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DOA: The Evolution of GREED


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"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man be perfected without trials." - Danish Proverb

 

 

 

December 2009

... Chapter 2 ...

 

The flight from Pittsburgh was rather short. However, it wasn't the length that resonated with me. For the first time, in almost two years, I was once again labeled as the "Outsider". The wayward voice, the theoretical vagabond with no place to declare as my haven. Once Again, I found myself struggling to break free from the spiraling hell that comes with a lackluster showing for years of hardwork... For many tireless hours of dedication. When I was still an active competitor, I was often considered to be an underachieving figure. Hell, I was practically forced to leave the U.S. wrestling scene due to the fact that I had fallen so fearful of my dwindling stock that I believed Mexico to be the only place where I could potentially find an ounce of respect. It never, truly, was exactly what people painted it as.... A journey into an unknown terrain in which to learn the many disciplines of the legendary lucha-fighting style.... No, It was a desperate man's attempt at generating some sense of validity behind the choice of becoming a Pro Wrestler.

 

After years of sleeping in a frigidly cold '94 sundance... Traveling across the entire country on my own dime... And showing nothing for it outside of a slew of broken bones... I was growing rather tired of the craft I had once so eagerly forged into. So, maybe, "The Injury" (see "PSW: The Evolution of GREED") was something like a gift from above... Then again, I'm not sure if I really even believe in such a thing. Instead, maybe Bear's inability to overcome the lightning-like energy of a roaring local crowd was a gift from "reality"... Giving me the chance to finally break free from the hell I had bestowed upon myself... Pushing me out of the world of active competition and into the realm of a backstage "suit". Then again, with that being said, I never quite found myself truly at the level where I could define myself as a true "suit"... The cold-blooded, aggressive-laced, mentality of a Pro Wrestler still raged through my body... So much so that I certainly was never able to separate business from what was right.

 

That was my ultimate downfall...

 

It was my deep connection to justice, especially for those Veteran's who deserve it on the Indy scene, that eventually lead to my first firing on THIS side of the Curtain. My relationship with Mitch [Naess] posed to be a chaotic one, at best, however, I would like to believe that even HE could understand the reason why I stood behind "my men" versus his self-centered rule. Then again, Even a statement as triumphant as that couldn't save my job... As the local-broadcasting-vultures swept in and destroyed the very culture I had worked so hard to develop. In a matter of a few seconds, I was... once again... An "Outsider".

 

As I landed, once again, back in New England... A deep sense of failure hovered over my head like an individual storm cloud looking to encompass my environment. I attempted to stay with Professor Nero, a man who has stood as a Father figure to me since I first joined RIPW, however, even that scenario wore quite thin within a few days. Not that He, and his wife, were not amazing hosts... But rather, My hatred for my current UN-employment became to overtake my psyche. Therefore, It was best for me to stay around town... At various dive Motel's in the area... Living off of whatever money I had left over from my days in Pittsburgh... And ultimately racking up a small level of debt on the only credit card that I ever held. While it wasn't glamorous... What about my Life ever was? At least, in this case, I could teeter between the constant psychosis that is potential relapse & the un-willing ability to completely step away from life.

 

Everything appeared to be drifting steadily back toward a personal hell that I once renounced...

 

That was until two weeks later....

 

As I began to receive word through a reliable source that a Brand New Project was forming out of Los Angeles...

 

The details were quite hazy, however, I quickly claimed a nearby coffeehouse computer as my personal work-station... Crafting my Resume in which to hopefully come away with a new direction.

 

There was no Winning Lottery Ticket Here...

 

No swift phone call from the companies owner telling me that I had the job...

 

Hell, This certainly wasn't a small company nestled in the middle of "Blue Collar"-America looking to give a former addict a second chance at life...

 

This was something completely removed from what was considered as TYPICAL in the United States Wrestling scene...

 

It all seemed so foriegn... So, Innovative, in a way, that I couldn't help but begin to lose my composure with every descriptive line from an area casting call. The company was legit, The project was looking to take shape.... And I received a phone call that would certainly shift my experience in the World of Pro Wrestling on December 18th, 2009...

 

"Mr. Greed. The executives have received your resume and would like to invite you to Los Angeles next week for a potential interview. Have your representation contact our travel department & set up your itinerary. We're looking forward to meeting with you."

 

Representation? What the Hell does that mean?

 

... I could see that I was stepping into a world unlike anything I had ever known before ...

