MAW: 10 Simple Rules...

[Jericho Rules]

[QUOTE][QUOTE][I]I remember it - Flying Armadillo, huh? A heck of a read, but a huge shame it was never wrapped up fully.[/I][/QUOTE] Oh yeah. Flying Armadillo was the man! [QUOTE]Charlemagne:D[/QUOTE] Man, I actually think if a knight gimmick was done that way, it would work. His heel turn was awesome. Anyway dude, looking forward to When It All Begins Again!

[That 1 Dude]

[QUOTE=James Casey;514639][I]I don't mind him - but of all the XDW guys, his name scanned the best when I imagined saying that sentence aloud. Am I thinking about these things too much?[/I][/QUOTE] It works, but he's not the crappiest of the five.... I'd give that honor to Extreme Deluxe or Super Sonic. I refuse to believe they have ever put on a good match.

[Astil]

James, Before things took a turn in life I was an english major, and I say this only to show I have a bit of credentials. You have a gift. Personofication, attention to details, flow of story. Everything that all great stories need is here. Now I'm not saying 10 Rules is a literary classic. I'm just saying it is on par with it in terms of story flow, attention to details and personification. What I love most, is using one action to lead into another. Eric leaving Richard before Jay leaves Rip. Hitting Rip over the head with the cane, before hitting him with the truth. It all rolls so nicely and makes it enjoyable to read. Much love and happiness my man.

[James Casey]

Thanks for all the kind words, guys - it's much appreciated. We now have a good news, bad news situation. The good news is that when I post WiABA, it's going to be my best possible effort. I'm very proud of the main event, and the promos will be some of the best I've ever written. The bad news is that's because I, er, well, I left my USB stick in work. So I can't post the show tonight. At least I get tomorrow to revise and rework anything that needs it. That's good news, right? :o Whoops...

[That 1 Dude]

You might be threated with Giant Redwood again but good things come to those who wait. Tell them to be patient or else. :p

[James Casey]

