ProWrestlingViews.com

Archive for August 30th, 2007

Because the alleged names are already out there, with some hesitancy and regret, Pro Wrestling Views has decided to list the names that the New York Daily News is speculating are the 10 WWE superstars suspended for violating the company’s anti-drug policy.

We applaud WWE for acting quickly to take corrective action, however painful it might be. We also hope that these 10 superstars are not guilty of what has been alleged or, if they are, that they get the help they need to get healthy and get their lives in order. Lord knows, the last thing anyone wants is to see anymore WWE tragedies play out in real life… let’s keep the drama in the ring!

Here goes. According to the New York Daily News, the following WWE superstars have been suspended:

From RAW:
1) Randy Orton
2) Ken Anderson (Mr. Kennedy)
3) King Booker (Robert Huffman)
4) Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella)
5) Darren Matthews (William Regal)
6) Charlie Haas

From ECW:
7) ECW Champion John Hennigan (John Morrison)

From SMACKDOWN:
Adam Copeland (Edge)
9) Shane Helms (Gregory Helms)
10) Chavo Guerrero

From WWE Corporate:
11) Mike Bucci (Bucci is a talent development manager)

Clearly, the Raw roster will be the hardest hit. The suspensions, if this list is accurate, will play havoc with Raw storylines. Orton had been scheduled for an extended feud with WWE Champion John Cena. King Booker was to have been the main feud for Triple H, who is just returned from an extended injury absence.

Mr. Kennedy was at one point scheduled to be Mr. McMahon’s “bastard child,” a recent storyline launched less than a month ago, according to PWTorch.com. William Regal was just named RAW General Manager. Santino Marrella has been a popular newcomer in the middle of a heel turn, and Charlie Haas has been a solid contributor in Raw’s tag-team division.

While ECW was the cleanest, they are the only division to be losing a sitting champion, if the list of suspensions the New York Daily News is reporting is true: John Morrison, previously known as Johnny Nitro, has been a popular heel champ who was in the middle of a program with C.M. Punk.

The impact is minimal for Smackdown; Edge has been out on injury, as has Gregory Helms. Chavo Guerrero was set for an extended feud with Rey Mysterio, just returning from an injury absence; that program will now be cut short, although Tuesday’s Smackdown taping was in the can for Friday’s broadcast prior to the suspensions being handed down.

While the mess left by these suspensions will require minimal cleanup on ECW and Smackdown, Raw will look a shadow of its former self with six superstars suddenly missing.

Mike Bucci, a talent development guy for the company, could perhaps get the shortest shrift of all 11 named so far, since he doesn’t have an onscreen role or fan base.

Terms of the suspensions were not announced; it is unclear if the releases are permanent or temporary, with or without pay.

Let’s trudge through this, hope the last of the big names have been revealed, and that nothing like this recurs any time soon; it’s a lot more fun to report on the story lines than the headlines.

NOTE: WWE has announced that, effective November 1, any superstars who are released for violating the company’s health policy will have their identities publicly revealed. Let’s hope there are no occasions going forward that would prompt that new policy to be exercised. This whole mess just makes me want to pack up and go on a month-long getaway to Rio Las Vegas.

It’s never fun to report hard news on the WWE, because hard news is rarely ever good news. Yet when a story like this breaks, that could affect current storylines in such a major way, it’s unavoidable.

The New York Daily News and Sports Illustrated are reporting that as many as 14 WWE superstars have been listed as acquiring steriods and human growth hormone through an illicit drug network, Signature Pharmacy. The WWE is said to have quietly suspended as many as 10 WWE superstars for violating the company’s anti-drug policy, and on Fox News Channel’s On The Record with Greta Van Sustren, WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt confirmed 10 suspensions so far, with possible two more to come tomorrow.

While the WWE has said it will keep the names of this group of wrestlers private, their conspicuous absences going forward will soon make it clear who is and who is not suspended.

The New York Daily News and SI.com have separate lists that don’t completely agree, so it’s clear there’s some speculation going on at this point, but several huge names are on both lists. Looks like another PR nightmare for WWE; hopefully once this shakes out, the table can be cleared and the company can get back to putting on some great sports entertainment programs. No one I know enjoys hearing this kind of stuff.

Here’s a Christmas gift idea for anyone who cares about the WWE: a 2008 all-company photo that contains no one who’s involved in making bad personal decisions. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case this year.