Post by Andrew Jacobsen on Mar 23, 2013 21:40:54 GMT -6
”Every single night, I walk down that ramp and I know that I’m doing it for the right reason. I know that I’m where I belong, I know that I’m who I want to be. And no matter what, win or lose, as long as I know that I’m going to be able to walk down that ramp and those fans want me to be there, I can pick myself up and keep going. I can survive anything that this business throws at me, because I know that they’ll still be there, and that is something that you cannot take away from me!”
“Roberto, Ace…you talk down to me like I’m some sort of insect. You look down on me and act like you’re just…inherently superior to me. To everyone. But there’s cracks in that armor. I see you, Roberto, worried now that you don’t have Xander Famularo in your back pocket anymore. I can see you, Ace, trying to marginalize the role your backup’s played in you holding onto that title for so long. Emma Danielson saves your ass and you show your thanks by calling her She-Hulk? Call me crazy, but isn’t that the sort of thing she…flocked to you for NOT doing? Seems to me that might be an…unwise move.”
“And writing me off is part of that. It’s a defense mechanism, because you don’t want to think of what you are if you’re not the best. You’re more desperate than I am, because for you, what you’re out there for is around your waists, and you know that one mistake is all it takes to cost you that. All it takes is one misstep and you’re not the man anymore. It takes more than that to take away what I’m fighting for. And you see that…and you hate me for it.”
“I’ve had people tell me what they think I should be since Day One. I’ve had people questioning who I am, what I believe in, and I’ve worked hard to mask it all under a smile and determination, but the truth of the matter is that it still eats at me. It still bugs me when I see men like you, men who have talent but whose morals are virtually nonexistent, surging ahead and clinging to those positions of power and importance. It keeps me up at night, thinking about what could have been…what if I were more like you?”
“Would I still be World Champion? Would I have won it sooner? Would I have the respect that I wanted to earn from my peers? I’ve been accused of playing it safe too much. I hear people saying that I need to do something dramatic, that I need to do something different. I need to take the chance, damn the consequences, and be something more than what I’ve been for three and a half years now. I’m too timid…I’m not compelling enough. Each and every time I think it over, I see all these possibilities unfolding…with one constant.”
“I’d be lying to myself. I’d be putting on an act. I have gone through HELL for what I believe. I’ve seen my family suffer, I’ve seen my friends suffer, and I’ve had my conviction tested at every turn. I’ve been so close to throwing it all away…all because I lost sight of why I’m out here. I don’t want to be known as a man who couldn’t stick to his guns when the going got tough. If you don’t stick to your values when they’re being tested, they’re not values. They’re hobbies. It isn’t easy to do what I do, it’s not simple being the kind of man I am, but I hold on because I know that I wouldn’t be happy any other way.”
“So no matter how much you two try to put me down, no matter what you say in a misguided attempt to see if I’ll roll over and accept a fate that is anything but set in stone, I won’t lay down. Everyone else in this match is speaking like the future is written already. I have to be the one to bring you all back down to Earth. Anything can happen in that ring. This is NCW, this is the main event. We’re four of the best in the world. I know what I’m going to do, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. If we knew what would happen, there’d be no reason for us to be here. I intend to go out there and fight with all I’ve got. And down the road, if I get into the Coliseum…if I win…we might be looking at another one-on-one, Verona. This isn’t about me, though. This is about you. You think you’re the best in the world…you think you’re the greatest ever, or close to it. I think the people deserve better. And I don’t know if I’m that better man…”
“But I’ll damn sure give everything I have to be him.”
“Joe, we both have our eyes on being the man who gets the brightest spotlight on the biggest stage there is. The Coliseum is weeks away, though. Tonight, we’re allies. And don’t think you can throw that away for a better shot at getting what you want, because this match doesn’t guarantee you anything. Don’t be The Ace. Don’t be Roberto Verona. Be Joe Everyman. When I said I believed in you I meant it, and I still do. Don’t let me down, man. Good luck. We’ll need it.”
We open on Andrew Jacobsen sitting at a hotel room table, across from the far too infrequently seen Danielle Chase. Andrew looks down slightly, sighing, and runs a hand through his hair.
”…basically, that’s my problem. I don’t want to stagnate, but I feel like all of these years will be a waste…everything that people have gone through because of me is going to be pointless if I just change who I am because of a few people heckling me.”
Chase nods, arching an eyebrow as she sits back and steeples her fingers.
”The problem is, it’s not just a few people. There are a lot of people out there who think that you’re on the wrong path for the kind of accolades you want to have. And, bluntly, I’m one of them.”
