Chris Nowinski Trashes WWE. WWE fires back
 

From the front page:

I don't know what to say.

God help me I actually agree with Linda McMahon. She is no more responsible for Cade's death than a studio is for the death of Heath Ledger.

Tempted right now to use a certain one-word, mono-syllabic phrase, but don't really want to revert back to being seen as how I was in '07 (fucking awful in other words). Instead I'll just say Nowinski is being a ridiculous prick who hasn't been anywhere near WWE for like 7 years. Now he's going around claiming that guys who roid up are being rewarded which I do not see happening at all in today's WWE environment, and accusing Triple H and Batista just as examples of being the main ones using right now, when he could have mentioned several others who are probably (but at least I'm not dumb enough to go around saying definitely) using them as well. Just one example, I'm sure there's at least a few more, but even though Chris Masters has slimmed down a bit, I'm almost certain he still takes them, just at a much lower dosage than before.

And him shitting on Linda? :nono: Jesus, dude had been out of WWE for like 2 years prior to his death, and even if his heart failure was because of painkiller usage, it's not like it wasn't his own personal choice to take them. It's not like Vince or anyone with any real power in WWE is going to say "Here, take one of these after every match to ease your pain or we'll fire your ass!" or anything.

Nowinski just needs to shut up and go back to his damned research or something.

Fuck Nowinski, he's just a bitter wrestling fan cos he didnt make it. End of

I just hope he's wrong. I thought that WWE turned a corner with steroid and painkiller abuse.

Even if Nowinski is truthful in what he says, he comes across as being fairly bitter in my opinion.

I agree with everything he just said. I dont see how this is " trashing " the wwe. Look at Edge. The guy obviously went off the roids. You can just tell. You think he's getting a push anytime soon? He looks like a pitcher for the the MLB now. Before his injury the dude was jacked and that was even when they claimed that they turned that corner.

You guys really think they're traveling as much as they do and keeping these body's naturally? You're living in a dream world if you think that.

where is the whole interview btw?

If Linda McMahon said that, she's delusional.

I mean, do you guys really think that these guys from Nexus arent jacked up or havent been jacked up on steroids? Do you really think that when they go out on 6 month injuriy leave, they arent roiding? Thats pretty rediculous if you believe that. You dont travel 260 days a year and keep ripped like most of these guys do. Plus not to mention, not take pain killers or do any other illegal substances. Do i even have to explain how incredibly difficult that would be?

Wrestling fans need to get a clue.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Nowinski technically still work for WWE?

Fucking retard here folks

Do you harcore wrestling fans think Roddy Piper and the likes, come back once a year for the love of it? Do you really think Nowinski is some dumb hack running around trashing WWE out of spite? He's a harvard grad with a degree in sociology. His work has landed on 60 minutes and other high profile magazines and news media. This isnt Rakishi. This isnt Doink the clown. What do you think happens to guys with no education or degree to fall back on. No movie deals like The Rock and Steve Austin? Talk to me in 5- 10 years about HBK. I guarantee the guy is walking around like a cripple. These wrestlers give there bodies up for a pay check and guys like Chris will be making money for the rest of his life. Nowinski will be making more money in a life time then 99% of the roster in the WWE now . I truely doubt he's running around spouting this shit out of spite. And it amazes me that even in today's age, we need a guy like him to say this stuff. It should be known knowledge. Wrestling is a helluva a sport if you're a fan. Not so good if you're a wrestler. And every single one of those guys will do what they have to do to make a paycheck.

Why, because she shouldn't be held responsible for the independent actions of an individual, even if they took painkillers or other such on company time? Like I said before, I'm sure it's not like they just pass a bunch of painkillers around every night to all the workers to take after a show like it's candy. They (the individual wrestlers) must each choose for themselves whether or not they want and/or need to be taking a painkiller after the show.

The End.

take that logic to a real sport and see how it fly's. That shit dont fly when the boss is trotting out a new policy every year and ignoring the very policy. Good lord you guys are blind.

if he did not any more

I agree with Rectal Pertruder.