[CENTER]OOC: Here we go...[/CENTER] * [CENTER][B]Mid Atlantic Wrestling presents: Where It All Begins Again Friday, 26th October 2011[/B][/CENTER] [B]Fumihiro Ota vs. Providence[/B] The masked men circled one another warily as we kicked off the show. Ota used his guile and agility to stay one step ahead of the unusually cautious Providence, who was showing his opponent more respect than usual. Ota was able to unload with some hard martial arts strikes that had Providence on the ropes, but he was unable to find the strike to put him down for the pin. Providence rallied strongly, going low on Ota to turn the tide of the match, before striking with an Eye Of Providence to score the win. Winner: Providence (C) * After his victory, Providence took the mic: [COLOR="DarkOrchid"]“Trickery and sleight of hand are the hallmark of a ninja,”[/COLOR] he began. [COLOR="DarkOrchid"]“For my own goals, I prefer to be more upfront. I care nothing for bravery, but it is infinitely more satisfying to strike someone in the face when they can see you do it. Such a thing works for me, and that is all I care about. What works for other people is of no concern to me – for I learned long ago that the truly sane person cares only for themselves. They say that no man is an island, but I am. Whether people choose to see as I see, whether they wish to believe what I say... Irrelevant. All that matters to me is that I get to do what I want, when I want. Although... the thought that there are folks out there who can’t sleep at night because they think I might have my eye on them, well, that’s a warm thought on a cold night.”[/COLOR] Providence’ unhinged cackle echoed through the arena even after he’d dropped the mic and walked backstage. * Bradford Peverell rode down to the ring. He looked focused and intent as he entered the ring. Taking the mic, he addressed his opponent for the night: [COLOR="Blue"]“Primus Allen, you’re a big man. I’ve run into a lot of big men in my life. Whether they’re running things, or just acting as hired muscle, they’re always so very sure of themselves. They’re always ready to strike first, and think second. “Primus, I’ve been looking at tapes of you here in MAW. You’re different. You use your head for more than just hitting people. I’d say that makes you dangerous, but so far you’ve been biding your time, waiting on your chance. What’s going on in your head, Primus? “I expect that we’ll find out soon enough. In a company filled with religious extremists, sociopaths and thugs for hire, I can’t see you as a significant threat at this time. But I’m watching, Primus. And if you set a foot wrong in my sight then I’ll be there with the old one-two.”[/COLOR] Primus Allen strode down to the ring and went toe-to-toe with the tall, but gangly, Peverell. Outmassing the brave Peverell by at least fifty pounds of solid muscle, Allen glared down at his opponent, his gaze unblinking. Peverell stared back, standing his ground as Allen towered over him, unblinking in the heat of the Traditional champion’s stare. * [B]Bradford Peverell vs. Primus Allen (c)[/B] for the [COLOR="Purple"]MAW Traditional title[/COLOR] Peverell started the match all guns blazing, taking it to Allen with some hard punches and fast footwork. Allen came back with powerful blows and slams, but Peverell seemed to shake off the champ's offence, rising time and again to his feet. This seemed to infuriate Allen, who went after the plucky Peverell with some ferocious attacks, pummelling and punishing the upstart challenger, before putting him down with a Sit-Out Spinebuster. Unusually, Allen helped Peverell up after the bell – a small show of respect before he stalked off, taking his Traditional title with him. Winner: Primus Allen (D+) * Chance Fortune, Kid Arachnid and Randy Bumfhole stood backstage, sporting their Trios titles: [COLOR="Blue"]“Tonight is the last night where we’ll be dallying with the Second Sons,” [/COLOR]Randy announced. [COLOR="Blue"]“Its been six months since we came to MAW, and in that time it seems we’ve barely been able to move without tripping over them.”[/COLOR] Chance nodded. [COLOR="Blue"]“It’s got real old, real quick. These titles are ours, and it’s time to move on to new challenges. Fortune favours the brave, and it’d take a brave man to go after the Traditional title right now – but that’s where my sights are set.”[/COLOR] Kid Arachnid said nothing, but slapped his teammates on the shoulders and led them off-screen. * Backstage, and Hugh de Aske and Black Eagle were brawling outside a locker room door bearing Sienna’s name. The remains of a bunch of flowers were clasped in Hugh’s hand, while Eagle had wrapped a gaudy, stars and moons silver necklace around Hugh’s throat and was trying to choke him with it. The door opened, and the two men froze as Sienna appeared, wearing a black satin robe and with her hair wrapped up in a towel. She looked at both men in annoyance. [COLOR="DimGray"]“The two of you fight for my love...”[/COLOR] she whispered, before her voice grew stronger, more like her wench persona. [COLOR="DimGray"]“In a corridor, where no-one can see. And yet...”[/COLOR] back to a whisper. [COLOR="DimGray"]“The idea has its appeal.”[/COLOR] She paused, and when she spoke, her voice was stronger again. [COLOR="DimGray"]“Tonight you will face one another once more. And the winner will have earned my love.”[/COLOR] * [B]Steve Flash vs. Roderick Remus[/B] Yet more proof of how awesome Steve Flash is. Remus looked startled to be out in front of this big a crowd, and for the first few minutes of the match Flash was effectively leading the youngster through the motions. The whole thing still looked very believable, and Remus got more into it as the match went on, just in time to eat a Flash Bang to give the veteran the win. Winner: Steve Flash (C) * Backstage, Kirk Jameson stared down the lens of a camera. [COLOR="Blue"]“Aaron, you brought this upon yourself,”[/COLOR] he said. [COLOR="Blue"]“I never wanted to fight you. It’s your actions that have brought us to this point. Maybe tonight, as you go home without your title, your mind will be clearer and you’ll see things the way they really are.”[/COLOR] * [B]The Firm (c) vs. The Second Sons[/B] for the [COLOR="Purple"]MAW Trios titles[/COLOR] This was a great match, considering. The two teams worked well together, with Valentine returning to an old routine and busting out some nasty-looking roundhouse punches that Randy Bumfhole sold for twenty. As the fight went on, it seemed that each man had his mirror image on the other team: Chance Fortune and Antonio pretty much took each other out of the match as they became embroiled in a fight outside of the ring. Randy Bumfhole and Cameron Vessey exchanged hold and counter hold, effectively neutralising one another. That left Casey Valentine and Kid Arachnid, who coolly countered Valentine's attempted brawling game until, in desperation, Valentine grabbed his mask and twisted it around his head so that he couldn't see. Valentine snapped off a Sweet Sweet Heartbreak to score the win and, in a major upset, take the Trios titles for his team! Winners: The Second Sons (C) * The Second Sons celebrated their win in ecstasy, hopping and skipping around the ring with their newly won titles as though they’d just been told that Hannah Potter wanted a date with them. Cameron Vessey somehow ended up on top of the announcers’ table, pouring a jug of water over himself while Antonio ended up in the crowd, hugging random people. Casey Valentine at least stayed in the ring, but showed off some truly dreadful dance moves as the Sons’ music played. * Zimmy Bumfhole had something to say: [COLOR="Blue"]“I don’t think it’s any secret that I’ve come down here just for a few weeks to help out my brother. Now, he’s just had his match – and it didn’t pan out, but that’s another matter. I asked Mr. Chord if I could have a match tonight, and he’s arranged for me to face one of the brightest young stars in the company – Jared Johnson. Jared, no offence, but I haven’t seen a lot of you in this company. In fact, the one time I’ve seen you recently, you were losing the Trios titles to my brother and his friends. Still, you looked good in that match, and I’m glad about that – I want to be tested while I’m here, after all.”[/COLOR] * [B]Zimmy Bumfhole vs. Jared Johnson[/B] You can just never tell, sometimes, can you? I was a lot more worried about Flash/Remus than this one, as Johnson is a lot more solid, fundamentally. However, he and Zimmy just couldn't get on the same page during this match, and it really brought down the crowd's mood. It was a relief for everyone when Zimmy nailed the Bumfhole In One to take the win. Winner: Zimmy Bumfhole (D-) * Backstage, The Canadian Blondes were in their Canadian-themed dressing room, being fed pancakes with maple syrup by an array of lovely ladies, when the door was kicked in and Sensational Singh and Brandon Smith, who glared at the champions. [COLOR="Blue"]“Get up,”[/COLOR] Smith growled, hauling a barefoot Savage out of his lounger. [COLOR="Blue"]“It’s time for our match.” “My colleague is abrupt, but correct,”[/COLOR] Singh said, favouring Oscar Golden with a beaming smile. [COLOR="Blue"]“Still, take heart. Your pancakes will still be here to give you comfort when you return without your titles.”[/COLOR] * [B]Smith & Singh vs. The Canadian Blondes (c)[/B] for the [COLOR="Purple"]MAW Tag Team titles[/COLOR] Tag team action 101 next, as Sensational Singh played face-in-peril with considerable aplomb. It's interesting watching Singh wrestle. A naturally flamboyant man, he cuts all that out when he's in the ring and always puts on a good show. Tonight he was on fire, bringing the crowd into the match and getting them to need the tag as the Blondes went to town on him, breaking out tauntingly flashy moves that, one felt, could only end in one way – in this case with Savage crashing and burning on a somersault springboard senton, letting Singh get the hot tag. Smith bulled his way through the champions, using his incredible power advantage to toss the lighter men around the ring with relative ease and doing to the champions in a comparatively short time what it had taken Golden and Savage almost ten minutes to do to Singh. Golden was plastered with a spear in the centre of the ring, before Savage powerslammed hard in the face team's corner, letting Smith get the tag to Singh – who entered and caught a rising Golden with the Cal-Cutter to score the win, and end the Blondes' reign at the six month mark. Winners: Smith & Singh (D+) * Hugh de Aske appeared stern before the camera: [COLOR="Blue"]“In just a few minutes time, I’ll be fighting Black Eagle once more. And as a result of my darlin’ Sienna’s request, if I lose, I lose her. Sienna, you’ve made this match for us, and I have to think that you do care who wins... and that as Black Eagle has never beaten me, you’ve done it so it can be Hugh and Sienna again, sailing the ocean blue... I have to believe that, love, because if Black Eagle wins tonight, that’s it for you and me. And this old seadog can’t even begin to think how he could set sail with a smile on his face if that comes about.”