So I'm a supporter of Chris Nowinski

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

From wrestling observer.













Support Wrestlingobserver.com; Visit Our Advertisers
Chris Nowinski with a message to the pro wrestling community on his concussion research
To the professional wrestling community:


I was saddened today, but not surprised, to learn that Andrew “Test” Martin was
suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative
brain disease caused by repetitive trauma, when he passed away. I had the honor of
wrestling Test on multiple occasions and he had my respect both as a performer and as a
person.

Most wrestlers and wrestling fans are aware that since retiring from WWE due to
multiple concussions, I have dedicated my life to the study, treatment, and prevention of
CTE. Our non-profit Sports Legacy Institute (SLI) was responsible for the diagnosis of
CTE in Chris Benoit in 2007, the first professional wrestler diagnosed with CTE. In 2008
I teamed up with the top researchers in this field to start the Center for the Study of
Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) at the prestigious Boston University School of
Medicine. Along with Dr. Ann McKee, Dr. Robert Stern, and Dr. Robert Cantu we have
now analyzed the brains of over twenty athletes, and are beginning to develop an
advanced understanding of this disease

More importantly over 225 active and retired athletes have volunteered to be part of a
longitudinal study on CTE. By enrolling in our CONTACT study at the CSTE at Boston
University School of Medicine, they will be committing to donating their brain to CTE
research after death. CONTACT members also agree to update their medical and trauma
histories annually with the CSTE by phone. This study will enable the CSTE to obtain
more accurate and detailed histories of donors and compare them to future pathological
findings, eventually allowing us to understand the specific risk factors and clinical course
of CTE.

Over 20 wrestlers have already enrolled or recently pledged to join the study, including
Rob Van Dam, Matt Morgan, Lance Storm, Ken Kennedy, Molly Holly, Tony Garea,
Antonio Thomas, Dawn Marie, Kevin Fertig, and other big names who at this point
choose to remain anonymous. The only group of professional athletes so far with a
greater commitment to this research is NFL players, with over 60 current and retired
players involved.

Considering how the CSTE’s research combined with SLI’s advocacy were able to
convince the NFL last month to completely change their approach to both concussions
and lower-impact repetitive brain trauma, Test’s tragic death provides an opportunity to
create change and to prevent this from happening to others.

I would like to encourage current and former professional wrestlers to become part of the
research that we expect will eventually lead to treatment and a cure for CTE. I am
enrolled and will be donating my brain to help my former colleagues. I hope you will
choose to join me and over 20 other members of our fraternity in this important endeavor.

Chris Nowinski
cnowinski@sportslegacy.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
To enroll, call
Megan Wulff, MPH
Research Coordinator
617-638-6143
mawulff@bu.eduThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
To learn more, visit www.sportslegacy.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I definitely respect what the guy is doing. Wonder what the WWE upper brass thinks of him... Good to see someone using their smarts for good and keeping athletes safe.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Well, I say good for him. I wonder if Nowinski would make it in a feud with Jericho these days. If you'll remember Nowinski's character always prided himself on being a book-smart guy who went to Harvard, and I would say may have even had a command of the English language possibly even greater than Jericho.

[Mr. Pierre]

Say if his studies are taken to a new level and action takes place..what would happen? An off-season? No more steel chairs? A newly constructed ring to lessen the impact?

[Johnny Vegas]

IDK, but Nowinski would have made a hell of a champion in WWE.

[Emperor Smeat]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pierre Say if his studies are taken to a new level and action takes place..what would happen? An off-season? No more steel chairs? A newly constructed ring to lessen the impact?

Probably something similar to what Boxing did from changing the Championship rounds from 15 rounds to 12 rounds as a way to lessen head trauma and fatigue. I believe they also added more mandatory medical checks before and after fights similar to what UFC does with post fight medicals.

For WWE, it probably means more medical checkups or a stricter drug policy while reducing the high risks spots for starters. After that, it would be up to Vince to see how far he's willing to go even if it meant a loss of revenues in the short term.

