Chris Benoit and his family found dead.

[PrepDogg]

How is Hart linked to Benoit, aside from the obvious that they wrestle together? Not questioning you, just wondering.

As a kid Benoit trained in Bret Hart's father Stu Hart's dungeon. Benoit was really close with Bret's brother Owen. Benoit and Owen came up and traveled together. After Owen's death Chris and Bret became pretty close.

 

[bullseyeguy]

Stu Hart trained Benoit but thats about it.

Understatement.
Anyone who trained in the dungeon, became part of the family..

 

[finswin56]

Benoit trained under Legendary wrestler/promoter Stu Hart. In fact, many of Bret's older brothers helped train Benoit and Owen Hart, Bret's youngest brother, was good friends with Benoit as they trained and gre wup in the business together, working overseas younger in their career.

Bret and Chris wrestled a tribute match to Owen the day after he passed away and Bret hand picked Chris to be in that match due to their closeness. Bret often mentions Chris when he talks about his family and stated that Chris was like a brother to him.

Very close knit group. Everyone who came out of the Hart Dungeon were pretty much close.

Thanks. Bret has had an amazingly tough luck life. I guess that's the nature of the beast when that many people in the business are a huge part of your life.

 

[bullseyeguy]

Here is a quote on the Dungeon, ironically it was made by Chris Benoit...

"I take a lot of pride in being one of the last guys that had the hands-on training from Stu Hart when I went to the Hart family to train . . . It was a good experience just to be there, to imagine all the people that had been through there, and all the blood, sweat, and tears that had been paid . . . Going to the Hart family for training was kind of like, if you're a very religious person, going to the Vatican..."

 

[Samphin]

Bill Simmons over at ESPN has labeled this the biggest sports story of the year. He says that non wrestling fans are hearing about it and not putting much into it. Howeve,r the wrestling community, fans and all are ocmpletely shocked and stunned. Says this is worse than the OJ case, and I happen to agree.

 

[PrepDogg]

It doesn't matter. I happen to agree with it, but the media will go with the steroids angle regardless and the talking heads will continue to lambast the WWE of which they shouldn't be held accountable in any way, not even publicly.

Last test was two months ago and he was clean. As long as they can provide that to authorities and it is legit, they are clear in my opinion. Heck, even if he wasn't clean, I maintain that they shouldn't be held accountable.

I think WWE should be held accountable to a certain extent. I mean just look at all the wrestler death's that have been atributed to steroid use in the last few years (Rude, Hennig, Hawk, Guerrero). I understand that we're still early on in this and there is much more info we don't quite know but this isn't the first tragedy to hit the WWE and I think they should bne taking more steps than they are in protecting their wrestlers.

 

[Samphin]

Thanks. Bret has had an amazingly tough luck life. I guess that's the nature of the beast when that many people in the business are a huge part of your life.

Hart family curse...I usually don't bleieve in things like that, but between the Hart's curse and the Von Erich's curse...it makes you change your way of thinking.

Bret has lost multiple family members over the past 10 years, lost his career due to a misplaced kick by Bill Goldberg, suffered a stroke and almost died, lost countless friends and gone through divorce and seperation from his own kids. There is only so much people can take...I am surprised he is still kicking.

 

[DonShula84]

Bill Simmons over at ESPN has labeled this the biggest sports story of the year. He says that non wrestling fans are hearing about it and not putting much into it. Howeve,r the wrestling community, fans and all are ocmpletely shocked and stunned. Says this is worse than the OJ case, and I happen to agree.

I dont think it'll be bigger than OJ when it's all said and done. I mean we're still talking about OJ on a pretty regular basis 10 years later.

 

[Samphin]

I think WWE should be held accountable to a certain extent. I mean just look at all the wrestler death's that have been atributed to steroid use in the last few years (Rude, Hennig, Hawk, Guerrero). I understand that we're still early on in this and there is much more info we don't quite know but this isn't the first tragedy to hit the WWE and I think they should bne taking more steps than they are in protecting their wrestlers.