[/COLOR] * [B]Hugh de Aske vs. Black Eagle[/B] for the [COLOR="Purple"]love of Sienna LeNoir[/COLOR] For twenty minutes the two men threw everything they had at each other, with Sienna on the outside watching on, wearing a curious hybrid of her wench and mistress of the night outfits, to boot. Intriguingly, the dominance of one man in the ring seemed to bring out that side of Sienna's personality – with Hugh in charge, Sienna would stand ****ily, twirling her hair and laughing piratically. With Eagle running things, Sienna would become much more demure, but also more focused. In-ring, the match ebbed and flowed. Both men wanted the win but, equally, both men seemed slightly distracted as they checked on Sienna from time to time. And each time they did, their control of the match slackened, letting their opponent back into the fight. Neither man could establish true dominance under such conditions, and without that final advantage, neither man could claim victory, with the match running to a time-limit draw. Winner: No-one (C+) * Although the match was over, the two men continued to fight, the brawl gaining intensity rather than losing it even though the match was over. Eventually, Sienna grabbed a microphone. [COLOR="DimGray"]“Stop! Please, stop...”[/COLOR] The two men paused, and turned to look at her as she entered the ring, shaking, and with tears streaming down her cheeks. [COLOR="DimGray"]“Please... I can’t... I love...”[/COLOR] She looked from one man to the other, wavering on the spot as she tried to choose one from two. [COLOR="DimGray"]“I love...”[/COLOR] With a wail she dropped the microphone and bolted from the ring, sprinting up the aisle surprisingly fast, given her restrictive outfit. Eagle and Hugh went after her, momentarily united, but their battle injuries slowing them down so much they were unable to catch up with her. * Firebird sat alone in a darkened room, his legs crossed in the lotus position, the only illumination coming from a number of candles that gave him an unearthly orange glow. The camera stayed on him, sitting motionless, for several long seconds before his eyes slowly opened. [COLOR="DarkOrange"]“We failed,”[/COLOR] he intoned. [COLOR="DarkOrange"]“We had our chance to claim our greatest prize, and we failed. Kirk Jameson saw the darkness, and turned his back on his Fall. Our prize of almost two years approach has been denied us. “A change is required. We will not be pursuing one man any more. No matter how great a prize, one man is nothing.” [/COLOR] He leaned in towards the camera, the flames flickering in his eyes. [COLOR="DarkOrange"]“From now on, we will be [I]everywhere[/I].”[/COLOR] * [B]Ernest Youngman vs. JD Morgan[/B] Sure, on the one hand, it's good to learn who does and doesn't have chemistry with each other. But let's be honest – I don't want two bad matches on my big show! Yet that's what happened, with Morgan and Youngman just not working at all in ring. Youngman sold for twenty as the brutal Brit smacked him around the ring, but the fans just weren't buying it – and when Youngman mounted his comeback, nothing he did seemed to take. In the end, Morgan took the win with A Shot Of JD as I wondered if Rip was regretting not firing me when he had the chance. Winner: JD Morgan (C-) * Aaron Andrews was pacing back and forth backstage, the Heavyweight title dangling from one hand. [COLOR="DarkRed"]“Kirk Jameson didn’t want this, he says. And yet, here we are. He could have cashed in his shot at any time. He could have gone for any title. But he saved it, and he hoarded it, and now – shock! – he’s gone for the main event of the biggest show of the year. “Kirk Jameson is a ----ing liar.”[/COLOR] Andrews was breathing heavily, his face reddening as he paced back and forth. [COLOR="DarkRed"]“Once more, I go to war for this title. I face another challenge for the ultimate prize. The symbol of greatness that all men aim for is mine – and I’m not ready to give it up yet.”[/COLOR] He stopped pacing and turned to face the camera, dead on. [COLOR="DarkRed"]“Let everyone in this company be on notice: From this point on, I’m taking no prisoners. If you come after me, I’ll put you down and leave you where you lie.”[/COLOR] * [B]Kirk Jameson vs. Aaron Andrews[/B] for the [COLOR="Purple"]MAW Heavyweight title[/COLOR] This was what it all came down to. This match was the product of almost eighteen months of planning. Almost since the signing of Aaron Andrews and, certainly since the emergence a short time later of Kirk Jameson as a worker of genuine promise, I'd been thinking of this match. As the two men entered the ring and stretched, played to the crowd and exchanged glares, I felt somewhat how I imagine a man feels in the labour ward, or perhaps how a father feels on his child's graduation or wedding day. If it worked, then the card was saved and there was a bright future for MAW. If it didn't work... Well, it would be a setback. The match began slowly, with a feeling out process lasting several minutes. On almost every move, Jameson narrowly came out on top, and we noted that he had learned all about Andrews while Andrews mentored the younger man. Andrews, however, had something new up his sleeve. As Jameson trapped Andrews' arms, Andrews fired off a headbutt that cracked into the bridge of Jameson's nose, sending him reeling, and bringing him up bleeding just a few minutes into the match. Andrews went after the injury remorselessly, flicking out quick jabs that Jameson had to feign off, keeping the youngster on the defensive and unable to fight back. Disoriented, Jameson let himself be backed into a corner, and when he realised and tried to escape, Andrews grabbed his head and tried to ram him face first into the ring post. Jameson was able to escape, barely, and unleash a barrage of hard kicks to earn himself a brief respite from Andrews' assault. The champ, however, was soon on the attack once more, keeping the challenger back pedalling as he tried to find a counter for Andrews' unrelenting offence. Jameson was able to sneak in some strikes which slowed Andrews somewhat, but he couldn't seem to find what he needed to take control of the match. And all the while, Andrews was remorseless in his focus on Jameson's bloodied face. Eventually, Jameson managed to successfully breach Andrews' defences with a desperation rebound clothesline that took Andrews low in the chest when he was defending high. Running on adrenaline, Jameson attacked with gusto, pummelling his one-time friend. For the first time, Andrews truly found himself on the defensive as Jameson showed that he had found a way to harness the aggression that The Fallen had brought out in him, without going over the edge as so many had done before. Andrews tried to block, and it showed that, while Jameson had been learning about him, Andrews equally had learned about Jameson as he was successful in blocking a lot of the challenger's offence. However, Jameson kept firing, whittling away at Andrews' strength and mobility with his attack focused mainly on the champion's limbs. Andrews seemed to sense that he was in trouble, and bailed to the outside of the ring to dry and find respite. Jameson followed hot on his heels, and Andrews limped as quickly as he could around the ring, coming to a halt around one corner and trying to set an ambush. But Jameson saw through the ruse and as Andrews leapt out, he was met with a superkick that caught him flush on the jaw, sending him crashing into the crowd barrier, and scattering the fans in the ringside seats. Before he had a chance to recuperate, Jameson was on him, a hard clothesline taking both men over the top of the barrier and onto the vacant seats behind. The referee started the count but, when he got to eight with no response from either man, Rip quickly slid into the ring. The two men had a brief discussion largely consisting of Rip glowering at the man in the striped shirt, and jabbing him in the chest with his index finger. Eventually, the ref threw up his hands and awaited the return of the two men to the ring. Groggily, the two fighters made their way back into the squared circle and exchanged sluggish blows in the centre of the ring. Jameson seemed to regain his composure first, going to the ropes and hitting a flying forearm to put Andrews down, but the champion was quickly back on his feet, seemingly having had the sense knocked into him by the blow. For the next several minutes, it was give-and-take between the two men, with nothing to choose between them. Andrews seemed overly intent on landing strikes on Jameson’s bloodied face, while Jameson took his lumps in order to deliver some of his own, including a grinding series of arm wrenches that left Andrews’ right arm dangling by his side. In desperation, Andrews thumbed Jameson in the eye. Ignoring the referee’s admonishment, he went to the turnbuckle and ripped the cover off – only to be dropkicked from behind by Jameson, sending him crashing hard into the exposed steel. The referee appeared to take the view that Andrews was reaping what he’d sown, and made no move to DQ Jameson. Andrews was staggered. Clutching his chest, he stumbled across the ring, leaving himself open to a bulldog that smashed his face into the mat. When Jameson rolled him over to go for a pin, it was clear to everyone that Andrews too was now bleeding, his nose flattened across his face. The cover got two, and Andrews rose slowly from the mat, looking as though he were in immense pain. Jameson zeroed in on his opponent’s injuries, but seemed less ready than Andrews had been to inflict real pain on his late mentor. Sensing that the match was nearly done, Jameson was looking for a way to put the match beyond doubt. Pausing to check the flow of blood from his nose, Jameson looked from his battered opponent to the exposed turnbuckle, and the fans’ volume increased as they read his intentions. Jameson dragged his one-time friend to the corner of the ring. Hoisting Andrews upright, he booted him in the gut and lifted him up, dropping him backwards in a Standing Hot Shot. The fans erupted as Andrews fell towards the exposed steel in an act of perfect karma for the times Andrews had done the same to Jameson – perfect but for Andrews getting his hands up and catching the top rope, stopping his face just short of the bare steel bolt. Andrews spun around just as Jameson was rising to his feet. This time, it was Andrews who kicked out, catching Jameson in the stomach and doubling the challenger over, setting him up for a perfect Twisting Face Crusher that planted Jameson’s battered face into the mat, giving Andrews the pin as he retained the title. With Jameson out cold on the mat, Andrews went to the four turnbuckles as the fans pelted the ring with rubbish and showered the reigning champion with jeers and catcalls as he held the title aloft, his most feared challenger defeated cleanly at the biggest show of the year. Winner: Aaron Andrews (B-) [B]Overall: C[/B] [I](I guess it says a lot about how far we've come just since January that a B- main event is a bit on the disappointing side. And the show as a whole, well... We'll have to see if we can do better in 2012) [/I] * [I]OOC: So, where now? I think it's probably fairest to say that you shouldn't expect any significant updates for the next few days - if not longer. The backstage drama has largely played itself out (especially with Jay gone) so it's pretty much down to kayfabe from this point. I have a few ideas on how to move forward from here. Obviously, there's the RCI around the corner, and next year's WiABA is only 24 shows away, so I need to come up with some ideas fairly soon... I'd also like to take the chance to invite suggestions from you guys: I pretty much have a blank slate so far as the plans for the coming year go, so if there's someone you want to see pushed, or if you think I should be trying to sign someone, well, let me know. I'll do a roster update soon which may help.[/I]

