MeeThinks 11.22.05: Life After Eddie
Posted by John Meehan on 11.22.2005
Will WWE Survive?
“This night methinks is but the daylight sick;
It looks a little paler: 'tis a day,
Such as the day is when the sun is hid.”
- Portia, The Merchant of Venice
Act V, scene i
Welcome once again to another installment of “MeeThinks” – your weekly breakdown of wrestling's biggest news and happenings, without the jaded IWC-fanboy swagger.
Given the recent circumstances, this week we’re looking at a number of different topics and lingering questions that have been left in the wake of the death of Eddie Guerrero – including the current landscape of World Wrestling Entertainment, its performers, drug testing policies, and the future of the brand split. As always, I’m approaching these topics with an attempt to buck the trend towards the reactionary as I hope to shed a little more light on the positives in this time of darkness.
Reader mail and a new batch of reader-submitted glossary entries follow, as usual, so let’s get right to it.
MeeThinks: Life After Eddie Will WWE Survive?
Our Story So Far…
In a tragic and heartbreaking turn of events, on the morning of November 13, longtime WWE superstar and wrestling legend Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The victim of an apparent heart attack, Guerrero passed away during a time that many described as the “prime” of his career. He was 38.
Preliminary reports indicated that Guerrero died of natural causes, but wrestling fans and media types around the world were quick to note that Guerrero had had a history of abuse of alcohol and prescription pills. Still, all credible sources (the Blue Meanie not withstanding) attest that Guerrero had long-since beaten his addiction, and that the man affectionately known as “Latino Heat” had even just celebrated his four-year-sobriety-mark in the week just prior to his death. An autopsy conducted in the week following Guerrero’s death confirmed that the superstar was, in fact, drug free at the time of his death.
The circumstances of his death not withstanding, the fact that Eddie Guerrero died at such a crucial time for World Entertainment and the professional wrestling business undeniably sent shockwaves through the industry as a whole. In addition to being a devastating loss to WWE and its performers, both personally and professionally, Guerrero’s death left a giant hole in the main event picture on the already-struggling Smackdown! brand.
Still, “the show must go on,” as the old adage goes. And so within a week’s time, it was back to “business as usual” for WWE and its fans as everyone attempted to reclaim some semblance of normalcy.
For WWE’s part, they took the opportunity of Eddie’s passing to stage a massive, two-show tribute to the life and times of the man and the performer that was Eddie Guerrero. In an extremely classy move, WWE allowed superstars, employees and officials to give video testimonials to share their memories and thoughts on the passing of their longtime friend and coworker. In a word – it was everything that it needed to be, and I think there is little doubt that Eddie Guerrero himself would have smiled his trademark “stole your wallet” smile at the overall quality and raw emotion that went into this tribute.
As for the fans –
After their grieving period was over, a number of fans and fellow wrestlers took the death of Eddie Guerrero as a chance to speak out against the conditions of the professional wrestling business as a whole. Some, such as Andrew “Test” Martin, went on record as saying that self-medication through painkillers was an unfortunate but harsh reality of the overall state of the wrestling business at large. Martin – and those sympathetic to his cause – argued that the “no off-season” schedule of year-round wrestling for these performers often proves detrimental as workers push themselves to compete through injuries in order to keep their jobs. A fair percentage of these fans have suggested that wrestlers be more closely monitored for signs of prescription drug or pill addiction given an off-season.
All of the above arguments are valid ones, and each is worth some serious further consideration. So…
MeeThinks?
See that quote from The Merchant of Venice that I included at the top of this page? (I’ll repost it here for your no-need-to-scroll pleasure)…
“This night methinks is but the daylight sick;
It looks a little paler: 'tis a day,
Such as the day is when the sun is hid.”
In other words – (Tollah is going to have my head for quoting Chris Martin, but I’m reminded of a Coldplay song that is strikingly apropos in this situation):
“Everything’s Not Lost.”
Yes, Eddie’s death is a tragedy and probably a partially-preventable one at that. But every closed door of tragedy and crisis opens new windows for hope and triumph.
What, you ask?
Well, for starters, Eddie’s death has most definitely caused a serious “wake-up-call” for the entire wrestling industry. Don’t believe me? Check out WWE.com and see for yourself. In their own words:
“Nick 'Eugene' Dinsmore was rushed to the hospital last night in Manchester.
He has since been released from the hospital, sent home and suspended indefinitely. WWE.com will have more details as they become available.”
