Post by Nathan Webb on Jul 27, 2011 11:48:46 GMT -6
Sunday
After the match
To say I was furious wouldn’t begin to describe how I was feeling as I sat in the training room undergoing my staff ordered concussion test. My blood was boiling sitting there thinking about what had transpired just minutes ago. I had worked my ass off for this week with the hopes that I could brighten my star in the company only to be dragged down by Phreak gripping my pants leg.
There I was, within arm’s reach of breaking the pin Xander had, keeping the match alive at least for a little bit longer only to find myself sucker punched with a steel chair by Phreak. Not only that but I found myself on the ground further used as a human punching bag by Phreak with that same steel chair.
This was the second time in as many weeks that Phreak was having the last laugh at my expense. The first was his pushing me over the ring post after I had defeated him the previous week. Then of course what just happened minutes prior. This was slowly starting the trend of me becoming Phreak’s bitch; a trend I need to head off as soon as possible.
Sitting in that chair, my face in a towel, I wanted to think about how I was going to approach my new dilemma but the only thing I could play out in my head was replaying the that mental video of me being wailed upon by Phreak with that steel chair. The more I tried not to think of it the more I did and the more I did the more my temper built.
I don’t know how long it took but suddenly I felt myself snap, launching myself out of my chair and out of the training area.
‘WHERE’S PHREAK?” I said as loudly as I could as I stormed around the backstage area punching and kicking any inanimate objects as could along the way.
The trainer seeing me storm out unexpectedly was close behind me along the way. “Nathan, you need to get back here.”
“Not until I find that mother****er.” I said without looking behind me. “NOW WHERE ARE YOU PHREAK? I know you are around.”
I was kicking trash cans, tossing tables, and generally taking my aggression on any objects in my general vicinity as I walked with a purpose. I was in no mood to be treated, I just wanted to kick the person who put me in the position I was in now. The person who cost me a potential chance at a title, the person who put in in the training room for concussion tests and the person who had been getting the leg up on me. I had to find Phreak and I had to not only kick his bitch ass but put him in a place that made him want to die.
Suddenly I heard another voice coming from behind me. It was that of Wes Fox trying to get control of the situation that was yet another wrestler taking out his anger on the locker room area.
“Nathan...” He called out from behind me but which I ignored
“Nathan…” He called out again and again I ignored him.
“NATHAN…” He called out obviously angry that I wasn’t listening to him.
I took a pause. He was my boss and he wasn’t in the mood to be denied at this time. Spinning around I saw him making a bee line in my direction. I just stood there staring daggers into him as he approached stopping when he was three feet in front of me.
“Where’s Phreak?” I asked Wes hoping that he had the answer.
“He’s been gone. He left after he pulled that bull **** stunt of his.” Wes said just as aggressively asserting his dominance. “So let me ask you this, was what you just did necessary?”
Frankly I didn’t care but answered just to humor him. “So you wouldn’t be pissed if you were screwed? You wouldn’t tear a path trying to get to the punk that literally ****ed you over?”
“Of course I would be pissed but would I throw a tantrum like a five year old girl. Jesus Christ, you act like this was the only time you would get a title shot.” He said spewing his own furious venom. After taking another pause to stare me down he started again. “Yeah you got screwed in front of God and everyone for a chance at the title no less. But guess what take a ****ing number. How many of these wrestlers have been screwed out of a title or a title shot? Just about everyone with some sort of tenure here. If everyone here got a title shot cause they got screwed at some point then what’s the point of having champion …cause you know what everyone would be wearing a strap. So do us all a favor and calm the **** down.”
“Are you done yet?” I asked after a brief pause. Frankly I just wanted to get out of there. Not because I was scared, but because I really was in no mood to be talked down to whether it was for my own good or not; or whether he was right or wrong. The sooner I got out of there the better.
“No I am not done…YET.” Wes Fox said trying to further stick his point into me. “So because of what Phreak did you lost right? Well he only stopped you from breaking the pin that Xander had. Is that right?”
I nodded.
