Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2011 16:31:52 GMT -6
Egotist.
Fake.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Fraud.
Self-Obssessed.
Just a number of character traits attributed to my name, but the only one that really matter is this.
Champion.
People have run their mouths about me since day one, from Rob Diamond to Demetrious Young. So many have jumped to assumptions and labelled me with whatever witty little bit of verbal wordplay has strolled aimlessly through their empty minds, yet none of them have ever really been able to pinpoint exactly who I am. Whether you love me, hate me or simply tolerate me out of respect the simple fact is that none of you know who I really am.
I’m not a Rob Diamond, hiding my insecurities behind cocky masculine bravado. I’m not a Todd Williams, hiding my crushing emotional pitfalls behinds flamboyant charades. I’m not a Jonas Potter, looking to inflict pain in a controlled environment to erase the tortured memories that erode the very core of my soul.
I’m perhaps the least complex member of the roster, yet I seem to have this aura around me when it comes to my opponents. Despite trying their best to pinpoint what I am, none of them ever seem to get it right, always over-evaluating every little element of my personality in a vain attempt to either get under my skin or “reveal” some kind of dark secret.
But I don’t hide behind a mask, paint my face or plaster it with make-up. I’m far more open and easy to read than perhaps people are willing to accept, always searching for some kind of riddle which isn’t there.
I do not blow my own trumpet or stroke my own ego when I state that out of everybody, I am the most honest man here. I do not deny the claims that I play mind games, on the contrary I am quite open about it, but when I make a statement I do so without an agenda. When I say that I think Leonard Fox is the biggest roadblock to NCW’s potential growth and its ability to better serve its customers I mean it. There is no hidden message, no shrouded buzzword designed to ignite certain emotions or manufacture support on a false basis.
People are too quick to assume that so much of what exits my mouth is either a lie or some sort of paranoid delusion, Chris Gardner recently fell into the same pitfall so many have done before him. Because I talk about how badly this organisation is run everyone is far too eager to assume that I am bred from the same ilk of people who swear that 9/11 was an inside job or the CIA arranged for J.F.K. to be assassinated and tread over the point entirely. It is very lazy and smacks of delusion on their part, more than happy to keep burying their heads in the sand and worshipping at the altar of Leonard Fox and the Board of Directors.
Do I genuinely believe that every single thing Leonard does is wrong and must be opposed? No, that is some sort of fallacy born from ignorance but just because I am vocal about calling him on his bull**** doesn’t necessarily make me a crackpot either, contrary to popular belief. Leonard built this business from the ground up, when he started out he had the right intentions and he geared this product towards the people that truly mattered, the fans. Since 2007 however, he has lost his way and sold his soul for the almighty dollar like so many great men before him, obsessing himself with the business of figures and income streams, surrounding himself with yes men too keen to toe the line.
He has taken the road paved with gold but failed to take a moment to turn back and see who he left behind and take a moment to consider who constructed it to pursue its riches. That is why I talk so passionately about change and that is why I speak out against the injustices this company partakes in, not because I am some bitter revolutionary without a fragile hegemony in search for a Bastille to storm.
I do not deny that I am brash and cocky or arrogant and egocentric, as a matter of fact I’m quite happy to admit that, to some, I may come across as complete asshole. I don’t get hung up on denying it or attempting to explain it away as simply the truth in some sort of self-masturbatory indulgence. I am forthright and blunt when it comes to calling people on their crap and I make no apologies for it, some people will be rubbed up the wrong way and others will be mystified by it, that is just the way it goes.
What I do mind, however, is people making assumptions about my motives and my background in the business. People seem too happy to conclude that my “mission” is just a gimmick, constructed to give myself an edge in a business that embraces rebels without ever really making an effort to delve into my past. I witnessed injustice day in, day out and it drove me to stand up and start making a difference to ensure that they would never be repeated, it is why I became a bounty hunter in the first place. When I realised this avenue was spent, I pursued a career in wrestling, a sport I competed in during my youth, I could have easily being doing the same in “soccer” or basketball had my talents leaned towards a career in any other sports.
