– Most WWE wrestlers are taking the new drug policy seriously, even though details have yet to be instituted. Wrestling Observer is speculating that most wrestlers who were using steroids are weaning themselves off, thus showing slight changes in physique, since going off of them cold turkey wouldn’t be ideal. Of course there will be several nuances and potential loopholes (prescribed steroids due to injury, use of growth hormone which is currently untestable) to be ironed out before a final policy is issued.
Since many of today’s wrestlers came up through the business in the 1990s (as opposed to the wrestlers back during the 1991 steroid scandals that came up through the big-man era of the 1980s and earlier), most have responded positively to the drug policy announcement. Bill DeMott, trainer of the WWE developmental group in Deep South Wrestling, has already told his workers to get off of steroids immediately if they’re using, and likely OVW wrestlers have been told the same thing. The big questions now are what will be done to update the touring schedule with the times (less dates on the road, or mandatory, rotating time off, etc.) and how will the actuality of testing and “who’s getting pushed” be impacted by testing. Dave Meltzer is reporting that at Eddie Guerrero’s funeral, the talk was that something needed to be done, and even performance enhancing drug users agreed with that sentiment.
– An update on the drug-related Eugene suspension: some are saying that Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore lost his room key, and his somas kicked in before he could get into bed, so he passed out in the hotel lobby. This has led to speculation that if he hadn’t lost the key, he would have never been suspended.
– In an issue of Rolling Stone that mentioned Eddie Guerrero’s death, Hulk Hogan is quoted as saying “There are guys in the business who just have a little something and Eddie was one of those guys. His Size, his look, his attitude… he had an edge to his character. But he also lived a hard life.”
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter (click here for subscription information)