“Ok well than even if you broke up that pin how would you know if you would win? How would you know that you would be the one that would be going to Picture Perfect with a title shot? Hell it could have been Xander still or even Simon or Doctor Potter. Frankly you lost, just suck it up and move on.”
“Anything else?” I asked.
“No, I was going to let you know that I am still in a generous mood, tantrum and all. Yeah you may want a title, but guess what how does it feel to want? You may want the title shot but I am going to give you a shot at Phreak at Picture Perfect and because it is Christmas in July I will add that it will be a hardcore match. So you can take your aggressions out on Phreak in any manner that your imagination will allow. So without taking my kindness for weakness get your **** and get the **** out before I change my mind.”
With that said he left, I assuming he had more “pressing” matters to deal with and finally getting some space I went to the locker room grabbed my bags and left.
Monday, 0200
San Diego, CA
After getting off the plane and getting in my truck I don’t think I was as thankful ever to be at home as I was this morning. I was still riding an adrenaline high that I could not shake as I sat down in the driver’s seat throwing hammer fists at the steering wheel since there was nothing else that would be suitable to hit around me. I knew if I went home I couldn’t go to sleep. I needed something not only that would allow me to get my frustrations out but also give me the ability to come down from this high so that I could do something more productive. Something like sleep and focus myself on the match for this week. I would need all the concentration and focus I could muster. Not only was I facing Phreak once again but I was doing it in a hardcore match and I knew it wouldn’t be as easy as it was last time.
Starting up my car I knew there was only one place I could do both in. Even though it was two o’clock in the morning I made my way to Lou Kane’s place.
Driving there was quiet. I did everything I could to keep my thoughts at bay as not to remember what had transpired, I didn’t even turn on any music. I kept my focus by constantly having a cigarette in hand smoking throughout the entire drive there. It was a torturous drive there and when I finally pulled up I was actually happy for once to see those 250 steps leading up to the compound.
Getting out of the car I pulled out my cell phone and turned on the flashlight app as I made my way up the steps. There was more bounce than usual to each of my steps knowing that I was getting closer to taking out my aggression of something worthwhile and something I wouldn’t have another ass hole made for doing. I did regret though having smoked so many cigarettes on the way as I was coughing every so often but it did serve it purpose.
As I reached the top I made my way over to the ring in far corner of the compound and saw there were actually wooden pallets set up. Whether they were for my use or not or even if they were to be used at this time I really didn’t care. They were there and I have every intention of using them. Knocking over a stack with straight front kick I picked one that fell and tossed it into the ring.
Inside that ring I proceeded to take my aggression on that wooden pallet punching it kicking it, taking the pieces and breaking it across my knee doing whatever was necessary to break it into as many pieces as I possibly could. When that one was done I moved on to another one and then another one.
I think I had broken down five of those pallets when out of pure instinct I turned around to see Lou come at me with his kendo sword. At the last possible moment I ducked out of the way of his swing, then stepped to the side and counter attacked the a punch combo followed by a side kicked aimed at his head; all of which missed but got me a measure of distance between him and me and allowed me to get into a proper defensive posture.
After a brief stare down Lou put down his kendo sword, and allowed a small grin to come over his mouth. “You’re getting better at this?” he said with a measure of pride in his voice.
"Gotta’ do what I gotta’ do, plus that thing hurts like a son of a bitch.” I said keeping my posture knowing that Lou was prone to do anything.
Lou snickered as he looked me over top to bottom. “I figured you would be here as soon as you could but I had no idea you would come as soon as you got off the plane. I guess you are that pissed off.”
I looked down on my watch. It was already five o’clock. I didn’t realize time had flown by that much and I been focused on the pallets so much I had never bothered to notice that the sun was coming up. Thinking about this got me to notice my hands in front of my head, being that I was still in a defensive posture, which were busted open from just punching that wood. The blood was slowly trickling from my hands onto the ring mat below. I wasn’t in any pain which made the site that much more hypnotizing.
“So how do you feel?” Lou asked.
“I have been up almost twenty four hours and I am still wide awake.” I responded truthfully.
“Adrenaline will do that especially when anger is in the mix.” Lou responded still looking me dead in the face. “Well if you insist on being here and since you need to get that adrenaline fueled rage down than you need to do some steps.”