I earned my spurs just like everybody else, for several years I bled in sports halls in front of inbred halfwits, shattered my bones in the pursuit of glory and watched other men become broken by the business that had once sustained them, all so that one day I could take my place on the grandest stage of all in New Championship Wrestling. From the moment I re-entered this world I was determined to be a NCW “star” so that I could make a difference on a stage grand enough to reach many more people than the independent circuit could ever afford me.
But all of this is either here, nor there.
I am Roberto Verona and I am the NCW National Champion and ultimately, that is all that matters.
A warm fire gently crackles, spitting embers to and fro as the room is filled with a soothing orange glow. The sky outside is dark, but the landscape is littered with small lights as Washington DC prepares for the final night’s rest before NCW Battlegrounds. Roberto sits in a large chair, slumping into it with a book grasped in one hand and a glass of wine in another as he takes a sip before placing it on a small table beside him. Suddenly Hannah emerges from another room, a nervous look on her face as she slowly approaches Roberto.
Hannah Reed : Roberto, I need to talk to you.
Roberto suddenly freezes up, a chill running down his spine.
Roberto Verona : You’re not pregnant are you?
Hannah Reed : No…wait, what? Why would you care, we haven’t had sex?
Roberto Verona : Perhaps, but it is a scientific fact that pregnant women are eating for two and I just can’t justify an increase in your chocolate budget.
Hannah Reed : You’re a dick.
Roberto grins sardonically.
Roberto Verona : The good old Reed seduction technique is back I see. What did you want to talk about?
Hannah Reed : I’m not sure I want to now.
Roberto Verona : Oh give over you drama queen, what did you want?
Hannah slowly paces forward before sitting down opposite Roberto.
Hannah Reed : I wanted to talk about your match this weekend, I’m a little worried.
Roberto rolls his eyes and sighs, placing his book down and sitting upright.
Roberto Verona : Why are you worried? Please don’t tell me it is because I might get hurt because you were happily mocking me whilst patching me up on Monday.
Hannah Reed : No, you deserve to be in pain for what you put me through some times. No, I am just worried that Mr Fox may use Battlegrounds to make an example of you.
Roberto Verona : He probably will, but what makes you so sure?
Hannah Reed : I’ve heard how they talk about you Roberto. When you got fined I could hear what they said whilst I waited outside the board room…
Roberto Verona : So they called me a few names…
Hannah Reed : It was more than name calling Roberto! They were very adamant that Mr Fox make an example of you, but he was positive that he could appease you by making a few token concessions. Now I don’t think he will be…
Roberto Verona : Look Hannah, I know Leonard…sorry, “Mr Fox”, is looking to screw me over and Lord knows I expect him to try something this weekend but I am prepared for that eventuality. Why do you think I have you at ringside? It isn’t just to entertain the perverts, I have you there to keep an eye out for any sort of…foul play. Who knows, maybe he’ll keep his cards close to his chest on this occasion.
Hannah Reed : Maybe.
Roberto Verona : So quit worrying about it, stress doesn’t help a woman in your condition.
Hannah’s eyes narrow and her nostrils begin to flare.
Hannah Reed : I am not pregnant! I haven’t had sex in months, not with a man anyway….
Roberto’s eye suddenly perk up.
Hannah Reed : That’s not what I meant!
Roberto Verona : I’m just messing with you Lindsay Lohan, I know what you mean. You really shouldn’t leave your pocket rocket lying around in public, people talk.
Hannah Reed : Arghhhh.
Suddenly Hannah jumps off and storms into another room in a strop, leaving Roberto alone laughing to himself until he hears his mobile phone ringing in his jacket pocket. Reaching inside the garment Verona lifts the device to one of his ears.
Roberto Verona : Hey V.
No it’s not a bad time.
I’m up for that.
I don’t think Hannah will be joining us, she just went off PMSing in the other room.
Hannah Reed : **** off!
Hannah shouts from the other room, clearly still in earshot.
Roberto Verona : I’ll be there in five before she kills me. See you there.
Roberto lifts himself up and quickly hurries out of the door, swiftly dodging the high heeled shoe that flies out of the room occupied by Hannah and crashes against the wall.
