Vince McMahon Institutes New Drug Policy

[Epic Reine 0]

I'll admit, he looks just a tad bit flabby now but he was never present day Ed Leslie type fat.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

[nl5xsk1 0]

There were like two or three questions asked and it sounded like Kurt Angle was the one asking all of them.  Wonder if that means anything?

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OMG KURT IZ GOIN 2 DIE NEXT!!!111!!1!!

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Is there a petition we can sign to prevent Kurt from dying?

[The Niggardly King 0]

great...now we're gonna have a bunch of Steve Corino looking guys running around...

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Hopefully it will also come with the charisma and mic skills that he has.

[Caliban 0]

Angle does need a break. His medical problems are well documented. Looking at him, he's aged 10 years in five. Right now, he looks to be in the worst shape ever, but he's still putting out great matches.

 

 

But it sounds like that's all that keeps him going.

[Black Lushus 0]

Saying that we're going to have a bunch of Corino size guys is assuming that the wrestlers don't know how to get big naturally.  Plus it wouldn't hurt to focus on a smaller guy.  All the casual fans I talk with lately say they'd rather watch a smaller faster guy than some big lumbering Hoss.

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I agree with the casual fan, but those smaller, faster guys certainly aren't all natural...

 

besides, I'm one of the biggest "Pro Rey Rey" guys on this board so you won't get any arguements from me...

[Black Lushus 0]

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yeah that's exactly what i want to see every Monday night...don't get me wrong, SOMETHING needs to be done, but yikes if this is what's going to happen...but hey, if it keeps guys from dying off, so be it...

[Guest drdrainoscott]

Since WWE is a publicly owned company, there is no way that this testing can be anything but real. Obviously there is going to be skepticism based on Vince's history, but remember, only once before has McMahon publicly put into place a drug policy, and that policy resulting in Vince's top two babyfaces being fired, so I would take this one seriously as well.

 

The more pressing question is how long will the testing last. If Vince is serious about the tests, and I truly believe that he is, I could see it lasting for quite a while, just as long as the testing is truly fair and "across the board" like he said it will be. ESPN the Magazine has a great article this week regarding steroid testing in baseball, and in it they gave statistics showing that the majority of players would welcome testing to even the playing field (the poll was taken a few years ago before testing in baseball existed). This poll included those that admitted, annoymously, that they were on performance enhancing drugs. I would have to believe the same results would be found in a poll of wrestlers. As long as main eventers have to be as steroid free as the midcarders, then only those that use steroids for psychological reasons would have issues.

 

Unlike the 1992 policy which resulted in business decline, I feel as though this policy has a strong chance to succeed. The company is in much better financial shape now than it was 13 years ago, and the wrestling landscape is completly different. The WWE is the only game in town. The fan base seems to be at a steady level. Workrate is regarded higher than it was in 1992. And, most importantly, the death rate is scary. Vince, while stubborn, has been known to change with the times, and this could be part of that.

[RedJed 0]

I can understand cynical viewpoints with current storylines, characters, etc, but I dont get how anyone can't bitch and moan about this news. Its nothing but a good thing anyway you look at it. They have had one of their top stars die, another succumb to some sort of blatant drug abuse on the road, and another (Angle) apparently on the verge of something serious. Whether or not they are doing this because of those reasons (which I believe they are) is pointless as long as ITS BEING DONE.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Besides Gregory Helms and a few fat people... I can't even tell who is not on roids.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

That first question sure sounded like Kurt's voice to me. The second question sounded like Big Show or Edge...couldn't really tell on that one.

[pochorenella 0]

So basically Vince is covering his ass by hanging out the wrestlers he more or less ordered onto the drugs out to dry? This is the same asshole who informed a lot of these guys they better get real big real fast and if they didn't listen, out the door they went.

 

Sorry Vince doesn't have a heart, Vince just doesn't want to face Congress. That's all this is at the end of the day. He pushes them onto the sword and then he going to say it was suicide.

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I think pushing them off a bridge and then saying it was suicide would be better. If someone wanted to commit suicide, using a sword would probably be pretty far down the list.

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Point being he orders them to destroy their bodies each and every week with some highly dangerous matches and orders them to bulk up or else. Then he comes back shocked to discover that they abuse painkillers or roids like he is completely blameless in all of this. He'll just keep working them harder than ever in an environment where they aren't allowed to take time off unless they want their release and then he'll bitch at them when they start getting smaller.

