Post by Xavier Cross on Oct 16, 2009 22:10:56 GMT -6
The phone laid off the hook, the cord dangling between his fingers, as the receiver itself swung back and forth. The hand itself shook, as it slowly balled into a fist, the cord slipping out between his fingers, as it hit the ground. An exhale of breath, it was shaky as the view pans up to see Xavier Cross, his head hung looking down at the ground. His whole body was shaking. The intake of breath comes through the nose, he sniffles a bit as he looks up tears running down his face, shaking it off like a bad dream he falls back onto his bed staring at the ceiling….
“Sometimes things transcend a title, a signature, name, product, or even the person himself. Some become icons, some become heroes, others become dust, only a spot in a footnote of the victors history. Throughout the education system, we are taught about the winners, the losers are only a footnote in their greatness. Looking at my past, you could throw the entire forgotten stable as my footnote, as well as Sexy Jason, Jack Hammond, and various others I’ve fought in the ring. But like every great empire, I’ve faltered and my rock has crumbled at times. I’ve reflect on my history, and noticed I’m not the best, if anything I’ve tasted defeat more than Kelly Fox tastes cock.
My point means, that my tract record, despite being heavily favored in the wins column, has a said number of losses, like a 4-1 total career ratio of wins-to-losses. But in the end, stats don’t matter, only to people who are trying to predict matches. At any point in time, can a guy just rise up and have an amazing night, sometimes a month. A streak is a beautiful thing, but that’s exactly what it is, a streak. The marks of a true champion, is someone who performs at a high level day in, and day out. An icon is someone who can exceed expectations, when even the bar is set high. I know any man in the back can rise to an occasion when called upon, that’s why he is here. I know, despite how much it gives me a bad taste in my mouth, even a guy like Shaddix can come in and have the marks of a true champion, there is a reason he was signed to an n.C.w contract.
So to address you Shaddix, yes you cost me a match against the Icon of n.C.w, and yes I threw you to the wolves, despite how redneck and stupid they might be. The fact is, I carried that match to the point where we could have won. The fact is, I’m just better than you. The only way you will win this match is by fluke, you aren’t even fit to clean Fergus’s boots. But with all this trash talking, some people are probably assuming that I’m underestimating, overlooking you. How wrong assumptions can be, the fact is I’ve studied you the most out of all my opponents, because the biggest downfall of great empires were underestimating, self made mistakes that cost the emperor his throne, his people his land. The fact is Shaddix, even if JFK does proclaim himself king, I have the crown…
Next I look at a man like Fergus Callaghan, he’s floated here and there, showing great skill sober, and drunk. The fact is, the man is probably the most dangerous threat because, he is so unpredictable, as much homework you could scrape up on this guy, it would mean nothing. You can never go into a match with Fergus and have a game plan, you had to adlib. I will be on my guard the most, because of the Fergus Factor, the idea a man can come in and be a high flying maniac, or a technical genius, or just a drunk fighter can throw anyone off their game. The fact is I’ve prepared myself for everything, and anything that could come into play at this match. Even unpredictability can be planned for with a bit of speed and awareness.
Next I turn my attention to JFK. A man, as I previously said I’ve fought in a very extreme match, though nothing of this magnitude. The management asks us to throw ourselves on barbwire, for entertainment, money, and this title… this x-treme title, that it seems everyone wants so badly? If it wasn’t for the tournament the last week, I would say thanks to this title, I was the flavor of the month. And up until the card was announced, I was sure I was going to have a one-on-one match against Shaddix. But now I’m sitting here questioning myself, why was JFK thrown into this match? You’ve blew your last shot after proclaiming yourself a king, a white knight. If you were anymore arrogant , I would assume you were the Ace. But the fact remains, as I said before, you are the only man I respect in this match. The toss of Fergus and Shaddix only hinders our quality, and walking away from this match when I win, I wouldn’t mind giving you the one-on-one title match you truly deserve.
Next I turn my attention to something, that even though it isn’t much of my business. Jack, Brad, whoever you are anymore. I’ve worked with you for years now, I’ve seen you, like yourself I’ve shown our fans my personal side, my personal life. My wife, kids, hopes, fears, dreams, and most of all, the most painful thing. My past. I look at you and Spike fighting like this, and at first it really doesn’t mean all too much to me, because it happens. Someone ****s up, and another person wants revenge, or maybe you don’t really want revenge, you just want to end the cycle. For that I can respect, but as a man who has lost a family member recently, I look at your situation, and I know that it’s the only way you can truly communicate through fighting. But Brad, as your friend, I ask you, don’t do something you will regret. A man can only be pushed so far until he becomes a monster. Brad is the man, Jack is the monster, and as long as you remain Reckless Jack, Spike will win. No matter how the match ends.
