September
10, 2007
by Sassy
TNA Goes to
Two Hour Time Slot
It appears Spike TV and TNA
are still together and TNA may get its two-hour time slot as early as October 5.
The show is still scheduled to be on Thursday evenings and it is said
Spike TV does not expect an increase in the ratings when the two-hour show
begins. Source Ryan Clark, www.ProWrestlingFans.com.
TNA Drug Testing to
Begin
TNA will begin random drug
testing of its employees within a few weeks. Source www.TNAWrestlingNews.com.
The urgency appears to be so that TNA will be able report to Congress it does
drug testing and actually has a drug prevention plan in place.
I would think that TNA could have moved a little quicker than they have.
Congress is getting started with drugs in the wrestling entertainment
industry before the end of this month.
They Should Have Been
Ahead of the Game
Reports indicate that
members of the congressional committee held a conference call on August 28 with
Konnan, formerly of TNA. He was asked about TNA and WWE, about pay and
independent contractor status of wrestlers, and about drug usage. Source www.gerweck.net.
It makes us think that the “independent contractor” clause may be another
hit to professional wrestling.
Black Machismo Is
Feeling the Pain
Jay Lethal chatted with The
Pain Clinic about his match at No Surrender and the wellness policy TNA has in
place. Check it out: www.feelthepain.net.
TNA Seeking New Roster
Members
It is being reported that
TNA has sent out feelers to Scott Hall now that he is back in shape.
Hall last appeared on TNA in 2005. Source
http://www.pwpix.net. Rumors of other
wrestlers in sight are Bill Goldberg, Sabu, and even Chris Jericho. As
much as we think Jericho would be a great acquisition, I doubt TNA will be able
to pull him away from WWE.
Last Week’s iMPACT
Tapings
The following non-TNA
personnel were backstage during last weeks tapings: Sabu, Billy Kidman, Sean Waltman, Matt Bentley, and David
Young. No word on whether or not
TNA management has any of them on the list of new hires when iMPACT expands to
two hours. Source: http://ringsidenews.com.
I am not familiar with David Young but I like the other four that were there.
Mrs. Angle and TNA
Opinions
www.wrestlezone.com
reports that most TNA personnel are giving Karen Angle rave reviews regarding
her performances on TNA since she has no previous experience.
No kidding, she has no previous experience? Like the fans didn’t notice. There are rumors that she
wasn’t all that easy to get along with in other organizations.
TNA Pacman Jones
Opinions
www.prowrestlingfans.com
reports that everyone backstage thinks Jones is wonderful, that he uses the
locker room just like the rest of the guys and doesn’t travel with an
entourage. Gee, I wonder when that
changed?
Pacman Again
Jeff Jarrett has been
negotiating with the Tennessee Titans regarding getting Jones in the ring and
working. We will know if he showed up in the ring at No Surrender.
Source: Ashish, www.411mania.com.
Executive Leaves
As reported at www.411mania.com,
Will Barton who was in charge of TNA online merchandise is no longer with the
company. No reasons were given but it doesn’t appear that he was fired.
Kevin, Leticia and Joe
Kevin Nash’s contract is
expiring at TNA. Everyone believes
he will be offered a contract extension. We
are in hopes that the writers find a better story line for Nash, the doctor
routine isn’t all that great. Leticia Cline is on a leave of absence
from TNA so that she can work on the X-Games, Maxim and other projects.
We are glad someone said something about Leticia’s TNA status, we were
starting to worry about her. Samoa Joe was offered a restructured and extended
contact but he has two years left on his present contract and opted not to take
the extension. Source, Luiz Perez, www.lordsofpain.com.
TNA Goes International
TNA will take the show on
the road, across the ocean, and be in Tel Aviv, Israel the weekend of November
11, 2007 through November 17, 2007. Source
www.411mania.com. It has been reported by
www.wrestleview.com that the dates are
not “cast in stone” but there are plans to have TNA in Tel Aviv in the near
future.
TNA Text Message Busy
Before No Surrender
TNA text message has been
sending teasers to its subscribers regarding a big announcement to be made
during the No Surrender pay per view. Most
sources believe TNA will announce the impending two-hour time slot and/or the
acquisition of a new talent. Stay
tuned!
TNA house show at Zamora
Shrine Temple, Birmingham/Rondale, AL, October 11. Tickets go on sale September 10.
Information on Bound For
Glory Fanfest starting October 13 can be located here:
www.slamline.com/news/190513149.shtml
or www.tnawrestling.com.
