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Currently the media attention given to the sad, tragic, unbelievable, and even frightening deaths of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their seven year old son Danny is sufficient enough that there is no need for me to throw in my two cents worth. The reason I am writing this particular blog is that I would like to take a moment to tell you how this has affected my family.
This past winter, I caved into the incessant pleading from my 10 year old son to let him stay up and watch WWE Friday Night Smack Down. The first week, I watched the show with him ? concerned (actually interested) more with the depiction of the WWE Divas (lady wrestlers) then the WWE male superstars. It was a blast. It took me back to a time when I enjoyed professional wrestling and such stars of the time like Stan ?The Man? Stasiak, Bruno ?"The Italian Superman" Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon, Haystacks Calhoun, and of course Andre the Giant, and many, many others.
My reawakening to the ridiculous fun and of making watching Smack Down a Friday night ritual, quickly grew to including my other son, my 16 year old daughter, my 18 year old daughter and (believe it or not) my wife, who still shakes her head when watching the matches. (I will confess something here, because the other two shows are on school nights and since my wife really does not enjoy wrestling, I watch the WWE other brands, RAW and ECW, on Monday and Tuesday nights, by myself. I never know but that I might get an extra peak at Michelle McCool)
Over the last 7 months we have gone back and forth who we consider to be the valiant ?good guys? and the dastardly ?bad guys.?
The list of good guys consistently include; The Undertaker, Batista, Jimmy Wang Yang, John Cena, and Kane (we still have not figured out why we consider him to be good).
The bad guys always include; Edge, Mr. Kennedy (no relation to Ted), Montel Vontavious Porter-MVP, ?The World?s Strongest Man?, Mark Henry and ?The Big Kali? who stands at 7? 3?, weighs 420 punds and wears an 18EEEE shoe.!
We haven?t decided if Mr. Finley and Hornswaggle are good guys or bad guys.
Without question, other then the Undertaker, whenever Chris ?The Rabid Wolverine? Benoit was introduced the boys, my youngest daughter and I would all go wild cheering his entrance. He was without question the most talented wrestler of all. (we loved his finisher move, the triple german suplex) The shock of his demise has been hard on us as a family of fans. We have kept the reports of the circumstances of his death from our boys. I suppose the reason I am writing this is that I am struggling with how to go about talking with them about it. Oh, for the wisdom of Solomon.
On Saturday June 23rd when the tickets became available to be purchased at 10:00 AM, I secured 6 seats at the VerizonWireless Arena, in Manchester, NH for the August 4th live performance of Smack Down and ECW. One of the headliners was Chris Benoit. Of all the scheduled wrestlers, he was the one we were the most excited to see.
We are still going, for multiple reasons. Yet, I cannot shake the eeriness of knowing that at the very same time that I was purchasing the tickets on-line to see Chris Benoit, the murders of his wife and son at his home was taking place.
There is a lesson to be learned here and even though it is still being revealed, I believe it may be along this line, ?the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy;? (John 10:10 - the first half). In regards to the Benoit family demise, I hope and pray the second half of this Gospel teaching soon becomes evident which is, ?(Jesus) comes that they may have life, and have it to the full.?
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