Quote:
Originally Posted by Typhoid
But they choose to get into that line of work - they know they're sacrificing a life, to be on TV for 20 or so years, with a chance of being the 'next' Hogan.
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Well by this logic a professional that works onskyscrapers or high voltage lines shouldn;t be afforded any protection or regulations for their health and safety? After all, their career is their choice right? Who cares if they get hurt or worse, die?
I'm not saying that Benoit is not at fault here, but there is a systemic problem in wrestling that is more related to a lack of options than anything else. If you want to be a pro wrestler and make a decent living, you have three options. 1) WWE. 2) TNA. 3) Japan. That doesn't leave for a lot of options for the up and comer trying to make a name for themselves. So things such as drugs and living through a hellish schedule become musts to get noticed.
This means that organizations can force their workers to suffer through mentally and physically unhealthy schedules. Afterall, the alternative is not practicing their trade.
My point is that wrestlers shouldn't have to do steroids, wrestle over 300 times a year and pop pain killers to do what they want/love to do. Its that lack of choices that leads to this type of abuse. Any other industry in the US with so few choices would have been regulated by the government years ago, but wrestling has always slipped by, for reasons more sadly prejudicial than legal. Wrestling is "silly", therefore wreslers are "silly" and do not need to have the same safeguards that any other dangerous industry would have.
Its just sad and wrestlers keep dying before their time. This is a list of well known that have died before the age of 50. If I were to name those that never made it to the big time, the list would go on much further.
Chris Von Erich - 21
Mike Von Erich - 23
Louie Spiccoli - 27
Art Barr - 28
Gino Hernandez - 29
Jay Youngblood - 30
Rick McGraw - 30
Joey Marella - 30
Ed Gatner - 31
Buzz Sawyer - 32
Crash Holly - 32
Kerry Von Erich - 33
D.J. Peterson - 33
Eddie Gilbert - 33
The Renegade - 33
Owen Hart - 33
Chris Candido - 33
Adrian Adonis - 34
Gary Albright - 34
Bobby Duncum Jr. - 34
Yokozuna - 34
Big Dick Dudley - 34
Brian Pillman - 35
Marianna Komlos - 35
Pitbull #2 - 36
The Wall/Malice - 36
Leroy Brown - 38
Mark Curtis - 38
Eddie Guerrero - 38
Davey Boy Smith - 39
Johnny Grunge - 39
Vivian Vachon - 40
Jeep Swenson - 40
Brady Boone - 40
Terry Gordy - 40
Bertha Faye - 40
Billy Joe Travis - 40
Chris Benoit - 40
Larry Cameron - 41
Rick Rude - 41
Randy Anderson - 41
Bruiser Brody - 42
Miss Elizabeth - 42
Big Boss Man - 42
Earthquake - 42
Mike Awesome - 42
Ray Candy - 43
Nancy Benoit (Woman) - 43
Dino Bravo - 44
Curt Hennig - 44
Bam Bam Bigelow - 45
Jerry Blackwell - 45
Junkyard Dog - 45
Hercules - 45
Andre the Giant - 46
Big John Studd - 46
Chris Adams - 46
Mike Davis - 46
Hawk - 46
Dick Murdoch - 49
Jumbo Tsuruta - 49
Rocco Rock - 49
Sherri Martel - 49
SOURCE:
http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wha...lersdeaths.htm