So, Alex. Chris. This is it, the final straight before the photo finish. I respect you both as competitors, but here is the thing, respect doesn’t mean a dime this Sunday.
When I walk down to that ring I won’t see Alex Jones, the man who gave me the match of my career so far or Chris Gardner one of the greatest Honour Champions of all time, I will just see two men who have come to take what is rightfully mine.
The NCW National Championship.
I have shed sweat, spilled blood and endured tears to get my opportunity to enjoy the privilege of being the National champion and you are both living in a dream world if you think I’m going to give up this chance willingly or easily. I will give you both the fight of your lives at Battlegrounds this Sunday, one you have never faced before. I would rather die than give up all of the hard work I have put in to capturing this championship and you will have to really hurt me before I let you take this away from me.
You’re both capable of doing so, you have the talent and I am sure you have the competitive drive to make this weekend difficult for me but that alone just may not be enough.
Alex, you can do so many things inside that ring that so few other men can do, your flamboyant style has earned you many plaudits and it was the reason you were National champion before me. You have every attribute to be a dominant player in the main event of this company and you have the heart of a lion.
Chris, you have proven your quality on several occasions and whilst I disagree that you’ve done enough to earn your spot in this match recently, you will not pass up this opportunity just because you may have been afforded a bit of luck being there at all. This is the biggest opportunity of your NCW career and I know that you have the ability.
The only problem gentlemen is that whilst you are both more than capable of leaving Battlegrounds as the new National champion, you’re not going up against any old champion. You’re going up against one who can separate personal feelings from professional. You’re going up against one who is just on the babysteps of his path to immortality. You’re going up against the fastest rising star in NCW bar none.
You’re going up against the man who has proved all of his critics and his doubters wrong.
When I arrived in NCW people said I was too arrogant, incapable of respecting my opponent and too brash with my behaviour. I went out there and proved to them that my arrogance was justified, that I could respect those who earned the right and that my behaviour was all just part of the complete package.
When I lined up opposite Todd Williams at A Night to Remember people said that I would crumble under the pressure, that I couldn’t handle such a massive opportunity on such a huge stage. I went out there and I drug Todd from pillar to post and I proved that not only did I deserve to be X-Champion but that I also deserved to steal my share of the headlines on the biggest night in our business.
When the Young Guns capitulated and I was defeated by Xander Famularo people said that I had been found out, that I couldn’t survive without a stable behind me and that I would fade to obscurity. I proved that out of all of the Young Guns I was the very best, I picked myself up, dusted myself down and a month later I proved that I had learnt from my mistakes against Xander and I took an even bigger step towards true greatness.
I am not just any old wrestler on a hot streak, I am a man fuelled with a sense of purpose and propelled by unarguable talent. Call it arrogance, but I know that on my day there isn’t a single man in this entire company that can hang with me and I have every single thing it takes to be the greatest competitor to ever step foot inside that ring. I know that in years to come, when people remember my career they will remember it because of moments like this Sunday.
Now of course you will probably say that you will win this Sunday and that I will be remembered for taking steps towards total victory only to stutter and stumble at the final hurdle but in my mind, there is only one possible result this Sunday. A victory for the defending National champion.
For all of your abilities and your talents, which are not to be argued over, I believe wholeheartedly that I have everything it takes to respond to whatever you throw at me. I have not contemplated even the possibility of a defeat this Sunday and as long as I can draw breath I will never waver in my beliefs until that bell rings and a victor’s hand is raised into the sky to signify the end of the battle.
You two can say whatever you like, you can poke fun at whatever character trait you feel fit and you can deconstruct my words to construct whatever argument you may wish to present to the world but when the referee rings that bell and our fight begins all of the words that preceded it will be forgotten and all that will matter is what each of us does inside that ring.
I have proven exactly what I am capable of and even that doesn’t reveal the complete picture, there is so much more left in my locker that you couldn’t even dreamof and I have absolutely no qualms with pushing myself further than ever before this weekend to ensure that when all is said and done I am still the NCW National Champion.
Three men will go in, but only one will be left standing at Battlegrounds.
I am that man.
