Post by Mad Mumf on Aug 26, 2013 20:19:47 GMT -4
Another day rolls around in the Mumford household. The windows are open and a soft breeze is rolling in off the Atlantic Ocean as Mumf sits at the kitchen table, an unattended beer next to him as he sorts through a sizable stack of papers. They seem to occupy most of his attention as he doesn’t even notice when his younger brother, Ryan enters the room and sits across from him.
After a few more moments, Ryan finally clears his throat and his older brother looks up inquisitively.
Mumf – What’s up? I’m kind of busy at the moment?
Ryan – So I see. *Gestures to all of the papers.* What’s all of this?
Mumf – Returns on investments, bills for the bar in Ocean City, requests for appearances, inventory for the bar. All the things that make it so I don’t have to worry about whether or not I make money fighting. Once in a while I take a look in on everything to make sure it’s all up to snuff. Since I’ve moved back up north, though, the numbers are a little off for the bar’s profits. I think the guy I hired to be the manager down there is skimming off the top. I think that if I’m going to continue owning a bar I’m going to move it somewhere local, rather than in a vacation spot.
Ryan – Probably a good idea. It’s hard to keep track of that stuff long-distance. Especially when you don’t know if you can trust the people you hire.
Mumf – Exactly. That’s why I want you to take a trip to Long Beach and see if there’s any good locations along the boardwalk while they’re reconstructing it that I might be able to open up a good bar that will draw a crowd.
Ryan – You know me, man. Any excuse for a party.
Mumf smirks and shakes his head.
Mumf – Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m sending you to do this during the daytime, isn’t it? I’ve got a few spots in mind. The closer to the west end the better. Let me know what you think of them. One or two aren’t on the boardwalk but might be active enough to draw a good crowd regardless.
Ryan – I’ll get right on that after I’ve had a shower and splashed on some cologne. The west end is a pretty big party area these days. Or at least it was before Hurricane Sandy. I’ll see what I can scope out for you. By the way, did you really beat the crap out of one of Ivy’s ex’es?
Mumf – Yeah. He was giving her problems and the guy had some serious violent tendencies, so I dealt with it the only way it could be dealt with.
Ryan – Don’t you think you might be biting off a little more than you can chew, Adam? Between the wrestling, causing your mayhem there, picking fights with people outside the ring, and throwing wrenches in peoples situations in the APW?
Mumf – Who knows? But when has that ever stopped me before. Most of what I do, I see as necessary and is part of why I have people like you and Ivy watching my back. We’re doing what we do best and I can guarantee it will make a lasting impact.
Ryan – You’re the boss, big brother.
Mumf – Nah. Just the man with the plan. Let me know what you think of those bars. And try not to sample each one too much, would you? We’ve got training to do.
Ryan – Will do. I’ll catch you later.
Ryan heads out of the room as the scene slowly fades to black. The scene fades back in and we find ourselves among one of the older graveyards on Long Island. The telltale signs of the location’s age are the lack of roads, the heavy forestation around where we are and the moss and years of decay showing on each and every headstone.
Mad Mumf – Welcome to a little forgotten patch of land in the highly populated Long Island. This little cemetery hasn’t been tended to for some time. The headstones are run down and some are crumbling to rubble with every passing year. Time comes to claim even those who have already supposedly run out of time. It just goes to show that, even after you’ve died and been buried time and decay continue for you just as they did when you’re alive.
These woods are relatively close to my house, so I like to come here and think. The air is always quiet and still and nobody ever comes around to bother you when you need peace and quiet. There are the few people who know about this place, of course, that think it’s haunted, but that’s just playing into old superstitions.
Those would be the same superstitions I have played into over the course of the many promos and segments I’ve filmed on these grounds over the course of my many years in this business. I strove to give off this aura of a supernatural being. I’ve claimed to be something beyond this plane of existence before. I’ve claimed to be undead. I’ve even claimed to be gifted with the power of the gods. In the end, however, any man that steps into that ring is simply flesh and blood. No fighter is immortal. No fighter is a deity. Behind every supposed preternatural being that steps into that ring is a living breathing man.
By all means, intimidation has its rightful place in this business. It’s an effective tool against the uneducated or uninitiated. But for more effective than parlor tricks and showmanship is the ability to back up your claims with words and deeds. Thus far, in my time here in the APW I have done nothing but that, and I will continue to do nothing but that because after years of learning and evolving, I have learned that if there is one way to get my message, the ultimate message across, then that is, by god, the way to do it.
