Tradition Dictates That You Be Welcomed... To The Coastal Zone

[infinitywpi]

December 30, 2015 It was another sleepless night as I lay in my bed, staring at the ceiling. Fate had cruelly dealt me a painful hand just a few months ago, and I... I'd been unable to cope. Life as I knew it was a lie. It had started with my waking up and realizing the last month had never happened; everything had been rewound. Anyone else would think they wre crazy, but I knew better. I could have livved out the same month in the exact same way... but there was no garuntee I wouldn't have been trapped in a bad Bill Murray movie. And I don't mean Lost in Translation, I mean Groundhog Day. Or month. Or whatever. So... I tried to change history. For a month, I did bizare, attention-getting things... and it worked. I broke the cycle. And in the process, I lost my job, my family, nearly my sanity. But I still knew... I still knew. Someething was wrong with the world. And then I met Him; He promised me a fresh start. I could have gone back to the begining; to the day when I first took this job, filling in for a head booker who'd been shot; but I couldn't do that. I couldn't repeat history. If I was to start fresh, I'd have to start completely fresh. My appointment was today, the last day of 2015. And so, He sat me down in His office. He asked if I wanted to do this the usual way; I said I'd take whatever worked fastest. He smiled, and His phone rang. He handed it over to me with a gleam in His eye. It was Cliff again, for the first time. He wanted to offer me a job... as I was about to accept, to reclaim my destiny, the signal faded. Bad luck on my part, I figured. He glared at me, and said there were other options. He handed me an envelope; inside was a lottery ticket. The television in the office turned on and announced the winning numbers; I was now a millionare. I could buy my own promotion! All of life's possibilities opened up before me... and the ticket flew out of my hand, into the air conditioner, and the sound of shredding filled the room. He scowled. "Nobody said changing the world would be easy... there's one other path open to you, my friend, but it will need... payment. Your soul." I'd lost everything... family, job, life... what was my soul? For the chance to start over, what cost was my soul? It was all I had left, that's what it was. I jumped up from my chair and ran, and He followed after me, flame shooting from his nostrils. Down a hallway, turn, down another. Security guards, their skin oddly tinted the color of blood, snapping at my heels. With no other options, I dove through a door and slammed it behind me. Nobody followed. In the darkness I wandered... hours? Days? I couldn't tell... until I heard the voice. "Look, we've never been about growth. We've been about steady income. You guys get a paycheck, I get enough money to keep this place running. Sure, people come and go; that's what makes this place work! I... Honestly, I don't know if we can make 'growth' work. We'll never be the next TCW. We'll be lucky if we're even the next DAVE." I fumbled around, found the doorknob, and stepped out of the closet. The familiar faces there had questions, and I had no good answers, except for one... I'd done this, not once, but twice before. I'd succeeded in making this rag-tag group of indy punks and making them #3 in the country; I'd also succeeded in making more money than they ever had before. All I asked was a chance to do it again. I don't know if they believed me or thought I was crazy. But they accepted. I had my job again; I had my life again. So it was a different world... so what? I still had what mattered, didn't I? It was January 1, 2008. Or should I say... January, Week 1, Monday, 2008. [b]Welcome.[/b] To a fresh start. To a new world. To a backstory that may never be referenced again. [b]Welcome... to the Coastal Zone![/b]

[GDE71]

Ahhhh Back home in the zone

[Phantom Stranger]

The legend returns...

[Irish Wolf]

Welcome back. Now I'm going to have competition when I start a CZCW diary.

[infinitywpi]