Now I’m not one for idle speculation and conspiracy theories, but to me – this sounds like it has to be something drug-related. Any time a company “suspends” an employee immediately after hospitalization, it’s usually a sign that they weren’t too thrilled with the reason the employee was admitted to the hospital in the first place. In Dinsmore’s case, getting “suspended indefinitely” hot on the heels of an emergency room visit might just be the wake-up call the guy needs to get his problems taken care of and his life back in order.
Plus, the fact that Dinsmore has been suspended is probably a good sign that Vince is stepping up his vigilance over employee behavior… something that can only prove beneficial to his employees (and his company as a whole) on the long run.
Looking at past “crackdowns,” for example –
Let's not forget that Vince DID, in fact, fire Eddie once some years back for drunk driving, which sent the man the wake-up call he needed to get his life back on track. McMahon did much the same for William Regal, who has gone on record NUMEROUS times as having said "Vince McMahon saved my life." When drug abuse proved to be a problem for Jamie Noble, the Chairman accepted the man’s resignation too, ya know. He canned Scott Hall and Curt Henning for similar reasons after the “plane ride from hell.” Plus, most reliable accounts indicate that the boss was trying to help Jeff Hardy work through a drug addiction problem, as well – but that the “Charismatic Enigma” simply refused to get the help he needed,so Vince had no choice but to let him go (something that he said he'd gladly reconsider should Hardy ever get himself clean
So don’t be so quick to say that Vinny Mac “never” holds his employees accountable when things get out of hand. True, Vince is the man behind the carnival-like atmosphere that regularly pushes employees beyond normal physical limitations (a dilemma that a wrestlers’ union could do a great deal in remedying), but while it's easy to point the finger at Vince – don’t ignore the fact that the man has – at great financial expense to his company – released and/or disciplined more than a number of his employees with drug or alcohol problems in the past.
So yes, while Vince & “The Business” holds a certain amount of culpability for pushing a lot of these performers past their breaking point, let’s not forget that the guy has also been willing to know when to say “enough is enough,” and cut his losses in order to save more than a handful of performers’ lives in the process. Eddie didn’t die of a drug overdose – he died from natural causes that had been aggravated by past lifestyle decisions… decisions that Vince McMahon helped him to correct.
Unfortunately, in Eddie’s case, it just turned out that the damage had already been done by the time he did so.
You can’t honestly say that Vince didn’t take the necessary steps try to get a performer the help he needed in the past, and hopefully (and truthfully, judging by the Dinsmore case) Eddie’s passing has served as a stark reminder that WWE must continue to do so in the future.
Moving away from the far-reaching implications of Eddie’s death and towards those more immediate ones, then…
What does the death of Eddie Guerrero mean for the future of Smackdown! and the brand extension?
In short –
“Don’t Panic”
(Hey, another Coldplay song!)
Hyper-reactionary ‘net pundits would have you believe that the fate of Smackdown! effectively died alongside of Eddie Guerrero. But let’s not forget three very important facts, here –
1) ‘Net pundits and IWC columnists (myself included) don’t really know any more than your average fan, ya know – and they don’t know nearly much as they think they do.
2) The Internet Wrestling Community has always marked hardcore for Eddie Guerrero, so it’s only natural that it would overreact and assume the worst now that he’s gone.
and
3) There’s still a lot of talent and potential for the Smackdown! roster. Just because they have a crappy timeslot and one-less main-eventer does not mean that they are suddenly incapable of producing some quality entertainment.
The first two points are pretty self-explanatory, really, so remember “don’t believe everything you hear,” as the old saying goes.
But to point number three –
We briefly discussed the burgeoning talent pool of the Smackdown brand in last week’s column, but it bears repeating in a case like this. Long story short – Smackdown! is hardly as “inferior” of a show as some critics (or WWE talent) would have you believe. It has a proven track-record of building some of the company’s biggest stars, and its current roster is just loaded with a fresh crop of breakout stars verging right on the cusp of some serious big-time success.
Remember John Cena? Yup, he was Smackdown! born-and-bred. Kurt Angle, too, when you think about it. Both of them made their mark on the so-called “B-Show” before making it to the so-called “Main Event” over on RAW. Funny how the top guys on the so-called “A-Show” RAW brand were the same guys that they moved over from the so-called “B-Show,” eh?