I believe only one of those was an employee of the WWE at the time of death (Eddy Guerrero, and it is EDDY not EDDIE just so everyone knows). Hennig, Rude, Hawk, Spicolli, Crash Holly, Duncam Jr. and everyone else weren't with the WWE at the time of their death. In fact, the only real damning one to me, is Brian Pillman and that happened a decade ago.

Evne Eddy had been clean for awhile when he passed. The WWE had actually fired him a few years prior due to him being out of control. They only brought him back when he was able to prove he had recovered.

I am really surprised Sean Waltman and Scott Hall are still alive quite frankly. I would have guessed the both of them to be gone by 2005.

 

[finswin56]

Hart family curse...I usually don't bleieve in things like that, but between the Hart's curse and the Von Erich's curse...it makes you change your way of thinking.

Bret has lost multiple family members over the past 10 years, lost his career due to a misplaced kick by Bill Goldberg, suffered a stroke and almost died, lost countless friends and gone through divorce and seperation from his own kids. There is only so much people can take...I am surprised he is still kicking.

Not to kick this off track, but IMO, it's more a testament to spending your whole life, and having your entire family as a part of the wrestling lifestyle. In other words, the odds on having this curse are terribly high with the surrounding variables. It's a damn shame that anyone would have to endure it though.

 

[Samphin]

I dont think it'll be bigger than OJ when it's all said and done. I mean we're still talking about OJ on a pretty regular basis 10 years later.

I think he means in relation to the sport. To me, its worse and bigger due to a kid being involved. Had Benoit not killed himself and this had gone to trial, I guarentee that this would be all over every news piece from the start to finish

For the wrestling world, this is probably the biggest news story ever. It trumps every other death, It trumps McMahon admitting to it being predetermined and it trumps his steroids trial.

 

[PrepDogg]

I believe only one of those was an employee of the WWE at the time of death (Eddy Guerrero, and it is EDDY not EDDIE just so everyone knows). Hennig, Rude, Hawk, Spicolli, Crash Holly, Duncam Jr. and everyone else weren't with the WWE at the time of their death. In fact, the only real damning one to me, is Brian Pillman and that happened a decade ago.

Evne Eddy had been clean for awhile when he passed. The WWE had actually fired him a few years prior due to him being out of control. They only brought him back when he was able to prove he had recovered.

I am really surprised Sean Waltman and Scott Hall are still alive quite frankly. I would have guessed the both of them to be gone by 2005.

Fair enough, bro

Yeah, If this would have been Hall, Waltman or even the Iron Sheik It wouldn't be so shocking. But Benoit was held in such a high regard, you know.

 

[bullseyeguy]

I dont think it'll be bigger than OJ when it's all said and done. I mean we're still talking about OJ on a pretty regular basis 10 years later.

I think this case would be bigger than the OJ case if OJ had killed himself (we can only dream) the reason it is/was such a huge story is the "trial of the century"..I think this story is more relevant due to Benoit still being at the top of his game, where as OJ had been out of the public eye for some time....

 

[Samphin]

Not to kick this off track, but IMO, it's more a testament to spending your whole life, and having your entire family as a part of the wrestling lifestyle. In other words, the odds on having this curse are terribly high with the surrounding variables. It's a damn shame that anyone would have to endure it though.

True, In my few short years in the wrestling business, I had the unfortunate task of seeing two friends pass away, one in front of me. There is some truth to that.

However, the amount some of these guys' family have endured are incredible.

 

[DonShula84]

I think he means in relation to the sport. To me, its worse and bigger due to a kid being involved. Had Benoit not killed himself and this had gone to trial, I guarentee that this would be all over every news piece from the start to finish

For the wrestling world, this is probably the biggest news story ever. It trumps every other death, It trumps McMahon admitting to it being predetermined and it trumps his steroids trial.

As far as impact on the sport I'll have to agree, this is bigger.