Post by Chaos Stryke on Jun 1, 2013 20:34:01 GMT -4
Test for the Best… I wonder if I’m really cut out to be competing in such an event. A one night single elimination tournament designed to crown the top contender either for the World Heavyweight or Undisputed championship. In 2006 and 2007, I took place in a similar event called King of the Kage in the American Wrestling Alliance. I’d never really taken part in something so big before. Both years I lost to the same man who was winning that tournament for the second and third times. The first time was in the opening round and the second was in the finals. In 2006, I didn’t belong there. In 2007, I proved that I deserved the opportunity.
I look at Test for the Best this year, the field of competitors, what we’re fighting for, and, most importantly, I look at myself. I see that same person who was standing there in 2006. I feel like I haven’t yet done enough to deserve a shot at the top spot on Asylum. I became Tap Out champion two weeks ago, and that’s currently the breakout moment of my APW tenure. It seems crazy, doesn’t it? Two weeks removed from breaking away from the cluster at the bottom of Asylum, yet I have a chance to take part in a tournament meant for the very best the three brands in APW have to offer… as well as a couple of people that mess up their first opportunity, but won a ‘second chance’ match to get back into the mix.
I’m not one of the best on Asylum. Some people might say otherwise… but those people are few and far between given the degree of hatred I’ve received as of late. Perhaps my in ring work will prove I am. I’m not flashy, brutal, dominant, or sneaky in the ring, so generally I’m dismissed regardless of what I do. I’m adaptive and resourceful though, and those traits have allowed me to obtain success in my time here in APW as well as all of the preceding years I’ve competed, but they don’t get you noticed. Need I look any further than Level-One’s casual face-to-face dismissal of me on Overdrive for a suitable example?
But this isn’t about my ego, or what everyone else’s perception of me is. My own arrogance is tempered by the knowledge that there are better competitors than I. My concerns about everyone else’s opinions of me need to be put aside, because it’s clear that I have no influence on what they decide I’m viewed as. I let that get to me in the last couple of months when it shouldn’t have. What this is about is what I think.
Some people might make points that have merit and I agree with. I’m not a distinguished competitor here yet. I’m nowhere near being one of the elite. But it may just be a matter of time. I’m relentless when I choose to be, pursuing any goal I believe is attainable. I’m always looking upward because there’s always more to accomplish. So, while I may agree with the criticisms that come my way about how capable people think I am, I’m always striving to go beyond what I am. I might be a mess right now and in no shape for the journey to Test for the Best and maybe I’m not ready to win the whole thing… but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to give everything I have in the attempt at doing just that.
Sometimes, even when you don’t believe you have what it takes, you end up surprising yourself with what you do accomplish. Its five matches over three shows. Let’s see what I can do with them.
We open to a shot of the camera moving through the Alexander home. Along a hallway into the dining room and then making the turn into the living room, where we spot the form of Logan Alexander stretched out on a couch in a t-shirt and shorts with his left arm pulled up and resting across his face to cover his eyes. Without waiting for any sort of acknowledgement from him, a familiar voice speaks from behind the camera.
Did you actually go into the school to do some training today?
Without moving from his spot, Logan replies.
Yes.
The simple reply is met with an exhalation of frustration.
You are unbelievable at times… You know that don’t you?
Logan lifts his arm up letting it rest on his forehead and he looks at the camera and the person holding it.
It wasn’t any sort of training that would cause further damage. I wanted to sit down with some others to do some reviewing about blocks, deflections, counters, and dodges. I also needed to practice performing those activities leading with my left arm instead of my right. It was all low intensity, slow pace stuff. I’m not crazy… much.
He offers a sheepish smile.
It’s the ‘much’ part I’m worried about with you.
He lets out a slow breath, but does try to move from where he is.
I know. I’m taking it easy as much as I can, but I feel like I have too much time on my hands and I want to do something to prepare. Staying somewhat active also lets me get used to the feeling of these pain shocks… and it lets me practice those breathing exercises you mentioned while doing other things.
Well, at least you’re listening to some of my advice. Now I just have to figure out how to keep you resting so that you can actually heal properly.
