411 Fact or Fiction 9.06.07: No-Nonsense WWE Suspensions, Cliff Sterns Slamming the WWE Wellness Policy, Changes Through Congressional Investigation, and More!
Posted by Larry Csonka on 09.06.2007
Week ONE HUNDRED and FOURTY-TWO features Ari Berenstein, Mike Bauer and discussion of the week’s hot topic, Steroids!
Welcome back to another week of 411 Fact or Fiction: Wrestling Edition! This week, two 411 standouts go head to head as Ari Berenstein and Mike Bauer enter the 411 arena to do battle!
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Let's get to it!
1. WWE is doing the right thing by reinstating the "no-nonsense" suspensions. (30-days to starts, no pay, no TV, no PPV, no house-show appearances)
Mike Bauer:FACT. This is complete fact, but with two sidetracks. First off, the WWE should have never stopped doing this in the first place, allowing users to just get away with whatever they were doing. Secondly, I think the WWE needs to be stricter with the policy. Right now, they do suspensions of 30 days and 60 days, then they are fired. That's too short of a time, even without pay, to mean anything. I would start with a minimum of three months for a suspension and then do half a year. That would burn some huge holes into these guys pockets and make them really think about it. Of course, I could never disagree with being fired. In line with being stricter, The WWE also needs to look at who they are not suspending real closely. As I write this, it seems like Regal, Umaga, and Morrison have been written off television, but they don't appear to do the same with Randy Orton and perhaps Kennedy. They should be getting the exact same treatment as a lower level guy, even if it screws with the shows. WWE, it is time for you to man up and face the facts.
Ari Berenstein :FACT. I'm right with Michael ONE HUNDRED PERCENT on this point. In fact I fail to see how anyone can argue that reinstating the punishments of the Wellness Policy in its first iteration is the "wrong" thing to do, unless you're talking about being even more stiff with penalties. The original intent of the Wellness Policy had been snuffed out by WWE's changes, which were done to keep the damage done to storylines to a minimum by keeping wrestlers on active roster when it is clear they should have been at home. WWE needed to get back to these punishments and hopefully they won't take the easy way out and will stick with it this time, even if the pressure of Congressional hearings starts to wind down.
Score:1 for 1
2. With Congressmen Cliff Sterns slamming the WWE Wellness Policy, TNA should be crafting a wellness policy that is as complete as possible in an effort to come off as good as possible.
Mike Bauer :FICTION. This is only fiction for me because of the last part. They should not being doing anything like this in an effort to come off as good as possible, because it is way too late for that. TNA does not have a program at this time, despite knowing how big of a problems it was when Eddie dies at the end of 2005. That already kinda makes it hard to come off better than the WWE, no matter what they do now. No, TNA should be putting a program together for the sake of their staff and wrestlers who bust their butts for them week in and week out, even on a lesser schedule. Of course, we all know who that will piss off, and since everything revolves around Kurt Angle, I'm not sure how effective it will be.
Ari Berenstein :FACT. While I agree with Michael that it may very well be too late for TNA to look "as good as possible", TNA still better do something or else they'll come out looking as bad as possible. And when you're competing with WWE in this subject as far as who looks worse for their dealings with drug policies that's saying something. If TNA at least starts to develop a company specific policy (and not resort to citing the Panda Energy policy in a desperate ploy to make it seem like they had one all along), then no matter how transparent a move it is, at least its something that can be used to defend themselves against the heat they will inevitably feel in these Congressional hearings.
Score:1 for 2
3. WWE is in danger of losing network and sponsors support due to them wanting to separate themselves from the product.
Mike Bauer :FICTION. Doesn't it seem like we go through this every time the WWE does something stupid and outrageous? Honestly, this question has got be asked by people every time people complain to the television networks about something the WWE does, whether it be Brian Pillman with a gun or the antics of Muhammad Hassan. And the sponsors are still there month after month because they know the WWE generates a lot of money, they know the WWE is the highest rated program for Monday Nights when it is not football season, and they know the WWE has been able to pull its head out from these type of issues many times before. It anything, the sponsors may now get an edge on the negotiation table if they do have any want to pull out, or at least if they make it seem that way.
Ari Berenstein :FICTION. WWE may be taking a major hit in terms of PR and negative media coverage I just don't see many advertising companies and sponsors pulling out of a product with the sure fire reach of wrestling. You're hitting a sweet spot in the target demographic in terms of young kids and teenagers, and corporations love selling to that market. I remember periods in watching Raw that whole commercial blocks was one video game ad after the other. Come to think of it, that might have been just last week. Finally, even if some sponsors pull out, other will come into the fold.
Score:2 for 3
---SWITCH~!---
4. Kurt Angle was named on the Signature Pharmacy customer list. With that already known, it is only a matter of time before more TNA stars are named in similar investigations to Online Pharmacys.
Ari Berenstein :FICTION. Although to be fair, I do think anything is possible in these upcoming investigations. Maybe investigators are looking into other online pharmacies and will uncover some dirt. However, we really haven't heard much if anything related to more investigations. If you were paying attention to the news, then you would have already known about this Signature Pharmacy case many months ago. You would have also known that Angle was named as a part of it back then. No other TNA names though, which suggest that Signature was used by a ring of WWE wrestlers "in the know" about how to get drugs and such. Maybe TNA wrestlers get their "stuff" via other means besides online pharmacies. Although, come to think of it, since TNA doesn't really have a drug policy, does it even matter if wrestlers get caught buying 'roids and HGH online? What is their penalty--a pat on the back and a hug by Dixie Carter as they get sent to a meaningless stint in rehab? Of course I say that facetiously.
