Generations: 2008

[Wallbanger]

[B][I]May, 2007[/I][/B] [B][I]Saint Knud College, Minnesota, USA[/I][/B] About two hundred meters south of the rear entrance of Matzen Hall is an old stone bench that sits in the shade of a massive oak tree. At one point a walking trail must have gone past here, but any signs of it had faded into the overgrown grass years past. I wasn't even sure if Saint Knud even remembered that it was here. I'd discovered the remote haven early my sophomore year when I called Matzen my home. Matzen was one of the outlying dorms on campus, at the end of a long path nearly twice as far from the center of campus as any of the others. Because of its distance from civilization it had earned its nickname -- "The Outpost". I'd found my way out here again after what had been an amazing few days. Kirk and I had come back for my graduation. We left the morning after Grappling Glory -- a great show that was capped off with another solid main event from Uncle Sean and Johnny Bloodstone -- Sean retained and we were now ready to shift the focus back to Cliff and complete that storyarc as I had originally intended. Sean would put Cliff over at Jeopardy in June and Cliff would hold the title at least through the summer. I had the rough outline of a program with Uncle Duane sketched out to build Duane up a bit and set up some great super junior style main events for the pay-per-views through September Scramble, and if we were in the position I thought we would be in at that point, I had an idea that would rock the very foundations of North American wrestling, an epic on the scale of The Oddessy, The Kalevala, Beowulf and The Song of Roland combined. But those thoughts could wait for another day. We had arrived at Saint Knud to find a campus busily preparing for the end of the year. There were still a couple of days of finals finishing up when we got into town and I had a final meeting with the Econ faculty to review my internship and give it its final stamp of approval, something that seemed very distant a few short weeks ago. The meeting itself had its share of awkward moments; the politics surrounding my internship had become the subject of more than a little scuttlebutt on campus and there was more than a few opinions about what had happened. It also did not escape my notice that Kirk and I were receiving some icy stares from folks, especially football boosters. Fortunately there were only a few of those moments, but there were enough to put a slight damper on my mood, even as the weekend came and the campus was bristling with alumni, parents and dignitaries from all over. [I]How my life has changed in the span of a few months,[/I] I thought to myself as I drank in the fragrances of the prairie grasses and wildflowers. [I]There's been ups and downs, but to be where I am now it's all worth it. My career is in full swing, I've come of age in my family, I'm in love--[/I] I blinked. What did I just say to myself? [I]I'm in love.[/I] For whatever reason, the thought caught me by surprise, as if I had been avoiding acknowledging the truth of it. But now, as that simple thought penetrated my emotional barriers, I realized just how good, how right, it felt. The sound of footsteps coming down the hill from the dorm pulled me back into the moment, and my heart lightened as I saw Kirk coming towards me. Heady with the rush of emotion, I stood and embraced him as he approached the bench. Reaching up, I pulled his head down to me and kissed him confidently. [COLOR=blue]"Wow...um, hi there,"[/COLOR] Kirk managed to get out after a moment. [COLOR=red]"Hey there,"[/COLOR] I purred. [COLOR=red]"I wondered if you'd find me down here."[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]"Not for lack of looking,"[/COLOR] Kirk replied. [COLOR=blue]"You haven't lost track of time, have you?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"No, I know I need to get back up the hill -- gotta change for the Phi Kappa Delta banquet."[/COLOR] And with that, we began the trek to the other side of campus, to my old room in Thorsen where my old roomate Krystal was keeping my dress for tonight. As we made it to the center of campus we approached the massive Reuterdahl Memorial Chapel, the grand testament to Saint Knud's proud Lutheran heritage. As we walked past the massive wooden doors and stained glass windows at the front of the building, Kirk pulled at my arm gently and said, [COLOR=blue]"Come with me, I want to show you something."[/COLOR] Curious, I followed Kirk into the chapel and we walked down the center aisle to the front, stopping just in front of the communion table. Kirk looked around, with an expression I couldn't quite place. [COLOR=blue]"[/COLOR][COLOR=blue]I never seemed to make it to Chapel very often,"[/COLOR] Kirk said distantly. [COLOR=blue]"More often than not you drug me here."[/COLOR] I smiled and nodded. I didn't consider myself particularly religious, but Saint Knud's chapel services were a refreshing change from the stuffy Anglican church Mom would bring me to, and through chapel I found myself in a different, more comfortable place with God now than I was when I started school. Kirk continued, [COLOR=blue]"My parents were married here. In fact, Dad proposed to Mom here."[/COLOR] My heart began to quicken. [I]Was he...?[/I] [COLOR=blue]"Everything I fault my father for, I can't fault him his flair for picking the right setting."[/COLOR] He turned to face me, and as he fixed his gaze on me everything else melted away and all I could focus on were his haunting blue eyes. [COLOR=blue]"JeriLynn, I love you. You've given me more that I ever realized I could have. You gave me the chance to live my own life, to make my own choices again, to feel passionate about what I do and who I do it with. Without you, my life would be different...and incomplete. I can't imagine not being with you. I want to be with you forever."[/COLOR] [I]Oh-God-oh-God-oh-God. He is. He really is.[/I] He cupped my hands in his and slowly dropped to a knee. [COLOR=blue]"JeriLynn Stone, will you marry me?"[/COLOR] The moment overwhelmed me. The emotions swirled within me. Joy, fear, passion, wonder, ecstacy, all converged into one euphoric rush as tears began to stream from my eyes. [COLOR=red]"Y-y-yes! YES! YES!!! I love you, Kirk Heidenreich, and I WILL marry you!!"[/COLOR] As we held each other tightly, I was on top of the world. Along with everything else I had, I would now marry the man I loved. At that moment, my life was perfect. Had I only known what was waiting for me back home...