Throughout my years in this business I have had people attempt to attach countless labels to me. I have been labeled as a hero and a role model at times, neither of which were titles that I desired or claimed. I do far too many terrible things to be worthy of either and wouldn’t want a child to ever emulate my actions. I have been labeled as a leader at times, a title I accepted with great reluctance, but accepted nonetheless. There were times when people needed leadership or guidance, and out of necessity, I accepted that role and bound groups of allies together. Hell, there may even be more of those times ahead of me still. I was given the label of student at times as well learning from some of the greats in this business and gathering what knowledge from them that I could. I fought for many of them, under their command and tutelage while letting them lead me.
The title, though, that stuck with me, through all of my years and through all of the companies I’ve worked in was one simple word; monster. That was a label I could understand and gladly accept. It is something I have been since before I started wrestling. It is a name I have lived up to and prided myself on given the way I go about my business in that ring. Whether I like or hate someone, once I’m in that ring, they’re nothing but a target, and they’re there to be eliminated, dealt with, and caused as much pain and blood loss as possible. I went through my years where I did body building, had muscles that had muscles of their own, did nothing but supplements and ate a strict diet to be nothing but a brick wall with arms and legs. Eventually, though, during my time off, I started to think that there could be other approaches, other ways to be a monster. Many out there think that the sole means to being a monster is the way I just described. Take my opponent, Shadow, for example. He’s big: tall, imposing, and relatively well built. He even tried to make some sort of statement by kicking his way through my door while I was having a conversation with someone in my locker room/office.
And so, when I decided I might make my return to the ring I went out and this old dog learned some new tricks. I started to understand that one can be a monster through more than simply sheer force and brawn. One can also be a monster by the use of the mind, and the employment of more shrewd tactics while still having that same emotionless determination that I have always brought to the ring with me. So, a new breed of monster was born. Where once was something much more like you see in a man like Shadow, you now find a man with more than one facet and with an ability to use more than brawn, but also his mind to intimidate and dominate in that ring. The proof, as they say is in the pudding. What I’ve done in this company up until this point is not a matter of coincidence or circumstance. I have every intention of being a dominant force here and every match I have will be a statement of just as much. This isn’t bragging. This isn’t overconfidence. This is substantiated fact.
Another fact is that people like you, Shadow, think you can intimidate anybody by employing the tactics you used when you busted into my locker room. I like you well enough, and I think you’ve got potential to make something interesting of yourself, but if you think those tactics are going to work out for you in that ring or that your size will give you that much of an advantage over me to the point that you’re going to be able to intimidate me, you, my friend, are way off base. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you are in for a bit of education when you step into that ring at Meltdown; a first-hand lesson in being a monster from one who has been at it for quite some time and has been approaching it from all sorts of angles and strategies.
Sure, size can be a useful tool, but so can the mind, perhaps even more-so than size or power. If you can get into someone’s head, he’s more likely to make mistakes or let one’s rage get the better of him. You don’t necessarily need brawn to do that. A trained, cold, emotionally uninhibited mind can pick out flaws and weaknesses and can know exactly how to exploit them until the target is reeling back in pain and torment or bleeding profusely. All the trained mind needs is one opening while those who use simple brute force simply try clubbing their way through that proverbial brick wall. For example, Shadow, I know you’re pretty roughed up from some of your previous encounters. How many of those sore spots and injuries can you protect from my attention at one time. Remember, all I need is just one to exploit. When you try to adjust, IF you try to adjust and keep me from exploiting it, I’ll simply move to another or create another myself. I may not be as well built or as tall as you, but I can win this battle through a simple war of attrition against every weakness. That’s my line of work and I’m damn good at it.
I’m not going to claim to know who you are or that I have you all figured out. That would be presumptuous. Why would I? Because we’re both monsters? As I already said, there are many different kinds of monsters. What I do know is that the games you play won’t serve you well. I have been playing those games since I came out of the starting gate god knows when in some rinky dink company where we got paid in sweat-soggied money from a dirty grease-ball promoter. How do you intimidate somebody who has made it his specialty through all means, whether it be hokey parlor tricks all the way to sheer force of will to intimidate others? Simple answer…you don’t. Don’t try to intimidate me. Don’t come to me and talk about how tremendous a monster you are.
You’re banged up right now, Shadow, and I am going to exploit that and any overconfidence you might bring to that ring. School is in session and I am the teacher. You are about to learn a valuable lesson from somebody who has been called a true monster in this business and outside of it as well for more years than you’ve been around. And when it’s all said and done, you will pull yourself up and walk away better educated, but still a man defeated. Want to know my secret? I simply back my words up. I don’t play games anymore. I don’t go for gimmicks. When it all really comes down to it, I’m not here to inflict fear. I’m here to send my usual message. Take away the gimmicks, and the spooky smoke, and all the old 80’s clichés and it all comes down to one thing, I’m a man in a graveyard who’s going to beat you based on the simple fact that I am better at what I do than you are at what you do. See you at Meltdown.
