Post by Mark Mania on Jun 12, 2015 11:26:17 GMT -4
It never used to be this hard.
“Ninety six.”
What kind of hell have I gotten myself into?
“Ninety seven.”
I’m going to choke this man to death.
“Ninety eight.”
There’s a chance my arms might fall off.
“Ninety nine.”
What does death feel like?
“One hundred.”
My face hit the ground a little harder than expected and I popped up and held my chin.
“Son of a bitch!” My trainer stood by, not daring to laugh, but I could see the grin he was holding back. I never expected that I’d have to get back into shape again. I sure as hell never expected that I’d need help when I did it.
I had called Jim Keleher after hearing about his work with MMA fighters. He was tough, but young. He had the ability to go from cruel to giggly in mere moments. When the work out was going on, he was in your face, all over you, a second later, he’s holding back a grin like a school-girl.
“Alright Mark, times up. Get on up.” I was desperate for another second of a breather, but Keleher didn’t put up with any extra rest time. I got to my feet and was ready for whatever else he had for me.
“With this one, you’re going to start on your back, like you’re doing a sit-up.” He motioned for me to get down again.
“Why did you have me get up if I was staying down here?” I asked.
He offered no response and just motioned again. I got down. “Okay, now interlock your hands behind your head, do a regular sit up…good, okay, now stand up.”
I put my hands on the ground and started to get up. “No! Not like that!” He yelled at me. “From the sit up position. Sit up then down, then sit up and stand up.”
“Well you could’ve told me that!” I hated this guy.
“Just be on with it.” Who the hell says, ‘just be on with it’?
I did his damn sit-up stand-ups. All the while through, fighting back vomit and that tunnel vision.
“Great job today, Mark. We’ll get back at it tomorrow.” He held out his arm to help me up after I had collapsed finishing his damn workout. I reached out and he pulled me up and patted my back. “You’re seeing loads of improvement, you’re going to be ring ready in no time!”
I had damn well better be. In just a few short weeks, I was going to be facing one of the greatest talents in the history of APW, CJ Gates. I’ve known CJ for a real long time. He started in APW shortly after me. However, our futures differed greatly. While I was in APW sporadically, winning the Xtreme Title, the Overdrive Title, and merely competing for the World Heavyweight. CJ was there the whole time. Started at the bottom and worked his way up. He became one of the most feared men in APW. His wallet as feared as his ability. If you got in his way, he either removed you himself, or found a way to get you removed.
There were always a lot of similarities between us. Both good looking, hard fighting, entrepreneurs. Yet, I always envied CJ. He had that one thing I didn’t have. He had that consistency. I had the uncanny ability to show up, create a huge flash in the pan and really make a statement. But CJ, he was just always there. Sometimes middling, sometimes barely involved, but always there. At times, he was the greatest wrestler in APW. Even in an era of Level-One and Sally Talfourd, he found a way to rise to the top. Eventually, when guys like Kurt Noble and Terry Marvin arrived, he was dethroned. But he never went away. It always seemed as if Kurt or Terry would’ve faltered even for a moment, CJ would’ve been there to pick up the pieces.
That was my problem, I didn’t like to wait idly by. I either wanted to be the best, or didn’t want to be involved at all. I tried my damndest to win that Heavyweight Title. I fought countless times to get into the picture. I just didn’t have it in me. Was I too old? Was I washed up? I don’t think that was the case. I think the most important thing in APW is consistency. APW has so much talent. At one point, it was the greatest federation in the world. It’s talent was second to none. But with so much talent, it was possible to get worn out. It happened to everyone, Level-One was the greatest in the world, but he couldn’t keep up the pace that it took in APW. So was it being in the right place at the right time? No, I don’t think so. I think if you stick around in the middle of APW for long enough, you rise to the top. Being in the middle is exciting, there’s always a new challenge. Being on the top though, is difficult. It’s no easy task. So people would fall off, when they’d fall off, those middlers would come in and take a spot and sometimes take the world by storm. My problem was that I’d fall off before those challenges came.
My palms were sweating, when did that ever happen? What am I, nervous? That’s ridiculous. I’ve been doing this my whole life.
“Check, check, everyone good?” The stage manager called to the other workers in the room. They responded with thumbs up. “Great.”
I was sitting there, trying to get in the zone and all I could think about were my damn clammy hands. Will I have to shake anyone’s hand? No, right? Why would I, that’s stupid.