[NoNeck]

Very nice. A great show with an outstanding main event. What more could you ask for? I wish I could do match write-ups that flowed that well; it was just like watching it on the tube. :) Again, well done, my man.

[Pampero Firpo]

Great job as always. It's been a long time coming and certainly didn't disappoint. I'd love to see your roster review -- I'm sure it will bring up some questions and ideas. Of course there's still the outstanding question of who the new Kid Arachnid is. Unless I've forgotten, I don't think you've ever revealed it and I'm very curious. And what will happen to Sienna? Hugh is my favorite character in your diary and I'd love to see him win her back. But if he doesn't, I could see him acquiring a harem of new wenches -- but also turning bitter and treating them badly when they don't live up to the memory of Sienna. Now would also be a good time to make some roster changes -- bring in some new blood and jettison some dead wood. Some new characters would likely give you some fresh ideas. I really hope you continue with this. Take a week or two to recharge and come up with some new ideas -- hopefully that will motivate you to keep going. If you do stop here, I still thank you for a very entertaining diary. And sorry about the whole Giant Redwood thing. ;)

[James Casey]

Thanks for the comments, guys. NoNeck, your write-ups are really enjoyable - I'd love to be able to get my matches across like that. My style just works like this, though - and it means some matches take up two or three pages in Word :rolleyes: Pampero, the reveal on Kid Arachnid was scheduled to take place during the show, with Jay unmasking him to reveal... But with Jay gone, I'm in rewrite mode right now. I suspect that I'll be giving Arachnid a bigger role as a result. As for clearing out the deadwood... But I'll get to that soon enough :)

[Mattlore Devious]

Seeing as we are in general recap mode with the roster and all, would you mind telling us what the popularity of MAW is like at the moment? Only a few small steps away from world domination? :p

[Candyman]

The writeup was very well done as always. I'd be lying if I said I loved the ending, but obviously that's personal preference...I just like to see the face win at the end of the biggest show of the year(ie, faces being 22-2 in Wrestlemania main events). Still, this is a great diary and I'm thrilled that (it appears) it will be continuing at some point. Definitely looking forward to the roster update. As for potential hirings, I was about to make a suggestion, but I think I just inadvertently figured out Kid Arachnid II. :D

[James Casey]