Also I had no idea Lance Cade was dead.

who cares? He doesnt btw. But why would he? 20 years from now he's gunna be walking on his own power and making more money then everybody not named a McMahon.

20 years from now HBK will have God and a prescription to fill every week. Will you be rooting your hero on then?

He's just mad because he was on Tough Enough season 1 which got his name out there. Then even though he didn't win they decided to give him a job anyways and they started to push him. Then for whatever reason the push stopped and he was let go. He is just bitter because he doesn't have a job on television anymore and this is his way of trying to extend his 15 minutes of fame. Only problem is nobody cares about him anymore.

HBK hasn't got any drug problems and the limping might happen to some but im sure the same can be said for NFL, Soccer, Ice Hockey or any other players of contact sports. WWE stars are paid huge sums of money so if they piss it all away thats their own fault. You're a fuckin hack

YES

.........


you're the most retarded person on this forum. Enjoy it for 10 minutes. I'm positive someone will come in here and take your crown.

why are you so fuckin sure Nowinski is right? are you dating him?

i dunno. I guess i live in reality. Not even sure how i got in this forum.

Chris Nowinski retired from pro wrestling because he developed post concussion syndrome and didn't want to destroy his life. Do some research before you talk shit.

Save your white reps please. You dont deserve to show up on my rep page. And stop PM'ing me too. You're fucking stupid.

Yes, he was injured because he sucked hard in the ring. Thats his fault but im sure he blames WWE. . . . bitterness. You see?

I wish you were one of Benoits kids so we'd never have this conversation, but since you arent, go drink AIDS juice.

Nowinski is one of the few people actually qualified to talk about stuff like this that actually gives a shit about pro wrestling. He's trying to help wrestlers and make their jobs safer. But wrestling fans hate change and shit on anyone who talks bad about their precious product.

Simpsons is shit and has been for a long time. Good run for 3 years in the early 90's. since then it has sucked all ass

LOL

no sense what so ever

This one time like 2 years ago, i saw two guys 69 with each other in the park, and that was the gayest thing id ever seen until i was made aware of your shitty existence.

I'm so confused by the last HBpunk comment that i'm just gunna leave

Some of you have reached a delusional state that is absoloutly profound.

dont let your balls slap your dad on the way out junior

absolOUTly right

k

k

People are insane who think WWE's wellness policy is anything close to legitimate, or that the McMahons don't know damn well what a fucking mess the business is

These guys don't even have health insurance or benefits for retirement. Think of what they do for a living. People who sit at a desk all day get health coverage, but these guys who are going through physical hell nightly don't.

Like this post. What the fuck? You honestly think William Regal is flunking piss tests and Batista and HHH aren't?

rofl yah.

to me Edge is the best example. The guy goes out on an injury or something and comes back looking like Bronson Arroyo. This guy was fucking jacked to hell. He got huge. Anyone with eyes can see it. But hardcore fans wear blinders i guess.

Plus it has to be taken into account that WWE has perpetuated such ridiculous physiques for so long that guys don't even look close to as big as they really are.
You see Batista and HHH and they look like monsters on TV, but they're even more ridiculous in real life. To look big on WWE TV you need to be a freakshow. Guys like Edge and Jericho who look normal or small on TV are probably diesel in real life.
WWE has created that illusion.

lol @ this thread.

No he does not.

Pretty sure after the whole Benoit thing Nowinski said stuff about WWE and how they need to change and WWE cut ties with him shortly after.

Exactly they have no health insurance, and who needs health more insurance then retired Pro wrestlers?

Even if you make $1 million a year no one wants to pay for medical stuff on there own. That shit adds up.

Guess Who's Bitter *clap* *clap* *clap**clap**clap*

You're forgetting that in "real sports" as you so eloquently put it, there are major deterrents/disincentives put in place to make sure that coaches, owners and other exec's don't ignore the policies they or the governing body (commissioner or whoever) put in place without serious consequences which can lead to major fines and/or suspensions/termination of jobs.

Great, so we shouldn't have to be decent human beings unless there's someone there to correct us.