Bound For Glory, Atlanta,
GA, October 14.
Instant Classic:
The Best of Christian Cage DVD available October 16.
www.tnawrestling.com.
Genesis is November 11.
TNA:
Year 1 DVD to be released November 20.
www.tnawrestling.com.
TNA iMPACT tapings are held
at Universal Studios, Orlando, FL.
For information on pay per
views, TNA house shows, TNA merchandise and ticket information, go to www.tnawrestling.com.
Auction for Autism
information:
http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/news/?p=891
Additional information: www.uwfusa.com
Fans will be bidding to
manage their favorite wrestlers. There
are many talents up for bid. The
TNA talent list: Scott & Rick
Steiner, Dustin Rhodes, Elix Skipper, Hernandez, Homicide, AJ Styles, Abyss,
Senshi, Gail Kim, and Earl Hebner.
You can also Bid to Guest Ring Announce a Match!
Is there a current
TNA Event or TNA Talent Event that we have missed?
Please send information to the Webmaster.
Private Funeral Held For
Brian “Crush” Adams
A private funeral for Brian
Adams was held in Tampa, FL on August 22, 2007. The funeral home released no information on the arrangements
at the family’s request. Friends and co-workers of Adams in attendance were:
Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Brett Hart, Jeff Jarrett and the Nasty Boys.
Brian “Crush” Adams was 44 years old at the time of his death.
Source Steve Gerweck, www.gerweck.net.
RVD Talks to The Joe
McConnell Experience
www.wrestlingtruth.com
posted an article, Source PWInsider, regarding a telephone call from Rob Van
Dam. Quite a bit of the
conversation covered the Benoit head injury findings announced that same day and
wellness programs at WWE. RVD will make his future plans known soon.
Konnan Health Report
Konnan had a bad side
effect to the anti rejection drug he was taking.
It appears to be under control at this time, however, he is still unable
to travel. Source:
www.gerweck.net.
If You Like Wrestling
News
Dexter Holley reports Pro
Wrestling Weekly will be a new – and the only – wrestling news show on
network television. You can find
out more about when, where, and if you will be able to catch the show in your
area here: www.prowrestlingweekly.net.
It isn’t available across the country at this time, but you can email
the site and request they make it to a network available to you.
It Isn’t Just About
Wrestlers
Sports Legacy Institute
Press Release:
NEW
YORK, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading medical experts associated with the Sports
Legacy Institute today appeared with Michael Benoit, father of professional
wrestler Chris Benoit, to release the results of neuropathological tests that
demonstrate his son suffered from a type of brain damage called Chronic
Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which was found in all regions of his brain.
The Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), which oversaw and coordinated the testing, is
an independent medical research organization dedicated to studying the long-term
effects of head injuries in sports. SLI President Christopher Nowinski contacted
Michael Benoit on June 28th, the Thursday after his son's death, to obtain
permission to study the wrestler's brain.
SLI's research has indicated there is a connection between the repeated head
injuries suffered by many athletes involved in contact sports and an aggregation
of abnormal Tau proteins in the brain, causing CTE. CTE's most common symptoms
include depression, cognitive impairment, dementia, Parkinsonism, and erratic
behavior. Experts believe that CTE may have been a cause or contributing factor
in the Benoit tragedy. While CTE has long been found in boxers, and more
recently in NFL football players, the findings of CTE in Benoit suggest that
athletes involved in other contact sports may also be at a heightened risk for
this type of brain injury.
"When Chris Nowinski contacted me about conducting tests on Chris's brain,
I was extremely hesitant given the circumstances surrounding my son's
death," said Michael Benoit. "I agreed to the testing after he
explained their desire to expand knowledge about the potential brain damage that
athletes can suffer from repetitive head injuries in contact sports. When the
results were explained to me by the SLI doctors, I was shocked to learn the
extent of damage and saddened that he could have been suffering from this
without anyone's knowledge. I hope the examination of Chris's brain leads to
greater understanding and ultimately helps protect athletes of all ages."
Bennet Omalu, MD, MPH, a leading forensic neuropathologist, the Chief Medical
Examiner of San Joaquin County, CA, and founding member of the Sports Legacy
Institute examined Chris Benoit's brain as part of the Sports Legacy Project and
had also examined the brains of Mike Webster, Terry Long, Andre Waters, and
Justin Strzelczyk all of whom were professional football players, died by the
age of fifty, and displayed similar psychological and behavioral profiles. Their
brains showed evidence of CTE and two of the players - Long, and Waters -
committed suicide.