I proceeded to go toward the water buckets when I heard Lou’s voice call out from behind me. “Not this time.” I turned around to see him pointing to a heavy bag outside the ring. “Take this today so you have something to carry up and DOWN those steps.”
I nodded and ran back to collect the heavy bag. It weighed about eighty pounds and I flung it over my shoulder without care for the weight or the fact I had to go down and back up the steps with this thing weighing me down. I didn’t know why but the trip was fairly easy. The hard part was ensuring I kept my balance as I moved down the steps but if I could do that with buckets I could do it with a heavy bag. The trip up was harder but was something I was still able to do fairly easily with all things considered. If the bag was starting to hurt one shoulder I moved it to another. I didn’t think about what happened the night prior or even the match I had upcoming at the pay-per-view. The only thing I was thinking about was finishing the task at hand.
As I made it up the last steps I saw Lou there meeting me at the top. “Still hopped up on adrenaline?” He asked. I nodded truthfully and not because of some macho pride. “Then you can do it again.”
Most people would be upset by these words but I wasn’t. This very task was keeping my mind occupied which was something I desperately needed. I wasn’t feeling the same anger that I did when I was dissecting those pallets, I was feeling a quiet confidence that I was accomplishing the tasks that were set for me and doing it with very little hardship on my part.
Would I probably regret this later?
Absolutely, I knew I was going to be feeling sore later when I did go home coupled with the fact that I had been up for so long but at that moment I was moving full steam ahead without a worry.
I made the second trip down and up the steps again without stopping. While I did find it slightly harder the second time around it still didn’t bog me down and make me want to raise the white flag and I say I surrendered.
At the top of the steps Lou was there once again to meet me. “Now from what I can see I could make you do this a dozen times and you would still be able to do it without a peep from you. Am I correct to make that assumption?”
I nodded.
“Well this may sound strange coming from my mouth but I think this “training session” needs to be stopped for today; if for anything than for your health. Either way I want you to go home and go to sleep. You are going to feel as sore as hell tomorrow but I still want you here bright and early so we can focus on your match this week. Especially with it being a hardcore match and the type of match your opponent seems to excel in.”
I looked at him and nodded in compliance.
“Now with that said I want you to get yourself in the right mindset. You may be pissed off at what happened last night, and Lord knows I would be to, but you cannot and I repeat cannot go into your match angry this Sunday. Anger while good at times, and while it further fuels the fire of a fight can do just as much harm as it does good. If you go into your match angry you will only play into the hands of that psychopath Phreak and that is not a good place to be fighting from. You NEED to be who you are despite his actions over the past couple of weeks. You know you are not his bitch and you need to go in there refusing to think that way and make him believe you will not be a push over to him. The best way to do that is to find your own weapon. Yeah there will be weapons all under that ring but in the end the weapon you bring there will be yours and yours alone. Channel yourself through that weapon and make him believe you are the most deadliest person wielding that thing. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Yes sir.” I replied a little bummed that I couldn’t train longer to beat this adrenaline rush down but still understanding that this was still for the best.
“Go home and go to sleep and rest up, I have a busy day planned tomorrow. Before you go though I want to say this….despite what others may say about your performance I think you did great. I see the change in the person that I woke up with a cold shower two weeks ago to today. You keep up that same persistence and I know before long you will reach that peak you have been looking for.”
Taking his words to heart I half-heartedly waived and started making my decent down those steps. He was right that I couldn’t let Phreak dictate me. I was the “Cold Spider” after all and now what Phreak was trying to turn me into. This match was going to pivotal for not only the rivalry but my career as a whole. I had to show that no matter the circumstance that I could fight in any match on any given day and compete with the best of them. If I wanted another chance to prove that I could be a perennial favorite in any title picture than on Sunday night I had to be the “Cold Spider,” the calm, meticulous striker that I was and come out with a victory. Nothing short of a victory would be acceptable. I was never in the guarantee business but I knew that on Sunday nothing was going to stop me from having my hand raised in victory. I would be beat Phreak….I knew I would come out having his number in that ring.
