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WWE today officially suspended 10 of its performers based on information received from investigators in the Albany, NY district attorneys office. None of the names have been released but it will likely be obvious over the next week who at least some of them are. The suspensions would likely be based on proof that performers were using Signature Pharmacy or another Internet prescription type firm after the implemenation of the Wellness policy. The company also has informed all performers that beginning 11/1, the company will publicly release the names of anyone who is suspended under drug policy violations. from dave

Mick Foley has been clamouring for a more active role, including wrestling more, for a long time. Does this mean they will get over their troubles with him?

You guys are mixing some things up. First of all, Vince McMahon is in no danger of going to jail. The original steriod trial involved the government trying to prove that Vince helped distribute steriods to wrestlers through personal doctors. In this case no one is saying he is funding doctors to prescribe steriods to wrestlers, and he is not in any criminal danger. The meetings are set up to determine if WWE is properly monitoring their talent, the worst case scenerio would be federal regulation, or state athletic commission drug testing. Out of all of this the only thing that would really kill WWE would be if the press got so bad, and there was so much pressure against them that advertisers pulled out of supporting WWE. In this case they would be kicked off USA, and have to buy syndication around the country, in essence that could be the end of WWE as we know it. There is maybe a .5% of that happening.

Greta Van Susteren interviewed WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt tonight on her "On the Record" program on Fox News Channel. McDevitt talked about meeting with investigators regarding Signature Pharmacy clients who were contracted WWE performers. McDevitt said they told Albany, N.Y. authorities that if they confimed the information, they would act on it. Once confirming the shipments, Vince McMahon acted on it. Van Susteren asked if the wrestlers would be suspended without pay. McDevitt said that's the case. McDevitt said there may be two more suspensions tomorrow. He said they have to talk with the talents to confirm information first. He said that talent has been told the will be publicly identified in the future. "It's a fair notice issue to us," he said, regarding why they aren't revealing names today of those suspended. "We do that in the belief that it will give greater transparency to the program and hopefully operate as a deterent to anybody who wishes to engage in this activity." McDevitt said this is not just a WWE problem. He said Signature Pharmacy was sending drugs to policemen, firemen, and pro athletes. He said he heard the NFL would be coming out with an announcement in the next few days. He said, "What you're going to find is that the drug of choice, if you will, for any athlete who wants to avoid a drug testing policy is human growth hormone which there is no test for. And it's a problem all leagues have, it's a problem we have, it's a problem anybody has who is engaged in drug testing. There's no scientific method to detect when an athete takes human growth hormone."

Jerry McDevitt just announced that they have to meet with two more talents, and that tomorrow, after confirming info, there could be two more suspended. Meaning 12 would be suspended.

Here is the list of names, the drugs they got, and when they got them. Everything from February 2006-current would be not allowed under the Wellness policy and would require a suspension. Since last summer, Sports Illustrated reporters Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim have been investigating an illegal steroid distribution network that has implicated pro athletes. On Feb. 27, the reporters accompanied federal and state drug enforcement agents on a coordinated raid of an Orlando compound pharmacy and a Jupiter, Fla., "anti-aging" clinic that investigators allege conspired to fraudulently prescribe steroids, human growth hormone and other performance enhancing drugs over the Internet. With its rare confluence of hot button topics -- sports, kids, death, and drugs -- the double-murder, suicide case involving pro wrestler Chris Benoit and his family made for a cause celebre last summer. When the news cycle passed and the media turned its attention to a corrupt NBA referee and an NFL quarterback financing a dogfighting ring, investigators continued to explore the pipeline that enabled professional athletes to obtain steroids and human growth hormone through a chain of compound pharmacies, "anti-aging" clinics and venal doctors who often rubber-stamped prescriptions, sometimes without treating their "patients." As the WWE is embattled by charges that its wrestlers die early and unexpectedly with alarming frequency, it must now counter evidence that the culture is awash in illicit drug use. That cause wasn't helped on Thursday, when, based on information provided to the WWE by the Albany District Attorney's office, the organization suspended 10 wrestlers for violating the company's drug policy. While the WWE declined to release the names of the suspended athletes, SI has learned that a dozen professional wrestlers have received steroids and/or human growth hormone through the drug network. The WWE would not confirm which, if any, of the following wrestlers are among those suspended: • Benoit, who died June 24, 2007, received nandrolone and anastrozole in February 2006. (Anastrozole is used by athletes to counter side effects of steroid use, such as water retention and breast enlargement.) • Two weeks prior to Eddie Guerrero's death on Nov. 13, 2005, he was sent nandrolone, testosterone, and anastrozole. Guerrero died in a Minneapolis hotel room due to what a coroner later ruled as heart disease, complicated by an enlarged heart resulting from a history of anabolic steroid use. • Chavo Guerrero, who found his uncle Eddie dead in the Minneapolis hotel room, received, among other drugs, somatropin (HGH), nandrolone and anastrozole between April 2005 and May 2006. • Between November 2003 and February 2007, Shane Helms, a/k/a The Hurricane, received, among other drugs, testosterone, genotropin (HGH) and nandrolone. (As previously reported by SI, he allegedly received HGH from an Arizona doctor in 2005.) • Starting in September 2004 through February 2007, Randy Orton received somatropin, nandrolone, stanozolol. • John Hennigan, a/k/a Johnny Nitro, a.k.a. Johnny Morrison, is the current WWE Extreme Championship Wrestling's heavyweight champion. Between June 2006 and February 2007 he was prescribed somatropin, anastrozole, testosterone, stanozolol and chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced naturally during pregnancy. (HCG is taken by anabolic steroid users to stimulate the production of testosterone, which is suppressed as a result of steroid use.) • Ken Anderson, a/k/a Mr. Kennedy, lost to Eddie Guerrero in Guerrero's final match on Nov. 11, 2005. Kennedy received shipments of anastrozole, somatropin and testosterone between October 2006 and February 2007. • Shoichi Funaki received somatropin in March 2006. • Brian Adams, a/k/a Crush, who retired from the pro circuit in 2001, was found dead of unknown causes on Aug. 13. He received nandrolone, testosterone and Somatropin or HGH in December 2006. • Charles Haas was prescribed anastrozole, somatropin, stanozolol, nandrolone and chorionic gonadotropin between August 2006 and January 2007. • Edward Fatu received somatropin between July and December 2006. • Between November 2004 and November 2006, Darren Matthews received stanozolol, somatropin, genotropin, and anastrozole. • Adam Copeland, a/k/a Edge, received somatropin, genotropin (both HGH), and stanozolol between September 2004 and February 2007. • Sylvain Grenier received somatropin, nandrolone, genotropin and stanozolol, starting in February 2005 through July 2006. Through WWE spokesman Gary Davis, the applicable WWE wrestlers listed above declined comment. In the wake of Eddie Guerrero's steroid-related death, the WWE instituted a "Talent Wellness Program" in February 2006. The policy "prohibits the use of performance-enhancing drugs, as well as other prescription drugs which can be abused, if taken for other than a legitimate medical purpose pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed and treating physician. For purposes of WWE's policy, prescriptions obtained over the Internet and/or from suppliers of prescription drugs from the Internet are not considered to have been given for a legitimate medical purpose." Under the Talent Wellness Program, an initial positive test triggers to a 30-day suspension and a second positive leads to a 60-day suspension. A third positive yields a termination. After Benoit's death, Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) contacted the WWE requesting more information on the Talent Wellness Program. In addition to the rash of recent wrestler deaths, Congress has expressed concerned that the WWE counts more than more 500,000 kids among its weekly viewership.

