Post by Nick Watson on Nov 11, 2012 19:52:12 GMT -4
*After Overdrive, Washington D.C.*
"Shit!"
I shouted to no one in particular as I tried to gather my wits about me and piece together what had happened out there. They had beat me to every punch and had out-maneuvered me out in that ring and now I was just sitting here in my locker room completely dumb founded on what to do next.
"Got to go back to the drawing board."
I said with an air of disappointment in my voice. It was true that what had worked at One Night had simply turned out to be completely ineffective tonight, but what else could I expect from top of the hill talents? Surely, I hadn't gone into that match thinking that the same moves would work twice? Had I?
"Looks like it is going to be another long night for me."
I said, grumbling, and beginning to pack my things to make my trip to the next venue out in Harrisburg. I had been saddled up in the tag tournament with a girl known as Amy Zing, a young talent on Meltdown that was looking to make a name for herself.
Her skill and talents, which I had researched thoroughly since it had been announced she would be my partner, had left me feeling really good about our chances in this tournament. We had similar skill sets and that, in my opinion, would work to our advantage because of what we could learn from each other. I had always felt that a team operated at a higher level if they shared at least some similarities and between the two of us I could see that similarity as clear as day.
She was a martial artist and I was a martial artist. She liked to take to the skies and I also enjoyed stretching my wings as well. She was a sensation from Hong Kong, I was a sensation from Utah. To put it simply, in my mind, her, and I had the common bond that could and would usually push a team over the edge in terms of being successful. Yet, I couldn't help, but think about the match coming our way as anything less than difficult.
Going up against an established team, with a deep history, and a championship pedigree was no where near the debut match I'm sure either of us were hoping for. Yet, I knew that deep down that didn't matter. Not to me and not to her either. We both understood that no matter how the outcome played out, we would enjoy the match, and the competition that it brought. After all, I had signed up for the lethal lottery so that I could obtain some more in-ring experience in a tag team format. A format that had been smacking me in the face ever since I got here.
In singles I was pretty solid, that was the truth, but in a tag team format I seemed to lack the discipline that separated great tag team athletes from poor ones. I clearly hoped that by entering into this tournament I would be able to shake things up and maybe get in some much desired training in a weaker part of my game.
Letting out a sigh and packing up the last piece of my gear from my locker, I would put the gym bag over my shoulder, and made my way out into the hallway. My mind abuzz with thoughts as to just how far Amy and I could make it in a tournament that was stacked from the top to the bottom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Present Day*
The scene re-opens at a burger joint in Harrisburg where I am enjoying a nice, freshly grilled hamburger. I look at the camera and nod my head, a hamburger in one of my hands, and a microphone in the other.
"I will be the first to admit that my first match as Xtreme champion was what most people would call a dud. There is no one to blame, but myself for that, and that is because I have been everything, but a good tag team partner since the day I walked through those doors... Humbled and ready to put in the work to become a part of this amazing company.
Sure, I've staggered along the way, and have made some poor judgement calls, but that is all part of the experience. You can't be successful every step of the way because if you were then how the hell would you learn right from wrong?"
I put down the hamburger which I had been chowing down on, wiping my face, and taking a deep breath as I keep on.
"The answer is you wouldn't. You would just keep on chugging along with the same philosophy and the same approach and it wouldn't get you anywhere at all. To say the least, with all of my losses, I've learned a lot, and I intend to learn a lot more before my career is over, and I hang up my boots for good.
A rookie, like myself, has to learn through his weaknesses so that he can get better, and that is just the way of the world. Personally, that is what this tournament is all about for me. Learning through my weaknesses so that I can strengthen the weak points of my own approach to matches.
For some that isn't what this is about...to some this is about gold. I mean lets take a look at our opponents for this week for instance. Do you think they came here to learn? Or to even put on a good show? No, that is the least of their worries. The only thing on Deruty's mind is to win and that is that. And to be honest, he has quite the winning equation going on in his favor.
He has a man he has tag teamed with before, who he has won tag gold with before, and who he knows solidly enough that he could vouch for this person's production without a second glance. Amy and I, we don't have that luxury. We are both extremely green when it comes to tag team wrestling, we barely know what either of us can produce on a single's level, let alone a tag team level, but yet has that disheartened us? No.
