WWE/Steroids

[Consrvtve]

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2805155[/url] Edge, Orton, Rey, Hurricane, Angle, and Eddie have all been named and from what I've heard/read this morning his death is now attributed to an enlarged heart from long term anabolic usage. WWE put out their usual "they bought the drugs before the wellness program and all is well" press release. I think I'll be canceling my order for WM.

[panix04]

i agree its wrong that wrestlers take steroids to improve there peformance, but i don't think boycotting Wrestlemania is going to change that! I am completly ant-drugs but i have still bought music by the beatles knowing full well near the end of there careers they were permenantly baked. Its a sad fact that people in show business often get hooked on drugs, be it re-creational stuff like smoking weed, or heavier addictions like cocaine. Its not right, but it is there own life's to ruin. They are not exactly broadcasting the fact they are taking drugs to little kids are they?

[djthefunkchris]

The death of Eddie is what brought on the wellness program. They played with drug testing before, and stopped for a short while. The WWE is one of the FEW that actually has a wellness program, so boycotting Wrestlemania because of steriods is almost sending the wrong message... Now if you just don't like WWE, and wasn't going to get it anyways, then fine, but not ordering because of drugs... Then you might as well not order another TNA, ROH, and so forth, as they have no drug programs whatso-ever. At least the WWE is concerned (or act as though) enough to "act" upon finding out it was "bad". When they didn't test, there was a statement about steriods and cheating (not death). McMahan stated that if a wrestler is "cheating" it's not really hurting anyone but themselves... It's not like Baseball, or some legitimate sport, where it directly involves them getting one over on legitimate athletes. Then a few years ago things happened that made it clear steriods would do more then just help you "cheat" or make your manhood smaller. After those facts were out, and especially after the WWE seen first hand, they come up with the wellness program. The people mentioned cannot be using them, with this program in place. Several people are not in WWE, and are linked directly to drugs. Test is the latest, Kurt Angle (speculated) is one a bit more popular. Chris Masters and Boogieman were both having problems, and so on.

[panix04]

Chris Masters seems to have bulked back up again recently. It does make you wonder wether he has been hitting the gym or hitting the pills.

[mystic]

taken from wwe.com A Statement From World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. March 19, 2007 All of the allegations set forth in a recent SI.com article mentioning WWE predate the initiation of WWE’s current Talent Wellness Program. This WWE program prohibits the use of performance enhancing drugs, as well as other prescription drugs which can be abused, if taken for other than a legitimate medical purpose pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed and treating physician. For purposes of WWE's policy, prescriptions obtained over the Internet and/or from suppliers of prescription drugs from the Internet are not considered to have been given for a legitimate medical purpose

[Consrvtve]

"The people mentioned cannot be using them, with this program in place. " Their program is a joke and is even more a slap in the face to reality than freaking baseball's. I hope congress gets involved and makes them release the names of everyone who's failed their drug tests since they won't do it on their own.

[PeterHilton]

Listen, I hate to break it to everyone, but wrestling is fake. Steroids don't "enhance their performance." It would be even more ridiculous for congress to get involved in this than the baseball thing because steroids aren't effecting results or somehow "fooling the fans." I think it's sad, tragic even, that so many wrestlers have died as a result of steroid abuse and various addictions to illicit drugs and pain medication. It angers me that guys have given up years of their lives because of the major promotions' obvious penchant for pushing guys based on look more than talent. (and looking at the list, I can see how most of those guys would feel the "need" to bulk up) But investigating this or boycotting WM would be like investigating hollywood actors or boycotting movies if guys don't do their own stunts. It's tragic. And guys will continue to use steroids and HGH as long as Vince keeps pushing every muscle-bound meat head that comes along. But this is not surprising. And not really something worth investigating beyond the fact that it is illegal.

[GDE71]

If enough people don't spend money on WWE shows because of muscle bound freaks, then there will be a change in what style of person gets pushed. Money is all Vince cares about. My only gripe is money should be about 80% of Vince cares about. He should prefer his workers being healthy instead of taking steroids illegally and other illegal drugs to be able to work.

[PeterHilton]

[QUOTE=GDE71;213121]If enough people don't spend money on WWE shows because of muscle bound freaks, then there will be a change in what style of person gets pushed. Money is all Vince cares about. My only gripe is money should be about 80% of Vince cares about. He should prefer his workers being healthy instead of taking steroids illegally and other illegal drugs to be able to work.[/QUOTE] Possibly. Some people think that Bret Hart's and HBK's initial rise to the main event was done as sort of a response to the congressional hearings. And what Vince SHOULD do would be impossible to change. You're talking about the culture of pro-wrestling where taking ridiculous amounts of pain killers is considered normal. You're talking about an old man who grew up in an industry where steroid use was rampant as far back as the early 70s. Where his style of 'big guy booking' has made him a billionaire and made his company the largest organization in the history of wrestling. (heck, if you want to get personal, what are the odds a guy his age got that muscular that late in his life naturally?) I think you're right. i just don't think its going to hapen.

