Mark Cuban Does DaVE!

[FuelFan0102]

2/3 Can't wait till the second half!

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][B][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"RAISING HELL: PART II"[/SIZE][/FONT][/B] [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/raise.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] It takes the support staff a few minutes to get the cage set up for the next match between Eric Tyler and Acid, with the special swinging hatches designed to allow the team members to pass objects through to the competitors. The roadies have only just finished setting up the cage when Eric Tyler's music hits the ramp. Tyler emerges flanked by Guide and Scout, who seem recovered from their earlier ladder match and are wearing the freshly polished tag belts around their waists. Guide is pushing a large wheelbarrow. It's hard to see what's inside, but a bullwhip and several large bottles of beer are visible on the top of the pile. As a triumvirate, they approach the cage. Tyler pauses on the apron and shakes the walls of the cage. Seemingly satisfied, he enters the ring with a mic in hand. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EricTyler.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] "Cut the ****ing music!" Tyler smirks out at the audience, which is showering him with the usual mix of extremely enthusiastic boos and equally enthusiastic cheering - at this point, there is no one in DaVE anywhere near as divisive as Eric Tyler. With a long, sharp look at Mark Cuban (positioned at the announcer's table), Tyler raises the mic. "Acid, you don't ****ing fool me. You might fool Cuban, you might fool the idiots in the crowd, but you don't fool me. I got you figured out, freakshow. See, all that smoke and **** is just that - smoke. Yeah, you might look all supernatural, but you do that **** with machines. And that crap you blow in my face whenever I've got my foot most the way up your tuckus? That's just pepper spray, bro. Pepper spray. You might say you roll with the darkside, but there ain't no such thing. THIS HERE (Tyler slaps a calloused hand against the steel cage), THIS IS ****ING REALITY. Smoke, mirrors, bull****. This is fifteen feet of steel, and you just found yourself square in the middle of Tyler country. Ain't no smoke gonna get your ass out of this one, dead man. Now get out here and take it." Tyler tosses the mic through the slats of the cage, and it hits the ground with an amplified thump and the squeal of feedback. Tyler cracks his knuckles, rotates his head on his neck to loosen up, and waits. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Acid.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Acid's music hits the speakers, dark and creaking, and a pale green light washes up from below as the main arena light goes dark. Tyler rolls his eyes as smoke begins to fill the ring area. It rises quickly, lit up by the green lights, and Tyler is obscured except for the barest indication of his profile. Soon, even that is washed away by the rising fog. As Acid's music hits its dreary crescendo and starts to recede, the smoke starts to clear. Tyler is the first thing visible, waving his hand in front of his face and coughing. As the smoke clears a little more, we see he's no longer alone in the ring. Acid is standing opposite him, arms crossed over his chest, eyes charcoal black. Tyler shouts something - it's hard to tell exactly what, but I put my money on "sneaky bastard!", and the match begins. [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]#3 Acid -vs- #4 Eric Tyler[/U][/B] [COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]MAGIC WINDOW MATCH[/COLOR][/FONT] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Acid.jpg[/IMG]-vs-[IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EricTyler.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Tyler tries to rush Acid to start the match, but Acid is too fast. The first jumping crescent kick catches Tyler in the wrist and sends the mic flying - the next two catch him across the face, snapping his head sideways and sending him back on his heels. Acid is a flurry of motion, using a leg oriented attack, catching Tyler with three straight sidekicks to the temple before spinning him around with a jumping heel kick. Tyler lands staggered near his corner, and Guide quickly passes a bullwhip through the window. Tyler comes up lashing, catching Acid across the shoulders with a snap of leather that draws a big response from the crowd. Acid reels backward and Tyler uses the whip to choke him out, wrapping it around Acid's neck twice and using his superior size to lift the masked man off of the ground. Acid struggles for a long moment, legs thrashing, then curls them to his chest and kicks out, rolling over Tyler's shoulders and landing behind him. Tyler tries to spin through it but Acid snares his neck and drops him with a reverse DDT. Acid is slow to get up, but makes it to his corner and receives a [i]kendo stick[/i] from Fumihiro Ota. Tyler takes another lash at Acid, but Acid cartwheels around it and comes in low, sliding on his shoulder to catch Tyler in the back of the heel with a baseball slide foot sweep. Tyler lands hard and Acid takes a diving swing with the kendo stick that hits him hard on the shoulder. Tyler roars and swings the whip overhand from a kneeling position. Acid takes the first hit on the arm and blocks the second with the kendo stick. The whip twines around the stick and Tyler yanks forward... but Acid rides the whip and extends, planting a foot on Tyler's thigh and nailing him with a nasty Glittering Magician's Knee. Tyler drops, near unconscious, and Acid takes to the turnbuckle for the [b]Acid Rain Bomb[/b]... but while he's climbing, Scout rolls a light tube through the window to Tyler - the crowd sees it, but Acid doesn't, and as Acid sails through the air for the Bomb, Tyler swings the lighttube like a bat into Acid's knee. The lighttube shatters, and the dark stain of blood immediately stains through the dark fabric of Acid's wrestling suit, turning the white designing on his leg an instant red. The next few minutes of the match focus on Tyler attacking that leg with a series of knee drops and half crabs. Acid no sells, not screaming and thrashing like a normal wrestler would, but seems shocked when he comes up limping, staring at his leg like it's betraying him as it buckles under his weight, allowing Tyler to cream him with a running lariat. Acid eventually rallies with an enziguri, which sends Tyler back a step and stains his face and shoulder with the blood from Acid's profusely bleeding leg. Acid takes a long, limping step forward and sends Tyler flying with a rana through the shards of glass - Tyler comes up quick and seemingly unphased, with a small constellation of red dots spreading across his lacerated back, but Acid is on him in a flash, hitting him with a swinging impact DDT that leaves him out. Acid, practically dragging the leg, retrieves the kendo stick and lashes into Tyler from the back, striping him with a precise series of sharp swipes that leave him slumped over the turnbuckle. Acid drops the kendo stick and picks up Tyler's bullwhip as the crowd pops. Standing in the center of the ring, Acid twirls the whip expertly over his head before flogging Tyler a full five times - each time leaving a fresh and raw line of blood and ragged, torn flesh across the big man's back. Tyler seems to be unconscious, barely reacting to the fourth and fifth lashings. Supremely confident, Acid steps forward and wraps the whip around Tyler's neck. And then it all changes. Tyler extends his arms behind him, catching Acid on either side of the head, and bends forward, sending the masked man face-first into the side of the cage. Acid lands awkwardly on his wounded leg and staggers badly even as Tyler shouts a command to Scout and Guide... on cue, each member of [b]The School of Tradition[/b] tosses a bottle of Miller High Life to Eric Tyler, who catches each bottle by the neck in either hand, turns, bellows and swings them both in unison. The bottles of beer explode against either side of Acid's head in an eruption of beer, blood and broken glass. Acid starts to fall but Tyler catches him, hefts him, and drills him with [b]The Weight of Tradition[/b]. Tyler pulls himself to his feet and pumps his fists in the air and the crowd absolutely explodes. Tyler pauses, sweeps his gaze over the audience, and pumps his fists in the air again, then rolls on Acid for the pin... 1.... 