In fact, I would say that is what is going to make us push beyond Deruty and his partner, Speede. Not knowing each other's game can lead to a very unexpected and unpredictable team up, it's rare, but it happens. A team that Mr. Deruty and Mr. Speede have more than oh so casually brushed aside. Hell, Deruty went as far as to say he wasn't intimidated by my talent or worried about the skills that Zing brings to the table.
Yet, I need to remind Deruty that this isn't about individual skill or individual accomplishment."
I grin and pick up the photo laying on the table. It's a picture of Amy Zing and I point at it with a smile and an air of confidence.
"This girl, is amazing and she deserved more than a quick brush aside, but what else can I expect from a man that is already penciling himself in as champion because of his already penciled in stone accomplishments. Accomplishments, I may add, that have no bearing in a place like this where the talent pool is so much deeper than anywhere else on this whole God damn planet. I would know! I've been a part of it for months!"
I snicker and put the picture down, before continuing on.
"I will give you credit though...you do put on quite the act of superiority. Where you talk about all your accomplishments, talk about how it's everyone else's fault, but your own for your losses, and about how Amy's talent and my skill don't matter because your experiences put you over us. And I will give you even more credit because of your experience and your talent that you and your partner have brought to the table.
Yet...I will point out that you are committing one of the cardinal sins of wrestling right now. You are underestimating the potential that is opposite of you. I would know what this sin looks like because I myself have committed it on numerous occasions and have lost because of it."
I shrug and shake my head before continuing on with a slight smile on my face.
"That's not to say it is going to be easy to defeat you two because it isn't. I know that even though I believe strongly in Amy's talent and my own talent, that doesn't mean that this match is going to be a cake walk. I realize that you and Speede have the upper hand here, but I'm also not going to swerve away from the fact that there is a possibility that this match could end with me and my partner's hand's held high.
That, of course to you, is an impossibility. After all, I'm not high enough in stature to be a threat to you and Amy's talent alone will not be enough to beat you or Speede."
I laugh a bit before saying.
"I'm just wondering who you are going to blame after you lose your match because of this whole "better than thou" bull shit. I'm sure your partner Speede can handle it...after all, after teaming with you I'm sure he knows just how stupid your accusation throwing and bitching can be.
Speaking of your partner, you, and him seem to be under the opinion that both of you are saviors to this division. Which I find funny because you have barely been in the APW long enough to understand why this division needs saving, let alone understand the importance of these belts to the whole of APW's future. Then again Speede is the same guy that thinks I'm going to throw Amy to the dogs if and when my Xtreme title and tag title are to be defended on the same night.
First of all, retard...I wouldn't have joined the tournament if I didn't think I could pull double duty, and to be quite fair...don't make judgement calls like that before you have even got to know me. It's like calling me winning the Xtreme title a fluke!
I give a surprised look and then shake my head.
"Oh wait! You already did!
The fact that you are dissing my championship reign was enough for me to dislike you, but at the same time you slandered the rest of the tag teams who are not only putting in the time to revitalize this division, but are also mostly pulling double duty to give these fans here on Meltdown, a fun, and exciting show.
Shame on you!
The fact is Speede, I don't care about your blog, and your twelve subscribers to said blog. All I care about is putting on a good show and helping Amy make a name for herself. This isn't about personal accomplishment for me...this is about helping myself with my issues and helping Amy with hers. Because that is what good partners do. We help one another achieve our goals and work together for the common good of the team. And I believe that somewhere along the way that your team with Dulty lost sight of that. Somewhere along the way it became more about picking up wins and making a name for yourself rather than helping your partner achieve his or her dreams.
But that isn't what this team between Amy and I is about. I fully intend to be there for her regardless of if we win this Monday or not because her dream is to be a big star and I will be damned if I don't help her achieve that goal. So for now, I leave a message to both of you in hopes that you hear it loud and clear:
You have judged us poorly and at Meltdown, we are not coming to just kick your ass, but to make you realize that though we aren't the most experienced tag wrestlers...we are still two of the hardest working athletes in APW today. So get ready because at Meltdown...you may have wished us luck, but I suspect you two will be needing it more than we ever did."