The scene slowly fades to black as Mumf walks out of the frame and out of the graveyard.
After a few more moments, Ryan finally clears his throat and his older brother looks up inquisitively.
Mumf – What’s up? I’m kind of busy at the moment?
Ryan – So I see. *Gestures to all of the papers.* What’s all of this?
Mumf – Returns on investments, bills for the bar in Ocean City, requests for appearances, inventory for the bar. All the things that make it so I don’t have to worry about whether or not I make money fighting. Once in a while I take a look in on everything to make sure it’s all up to snuff. Since I’ve moved back up north, though, the numbers are a little off for the bar’s profits. I think the guy I hired to be the manager down there is skimming off the top. I think that if I’m going to continue owning a bar I’m going to move it somewhere local, rather than in a vacation spot.
Ryan – Probably a good idea. It’s hard to keep track of that stuff long-distance. Especially when you don’t know if you can trust the people you hire.
Mumf – Exactly. That’s why I want you to take a trip to Long Beach and see if there’s any good locations along the boardwalk while they’re reconstructing it that I might be able to open up a good bar that will draw a crowd.
Ryan – You know me, man. Any excuse for a party.
Mumf smirks and shakes his head.
Mumf – Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m sending you to do this during the daytime, isn’t it? I’ve got a few spots in mind. The closer to the west end the better. Let me know what you think of them. One or two aren’t on the boardwalk but might be active enough to draw a good crowd regardless.
Ryan – I’ll get right on that after I’ve had a shower and splashed on some cologne. The west end is a pretty big party area these days. Or at least it was before Hurricane Sandy. I’ll see what I can scope out for you. By the way, did you really beat the crap out of one of Ivy’s ex’es?
Mumf – Yeah. He was giving her problems and the guy had some serious violent tendencies, so I dealt with it the only way it could be dealt with.
Ryan – Don’t you think you might be biting off a little more than you can chew, Adam? Between the wrestling, causing your mayhem there, picking fights with people outside the ring, and throwing wrenches in peoples situations in the APW?
Mumf – Who knows? But when has that ever stopped me before. Most of what I do, I see as necessary and is part of why I have people like you and Ivy watching my back. We’re doing what we do best and I can guarantee it will make a lasting impact.
Ryan – You’re the boss, big brother.
Mumf – Nah. Just the man with the plan. Let me know what you think of those bars. And try not to sample each one too much, would you? We’ve got training to do.
Ryan – Will do. I’ll catch you later.
Ryan heads out of the room as the scene slowly fades to black. The scene fades back in and we find ourselves among one of the older graveyards on Long Island. The telltale signs of the location’s age are the lack of roads, the heavy forestation around where we are and the moss and years of decay showing on each and every headstone.
Mad Mumf – Welcome to a little forgotten patch of land in the highly populated Long Island. This little cemetery hasn’t been tended to for some time. The headstones are run down and some are crumbling to rubble with every passing year. Time comes to claim even those who have already supposedly run out of time. It just goes to show that, even after you’ve died and been buried time and decay continue for you just as they did when you’re alive.
These woods are relatively close to my house, so I like to come here and think. The air is always quiet and still and nobody ever comes around to bother you when you need peace and quiet. There are the few people who know about this place, of course, that think it’s haunted, but that’s just playing into old superstitions.
Those would be the same superstitions I have played into over the course of the many promos and segments I’ve filmed on these grounds over the course of my many years in this business. I strove to give off this aura of a supernatural being. I’ve claimed to be something beyond this plane of existence before. I’ve claimed to be undead. I’ve even claimed to be gifted with the power of the gods. In the end, however, any man that steps into that ring is simply flesh and blood. No fighter is immortal. No fighter is a deity. Behind every supposed preternatural being that steps into that ring is a living breathing man.
By all means, intimidation has its rightful place in this business. It’s an effective tool against the uneducated or uninitiated. But for more effective than parlor tricks and showmanship is the ability to back up your claims with words and deeds. Thus far, in my time here in the APW I have done nothing but that, and I will continue to do nothing but that because after years of learning and evolving, I have learned that if there is one way to get my message, the ultimate message across, then that is, by god, the way to do it.
Throughout my years in this business I have had people attempt to attach countless labels to me. I have been labeled as a hero and a role model at times, neither of which were titles that I desired or claimed. I do far too many terrible things to be worthy of either and wouldn’t want a child to ever emulate my actions. I have been labeled as a leader at times, a title I accepted with great reluctance, but accepted nonetheless. There were times when people needed leadership or guidance, and out of necessity, I accepted that role and bound groups of allies together. Hell, there may even be more of those times ahead of me still. I was given the label of student at times as well learning from some of the greats in this business and gathering what knowledge from them that I could. I fought for many of them, under their command and tutelage while letting them lead me.