2... 3. [b]Result: Eric Tyler d. Acid w/ the Weight of Tradition[/b] [COLOR="DarkRed"]RATING: B[/COLOR] It takes a long time for the crowd to stop cheering, but boos erupt as the overhead screen displays [b]Nemesis[/b] and [b]Eddie Peak[/b] against a flat black backdrop. Nemesis speaks first. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Nemisis-1.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Nemesis: Big Cat Brandon, I have written something I would like to share with you... your eulogy. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the memory of Big Cat Brandon, a small but precocious housecat who purred when you scratched him, showed his soft white tummy whenever you scared him, and was ultimately torn apart by a much, much larger animal. He never understood the first rule of the jungle - fear the darkness. His body was never found, and we lament only his memory, which, like life, was quick in passing and even quicker in fading." [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EddiePeak.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Eddie smiles as the crowd boos, showing his oversized white teeth, his eyes flat and dead, his grin utterly mirthless, tinged with insanity. Eddie: I love fingerpainting. You are made of paint. I will drain the paint out of you. [COLOR="DarkRed"]RATING: B-[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]#1 Eddie Peak -vs- #2 Big Cat Brandon[/U][/B] [COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]FIRST BLOOD CAGE MATCH FOR THE DaVE UNIFIED TITLE[/COLOR][/FONT] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EddiePeak.jpg[/IMG] -vs- [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BigCatBrandon_alt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The crowd pops for Brandon as he comes out first, greased up and scowling, totally focused on what he's here to do. The crowd cheers him from the bottom of their lungs, but they save the real noise for Eddie Peak, who stands for a long time at the top of the ramp, smiling into the hatred as the jumbotron shows images of sharks swimming through dark water, fins and tails breaking the surface of the ocean, blood spreading in a red fog. Peak approaches the cage flanked by Nemesis and Hell's Bouncer, all three men underlit by dim red light set along the aisle. Peak and Brandon stare eachother down for a few minutes before squaring off. Brandon juts out his chin and screams "TAKE A SHOT, *****!" Peak smiles, nods his head, and rails off with a huge right hand. Brandon's head snaps back and he takes a long step backwards, but catches himself and starts laughing. "TRY HARDER, *****!" Peak's grin fades a little, but he squares up and rocks Brandon with a huge right hand. Brandon staggers a few times, shakes his head to clear the shadows, and comes up laughing again. "HARDER! HARDER!" His grin completely gone, Peak takes a running haymaker at Brandon but he blocks it and counters with a massive roundhouse punch. Peak lurches backwards as the crowd goes crazy. Brandon lands five massive hooks as Peak lurches backwards, then hurls him into the ropes, catches him on the rebound and plants him with a standing spinebuster. Peak gets up slowly, his eyes sparkling, clearly impressed but still totally crazy. If anything, he seems more excited. He charges Brandon, Brandon charges Peak, and the slugfest is on. This is a match of singular brutality, with both men landing heavy maneuvers usually not seen until the closing minutes of the match. Peak hits Brandon with a standing belly-to-belly suplex that sends Brandon into the side of the ring completely upside down. A few minutes later, Brandon hefts and hurls Peak with a fallaway slam - it's been a long time since anyone has shown the strength to land that sort of a powermove against Peak. If anything, the shock of the match is how long it takes anyone to start bleeding. After levelling Brandon with a huge clothesline from hell, Brandon roars and signals for the [b]Big Cat Pounce[/b], crouching in the turnbuckle and waiting for Peak to get to his feet. Brandon is a blur as he charges across the ring, covering the distance in a second and a half, but Peak is faster, spinning out of the way and sending Brandon facefirst into the side of the ring. Miraculously, Brandon doesn't bleed. Peak, smiling and laughing, grabs Brandon from behind and flings him into the turnbuckle and catching him in an arm-pinning bearhug. ([i]Emma: Oh no, here it comes! The [b]Widow's Peak[/b]![/i]) As the crowd falls silent, Peak slams his forehead forward into the nose and eyes of Big Cat Brandon. ([i]Emma: Oh god, this move will split you right open![/i]) Brandon seems unconscious for the first two, his head snapping back without resistance, but before the third, his eyes pop open and he screams in the face of Eddie Peak from point break range, slamming his own forehead forward into Eddie's nose. Eddie roars back and both men begin whipping their heads forward, headbutting eachother at insane speed and intensity. In a matter of seconds, both men are soaked in blood and the ref screams for the bell. Peak and Brandon break their clutch on eachother, driving their fists into eachother's red-slick'd faces. [i](Emma: Oh no, Nemesis is on his way in... wait! It's [b]Bulldozer Brandon Smith![/b])[/i] [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BulldozerBrandonSmith.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] As the crowd cheers, Bulldozer Brandon Smith charges the cage, flipping Hell's Bouncer over with a blindside lariat and catching Nemesis from behind with a diving [b]Three-Point Tackle[/b]. Nemesis and Bulldozer go down in a heap as Brandon and Peak continue to pummel eachother. Mark Cuban screams an order to the ref from the announcer's table and the ref grabs the championship belt and retreats as the ringbell continues to ring frantically. [i](Emma: The match is over but... who is the champion? Who bled first? Do we even have a champion?!?)[/i] [b]Result: Inconclusive![/b] [COLOR="DarkRed"]RATING: B+[/COLOR] [COLOR="DarkRed"][B][U]SHOW RATING: B[/U][/B][/COLOR] [QUOTE][FONT="Arial Narrow"]QUICK RESULTS[/FONT] [i] Alex Braun d. Tank Bradley - D The New Wave d. Adrenaline Rush and the Old Dirty Bastards to win the DaVE Tag Titles - D+ Joey Minnesota d. Jack Giedroyc and Art Reed to win the DaVE Brass Knuckles Title - B Eric Tyler d. Acid - B Eddie Peak vs Big Cat Brandon ends inconclusively - B+[/i][/QUOTE]

