Chris Benoit dead

[TheAdder]

This has been an absolutely dizzying evening. I had no idea what had happened until I was on my way home from work on the train this afternoon, both of London's free-evening papers carried the story and it just brought me to a halt. I stopped reading the papers and turned off my radio and didn't really know what to do next it was a difficult, don't know if that is quite the right word, thing to take on board.I got home at 6 and I've been reading this thread from the beginning since then. I started watching wrestling in the early nineties and had given up by the middle of the decade as WWE went through its cartoon era, but one Friday night I discovered WCW Nitro on TNT Europe and then the Internet came along. The cruiserweights back in 1995/1996 introduced me to a type of wrestling that I had never seen before which made me want to watch on a regular basis and I did pretty much continuously watch for the next 8/9 years.For as long as I could remember Chris Benoit had always been one of the "darlings" of "Internet" savvy fans, or "smarks" and I would have to say that I was one of them. I remember watching Wrestlemania XX and the end of the event being that kind of moment that really delivered the pay-off that wrestling shows so often fail to deliver.I haven't really watched that much wrestling for months now, but oddly I did watch the last two weeks of Raw on Saturday morning and thought on watching the draft and seeing Benoit have a reasonable match with Lashley and put him over. Then with Benoit drafted to ECW I thought that ECW might actually be worth watching and I should record it that night (in the event I forgot again).I think it is worth remembering that across the world it's very likely there are other people out there idolized by hundreds, or thousands who don't have a spotless criminal record or who aren't quite what they seem. The fact that they aren't necessarily whiter than white though should be appreciated.It is a really horrible situation though for the events that have happened to have occurred and for 3 people to have lost their lives however it happened. It is hard to fathom how someone could possibly do this, or even conceive of doing this especially to their wife or child. Though sadly it is not the first time in my experience with wrestling that this has happened, in another place there was a popular member of the community (in the US) who shared with us the joy he experienced when his girlfriend gave birth to their son. The son whose murder at an extremely young age he was convicted for and sent to prison.I dare say we will see this again in the world, tragically enough, but I really hope that we don't.

Edited June 26, 2007 by TheAdder
Grammar

[edgecrusher]

So little to add, so little to add.I'm stunned by this. I wonder what Meltzer's going to say in the Observer. I guess I don't need to wonder how the majority view it. Chris Benoit's entire life cast into shadow because of its tragic end, every good deed completely eclipsed by two bad ones. Sorry, I don't think or work that way. Chris showed himself to be a good man many, many times over many years. He had a lot of friends, and some very close ones. In the ring he was a peerless worker, and he literally inspired hundreds of wrestlers with his work ethic.I'll never think of him as a murderer. I'll think of him as a man who snapped one day and killed two people, people he loved and people who didn't deserve what happened to them. I believe in crimes of passion, and I don't believe that a man becomes an inhuman monster because the pressures of the world gets to him. I'll never believe Benoit's evil, or that he belongs in hell, because I don't believe in hell for one thing and I think in his life the good deeds far outweigh the bad. Whatever it was that broke him in the end, yeah, we'll never know. Maybe this is long-delayed fallout from the loss of Eddie, maybe he's been having massive trouble with his wife that led to something terrible. And maybe he killed his child because he didn't want him to grow up without parents. Believe it or not, sometimes people do horrible things out of love. This isn't the actions of the man Benoit's shown himself to be throughout his life, ergo I see no moral side to these actions. The man Benoit was suffered a breakdown of some kind, something just went click in his head, and tragedy unfolded. That's sad more than anything else.But I'll watch Benoit matches. I'll gladly watch them. I'm not going to wallow in his downfall, though I'll try as hard as the rest of you to make some sense of it all. I'll remember him the way he was when he lived, the way he was in the ring.I hope they all rest easy, and Benoit most of all, because I think he probably needs it the most.

[Segaboyno]