He smiles slightly again.
It’s a challenge to contain a bundle of nervous energy.
He lets out another breath, then glances up to the ceiling.
I lost a piece of my career two weeks ago in that loss to the Dying Breed. M&M are dead for the foreseeable future, so what do I have left now?
He pauses for a little while just letting the question hang in the air.
I only have my singles career to focus on and I have to try to keep it together… unlike my tag team one. I’m a champion with a title to defend, one person out of a roster of contenders for a huge opportunity I want to give my best for, and for two months I’m stepping into every match at a disadvantage before the bell even rings. I have practically nothing to do other than worry between matches… and since I’m not supposed to be active at all, I don’t have a good way to release all that energy.
Then you need to stop worrying so much. You aren’t under any real pressure right now anyway.
He looks back over at the camera, looking like he’s going to respond, but doesn’t get the chance.
Yes, you have this first round qualifying match, but this is against a known opponent. This is someone you’ve won against. You know you can beat him. This isn’t even a must win match for you either, you still have an opportunity to get back into the tournament brackets if you lose with the battle royal.
He snorts softly, and winces afterwards. He stays quiet for a few moments afterwards.
That will require a superhuman effort on my part to get through that kind of match…
Well, if that’s what happens, you’ll either have to find a way to endure or you won’t have much else to worry about, and then you can see about getting some time off. What you should do is focus on this one match. Worry about the rest when and if it happens. If you deserve to be there, you’ll find a way in. That’s all there is to it.
He lets out a breath in resignation.
I guess so.
He lowers his arm down, covering his eyes once again. The scene fades to black.
When the scene comes back into focus, Logan’s in the same room as he was earlier, now sitting before the camera. He’s still cradling his right side with his left arm. He takes a slow steadying breath before looking into the camera.
One match at a time… Guess I need to keep it simple and focus on what’s right before me. In this case, that’s you Mannie. It’s round four for us. First three title matches, now Test for the Best qualification, and in the future who knows what else. I suppose this’ll be our chance to try and settle things for the moment. We didn’t get to meet in the gauntlet at Mayhem, so who knows… Maybe you would’ve caught a big break, beaten a third competitor and then fallen to Michael Lively in the end. Perhaps I would’ve beaten you, and still gotten to take home the prize at the end of the match.
But really, I don’t need to sit here and play the ‘what if’ game with you at all. There’s one simple fact that you need to recall about the match at Mayhem. In the end, I was the one standing tall. I doesn’t matter what you, Lively, Williams, or TJ have to say about how the match turned out and how I won because of the circumstances of the match. Those are just excuses. It’s an explanation you’ll hide behind to try and save face, but it won’t change the facts of the situation: I won and you lost. I was the one who stepped up to the challenge and overcame, while you crumbled beneath it.
A loss is really just a learning experience if you aren’t spending all of your energy denying it happened. I’m still frustrated by my loss to you in February. Excessive outside interference cost me that match, but I should’ve seen it coming and taken precautions. This time I will. I’m not going to lose to you because of lack of preparation or a lack of respect. I know what you can do, Mannie. I know that you could beat me, but even hurt I’m not going to be easy prey for you.
He smiles confidently, giving the impression that even now he’s in control of his own destiny and won’t be yielding it to anyone else.
That goes right back to your lack of respect for me. I hardly have to do more than glance at your comments and actions leading to and at Mayhem to get a good idea of how little you seem to regard me. You had your verbal spat with Lively on the show talking about all he’d done to you and that it was going to be the motivation for your run in the gauntlet. But what happened there? Even with your motivation to get past him, Lively stopped you cold. It was much like your One Night in Hell attempt. Of course, he hasn’t really been relevant since One Night in Hell when he dropped the North American championship. Since then, he’s just been an ‘also ran’ in every title chase he’s taken part in and you still couldn’t beat him. You should’ve focused on the guy that’s had success since that night.