“Mark, you ready?” The stage manager asked.
“One second.” I responded, not even sure what I was going to do with the extra second. But I was stuck with the extra second. So I did like a Nic Cage pump up thing and stood up. “Ready.” But I didn’t believe myself.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, former APW Xtreme Champion and former APW Overdrive champion, Mark Mania!” The crowd went wild. I didn’t expect this many people to show up for a glorified pep rally.
I walked up to the stage, and of course the host stuck out his hand for a handshake. I shook his hand and could tell that he felt the clamminess.
“How we all doing tonight!?” The crowd roared. I remembered this.
“Didn’t think we’d ever be here again did we? It’s amazing, I’m truly honored to be here tonight. But more so, I’m truly honored to be here as a member of Action Packed Wrestling!” The crowd went crazy again. This is all feeling far more comfortable.
“I really wasn’t sure it would happen. APW was the greatest time in my life and I couldn’t be happier to be stepping into an APW ring again. There’s something in this industry known as ‘the itch’. A lot of people step away from the industry for a little bit, or maybe a federation closes. But after a little bit of time, you get this feeling in your gut. You can’t really explain it. But there’s something in you. Maybe you text an old friend, maybe you go by the old website to see the archives. But something sparks that curiosity. Every time I step away I think it’ll be the last time I ever get in a ring. And every time, the itch comes back.”
“For me, it actually came back about a month ago. I was sitting on my boat just lounging and enjoying myself. All of sudden, a thought came into my head about APW. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I remembered Terry Marvin and the podcasts that we’d do. I remembered Delikado and that psychopathic raccoon. It all just swarmed back at me. I couldn’t think about anything else. So I hopped on the website to see if there had been any updates from anyone. I was disappointed to see that there was nothing. I thought for a second about lacing them up and maybe trying somewhere else. But that dissipated quickly when I realized the only place I’d ever be happy was in APW. So I half scratched the itch and continued with my day.”
“Then, just a few weeks later, I get an e-mail, ‘APW Reunion Show’ It’s like my dreams had been answered. That half scratch wasn’t going to be enough, I knew that. The second I saw it, I immediately called in and said that I was available. There was no doubt it my mind. I didn’t care if I had to be in a triple threat with Branden Harvey and Raab. I was going to be a part of this.”
“But then, I got the ultimate honor by being told that I’d be facing CJ fucking Gates.” A big smile came across my face. “He’s a guy that I’ve known for a real long time. I remember when he was coming up in APW. I remember when he took over APW. And I also remember a time where we almost became the most high powered tag team of all time.”
“So imagine how excited I was when I found out that I’d be stepping into the ring and facing off against a friend. In the wrestling business a lot of people think that you need to hate the person standing across from you, but that’s not really the case. Sometimes it’s a friend, sometimes it’s someone you respect, sometimes it’s something that you don’t really care one way or another about. But no matter what, you go out there and you fight for your damn life. Sometimes you fight even harder when it is a friend.”
“I like CJ and I respect CJ, which means that I’m going to bust my ass off to beat him. I’m not going to give a half-assed effort. I’m not going to go easy on him because he’s my friend. He deserves my best and I deserve his best. And dammit I’m going to give him my absolute best. It would be disrespectful to him and to all of APW if I didn’t.”
“I can’t wait to get in the ring at this show. It’s where I feel completely alive. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enjoying my life, but this is what it’s all about. The roar of the crowd, the smell of the ring, the feel of the ropes in your hands. This is why we get that itch. This is why no one retires forever. You always come back, you have to. You never get a feeling like this anywhere else in life. You can try and recreate it, but nothing NOTHING is like this.”
“So CJ, I’ll talk to you, because I know you’ll see this. We’re going to meet in the ring and bring the fucking house down. We not be the main event, but I’ll be damned if people don’t talk about our match at the water cooler on Monday. Switch off Game of Thrones, switch off The Walking Dead, because fucking Mark Mania and CJ Gates are going to be putting on a clinic.”
“At the end of the night, only one of us will be left standing. Obviously in the end the biggest winner is going to be the crowd. But one of us has to go down. One of us has to have our shoulders on the mat. It’s not going to be me. The itch needs to be scratched. I won’t be losing this match. I won’t be letting myself lose what could be my last match. We might be crawling at the end of this match. Going punch for punch until the last minute. But I’m going to land that last one. CJ Gates, you bring your all, because I’m ready.” This time I meant it.