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"RANKING THE SMARKS"[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] [QUOTE][b]PREDICTION RESULTS:[/b] FuelFan - 4/5 Tigerkinney - 4/5 Sebsplex - 4/5 TheOutlaw - 3/5 Derek B - 2/5 Actarus - 2/5 Jehovah - 1/5 Payne - 1/5!! [i]NOTE: Every single one of you picked Jack Giedroyc over Joey Minnesota... and I'll take that as indicating some pretty heavy support for [b]The Wrath of God[/b]. Trust me when I say he's on his way to bigger things... he'd really outgrown what is in essence a midcard belt. This loss should not be taken as an indication that he's moving anywhere but UP.[/i] [/QUOTE]

[Payne]

Dear Jesus Lord, I SUCK!!!!!

[sebsplex]

Great PPV (notes his 4/5 prediction rate for possible future lauding), I'll focus on the second half mainly for now since it's the most recent in my mind. I liked the sound of the Magic Window concept when you announced it and you really pulled it off well, meaning I didn't have to spend half the write up trying to picture what was even vaguely going on. Like everyone else, I think I fell into the trap of predicting Giedroyc to go over Minnesota as a straight up "who's da man" style way without really considering the future and how dropping the belt would be needed at some point to allow further elevation. Minnesota as a champion should continue a really solid midcard scene, since he seems to be able to draw decent matches out of most. Alas, could this be the end of Tank Bradley? Did this show finally put he and DAVE's fans out of their shared misery? Nice twist for the ending, despite detesting Brandon Smith (not your fault, I just irrationally hate the guy for some reason). It's been mentioned numerous times, you convey Eddie Peak as a psycho with bloodlust so well. Overall, good show and Cuban should be happy since it gives him more of an excuse to eat up the start of the next event clarifying what's happening with the top prize.

[theoutlaw321]

You have done such a good job with Eddie Peak. He is a bloodthirsty beast. Man I like that.

[Tigerkinney]

I dont think it needs to be said that was a great PPV, but I'll say it anyway that was a great PPV. As much as I would love to bathe in the glory of getting 4/5...I did only get 3/5...I tipped Acid to win the Magic Window Match, that plus tipping Giedroyc like everyone else in the 3-way Shoot Fight , that leaves me at 3/5. Still 3/5 isn't too bad, that to me is a good ratio for a booker. You've put in enough element of surpise without desperately trying to catch the audience out... If people can on average predict all of thewinners then the booker is being too predictable, if however on average people can struggle to only get one winner per show, the the booker is just being Russo like, unpredictable for the sake of being unpredictable.