Drawing a fine line between sports entertainment and fan-wankery: Welcome to the Coastal Zone! "So," I said, "There's going to be a few major changes... first off, I know you guys don't do winter shows until Spring Break Bash, so we're going to have a monthly big show." "Um... don't know how to tell you this, man, but we do monthly shows. In fact, Revolution is tonight." "... Tonight? Um... anything booked?" "Nope." "Great. We need a short-term challenger... tell Moe he's in the main event for a bit." "... Moe left last year." "For the love of.... how long have I been out? Next you'll tell me that Fox is only visiting and is off working for TCW!" "... Nope, I'm still working here." There's a pause in the air, tension thick enough to blade. "Cliff, give me a list of the people you think could work well in the Zone. Everyone else, get some rest, meet me at the Snake Pit at six. I'll have a card ready by then... and your new schedules. I know I may not come off as... all-together. But give me some time to prove myself, and you'll see you made the right decision." ------------------- "Okay, folks, here's the card." "... Wait. I cut a promo? What the heck is this?" "Trust me, this works. The Zone has always been about action. Well, if you want growth, if you want higher profits, you've got to get people to care about charater, not just action. I'm not saying to throw action away; we need to keep the action. It's who we are. But character will get people coming back. Now go out there and have a great show." CZCW Revolution 2008 January, Week 1, Monday From the sold-out Snake Pit, Southwest USA OPENING MATCH "Speedball" Marc Speed def. The American Flash in thirteen minutes via submission (E+) "Platinum" James Prudence comes out to celebrate the first show of the year, but is interrupted by Donnie J, who points out that James has yet to defend his title... so Donnie's calling for a rematch, for the title, tonight. (D-) MATCH #2: Xtreme Title Flying Jimmy Foxx(c) def. Snap Dragon in seventeen minutes via pinfall (D) JAkki and her clients, Rich and Famous, come out to challenge the Tag Champions to a match (F+) MATCH #3: Tag Title Ladder Match Remmy Skye & Frankie Perez (c) def. Rich and Famous (Jackpot & Idol) in fifteen minutes (D-) Backstage, Rita Charles talks up the title match, saying she doesn't date losers... and James Prudence isn't going to lose tonight (E) MATCH #4: Lucha Tag Fox Mask & Ultimate Pheonix def. Matt Sparrow & Masked Cougar in twenty-four minutes, Fox gets a flash roll-up on Sparrow (D) Afterwards, Sparrow and Cougar get jealous and beat down their opponents from behind before leaving (E-) MAIN EVENT: CZCW Championship Donnie J def. James Prudence(c) due to Rita mis-aiming a distraction (D+) Show rating: D Sure enough, in true Zone fashion, there was a mistake in the main event; James was supposed to win via distraction. We took that as a good omen. We also took it as a good omen that Donnie J and James Prudence don't seem to click -- and they still turned in a D+ match. But perhaps it was for the best... Next time, on the Coastal Zone: SWF comes a-poaching. Do we have some good replacements lined up for whoever they take?

[mad5226]

Just like old times man. Great show, hell of a backstory. Can wait to read more

[Guest The Aussie]

Excellent to see a long running dynasty back with a jolt of steroids in the arm I Air Guitar just for you

[foolinc]

Welcome back!

[mistaken]

well it's no VKM, but i'll take it. no i jest. great start, and here is to another long run in the coastal zone!

[Jaded]

WEL-COME BACK! WEL-COME BACK! Great to see this return :)

[infinitywpi]

Where we didn't realize "The more things change, the more they stay the same" was a prediction: Welcome to the Coastal Zone! Twenrty-four hours into my new life, I encountered some old problems. James Prudence, who until last night's accident had been our champion, had been approached by the Supreme Wrestling Federation to join their roster. The Zone's roster was already on the thin side as it is; we needed more people on the payroll. Especially for the second part of my plan. "Tell everyone to be ready Friday. We're putting on weekly shows." "That's crazy! We're going to burn out our fans!" "Guys, guys, trust me on this... yes, we'll burn through fans. But it'll help us grow. We just have to grow fast enough to expand our territory. Look, I've made up charts to prove it. We do this and put the shows online for free to expand faster." "... hey, he really does have charts. Okay, we'll give it a shot." "Great. This Friday, we begin the very first CZCW Welcome to the Coastal Zone." "Uh... we had one of those. Last May. It's our May show." "... Really? Wow. Okay. Cool. Um... CZCW Coastal Tour fine with everyone else then? Okay. Good." Later that day, Cliff took me aside. He had the usual day-after-being-hired demands. Two years from now, the Zone had to still be at least 19th place in the world; Four months after that, we had to have gained popularity in America; for the next year, I couldn't hire anyone with legal problems; and for two years, I couldn't hire or extend the contracts of anyone without Charisma or who wasn't safe. Right now, that was Frankie Perez. We'd have to get him trained to work the mic. We set up an announcement on the CZCW website, officially making the weekly shows and setting this week's main event of Prudence vs Plague. That should get some interest, and let us get some use out of Prudence while he's still here. We also decided it would be a good show to introduce the newest signee to the Zone: "The Marksman" Kirk Jameson, a young technician from Puerto Rico. ----------------------- CZCW Coastal Tour January 2008, Week 1, Friday From the sold-out Snake Pit, Southwest USA OPENING MATCH Mikey James def. Kirk Jameson in fifteen minutes via pinfall (D-) Backstage, Rita and James are arguing over whose fault it was he lost the title on Monday; they only stop when PLague sticks his head in and tells them they'd better be ready to give him their best tonight (D) MATCH #2 Fox Mask def. Masked Cougar in sixteen minutes (E+) Match announcement for next week: Four-Way Xtreme Ladder Match: Foxx, Dragon, Skye, and Perez (E) MATCH #3: Tag Title Lucha Skye & Perez def. Bittersweet Inc (Insane Machine & Al Coleman) in twenty-two minutes, final fall P-Dawg makes Coleman tap (D) Afterwards, Perez and Skye say that, regardless of the outcome of next week's ladder match, they're making an open challenge for Vendetta for any tag tam to face them (D) MAIN EVENT Plague def. James Prudence in nineteen minutes via finisher (D) Show rating: D- Okay, not quite what we're hoping for. We need D+, we get D-, that's not the best start. On the next Coastal Zone: James Prudence makes his decision, and more new faces join the Zone. But if we can't figure out how to use the old ones, how well can we use the new ones?

