NationStates Jolt Archive

A pretty good review of The Wrestler featuring Mickey Rourke, certainly made me want to watch it.

The Wrestler (http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3773747)

There's a line in the review that caught me...

These guys destroy their bodies, then their hearts give out and they die. Google the phrase "dead wrestlers," and your computer will start to smoke like an overtaxed car engine.

So I did and the first link that comes up is this: Dead Wrestlers (http://www.geocities.com/deadwrestlers1/)

Don't be fooled by the first listed person being 81 years old, what follows is a list of names, some of whom even I know and I don't follow it, who mostly die under 50, a frightening proportion in the 30's a quite a few in their 20's.

Do you watch wrestling, do you feel good about watching a spectacle where people seriously abuse themselves for your viewing pleasure?

Who sponsors these events, the whole thing seems morally corrupt to me, it's not even real, it's scripted misery. I remember watching a documentary where a wrestler watches a video of his wife and kids watching a match, it was quite amazing.

I don't know what my view on this is, thoughts?

Shouldn't there be far greater oversight of this?

Meh, if they want to destroy their bodies to entertain people with fake wrestling, that's their deal. I don't watch wrestling, I don't get it, and it looks fake as Hell to me.

I've never been interested in pro wrestling, but I've been a fan of Mickey Rourke since Barfly, so I'll probably download it. Looks pretty good.

How many professional football, basketball or baseball players live into their 70s, 80s and 90s? A lot less than those that die in their 20s, 30s and 40s. *nod*

Athletics, whether for entertainment or competition does a number on the human body. *nod*

Meh, if they want to destroy their bodies to entertain people with fake wrestling, that's their deal. I don't watch wrestling, I don't get it, and it looks fake as Hell to me.

Scripted? Yes. Faked? No. Improperly done, wrestling maneuvers will lead to injuries and even fatalities. It's no different than stuntwork in movies and television, with much physical conditioning and practice required to pull it off without actually coming off severely injured or dead.

Professional wrestling always had a seedy stigma that goes all the way back to its carnival days, and while the pressure is bad enough in small-time local wrestling organizations, when you get closer to the top with national or even international prominence like WWE and TNA the pressure to perform gets even more hectic.

Wrestling is an occupation that will burn out the best, and often eat the rest.

some of the more flabby ones (lets call them Sumo style) had heart attacks.

several pro wrestlers actually fake their death as a way to retire. Andre the Giant also had a heart condition he chose not to have treated.

How many professional football, basketball or baseball players live into their 70s, 80s and 90s? A lot less than those that die in their 20s, 30s and 40s. *nod*

Athletics, whether for entertainment or competition does a number on the human body. *nod*

I somewhat agree, but at least there's some oversight.

Pro wrestling chews up and spits out its athletes with grueling schedules, brutal physical punishment and a tacit understanding that performance enhancers are okay—as are greenies, sleeping pills and painkillers.

I honestly wonder when we'll return to actual gladiators under the philosophy 'hey, it's their choice'.

Meh, if they want to destroy their bodies to entertain people with fake wrestling, that's their deal. I don't watch wrestling, I don't get it, and it looks fake as Hell to me.
It's no more fake than porn.

And much less fake than softporn (the kind of mild porn shown on TV).

I honestly wonder when we'll return to actual gladiators under the philosophy 'hey, it's their choice'.

I thought the WWE banned steroids.

I honestly wonder when we'll return to actual gladiators under the philosophy 'hey, it's their choice'.
But it IS their choice.


All that needs to be controlled is ensuring that it actually is their choice, and wasn't enforced on them, including economically.

It's no more fake than porn.

And much less fake than softporn (the kind of mild porn shown on TV).

Oh porn is fake, at least the emotions are. I dunno, I tried to watch wrestling, and I can't help but remember back when my brother and I were little and we would "wrestle" with our dad. Dad always do these same move, but at the same time neither my brother or myself got hurt or even scraped.

I can't watch it. At least American Gladiators has some real competition to it.

Wrestling is a soap opera, FOR MEN. 90% of wrestling is fake. but the 10% that isn't (ie: injuries, steroid abuse, painkiller abuse, etc.) is what causes the "early deaths". The average age of Death for a wrestler is in their late 50's-early 60's. For a fomer NFL player, if the player reaches the age of 60, and does so without major knee, back, concussions, and/or heart problems it's a shock. On average, the NFL and Pro Wrestling have much in common in terms of the amount of abuse the body takes, but the NFL has a much better healthplan then wrestling, which is why the "Wrestling Deaths" seem more shocikng, as most casual fans believe they have a health plan like other sports do. In wrestling, at the WWE/TNA level, about 50% of rehab or surgery is paid for by the company, the wrestler has to pay the rest. In the lower levels, its almost un-heard of (except in Japan and Mexico) for the company to pay for any injuries, unless it involves neck or spinal injuries.