[Remianen]

[QUOTE=Consrvtve;213109]"The people mentioned cannot be using them, with this program in place. " Their program is a joke and is even more a slap in the face to reality than freaking baseball's. I hope congress gets involved and makes them release the names of everyone who's failed their drug tests since they won't do it on their own.[/QUOTE] It's nice to have dreams. Congress has as much purview over WWE's workers and their medicinal intake as they do over ABC and the cast of Lost's medicinal intake. That is to say, NONE. All the saber rattling in the world isn't going to change that. WWE's product hasn't been promoted as a sport in almost 20 years. What's Congress gonna do? About the only thing Congress could act upon is the company willingly aiding and abetting in the commission of crimes (which providing steroids would be classed as) and that has to be proven. Given the current state of the Justice Department, I think the FBI's going to have bigger fish to fry in the coming months. I agree with the 'vote with your wallet' sentiment. But asking or expecting government oversight of private enterprises and their control (or lack thereof) of their employees is asinine, in my view. Tell me, if you decide to hit the bong next weekend, is your boss responsible for that? :rolleyes: In some industries, they are (bus drivers, for example) because insurance and/or public safety is involved. But if WWE's insurance provider isn't bitchin', I'd be happy if Senators Clinton and Schumer actually write some meaningful legislation rather than wave their johnsons at Vince McMahon.

[panix04]

i don't think i know the faces of any Us Senators (unless Senator Clinton is the former president?) but the idea of anybody waving the Johnsons at Vinny mac amuses me!

[The Warrior]

The fact that anyone is shocked or did not realize wrestlers use steriods, HGH, etc is beyond my understanding. NEWSFLASH...you can not have a 60 inch chest, 24 inch waist, bench press 600 pounds, have 1% bodyfat, and get it all from "clean living" and lifting weights. Wrestling is what wrestling is.

[MattQ2607]

[QUOTE=panix04;213425]i don't think i know the faces of any Us Senators (unless Senator Clinton is the former president?) but the idea of anybody waving the Johnsons at Vinny mac amuses me![/QUOTE] Panix, Senator Clinton is Hillary Clinton, the former First Lady.

[panix04]

she has a Johnson? I think genders work differently in the UK!

[Consrvtve]

[QUOTE=panix04;213447]she has a Johnson? I think genders work differently in the UK![/QUOTE] You'd believe it if you saw her :D

[djthefunkchris]

I think she does, lol.

[Madman Jack]

[QUOTE=PeterHilton;213116]Listen, I hate to break it to everyone, but wrestling is fake. Steroids don't "enhance their performance."[/QUOTE] They obviously enhance their [I]appearance[/I], though, at least as far as Vince MacMahon's opinion goes, and considering you're either wrestling for Vince or quadrupling up in a hotel room and eating peanut-butter-and-air sandwiches to be able to afford to still [I]be[/I] a wrestler, his opinion carries a lot of weight. The same could be said about his opinion on what a women wrestler should look like, resulting in practically every woman who has worked for the company in the past ten years getting breast implants, with the only sure exceptions being Linda MacMahon and Stacy Keibler. (I think Molly Holly and Ivory, and maybe Trish, are the only ones who haven't been [I]confirmed[/I] by outside sources, actually, not counting recent Diva Search hires.) Having said that, I think there's more than enough proof that, like the breast implants that have impacted the in-ring work of Mickie James, Lita, Jillian Hall -- or so I have heard -- and Melina -- same thing -- steroids tend to seriously detract from a man's abilities in the ring. I think Scott Steiner's been mentioned, and possibly also HHH (I think he'd gotten back to 80-85% of his pre-injury form before the more recent injury). It also kills a man's career by increasing the risk of injury ([I]TRY[/I] and tell me H's injury happens to a normal quadricep muscle [I]once[/I], let alone [I]twice[/I] in a career -- I'm pretty damn sure he's the first person this has happened to in [I]any[/I] athletic-related field). [QUOTE]But investigating this or boycotting WM would be like investigating hollywood actors or boycotting movies if guys don't do their own stunts.[/QUOTE] This is where I have to disagree with you, mainly because of one thing: WWE is holding people like Cena, Batista, Orton and Edge up as ideal physical specimens, people to aspire to be like. Now if two people on that list are known to have used HGH or steroids to get their appearance to what it is, one of them looks like it's impossible for him not to have (Dave -- kinda injury-prone too, I might add) and one of them has pics floating around of him early in his career where, if he wasn't gassing, I'm a monkey's uncle (look for some pics of The Prototype John Cena in UPW and you'll see what I mean) -- what, exactly, is a young, impressionable mind going to think about the wisdom of taking steroids? Or, let's try this from another angle -- let's look at this from the viewpoint of a wrestling school graduate who's observing the current WWE. He sees Chris Masters get a monster push that is objectively and undeniably due entirely to his size. Then, Wellness happens. Chris Masters shrinks visibly before his (and our) eyes. And he gets jobbed out like (Super) crazy. He then regains his mass, and regains his push simultaneously. What do you think this newbie wrestler is going to do to his body because of that bull? He's [I]obviously[/I] going to think that he'll be due for the same push if he gets to the same size, he'll do whatever it takes to get there, and he'll literally explode his heart in the attempt. And how many kids want to be pro wrestlers these days? [I]That[/I] would be why it's in the public's best interests to put a stop to this abuse of HGH and steroids in pro wrestling -- because regardless of what WWE has implemented with Wellness, it's sending the clear message that you have to be a Masters-type to make it in their company, and that message is going to cause deaths. Plain and simple.

