Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2011 9:46:24 GMT -6
Roll up, roll up. Hear all about it!
For one night only, buy one, get another free.
Bravo Leonard, truly you pulled a fast one over me I will give you that. Finally you showed me your hand and boy it was a long time coming.
I knew I couldn’t keep pressing your buttons forever, hell the reason I have been rattling your cage is to wake you the hell up and see if there was any fight in the old bear yet. Well, it appears I got my answer even if you delivered it in the guise of a snake.
The only problem is that this little “ménage-a-trois” you’ve got booked for this weekend, it just isn’t going to be enough to get what you want.
I know that you want to see Alex Jones and Chris Gardner knock the crap out of me, hell I bet your even hedging a few prayers to the big guy that one of them puts me out of action for a little while or at the very least they deprive me of my championship so you can send me right back to the job squad where you think I belong for not “towing the company line”.
You see Leonard I remember the first day I sat in that fabled office of yours, you looked across that fine oak desk of yours and you just saw another piece of putty you could mould into the image you wanted, another Steve Awesome or another Falcon, a man who could put asses on seats and sell merchandise by the wagonload. You just saw another puppet you could control and make dance to your tune and now, now you’re starting to have second thoughts.
Now you’re finally waking up to the realisation that this whole “revolution” I talk about isn’t just a gimmick.
You see we both know how the wrestling business works, guys roll up out of the independent circuit into NCW and they are placed into a neat little package, stripped of any previous character and charisma and sent out onto the production line in the search for a Steve Awesome 2.0. That fabled corporate juggernaut who woos the hearts of women, steals the imaginations of young children and wins around the fabled 18-49 male demographic with that deviant rebellious side.
You saw that in me when the “Head of Talent Relations” Brent Sampson shoved my résumé under your nose. I had the “rebellious gimmick”, the good looks and the potential to be a real “man of the people”, a sure fire hit with the right build and a bit of luck but somewhere along the line, whether it was when you first fined me or last week you realised that I am not just playing the role you allocated me, everything I have been saying is for real.
You dreamt of another corporate ass kisser, that is what you signed up for, but instead you got a bug in the system.
I know that to get ahead in NCW Leonard I really ought to just get down on my hands and knees and pucker up like all the “greats” because we both know that is how Steve, Adam and Falcon got ahead in this business and it is exactly how guys like Rob, Jimmy and Todd keep getting their chances, regardless of whether they admit it but we both know that just isn’t going to happen. Whether we do this the easy way or the hard way is a redundant question at this point Leonard, because we both know that when push comes to shove one of us is going to end up taking one hell of a fall from our pedestal.
The only difference between you and me is what we have got to lose.
You have a multi-billion dollar business that roars across the world, you make more money in a day than some people make in a year and you have built a wrestling business from the ground up into a leviathan than no other company in this industry can match. You have a pick of the talent and you have poured your heart and soul into this corporate machine that does everything it can to make just a dollar more until your pool of revenue is bone dry.
I on the other hand have everything to lose. My dignity, my pride and my beliefs, none of which you can qualify fiscally but yet their worth is far greater than any bank account you or anybody in the employ of NCW owns. You will lose money, I will lose everything I have vowed to live by. The stakes are far greater for me than they are for you Leonard, but I bet everything I have that you probably think the same way and that is why you’re looking to get this mess cleaned up sooner, rather than later.
And this is how you plan on doing it, as always you’re looking for somebody else to do your dirt work and this time it just happens to be Alex and Chris you’ve sent to do it, let’s hope that for your sake Leonard these boys put my out of action for a long time because whether I leave Battle Grounds as NCW National Champion or not, as long as I can breathe I will not stop until I take out each and every one of the Board of Directors who approve the injustices of this company.
You might think I’m just a washed up rebel looking for a cause and I have spotted a profitable one in you Leonard, you’d be right to think it I know the type, they come riding on in here on their white horses preaching their gospel before sweeping up the rest of the roster until either their heads of turned by the money or they just run out of steam and fizzle into obscurity, but I am made of better stuff then them.