[Actarus]

Sweet! Great start to 2008! Can't wait to find out what's going on "at home". Keep up the great work!

[Wallbanger]

Kirk and I got back into Halifax early Monday afernoon. We had a Masters of the Squared Circle show at Smallwood Field that night, and I wanted to get right back into the swing of things, even though neither of us were booked and Aunt Vickie had promised to cover things backstage for me. Kirk pulled the car into the driveway of the house and parked his Ford Shelby GT500 behind Edd's Suzuki Hyabusa sport bike. We'd only just gotten out of the car when a loud noise on the porch startled us. Looking towards the front door, I saw Edd storming out of the house, his helmet in hand. When he noticed us, his already red face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. [COLOR=green]"YOU BITCH! YOU ASS-KISSING, DADDY'S LITTLE BITCH!!"[/COLOR] The unexpected verbal assault stunned me and I stood there, jaw dropped, as he marched toward me. Kirk quickly came around the car to my side. [COLOR=blue]"What the hell, Edd--?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=green]"You shut up, Kirk, or so help me I will beat the piss out of you! This is between me and [I]my dear niece[/I], so BACK OFF!"[/COLOR] Even though Kirk is a good 15 cm taller and 40 kilos heavier than Edd, the sheer rage eminating from Edd seemed to give Kirk pause. Nonetheless, he held his ground, coldly staring back at Edd's livid face. [COLOR=red]"What are you on about, Edd?"[/COLOR] I said when I finally managed to reclaim my voice. Edd spun to face me again. [COLOR=green]"You're gonna stand there and play the dumb BSC bimbo? Oh, that's ****ing rich. You couldn't even do it yourself, you had the old man do it while you were gone! It's not enough to bury me--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"BURY YOU??? Edd, are you smoking again? I put you in a PROGRAM, for God's sake -- when was the last time THAT happened? I went and got guys who could work to your strenghts--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=green]"You mean you got guys to REPLACE ME! I put the UA belt on the ****ing MAP and you go and get a 4-Crap nobody to take it off me?? Or was that my father's idea?!?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Edd, you know full well you're getting the strap back--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=green]"DON'T LIE TO ME, BITCH!! ALL THE CRAP YOU SAID TO ME ABOUT BUILDING ME UP WHILE YOU AND DAD ARE TEARING ME DOWN BEHIND MY BACK? THAT'S ALL IT WAS, CRAP! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU, AND I'VE HAD IT WITH THIS WHOLE GODDAMN FAMILY! NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY!!"[/COLOR] He pushed past us, swung his leg over the bike, and started it, revving the engine loudly. Over the din of the idling engine, Edd yelled, [COLOR=green]"YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT? WHETHER THIS WAS YOUR IDEA, OR IF YOU WERE JUST FOLLOWING DAD'S ORDERS. EITHER WAY, **** YOU, BITCH!"[/COLOR] With that he jammed his helmet over his head and put the bike in gear, purposely going onto the grass in order to rip the turf up as he spun around to race down the driveway and onto the road. Kirk and I watched Edd speed away, dumbfounded. After a moment, I said quietly, [COLOR=red]"I'd better go find out what happened."[/COLOR] Kirk could only nod in agreement. As we walked towards the open front door, I slipped my engagement ring off my finger and put it in my jeans pocket. No matter what was going on, it was clear this was not the time to annouce our engagement.

[Jaded]

Fantastic way to bring the Stone split into things. :)

[G-Prime]

Man, I actually got chills when Kirk proposed, great to see Generations back.

[Wallbanger]

[COLOR=red]"You [B][I][SIZE=3]WHAT?[/SIZE][/I][/B]"[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"I fired him and kicked him out of the house. Was I unclear before?"[/COLOR] Grandpa asked me as he sat at his desk, arms folded, eyes drilling holes in me. [COLOR=red]"No, Grandpa, I heard what you said clearly enough. It's just that the words made no sense since managing the active roster is [B][I]MY JOB[/I][/B]!"[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"One, you will not take that tone with me, young lady. Two, managing the COMPANY is my job. Three, this is not merely a business issue, it is a FAMILY issue between ME and MY SON, one that I would advise you to not get involved in."[/COLOR] The previous Friday, while I was still at Saint Knud, NOTBPW held a Mat Masters Tour show in New York City. Edd, in his infinite wisdom, hit the town (and the beer) early and arrived at the show in no condition to perform. It didn't help that a staffer from Pro Wrestling Illustrated happened to see him at a midtown Manhattan bar before the show, which guaranteed the story would go the rounds on the internet. Yes, it was dumb. And stupid. Had it been my decision, I'd have suspended him for a month and sent him to rehab. Grandpa, obviously, was in a less charitable mood. I took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. [COLOR=red]"Grandpa, I certainly understand that there are times when the line between family and business gets...blurred with us. That's the way it's always been, and probably the way it will always be. But honestly, you can't just keep me out of the loop like this, family issue or no. I don't sit at the kid's table at Christmas dinner anymore -- don't treat me like I do."[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"As I recall, you were in the States getting your baccalaureate from the institution that sued us over your beau."[/COLOR] The edge in his voice was barely detectible, but it was there. Perhaps at this point I should have backed down, but I was indignant at this point. [COLOR=red]"Oh, please, don't act like this was a sudden thing -- you've been on Edd's case since he and I were in middle school--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"I seem to recall, JeriLynn,"[/COLOR] Grandpa interjected testily, [COLOR=purple]"suggesting that your comments regarding how I handle my son were not welcome. Edd is no longer a part of the NOTBPW roster, and that is all the more I will say on the matter." [/COLOR] I sighed, conceding the point. [COLOR=red]"Fine. But what am I supposed to do with Jacob now? I don't have a UA-eligible face that's in a position to credibly challenge him by Jeopardy in June."[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]"You won't do anything. We're going to retire the title."[/COLOR] I bit my lower lip, unsure if I could trust myself to respond. I couldn't believe it. Here was ANOTHER unilateral decision Grandpa made without even discussing it with me. In the cold, logical part of my mind, I understood why he would do it -- he saw the UA title, like the Young Lion title before it, as a vehicle to build Edd up. With Edd no longer in the picture, Grandpa seemed determined to excise all reminders of him from the promotion -- never mind the fact that we had workers who could really go to to town feuding over that belt. Desparately I tried to come up with the right way to say what I was thinking. [COLOR=red]"Grandpa, you may not like to hear this, but you're making a mistake. You're letting your emotions over Edd get in the way of your creative judgement. Don't punish guys like Jacob and Harrison and Chris because Edd takes after Grandma instead of you--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"You are WAY out of line, JeriLynn!!"[/COLOR] Crap. Why did I go [I]there[/I] of all places? Edd was without question a mama's boy, as is typical of youngest children, and the official family line was that Grandma had spoiled Edd rotten, and from what I had observed growing up there was some truth to it. As a result, Edd constantly craved attention, and when he didn't get it, he did something to make sure he got it in spades, like putting his 8th grade French teacher in a Stone Hold. Grandma and Grandpa fought a lot over how to deal with Edd; Grandpa wanted to be the stern taskmaster he was with his other children, Grandma insisted that Edd needed to be handled differently. It got so bad they ended up divorced after 30 years of marriage. And now that my mouth had betrayed what I was thinking, Grandpa was incensed. [COLOR=purple]"If you don't want to take my direction, I'm sure your aunt will be more than happy to take the book back from you. Now if you don't mind, I have work to finish before going down to Smallwood Field. As far as I am concerned, this conversation is over anyway."[/COLOR]

