First principles. Read Marcus Aurelius; of each particular thing, ask: what is it in itself? What is its causal nature? What does it do?

- The Silence of the Lambs

When Hannibal Lecter teased Clarice Starling with the great Caesar’s philosophy, it was an obscure reference to a deranged killer’s base instincts. Rather than ponder motivation, he was hinting, Starling needed to focus on function. Quite understandably, it took her a while to get it. When I first read Silence of the Lambs I pretty much scrambled my brain trying to work out what Marcus Aurelius’s teachings might have to do with serial killers. Lecter was nothing if not deliberately and maddeningly vague.

Frustrated by a lack of answers and motivation himself, Michael Benoit, the father of the late Chris Benoit, agreed to the plea of the Sports Legacy Institute to examine Chris’s brain in an attempt to understand why he suddenly and terribly committed three heinous acts. Because as even anyone who knew Chris Benoit a little could testify, the manner in which he ended the lives of his family and then himself was hardly a base instinct. It wasn’t in character. There hadn’t been a hint.

Homicidal mania was not one of Chris Benoit’s functions. It was not a principle of his causal nature. So why, then, did it happen?

While the furore about the possibility of steroids having a hand swirled, few stopped to consider the effect that repeatedly bashing one’s head against solid objects day in and day out might have. I myself didn’t give it much thought. I was thinking of psychological glitches, of an aggression so well hidden that not even Chris’s closest friends had a clue. My husband, on the other hand, opined the day after the tragedy that brain damage seemed like a rather obvious culprit. “I like my brain,” he said. “I wouldn’t go slamming it into a canvas or steel chairs on a daily basis.” Shortly afterwards, NZPWI Contributor Troy Rawhiti-Forbes mentioned privately to me that maybe Chris Benoit was little more than a shell; that he had left his real self behind shortly after the loss of Eddie Guerrero. Troy later expanded on this opinion in his excellent column about the tragedy, but it seems that he and my husband were a minority. Like I said, I myself was considering other possibilities above that one.

I knew it wasn’t steroids. The whole idea that even elephant-sized doses of steroids could cause someone to wig out and kill their family was ludicrous; if it were so, wouldn’t we have seen this before now? It’s no secret that all kinds of professional athletes take steroids and always have done, and with their highly prolific use, shouldn’t we have seen more of these guys flipping out? The fact that Chris Benoit was the only one was in itself telling… but the media does love to do that whole dog-with-a-bone-thing.

While WWE coped – and are still coping – with attempting to deflect the spotlight currently being shined on them in terms of steroid abuse, my guess is that they didn’t stop to consider that the real cause of the tragedy could be even more directly attributed to them and what the industry involves. Their initial response has been condescending; in fact it’s been downright patronising.

"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."

“Respect”??? To even use that word as part of their response was an insult. I mean – gee golly gosh – Michael Benoit was offered the chance to find out why his gentle, loyal, family-loving son suddenly killed his family and himself. An explanation seems like a good idea in these circumstances, and what do you know; he got one. Brain damage. Massive and irrevocable. At the very least, Michael and his family – and Chris Benoit’s other children – can take some small comfort in knowing that the man they knew and loved wasn’t actually the person who strangled his wife and choked the life out of his son. As Troy said: Chris had left himself behind.

And WWE’s culpability? We’re approaching Owen Hart territory here folks. Yes, I really do believe it to be that close.

Yes, Chris made his own decisions. Yes, it was his choice to launch himself from the top rope and land on his head on a regular basis. And no, I’m not saying that Chris Benoit is blameless. Research into Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy reveals that a person would begin to feel the effects of multiple concussions; in other words, they’d know that something was out of whack. Chris would have known something was out of kilter, he would have felt himself sparking. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t ask for help… and he kept right on pounding his poor, battered brain. But he was employed by World Wrestling Entertainment, and just like any other employer, they had – they have - a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees in the workplace. Had it not occurred to anyone to say “Hey Chris, that flying headbutt looks cool, but should you keep risking it?” Similarly, when Owen Hart mentioned to Harley Race on that fateful day in Kemper Arena that he thought the whole flying-from-the-rafters stunt was un-necessary, and that he wasn’t comfortable doing it, did it not occur to Race to say “Don’t do it then. You’re not expected to be a stuntman”?

The answer is no – Harley Race never suggested to Owen that what was expected of him was above and beyond. Just like no-one sat Chris Benoit down and explained to him that such prolific risk to his cerebral health was un-necessary. And clearly neither Owen nor Chris felt that they could speak to anyone about their fear or uncertainty, because god knows one doesn’t complain in the E. If you don’t want to do it, there’s no shortage of guys who will.