I came here with a purpose Leonard, it was one I had pinpointed some time ago and you can play as many numbers games as you like, in the end it won’t matter if you send two men or twenty, you will not stop what I set out to achieve.
Change.
Hannah leans over, dabbing away at Roberto’s face with a wet cloth as the National champion sits hunched over on a bench, his belt strewn across the wooden structure next to him. Hannah’s face is a picture of concentration as she carefully presses the material on Verona’s face around his left eye which took a hell of a swing from Joe Everyman a few minutes earlier. After a few more gentle touches Hannah stands up, placing the cloth to one side before admiring her handy work as Roberto looks up at her.
Roberto Verona : How do I look?
Hannah Reed : Like you’ve been elbowed in the eye, but you’ve looked a lot worse. The swelling should go down in a day or two, you’ll just have to endure the Quasimodo look for a little while.
Roberto Verona : The wounded warrior look never did me any harm in the past, you ladies love a weak and vulnerable gentleman.
Hannah smiles and shakes her head.
Hannah Reed : No comment.
Roberto Verona : Because I am right?
Hannah prepares to reply when suddenly the locker room door opens, Verona and Reed both turn around to see the smiling face of Venom standing in the threshold. The former Young Gun walks in and nods politely at Hannah.
Hannah Reed : I’ll leave you boys to it.
She smiles before walking over to the other side of the room where she pre-occupies herself with her a few papers from her briefcase as Venom walks over to Verona.
Roberto Verona : Long time no see, how hard did Everyman hit me?
Venom : It isn’t an illusion Roberto, I’m back.
Roberto Verona : I saw, good win out there old fella.
Venom laughs before sitting down beside Roberto.
Roberto Verona : So what brings you to my humble abode V?
Venom : I figured some congratulations were in order, what with you parading around with my belt and all.
Roberto Verona : I’m touched, but you’ll have to join the back of a line for a shot at me, I aren’t handing them out from a sense of charity.
Venom : I wouldn’t expect any less. Congratulations nonetheless, I knew you would get to this point although I must admit I didn’t expect it to be so soon. You’ve done well for yourself Roberto.
Roberto Verona : This is getting awfully touchy feely V, how about we just agree that you’re happy for me and leave it there?
Venom laughs and slaps Verona on the back.
Venom : Sounds good to me. I am sorry about the whole Young Guns thing, maybe I left the wrong guy in charge.
Roberto shrugs.
Roberto Verona : I think any stable containing Jimmy Zane is doomed to fail at some stage V. Don’t worry about it, I am better off without them, main event or no main event.
Venom : So we’re cool?
Roberto Verona : Yeah, we’re cool.
Venom picks himself up and turns to Verona.
Venom : See you around, champ.
Verona nods in approval as Venom turns and heads out of the door he entered through as Roberto and Hannah begin to pack up their things.
They say you can use statistics to prove anything.
Like how in eighteen weeks I have been pinned once.
Or how I managed to take the X-Championship and National Championship the first time I got a shot.
Even that I have walked into 6 pay-per-views and only walked out a loser once.
But in the end, as impressive as these are, they will mean nothing if I do not walk down to that ring on Sunday at Battle Grounds and successfully defend this belt against Alex Jones and Chris Gardner. Everything I have done in the weeks coming up to this event are meaningless if I cannot get the job done, you two know it, the fans know and more importantly I know it.
It doesn’t matter how many times I have managed to pave my way to the top by kicking the living daylights out of the men Leonard has fed to me, if I cannot get the job done this weekend all of it will have been for nothing. It is never the last match that truly counts, but the next and that is a philosophy that I have always stuck to. You pick yourself up, no matter what the result, learn whatever lessons you need to and then focus on the next challenge and this weekend that challenge is the two of you.
I am not going to lie to you both, I have my reservations about this weekend, like which one of you may be in Leonard’s back pocket? What happens if you pin each other and I lose my belt without ever really being defeated? Who might stick their noses into my business if things aren’t going “the way they should”?