[d_w_w]

Great stuff.

[Guerrerofan777]

The mere idea of seeing Edd Stone put his 8th teacher in a Stone Hold made me spit my latte. :p Keep up the great work

[soulztnrv1]

Holy **** this is rich. Reading.

[Wallbanger]

Things went from bad to worse in the weeks that followed. The anti-NOTBPW smarks had a field day with the news of Edd's firing -- not even Richard Eisen would be so callous as to fire his own son, they said. Demographic analysis from GNN and America-Sports 1 indicated that we took a hit in viewership with younger fans -- especially female ones -- that were strong Edd supporters. While the overall numbers continued to hold steady, both networks were unhappy with the situation and made it clear that we had to recover our momentum in the 18-24 group or it would be difficult to make a case to renew our contracts. As a result, the backstage atmosphere got very tense. Grandpa began to take a more active, authoritarian stance backstage, which made a number of workers fearful for their long-term prospects, especially the newer ones. He made a point of saying loudly and frequently that HE was in charge and anyone that stepped out of line would pay dearly. I pleaded with Dad and Aunt Vickie to get him to back down -- anytime I tried to approach Grandpa directly he would lay into me for 'challenging his authority'. I had to get him to understand that his stance was making it more difficult for me to assert my authority backstage. I knew if it kept up for very long that someone would try to go 'over my head' and I was no longer confident that Grandpa would support me. Sure enough, it happened with Johnny Bloodstone. He went to Grandpa and pleaded his case that he deserved a title run, and he deserved it NOW -- which we had been planning to do until we got Cliff Wilson signed to a written contract. I fully intended to get Johnny back into the title picture later in the year. My intent was to have Cliff transition the title to Uncle Dan after Cliff's summer program with Uncle Duane, then bring Johnny back into the picture in the fall and build up to a massive 60-minute Ultimate Submission match for the title at Winter War that would be a guaranteed Match of the Decade. That got thrown out the window when Grandpa announced that he was changing the main event storyline and having Sean put Johnny over at a creative team meeting two weeks before Jeopardy in June. What happened next took everyone except me by surprise. We were in Ottawa for the last Championship Wrestling show in May. I was in the trainer's room helping Kirk tape his ankles in preparation for a dark match when Uncle Duane stuck his head in the door. [COLOR=darkgreen]"Hey guys. JeriLynn, I need to talk to you."[/COLOR] There was something about the tone of his voice that told me I wasn't going to like what I heard. [COLOR=red]"C'mon in, Uncle Duane -- close the door behind you."[/COLOR] Uncle Duane did so and pulled up a chair. He let out a long, slow sigh. [COLOR=darkgreen]"You know, I haven't said this enough to you, but I've really been impressed with what you've been able to accomplish the past few months. And to do it with everything that you two were dealing with makes it even more impressive."[/COLOR] I smiled. [COLOR=red]"I appreciate that, Uncle Duane. I really do."[/COLOR] Duane continued, [COLOR=darkgreen]"And I appreciate that you were willing to push me up into the main event with Cliff. I'm glad you see that I'm ready to take my turn carrying the load, even if Dad isn't. Even so, ever since this crap with Edd went down Dad's just been impossible. He sure as hell hasn't been fair to you."[/COLOR] The corners of my mouth tightened as I responded with a curt nod. [COLOR=red]"True enough, perhaps, but why do I get the feeling this is more than just a mutual pity party?"[/COLOR] Duane snorted. Looking at Kirk, he said, [COLOR=darkgreen]"Bud, I hope you know you're never going to be able to put one over on her. She reads people like the Globe and Mail."[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]"Trust me Duane, I learned that one the hard way."[/COLOR] I smacked Kirk on the leg. [COLOR=red]"Enough, you two. Spit it out, Duane."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"I wanted to tell you before I told Dad. Guess who I got an email from? Haruki Kudo back in Tokyo. Asked me if I'd be interested in working next month's Best of the Super Juniors tourney as Black Cobra."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Shouldn't be a problem if you want to do it, we'd need to get a working agreement in place with Burning Hammer--"[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"I'm sorry,"[/COLOR] Duane interrupted. [COLOR=darkgreen]"I haven't made myself completely clear. I told Kudo I was interested in more than just working the tourney. He offered me a written deal on the spot, and I'm taking it."[/COLOR] My eyes grew wide. [COLOR=red]"I can't say I'm surprised, but your timing stinks."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"I know, but the tourney starts next week. I wanted to give you at least some warning."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Grandpa's going to go ballistic, you realize."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"Oh yes, I'm well aware of that. And I apologize to you now, because I know you'll end up taking the brunt of it. But I'm sick of this. I'm only two years younger than Dan and I still haven't had my chance to headline. Is Dan better than me? I have no problem saying yes, he is. I've been patient, I've been a good son and brother, I've held the company line, I've put over plenty of folks to be credible challengers to Dan and Jeremy. I could have been a jerk when Vickie married Sean and put yet another person in line ahead of me, but I wasn't -- Sean and Vickie are happy together, and Sean's been great for the company. But then, finally, you were going to give me my turn, my chance to headline, even if I wasn't going to get the title this time around, being in a good program for it would establish me as a main eventer. And Dad...had other ideas."[/COLOR] He trailed off, looking away for a moment, as if to collect his thoughts. [COLOR=darkgreen]"You guys have years ahead of you. I might not. I'm tired of waiting."[/COLOR] With that, he stood up and left quietly. As I watched him go through the training room door, part of me wanted to be angry with him, but I just couldn't do it. Duane was right; he deserved better than this. And perhaps in Japan he would find better.

