I wasn’t impressed by the piece on wrestling deaths by HBO’s Real Sports that first aired Tuesday night. I expected a show that is so critically acclaimed to break some new ground, but it was just the same old statistics and reports that everyone has become familiar with since the Chris Benoit tragedy. It definitely wasn’t an example of in-depth reporting, as the segment seemed like it was thrown together without much thought or effort.

The piece was a follow-up to the show’s 2003 report on the subject. That one, which had memorable interviews with Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper, had more substance, but I also recall host Bryant Gumbel being even more condescending than usual.

The best part of Tuesday’s show was the interview with Marcus “Buff” Bagwell. He discussed the pitfalls of the wrestling business, but said that he still wrestles on the independent circuit – despite being in pain – because it is all that he knows how to do. Bagwell also talked about his need for prescription pain medicine and admitted to taking pain pills before the interview.

Of course, we all knew Armen Keteyian’s interview with McMahon from the 2003 show was going to be replayed. I remember thinking when I saw it the first time that McMahon really made himself look bad by morphing into his wrestling character and trying to bully Keteyian by slapping his notes out of his hand. It looks even worse now after the Benoit tragedy and all the other deaths. What set McMahon off was when Keteyian asked him if he felt any responsibility for the deaths in wrestling, and McMahon sternly replied: “I would accept no responsibility whatsoever for their untimely deaths.” I realize it is McMahon’s nature to be defiant and come out swinging if he feels cornered, but he has to be smarter than that.