*Scene bursts to static*
"Shit!"
I shouted to no one in particular as I tried to gather my wits about me and piece together what had happened out there. They had beat me to every punch and had out-maneuvered me out in that ring and now I was just sitting here in my locker room completely dumb founded on what to do next.
"Got to go back to the drawing board."
I said with an air of disappointment in my voice. It was true that what had worked at One Night had simply turned out to be completely ineffective tonight, but what else could I expect from top of the hill talents? Surely, I hadn't gone into that match thinking that the same moves would work twice? Had I?
"Looks like it is going to be another long night for me."
I said, grumbling, and beginning to pack my things to make my trip to the next venue out in Harrisburg. I had been saddled up in the tag tournament with a girl known as Amy Zing, a young talent on Meltdown that was looking to make a name for herself.
Her skill and talents, which I had researched thoroughly since it had been announced she would be my partner, had left me feeling really good about our chances in this tournament. We had similar skill sets and that, in my opinion, would work to our advantage because of what we could learn from each other. I had always felt that a team operated at a higher level if they shared at least some similarities and between the two of us I could see that similarity as clear as day.
She was a martial artist and I was a martial artist. She liked to take to the skies and I also enjoyed stretching my wings as well. She was a sensation from Hong Kong, I was a sensation from Utah. To put it simply, in my mind, her, and I had the common bond that could and would usually push a team over the edge in terms of being successful. Yet, I couldn't help, but think about the match coming our way as anything less than difficult.
Going up against an established team, with a deep history, and a championship pedigree was no where near the debut match I'm sure either of us were hoping for. Yet, I knew that deep down that didn't matter. Not to me and not to her either. We both understood that no matter how the outcome played out, we would enjoy the match, and the competition that it brought. After all, I had signed up for the lethal lottery so that I could obtain some more in-ring experience in a tag team format. A format that had been smacking me in the face ever since I got here.
In singles I was pretty solid, that was the truth, but in a tag team format I seemed to lack the discipline that separated great tag team athletes from poor ones. I clearly hoped that by entering into this tournament I would be able to shake things up and maybe get in some much desired training in a weaker part of my game.
Letting out a sigh and packing up the last piece of my gear from my locker, I would put the gym bag over my shoulder, and made my way out into the hallway. My mind abuzz with thoughts as to just how far Amy and I could make it in a tournament that was stacked from the top to the bottom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Present Day*
The scene re-opens at a burger joint in Harrisburg where I am enjoying a nice, freshly grilled hamburger. I look at the camera and nod my head, a hamburger in one of my hands, and a microphone in the other.
"I will be the first to admit that my first match as Xtreme champion was what most people would call a dud. There is no one to blame, but myself for that, and that is because I have been everything, but a good tag team partner since the day I walked through those doors... Humbled and ready to put in the work to become a part of this amazing company.
Sure, I've staggered along the way, and have made some poor judgement calls, but that is all part of the experience. You can't be successful every step of the way because if you were then how the hell would you learn right from wrong?"
I put down the hamburger which I had been chowing down on, wiping my face, and taking a deep breath as I keep on.
"The answer is you wouldn't. You would just keep on chugging along with the same philosophy and the same approach and it wouldn't get you anywhere at all. To say the least, with all of my losses, I've learned a lot, and I intend to learn a lot more before my career is over, and I hang up my boots for good.
A rookie, like myself, has to learn through his weaknesses so that he can get better, and that is just the way of the world. Personally, that is what this tournament is all about for me. Learning through my weaknesses so that I can strengthen the weak points of my own approach to matches.
For some that isn't what this is about...to some this is about gold. I mean lets take a look at our opponents for this week for instance. Do you think they came here to learn? Or to even put on a good show? No, that is the least of their worries. The only thing on Deruty's mind is to win and that is that. And to be honest, he has quite the winning equation going on in his favor.
He has a man he has tag teamed with before, who he has won tag gold with before, and who he knows solidly enough that he could vouch for this person's production without a second glance. Amy and I, we don't have that luxury. We are both extremely green when it comes to tag team wrestling, we barely know what either of us can produce on a single's level, let alone a tag team level, but yet has that disheartened us? No.