Chris Nowiniski should be the new CEO of wrestling worldwide.

That's why those darn atheists are so scary

RP, Supreme and Jeritron covered most of what I have to say, so I'll snark instead:

Linda's right. It's well known that Hollywood won't hire anyone for a leading role unless they're on sleeping pills.

All of Chris Nowinski's research into head trauma and how to save lives really makes him sound like he's bitter because he left the WWE.

Jesus. Anyone who would say that has no perception outside of whether someone works for the WWE or not.

Does Linda McMahon literally force drugs down a guy's throat? No. But the WWE's business model is based on year-round shows. Big, healthy guys get pushed. It's rare to stay big and healthy without being on some kind of drug, so the nature of the business model forces wrestlers to use the drugs. If that were the case with any other sport there would be more concern, possibly even legal involvement, but that isn't the case. The WWE gets away with it because they're entertainment.

i know that the wrestling forum is generally full of retards and social degenerates, but the level of retardation shown by some in this thread is off the charts. if you truly believe that nowinski is saying any of this because he is bitter about not making it in the WWE, then i hate you and everybody should hate you, too. jesus. don't even know right now.

WWE is only wrong when they decide not to give Chris Jericho the World title. They are 100% right on everything else.

They are infallible.

lol yeah. Gotta love the way the WWE apologists work.

HBPunk should never be allowed in this forum again. Utter stupidity.

I remember Kurt Angle looking like the fucking incredible Hulk a couple years ago. Then he starts looking like he just came back from a season on Survivor like a year later

The dude's face gets caved in and he has a major head trauma and heart failure at a young age. Why? Wrestling,that's why. The head trauma of "He who should not be named" was one of the possible leading causes of him KILLING his wife and son.Steroids were the other. I think Chris Harvard has a good point and there should be more responsibility placed on wrestling's first family including the one running for senate.

lollllll you can't be serious.

If you had a problem with it then WHY DID YOU DO IT YOU STUPID SON OF A BITCH.

There's a very simple solution to not liking your working environment. FUCKING LEAVE. It's not like this particular individual didn't have options, he has a FUCKING HARVARD DEGREE.

It doesn't sound like he's trashing the WWE itself like previous wrestlers in the past (ex. Kanyon on issue of gays or Raven on issue of unions). The wellness policy flaws and the past of only pushing roided wrestlers are still critical issues even though the WWE does provide funding to any former or present WWE wrestler who wants to rehab due to drugs or other problems.

He is trashing what Linda said since to him it appears she doesn't care about her employees while implying WWE has no input on well-being outside the ring or in their free time.

Um, didn't guys in the 70's and especially 80's used to wrestle sometimes twice a night for house shows? I don't know what the hell Chris Havard is talking about.

I think he should be the one to debate Linda McMahon lol

Actually he did leave. He used his Harvard degree to write a book about the dangers of head injuries in sports and also is on the board of an institute that does research about head injuries in sports. He also does various speaking events and appears on talk shows.

I'm surprised you didn't hear about that.

This thread is freaking funny. Harvard may be bitter, not my place to say, but for the most part he's right. Like was said above: Wrestling's first family should set a better example.

Facvts and logic won't stop a Tedious Spazzout.

This kinda... I do think he is severly bitter, but it sounds like a lotta truth to this...

Really? Really? He was injured due to a botch from Edge. 2003 Royal Rumble. Rey and Edge went for a double drop kick from opposite corners. Rey leapt off first and connected. Edge was a little late and Chris was down and Edge dropped right over his head.

So to say that he was injured cause he "sucked hard" is... just dumb to put it lightly.

While the policies that WWE has in place are to prevent/alleviate further incidents of premature death and physical injuries from within the company seemed to come for some people a little too late after the deaths of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and others I think its at least fitting to say better late than ever.

While I wish that wrestlers that have all died before the ages of 40 were still with us, nothing is going to change the fact that they are no longer here and that we can't do anything to change their situation, but the industry of professional wrestling as a whole can put steps in place to alleviate and prevent further acts and incidents like this in future.