In my mind, it's plausible that this was a joint decision of both Chris and his wife. I really know nothing about either of them (although Chris, at least, must have been in a completely different place). We will never know, but it wouldn't surprise me if he wanted to join his friend Eddie Guerrero in heaven.After witnessing Benoit's personality change since Guerrero's death 19 months ago - and witnessing Chris's enthusiasm drop in the following months - it wouldn't surprise me if the recent Mr. McMahon 'death' sequences brought the memories back, and finally sent Chris over the edge.Rather than raise a child in a society where hero's legacies are tarnished, and where people pretend to be dead at the drop of the hat, if they did indeed decide to skip today's existence for a greater existence in heaven, it wouldn't surprise me.The Bibles being placed by the side of his family aren't disturbing 'Blair Witch-esque' symbols in my mind, and indicate that this was a decision related to religion. Even if he was 'crazed' as speculated, the Bible indicates the power of good rather than evil.If his wife was indeed willing to go along with this, it makes sense that she was chosen before their son; as no mother would wish to see the demise of their child. His son was in bed, and showed no signs of suffering. A crazed, out-of-control roid rager would have surely caused more havoc than this.In no way do I condone murdering anyone - let alone members of your own family. However, I've never been in the frame of mind where this could even be an option, and hopefully I never will be. Whilst i'd like to take the moral high ground and say that 'even if any state of mind i'd never consider this kind of thing', every single normal-minded person would say the same. The mind is a strange product.Chris Benoit may well have felt guilt towards his relationship with Eddie Guerrero at the timing of the latters' death. I remember that he told WWE about Guerrero's drug problems, which Guerrero clearly wasn't happy with. Although it was obviously in Guerrero's best interests, Benoit may have still felt guilty about betraying his friends' trust.And at the end of the day, Guerrero - who struggled all through his life with addictions - finished his final years sober and died as a hero. Benoit, on the other hand, was a role model to all throughout his living years, and in a final act which nobody will ever truly understand, tarnished his legacy forever more. It just goes to show that you can make of life whatever you want, and actions long in the past are not truly representative of those in the future.For the record, i've never been a Chris Benoit fan, and so have no reasons to defend him. He was never a role model to me, and there weren't many times he really excited me. But I can tell that he seemed a reasonable human being and has obviously reason to snap.

[Chris]

WWE should not be put at blame for this, I can't see how they can be, he obviously had problems, problems a lot furthur than steroid abuse thats been banded around, this goes a lot deeper than that, and the wrestling business (which to be is solely WWE, I couldn't care less for anything else) and this isn't me in Fanboy mode either.It can't be purely roid rage, 'Roid Rage' wouldn't make you place bibles by there bodies, 'Roid Rage' wouldn't span over 3 days, killing your wife, then child, then a day later killing yourself.But then again what do I know, and i'm not going to go around playing Dick Tracy and speculate on anything I don't know. For a 7 year old child to be murdered is a tragedy, whatever the circumstances. There really is no time when a 7 year old deserves to die.I, Like Latern, just want to know what was going on in his head to make him do this, which with no note, will be impossible to fully find out.The weird thing is, I'm not a Benoit fan, sure I know he's technically gifted, but I was in no way a fan, and actually watched his match V. Burke last night and thought he and Burke did well, and for the first time was interested in Benoit, and him winning the ECW Title. I feel asleep as usual before RAW then got woke up by the wife because the sound was doing her head in, and looked over to see Edge in tears, me thinking it was about Vince got ready to sit down and have a good laugh at was is a brilliantly done storyline, then I got hit with this. I didn't sleep much last night.I feel for the Benoit fans, The ones who chanted on the PPV, the ones who take signs, wear shirts, the kids who'll hear about this in the news, off friends, and how a hero can do things so wrong.Still, it makes a good discussion on here for the mongs to slag each other off.

[Gossy]

Just really heard about all this, just stunned, it's absolutely tragic and I just really can't get my head around anybody killing their 7 year old child. Benoit must've been in a real dark place and it's just awful, really awful. I don't know what else to say.

[RCP]

In my mind, it's plausible that this was a joint decision of both Chris and his wife. I really know nothing about either of them (although Chris, at least, must have been in a completely different place). We will never know, but it wouldn't surprise me if he wanted to join his friend Eddie Guerrero in heaven.

His wife's hands and feet were tied up mate. He murdered her.

[FireBrand]

From stunned to sickend this story has been ridden with tragidy,horror,disgust and incredulation. This goes beyound just a death of a wrestler to the hidious breakdown of a man until the henious acts were commited.I feel disgusted by it all.

[Guest Galaxy]

I didn't comment on this topic until I had heard a bit more about what had gone on and the police findings. Having heard a lot of the stuff I can honestly say that this is the most bizare and shocking story ever to be related to pro-wrestling. Its weird, I don't know how to feel. I was a big fan of Chris' in-ring work, I rated him very highly and still think he is possibly one of the best to ever enter the squared circle. But what does that mean now? whenever I will remember Chris Benoit I wont remember WM 20 anymore, I wont remember the great matches in Japan, ECW and WCW. From now on whenever I think of Chris Benoit I will think of what he has done and how he has died. Two inocent people have been mudered, one being a 7 year old kid who was suffocated by his own father. Two more children remain fatherless, now forced to live for the rest of their lives with the fact that their Dad murdered. I don't know if Nancy's parents are still alive, but they two have lost a daughter and a grandson, as well as Benoits own parents losing a grandson and now a son who again, they now know murdered two innocent people, people who they were close to. I don't know how to react to Benoits death, I only feel deep sadness for Nancy and the kid. Over time I will form an opinion perhaps, but nothing is ever going to make me understand why he did it