How about Carlito? The guy the company is plastering as “The Bad Apple” at the forefront of all of their USA Network television spots… where did he get his start? Yup… Smackdown!
Sure, Eddie Guerrero’s death leaves a gigantic hole in the main-event picture of this “inferior” brand – but it’s not like the brand is hurting for talent to follow in his footsteps, you know...
Due to his close relationship with Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, for one, is a logical contender for a World Title program at some time down the line. Granted, Mysterio might defer any immediate plans to put the strap around his waist for the time being for fear that it might be viewed (and perhaps rightly so) as a “pity run,” but the fact remains that the man is hella-over and a strong fan favorite, perhaps now even more than ever before. Hate on the guy for his size if you will, but I’d bet dollars-to-donuts that we most definitely haven’t heard the last of him.
Guerrero’s close friend Chris Beniot is another logical successor to Latino Heat’s Smackdown! main-eventer position. Eddie went on record as saying the proudest moment of his career was not his own world title victory, but in his standing alongside a newly-crowned world champion Chris Beniot in the center of the ring at WrestleMania XX (an event I was privileged to have attended live). By the looks of things, it seems that Eddie’s humble generosity might even extend beyond his time here on earth, as his longtime friend Chris Beniot could very well find himself assuming the main-event position that Latino Heat so proudly occupied during his own tenure with the Smackdown! brand.
And this is not even scraping the surface of the Smackdown! roster… men like Ken Kennedy (…Kennedy!), Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, Booker T. and (yup, you heard me) even MNM are strong contenders for big-time programs down the line. True, nobody will ever be able to fill Eddie Guerrero’s place in our hearts – but “the show must go on,” and there are more than a handful of high-quality performers that could easily assume Guerrero’s main-event position on the card, if given time and the proper push.
To summarize, then –
Eddie Guerrero’s death left served as a stark reminder of just how precious life is and how serious drug and alcohol addiction can be – even years after they are beaten – to the entire wrestling community at large. His death has also left an undeniable void in the Smackdown! roster and in the hearts of Eddie’s co-workers, friends, and fans. But we must take solace in the fact not only that Eddie Guerrero is in a better place, but also in the fact that with time and perseverance, his passing will have opened new doors for the friends, fans and future of the company that he loved so well.
Though it will take some patience and hard work for the Smackdown! roster (and their booking team), rest assured that the Smackdown! brand, the WWE brand extension, and the World Wrestling Entertainment corporation will survive.
Agree? Disagree?
“Methinks it sounds a parley to provocation!”
- Iago, Othello
Act II, scene iii
The Unofficial Glossary of Professional Wrestling: Volume II
In case you’re new to this column, here’s the deal –
We’re compiling a massive Wrestling Glossary of fan observations of the clichés, trends, and standbys of the wrestling world that might as well serve as the unofficial “rulebook” for this sport we all love so well. Each week, I’ll post one an entry of my own as well as a few submitted by you, my faithful (and hopefully articulate) readers.
It’s simple, really. You submit an entry, I add it to the Glossary, and you get the credit.
This Week’s Additions:
The Nine-Second ‘Rumplestilsken’ Magnetic Ring Rule
Should two wrestlers simultaneously knock one another to the canvas after executing a double-clothesline, superplex or similar high-impact maneuver late in a pay-per-view match, the ring instantly becomes magnetic for the next nine seconds, and both wrestlers find themselves powerless to stand up. This magnetic curse remains in effect until the referee utters the word "NINE" which immediately breaks this spell's powers (much like the utterance of the word " Rumplestilsken " broke the curse of the imp bearing this name), thus allowing both wrestlers to stand up once again.
-Meehan
The Survivor Series Transition Move
A simple transition move like an elbow drop, backbreaker or fist drop that wouldn't draw more than a two count in a regular match is powerful enough in a Survivor Series style elimination match to eliminate someone, especially one that is selling like Ricky Morton even though they've only been in the ring for three minutes.
- Mark Satrang
The Magical Force Fields Ring Ropes Rule
If a face chases a heel out of the ring, the face CANNOT get past the ropes. All the heel need do to prevent an ass-kicking from the face is leave the ring. The Magical Force Field Ring Ropes WILL prevent the face from leaving the ring. Under no circumstances is the face allowed to step through or roll under the ropes in order to give chase to his antagonist.
The Magical Force Field Ring Ropes increase in strength as an in-ring heel has a promo against a face on the stage. The heel CANNOT leave the ring, no matter how angry he gets. He can lunge over the ropes, press against them, or even put one leg through the ropes, but he can go no further.
