Should we be worried about Kurt Angle?

Rjd2

Nearly everyone on this board respects Angle as a worker and many would rate him as one of the greatest of all time. Their is however the one complaint that comes up with Angle on a regular basis, is that the dude is reckless with his health. Those who watched the ladder match last night will know exactly what I am saying.

Some have accused him of failing to adopt and point to his frenetic style of wrestling, which hasn't really changed his early WWF days. Naturally some will think this is over the top nonsence, and tell us to stop over thinking things. So where do you sexy boards people stand on the issue?
Vote!:eek:


Also if this post is a bit jibberish, apologies my laptop is acting mad, because I droped water on it. It took way to long to type them few lines. :(

chopperbyrne

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Unfortunately, I think Angle will be the next wrestler to either die in the ring or because of an injury caused while wrestling.

waltersobchak

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Its only a matter of time before the guy ends up in the grave to be perfectly honest.. In fact ever single time i go to read one of the dirt sheet sites im practically expecting to see RIP Kurt Angle.. However much i respect the guys work, he clearly doesnt know how to protect himself or to slow down, like last night that spot off the ladder, i was sure he had broken his neck.. Then within a couple of minutes he was doing a dropkick of the top rope and a fu*king moonsault..

Penn

He can still be one of the greatest in the world without taking such risks. He does hit a beautiful moonsault, but thats not why people think he's one of the greatest wrestlers today. It is his technical ability and storytelling ability which really make him shine. At this stage, the risky moves aren't worth the risk and are unnecessary in most cases

sideshowbob23

I just wish he would stop, not because of health issues, but because he isn't that good really.

personally i hope his health/future career is not in jepordy, he's one of those wrestlers who, while i love to hate him, i think he deserves a long healthy retirement when he's done. he's put in some performances over the years. I thoroughly enjoyed his fued with eddie guerrero back in his wwe days.

flahavaj

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

He's a fool of a man and his own worst enemy. My opinions on Angle as a worker are well documented on here but thats not really the point of this thread.

The point is that we basically have a wrestler with absolutely no regard for his own health. He wants to take huge bumps and put in spectacular performances every time he wrestles. Some would call this admirable. I would call it fool hardy given his physical health. Look at the mental bump he took last night, in what was nothing more than a TV match. Needless, dangerous and downright stupid.

WWE even had the sense to see he wasn't right and parted ways with him. Unfortunately now he works for a company that encourages him in his foolishness, a company that allows unprotected chair shots in nothing midcard throwaway matches and wants to do anything they can to get one up on WWE.

Kurt Angle and TNA are the worst possible combination and this arrangement cannot and won't end well.

rossie1977

ironically retiring might be what kills kurt, i would worry far more about kurts well-being alone with time on his hands

kurts the real life randy the ram, like scott hall and jake i expect kurt to outlive many of his fellow wrestlers too

D2D

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Just saw that fall there, Dear God he's lucky he didn't break his neck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZtkNfHyuDk

Go to 6.30 to see the fall.

I'm in complete agreement with ye. As much as it pains me to say it, I really do think Kurt will die in the ring.

Flah, spot on with that post.

flahavaj

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Theres something really scary about the way Angle's arm goes all dead and limp after he takes a big bump.

Jolt2007

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Angle worries me most of the time but having him in this never ending feud with Anderson of all people is terrifying.

Vince135792003

I remember 5 years ago when Kurt and Dixie assure everyone that his health would be everyones number 1 priority. Priorities have changed or at least forgotten about.

waltersobchak

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Dare_2_defy wrote: »

Just saw that fall there, Dear God he's lucky he didn't break his neck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZtkNfHyuDk

Go to 6.30 to see the fall.

I'm in complete agreement with ye. As much as it pains me to say it, I really do think Kurt will die in the ring.

Flah, spot on with that post.

You can hear Taz's reaction being a very real one imo

starviewadams

I just wish he would stop, not because of health issues, but because he isn't that good really.

I dunno,he's a grown man,nobody is putting a gun to his head and forcing him to do these things like,maybe he does them because he wants to!

Perhaps its the only thing in his life that he actually enjoys doing nowadays cos it seems like his personal life has gone to sh!t over the last year or two,in that case sit back,enjoy the show and let the man be happy and give over saying that he's going to be the next wrestler to die or become crippled or whatever,I mean,honestly,what a ridiculous thing to say!

mr.mayo

I just wish he would stop, not because of health issues, but because he isn't that good really.

I suppose he could tone it down, but I think he will be fine, stop worrying people!

