Scapino1974 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 The worst part? That nagging suspicion that they’ve forgotten you. Oh, sure, a few people will remember your name. They might talk about you from time to time. Hey, remember when he did this? But really, all you are to them is a ghost, someone who haunts them in those random moments when their mind starts drifting. That’s what brought me back. In spite of the promises I made to myself, in spite of my better judgment, in spite of the nagging looks I get from the old lady, I just had to. I had gotten the itch. I wanted to do it again. No, I had to do it again. No choice, I’m telling you. Just to see if they remembered. Just to see what I could make of myself one last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Casey Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I remember. Welcome back - and about time too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaded Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Okay, 2013 seems to be bringing some great diary writers back to this section of the board! Looking forward to this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Welcome back Scap. Looking forward to your story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steev42 Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 This? This is excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarity Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 This has the potential to be EPIC! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kainlock Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Seriously you the reason I really got into this forum. Reading your stuff made me pay attention to other great writers. I remember! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Roguey Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 How could we forget you Scapino? You're the reason I read dynasties. Definite front row for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Don't Call It a Comeback Maybe you’ve never heard of me. They call me The Mastermind. At least, they used to, back when kayfabe actually meant something. Now it seems everyone knows that my given name is Nat Carpenter. Actually, more people know me as Nat than ever knew me as The Mastermind. Not that surprising, really. I mostly did some of the territories during the East Coast War. My big break, if you can call it that, was Hollyweird. Managed to make it on TV even, debuting two weeks before Cornell swooped in and shook everything up. Next thing I know, I’m out on my keister ’cuz I don’t have the right “look” or somethin’ like that. Not that I’m bitter or anything. It was Cornell’s company, Cornell’s show. It was fun while it lasted. I took it as a sign that times were changing and that maybe it was time to hang up my boots. So I started teaching Phy-Ed. Nothin’ glamorous, just a steady paycheck from teaching rugrats how to do chin-ups. And yeah, it was nice when some of the parents recognized me from a show I did here or there, but I figured I had left that life far behind. But then my ol’ pal Two Eagles called me up. He and I crossed paths toward the end of his career and the start of mine. For whatever reason, the two of us just clicked. You know how you got friends that, even though you ain’t seen ’em in years, you pick up right where you left off when you do? That was me and the Chief. I always knew that if the Chief was callin’, he had my back. So a couple years back, the Chief drops me a line and asks if I want to get in the ring again. Nothin’ fancy, just as some local talent when the SWF came to town. I’d lace up, go out to the ring to let one of their up-and-comers beat on me for a while, get pinned or tap or whatever, limp on back and get a decent check for my troubles. When he called the first time, my wife and I were looking at repairing some damage from ice dams on our house. The extra money sounded good, so I took the job. Like I said, easy work, and it was nice to hear the crowds again, even if they were cheerin’ for the other guy. When the Chief took me out for a ginger ale after the show, he promised to send me more work like that whenever the SWF was in town. That’s why I was in the Minnesota Colisseum for that show. You know, the one the IWC has dubbed the SWF’s worst. It was one of them perfect storms, y’know? Richard Eisen couldn’t be in town due to some business something or other. Jerry Eisen came down with like triple pneumonia and had to stay home. And Eric? The kid showed up at the arena long enough to tape a promo and then left to go “audition” some girl he met at a local bar. No Eisens in the building and it was all on Peter Michaels to run the show. So of course, that’s the night that punk Marc DuBois decided to see how well Michaels can hold his liquor. Took him out to dinner and somehow managed to pour a gallon of cheap vodka into him. And suddenly, the guy with the book is out of it for the evening. Worse, no one knows where his notes for the show went. The Chief wanted me to come in and lie down for . . . who was it again? That kid with the freaky eyes . . . you know . . . Zimmy Bumfhole? Ah, doesn’t really matter, I guess. I thought it was going to be the usual thing. Instead, I get backstage and find everyone panicking. No one knew what the program was supposed to be. Duane Fry and Emma Chase are stuck at the announce table. Bowen’s no help since he’s in some sort of long-distance fight with his old lady and has a cell phone glued to his ear. Every wrestler has his own idea about who he should fight and how it should come out. And the Chief is in the middle of it all, trying to hold it all together and lookin’ just about as lost as a guy can be. My wife always accuses me of trying to fix things when they ain’t broke. Well, that show was broke in a bad way and I had to step in. I had no choice. I had the Chief call the locker room together and I laid out the game plan: nothing crazy, nothing too fancy. We were just going to do a good ol’ fashioned show. I set up Steve Frehley to fight Enforcer Roberts and threw together a whole bunch of smaller matches. Some of the guys wanted to try to keep their feuds going. I nixed that idea, pointing out none of them knew where Michaels was taking it for sure. There was some griping, but with the Chief backing me up, most of them fell in line. But there was one fly in the ointment: Valiant and Rogue. Turns out, Michaels had been running a program where Emma Chase’s boys were attacking Valiant ’cuz they were hired by someone in the SWF and, wouldn’t you know it, that night's show was supposed to be when the big reveal would happen. They had already delayed the reveal a couple of times already and the Chief was worried the fans would riot if we didn’t do something. So there I am, surrounded by Valiant, Rogue, Brandon James, all of ’em, and they wanted me to pick someone to be revealed. And I did what I could. I just pointed at one of ’em. Rogue looked shocked. “Me? I’m his partner!” “Well, tonight, you’re stabbin’ him in the back. Just do it.” Rogue and Valiant didn’t look to sure of it, but they stopped arguing. “Hope you know what you’re doing,” Chief whispered to me. So did I. Turns out, I didn’t. The fans nearly did riot, but not over the Valiant and Rogue business. No, they didn’t like the fact that, for no reason, all of the storylines they had been following were put on hold. The boys did a decent job. Some of ’em really shone. But that didn’t matter to the folks in the seats. A few stormed out. A couple demanded their money back. And the dirt sheets went wild on the chaos backstage. It took a while for the SWF to get back on an even keel. Somehow my name got left out of it, but that was little comfort. I figured there was no way I’d ever get a call from the Chief again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdStringPG Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Like the back story of the Rogue heel turn. I haven't read your previous diaries, but as an SWF fan, I'll be watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Casey Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Like the back story of the Rogue heel turn. I haven't read your previous diaries, but as an SWF fan, I'll be watching. It's time well spent, believe me. Especially the MWA diary, which is where I got started, but Scap's original SWF diary (way back on 2005!) is where it all began. