MSNBC

On Dan Abrams show on MSNBC tonight, he had two guests. The first was Dr. Phil Astin III’s attorney Manny Arora. Arora was asked about his client’s links to the Benoit case which in response to he said that in the list of items found in the DEA raids, there were no anabolic steroids found. When asked about the new superseding indictment, he responded by saying that he expected to have more charges brought against his client. It was his prediction that the prosecution was going to bring before the court Prof. and other medical specialists to testify that his client Dr. Phil Astin III did knowingly illegally prescribe medication to numerous wrestlers. Arora said in closing that this was the kind of case that he was preparing for.

Abrams then went on to point out that WWE ratings have fallen since the news of the Benoit case becoming a double murder suicide. Abrams went on to say that while some analysts say that it’s because of the Benoit case, but that he thinks it’s because wrestling fans have had the whole wrestling is fake speech thrown in their face so many times as of late because of the news media.


Abrams second guest of the evening was Marc Mero, who was pretty much on the show tonight to correct himself for something that he had said the night before on the same show. First he did mention that his belief is that fans aren’t tuning in specifically because of the Benoit case. He said that he wouldn’t be surprised if fans were turned away by the controversy. The correction he made was that the night before he had said that it was that the two past weeks, the RAW ratings were the lowest they’ve been in 3 years. However tonight he said that this was the lowest rated RAW ratings in 20 months and that this is the lowest that RAW has been in the summer months for the past nine years. When asked if he was mad at professional wrestling for turning a blind eye so to speak to the use of anabolic steroids, he replied with a very emphatic yes and then as he finished his interview made a plea to Florida Rep. Cliff Stearns(R) to bring the use of steroids in professional wrestling before congress.


Fox News Channel

The O’Riley Factor was a complete joke. In the beginning of the segment, Bill complained about how Vince McMahon wouldn’t give him an interview. So he showed an old tape from 2000 in which he had an exclusive interview with Linda McMahon. In this interview there were many highlight videos of the WWE mixed in with videos of backyard wrestling, all put to the song Let the Bodies hit the Floor, by Drowning Pool. Whenever O’Riley would make a point a piece of video would play to back him up. Such as when he mentions that two year olds were shown as being some of the people who watch the WWE, a video of two (what I would guess were about 7-8 year olds) wrestling on a trampoline and hitting each other with a piece of cardboard. And when he mentions that he wouldn’t want his two year old watching a sweaty man go flying across the ring they shoe Kurt Angle belly to belly suplex Shane-O-Mac across the ring. Then when he mentions chairs they show a match in which A-Train slams a chair across the back of the Undertaker who then big boots the chair back into the face of A-Train. And of course they show the videos of 12 year kids being found guilty of murder by way of a wrestling move. Then Fox News shows an interview with a man that had his neck broken when he took a tombstone piledriver from a buddy of his. In the end O’Riley laughs when Linda McMahon says that they like what they do. And then he repeats it sarcastically and she say sit again stern faced and everything, â€�"We like what we do.” And at the very end of the segment, O’Riley literally spits in the face of the WWE and pro-wrestling for that matter when he says and I quote, â€Å"Well I guess they can add the Benoit incident to their resume now.”


CNN Headline News

On CNN’s Headline News w/ Nancy Grace tonight, there were countless guests. Her first guest of the evening was friend of Chris Benoit and editor and writer for Figurefouronline.com Brian Alvarez. Alvarez reported that the charges that had been brought up against Dr. Astin in the indictment were charges of illegal distribution of drugs. Alvarez also commented that on the list of wrestlers that were either clients of or had taken prescriptions from Dr. Astin two of the initials really jumped out. Those were OG, and MJ.

Nancy’s second guest of the evening was Rep. Cliff Stearns R-Florida, who for the most part said that congress needs to investigate the world of Pro-Wrestling the same way that they investigated Major League Baseball.

Nancy’s third guest was WWE Hall of Famer, and WWE Legend Superstar Billy Graham. The main points that Graham had to make throughout the night were that wrestling isn’t being taken serious anymore because of the over exposure. He said that it’s become a circus act of Hollywood storylines that are turning it into a joke and making people laugh at the business. He said that there is no respect for the wrestlers or for the industry for that matter anymore. Graham commented also on the work that Marc Mero has done to bring this issue to the forefront of the wrestling world. Graham said that Mero should be commended for his efforts and that he will continue to support n anyway that he can Mero in his cause. Billy also went on to mention all of the things that roids have done to him. He talked about how because of his over use he has lost four inches in height, and has had 6-7 hip replacements. He also apologized to his wife for being so stupid, as he made himself fertile because of the long term use of roids. His wife wanted to have a family of 10 and he couldn’t even give her a family of one. One other thing that Billy pointed out was that the man who was sweeping up the arena that the wrestlers had just finished a show in more than likely had better health benefits than the wrestlers did. This is another thing that he felt should be brought before congress. Finally in what I can only describe as a shoot promo Superstar Billy Graham had this to say about Dr. Phil Astin III and other doctors like him. And I quote, â€Å"Let’s stop calling Astin a doctor. Let’s call him a monster as he is, let’s call him a quack. Let’s call him a greedy, evil, devil. That’s my opinion of doctors who feed off of professional wrestlers, baseball players or whoever else it may be. They are nothing but pure soulless human beings.”