Viva La Révolution.
Fake.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Fraud.
Self-Obssessed.
Just a number of character traits attributed to my name, but the only one that really matter is this.
Champion.
People have run their mouths about me since day one, from Rob Diamond to Demetrious Young. So many have jumped to assumptions and labelled me with whatever witty little bit of verbal wordplay has strolled aimlessly through their empty minds, yet none of them have ever really been able to pinpoint exactly who I am. Whether you love me, hate me or simply tolerate me out of respect the simple fact is that none of you know who I really am.
I’m not a Rob Diamond, hiding my insecurities behind cocky masculine bravado. I’m not a Todd Williams, hiding my crushing emotional pitfalls behinds flamboyant charades. I’m not a Jonas Potter, looking to inflict pain in a controlled environment to erase the tortured memories that erode the very core of my soul.
I’m perhaps the least complex member of the roster, yet I seem to have this aura around me when it comes to my opponents. Despite trying their best to pinpoint what I am, none of them ever seem to get it right, always over-evaluating every little element of my personality in a vain attempt to either get under my skin or “reveal” some kind of dark secret.
But I don’t hide behind a mask, paint my face or plaster it with make-up. I’m far more open and easy to read than perhaps people are willing to accept, always searching for some kind of riddle which isn’t there.
I do not blow my own trumpet or stroke my own ego when I state that out of everybody, I am the most honest man here. I do not deny the claims that I play mind games, on the contrary I am quite open about it, but when I make a statement I do so without an agenda. When I say that I think Leonard Fox is the biggest roadblock to NCW’s potential growth and its ability to better serve its customers I mean it. There is no hidden message, no shrouded buzzword designed to ignite certain emotions or manufacture support on a false basis.
People are too quick to assume that so much of what exits my mouth is either a lie or some sort of paranoid delusion, Chris Gardner recently fell into the same pitfall so many have done before him. Because I talk about how badly this organisation is run everyone is far too eager to assume that I am bred from the same ilk of people who swear that 9/11 was an inside job or the CIA arranged for J.F.K. to be assassinated and tread over the point entirely. It is very lazy and smacks of delusion on their part, more than happy to keep burying their heads in the sand and worshipping at the altar of Leonard Fox and the Board of Directors.
Do I genuinely believe that every single thing Leonard does is wrong and must be opposed? No, that is some sort of fallacy born from ignorance but just because I am vocal about calling him on his bull**** doesn’t necessarily make me a crackpot either, contrary to popular belief. Leonard built this business from the ground up, when he started out he had the right intentions and he geared this product towards the people that truly mattered, the fans. Since 2007 however, he has lost his way and sold his soul for the almighty dollar like so many great men before him, obsessing himself with the business of figures and income streams, surrounding himself with yes men too keen to toe the line.
He has taken the road paved with gold but failed to take a moment to turn back and see who he left behind and take a moment to consider who constructed it to pursue its riches. That is why I talk so passionately about change and that is why I speak out against the injustices this company partakes in, not because I am some bitter revolutionary without a fragile hegemony in search for a Bastille to storm.
I do not deny that I am brash and cocky or arrogant and egocentric, as a matter of fact I’m quite happy to admit that, to some, I may come across as complete asshole. I don’t get hung up on denying it or attempting to explain it away as simply the truth in some sort of self-masturbatory indulgence. I am forthright and blunt when it comes to calling people on their crap and I make no apologies for it, some people will be rubbed up the wrong way and others will be mystified by it, that is just the way it goes.
What I do mind, however, is people making assumptions about my motives and my background in the business. People seem too happy to conclude that my “mission” is just a gimmick, constructed to give myself an edge in a business that embraces rebels without ever really making an effort to delve into my past. I witnessed injustice day in, day out and it drove me to stand up and start making a difference to ensure that they would never be repeated, it is why I became a bounty hunter in the first place. When I realised this avenue was spent, I pursued a career in wrestling, a sport I competed in during my youth, I could have easily being doing the same in “soccer” or basketball had my talents leaned towards a career in any other sports.