After the match
To say I was furious wouldn’t begin to describe how I was feeling as I sat in the training room undergoing my staff ordered concussion test. My blood was boiling sitting there thinking about what had transpired just minutes ago. I had worked my ass off for this week with the hopes that I could brighten my star in the company only to be dragged down by Phreak gripping my pants leg.
There I was, within arm’s reach of breaking the pin Xander had, keeping the match alive at least for a little bit longer only to find myself sucker punched with a steel chair by Phreak. Not only that but I found myself on the ground further used as a human punching bag by Phreak with that same steel chair.
This was the second time in as many weeks that Phreak was having the last laugh at my expense. The first was his pushing me over the ring post after I had defeated him the previous week. Then of course what just happened minutes prior. This was slowly starting the trend of me becoming Phreak’s bitch; a trend I need to head off as soon as possible.
Sitting in that chair, my face in a towel, I wanted to think about how I was going to approach my new dilemma but the only thing I could play out in my head was replaying the that mental video of me being wailed upon by Phreak with that steel chair. The more I tried not to think of it the more I did and the more I did the more my temper built.
I don’t know how long it took but suddenly I felt myself snap, launching myself out of my chair and out of the training area.
‘WHERE’S PHREAK?” I said as loudly as I could as I stormed around the backstage area punching and kicking any inanimate objects as could along the way.
The trainer seeing me storm out unexpectedly was close behind me along the way. “Nathan, you need to get back here.”
“Not until I find that mother****er.” I said without looking behind me. “NOW WHERE ARE YOU PHREAK? I know you are around.”
I was kicking trash cans, tossing tables, and generally taking my aggression on any objects in my general vicinity as I walked with a purpose. I was in no mood to be treated, I just wanted to kick the person who put me in the position I was in now. The person who cost me a potential chance at a title, the person who put in in the training room for concussion tests and the person who had been getting the leg up on me. I had to find Phreak and I had to not only kick his bitch ass but put him in a place that made him want to die.
Suddenly I heard another voice coming from behind me. It was that of Wes Fox trying to get control of the situation that was yet another wrestler taking out his anger on the locker room area.
“Nathan...” He called out from behind me but which I ignored
“Nathan…” He called out again and again I ignored him.
“NATHAN…” He called out obviously angry that I wasn’t listening to him.
I took a pause. He was my boss and he wasn’t in the mood to be denied at this time. Spinning around I saw him making a bee line in my direction. I just stood there staring daggers into him as he approached stopping when he was three feet in front of me.
“Where’s Phreak?” I asked Wes hoping that he had the answer.
“He’s been gone. He left after he pulled that bull **** stunt of his.” Wes said just as aggressively asserting his dominance. “So let me ask you this, was what you just did necessary?”
Frankly I didn’t care but answered just to humor him. “So you wouldn’t be pissed if you were screwed? You wouldn’t tear a path trying to get to the punk that literally ****ed you over?”
“Of course I would be pissed but would I throw a tantrum like a five year old girl. Jesus Christ, you act like this was the only time you would get a title shot.” He said spewing his own furious venom. After taking another pause to stare me down he started again. “Yeah you got screwed in front of God and everyone for a chance at the title no less. But guess what take a ****ing number. How many of these wrestlers have been screwed out of a title or a title shot? Just about everyone with some sort of tenure here. If everyone here got a title shot cause they got screwed at some point then what’s the point of having champion …cause you know what everyone would be wearing a strap. So do us all a favor and calm the **** down.”
“Are you done yet?” I asked after a brief pause. Frankly I just wanted to get out of there. Not because I was scared, but because I really was in no mood to be talked down to whether it was for my own good or not; or whether he was right or wrong. The sooner I got out of there the better.
“No I am not done…YET.” Wes Fox said trying to further stick his point into me. “So because of what Phreak did you lost right? Well he only stopped you from breaking the pin that Xander had. Is that right?”
I nodded.
“Ok well than even if you broke up that pin how would you know if you would win? How would you know that you would be the one that would be going to Picture Perfect with a title shot? Hell it could have been Xander still or even Simon or Doctor Potter. Frankly you lost, just suck it up and move on.”