[Mr T Jobs To Me]

[QUOTE=infinitywpi;432845][B]for the next year, I couldn't hire anyone with legal problems; and for two years, I couldn't hire or extend the contracts of anyone without Charisma or who wasn't safe.[/B] [/QUOTE] Ouch. I think that takes Big Smack Scott out of the equation for you. Cliff Anderson is a fool! Good luck with the Coastal Zone!

[Beeker]

[QUOTE=Mr T Jobs To Me;432861]Ouch. I think that takes Big Smack Scott out of the equation for you. Cliff Anderson is a fool! Good luck with the Coastal Zone![/QUOTE] And... Cliff keeps hiring infiniti! ;) Some traditions must continue.

[mistaken]

it would not be the coastal zone if cliff did not do everything in his power to keep Peers from actually succeeding. I mean i'm not sure the man likes his own money with some of the Owners restrictions he insists on handicapping his promotion with.

[Jaded]

That ladder match look awesome :) Nice first (well, first for this run) show.

[Astil]

[QUOTE]Backstage, Rita and James are arguing over whose fault it was he lost the title on Monday; they only stop when PLague sticks his head in and tells them they'd better be ready to give him their best tonight (D)[/QUOTE] When I first read this I imagined Plague bustin his head through a wall to tell them, then I slowly realized he probably popped his head in through, oh, I dunno, a door. Good to have the Zone back.

[1PWfan]

[QUOTE=Astil;433006]When I first read this I imagined Plague bustin his head through a wall to tell them, then I slowly realized he probably popped his head in through, oh, I dunno, a door. Good to have the Zone back.[/QUOTE] This is Plague we're talking about hee-he may very well have gone through the wall.

[Astil]

[QUOTE=1PWfan;433034]This is Plague we're talking about hee-he may very well have gone through the wall.[/QUOTE] Pops his head out an air vent. :P

[GuyInTheCorner]

[QUOTE=Astil;433085]Pops his head out an air vent. :P[/QUOTE] Actually that would be a really fun direction for Plague, constantly popping out of weird corners of the backstage area, warning people to watch out for him.

[MaxxHexx]

Di you mess with there product. It seems like the ratings are low for the matches you are putting on.

[infinitywpi]

