Monkey Shines 19/06/09 - Misawa and my love for wrestling.

[monkeystyle]

As anyone who comes to this site is aware Japanese wrestling legend Mitsuharu Misawa died in ring from taking what should have been a simple back suplex.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and lie and say I was a huge fan or anything along those lines. I've never seen one of his matches and still haven't but I was at the very least aware of his name and status in the pro wrestling pantheon. As a matter of fact aside from the manner in which he died he has little to do with what I have to say today.

Misawa has opened my eyes. They should have been open long ago but for whatever reason I always turned a blind eye and now I just can't.

Wrestling needs to change my friends. I don't care what anyone says the human body is not meant to take that kind of punishment on a daily basis and this is the result. Someone died from taking a simple manuever in ring and the worst part of it all? Nobody gives a damn. Nobody is looking in the mirror and wondering to themselves "Hey, next time I take a suplex I might not get back up." It's not even just death either. How about complete paralysis? Personally I think I'd rather be dead than useless.

Either way, now I sit and I think about this and I wonder to myself, 'How long before someone bites it in the middle of the ring on a live Raw? And is anyone going to care about it beyond the month long media ratings fiesta that will occur afterwards?'

Why is it that we the fans the people who claim to love these guys and what they do as much as life itself not give a shit until after someone dies. And even then it's only to say a quick RIP and share your favourite memory. What exactly does this accomplish? Are we so completely apathetic towards what happens to these people who literally die trying to entertain our ingrateful selves?

They kill themselves in ring day in and day out to give us something and what do we do for them? Not a damned thing. Sure you might say you buy their merchandise, tickets to see the show, or a PPV but how is that helping them? That's just feeding the beast encouraging it to continue on just as it has in the past. That is effectively telling promoters that everything is just hunky dory the way it is and we're fine with the occasional death just so long as we get our tribute shows so we can claim to have shed a tear and celebrated the life of the lost along with everyone else and make ourselves feel better.

You're all a bunch of slaves. I was too but not anymore. Because no matter how good our intentions are, no matter what we say unless we the fans do something the wrestling business will never ever change and the deaths will continue to come.

So what are you going to do about it? Personally I'm not just going to sit here and let this happen again without my trying to do something. I can hardly watch wrestling now because I feel like a giant asshole when I do. These people are doing everything they can to entertain me and all of you. The least we can do is fight for them. We can fight for a union. We can fight for better schedules for the wrestlers so that they can do what they love and still be able to walk or live when they hit fifty. We just have to get past the mentality that we can't change anything. We can. Using the internet, the media and anytime anyone of us attends a live event we can call for change. And if we speak well enough and loud enough eventually someone will listen. And that's all it takes.

If you love wrestling you should care about their welfare. If the business itself is unwilling to evolve and change with the times then it comes upon us the fans to force that change.

The time is now. Is your spirit willing?

 

[MikeRaw]

That was a great column. You're right though. Just think about this... So many people talk about how wrestling is fake and all that. Which is fine. You can't deny that. But when you take bumps day after day, it starts becoming more and more real. The amoun tof punishment these guys take is incredible.
Think about it... A real sport, like MMA, has a guy take real moves, but he only does it once every 3 months or so. Now a wrestler take 'fake' punishment day after day, about 300 days a year, with all the houseshows. At some point, the punishment they take from moves that go wrong, and shit like that, has got to become equal to that of a real sport like MMA. I don't disagree with anything you said.

 

[comicgeekelly]

Damn good column. I completly agree, there needs to be a change and the change should start with us fans.

 

[Wrestling Station]

first of all, these people go to the ring to perform are getting money for it. So they themselves are well awared about the situation that they may be killed, severly injured or just another minor injury. Its what they do and that is their CHOICE. Why should we really care about their personal life? tell me? So Benoit killed his family and then himself. Did I give a shit? Absolutely not! but out of curiousity we wanted to know the outcome or the real cause of death (just as any human would feel or think about).

Also, a good hint to why Kennedy was released (as he cant perform safe moves towards himself and his mates). WWE are well aware of this and thats what they are trying to do; to protect their roster.

A question for you MS, do you care if someone died in a football game if he was tackled in a bad way or something? Yes we will feel sorry for him abit but at the end all of us will die one way or another.

Do we have to respect their profession? yes sure as we all respect each others jobs as life needs everyone in his role to keep the cycle of life spinning.