Nancy’s forth guest was the widow of ECW legend Johnny Grunge of the Public Enemy, Penny Durham. As many of you may recall Grunge passed away in February of 2006. Durham spoke very highly of Grunge as a person, but really denounced the old ECW and the practices of some of the wrestlers in the company. She said that if Johnny wanted to get some pain medication all he had to do was give the empty pill bottle to any of the doctors that would come and sit ringside and they would fill the prescription. It was at this point that Nancy Grace pointed out that Carol Connor, who played Archie Bunker on TV, sued his son’s drug dealer. This has set a legal precedent as Connor won his case. Later however Durham went on to speak of one time when Grunge was having a case of â€Å"Roid Rage” and he came at her with a butcher’s knife. As she finished her part of the night, Billy Graham applauded her, as did Marc Mero, for her courage to come on the show, and said that he would have his wife get in contact with Durham to help her through this. (Graham’s wife had one time had to remove food that had become lodged in his throat due to an overdose of steroids) But as Durham finished she mentioned that July 10th would’ve been Johnny Grunge’s 41st birthday. She said that her five year old son came up to her and said â€Å"Mommy… Can we go to heaven and visit daddy for his birthday?”

It should be noted that in the interview with Penny Durham she was asked what she was let with when Johnny Grunge died. Her response was, â€Å"Broke. I was left broke with a large funeral bill. And now I live with my parents. When WCW went under, two weeks later we lost everything. The house, the cars, everything.”

According to Durham, Grunge’s death cannot just be accredited to sleep apnea. She said that there was an empty pill bottle next to his bed the next morning. She also mentioned that the talk in the wrestling world about steroid use and painkiller abuse is very kea fabe. She said that Johnny had tried to detox himself but had failed miserably.

Finally Nancy also had Marc Mero frmr. WWE superstar on the show. Mero has quickly become the poster child for gov’t. regulation in professional wrestling as far as drug use is concerned. He has published a list of 104 wrestlers under the age of fifty who have died in the past 10 years. The complete list follows bellow: (Some of these deaths go beyond ten years)