Angle is a freak, he won an Olympic Gold Medal with a broken neck for Christ sake. He is one of the most dedicated men in Pro Wrestling today, he puts it all on the line for us every night he goes out there. He will always be one of the best workers around with or without the big spots but as long as he feels able to do do them, who are we to question him? I can't see him slowing down to be honest, he still has the drive to take risks like the one last night, he is in the best shape of his life and is currently training for an MMA career which he intends to pursue after his TNA contract expires. Angle is an athlete through and through, he works his ass off and I don't think he'll ever lose that determination to be the best. He's in his 40's now and while you may say he should slow down, that just isn't how he does things - isn't it better that he's doing what he's doing now rather than sitting on his ass at home all day eating tacos, drinking beer and putting on a big gut?
I have nothing but respect for the man tbh, a perfect role model for anyone

D.Q

mr.mayo wrote: »

I isn't it better that he's doing what he's doing now rather than sitting on his ass at home all day eating tacos, drinking beer and putting on a big gut?
I have nothing but respect for the man tbh, a perfect role model for anyone

That is literally the most untrue combination of words I have ever seen.

Tribesmen7

Lads theres a lot of talk about Kurt taking a mental bump on iMPACT as if it were intentional. I don't think it was. Kurt can't be blamed for risking his life here, I feel he was supposed to come down with a leg either side of the rope and land on his crotch, a spot we have seen numerous times before. It just so happened to go wrong in this case.

Thats not to say Kurt shouldn't take care of his wellbeing, he should. There has always been rumours about Kurts health but tbh we don't know how true or false these are. If Kurts body is falling apart as some would have you believe then its both TNAs and Kurts responsibility to do whats right. If that means stepping away from the ring then so be it. Some things are more important than TNAs ratings battle with the WWE.

Dancor

I think that was Andersons botch TBH, Something he is well known for. Kurt looked as though he was trying to crotch land on the ropes, something simple and done dozens of times but Anderson put way to much force when pushing the ladder.

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

I'm terrified that Angle will die in the ring. His work ethic is at dangerous levels, and backstage reports say that off-camera the guy hobbles around. The guy's a machine, that won't stop until he's in a wheelchair.

He is my favourite wrestler in the world; i wish he would only wrestle at PPVs and don't do house shows and maybe just tags or short matches on TV.

I saw him at TNA's 1st visit to England in Liverpool, he was apologizing for not wrestling. I (and my friends) told him to look after himself and please get well before coming back.

I hope when he returns to WWE, they keep him on a tight leash and easy schedule.

JP Liz V1

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Wasnt Kurt suppose to be leaving wrestling for movies?

Mitch Connor

Could come back now into a pretty good feud with Swagger - could be awesome (obviously won't happen)

I remember reading last year that the WWE Creative had already planned out some story lines for him as there was a chance of him coming back to the WWE late last year (when his TNA contract was due to expire)

Machismo Fan

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I remember reading last year that the WWE Creative had already planned out some story lines for him as there was a chance of him coming back to the WWE late last year (when his TNA contract was due to expire)

Apparently Vince wanted nothing to do with him after the Rhaka Khan incident.

Motley Crue

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Its ironic because I watched Angle's first ever match, live, at Survivor Series 99

His opponent was Shawn Stasiak and it was like a high school wrestling match which most of the audience didn't understand. If anything I blame the WWE, pushing him and pushing him to continually strive towards hardcore, ladders, triple treat etc etc...and now, with TNA, he just feels he has to continue this or face eviction from the wrestling community

Watch this below, his first ever match, and you'll see what I mean...the crowd are chanting "boring" about 3 seconds in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApfiWMXliww

mr.mayo

I just wish he would stop, not because of health issues, but because he isn't that good really.

DieselQueen wrote: »

That is literally the most untrue combination of words I have ever seen.

Lol, I probably didn't explain myself here. What I was trying to say was that Angle is so committed and determined that he will keep giving it his all right until the end and that I admire him for that. Most guys in his situation would just retire, sit back on their ass at home all day thinking of former glories "eating tacos and drinking beer":P Angle isn't like that, he is constantly looking to better himself, he always wants to be the best, he's in his 40's and he's in training for an MMA career ffs. The man is a machine, we should be looking up to him not talking about whether or not he's overdoing himself, he's no fool, he wouldn't be doing what he's doing if he didn't feel able for it

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Motley Crue wrote: »

Its ironic because I watched Angle's first ever match, live, at Survivor Series 99

HOW IRONIC!! :pac::pac:

Actually most wrestlers if they're not wrestling on the indies either get a "real" job, suicide, or open up training schools.