 

This isn't going to work until Vince's mindset on the design of a wrestler changes and until he adds some kind of rotation so these guys aren't in pain every minute of every day.

 

This is all they will do, this is it. It's a "protect Vince, fuck you" move.

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Dude, I think you're going a bit over the top and overreacting. I agree that some kind of plan needs to be worked out where the wrestlers are allowed to take some time to heal and rest or something to ease their schedule, but it seems like some do not want to do just that because it hurts them financially or whatever other way. I say give Vince the benefit of the doubt, at least JUST THIS ONCE. I for one, think it's a step in the right direction. It may be a baby step on a looong list of needed steps, but it's a good one nonetheless. I'm willing to see where this'll lead to and not crucify Vince just yet.

[Guest drdrainoscott]

Here is a quick question for you guys that know anything about drug testing and the such:

the guys have problems, are on steroids, etc... Let's say every single one of them goes clean right here and now.

 

If, in a few weeks, they start the testing, is it still possible that they could still come up positive because of their use prior to this policy being set in stone? Or will they give everyone enough of time to get clean before they start testing.

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You can get your urine cleaned out and be done with roids in less than a week. It's not like weed and other drugs where the positive will stand for about two weeks.

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Not true. Deca-Durablin stays in the blood for months. I'm sure there are others as well.

 

It's amazing. There is a 15 page article about steroid testing in ESPN the Magazine this week, and I emailed it to Meltzer to read this morning. This afternoon, WWE implements testing...Big coincidence

[Black Lushus 0]

Here is a quick question for you guys that know anything about drug testing and the such:

the guys have problems, are on steroids, etc... Let's say every single one of them goes clean right here and now.

 

If, in a few weeks, they start the testing, is it still possible that they could still come up positive because of their use prior to this policy being set in stone? Or will they give everyone enough of time to get clean before they start testing.

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You can get your urine cleaned out and be done with roids in less than a week. It's not like weed and other drugs where the positive will stand for about two weeks.

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Not true. Deca-Durablin stays in the blood for months. I'm sure there are others as well.

 

It's amazing. There is a 15 page article about steroid testing in ESPN the Magazine this week, and I emailed it to Meltzer to read this morning. This afternoon, WWE implements testing...Big coincidence

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we have you to thank for this, you're saying?

[Guest drdrainoscott]

Here is a quick question for you guys that know anything about drug testing and the such:

the guys have problems, are on steroids, etc... Let's say every single one of them goes clean right here and now.

 

If, in a few weeks, they start the testing, is it still possible that they could still come up positive because of their use prior to this policy being set in stone? Or will they give everyone enough of time to get clean before they start testing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You can get your urine cleaned out and be done with roids in less than a week. It's not like weed and other drugs where the positive will stand for about two weeks.

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Not true. Deca-Durablin stays in the blood for months. I'm sure there are others as well.

 

It's amazing. There is a 15 page article about steroid testing in ESPN the Magazine this week, and I emailed it to Meltzer to read this morning. This afternoon, WWE implements testing...Big coincidence

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we have you to thank for this, you're saying?

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Obviously

[iliketurtles 0]

Keep an eye on the business wire for WWE on the internet. If they release it on there it's 100% legit. They wouldn't pull a stunt like this to work people and then lie to their shareholders about it.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

That they're making this _so_ public suggests more of a "protecting their ass" thing than "protecting their workers" thing.

[nl5xsk1 0]

If it was a work, VKM would have worked in that ultra-lame "yooooouuuuurrrr'e fffffiiiiiiirrrred" shtick that he loves so much.

[Guest drdrainoscott]

That they're making this _so_ public suggests more of a "protecting their ass" thing than "protecting their workers" thing.

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Just curious...how do you think the annoucement should have been made? Posting it on their website, to me, seems to be a logical way to announce it.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Why "announce" it at all?

 

It's for the wrestlers, not the public. I don't think you'd see other corporations posting on their website the president of the company telling employees about drug testing policies. That's a private matter, within the company. So why record Vince telling the wrestlers?

 

...unless they want everyone to know they're drug testing wrestlers.