[Jaded]

As I'm finding out, with Duane and Edd gone, NOTBPW is a lot more difficult. Really good writing again, and I'm interested to see if McFly's injury is going to be worked in or not.

[praguepride]

Thank you for continuing, this was easily one of my favorite threads to read, definitely top 3 pick here.

[Wallbanger]

If Edd's firing led to a tense locker room, Duane's walking out led to outright panic. The backstage atmosphere plunged faster than a thermometer in Nunavut. I tried to keep things together, but most of the roster had figured out that Grandpa was acting on his own and I wasn't in a position to do much about it. Things got to the point where Grandpa announced that he would grant a release to anyone who asked for one. More people took him up on his offer than he expected, though. Hell, Sam Strong started a women's division in USPW just so Alicia had a way out of the situation, not that I blamed her, but it still hurt. In fact, enough people left that Grandpa went out and hired back Danny Cavanagh and Alysian Scottsfield (without consulting me, as had become his habit) to keep the roster from getting too small. That was the last straw. I went to Aunt Vickie and we had a long heart-to-heart talk. I vented. I cried. I told her that Kirk had proposed. I said I refused to be a figurehead. Aunt Vickie listened, provided me a shoulder to cry on, and told me how happy she was for Kirk and me, and how sad she was that the current circumstances were interfering in what should be the happiest time of my life. She also confided in me that she was going to hang up the boots permanently; her back had been in constant pain and she was afraid of permanent damage if she pushed herself any harder. We agreed that it would be best if Aunt Vickie was put back in the lead for creative -- given the climate, my control of the backstage was essentially shot. I handled everything up to Jeopardy in June, including Uncle Sean dropping his title to Johnny Bloodstone. While things seemed to stabalize at that point, they never really got better. What really hurt was when Pro Wrestling Hits declared that NOTBPW no longer had "national" influence. GrappleFanatics.net ran a headline story entitled [U]"North of the Border: The next DaVE?"[/U]. Grandpa had essentially retrenched NOTBPW back to the point it was in 2006, with a few changes here and there. And while he became more approachable from a personal standpoint after things had settled back down, he stubbornly refused any creative input from me, telling me that I needed to focus on my in-ring performance and uphold the Stone name. I stewed through the rest of the summer. It felt like all of the work I'd done, everything I'd prepared for, all the planning I did, all the stories I wanted to tell, all of the feelers I put out to different people in the business, all of it was for naught. One of the few bright spots in that long, dreadful summer was watching Kirk develop. Sure he was mostly in dark matches or used to put other folks over, but his skills were beginning to come along. He was doing about as well as I would expect any gifted athlete who'd been in the business for less than a year to be doing. Having Dad and Uncle Sean as his primary trainers didn't hurt. And while Aunt Vickie would still work with me, it wasn't the same not having her in the ring as a partner. As the leaves turned and the cool breezes of autumn began to blow, I found myself genuinely questioning, for the first time in my life, if I really wanted to be in the business anymore. That's when I got the first call.

[Dansc]

Uh-oh... is Generations moving to another fed?:eek: Simply amazing stuff, keep it up!