He's not training for a career in MMA. That's big talk. It's shocking to think that people think Angle is healthy enough. WWE work their wrestlers into the ground and even try fired Angle because they didn't want him to die under their watch. And TNA just snapped him right up, irregardless of his health.

rossie1977

jaykhunter wrote: »

He's not training for a career in MMA. That's big talk. It's shocking to think that people think Angle is healthy enough.

i saw him throw around fully grown men like rag dolls on pro vs joes last year, big 15-16 stone 6'2+ guys some of em, angle is in better shape than anyone on this board, he is healthy enough

on the other hand i saw goldberg winded and blowing up after about 2mins doing mma training

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

rossie1977 wrote: »

i saw him throw around fully grown men like rag dolls on pro vs joes last year, big 15-16 stone 6'2+ guys some of em, angle is in better shape than anyone on this board, he is healthy enough

on the other hand i saw goldberg winded and blowing up after about 2mins doing mma training

I hope to God I'm never proved right. On-Screen angle =/= off-screen Angle. He's jackked-up on Adrenaline because the cameras are on him. Also an anonymous internet forum shouldn't be the bar for if someone's healthy enough :pac::pac: No-one else here has (or had) a ruthless painkiller addiction, constant neck/body pains and takes bumps/is on the road a few times/week for the last 10 years.

Angle is a machine and a highly-talented wrestler but what we see of him performing isn't Kurt Angle 24/7. It'd be quite naive to think so.

rossie1977

jaykhunter wrote: »

I hope to God I'm never proved right. On-Screen angle =/= off-screen Angle. He's jackked-up on Adrenaline because the cameras are on him. Also an anonymous internet forum shouldn't be the bar for if someone's healthy enough :pac::pac: No-one else here has (or had) a ruthless painkiller addiction, constant neck/body pains and takes bumps/is on the road a few times/week for the last 10 years.

Angle is a machine and a highly-talented wrestler but what we see of him performing isn't Kurt Angle 24/7. It'd be quite naive to think so.

a problem not exclusive to kurt angle, this is life for most pro-wrestlers its the same for the edges, mysterios, hardys of this world and probably cenas, batistas and triples h too (though you will never hear about those guys)

kurt came into the game with a bad neck, this is not something new, he has has had major neck problems for 15 years, his health was never an issue amongst the iwc until that death watch article, its funny since that article (where he was never named btw) the iwc have been waiting for him to die

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

rossie1977 wrote: »

a problem not exclusive to kurt angle, this is life for most pro-wrestlers its the same for the edges, mysterios, hardys of this world and probably cenas, batistas and triples h too (though you will never hear about those guys)

kurt came into the game with a bad neck, this is not something new, he has has had major neck problems for 15 years, his health was never an issue amongst the iwc until that death watch article

Agreed. I remember when Kurt had his neck surgery in WWE he admitted that previously he was in constant pain, it was really scary. The reasons why WWE fired Angle were a huge eye-opener as well. I guess nobody really takes notice until something big happens. Definitely I think Triple H is one more quad tear away from having to retire...Batista too...they're carrying far too much weight; their muscles/tendons/bones can't take it....Hit the nail on the head there, nobody thinks Cena is in a bad way but he's already undergone neck surgeries and had muscle tears...at this rate he won't last 5 years...look at his face, he's aged so rapidly over the last 6 years.

Tribesmen7

Can someone tell me exactly why WWE let him go? I kind of forget it but going by Wikipedia it was because he refused to go to rehab?

To me Kurt does not come across as a man that can retire and sit back with a nice big bank account. To him, the money he has does not come into the equation, he just wants to be out there performing the whole time. I hope if there were any serious problems that TNA would refuse to allow him to wrestle.

Ridley

Haven't seen that much of his TNA stuff but, if anything, it's his mental health that should be looked at over his physicality.

waltersobchak

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Tribesmen7 wrote: »

Can someone tell me exactly why WWE let him go? I kind of forget it but going by Wikipedia it was because he refused to go to rehab?

To me Kurt does not come across as a man that can retire and sit back with a nice big bank account. To him, the money he has does not come into the equation, he just wants to be out there performing the whole time. I hope if there were any serious problems that TNA would refuse to allow him to wrestle.

Simply put WWE didnt want another Benoit or Guerrero on their hands

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Tribesmen7 wrote: »

Can someone tell me exactly why WWE let him go? I kind of forget it but going by Wikipedia it was because he refused to go to rehab?

To me Kurt does not come across as a man that can retire and sit back with a nice big bank account. To him, the money he has does not come into the equation, he just wants to be out there performing the whole time. I hope if there were any serious problems that TNA would refuse to allow him to wrestle.