But when you did focus on me, I had to wonder just whose script you were ripping off. A geriatric veteran? I mean come on… at least being called an ‘old man’ was a bit catchier. Either way, since when did age really become such a big issue? I’ll agree that I’m not in the same physical condition I was a decade ago, but I’ve traded a lot of raw talent for developed skill and experience. That’s a big advantage of getting older, Mannie. Some people like you might think being in my early thirties makes me incapable of fighting against a bunch of twenty-somethings, but time and again I’ve been able to trounce competitors that have youth on their side. So how much of a detriment is my age?
It’s not. It’s only an advantage that I make great use of every time I set foot inside the ring. Those extra years have just taken what you have Mannie, raw undeveloped talent, and turned it into something far more useful in the ring. You acknowledged that going into Mayhem. I’m a great technical wrestler. I was good when I started, and I’ve only gotten better.
He looks down beside him and picks up a picture of Mannie on the cover of GQ magazine. Logan smirks slightly as he looks at it and then holds up beside himself before the camera.
Look at you Mannie. Other than youth and being healthy, what advantage do you have on me going into this match? Heart? Determination? Ability? Those aren’t advantages for you, Mannie. I don’t think you have any advantages over me. You can crow about your North American title reign and how you have the all the qualities that a champion needs to succeed, but let me ask you one question. Why aren’t you the Tap Out champion? Why aren’t you still the North American champion?
I can give you credit it where it’s due. You’ve had excellent performances some weeks. But that’s the problem Mannie. ‘Some’ weeks, not ‘every’ week. Every week, I try to give my best regardless of circumstances or competition. My goal is to beat up at least one person every single show I’m on and win a match. I do the former every time. I do the latter most of the time. Can you say the same? Do you take this work seriously enough that you’ll give your all every week to prove yourself? I don’t think so. You simply don’t show that kind of heart or determination.
Everyone can fight with all they’ve got when they feel backed into a corner, but the ones who can do that at any time are the ones who’ll stand above the rest. I can fight like I’m desperate even when I’m not. It’s why I can easily deal with opponents who think so little of me.
He reaches up with his other hand and proceeds to crumple the picture into a ball and then drop it to the floor, out of sight.
And one final thing… you said before Mayhem that I’m not a man of charisma. I have ‘the charisma of a librarian’ is how you put it. But you should look at it this way, Mannie. It means I know when it’s time to talk and when it’s time to shut up and fight. I’m done talking. When you see me next time, it’ll be to fight. So instead of talking about how great you are, you’d better be ready to fight and prove it.
He smile confidently and nods to the camera. The scene then fades to black once more.
I look at Test for the Best this year, the field of competitors, what we’re fighting for, and, most importantly, I look at myself. I see that same person who was standing there in 2006. I feel like I haven’t yet done enough to deserve a shot at the top spot on Asylum. I became Tap Out champion two weeks ago, and that’s currently the breakout moment of my APW tenure. It seems crazy, doesn’t it? Two weeks removed from breaking away from the cluster at the bottom of Asylum, yet I have a chance to take part in a tournament meant for the very best the three brands in APW have to offer… as well as a couple of people that mess up their first opportunity, but won a ‘second chance’ match to get back into the mix.
I’m not one of the best on Asylum. Some people might say otherwise… but those people are few and far between given the degree of hatred I’ve received as of late. Perhaps my in ring work will prove I am. I’m not flashy, brutal, dominant, or sneaky in the ring, so generally I’m dismissed regardless of what I do. I’m adaptive and resourceful though, and those traits have allowed me to obtain success in my time here in APW as well as all of the preceding years I’ve competed, but they don’t get you noticed. Need I look any further than Level-One’s casual face-to-face dismissal of me on Overdrive for a suitable example?
But this isn’t about my ego, or what everyone else’s perception of me is. My own arrogance is tempered by the knowledge that there are better competitors than I. My concerns about everyone else’s opinions of me need to be put aside, because it’s clear that I have no influence on what they decide I’m viewed as. I let that get to me in the last couple of months when it shouldn’t have. What this is about is what I think.
Some people might make points that have merit and I agree with. I’m not a distinguished competitor here yet. I’m nowhere near being one of the elite. But it may just be a matter of time. I’m relentless when I choose to be, pursuing any goal I believe is attainable. I’m always looking upward because there’s always more to accomplish. So, while I may agree with the criticisms that come my way about how capable people think I am, I’m always striving to go beyond what I am. I might be a mess right now and in no shape for the journey to Test for the Best and maybe I’m not ready to win the whole thing… but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to give everything I have in the attempt at doing just that.