In the end, I only want to address myself. My life hasn’t always been the most glamorous, but to say I had it hard, would only be half truths. Growing up, until the age of twenty-seven I was the most self destructive human being alive. To the point where I almost lost everything, multiple times. The key word is almost, for some strange reason fate always seems to give me the benefit of the doubt, no matter how many times I screw up, I always seem to get that happy ending. I’ve done so many things over the years to worry my wife, when I was real ****ed up in the head, I even struck my wife. But through all the hell we’ve been through so how she manages to love me. Then I look at my kids, and I realize that I am able to love unconditionally. That I do love Cari, and my children more than any title, any prize, any place in the world. That being a father, means more to me then being a King.
So if it comes down to it, maybe I will only be remembered in my wrestling career for being a X-treme Champion, like many others fall in a footnote of someone greater than me, or younger than me rising up to become the star I always dreamed of myself being. But being a footnote, well, it isn’t so bad as long as you realize what are important to yourself. So I ask my co-workers, friends, enemies, and everyone who sees this. Appreciate the people you love, and who love you, the world needs a little more friendship in it. Instead of using all this hate, and pity as motivators, take love, and make it into your motivation, and I promise you will never find a shortage of it.
So if this match is my Michael Jordan game winner, my Derek Jeter post season, my Wayne Gretzky greatness, even if I don’t go down in history like Tom Brady, or Shaquielle O’Neal as a great champion. I would rather be remember for being a great husband, a great father, and a man who lived by his happiness, not his fists. But until then, this is my way of life, and my way of living. So prepare for the fight of your lives, Shaddix, Fegus, J-F-K. Because this may very well be the last one of mine, or any of your lives.
Live life like its your last day….”
Xavier pulls the phone up to his face, the conversation is now heard.
*****
*****
“Sometimes things transcend a title, a signature, name, product, or even the person himself. Some become icons, some become heroes, others become dust, only a spot in a footnote of the victors history. Throughout the education system, we are taught about the winners, the losers are only a footnote in their greatness. Looking at my past, you could throw the entire forgotten stable as my footnote, as well as Sexy Jason, Jack Hammond, and various others I’ve fought in the ring. But like every great empire, I’ve faltered and my rock has crumbled at times. I’ve reflect on my history, and noticed I’m not the best, if anything I’ve tasted defeat more than Kelly Fox tastes cock.
My point means, that my tract record, despite being heavily favored in the wins column, has a said number of losses, like a 4-1 total career ratio of wins-to-losses. But in the end, stats don’t matter, only to people who are trying to predict matches. At any point in time, can a guy just rise up and have an amazing night, sometimes a month. A streak is a beautiful thing, but that’s exactly what it is, a streak. The marks of a true champion, is someone who performs at a high level day in, and day out. An icon is someone who can exceed expectations, when even the bar is set high. I know any man in the back can rise to an occasion when called upon, that’s why he is here. I know, despite how much it gives me a bad taste in my mouth, even a guy like Shaddix can come in and have the marks of a true champion, there is a reason he was signed to an n.C.w contract.
So to address you Shaddix, yes you cost me a match against the Icon of n.C.w, and yes I threw you to the wolves, despite how redneck and stupid they might be. The fact is, I carried that match to the point where we could have won. The fact is, I’m just better than you. The only way you will win this match is by fluke, you aren’t even fit to clean Fergus’s boots. But with all this trash talking, some people are probably assuming that I’m underestimating, overlooking you. How wrong assumptions can be, the fact is I’ve studied you the most out of all my opponents, because the biggest downfall of great empires were underestimating, self made mistakes that cost the emperor his throne, his people his land. The fact is Shaddix, even if JFK does proclaim himself king, I have the crown…
Next I look at a man like Fergus Callaghan, he’s floated here and there, showing great skill sober, and drunk. The fact is, the man is probably the most dangerous threat because, he is so unpredictable, as much homework you could scrape up on this guy, it would mean nothing. You can never go into a match with Fergus and have a game plan, you had to adlib. I will be on my guard the most, because of the Fergus Factor, the idea a man can come in and be a high flying maniac, or a technical genius, or just a drunk fighter can throw anyone off their game. The fact is I’ve prepared myself for everything, and anything that could come into play at this match. Even unpredictability can be planned for with a bit of speed and awareness.