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"All The Times You Forgot To Explain Yourself"[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] I slumped against the back wall of the locker room with a huge smile on my face, and the guys shot them right back at me. Tyler was practically thumping his chest, chatting amicably with Acid about the show they'd just put on. The medical staff was busy cutting Acid's leggings away from his calf, and the blood was flowing freely in a tic-tac-toe of heavy leaking, pouring out as fast as they could swab it off. In classic style, he didn't seem to notice. The mood in the locker room was light - lighter than it had been in awhile - since most of the guys who weren't booked for the PPV hadn't bothered to come back (with the exception of Shawn Gonzales and Chris Caulfield, who were making their usual strong veteran presence, shaking hands and passing out compliments). Watching the workers trail out, I finally allowed myself a moment of relaxation and reflection. This PPV meant a lot of things. First of all, [b]it was money that we needed[/b]. The financials for March weren't in yet, but if they weren't a whole lot easier on the eyes than February had been, I was looking at no more than 5 or 6 months of solvency. Second of all, it had [b]freed Jack "The Wrath of God" Giedroyc from the limitations of the midcard Brass Knuckles title[/b] in high form, and I had every anticipation that Joey Minnesota would make for a fine upper midcard champion, until I eventually took the belt from him for the same reason Big Cat Brandon and Giedroyc both had to lose it - he'll outgrow it before it outgrows him. Thirdly, this PPV was also the definitive end of the super-popular [b]Eric Tyler/Acid rivalry[/b]. For the last two months, this had been the defining feud of this era of DaVE (especially during Eddie Peak's rather disappointing series with Shawn Gonzales), but it was time for both men to move on. Tyler will be refocused on his rivalry with Mark Cuban, while Acid will regroup with the Cult of the Gray Dragon and strike out in an entirely new direction. But finally, this PPV represented a moment of transition for DaVE as an entity and myself as a booker. Up until this moment in the Mark Cuban era, DaVE had enjoyed a period of relative stability on the roster. This was about to come to an end. [b]Eddie Peak[/b] would inform me whether he was willing to sign an extension in the next week. [b]Big Cat Brandon[/b] would follow only a few weeks later. And it was Brandon I was looking for. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BigCatBrandon_alt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] I found him sitting alone in front of the mirror, using gauze to attach a thick padding of bandages to the still seeping laceration on his forehead. He did this with the no-pain, no nonsense attitude almost universal to the guys in DaVE, most of whom do the majority of their own medical care. Brandon looked up, smiled and nodded as I sat across from him, clapping him on the shoulder and shaking his hand. "Hey James, I just wanted to congratulate you on one hell of a main event. One hell of a main event. You gave me exactly what I wanted, you gave the fans exactly what they wanted, and I'm sure you made Mark happy." Brandon grinned wider and nodded again. "Just tryin' to do right by you, boss." I nodded back, groping for my cigarettes. "Have you have, James. You have." I exhaled and Brandon took one from the pack - he was well-known as one of DaVE's other regular smokers. We smoked in silence for a second, small red spots of blood silently seeping unnoticed through the bandaging on his forehead and the unnamed lacerations lining his knuckles. I took another long drag, sighed, and leaned forward. "James, I want to talk to you about why you needed to lose that match." James "Big Cat" Brandon shook his head, blowing two gray columns of smoke out of his nose. "No way, boss. You don't have to explain nothin' to me. I'm here to wrestle, not think. That's what Vibert always said and he always did right by me and you always done right by me too. If you say I gotta lose, well, I gotta lose." I picked a chunk of loose tobacco out of my teeth and inspected it before continuing. "Normally you're right, James. I ain't in the habit of explaining myself. But it's important. You and I both know that there's a better than even chance Eddie is on his way out the door to TCW or SWF. That's no secret. And we both know that you could be the next one gone." Brandon opened his mouth to protest, but I raised my hands to silence him and continued. "James, I'm not saying you're [i]definitely[/i] going to leave, but you could. And here's what would happen... let's say I give you the win and the title, right? Then you leave a month later. Bad for the title, bad for the federation. If Eddie leaves after a nine-month run at the top, no problem. If you leave after a three week run at the top, it makes you look bad and makes me look bad. I'm sorry, James. I just couldn't let you take it this time." Brandon stared at his feet for a long second before responding in a low voice. "Like I said, boss, it's your call. You don't gotta explain nothin' to me." I stood up and our eyes met. "James, here's what you need to hear. You [i]deserve[/i] an honest shot at the title. If you feel like you need to go to TCW or SWF or wherever, more power to you. You've shown nothing but loyalty to this federation, and I'll understand if it's just time to move on. But if you stay, James... if you stay, I swear to you right now that [i][b]you will get your shot.[/b][/i] Just think about it. Have a good night, James." He was silent as I left him alone in the now empty lockerroom and headed for my car and, in short order, my whiskey.

[Monkeypox]

Ugh. I really wanted to get Danger Zone TV up before I left town for the weekend, but I didn't pull it off. I managed to put the show together and run it but didn't finish the writeup... and I can say with confidence that it's probably the single worst episode of Danger Zone ever, since a lot of my key guys needed a break after the PPV (I'm looking at you, Eric Tyler)... but I've discovered exactly how bad my ratings can be when I have a show that doesn't use Peak, Tyler, Acid OR Giedroyc in a wrestling role. But y'all, unfortunately, will have to wait until Sunday or so to find out. Sorry for the delay. I also found out whether Eddie Peak will be staying or leaving. But I ain't tellin yet.

[BillRiccio]

Leak it!!!!!!

[chris caulfield]

yea go on and tell us you know you want to.

[Payne]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/logos/dfdc.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Wow, what a week we have had. I have fired my source, and I will try to find a new one, with more acurate news in the future. A lot of things happened at "Hell Rising", and I don't want to comment on any of them, because I want to bring up the news that is on everyone's mind. Eddie Peak. At last telling, Eddie Peak has refused any contract negotiatoins with DaVE, saying they are "not big enough". Talk about biting the hand that fed you!! I have also found out that Mark Cuban hates me. I had to change the website because of him, and now he has changed the format of what is to happen. Acid is STILL going to win the title, although Tyler will NOT be going through his change, as of yet. From what I hear tell, when Eddie goes to SWF, there will be a tournament for the title. The final round will have Big Cat Brandon going against Acid, and THEN Tyler will turn, helping Acid win the title, and Cuban's faction will go as planned. Also, Big Cat Brandon will NOT re-sign with DaVE, and will probably follow Peak to SWF. In other news, Steve Flash's condition has not improved, and he is never expected to recover from this coma. The family has been given the option of "pulling the plug", and donating Mr. Flash's remains. And that's the view from here.

[theoutlaw321]

[QUOTE=Payne;234692][CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/logos/dfdc.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] I have also found out that Mark Cuban hates me. [/QUOTE] Am I wrong in guessing the feeling is mutual?

[Payne]

Yes, Outlaw, it is. And one day he might get lucky enough to hear it face to face.

[theoutlaw321]

I'll be honest with you the other day at the press conference where he was introducing Dirk as the MVP, I kept waiting for Tyler to come out of nowhere and smash him over the head with a chair.