I bet WWE has suspended: Funaki, Nova, Masters, Bagwell, Edge (he's hurt anyway), Bob Holly, Outback Jack, Jaime Noble, an old ringpost, and Todd Grisham. That'll show 'em, nobody delivers justice like Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

I'm guessing Rey is one, wasn't he linked to some internet pharmacies?

Wait, you're 25 and thinking of joining a frat now?

It's been taken down. Damn, youtube's been removing the viacom stuff quickly since the lawsuit has been brought.

The big red machine continues to role on (now 29-19 under Pete Mackanin), by the end of this week they could be back in the race.

WWE has signed a major talent to a big time deal. I can't wait for his debut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q5TCJ-pDmk

Reds win again. The Reds now have the best record in the National League since July 2 (the day Narron was fired).

Reds get guys on 2nd and 3rd with no one out in the bottom of the 11th inning in a tie game and don't score. Is there anything more frustrating than baseball?

And so it begins: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7146976?MSNHPHMA Jason Whitlock is now in favor of Vick not being suspended at all following his jail time.

OVW is horrible. I couldn't be paid to watch that crap, the only thing worse in Cincy is Les Thatchers promotion that comes on after it.

They're saying 12-18 months now, with his defense arguing for 12. He would need to serve 87% of his time, but the last 15% could be served in a halfway house, with him being eligible to practice during that period. Meaning in total he might serve as little as 262 days in prison.

I agree with your basic point, but WOW one of these things is not like the other. A little tribute to the Nature Boy, I wasn't sure if anyone would catch it.

Honestly, Brock coming in doesn't matter, in fact anyone going to TNA wouldn't matter. TNA could have all these guys in their prime: Austin, Flair, Rock, Angle, Bagwell, Foley and Brock. And they would still just draw that same 1.0 rating because they have the worst setup and booking I have ever seen.

Last summer I went bowling with Rachel Nichols and Sonic the Hedgehog, long story short I had to sit on an ice pack for a week.

Hamilton's first start was tonight, he got three hits. He was taken off the DL on Sunday.

What an ending in Wrigley, and Josh Hamilton is no flash in the pan.

No one cares enough about TNA to boycott, it's to the point where I don't even illegally download their stuff off pwtorrents because TNA ppv's suck so hard that they should pay me to watch them.

I hope TNA goes out of business, they are an embarrassment, even to wrestling. All of them, starting with Jeff and Dixie have no clue what it takes to book or own a wrestling promotion.

I think that 'honor' probably goes to Scott Norton or Stevie Ray, who were getting around $800,000 per year. Perhaps, I don't remember exactly what he made, but I remember they paid him a boatload of money to "steal" him from the WWF, even though Vince no longer wanted him, he had never drawn, and showed no signs of being worth shit.