Mark Cuban Does DaVE!

[Payne]

Hmm, that one seems a little long. What do you think, Pox?

[Gozer]

I don't know about Mr. M-Pox, Payne, but I loved it - I think the interplay between the two of you adds a lot to the diary (I like that you started doing it and I like that he wrote you in and gave you a backstory), and you absolutely nailed him with that bit about the ref and the blood match. I suppose there is such a thing as "too much", but I don't think you're even in the neighborhood right now. I really enjoyed it - you two play off of eachother well. (I love it when I talk in TEW road agent notes!) ANyhow, MPox... liked the last show... no offense, but it's good to see you booking as well as you write! I feel like I say no offense too much... And I KNOW I say this too much, but I continue to dig the characterization so much, man. Eric Tyler and Eddie Peak are just... man, they're awesome. They've got consistent characters and I'm marking out for both of them. Exchange of the night: [QUOTE]Eddie: (stares at the casserole for a moment, then extends a thick finger, scoops up a handful and mashes it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully) "I like little marshmellows. They are like little children." Dozer: (totally doesn't notice) "Right, well, I've just moved down here from Minnesota and I got a stomach full of butterflies, you know? It's a big day for ol' Dozerino and - " Eddie: (puts an arm around Bulldozer) "You are new and I want you to visit me in my home. Do you want to visit me in my home, my little marshmellow?"[/QUOTE] :D

[Payne]

Thanks for the feedback, Gozer. I have no idea where this is going to go. Maybe Pox does, but, I am just "angry 'net smark" for the time being.

[Jehovah]

Ha ha, love Bulldozer's gimmick. I couldn't come up with something that good for the lug if I tried. Kudos. If you ever need to turn him heel, "Bah Gawd, Smith just nailed his partner with that casserole!"

[Wallbanger]

Most excellent show, and another great gimmick, you have 'Dozer channeling the spirit of Betty White -- an amazing feat considering she's still alive! One teensy weensy quibble, though. If he's truly a Minnesotan, he wouldn't have called it 'casserole', he would have called it 'hotdish'. ;)

[Guest The Aussie]

I'm certainly enjoying Jack Giedroyc (sp?) and Bulldozer Brandon Smith in this diary. Two very well done personalities

[Monkeypox]

[QUOTE=Wallbanger;202217]One teensy weensy quibble, though. If he's truly a Minnesotan, he wouldn't have called it 'casserole', he would have called it 'hotdish'. ;)[/QUOTE] I'll hafta take your word on that one, but okay - duly noted. And Payne, I think the length and style is good - very consistent with what I had in mind for your role, so keep up the good work! And as always, thanks for reading, everyone!