After the show, Aaron got a bit carried away with retaining the title. It was well known that it had been up in the air until quite late on which direction we were going to go in, and he’d been expecting us to go the ‘triumphant hero’ route. He’d got a bit worked up and been making an ass of himself in the locker room. Casey Valentine had grown annoyed and I’d been required to step in. I’d taken Aaron aside and given him a talk about acting like a champion, and to his credit he’d admitted his mistake and promised to shape up in the future. I watched him walk off with mixed feelings. The whole company seemed happier and less tense since Jay’s departure. I didn’t want to have got rid of one problem only to create another. * There were eleven people in the second locker room, all of whom regarded Rip and myself with varying degrees of trepidation, resignation, anger and disappointment. I knew them all quite well: Simon Ice, Mark Smart, Super Sonic, Xavier Reckless, Extreme Deluxe, Air Attack Weasel, Leftie Wilkes, Fearless Blue, Daredevil Aero, Ben Williams and The American Flash. I wouldn’t call any of them friends, but I had positive memories of working with most of them. They all wanted to be wrestlers. They’d all worked for MAW for some months. They’d all been asked to come in to complete the termination of their contracts. Rip handled the formalities – The third brand had cost the company too much money, and even without it we were only making a small profit. The workers had been varyingly impressive, but at this time we were unable to commit to progressing their careers. We would be happy to provide recommendations in the event that they required them. Most of them took the news phlegmatically. Weasel, who had worked for us as VIP Wallace, was a bit more annoyed at being lumped in with the dregs of our roster – but then, that’s where he’d been at since he debuted, even if he was earning midcard money. Xavier Reckless took it the worst. [COLOR="Blue"]“Screw you old man. I’m gonna make it in this business whether or not you like it, and without your help. Screw your reference, screw your company, and screw you!”[/COLOR] We watched him leave. One or two of the XDW survivors had the grace to look embarrassed, but it wasn’t as though I was surprised. Reckless had appeared on twelve shows and made trouble at four of them – a hit rate that Jay himself would have been proud of. * [CENTER][U]MAW Roster – 1st November 2011[/U][/CENTER] Heavyweight Champion: [COLOR="Red"]Aaron Andrews[/COLOR] (Main Event) – Andrews has been pretty much the go-to guy in MAW since his arrival in early 2010. Originally signed as another medium fish in MAW’s small pond, his growth into the premier performer in the company took in a tour of almost every heel in the company during his pursuit of Heavyweight champion Jay Chord. Winning the title and finding himself without many challenges on the heel side any more, a well-timed heel turn put him on top of the company, and acted as the catalyst for Kirk Jameson’s elevation to the main event. The best all-rounder in the company, Andrews’ retention of the title at WiABA was a blow to romantics everywhere, but saw him consolidate his position as king of the hill. Also works for TCW and NYCW. Tag Team Champions: [COLOR="Blue"]Smith & Singh[/COLOR] (Midcard/Midcard) – These two have great chemistry as a team and the odd couple pairing is a cliché as old as wrestling itself. Ending the fourth reign of the Canadian Blondes at six months, this is the team’s second title together, after teaming with Fumihiro Ota to hold the Trios titles for a spell. Smith also works for USPW. Singh also works for NYCW and 4C. Traditional Champion: [COLOR="Red"]Primus Allen[/COLOR] (Upper Midcard) – The one-time Rookie Monster seems to have found his natural resting place on our roster. Big and powerful, and capable of strong matches with the right opponent, I suspect he’s too inexperienced to progress much further. Also works for USPW and NYCW. Trios Champions: [COLOR="Red"]Casey Valentine[/COLOR], [COLOR="Red"]Cameron Vessey[/COLOR] and [COLOR="Red"]Antonio[/COLOR] (Midcard/Upper Midcard/Midcard) – With Vessey on loan from USPW, this team isn’t long for the world. Valentine and Antonio have promise – but they had promise when I took over four years ago. One of the problems with MAW is that we can build workers so far – but we don’t run enough shows to build genuinely great workers. Both Antonio and Valentine could do with more exposure – but their loyalty to Rip means they won’t work for anyone else. [U]Main Event[/U] [COLOR="Blue"]Chance Fortune[/COLOR] – Chance is everything that I wanted Stevie Grayson to be. Strangely released by TCW, Chance is a solid performer, capable of very good matches. If he’s not quite the excellent all-rounder that Andrews is, he’s still very capable, and his popularity means that he can be plugged into almost any feud and give it a boost. He also works for CGC and PSW. [COLOR="Blue"]Hugh de Aske[/COLOR] – The pirate is a two-time Traditional champion who is often involved in the best match on the card. His partnership/feud with Sienna has, amazingly, helped a manager get over. Expect that storyline to continue, as I’m not done with the love triangle yet – and there’s potential for it to take in an awful lot of people in the company. Oddly, the one person he doesn’t seem to excel against is Aaron Andrews – which is a shame as otherwise a feud between the two would be high on my list. He also works for USPW and NYCW. [COLOR="Red"]JD Morgan[/COLOR] – Over 40, British, reliable... Yeah, anyone who thinks that I see a lot of myself in JD Morgan might not be too far wrong. However, he wrestles a very different style to me and is most comfortable as a silent thug, whereas I was almost always a garrulous face. Morgan has done a lot to make a lot of the wrestlers on our roster look good since he signed and while he may be a too old to push to the top, I certainly don’t want to let him go. Also works for PSW. [COLOR="Blue"]Kirk Jameson[/COLOR] – Kirk may have taken almost three years to catch on here in MAW, but now he has he’s quickly becoming one of our most reliable workers. Carried his half of the recent main event feud with aplomb and while I don’t necessarily see him as an immediate long-term main event proposition, I suspect that his continued – and varied – experience north of the border and in Puerto Rico should be enough to ensure that he’ll be a key player in the not too distant future. He also works for NOTBPW and FCW. [COLOR="Blue"]Randy Bumfhole[/COLOR] – I look at this guy and wonder why Richard decided to let him go. Then I remember that Richard wasn’t smart enough to hire me, so there’s your answer. The only guy who can realistically challenge Andrews for the title of best all-rounder, Randy has only shown glimpses of his true talent thus far, but that’s been entirely deliberate. It’s fair to say that I have plans for this guy... if he’s willing to sign on for the next year. He also works for TCW and CGC. [COLOR="Blue"]Steve Flash[/COLOR] – What can you say about this guy that hasn’t been said already? The living legend has been the mainstay of damn near every federation he’s ever lined up in, and can carry almost anyone to a watchable match. Slightly lacking in charisma, his role as head of The Firm was meant to be Jean Cattley’s – but when Jean jumped to SWF, Steve was the natural successor. Also works for NYCW (of course). [U]Upper Midcard[/U] [COLOR="Red"]Black Eagle[/COLOR] – The silent Eagle has had a varied run in the company. Limited by his gimmick to speaking through someone else, that someone else has now done a runner – and without her Eagle will be forced to rely on someone else for his words. Happily, that won’t affect the quality of his matches, which are generally good. Although he does hate losing... Anyway, I have plans for him. He also works for FCW and CZCW. [COLOR="Blue"]Bradford Peverell[/COLOR] – The Pev’s ‘people’s protector’ gimmick is finding its feet. He’s had good matches with good workers thus far, and with the right feud he might just find himself moving up the card. He also works for USPW and RIPW. [COLOR="Blue"]Ernest Youngman[/COLOR] – The only uppercarder we don’t share with anyone else, Youngman is an astonishing talent who’s set for a lengthy run with the company (provided Richard doesn’t steal him). He’s also pretty cheap, and a staple of the Tour shows. Big things are expected... [COLOR="Red"]Firebird[/COLOR] – The one-time Ultimate Phoenix has taken to his heel role with gusto. The match