Whether WWE's current policy is to the highest bearing standard or the most effective method isn't for us to judge and we are not experts on the industry, nor are we are given insight to the day to day operations of WWE and what goes on when the cameras are off.

Nowinski is genuine and very knowledgeable on one hand about his previous history and work with head trauma, traumatic brain/head injuries, concussions, and other types of sports related injuries that have caused premature death in athletes in their prime or before the age of 45, he does seem to come across as bitter.

It does nothing to change the situation or the industry for him to sit their and bash WWE and do all the finger pointing at them. WWE is being pushed by him and the media into the spotlight because they are the premier company when it comes to pro wrestling, so naturally the blame and focus is going to be on them.

Rather than finger pointing, Nowinski should be going to WWE Officials and trying to work with them, instead of giving TV and Radio interview saying how Linda Mcmahon is full of crap. Why are we even talking about Linda McMahon, who no longer even runs the company or has anything to do with is fiscal operations?

Why are we not focusing on the industry as a whole rather than just WWE. Are we saying that WWE is the only company to blame and that its the only company in the pro wrestling industry that has these problems. What about TNA Wrestling, the NWA, Ring of Honor, Dragon Gate USA, Chikara, Pro Wrestling NOAH, AAA in Mexico, or any other independent promotion. The problems just don't stem from one company, it stems from the entire industry and till the industry as a whole takes responsibility for it, then its going to continue to exist.

WWE just catches the most flack because they have a major television deal, they are the #1 supplier of the prodcut in the industry, they have the biggest names/stars in the industry, and most of all they are a publicly traded company.

It so happens that some of the top draws in the business and most known names in the business within the last 20 years have died while under employment or had previous employment with WWE and they catch the heat when wrestlers are dying from enlarged hearts and overdoses.

Do you think this problem just started overnight? No, this is a result of years of substance abuse, punishment on the body, and lack of overall care/well being for the individual by themselves. The industry can't be blamed for what happened to these wrestlers, WWE can't be repsonsible for their deaths financially. These wrestlers made the choice to use and no one forced their hand.

What the industry is responsbile to do is educate and train the current generation and next generation of athletes that are taking up the pro wrestling banner on how to prevent this, put steps in place to identify problems, offer services/treatment for those that need it, and most importantly, no pose threat/danger to others in the industry by employing abusers and allowing them to perform in the business.

Change does have to happen but it has to happen from within the industry as a whole and the finger pointing and blame at one specific company or person has to stop to start recovery from this and allow any change to be possible or the pattern will cycle over and continue to repeat itself.

Wrestling's real first family is more than likely not the McMahons and is not the McMahons. its JCP and the NWA, The Crocketts were the first family of wrestling. Crockett Sr was promoting in the Carolina and Georgia territories in the 50's and 60's. Mcmahon didn't come into the picture until the mid to late 70's and it was his old man. VKM didn't buyout his father until January of 1982.

I believe he is talking about the current day first family. You wouldn't say something about the first family today, and be alluding to the Reagans or the Clintons

.............

What is going on in here? Oh yeah, one adult being bitter because he realized his dreamn finally, but sadly found out that living your dream could turn into a nightmare. Ok Chris we get it, behind the scenes, wrestling sucks, actually we've "been got it" for years now. Waaaay before you popped up on some fluke opportunity called Tough Enough. Adults STILL decide to chase their dream and become wrestlers, THEIR CHOICE! I am just a fan, never been in the business a day in my life but even I know...

1. Travel sucks
2. No insurance
3. Steroids
4. Never home
5. Unhealthy
6. Dangerous
7. No longevity
8. Most of my favorite wrestlers are either: crippled, broke, or/and addicts

And I am sure you knew this too before you joined, now he is upset because he got hurt and can no longer perform. Give it up kid, you got a tough piece of steak, use your Harvard Degree and chew on something lighter, and STOP REPEATING "INSIDE DIRT" ABOUT THE BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN SAID/EXPOSED SINCE ABOUT 1995!!

