Sports Talk with MC

by MC

I took the Metrorail, like always, to my office this morning. As I stood and gazed at the sky from one of the train’s cabins, I received a text message from a dear friend and sports afficionado. The message read very simply:

“RIP, Chris Benoit…and it’s for real”.

Needless to say, I was deeply moved by the reality that message carried with it. The sporting world had lost yet another fiery competitor, and, if the comments of his colleagues are to be taken at face value, it can be said that, indeed, the world had lost another good person.

The former World Champion was found dead in his home along with his seven year old son, and wife Nancy. The cause of death has yet to have been determined by authorities. The original storyline behind this evening’s telecast of Monday Night Raw has been shelved. A 3 hour tribute to the man they called, “The Crippler” and “The Rabid Wolverine” will be aired in lieu of the regular Raw fare.

What comes next for the WWE after this tragedy? The “Big Boss Man” Ray Traylor passed away early this year, and in 2005, the hugely popular Eddie “Latino Heat” Guerrero passed away under equally shocking circumstances. For one thing, perhaps WWE writers could drop the Vince McMahon death gimmick, at least for the time being? Or maybe even for good? I believe that it would be exceedingly disrespectful for the WWE to continue making a joke of the supposed “death” of its patriarch. Vince was despicable to have made the concept of death so trivial, and the death of one of his company’s top stars should serve as a cold-water wake up call to him and other spin doctors in sports entertainment. The fact that that the Canadian wrestling legend’s death, and that of his kin, has been ruled to have been due to “double murder- suicide” only serves to further the importance of knowing how to draw the line between being a showman, and being an outright source of the corruption of the minds of many a media consumer.

Benoit, seen left, celebrating at the the tail end of Wrestlemania 22 with close friend and fellow former World Titlist, the late Eddie Guerrero, was said to have been dearly beloved by his colleagues in the pro-wrestling industry. One thing that can be said to be sure, though, beyond any doubt, would be the fact that the Rabid Wolverine was immensely respected by WWE fans. He carried himself with a semblance of class and dignity befitting a World Champion, and it’s no coincidence, I think, that he never quite did figure in ridiculous on-screen gimmicks like some of his peers (Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Big Show) did. Irregardless of what sport you follow, Benoit was one who not only asked for your admiration- he earned it. With every Dynamite Kid like flying headbutt, with every Crippler Crossface maneuver he dished out, he poured forth a type of intensity and unfettered competitive spirit that was representative of his technical ring acumen, and also the honor he bestowed upon the industry he worked in. For such a person to have existed in this day and age, in sports entertainment no less, was something to behold indeed. In a world of crack junkies, and potheads, and egoistic dimwits without any skill or face to show for, Chris Benoit’s strength of character was truly something to marvel at. Even to the fan who didn’t know any better about the financial side of sports entertainment, the side that had to do with wheeling and dealing, Benoit was clearly one who just went about his business, working to better himself in the execution of his craft rather than busying himself with matters which would probably seem rather trivial to the wrestling purists (movie deals? endorsing products that have nothing to do with the sport, etc.). Instead of whining and crying about not being in the main event, the Rabid Wolverine just did what he did best- run through his competition with an efficiency seemingly unparalleled in this generation.

Personally, next to Owen and Bret Hart, Benoit was probably my favorite grappler. How could you not respect a man who always meant business, who never wore a mask under the klieg lights, and who gave 120% every night (quite ironic that all three were trained in the famous “Dungeon” run by wrestling icon Stu Hart)? For all the hype behind more “manufactured” stars of today, people tend to forget that behind the face paint, behind the razzmatazz involved in a flashy entrance theme, inclusive of pyrotechnics, and a legendary rock band backing you up, and behind any sort of stupid, two-bit gimmick that would go so far as to play with the deepest sensibilities of people just to make a buck, lay people like The Rabid Wolverine, Chris Benoit. Sometimes, to survive, and yes, to be admired without looking like you crave it like a warm slice of pizza in the middle of a famine, you need to eschew thinking of how you can make a difference, and just go forth and do what you believe to be correct, and beneficial to the many. Whether or not Chris died in the way he did or not, we have to remember that with every loss, can arrive some form of gain, and in this case, the one thing we can draw from this ghastly tale is that since life is fragile, we have to sometimes quit thinking about the how’s and why’s behind each and every move we make, and simply, “conceive”, “believe”, and “achieve”. At the end of the day, it’s as basic as that. It’s as austere a fact as just doing a 9 to 5 without whining, and without being prissy, and just going about our responsibilities without becoming pushovers to the more destructive forces that reside in the modern world. It’s a matter of doing a 9 to 5 believing you’re the best, but not flaunting it for the whole world to see. It’s a matter of letting actions, speak louder than words.

We’ll miss you, Chris. As a wrestling fanatic, and as a person, I’d like to thank you for showing us so much good in the short time you were with us. You truly touched many a life for the better. May you rest in peace.

Billy Joel was right- only the good do die young. The key word in that phrase, ladies in gentlemen, contrary to popular belief, is “GOOD” and not “DIE”, or “YOUNG”.

We must take, but not want. Whatever we’ve lost, whatever we want, we can “take back again”, so long as we retain a strong sense of belief in correctness, passion, and pride.

That’s as “real a deal” as I’ve ever come across in my young life.

~0~