Thankfully for me, it is a situation I thrive in.
The thrill of unpredictability excites me, so many things could go wrong this weekend but alternatively, as long as I perform to the best of my abilities I can walk out of Battle Grounds with the biggest set of plaudits I have ever received, eclipsing all my other achievements thus far in NCW. The potential for this match to make or break my career is overwhelming, but the pressure pushes me even further to ensure that I do not fail.
People keep asking me if I am nervous or fearful of a screw job and frankly, I am almost resided to the fact that somehow Leonard Fox is going to try and make sure I do not walk out of Battle Grounds as National Champion. I have accepted this as a likely possibility, but the fact is I can only do what I do best and that is go out there and react to whatever is thrown my way. Maybe one of you two are in Fox’s “special pay roll” and are out to make sure that I drop this belt, maybe somebody else will interfere who knows, but what I do know is that I will have to have this belt prized from my cold, dead hands before I give up being the National champion.
And I suspect that the two of you are more than willing to do that if the opportunity presents itself. There will be no goodwill gestures from any of us this weekend and that is exactly how it should be.
Listen, Alex you know that I respect you and nobody else is happier than I am to see that finally somebody else is getting pissed off with the status quo in NCW that we are forced down our throat every single week, but you and I both know that this weekend, respect will be thrown out of the window. I know that deep down, as much as you are humble about it, that defeat a few weeks ago at my hands stings. I know that really, as much as you realise I was the better man that night you are chomping the bit to get another shot at me to show the world that it was just a one off.
Not that it’s a bad thing, hell the self-loathing style of Todd Williams was nauseating to the extreme, I’d much rather you were determined to kick my ass and take back your belt than go off and cry in some motel room for a month. I am glad that you are raring to go and ready to take back this belt and end my reign prematurely, it is the exact kind of attitude I want in an opponent because it will make the challenge all the greater and the reward even sweeter.
Don’t get me wrong though Alex, I have absolutely no intentions of lying down and letting you take back this belt, I will beat the life out of you to ensure that doesn’t happen and I will do it without any remorse, because that is exactly what I expect in return. I know you’re going to bring it this weekend Alex, I know you’re going to wrap all of that frustration up into a ball and you’re going to go out there and give me and Chris hell until you’re National champion or crippled, it is how you do business and it is why I respect you, but you need to know that in the end, that may not be enough.
I don’t need to beat you Alex, I just need to beat one of you. Maybe it’ll be you, but then maybe it’ll be Chris? This is a whole different ball game to our last bout, it will be about being in the right place at the right time and taking advantage of other people’s offence. It is going to be one hell of a brawl, but ultimately it will be a test of mind over matter out there because brute strength alone will not be enough to pick up a victory as much as it can be in a singles contest.
The question is Alex that do you have what it takes mentally to pull something out of the bag on Sunday, because we both know the ability is there, but is the guile?
As for you Chris, in all honesty you’re the member of this little three way that I have the greatest reservations about. No, it isn’t because the one time we have faced each other you walked out the winner, it is a different ball game now. The reason I have my reservations is I don’t know what your angle is going into this match. I know Alex is out to piss Leonard Fox off and force his way into the main event to take out whoever the World champion is after Sunday, but you… your motives are a little less clear.
Don’t mistake this for some sort of fear Chris, because it is nothing of the sort, I am confident that I can beat you as much as I am sure I can beat Alex Jones, I am merely more wary of your involvement this Sunday than I am of Alex’s.
Granted you could merely be taking the opportunity afforded to you, I mean a shot at the National title is hardly a career disaster but I can’t help but think there is more to you being involved in this match than simply having been on a little run of late. Hey maybe I am wrong, I'm always happy to admit it when I am regardless of what the cerebral failures in this federation keep dragging out every week about me but I can’t help but get the feeling you’re the wild card in this little fixture of ours.
Either way, conspiracy or not, this weekend I plan on making another statement with the two of you and I have absolutely no intention of losing this belt, you’re going to have to bring everything you’ve got this week, but just be aware that even then, that just might not be enough.