I believe the guy is trying to change some of those negative things about pro wrestling, by using his personal experiences and education. Pretty much everything he says is spot on. I think the WWE needs to improve the way they go about handling steroid/painkiller use in their company. It depresses the shit out of me hearing about these guys dropping dead before 40 every other month or so.

Your right! He should just shut up and not try to induce a positive change in the business that he loved.

[/sarcasm]

Except WWE had the wellness policy in place when Benoit killed his family and himself. the guy had a fuckton of steroids in his system at death, though there was no evidence of "roid rage."

While "better late than never" might be true, as well as "Something is better than nothing," it's hard to say either is particularly meaningful, you know?

Turns out, a lot of guys were on drugs. There have been two pharmacy scandals since then, and those are only the instances we know about. Guys who claimed they never did steroids, guys who claimed they didn't know it was wrong, and guys who died. Eddie not the least of which, a "born again Christian" who claimed to have kicked substance abuse.

Now, is it WWE's responsibility to monitor this sort of thing? Yes. They made it theirs with the Wellness Policy. They did that because Eddie Guerrero's death gave them a bloody nose and they needed to assure shareholders that they weren't running a toxic environment.

Problem is, they don't seem to want to enforce it. And it's not exactly hard to see why. It's not hard to see it in action, either.

Martin Luther King was just bitter about racism in the South. Therefore, his arguments hold no weight. He knew the deal when he started and if he hated it so much, he should've just moved north.

PG's Opinion:
He makes a lot of good points and I don't believe he is bitter. In regards to taking drugs being the wrestlers choice alone and WWE shouldn't be held responsible, I disagree. No one is denying that the wrestler is responsible for taking the drugs, but I don't think full blame can go to them. Instead a company like WWE has accepted that it is done for years. While they have slightly changed their image with it, it seems to be more of a smoke and mirrors type policy that nobody takes extremely serious. The fact is you see jacked guys on the top in WWE; odds are a good number of those guys are taking steroids.
The WWE lifestyle is such that you are wrestling an insane number of times a year. If you get pretty much an insignificant injury, you are going to go out the next night and wrestle. And continue wrestle, things never getting that much better. Never being anywhere close to 100%. Solution: take painkillers to help you get through it all. The wrestlers could say "Hey WWE, got this little injury need some time off to get better." But how many times can they say that? How many storylines can they put in jeopardy, costing WWE money. Costing themselves money, not being on PPVs getting extra bonus money. Not being pushed cause you are out of action.
This is how WWE is responsible. By not showing they care about their wrestlers as much as they should. By creating a demanding schedule for them. Even if you are not in WWE, it is the dream of many wrestlers to be there. So they put themselves through the same schedule because that is what they see. They see these stars that are bulked up and feel if they want to make it big, they must do the same. Are there some exceptions to the rule: sure. But WWE's corporate culture is such that they turn a blind eye to it all, giving up names they don't really care about to the wellness policy.
I dont mean to say WWE is completely evil and uncaring on this subject. They have taken some steps in the right direction, things seem a little better than say 20 years ago. It's just they are not doing everything they should be doing. Putting money infront of the wrestlers health/life.

:y:

I don't get the whole "he's bitter" thing. It's got to be some sort of reassurance thing, right?

Honestly, it dosn't matter if he's bitter. Maybe he's going at this for all the wrong reasons, but he is right.

Yea what he said.

I think some people are still missing the point that I was trying to make, IE i am diverting and responding in particular Papa Georgio here, why are we still focusing on WWE here, this is not just a WWE specific problem, this is a issue that is affecting every company in the business from the juggernaut WWE, the #2 in TNA, the independents, all the way down to the bingo hall promotions. The message is clear:

"companies putting pressure and demand on the wrestlers that if they want to survive in this business and be successful, you have to make sacrifices and do whatever it takes to be the top dollar draw, whether that be sacrificing the body, taking steroids, abusing alcohol to combat lonely nights on the road, and injecting painkillers to subside the demanding schedules that takes it toll on the body."