“Anything else?” I asked.
“No, I was going to let you know that I am still in a generous mood, tantrum and all. Yeah you may want a title, but guess what how does it feel to want? You may want the title shot but I am going to give you a shot at Phreak at Picture Perfect and because it is Christmas in July I will add that it will be a hardcore match. So you can take your aggressions out on Phreak in any manner that your imagination will allow. So without taking my kindness for weakness get your **** and get the **** out before I change my mind.”
With that said he left, I assuming he had more “pressing” matters to deal with and finally getting some space I went to the locker room grabbed my bags and left.
Monday, 0200
San Diego, CA
After getting off the plane and getting in my truck I don’t think I was as thankful ever to be at home as I was this morning. I was still riding an adrenaline high that I could not shake as I sat down in the driver’s seat throwing hammer fists at the steering wheel since there was nothing else that would be suitable to hit around me. I knew if I went home I couldn’t go to sleep. I needed something not only that would allow me to get my frustrations out but also give me the ability to come down from this high so that I could do something more productive. Something like sleep and focus myself on the match for this week. I would need all the concentration and focus I could muster. Not only was I facing Phreak once again but I was doing it in a hardcore match and I knew it wouldn’t be as easy as it was last time.
Starting up my car I knew there was only one place I could do both in. Even though it was two o’clock in the morning I made my way to Lou Kane’s place.
Driving there was quiet. I did everything I could to keep my thoughts at bay as not to remember what had transpired, I didn’t even turn on any music. I kept my focus by constantly having a cigarette in hand smoking throughout the entire drive there. It was a torturous drive there and when I finally pulled up I was actually happy for once to see those 250 steps leading up to the compound.
Getting out of the car I pulled out my cell phone and turned on the flashlight app as I made my way up the steps. There was more bounce than usual to each of my steps knowing that I was getting closer to taking out my aggression of something worthwhile and something I wouldn’t have another ass hole made for doing. I did regret though having smoked so many cigarettes on the way as I was coughing every so often but it did serve it purpose.
As I reached the top I made my way over to the ring in far corner of the compound and saw there were actually wooden pallets set up. Whether they were for my use or not or even if they were to be used at this time I really didn’t care. They were there and I have every intention of using them. Knocking over a stack with straight front kick I picked one that fell and tossed it into the ring.
Inside that ring I proceeded to take my aggression on that wooden pallet punching it kicking it, taking the pieces and breaking it across my knee doing whatever was necessary to break it into as many pieces as I possibly could. When that one was done I moved on to another one and then another one.
I think I had broken down five of those pallets when out of pure instinct I turned around to see Lou come at me with his kendo sword. At the last possible moment I ducked out of the way of his swing, then stepped to the side and counter attacked the a punch combo followed by a side kicked aimed at his head; all of which missed but got me a measure of distance between him and me and allowed me to get into a proper defensive posture.
After a brief stare down Lou put down his kendo sword, and allowed a small grin to come over his mouth. “You’re getting better at this?” he said with a measure of pride in his voice.
"Gotta’ do what I gotta’ do, plus that thing hurts like a son of a bitch.” I said keeping my posture knowing that Lou was prone to do anything.
Lou snickered as he looked me over top to bottom. “I figured you would be here as soon as you could but I had no idea you would come as soon as you got off the plane. I guess you are that pissed off.”
I looked down on my watch. It was already five o’clock. I didn’t realize time had flown by that much and I been focused on the pallets so much I had never bothered to notice that the sun was coming up. Thinking about this got me to notice my hands in front of my head, being that I was still in a defensive posture, which were busted open from just punching that wood. The blood was slowly trickling from my hands onto the ring mat below. I wasn’t in any pain which made the site that much more hypnotizing.
“So how do you feel?” Lou asked.
“I have been up almost twenty four hours and I am still wide awake.” I responded truthfully.
“Adrenaline will do that especially when anger is in the mix.” Lou responded still looking me dead in the face. “Well if you insist on being here and since you need to get that adrenaline fueled rage down than you need to do some steps.”