quality remains high, the promos are sinister, and while he came out on the losing end of the The Fallen’s feud with Kirk Jameson he’s another guy I can throw up against almost anyone and expect greatness as a result. Also works for OLLIE and CZCW. [COLOR="Blue"]Fumihiro Ota[/COLOR] – The forgotten man of MAW hasn’t banged his gong in a while. Another one who’s limited by his inability to cut a promo, he’d be helped a lot by having a mouthpiece around, or maybe a partner... He also works for TCW and FCW. [COLOR="Red"]Providence[/COLOR] – I’m hesitant to label anyone in the company a personal project, but Providence comes pretty close. It’s nice to have someone unhinged to write for, as almost anything Providence says works just fine. It’s all in the delivery, and he’s worked that out. I’m hesitant to push him too much further up the card, as it doesn‘t really work with his chaotic character to care about any one person long enough to sustain a feud with him, and thus he doesn’t really have momentum in the traditional sense. I’m also conscious that he can come across as a bit gimmicky. However, I’m on the lookout for new storylines, and there’s always the possibility that he’ll click in somewhere. He also works for USPW and NYCW, in both companies portraying the Masked Patriot character. [U]Midcard[/U] [COLOR="Red"]Flash Savage[/COLOR] – Reliable, for a given value of the word. He’ll always turn out matches in the mid-D range, or thereabouts, provide he’s matched up against workers in the (upper) midcard. I’m considering a way in which he can start to improve his average rating... [COLOR="Red"]Jared Johnson[/COLOR] – One of my future stars – I hope. He’s a very talented worker who’s been getting a lot of regional exposure on the Tour shows. Not particularly expensive, he’s also not particularly popular – but that would probably change with a few wins under his belt. He also works for CGC and 4C [COLOR="Blue"]Jonnie Perez[/COLOR] – Signed against my better judgment at a time when we needed a few extra faces in the midcard, Perez has always seemed to be on the verge of becoming a worthwhile worker in his own right. I think the problem is one of consistency – for every very good match he puts on, there are two or three stinkers. He’s survived the recent cull but, to be honest, he’s not high on my list of priorities for pushes and could be dropped in the future. [COLOR="Red"]Greg Ford[/COLOR] – Tidy, neat, effective, pretty much a lock to get a D+/C- with the right opponent... Honestly, I don’t have much for this guy to do but wrestle. Part of the problem with The Fallen gimmick is that it’s hard for people to go somewhere different without damaging the concept. Still, we’re his only employers, so what’s he going to do? [COLOR="Blue"]Kid Arachnid[/COLOR] – And the man under the hood is... But that would be telling. While Jay would have unmasked him at WiABA, instead we’re left with an Arachnid without a clear purpose. However, he does have talent and so maybe, just maybe, he might come out of this one a winner. It’s time for him to go it alone, though – o, at least, no more six-man matches. He also works for GCG and FCW. [COLOR="Red"]Marc Speed[/COLOR] – See Greg Ford [COLOR="Red"]Oscar Golden[/COLOR] – See Flash Savage [COLOR="Red"]Roderick Remus[/COLOR] – Roderick is a bit of an enigma. Probably the most popular member of the Triple Threat, he’s also one of the less talented members of the roster. He’s somewhat indicative of the disconnect between the talented-but-raw youngsters, and the seasoned veterans. Looking at Randy Bumfhole, who’s about the same age but obviously has had a much different career, it’s hard not to wonder ‘what if’? [U]Lower Midcard[/U] [COLOR="Blue"]Hugh Lee[/COLOR] – I’m perfectly happy with Hugh Lee. He was never going to be at the top of the card as he’s too small and, honestly, too untalented. He’s okay: Reasonable skills, reasonable charisma, his gimmick is quite entertaining. His status as an MAW original gives him recognition and credibility in the company as well. But he’s just never going to be on top. [COLOR="Blue"]Joe Benning[/COLOR] – Still young and quite talented, the one-time tag champion falls into the same category as a lot of other workers: As noted, there’s only so far we can take these guys. Still, he’s cheap enough to be On Tour, so he can wrestle several times a month and maybe improve. He also works for FCW [COLOR="Blue"]Matt Hocking[/COLOR] – As with his tag partner, but to my mind he’s not as good a wrestler so he has less potential. And, honestly, I think he’s goofy-looking, so I doubt I’d ever give him a singles push. He also works for FCW [COLOR="Blue"]Max Mayhem[/COLOR] – See Hugh Lee, but also note that he’s less talented, to my mind. He’s lucky to have found his niche with Hugh. [COLOR="Red"]Nelson Callum[/COLOR] – Young, moderately talented, a decent worker... Needs more exposure, but it’s all a bit Catch-22. [COLOR="Red"]Raphael[/COLOR] – I honestly believe that Raphael could crack the big leagues, with the right push. He’s talented, pretty entertaining, and has experience from his work in RIPW. Why he was never given a development deal is beyond me. His prospects are limited, I think, in MAW for all the reasons previously discussed... But I do believe that if the big leagues had any sense, he’d be snapped up. He also works for 4C. [U]Opener[/U] [COLOR="Red"]Curtis Jenkins[/COLOR] – At this point, we’re sort of at the point where a lot of these guys have less promise than I’d like. Maybe if I’d persevered with Curtis four years ago he’d be watchable now – but probably not. [COLOR="Blue"]Riley McManus[/COLOR] – Er... see Curtis Jenkins. Honestly, I’d love to team these guys up and at least feel like I was doing something with them, but Riley’s only good as a face, and Curtis is only good as a heel. No signs of improvement in four years although, let’s be honest, I haven’t exactly pushed them... Someone has to be at the bottom, right? [COLOR="Blue"]Sheriff Blaze[/COLOR] – This is a temporary roster location for Blaze. Along with partner Marshall Dillon, he’s set to be the subject of a sustained push over the next few years as he interacts with the folks at the other end of the roster. I don’t expect him to be an overnight success – but I do expect him to become a solid worker in his own right. [U]Enhancement Talent[/U] [COLOR="Blue"]Amazing Fire Fly[/COLOR] – One of my favourite workers, but even I have to admit that he’s too small and too much of a luchadore for MAW. That said, I’m keeping him around as he can bump for fifty, he’s one of my favourites and with the right opponents he can put on a decent match. Also works for MPWF and WAM. [COLOR="Red"]Jefferson Stardust[/COLOR] – My favourite gimmick, attached to the worst wrestler on the roster. His whacked out rock god character is always fun to write for. However, I can’t help but wonder if I should just have given the gimmick to Raphael and ditched Jefferson a long time ago... He does only cost $150 a show, though, and he’s fun, so... [COLOR="Blue"]Marshall Dillon[/COLOR] – See Sherriff Blaze, with the caveat that he’s older and a bit less talented. Started out in RIPW on a development deal, but didn’t crack the big leagues. MAW Originals: Antonio, Brandon Smith, Casey Valentine, Curtis Jenkins, Flash Savage, Hugh Lee, Jefferson Stardust, Max Mayhem, Oscar Golden and Riley McManus. That means that ten of the sixteen wrestlers who were with the company when I joined are still with us – although none of them are any higher than midcard. In fairness, Jean Cattley, Citizen X and Erik Strong would probably still be there or thereabouts if they hadn’t – all of them! – jumped to the SWF. Meanwhile, Cameron went to USPW et al, and Findlay and Ricky wanted too much money. I might actually have kept all sixteen of them, but for that. But there’s not much in the way of upward mobility. I think it’s fair to say that these guys are growing with the company (they haven’t dropped below their starting roster positions, I think) but the immediate need to bring in some new babyfaces, coupled with our ability to recruit main eventers as bigger companies let some workers go means that, in all honesty, we’ve not developed as many guys as I would have liked. Rip and I had agreed to discuss this as it was something we wanted to keep an eye on. * In terms of popularity, we're at a D in the Mid Atlantic, E- in South East and the Great Lakes, F in Tri-State, Puerto Rico and Ontario, and everywhere else is a zero. [I]Next: Where Are They Now, and other important questions[/I]

