Eric Bischoff is disappointed in Kurt Angle for getting arrested for driving under the influence just a couple days ago and is embarrassed for the TNA heavyweight champion. That's what he said in an interview with Monday Night Mayhem, which you can listen to in the video above. In case you can't, here's the transcript:
"It's an unfortunate situation, no doubt about it. I know very little about it, I haven't talked to anybody within TNA about him. In fact, I didn't even really know about it until this morning when I went on TMZ and saw it. Quite disappointed, for obvious reasons, on a business level for the company I'm very disappointed and embarrassed. I'm very disappointed and embarrassed for Kurt. The fact that he's even in this situation, regardless of whether he's guilty, not guilty; had an excuse, didn't have an excuse; you just can't keep putting yourself in situations like this when you're a pro. Because you're jeopardizing not only you're own personal life (but) there are a lot of people within an entire company right now that is dependent on you and betting on you and investing in you. To put yourself in this position, not once but twice -- or more -- is disturbing to me. And I'm hoping that we find out it's not what we read and it's not what we think and perhaps we're all jumping to conclusions. But if that's not the case then I think Kurt Angle's got some soul searching to do and TNA has got some decisions to make. But clearly this is a very, very unfortunate situation."
If that sounds like lip service to you, that's because that's exactly what it is. Are we really supposed to believe that this latest arrest will result in TNA actually taking action and doing something about the still sad state of its heavyweight champion? No, because there's no way they take any substantial action against him. He's the torchbearer for the company right now and he will face absolutely zero consequence for this.
For his part, Angle is still maintaining his innocence and claiming he will fight the charges. Here's the statement he released:
"I did not believe my driving behavior was reckless or otherwise improper. I fully cooperated with the officer who clearly recognized me while performing his standard procedures. Subsequent to the stop, I was asked to submit to a breathalyzer test and passed. I do not believe that I broke any laws and will be entering a plea of not guilty in response to any pending charges. I was returning from an iMPACT Wrestling show in an unfamiliar place, late at night and was trying to find the exit for my hotel."
As stated previously, the charges are likely to be dropped and everything is headed for business as usual. Angle won't miss any shows and he won't be punished in any way, shape or form, despite this being his fourth arrest since joining TNA back in 2006.