Next I turn my attention to JFK. A man, as I previously said I’ve fought in a very extreme match, though nothing of this magnitude. The management asks us to throw ourselves on barbwire, for entertainment, money, and this title… this x-treme title, that it seems everyone wants so badly? If it wasn’t for the tournament the last week, I would say thanks to this title, I was the flavor of the month. And up until the card was announced, I was sure I was going to have a one-on-one match against Shaddix. But now I’m sitting here questioning myself, why was JFK thrown into this match? You’ve blew your last shot after proclaiming yourself a king, a white knight. If you were anymore arrogant , I would assume you were the Ace. But the fact remains, as I said before, you are the only man I respect in this match. The toss of Fergus and Shaddix only hinders our quality, and walking away from this match when I win, I wouldn’t mind giving you the one-on-one title match you truly deserve.
Next I turn my attention to something, that even though it isn’t much of my business. Jack, Brad, whoever you are anymore. I’ve worked with you for years now, I’ve seen you, like yourself I’ve shown our fans my personal side, my personal life. My wife, kids, hopes, fears, dreams, and most of all, the most painful thing. My past. I look at you and Spike fighting like this, and at first it really doesn’t mean all too much to me, because it happens. Someone ****s up, and another person wants revenge, or maybe you don’t really want revenge, you just want to end the cycle. For that I can respect, but as a man who has lost a family member recently, I look at your situation, and I know that it’s the only way you can truly communicate through fighting. But Brad, as your friend, I ask you, don’t do something you will regret. A man can only be pushed so far until he becomes a monster. Brad is the man, Jack is the monster, and as long as you remain Reckless Jack, Spike will win. No matter how the match ends.
In the end, I only want to address myself. My life hasn’t always been the most glamorous, but to say I had it hard, would only be half truths. Growing up, until the age of twenty-seven I was the most self destructive human being alive. To the point where I almost lost everything, multiple times. The key word is almost, for some strange reason fate always seems to give me the benefit of the doubt, no matter how many times I screw up, I always seem to get that happy ending. I’ve done so many things over the years to worry my wife, when I was real ****ed up in the head, I even struck my wife. But through all the hell we’ve been through so how she manages to love me. Then I look at my kids, and I realize that I am able to love unconditionally. That I do love Cari, and my children more than any title, any prize, any place in the world. That being a father, means more to me then being a King.
So if it comes down to it, maybe I will only be remembered in my wrestling career for being a X-treme Champion, like many others fall in a footnote of someone greater than me, or younger than me rising up to become the star I always dreamed of myself being. But being a footnote, well, it isn’t so bad as long as you realize what are important to yourself. So I ask my co-workers, friends, enemies, and everyone who sees this. Appreciate the people you love, and who love you, the world needs a little more friendship in it. Instead of using all this hate, and pity as motivators, take love, and make it into your motivation, and I promise you will never find a shortage of it.
So if this match is my Michael Jordan game winner, my Derek Jeter post season, my Wayne Gretzky greatness, even if I don’t go down in history like Tom Brady, or Shaquielle O’Neal as a great champion. I would rather be remember for being a great husband, a great father, and a man who lived by his happiness, not his fists. But until then, this is my way of life, and my way of living. So prepare for the fight of your lives, Shaddix, Fegus, J-F-K. Because this may very well be the last one of mine, or any of your lives.
Live life like its your last day….”
*****
Xavier pulls the phone up to his face, the conversation is now heard.
Cari Cross
“Your Aunt said he passed away in his sleep, the autopsy said of heart failure….”
Xavier Cross
“I remember, even when I was a little boy he would always talk to me like a man, he respected me because I showed him. He was really a guy you could live by…”
[/center]Cari Cross
“Xavier…”
Xavier Cross
“Don’t….I love you….we’ll work this out…”
Cari Cross
“…When are you coming home…”
Xavier Cross
“Right after the Jack-Spike match…you know I need to see that…”
Cari Cross
“I miss you…”
Xavier Cross
“I…miss you too…”
Cari Cross
“I’m so sorry, everything happens so quickly…first…”
Xavier Cross
“Don’t say it…look I’ve ****ed up way to much, and I owe you everything. We WILL work through this…”
*****
R.I.P
Uncle Henry “Hank” Reidy
1944-2009