[PeterHilton]

Yeah, I think Remianen said it best. [QUOTE=Remianen;213422]It's nice to have dreams. Congress has as much purview over WWE's workers and their medicinal intake as they do over ABC and the cast of Lost's medicinal intake. That is to say, NONE. All the saber rattling in the world isn't going to change that. WWE's product hasn't been promoted as a sport in almost 20 years. What's Congress gonna do? About the only thing Congress could act upon is the company willingly aiding and abetting in the commission of crimes (which providing steroids would be classed as) and that has to be proven. Given the current state of the Justice Department, I think the FBI's going to have bigger fish to fry in the coming months. I agree with the 'vote with your wallet' sentiment. But asking or expecting government oversight of private enterprises and their control (or lack thereof) of their employees is asinine, in my view. Tell me, if you decide to hit the bong next weekend, is your boss responsible for that? :rolleyes: In some industries, they are (bus drivers, for example) because insurance and/or public safety is involved. But if WWE's insurance provider isn't bitchin', I'd be happy if Senators Clinton and Schumer actually write some meaningful legislation rather than wave their johnsons at Vince McMahon.[/QUOTE] I agree with you that the way WWE operates sends a bad message, but Congress has better things to do. If kids are getting a bad messsage, that's something that can be addressed by the actual sports out there.

[eayragt]

Haven't got the link, but it's worth reading Edge's blog. He admits having used steroids - if fact admitted to it several years ago, to help him come back from his neck injury. Now, even if you think Edge lies when he says he hasn't used the 'roids for years, I think it's save to say that he's been clean for the last year. And he's no smaller than he's ever been now. My opinion that is that Edge (completely legally) used steroids to held him comeback from injury. Who knows how quickly he stopped, but that's why he started. And I'm not going to criticise him.

[mystic]

speaking of edge, from pwinsider.com [url]http://pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=23525&p=1[/url] Former WWE champion Adam "Edge" Copeland responded to the SI.com report of his receiving Human Growth Hormone today on his MySpace.com blog. The complete blog entry reads: [QUOTE]Dear Blogees (did I just create a word?) If you are reading this blog and it sees the light of day, than that means that an article has been written by a Sports Illustrated writer that states I received HGH from a pharmacy in 2003. So, I'll cut right to the chase like I always do. It's true. However, it's not exactly breaking, earth shattering news. It's actually old news. I admitted to this on national television in Canada in 2004 on Off The Record. When host Michael Lansberg asked me if I'd ever taken steroids, without consulting me before the show, I was perturbed, but answered without hesitation, "Yes, I have." In hindsight, I'm glad he asked the question. It got it out in the open and anyone who follows my career or supports me already knows this information about me. I won't try to defend my actions. I took them when coming back from my spinal fusion neck surgery when I was told by doctors that it would help the bones grow back around the screws and plate that were now inserted in my neck. I'm not glorifying. I'm not condoning. Just telling you why I decided to take them. I took blood tests, consulted doctors, read up, studied them, got prescriptions, and decided to do it. That's pretty much it folks, but I wanted you to get my response straight from me and not through the words of another write. Now as I'm sure most you can tell, I don't take steroids and haven't in a very long time, long before the WWE drug testing wellness policy was implemented. Hell, I barely see the inside of a gym anymore, let alone take performance enhancing substances! So, in closing, to the columnist (not the Sports Illustrated columnist, but actually another one) who said a "roided up thing called Edge" was at the NHL ALL Star Game a few weeks ago, in 2003, this may have been true. Now, not in the least, as my random urine tests, which have always been negative will attest. I guess I'll take the fact that he thought I was as somewhat of a compliment. To the fact that I've been lucky enough to have been gifted with a 6 foot 5, 240lb body naturally. And finally made it to the top of my industry last year on my own, clean as a whistle. To those, like that columnist and any other naysayers that will hold my past against me? I've made mistakes. Will do so again in the future I'm sure. But I won't hide from them. If you're reading this, you know that's not my style. Until next time, from everybody's favorite, clean urine, Edgemiester![/QUOTE]