 

... But there was no going back ...

 

... For, facing uncertainty is often the most rewarding path toward Oneself's... Evolution ...

 

 

 

<hr color="Black">NEXT: LOS ANGELES BOUND...

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You just made me break my rule of not reading backstory!:D

 

However, I gladly broke the rule and it was as always great. I loved the lottery ticket line!:D

 

And this diary came up sooner then I thought it would, I thought this was going up in mid-February. So I was a tad bit surprised to see the name John Greed up already.

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Guest TDubTNA
Well, I'm hooked haha. Can't even wait for this diary to really start to get going. I was going to start working on a diary but it's now on the backburner. Can't wait to see what you got up you're sleeve. I'll be reading man.
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Thank you ALL for your initial feedback on this project! I was overly excited, shocked, surprised to see such an overflowing of comments coming so early on. It's much appreciated.

:D

 

I was planning on taking a little while to find my "creative edge" again, however, as TEW2010 came out I found my new niche. I made a point to myself that I would only tackle a new diary if I felt like there was something new for me to tackle & luckily, for myself, I've found that new approach to jump into.

 

The intro, backstory, and company information, may take a bit to flesh out... So, the first show may not be up for a bit. With created companies, especially with what I'm trying to tackle/convey to the reader, If I don't give the initial development enough time then it could all fall apart & seem rather hollow. So, overall, I'm going to take my time to make sure that John Greed's process of coming into the new project, the characters within the company (on both sides of the curtain), and the overall company feel (since it's created) is fleshed out enough that every reader knows exactly what they are getting themselves into when they start reading.

 

All in all, I just wanted to stop in and say thank you to everyone who left their responses so early on.

 

My next post will come later tonight (after 10 CST) as John moves another step forward toward his "dream job". Also, the culture-shock of an East-Coast guy landing in LA will begin to start to take shape.

 

Cheers.

 

Eisen

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Mid December 2009

... A New Dawn ...

 

 

Fragmented beams of light journey their way downward, gleaming off of the windows of the coliseum-like building that stands before me, as the sound of roaring traffic rustles far in the background. As my eyes attempt to fixate on the potential Oasis ahead, The actual image is quite difficult to review as my sight was not quite use to the blazing sun of the West. Instead, I did my very best to locate the grand double glass doorway.... Inching myself forward, meanwhile, tugging at my collar as if my desperate attempt for air would be granted in a string of forceful gestures. As you can tell, I'm not one to typically wear a shirt and tie, however, I felt that this situation would certainly warrant such a shift in attitude. If things were to go well.... I could potentially stand as a General for the Army of tomorrow... Ushering in a new era in U.S. Pro Wrestling History & ultimately solidifying my presence as a "Visionary" with the masses.

 

However, first... I had to drum up a sense of absolute confidence in which to "win over" those who stood between me & my ultimate goal...

 

I lightly staggered in the building shuffling my feet, and old habit that comes with living in the icey cold landscape of Pittsburgh as you typically needed to whip your feet off at every entrance to leave the dreaded slush from overtaking any carpeting, and slowly ascended upon a black desk standing before a gigantic "Arcadia" TV Logo strategically placed upon the wall behind said desk.

 

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af315/Eisen-verse/TV/Arcadia.jpg

A "Shock & Awe" Network

 

The logo, while crisp and quite mysterious in nature, stood as a proud beacon of ownership.... A physical representation of the Kingdom you were now fortunate enough to grace. There, slowly ascending from a seated position behind the desk, a smiling receptionist quickly addressed me in an inquisitive manor...

 

"Mr. Greed?"

 

I attempted to speak, however, nothing came out. Instead, A quick clearing of my throat played as a pre-cursor to an actual response.

 

"Yes, I'm John Greed."

 

"The meeting is taking place on the ND floor. You can take the elevator to your right... Once on the second floor you'll want to venture down the hallway to the left & Miss Sophia will prompt you & guide you toward where you need to be. Do you have any questions?"

 

It took a second to understand fully what was said, however, a few awkward seconds following her last word... I began to nod slightly...

 

"No. Thank you"

 

With that, I shifted my weight to the right and awkwardly entered the elevator... Taking a short trip up to the second floor. Despite being out of sight, I couldn't help but feel as if others could sense my anxiety. Sure, I was doing my best to relay the same breathing techniques I was introduced to during my 2 stints in Rehab, however, any fool who completed a 12 step program would be able to see right through my lame attempt at internal peace. All in all, I hope those I'm meeting with today aren't well-versed in the tools of the borderline Crazy?