This is where I segue into what else those elevated to WWE’s active roster will do to retain their spot. NZPWI Contributor Matt Sparnon articulated it perfectly in a recent Gimme Five response:

I think it’s hypocritical to make these guys dreams come true by lifting them to the Major Leagues, and run them into the ground, but then expect them to not do all they can to keep their spots in the company.

Massive brain damage is one thing. And Chris Benoit was an isolated case. Where he was not alone, however, was his use of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances, in an attempt to adhere to the near-impossible expectations WWE has in terms of physique and endurance. But, just like Chris never confided to anyone that he was feeling somewhat wobbly, he and his WWE brethren are also careful not to intimate that they can’t handle the pressure. And this is not the first time I’ve spoken of it myself; in June last year I discussed WWE’s Wellness Program and the tragic circumstances that had brought it into being. I stand by what I said then; that the Program is attempting to treat the symptoms, not the causes of the problem. And WWE has underscored my point over the last week or so by suspending talent who have failed to meet the conditions of the policy. But why – why – are they not addressing the reasons these guys are failing? Do they not stop to ask themselves what would drive healthy young men to inject junk into their systems? Do they never pause, while checking the latest balance sheet, to consider why their employees are jeopardising their health, their careers, their livelihood… even their lives???

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. And doubtless, there is talent on WWE’s roster who can boast a clean life and complete adherence to the Wellness Program. But who are they? Let’s take John Cena, for example. I know several eyebrows are being raised, but I personally believe it’s entirely possible that the young champ is free of junk. He’s certainly a great deal trimmer than he was three years ago, but I think the most telling thing is how much money he draws. He’s a valuable asset to WWE and as such, worth taking care of. I feel quite certain that there are those who make sure John eats correctly and well, that he is afforded the time he requires in the gym to keep himself in shape, that he doesn’t have to concern himself with the logistics of traveling, that he gets adequate rest; in short, I believe he’s probably treated in the same way a racing stable treats their prize-winning (and moolah-making) thoroughbred. When you consider that John does not have a wife and family to consider in terms of his schedule, it seems even more plausible that he has more time to spend taking care of himself.

Racing stables don’t pay that kind of attention to their lead ponies or training partners; they’re not making the owners any money. There are actually very few guys on WWE’s roster who make money for the company, and those who fall into the “expense” category are simply not worthy of WWE’s efforts in keeping them healthy. When a lead pony carks it – or gets too old and is retired with a bullet – there’s plenty more to fill its spot. Those in the mid and lower card of WWE are much the same. They’re run into the ground, then cast aside. And along the way, the pressure of working, traveling (remember, that those guys lower down the ladder have to get themselves from A to B and figure out and pay for their own accommodation once they get there), and maintaining an “accepted” physique takes its toll. They do what they have to to get through, and when they’re caught they’re taken out the back and shot.

And it really doesn’t have to be this way. Other sports have off-seasons; by virtue of its product, this is perhaps not feasible for WWE, but rotating their roster sure is. They have enough guys in training territories – and then some – not to mention fully-stacked rosters on all three brands – to rotate their talent to ensure that everyone is given adequate rest. Think of fishing boats; those on the boats work their arses off for several weeks, and are then rested for several weeks whilst another crew takes over. There is absolutely nothing to prevent WWE adopting the same strategy… and just think of the creative and storyline possibilities!

NZPWI Contributor Leighton Cox spoke of the responsibility of us, the fans, in his latest, excellent column. And with the latest revelations concerning Chris Benoit and the suspensions of eleven WWE wrestlers, not to mention prolonged and intense media interest, many fans are beginning to feel a sense of moral guilt about watching (and therefore supporting) the WWE product. This reaction is entirely understandable. And if viewing drops off enough to be noticed by the powers-that-be, I feel sure it will go some way into helping change the culture that exists in WWE. But for those who, like myself, are continuing to watch the product, there are ways to communicate to WWE that driving their employees into the ground – and then punishing them for it – is unacceptable. Write them letters. My fellow columnists – write columns. Car crashes kill people all the time, but it doesn’t stop us driving. Pressure on those who speed, who drink and drive, who behave recklessly – that works. That gets heard. Put pressure on WWE to change their behaviour, their attitudes.

You may have noticed that this Editorial has not followed the structure of recent editorials; no letters to the Editor, no roundup of NZPWI activities – and this is simply because I feel the issues I’ve discussed are too important not to be given sole attention. Wrestling is in the midst of its darkest time, but that does not mean that it cannot emerge into the shining light of a new golden age. And we, the fans, have a huge say in how the industry moves forward.

In the end the fans are the ones whose opinions count – we DO have a voice. And we can create a roar.

Letters to the Editor: