The following is pure opinion, hence the name of this column. Feel free to debate the points of this article on the DOI Message Board.

In America today, there are four sports that are considered major. Within those four sports, there are four organizations that are considered elite and above the rest in their respective sports. Those organizations are the NHL (hockey), the NBA (basketball), MLB (baseball) and the NFL (football). These sports have been around for a long time, just like another sport, pro wrestling. The WWE is the number one organization for pro wrestling in America today. While many may question the validity of calling pro wrestling a sport, it should be no question.

Pro wrestling has been around for centuries. Pro Wrestling can even be traced back to the days of Abraham Lincoln, as it has been reported that President Lincoln wrestled before getting into politics. He was the Jesse Ventura of the 1830s. No other professional sport requires its athletes to compete on a yearly basis. There is no off-season. If you get injured, someone will be gunning to take over your spot. Out of sight, out of mind, rings true when it comes to pro wrestling. The grueling traveling schedule of many WWE stars makes rock tours look pathetic in numerous ways. While rock stars tour maybe for 9 months every 2-3 years, WWE wrestlers tour year-round and are approximately home only 30 days a year, and that’s an improvement. Back in the 1980s, superstars like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair would hardly step foot in their own home. Wrestlers have to sell their look to be successful. The constant training, dieting and work is not for any person. You have to be someone special to get the WWE contract. There are over 1300 players in the NFL. There are more than a 1000 different professional baseball players in the MLB. There are more than a 1000 different players in the NHL as well. There are more than 360 basketball players in the NBA. Take out the fact that there are farm systems, minor leagues and scouts at high school and college games across the company. If you added those people in, the numbers really inflate. So, what’s the point of all this? There are fewer than 100 professional wrestlers in the WWE, making it harder for someone to get a WWE contract than a job playing any major sport in America today.

Being a pro wrestler in the WWE is no easy task. The life on the road is a very hard life to balance. While reporters and other members of the media are allowed in NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB locker rooms, the same isn’t always true when it comes to the WWE. The WWE controls the news it wants out and gives itsnews to media. Internet websites may report news and rumors, but these reports aren’t always 100% true. There are no “after-match” press conferences. Sure, the WWE might have a press conference to hype up an upcoming major event in a big city, but these are promo events with planted questions. With the wrestling media, pretty non-existent when compared to other sports, this allows the players, or in this case, the wrestlers, more leeway to live their lives, without being under a microscope. While this may be great for wrestlers, it can also be bad, as there are no watchdogs to see what’s going on and to question the WWE.

2003 was a sad year for the wrestling business. Over 20 wrestlers, with 15 of those wrestlers being under the age of 45, passed away in the year 2003. Can you imagine if that happened in any other sport? Korey Stringer, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, died after suffering from heat exhaustion on July 31st, 2001. That story dominated back pages of newspapers nation wide. Many members of the press questioned the NFL’s practicing policies. This was a MAJOR issue, and the only death of an active NFL player of the century. NBA has suffered deaths too, with Reggie Lewis and Drazen Petrovic dying in the 1990s. Members of the media questioned the NBA’s drug testing policy, after Lewis was found dead due to a cocaine overdose. Since those deaths, no active player in the NBA has passed away. Look over in the NHL, and you’ll see that it’s quiet there. The only major death, outside of an automobile accident with 2 players from the Atlanta Thrashers, to take place was the death of a fan at a Columbus Blue Jackets game. And what happened after this death? The NHL altered the game of hockey for live fans. From now on, a humongous black net is elevated around the rink, to prevent pucks from going into the crowd. What’s next a force field in baseball to prevent random foul balls from becoming souvenirs? Speaking of baseball, the only major death to take place in the 2000’s was Darryl Kile, who died abruptly. His death also was covered and discussed by the media. This brings me back to my original statement. 15 active wrestlers died in 2003 alone. (Active meaning wrestled or performed in the year 2003) More have died in 2000-2003. The majority of these wrestlers had ties with the WWE, and 3 of these wrestlers even appeared on WWE TV in 2003. (Road Warrior Hawk, Crash Holly and Freddie Blassie.) While Freddie Blassie was old in age, at 85 years old, he unfortunately, is more the exception of a long life for a wrestler, than the rule.