[Monkeypox]

Goddamn it, I'm sick of listening to myself make excuses about why I haven't posted, but the reality is I've just been stupid ****ing BUSY. Seriously. I've practically had dreams about getting this thing actually GOING again, like posting more than once every two weeks, but I just can't catch any actual TIME. I've got one of those nasty jobs that can run WAY over 40 a week on a bad week, and it's been a lot of that lately. I'm sorry that I keep having these big breaks and I hope y'all can be patient, because this thing is NOT dead and I really do think that I'll be able to get it going very regularly again soon. Thanks for staying interested and I'm sorry I keep fading in and out. It's lame, I admit that, and I'll fix it. Promise.

[theoutlaw321]

Hey sometimes real life gets in the way of the important stuff. lol Sound like me over the last 2-3 weeks. Take your time. We'll be here.

[Payne]

Hey, anything that I am part time in, I will wait for. This is awesome. Suddenly I am reminded of Groucho Marx. "I wouldn't be a part of a group that would have me as a member."

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"Hoping for the Best, Expecting the Worst..."[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] Well, Eddie hasn't given me an answer yet. I've got no problem telling you that I didn't sleep at all last night. All of the usual monthly routines - the issuing of new Power Rankings, the release of new plotlines, the sketching out of the match-ups at the next PPV - all of this is totally on hold as the entire organization and a good part of the wrestling industry as a whole sit around waiting for Eddie to make up his mind. I'm not going to get dramatic to the point of saying something silly like "Eddie Peak is the beating heart of DaVE", or "DaVE can't survive without Peak anchoring their main event"... but I don't need to. I read both of those things on the various DaVE websites and blogs earlier today. Mostly thanks to DaVE superblogger and Cuban-hater [b]Payne[/b], most of the DaVE fanbase knows that Peak will be making a [CENTER][/CENTER]decision this week. There won't be any way to soften or conceal it. In the internet age, all decisions are broadcast immediately and all consequences are experienced without insulation. And maybe I'm booking like I'm in mourning - I can't come up with any other explanation. In the hangover of the PPV, I've given most of the guys the night off - Tyler isn't wrestling tonight, neither is Giedroyc, neither is Peak, neither is Acid. This line-up looks like a not-all-that good episode of [i]Vendetta![/i]. But there's nothing to be done until I know whether we have a champion. I haven't been totally sober for nearly a week. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Danger1.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT="Garamond"]Live from our old friends at the Arkansas Coliseum, for a crowd of a sold out crowd of 2,000...[/FONT] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][U][B]DARK MATCH: Vin Tanner vs Cammy Vessey vs Kashmir Singh vs Nathan Coleman[/B][/U][/FONT][/CENTER] Result: Vin Tanner d. Kashmir Singh w a [b]V for Victory[/b] Jack's Notes: [i]I didn't even bother to pick a winner on this one, just giving our road agent (The Wolverine) leave to run the match however he wanted. Being a smart guy, he kept it simple and let everyone have their moments. Cammy Vessey is still getting pretty lustily boo'd, but he's developing a nice anti-rapport with Cuban, who spent the entire match referring to him as "a few months away from the Unified Championship" and "the future of DaVE, if not the future of the entire wrestling industry!!1!". This overkill was all the more hilarious because it corresponded precisely with Vessey getting his *** handed to him by Nathan Coleman. [b]Old Man Tanner[/b] eventually catches Singh in the back of the head with his cane, continuing to play his grumpy old man schtick pretty well, and picks up a cheap win. [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][B]MAIN SHOW[/B] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/MarkCuban.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] It surprises exactly no one as the show opens to Mark Cuban's music and the internet billionaire takes his polo shirt and khakis down the ramp and into the ring. The general trend of Cuban getting boo'd a little harder with every show seems to be continuing, though the crowd is still generally on his side. Cuban smiles through all of it and raises his hand to quiet the crowd. Cuban: Now that was one hell of a PPV. (pop) But as most of you remember, that was also one hell of an ending to the [b]Eddie Peak[/b] versus [b]Big Cat Brandon[/b] main event! (overhead, the jumbotron shows the closing minutes of that match, as Eddie Peak catches Brandon off of the rebound of a missed [b]Big Cat Pounce[/b] and locked into the [b]Widow's Peak[/b]. The champion slams his forehead into the nose of Brandon three times before Brandon suddenly wakes up and retaliates in kind. Even though the tape is slowed down, it's impossible to tell who started bleeding first) Cuban: I've reviewed the tape, and confirmed that it is, in fact, impossible to tell who won! Although it's almost certain that one of the two competitors started bleeding first, I'm not willing to guess on something this big. So ladies and gentlemen, after careful consideration of the PPV footage, I have no choice but to [b][i]declare the DaVE Unified Title officially vacant![/b][/i] (the crowd has a pretty big reaction to this, and again, it's mixed... Eddie Peak is a hated heel but he's also a respected champion... Cuban raises his hand to silence the crowd again) Cuban: I've been thinking hard about how to determine a new champion - the obvious way to go would be a simple rematch between Peak and Brandon, but I don't think that's what we need. No, I think it's time for something bigger, something new, something DaVE has never seen before. Cuban: Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the DaVE [b][i]PLAYOFFS[/b][/i]. Starting next week, right here on [b]DANGERZONE TV[/b], the top 16 wrestlers will enter into a seeded, single elimination tournament to determine the next DaVE Unified Champion! The seedings will be announced this week on DaVE: Vendetta! and simultaneously posted to [i][u]dave.com...