 

I made my way down a gloriously white hallway.... Almost heavenly; in a way,.... However, the impeding sunlight from the windows on high continue to rest upon well placed pictures of Arcadia Original Programming versus the bare-bone walls I had become accustomed to in "The Ministry". Then again, That's somewhat of a lie as I wasn't really use to seeing any sort of natural light within the walls of "The Ministry"... When you spend 2 years in a over-glorified cinder block prison... Your eyes become quite sensitive to anything brighter than a low-level bulb.

 

I was met by a large room at the end of the hallway... Equip with a large white sofa, white chairs, and and an odd collection of pseudo-urban-pop art.... Thrown together all over the place as if to create an overly stimulating vibe. I would say I was shocked.... But... I've seen Arcadia's programming quite often over the last couple years & the reckless nature of their decorating was quite consistent with their typical overtone.

 

"Mr. Greed?"

 

I spun around, somewhat caught off-guard by the warm voice that peered from behind.

 

"Yes..."

 

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af315/Eisen-verse/The%20Suits/SophiaGordon.jpg

Girl-Next-Door meets Career Professional

 

There stood a porcelain like woman, no more than 5'4... A beautiful young girl who looked somewhat out of place in the clothes that she was wearing. It was almost as if the cute "Girl-Next-Door" was playing "dress up" as a career-woman.

 

"I'm Sophia Gordon, Personal Assistant to the head of programming here at Arcadia, Jensen Tarver."

 

We embraced in a quick hand-shake that, again, caught me off-guard slightly. My awkwardness probably reeking of a typical neurotic artist... Then again, Something like this was no longer the "minority" as it was in Pittsburgh... I was now in Los Angeles... The Mecca for the artistically mentally insane...

 

"Nice to meet you! I hope that I'm not too late... My Flight was delayed & I wasn't able to find a taxi right away... You would think that there would be a whole slew of Taxi drivers waiting out front of the LAX airport... At least, That's what I've heard in the past.... But... I guess, You can't always count on people's word, right?"

 

What the hell was that all about? Was I really that anxious about this all that I've reduced myself to muttering before a pretty girl? I guess...

 

"This city changes by day."

 

She laughed, Giving me a sense of comfort... Not feeling to overly like an idiot..

 

"Well, you should really be stepping inside... You're the last one to make it in & they're waiting for you to get everything started..."

 

The Last one? What could she mean by this? As Sophia gracefully escorted me toward a large set of doors I quickly moved past my initial thoughts... Trying to regain my focus... At least to the point where I could convey a consistent message instead of falling victim to the excitement of it all.

 

The door was opened before me....

 

Only to circle of men seated in the middle of the room in a pow-wow like manor. At the head of the circle, at least what I could consider as the head, sat a man with his leg crossed sideways over the quad of his other leg... Dressed in a pair of black dress pants and an open collared oxford shirt. A slight smile formed upon his face as he acknowledges my enterence.... I was expecting, in a way, to see him... Or at least someone who looked like him....

 

What I was not expecting to see, however, were the four other men seated in that same very circle....

 

Alex Braun...

Carl Batch...

Herb Stately...

... and ...

The Guru...

 

Sh*t.... This wasn't a solo, one-on-one affair, I was going to have to FIGHT for the opportunity to take on this new project...

 

A project put together, funded, branded, and broadcasted by the Arcadia TV Network...

 

 

 

<hr color="Black">NEXT: MAY THE BEST MAN WIN...

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Late December 2009

... The Battle for DOA ...

 

 

I could almost feel the whole that my four competitors were burning through my skull. However, none was more powerful... more rage-filled than that of Mr. Alex Braun. The very man I once replaced as the headbooker of Pittsburgh Steel Wrestling, Alex slowly shifted his weight back... Sinking deeper into his chair as both arms began to form an arm-crossed barrier between He and myself. I thought, at least at one point, that there was no true ill-will between the two of us, however, his dead-pan stair was something that begged to differ. It was almost as if the former DaVE Standout was witnessing his own burial once again... Culminating in a fiery "Not this a**hole" again.... As I staggered my way toward the circle... My eyes, now, fixated on the man before me in a suit and tie... Never wanting to truly deter my focus away from him as the other four men in the room were not creating any sense of an inviting vibe.