[Wallbanger]

[COLOR=blue]"Hello, JeriLynn, it’s Ray. How have you been?"[/COLOR] I was surprised to hear the voice on my cell phone. We hadn’t talked in months. [COLOR=red]"Hello, sir. I’ve been OK, how about you?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“Can’t complain – wouldn’t help if I did, no one listens to an old curmudgeon like me anyway.“[/COLOR] His sense of humor was dry, like Grandpa’s. [COLOR=blue]“I caught your Women’s title match with Melody Cuthill on your last pay-per-view. Excellent work, you should be proud of yourself.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“Thank you,”[/COLOR] I replied. [COLOR=red]“Coming from you, that means a lot.”[/COLOR] I’d put Melody over at October Obliteration after I’d won a tournament to determine a new #1 contender. It was my first serious title shot, and I have solid chemistry with Melody. We managed to put a show-stealing performance together that created some needed buzz in the women’s division. [COLOR=blue]“I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true, JeriLynn. Looking at the rest of the card, though, is it safe to presume that not much has changed in the past few months?”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“I’m afraid so, Mr. Kingman. As much as I would love to see you with us, even if we couldn’t do what I’d wanted to, I don’t think we could justify a fourth road agent. Really, though, you should talk to my Aunt Victoria about that now.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“If I was interested in working for NOTBPW, I would indeed call your aunt, or your grandfather. However, that isn’t the purpose of my call.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“I’m sorry, I don’t follow.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“Back in March, when you first pitched the idea to me, I wasn’t entirely sure how deeply I wanted to be involved with it. But I did recognize the opportunity you were opening up for Barry and the twins, and if I could help make that happen, I certainly wanted to. Then that unfortunate business with Edd occurred and it seemed that window of opportunity had closed.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“Even so, I found myself thinking about it from time to time; infrequently at first, but as time went by, more and more often. I don’t know how else to put it JeriLynn – you woke something up in me, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. The past few weeks I’ve been calling in old favors, lining up backers, I even sold the house in California. I’ve got a decent war chest built up now, and just last week I completed the paperwork to acquire the trademark rights to both the American Pro Wrestling Federation and Chicago Championship Wrestling from the Lambert estate -- for less than they were going to sell them to you, as a matter of fact. The next thing I need is someone to run it, and you were the first person that came to mind. Well, the second, actually, but after Barry and I discussed it we felt it would be better if we didn’t specifically make this a ‘family business’.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“Mr. Kingman, I’m not sure what to say,”[/COLOR] I stammered in response. And I wasn’t. When it looked like my US strategy was working, I’d sketched out the concept of a ‘border war’ between NOTBPW and a US-based brand. The idea of using APWF came to me as I was looking through some of Grandpa’s old scrapbooks. That’s why I’d called Crippler Ray Kingman; to really pull it off correctly I needed him to be the primary antagonist, just as he was Grandpa’s primary antagonist in the old APWF of the 70’s. The fact that his son Barry had some Canadian overness, along with the fact that his youngest sons Brian and Bobby were just about to finish high school and start training full time added a family vs. family dimension to the story. The brand split would open up a whole new set of opportunities for the roster, and the new brand would still be steeped in the kind of tradition our fans would eat up. Kirk and I had even scripted out some of the key confrontation angles. I still had most of the notes saved on my laptop, but I hadn’t looked at, or even thought about them, since June. Until now. [COLOR=blue]“I’ve probably caught you off guard,”[/COLOR] Ray said after a few moments’ silence, [COLOR=blue]“and I apologize for that. For now, I’d be satisfied if you would say you’d consider my proposal and let me follow up with you in a couple of weeks. I’m targeting a February launch, though, so I will need your answer sooner rather than later.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“All right, Mr. Kingman. I will consider it." [COLOR=black]A thought hit me and I hastily added,[/COLOR] "I have two conditions, however.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“Name them.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“One, there will be a women’s division.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“I’m fine with that. It would be silly not to leverage your in-ring talent.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“Two, you will hire, and we will push, Kirk Heidenreich. Perhaps not right away, but we will push him.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]“He’s still very raw, JeriLynn. But there’s no denying his potential. If you two are a package deal, I accept that.”[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]“Good. Then let’s plan to talk again in two weeks.”[/COLOR]

[foolinc]

Now there is an interesting twist. Keep up the good work Banger!

[praguepride]

Cue the dramatic music (dun dun DAAAAAAAA!)

[Jaded]

Awesome twist - I mark hard for the Kingmans, so this looks fantastic. :)

[Wallbanger]