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steev42 Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I've still got a PDF I put together way back when of "SWF - This Means War". Contains just Scap's posts all formatted nicely. Anyone who wants a copy feel free to drop me a line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 OOC Note Hey, everyone! I was planning on doing this a little later in the diary, but I just couldn't wait anymore. Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome back. I know I disappeared rather abruptly a few years back. But I've often wanted to come back and start diary writing again. So what held me up? Well, as some of you know, I'm a published author now (insert shameless plug here. And here. And here. ) But when I saw that Adam was releasing a new version of the game, I got the itch and I knew I had to try again. Unfortunately, due to family constraints, work issues, and yes, writing deadlines, I won't be updating the diary as much as I have in diaries past. Definitely not daily. But thanks for all coming along for the ride. It feels good to be back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 A Surprise Visit In the weeks that followed “that show,” I watched Supreme TV to see what kind of fall-out there’d be. Looked like the company moved on okay. Most of the matches I made were ignored, almost like they never happened. The only thing I noticed was that they kept the whole Rogue stabbing Valiant in the back thing. Made me feel a little better about myself, even if I knew I had slammed that door shut pretty hard. About a month later, I got home from work, only to find a nice car waiting in my driveway. As I slid out of my rusty-and-trusty Toyota, I frowned at it. Where had that come from? Christmas was a ways off and my wife wouldn’t have bought this for me even if it wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong, my wife’s a great gal, but she knew how tight our budget was. Darlene, my wife, was all abuzz when I got into the house, practically flitting to the front door as I walked in. She fixed me with wide eyes and shooed me into the living room. Standing by our fireplace was the man himself, Richard Eisen. I froze. What was he doing in my home? Oh, crap, was he going to sue me because of the show? Maybe he already had. Maybe he was hear to repossess the house or something. Could he do that? Then he smiled, a warm grin that caused me to back up a step. Something wasn’t right here. Something wasn’t . . . He stuck out his hand. “Mr. Carpenter, is it? Richard Eisen. I’ve been wanting to chat with you about what happened at Supreme TV a few weeks ago.” Cold sluiced down my back. “M-m-mister Eisen, I’m sorry for what I did. I know I messed things up badly and—” “Messed things up? Nat—can I call you Nat?—as far as I’m concerned, that’s not the case. Yes, the fans weren’t happy with the way the night went, but it would have cost us more in the long run if we had cancelled the event. In the long term, it’ll be a hiccup, little more than a footnote.” I frowned. “Then, if you don’t mind me asking, sir, what are you doing here?” Richard Eisen turned to the fireplace. Sitting on the mantle was a picture of me back in the glory days. I was in my trunks, leaning on the top rope after a pretty tough match. Even though I looked like I had been put through the wringer, I still had a satisfied smile on my face. I wish I could put it away, but my wife insisted that I leave it out. She had taken the photo the first night she saw me wrestle and she says it reminds her of why she loves me. Eisen glanced in my direction. “I wanted to get to know you better. We almost hired you back in the ’90s, you know.” No way. “You . . . what?” “Right after Cornell let you go from HGC, we were getting ready to send out some feelers and see if you’d be interested in coming to work for us. But a few short-sighted individuals on my staff at the time convinced me not to.” Eisen motioned toward one of the chairs. “So, tell me, have you been watching the SWF at all lately?” I sank into my easy chair, still feeling a little on guard. “Well, yeah, a little.” “And what’s your opinion?” I shrugged. “It’s easy to see why you guys are still number one, although there are a few wrinkles in the whole thing.” “Such as?” “I know things were kinda up-in-the-air after the whole Election debacle, but right now, you got that Hawaiian girl acting like she’s the boss. It doesn’t exactly seem all that realistic.” Eisen stroked his chin for a moment. “So who would you suggest fill the role?” “Why not you?” “Thanks, but no.” Eisen chuckled. “Given how poorly the fans reacted to the Election storyline, do you really think they’d be thrilled to see another Eisen at the helm, right?” He had a point, I suppose. “So where would you put Ms. O’Neill?” “Let her be a manager. She’s not bad on the stick. You guys already have a lot of talented lady valets, one more won’t hurt.” “What about women wrestlers?” “Well, uh, I don’t have a lot of experience with that. Except for this one time, some friends brought me to something in Vegas that was . . .” I cleared my throat. Eisen laughed. “Nothing like that, no. Sort of like what the Stones do up north or Sam Strong is doing in USPW.” “Oh.” I shrugged. “Yeah, I suppose, if you can find enough talent, I suppose it could work.” “Ever think of doing an integrated roster, men and women mixing it up?” I stared at Eisen for a moment. “Who would do something like that?” Eisen waved his hand as if dismissing my question. “Nobody important. Let’s get right to it, shall we? I have a contract here for you.” He pulled out a folded up ream of paper and tossed it to me. I fumbled with it, my hands suddenly numb. A contract? For the SWF? Me? I unfolded the paper and looked it over. It was everything I had wanted . . . fifteen years ago. Now, though, I— Wait a minute. The contract specified me as the head booker. My head snapped up and I shot a questioning look at Eisen. He nodded. “That’s correct. Head booker. You would be in charge of hiring and firing, putting together the storylines, all of it.” “What about Michaels?” I asked. Eisen shrugged. “Peter did a great job, don’t get me wrong. But here’s the interesting thing. That show you threw together? While the fans didn’t like most of