Viva La Révolution.
For one night only, buy one, get another free.
Bravo Leonard, truly you pulled a fast one over me I will give you that. Finally you showed me your hand and boy it was a long time coming.
I knew I couldn’t keep pressing your buttons forever, hell the reason I have been rattling your cage is to wake you the hell up and see if there was any fight in the old bear yet. Well, it appears I got my answer even if you delivered it in the guise of a snake.
The only problem is that this little “ménage-a-trois” you’ve got booked for this weekend, it just isn’t going to be enough to get what you want.
I know that you want to see Alex Jones and Chris Gardner knock the crap out of me, hell I bet your even hedging a few prayers to the big guy that one of them puts me out of action for a little while or at the very least they deprive me of my championship so you can send me right back to the job squad where you think I belong for not “towing the company line”.
You see Leonard I remember the first day I sat in that fabled office of yours, you looked across that fine oak desk of yours and you just saw another piece of putty you could mould into the image you wanted, another Steve Awesome or another Falcon, a man who could put asses on seats and sell merchandise by the wagonload. You just saw another puppet you could control and make dance to your tune and now, now you’re starting to have second thoughts.
Now you’re finally waking up to the realisation that this whole “revolution” I talk about isn’t just a gimmick.
You see we both know how the wrestling business works, guys roll up out of the independent circuit into NCW and they are placed into a neat little package, stripped of any previous character and charisma and sent out onto the production line in the search for a Steve Awesome 2.0. That fabled corporate juggernaut who woos the hearts of women, steals the imaginations of young children and wins around the fabled 18-49 male demographic with that deviant rebellious side.
You saw that in me when the “Head of Talent Relations” Brent Sampson shoved my résumé under your nose. I had the “rebellious gimmick”, the good looks and the potential to be a real “man of the people”, a sure fire hit with the right build and a bit of luck but somewhere along the line, whether it was when you first fined me or last week you realised that I am not just playing the role you allocated me, everything I have been saying is for real.
You dreamt of another corporate ass kisser, that is what you signed up for, but instead you got a bug in the system.
I know that to get ahead in NCW Leonard I really ought to just get down on my hands and knees and pucker up like all the “greats” because we both know that is how Steve, Adam and Falcon got ahead in this business and it is exactly how guys like Rob, Jimmy and Todd keep getting their chances, regardless of whether they admit it but we both know that just isn’t going to happen. Whether we do this the easy way or the hard way is a redundant question at this point Leonard, because we both know that when push comes to shove one of us is going to end up taking one hell of a fall from our pedestal.
The only difference between you and me is what we have got to lose.
You have a multi-billion dollar business that roars across the world, you make more money in a day than some people make in a year and you have built a wrestling business from the ground up into a leviathan than no other company in this industry can match. You have a pick of the talent and you have poured your heart and soul into this corporate machine that does everything it can to make just a dollar more until your pool of revenue is bone dry.
I on the other hand have everything to lose. My dignity, my pride and my beliefs, none of which you can qualify fiscally but yet their worth is far greater than any bank account you or anybody in the employ of NCW owns. You will lose money, I will lose everything I have vowed to live by. The stakes are far greater for me than they are for you Leonard, but I bet everything I have that you probably think the same way and that is why you’re looking to get this mess cleaned up sooner, rather than later.
And this is how you plan on doing it, as always you’re looking for somebody else to do your dirt work and this time it just happens to be Alex and Chris you’ve sent to do it, let’s hope that for your sake Leonard these boys put my out of action for a long time because whether I leave Battle Grounds as NCW National Champion or not, as long as I can breathe I will not stop until I take out each and every one of the Board of Directors who approve the injustices of this company.
You might think I’m just a washed up rebel looking for a cause and I have spotted a profitable one in you Leonard, you’d be right to think it I know the type, they come riding on in here on their white horses preaching their gospel before sweeping up the rest of the roster until either their heads of turned by the money or they just run out of steam and fizzle into obscurity, but I am made of better stuff then them.
