Post by Evan Andrews on Oct 23, 2010 18:09:31 GMT -6
" Last week, following my hard fought victory at Collision over the NCW World Heavyweight Champion in a First Blood Match, I sat alone inside my locker room, and took stock of all the emotions that I was feeling in that moment.
I felt relieved about the fact that I was able to recover from the drubbing I received only a week before at the hands of Dave Holland; and that this loss hadn't left any permanent scars upon my psyche. I felt a sense of validation about the fact that I had just been able to gain some much needed revenge upon the form of Curtis Kanyon...And I certainly felt some measure of satisfaction about the fact that I caused him to gush blood from his forehead in the process.
Yet, as I sat on the bench in those moments, I came to realize that, deep down, I didn't really feel a real sense of happiness about what had just occurred.
I felt relief...
I felt validated...
And I felt satisfied...
But I didn't feel happiness...At least, not to the extent that I had expected to feel prior to the part of the match.
This came as something of a surprise to me, because I honestly expected to experience nothing less than the purest sense of joy about the fact that I had just defeated the current World Champion without controversy inside the ring.
I should have been utterly thrilled about this. I should have been ecstatic that I had proved myself to be a man of my word, and a man who was indeed capable of achieving any goal that he might set for himself.
I should have been happy...
But, instead, I couldn't help but feel a bit let down.
I must have spent a couple of hours in that locker room that night, trying without success to think of any possible reason to explain the way that I feeling at that point. So, I went home, and proceeded to spend the next couple of days pondering the question of why I wasn't as pleased as I should have been with the result of last Sunday's match.
Yet, try as I might, I just wasn't able to think of a single damned thing that might explain those thoughts and emotions that were running through my mind. ...
Until, earlier this week, the answer finally came to me following an extremely unexpected, and insightful conversation that I had with a couple of people that happen to know me very well..."
************************
Early Tuesday evening:
Evan Andrews sits on the plush black leather sofa that's situated inside one of the living rooms in the Kane mansion, and stares at the form of his lovely wife as she stands by the window and regards Brad and Megan Kane with a look of confusion on her face.
Natalie Snow: So...Let me get this straight, Brad...You and Megan have been together from the start? There...There aren't actually any ex-wives...!?
*Stares at Megan*
All...All of the children are yours!?
Megan Kane, as her eyes drop to the floor: Yeah...
Evan watches an expression of shock, and maybe a little bit of hurt, flicker across Natalie's face as she attempts to process this news.
Natalie: But, How did...Why...?
Brad Kane: The story about the ex-wives was just something that we created in order to give my career a boost, and to make it more likely for me to have a chance of succeeding.
Megan: And that's all I ever wanted for Brad. So, when he told me about what he had in mind, I was happy to go along. Hell, I even pitched in with ideas every now and then....
Brad: Eventually, the story took a life it its own...
Megan: It just snowballed, like these things tend to do.
Evan continues to remain silent, watching this scene play out before his eyes, while Natalie opens her mouth, and then thinks better of what she was about to say before she takes a deep breath and finally speaks once again.
Natalie: I...I see. So, if you don't mind me asking, why tell us now?
Megan: We...We told you because we decided we owe it to ourselves to tell the truth about this...
Brad: And because we definitely owe it to the two of you to tell the truth, as well.
Natalie: ...I...I just wish....*Stares at her husband* Do...Do you know what I'm trying to say, Evan?
Evan: Yeah...I certainly do, Nat...
Megan: We...We knew that this news would upset the two of you...
Brad: And...And we'll understand completely if...if you don't feel that you can be our friends...
Megan: Although we're hoping that you can find it in your hearts to understand why we felt we had to do this...
Brad: And maybe even forgive us for not being able to tell you this before now...
Megan, with a pleading expression on her face: Do you think that you might be able to do that, Natalie?
Natalie, closing her eyes and shivering involuntarily: I...I don't know...Ma-Maybe...I guess I'd have to talk it over with Evan, and hear what he'd have to say, though...
Evan watches Brad turn his attention toward him and regard him with a look that's just as abashed, and as urgent as the one that Megan Kane has fixed upon his wife.
Brad: Bro...What do you have to say about this...?
Evan thinks for a long moment about everything that Brad and Megan have said to him, before he lets out a long sigh and stares intently at the former World Champion.