Mike Webster died of a heart attack, but suffered from dementia and depression,
and exhibited erratic behavior after retiring from football. When Justin
Strzelczyk died at the age of 36, he had been telling relatives he was hearing
voices from "the evil ones" and then led police on a 40 mile
high-speed chase through central New York at speeds up to 100 mph on the wrong
side of the highway, which resulted in an explosive crash and his death
"When the SLI approached Michael Benoit about testing Chris's brain as part
of the Sports Legacy Project, our goal was to determine if there was evidence of
CTE caused by repeated trauma to the head sustained during Chris Benoit's
career. We have now confirmed multiple concussions are part of his medical
history, along with clinical symptoms associated with CTE," said Julian
Bailes, MD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at West
Virginia University School of Medicine and an SLI founding member. "Because
my SLI colleagues and I have found evidence of CTE in the brains of four former
professional football players, we felt an examination of Chris Benoit's brain
may bring awareness to CTE's existence outside of boxers and football players.
The findings of CTE in Chris Benoit suggest that there may be a common syndrome
among athletes who suffer multiple head injuries in contact sports."
The neuropathological findings were confirmed by other neuropathologists, and
correlate with recent findings of an increased risk of depression and cognitive
impairment in professional football players who have suffered multiple
concussions, according to research conducted by Dr. Bailes and another SLI
founding member, Robert Cantu, Md., Chief of Neurosurgery Service and Director
of Sports Medicine at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass,, and Co-Director of the
Neurologic Sports Injury Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a form of brain damage that is best
documented in boxers, but can also occur in athletes who played football, ice
hockey, rugby, soccer, or any sport associated with impacts to the head. It can
only be confirmed by a post-mortem neuropathological immunohistochemical study.
While studies show that as many as 20 percent of professional boxers show
evidence of CTE, there has been little study of CTE in athletes involved in
other contact sports.
According to the examinations, Mr. Benoit's brain exhibited large amounts of
abnormal Tau protein, manifested as Neurofibrillary Tangles (NFTs) and Neuropil
Threads [NTs]. These represent aggregates of abnormal Tau protein, which are
remnants of the cytoskeleton of the brain cells and their connections. Frequent
NFTs and NTs were distributed in all regions of the brain including the
neocortex, the limbic cortex, subcortical ganglia, and brainstem ganglia
accompanied by loss of brain cells. Accumulation of abnormal Tau protein in the
form of NFTs and NTs in the brain has been confirmed to cause neurodegeneration,
cognitive impairment, and dementia. There was no other neuropathological
evidence for any chronic or acute disorder to explain his clinical symptoms.
"The findings of CTE in Chris Benoit's brain, which are consistent with the
previous examinations of athletes who suffered from repeated head traumas,
confirm the need for a large-scale study of CTE in athletes who participate in
contact sports," said Chris Nowinski, who retired from professional sports
after multiple concussions and conceived SLI, a collaboration of doctors and
advocates that includes renowned attorney Robert Fitzsimmons, who played an
integral role. "The link between CTE and contact sports is clear. We need
to conduct more research to understand the full spectrum of the disease and
raise awareness so parents, coaches, medical staff, and athletic officials know
how to respond when athletes, including children, sustain head injuries. If we
apply this knowledge we believe we can successfully prevent future cases."
The Sports Legacy Institute is dedicated to studying the effects of concussions
and other sports related brain injuries. Through its efforts, SLI aims to
maximize the safety and vitality of all athletes who participate in contact and
collision sports around the globe. The designation of the Sports Legacy
Institute as a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation is in the process of being
submitted. The Sports Legacy Institute relies on donations from concerned
parties to fund its work.
Source:
Luiz Perez, www.lordsofpain.com.
WWE’s Statement in
Response to Benoit Brain Damage Findings
WWE released a statement to
the FOX News Network regarding to Michael Benoit regarding last week’s
findings:
"Today's attempt to explain that
Chris Benoit's murder of his family was possibly caused by some form of dementia
as a result of alleged concussions is speculative. WWE can certainly
understand the anguish of a father having to deal with the fact that his son
allegedly murdered his wife and young son, as Chris Benoit is alleged to have
done. We respect the desire of that father to do whatever he can to find some
explanation as to why his son might commit such horrible acts."
Source Fox News Network, http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=4270512&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1.
Of course we know it’s speculative.