 

[Kaedon]

I dont think Kaedon, Monkeystyle, or anyone else should be telling wrestlers what to do. The bottom line is, no one is forcing them to wrestle. No one is forcing them to wrestle INJURED. This boils down to personal responsibility. And the thing is, these guys arent FORCED to go in there by anyone but themselves. They love to do it, injured or not. And its not up to anyone but THEMSELVES to stop. If you cant work, dont work. Find another career. You should be able to find a job, but you arent guarnateed a dream, and thats what it is for these guys.

 

[Italian Outsider]

So what are you going to do about it? Personally I'm not just going to sit here and let this happen again without my trying to do something. I can hardly watch wrestling now because I feel like a giant asshole when I do. These people are doing everything they can to entertain me and all of you. The least we can do is fight for them. We can fight for a union. We can fight for better schedules for the wrestlers so that they can do what they love and still be able to walk or live when they hit fifty. We just have to get past the mentality that we can't change anything. We can. Using the internet, the media and anytime anyone of us attends a live event we can call for change. And if we speak well enough and loud enough eventually someone will listen. And that's all it takes.

Antoniobama?

 

[Colin Gimp]

Dude, I was aware of this when Droz got fucked up and I was like 12. You're forgetting to look at the bigger devil which is corporations and their stranglehold on markets. As long as WWE events keeps coming to cities and selling out arenas then the inflation is going to overshadow the negatives. Simple. Period. Nuff said. It's how everythings set up not how it's performed. As long as these guys are independent contractors they're completely fucked.

Shit's gotta tumble from the top of the ladder and all it takes is AWARENESS. How didn't we learn from the hippies who were able to completely change culture altogether? How is this not completely obvious to everyone?


btw lol, the btb i wrote yesterday predicts an occurrence you described in your article.

 

[monkeystyle]

first of all, these people go to the ring to perform are getting money for it. So they themselves are well awared about the situation that they may be killed, severly injured or just another minor injury. Its what they do and that is their CHOICE. Why should we really care about their personal life? tell me?

I don't disagree with anything that you have said here. It's all true. However I do believe that if it were possible for them to do it themselves they would change the way the wrestling business is run in regards to injuries and scheduling they would in a heartbeat. But they can't because they've gotten into this machine and in order to make a reasonable living they have to behave as perfect little cogs. If they get out of line they'll be replaced by a new cog who will work how it's supposed to. It's very hard to change an industry when your back is up against a wall. Fact of the matter is they need help and it's only going to come from us the fans. Because truly aside from us. Nobody cares about these guys.

So Benoit killed his family and then himself. Did I give a shit? Absolutely not! but out of curiousity we wanted to know the outcome or the real cause of death (just as any human would feel or think about).

Again, agreed. However Chris Benoit's autopsy showed that his brain had sustained enough punishment through repeated concussions that at his time of death his brain resembled that of an 80 year old alzheimer's patient and if he had've not killed himself that fact alone would have made him not legally culpable for his actions. Now that's not to say that he didn't make the choices along his road that lead to him having this condition that is entirely true. But if as people say Vince McMahon does truly care about his wrestlers why did he not ever stop Benoit from putting his head through the beating he did? His diving headbutt alone which he performed every night must've given him regular concussions. The guy didn't protect himself when he did it and the people around him knew this. And they knew how nasty a move that is to do and how many concussions he sustained but nobody stepped in and said, "Hey, idiot, stop fucking doing that!" Or "Hey take a night off with that shit, you're going to cripple yourself." Why? because despite what happy thoughts people want to think about the wrestling business from what I can tell on a personal side, it's a pretty shitty business to be in and these people who entertain us for a living deserve better than this.

Also, a good hint to why Kennedy was released (as he cant perform safe moves towards himself and his mates). WWE are well aware of this and thats what they are trying to do; to protect their roster.

That's a singe drop of water in a large sea my man. It's meaningless.

A question for you MS, do you care if someone died in a football game if he was tackled in a bad way or something? Yes we will feel sorry for him abit but at the end all of us will die one way or another.

It happens, I understand that. Accidents happen, that's fine. But Misawa's death wasn't due to a freak accident it was an inevitablity due to the amount of punishment his neck and head had taken during his career. That needs to be stopped.

