as far as they could. Then ZUFFA came along with Dana White and purchased UFC, corrected all of the problems and has taken UFC to newer heights. While I won't compare Vince McMahon to the original owners of UFC; but has Vince taken WWE and the pro wrestling industry as far as it can go in this country?

For pro wrestling to continue and grow, will it take new owners to come along and pick up the pieces and make the necessary changes Vince won't make? I know Vince would say WWE isn't for sale, but this is America and everything is for sale!

WK: The first promoter with money and television who decides to present wrestling differently has a great chance to succeed and move wrestling to a new chapter. It is not in Vince McMahon's nature, and obviously not Stephanie McMahon's nature, the overhaul anything. Their resistance to change is well-documented. What Vince McMahon does can work and be lucrative with tweaking and gradual evolution. It's hugely entertaining when done well. The major problem I have with McMahon's promoting style is the mean-spiritedness that permeates the booking. McMahon talks about wanting to be all about fun, but too often it's crass, picking on the weak, and bigoted.

TNA still has a chance to change enough that feel like something completely different rather than an inferior "alternative" to the same basic product with smaller crowds, lesser production values, and fewer big stars. I doubt they recognize that and I expect they'll largely stay on the same course.

Send your questions (on any subject you'd like me to address here) to the "askthetorch07" email link at the bottom of this page and put "ATE" in the subject box so I know it's for "Ask the Editor" text version not "Ask the Torch" VIP audio version.


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