Erasing History, a la Benoit

[steveweiser]

I was thinking,

With the whole Benoit thing, what he did and now the WWE erasing him from their history. What would happen if say Vince McMahon suddenly "snapped" in a similar circumstances, id say a little harder to erase him from the history? or in fact a huge name like John Cena? how would they cover them up? can't exactly say the company went on holiday for the last 10 years.

What you guys think?

[Corporate CockSnogger]

It'd be much more difficult to erase someone with an ounce of personality.

[Kane Knight]

They probably would spend a decent amount of time not revisiting key moments, though.

[Emperor Smeat]

They'd probably end up de-emphasizing most if not all the big moments that person had while emphasizing someone else or a group had a larger role than in reality.

Think that was a complaint with a newer DVD or something else that made it seem like DX was a lot more influential than in reality.

[James Steele]

DX was the spark in the powderkeg that led to the Attitude Era. Remember, while Austin was out with a broken neck DX came along and continued to push the envelope and get that sort of content over. Sort of amazing how DX came at the perfect time when Austin broke his neck. Austin returned at Survivor Series, the Screwjob happened, and the revolution had gone into overdrive.

WWE has overstated the importance of some DX moments, such as them "invading" WCW, but overall DX (especially in its original run with HHH/Michaels) was very important in the shift to "Attitude".

[James Steele]

I imagine if Vince or Cena or someone at that level "snapped", WWE would probably do what Smelly Meatball posted. One video package highlighted Cena beating Big Show for the U.S. Championship as the main highlight of WrestleMania XX.

[Theo Dious]

DX was the first major antagonist that Austin worked with as THE guy and the Rock owes a lot of his initial rise to the fact that the Nation had DX to work against. Add to that the fact that DX spawned Triple H into what he became and you realize that they were integral in producing the three greatest stars of the Attitude Era.

[Theo Dious]

Also the whole "erasing Benoit from history" this is seriously overblown by the IWC.

[Heisenberg]

Honestly don't think Vince or Cena will flip shit, they do not perform the flying headbutt off the top rope every time they get in the ring.

[Keith]

Neither Vince nor Cena will ever flip out like this, because they've never used steroids.

Wut?

[Tom Guycott]

They probably would spend a decent amount of time not revisiting key moments, though.

They'd probably end up de-emphasizing most if not all the big moments that person had while emphasizing someone else or a group had a larger role than in reality.

Think that was a complaint with a newer DVD or something else that made it seem like DX was a lot more influential than in reality.

This. The revisionists history would sting immediately, but in time, newer fans won't know the truth from fiction, because they weren't around and have to take as gospel exactly how big some of the history has and hasn't been been.

Benoit aside, they do this already with people who are still alive and not murderers depending on their relationship with WWE. How many times in the last decade has Ric Flair gone from "the man" to persona non grata and back again? Or for that matter, Hulk Hogan?

For sake of the topical example, say it was Hunter or Shawn who "snapped", D-X would suddenly be significantly less of an influence on the Attitude Era, and more focus on, say, pre-DX New Age Outlawz, the "Gang Warfare" between DOA, The Nation, and Los Boriquas, and Shane O with the Mean Street Posse all being presented as being bigger than they really were. Of course, the bigger the name and/or storyline impact, the more you're going to have to skim over.

[Fignuts]

Also the whole "erasing Benoit from history" this is seriously overblown by the IWC.

How?

[Corndad]

So... off topic for a second. First thing I thought of after reading the title about Erasing something in recent history...

http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4983747757408478&pid=15.1

Anyways back on topic, Cena I think they could get around. If Hogan went off deep end (yes even worse then he already has) that basically takes the first 10 years of Mania out of history. Almost undo-able.

[KIRA]

I think it would be next to impossible to eliminate Vince I mean aside from him owning the company He and Austin had a feud that drove the Attitude era. I guess you could put the spotlight on the Rock,Taker or HHH but that wouldn't do considering that they were essentially the elite henchmen of the story's true villain Mr. McMahon.

[Classy and Gassy]

Take away Cena and you take away B-squared... that would be a dark dark day.

[Kane Knight]

I think it would be next to impossible to eliminate Vince I mean aside from him owning the company He and Austin had a feud that drove the Attitude era. I guess you could put the spotlight on the Rock,Taker or HHH but that wouldn't do considering that they were essentially the elite henchmen of the story's true villain Mr. McMahon.

Yeah, WWE spends its time revising history depending on who's in and out, but there's no way they could possibly frame the story in a way that leaves out Austin or Vince.

[Evil Vito]

Also the whole "erasing Benoit from history" this is seriously overblown by the IWC.

<font color=goldenrod>Agreed. I was a huge Benoit fan, but I'd be perfectly fine with it if they never mentioned him again. Yes it is a bit awkward how they have to always try to jump around the fact that he won the 2004 Royal Rumble and main evented WrestleMania 20 - but his demise far outweighs his accomplishments.