I dont think Kaedon, Monkeystyle, or anyone else should be telling wrestlers what to do. The bottom line is, no one is forcing them to wrestle. No one is forcing them to wrestle INJURED. This boils down to personal responsibility. And the thing is, these guys arent FORCED to go in there by anyone but themselves. They love to do it, injured or not. And its not up to anyone but THEMSELVES to stop. If you cant work, dont work. Find another career. You should be able to find a job, but you arent guarnateed a dream, and thats what it is for these guys.

Here in Ontario we have regulations for delivery truck drivers etc. that say that they have to have x amount of hours between shifts. Here in Ottawa it is the same with bus drivers. They must have x amount of hours between shifts. Why? Because nobody wants and exhausted bus driver making mistakes with a bus load of commuters. This makes perfect sense to everone involved.

Now in regards to wrestlers sure you can say that they choose what they do. But I can say that a wrestler who has suffered a moderate to severe concussion may not be able to coherently make a decision as to whether he should work again the next night but we've all read about numerous wrestlers who have sustained serious concussions and continued working while in a concussed state. This is unacceptable. The employers who supposedly care about their employees need to stop them from doing this. Not only that but a concussed wrestler is also playing with the well being of the person he's working with. Can you really tell me you'd trust a person who suffered a severe concussion the night before to execute moves that require perfect timing on you? I don't think so and these guys shouldn't have to either.

Antoniobama?

Nah, more I have a dream tbh.

Shit's gotta tumble from the top of the ladder and all it takes is AWARENESS. How didn't we learn from the hippies who were able to completely change culture altogether? How is this not completely obvious to everyone?

People have become too jaded.

 

[Kaedon]

Here in Ontario we have regulations for delivery truck drivers etc. that say that they have to have x amount of hours between shifts. Here in Ottawa it is the same with bus drivers. They must have x amount of hours between shifts. Why? Because nobody wants and exhausted bus driver making mistakes with a bus load of commuters. This makes perfect sense to everone involved.

Yeah if wrestlers were driving a bus or flying a plane, Id agree. Its pretty much only one person who is "at risk" and the odds of an injured wrestler KILLING another wrestler in the ring are as good as me getting hit by lightning.

Now in regards to wrestlers sure you can say that they choose what they do. But I can say that a wrestler who has suffered a moderate to severe concussion may not be able to coherently make a decision as to whether he should work again the next night but we've all read about numerous wrestlers who have sustained serious concussions and continued working while in a concussed state. This is unacceptable.

Who are you to tell people YOU DONT EVEN KNOW, what to do? Why should you get to tell them how to run their lives?

The employers who supposedly care about their employees need to stop them from doing this. Not only that but a concussed wrestler is also playing with the well being of the person he's working with. Can you really tell me you'd trust a person who suffered a severe concussion the night before to execute moves that require perfect timing on you? I don't think so and these guys shouldn't have to either.

Its up to the parties involved, not YOU, not government, not ANYONE else. Having an opinion is one thing, but you, me or anyone else has no business telling people how to run their lives. Hey, you know doctors do 18 hour shifts, thats dangerous, lets regulate that too, Theres more of a chance of death there. And hey, what about race car drivers? If one of those cars goes flying into the stands (and they have WAY MORE than people dying in the ring) it can kill hundreds of people, lets tell NASCAR and people who race how to live their lives too. And the fans of it, well they cant go, they might get hurt. Also, forget shooting it on camera unless you have a 500x zoom so if, god forbid something happens, the least amount of lives are hurt. I cant say this enough, YOU AND I HAVE NO BUSINESS TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES. Thats facist bullshit. If people want to take the risk, than so be it.

 

[Wrestling Station]

Again, agreed. However Chris Benoit's autopsy showed that his brain had sustained enough punishment through repeated concussions that at his time of death his brain resembled that of an 80 year old alzheimer's patient and if he had've not killed himself that fact alone would have made him not legally culpable for his actions. Now that's not to say that he didn't make the choices along his road that lead to him having this condition that is entirely true. But if as people say Vince McMahon does truly care about his wrestlers why did he not ever stop Benoit from putting his head through the beating he did? His diving headbutt alone which he performed every night must've given him regular concussions. The guy didn't protect himself when he did it and the people around him knew this. And they knew how nasty a move that is to do and how many concussions he sustained but nobody stepped in and said, "Hey, idiot, stop fucking doing that!" Or "Hey take a night off with that shit, you're going to cripple yourself." Why? because despite what happy thoughts people want to think about the wrestling business from what I can tell on a personal side, it's a pretty shitty business to be in and these people who entertain us for a living deserve better than this.