Full-time wrestlers
Adrian Adonis (Keith Franke) 34 1988 Accident (car)
Andre The Giant (Andre Rousimoff) 46 1993 Disease (heart attack caused by acromegaly)
Art Barr 28 1994 Overdose
Bam Bam Bigelow (Scott Bigelow) 45 2007 Overdose
Biff Wellington (Shayne Bower) 42 2007 Heart attack
Big Bossman (Ray Traylor) 42 2004 Heart attack
Big Dick Dudley (Alex Rizzo) 34 2002 Disease (Kidney failure)
Billy Joe Travis (William Joseph) 40 2002 Heart attack
Bobby Duncum Junior 34 2000 Overdose
Brady Boone (Dean Peters) 40 1998 Accident (car)
Brian Pillman 35 1997 Heart attack (genetic though likely worsened by drug abuse)
Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish) 42 1988 Murdered (by fellow wrestler)
Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan) 32 1992 Overdose
Chris Adams 40 2001 Murdered
Chris Benoit 40 2007 Suicide
Chris Candido 34 2003 Accident (blood clot during surgery after ring accident)
Crash Holly (Michael Lockwood) 33 2003 Overdose (possible suicide)
Curt Hennig 44 2003 Overdose
Danny Johnson 49 2003 Unknown
Davey Boy Smith 39 2002 Heart attack (drug related)
Dick Murdoch 49 1995 Heart attack
Dino Bravo (Adolfo Bresciano) 44 1993 Murdered
DJ Peterson (Dave Peterson) 33 1993 Accident (motorcycle)
Earthquake (John Tenta) 42 2006 Disease (cancer)
Ed Gantner 31 1990 Suicide
Eddie Gilbert 33 1995 Heart attack
Eddie Guerrero 38 2005 Heart attack (drug related)
Emory Hale 38 2006 Heart attack
Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) 44 2003 Heart attack (likely drug related)
Hercules (Ray Fernandez) 44 2003 Heart attack
Jeep Swenson (Robert Swenson) 40 1997 Heart attack
Jerry Blackwell 45 1995 Disease (pneumonia)
Joey Maggs (Jospeh Magliano) 37 2006 Unknown
John Studd (John Minton) 46 1995 Disease (Hodgkins)
Johnny Grunge (Mike Durham) 39 2006 Disease (sleep apnea, possibly worsened by drug use)
Junk Yard Dog (Sylvester Ritter) 45 1998 Accident (car)
Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson) 33 1993 Suicide
Larry Cameron 41 1993 Heart attack
Leroy Brown (Roland Daniels) 37 1994 Heart attack
Louie Spicolli (Louis Mucciolo) 27 1998 Overdose
Mike Awesome (Mike Alphonso) 42 2007 Suicide
Mike Davis 45 2001 Heart attack
Mike Lozanski 35 2003 Heart attack
Mitch Snow ? 2000 Suicide
Owen Hart 34 1999 Accident (ring entrance)
Pitbull 2 (Anthony Durante) 36 2003 Overdose
Ray Candy 37 1994 Heart attack
Renegade (Richard Wilson) 33 1999 Suicide
Ravishing Rick Rude 40 1999 Heart attack (drug related)
Rhonda Singh (Peggy Simpson) 40 2001 Overdose
Rocco Rock (Ted Petty) 49 2002 Heart attack
Scott Irwin 35 1987 Disease (Brain tumour)
Sherri Martel 49 2007 Unknown
Terry Gordy 40 2001 Heart attack
The Wall (Jerry Tuite) 35 2003 Heart attack
Troy Graham 47 2002 Heart attack
Vivian Vachon 40 1991 Accident (car)
Yokozuna (Rodney Anoia) 34 2000 Heart attack (genetic)
Independent/part-time wrestlers
Adam Marks 21 2006 Unknown
Alan Carnill 42 2004 Accident (car)
Axis (Steven Ranton) 22 2007 Suicide
Bad Boy Brazil 26 2002 Drug related?
Bad Business Brown 31 2001 Disease (aneurysm)
Big City Mike 38 1997 Unknown
Big E Sleaze (Jeremy Sumpter) 22 1998 Suicide
Billy Redwood (William Crumpton) 29 2004 Accident (car)
Billy The Kid (William Reid) 48 1998 Unknown
Black Venus (Jean Kirkland) 46 1995 Unknown
Blue Thunder Tornado (David Wayne Daniels) 18 1988 Accident (fork lift)
Brandon Starr 19 2004 Accident (stroke from ring injury)
Brian Cox 33 2003 Unknown
Bubba Kneukols 34 2002 Heart attack
Chazz Roco (Chad Floyd) 37 2005 Heart attack
Chief Dave Foxx (David Farrar) 44 2001 Heart attack
Chief Thundermountain (David Moisier) 33 1991 Heart attack
Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman) 23 2005 Accident (motorcycle)
Chris Duffy 35 2000 Disease (seizure)
Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson) 21 1991 Suicide
Core (Lee Estabrook) 29 2003 Suicide
Dan Curtis 37 1998 Suicide
Dane Gerous (Jared Hogan) 19 2005 Accident (car)
Danny Fargo (Audie Hager) 44 2003 Disease (cancer)
Danny Hawke (Dan Hawkins) 33 2004 Drug related
Dave Casanova (David DiMeglio) 35 2002 Drug related?
Dave Vicious 31 2001 Heart attack
Doug Chevalier 38 2000 Heart attack
Dr Destruction (John Coggleshall) 34 2004 Heart attack (in ring)