It's fine to watch his matches and appreciate his work...but there are honestly people who feel Benoit should be in the HOF or should be referenced on TV or something. Why? He has an entry in the WWE Encyclopedia and didn't officially have his title wins or PPV wins or anything erased from the record books ala the NCAA. Hoping for anything else is silly.</font>

[Theo Dious]

How?

Maybe you can explain to me how he was, in fact, erased from history?

Not mentioning a former employee on your TV show who ended his life in the murder of his wife and child and subsequent suicide is not erasing someone from history; it's wisely not drawing attention to a horrifying event that you would understandably rather not be associated with.

He was never "erased" even from WWE.com; his title wins in the history lists were still acknowledged, they just removed the descriptions of the wins because, and again, I find this highly understandable, that would amount to promoting a man who ended his life in double-murder and suicide.

Does removing merchandise relating to him count as "erasing" him? Do I need to even explain this?

At every Royal Rumble they state that two men have won the event as the number one entry. True, they don't name Benoit as one of the two, but if they were so intent on "erasing" him they could easily skip this fact altogether. When they say "only two men have entered at number one and won," a good chunk of fans know who the second one was, and the omission may just inspire people to look it up. Also, pretty bad job of "erasing" him when the Royal Rumble page acknowledges his win. (http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/1988118/results)

And if this doesn't show the hyperbole involved in stating that Benoit has been "erased from history," the aforementioned WWE Encyclopedia must be one hell of an oversight in the locate, subvert, and terminate policy on Mr. Chicken Wings and Tap Water.

[Theo Dious]

<font color=goldenrod>...but there are honestly people who feel Benoit should be in the HOF or should be referenced on TV or something. Why?

Well in all honesty the following would be pretty damn amusing during a match:

Cole: And there we see the crossface! Shades of the late, great Chris Benoit!
JBL: Yeah, what a great man, he sure made his wife and son tap out.
Cole: Oh come on, the man was one of the great technical wrestlers of his time! He won the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania!
JBL: HE KILLED HIS WIFE AND CHILD, MICHAEL! What do you not understand about that???
Cole: Oh come on, I'm just referencing his talent and achievements, I'm not commenting on the man's personal life!
JBL: Personal life?! PERSONAL LIFE!!! Michael, he killed two people and then hung himself from a home gym! What does it take for you to stop glorifying someone like that???

[Theo Dious]

I also want to know, do football programs consistently reference OJ Simpson and trumpet his football career and achievements? This is a serious question.

[Kane Knight]

Agreed. I was a huge Benoit fan, but I'd be perfectly fine with it if they never mentioned him again. Yes it is a bit awkward how they have to always try to jump around the fact that he won the 2004 Royal Rumble and main evented WrestleMania 20 - but his demise far outweighs his accomplishments.

It's fine to watch his matches and appreciate his work...but there are honestly people who feel Benoit should be in the HOF or should be referenced on TV or something. Why? He has an entry in the WWE Encyclopedia and didn't officially have his title wins or PPV wins or anything erased from the record books ala the NCAA. Hoping for anything else is silly.

NCAA? This is pro wrestling, so it's worse!

I think the problem is that people are trying to treat Chris Benoit like he was involved in a real sport. He was an actor on a TV show, so even if they did erase him from history, it's more like the older brother from Happy Days than anything meaningful.

[Theo Dious]

I think the problem is that people are trying to treat Chris Benoit like he was involved in a real sport. He was an actor on a TV show, so even if they did erase him from history, it's more like the older brother from Happy Days than anything meaningful.

Happy Days is serious business you son of a bitch. :rant:

[parkmania]

Vince has stated that since time has passed, WWE is not a Benoit-free zone, but they will do nothing to promote his name or legacy.

As far as what would occur in a circumstance as stated, I'm sure one of the first steps would be to take whatever records the person holds that can be broken and break them, much like when Brock Lesnar left the first time and Vince threw the title on Orton so that Randall would now be the "youngest WWE Champ ever".

[The Rogerer]

How often do they reference Kurt Angle these days? It's not hard.

[Kane Knight]

That's what she said.

[Fignuts]

I just figured "erased from history" was just an expression to reference the fact that he's barely ever mentioned, and is omitted from a lot of stuff.

I don't think it was ever meant to be taken so literally.

[Kane Knight]

I just figured "erased from history" was just an expression to reference the fact that he's barely ever mentioned, and is omitted from a lot of stuff.

I don't think it was ever meant to be taken so literally.

Yeah, a lot of people don't know what they're talking about and take stances.

[The Rogerer]

I remember reading the news about Chris Benoit with an acquaintance, and he said "The sad thing is no-one will remember how good a wrestler he was" and I thought "Shut up you dick".

[Kane Knight]

It is the true tragedy when you kill your family and then yourself.

[Theo Dious]

I remember reading the news about Chris Benoit with an acquaintance, and he said "The sad thing is no-one will remember how good a wrestler he was" and I thought "Shut up you dick".

Yeah the loss of a wrestling legacy is far sadder than the murder of a child.