Post by Alex Jones on Dec 28, 2011 2:39:33 GMT -6
“Everything that has a beginning has an end....”
I run my hand down the bottle of beer sitting on my table in front of a large leather sofa. I pick it up and sigh with a slight smile on my face.
“For the past seven years I’ve known a man who I always looked up to. A man who I have had a friendship with, a man who i felt a bond with due to mutual respect and interests. Those interests were things we enjoyed. Music, Video Games, Movies, but the one things we both loved that meant the most to us was this. Wrestling. Our careers. The feelings we get when we walk out and see kids smiling, women swooning and guys cheering. That feeling when a crowd reacts to something we say or do. Spike, you and I both love this business. And the truth is the thought of you being forced into retirement is sickening.....”
“But Spi-.....Michael, when I sit here and watch you on camera talking to your father who like a ghost disappears and reapears then I know it’s time for you to stop and get help. You need to get your head sorted out. In this business we never say never but I have a feeling that it’s time for you to walk away, being forced to or not it’s time Mike.....”
“But see as much as the last two months have been difficult, as much as you and I have grown to hate one another, truth is I respect you. And the reason why this match is going ahead is because I told Sampson to either give you one last goodbye, against me, or I walk too. And the reasons are simple. You and I have unfinished business. We’ve had two matches, two classics that should go down as two of the best matches of the year. It proved how good you still are and I think it proved that I deserve to be in the main event picture of this company. But the score is even and this is our rubber match.....”
I smile and take a drink sighing deeply with my eyes closed.
“It’s not just about my feelings towards this and my view of needing to finish this issue between us. It’s also about paying the proper respects for a man who has been a legend in this company and this business. Your fans deserve one last chance to say goodbye. And that’s what we’ll give them Spike. One last time to say goodbye, one last time for you and me to get in that ring and hook it up.....”
“And what a fitting way to end it. The dragons den. The first match we had you outsmarted me, some call it cheating, I just know it was being crafty. The second match was a brutal affair, it took me the last month to recover but I was able to walk away with my head held high. This third match in your home away from home, if I can beat you in this match I will prove to you, to myself and to everyone in NCW that I am one of the best....”
“But this isn’t just about glory, this is about survival, this is about me surviving the attack that you’ll bring. Let’s face it Spike, you have nothing to lose, no fear of reprisal, you can do what you want and put everything you have into this match. But I think you need to know something. Because for some reason you seem confused about how I feel about all this.....”
I shake my head and put the beer down.
“You seem to believe you need to leave a lasting impression on me and my career, that you need to put on final stamp on it. You don’t even realise that you have been a huge part of my career and my life, through our wars, through our friendship, through our triumphs. We have been in each others personal and professional lives for years. You seem to believe you need to destroy me to get me to “hail” or to respect you. I never stopped respecting you. Spike you’re a once in a lifetime athlete and wrestler. There will never be another Spike Kane, there will never be another gods of xtreme. You have left a lasting impression on NCW and this business....”
“You have left a trail of broken dreams and bodies through your path to being recognised as a true legend in this business. But you really have forgotten it haven’t you. Because in your eyes you believe no one cares. You believe no one gives a rats ass about Spike Kane. First off, that’s a lie. You have fans, you have people who care about you. Second off, this whole bitter sob story is pathetic. I’m not going to sit here, pat you on the back and tell you pretty things that you want to hear about rainbows and lollypops and how the entire world loves Spike Kane and regrets not caring. Poor little Spike Kane feels abandoned. And that’s what this is about, your abandonment issues....”
“This is about your father being a sick asshole, this is about being in an orphanage, this is about your mothers death and this is about the lose of your son. You’ll get no sympathy from me Spike, you’ve had a life time to get over your issues and be a strong man but you’ve let your demons rule you. If it wasn’t abandonment it was drinking and drugs, you are someone who lets life rule over them instead of ruling over their life like a king with an iron fist.....”
I shake my head again and laugh.
“You’ve been like that since I’ve known you and for all your ego and bluster, for all your accomplishments Michael Kane, you’re still that scared little boy crying alone in a cold orphanage because mommy died and daddy left. Deep inside you’re still that abandoned kid but unlike the thousands of other kids who have grown up to take their livers and destiny’s in their hands you’ve used it as an excuse for your various life **** ups and your deteriorating mental state. But there comes a time when we all need to grow up and Spike, you’re old enough to stop being a sad little emo kid.....”
“I’m not saying this to be an asshole Spike I’m saying this because I DO CARE and because a real friend would say what I’m saying instead of just giving you a pat on the back and some kind words filled with bull****. I’m not going to suger coat the world, in fact here’s a quote for you, one of the best quotes in the history of movies....”
“The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that!”
“That was from the last Rocky movie and honestly it helped inspire me to come back to wrestling after XHF was done and buried. I never wanted to see a wrestling ring again but that love came back and that want came back and now here I am about to go into a match with a man who I respect and love like a brother. You’re my family Spike, you always have been and through disagreements and hatred that respect and meaning of family was always there and I will be honest with you, like I have this entire time. So you can sit there and be bitter and angry, but I’m going to be in your face every damn day of your life in or out of the ring until you realize there are people in your life who care about you…”
I take another drink and sigh.
“Thing is Spike, in this business it’s taboo to talk about feelings in this business. Seriously I was given an orientation sheet on my first day on the job and it said “Appropriate feelings for male professional wrestlers-Aggression, hatred, anger, sarcasm.”. But I do care, and the reason I care is because seven years ago, I was a young kind who had been wrestling for two years and I was trying to become something, then I met you Spike and you helped me understand this world, you helped me become who I am today and you know what, I don’t think I ever thanked you dfor it, so Spike, thank you. This Sunday you and I will go into the dragons den and one last time we will put on a show no one will ever forget…and honestly…it’ll be an honor….”