Wrestling business is like any other business. Look for example, the night clubs; as you know its one of a nasty under-ground and mafia complex and so many bad things going on there. Why dont you feel sorry for those guys who work as security there? hookers forced to sleep with a nasty ass criminal? a guy fucked himself with so much drinking and got himself robbed or raped :shifty: ?
Arent you a fan for booooze? arent you a fan of strip clubs? now why dont you say such thing about the strip club just like the wrestling? both are BUSINESS right?

Now I do agree about your comments that its not right that the big boys are forcing their superstars to keep putting their bodies on the line every single match. But, if that is what the wrestling is all about,; then I dont think they have to complain about getting their asses handed to them every single night they work to get good salary or a cut share from the business.

So to make it simplier, I understand that the wrestlers are fans of the wrestling business since childhood just like us, so they wanted to get involved with WWE for the sake of admiring... so they could have chosen to be an announcer, backstage worker, trainer, writer, camera man, security-kayfabe or actual bodyguards of the business/arena, etc instead of being on camera being a star of the show. So they have chosen the latter just because they found it a better way to get higher income from this business and better wealth. Knowing very well that it will be with higher risk.

 

[Kaedon]

Nah we need to protect those poor nightclub workers. I mean forget the fact that the boss allows the criminal element into the club or even might BE the criminal element, those poor souls must be protected because they cant, you know, GET ANOTHER JOB.

 

[monkeystyle]

Yeah if wrestlers were driving a bus or flying a plane, Id agree. Its pretty much only one person who is "at risk" and the odds of an injured wrestler KILLING another wrestler in the ring are as good as me getting hit by lightning.

Botching a power bomb, piledriver, suplex, pedigree or countless other moves that are in regular use could easily result in paralysis or death. Now I'm not saying that they should ban these moves, they're entertainers they have their timing worked out. Yes, accidents happen but we're not talking about accidents here. A wrestler who has suffered a moderate to severe concussion can have their motor skills greatly diminished rendering them incapable of performing these moves to the necessary standards.

And don't talk to me about odds either. You don't know the actual odds and neither do I. Stick to the facts.

Who are you to tell people YOU DONT EVEN KNOW, what to do? Why should you get to tell them how to run their lives?

You can chant this slogan all you like but it doesn't make it any more relevant to the situation. You're not telling anyone how to run their lives you're asking Vince McMahon and every other promoter to live up to employment standards granted anywhere else in North America. It's an archaic institution that needs revision as it no longer functions in today's society.

Its up to the parties involved, not YOU, not government, not ANYONE else. Having an opinion is one thing, but you, me or anyone else has no business telling people how to run their lives.

Don't steal, don't murder, don't assault, don't damage property that isn't your own...

You don't seem to have a problem with these. But when it comes to your fantastic ideal of the wrestling business and how it's happy land there all the time you do. Probably because you don't want your precious illusion shattered. Face it, most of these guys love what they do, no question but why do they say that wrestling is such a terrible business to get into?

Hey, you know doctors do 18 hour shifts, thats dangerous, lets regulate that too, Theres more of a chance of death there.

Seems reasonable to me. Nobody want an exhausted doctor operating on them.

And hey, what about race car drivers? If one of those cars goes flying into the stands (and they have WAY MORE than people dying in the ring) it can kill hundreds of people, lets tell NASCAR and people who race how to live their lives too.

Again, that's an accident. A rare occurance. Pro wrestlers are forced to work night after night with concussions. True story.

YOU AND I HAVE NO BUSINESS TELLING PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES. Thats facist bullshit. If people want to take the risk, than so be it.

fascism 

–noun

1.(sometimes initial capital letter

) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

2.(sometimes initial capital letter

) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.

3.(initial capital letter

) a fascist movement, esp. the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43.



Nowhere in there do I see that requiring businesses to have safe working policies is fascism.

Let me re-read...

Nope, still nothing.

Wrestling business is like any other business. Look for example, the night clubs; as you know its one of a nasty under-ground and mafia complex and so many bad things going on there. Why dont you feel sorry for those guys who work as security there?

