Wrestling Reporter's Journal - The Benoit Ending

This is just one of many Chris Benoit editorials you are going to read over the next few days, weeks, months, probably even years.

Because one of the most universally recognized and respected wrestlers in wrestling history has seemingly killed himself and his young family.

Anybody who knows anything about Chris Benoit knows he was a quiet man, but that the words that he did choose to speak had a deep impact because they were always carefully selected. No doubt his actions this past weekend also spoke about as loudly as any promo ever could have.

On a personal level, I'm facing a lot of guilt because I used Benoit and his popularity with the fans as a platform eight years ago to get myself over as a heel writer.

I said at the time he wasn't interesting enough to be a top star and wasn't big enough to carry a company. On both counts, I was obviously lying.

WWE, ECW, and the whole wrestling world have lost one of a dying breed. I feel bad for all of them, even more so now because to take several lives before killing yourself makes you a very pathetic person.

If Chris Benoit never drank and never did drugs as I've heard then I suppose he must have had a lot of emotional trauma. And the real shame is when all this goes away, WWE lost another talented guy who could work anywhere between the opening match and the main event, delivering a match of the night.

A post-humous induction into the WWE Hall of Fame is also a very sad affair because he and Nancy deserved better. And as fans, I believe we all deserved a better ending as well.

I'm drained. Feel free to e-mail me at bradyhicks@gmail.com