[Mattlore Devious]

One other question to keep you occupied; do you use auto-push to sort your roster? I find it rather annoying in small US feds. Oh, and I'd love to see Nelson Callum and Raphael get a bit of a push / some character development. Have always quite liked both of them.

[Astil]

WiABA ... awesome! Holy crap... thats a lot a text. I'll read it eventually ... probably Saturday.

[James Casey]

Yes, auto-push is used each time I reorder the roster. Before the October Eleven got their marching papers, Oscar Golden was an Upper Midcarder and Riley McManus a Midcarder, for example. I don't have an issue with the way the game organises my roster in general - beyond being slight surprised that JD Morgan is the most popular member of The Fallen. I'm also pleased to see Greg Ford and Marc Speed drop down to midcard after being UMC since day one - it's a more realistic assessment of how I push them, if nothing else. Part of my aims for this next phase of the diary is to give more character to the lower guys as and when they appear. We'll have to see how that plays out. Also - long shot - does anyone know where I can lay my hands on a program that would produce an automatically updating league table? I've seen spreadsheets where you can put the scores of football matches in and it will update a table with the teams' positions, and was wondering about using that for an idea I have for the diary...

[James Casey]

[I]OOC: Off to watch MotD now... COYS![/I] * [CENTER][U]Where Are They Now?[/U][/CENTER] [B]“Machine” Jean Cattley[/B]: Recently picked up his first win – at the tenth attempt – in SWF over Nevada Nuclear. It's taken him five months. Averaging a C- in his matches, he's working as a lower midcard face. [B]Frankie Perez[/B]: Touring with WLW, Frankie has wrestled almost sixty matches in Japan this year, sneaking in a tour with PGHW as well. Oddly, 2010 was spent almost entirely in America, with NYCW and TCW, although he worked for Burning Hammer for a time too. Formerly exclusively signed to TCW, he's now branched out and with an average of B and a high of A* in his matches this year, he's setting the pace for the gaijins. [B]Davis Wayne Newton[/B]: Twenty-four year old DWN is a very-good all-rounder who may one day be the world's premier wrestler – but he could do with branching out from Canada, where he's worked exclusively for the Stones since April 2009 when they signed him to an exclusive deal. Has had some tremendous matches against Joey Minnestoa and Jermey Stone, and while that's only to be expected, it's a good sign. Should do well as he matures. [B]Bobby Thomas[/B]: The one-time Lone Wolf is still with CGC, and will probably never leave. We seem to have worked with him during his worst year, as every other year he's managed at least one B-rated match. Not this year... [B]Citizen X[/B]: The proto-Providence is still with SWF, working as an enhancement heel. He has just one win in his twenty-seven matches there, beating Greg Rayne in a poor – and meaningless – match that at least made it to PPV. [B]Jacob Jett[/B]: Katie's ex is not someone I keep very close tabs on, but he's doing okay out in Japan. His written deal with WLW has made him quite the star out east, with two Streefighting titles and a Show Stealer belt to his name. [B]Matthew Gauge/Keith[/B]: Also signed to a written deal with WLW, Gauge has been tearing things up in Japan for Burning Hammer as well, along with stalling in the midcard of USPW and making random appearances in 4C. Has the drive and talent to the best wrestler in the world. [B]Greg Gauge/Keith[/B]: The other brother has been a Japanese exclusive for almost eighteen months and, like his brother, is thriving. He works exclusively for GCG. [B]Findlay O’Farraday[/B]: Unemployed since his departure from MAW, he's worked a single independent show, losing to Jackpot Jordan. [B]Ryan Powell[/B]: On a written deal with the SWF, Powell has mainly been losing since his debut, with a 5-0-15 record. Six of those matches have been Shooting Star title shots, however, suggesting that the writers see something in him. [B]Trent Shaffer[/B]: The man with the biggest lips in wrestling is a busy boy, working for CGC, 4C and CZCW – the latter two as Delicious Danny, the preppy model character that always seems doomed to failure. In spite of that, since leaving MAW he's been a two-time CGC Canadian champion, as well as 4C champion. [B]Stevie Grayson[/B]: Working for TCW, FCW and NYCW Grayson continues to be busy, but while he holds the FCW People's Championship, his losses outweigh his victories primarily because in TCW he loses to almost everyone, with a 2-0-12 record. He's been more successful in his other promotions, of course, although in NYCW he's two-and-oh having just debuted in September. Apparently being the MAW go-to guy for a jobber to the stars hasn't done his career too much harm... * Brent Hill is the new TCW champion. He's a solid, honest pro – and likely to make the main event of any given TCW show the best match of the night. He ended Eddie Peak's eight month run with the belt. * We were out on tour again, and Rip had something on his mind. [COLOR="Purple"]“We have a low roster turnover,”[/COLOR] he said, calmer and more contemplative since I broke my cane over his head. [COLOR="Purple"]“Guys are staying with us for years, now. I used to plan on a half-life of around eighteen months for guys in this company, but you’ve been making plans for people almost two years in advance. That’s one of the things that sent me a bit off course, kid. I was having visions of Aaron and Jay main eventing pay-per-views for us five years down the line.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“You want to go back to sending the guys off to tour the regions?”[/COLOR] I asked. [COLOR="Purple"]“What do you think?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“Well... Guys do leave,”[/COLOR] I said, thinking as I spoke. [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“Jay, of course. X, Erik and Jean all moved on. DWN left for the Stones. I think it’s worth moving people on if we’re making space for new prospects, and we’re certain that the guys we’re letting go can’t progress any further...”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“...like the guys we just fired. Yeah.”[/COLOR] I shrugged. [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“Did you expect them to improve?”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“Antonio and Steven weren’t much better when I first saw them.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“I guess it comes down to whether you want growth, in which case it’s the top guys mixing with each other, and the underneath guys picking up the scraps, or improvement, in which case everyone fights everyone and we pretty much stand still.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“I think... Look, we’re about where we want to be, as far as the Mid-Atlantic goes, right?”[/COLOR] I nodded. [COLOR="DarkGreen"]“Yeah, we’re not moving up to the next size venue anytime soon, so we can stay here for a while.”[/COLOR] [COLOR="Purple"]“Okay.”[/COLOR] Rip paused, and drummed his fingers on the desktop. [COLOR="Purple"]“Here’s what’s going to happen: For the next year, we’re not going to sign anyone new. I don’t mind loans, I don’t mind if an emergency crops up and we have to bring someone in – but normal practise will be no new signings. The guys we’ve already contacted can come in if they’re right for the company, but otherwise no one else.”[/COLOR] I nodded. I was actually pretty happy with the roster, and while we had made some approaches they were pretty much speculative. Mainly I wanted to strengthen the tag team division again, and had made approaches to workers who I thought might make full-time and part-time teams. I had a vague idea in mind about running a tag team league to provide random tag matches with some meaning beyond practise for the younger workers, and had sounded out a few of our workers about tagging up for a few shows. I was curious about how a pirate/ninja tag team might go down, for example. I needed to come up with a suitably appropriate name for them first, though... * [B]MAW On Tour[/B] Wednesday, 3rd November 2011 – Great Lakes Raphael def. Sheriff Blaze – D- Roderick Remus def. Marshall Dillon – E- Kid Arachnid def. Nelson Callum – E Overall: [COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR] [I]Notes: Back-to-front show ... Arachnid/Callum – lacking chemistry for the third time in six months[/I] * Good news for fans of the team known as Death Row – both Shady K and Knuckles are rising stars in the industry, apparently. * [B]MAW On Tour[/B] Wednesday, 10th November 2011 – South-East Internet Favourites def. Nelson Callum and Curtis Jenkins – E- Jonnie Perez def. Oscar Golden – E Kid Arachnid def. Roderick Remus – E+ Overall: [COLOR="Red"]E+[/COLOR] [I]Notes: Soon, Ernest Youngman will be done with USPW and I can have him back on tour...[/I] * [CENTER][B]November – Eleventh Hour[/B] Ernest Youngman vs. Jared Johnson Internet Favourites vs. ??? ??? vs. Ford & Speed Riley McManus vs. ??? Ten Man Battle Royal featuring JD Morgan, Casey Valentine, Cameron Vessey, Antonio, Kid Arachnid, Bradford Peverell, Chance Fortune, Marshall Dillon, Sheriff Blaze and Jefferson Stardust The Young Americans vs. The Dark Raptors The Fabulous Bumfholes vs. Aaron Andrews and Primus Allen [/CENTER] [I]OOC: Oooh, secretive... ;)[/I]