I earned my spurs just like everybody else, for several years I bled in sports halls in front of inbred halfwits, shattered my bones in the pursuit of glory and watched other men become broken by the business that had once sustained them, all so that one day I could take my place on the grandest stage of all in New Championship Wrestling. From the moment I re-entered this world I was determined to be a NCW “star” so that I could make a difference on a stage grand enough to reach many more people than the independent circuit could ever afford me.
But all of this is either here, nor there.
I am Roberto Verona and I am the NCW National Champion and ultimately, that is all that matters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A warm fire gently crackles, spitting embers to and fro as the room is filled with a soothing orange glow. The sky outside is dark, but the landscape is littered with small lights as Washington DC prepares for the final night’s rest before NCW Battlegrounds. Roberto sits in a large chair, slumping into it with a book grasped in one hand and a glass of wine in another as he takes a sip before placing it on a small table beside him. Suddenly Hannah emerges from another room, a nervous look on her face as she slowly approaches Roberto.
Hannah Reed : Roberto, I need to talk to you.
Roberto suddenly freezes up, a chill running down his spine.
Roberto Verona : You’re not pregnant are you?
Hannah Reed : No…wait, what? Why would you care, we haven’t had sex?
Roberto Verona : Perhaps, but it is a scientific fact that pregnant women are eating for two and I just can’t justify an increase in your chocolate budget.
Hannah Reed : You’re a dick.
Roberto grins sardonically.
Roberto Verona : The good old Reed seduction technique is back I see. What did you want to talk about?
Hannah Reed : I’m not sure I want to now.
Roberto Verona : Oh give over you drama queen, what did you want?
Hannah slowly paces forward before sitting down opposite Roberto.
Hannah Reed : I wanted to talk about your match this weekend, I’m a little worried.
Roberto rolls his eyes and sighs, placing his book down and sitting upright.
Roberto Verona : Why are you worried? Please don’t tell me it is because I might get hurt because you were happily mocking me whilst patching me up on Monday.
Hannah Reed : No, you deserve to be in pain for what you put me through some times. No, I am just worried that Mr Fox may use Battlegrounds to make an example of you.
Roberto Verona : He probably will, but what makes you so sure?
Hannah Reed : I’ve heard how they talk about you Roberto. When you got fined I could hear what they said whilst I waited outside the board room…
Roberto Verona : So they called me a few names…
Hannah Reed : It was more than name calling Roberto! They were very adamant that Mr Fox make an example of you, but he was positive that he could appease you by making a few token concessions. Now I don’t think he will be…
Roberto Verona : Look Hannah, I know Leonard…sorry, “Mr Fox”, is looking to screw me over and Lord knows I expect him to try something this weekend but I am prepared for that eventuality. Why do you think I have you at ringside? It isn’t just to entertain the perverts, I have you there to keep an eye out for any sort of…foul play. Who knows, maybe he’ll keep his cards close to his chest on this occasion.
Hannah Reed : Maybe.
Roberto Verona : So quit worrying about it, stress doesn’t help a woman in your condition.
Hannah’s eyes narrow and her nostrils begin to flare.
Hannah Reed : I am not pregnant! I haven’t had sex in months, not with a man anyway….
Roberto’s eye suddenly perk up.
Hannah Reed : That’s not what I meant!
Roberto Verona : I’m just messing with you Lindsay Lohan, I know what you mean. You really shouldn’t leave your pocket rocket lying around in public, people talk.
Hannah Reed : Arghhhh.
Suddenly Hannah jumps off and storms into another room in a strop, leaving Roberto alone laughing to himself until he hears his mobile phone ringing in his jacket pocket. Reaching inside the garment Verona lifts the device to one of his ears.
Roberto Verona : Hey V.
No it’s not a bad time.
I’m up for that.
I don’t think Hannah will be joining us, she just went off PMSing in the other room.
Hannah Reed : **** off!
Hannah shouts from the other room, clearly still in earshot.
Roberto Verona : I’ll be there in five before she kills me. See you there.
Roberto lifts himself up and quickly hurries out of the door, swiftly dodging the high heeled shoe that flies out of the room occupied by Hannah and crashes against the wall.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, Alex. Chris. This is it, the final straight before the photo finish. I respect you both as competitors, but here is the thing, respect doesn’t mean a dime this Sunday.
