"Look at the size of that guy. It's ridiculous, you can see the veins popping out all over his arms and neck. NOBODY gets that big without some form of "help". And by help, I mean sticking a syringe full of HGH in their ass. Not that it matters, it's all fake anyway" This is one of the comments that can be the hardest to defend against. Sadly, there is a rich history of steroid abuse in professional wrestling, with guys like Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, British Bulldog and even Vince McMahon himself have all used and abused at one time or another. At one point, it could have been argued that it was an "occupational hazard" of the business, particularly during the 80's and early 90's, and it's not hard to see why. Going out in front of thousands of people in nothing but your underwear is undoubtedly a daunting prospect, so there was a lot of pressure to look your best, and at that time, "best" meant "biggest". Back then, Vince McMahon was accused of pressuring his roster to get on steroids, even supplying them. For all the cosmetic "appeal", the steroid phase of the industry was a terrible time. The likes of muscle tears are infinitely more common with the abuse of such substances, as muscle growth exceeds the body's natural limits and makes injury more susceptible. Steroid abuse is the reason that The Dynamite Kid lost the use of his legs. As well as this, there's the effect it has on the mind, with chemical addiction playing a big part in the Chris Benoit tragedy. It's just not worth it. Thankfully with the introduction of WWE's Wellness Policy and an industry-wide backlash against big guys, these times have passed, but still the stigma remains. In 2012, Chris Brown had a twitter feud with CM Punk, which included Brown commenting that "the 'roids that guy's on make it impossible for him to pleasure a woman". You've only got to look at Punk's build and frame to see that anabolics aren't in the picture. It's an example of wrestling's ugly past tainting its bright future, and it sucks to be reminded of it.
Stephen Maher has been a rock star, a bouncer, a banker and a busker on various streets in various countries. He's hung out with Robert Plant, he was at Nelson Mandela's birthday and he's swapped stories with prostitutes and crack addicts. He once performed at a Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras by accident. These days, he passes the time by writing about music, wrestling, games and other forms of nerdery. And he rarely drinks the blood of the innocent.