[guts316]

Having paid less attention to the world of professional wrestling for nigh on 20 years ever since WrestleMania and the even more recent McMahon limo explosion, I was logging on to check my emails this morning at about 6:40am and I head over to pwtorch.com to find out the most horrific set of circumstances.Off to work I went in a bit of a daze, only on arrival to be greeted by a printout on my desk from ESPN.com's re-print of one of the early associated press articles from one of my colleagues who wondered whether I'd seen the news - unfortunately I had.The day was spent checking the Wrestling observer website, and other mainstream US news outlets as the unthinkable became more real with every report and every bit of detail.I met my good friend Louis, who some of you may have heard through some of my past posts from the US and a few have met at various Wrestling events, at East Croydon to head back and watch the 'tribute' show that was aired last night. Frustratingly before doing so I tried to get online to check the latest developments only to find out my good for nothing Virgin broadband was down, and it has remained down all evening. I type this through the medium of dial-up on my mother's computer, circa 1997.Anyway, the Raw programme itself was a really strange one for me to watch, and the decision to air it the way it was was slightly questionable from my point of view. They must have known prior to airtime that some foul play had to be involved. What seems clear though after today's developments is that that is the only time Chris Benoit will be eulogised on WWE television.Thanks to dopper I caught about three quarters of the press conference on Fox News, and it obviously wasn't pleasant to hear. As the days and weeks go on, more will be found out about any possible outside motives that have not been discovered yet, more about Benoit's state of mind and more about those all important text messages.What was clear also from the report on Fox, is just how much bad press WWE is going to get from this incident if it is found that Benoit's body was full of steroids at the time, and it is pinned rightly or wrongly on 'roid rage'. WWE had the opportunity following the death of Eddie Guerrero to clean up its act, there are numerous examples to show they have not done so. This now, combined with the sheer volume of other wrestling deaths, is going to hurt WWE - perhaps not permanently but for a very long time.As for Benoit, I found it difficult to watch back the matches in the tribute. As dopper mentioned in another thread, we have been fortunate enough to bare witness to some of his finest moments - WrestleMania in the Garden for example was a dream come true, one of the best nights of my life. Looking back on it now it all just seems a little weird, I can't really put it into words.

It is really sad for those of us who admired Chris Benoit's work over the years that his body of work is now permanently soiled. No match of his will ever be rewatched and appreciated the same way. Having said that, nothing about his pro wrestling body of work being ruined is the least bit relevant relative to the tragic death of his seven year old. I cannot imagine a worse death than your father smothering you after being a state of sheer petrified fright for however many hours it was since you last heard your mother arguing with your father. Absolutely horrible.

Unfortunately in years to come Benoit will not be remembered for his great matches or in ring skill - simply he will be infamous as a double murderer. However much good he may have done while on earth, however many lives he touched, however much we liked him & enjoyed his work, that is the tragic and terrible fact of the matter. Edited June 26, 2007 by guts316

[andrew woodhall]

I just put a heart felt fairwell to chris and then quickly removed it when I read a few posts above. Is it confirmd? I cant believe this could be true!

Edited June 26, 2007 by andrew woodhall

[Paul]

I've seen all the latest news and all I can say is, that I feel very sick.Physically sick.I can't get my head around dealing with one of my heroes falling so far from grace and having killed his family and himself. I think some people should be more patient with those who feel the same.

[edgecrusher]

I'll appreciate Benoit's work the same way. I don't see how the end of his life, this tragedy, in any way affects what he did in the ring or who he was in the ring. If Mozart had murdered five hundred people he'd still be one of the greatest composers of all time. Though, like Chris is destined to be, I don't think he'd be remembered for that. American wrestling has lost one of its virtuosos, you might argue one of the last great American wrestlers.The world's lost three more people in tragic circumstances.And wrestling itself's picked up yet another bruise.

Edited June 26, 2007 by edgecrusher

[Pegasus Kid]

Meltzer was just on FOX News but I missed it, anyone hear what he said?

[Guest Galaxy]

Its because whenever someone sees a Benoit match people will think about the murders. Maybe in 100 years time the Mozart argument will be proved right, but not at this time.

[Garrett]

They're talking about this on CNN Headline News right now. Scott Ballard the D.A. on the case said Daniel had needle marks and they believe he had been on growth hormones for some time. The first text message sent said Nancy and Daniel were sick, and the last text message Chris sent said someone needs to check on his dogs and bank accounts.