Some people strive for excellence. We strive for mediocrity... in vain. Welcome to the Coastal Zone! So, um... due to changes in the negotiation system... and the need to pay travel expenses for those we contacted, but we don't want to pay them... any previous comments about 'new faces' in the Coastal zone should be ignored. We'll try to round up some new, American, faces for the roster this week. Meanwhile at the last show, we learned why Rita was not ringside at the main evnet; Farrah had replaced her deoderant with itching powder cakes. After the show, the two nearly came to blows. We decided to ignore it; James Prudence had decided he was leaving for SWF; Rita's contract would be cancelled the very day he did. Unexpected news: Super Joshyua was caught with hard drugs. Well, that'll cost him. GCG rises to Cult size, that'll make things interesting in their part of the world. Luckily, my knowledge of... I guess you'd call it 'an alternate reality'... paid off. A name I knew could do great things had just joined the Zone. Along with one that I'd never heard of before, but warm bodies would be useful. CZCW Coastal Tour January 2008, week 2, Saturday From the sold-out Snake Pit, Southwest USA James Prudence comes out to tell everyone he quits. He's out. He's splitsville. He's heading for the big time. Out comes Matt Sparrow. "I've been to the big time. It does things to you. It'll chew you up and spit you out, junior. How about a taste of what it's like up there, tonight?" (D+) OPENING MATCH Kirk Jameson def. Rex Reeves in ten minutes (E) Remmy Skye hypes the main event, and how he's the king of the ladder match (E+) MATCH #2: Submission Insane Machine def. Al Coleman in nine minutes (D-) Frankie Perez hypes the main event, and how his tag-team partner is king of the ladder match (E) MATCH #3: TAG Fox Mas & Rod Remus def. Rich And Famous in sixteen minutes, Remus makes Idol submit (E+) Snap Dragon hypes the main event and his relative wealth of experience (E) MATCH #4 Matt Sparrow def. James Prudence in fifteen minutes via finisher (D-) Flying Jimmy Foxx hypes the main event and how he's not going to lose his title, even with the odds against him (E) MAIN EVENT: Xtreme Ladder Match Flying Jimmy Foxx def Snap Dragon, Remmy Skye, and Frankie Perez in eighteen minutes (D) Show rating: D Next time, on the Coastal Zone: With a handful of new names, and two names leaving, has the Zone changed too much... or have we changed too much (and yes, that includes tinkering with the product)?

[Nightshadeex]

I'm stoked. Thank you for coming back. I knew you'd be back.

[JPVargas]

I enjoyed your 2007 diary and looking forward to see what you do with the coastal zone this time around. I have a few differnt games started and CZCW is one of them. Lots of fun. Good luck on a lenghty reign as head CZCW booker!

[infinitywpi]

Where we're halfway through the demo and the end of the week can't get here soon enough: Welcome to the Coastal Zone! Wow, a D show even with a couple of E/E+ matches... if only we had tried a little harder, we might have gotten that D+ we were desperately seeking. Maybe this week we could pull it off? But we'd have to do it without James Prudence, who had left for SWF. And without Rita what's-her-name, who we kicked out shortly after. I mean, she wasn't doingg anything besides looking good with James, so... the heck with her, right? But, with a main eventer leaving and new people showing up, it was time to re-order the roster! Main Event: Donnie J, Plague, Matt Sparrow, Ultimate Phoenix Upper Midcard: Fox Mask, Mikey James, Frankie Perez, Remmy Skye Midcard: Rod Remus, Masked Cougar, Snap Dragon, Jimmy Foxx, Insane Machine, Kirk Jameson Lower Midcard: Al Coleman, Marc Speed, Jeremiah Moose Openers: Jackpot Jordan & Jake Idol Enhancement: Rex Reeves, American Flash CZCW Coastal Tour January 2008, week 3, Friday From the sold-out Snake Pit, Southwest USA With special color commentator Kirk Jameson (Farrah is working elsewhere tonight)! Donnie J comes out and says that he wants to defend his title tonight; two people beat his former partner in the last two weeks, but since Plague's scheduled for tonight already, he wants MAtt Sparrow to come out. Sparrow does so, and the two decide to meet for the title tonight (D+) OPENING MATCH: Lucha Al Coleman def. Rex Reeves in eleven minutes via pinfall (E-) Backstage, Fox walks up to Rod Remus and tells him he liked their tag match last week... and if all goes well this week, they should make it a regular thing. Fox asks if Rod knows the origins of his name, and tells the tale of Romulus and Remus, raised by wolves. Tonight, if they win, the Coastal Zone will know there's a new Pack running around (E+) MATCH #2: Tag The Pack (Fox & Remus) def. The Lords Of Wrestling (Plague & Dragon) in twenty-two minutes via Fox Hunter on Plague (D) The Pack celebrates, and accepts Skye and Perez' open challenge for Vendetta (E) MATCH #3: Triple Threat Insane Machine def. Jeremiah Moose and Masked Cougar in seventeen minutes via finisher on Cougar (E+) MAIN EVENT: CZCW Championship Donnie J(c) def. MAtt Sparrow in nineteen minutes via disqualification, J verbally egging Sparrow on until he snapped (D) Show Rating: D- On the next Coastal Zone: With one show left before the trial is over, can we manage to pull a D+ rating out of our arse? Or will we manage to crash and burn? Will we bother to set up any more matches for Vendetta? Or will we fall back into old habits of booking on the fly?

[Nightshadeex]

I'm betting that we'll be falling back to booking on the fly.