Sometimes, even when you don’t believe you have what it takes, you end up surprising yourself with what you do accomplish. Its five matches over three shows. Let’s see what I can do with them.
We open to a shot of the camera moving through the Alexander home. Along a hallway into the dining room and then making the turn into the living room, where we spot the form of Logan Alexander stretched out on a couch in a t-shirt and shorts with his left arm pulled up and resting across his face to cover his eyes. Without waiting for any sort of acknowledgement from him, a familiar voice speaks from behind the camera.
Did you actually go into the school to do some training today?
Without moving from his spot, Logan replies.
Yes.
The simple reply is met with an exhalation of frustration.
You are unbelievable at times… You know that don’t you?
Logan lifts his arm up letting it rest on his forehead and he looks at the camera and the person holding it.
It wasn’t any sort of training that would cause further damage. I wanted to sit down with some others to do some reviewing about blocks, deflections, counters, and dodges. I also needed to practice performing those activities leading with my left arm instead of my right. It was all low intensity, slow pace stuff. I’m not crazy… much.
He offers a sheepish smile.
It’s the ‘much’ part I’m worried about with you.
He lets out a slow breath, but does try to move from where he is.
I know. I’m taking it easy as much as I can, but I feel like I have too much time on my hands and I want to do something to prepare. Staying somewhat active also lets me get used to the feeling of these pain shocks… and it lets me practice those breathing exercises you mentioned while doing other things.
Well, at least you’re listening to some of my advice. Now I just have to figure out how to keep you resting so that you can actually heal properly.
He smiles slightly again.
It’s a challenge to contain a bundle of nervous energy.
He lets out another breath, then glances up to the ceiling.
I lost a piece of my career two weeks ago in that loss to the Dying Breed. M&M are dead for the foreseeable future, so what do I have left now?
He pauses for a little while just letting the question hang in the air.
I only have my singles career to focus on and I have to try to keep it together… unlike my tag team one. I’m a champion with a title to defend, one person out of a roster of contenders for a huge opportunity I want to give my best for, and for two months I’m stepping into every match at a disadvantage before the bell even rings. I have practically nothing to do other than worry between matches… and since I’m not supposed to be active at all, I don’t have a good way to release all that energy.
Then you need to stop worrying so much. You aren’t under any real pressure right now anyway.
He looks back over at the camera, looking like he’s going to respond, but doesn’t get the chance.
Yes, you have this first round qualifying match, but this is against a known opponent. This is someone you’ve won against. You know you can beat him. This isn’t even a must win match for you either, you still have an opportunity to get back into the tournament brackets if you lose with the battle royal.
He snorts softly, and winces afterwards. He stays quiet for a few moments afterwards.
That will require a superhuman effort on my part to get through that kind of match…
Well, if that’s what happens, you’ll either have to find a way to endure or you won’t have much else to worry about, and then you can see about getting some time off. What you should do is focus on this one match. Worry about the rest when and if it happens. If you deserve to be there, you’ll find a way in. That’s all there is to it.
He lets out a breath in resignation.
I guess so.
He lowers his arm down, covering his eyes once again. The scene fades to black.
When the scene comes back into focus, Logan’s in the same room as he was earlier, now sitting before the camera. He’s still cradling his right side with his left arm. He takes a slow steadying breath before looking into the camera.
One match at a time… Guess I need to keep it simple and focus on what’s right before me. In this case, that’s you Mannie. It’s round four for us. First three title matches, now Test for the Best qualification, and in the future who knows what else. I suppose this’ll be our chance to try and settle things for the moment. We didn’t get to meet in the gauntlet at Mayhem, so who knows… Maybe you would’ve caught a big break, beaten a third competitor and then fallen to Michael Lively in the end. Perhaps I would’ve beaten you, and still gotten to take home the prize at the end of the match.
