THE RANT: Kurt Angle Did Not Learn the Lessons of Chris Benoit

Submitted By James Walsh on 08/17/09

Over the weekend, Kurt Angle was arrested for breaking the terms of a restraining order placed on him by who we believe to be former girlfriend and fellow TNA employee "Rhaka Khan" Treneisha Biggers. As this was a restraining order placed on Kurt with physical violence in the claims as to why it was granted, an arrest was made. Upon the arrest, the harassing Olympic Gold Medalist was found to be driving on a suspended license from a recent DUI charge - a crime that wields a mandatory 60-day jail sentence. But, the fun wasn't done for the police arresting the controversial and power hungry TNA wrestler. HGH, Human Growth Hormone, was found proudly displayed as if no attempt to hide the drug was made riding along side Kurt Angle in his car in the passengers seat. The first thing that came to my mind when I heard about this was not about wrestling or how it will effect TNA. It was how the media could easily constrew this to being indicative of the Chris Benoit murder/suicide from just a few years ago. Then it dawned on me. If they did make that connection, they would be absolutely right to do so. I don't know if everyone remembers the weeks that followed the shocking tragedy that was the Chris Benoit murder/suicide. Time tends to heal all wounds as well as make people forget history. But, in case you did forget, either over the passage of time or because the memory was so horrible that you chose to pretend it never happened, allow me to remind you what it was like. Everyone with a TV show and a live microphone, no matter if it was TV, Radio, Internet, or whatever medium you attempted to turn to in order to escape the discussion, was talking baout this terrible tragedy. It was almost as overbearing as the coverage of the Michael Jackson death. And, the one single thing that everyone with these shows on the air seemed to agree upon was that wrestling was at fault for allowing this kind of drug intake to go on. And, for those months, anyone that went out wearing a wrestling T shirt or that was associated with wrestling in any way had a stigma on them like you would not believe. The media made wrestling public enemy #1. Life isn't what happens, it is how you react to the things that do happen. The WWE has been around forever because it always responds wisely to the terrible cards it is sometimes dealt. So, to get past this terrible incident, they stepped up the game of their drug testing policy known as their "Wellness Program". This program came to be after the untimely death of Eddie Guerrero who, upon his death, was found to still be taking Human Growth Hormones despite not getting much coverage. If wrestlers are found to be on any kind of illegal substance, with possible exception to marijuana, they get a strike, a suspension, and a fine. Low and behold, wrestlers in the WWE seem to be behaving themselves. Kurt Angle no longer words for the WWE. During his final days at the WWE, articles were popping up daily on PWInsider.com discussing how a top name wrestler was on so many drugs that they were fearful of his life. They never revealed who that was. But, those articles stopped when Kurt Angle left the company. One can only help but speculate that this was more than just a cooinsidence. Angle now works for TNA. TNA is a rebel promotion that has been around for 7 and a half years. Angle has been there for nearly 3. Their drug policy isn't much discussed. In fact, the only mention of it that I can recall came in Dixie Carter's response to congress when they were pushing the matter of drug abuse in wrestling the way overreaching and out of touch government officials do. In that response, she assured the government that TNA took drug testing very seriously and while their tests were not as common knowledge as the WWE's "Wellness Program", they do test the wrestlers. I can't say they don't. Once more, I won't say they don't. But, one must wonder just how strict their drug policy is if a wrestler can be arrested over the weekend with posession of HGH and then wrestle the following night during their pay per view and be allowed to retain the title. In a post Chris Benoit murder/suicide wrestling world, that is absolutely stunning. I can only theorize my way through my opinion of what is going on backstage at TNA right now. I can theorize that they allowed Angle to retain the title for the publicity. After all, some believe all publicity is good publicity. That said, I personally wouldn't think that being associated with the strangling of a child in some kind if sick and cowardly rage is good publicity. What Chris Benoit did is what Chris Benoit did and not what anyone else did. But, any signs... Any inkling that the lessons that were learned by the tragedy that surrounds him and will forever be linked with this business and his name were not learned is stunning to me. Kurt Angle has, in recent months, been pressing for TNA management to cut ties with their very founder in a political power play. Apparently the founder, Jeff Jarrett, and Angle don't see eye to eye on things. But, Kurt's ex-wife Karen and Jeff seem to be simpatico. This is probably the real reason for the heat between the two. It is my belief Angle hsa had the stroke, pun intended, to throw his weight around because his contract is due to expire in September and he is, arguably, the biggest name in the TNA organization. Because Vince McMahon and the WWE would love to rob TNA of their biggest name talent, TNA naturally is attempting to appease Kurt Angle even at the expense of their founder who may even sell his remaining stock in the company. Do you think for a moment that Vince McMahon wants to sign someone who has an abusive restraining order on him, can't obey the restrictions of that order, and is still using illegal anabolic drugs? Vince McMahon learns from history. There is no chance he'd get involved with someone like Kurt Angle right now. Not even to take a big name from TNA... Not without extensive rehabilitation. Why? Because Vince learned the lessons of Chris Benoit. This arrest came at a time where Angle needed as much bartering power as he could muster. This should have killed off all bartering power because he went from being a big star for the company to being the black-eye on the face of the company. As I mentioned before, I reject the notion of this mainstream media exposure being a positive for TNA. It simply is not. They do not want this kind of exposure. But, keeping the belt on him makes you wonder if maybe they do. TNA is a good company. They have broken through the ceiling on so many different levels over the years. At one point, I was a die hard fan of theirs. But, I seem to now have more and more of a problem with things that go on there. This is the just the latest in a string of things I disagree with. Another is the aforementioned love triangle with Jeff Jarrett, Karen and Kurt Angle. It reminds me vividly of WCW and the power plays that were made by talents like Hulk Hogan which some attribute to the demise of that company... Only, Hulk Hogan actually drew people to the WCW product... Simply put, I hope TNA does the right thing. They didn't do that last night. Angle needs to be away from TNA as much as they need him away from them. Both need to avoid this media barrage, as deserved as it may be. And, both had better realize that sooner than later or both will get stuck with a terrible stigma over all of this. But, most importantly, TNA hs to prove that they learned from the Chris Benoit tragedy. They have to prove that what happens to them and their industry, they learn from. Remember, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. :: DISCUSS THIS POST ON THE FORUMS! :: SEE MICKIE JAMES & THE DIVAS NUDE! :: BUY WRESTLING DVD'S THROUGH OUR STORE! :: GO BACK TO THE HOME PAGE WRESTLING EPICENTER STORE IS OPEN! THE HOTTEST WRESTLING DVD'S ARE NOW AVAILABLE! We've got hundreds of pro wrestling DVD's at your fingertips! All your favorite stars such as Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Sting, Ric Flair, Bruiser Brody, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Harley Race, Andre the Giant, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Booker T, & countless others! We've also got the Divas! 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