Chris Benoit

Life is such a precious gift.  Sometimes we don’t even realize it.  Today I come home, all pumped up about the fact that there are only a few days left until the launch of the iPhone.  I also gave some thought to the Vince McMahon piece that I finished last night.  As hard as I was on Vince, I think given the situation it was an appropriate commentary.  One of the things that I talked about what what we do in the event of a real untimely death.

Tragically tonight as I came home to just turn on Raw to see how horribly they would continue this whole “McMahon death” angle, I had the TV on mute.  As I turned it on, I was kinda sickened to see John Cena crying.  “How far are you going to carry this stupid angle?” I thought.  “Now you’ve got Cena crying….and you must have really pushed him hard, because the guy is really balling.”  As I watched the rest of the promo with my arms folded, I heard Cena say, “We love you Chris.”  Chris?  Chris??  As I rewound the Tivo recording, I saw the footage of knife-edge chops — in reverse — and my heart sank.

For one, I have to commend Vince.  For all the dirt I kicked on him just one post away, he did the right thing.  He came out from under this stupid angle and was the first face that we saw.  Total kayfabe.  Totally appropriate.  Classy.  In some ways it’s what he had to do, but he could have very well had someone else speak on behalf of the WWE.  Jim Ross could have kicked off the show.  But Vince, you did what was right and let’s hope this represents a change.  He didn’t even have a show.  The arena is empty and they are doing the right thing in paying tribute.

As for Chris, I still don’t understand what happened.  The news report on WWE.com says that investigators are looking into the cause of death.  Carbon monoxide?  Who knows.  Who cares at this point.  Tragically, one of the most enthusiastic and energy packed wrestlers is no longer among the living here on Earth.

I feel bad talking about the wrestler Chris Benoit because there’s a bigger problem here.  Chris didn’t die alone.  His wife — someone who fans well knew as “Woman” died as well.  Nancy was known to wrestling fans since the 80s and I’m sure Kevin Sullivan is somewhere crying as well (despite what folks may think of his management skills).

And worst of all is the loss of his son Daniel.  I just don’t know what to say.

I remember before I had even seen Chris Benoit, I heard all of this hoopla and wondered who the hell he was.  When this guy came from behind the curtain not even my height, I had to wonder if I was looking at the right guy.  It wasn’t long until I saw him kick with such intensity that I was definitely looking at the right guy.  The biggest thing about him that impressed me is that as much as he was fun to watch in the U.S., watching his tapes from his New Japan Pro Wrestling career as Wild Pegasus was such a drastic change.  To watch him adapt like a chameleon — equally as entertaining and equally as intense but just completely different in terms of the style — was so impressive.

I realize that this isn’t anyone’s fault and that if the Lord calls you home, then it was definitely your time (and I honestly believe that), but I just don’t know if I can write another one of these posts.  I can’t bear to turn on Raw and see a still shot with someone’s birth and death year separated by a hyphen.  Guerrero was enough.  Owen was shocking.  Curt Hennig was devastating.  Sherri the other day was depressing.  It’s just getting old.  You pray that for these folks to spend their lives entertaining us and falling on their back and bruising their bodies every week that hopefully they would get the chance to spend quality retirement time with their families someday.  I pray that God would receive Chris and his family and comfort all of those who actually knew him — especially those outside of wrestling —