Evan: All right...Let me ask you this, Brad...When you told me about your childhood...
Brad: I wasn't lying. All of that was real....
Evan: OK...
Evan remains silent for another long moment, as he considers the question of why every thought that was rushing through his mind last Sunday have suddenly flooded into his brain.
Brad: Evan...?
Evan: Well...
Before Andrews can say anything more, the cell phone in his jeans pocket begins to ring, eliciting groans of frustration from the two women, and a roll of the eyes from Brad. Shaking his head, Evan fishes out the phone, and feels his heart sink as he views the number on the call display.
Evan: I...I've gotta take this, guys...
Evan doesn't wait for the other people in the room to reply, but simply steps out into the hallway and presses talk before hissing a greeting to the electronically disguised voice that he knows is on the other end of the line.
Evan: You know...You pick the worst possible times to call.
Voice: My apologies, Evan. We can speak at another time...
Evan, letting out a sigh: No...No, we might as well get this over with. After all, the fact that you called must mean that you've given some level of thought to what I asked of you last week, doesn't it?
Voice: It...It does. As you recall, you said I shouldn't attempt to make any contact unless I was willing to reveal something of myself and of why your journey is of such importance to me.
And, after giving this some thought, I realize that you were well within your rights to make this demand of me.
Evan: Does that mean that you're going to tell me who you are?
Voice: Not quite yet...
Evan: Then this conversation is over...
Voice: Wait! I...I don't feel that it's fair to either of us for me to reveal my identity to you over the phone. Perhaps a meeting of a different sort is in order...
Evan: Oh, I would say so....
Voice: Allow me to review my schedule, and I'll contact you to make arrangements then. But before I do, I figure that I should tell you something about who I am...
I should tell you that if you were to search through your deepest hopes and fears about whom you might be speaking with at this moment, you would probably be correct...
Evan, after a long pause: I...I see...
Voice: And, I should probably also you make you aware that what I might reveal might cause the people who care for you most to look at you in an entirely different way...
Is that something you're prepared to deal with...?
Evan peers through the entrance at the sight of his wife and best friends, as they wait with uncertain expressions on their faces for his return. And in that moment, Evan breaks out into a slight smile...
For he knows what he's about to say to Brad and Megan upon his return.
Evan: Yeah...It is...'Cause my journey is also their journey, and their journey is mine as well...
Anyway, there's something that I need to say to them, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have finish this conversation.
With that, Evan disconnects the call, and returns to the living room, with that smile still on his face.
Brad: Well...?
Evan: Well, let's see...As I was going to say before I was interrupted, I've been kind of feeling as though I was suffering from a bit of a let down over the course of the past couple of days. I was wondering why I wasn't as pleased about I should have been about beating Kanyon last week...
But, after thinking about it, I've come to realize that the reason why I was feeling this way was because it seemed to mark the point of how far I could go in NCW on my own...
Brad, Megan, and Natalie all regard Evan with expressions of concern on their face, but their fears are alleviated by his next words.
Evan: But, everything that's taken place tonight has reminded me of how far I can go with the help of the other people that I care about, and who are important to me.
We can go a hell of a lot farther than I can go on my own, Brad...We can go anywhere we want....
Brad: Does...Does that mean we're cool?
Evan: Yeah...We're cool.
Evan smiles as he watches Brad sigh and then chuckle with relief, while Megan and Natalie squeal happily and hug one another with joy. Andrews takes in the scene for a moment, and then takes a seat while smiling in the direction his friend.
Evan: So...Having established that, Brad...Let's talk about how we far the two of us really can go as a team...
Brad smiles and nods, and with those words, the topic of discussion turns to the opponents that they'll be facing this week...
*****************************
"So, this week, Brad Kane and I are scheduled to team against Knightington in the web-cast portion of the Road to the Gold IV PPV, and it seems as though very few people are giving us any chance to win.
The people who are predicting that Adam Knite and Will Washington will defeat us without any difficulty point to Knite's World Championship reign, and to Washington's successful tag team run earlier in the year. These observers will happily point out that Knite and Washington have scored victory after victory as a tandem, and see no reason why we won't be added to that list in very short order...
These people are entitled to their opinion...But in return, I'm entitled to mine. And my opinion is that those who are picking against really don't have any idea of how effective Brad Kane and I have been, and can be, as a tag team unit.
