I wrote a review of the collection a few days back, and in proofreading it, I noticed how much whining and complaining about WWE politics and the course of Eddie’s fate was on my mind. I now plan on rewriting the review before publishing. The new incarnation will treat the DVD collection as a stand alone product and I’ll try my best not to let my misgivings about the issues relating to Eddie’s death bleed into the review. Just because I wanted to write an objective review doesn’t lessen my qualms with the situation, thus I felt compelled to write an editorial. My review of Viva La Raza: The Legacy of Eddie Guerrero will hit Angrymarks.com in the next day or two.
In my review of the Intercontinental Championship DVD, I said that watching old wrestling will make you not like new wrestling. In this editorial, I ‘m going to stand by that point, and add a new wrinkle to that though.. The fourth match on this set features Eddie taking on Ric Flair at WCW Hog Wild 1996. Accepting death is an unfortunate necessity for wrestling fans, and this match test’s one’s ability in this regard.. Flair’s valets for this match are none other than Miss Elisabeth and Nancy “Woman” Benoit. 3 out of four performers in from this nationally televised contest were dead ten years later. Why are WWE and TNA failing in many ways to sustain interest of longtime fans and capture the attention of casual fans? Well, probably a large part of that is that even casual fans know that people in the wrestling business are dying from the wrestling business.
It sounds like a real perversion of fandom, but as I watch this collection of really good wrestling matches, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. Eddie’s passion to perform, and devotion to the sport, was directly related to many of the personal demons which eventually created his life. If Eddie hadn’t sacrificed so much of his body and soul, it’s likely he wouldn’t have become prone to the myriad addictions that significantly altered the course of his life, and ultimately brought about his early death. It’s the same feeling I get watching Chris Benoit matches, with the notable difference that Eddie didn’t turn into a murderer. The only victim of Eddie’s do or die lifestyle was Eddie. With all of the emotional baggage attached to these matches, I can’t really feel great about throwing down twenty bucks too watch a highlight film of someone’s ten year death spiral.
Now, lets follow the money. I’m sure Eddie’s family receive some of the royalties from these DVDs, but we all now that lion’s share of the profits go to the shareholders of the WWE; the biggest shareholder of the WWE is, of course, Vince McMahon. I’m not going to go on an anti-Vince rant here, but I will say that Vince is remarkable for his ability to be simultaneously surrounded by tragedy and money. Its overly simplistic to say Vince is profiting off Eddie‘s death. Vince isn‘t the only culpable party. As a wrestling mark, I’m attracted to visceral emotion and extreme human circumstance. The loss of a quality performer and human being like Eddie is something that I feel that I must , not want to, but need to explore in my mind. It’s as if understanding the life of Eddie will shed light on the mysteries of the universe. It’s not lost on me that there are young men in gyms all across the country “dieing” to make it as the next performer that will capture that hearts and minds of fans like me. It is sad but true, some of these men will meet the same fate as the men who’ve gone before them.
So in the end, Vince et al, are profiting from fan’s morbid curiosity. I take personal responsibility for my role as a fan in this sick cycle. I could just ignore this collection, but my fascination with Eddie as a man and wrestler is too strong. I could download the matches off the internet, or buy a bootleg copy for a fraction of the cost, thus cutting into WWE’s profits and denying them my patronage, but as someone who tries to act with integrity, I can’t do either of these things comfortably. In the end, I realize that although it means getting in bed with corporate dogs, that paying 20 bucks to watch Eddie’s matches might put a buck or two in Eddie’s family pockets, plus let a genuine fan enjoy quality wrestling. As the consummate family man and entertainer, this is probably the course of action Eddie would approve of.
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