I proceeded to go toward the water buckets when I heard Lou’s voice call out from behind me. “Not this time.” I turned around to see him pointing to a heavy bag outside the ring. “Take this today so you have something to carry up and DOWN those steps.”
I nodded and ran back to collect the heavy bag. It weighed about eighty pounds and I flung it over my shoulder without care for the weight or the fact I had to go down and back up the steps with this thing weighing me down. I didn’t know why but the trip was fairly easy. The hard part was ensuring I kept my balance as I moved down the steps but if I could do that with buckets I could do it with a heavy bag. The trip up was harder but was something I was still able to do fairly easily with all things considered. If the bag was starting to hurt one shoulder I moved it to another. I didn’t think about what happened the night prior or even the match I had upcoming at the pay-per-view. The only thing I was thinking about was finishing the task at hand.
As I made it up the last steps I saw Lou there meeting me at the top. “Still hopped up on adrenaline?” He asked. I nodded truthfully and not because of some macho pride. “Then you can do it again.”
Most people would be upset by these words but I wasn’t. This very task was keeping my mind occupied which was something I desperately needed. I wasn’t feeling the same anger that I did when I was dissecting those pallets, I was feeling a quiet confidence that I was accomplishing the tasks that were set for me and doing it with very little hardship on my part.
Would I probably regret this later?
Absolutely, I knew I was going to be feeling sore later when I did go home coupled with the fact that I had been up for so long but at that moment I was moving full steam ahead without a worry.
I made the second trip down and up the steps again without stopping. While I did find it slightly harder the second time around it still didn’t bog me down and make me want to raise the white flag and I say I surrendered.
At the top of the steps Lou was there once again to meet me. “Now from what I can see I could make you do this a dozen times and you would still be able to do it without a peep from you. Am I correct to make that assumption?”
I nodded.
“Well this may sound strange coming from my mouth but I think this “training session” needs to be stopped for today; if for anything than for your health. Either way I want you to go home and go to sleep. You are going to feel as sore as hell tomorrow but I still want you here bright and early so we can focus on your match this week. Especially with it being a hardcore match and the type of match your opponent seems to excel in.”
I looked at him and nodded in compliance.
“Now with that said I want you to get yourself in the right mindset. You may be pissed off at what happened last night, and Lord knows I would be to, but you cannot and I repeat cannot go into your match angry this Sunday. Anger while good at times, and while it further fuels the fire of a fight can do just as much harm as it does good. If you go into your match angry you will only play into the hands of that psychopath Phreak and that is not a good place to be fighting from. You NEED to be who you are despite his actions over the past couple of weeks. You know you are not his bitch and you need to go in there refusing to think that way and make him believe you will not be a push over to him. The best way to do that is to find your own weapon. Yeah there will be weapons all under that ring but in the end the weapon you bring there will be yours and yours alone. Channel yourself through that weapon and make him believe you are the most deadliest person wielding that thing. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Yes sir.” I replied a little bummed that I couldn’t train longer to beat this adrenaline rush down but still understanding that this was still for the best.
“Go home and go to sleep and rest up, I have a busy day planned tomorrow. Before you go though I want to say this….despite what others may say about your performance I think you did great. I see the change in the person that I woke up with a cold shower two weeks ago to today. You keep up that same persistence and I know before long you will reach that peak you have been looking for.”
Taking his words to heart I half-heartedly waived and started making my decent down those steps. He was right that I couldn’t let Phreak dictate me. I was the “Cold Spider” after all and now what Phreak was trying to turn me into. This match was going to pivotal for not only the rivalry but my career as a whole. I had to show that no matter the circumstance that I could fight in any match on any given day and compete with the best of them. If I wanted another chance to prove that I could be a perennial favorite in any title picture than on Sunday night I had to be the “Cold Spider,” the calm, meticulous striker that I was and come out with a victory. Nothing short of a victory would be acceptable. I was never in the guarantee business but I knew that on Sunday nothing was going to stop me from having my hand raised in victory. I would be beat Phreak….I knew I would come out having his number in that ring.