I came here with a purpose Leonard, it was one I had pinpointed some time ago and you can play as many numbers games as you like, in the end it won’t matter if you send two men or twenty, you will not stop what I set out to achieve.
Change.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hannah leans over, dabbing away at Roberto’s face with a wet cloth as the National champion sits hunched over on a bench, his belt strewn across the wooden structure next to him. Hannah’s face is a picture of concentration as she carefully presses the material on Verona’s face around his left eye which took a hell of a swing from Joe Everyman a few minutes earlier. After a few more gentle touches Hannah stands up, placing the cloth to one side before admiring her handy work as Roberto looks up at her.
Roberto Verona : How do I look?
Hannah Reed : Like you’ve been elbowed in the eye, but you’ve looked a lot worse. The swelling should go down in a day or two, you’ll just have to endure the Quasimodo look for a little while.
Roberto Verona : The wounded warrior look never did me any harm in the past, you ladies love a weak and vulnerable gentleman.
Hannah smiles and shakes her head.
Hannah Reed : No comment.
Roberto Verona : Because I am right?
Hannah prepares to reply when suddenly the locker room door opens, Verona and Reed both turn around to see the smiling face of Venom standing in the threshold. The former Young Gun walks in and nods politely at Hannah.
Hannah Reed : I’ll leave you boys to it.
She smiles before walking over to the other side of the room where she pre-occupies herself with her a few papers from her briefcase as Venom walks over to Verona.
Roberto Verona : Long time no see, how hard did Everyman hit me?
Venom : It isn’t an illusion Roberto, I’m back.
Roberto Verona : I saw, good win out there old fella.
Venom laughs before sitting down beside Roberto.
Roberto Verona : So what brings you to my humble abode V?
Venom : I figured some congratulations were in order, what with you parading around with my belt and all.
Roberto Verona : I’m touched, but you’ll have to join the back of a line for a shot at me, I aren’t handing them out from a sense of charity.
Venom : I wouldn’t expect any less. Congratulations nonetheless, I knew you would get to this point although I must admit I didn’t expect it to be so soon. You’ve done well for yourself Roberto.
Roberto Verona : This is getting awfully touchy feely V, how about we just agree that you’re happy for me and leave it there?
Venom laughs and slaps Verona on the back.
Venom : Sounds good to me. I am sorry about the whole Young Guns thing, maybe I left the wrong guy in charge.
Roberto shrugs.
Roberto Verona : I think any stable containing Jimmy Zane is doomed to fail at some stage V. Don’t worry about it, I am better off without them, main event or no main event.
Venom : So we’re cool?
Roberto Verona : Yeah, we’re cool.
Venom picks himself up and turns to Verona.
Venom : See you around, champ.
Verona nods in approval as Venom turns and heads out of the door he entered through as Roberto and Hannah begin to pack up their things.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
They say you can use statistics to prove anything.
Like how in eighteen weeks I have been pinned once.
Or how I managed to take the X-Championship and National Championship the first time I got a shot.
Even that I have walked into 6 pay-per-views and only walked out a loser once.
But in the end, as impressive as these are, they will mean nothing if I do not walk down to that ring on Sunday at Battle Grounds and successfully defend this belt against Alex Jones and Chris Gardner. Everything I have done in the weeks coming up to this event are meaningless if I cannot get the job done, you two know it, the fans know and more importantly I know it.
It doesn’t matter how many times I have managed to pave my way to the top by kicking the living daylights out of the men Leonard has fed to me, if I cannot get the job done this weekend all of it will have been for nothing. It is never the last match that truly counts, but the next and that is a philosophy that I have always stuck to. You pick yourself up, no matter what the result, learn whatever lessons you need to and then focus on the next challenge and this weekend that challenge is the two of you.
I am not going to lie to you both, I have my reservations about this weekend, like which one of you may be in Leonard’s back pocket? What happens if you pin each other and I lose my belt without ever really being defeated? Who might stick their noses into my business if things aren’t going “the way they should”?
Thankfully for me, it is a situation I thrive in.