- Mike Ray
The Enzuigiri Knockout Rule
This commonly comes into play during tag team matches or in matches featuring a smaller wrestler taking on a much larger one. The smaller wrestler has usually been the recipient of a long beat-down by the larger wrestler (or tag team), and just when it seems like he's about to make a rally (or get the hot-tag), he attempts a simple kick to the gut, which is caught by his opponent. Immediately thereafter, the kicker delivers an enzuigiri kick to the head, knocking his opponent out, and giving us either the slow ten-count from the referee, or the long-awaited hot-tag to the fresh partner.
- Jay 2K Winger
The Hometown Jinx
If a “face” WWE wrestler is competing in a match emanating from his or her home town, he or she is virtually assured to lose. Rey Mysterio will job in San Diego. Jim Ross will bleed in Oklahoma. And Booker T cannot win in Houston. No seriously. He can’t even beat Simon Dean in Houston.
- Colin Roscoe
Well done, men. Maybe a double-helping of Thanksgiving-sized proportions for next week, so feel free to send in your entries today!
YouThinks Reader Mail
A huge “thank you” once again to everyone who sent in their feedback after reading last week’s column! Not too many letters this week, but since it’s been a busy week around the IWC with the Guerrero news, I can’t hardly hold it against anyone for feeling too shell-shocked to shoot an e-mail to the token “new guy” on 411. Keep those e-mails coming, and maybe next week we’ll be back to normal…
Now then, to this week’s letters…
Hey man –
Another great column. You have really come out of the blocks quick!
As far as Batista goes, I was pretty upset to hear about his injury. Batista has been one of my very favorites ever since he started showing some personality on TV; He’s got tons of charisma and is pretty funny from time to time. I know there are a lot of “smarks” out there who like to hate on the guy because he isn’t a Benoit but the simple fact is that the guy is over and over HUGE. All you need to do is see the crowd reaction every time he comes out. Anyway, I like your ideas a lot and hope that the WWE takes the “Stone Cold” approach to Batista’s run at the top. I especially like the idea of keeping Orton and Kennedy in the mix. I think Orton really is the future of the WWE (along with Cena) and Randy has all the tools to be a major star. Kennedy is pure gold. From the first time I saw him on Velocity (I think the only reason I watched it was for something involving one of the divas) he just grabbed my attention. His gimmick is kind of dumb but he does it SO over the top that it is impossible to not smile or laugh.
Right now, I think you would have to classify Batista’s title run as a success. He’s over, the kids love his merchandise, he’s a good worker, he’s been in interesting and entertaining matches, etc. Not only that, but he’s a family man and from interviews and the like he seems like a genuine “good guy” that the WWE can present to the public and say, “here is our champ. Here is what we are all about.” As such, the WWE would be wise to take the “Stone Cold” approach and maximize his potential for whatever remaining time he has as an effective worker.
Keep up the good work!
- Andrew Critchell
Thanks for writing, Andrew. I’m a huge mark for Dave Batista (actually, I mark for pretty much everyone on the WWE roster… except Edge. No, seriously. I can’t stand him), so I’m inclined to say that his title run has most definitely been successful up until this point. Smarks can hate on the guy for not being a technical genius all they want, but neither were Steve Austin, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Bill Goldberd, and Diamond Dallas Page – and each of those guys sold their fair share of tickets and merchandise in their time, no?
Sure, Dave’s Bradshaw feud will likely prove forgettable, but a number of those matches (Summerslam, which I got the chance to see live!) were much better than they had any right to be. Let’s not forget that Batista has been the champion through a TOUGH time for the Smackdown! brand and WWE in general – mostly due to circumstances beyond his control (the Friday night timeslot, the Hassan debacle, and now his injury and the death of Eddie Guerrero), so maybe people should lighten up on the Big Guy a bit for making the best of what he’s been given.
Switching gears, James Cargill wants to talk conspiracy theories and Christian’s jump to TNA:
There are a few things that strike me as odd with Christian's jump to TNA…
1) His contract expired but there doesn't seem to be a mandatory no compete clause.
2) He worked a WWE PPV after his contract expired.
3) Up until the day he signed with TNA, WWE.com had articles up about him leaving, in a positive light. Editorials on WWE.com were still praising him and wishing him luck.
