TBL At Ten: Dave Talbert
April 10, 2006

Joe asked me a while back to write something for the site for the 10th anniversary. I didn't know what to write about until after watching Raw on Monday this past November. Anyone who has watched wrestling in last 20 years, please take 30 seconds and think about how many wrestlers under 45 are dead.

There's a hell of a lot that come to mind right away. Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Big Boss Man, Louie Spicolli, Brian Pillman, Chris Candido, Crash Holly, Road Warrior Hawk, Curt Henning, Terry Bam Bam Gordy, "Gentleman" Chris Adams' Gary Albright, Yokozuna, Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Bobby Duncam Jr…

Most of these wrestlers had issues with their health, be it physical or mental. It make me wonder if wrestling is all it is cracked up to be; when someone who is young and in their prime loses their life in the wrestling business even after getting cleaned up, well I wonder if the sport that I love is worth watching or supporting any more. I wonder if the wrestlers who have been calling for a union have been right. Face it, WWE is the only game in town and they have a tendency to do some roster cutting when superstars get hurt or injured. It may just be time for a wrestling union…

I think about all the deaths of stars and it makes me wonder if it needs to happen. It doesn't happen in the NFL or the NBA. Does there need to be drug testing in wrestling like in the NFL? Does Vince need to put the health of his wrestlers in front of the almighty dollar?

Vince would rather cut the people with problems than get them the help that they so sorely need. He looks the other way about the pain killer abuse problem in the locker room because someone is too important to a storyline to get help. My question to anyone reading this is: Is someone's life more important than a few more millions dollars in your check book?

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