Mike Bauer :FICTION. I agree with Ari to an extent, but I think the whole idea was to go after the WWE, since they are the "top dog" of the wrestling industry. Hence why Kurt Angle is on that list, because he was a major guy in the WWE during that time frame. Now, how many other TNA stars could fit that description? Definitely Andrew Martin, maybe Christian Cage, that's about it. Nobody else on the TNA roster would be a target by these groups, because they aren't fully in the big time with the WWE. Furthermore, I definitely agree to Ari's point about TNA's lack of a wellness policy. What exactly can TNA do, retroactively punish their wrestlers? I don't think so.
Score:3 for 4
5. WWE is sending the wrong message by having Jeff Hardy win the IC Title from Umaga.
Ari Berenstein :FACT. Sure, it all makes sense considering Hardy and Umaga have been battling on and off for a few months. Hardy comes back, restarts the feud with Umaga and inevitably wins the title. But, really, is NOW the best time for WWE to start caring about logic and resolving storylines? It's not like they've had this much regard for loose ends and plot holes in the past. Plain and simple: Jeff Hardy is coming off a wellness related suspension. He should be NOWHERE near any belt or winning anything of any status. Who the hell knows when this guy will relapse again? I say that with a broken heart because I really thought that Jeff had conquered his demons this time around. It took a full year for his past life to catch up to him. Another point, giving the belt to Hardy right as others begin their suspensions creates a mixed message about the punishments and stigma of being caught and suspended under the policy. A double standard (well, another double standard) is something WWE can ill afford (but unsurprisingly have chosen to do). I don't care if the belt went on Carlito, Cody Rhodes, Val Venis, Jillian Hall or Armando Alejandra Estrada, so long as that person isn't in danger of failing the wellness policy. Then again, almost everyone with the exception of a certain XxX CM Punk could fall under suspicion of wellness violations these days. Ultimately, Jeff Hardy as IC champion right now in September 2007 is a risk WWE shouldn't take.
Mike Bauer :FICTION. I look at this more from a storyline perspective and from a 'what I was to believe' standpoint. First from what I did believe. Before this question, I honestly had never heard of Jeff Hardy and WWE wellness policy suspension in the same sentence. I never even considered it as the original word was Jeff Hardy having back problems and this was on these very news reports, so let's get that clear. Now, from a storyline perspective, yeah, you have Jeff Hardy win to take it back from Umaga, something that has been building since January. I have no problems with that and honestly would have been disappointed otherwise. But also, who exactly could you have given the title to that would have been credible? Carlito doesn't make sense because you then have HHH going after the Intercontinental Title, which is ludicrous enough. Any other person I could think of who is worthy is either too high up the card or buried by a dumb ass blonde hairdo and a losing streak to Cody Rhodes. Not to mention, the person has to be believable in beating Umaga and just about NOBODY fits that bill. Jeff Hardy was the right choice for now because you can get the belt off of him easier and probably do it in about two weeks and Unforgiven. That's right Jeff Hardy, get ready for the transitional tag to be added to this reign.
Score:3 for 5
6. In the end; even with Congressional hearings, bad publicity and being associated with illegal online pharmacies, since this is the professional wrestling business, nothing will change.
Ari Berenstein :FACT. This is the second hypothetical I've had to deal with and neither of them are easy answers. The truth is I really don't know if anything will change, but for some stupid reason I still have a glimmer of hope that it will change and for the better of everyone from the company itself right on down to the wrestlers and the fans. Realistically, I just don't expect it to happen. WWE and thus all of professional wrestling is taking a massive PR hit and in order to rectify that you'd hope that the business will be taking action. Of course I haven't seen a damn bit olfaction taken by TNA and even ROH and other independents haven't been quick to speak up about the subject (although to be fair maybe they speak to the boys in private about these matters). WWE has stepped up their action in enforcing their policy because right now they have no choice. For all the good it will do them--they are about to be hit by a massive hurricane and all they're doing is trying to patch up a window with some wood and nails. Maybe, just maybe though, in the face of congressional hearings and the possibility of regulation (when the industry will have no choice but to change), WWE will finally be able to do the right thing as it regards to ending steroid and HGH abuse. Then again, maybe I'll win the lotto next week.
Mike Bauer :FICTION. Ari, I know you are a big Ring of Honor guy and all, where a lot of times nothing will change for a long time, but anyone who has been watching the WWE recently knows things have already changed since the last time this happened. The WWE going from being loose and tight-lipped about the whole deal to being tighter, stricter, and open about who gets suspended is a major change. Imagine if in February 2006, the WWE said anyone suspended for steroids would be publicly called out on it. I bet you anything that everyone would have stopped right there. Secondly, look at the two returns at Summerslam in Triple H and Rey Mysterio, two people who stunned the hell out of me for not being on that list. Triple H stopped taking and now looks leaner than ever. Rey Mysterio stopped and he looks like a beer-bellied shell of his former self. I expect more of the Rey-Rey case here as you will see major changes in the type of wrestlers, mainly in their build, soon and then the fans will have to change the view they have of the wrestlers. The fans will have to admit that bigger guys like we had with Hogan are not the best solution and that right there will be the biggest change in the history of wrestling. Do I disagree that some people will still try and gain an edge? Not at all. But those people won't last in the business now.
Score:3 for 6
These two finish 3 for 6! Join us next week for more Fact or Fiction!