I run my hand down the bottle of beer sitting on my table in front of a large leather sofa. I pick it up and sigh with a slight smile on my face.
“For the past seven years I’ve known a man who I always looked up to. A man who I have had a friendship with, a man who i felt a bond with due to mutual respect and interests. Those interests were things we enjoyed. Music, Video Games, Movies, but the one things we both loved that meant the most to us was this. Wrestling. Our careers. The feelings we get when we walk out and see kids smiling, women swooning and guys cheering. That feeling when a crowd reacts to something we say or do. Spike, you and I both love this business. And the truth is the thought of you being forced into retirement is sickening.....”
“But Spi-.....Michael, when I sit here and watch you on camera talking to your father who like a ghost disappears and reapears then I know it’s time for you to stop and get help. You need to get your head sorted out. In this business we never say never but I have a feeling that it’s time for you to walk away, being forced to or not it’s time Mike.....”
“But see as much as the last two months have been difficult, as much as you and I have grown to hate one another, truth is I respect you. And the reason why this match is going ahead is because I told Sampson to either give you one last goodbye, against me, or I walk too. And the reasons are simple. You and I have unfinished business. We’ve had two matches, two classics that should go down as two of the best matches of the year. It proved how good you still are and I think it proved that I deserve to be in the main event picture of this company. But the score is even and this is our rubber match.....”
I smile and take a drink sighing deeply with my eyes closed.
“It’s not just about my feelings towards this and my view of needing to finish this issue between us. It’s also about paying the proper respects for a man who has been a legend in this company and this business. Your fans deserve one last chance to say goodbye. And that’s what we’ll give them Spike. One last time to say goodbye, one last time for you and me to get in that ring and hook it up.....”
“And what a fitting way to end it. The dragons den. The first match we had you outsmarted me, some call it cheating, I just know it was being crafty. The second match was a brutal affair, it took me the last month to recover but I was able to walk away with my head held high. This third match in your home away from home, if I can beat you in this match I will prove to you, to myself and to everyone in NCW that I am one of the best....”
“But this isn’t just about glory, this is about survival, this is about me surviving the attack that you’ll bring. Let’s face it Spike, you have nothing to lose, no fear of reprisal, you can do what you want and put everything you have into this match. But I think you need to know something. Because for some reason you seem confused about how I feel about all this.....”
I shake my head and put the beer down.
“You seem to believe you need to leave a lasting impression on me and my career, that you need to put on final stamp on it. You don’t even realise that you have been a huge part of my career and my life, through our wars, through our friendship, through our triumphs. We have been in each others personal and professional lives for years. You seem to believe you need to destroy me to get me to “hail” or to respect you. I never stopped respecting you. Spike you’re a once in a lifetime athlete and wrestler. There will never be another Spike Kane, there will never be another gods of xtreme. You have left a lasting impression on NCW and this business....”
“You have left a trail of broken dreams and bodies through your path to being recognised as a true legend in this business. But you really have forgotten it haven’t you. Because in your eyes you believe no one cares. You believe no one gives a rats ass about Spike Kane. First off, that’s a lie. You have fans, you have people who care about you. Second off, this whole bitter sob story is pathetic. I’m not going to sit here, pat you on the back and tell you pretty things that you want to hear about rainbows and lollypops and how the entire world loves Spike Kane and regrets not caring. Poor little Spike Kane feels abandoned. And that’s what this is about, your abandonment issues....”
“This is about your father being a sick asshole, this is about being in an orphanage, this is about your mothers death and this is about the lose of your son. You’ll get no sympathy from me Spike, you’ve had a life time to get over your issues and be a strong man but you’ve let your demons rule you. If it wasn’t abandonment it was drinking and drugs, you are someone who lets life rule over them instead of ruling over their life like a king with an iron fist.....”
I shake my head again and laugh.
“You’ve been like that since I’ve known you and for all your ego and bluster, for all your accomplishments Michael Kane, you’re still that scared little boy crying alone in a cold orphanage because mommy died and daddy left. Deep inside you’re still that abandoned kid but unlike the thousands of other kids who have grown up to take their livers and destiny’s in their hands you’ve used it as an excuse for your various life **** ups and your deteriorating mental state. But there comes a time when we all need to grow up and Spike, you’re old enough to stop being a sad little emo kid.....”
“I’m not saying this to be an asshole Spike I’m saying this because I DO CARE and because a real friend would say what I’m saying instead of just giving you a pat on the back and some kind words filled with bull****. I’m not going to suger coat the world, in fact here’s a quote for you, one of the best quotes in the history of movies....”
“The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that!”
“That was from the last Rocky movie and honestly it helped inspire me to come back to wrestling after XHF was done and buried. I never wanted to see a wrestling ring again but that love came back and that want came back and now here I am about to go into a match with a man who I respect and love like a brother. You’re my family Spike, you always have been and through disagreements and hatred that respect and meaning of family was always there and I will be honest with you, like I have this entire time. So you can sit there and be bitter and angry, but I’m going to be in your face every damn day of your life in or out of the ring until you realize there are people in your life who care about you…”
I take another drink and sigh.
“Thing is Spike, in this business it’s taboo to talk about feelings in this business. Seriously I was given an orientation sheet on my first day on the job and it said “Appropriate feelings for male professional wrestlers-Aggression, hatred, anger, sarcasm.”. But I do care, and the reason I care is because seven years ago, I was a young kind who had been wrestling for two years and I was trying to become something, then I met you Spike and you helped me understand this world, you helped me become who I am today and you know what, I don’t think I ever thanked you dfor it, so Spike, thank you. This Sunday you and I will go into the dragons den and one last time we will put on a show no one will ever forget…and honestly…it’ll be an honor….”