it, the one thing they liked was Rogue’s sudden turn. It was a good move, one we’ve been building on.” I wish I could bask in the praise, but it was an accident. I said as much. “Accident or not, it worked well. I’m curious to see what else you have up your sleeve. So is Peter. That’s why he’s willing to act as your assistant.” My gaze drifted from the contract to the picture of me in the ring. “Would I be able to wrestle again?” Eisen leaned back in his chair again. “That would be acceptable, I suppose. So what do you say?” I glanced toward the hallway. Darlene stood in the doorway, her eyes bright. She nodded subtly. A grin tugged at my lips. I grabbed a pen from the end table and scrawled my signature on the contract. I stood up and held it out to Eisen. He rose and took it from me, then shook my hand in a firm grip. “Excellent. I’ll expect you to book your first show after the first of the year, all right? See you soon.” He nodded to Darlene and left the house. As his car roared to life outside, Darlene rushed into the room and threw her arms around me. “Are you really okay with this?” I asked her. “It’s gonna mean a lot of travel, a lot of time apart.” She kissed me and hugged me tight. “That doesn’t matter. I know how much this will mean to you. Go and see what you can do with this. I’ll always be here.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickymex Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I spent weeks reading your MWA and SWF diaries. They were what made me a fan of the series and now I can't believe I get to follow one of your diaries from the beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 22, 2012 Author Share Posted December 22, 2012 <p><span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>Finding the Foundation</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> Moving in the middle of winter stinks. There was already a foot of snow on the ground when the moving van came to get our stuff. Darlene maintained a sunny disposition throughout, but I could see the stress beginning to wear on her. I knew that the first chance I got, I had to buy her something nice. It wouldn’t make up for all this, but it would help smooth things over.</p><p> </p><p> Eisen found us a coupla possible new homes near SWF headquarters. We settled on a nice three bedroom about a mile from the huge glass tower that was my new job. We barely had enough time to unpack before Eisen dropped a major hint I should make an appearance. I drove my beat up Toyota and found a space near the entrance reserved for me.</p><p> </p><p> Peter Michaels waited for me at the front door. I had never officially met him at any of the SWF shows I worked in the past, just seen him across the room. He was a touch shorter than me, steely eyes, and looked tight enough to rip a phonebook in half. If he was sore over what happened, he didn’t show it. Instead, he took me on a quick tour of the facilities: lunchroom, weight room, video production facilities, and eventually, my office. It wasn’t much to look at, just a mostly empty box with a large white board on one wall across from a nondescript metal desk. Needed work, but I wasn’t planning on going anywhere soon.</p><p> </p><p> Then it was on to Eisen’s office, a penthouse at the top of the tower that had a decent view of a nearby river. One wall was filled with pictures from past SWF events and past and present SWF wrestlers. Eisen was seated behind a massive oak desk, one that was surprisingly pristine given Eisen’s workload. He rose as I entered and motioned for Michaels and I to sit in two plush chairs facing his desk.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Good to see you, Nat. Settled in okay?”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “Almost, sir.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “Good, good.”</span> Given his tone, I suspect I could have told him Darlene and I found an elephant in our basement and he wouldn’t have reacted. <span style="color:#006400;">“Well, let’s get down to business, then. Your big debut as booker is coming up in a few days, but before that happens, I wanted to set some ground rules for you, just some guiding principles. First of all, we’re number one in the world right now and I don’t want that to change.”</span></p><p> </p><p> Fair enough, that made sense.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Second, you got the ball rolling on Valiant and I want to see it continue. Really push him, got it? And the same goes for Joe Sexy. Joe’s starting to slow down a bit lately and I want him to have a shot at the limelight, okay?”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p> I nodded. Valiant seemed like a good kid and would do well. As for Joe, I didn’t know him but if Eisen wanted him pushed, he got pushed.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Third, I’ll let you hire and fire . . . for the most part. But I’m not interested in any MMA crossover guys. Let the guys out west scoop them up, I say. I also don’t want any new hires with legal issues, okay? And finally, this isn’t USPW. We don’t want any has-beens or could-have-beens. I don’t want you to hire anyone over the age of forty-two, got it?”</span></p><p> </p><p> I tucked my feet under the chair. Technically, I was two years over that limit.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Otherwise, do what you have to and have fun, okay?”</span> Eisen smiled at me.</p><p> </p><p> I returned the expression, but without a whole lot of enthusiasm. What had I gotten myself into?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 24, 2012 Author Share Posted December 24, 2012 <p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="font-size:12px;">SWF Supreme TV</span></p><p> Tuesday of Week 1, January 2013</p><p> Live on C.A.N.N.; Rating of 12.35</p><p> Held at Mayor Street Arena in New England; 14,198 in attendance</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> I arrived at the arena practically bubbling with nervous energy. Yeah, I had hit the gym a few times and run the ropes with Enforcer Roberts a few times at the University. He and I would do one of the dark matches tonight and I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of anyone. More than that, it’d be my first night as booker and I wanted everything to go smoothly.</p><p> </p><p> That’s why what I found in the locker room grated. Someone had gone Photoshopped the Chief’s and my heads onto something they must have found at a gay porn site and then plastered copies of it all over the lockers. I ripped the paper from the locker and turned to Roberts.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Any ideas who did this?”</span> I asked.</p><p> </p><p> Roberts’s mouth pulled into a thin line. <span style="color:#006400;">“If I had to guess, I’d say it was Eric.”</span></p><p> </p><p> I frowned. <span style="color:#006400;">“Why? What’s his beef with me?”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Eric has been making a lot of noise that he wanted the book. My guess is that thsi is his way of welcoming you to the company.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “Oh, really?” </span>I shoved the crumpled up paper into Roberts’s chest and set out to find the boss’s son.</p><p> </p><p> Eric was seated behind a table near craft services, a plate loaded with food in front of him. I grabbed a nearby chair and slammed it down next to him, taking a seat to lean across it.