Friday, October 9, 2009

Wrestling's Secret

While many people think of wrestling as a big joke, there is one thing about wrestling that isn't funny. The death rate among wrestlers is alarmingly high. The first time this story was covered by the national media was in 2003 on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumble. That segment featured Vince McMahon mocking the interviewer and slapping the notes from his hands. In addition, the only wrestler to speak up for the wrestlers, Roddy Piper, was fired after the piece aired.
Not all the wrestlers die due to the reasons stated above. Some die due to travel related incidents because of all the time on the road. Some have even died as a result of injuries suffered in the ring. Unfortunately, the least common way that wrestlers seem to be dying is due to old age.
While the outcomes of the matches are pre-determined, the effort to put on those matches takes a huge toll on their bodies. The wrestlers are on the road over 300 days a year and unlike other athletes, they do not have an off season. In addition, accidents do happen and injuries occur. Unfortunately, if wrestlers take time off, their wallets will suffer significantly. These factors all lead to the deadly slope that many wrestlers have found themselves facing. They get addicted to pain killers to numb the pain. This medicine keeps them too lethargic to wrestle, so they take drugs to get high. This deadly mixture leads to illegal drug dependency that many wrestlers have to cope with even after they retire.