 

If they _really_ wanted to protect their wrestlers, they'd address the things which creates the dependence on drugs as well as the drug testing.

[Fro 0]

It's protecting their ass, protecting their workers, and protecting their money.

 

This took way too damn long, but I'm proud of WWE for finally doing this. If they give everyone a few weeks off a year they'll have done all they need to do to solve the problem.

 

And it just means we'll have guys with more realistic bodies running around... wrestling still made a shitload of money back before steroids were invented. Dusty Rhodes was legit fat (not just "not roided" like Samoa Joe or Trevor Murdoch) and drew truckloads of money.

[RedJed 0]

That they're making this _so_ public suggests more of a "protecting their ass" thing than "protecting their workers" thing.

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Might be looking into that a little too deeper than it is. WWE.com is being used, as they have said many a time to whoever is there to listen, as THE outlet for ALL WWE news for the most part to be released "before the others." So in that sense, just because they did this big deal about it on their website shouldnt mean there is more to this than there is. They might just want to release the info before anyone else reports it.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Yeah, a few weeks off will do it...

 

Yeah, we're gonna get more guys who look like Joe...

 

Yeah...

[RedJed 0]

Why "announce" it at all?

 

 

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Because its a publicly shared company, basically.

[Guest drdrainoscott]

I don't really agree with that. MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL all have their drug policies public, as do the Olympics. Many corporations, on their application information, have that info as well (I am applying for jobs now and have run into it).

 

As for the video...I do see your point to some extent. However, I would guess that when baseball announced its latest testing policy last week, Bud Selig didn't have a meeting with all the players in the league at once. For, I would guess, the majority of the players, when Selig announced it in a press conference, which was televised, that was the first they had heard of it coming out of his mouth.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

That they're making this _so_ public suggests more of a "protecting their ass" thing than "protecting their workers" thing.

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Might be looking into that a little too deeper than it is. WWE.com is being used, as they have said many a time to whoever is there to listen, as THE outlet for ALL WWE news for the most part to be released "before the others." So in that sense, just because they did this big deal about it on their website shouldnt mean there is more to this than there is. They might just want to release the info before anyone else reports it.

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Which conveniently allows the WWE to paint stuff like this as "getting the news out before anyone else does". It's nice spinning. Ok, they reported it... why have Vince directly talk to the wrestlers and air it on WWE.com? That's doing more than just reporting it.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I don't really agree with that. MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL all have their drug policies public, as do the Olympics.

 

They do it for the same reasons that WWE is doing it, public pressure means a public solution. However real sports have different legitimate concerns regarding steroids that make it more necessary to disclose this information to the public and take a stance on the matter. Steroids in real sports are for performance, so people will feel cheated if athletes test positive for steroids. Thats not the case in wrestling. Steroids are there for cosmetic reasons. It's apples and oranges. Getting rid of steroids in sports is to make things more competitively even. Getting rid of steroids in wrestling is to save lives.

 

 

Many corporations, on their application information, have that info as well (I am applying for jobs now and have run into it).

 

You can't be serious with this.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

It's a lose-lose situation for Vince McMahon. If he were to not announce the testing, people would say that it isn't happening. If he were to announce the testing, people would say he isn't telling the truth. I think they went public with the announcement because they knew there would be a call from wrestling fans for something like this to be implemented. Perhaps he did this to save a trip to Washington to sit in front of a committee.

[Guest Andrew J.]

Which conveniently allows the WWE to paint stuff like this as "getting the news out before anyone else does".  It's nice spinning.  Ok, they reported it... why have Vince directly talk to the wrestlers and air it on WWE.com?  That's doing more than just reporting it.

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You know how multimedia happy WWE.com is. They like putting up videos and photos of everything.

[Guest Andrew J.]

They do it for the same reasons that WWE is doing it, public pressure means a public solution.  However real sports have different legitimate concerns regarding steroids that make it more necessary to disclose this information to the public and take a stance on the matter.  Steroids in real sports are for performance, so people will feel cheated if athletes test positive for steroids.  Thats not the case in wrestling.  Steroids are there for cosmetic reasons.  It's apples and oranges.  Getting rid of steroids in sports is to make things more competitively even.  Getting rid of steroids in wrestling is to save lives. 

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So you're saying the steroid issue is more important in wrestling which is why it should be...LESS open? I don't follow.