</p><p> </p><p> Eric raised an eyebrow at me. <span style="color:#006400;">“Something wrong, ‘Mastermind?’”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “Just saw your redecorating job in the locker room. Something you want to say to me?”</span></p><p> </p><p> Eric smirked and shook his head. <span style="color:#006400;">“Nothing comes to mind.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “Good, then since your jaw won’t be working, your ears can. I don’t know what kind of stroke you think you had with previous bookers, but you don’t have any with me. You keep pullin’ stunts like that, I’ll make sure all you are is a curtain-jerker, got it?”</span></p><p> </p><p> Silence descended on the room. I glanced around, suddenly aware that a half-dozen other workers were eating as well. Eric glared at me, his eyes steel, and then slammed a fist on the table. His plate jumped and food spilled out.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“I think you’re forgetting three things. Number one, I’ve got creative control and a hiring veto for this company, and I’m not afraid to use either. Number two, you may have the book, but my dad is the company. And number three, it was a joke. Lighten up.”</span></p><p> </p><p> He shoved away from the table, the metal of his chair screeching against the concrete. Eric stormed off, shoving Dawn out of the way.</p><p> </p><p> I leaned back in my chair and sighed. A great start for my first show.</p><p> </p><p> +++</p><p> </p><p> As the pryo went off, Peter Michaels, Duane Fry, and Jerry Eisen welcomed the audience to the show.</p><p> </p><p> 1) Everything kicked off with SWF World Heavyweight Champ Steve Frehley in the ring. He basked in the cheers from the fans, even encouraging them for a bit, before he motioned for them to simmer down.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“It’s a New Year, everyone, a whole new ball game. A new year means a new slate, new opportunities, and new legacies. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to whatever 2013 has to offer us.</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “But there’s one thing that’s not going to change any time soon, and that’s this title. I fought hard to get it again. It took me six years, and I’m not giving it up for anyone. So while lots of stuff may change in the SWF, this is one thing that will stay the same.”</span></p><p> </p><p> Before he could continue, Vengeance’s entrance music hit. He came out to the stage entrance and glared, first at the crowd, and then at Frehley.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Steven Frehley, you have been judged and found wanting. Wanting as a man, wanting as a wrestler, and wanting especially as a champion. While I do not dispute that Rich Money was lacking as well, our situation has not improved. You must pay for your many sins, and so Vengeance has come.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “If you think you can take this strap away from me, you’re sorely mistaken,”</span> Frehley shot back. <span style="color:#006400;">“But you’re welcome to try. I’ve got nothing better to do tonight than to put you back in your place.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> “I accept, and may you find mercy. But not from me.”</span></p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B+</span></p><p> </p><p> 2) When the show came back from commercial, Steve Frehley had been replaced by Squeaky McClean. He too commented on how a New Year was a clean start. He said 2013 would be his year and to prove it, he issued an open challenge to anyone in the back. He freaked out the moment Lobster Warrior’s music hit and Lobby started for the ring.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C+</span></p><p> </p><p> 3) <strong>LOBSTER WARRIOR vs. SQUEAKY McCLEAN</strong></p><p> </p><p> Lobby and Squeaky put on a great match and the fans kind of got into it. Squeaky spent most of the match running from Lobby, but Lobby finally caught him in a Lobster Trap for the pin and the win.</p><p> </p><p> WINNER: <strong>Lobster Warrior</strong> in 8:37</p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 4) Lobby was spending some time celebrating his win when Joe Sexy’s music hit. The Sexy One strutted out on stage, smirking and winking at the ladies in the crowd. Then he turned toward Lobby.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“What is this, Saturday morning cartoons? Does anyone here actually think that putting on that ridiculous head gear and big foam lobster claw makes him stronger? If this is supposed to be a new beginning for the SWF, then we need to do something to take out the trash around here. And quite frankly, ‘Lobster Warrior,’ I think that’s a process that has to start with you.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C+</span></p><p> </p><p> 5) Eric strutted through the backstage area, looking every inch the smarmy jerk. He finally found BJ O’Neill, who was escorting the All-Americans from their locker room to the ring for their match. Eric contemptuously dismissed American Machine and Des Davids, saying that the grown ups had to talk. They looked ready to forcibly adjust his attitude but BJ sends them on to the ring entrance.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“You’ve got thirty seconds, Eisen. Don’t waste my time,” </span>BJ said.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Then I’ll make it simple: by my count, Angry Gilmore hasn’t defended the North American title in over a month. Since you’re the one in charge, it’s up to you to vacate the title so someone more deserving can claim it,”</span> Eisen said.</p><p> </p><p> BJ snorted. <span style="color:#006400;">“That may be, but I also remember that you’re the one who took him out at Break Like the Wind and put him on the injured list. I’m not exactly sure that’s the kind of thing I should reward, y’know? Now out of my way, I want to see how my boys do in the ring.”</span></p><p> </p><p> She brushed past him. Eric looked particularly foul, but then BJ turned back to him.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“If you don’t have anything better to do tonight, Eisen, I can always find work for you. Later tonight, you’ll face Marshall Dillon. Have fun.”</span></p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C+</span></p><p> </p><p> 6) <strong>THE ALL-AMERICANS © vs. THE PLATINUM BLONDES</strong> for <span style="color:#FF0000;">the SWF Tag Team Titles</span></p><p><span style="color:#FF0000;"> </span></p><p> Oh my goodness. This was a train wreck. For starters, BJ seemed to throw American Machine off his game the entire match. Worse, Machine and Des Davids don’t click in the ring either. The crowd made up for some of it, but it was hard to ignore. At the end, Des Davids took out Frederique Antonio Garcia with the Quarterback Sack.</p><p> </p><p> WINNERS: <strong>The All-Americans</strong> in 7:18</p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C-</span></p><p> </p><p> 7) BJ climbed into the ring to celebrate with her boys but they were interrupted by the entrance music for The Pain Alliance. Kurt and Big Scott came out to the ring entrance and had a blast mocking the champs for their lackluster performance. Then they got down to brass tacks: challenging them for the titles at When Hell Freezes Over. BJ got the mic and accepted for her clients.