“Ninety six.”
What kind of hell have I gotten myself into?
“Ninety seven.”
I’m going to choke this man to death.
“Ninety eight.”
There’s a chance my arms might fall off.
“Ninety nine.”
What does death feel like?
“One hundred.”
My face hit the ground a little harder than expected and I popped up and held my chin.
“Son of a bitch!” My trainer stood by, not daring to laugh, but I could see the grin he was holding back. I never expected that I’d have to get back into shape again. I sure as hell never expected that I’d need help when I did it.
I had called Jim Keleher after hearing about his work with MMA fighters. He was tough, but young. He had the ability to go from cruel to giggly in mere moments. When the work out was going on, he was in your face, all over you, a second later, he’s holding back a grin like a school-girl.
“Alright Mark, times up. Get on up.” I was desperate for another second of a breather, but Keleher didn’t put up with any extra rest time. I got to my feet and was ready for whatever else he had for me.
“With this one, you’re going to start on your back, like you’re doing a sit-up.” He motioned for me to get down again.
“Why did you have me get up if I was staying down here?” I asked.
He offered no response and just motioned again. I got down. “Okay, now interlock your hands behind your head, do a regular sit up…good, okay, now stand up.”
I put my hands on the ground and started to get up. “No! Not like that!” He yelled at me. “From the sit up position. Sit up then down, then sit up and stand up.”
“Well you could’ve told me that!” I hated this guy.
“Just be on with it.” Who the hell says, ‘just be on with it’?
I did his damn sit-up stand-ups. All the while through, fighting back vomit and that tunnel vision.
“Great job today, Mark. We’ll get back at it tomorrow.” He held out his arm to help me up after I had collapsed finishing his damn workout. I reached out and he pulled me up and patted my back. “You’re seeing loads of improvement, you’re going to be ring ready in no time!”
I had damn well better be. In just a few short weeks, I was going to be facing one of the greatest talents in the history of APW, CJ Gates. I’ve known CJ for a real long time. He started in APW shortly after me. However, our futures differed greatly. While I was in APW sporadically, winning the Xtreme Title, the Overdrive Title, and merely competing for the World Heavyweight. CJ was there the whole time. Started at the bottom and worked his way up. He became one of the most feared men in APW. His wallet as feared as his ability. If you got in his way, he either removed you himself, or found a way to get you removed.
There were always a lot of similarities between us. Both good looking, hard fighting, entrepreneurs. Yet, I always envied CJ. He had that one thing I didn’t have. He had that consistency. I had the uncanny ability to show up, create a huge flash in the pan and really make a statement. But CJ, he was just always there. Sometimes middling, sometimes barely involved, but always there. At times, he was the greatest wrestler in APW. Even in an era of Level-One and Sally Talfourd, he found a way to rise to the top. Eventually, when guys like Kurt Noble and Terry Marvin arrived, he was dethroned. But he never went away. It always seemed as if Kurt or Terry would’ve faltered even for a moment, CJ would’ve been there to pick up the pieces.
That was my problem, I didn’t like to wait idly by. I either wanted to be the best, or didn’t want to be involved at all. I tried my damndest to win that Heavyweight Title. I fought countless times to get into the picture. I just didn’t have it in me. Was I too old? Was I washed up? I don’t think that was the case. I think the most important thing in APW is consistency. APW has so much talent. At one point, it was the greatest federation in the world. It’s talent was second to none. But with so much talent, it was possible to get worn out. It happened to everyone, Level-One was the greatest in the world, but he couldn’t keep up the pace that it took in APW. So was it being in the right place at the right time? No, I don’t think so. I think if you stick around in the middle of APW for long enough, you rise to the top. Being in the middle is exciting, there’s always a new challenge. Being on the top though, is difficult. It’s no easy task. So people would fall off, when they’d fall off, those middlers would come in and take a spot and sometimes take the world by storm. My problem was that I’d fall off before those challenges came.
My palms were sweating, when did that ever happen? What am I, nervous? That’s ridiculous. I’ve been doing this my whole life.
“Check, check, everyone good?” The stage manager called to the other workers in the room. They responded with thumbs up. “Great.”
I was sitting there, trying to get in the zone and all I could think about were my damn clammy hands. Will I have to shake anyone’s hand? No, right? Why would I, that’s stupid.
“Mark, you ready?” The stage manager asked.