Just going through the names of people who passed away in 2003, and it’s shocking. Former heavyweight champion of the world, Curt Hennig, was found dead at the age of 43. The cause? A cocaine overdose. The first lady of the then WWF (now WWE), Miss Elizabeth, gone at the age of 42 after a drug/vodka overdose. The list goes on and on. Former WWE Hardcore, Tag Team and European Champion, Crash Holly at 32, gone. Road Warrior Hawk, considered by many in the wrestling business as one half of the best tag team of all time, dead at the age of 45 due to a life of drug abuse. That’s just scratching the surface. Other independent wrestlers and big names died due to drug problems too. Pitbull Anthony Durante and Malice, both champions in their career at one point or another, both passed away in 2003. Let’s not forget that these are only the deaths that happened in 2003. Looking further back, drug abuse has been the cause of many other deaths. Rick Rude, British Bulldog, Brian Pillman, The Von Erich’s, Louie Spicolli are just more bodies that were found dead due to drug abuse. With other wrestlers having documented problems with the law due to drugs such as Scott Hall aka Razor Ramon, Jake The Snake Roberts, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and others, where does it all end? Who will put a stop to it? Who is responsible? Why is this happening? Would anyone be really that surprised if they read that Lex Luger was dead due to Steroid and painkiller abuse tomorrow?

The pressure of being one of the few people in the world to be a big time professional wrestler is enough to make someone look to drugs and alcohol. While drinking a few beers with the boys is normal for everyday Americans, playing around with somas, oxycotin and other prescription drugs is not. When other drugs such as cocaine, heroin and acid enter the mix, you’re talking about living a fast life. The purpose of this is not to judge others lifestyles, but it is to talk about what is causing it. With no one policing the WWE and with no major media covering these deaths, outside of one USA Today article that was just recently published, all these deaths in wrestling are no longer shocking to wrestling fans. Dead pools, where people place bets on who will go next have even started up on various sites and message boards. With so many wrestlers dying, it should be covered. Human lives are getting lost at a fast rate in the wrestling industry. No other sports or entertainment industry have seen as many deaths compared to the wrestling business. The difference between those deaths and wrestling deaths is that it seems no one ever learns from a wrestler’s death.

Another issue to look at when it comes to death in wrestling is medical care. No wrestlers have HMO’s to take care of them. Some wrestlers, especially on the indies, will turn to painkillers instead of going to get medical treatment, due to the cost of getting professional treatment. Add in the fact that only states that have athletic commissions are required by law to have doctors at the shows, many wrestlers can wrestle injured. Who knows, a wrestler may have high blood pressure or another ailment, but you’d never know if the match took place in a non-commissioned state. The WWE does have doctors at all their events in case of injury, but outside of commissioned states, independent promotions do not. An example of this is when, Homicide from Brooklyn, NY, was taken off a WWE show, in Texas where he was supposed to have a try-out or dark match, due to having the effects of post-concussion syndrome. While Homicide is considered by many as one of the best indy wrestlers today, a match that he would’ve wrestled on any show on the indy scene, was cancelled due to the WWE doctors. Homicide would’ve definitely wrestled the match, and the facts support it. On 12/27/03, in Philadelphia, he suffered a concussion during a match with Kojima. The next night, in a suburb of San Antonio, Texas, Homicide wrestled in front of 200 people. His injury didn’t prevent him from wrestling an indy show for RCW, but on 12/30/03, he was told that the same injury that allowed him to wrestle on Saturday, would prevent him from wrestling on Tuesday. Clearly, it’s a risk to wrestle at anytime, but with only the WWE having a full medical staff, the risk of wrestling on the indies is even higher.

Who is the cause for these deaths? Vincent K. McMahon Jr., CEO of the WWE is a prime suspect. When it is true that any wrestler can control their lifestyle, it is not coincidental to have so many former employees die after going through your company. A trend has started. It is time to acknowledge it. Vince McMahon, as he’s more commonly known, is the mogul of pro wrestling in America today. Vince is a ruthless businessman and has time and time again proven himself to be superior over other wrestling promotions. Getting a paycheck signed by Vince McMahon is the goal for the majority of wrestlers in the United States today. Vince is a household name when it comes to pro wrestling. He was involved with making pro wrestling popular and cool to watch during two different time periods. His relationship with Hulk Hogan, and the way he promoted Hulk Hogan, has made Hogan the most popular wrestler ever. It also brought in many fans, and with Hogan and Wrestlemania, Vince changed wrestling forever. In the late 90’s with Hogan in the rival WCW, Vince again boned up and took control of the wrestling world, this time with a man called Stone Cold Steve Austin. Vince even got in the ring himself and feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin off and on for 2 years. During this time, Vince was able to create other famous stars such as The Rock, Triple H and others. Vince once again rejuvenated the wrestling business with his mad scientist ways and proved himself the king of all wrestling promoters. By being the king of wrestling promoters, he became the puppet master of many wrestlers lives.