The people who predicting our failure this week likely haven't seen the manner in which Kane and I were able to win the Tag team Titles in our previous place of employment. We faced three other well-regarded tandems one evening, and Brad and I used our speed, skill, and striking ability to dismantle each and every one of them before we climbed the ladder and claimed those championship belts for ourselves. Those observers might not have seen that match, but that doesn't mean that it didn't occur...And it sure as hell doesn't mean that we can't replicate the result in the very near future.
Perhaps those people aren't aware of the multiple battles that Brad and I have had in the past, which provided us with an acute understanding of the manner in which the other operates inside the ring. Perhaps they don't believe Brad when he alludes to the friendship...no, [b[brotherhood[/b]...that we've forged as a result of the battles that we've had against one another, and the battles that we've had against others.
Perhaps they haven't taken any of that into consideration. Perhaps they have no desire to do so, either.
But if Adam Knite and Will Washington make the same mistake as their supporters, and not take all of these factors into account, then they're going to find themselves for an extremely rude and painful awakening when they step inside the ring against Brad and I this Sunday.
And, make no mistake, when Brad and I are operating at our best, competing against us can be an extremely painful experience.
So, this Sunday, Adam and Will are about to be subjected to an incredible amount o pain; and the fact that, like Brad, I bear no ill will toward either of them doesn't alter that prediction in the slightest.
I don't have any dislike toward Adam and Will, to be honest. There's no bad blood between any of us at this moment. There may have been at some point in the past, when Adam was acting in a fashion that was just as arrogant as that of his "good friend" Steve Awesome, and when Will Washington was playing the role of Ugly American. But those days have passed, and our opponents have matured quite a bit. I give them full credit for that, and I'm pleased that there won't be any acrimony between us, regardless of what happens.
But even though it's not personal, there's still going to be a lot of punishment that's going to be inflicted upon them once all is aid and done. For, I really don't have any issue with beating the living daylights out of Knightington, and neither does Brad...
It's the best way that i can think of to begin the journey that we're about to take.
It's a very important journey, and whether people are willing to believe us or not, we're out to prove that we're in this journey for the long haul...
And to make certain that this journey is only ends with the Total Eclipse of the NCW Tag Team Division."[/color]
I felt relieved about the fact that I was able to recover from the drubbing I received only a week before at the hands of Dave Holland; and that this loss hadn't left any permanent scars upon my psyche. I felt a sense of validation about the fact that I had just been able to gain some much needed revenge upon the form of Curtis Kanyon...And I certainly felt some measure of satisfaction about the fact that I caused him to gush blood from his forehead in the process.
Yet, as I sat on the bench in those moments, I came to realize that, deep down, I didn't really feel a real sense of happiness about what had just occurred.
I felt relief...
I felt validated...
And I felt satisfied...
But I didn't feel happiness...At least, not to the extent that I had expected to feel prior to the part of the match.
This came as something of a surprise to me, because I honestly expected to experience nothing less than the purest sense of joy about the fact that I had just defeated the current World Champion without controversy inside the ring.
I should have been utterly thrilled about this. I should have been ecstatic that I had proved myself to be a man of my word, and a man who was indeed capable of achieving any goal that he might set for himself.
I should have been happy...
But, instead, I couldn't help but feel a bit let down.
I must have spent a couple of hours in that locker room that night, trying without success to think of any possible reason to explain the way that I feeling at that point. So, I went home, and proceeded to spend the next couple of days pondering the question of why I wasn't as pleased as I should have been with the result of last Sunday's match.
Yet, try as I might, I just wasn't able to think of a single damned thing that might explain those thoughts and emotions that were running through my mind. ...
Until, earlier this week, the answer finally came to me following an extremely unexpected, and insightful conversation that I had with a couple of people that happen to know me very well..."
************************
Early Tuesday evening:
Evan Andrews sits on the plush black leather sofa that's situated inside one of the living rooms in the Kane mansion, and stares at the form of his lovely wife as she stands by the window and regards Brad and Megan Kane with a look of confusion on her face.
Natalie Snow: So...Let me get this straight, Brad...You and Megan have been together from the start? There...There aren't actually any ex-wives...!?
*Stares at Megan*
All...All of the children are yours!?