[Tyler Gadzinski]

what i heard was that Angle admitted to taking steroids to heal his neck faster when he cracked 3 vertebrae that is understandible but WWE letting there wrestlers do it over and over on a weekly basis is sad.. Randy Orton was supposedly "suspended indefinately" according to Vince then he found out that Orton was more of a crowd favorite then others so he brought Orton back .. its ridiculus how Vince doesnt care if his wrestlers are doomed to a life of early death. Vince clearly only cares about ratings that is all he doesnt care about his workers wellness.. or anything but him making money.

[AfRoMaN36]

[QUOTE=Tyler Gadzinski;213639]what i heard was that Angle admitted to taking steroids to heal his neck faster when he cracked 3 vertebrae that is understandible but WWE letting there wrestlers do it over and over on a weekly basis is sad.. Randy Orton was supposedly "suspended indefinately" according to Vince then he found out that Orton was more of a crowd favorite then others so he brought Orton back .. its ridiculus how Vince doesnt care if his wrestlers are doomed to a life of early death. Vince clearly only cares about ratings that is all he doesnt care about his workers wellness.. or anything but him making money.[/QUOTE] (The best Counter argument in the history of history in....) 5 4 3 2 1.... Wheres TNA's wellness policy.... and why is Scott Steiner allowed to wrestle for them? (Thus concludes the best counter argument in history.)

[MightyDavidson]

[QUOTE=AfRoMaN36;213663](The best Counter argument in the history of history in....) 5 4 3 2 1.... Wheres TNA's wellness policy.... and why is Scott Steiner allowed to wrestle for them? (Thus concludes the best counter argument in history.)[/QUOTE] Sabu Rob Van Dam Randy Orton All people who violated the Wellness Policy and are still employed by the WWE, despite the fact that violation of the Wellness Policy is supposed to be instant termination of the wrestler's contract. Guess that 'best counter arguement in history' is looking a little flimsy now huh?

[AfRoMaN36]

No... think again. RVD lost both his world titles that month and hasnt done anything of importance since that terrible December to Dismember. Ask any fan of RVD and they COMPLAIN about his push after the WWE gave him the ball. Well guess what... HE FUMBLED THE BALL and now hes paying the price. Sabu.... well.... just watch ECW and count his wins in the last 5 months... makes sure that one finger doesnt get too stiff as your going down the calander. Randy Ortan has become somewhat aof a joke aswell and it seems like whenever he wrestles anyone of importance he jobs. Chris Masters.... LOL his push deflated faster than he has. And once you job to Torrie Wilson... Count the men who have failed a drug test and tell me their fates exacly. And ask one of their fans whether theyre happy with their push.

[MightyDavidson]

[QUOTE=AfRoMaN36;213674]No... think again. RVD lost both his world titles that month and hasnt done anything of importance since that terrible December to Dismember. Ask any fan of RVD and they COMPLAIN about his push after the WWE gave him the ball. Well guess what... HE FUMBLED THE BALL and now hes paying the price. Sabu.... well.... just watch ECW and count his wins in the last 5 months... makes sure that one finger doesnt get too stiff as your going down the calander. Randy Ortan has become somewhat aof a joke aswell and it seems like whenever he wrestles anyone of importance he jobs. Chris Masters.... LOL his push deflated faster than he has. And once you job to Torrie Wilson... Count the men who have failed a drug test and tell me their fates exacly. And ask one of their fans whether theyre happy with their push.[/QUOTE] Does the Wellness Policy specifically state that any violation of it? Yes it does. Where any of the violators that I mentioned actually fired? No they were not. Loss of push and titles doesn't really matter that's essentially a slap on the wrist as far as I'm concerned. Untill the people who violate the Wellness Policy are FIRED, as the policy clearly states, then it's nothing more then a paper tiger.