The title, though, that stuck with me, through all of my years and through all of the companies I’ve worked in was one simple word; monster. That was a label I could understand and gladly accept. It is something I have been since before I started wrestling. It is a name I have lived up to and prided myself on given the way I go about my business in that ring. Whether I like or hate someone, once I’m in that ring, they’re nothing but a target, and they’re there to be eliminated, dealt with, and caused as much pain and blood loss as possible. I went through my years where I did body building, had muscles that had muscles of their own, did nothing but supplements and ate a strict diet to be nothing but a brick wall with arms and legs. Eventually, though, during my time off, I started to think that there could be other approaches, other ways to be a monster. Many out there think that the sole means to being a monster is the way I just described. Take my opponent, Shadow, for example. He’s big: tall, imposing, and relatively well built. He even tried to make some sort of statement by kicking his way through my door while I was having a conversation with someone in my locker room/office.
And so, when I decided I might make my return to the ring I went out and this old dog learned some new tricks. I started to understand that one can be a monster through more than simply sheer force and brawn. One can also be a monster by the use of the mind, and the employment of more shrewd tactics while still having that same emotionless determination that I have always brought to the ring with me. So, a new breed of monster was born. Where once was something much more like you see in a man like Shadow, you now find a man with more than one facet and with an ability to use more than brawn, but also his mind to intimidate and dominate in that ring. The proof, as they say is in the pudding. What I’ve done in this company up until this point is not a matter of coincidence or circumstance. I have every intention of being a dominant force here and every match I have will be a statement of just as much. This isn’t bragging. This isn’t overconfidence. This is substantiated fact.
Another fact is that people like you, Shadow, think you can intimidate anybody by employing the tactics you used when you busted into my locker room. I like you well enough, and I think you’ve got potential to make something interesting of yourself, but if you think those tactics are going to work out for you in that ring or that your size will give you that much of an advantage over me to the point that you’re going to be able to intimidate me, you, my friend, are way off base. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you are in for a bit of education when you step into that ring at Meltdown; a first-hand lesson in being a monster from one who has been at it for quite some time and has been approaching it from all sorts of angles and strategies.
Sure, size can be a useful tool, but so can the mind, perhaps even more-so than size or power. If you can get into someone’s head, he’s more likely to make mistakes or let one’s rage get the better of him. You don’t necessarily need brawn to do that. A trained, cold, emotionally uninhibited mind can pick out flaws and weaknesses and can know exactly how to exploit them until the target is reeling back in pain and torment or bleeding profusely. All the trained mind needs is one opening while those who use simple brute force simply try clubbing their way through that proverbial brick wall. For example, Shadow, I know you’re pretty roughed up from some of your previous encounters. How many of those sore spots and injuries can you protect from my attention at one time. Remember, all I need is just one to exploit. When you try to adjust, IF you try to adjust and keep me from exploiting it, I’ll simply move to another or create another myself. I may not be as well built or as tall as you, but I can win this battle through a simple war of attrition against every weakness. That’s my line of work and I’m damn good at it.
I’m not going to claim to know who you are or that I have you all figured out. That would be presumptuous. Why would I? Because we’re both monsters? As I already said, there are many different kinds of monsters. What I do know is that the games you play won’t serve you well. I have been playing those games since I came out of the starting gate god knows when in some rinky dink company where we got paid in sweat-soggied money from a dirty grease-ball promoter. How do you intimidate somebody who has made it his specialty through all means, whether it be hokey parlor tricks all the way to sheer force of will to intimidate others? Simple answer…you don’t. Don’t try to intimidate me. Don’t come to me and talk about how tremendous a monster you are.
You’re banged up right now, Shadow, and I am going to exploit that and any overconfidence you might bring to that ring. School is in session and I am the teacher. You are about to learn a valuable lesson from somebody who has been called a true monster in this business and outside of it as well for more years than you’ve been around. And when it’s all said and done, you will pull yourself up and walk away better educated, but still a man defeated. Want to know my secret? I simply back my words up. I don’t play games anymore. I don’t go for gimmicks. When it all really comes down to it, I’m not here to inflict fear. I’m here to send my usual message. Take away the gimmicks, and the spooky smoke, and all the old 80’s clichés and it all comes down to one thing, I’m a man in a graveyard who’s going to beat you based on the simple fact that I am better at what I do than you are at what you do. See you at Meltdown.
The scene slowly fades to black as Mumf walks out of the frame and out of the graveyard.