Dynamite D (Darren McMillan) 37 2007 Disease (Cancer)
Floyd Creatchman 46 2003 Disease (Chron’s)
Guido Falcone (Richard Martell) 32 2002 Disease (Leukemia)
Harlem Warlord (Jamie Cardiche) 32 2000 Disease (complications in surgery)
Ivan Zaiken 39 1995 Unknown
J Prodigy (Jeremy Davis) 29 2004 Unknown
Jeff Peterson 22 2002 Disease (cancer)
Jeff Raitz ? 2002 Heart attack
Jenni Lee (Jennifer Bednar) 34 2006 Unknown
Jerry Oski (Jerry Arotski) 32 1995 Unknown
Jimmy Beal ? 1993 Unknown
Jimmy Hustler (Jimmy Alicea) 33 2006 Heart attack
Joe Powers 41 2003 Disease (Liver failure)
Kevin Mailhot 24 2005 Accident (car)
Lance Idol (Steve Schumann) 32 1991 Heart attack (drug related)
Larry Doyle 37 1998 Disease (diabetes)
Little Coco 40 1993 Unknown
Liz Chase 46 1999 Disease (dies during surgery)
Mark Mendian 20 2000 Accident (ring injury)
Mass Transit (Eric Kulas) 22 2002 Disease (obesity)
Matt Storm 39 2007 Unknown
Mike Marcello ? 2000 Suicide
Mr Ebony 46 1999 Heart attack
Neil Superior (Neil Caricofe) 33 1996 Heart attack (during arrest, attack likely drug related)
Pat Kelly 42 1988 Accident (Car)
Randy Mansfield (Randy Toslinksi) 23 1998 Unknown
Rick Bolton 49 2000 Unknown
Rick Martello 38 1997 Unknown
Robbie D (Robert Dicks) 32 2002 Suicide
Rockin’ Robin (Kim Robinson) 35 2001 Accident (motorcycle) (note – not the WWF wrestler)
Rocky Hata (Mitsuo Hata) 43 1991 Unknown
Russ Haas 27 2001 Heart attack (genetic)
Scott Peterson 31 1994 Accident (Motorcycle)
Shane Shamrock (Brian Hauser) 23 1998 Murdered (actually shot legally by police during raid)
Spider (Daniel Quirk) 22 2005 Accident (in ring)
Stephan DeLeon 34 2004 Accident (motorcycle)
Steve King 49 1998 Unknown
Texas Outlaw #1 39 2004 Accident (car)
The Diva (Kelly Tabor) 28 2002 Unknown
The Stud 25 2006 Overdose
Tiger Khan (Marlon Kalkai) 33 2006 Heart attack
Tiny Anderson 42 1995 Unknown
Tony Nash 30 2000 Accident (ring injury)
Tony Rumble (Antony Magliaro) 43 1999 Heart attack
Trae Kellar 36 2005 Unknown
Xtreme 20 2004 Unknown
Yuel Lovett (Alex Lovett) 28 1999 Heart attack
Yukon Braxton (Jeffrey Dingess) 24 2002 Unknown
International wrestlers we know
Angel Azteca 43 2007 Heart attack (suspected)
Baby X (Jose Barreto Martínez) 21 2004 Murdered
Brazo Cibernetico (Aaron Alvardo Nieves) 33 1999 Disease (pancreatitis)
El Sanguinario (Luis Delgadillo) 33 2002 Unknown
El Texano (Juan Aguilar) 47 2006 Disease (respiratory failure)
Emiko Kado 23 1999 Accident (ring injury)
Gary Albright 36 1999 Heart attack (died during a match)
Giant Ochiai (Takayuki Okada) 30 2003 Disease (brain haemorrhage)
Haru Sonada 31 1987 Unknown
Jackie Sato 41 1999 Disease (cancer)
Jimmy Beale 25 1993 Unknown
Jumbo Tsuruta (Tomomi Tsuruta) 49 2000 Disease (Hepatitis)
Kodo Fuyuki 42 2003 Disease (cancer)
Kronnus (Sergio Armando Villa) 27 1999 Murdered
Kung Fu (Raymundo Cuesta Veloz) 49 2000 Heart attack
Little Frankie (Masanobu Okamoto) 44 2002 Disease (unknown)
Loco Zandokan (Arturo Carrillo Arteaga) 39 1995 Unknown
Masakazu Fukuda 27 2000 Accident (ring injury)
Mephisto Lephanto 31 2007 Heart attack (in ring)
Multifacieto (Albert Morales) 20 2000 Suicide
Oro (Javier Hernandez) 21 1993 Disease (Brain aneurysm, died in ring)
Plum Mariko (Mariko Ueda) 29 1997 Accident (series of ring injuries)
Relampago Negro ? 2002 Murdered
Satoshi Hasegawa 22 1999 Accident (fell from balcony)
Shinya Hashimoto 40 2005 Disease (aneurysm)
Sombre Negra (Edwin Ortiz Torres) 36 2001 Heart attack
Vangelis (Alejandro Granados) 29 2002 Unknown
Victor The Bodyguard (Victor Rodriguez) 38 2004 Heart attack
Villano I (Jose Mendoza) 49 2001 Heart attack

Mero pleaded again to Rep. Stearns for his help in congress. Mero said that he will continue to fight until there is gov.’t regulation in this matter in pro-wrestling.

Finally, Nancy Grace made some great points this evening. She pointed out that some people are more concerned with the well being of their animals than of wrestlers. She also brought up the point of how many wrestlers were in the care of Dr. Astin. And she also made the point that if he does get found guilty there is a precedent for the families of Benoit and Grunge to sue.





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