[COLOR=darkgreen]"Please don't do this. This will devastate him."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"He should have thought of that six months ago when he decided to stop listening to me."[/COLOR] Dad and I were sitting at the kitchen table at home; the same kitchen table where eleven months prior I stepped up and took the reins at NOTBPW. Now I was on the brink of leaving the house and NOTBPW, perhaps for a long time. [COLOR=darkgreen]"Look, I'm not going to sit here and defend how Dad's treated you. He gave you a lot of freedom to run things the way you wanted, then at the first sign of trouble, trouble that had nothing to do with you or any choice you made, he reversed course on you. That wasn't right."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"That's nice to hear. Where were you when I needed Grandpa to hear that? Where were you when I needed my father to stand up for me? Did you ever tell HIM that 'it wasn't right?'"[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"As a matter of fact, I did -- but guess what, even I'm still just his son. Try to see things from his perspective. He built this company from the ground up with little more than his own blood, sweat and tears. Moreover, the company became the foundation that our family was built on. He didn't set out to create a dynasty; he just wanted to provide for his family the only way he knew how, by entertaining a crowd. As each of us came into the business, the links between the family and the company became tighter and tighter, to the point that now, when anything threatens the business, it hurts the family, and when anything threatens the family, it hurts the business. You and I both know that isn't typical, and it probably isn't even healthy. But it is our lot. So here you come with new directions and new ambitions and with you introducing so much change from the inside, I don't think Dad knew how to handle it, and overcompensated when presented with a crisis."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Oh come on, Dad. It's not like I kept my ideas a secret -- pretty much everything I did was discussed with you, Aunt Vickie and Grandpa. And at the time, it seemed like everyone was on board with what I was doing. Now, I'm asking myself if I was being taken seriously at all or if you were all just humoring me."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"Now wait a minute, that's not fair!"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"How else would you explain the past year? We were on the verge of breaking through in the States, and just at the right time too, when DaVE collapsed. We already had Joey Minnesota, we could have snapped up the rest of their best in-ring talent like Giedroyc, Barrowman and Finch, Bach, hell, even Eddie Peak! But instead, Grandpa throws a wrench in all of that momentum by firing Edd instead of getting him the help he needs. What is the locker room supposed to think about a man who would do that to his own son! What are they supposed to think when Duane leaves at the first opportunity presented to him? What else am I supposed to think when I can see so clearly what could have been and how close we were to actually getting there, only to be forced to walk away from it? Now all that great talent that could have helped propel us to global domination is locked up in written deals with SWF and TCW, we crapped all over the most prestigious cruiserweight title in North America, and our tag titles are put on our weakest tag team? THIS is the best the Father of Canadian Wrestling can come up with?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"I know you're upset, JeriLynn. But you knew going in that you weren't going to be allowed to turn NOTBPW into something it wasn't just for the sake of growth. This company, this family, has values it holds dear to in this business that shouldn't be betrayed."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"This has never been about betraying our values! This is about making sure our values were relevant in 2008, in 2010, 2020, and beyond that. If we don't put those values on a major stage and act like we give a damn about them, Eisen and Cornell will mop the floor with us, and then there won't be anyone to champion our 'values' anymore, will there? This is about making sure MY children had something I could pass on to them.There won't BE anything left for me and Edd, never mind David and Lucy, by the time you let me do something about it."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"For everything that Grandpa is, there's one thing he shouldn't be -- he's content. His legacy in the business is guaranteed, his financial position more than secure. Even you and Uncle Dan have your legacies in place, and you still have time to add to your accolades. Then there's me. I'll tell you this much right now; I'm not satisfied with just being 'Jeremy Stone's daughter'. And if that's all that's waiting for me here, I need to go out and prove that I can contribute something to this business other than my name."[/COLOR] The words hung over the kitchen table in the silence that followed. [COLOR=darkgreen]"You know,"[/COLOR] Dad began in a quiet voice, [COLOR=darkgreen]"when I hear the spirit in your voice, the conviction and passion in which you say it, there's no doubt in my mind you will accomplish great things, whether it's in the ring or out. But for all you think you know about me, know this; I'm not content. I know there's more to accomplish. But unless we do it together, all of the accolades I have and can still gain mean nothing."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"What can I do to get you to stay?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Don't ask that question unless you intend to follow through on it, Dad, and are in a position to do so. Because I can give you an answer. I want complete, unquestioned control. And I mean EVERYTHING -- the booking, the finances, the operations, everything. I set my own agenda, my own goals. I will be no one's puppet. And I will build my own legacy, one worthy of the Stone name, but not one that's handed down to me. But most of all...let me make you proud."[/COLOR] [COLOR=darkgreen]"I already am proud of you. Please don't ever doubt that. And I promise you, no matter what happens, you will never have to ask 'Where were you?' of me again. I may not be able to get you everything you ask, but I know Vickie would give you the book again, and this time we'll back you 100%. Would you at least consider staying under those conditions?"[/COLOR]

[Wallbanger]

I wanted to believe he could do it. I HAD to believe he could do it. He was my father. He could do anything. If there was one man who at this point could keep this whole mess from disintegrating any further, it was him. Kirk and I could hear them arguing from the other side of the house. Dad was putting up a valiant fight. Occasionally I'd hear Aunt Vickie chime in too. But deep down inside, I knew that the die was already cast. The next few weeks were a blur. Between finding a new place to live at least somewhat close to APWF's new headquarters in New York (we finally settled on a townhouse in Bethlehem -- we could get into the city when we needed to and could use the local airport to get to shows), working through my old contacts to put a roster together, and coordinating with Ray and Barry, November and December almost disappeared without much effort at all. It was time to truly step out on my own, and build something from the ground up. Welcome to 21st Century Tradition. Welcome to the new APWF. [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/APWFNew.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/ChiChamp.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [CENTER][SIZE=4][B]Coming in January 2008 to a city near you![/B][/SIZE][/CENTER]

[Wallbanger]