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][B][SIZE="5"][FONT="Book Antiqua"]"Cutting Off The Devil's Right Hand"[/FONT][/B][/SIZE] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/TravisCentury.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Small bit of business to fill the gap between the two weekly shows as "The Devil's Right Hand" Travis Century's contract is coming up for renewal. Vibert let me handle these things on my own, but Cuban has implemented some new system of "performance review" that calls for a sit-down meeting between me, Cuban, Nemesis and whoever the worker is. Nemesis and I are agreed that this is more new-age bureaucratic nonsense, but Travis Century would be the guinea pig. Cuban instructed the two of us to watch and learn. I promised to do at least one of the two - Nemesis pointedly stared out the window. Travis came in dressed casually and sat in his chair, waiting for us to slide the offer across the table. Mark smiled, offered him a cup of coffee which he accepted, and flipped through a folder. "Okay, Travis, why do you think we should keep you?" Mark was still smiling, but his voice was ice cold. Travis stammered a bit as he responded. "Uh... I dunno. I think I, you know, work hard and uh... give 110% and... uh... don't make trouble backstage and... uh..." Mark nodded. "Okay, in that case, how much do you think you are worth?" Travis stammered some more. "Well, the way I figure it, my written contract was worth 7k a month, right? And I understand we're goin' back to PPA now what with the company bein smaller and all, so I figured that if I work four or five shows a month or so, you'd be payin me the same amount if you gave me, like, 1.6k per, right?" Mark's smile disappeared. "You want $1,600 per show? Can you tell me why you deserve that?" Travis stammered some more. "Well, uh, the uh..." Mark cut him off. "You know what, never mind. Here's the deal, Travis. Over the course of the last month, you've seen a lot of action and gotten a lot of TV time, and you know what? You ain't done much with it. Your matches are predictable, your character is going nowhere and you can't seem to do anything to spice up a match that doesn't involve hitting someone with a chair. Even against [b]Jack Giedroyc[/b], the best you could manage was "acceptable"... and you've even managed to make [b]Art Reed[/b] look bad. That's not easy to do. For a long time, I thought the weak point in the Menace tag team was [b]Hell's Bouncer[/b]... now I'm pretty sure it was you. I'm going to make you an offer, Travis, and I suggest you think very hard about accepting it." Travis tore open the envelope, stared at the numbers and stood up. "1,200? Is this a ****ing joke?" Mark smiled. "No joke. I'm hoping you don't take it. It'll free up a roster spot that we can use on someone with a future." Nemesis stirred in his chair, visibly unhappy and glaring at the side of Mark's head. Travis shakes his head for a long second, then drops the envelope. "Man, you don't know how long I've wanted to work here. You really don't. DaVE is like... I dunno, DaVE was IT, you know? DaVE is where you go and keep it raw, work with the best, work under guys like Nemesis, you know? And Mark, you just came in here and ****ed everything up. Nemesis, Jack, I got nothing against you two, but you should really find yourself new jobs before this guy finishes cornholing this place. Stuff your offer, ***hole." Travis Century slams the door on the way out. Nemesis turns immediately to Mark. "Mark, listen. Travis is in his 40s - he's too damn old to be going back to somewhere like NYCW, tryin' to get minutes. He was really happy here. He likes it here. And hell, with all the work he's put in, I don't like turning him out on the street like this. If you could just bring the offer up a couple hundre -" Mark: "No. He's part of the problem. I am tired of watching the old guys mail in matches because they were able to get away with it under Vibert. Century has been wrestling like crap since the day I got here. He knew his contract was coming up for renewal. This will send a message to the other guys in the locker room that it doesn't matter how much experience you have, you need to bring it. If you can't do that, you aren't part of the long term picture." Nemesis paused for a long time, stood up, and responded very slowly. "You're sort of a prick, Mark." Mark didn't miss a beat before smiling. "I get that a lot. It's part of the job." [i]Next: Vendetta![/i]

[Gozer]

Wow. I hate Travis Century (if you remember, I'm a DaVE player myself), I canned him a long time ago and didn't think twice about it. And now you've got me feeling even sort of bad for the guy. And therefore a little guilty about firing him myself. Thanks for nothing, dude. :D

[theoutlaw321]

Cuban reminds me of my boss a little.

[theoutlaw321]

Except a lot richer and with an actual personality.

[Payne]

So, it has come to my attention that Travis Century, "The Devil's Right Hand" has a contract renewal meeting set up. Word has it that it didn't go too well. While I don't particularly care for Travis, I think that the decision to let him go was bad on the part of Cuban. The guy is too old to try and get ring time in the indies. Maybe someone will scoop him up for a jobber, or, if he's lucky, he could go over to Japan, as WEXXV could probably use him as a road agent. Sorry, Travis, not sorry to see you go.

[Beeker]

[QUOTE=Payne;202790]So, it has come to my attention that Travis Century, "The Devil's Right Hand" has a contract renewal meeting set up. Word has it that it didn't go too well. While I don't particularly care for Travis, I think that the decision to let him go was bad on the part of Cuban. The guy is too old to try and get ring time in the indies. Maybe someone will scoop him up for a jobber, or, if he's lucky, he could go over to Japan, as WEXXV could probably use him as a road agent. Sorry, Travis, not sorry to see you go.[/QUOTE] Ah 'Pox... careful with Payne, if he becomes too uppity put him in charge of merchandising, he's a dab hand with silk screening! Honest! As for the diary it's easily one of the best on the boards. I'm digging the fact you're actually making the characters come to life. In addition to the obvious, I'm liking Nemesis' utter distain for Cuban. And you've sadly nailed Cuban's skills right on the money. Bring in some Mav for a pointless TV Boosting angle... although I doubt Cuban would like Dirk take the Widow's Peak. Shame though. And Century needs to come back along with Citizen X and someone else to inentionally stink up the joint and bring down the resurging DaVE from the inside.

[Payne]

Aw, hell, ya know I miss ya, Beek. Hey, if worst come to worst, I got a couple of ideas for shirt for the guys, Pox.

[mad5226]

Great entry as usual Pox. I love the way you make people who read part of the action. It makes this diary come to life even more.

