Lex Luger Then and Now

[Man of Steel]

There are 3 running themes that end a pro wrestlers career:  one, they are so badly battered and bruised from years of in-ring work that they are forced to retire and have developed enough key relationships in the wrasslin biz that they can continue working developing new talent behind the scenes; two, they die in their 30s and 40s; three, they hit rock bottom, find a new path through God and leave the wrasslin biz forever.

[BayGBM]

There are 3 running themes that end a pro wrestlers career:  one, they are so badly battered and bruised from years of in-ring work that they are forced to retire and have developed enough key relationships in the wrasslin biz that they can continue working developing new talent behind the scenes; two, they die in their 30s and 40s; three, they hit rock bottom, find a new path through God and leave the wrasslin biz forever.

True.  Now, start a new thread and lay out the 3-5 ways for a bodybuilding career to end--if you dare! 

[Man of Steel]

True.  Now, start a new thread and lay out the 3-5 ways for a bodybuilding career to end--if you dare! 

Reasons BB careers end:

1.)  Insides are shredded from years of chemical abuse.
2.)  Death
3.)  Find God
4.)  Have spent every penny they've ever earned/been given, never won a show and are left with doing personal training for $12/hr.
5.)  Parents/girlfriend/boyfriend won't give them anymore money to simply train/inject their lives away.

Of course we have a few successful bb examples, but those are the exceptions to the rule.   For every post listing 1 exception to the rule we could find a 100 conforming to what I listed above (and other reasons).

[MCWAY]

There are 3 running themes that end a pro wrestlers career:  one, they are so badly battered and bruised from years of in-ring work that they are forced to retire and have developed enough key relationships in the wrasslin biz that they can continue working developing new talent behind the scenes; two, they die in their 30s and 40s; three, they hit rock bottom, find a new path through God and leave the wrasslin biz forever.

I've heard something similar, from (you guessed it), "The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior"


It's a strange dichotomy, the former wrestling superstars once they leave the mainstream. Some of them go on speaking tours to talk about the evils of our business. Or they get religious. I don't think Warrior has gotten on the religious kick, yet. But, I hear he does do some speaking. I wouldn't mind attending one of his lectures. It would be interesting to see, at this stage of my life, if I can understand what he's talking about. - Jim Ross
 
It surprises me that he's speaking at colleges. Jesse Ventura, that doesn't surprise me; The Ultimate Warrior, that DOES surprise me - "Mean" Gene Okerlund

[Wombat]

Colonel.

thanks

[Option D]

I've heard something similar, from (you guessed it), "The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior"


It's a strange dichotomy, the former wrestling superstars once they leave the mainstream. Some of them go on speaking tours to talk about the evils of our business. Or they get religious. I don't think Warrior has gotten on the religious kick, yet. But, I hear he does do some speaking. I wouldn't mind attending one of his lectures. It would be interesting to see, at this stage of my life, if I can understand what he's talking about. - Jim Ross
 
It surprises me that he's speaking at colleges. Jesse Ventura, that doesn't surprise me; The Ultimate Warrior, that DOES surprise me - "Mean" Gene Okerlund

He changed his name to Warrior...like a legal name change...LMAO...

[MCWAY]

He changed his name to Warrior...like a legal name change...LMAO...

That's correct. He did that in 1993.

Warrior sued the then-WWF after he got fired (again) in 1996 for $6 million and the rights to the "Ultimate Warrior" name and character. From what I understand, part of the deal that got Warrior to return that year was that he got the rights to the character, which he could use outside the company. Warrior claimed that WWE (McMahon) wouldn't let him do it and was in breach of their deal. WWE's take was that Warrior having the rights to the character was based on his fulfilling his contract. Since McMahon axed Warrior for missing too many appearances, where he was advertised (citing the death of his father, after the fact), he felt the man, born Jim Helwig, didn't hold up his end of the deal. Therefore, he was not entiled to the "Ultimate Warrior".

[hifrommike]

Fourth way for a pro wrestling career to end: you murder your wife & child, then hang yourself in the weight room. 

[MCWAY]

Reasons BB careers end:

1.)  Insides are shredded from years of chemical abuse.
2.)  Death
3.)  Find God
4.)  Have spent every penny they've ever earned/been given, never won a show and are left with doing personal training for $12/hr.
5.)  Parents/girlfriend/boyfriend won't give them anymore money to simply train/inject their lives away.

Of course we have a few successful bb examples, but those are the exceptions to the rule.   For every post listing 1 exception to the rule we could find a 100 conforming to what I listed above (and other reasons).

6) They compete for a few years and, possessing a decent education or other vocational skills, do something else for a living and are quite happy.

Besides, in other pro sports (notwithstanding all the debates as to whether or not bodybuilding shoudl be categorized as such), the average career of an athlete is short-lived, usually 4-6 years. If that's the case in football and basketball, why should we expect more longevity from pros in bodybuilding?