[Innovator]

I think an off season would be great for WWE

[TGR]

While this is a new emerging science, the WWE is unaware of the veracity of any of these tests, be it for Chris Benoit or Andrew Martin. Dr. Omalu claims that Mr. Benoit had a brain that resembled an 85-year-old with Alzheimer’s, which would lead one to ponder how Mr. Benoit would have found his way to an airport, let alone been able to remember all the moves and information that is required to perform in the ring. WWE has been asking to see the research and tests results in the case of Mr. Benoit for years and has not been supplied with them.

Classy, them.

[Indifferent Clox]

They should have two seperate rosters, one group wrestles the first half of the year the other half wrestles the second half

[Theo Dious]

Originally Posted by Innovator I think an off season would be great for WWE

Sure, let's have WWE take about 3 months off a year. That would be great news for the wrestlers who would subsequently get paid less for less work. And just think of all the technicians, camera operators, TV producers, concession stand vendors, merchandise vendors, arena personnel, drivers, makeup and costume designers, hotel employees, television workers, and all the others who would have tons of time to sit at home and not get paid because there would be so many less WWE events in a year. That's just what this economy needs.

[Theo Dious]

Originally Posted by Indifferent Clox They should have two seperate rosters, one group wrestles the first half of the year the other half wrestles the second half

Also a great idea. Because no wrestler's popularity and momentum has ever suffered for being out of the public eye for months at a time. God damn, if Vince would just listen to TPWW's scheduling ideas, the wrestling world would be a regular happytime paradise.

[Indifferent Clox]

Well it could be an every other week sort of thing at least. But if they left a big fliffhanger, that'd be badass, it's not like people forget about their other shows charecters

[Emperor Smeat]

If they were to have an off-season, probably couldn't be more than 1 month long in order to minimize revenue losses and interest. Would probably be best to do it month after Wrestlemania since that's usually seen as the end point for most storylines and the next month is just rematches for the ppv.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Originally Posted by DAMN iNATOR Well, I say good for him. I wonder if Nowinski would make it in a feud with Jericho these days. If you'll remember Nowinski's character always prided himself on being a book-smart guy who went to Harvard, and I would say may have even had a command of the English language possibly even greater than Jericho.

You do realize his career is over right? That was what started him being involved in all of this.

[DAMN iNATOR]

I do realize that. What I was saying was purely hypothetical.

[Kane Knight]

Does anyone see Vince willingly reducing the number of live appearances so drastically?

We're not just talking PPVs and TV tapings, but house shows. Come now.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Gee, Vince cares about money...who would've guessed?

[Kane Knight]

He does? Then why does he run the World Wilfdlife Fund?

[Skippord]

doesn't Chris Nowinski still work for the WWE in some capacity?

[Vastardikai]

Maybe not an off-season per se, but possibly a rotating list of guys who get some off time at certain times during the year. Like Group A gets time off during January and February. Group B gets time off during March and April. So forth, so on.

They can still participate in some segments if necessary for a storyline, just not be in matches getting their skulls rattled. Only use them in matches if they're needed, like the Royal Rumble.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Vastardikai Maybe not an off-season per se, but possibly a rotating list of guys who get some off time at certain times during the year. Like Group A gets time off during January and February. Group B gets time off during March and April. So forth, so on. They can still participate in some segments if necessary for a storyline, just not be in matches getting their skulls rattled. Only use them in matches if they're needed, like the Royal Rumble.

one of the easiest ways to do this is to rotate who's in top tier feuds. That would still require them having enough big talents to effectively rotate. They hang so much on a few people that it would be virtually impossible to do this as is.`

Originally Posted by Mr. Pierre Say if his studies are taken to a new level and action takes place..what would happen? An off-season? No more steel chairs? A newly constructed ring to lessen the impact?

The new wwe ring

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Originally Posted by Tedious Sure, let's have WWE take about 3 months off a year. That would be great news for the wrestlers who would subsequently get paid less for less work. And just think of all the technicians, camera operators, TV producers, concession stand vendors, merchandise vendors, arena personnel, drivers, makeup and costume designers, hotel employees, television workers, and all the others who would have tons of time to sit at home and not get paid because there would be so many less WWE events in a year. That's just what this economy needs.

Jesus you seem to expect a lot from these guys. lol.

[The Pope]

that vince video makes me want to throw up all over his face