"Macho Man" Randy Savage passes away

[Navarre]

The expectation of the viewer to be entertained coupled with the pressure under the various sports to make money by providing that entertainment cascades into a degree of pressure on the athlete that could not be considered anything but unhealthy. There is similar pressure on any famous public performer (singers and actors and such) but professional athletes have the physical demands on top of the pressures carried by other entertainment personalities.

Professional wrestling is among the worst of these, imo, because while a football player needs to win, the pressure on wrestling ventures is to constantly top itself with incredible stunts.

Some, like Owen Hart, pay a senseless sacrifice.

Some, like Jeff Hardy, break under the pressure on them due to their own incredible genetic gifts and continued hard work.

Some, like Randy Savage, may pass away from completely unrelated causes but there is always the suspected possibility that his past finally took its toll on his body.

[Otter Disaster]

I've been a wrestling fan off and on for many years, and the Macho Man was always a favorite.  Savage gave great, surreal promos and had that bizarre charisma that a great pro wrestler needs.  At 58 he was pretty long lived for a wrestler...

I decided I was done with wrestling for good with the murder/suicide involving Chris Benoit, and his family.  As a form of entertainment I think it takes too much of a toll on the performers.  I've seen wrestling compared to the porn industry in that young, fresh physical specimens get used up for the entertainment of the audience, with a few rare instances of performers managing to eke out long term careers.  Seems like an apt comparison to me, with both industries featuring story after story of promising new face making the scene only to be buried a short time later.

Savage came from a generation of performers where the in-ring product was evolving, and his acrobatics helped influence the more physically demanding in-ring product expected today.  Great performer, he'll be missed.

[Gaumer]

I'm glad someone brought up Chris Benoit because he has been all but erased from the WWE, and its a travesty.

The events of his death were horrible but this athlete did a flying headbutt multiple times a week and was NEVER given proper medical advice or treatment, just told to get back out there and do it again.

Benoit's brain-scans showed huge amounts of brain damage but the WWE still uses many of the same practices as far as performer treatment as they did then, making lots of money off of these people they just allow to suffer. Its a bad mark that deserves more attention and more responsibility from these leagues.


The current NFL lockout revolves around the same sort of thing, as owners want more games from players but do not want to give more benefits after the players leave the league. Even with evidence that the majority of these players have life-long injuries from playing football.

[Otter Disaster]

Benoit was my favorite wrestler ever...Just an amazing in-ring performer, and I was sickened over his, and his family's death.  After that incident, I could no longer follow wrestling...It was sort of the culmination of a feeling that had been building for a long time with the events surrounding Brett and Owen Hart, Crash Holly, Jake Roberts, The British Bulldog, Curt Henning, and several other dead wrestlers from that same general time frame...

[Larry King]

I remember after Owen Hart's tragic death I told some buds right after it happend, they didn't believe me. They thought it was fake. I don't know why, but I could understand why they would.

[Alisha Mynx]

I found this article quite saddening (and relevant to the state of wrestlers part of the conversation).

I remember after Owen Hart's tragic death I told some buds right after it happend, they didn't believe me. They thought it was fake. I don't know why, but I could understand why they would.

It wasn't until the memorial event on the following night's episode of whatever the Monday night wrestling program was at the time that I actually believed it.  I had heard from a friend the day before, but I assumed at the time that it was a rumor (much like the recurring rumor years back, before the internet was common, that Hulk Hogan died when he hadn't).

[Navarre]

The night on RAW after Owen's death was all shoots (ie, not fake or scripted). This included not only the matches but also the interviews. The wrestlers said what they wanted/needed to say and wrestled for the sake of wrestling instead of any plot lines.

The only ones who were missing that night were the Undertaker and Kane because they thought they needed to preserve their characters' image.

I didn't see RAW tonight. Was there any mention of Randy Savage?

[SpiderLover]

They did a video package for him.

A few things about the deaths and what not. First and foremost the WWE schedule is very tough as most of these guys are on the road all the time. Two the physical demand to be big guys. You have to look the part, and well some of that doesn't come about naturally. Three the wear and tear on the body, and what is ignored. Kurt Angle is a great example, Kurt before he left the WWE would take loads of pain killers, just to walk. Why? Because at the time I believe he was about to be ECW champion and anytime you are out on injury there is no promise that you will get your top spot back.

These are all things that lead to some deaths.
 As far as Jeff Hardy goes...I'm a huge fan of his, a huge one. I followed his career since I was a kid and I was so happy the day he became the Champ on Smackdown. It was like seeing someone who you thought could do it, but could never get there.

So then he goes to TNA and everything falls apart. Now I feel a bit jaded about the whole thing.

[Navarre]

And why do you think everything fell apart when he went to TNA?

[SpiderLover]

TNA does not do Drug testing. WWE does, now what is more likely Jeff may have wanted a lighter schedule and now had the option open to him, and thus the drugs.