But really, I don’t need to sit here and play the ‘what if’ game with you at all. There’s one simple fact that you need to recall about the match at Mayhem. In the end, I was the one standing tall. I doesn’t matter what you, Lively, Williams, or TJ have to say about how the match turned out and how I won because of the circumstances of the match. Those are just excuses. It’s an explanation you’ll hide behind to try and save face, but it won’t change the facts of the situation: I won and you lost. I was the one who stepped up to the challenge and overcame, while you crumbled beneath it.
A loss is really just a learning experience if you aren’t spending all of your energy denying it happened. I’m still frustrated by my loss to you in February. Excessive outside interference cost me that match, but I should’ve seen it coming and taken precautions. This time I will. I’m not going to lose to you because of lack of preparation or a lack of respect. I know what you can do, Mannie. I know that you could beat me, but even hurt I’m not going to be easy prey for you.
He smiles confidently, giving the impression that even now he’s in control of his own destiny and won’t be yielding it to anyone else.
That goes right back to your lack of respect for me. I hardly have to do more than glance at your comments and actions leading to and at Mayhem to get a good idea of how little you seem to regard me. You had your verbal spat with Lively on the show talking about all he’d done to you and that it was going to be the motivation for your run in the gauntlet. But what happened there? Even with your motivation to get past him, Lively stopped you cold. It was much like your One Night in Hell attempt. Of course, he hasn’t really been relevant since One Night in Hell when he dropped the North American championship. Since then, he’s just been an ‘also ran’ in every title chase he’s taken part in and you still couldn’t beat him. You should’ve focused on the guy that’s had success since that night.
But when you did focus on me, I had to wonder just whose script you were ripping off. A geriatric veteran? I mean come on… at least being called an ‘old man’ was a bit catchier. Either way, since when did age really become such a big issue? I’ll agree that I’m not in the same physical condition I was a decade ago, but I’ve traded a lot of raw talent for developed skill and experience. That’s a big advantage of getting older, Mannie. Some people like you might think being in my early thirties makes me incapable of fighting against a bunch of twenty-somethings, but time and again I’ve been able to trounce competitors that have youth on their side. So how much of a detriment is my age?
It’s not. It’s only an advantage that I make great use of every time I set foot inside the ring. Those extra years have just taken what you have Mannie, raw undeveloped talent, and turned it into something far more useful in the ring. You acknowledged that going into Mayhem. I’m a great technical wrestler. I was good when I started, and I’ve only gotten better.
He looks down beside him and picks up a picture of Mannie on the cover of GQ magazine. Logan smirks slightly as he looks at it and then holds up beside himself before the camera.
Look at you Mannie. Other than youth and being healthy, what advantage do you have on me going into this match? Heart? Determination? Ability? Those aren’t advantages for you, Mannie. I don’t think you have any advantages over me. You can crow about your North American title reign and how you have the all the qualities that a champion needs to succeed, but let me ask you one question. Why aren’t you the Tap Out champion? Why aren’t you still the North American champion?
I can give you credit it where it’s due. You’ve had excellent performances some weeks. But that’s the problem Mannie. ‘Some’ weeks, not ‘every’ week. Every week, I try to give my best regardless of circumstances or competition. My goal is to beat up at least one person every single show I’m on and win a match. I do the former every time. I do the latter most of the time. Can you say the same? Do you take this work seriously enough that you’ll give your all every week to prove yourself? I don’t think so. You simply don’t show that kind of heart or determination.
Everyone can fight with all they’ve got when they feel backed into a corner, but the ones who can do that at any time are the ones who’ll stand above the rest. I can fight like I’m desperate even when I’m not. It’s why I can easily deal with opponents who think so little of me.
He reaches up with his other hand and proceeds to crumple the picture into a ball and then drop it to the floor, out of sight.
And one final thing… you said before Mayhem that I’m not a man of charisma. I have ‘the charisma of a librarian’ is how you put it. But you should look at it this way, Mannie. It means I know when it’s time to talk and when it’s time to shut up and fight. I’m done talking. When you see me next time, it’ll be to fight. So instead of talking about how great you are, you’d better be ready to fight and prove it.
He smile confidently and nods to the camera. The scene then fades to black once more.