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">D+</span></p><p> </p><p> 8) Steve Frehley was backstage taping up his hands for his match against Vengeance. The locker door shut behind him and he turned around and found himself face to face with Christian Faith. Faith clapped him on the shoulder and asked him how he was doing. Before Frehley could answer, Faith launched into a long speech, talking about the burden of holding the title, how much each fight meant. But as he spoke, he fixated on the title and slowly but surely, his voice trailed off and the two men stood there, Faith staring at the title belt and Frehley looking a bit annoyed.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 9) <strong>MARSHALL DILLON vs. ERIC EISEN</strong></p><p> </p><p> I have to hand it to Eric. Even though this match went too long (since Dillon) was in it, Eric still managed to keep the crowd somewhat entertained before he rolled Dillon up and used his tights to hold him down.</p><p> </p><p> WINNER: <strong>Eric Eisen</strong> in 8:27</p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C-</span></p><p> </p><p> 10) With the match over, Eric got on the mic. He stomped around the ring for a moment before finally leaning on the top rope.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“You know, it must be nice to be able to play the system like Angry Gilmore. Let’s be honest, folks, we know that him winning the North American Championship is a fluke. He’s been on a downward spiral for years now, desperate to hold on to his old glory days. Best thing to do in this situation is to pop his soap bubble dreams and let someone else have the strap. Trust me, folks, it’s best for everyone.”</span></p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 11) Backstage, Vengeance is perched on a half-wall by what looks like a bathroom, brooding. Then someone slaps him upside the back of his head. Vengeance stumbles from his seat and turned around to find himself face-to-face with Remo.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“Do you have a problem, Remo?”</span> Vengeance asked.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="color:#006400;">“You could say that, scary man. What makes you think you deserve that title shot tonight, huh? You haven’t held the gold for years. Me, I had it a year and a half ago. The line for a title shot starts behind me, got it?”</span> Remo said.</p><p> </p><p> Vengeance laughed. <span style="color:#006400;">“The wheels of justice turn slowly, Remo. Your chance may come again, but first, Steve Frehley must face Vengeance.”</span></p><p><span style="color:#006400;"> </span></p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 12) <strong>THE AMAZING BUMFHOLES vs. BRANDON JAMES & ROGUE</strong> w/ Paul Huntingdon</p><p> </p><p> The Bumfholes had a blast in the ring, laughing it up and trying to rally the crowd on their side. Brandon and Rogue, however, had Paul as their ace in the hole. He kept the Bumfholes on edge the entire match until finally, Rogue caught Randy with the Crashing On.</p><p> </p><p> WINNERS: <strong>Brandon James & Rogue</strong> in 9:24</p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 13) Brandon and Rogue celebrated in the ring with Paul, slapping each other on the back. The crowd booed them, but that quickly turned to cheers as Valiant charged the ring. The Chase Agency members looked ready to fight, but as soon as Valiant slid under the bottom rope, Brandon and Rogue tossed Paul to Valiant. Valiant caught him and dropped him with a fast power slam. Brandon and Rogue escaped back up the entrance ramp.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C</span></p><p> </p><p> 14) The crowd popped (a little) when the big screen lit up with Steve Frehley walking for the ring.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 15) <strong>STEVE FREHLEY © vs. VENGEANCE</strong> for <span style="color:#FF0000;">the SWF World Heavyweight Championship</span></p><p><span style="color:#FF0000;"> </span></p><p> The crowd got into the brawl and there was some great action, but both men were tiring out and neither were really selling the others’ offense. But it was a good back and forth battle. Frehley tried to hit the Frehley’s Comet at one point, only to get caught in an impromptu Skull Krusher. But Frehley was able to kick out anyway. But before either man could truly take advantage, Remo hit the ring and took them both out. The ref could do nothing more than call the match and end it all.</p><p> </p><p> WINNER: <strong>No one (Draw)</strong> in 17:32</p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> 16) Even as the bell rang, Remo tossed Vengeance out of the ring and then spent a few minutes kicking Steve Frehley’s chest in.</p><p> </p><p> RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;">B-</span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;">THE AFTERMATH</span></p><p> </p><p> Not a great debut, but not bad either.</p><p> </p><p> FINAL RATING: <span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong>B-</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> TCW Total Wrestling: <span style="color:#0000FF;">C+</span></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 24, 2012 Author Share Posted December 24, 2012 SWF Notes Friday of Week 1, January 2013 “You’re sure I can’t convince you?” I mopped a hand over my face. “Sorry, Mr. Carpenter, but I’ve given it a lot of thought. And as great as it might be to be a part of your roster, I can’t in good conscience join a promotion as risque as the SWF.” “I’m sorry to hear that, but I guess I can’t fault you your convictions. If the situation changes?” There was a long pause. “I suppose, but don’t save a space for me.” I grunted and hung up the phone. So much for that. I had heard rumblings that a kid named Ernest Youngman was hot stuff. It took me a while to figure out the YouTube, but I finally stumbled across some footage of him in action and thought he’d be a good addition to the roster. But apparently he wasn’t interested. Too bad. I’d have to . . . There was a knock at the door and I looked up. Jessie Gilmore stood in the doorway. I smiled. She had been languishing behind the scenes a bit with no one to manage. I had stuck her with the Awesomeness, if for no other reason than to giver her something to do. “What can I do for you?” I asked. “I wanted to talk to you about my sister, Kristen.” I leaned back in my chair and tried to remember everything I had seen about Kristen Pearce. She had been signed to a development contract with the SWF and sent down to Professor Nero in RIPW. The last reports I saw from the Prof said she was doing pretty good work. “She’s been hanging out with these guys, Lenny Brown and Spencer Spade. Well, all three of them think that they’ve spent enough time in development and they want to come up to the main roster. She was hoping I could talk to you about it.” “Say no more. I’ll call them up. Maybe put the three of them together as a team. Call them ‘New Blood.’” “Thanks, Nat.