[/i][/u], and you can look forward to a new and - (with a creak, the dark, throbbing music of Eddie Peak hits the speakers and the lights drop to a deep, bloody red... but this only lasts a second. With a horrible screech, the music changes, the lights come back up, the pyrotechnics go off, and a scowling [b]Eric Tyler[/b] heads down the ramp) [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EricTyler.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] (Cuban starts to back up as Tyler hits the ring, but collects himself and stands his ground) Tyler: Cuban, I swear to gawd, every time I think you've finally managed to swap out every bit of god-given testosterone you were born with, you come up with some new way to put on a skirt and prance around like a pony. Goddamn it, Cuban, you [i]reviewed the ****ing tape? [b]And now we're gonna have some ****ing PLAYOFFS?[/b][/i] Here's what I think of your playoffs, you little ball of pink f***ing frosting. (with one quick move, Tyler crosses to the center of the ring and headbutts Cuban square in the face. Cuban drops, instantly unconscious, and the crowd explodes as Tyler picks up the [b][i]DaVE Unified Title[/b][/i], straps it around his own waist, and heads backstage) [i](Emma: Eric Tyler has stolen the Unified Title! He has no right to that!) (Naess: I wouldn't want to be around when Eddie Peak hears about this!)[/i] [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: C+[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][U][B]Alex Braun vs Hell's Bouncer[/B][/U][/FONT] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/AlexBraun.jpg[/IMG]-vs-[IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/HellsBouncer.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Result: Alex Braun d. Hell's Bouncer with a [b]Braun Damage[/b]. Jack's Notes: [i]Welcome back to wrestling, Alex Braun. Here's the shocking part... these two have great chemistry. This was meant to be Alex Braun's ecstatic return to form, but he sure didn't pull it off. Not sure if I can blame this on Hell's Bouncer - the two would seem compatible at first glance but this match was way longer than the 45 seconds Hell's Bouncer is normally good for. Probably my fault for overoptimistic booking, but anything in the D range is pretty much unacceptable on Danger Zone... we probably won't be seeing Braun outside of Vendetta until I get a better sense of how he can safely be used. Too bad, the crowd was happy to root for him, even if he didn't give them much to root for. But it terrifies me... absolutely [i]terrifies me[/i], that Braun and Bouncer have [i]great chemistry[/i] and this is where we ended up. I don't know what to do with guys like Alex Braun or Shawn Gonzales - they should be consistent "C-Range" guys, but they aren't, no matter how much I pay them.[/i] [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][U][B]Joey Minnesota vs American Elemental[/B][/U] [COLOR="Blue"][FONT="Century Gothic"]DaVE BRASS KNUCKLES TITLE MATCH[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/JoeyMinnesota.jpg[/IMG]-vs-[IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/AmericanElementalII.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Result: Joey Minnesota d. American Elemental with a [b]Minnesota Salute[/b] Jack's Notes: [i]I'm willing to be a little more forgiving, here, since American Elemental is a total unknown and was only given occasional bits of offense interspersed in the general Minnesota beatdown. AE got a few great reversals in, but Minnesota always took the lead back with an eye gouge or crotch shot. The Elemental gets a pretty impressive pop with a springing hurricanrana that shows off the singular leaping ability and aerial body control that may yet turn American Elemental into a legitimate attraction at DaVE, but he isn't there yet. American Elemental gets his introduction to a televised audience by doing the job for a surging Joey Minnesota, who makes his first title defense in convincing form. The end comes relatively quickly, giving AE a chance to tease the audience with his potential before falling to the Minnesota Salute in a fairly one-sided affair. Still, I'm starting to get nervous. We're halfway through the show and every match has been at least a little disappointing. If we don't catch a little momentum, this may be the first DaVE event ever to finish in the D-Range.[/i] [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BigCatBrandon_alt.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Big Cat Brandon is backstage, stalking back and forth and muttering to himself. The camera catches him through a bank of high windows, and the effect is, for a moment, impressive - in the dark room, surrounded by the indistinct tangle of office furniture, Big Cat Brandon really DOES invoke the image of a predatory cat, compulsively pacing the length of his cage, which is exactly the effect I was looking for. Big Cat Brandon pauses and snarls as the overhead lights come on, and turns with clenched fists to find [b]Bulldozer Brandon Smith[/b] standing at the door with something in his arms. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BulldozerBrandonSmith.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Dozer: Hey big guy, I figured you'd be pretty down about this whole vacated title business, so I had the wifey whip you up some of her famous [b]Bulldozer's Brown Betty[/b]. It'd put a smile on a bullwhipped hog, I tell you what. (Big Cat Brandon looks at Dozer, then down at the dessert, then back up at Dozer. His face confused.) Dozer: I also know that hell, a big ol' lugnut like you ain't gonna be happy until they work out some o' that nervous energy. I know that so good because I'm the same darn way, the wifey is always tellin me that when I get mad and try to just hold it in, I get all jittery. She usually makes me go chop wood or something. (Big Cat snorts and starts to turn away) Dozer: But I know that there ain't no wood around here to chop, so I thought maybe we could just go get ourselves into a tumble. (Brandon stops and turns back) Big Cat: A what? Dozer: You know, a tumble? A tussle? A scrap? Fisticuffs? My six year old calls it a Smackdown, but I always thought that was a stupid word... Big Cat: (smiles, and scoops up a bit of the dessert) Actually, this IS pretty good... [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating C-[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][U][B]"The Brandons" vs The McWades[/B][/U][/font] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BigCatBrandon_alt.