Post by adm on Aug 31, 2009 13:07:42 GMT -6
Legend?
Last night, Diamond intervened and Burns still walks, but that does not bother me, it concerns me not now that I KNOW Angel will take care of it at Battlegrounds. But no…this week, I bring myself one step closer to being the Road to the Gold winner, by beating the VERY FIRST Road to the Gold winner, Lance Ryan. First World Champion, two-time World Champion, Hall of Fame inductee. Lance Ryan, he’s a legend, unstoppable, right?
“Wrong.”
I stand from out of my seat at a local park; it is nice weather today, a great late-summer afternoon. Technically, since nothing happened truly last night as far as a “match” goes, I had the week off. So I’m well-rested, while Lance had Joe interfere and cost him a match, causing a no-contest. But here I am, in the sun, dressed for summer, and not in my normal business-looking attire.
“Now, Lance, I know you probably are looking at the notification you got and are like “Who is this Kristoff Liam Bates?” Well, do your research and you’ll see that my actions will speak louder than any introduction I could possibly give. I recently was the #1 contender to the World Title, and though I came up short, I gained RESPECT from a man who many can’t even get to look their way. That single accomplishment, atop the fact that only four men have beaten me in five singles contests since I debuted in January, that you have quite a mountain to climb, though I look as unassuming as I do.”
Indeed, I may not be the most bulky or big man in the federation, but nCw knows me well. Though they do not FEAR me, they know that I am not a pushover.
“You see, people thought I was a pushover before. People like Spike Kane, people like Angel. I haven’t always beaten my competition, I’ve lost quite a few matches singles and tag in my career, but I have always bounced back. I’ve earned my place, I’ve worked hard to get where I am. Though I’ve only held one title, I’m well on my way to being the rookie of 2009. I look forward to Road to the Gold, and toward becoming World Champion. I look forward to a lot of things, what do YOU look FORWARD to?”
Of course, Lance, most of your accomplishments are in the distant past. I mean, you’ve only been gone for most of 2009, right? And your return, so far, not as spectacular as you’d think a “legend” would have.
“You see, Lance, I respect what you’ve DONE, but as far as who you are. I have yet to respect you. I recall an episode last year, where you supposedly faked your grandfather’s death or something like that to get out of action for a month or so, then you come back to form the Revolution before disappearing again. Yes, Lance, you’ve had quite a storied career of turns, to and against, the fans. See, I never truly TURNED on the fans, they just slowly learned to love me, as I grew as a man and a wrestler. You’re just a man, though, Lance. Just like me, just a MAN. Not God, not LEGENDARY, you just have a long storied career where your legacy has preceded you. I “know” what to expect of you, so to speak.”
And trust me, Lance, lately that’s not a lot.
“You recently beat Rob Diamond; you were screwed last week by Joe Everyman when you faced Falcon. You lost to The Ace and Hammond. Three matches, with such a long career such a half-great return puts you on the same level as others like you.”
JFK, Dark Prophet, Spike Kane…Brad Kane. Any of these names ring any bells, Lance?
“Lance, what is it with you and your colleagues coming back? What is with your lack of success combined? Brad Kane got decimated by a few people; won a few matches, and then gets destroyed by his own brother. Dark Prophet gets thrust into the #1 contendership and loses, along with devastating losses to men like Ace and Spike. Spike lost many to Falcon before joining him and then losing a shot at the National Title. JFK…well let’s leave his lackluster experience out of it. You see, all these “Veterans” or “Legends” seem to be lacking one thing, Lance, ability to back up what they SAY. Actions, speak louder than words. You have said so many things you cannot back up, how you have more fire now than ever. How you’re READY to be back. What I’ve seen, of you and the other returning veterans, is the opposite.”
The fall from grace is the last thing you feel before you hit the bottom, Lance.
“Indeed it’s not like you can come at me and say anything new, no. You don’t KNOW me, not really. You’ll probably say how I’m inexperienced; how it’ll help you win. Look at my match against Adam and you’ll see what little inexperience I HAD…one match, all it took, to get the last of my rookie mistakes out. Now all my mistakes are HUMAN. Just like all of yours are HUMAN. You are so far from a legend, Lance. Hall of Fame, that means nothing. Awards in your past mean nothing. Two-Time and Longest-Reigning World Champion…”
Though of course when Battlegrounds hits, even if Adam Loses, he ties your length of holding. Your stature, due to the pass of time, is eroding away and making way for the next generation.
“Nothing seems to really MATTER from a year ago, Lance. Just like when I told Spike his prior history meant nothing, and it doesn’t. What have you done lately, Lance? What have you done…oh I am SO SORRY, you have done NOTHING lately. You left the business, or you went to other federations and in nCw all it amounts to is…NOTHING. Think I’m being mean; think I’m being “unsportsmanlike” or “an asshole”? I’m only speaking the TRUTH, Lance. You haven’t done a whole lot of WINNING since you got back, and the one you did beat…well…we’ve all beaten Rob at one point or another. It doesn’t IMPRESS me. And all the words you’ll say, all the things you’ll speak, most of them are promises of victory, promises of success, and promises you’ve come back better like all the others. But like them, you’re failing to DELIVER. I promise you NOTHING but a good match. NO MORE…NO LESS.”
Because unlike you, Lance, I don’t make many promises I can’t keep. I don’t build false expectations anymore. Not since I lost to Adam…not since I promised to DETHRONE him. You do your best; you let your actions speak for you. As for me, I’m just giving you a lesson in my thoughts on your return. Thoughts on your character, your merit. When you realize, looking at my history, that I’m literally new to wrestling you’ll get a chuckle and think I’m easy. Talk to Adam, talk to Angel…they will tell you the opposite. They will tell you I am more than the AVERAGE rookie. I am Kristoff Liam Bates. I don’t promise victory over you Lance, just that I will let you know you are no LEGEND. You are only HUMAN, Lance, ONLY HUMAN!