Megan Kane, as her eyes drop to the floor: Yeah...
Evan watches an expression of shock, and maybe a little bit of hurt, flicker across Natalie's face as she attempts to process this news.
Natalie: But, How did...Why...?
Brad Kane: The story about the ex-wives was just something that we created in order to give my career a boost, and to make it more likely for me to have a chance of succeeding.
Megan: And that's all I ever wanted for Brad. So, when he told me about what he had in mind, I was happy to go along. Hell, I even pitched in with ideas every now and then....
Brad: Eventually, the story took a life it its own...
Megan: It just snowballed, like these things tend to do.
Evan continues to remain silent, watching this scene play out before his eyes, while Natalie opens her mouth, and then thinks better of what she was about to say before she takes a deep breath and finally speaks once again.
Natalie: I...I see. So, if you don't mind me asking, why tell us now?
Megan: We...We told you because we decided we owe it to ourselves to tell the truth about this...
Brad: And because we definitely owe it to the two of you to tell the truth, as well.
Natalie: ...I...I just wish....*Stares at her husband* Do...Do you know what I'm trying to say, Evan?
Evan: Yeah...I certainly do, Nat...
Megan: We...We knew that this news would upset the two of you...
Brad: And...And we'll understand completely if...if you don't feel that you can be our friends...
Megan: Although we're hoping that you can find it in your hearts to understand why we felt we had to do this...
Brad: And maybe even forgive us for not being able to tell you this before now...
Megan, with a pleading expression on her face: Do you think that you might be able to do that, Natalie?
Natalie, closing her eyes and shivering involuntarily: I...I don't know...Ma-Maybe...I guess I'd have to talk it over with Evan, and hear what he'd have to say, though...
Evan watches Brad turn his attention toward him and regard him with a look that's just as abashed, and as urgent as the one that Megan Kane has fixed upon his wife.
Brad: Bro...What do you have to say about this...?
Evan thinks for a long moment about everything that Brad and Megan have said to him, before he lets out a long sigh and stares intently at the former World Champion.
Evan: All right...Let me ask you this, Brad...When you told me about your childhood...
Brad: I wasn't lying. All of that was real....
Evan: OK...
Evan remains silent for another long moment, as he considers the question of why every thought that was rushing through his mind last Sunday have suddenly flooded into his brain.
Brad: Evan...?
Evan: Well...
Before Andrews can say anything more, the cell phone in his jeans pocket begins to ring, eliciting groans of frustration from the two women, and a roll of the eyes from Brad. Shaking his head, Evan fishes out the phone, and feels his heart sink as he views the number on the call display.
Evan: I...I've gotta take this, guys...
Evan doesn't wait for the other people in the room to reply, but simply steps out into the hallway and presses talk before hissing a greeting to the electronically disguised voice that he knows is on the other end of the line.
Evan: You know...You pick the worst possible times to call.
Voice: My apologies, Evan. We can speak at another time...
Evan, letting out a sigh: No...No, we might as well get this over with. After all, the fact that you called must mean that you've given some level of thought to what I asked of you last week, doesn't it?
Voice: It...It does. As you recall, you said I shouldn't attempt to make any contact unless I was willing to reveal something of myself and of why your journey is of such importance to me.
And, after giving this some thought, I realize that you were well within your rights to make this demand of me.
Evan: Does that mean that you're going to tell me who you are?
Voice: Not quite yet...
Evan: Then this conversation is over...
Voice: Wait! I...I don't feel that it's fair to either of us for me to reveal my identity to you over the phone. Perhaps a meeting of a different sort is in order...
Evan: Oh, I would say so....
Voice: Allow me to review my schedule, and I'll contact you to make arrangements then. But before I do, I figure that I should tell you something about who I am...
I should tell you that if you were to search through your deepest hopes and fears about whom you might be speaking with at this moment, you would probably be correct...
Evan, after a long pause: I...I see...
Voice: And, I should probably also you make you aware that what I might reveal might cause the people who care for you most to look at you in an entirely different way...
Is that something you're prepared to deal with...?
Evan peers through the entrance at the sight of his wife and best friends, as they wait with uncertain expressions on their faces for his return. And in that moment, Evan breaks out into a slight smile...
For he knows what he's about to say to Brad and Megan upon his return.