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/BulldozerBrandonSmith.jpg[/IMG] -vs- [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/DeanMcWade.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/DallasMcWade.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Jack's Notes: [i]Okay, we're officially in trouble. This will teach me to book a match without Giedroyc, Acid, Tyler or Peak in action. If our main event (which doesn't involve any of these guys) doesn't positively pop, this may be the worst episode of Danger Zone in history. And it comes down to Eddie Peak. Until I find out what's going on with our champion, I can't proceed with any of our contingency plans. I mean, I HAVE contingency plans, but they require action that no one has been willing to take. I'll know soon, at the least. But this is bad. Brandon and Brandon are fine as a tag team, and Bulldozer is definitely starting to become a household name, but the McWades, who are pretty much just jobber brawlers at this point, can't produce at the level I need them to. This match was on the high end of C- range from my estimation, with good execution and some incredibly power moments from Bulldozer (when was the last time anyone laid a vertical press on Dallas McWade?), but I feel like everyone is tight and nervous about the Peak thing and that's impacting their performance. Anyhow, the Brandon's look superpowered as a tag unit, getting into a "test of strength" type competition with the McWades and coming out on top, finishing Dean McWade off with the [b]Bo Jackson[/b] at the ten minute mark. (The [b]Bo Jackson[/b] finisher is a dual spear - Brandon hits from one side with the [b]Big Cat Pounce[/b], clipping you in the chest, while Bulldozer goes low with his [b]Three Point Tackle[/b], hitting you in the knees - the effect is to flip you completely over. Dean McWade is near unconscious and offers no resistance to the threecount) I'm not mad at the McWades, I'm mad at myself. This is another example of a match that would've been wonderful at Vendetta or even as an opener on Danger Zone, but can't really be rationalized as a booking decision this far up the card.[/i] [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: C-[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][U][B]The New Wave vs Shawn Gonzales and Johnny Martin[/B][/U] [COLOR="Blue"][FONT="Century Gothic"]HARDDCORE MATCH FOR THE DaVE TAG TITLES[/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Guide.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/Scout.jpg[/IMG] -vs- [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/ShawnGonzalez.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/JohnnyMartin.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Result: The New Wave d. Shawn Gonzales and Johnny Martin after Guide pins Johnny Martin following a [b]Guided Missile[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: When Mark Cuban started this job, he sat down with me and Nemesis for our initial orientation meeting. He asked us for a detailed scouting report on every single worker. This is what I said about [b]Shawn Gonzales[/b]: "Gonzales is consistent but not excellent. He has good technique and stamina, works safely and will never put anyone in the hospital. His arsenal of moves is very limited and, while individually impressive and effectively delivered, his style hasn't changed appreciably in the last five years. For this reason, he is something of a known quantity to DaVE fans and this cuts two ways - they will root for or against him, and he's considered a rock-solid company guy. On the other hand, he's incapable of making a splash or being a part of any plotline that is supposed to be innovative or groundbreaking. Gonzales has the popularity to make occasional jumps into the main event, but [b]you should resist the urge to do so - a Gonzales main event, while rarely terrible, is also never impressive.[/b]" How quickly we forget. Gonzales and Martin are instantly popular - they're two of the oldest and most established workers that DaVE has, and they literally drip with crowd credibility - so they're exactly the sort of workers that Guide and Scout need to plow through occasionally if they're going to have any hope of rising above the "Tag Team Wash-out" label that adhered to [b]Adrenaline Rush[/b] throughout their lukewarm title reign. And again, this is not really a disappointing match. I'd hoped for a little more, especially from Gonzales, but everyone holds their own. Guide, as usual, is the star of the night from a technical perspective, showing off the crisp, paramilitary style that has made him so effective as a brawler while working in the aerial technique that is still a little shocking on a man his size. At one point he creams Martin with an axe kick that catches him right between the eyes from a fully standing position. I don't know anyone else that big who has so much flexibility in their legs, especially while wearing jackboots. But there just isn't enough overness to go around in this one. It makes Guide look great, which I wanted. It gives the champs some instant post-PPV credibility, which I wanted, but it doesn't stop me from slapping myself. Hell, as tag matches go, this really was one of our best and I'm happy with it, especially because it seems like the champs really do deserve to have the belts. But that's not enough. It comes out like this: If I've never... EVER... managed to get the sort of ratings out of a tag match that I would need to justify putting a tag event as the main event on our flagship show, what the hell possessed me to do it here? Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. I liked what I saw from the tag champs. I needed to get Elemental some TV time. And the Tyler/Cuban plotline took another substantial step forward... but still, not a good night. And everyone knows why. Until I get an answer from Peak, I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I sure as **** can't book a show. My cellphone buzzes. Tomorrow is to be the day. My own personal Day of Judgment.[/i] [COLOR="DarkRed"]Rating: C[/COLOR] [FONT="Arial Black"][u]Show Rating: C-[/u][/FONT] [b]SHORT FORM[/b] [QUOTE]Vin Tanner d. Kashmir Singh, Cammy Vessey and Nathan Coleman - D+ Alex Braun d. Hell's Bouncer - D+ The Brandons d. The McWades - C- The New Wave d. Shawn Gonzales and Johnny Martin - C [/QUOTE]