The knock on the door startled me; was it 2pm already? Kirk and I had been unpacking and setting up the townhome since yesterday, but it still felt like nothing had been accomplished. [COLOR=red]"JUST A MINUTE!!"[/COLOR] I hollered across the room, weaving around the boxes and unassembled furniture as I made my way to the entry. I stopped to catch a breath, then opened the door. [COLOR=red]"Ray, Barry! Good to see you -- thanks for coming out,"[/COLOR] I said as they stepped inside. [COLOR=red]"I trust you found the place all right?"[/COLOR] [COLOR=purple]"Oh yeah, your directions were great, no problem,"[/COLOR] Barry replied. [COLOR=purple]"Don't know if I'd live this far out, but having lived in Toronto for the past few years, I think I like living in the heart of the city."[/COLOR] [COLOR=blue]"You might change your mind after you see the rents in New York,"[/COLOR] Kirk quipped. [COLOR=blue]"Prices there are insane."[/COLOR] [COLOR=green]"A housewarming gift for you two,"[/COLOR] Ray said as he handed me a flat package. [COLOR=green]"Apologies for not having it wrapped, I just picked it up on the way here."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Thank you Ray, we appreciate it."[/COLOR] Pulling the tape off the box, I reached in to extract its contents. When I realized what it was, my jaw dropped. [COLOR=red]"Whoa. I've never seen this picture--when was this taken??"[/COLOR] I held the framed 20x30 photograph of Grandpa, George DeColt, Ray, and Rip Chord in my hands as if it were an ancient scroll. They had all just recently been in a match, the sweat and oil glistening off of their faces and torsos. Rip, sporting the remnants of a blade job on his face, had the old APWF Heavyweight title draped over his shoulder. [COLOR=green]"July 8th, 1974, at the Great American Clash; Dan Stone and Gorgeous George vs. The Crippler and Rip Chord was the main event that night. Your grandfather got the pin on Rip after he took a chair shot to the head from me that was intended for Dan. Rip beat me down after the match, turning me face and setting up my first title win at Blood, Beer and Barbecue two months later. One of the very few times your grandfather and George DeColt tagged together, as I recall. We went for nearly an hour, and the crowd was white hot the whole way through."[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Wow. Thank you Ray, this is amazing."[/COLOR] [COLOR=green]"I'm glad you like it. But we're not here to dwell on the past, we're here to focus on the future!"[/COLOR] [COLOR=red]"Well, the office is one of the only rooms that is mostly set up, so let's go there. Besides, I have the roster already laid out on the whiteboard."[/COLOR] [CENTER][COLOR=black][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/APWFbannerlarge.png[/IMG][/COLOR] [SIZE=4][COLOR=black][B]APWF Roster - January 2008[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Main Event[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/JungleJack_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Jack Marlowe (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/ShooterSeanDeeley.jpg[/IMG] Shooter Sean Deeley (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/NathanColeman.jpg[/IMG] Nathan Coleman (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/SteveFlash.jpg[/IMG] Steve Flash (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/40a.jpg[/IMG] Kirk Heidenreich (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Upper Midcard[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/GreaseHogg.jpg[/IMG] Grease Hogg (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/FrankiePerez.jpg[/IMG] Frankie Perez (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/LeadBelly.jpg[/IMG] Lead Belly (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/BarryKingman.jpg[/IMG] Barry Kingman (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/SgtBubbaLeeWest.jpg[/IMG] Sgt. Bubba Lee West (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Midcard[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/KashmirSingh_alt1.jpg[/IMG] The Sensational Singh (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/KirkJameson.jpg[/IMG] Kirk Jameson (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/TrentShaffer.jpg[/IMG] Trent Shaffer (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/RockinRyanTurner.jpg[/IMG] Rockin' Ryan Turner (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/JacobJett.jpg[/IMG] Jacob Jett (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/InsaneMachine.jpg[/IMG] Insane Machine (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/StuartFerdinand.jpg[/IMG] Stuart Ferdinand (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Lower Midcard[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/CaseyValentine.jpg[/IMG] Casey Valentine (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/StanManna.jpg[/IMG] Stan "The Man" Manna (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/BulldozerBrandon.jpg[/IMG] Bulldozer Brandon Smith (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Openers[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/DavisWayneNewton.jpg[/IMG] Davis Wayne Newton (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/ZeusMaxmillion.jpg[/IMG] Zeus Maxmillion (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Enhancement Talent[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/ThomasMorgan_alt2.jpg[/IMG] Thomas Morgan (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Women's Division[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/EveGrunge_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Eve Grunge (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/JeriLynnStone.jpg[/IMG] JeriLynn Stone (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/JanaMarieBowen.jpg[/IMG] Jana Marie Bowen (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/TamaraMcFly.jpg[/IMG] Tamara McFly (Face)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/NinaTheBallerina.jpg[/IMG] Nina The Psycho Ballerina (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/GinkoKuroda.jpg[/IMG] Ginko Kuroda (Heel)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]In Development at CCW[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/17.jpg[/IMG] Bobby Kingman (to build skills)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/17a.jpg[/IMG] Brian Kingman (to build skills)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/Agent69.jpg[/IMG] Agent 69 (to build skills)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/WarrenTechnique.jpg[/IMG] Warren Technique (to build skills)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/PaulSteadyfast.jpg[/IMG] Paul Steadyfast (to train)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Out Injured[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/FreddieDatsun.jpg[/IMG] Freddie Datsun[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Managers[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/KatieCameron.jpg[/IMG] Katie Cameron (Stable: Jacob Jett)[/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/PlayboyJakeSawyer.jpg[/IMG] Playboy Jake Sawyer (Stable [I]"The Playboy Mansion"[/I]: Lead Belly, Grease Hogg, Sgt. Bubba Lee West, Insane Machine)[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Announcer[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/RockDownpour_alt1.jpg[/IMG] Rock Downpour[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Color Commentator[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/QueenEmily_alt2.jpg[/IMG] Queen Emily[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Road Agent[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/CripplerRayKingman.jpg[/IMG] Crippler Ray Kingman[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Referee[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][IMG]http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s59/Wallbanger1071/APWF/JezMcArthuer.jpg[/IMG] Jez McArthuer[/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]Schedule[/SIZE][/B] (No TV or PPV deals currently)[/CENTER] [LEFT][B]Thursday, Week 1, January: APWF Rebirth[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, January: APWF Blood on the Snow[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, February: APWF Tough Love[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, February: APWF Dead Reckoning[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, March: APWF Overdrive[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, March: APWF Truth or Consequences[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, April: APWF April Fool's Agony[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, April: APWF The Fire and the Flames[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, May: APWF Living on a Prayer[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, May: APWF American Gladiators[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, June: APWF Judgment in June[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, June: APWF Riverside Rumble[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, July: APWF Great American Clash[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, July: APWF Over the Edge[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, August: APWF Don't Tread on Me[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, August: APWF No Quarter[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, September: APWF Blood, Beer, and Barbecue[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, September: APWF Rolling Thunder[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, October: APWF Flirting With Disaster[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, October: APWF The Devil Went Down To Georgia[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, November: APWF Honor the Fallen[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, November: APWF Tryptophan Turmoil[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 1, December: APWF The Final Countdown[/B] [B]Thursday, Week 3, December: APWF Christmas Confrontation[/B][/LEFT] [CENTER][B][SIZE=4]Popularity/Importance[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [CENTER][B][SIZE=3]Current Size: Regional[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [LEFT][B]Great Lakes: E+/E[/B] [B]Mid Atlantic: E-/E-[/B] [B]Mid South: F/F[/B] [B]Mid West: F+/F+[/B] [B]New England: E-/E-[/B] [B]North West: F/F[/B] [B]South East: F/F[/B] [B]South West: F/F[/B] [B]Tri State: D+/D+[/B] [B]Puerto Rico: E-/F+[/B] [B]Hawaii: F/F[/B][/LEFT]