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 SWF Supreme TV Tuesday of Week 2, January 2013 (The Go-Home show for “When Hell Freezes Over”) Live on C.A.N.N.; Rating of 12.61 Held at Clover Field in the Mid South; 14,412 in attendance 1) As the show started, Peter, Duane, and Jerry spent a few moments discussing the just announced main event for “When Hell Freezes Over.” Based on what happened last week, BJ O’Neill has booked Steve Frehley in a title defense against Remo. RATING: B- 2) A video played, reminding everyone how Eric Eisen attacked Angry Gilmore several months ago. The announcers reminded the audience that Angry had been out of action, recovering from the attack. RATING: B- 3) Eric Eisen was in the ring with a mic. “Oh, yeah, everyone’s so weepy about Angry Gilmore. Well, let’s not forget that right now, Gilmore is breaking the rules. He hasn’t made a title defense in months. If it was anyone else, the title would have been vacated and a new champ would have been crowned. But instead, the SWF has let Gilmore just sit on his butt at home while the belt gathers dust. “But you know what’s worse? This proves what I’ve suspected about Gilmore all along. He’s just talk. He’s a coward. Why else would he take an extended vacation like this? So enjoy your R&R, Angry. That strap won’t be yours for long.” RATING: C+ 4) NAT CARPENTER vs. ERIC EISEN Maybe I felt I owed it to the kid. We hadn’t gotten off to a great start. Whatever the case, I did my best, really poured it on. Eric, I don’t think he restrained himself as much as he should have. A few of his shots stung pretty badly. But the crowd seemed to get into it, kind of, as Eric knocked me around and then got a good pin on me. WINNER: Eric Eisen in 5:59 RATING: B- 5) Remo arrived in the backstage area and smirked as several of the workers backed off at the sight of him. “I’ve been waiting for you.” Remo turned around and found himself face-to-face with an irate Christian Faith. “What’s your deal, old man?” Remo asked. “That stunt you pulled last week. You’ve got the whole locker room buzzing about how you took out Steve Frehley. A lot of folks seem to think you’re making a move on the title itself.” “Maybe I am. What’s it to you?” “I’ll tell you.” Faith took a step closer to Remo. “You don’t deserve it, not with your attitude. You seem to forget that holding that title is an honor, not a right. The man who wears that belt represents the entire SWF and stands on the shoulders of everyone who held it before him. If you were to have that belt, you’d be representing me. And there’s no way I’m comfortable with that.” Remo snorted. “Oh, yeah? Well, I don’t ’xactly see things eye-to-eye with you, old man. The belt ain’t about honor. It’s about strength. Only the strongest and the best get to hold it. That may have been you at one time, but not anymore. I’m the apex predator of the SWF. You all got to watch out for me. And I’m not picky about who I gotta tear through to prove it.” It looked like the two of them were about to start brawling right then and there, but then BJ O’Neill stepped between them and carefully pushed them apart. “I couldn’t help but overhear your . . . ‘discussion,’ gentlemen, and I’m intrigued. You both raise good points. But let’s see who can back up his argument in the ring, shall we?” RATING: B- 6) THE AWESOMENESS vs. THE PAIN ALLIANCE Huey and Jessie are obviously not a good pairing after all. It was clear he couldn’t concentrate with her in his corner. His distraction was infectious and Jefferson was really off his game. But the tag challengers for this Thursday made short work of them, with Kurt picking up the pin on Jefferson with a Switchblade Powerslam. WINNERS: The Pain Alliance in 7:57 RATING: C- 7) Vengeance appeared in a shadowy alcove. “Steve Frehley and Remo, you have both been judged and found wanting. Frehley, your incompetence is clear, for you were unable to finish our match. And Remo, you have meddled in affairs that are not your concern. Neither of you are worthy of the title. “And now I hear that Christian Faith has entered the fray. A god among men, he is strong. And yet he is a wraith, only a shadow of his former self. He is not a worth champion either. “They all three should let go of their feverish dreams and find worthier pursuits, more suited to who they are. For if they continue on their reckless path, there will be pain. There will be blood. And there will be loss. They will beg for mercy. But they shall not find it from me.” RATING: B- 8) Valiant was in the ring with a mic. “You know, I’ve been turning things over and over and over in my mind. Why did Rogue betray me? Maybe he was just trying to live up to his name. Maybe he didn’t like my new hairstyle. Maybe he’s just been a jerk all along and I never realized it. But I’m a reasonable guy. I tried to talk it out. You know, like Dr. Phil says we should. But Rogue wouldn’t sit down with me. He just hid behind his new buddies. “So I’ve been trying to get his attention. Let him know I’m serious about this. But still, he keeps on hiding. Well, I’m done playing hide-and-seek. Starting now, I’m getting answers, and I don’t care who I have to go through to get them.” RATING: C+ 9) VALIANT vs. RICH MONEY Valiant had a fire lit in him, one that burned all the brighter since Rich wasn’t all that into the match. I don’t think he was really happy with the way I booked it, especially the way it ended. Valiant scored a clean pin after a V-Split. WINNER: Valiant in 8:02 RATING: C+ 10) Valiant seemed pleased with himself. That is, until Brandon James, Rogue, and Paul Huntingdon hit the ring and absolutely destroyed him. Eventually backstage personnel came out and drove them off, but Jerry was left asking how badly Valiant was injured. RATING: C+ 11) In a prerecorded video, Joe Sexy stood backstage, surrounded by posters of the Lobster Warrior. “You know how many e-mails you people have sent me? ‘Why are you picking on Lobster Warrior? My kids love him!’ ‘Lobby is the best and you suck.’ ‘You may be sexy, but Lobby makes me smile.’ “Well, you know what, folks? You’re all idiots. You want this on your TVs? You want this in that ring? The man is a joke and we all know it. We don’t expect him to amount to anything. Sure, we’ll cheer because Lobby wins one, but then we’ll go on to bigger and better things. “That’s me. Bigger and better. And that’s why we need to end Lobster Warrior. He’s a burden. He’s a joke. And I’m the one who will take care of him once and for all.” RATING: C+ 12) ROBBIE RETRO vs. JOE SEXY Robbie and Joe worked well together. Robbie was even able to cover up for the fact that Joe wasn’t at his best tonight. Joe eventually put Robbie down with a One Night Stand. WINNER: Joe Sexy in 9:21 RATING: C 13) Joe’s celebration was cut short as Valiant limped out to the ring. He tossed Joe over the top rope. He got on the mic and demanded that Rogue face him at “When Hell Freezes Over.” He refuses to leave the ring until he gets what he wants. Emma Chase came out, escorted by her boys. She flat out refused to give Valiant what he wanted, but then her cell phone rang. She answered it and had a brief but angry conversation with whoever it was. She finally sighed and hung up. She revealed that the call had been from BJ. “Apparently ‘the boss’ thinks Valiant here deserves a match,” Emma announced. “But don’t get your hopes up, Valiant. You’re not laying a hand on Rogue. Instead, you’ll face . . . Paul this Thursday.” Valiant didn’t look happy. Neither did Paul. He tried to argue with Emma, but she cut him off, signaling for her stable to follow