How can I talk about Smackdown when a new steroid scandal has hit WWE? I guess I could but I’m going to let Smackdown pass and focus today on the latest steroid problem in WWE. I just want to make this clear right now; I am far from an expert when it comes to wrestling. I’m just a fan who likes to write about what I like and don’t like. And as far as what’s going on with steroids I know even less. But of course I do have some thoughts on Congress going after WWE and also about the guys that are using the drug. Again we are at an all time low, just when you think things are improving something knocks wrestling right back down.
While I definitely don’t condone taking steroids or any other enhancement drug, I don’t see wrestling on the same level as professional sports such as football and baseball. Those sports are competitive, sure in the WWE you definitely have competition when it comes to moving up the ladder. I mean an injury to one guy is a gift to another one, because that spot is vacant and that one person might take over. But that competitiveness doesn’t affect how many homeruns a guy can hit or record breaking passes made by a quarterback. Here you are talking about teams vs. teams. While I don’t want to see wrestlers shorten their lives, or get hit with serious diseases because they are on the juice, I certainly don’t want to see Congress take it upon themselves to hold a hearing and decide if they should regulate what goes on in wrestling. In my opinion this country has so many more important issues to deal with than steroid use in wrestling.
This is a problem that Vince McMahon and his roster NEED to deal with.
Let’s go back to Vince. Listen he’s not totally to blame here or totally innocent. For too many years he has put the emphasis on big guys that offer very little if anything in the ring. But because they have “the look” he pushes them. It would be great if that now with the 12 WWE wrestlers suspended that Vince will open up his eyes and start pushing talent no matter what size they are. But Vince cannot baby sit each and everyone on his payroll. I mean let’s face these guys know what steroids can do they aren’t oblivious to the dangers of being on them. Unfortunately it’s the nature of the business to jack up. This all didn’t happen in the last few years, I think steroid use has been a big part of wrestling for God knows how long. Plus this is also done in bodybuilding and how many come from that genre and go right to wrestling? I believe it’s just something these men do without really thinking twice about. It’s sad to say but to them it’s just a way of life.
If you haven’t seen the names on the list you can go two different sites. One is http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/08/30/wrestlers/index.html and the other is http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_top_wwe_names_emerge_in_doping_scandal.html. Today I read that Kurt Angle was added to the list I believe while in was still working with WWE. Now I mentioned that 12 are suspended but in this list of 12 WWE yesterday fired Mike (Simon Dean) Bucci. I’m wondering if there will be more firings or if suspensions will be all that’s given out. Also WWE is not going to list what guys are suspended, but if anyone is caught with steroids after Nov.1, then their names will become public. If you go to the links that I just put up and see the names you have to figure those guys are going to be gone for a while. Now this morning no name was given but one guy confessed early on about this and was given some type of punishment by Vince and will not be suspended again. I say as long as it is World Wrestling Entertainment and Vince McMahon has always said that he’s in the entertainment business Congress going after this company is ridiculous. Why don’t they then also go after the movie, TV and music industry as well?
With hearings coming up in this month I have no idea what the hell is going to happen but I’m not looking forward to this at all. As I said earlier I’m not an expert at all with any of this and I hope what I wrote makes sense. I guess to sum things up I’m hoping that all of this has really gotten Vince’s attention which I’m sure it has and that the Wellness Program will go even further to make sure that what came out this week will never happen again. Sure there will always be a few on the stuff but maybe now the majority that are in the business will think twice before using the drug.
Okay I feel bad that I didn’t talk about Smackdown because I liked the show very much. I will be back Tuesday or Wednesday with my Raw thoughts. Now remember they are taping Smackdown/ECW tonight and Raw tomorrow. I am sure that we will see a few guys out and then we will know who got suspended. Already there are rumors that CM Punk will be winning the title from Morrison during the tapings tonight. Without sounding selfish all of us are going to feel this as well because so much will have to be changed, especially if guys like Kennedy, Orton and Morrison are out.
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