[Jaded]

Oh wow - I'm even MORE excited about this dynasty with that roster. Most of my favourites there :) The Jake Sawyer stable looks very good, in particular. And who DOESN'T love Steve Flash? Nice to see Steadyfast getting a job, as well, even if it's only to train youngsters. Best of luck with this one!

[Wallbanger]

[SIZE=3][B][I]Some Out of Character notes:[/I][/B][/SIZE] [B]Regarding Kirk and JeriLynn[/B] JeriLynn's and Kirk's stats and popularity were copied from my 07 savegame, which had been played out to January 2008, even though I didn't get near that far in the Generations 07 diary. JeriLynn narrowed her ability gap with Victoria considerably in my 07 game; she started the game 1-2 grades behind Victoria in pretty much everything except looks/sex appeal. Kirk by the end of 07 had worked all of his "Heidenreich" skills up to the E range, except for Respect, which was up in the C- range. (For those unaware, Kirk is named after the "Heidenreich Challenge" that started back in TEW05, I think -- basic principle is that you take a character that has zero's in all Rumble, Aerial, Technical and Performance skills, and 100's in everything else. That is how Kirk started in my 07 game.) In both characters' cases I set their Potential to Excellent. [B]Regarding Brian and Bobby Kingman[/B] Bobby and Brian Kingman are custom characters I had created in my 07 game for the APWF/NOTBPW "border war" storyline I had planned for the second half of 2007 in Generations 07. In the 08 game I used the "Heart of a Lion" template with mid-range (level 4-6) abilities. [B]Regarding the Rosters[/B] The rosters for both APWF and CCW were handpicked by me in the database before the game was begun. My first priority was to gather everyone that I had hired in my 07 game that did not have written contracts, then went after individuals that had no contracts, or could reasonably take on another contract, with a couple of exceptions. The only written contracts in APWF are Kirk, Barry Kingman and Crippler Ray Kingman. I think I've put together a roster that is isn't overmunchkined (is that a word?) for the level of promotion that APWF/CCW are. The owner of CCW is Marcus McKing. The Head Booker of CCW is one of my other user characters converted to a regular worker, Victor Pennington (who is a bit godified, but not over the top). The CCW roster outside of the development contracts: Ace Youngblood Alan Parent Christina Charisma Kinuye Mushashibo K-Squared Mario Heroic Paige Croft Remmington Remus Alan Gray The initial popularity and prestige levels for both APWF and CCW were both referenced from the C'Verse 1975 mod as designed by Mr. T Jobs to Me, PeterHilton and SadisticBlessings. As a result, APWF starts ranked #14 in the world and CCW is dead last at #34. [B]Regarding the Product[/B] [B]Style Name: 21st Century Tradition[/B] [B]Traditional:[/B] Key Feature [B]Mainstream:[/B] Very Low [B]Comedy:[/B] Low [B]Cult:[/B] Very Low [B]Risque:[/B] None [B]Modern:[/B] Key Feature [B]Realism:[/B] Low [B]Hyper Realism:[/B] None [B]Hardcore:[/B] Low [B]Lucha Libre:[/B] Medium [B]Pure:[/B] None [B]Daredevil:[/B] Low [B]Match Ratio:[/B] 80% [B]Match Intensity:[/B] 75% [B]Match Danger:[/B] 75% [B]Face/Heel Divide:[/B] Strong [B]This Definition...[/B] ...will mean wrestlers are rated more on performance than popularity. ...will attract fans who will not like highly risky gimmicks. ...will attract fans who will not 'get' subtle gimmicks. ...will attract fans who will be put off by highly risky angles. ...is favorable towards getting sponsorship. [B]Miscellaneous[/B] Credit for the APWF logo goes to Wildcat, who fulfilled this request for me in the Logo thread a few months back. The CCW logo and the APWF banner are both mine actually, though very amateurish (I used Microsoft Publisher 2007 to create the logo and the banner, and would look much better if I used something proper like Photoshop, but Publisher is what I have.) Feel free to ask if you have questions about anything not covered above.

[praguepride]

Awww, is there no place for Crash Lewis and Leo Davis on your roster? I've come to always associate Chicago wrestling with Leo Davis and the Lewis Brothers... edit: I'm shocked you actually hired Sgt. Lee, he is so overpriced for such a crappy attitude and not the greatest stats or popularity.

[Wallbanger]

[quote=praguepride;444982]Awww, is there no place for Crash Lewis and Leo Davis on your roster? I've come to always associate Chicago wrestling with Leo Davis and the Lewis Brothers... edit: I'm shocked you actually hired Sgt. Lee, he is so overpriced for such a crappy attitude and not the greatest stats or popularity.[/quote] I didn't want it to look like I was completely ripping off of your CCW diary, just somewhat ripping off of it. :p Interestingly enough, the Sarge isn't out of line with his money compared to the rest of the uppercard, and he generates a "can cause some arguments, but it isn't a big issue" backstage note. I have one "extremely negative influence" and it wasn't who I thought it was going to be!