Turn on WWE TV anytime it’s on, and you’ll see huge wrestlers with muscles upon muscles. Where the indy scene and international promotions focus more on in ring talent and technical wrestling, the WWE focuses on hard toned bodies and washboard abs. Wrestlers are being brought up with less than a year of professional training just due to their look. Imagine if boxing did that? Imagine if the NFL drafted some random guy because of his look? Those people would be embarrassed and made short work of. Instead, Vince takes these big loafs and turns them into WWE superstars. Obviously the stress and the acceptance of that fact is enough to make other wrestlers within the WWE, and all the people looking out, to enhance their bodies. Steroids are a popular way to enhance your body for some in the wrestling business. Steroids is what got Vince McMahon in trouble back in the early 1990’s with the law. Vince was proven of encouraging Steroid abuse and took some himself. It is very hard for someone to naturally look like a genetic freak without getting some chemical help. It’s hard enough just to work out all the time and look good and not get any work. Steroids is usually the answer more times than not.

That’s one aspect of drug abuse. How about painkillers? With no medical plan in wrestling, many wrestlers are forced to work hurt. If Kobe Bryant injures his pinkie during the NBA season, he might take a month off to recuperate it. In wrestling and the WWE, if Kurt Angle breaks his neck and wrestles with a bad neck for four years, he’ll take only 3 months off to fix a broken neck. Wrestlers are always wrestling hurt all the time. Diamond Dallas Page was known to tape his ribs all the time because he was always hurt and it became a custom for him. Wrestlers unlike no other athlete in any sport are always pushing themselves to work through pain. Sure there are trainers to help the wrestlers, but that’s only in the WWE, and even then it’s still not enough. Plus, if you are one of the people who do take time off, such as Steve Austin, Lita, Edge, Rhyno, Chris Benoit and others, your spot is placed in immediately jeopardy. New people will step up. Your spot will be filled and it will make it that much harder for you to come back. There is no loyalty between the promoter and wrestler. It is ultimately a business and what did you do for me yesterday mentality. With that in mind, painkillers and other prescription drugs have been used to alleviate pain and have become a temporary solution for an ongoing problem/injury.

A resolution to this seemingly never ending problem must come to light. Whether it’s mandatory drug testing or legislation to prevent drug use must be put in place. Too many lives are getting lost. WWE does have their own tests, but seriously, they aren’t going to fire their own guys if they are making WWE money. Their tests are lighter and don’t test for everything. WWE wants their guys in tip top shape and will look the other way if the bodies are chemically produced. The great thing for Vince too, is that he can fire anyone he wants since he has no national competition in America. If a wrestler’s drug problem does get out of hand, instead of helping out, he can opt to fire them and rid them from his company. In all fairness, Vince has had a few cases of being humanitarian, as he did put several wrestlers in drug rehab. Those wrestlers are considered very lucky. In the end, there is no stopping who Vince wants in and who Vince wants out.

Maybe a union, something that is unheard of in wrestling can prevent these deaths. A wrestler talking about a union might get him blackballed from the WWE, so that is why nothing has ever happened in wrestling history. A union would protect guys, and give them the proper treatment they need for their problems. A union could knock off some stress as well. By having a union, jobs are safe, and it won’t keep guys constantly polluting their body with unnecessary chemicals. Another thing to note is, just because you did have a wrestling career, doesn’t always translate into a great quality of life in your retirement. One obvious wrestler, the Dynamite Kid, is confined to a wheel chair. Bret Hart has suffered a stroke and sometimes loses his balance. Superstar Billy Graham needed a liver transplant. Even though they might have beaten painkillers, and the wear and tear of being a wrestler then, doesn’t mean a lifetime victory. By installing a union, a union could protect its wrestlers from having to take some insane moves. Guys won’t need humongous muscles and pimples on their backs just to be a wrestler. A union will prolong a better quality of life for wrestlers. It might take an outside group, with nothing to gain from the wrestling business, to unionize wrestlers, due to peoples in the business, fear of losing work from someone in wrestling. A union will decrease the amount of deaths, and hopefully eliminate deaths caused by substances.

Pro Wrestling is certainly a sport for the most special people. It is time to stop reading about deaths that shouldn’t be happening. Of course drugs will always be available, but it is time to take a stand and just say no. It is time to fight for the quality of life in pro wrestling. Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com