The objective is clear:

"Wrestling companies are turning a blind eye to the abuse and even going as far to endorse, possibly even supply the drugs, the muscle enhancers, and the painkillers. The environment provides no motivation nor does it detour the promotion and condeming of this type of behavior and substance/body abuse."

So what is the solution:

"Do we need federal government interjection like they have done with other professional athletes? Albeit we know that their is theatrical and fictional aspects of wrestling, but it does involve physical activity and contact, and thus make sthem atheletes. "

"Do we continue on the same downward spiral path and continue to support a product which does not endorse, support, or care for the employees that make it possible?"

"Or does the industry take drastic reform and the whole industry, not just WWE. Should WWE be the first to be the major player in reform, yes becuase they are the juggernaut, the shining light that the industry looks most heavily at."

Again my solution and my fingerpointing, doesn't stop or extend only to WWE, they are not innocent here but by no means are they the only culprits of this dibiliating problem in wrestling today.

WWE is the focus not only because it's the largest, but because it's the most evident. When you look at the WWE roster compared to the TNA one, you see a huge difference in physique, who gets pushed, etc. Would AJ Styles or Christian Cage be World Title material in WWE? No, I'm not counting ECW. Would you ever see Christian Main Event Raw as champ? Styles?

TNa also has a more relaxed schedule, which means more recoup time.

Not saying everyone but WWE is innocent, but there's a reason the major offender is singled out.

Thats the problem that the MAJOR offender is singled out....the three most notable deaths that stick out from WWE Talent are: Guerrero, Benoit, and Umaga...given the extensive nature of the damage to these men's bodies and the revalations made from the autopsy reports, there is no way in hell that the damage was done in a insignifcant period of time that these men were employed with WWE. This was years, if not decades of abuse by these gentleman.

WWE fires back at Nowinski
 

Former wrestler and anti-head-trauma advocate Chris Nowinski said some very critical things about Senate candidate Linda McMahon and the WWE in a recent interview with NECN, alleging that the WWE encourages steroid use and provides an unsafe environment for its wrestlers. While the McMahon campaign has not responded, to my knowledge (an email to the campaign was not returned--then again, it was only one email), the WWE has.


The WWE emailed this response to Nowinski's criticisms today:


WWE RAISES CREDIBILITY ISSUES FOR CHRIS NOWINSKI


• Chris Nowinski did not reveal, as required, that he suffered previous concussions before signing his contract with WWE.
• He states WWE suggested that its performers take steroids. However, at no time does he ever state that it was suggested that he do so.
• His comments that WWE talent perform in matches 200 days a year is not factual. In 2009, the average active roster talent performed 135 days.
• A sheer fabrication --- that he went through tables four days a week.
• Mr. Nowinski states, "They have an environment where it's absolutely unsafe to work in that ring." "They have no oversight into what actually happens in the ring." If so, then why would Mr. Nowinski have ever wanted to be a part of such an environment?
• It is very dubious that he ever had a conversation with Lance Cade much less Lance Cade confiding to a total stranger that he used painkillers and steroids.
• Although renowned in the field of CTE, we are unaware of any specific qualifications or medical degrees that he possesses which would qualify him as an expert on steroids and pain killers.


McMahon and the WWE are inextricably linked on the campaign trail as the former CEO vies for Connecticut's open Senate seat: when Democrats attack McMahon, they attack the WWE. It's probably fair to say that McMahon's Senate campaign has brought more negative press to the WWE than it's had in years, as her political opponents make hay out of steroids, workplace safety, and the WWE's racy televised storylines.

Yeah I doubt he went through 4 tables a week

Not a bad rebuttal.

wwe emailed this to who? you?

eat my cunt ya fag

yes joanne i can

I don't know to who, where he works maybe.

Ryan Clark, no doubt.

No, I got it from PWInsider.com

Dunno if Juan needs to edit this. Just called yourself a woman.

Which would make the insulted one hetero.

Unless you're a hermaphrodite.

Which is it?

Reassurance?

I was being sarcastic, btw........

:rofl:

I know