[Monkeypox]

I'd be happy to see that, Payne. I'm graphically challenged and I need all the help I can get. Vendetta up tomorrow... Art Reed is working for NOTBPW and it screwed my booking a bit...

[Payne]

Let me think about that for a while. Coming up with a lot of ideas and Photoshopping shirts can be a pain in a$$.

[Payne]

Here's a quick one for your poster child, Acid [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/Acid.jpg[/IMG]

[Gozer]

THAT SHIRT KICKS ***! Seriously! That looks great!

[Payne]

I think I've got my first customer

[Rob5KC]

I've got to agree with Gozer on this, Payne. That shirt is sweet. And monkeypox, this diary has actually gotten me hooked on C-verse so much that I've even started my own. Usually, I only use the "real world" mods that come out, but you've breathed life into these characters and in turn, inspired me to try my hand with the C-verse. Not likely that I'll be posting any of mine, but just thought you might like to know you're influencing people out here...well, one at least. :D

[Monkeypox]

Payne... dude, you rock. That shirt is awesome. I want one. I think I might use that picture for my in-game avatar, if that's okay with you. [QUOTE=Rob5KC;203381]And monkeypox, this diary has actually gotten me hooked on C-verse so much that I've even started my own. Usually, I only use the "real world" mods that come out, but you've breathed life into these characters and in turn, inspired me to try my hand with the C-verse. Not likely that I'll be posting any of mine, but just thought you might like to know you're influencing people out here...well, one at least. :D[/QUOTE] Thanks, buddy, that's really high praise. I heard Gozer say once that he doesn't even like wrestling (I think on Jehovah's excellent and CONSPICUOUSLY SILENT SCAR diary) except for the C-Verse. I don't take it that far, but the C-Verse really does have a way of coming alive after awhile... not only does that open the door for really interpretive stuff to happen on the boards, but you get people playing the characters out really, really differently. Anyhow, I'm glad you're into it, man. It's amazing what a good job Ryland did putting the gameworld together.

[D-Lyrium]

1, I want that shirt. Now. Gimme. :D 2, If you put CHIKARA into the Cornellverse, I wouldn't bother with real life either :p (and it'd save me loads on DVDs, although apparently not on shirts).

[theoutlaw321]

I'll get in this too. I had never played a C-Verse game until after I started my NWA diary. I bought 2005 Christmas before last. Got the DOTT mod and was transported back to my youth. I read diaries on the board off and on but I never really got into anything that wasn't done with real life characters. That is until after I started my diary, I really started reading and keeping up with a few of the C-Verse ones. I have your's bookmarked, as well as Jehovah's, shipshirt's, and Scapino1974's. (Man I don't want to offend anyone, those are just the ones I can recall at 100 am in the morning off the top of my head without actually going and looking.) Anyway without rambling on any more than I already have. I've actually started playing a couple of games in C-Verse because of the great job you and other have done with your diaries.