There's a criminal element, sure. But they aren't shootig at people every night. If they were the club would get closed down.

hookers forced to sleep with a nasty ass criminal?

As opposed to sleeping with a nasty ass business man? Regardless, Amsterdam has a fantastic approach to the sex industry and has regulated it as such, and I guarantee you those hookers are happier with their jobs than the average street hooker in the US.

A guy fucked himself with so much drinking and got himself robbed or raped :shifty: ?

Sure he got shit faced, but if he gets robbed or raped it's still a crime.

Arent you a fan for booooze? arent you a fan of strip clubs? now why dont you say such thing about the strip club just like the wrestling? both are BUSINESS right?

Yeah but a stripper isn't sustaining repeated concussions every night from twirling round that pole.

Now I do agree about your comments that its not right that the big boys are forcing their superstars to keep putting their bodies on the line every single match. But, if that is what the wrestling is all about,; then I dont think they have to complain about getting their asses handed to them every single night they work to get good salary or a cut share from the business.

Same with MMA. The difference? MMA guys don't fight every night. Why? Because that's intelligent. If you want to develop these people into long lasting products don't you want to ensure their well being? Now sure they work a physical job, no doubt and they understand that but in any sport if you've sustained a concussion you're out for a few days at least. Why? Because concussions can be dangerous and career ending. Ask Eric Lindros about concussions and how it affected his career. Or Chris Nowinski who's wrestling career was ended due to a concussion.

So to make it simplier, I understand that the wrestlers are fans of the wrestling business since childhood just like us, so they wanted to get involved with WWE for the sake of admiring... so they could have chosen to be an announcer, backstage worker, trainer, writer, camera man, security-kayfabe or actual bodyguards of the business/arena, etc instead of being on camera being a star of the show. So they have chosen the latter just because they found it a better way to get higher income from this business and better wealth. Knowing very well that it will be with higher risk.

Higher risk sure, but they didn't sign up for permanent brain damage.

Nah we need to protect those poor nightclub workers. I mean forget the fact that the boss allows the criminal element into the club or even might BE the criminal element, those poor souls must be protected because they cant, you know, GET ANOTHER JOB.

Not relevant nor is it on point in any way, shape or form.

 

[Evil Austin]

I am kind of on the bench on this both sides have great arguments and I am not sure but I would like to make a point, the schedule for the WWE wrestlers are really over the top think about it.

In one week they have Raw, Superstars, Smackdown, ECW and sometimes a PPV. I remember in a John Cena interview somewhere on the internet, he said that the wrestlers work 300 (and something not sure exactly) days a year out of 356 if I remember correctly he said 320. Which is a hell of a lot, they don't get christmas of or anything... and when they are not in the ring they are on the road from town to town, city to city, country to country and arena to arena going around the world and performing for each adn everyone of us.

I love my wrestlling but four shows (sometimes five with a PPV) a week is a bit much, I personally think that it should be cut down drastically, and with the superstars also given a rest more then 24 hours before the show they can put on a better performance.

Edit, please don't jump on my back and call me an idiot if this is a stupid question im just curious as I am not familiar with this field.
The man that was in the match with Misawa the night he died, the one that used the suplex on him would he be accounted for some sort of murder from the Misawa family? I know it was not intentional but im just curious seeing as technically the man did kill him. (I can't name names, I haven't seen the match I have no idea who he faced sorry)

 

[chessarmy]

I agree 100% Monkey, the wrestling business needs to change. These guys can't continue to work with mounting injuries that not only hold them back as far as their in ring abilities are concerned, but they also put whoever they're working with at risk. The human body can only take so much before it snaps, its like a stick, when you keep bending it and bending it eventually its going to break in half. A wrestler's body is the same way, all the damage accumulated over the years is going to lead to bad things in the near future.

 

[the dark knight]

i only read the 1st post.

i completely disagree. people died, we felt sorry, now? fuck em. they died with fat wallets and at least a thousand guys cheering their names. people die everyday on their way to work, by your logic we should all dig a hole and just wait for it. wrestlers know the risk, they love it and they get paid for it. if you're too damn tired to wrestle every day of the week, find another job.

edit-

seriously, who could ask for a better death? you're better off dead young and famous than get struck by lightning takin a walk. injuries? people die in football, not because of a botch, because their hearts just give out thanks to training everyday and playing at least 2 official matches a day. shit happens.