When I walk down to that ring I won’t see Alex Jones, the man who gave me the match of my career so far or Chris Gardner one of the greatest Honour Champions of all time, I will just see two men who have come to take what is rightfully mine.
The NCW National Championship.
I have shed sweat, spilled blood and endured tears to get my opportunity to enjoy the privilege of being the National champion and you are both living in a dream world if you think I’m going to give up this chance willingly or easily. I will give you both the fight of your lives at Battlegrounds this Sunday, one you have never faced before. I would rather die than give up all of the hard work I have put in to capturing this championship and you will have to really hurt me before I let you take this away from me.
You’re both capable of doing so, you have the talent and I am sure you have the competitive drive to make this weekend difficult for me but that alone just may not be enough.
Alex, you can do so many things inside that ring that so few other men can do, your flamboyant style has earned you many plaudits and it was the reason you were National champion before me. You have every attribute to be a dominant player in the main event of this company and you have the heart of a lion.
Chris, you have proven your quality on several occasions and whilst I disagree that you’ve done enough to earn your spot in this match recently, you will not pass up this opportunity just because you may have been afforded a bit of luck being there at all. This is the biggest opportunity of your NCW career and I know that you have the ability.
The only problem gentlemen is that whilst you are both more than capable of leaving Battlegrounds as the new National champion, you’re not going up against any old champion. You’re going up against one who can separate personal feelings from professional. You’re going up against one who is just on the babysteps of his path to immortality. You’re going up against the fastest rising star in NCW bar none.
You’re going up against the man who has proved all of his critics and his doubters wrong.
When I arrived in NCW people said I was too arrogant, incapable of respecting my opponent and too brash with my behaviour. I went out there and proved to them that my arrogance was justified, that I could respect those who earned the right and that my behaviour was all just part of the complete package.
When I lined up opposite Todd Williams at A Night to Remember people said that I would crumble under the pressure, that I couldn’t handle such a massive opportunity on such a huge stage. I went out there and I drug Todd from pillar to post and I proved that not only did I deserve to be X-Champion but that I also deserved to steal my share of the headlines on the biggest night in our business.
When the Young Guns capitulated and I was defeated by Xander Famularo people said that I had been found out, that I couldn’t survive without a stable behind me and that I would fade to obscurity. I proved that out of all of the Young Guns I was the very best, I picked myself up, dusted myself down and a month later I proved that I had learnt from my mistakes against Xander and I took an even bigger step towards true greatness.
I am not just any old wrestler on a hot streak, I am a man fuelled with a sense of purpose and propelled by unarguable talent. Call it arrogance, but I know that on my day there isn’t a single man in this entire company that can hang with me and I have every single thing it takes to be the greatest competitor to ever step foot inside that ring. I know that in years to come, when people remember my career they will remember it because of moments like this Sunday.
Now of course you will probably say that you will win this Sunday and that I will be remembered for taking steps towards total victory only to stutter and stumble at the final hurdle but in my mind, there is only one possible result this Sunday. A victory for the defending National champion.
For all of your abilities and your talents, which are not to be argued over, I believe wholeheartedly that I have everything it takes to respond to whatever you throw at me. I have not contemplated even the possibility of a defeat this Sunday and as long as I can draw breath I will never waver in my beliefs until that bell rings and a victor’s hand is raised into the sky to signify the end of the battle.
You two can say whatever you like, you can poke fun at whatever character trait you feel fit and you can deconstruct my words to construct whatever argument you may wish to present to the world but when the referee rings that bell and our fight begins all of the words that preceded it will be forgotten and all that will matter is what each of us does inside that ring.
I have proven exactly what I am capable of and even that doesn’t reveal the complete picture, there is so much more left in my locker that you couldn’t even dreamof and I have absolutely no qualms with pushing myself further than ever before this weekend to ensure that when all is said and done I am still the NCW National Champion.
Three men will go in, but only one will be left standing at Battlegrounds.
I am that man.
Viva La Révolution.