[Mattlore Devious]

[QUOTE=James Casey;518088][I]OOC: Off to watch MotD now... COYS![/I] [B]Findlay O’Farraday[/B]: Unemployed since his departure from MAW, he's worked a single independent show, losing to Jackpot Jordan. [/QUOTE] Says it all really... Also my local fed actually has a pirate/ninja team called [I]"Pirates and Ninjas Are Totally Awesome"[/I] [URL="http://www.impactprowrestling.co.nz/roster/jason_burns.html"]http://www.impactprowrestling.co.nz/roster/jason_burns.html[/URL]

[smurphy1014]

[QUOTE=Mattlore Devious;518123]Also my local fed actually has a pirate/ninja team called [I]"Pirates and Ninjas Are Totally Awesome"[/I] [URL="http://www.impactprowrestling.co.nz/roster/jason_burns.html"]http://www.impactprowrestling.co.nz/roster/jason_burns.html[/URL][/QUOTE] That is awesome! Now can we get to see the teaming of Ota and de Aske? Please? ;) :D Oh yeah my picks: November – Eleventh Hour [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] vs. Jared Johnson Internet Favourites vs. [B]???[/B] [B]???[/B] vs. Ford & Speed Riley McManus vs. [B]???[/B] Ten Man Battle Royal featuring JD Morgan, Casey Valentine, Cameron Vessey, Antonio, Kid Arachnid, [B]Bradford Peverell[/B], Chance Fortune, Marshall Dillon, Sheriff Blaze and Jefferson Stardust The Young Americans vs. [B]The Dark Raptors[/B] The Fabulous Bumfholes vs. [B]Aaron Andrews and Primus Allen[/B]

[hrdcoresidebrns]

November – Eleventh Hour [B]Ernest Youngman[/B] vs. Jared Johnson [I]Two of my favorite young workers, and I could see this going either way. However, Youngman seems to be on more of the upswing, so I'm going with him.[/I] Internet Favourites vs. [B]???[/B] [I]Lots of mystery opponents on this card I see. The Favourites are always, well, "favorites" to lose a match.[/I] ??? vs. [B]Ford & Speed[/B] [I]Ford & Speed are slightly better, so I can see them beating whichever surprise team happens to show up.[/I] Riley McManus vs. [B]???[/B] [I]McManus may be in line for a push, so maybe I'm wrong. But I don't see him getting the win here.[/I] Ten Man Battle Royal featuring JD Morgan, Casey Valentine, Cameron Vessey, Antonio, Kid Arachnid, Bradford Peverell, [B]Chance Fortune[/B], Marshall Dillon, Sheriff Blaze and Jefferson Stardust [I]I see Fortune making the best potential matchup for Andrews.[/I] The Young Americans vs. [B]The Dark Raptors[/B] [I]Just a guess.[/I] The Fabulous Bumfholes vs. [B]Aaron Andrews and Primus Allen [/B] [I]I'm probably wrong, but when in doubt, I pick the champ. Interesting to see Allen in a main event though.[/I]

[Astil]

[B]Ernest Youngman[/B] vs. Jared Johnson [B]Internet Favourites [/B]vs. ??? [B]???[/B] vs. Ford & Speed Riley McManus vs. [B]Kane[/B] Ten Man Battle Royal featuring JD Morgan, Casey Valentine, Cameron Vessey, Antonio, [B]Kid Arachnid[/B], Bradford Peverell, Chance Fortune, Marshall Dillon, Sheriff Blaze and Jefferson Stardust The Young Americans vs. [B]The Dark Raptors[/B] The Fabulous Bumfholes vs. [B]Aaron Andrews and Primus Allen[/B]

[Mattlore Devious]

[B]Ernest Youngman[/B] vs. Jared Johnson [B]Internet Favourites[/B] vs. ??? [B]???[/B] vs. Ford & Speed Riley McManus vs. [B]???[/B] Ten Man Battle Royal featuring JD Morgan, Casey Valentine, Cameron Vessey, Antonio, [B]Kid Arachnid[/B], Bradford Peverell, Chance Fortune, Marshall Dillon, Sheriff Blaze and Jefferson Stardust The Young Americans vs. [B]The Dark Raptors[/B] [B]The Fabulous Bumfholes[/B] vs. Aaron Andrews and Primus Allen [I]No justifications today - have an essay due in 5 hours so I really shouldn't be here in the first place...oh well[/I]

[Dragonmack]

Since I was the first to nominate you this month, let me be the first to congratulate you on winning DOTM again! I knew after that story with Rip last month you were going to be the odds on favorite. ;) Maybe one month I will get to actually win. :( :p

[Candyman]

Curse you for bringing this diary back to the first page and making us all think he updated! :mad: :p Seriously though, congrats, very well deserved.

[James Casey]

Thanks, Dragonmack, for the nomination and the kind words. Candyman, thanks as well - and there should be an update this weekend. I figure that, so long as McShamrock doesn't start up again, everyone's got a chance to win the award each month. Beating up Rip certainly helped, though - Nothing like smashing an old man over the head to put smiles on people's faces :D Now to come up with two month's worth of storylines so I can be in contention for December's awards...

[mistaken]

[QUOTE=James Casey;520766]Thanks, Dragonmack, for the nomination and the kind words. Candyman, thanks as well - and there should be an update this weekend. I figure that, so long as McShamrock doesn't start up again, everyone's got a chance to win the award each month. Beating up Rip certainly helped, though - Nothing like smashing an old man over the head to put smiles on people's faces :D [B] Now to come up with two month's worth of storylines so I can be in contention for December's awards...[/B][/QUOTE] I just want to let you know this puts a smile on my face. to know that my hard work actually makes you feel appreciated. and that it spurs further creativity. I stand in Awe of all of the writers that have won diary of the month, there is a lot of talent that is shared freely here, and I am glad that my service returns something to them! Congratulations on a well earned win!