 

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af315/Eisen-verse/The%20Suits/JensenTarver.jpg

Head of Programming for Arcadia

 

"Mr. Greed, I'm Jensen Tarver. Head Director of Programming here at the Arcadia Network. It's great of you to finally join us.... Here is your packet...."

 

A packet is handed to me from an un-named aide off to Mr. Tarver's left as he slowly ascends upon his chair once again. I, claiming the only chair left within the circle, continued to keep my focus on anything BUT those who complete the circle around me. Instead, turning my attention downward upon the packet I had just received.

 

Project DOA

 

Is what the all-white packet reads. I try to quickly sneak a peak of what the novel-sized collection of notes entails, however, before I can claim my attempt as successful... The meeting had swiftly begun.

 

I gently laid my packet to rest upon my lap... Quickly darting my eyes upward, focusing on Mr. Tarver, while knowing that Alex Braun's "ice-cold" stair was still directed solely upon me. Luckily, for both of us, His focus was broken soon there after... Most likely in his own attempt to "steer the ship in his direction"... Knowing that anytime spent on his grudge with me was another second taken away from potentially righting, what he feels to be, his own injustice in the past. Therefore, with that being said, my own attention could now, also, solely be targeted upon creating a winning campaign.

 

"As all of you know by now, The Arcadia Network is looking to capitalize upon the recent popular trend of Pro Wrestling Entertainment. Now, as I understand popular trends over the last 20 some-odd years, The industry of Professional Wrestling has always had its own core audience. This audience has proven to dispense endless amounts of profit into a collection of 'Big Name Organizations' and, for a lack-of-a-better way of depicting our excitement, We want in on this. After hours of research, It is our understanding that we would benefit greatly from our own development versus bringing in a 3rd party organization to complete the 'Arcadia Brand'. That's where all of you come in...."

 

Mr. Tarver, nodding his head slightly at the group of us, opens up the novel-like packet in his hands... However, instead of diving his nose square into the information inches from him, The charismatic studio executive keeps his eyes fixated on the rest of us... Drawing each and every member of the circle inward.

 

"We need one of you to spearhead the actual execution of said development. Now, I can confess to being a huge wrestling fan when I was growing up.... The Sam Strong's, The Bruce the Giant's, the Dread's... There was something very magical about the whole presentation. That being said, I don't know the first thing about truly creating a wrestling promotion from the ground-up. I know what I like... I know what I see as a potential gold-mine in wrestling entertainment, again based upon where our demographic is trending, however, I... in no way... Can bring such an opportunity solely to this network."

 

Mr. Tarver comes to a short break in his sentence... Generating a coy-smile... His facial expression raising from the corner's of his mouth.

 

"So, in a sense, who here.... Will be my Michelangelo, my Salvador Dali.... My Ultimate Creator?"

 

In a split second, I had to refrain from jumping to my feet and declaring that I.... I would be the best choice for such an opportunity. Mr. Tarver had something to his ability to lead, to his ability to convey a powerful message all wrapped into a single line. I just hoped that it was a legit-approach to life and not just a, near, perfect persona brought forth to manipulate those around him. All in all, I continued to sit in my chair... As if my entire body was weighted down by pounds, upon pounds, of cement... Roaring through my veins.

 

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af315/Eisen-verse/DOA%20Logos/DOA.jpg

Deadly Overloaded Action

 

"As you can see on pages 1,2, and 3.... The DOA Project is taking on the company name of "Deadly Overloaded Action". We ran a series of small-group demographic testings in the Hollywood area & was able to generate that THIS name was our best choice. In this group, made up of 18-35 year old males, the consistent theme was that they were growing tired of where Pro Wrestling had progressed here in the United States. They labeled the current situation with a laundry-list of negative buzz-words, however, the most popular were: Stale, Repetitive, Boring, Predictable, and lastly... Uninspiring. Many of them, also, proclaimed that the competition they witnessed on a weekly basis, as a wrestling fan, was quite slow... And truly lacked any sense of evolution since the dawning of its creation. Ultimately, we were able to derive from these focus groups that most wrestlings fans, especially in our demographic, were desperately looking for something new.... Something fresh.... Something innovative. They were growing tired, so says the study, of slow-paced entertainment & rather wanted to see a more high-paced... High Risk/High Reward kind of product. In a sense, they wanted to see quick action.... 'In your face' competition... And an overly-athletic approach to all-out combat. In a nutshell, They wanted to step away from what was considered as normal now-a-days, that being a more traditional product, and wanted to bask in something more energetic... More indicative of the times..."