[DodgyDavid]

Quality show, nice to see you back again, as soon as you've got this Eddie situation sorted out you can begin to put on your typical kick-ass show.

[Jehovah]

You've Peaked our interest! We all need to know who Eddie Peaked! Come on, Monkeypeaks, before Payne Peaks the answer himself! Nervous reaction. Genuinely very curious. Consider my breath baited.

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"Eddie Peak"[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] [i](OoC: Let me start by saying that I have legitimately agonized about this. Eddie Peak is a tremendous part of this dynasty and I've become awfully attached to him as a character, but I think it would be a disservice to playing as "DaVE" if I used the editor or in any other way cheated or modified my behavior to force Peak to stay, so I didn't. And if he leaves, we're just gonna keep going right on through it. I won't be shutting this dynasty down, and I think I can figure out another champion if I have to. So here it is - Peak's decision, unedited.)[/i] The meeting wasn't until 5 o'clock, and the day was the longest of my life. With no show to book and not a whole lot to do besides sit and think, I spend the morning at my computer, glumly pounding refresh on the DaVE bulletin board and forcing myself to keep my hands off of the bottle of Makers I keep in my desk. [b]Payne[/b], thankfully, was silent today. Either his sources weren't enough to give him the exact day of Eddie Peak's ultimate decision or he was making a rare showing of mercy to me and DaVE. DaVE fans weren't quite clued in either - most of the chatter was about last night's lame show, though the fans weren't being nearly as hard on me as I was being on myself, and the hottest thread on the board was currently something called "How much does SWF suck compared to DaVE?", which I can live with. As the hours ground down to nothing, I started pacing, staring angrily at the unseasonably sunny day just outside my window, feeling pissed-off and undirected, trying to remind myself that Peak hadn't actually left yet, that he might still break with all logic and decide to stay, though I couldn't even begin to fathom why he would. My offer was all I could afford - basically a little over 2k per appearance with a few extra perks and a share of merchandising. Not terrible, but certainly not what he could get from TCW or NotBPW. [b]5:00.[/b] As the clock nudged up against the five-o-clock hour, I found myself sweating, and finally uncorked my good friend whiskey. Eddie, maybe more than any wrestlers on the DaVE roster, wouldn't be put off by the stink of whiskey on my breath. I doubt he'd even notice slurred speech. The whiskey hit my mouth like liquid velvet, and I instantly felt better. I put my boots up on my desk and let the confidence burn its way down my terrified capillaries. [b]5:25.[/b] Not enough to make me nervous, exactly. Eddie is notorious for being late. No one knows quite what makes Eddie tick, after all. I've seen him bite a man hard enough to draw blood, and I've seen him bawl his eyes out over a dead bird that flew into his hotel window. But he's unfocused as anything, always forgetting to do everything that isn't wrestling. Suddenly it occurs to me that maybe I should've had [b]Nemesis[/b] do this negotiation for me, that he knows Eddie better than I do, that they share something I never could. Suddenly uncertain, I eyeball the phone and decide on another drink. [b]5:57.[/b] I reach for the phone. Calling Eddie is always something of a crapshoot. Phones, particularly cellphones, don't fit his personality in the least. He loses them, he breaks them, he sits on them. Last year we got snowed in after a show before Thanksgiving, and Emma Chase made us all a fantastic thanksgiving dinner complete with all of the trimmings... about halfway through, we discovered that Eddie had shoved his cellphone in with the stuffing, where it'd cooked for eight hours. Emma had shrieked but the rest of us had all laughed together about it around the table. Those memories, if anything, were all that might keep Peak at DaVE. But he didn't answer my call, and I listened to the echoes of the ringing until the line finally disconnected. [b]6:16.[/b] I'mnotshurhe'scoming. I blink hard, feeling the chair lurch under me as the room starts to begin a slow, clockwise rotation. I'm drinking too fast. I'll slow down after the next one. [b]8:44.[/b] My head snaps up from my desk as the phone rings, and I immediately feel an acid wave of bile creeping up my throat. I answer with fumbling fingers, but it's just Cuban, wondering how the negotiations went. His voice is chipper - 1000 saccharine jackhammers in my ear. I mutter something about an earthquake and everyone being dead and hang up the phone. After a moment's consideration, I tear it out of the wall. Most of a bookshelf comes down with it. I stare at the books. Time slips away. [b]11:31.[/b] The whiskey is nightmare juice now. I'm not quite out, not quite in, face plastered to my spinning desk, head full of terrors. I can't hate Eddie for not showing. He doesn't work that way. But it's over, for me, for him, for DaVE. This can't be the end of the world... I fumble for the bottle but I can't open my eyes. I feel fingers hit glass and hear a bottle shatter. The room slips away again. This time the darkness is a million miles deep. There's no bottom... . . . . [b]5:52.[/b] The first pangs of sunlight hit my eyes like fire. My tongue is fat and dry, my eyes crackle open through layers of dried goo. The right side of my face is a spackled mix of drool and vomit. Every muscle in my body screams in protest as I stagger to my feet. The room lurches, and I consider the mess through bleary eyes. The floor is covered in papers, whiskey and broken glass. My bookshelf is lying on its side, and a small section of drywall is missing, having torn itself out with the phone. Taking a long step across the destruction, I stumble over to the wall mirror, catching myself with both hands. My reflection is a horror movie - red eyes, slime caking my cheek, slack-jawed and with ink smeared across my forehead. I frown. I don't remember a lot, but I can't remember ever handling a pen. I lean closer. The smear resolves itself, coalesces into letters. [i]Y... E..... S...[/i] I spin around fast enough that I almost lose my balance. And there it is, filled out lovingly in red crayon, partially soaked through with whiskey and vomit... Eddie Peak's new contract. Signed and delivered by the man himself. He's staying. He's ****ing staying. I joyfully throw up all over myself, laughing through the tears. [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/EddiePeak.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [i]Next: It's back to business... Peak may be staying but the title is still vacated. Far more importantly, stay tuned for a very special appearance on this week's Vendetta!.... [b]IT'S SURE TO BE HIGH IN FORCHLORIANS....[/b][/i]

[mad5226]

congrats on keeping Peak man, I didnt think it was going to happen. Can't wait to see what you have in mind for the foooorrrccceee it should be a great laugh.

[theoutlaw321]

Monkeypox, it is moments like this that show just how great a diary this is. That was freakin' brilliant. I know it bantered about alot how great this is or that on these boards, but man that was AWESOME! I too am glad that Peak resigned. Long live DAVE!

[DodgyDavid]

great stuff, you really had me there, absolute gold