By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Jim Ross says Andrew "Test" Martin's professional frustrations of not achieving main event status in pro wrestling could have contributed to Martin's substance abuse issues. Whether those issues directly led to Martin's death last week will not be determined for a few weeks.

Martin sough professional help from WWE last year to help him overcome his personal health issues. According to colleagues, he was maintaining a healthy lifestyle post-rehab up until a scheduled check-up from WWE last Friday.

"I do know that, at times, he was frustrated regarding his career and that he apparently sought refuge with unhealthy means," Ross said on jrsbarbq.com. "This was his personal choice and one that I wish I could have dissuaded Andrew from if only I had known that Andrew had an on going problem."

Ross hired Martin to a WWE contract in the late 1990s when he was executive VP of talent relations. He watched Martin grow as a performer, but also realize his limitations in the ring. Ross says Martin may have struggled with accepting his role as a mid-carder.

"Andrew was certainly skilled enough to contribute positively to any wrestling card but Andrew was a role player whose name was never going to be above the title ala the star of the show," Ross said.

Martin had a good work ethic, according to Ross, but Martin may have placed too much emphasis on trying to be a main event star such as Bret Hart, who helped Martin get his foot in the door with WWE.

"Andrew knew that he would never be a star like Bret Hart, for example, a fellow Canadian who taught Andrew a great deal of in-ring fundamentals," Ross said.

"Andrew Martin was a good person whose apparent frustrations about his professional life seemingly ate away at him and he sought solace in a place that would apparently and eventually take his life."

Caldwell's Analysis: The picture we've seen from the past week of news coverage and colleagues commenting on Martin's death is that he was recovering from past substance abuse issues through WWE's help, he gave the outward appearance of cleaning up his life, and he was dealing with frustrations of not being able to be the main event star he perhaps wanted to become after training with Bret Hart in the beginning of his career. Then, there's the drugs found in his apartment after his death, which suggest he was still dealing with the same issues that plagued his wrestling career.

It's a very similar picture to many wrestler deaths of not being able to achieve a certain standard in their minds in a very subjective evaluation process. It's very difficult to measure success in pro wrestling when Jim Ross couldn't sit down with Martin and tell him you're hitting .300, have 25 home runs, and have 100 RBIs this season; can you up the average and drive in a few more runs next year?

Link: Jim Ross blog on jrsbarbq.com.

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