Andrew blinks, looking up in shock. Danielle smirks at his reaction, shaking her head slightly.
”From a strictly business standpoint, if you want to become the kind of champion I know you want to be then you have to be more open to fighting fire with fire. You can be a role model all you want, but your ethics won’t protect you from a chairshot or interference. If you want to have the kind of long-lasting, enduring reign with the World Title that you clearly so desperately crave, then you might have to sacrifice some of your idealism on the altar of pragmatism…so to speak.”
Andrew snaps back at her reflexively, somewhat hurt by the frank analysis from Chase.
”How much before it becomes too much, Danielle? How much do I have to sacrifice before it stops being me and starts being a compromised man who’s chasing that goal? Where does the slippery slope start?”
Chase groans, rolling her eyes at his indignant reaction.
”Oh, please. If you hired me thinking that I’d be some doormat who blindly rubber-stamped all of your ideas and soothed your anxieties like a mother comforting a ten-year-old, then you hired the wrong person. I’m being as honest as I can. From a dollars and cents standpoint, you’re doing the wrong thing.”
Jacobsen stands up, fist clenching by his side. Chase stands, calmly staring him down, and leans forward, putting her hands on the table as she speaks up at him.
”But it’s not all about money, is it Andrew? You’ve got more than that to worry about. And I think that for your image, for your legacy, for the man that you want to be in the ring, you’re doing the right thing. It’s not easy, and I’m always a phone call away if you need to talk. Don’t keep things bottled up, damn you. It never ends well.”
Danielle’s phone buzzes, and she reaches into her purse, checking it with a frown on her face. She puts it back, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
”I’m sorry, but I have to cut this short. I’ve got another meeting I need to take care of. Andy, I meant what I said. If you know your priorities, you probably know what to do. And if you don’t know…just give me a call.”
She flashes him a grin, and Andrew, visibly relaxing, can’t help but return the expression. Danielle waves as she saunters towards the door.
”I’ll see you later, Andy. Good luck with your match.”
Jacobsen nods dazedly, blinking as he comes out of what appears to be some form of haze.
”Yeah. You too…thanks for the reality check.”
Chase chuckles, smiling brightly as she opens the door.
”Any time, dear. Bye now.”
She waves once more before slipping out the door. Andrew watches the door close, frame shaking slightly. As if all the energy has drained out of him, he slumps back and sits on the bed. When he looks up, though, he has a grin on his face and a familiar look in his eyes.
A look of resolve.
“Roberto, Ace…you talk down to me like I’m some sort of insect. You look down on me and act like you’re just…inherently superior to me. To everyone. But there’s cracks in that armor. I see you, Roberto, worried now that you don’t have Xander Famularo in your back pocket anymore. I can see you, Ace, trying to marginalize the role your backup’s played in you holding onto that title for so long. Emma Danielson saves your ass and you show your thanks by calling her She-Hulk? Call me crazy, but isn’t that the sort of thing she…flocked to you for NOT doing? Seems to me that might be an…unwise move.”
“And writing me off is part of that. It’s a defense mechanism, because you don’t want to think of what you are if you’re not the best. You’re more desperate than I am, because for you, what you’re out there for is around your waists, and you know that one mistake is all it takes to cost you that. All it takes is one misstep and you’re not the man anymore. It takes more than that to take away what I’m fighting for. And you see that…and you hate me for it.”
“I’ve had people tell me what they think I should be since Day One. I’ve had people questioning who I am, what I believe in, and I’ve worked hard to mask it all under a smile and determination, but the truth of the matter is that it still eats at me. It still bugs me when I see men like you, men who have talent but whose morals are virtually nonexistent, surging ahead and clinging to those positions of power and importance. It keeps me up at night, thinking about what could have been…what if I were more like you?”
“Would I still be World Champion? Would I have won it sooner? Would I have the respect that I wanted to earn from my peers? I’ve been accused of playing it safe too much. I hear people saying that I need to do something dramatic, that I need to do something different. I need to take the chance, damn the consequences, and be something more than what I’ve been for three and a half years now. I’m too timid…I’m not compelling enough. Each and every time I think it over, I see all these possibilities unfolding…with one constant.”
“I’d be lying to myself. I’d be putting on an act. I have gone through HELL for what I believe. I’ve seen my family suffer, I’ve seen my friends suffer, and I’ve had my conviction tested at every turn. I’ve been so close to throwing it all away…all because I lost sight of why I’m out here. I don’t want to be known as a man who couldn’t stick to his guns when the going got tough. If you don’t stick to your values when they’re being tested, they’re not values. They’re hobbies. It isn’t easy to do what I do, it’s not simple being the kind of man I am, but I hold on because I know that I wouldn’t be happy any other way.”