He had (has) serious health problems; neck and back injuries...not to mention years of steroid abuse, a painkiller addiction, and personal problems (marriage). He was a wreck and Walter's right; he was headed the way of Benoit and Guerrero.

He has slimmed down in TNA (but has recently gotten a bit bigger) but his unrelenting need to perform at the highest and hardest levels is at the detriment to his person, mentally and physically. I feel guilty as a fan! But he's set in his way and he knows no other way to work. Hopefully the bigwigs look out for his health.

waltersobchak

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

jaykhunter wrote: »

He had (has) serious health problems; neck and back injuries...not to mention years of steroid abuse, a painkiller addiction, and personal problems (marriage). He was a wreck and Walter's right; he was headed the way of Benoit and Guerrero.

He has slimmed down in TNA (but has recently gotten a bit bigger) but his unrelenting need to perform at the highest and hardest levels is at the detriment to his person, mentally and physically. I feel guilty as a fan! But he's set in his way and he knows no other way to work. Hopefully the bigwigs look out for his health.

I rememeber in 2006 just before he left WWE there was a massive rumour on the dirt sheets that "someone" basically un-named, but Kurt Angle was alluded too, was so F'd up on pain killers that if and when he did die he would basically bring the whole of the WWE down with him. Just because of his level of fame (ie being a US olympic gold medalist)

Motley Crue

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

This is from Post Express, a newspaper in Philadelphia, just prior to his TNA debut

Mr. Angle, 37, debuts Thursday on SpikeTV with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, a 4-year-old company hoping to nudge Vince McMahon's WWE, with whom Mr. Angle cut his ties in August, from its stranglehold on the industry.

Best case, Mr. Angle, instantly TNA's most recognized wrestler, will tilt the balance of power, all while earning close to $1 million a year. Worst case, his body will further erode, but this time, it will happen in greater obscurity.

Mr. Angle wrestled for the last time with WWE at a sold-out arena in White Plains, N.Y. on Aug. 13. During the match, he said, he pulled his groin, but fans kept screaming for more, and he obliged them. Then he pulled his lower abdominal muscle straight off his pelvic bone. Still, he kept going. In the finishing moments, he blew out a hamstring. The fans roared, lusting for carnage. Mr. Angle couldn't rise to acknowledge the ovation.

The next day, almost incapacitated, he decided to quit the WWE. He traveled with his manager, Dave Hawk, to WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn.

For the final time, by his account, he aired his grievances: The company's executives, he said, ignored his pleas for time off and undercut his efforts to dabble in acting.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06316/737720-139.stm#ixzz0kQVWwEbn

Reading that, you ask yourself, what kind of an asshole is Mr McMahon? But then, as far as I know, he helped the British Bulldog A LOT and paid for his treatments and tried his best. If Bret can forgive Vince over what happened with himself, Owen and Davey....then should we really be that harsh on him?

G-Money

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

If anyone has the WM20 DVD, there's a 45 min documentary on one of the discs about the build-up to WM19. It follows several wrestlers on the build to up WM and the few days after, one of which is Angle. In it he's saying how he wants to be able to play with his children when he's finished wrestling etc and I've often felt like sitting Angle down and making him watch and listen to himself saying that, and hoping that he'd either scale back massively or retire.

But then all we have to go on are reports on the dirt sheets etc. I guess only Angle himself, his doctor and maybe a few others close to know how bad or good a shape he is in. I love some of his moves, like the belly to belly suplex, and that other one, I can't remember it's name, the one where he jumps backways off the top rope. But I always felt guilty watching him as well, as if by buying a ticket to go see him, I was contributing to the punishment he was putting himself through because I wanted to see him wrestle.

waltersobchak

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Motley Crue wrote: »

This is from Post Express, a newspaper in Philadelphia, just prior to his TNA debut

Mr. Angle, 37, debuts Thursday on SpikeTV with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, a 4-year-old company hoping to nudge Vince McMahon's WWE, with whom Mr. Angle cut his ties in August, from its stranglehold on the industry.

Best case, Mr. Angle, instantly TNA's most recognized wrestler, will tilt the balance of power, all while earning close to $1 million a year. Worst case, his body will further erode, but this time, it will happen in greater obscurity.

Mr. Angle wrestled for the last time with WWE at a sold-out arena in White Plains, N.Y. on Aug. 13. During the match, he said, he pulled his groin, but fans kept screaming for more, and he obliged them. Then he pulled his lower abdominal muscle straight off his pelvic bone. Still, he kept going. In the finishing moments, he blew out a hamstring. The fans roared, lusting for carnage. Mr. Angle couldn't rise to acknowledge the ovation.