4) A few months ago the WWE pulled the Captain Charisma T-shirts because they could not get a trademark, but Christian was able to do so quite easily.
5) The WWE is not trying to force him not to use the name Christian in any form, like they with the Dudleys, Justin Credible, Billy Gunn, etc.!
Do you think it is possible Vince sent him there to help build the competition, or at least gain inside info? You guys always refer to Christian as a company guy. Regardless, I am huge Christian fan, and I hope TNA puts the strap on him. Just curious as to what you experts think.
-James Cargill
Wow, that’s a lot of good stuff, and fine grounds for a conspiracy theory, if I do say so, myself. Is Reso a “mole” sent in to poison TNA from within? I doubt it – but his jump to TNA can most definitely only help the overall state of the business as a whole, as we covered two weeks back. Still, your points are interesting, and I’ll break them down and respond with my thoughts in order:
1) An “expired” contract is somewhat different than firing or opting out of a contract. If you’re fired, you’re done on the spot and your (now) former employer has the right to enforce whatever “no compete clause” you might have signed when you were initially hired. That’s what happened with Brockles… till the courts stepped in, anyway.
In the case of an employee opting out of a contract (or being benched for the remainder of their contract, as is pretty much the case for T.O. and the Eagles), a performer is telling his employer (of vice-versa) that he’s done playing for their team despite the fact that they’ve got him under contract for a longer period of time. In professional wrestling (as well as other sports), these things tend to come with no-compete clauses.
In the case of a contract simply expiring, on the other hand – that means that your contractual obligation to your former employer has been completely fulfilled. Since you delivered on all of the terms of your contracted period of work for said employer, most cases like this mean that the employee is free to go and do as they wish once their contract expires. Such was the case (from my understanding, anyway) with Christian.
2) Christian did the classy thing and worked after his contract was up. It means that he “did the right thing” and left the company on good terms (as opposed to, say, Jeff Jarrett – who basically held Vince up for a ridiculous sum of money to drop the IC belt to Chyna at a PPV scheduled for the week after his contract was up). That way, if (or when) Christian decides to return to WWE, he and the WWE brass are still on good terms, so he’ll put himself in a better position to negotiate with them (should he ever have to) down the road.
3) This was probably WWE’s version of “you scratch our back, we’ll scratch yours.” Reso played nice with them and went over and beyond the call of duty to appear at the scheduled appearance even though his contract was up. In turn, WWE responded in kind and decided not to bury the guy on their broadcasts or website. A rare moment of mutual professionalism, if I do say so myself.
5) Reso had more than a boatload of proof that he had used the “Christian Cage” name prior to entering WWE (or what is now a WWE-owned company, like ECW or WCW). The Dudleys and the Justin Credible names were ECW creations, and Vince owns ECW so he put the kibosh on them REAL quick. “Billy Gunn” was a flat-out WWF creation, so the performer (Monty “Kip” Sopp) had non legal claim to it (it’d be like Orlando Bloom walking around claiming to be “Legolas”). Roddy Piper’s biography (he signed it for me!) talks about Vince and the WWE/F’s trend towards creating new names for their performers in order to exert this kind of trademarked control. That and the fact that I think Vinny Mac just wanted to see “Billy Gunn” struggle to come to terms with the fact that he had one of the WORST “real names” in the history of the business.
Moving on…
Plugs, and the ”YouThinks” Quote Of the Week
To further solicit y’all for some juicy, insightful, and witty feedback, I’m including the very best snippets of reader quotes and responses. Rules are simple – you send me an e-mail or find me on the boards, I laugh, you get plugged.
This week’s “YouThinks” quote of the week goes to GL Corps, reflecting on what must have been running through Randy Savage’s head when he let Jake Roberts attack him with a cobra some years back:
”Dane” Savage: I'm gonna’ let this cobra bite me.
Jake Roberts: Are you out of your fucking mind?
***Jake lets Cobra bite “Dane” Savage***
Jake Roberts: YOU REALLY ARE OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!
Classic Jake Roberts + Whacked-out Savage + Dane Cook reference = TOTALLY SOLD!
(again – this one came from the forum, so get on over there and see what fun and shenanigans you’ve been missing!)
And With That, I’m Outta’ Here
That’s it from Mee this week.
See you next time with a new twist on a new story, some more reader feedback, and a fresh oversized batch of glossary entries to boot.
Till then – happy Thanksgiving, all, and always stay positive.