The thrill of unpredictability excites me, so many things could go wrong this weekend but alternatively, as long as I perform to the best of my abilities I can walk out of Battle Grounds with the biggest set of plaudits I have ever received, eclipsing all my other achievements thus far in NCW. The potential for this match to make or break my career is overwhelming, but the pressure pushes me even further to ensure that I do not fail.
People keep asking me if I am nervous or fearful of a screw job and frankly, I am almost resided to the fact that somehow Leonard Fox is going to try and make sure I do not walk out of Battle Grounds as National Champion. I have accepted this as a likely possibility, but the fact is I can only do what I do best and that is go out there and react to whatever is thrown my way. Maybe one of you two are in Fox’s “special pay roll” and are out to make sure that I drop this belt, maybe somebody else will interfere who knows, but what I do know is that I will have to have this belt prized from my cold, dead hands before I give up being the National champion.
And I suspect that the two of you are more than willing to do that if the opportunity presents itself. There will be no goodwill gestures from any of us this weekend and that is exactly how it should be.
Listen, Alex you know that I respect you and nobody else is happier than I am to see that finally somebody else is getting pissed off with the status quo in NCW that we are forced down our throat every single week, but you and I both know that this weekend, respect will be thrown out of the window. I know that deep down, as much as you are humble about it, that defeat a few weeks ago at my hands stings. I know that really, as much as you realise I was the better man that night you are chomping the bit to get another shot at me to show the world that it was just a one off.
Not that it’s a bad thing, hell the self-loathing style of Todd Williams was nauseating to the extreme, I’d much rather you were determined to kick my ass and take back your belt than go off and cry in some motel room for a month. I am glad that you are raring to go and ready to take back this belt and end my reign prematurely, it is the exact kind of attitude I want in an opponent because it will make the challenge all the greater and the reward even sweeter.
Don’t get me wrong though Alex, I have absolutely no intentions of lying down and letting you take back this belt, I will beat the life out of you to ensure that doesn’t happen and I will do it without any remorse, because that is exactly what I expect in return. I know you’re going to bring it this weekend Alex, I know you’re going to wrap all of that frustration up into a ball and you’re going to go out there and give me and Chris hell until you’re National champion or crippled, it is how you do business and it is why I respect you, but you need to know that in the end, that may not be enough.
I don’t need to beat you Alex, I just need to beat one of you. Maybe it’ll be you, but then maybe it’ll be Chris? This is a whole different ball game to our last bout, it will be about being in the right place at the right time and taking advantage of other people’s offence. It is going to be one hell of a brawl, but ultimately it will be a test of mind over matter out there because brute strength alone will not be enough to pick up a victory as much as it can be in a singles contest.
The question is Alex that do you have what it takes mentally to pull something out of the bag on Sunday, because we both know the ability is there, but is the guile?
As for you Chris, in all honesty you’re the member of this little three way that I have the greatest reservations about. No, it isn’t because the one time we have faced each other you walked out the winner, it is a different ball game now. The reason I have my reservations is I don’t know what your angle is going into this match. I know Alex is out to piss Leonard Fox off and force his way into the main event to take out whoever the World champion is after Sunday, but you… your motives are a little less clear.
Don’t mistake this for some sort of fear Chris, because it is nothing of the sort, I am confident that I can beat you as much as I am sure I can beat Alex Jones, I am merely more wary of your involvement this Sunday than I am of Alex’s.
Granted you could merely be taking the opportunity afforded to you, I mean a shot at the National title is hardly a career disaster but I can’t help but think there is more to you being involved in this match than simply having been on a little run of late. Hey maybe I am wrong, I'm always happy to admit it when I am regardless of what the cerebral failures in this federation keep dragging out every week about me but I can’t help but get the feeling you’re the wild card in this little fixture of ours.
Either way, conspiracy or not, this weekend I plan on making another statement with the two of you and I have absolutely no intention of losing this belt, you’re going to have to bring everything you’ve got this week, but just be aware that even then, that just might not be enough.
Viva La Révolution.