“One second.” I responded, not even sure what I was going to do with the extra second. But I was stuck with the extra second. So I did like a Nic Cage pump up thing and stood up. “Ready.” But I didn’t believe myself.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, former APW Xtreme Champion and former APW Overdrive champion, Mark Mania!” The crowd went wild. I didn’t expect this many people to show up for a glorified pep rally.
I walked up to the stage, and of course the host stuck out his hand for a handshake. I shook his hand and could tell that he felt the clamminess.
“How we all doing tonight!?” The crowd roared. I remembered this.
“Didn’t think we’d ever be here again did we? It’s amazing, I’m truly honored to be here tonight. But more so, I’m truly honored to be here as a member of Action Packed Wrestling!” The crowd went crazy again. This is all feeling far more comfortable.
“I really wasn’t sure it would happen. APW was the greatest time in my life and I couldn’t be happier to be stepping into an APW ring again. There’s something in this industry known as ‘the itch’. A lot of people step away from the industry for a little bit, or maybe a federation closes. But after a little bit of time, you get this feeling in your gut. You can’t really explain it. But there’s something in you. Maybe you text an old friend, maybe you go by the old website to see the archives. But something sparks that curiosity. Every time I step away I think it’ll be the last time I ever get in a ring. And every time, the itch comes back.”
“For me, it actually came back about a month ago. I was sitting on my boat just lounging and enjoying myself. All of sudden, a thought came into my head about APW. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I remembered Terry Marvin and the podcasts that we’d do. I remembered Delikado and that psychopathic raccoon. It all just swarmed back at me. I couldn’t think about anything else. So I hopped on the website to see if there had been any updates from anyone. I was disappointed to see that there was nothing. I thought for a second about lacing them up and maybe trying somewhere else. But that dissipated quickly when I realized the only place I’d ever be happy was in APW. So I half scratched the itch and continued with my day.”
“Then, just a few weeks later, I get an e-mail, ‘APW Reunion Show’ It’s like my dreams had been answered. That half scratch wasn’t going to be enough, I knew that. The second I saw it, I immediately called in and said that I was available. There was no doubt it my mind. I didn’t care if I had to be in a triple threat with Branden Harvey and Raab. I was going to be a part of this.”
“But then, I got the ultimate honor by being told that I’d be facing CJ fucking Gates.” A big smile came across my face. “He’s a guy that I’ve known for a real long time. I remember when he was coming up in APW. I remember when he took over APW. And I also remember a time where we almost became the most high powered tag team of all time.”
“So imagine how excited I was when I found out that I’d be stepping into the ring and facing off against a friend. In the wrestling business a lot of people think that you need to hate the person standing across from you, but that’s not really the case. Sometimes it’s a friend, sometimes it’s someone you respect, sometimes it’s something that you don’t really care one way or another about. But no matter what, you go out there and you fight for your damn life. Sometimes you fight even harder when it is a friend.”
“I like CJ and I respect CJ, which means that I’m going to bust my ass off to beat him. I’m not going to give a half-assed effort. I’m not going to go easy on him because he’s my friend. He deserves my best and I deserve his best. And dammit I’m going to give him my absolute best. It would be disrespectful to him and to all of APW if I didn’t.”
“I can’t wait to get in the ring at this show. It’s where I feel completely alive. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enjoying my life, but this is what it’s all about. The roar of the crowd, the smell of the ring, the feel of the ropes in your hands. This is why we get that itch. This is why no one retires forever. You always come back, you have to. You never get a feeling like this anywhere else in life. You can try and recreate it, but nothing NOTHING is like this.”
“So CJ, I’ll talk to you, because I know you’ll see this. We’re going to meet in the ring and bring the fucking house down. We not be the main event, but I’ll be damned if people don’t talk about our match at the water cooler on Monday. Switch off Game of Thrones, switch off The Walking Dead, because fucking Mark Mania and CJ Gates are going to be putting on a clinic.”
“At the end of the night, only one of us will be left standing. Obviously in the end the biggest winner is going to be the crowd. But one of us has to go down. One of us has to have our shoulders on the mat. It’s not going to be me. The itch needs to be scratched. I won’t be losing this match. I won’t be letting myself lose what could be my last match. We might be crawling at the end of this match. Going punch for punch until the last minute. But I’m going to land that last one. CJ Gates, you bring your all, because I’m ready.” This time I meant it.
