R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Not just a song sung by R&B singer Aretha Franklin but, also harped about from one Chris Benoit.. Respect is the condition of being esteemed or honored. Chris was respected by everyone and the ones that didn't respect him.. he made them respect him. Respect to Chris was held at such a high regard. There was no other way.. you either respected him or he wanted nothing to do with you.
A wrestling superstar disrespected Shawn Michaels backstage a while back. Chris being Chris made that superstar do 1,000 lunges. In which Benoit did those same 1,000 with him. If he wasn't going to respect Michaels.. Benoit would force it out of him. The next day, that same superstar complained how he could barely walk because his legs were so sore. Benoit made him do 500 more just for good measure. <--That story was told by Triple H.
The guy earned his respect. He earned everything that he had by way of busting his ass! He was one of the few who wrestled for the love of the 'sport' not just for the money. He loved this sport more than anything else and vowed to, at such a young age, to be comparable or better to the one and only Dynamite Kid. Both had similar styles as Benoit emulated DK very well.
He worked his way up the ladder and for that he was loved by not only his co-workers but, by MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of fans. I was one of them. However, I just can not stomach this news. This is not the Chris Benoit that I watched on TV. This is not the same Chris Benoit that I have heard and read numerous stories about. Not the Crippler nor the Rapid Wolverine. He had to be beside himself to come to terms to carry out this tragedy.
For a guy who harped about Respect and how it should be given in order to receive. Someone, who lived to be respected. Well, Chris.. if these stories are true and you carried out these actions in the manner stated in numerous articles and headlines..
Congrats because all of those years that you worked your ass off to gain respect and fame.. You squashed all of that in just one weekend. I will no longer have respect for you as a wrestler or a person. You ****ed up! And you took your own life so you would not have to feel the wrath of many. I am so sorry that you got off that easy. You deserved worse.