 

I could barely hold back my child-hood-like excitement anymore... Was it really about to happen? A company that was willing to push forward the highly-touted, however barely used, "Modern" Product? It appeared to be so....

 

"We also found, through these focus groups, that our key demographic, again 18-35 year old males, are growing tired of the 'cookie cutter' mentality that is being perpetuated by most 'big companies' in Pro Wrestling today. Many of them have turned toward other mediums like the Internet to follow smaller companies that offer them a more 'adult-based' form of entertainment."

 

My head began to nod in an approving kind of manor as even I, someone who considers myself a wrestling fan as a viewer and as an active participant, feel that Pro Wrestling had become 'too safe' when it pertains to those companies who are viewed by the masses. Pro Wrestling had lost it's ability to shock... It's ability to really speak for itself as it was becoming a slave to the moral majority.

 

"We, here at Arcadia, are looking to capitalize on this information before anyone else has the chance to do so! Ultimately, We believe that the resources at our disposal can, and will, deliver something both interesting for our Network's key demographic as well as beneficial to our bottom line in a struggling economy. Therefore, this is WHY we have moved forward in the creation of our own wrestling promotion, Deadly Overloaded Action! [Pauses] So, give me your best proposal for WHY we should hire you as the outright Head of Wrestling Operations within the DOA? What makes you special... And how can you best deliver such a culture for our company?"

 

We went around in a circle for, what seemed like, forever. Each and every person gave a well-thought-out, well detailed, plan for WHAT they would do in which to catapult the DOA into Wrestling Immortality. The final person to speak, former SWF-talent 'The Guru', quickly wrapped up his statement with a confident nod of his head. Backing away from, what he expected to be, a winning campaign...

 

This lead to me.... Giving me the final chance to sway Mr. Tarver in any certain direction.... Afraid that he had already made up his mind through the four previous presentations brought forth...

 

"To be honest, Mr. Tarver... All of these men here have as much, if not greater, qualifications than I do.... [Pause] However, respectfully, I have to disagree with each and every one of their statements. Why? They've all lost touch as to what your true message was. Pro Wrestling, The Arcadia Network, The DOA.... It's all in line for an absolute Revolution. An upheaval of traditional means... A limitless state of Anarchy.... [Pause] What you want is something that will resonate with the young, the aggressive, and the semi-risque.... [smirk] That's what I do best. You can watch the last two years of video footage from Pittsburgh Steel Wrestling to know that for certain.... I am not in the business to make money.... I'm not in the business to appease 'the old guard' as it pertains to this industry.... I'm here to develop the next generation of characters, destroy tradition, and ultimately usher in a 'new era' of underground storytelling. You can go with these four and I'm sure you'll do slightly well due to the fact that your Network's name will bring in enough viewers, but, all in all, If you want true cult-based entertainment.... A true overtone of 'outside-the-box' wrestling.... Then there is only one man in this room that can give that to you.... And that's me..... John Greed."

 

The room went silent as Mr. Tarver looked square into my eyes.... Not turning away for a second.... Then leapt to his feet in a quirky kind of, now-or-never, manor. Extending his arm outward in one fluid moment & locking hands with my own in the process.

 

"I want you.... Mr. Greed. I want nobody but you in this position.... Do you accept?"

 

I quickly returned with a matching coy-smile of my own. Aggressively locking hands, for sure, at this point... Shaking on our impromptu deal as the four other men sit in absolute hatred of what they are witnessing.

 

"Nothing could keep me from doing so..... I accept."

 

"You start work on Monday...."

 

And just like that, in that very moment, the TRUE Wrestling Revolution had begun....

 

 

<hr color="black">NEXT: Monday.... Monday....

 

I understand that this post is quite long, so, I only really expect the avid readers of this diary to probably tackle it. However, while it's a little longer than any typical postings, It's a really big part of the backstory as it spells out... Exactly... What you can expect from a company like DOA.

 

All in all, I hope you're enjoying this project so far! It's already standing as one of my most favorite works ever.

 

Cheers.

 

Thank you to, both, KAM and i effin rule for their contributions to this diary thus far! KAM was nice enough to create a logo for DOA, an alt Arcadia Network logo, and a TV Show logo to come! Also, i effin rule created both renders for Jensen Tarver and his personal assistant, Sophia Gordon. A huge Thank you is being given to both of these men!
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