Wrestling is a soap opera, FOR MEN. 90% of wrestling is fake. but the 10% that isn't (ie: injuries, steroid abuse, painkiller abuse, etc.) is what causes the "early deaths". The average age of Death for a wrestler is in their late 50's-early 60's. For a fomer NFL player, if the player reaches the age of 60, and does so without major knee, back, concussions, and/or heart problems it's a shock. On average, the NFL and Pro Wrestling have much in common in terms of the amount of abuse the body takes, but the NFL has a much better healthplan then wrestling, which is why the "Wrestling Deaths" seem more shocikng, as most casual fans believe they have a health plan like other sports do. In wrestling, at the WWE/TNA level, about 50% of rehab or surgery is paid for by the company, the wrestler has to pay the rest. In the lower levels, its almost un-heard of (except in Japan and Mexico) for the company to pay for any injuries, unless it involves neck or spinal injuries.

I think that people are somewhat fooled by the idea that it's fake, or scripted, so they naturally think that the injuries are also fake, that it doesn't really hurt.

It's not true and in terms of choice it's either get back in and fight or you won't get another fight.

I should try and find the documentary I watched, it was a while ago, it was pretty shocking.

I think that people are somewhat fooled by the idea that it's fake, or scripted, so they naturally think that the injuries are also fake, that it doesn't really hurt.

And when people- especially children- are under the impression that it's all fake pattycake theatrics they often try to imitate the moves and end up injuring or killing each other.

It's not true and in terms of choice it's either get back in and fight or you won't get another fight.

Wrestling is not a career well known for security, financial or otherwise unless you happen to really hit it big, and even then there's always the spectre of injury, death and family tragedy around the corner.

I don't watch Pro-wrestling, and I seriously dislike it but it's their choice.

They put a lot of hard work and effort into their trade, and a lot of them do irreparable damage to their body but at the end of the day it's their life and they get paid well so more power to them.

I'm not a fan of pro-wrestling but read Mick Foleys autobiography and thought it was a brilliant book. Even though the outcome of the matches was predetermined it didn't stop people getting badly injured. It seems the promoters decide who is going to be the baddy (the heel) and how that affects their pay/career progression.
The funniest parts were when he described how people like Owen Hart used to wrestle really poorly on purpose just to p**s the promoters off, and when one of the big guys (forget his name) held a fart in for 3 hours because Foleys wife was in the car.
It seems that the wrestlers are also treated like old racehorses - once they are out of their prime they are quickly dropped and forgotten about
Its not my cup of tea, but seems to give a lot of entertainment to a lot of people

A pretty good review of The Wrestler featuring Mickey Rourke, certainly made me want to watch it.

The Wrestler (http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3773747)

There's a line in the review that caught me...



So I did and the first link that comes up is this: Dead Wrestlers (http://www.geocities.com/deadwrestlers1/)

Don't be fooled by the first listed person being 81 years old, what follows is a list of names, some of whom even I know and I don't follow it, who mostly die under 50, a frightening proportion in the 30's a quite a few in their 20's.

Do you watch wrestling, do you feel good about watching a spectacle where people seriously abuse themselves for your viewing pleasure?

Who sponsors these events, the whole thing seems morally corrupt to me, it's not even real, it's scripted misery. I remember watching a documentary where a wrestler watches a video of his wife and kids watching a match, it was quite amazing.

I don't know what my view on this is, thoughts?

Shouldn't there be far greater oversight of this?
why do you think professional wrestlers undergo intense training. their bodies take more punishment than other athletes.

the sad thing tho is the sport Backyard Wrestling that has been sparked by the Professional Wrestling craze. WWE, I believe, has a policy of not accepting anyone who did backyard wrestling into their schools/training arenas.

also, it doesn't mention the Cause of death. most are not from wrestling but the drugs they take many wrestlers retired or take on non-wrestling roles.

We had this thread recently.

I thought the WWE banned steroids.

It seems to be a very loosely enforced ban. But similar could be said about most of the North American sports.

i dont see why it should be less regulated than pro boxing is (pro boxing needs more oversight than it gets). or than professional stunt work is. its not sport but it is very dangerous.

WWE, I believe, has a policy of not accepting anyone who did backyard wrestling into their schools/training arenas.

Of course my question is...how would they know?

I am a big time prowrestling fan, but it saddens me when I hear that a wrestler had died or has to retire due to injury. What can cause alot of injuries are matches involving steel cages or weapons...I do not care for those much, those obviously have to be scripted and even then something can, in fact go wrong. In the WWE, for a couple months they had a GM by the name of Mike Adamley run the brand. He was very innovative with the rules, like eliminations and time limits. That made the matches truly entertaining, without resorting to what is basically "hardcore" (weapons permitted) with a thousand various gimicky names (that's probably why he is no longer GM, Vince did not want a subordinate who was better at putting on a show than himself)!

Also, since the death of Chris Benoit, WWE has gotten far stricter in their enforcement of the rules concerning performance enhancing drugs, in fact, one time 14 wrestlers were given 30 day suspensions for testing positive, and Chris Masters (who must've gotten fired after the last time they tested him) was given first 30 days, then 60 days for steroids violations.

Of course my question is...how would they know?

simple. the Idiots tape themselves and post the vids on-line. the really stupid ones send the tapes in as their 'resume'.