The next day, almost incapacitated, he decided to quit the WWE. He traveled with his manager, Dave Hawk, to WWE headquarters in Stamford, Conn.

For the final time, by his account, he aired his grievances: The company's executives, he said, ignored his pleas for time off and undercut his efforts to dabble in acting.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06316/737720-139.stm#ixzz0kQVWwEbn

Reading that, you ask yourself, what kind of an asshole is Mr McMahon? But then, as far as I know, he helped the British Bulldog A LOT and paid for his treatments and tried his best. If Bret can forgive Vince over what happened with himself, Owen and Davey....then should we really be that harsh on him?

I was watching a youshoot with Sabu recently where he talks about Kurt Angle pulling his hamstring to the degree that his cock turned black.. And he was so addicted to soma's and other painkillers that he made Sabu look like an amateur

G-Money

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Just read that Angle's ex-wife is now engaged (for real) to TNA founder Jeff Jarrett.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/2923511/Karen-Angle-set-to-marry-Jeff-Jarrett.html

jaykhunter

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

I dunno if I trust Angle's public word; I don't think anything this complicated and important is always black and white (i.e. both Vince and Angle are to blame) but Vince did not sabotage Angle's acting career!

Anyone else seen the layered odyssey that is End Game with Angle and Jenna Morasca? The only thing more wooden than those cheap ply-wood set floors was Kurt Angle!

paddyismaddy

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

i have always been a fan of kurt angle he always puts on class matches but he is getting older and taking way more risks now maybe once his feud with anderson is finished he'll take time off

gimmick

Yes.

jagerbreath

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

I think he could be suffering from those "mini-stokes" Beniot was suffering from. I'm no medical expert, but the lad looks like a time-bomb and after seeing that spot from the ladder, It will only be a matter of time, I hope I'm wrong as I enjoy some of his matches. It's his wild eyes that freaks the **** out of me. It looks to me as if nobody's there.

Motley Crue

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

I hadn't realised Jeff's banishment from his own company was as a result of his relationship with Karen Angle.

You'd of taught he'd learned his lesson with Debra Marshall (didn't he face some backstage trouble with Austin over his storyline treatment of his then wife on screen?)

geeky

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

Funnily enough, I'm far less concerned about his mental well-being than I used to be - reports that things are rosy in the garden about the Karen Angle-JJ situation and the judge throwing out Rakha Khan's charges are oddly reassuring.

On the physical side, my heart is in my mouth when I see him pulling spots like the ladder fall. The fact that TNA haven't forced him into an extended break, but rather put him in a ring with Anderson of all people (funny guy, but a menace to himself and others) shows how little they genuinely value him.

Jazzy

I just wish he would stop, not because of health issues, but because he isn't that good really.

hes easily in the top 5 best ever but i hope he stops sometime soon and leaves us with all the great memories

Richard Noggin

He should definitely cut out the dangerous stuff because he has nothing left to prove. He needs to take responsibility for his own well being first and foremost.

cena

anyone got a clip of what happened during the match. was away in liverpool.

some taxi driver stole my suite case with my 300 euro plus hockey jersey inside it.

Vince135792003

Richard Noggin wrote: »

He should definitely cut out the dangerous stuff because he has nothing left to prove. He needs to take responsibility for his own well being first and foremost.

Having read his book which is actually quite good, the main theme of it is work ethic. The guy has only ever lived one way and that's 100% commitment and effort.

Rjd2

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

cena wrote: »

anyone got a clip of what happened during the match. was away in liverpool.
.

Its on page one of th thread.

Willie Stroker

I was just listening to Kurt Angle shoot interview which was great, and he said how pale Eddie looked before he passed, recently Kurt is looking a bit pale, hope he is okay , great guy from the interview , worked hard all his life !

bigeasyeah

Id like to see Kurt enjoy the rest of a great career and a healthy retirement,whenever that comes.
I wont presume to give him advice on how to live his life.

nacho libre

I don't care really, as long as he entertains me, don't change Kurt!

It's a catch 22 situation of sorts; He's hoplessly addicted to wrestling to the detriment of his own well-being, so he's not going to retire anytime soon.
Even if he did retire tomorrow i really fear for his mental health due to the inactivity and boredom a guy with his work ethic would likely feel. So the best thing that can happen is his schedule is reduced and he scales back on what he does in the ring. Dixie Carter needs to be reminded of what she said when Angle signed. Also as someone said earlier the comments he made about being able to pick up his children should be replayed to him.