WWE Star Chris Benoit and his family found dead.

[Big Papa]

Brain Study: Concussions Caused Benoit's Rage

NEW YORK -- A new study suggests that a series of concussions may have caused the rage that led wrestler Chris Benoit to murder his wife, his son and commit suicide.

Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, turned over part of the wrestler's brain to researchers at West Virginia University and the Sports Legacy Institute.

"I was grasping for anything. The world was very black. We didn't even know how to deal with this," said Michael Benoit.

Dr. Julian Bailes, head of neurosurgery at WVU, said the results of tests on Chris Benoit's brain were striking.

I'm sure the mixing of prescription drugs and steroids had nothing to do with it. I can't blame the family for trying to get some answers that will help them sleep better at night, but a lot of athletes get concussions and they don't kill their families.

 

[methomps]

A lot of athletes also mix prescription drugs and steroids, yet don't kill their families. That reasoning really does no work.

Bailes has done similar research on the brains of former professional football players who committed suicide.

He said he found similar brain damage in their cases.

Bailes theroizes that repeated concussions can lead to dementia which can contribute to severe behavioral problems.

In the case of the former NFL players he said he found a recurring "theme of failure in their personal lives and their business lives, depression and then ultimate suicide."

 

[Big Papa]

A lot of athletes also mix prescription drugs and steroids, yet don't kill their families. That reasoning really does no work.

So what you are saying is that Benoit was just a piece of shit and the drugs, steriods and concussions are just an excuse for the fact he was a cold blooded killer? I'm OK with that.

 

[Buckin' A]

Well then, this guys wife had better lock the damned doors....

 

[Big Papa]

Here's the next David Berkowitz:

 

[Ginn4Heisman]

why are people trying to make excuses for this piece of shit?

 

[OCBuckWife]

why are people trying to make excuses for this piece of shit?

Because in the face of random, horrific death, humans need explanations and seemingly logical CAUSES OF THE ACTIONS to make them feel better about WHY something happened. It makes them feel safer to know there was some kind of reason, no matter how slim. Not so much making excuses and trying so hard to find causes.

Him having reactions to drugs combined with head trauma is a possible culturally acceptable reason for WHY he killed his whole family. It doesn't make it right but it does make it more generally understandable to more people as an answer to the collective "How could he have done such a terrible thing!"

 

[methomps]

So what you are saying is that Benoit was just a piece of shit and the drugs, steriods and concussions are just an excuse for the fact he was a cold blooded killer? I'm OK with that.

Not really.

why are people trying to make excuses for this piece of shit?

Well, if something other than some nebulous evilness contributed to things, it'd be helpful to know what that was. You know, for future reference.

 

[Mike80]

why are people trying to make excuses for this piece of shit?

How many pro/fake wrestlers are there taking chairshots to the brain?

That could be why.

And let's not forget that the damage found closely mirrors what football players suffer when they get concussions and how many thousands of football players are there out there both past present and future?

That's why. Benoit is still a murderer, but humans have the need to try to explain things and, if possible, prevent them in like cases (pro/fake wrestlers come to mind again)....

 

[Big Papa]

Well, if something other than some nebulous evilness contributed to things, it'd be helpful to know what that was. You know, for future reference.

For future reference? OK.

 

[methomps]

For future reference? OK.

Yes, such as when someone decides to reform the NFL's policies on concussions.

 

[buckeyefool]

why are people trying to make excuses for this piece of shit?

As others have said, no one is trying to make an excuse for what he did. Explain what, and why he did it maybe, but in no way are they trying to make an excuse.

The tests and the results go far beyond what happened with his family to, the group that did the research is the same group that is looking at NFL players who have committed suicide etc.

They are trying to show how concussions can have a horrible effect on someone beyond just a few weeks, and how mutliple ones are even worse. The NFL is looking at ways to figure this stuff out and what can be done, and now wrestlers are going to have to question there own actions and the results from those actions, because even though the matches are scripted the injuries that many of these guys suffer are very real.