her backstage. RATING: B- 14) CHRISTIAN FAITH vs. REMO Ugh, what a mess. It was clear that Remo and Christian did not know what to do with each other in the ring and, apparently, they don’t have the staying power for a match of this length. There were a lot of rest-holds throughout the middle and I think I saw a few fans leave early to catch their buses. Eventually Remo put everyone out of their misery by pinning Christian. WINNER: Remo in 17:24 RATING: C+ 15) Remo wasn’t done with Christian yet. He started stomping on Christian’s knees and elbows, as if trying to disable him. But apparently that wasn’t good enough for Remo. He rolled out of the ring and retrieved a folding chair. He used that to pound Christian even more. The crowd nearly exploded as Steve Frehley rushed the ring. Remo dropped the chair and rolled out, escaping around the ring and up the entrance ramp. Frehley yelled abuse and taunts after him. But he was too distracted to notice that Christian had staggered to his feet and had the chair. When Steve turned around again, Christian struck, knocking the champ out. Christian staggered for another moment before collapsing again. Remo stood at the ring entrance and smirked. Peter Michaels wondered if Christian knew what he was doing when he attacked Steve and if Steve would even be able to fight on Thursday. The show went off the air with the sight of Steve and Christian unconscious in the ring. RATING: B+ THE AFTERMATH I think we lucked out with that final segment. It probably saved us from a much worse rating. FINAL RATING: B- TCW Total Wrestling rating: B- OOC Note: I know I usually ask for predictions about PPVs, but I’m still getting my feet under me. Hopefully I’ll do better hyping them for the future. Here are the matches that I’ve pre-booked: THE ALL-AMERICANS © vs. THE PAIN ALLIANCE for the SWF Tag Team Championship VALIANT vs. PAUL HUNTINGDON STEVE FREHLEY © vs. REMO for the SWF World Heavyweight Championship Feel free to make comments, predictions, whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdStringPG Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 So far, I really like the minimalist approach to this diary. Very easy to read and follow both backstage segments and show recaps. Several readers prefer images, and I personally love E-V's use of graphics in his diary, but I'm cool with both minimalist and high-end diaries. No worries about the lack of predictions either, what's important is that the diary's well-written. Just a suggestion - it may be better if you identify the angles, e.g. 5) ANGLE - Remo Booked vs Faith. For the shows? A bit surprised with the low rating for Faith vs Remo, but then again, bad chemistry between both wrestlers, can't really do much about that. And I see you've stuck with BJ O'Neill as the "authority figure"...at least for now. I prefer using Eric Eisen as my corrupt Commissioner as I've done in my diary, but good call with making BJ a little more "useful" in the storylines instead of restricting her as American Machine's valet. That said, keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Roguey Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Reading this is like a trip down memory lane. A wonderful trip at that. Loving it so far Scapino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtnlange Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Yes He is back!!!! Scap cannot wait to follow this one. Your diaries are the reason I got back into playing this game. Buckle up because it is going to be a heck of a ride! Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hashasheen Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 How could we forget you Scapino? You're the reason I read dynasties. Definite front row for this one. This. You're the reason I even got into GDS. MWA forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scapino1974 Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 The SWF presents . . . “When Hell Freezes Over” Live on Pay-Per-View; Buy rate of 2.83 Thursday of Week 2, January 2013 Held at Alabama Field Row; 30,000 in attendance (SOLD OUT) 1) The show opened with Jack Bruce in the ring. The crowd absolutely popped for him and he spent a few moments basking in their adulation before he got on the mic and said, “It is good to be back in Alabama again!” The crowd immediately popped even harder and Jack smiled and nodded. “So here we are, 2013 has gotten rolling, and we’ve already seen some great action in this very ring and tonight shouldn’t be any different. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see Steve Frehley defend his title against Remo. The only thing that’d make it better is if I had a match, but you know what, I don’t mind having a night off once in a while. That just means I’m ready to rock at a moment’s notice!” Before he could continue, Vengeance’s entrance music hit. Vengeance stalked out to the top of the ramp and stared down at Jack. “Jack Bruce, you have been judged and been found wanting. We all know what your facade hides. You are just as vain, greedy, and ambitious as any mere mortal. That, in and of itself, is no crime. But the fact that you hide it is. You pretend to be a hero, a role model, and yet we both know the decadence that lurks within you. May you one day find mercy, but it shall not be from me.” Jack stared at Vengeance for a few moments, then turned back to the audience. “You know what, scratch that. I think I just found my fight for the evening.” Jack tossed down the mic and rolled out of the ring. He charged up the ramp. Rather than retreat, Vengeance charged as well and the two of them wound up brawling up and down the ramp. Eventually security poured out of the back and separated them. As they did, Peter Michaels revealed that BJ O’Neill had booked the two of them in a match for later tonight. RATING: B+ 2) LOBSTER WARRIOR vs. MARAT KHOKLOV Marat Khoklov lumbered out to the ring and bellowed something at the crowd before Lobster Warrior joined him. The two stared each other down until the bell rang and then began to trade blows. Funny thing, neither of them were selling that much for the other. Duane Fry tried to pass that off as two giants duking it out, but I think the crowd caught on pretty quick. It looked like Lobby was about to take out Marat, but then Joe Sexy snuck out to the ring. Joe hopped up on the ring apron and distracted both Lobby and the ref. That allowed Marat to hit the Moscow Lariat and then get the pin. WINNER: Marat Khoklov in 5:48 RATING: C+ 3) Christian Faith arrived backstage. Before he made it too far, he ran into Eric Eisen. Eric sized Christian up and then lit into him. “I heard all that nonsense you said about the title the other day, Faith, and you better know that most of us don’t agree with you. You think this is all about tradition and honor and good feelings. It’s not about that at all, and we both know it.” Christian laughed. “Oh, I know you think that way, Eric, and I don’t blame you. After all, this is your daddy’s company, right? You must think of this as your birthright, that you somehow deserve that title because of your genetics or something. But even then, you’ve only held the strap once, haven’t you? Only once. And I’ve held it how many times? Four? What does that tell you about who the better man is?” Eric lurched forward, until their noses were practically touching. “Is