Wrestling Journalist Caldwell: Blumenthal Off to ‘Less-Than-Flying Start’ on Regulation

James Caldwell of Pro Wrestling Torch disparages the remarks by Connecticut’s senator-elect, Richard Blumenthal, about pro wrestling regulation in his first post-election press conference. See “Will Linda McMahon’s Senate opponent pursue regulation of pro wrestling?”, http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_45014.shtml.

Caldwell is right in noting that loose comments about “steroids” show a limited understanding of the real range and cause of the industry’s occupational health and safety issues.

On the other hand, Blumenthal did acknowledge what is obvious but not always acknowledged: that wrestling reform is somewhere on his legislative agenda. And his remarks led the coverage of the press conference in the New London Day. That ain’t chicken feed.

To those annoyed by the shorthand “steroids,” I would also point out that the January 2009 letter by Congressman Henry Waxman (then chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform) to the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy was sophisticated and thorough. The problem then was the lack of follow-through, including, especially, public hearings; the staff investigation itself and the questions to World Wrestling Entertainment officials in private interviews were excellent.

Overall, there is no disputing Caldwell’s conclusion that the proof will be in the pudding. I think Blumenthal’s words were a promising start, but given the history, Caldwell and others have every right to be skeptical.


Irv Muchnick

Substitute ‘Wrestlers’ for ‘NFL Players’ in This Story, and You’ll Get the Scale of the Problem

“For N.F.L. Players, Another Risk: Heart Disease”

by Harvey Araton, The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/04/sports/football/04nflhearts.html?_r=2&ref=sports

Wrestling Journalist Dave Meltzer on Regulation Prospects

From the new issue of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, covering Linda McMahon’s Senate election defeat:

Will an effort be made to re-regulate wrestling? Between the economic climate and the fact regulation hasn’t made a difference in the past, it’s doubtful, but not impossible. The Achilles heel of the company may have been classifying its wrestlers as independent contractors. Because wrestling is a relatively small business in the big picture, and active wrestlers know they can’t publicly say anything, if not for this campaign, that issue would likely have stayed under wraps. An investigation is already under way, and with a bad ruling. The vast majority of answers to questions seem to point strongly to WWE wrestlers as employees rather than independent contractors. Of all the business misfires, from the bodybuilding league, to failed outside promotions, a failed football league, a failed restaurant, this right now is the second most money spent on a failed project, behind only the football league, although the family due to the company going public, can afford it. But if these investigations go anywhere, the potential is for this to be the most costly decision the family has ever made.

Blumenthal Asked About Wrestling Regulation at First Post-Election Press Conference

From the blog coverage by Daniela Altimari of the Hartford Courant (http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2010/11/blumenthal-calls-for-bipartisa.html):

Hearst’s Brian Lockhart asked Blumenthal if he intends to pursue greater regulation of professional wrestling, an issue he repeatedly raised in his campaign against Republican Linda McMahon.

“One issue that I clealry saw as important is the potential dangers of steroids — the real dangers of steroids — and the long-term health consequences of steroid use and that will be a focus of mine as a United States Senator,” he said.

“I won’t say beyond that what I would do about any of the other issues in the campaign that related to the way my opponent ran her business or treated the people who worked for her, but I think the campaign clearly involved a contrast in our respective records,” Blumenthal added.


Irv Muchnick

‘Road Map to New Government Investigations of Pro Wrestling’ ... at Wrestling Observer website

Irv Muchnick talks fallout of McMahon campaign; and possible post-campaign repercussions

Road Map to New Government Investigations of Pro Wrestling

Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online

http://www.f4wonline.com/content/view/18192/

Linda McMahon Is Not ‘Going to Fade into the Woodwork’ – Threat or Promise?

Linda McMahon, co-founder of a junk-entertainment death mill that has claimed the lives of scores of young men and women, vowed not to “fade into the woodwork” last night as she conceded a 100,000-vote, double-digit-percentage loss to Richard Blumenthal in the U.S. Senate race in Connecticut.

Well, let’s hope not. The biggest public service McMahon ever performed was the defiant decision she and husband Vince made to pour $50 million of their World Wrestling Entertainment wealth into a negatively driven bid for instant high elective office.

“It was a poorly run campaign,” summed up James Caldwell of Pro Wrestling Torch (http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/caldwellstake/article_45002.shtml). “If I were McMahon, I would be asking for a refund, but the thing is this race was straight from the WWE Playbook of deny, deny, deny until people lose interest and can’t hold their noses any longer having to examine anything related to pro wrestling.”

Caldwell then raised the key question:

Will Richard Blumenthal follow up on his suggestion that he would recommend an investigation of WWE’s business practices if elected Senator?... The law of unintended consequences opened up WWE’s story for the world to see. For the health of the wrestlers and the overall wrestling business, it could be a good thing.


Irv Muchnick

Linda McMahon Loses

We won’t know the final numbers for a while, but it was not a squeaker. McMahon conceded to Senator-elect Richard Blumenthal around 10:15 p.m. Eastern time.

Tomorrow: Some thoughts from here on what it all means.


Irv Muchnick