There have been no definitive studies done concerning the affects of head
trauma in wrestling. Now would be a good time for the medical community to
consider doing a comprehensive study. If this was Vince McMahon’s son, I’m
sure Vince would have wanted answers as well. But Shane spends his time in an
office, not in the ring – why would Vince worry about head trauma? Because now
the world is watching, Vince. If
you don’t worry about dead bodies left in the wake, you should worry about the
fans. You know, those people who make you the big bucks every week.
Chris Kanyon Doesn’t Care for
WWE’s Response Either
Posted by www.gerweck.net, read the complete Kanyon response to WWE here:
Benoit's
brain: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=21600346&blogID=307396829
I suggest you read the entire article.
Chris makes several pertinent points.
Larry King Live
Michael Benoit was interviewed by
Larry King after the release of information regarding the extent of damage to
Chris Benoit’s brain. You can
read the transcript of that interview here: www.gerweck.net.
Nick Hogan and the Phantom Dodge
Viper
www.TMZ.com
reports that the driver of the Dodge Viper spotted near the accident site was
driven by the best friend of John Graziano, Danny Jacobs.
The initial reaction from everyone was that Hulk Hogan, who also owns a
Viper the same color, was the other driver and vehicle.
Wester Donovan posts on www.rajah.com
Florida State Troopers have ticked Nick Hogan for going over 100 mph in a 70 mph
zone. Once Nick was given a warning
claiming he had an emergency but the trooper notified a trooper farther down the
road to watch for the black Mercedes Nick was driving.
The second trooper gave him a ticket for traveling 115 mph in a 70 mph
zone. Authorities have stated that
speed contributed to the accident that put Graziano in the hospital.
At this time, reports are that Graziano is still in critical condition
while Nick was released from the hospital shortly after the accident.
According to www.2xzone.com,
Graziano is still in a coma and may have suffered brain damage.
Since the families are so close, it appears Graziano’s family may not
sue for damaged, but that may changed should the condition worsen or become
permanent.
More Drugs, Same Scandal
Ringside news reports that in 2003 a
John Todd Miller was arrested in Tampa for posing as a doctor, running a medical
clinic, and prescribing drugs to wrestlers.
You can read the entire post here:
http://ringsidenews.com/news/ric-flair-big-show-linked-to-drug-scandal-details.html
Among the wrestlers involved are top
stars the Big Show and Ric Flair.
Women in Wrestling and Drugs?
There are rumors floating around the
wrestling world about how none of the female personnel have been named in the
drug scandal. Most sources say that
the women do take illegal drugs not to build muscle but to keep their weight
down.
Victoria of WWE fame posted a scathing response to the remarks that accuse women in the WWE of taking any type of drug. www.wrestlingtruth.com responded to Victoria’s rant by asking her if Michelle McCool hadn’t recently overdosed on diet pills. The rumors did not name names or give any other information, but as we have already posted – there is more than one pharmacy out there that could be involved. We don’t know how many other wrestlers will be caught in the dragnet.
I understand where Victoria is coming
from but I think she went about her denial in all the wrong ways. She
attacked everyone who may have written anything much like some of the soon to be
found out wrestlers have done. It isn't about who is and who isn't popping
drugs as much as it is about saving lives. If she isn't concerned about
her fellow wrestlers she should be. Maybe she should check out that list
of deceased wrestlers with the age of death.
Another One Gone
Dave Meltzer reports King Booker,
Booker T, real name Robert Huffman has quit WWE.
He was facing a 60-day suspension after being named on the Signature
Pharmacy list and it is believed he failed a drug test, which would result in a
60 versus a 30-day suspension. WWE
is trying to work things out with Booker, but no word yet on whether or not he
will return to the WWE ring. Source:
Wrestling Observer.
William Regal Admits Drug Use
But claims he has been clean since
Chris Benoit and others helped him through his drug problem in the 1990’s.
Source Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Sylvan Grenier on WWE Release
Grenier phoned in to talk on The Whole
Effin Show. Genier admitted he was
a customer of Signature Pharmacy and said he did nothing wrong. He said that he
and WWE came to terms on his release and none of the rumors about him were true.
Source: www.kocosports.com.
More on Bruiser Brody
We mentioned the new book out on Bruiser Brody in a previous Bytes. We now hear that Bruiser will be inducted into the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame on Friday, September 14, at 7 PM. Bruiser’s wife, Barbara Goodish, will accept the award on Bruiser’s behalf. Source Mitch Hartsey, www.pwbts.com.
TNA NEWS BYTES / SEPTEMBER 6
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