that so? Well, let’s find out tonight, shall we?” RATING: B- 4) ROBBIE RETRO vs. MARC DuBOIS The crowd didn’t seem all that into it, even as Robbie danced down the aisle. I think more than a few of the audience members went to the bathroom. Their loss. Robbie and Marc put on a decent match, with Marc getting in a lot of offense. He looked poised to take the whole thing when suddenly, Robbie managed to snare his boot, flip him onto his back, and pin him. Marc looked absolutely stunned. So were the announce staff. WINNER: Robbie Retro in 8:37 RATING: C- 5) CHRISTIAN FAITH vs. ERIC EISEN That collective groan you heard? Yeah, that’s the audience realizing that they should’ve waited until this match to hit the restroom. These two were awful, absolutely no chemistry to speak of. They traded lackluster moves until Eric put all of us out of our misery when he somehow got the bell into the ring and beaned Christian with it while the ref was distracted. WINNER: Eric Eisen in 10:50 RATING: D+ 6) Not content with his victory, Eric put the boots to Christian. He continued his assault for a while until someone rushed the stage. The crowd sort of popped when they realized it was Angry Gilmore. Angry chased Eric out of the ring, then knelt by Christian to see if he was okay. RATING: C+ 7) THE ALL-AMERICANS © vs. THE PAIN ALLIANCE for the SWF Tag Team Championship The crowd apparently went to sleep in the previous match and only a few of them woke up for this one. Once again, it was clear that the champs were a mess. American Machine was still distracted by BJ and he clearly didn’t have a good rhythm going with Des either. Eventually, Kurt Laramee got the pin on American Machine after hitting him with the Switchblade Powerslam. WINNERS: The Pain Alliance in 11:05 RATING: C- 8) The new tag champs celebrated their win, laughing and carrying on as if they had both won the World Heavyweight title. RATING: C- 9) Backstage, Jerry Eisen was standing with Robbie Retro. “So, Robbie, a lot of fans are wondering this after your surprising win against Marc DuBois: what’s your deal?” Robbie smirked. “My deal, baby? I’ll tell you what my deal is. I am the living embodiment of the ’70s and all that entails.” “Economic stagnation, unpopular wars, and really awful music?” “Nah, baby, fun. That hint of whimsy of ages past. Everyone’s always so serious these days. Is it so wrong to want to get back to a time of peace and love?” “That was the ’60s, Robbie.” “Well, whatever, man, whatever. It doesn’t mean anything. Just relax and go with the flow, baby! That’s all I’m trying to—” Before Robbie could finish that thought, Marat Khoklov stomped past and backhanded Robbie, who smashed into the wall and crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Jerry poked him with a toe before turning it all back over to the folks at the announce table. RATING: C+ 10) A video segment played, reminding folks of how Rogue turned on Valiant, first by secretly hiring the Chase Agency to take Valiant out, then how Rogue attacked Valiant himself at “that show.” It finished with Valiant passionately promising to get to the bottom of Rogue’s betrayal. RATING: B- 11) VALIANT vs. PAUL HUNTINGDON It wasn’t all that bad. Well, maybe I’m trying to be optimistic. Once again, bad chemistry sunk what could have been a good match. Paul and Valiant botched a few moves, traded some badly sold blows, before Valiant finally put Paul away with the V-Split. WINNER: Valiant in 8:57 RATING: C- 12) Valiant seemed pretty happy with his win. He got the mic and started to say something, perhaps wanting to reiterate his promise to get to Rogue. But he never finished that thought. Brandon James and Rogue rushed the ring and, joined by Paul, they beat Valiant bloody before finally driving him through the announce table. RATING: B- 13) Backstage, Remo was standing before an open locker, taping up his wrists. He snarled at himself in the mirror and it was enough to make me take a step back from the monitor. RATING: B 14) JACK BRUCE vs. VENGEANCE These two really helped pick things up again. They laid it all on the line and really got the crowd involved. Jack did his level best to put Vengeance down, but that task proved to be too difficult. In the end, he was taken out by a Skull Krusher. WINNER: Vengeance in 14:17 RATING: C 15) Backstage, a locker room door opened and Steve Frehley started for the ring, the title belt firmly cinched around his waist. RATING: B- 16) STEVE FREHLEY © vs. REMO for the SWF World Heavyweight Championship Once again, the crowd got behind the wrestlers in what proved to be the best match of the night. Remo no-sold a lot of Frehley’s offense, but Ana Garcia covered for that by claiming it showed how tough the challenger really was. Remo came close to getting the pin on more than one occasion, but each time, Steve managed to kick out. Each count grew longer and longer, though. At one point, Steve tried to hit the Frehley’s Comet but Remo side-stepped it and drove Steve into the mat with a running clothesline. He set him up for a jack-knife powerbomb, only to have Steve counter and drop him to the mat. Steve got back up on the top turnbuckle, clearly unsteady on his feet. The moment Remo staggered back to standing, Steve hit the Frehley’s Comet, then fell on Remo for the three count. WINNER: Steve Frehley in 25:25 RATING: B- 17) Remo clearly wasn’t happy about what happened and so he jumped Steve and started beating him down. Someone else hit the ring, only it wasn’t to help. Instead, Vengeance joined the fray, working over Steve’s arms while Remo stomped on his legs. Remo didn’t seem too happy to see him, but that changed when Christian Faith rushed the ring and tried to get in the middle of it. Much to everyone’s surprise, when Christian helped Steve to his feet, Steve actually shoved Christian away. Within a matter of moments, Remo and Vengeance attacked Steve again and Christian joined the brawl as well. Pretty soon, it was a free-for-all, one that continued even as the show went to black. RATING: B THE AFTERMATH I looked up from the report as Marc DuBois entered my office. “You wanted to see me, boss?” he asked. “Yeah, I did. You flunked your drug test today, DuBois.” Marc snorted and shrugged one shoulder. “No biggie. Didn’t affect my performance, right?” I sighed. “That’s not the point, son. Believe me, I know how this sort of thing starts. You’re only taking it to dull the pain a little after a big match. Then you’re taking it before the show starts to help you get through it all. Then it’s ‘Why not have one tonight to celebrate my best friend’s cousin’s kid’s bar mitzvah.’ Then you’re not even looking for an excuse anymore. It’s not going to fly, not in my locker room.” He stared at me, his eyes blank. I ground my teeth together. Maybe some bigger guns. “Get out your checkbook, Marc. This is gonna cost you.” Marc snarled something about wanting Michaels back and then stormed out of my office. I rubbed the bridge of my nose. A perfect topper to a lackluster show. Hopefully we’d do better from here. FINAL RATING: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Roguey Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Ouch, that Faith/Eisen match got a worse rating than I ever thought it could. What happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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