In fact, I would say that is what is going to make us push beyond Deruty and his partner, Speede. Not knowing each other's game can lead to a very unexpected and unpredictable team up, it's rare, but it happens. A team that Mr. Deruty and Mr. Speede have more than oh so casually brushed aside. Hell, Deruty went as far as to say he wasn't intimidated by my talent or worried about the skills that Zing brings to the table.
Yet, I need to remind Deruty that this isn't about individual skill or individual accomplishment."
I grin and pick up the photo laying on the table. It's a picture of Amy Zing and I point at it with a smile and an air of confidence.
"This girl, is amazing and she deserved more than a quick brush aside, but what else can I expect from a man that is already penciling himself in as champion because of his already penciled in stone accomplishments. Accomplishments, I may add, that have no bearing in a place like this where the talent pool is so much deeper than anywhere else on this whole God damn planet. I would know! I've been a part of it for months!"
I snicker and put the picture down, before continuing on.
"I will give you credit though...you do put on quite the act of superiority. Where you talk about all your accomplishments, talk about how it's everyone else's fault, but your own for your losses, and about how Amy's talent and my skill don't matter because your experiences put you over us. And I will give you even more credit because of your experience and your talent that you and your partner have brought to the table.
Yet...I will point out that you are committing one of the cardinal sins of wrestling right now. You are underestimating the potential that is opposite of you. I would know what this sin looks like because I myself have committed it on numerous occasions and have lost because of it."
I shrug and shake my head before continuing on with a slight smile on my face.
"That's not to say it is going to be easy to defeat you two because it isn't. I know that even though I believe strongly in Amy's talent and my own talent, that doesn't mean that this match is going to be a cake walk. I realize that you and Speede have the upper hand here, but I'm also not going to swerve away from the fact that there is a possibility that this match could end with me and my partner's hand's held high.
That, of course to you, is an impossibility. After all, I'm not high enough in stature to be a threat to you and Amy's talent alone will not be enough to beat you or Speede."
I laugh a bit before saying.
"I'm just wondering who you are going to blame after you lose your match because of this whole "better than thou" bull shit. I'm sure your partner Speede can handle it...after all, after teaming with you I'm sure he knows just how stupid your accusation throwing and bitching can be.
Speaking of your partner, you, and him seem to be under the opinion that both of you are saviors to this division. Which I find funny because you have barely been in the APW long enough to understand why this division needs saving, let alone understand the importance of these belts to the whole of APW's future. Then again Speede is the same guy that thinks I'm going to throw Amy to the dogs if and when my Xtreme title and tag title are to be defended on the same night.
First of all, retard...I wouldn't have joined the tournament if I didn't think I could pull double duty, and to be quite fair...don't make judgement calls like that before you have even got to know me. It's like calling me winning the Xtreme title a fluke!
I give a surprised look and then shake my head.
"Oh wait! You already did!
The fact that you are dissing my championship reign was enough for me to dislike you, but at the same time you slandered the rest of the tag teams who are not only putting in the time to revitalize this division, but are also mostly pulling double duty to give these fans here on Meltdown, a fun, and exciting show.
Shame on you!
The fact is Speede, I don't care about your blog, and your twelve subscribers to said blog. All I care about is putting on a good show and helping Amy make a name for herself. This isn't about personal accomplishment for me...this is about helping myself with my issues and helping Amy with hers. Because that is what good partners do. We help one another achieve our goals and work together for the common good of the team. And I believe that somewhere along the way that your team with Dulty lost sight of that. Somewhere along the way it became more about picking up wins and making a name for yourself rather than helping your partner achieve his or her dreams.
But that isn't what this team between Amy and I is about. I fully intend to be there for her regardless of if we win this Monday or not because her dream is to be a big star and I will be damned if I don't help her achieve that goal. So for now, I leave a message to both of you in hopes that you hear it loud and clear:
You have judged us poorly and at Meltdown, we are not coming to just kick your ass, but to make you realize that though we aren't the most experienced tag wrestlers...we are still two of the hardest working athletes in APW today. So get ready because at Meltdown...you may have wished us luck, but I suspect you two will be needing it more than we ever did."
*Scene bursts to static*