Evan: Yeah...It is...'Cause my journey is also their journey, and their journey is mine as well...
Anyway, there's something that I need to say to them, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have finish this conversation.
With that, Evan disconnects the call, and returns to the living room, with that smile still on his face.
Brad: Well...?
Evan: Well, let's see...As I was going to say before I was interrupted, I've been kind of feeling as though I was suffering from a bit of a let down over the course of the past couple of days. I was wondering why I wasn't as pleased about I should have been about beating Kanyon last week...
But, after thinking about it, I've come to realize that the reason why I was feeling this way was because it seemed to mark the point of how far I could go in NCW on my own...
Brad, Megan, and Natalie all regard Evan with expressions of concern on their face, but their fears are alleviated by his next words.
Evan: But, everything that's taken place tonight has reminded me of how far I can go with the help of the other people that I care about, and who are important to me.
We can go a hell of a lot farther than I can go on my own, Brad...We can go anywhere we want....
Brad: Does...Does that mean we're cool?
Evan: Yeah...We're cool.
Evan smiles as he watches Brad sigh and then chuckle with relief, while Megan and Natalie squeal happily and hug one another with joy. Andrews takes in the scene for a moment, and then takes a seat while smiling in the direction his friend.
Evan: So...Having established that, Brad...Let's talk about how we far the two of us really can go as a team...
Brad smiles and nods, and with those words, the topic of discussion turns to the opponents that they'll be facing this week...
*****************************
"So, this week, Brad Kane and I are scheduled to team against Knightington in the web-cast portion of the Road to the Gold IV PPV, and it seems as though very few people are giving us any chance to win.
The people who are predicting that Adam Knite and Will Washington will defeat us without any difficulty point to Knite's World Championship reign, and to Washington's successful tag team run earlier in the year. These observers will happily point out that Knite and Washington have scored victory after victory as a tandem, and see no reason why we won't be added to that list in very short order...
These people are entitled to their opinion...But in return, I'm entitled to mine. And my opinion is that those who are picking against really don't have any idea of how effective Brad Kane and I have been, and can be, as a tag team unit.
The people who predicting our failure this week likely haven't seen the manner in which Kane and I were able to win the Tag team Titles in our previous place of employment. We faced three other well-regarded tandems one evening, and Brad and I used our speed, skill, and striking ability to dismantle each and every one of them before we climbed the ladder and claimed those championship belts for ourselves. Those observers might not have seen that match, but that doesn't mean that it didn't occur...And it sure as hell doesn't mean that we can't replicate the result in the very near future.
Perhaps those people aren't aware of the multiple battles that Brad and I have had in the past, which provided us with an acute understanding of the manner in which the other operates inside the ring. Perhaps they don't believe Brad when he alludes to the friendship...no, [b[brotherhood[/b]...that we've forged as a result of the battles that we've had against one another, and the battles that we've had against others.
Perhaps they haven't taken any of that into consideration. Perhaps they have no desire to do so, either.
But if Adam Knite and Will Washington make the same mistake as their supporters, and not take all of these factors into account, then they're going to find themselves for an extremely rude and painful awakening when they step inside the ring against Brad and I this Sunday.
And, make no mistake, when Brad and I are operating at our best, competing against us can be an extremely painful experience.
So, this Sunday, Adam and Will are about to be subjected to an incredible amount o pain; and the fact that, like Brad, I bear no ill will toward either of them doesn't alter that prediction in the slightest.
I don't have any dislike toward Adam and Will, to be honest. There's no bad blood between any of us at this moment. There may have been at some point in the past, when Adam was acting in a fashion that was just as arrogant as that of his "good friend" Steve Awesome, and when Will Washington was playing the role of Ugly American. But those days have passed, and our opponents have matured quite a bit. I give them full credit for that, and I'm pleased that there won't be any acrimony between us, regardless of what happens.
But even though it's not personal, there's still going to be a lot of punishment that's going to be inflicted upon them once all is aid and done. For, I really don't have any issue with beating the living daylights out of Knightington, and neither does Brad...
It's the best way that i can think of to begin the journey that we're about to take.
It's a very important journey, and whether people are willing to believe us or not, we're out to prove that we're in this journey for the long haul...
And to make certain that this journey is only ends with the Total Eclipse of the NCW Tag Team Division."[/color]