Wrestling Reporter's Journal - Benoit Thoughts

As more and more details surface about the sad, sad Benoit story, it just becomes more and more apparent to me that he was a troubled man. Sure he was a great wrestler and served as a role model for a lot of years for a lot of us growing up as fans, but it's difficult to say he can ever be remembered for any of that ever again.

Right now I just sit stone faced at my keyboard trying to think of the words to say. I think Chris Scott said it best when he said that it's all about the wrestling, but sometimes its just not.

So since I might never find the words to actually express how I feel about all of this, I figured I would let just a few of WrestlingInc.'s readers do the talking for me.

Their thoughts offer a broad range of ideas, from supporting Chris Benoit to placing him in hell. I'll leave it to each of you to decide for yourself.

Keep the e-mails coming. bradyhicks@gmail.com.

Dave writes:

I can tell you a short story about this man that tells us all about him! I live in Calgary and one day i was at the mall and noticed the crippler walking down the aisle with his arms full of groceries! I said hey Chris,as we passed, super job last night on raw . He took time to put down all his groceries shake my hand, and well doing so said " HE DOES IT FOR FANS LIKE ME ". Ever since then i thought what a star like him must go thru every day after day. We don`t why, and probably will never fully understand what has happened but i know the man that shook my hand that day was not the same man who took his familly`s live's.

Matt writes:

Ya its really sad to see these guys who are worshipped by kids be so mentally unwell. I think its time for vince to run that company with more focus on his guys health instead of running these guys to the brink of disaster. Every sport has an off season. Not to say this is the companies fault by any means but a pattern of instability from the grind has to be taken into.

Sandra writes:

Its true that Chris might have been troubled and that nobody knew about it, but troubled enough to kill his family? That would be really stupid, I mean really highly highly stupid. Im not the kind of girl to trust people, but when im troubled, I talk to someone, and or I do other stuff! but i dont go ahead and kill my family!

Chris writes:

This is getting more and more disturning as more details come out. The story below is like something out of a horror movie where the main character is a crazy person. It seems like Benoit was off his rocker. Such a shame that people didn't notice beforehand and possibly could have stopped this from happening.

Elharil writes:

I'm grief-stricken too. I attended WM 20 at Madison Square Garden and seeing Benoit hugging his son made me cry more than the fact that he won the title. Everyone's been talking about how Heaven has one hell of a tag team now. But if Benoit did what its said he did, than Eddie is going to still be a one man show.

Kristopher writes:

I loved Benoit, but how can you say he deserves to be in the hall of fame or that he deserved better. He killed his own 7 year old son. All my repsect for the man is gone, nothing gives an excuse for killing your child and wife. But how can you look at your 7 year old boy who adores you and decide you need to kill him. Lets look at this event as tragic but lets not start to think of Benoit as some fallen hero. He is now a child murderer.

Sam writes:

Shame about Benoit.... a true wrestling legend...

Dan writes:

I'm really worried about what this is going to do to Chavo.

Brad writes:

Perhaps a tribute show was premature on the part of WWE. Chris Benoit, though he was an ill man, was also a murderer.
Sadly, but appropriately, it's important that he is remembered as much for this as he is for his in-ring persona. Many a child lost a hero today, but only one lost a life.

Johnathan writes:

I think your article is crap and very disrespectful to Chris. When clearly you do not understand the circumstances surrounding the tradgic death of Chris and is family, to label him pathetic before all the acts are made clear was wrong.

Chris writes:

This is such a sensitive issue that it is hard for one to express what he truly feels. However, the moral clarity between right and wrong is an intinct that everyone of us has from day one. Chris Benoit murdered his family, left a permanent stain on the business and spit in the face of everyone of his fans. I have nothing but contempt and disgust for Chris Benoit. As a wrestling journalist it is your job to inform the your readers of how you really feel about this situation. That is what journalism is all about. I don't care how many people admired him or what they claim he did for the business. The next time you look at a picture of Chris Benoit look into his eyes and know that you are you are looking into the eyes of a cold blooded child murderer.

Nick writes:

i was wondering do you think its possible that his wife nancy was maybe having an affair that made benoit snap and do what he did

JC writes:

do you think this could have been a chance that something was wrong between
benoit and his wife ? i mean why else would benoit do this ?? i mean what did his son even have to do with this i feel bad for his sone cause he suffered for nothing

Brabbs316 writes:

Just read your column at wrestlinginc. If, and it's not proven yet, Benoit did murder his family then he should never be posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame. His actions this weekend have eclipsed any of his acomplishments between the ropes. Frankly i'd go so far as to say his title runs should be wiped from the books. That said i hope, really hope, that there is some bizarre twist to this tale and Chris Benoit is innocent of what he appears to have done.

Adam writes:

pretty crazy man. It all seems very weird. If Benoit did it, I wonder why he spread it out over a few days and why would he kill himself in the weight room? It is def. weird.