“So no matter how much you two try to put me down, no matter what you say in a misguided attempt to see if I’ll roll over and accept a fate that is anything but set in stone, I won’t lay down. Everyone else in this match is speaking like the future is written already. I have to be the one to bring you all back down to Earth. Anything can happen in that ring. This is NCW, this is the main event. We’re four of the best in the world. I know what I’m going to do, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. If we knew what would happen, there’d be no reason for us to be here. I intend to go out there and fight with all I’ve got. And down the road, if I get into the Coliseum…if I win…we might be looking at another one-on-one, Verona. This isn’t about me, though. This is about you. You think you’re the best in the world…you think you’re the greatest ever, or close to it. I think the people deserve better. And I don’t know if I’m that better man…”
“But I’ll damn sure give everything I have to be him.”
“Joe, we both have our eyes on being the man who gets the brightest spotlight on the biggest stage there is. The Coliseum is weeks away, though. Tonight, we’re allies. And don’t think you can throw that away for a better shot at getting what you want, because this match doesn’t guarantee you anything. Don’t be The Ace. Don’t be Roberto Verona. Be Joe Everyman. When I said I believed in you I meant it, and I still do. Don’t let me down, man. Good luck. We’ll need it.”
We open on Andrew Jacobsen sitting at a hotel room table, across from the far too infrequently seen Danielle Chase. Andrew looks down slightly, sighing, and runs a hand through his hair.
”…basically, that’s my problem. I don’t want to stagnate, but I feel like all of these years will be a waste…everything that people have gone through because of me is going to be pointless if I just change who I am because of a few people heckling me.”
Chase nods, arching an eyebrow as she sits back and steeples her fingers.
”The problem is, it’s not just a few people. There are a lot of people out there who think that you’re on the wrong path for the kind of accolades you want to have. And, bluntly, I’m one of them.”
Andrew blinks, looking up in shock. Danielle smirks at his reaction, shaking her head slightly.
”From a strictly business standpoint, if you want to become the kind of champion I know you want to be then you have to be more open to fighting fire with fire. You can be a role model all you want, but your ethics won’t protect you from a chairshot or interference. If you want to have the kind of long-lasting, enduring reign with the World Title that you clearly so desperately crave, then you might have to sacrifice some of your idealism on the altar of pragmatism…so to speak.”
Andrew snaps back at her reflexively, somewhat hurt by the frank analysis from Chase.
”How much before it becomes too much, Danielle? How much do I have to sacrifice before it stops being me and starts being a compromised man who’s chasing that goal? Where does the slippery slope start?”
Chase groans, rolling her eyes at his indignant reaction.
”Oh, please. If you hired me thinking that I’d be some doormat who blindly rubber-stamped all of your ideas and soothed your anxieties like a mother comforting a ten-year-old, then you hired the wrong person. I’m being as honest as I can. From a dollars and cents standpoint, you’re doing the wrong thing.”
Jacobsen stands up, fist clenching by his side. Chase stands, calmly staring him down, and leans forward, putting her hands on the table as she speaks up at him.
”But it’s not all about money, is it Andrew? You’ve got more than that to worry about. And I think that for your image, for your legacy, for the man that you want to be in the ring, you’re doing the right thing. It’s not easy, and I’m always a phone call away if you need to talk. Don’t keep things bottled up, damn you. It never ends well.”
Danielle’s phone buzzes, and she reaches into her purse, checking it with a frown on her face. She puts it back, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder.
”I’m sorry, but I have to cut this short. I’ve got another meeting I need to take care of. Andy, I meant what I said. If you know your priorities, you probably know what to do. And if you don’t know…just give me a call.”
She flashes him a grin, and Andrew, visibly relaxing, can’t help but return the expression. Danielle waves as she saunters towards the door.
”I’ll see you later, Andy. Good luck with your match.”
Jacobsen nods dazedly, blinking as he comes out of what appears to be some form of haze.
”Yeah. You too…thanks for the reality check.”
Chase chuckles, smiling brightly as she opens the door.
”Any time, dear. Bye now.”
She waves once more before slipping out the door. Andrew watches the door close, frame shaking slightly. As if all the energy has drained out of him, he slumps back and sits on the bed. When he looks up, though, he has a grin on his face and a familiar look in his eyes.
A look of resolve.