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][B][SIZE="5"]"Couples Night"[/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] We're headed further out of our power base this week and I've resolved to try and take on the not undaunting task of fixing our very badly broken tag division. Ratings are probably going to take a knock way out here in an area where we only have D+ popularity but hey, that's just putting the bar where I like it. The tag division literally keeps me up nights. I know [b]Scout[/b] and [b]Guide[/b] are good wrestlers. I know [b]Sammy Bach[/b] and [b]Teddy Powell[/b] are spotmonkeys with really bad hair, but still quality workers. I don't know why this ceases to be true when they're wrestling each other. I don't know why the [b]McWades[/b], a team seemingly custom made for DaVE's rough-and-tumble style, can't seem to get anything going, and I don't know why the [b]Latino Kings[/b] even exist. There's a lot I don't know... so tonight is gonna be "Couples Night" here at DaVE... lots of pairs, standing together, making poopy and breaking my heart with another ADRENALINE RUSH of disappointment and fatigue. When the booker isn't taking it seriously, when the pairings are random, when [b]Eddie Peak[/b], [b]Big Cat Brandon, Acid[/b] and [b]Eric Tyler[/b] don't have any matches, you know it's DaVE: Vendetta! Welcome to the show! From [u]dave.com[/u]... [quote] [CENTER][SIZE="4"][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][COLOR="DarkRed"]DaVE:[/COLOR]VENDETTA![/FONT][/SIZE][/CENTER] [FONT="Book Antiqua"]Week 2, March 2007, In front of a crowd of 1,700 at The Den (East Coast).[/FONT] [i]Attendance is way below average tonight, probably owing to a bad local economy, but the predictions were a full thousand people higher than this. As a booker, this sort of downward trending makes my balls itch in the worst way.[/i] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]DARK MATCH: #8 Chris Caulfield vs Kashmir Singh[/FONT][/U][/B][/CENTER] RESULT: Chris Caulfield d. Kashmir Singh w/ a [b]Danger Drop[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: No one in this arena has ever heard of Kashmir Singh, and everyone had heard of America's Favorite SharkJumper, Chris Caulfield. I feel bad putting Caulfield in "training up the newbies" dark matches like this, but he's a sport about it and damned if he didn't make the kid look good. Singh has been sort of a forgotten man in DaVE recently, which is exactly what you'd expect for an anonymous brawler hired for something like $125 per show. I'll give Kashmir credit for bringing it every night and not showing the rust. He's keeping himself in shape, working hard, and waiting for his moment. A few more matches like this and I'll have no choice but to give it to him.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C-[/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]DARK MATCH: #5 Shawn Gonzales and Vin Tanner vs The Latino Kings[/FONT][/U][/B][/CENTER] RESULT: Shawn Gonzales and Vin Tanner d. The Latino Kings when Gonzales beat Rudy Velasquez with a [b]Latino Crab[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: America loves Shawn Gonzales. Did you know that? Yeah, it's true. I put him in a main event PPV with Eddie Peak and he blows it, and afterwards he's EVEN MORE POPULAR. I can run angles of Shawn Gonzales singing Sinatra and absolutely kill the show, and his overness will just sit there, unaffected, keeping him in my Top 5. Did you know that Shawn Gonzales is more popular than Eric Tyler? This is the sort of thing that drives a booker crazy - the inexplicable fickleness of the fans, who will turn on a rock-solid veteran like Tyler in a heartbeat but refuse to vote Gonzales off the island. He didn't exactly bring it in this one, either, continuing to look a little bored with the whole wrestling thing. Vin Tanner, you crazy old bastard... you find yourself in the ring with continued punching bag Hector Galindo and what do you do? Nail him with a drop toe hold, stand up, smile at the crowd, and lock the surprised Mexicano into a Figure Four Leg Lock? When did you learn how to do that? First the ugly elbow drop and now this "old man taking a Sunday poop" looking leglock? I think it's safe to say that [b]Vin Tanner has improved in technical skills.[/b] That's really the best thing I have to say about this match. Oh, and Hector Galindo? Watching you wrestle not only hurts my eyes and hurts my ratings, it hurts my soul.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]RATING: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][B]***MAIN SHOW***[/B][/CENTER] The show opens with Alex Braun lacing up his boots. The crowd gives a pop that can only be described as "respectful, but a little disinterested". He's still credible as a face, at least. He heaves a sigh and the camera pans over to show Tank Bradley hunched over a laptop. Braun: Tank, put that thing down. Please. We've got a match. Tank: (mumbles, doesn't look up) Innaminute. Gotta kill this Orc Shaman. Braun: (walks over) What are you doing over there, Tank? Tank: (now animated) This? Oh, this is awesome! This is World of Warcraft! I'm a level 15 Night Elf Paladin! I am questing in the magical world of Azeroth! Braun: (silent for a long time) That's... uhm... that's good? What's your little guy's name? Tank: Valtrex the Unruly!!! Braun: Yeah... he's cute. (pauses) Tank: He's not cute, he's fearsome! His hunger for battle is insatiable! His thirst for bloodshed will never be quenched! His name is fearfully whispered all across the Plains of Thunder Bluff! Braun: That's good, uh... yeah. Do you know that Valtrex is a herpes medication, Tank? Tank: VALTREX IS A JUST AND VIRTUOUS CHAMPION OF GOODNESS. Braun: My mistake. Could you maybe just get ready? [COLOR="Sienna"]Angle: Tank Bradley loves Warcraft! Rating: C-[/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]The New Jersey Devils vs The New Wave[/FONT][/U][/B][/CENTER] RESULT: The New Wave d. The New Jersey Devils when Guide hits Alex Braun w/a [b]Guided Missile[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: We've seen this song and dance before. Guide looked good, Tank looked tired and awful. Braun just looked tired. This was basically a two on one, with Tank (still lustily boo'd by the ever hostile audience) making only short stints in the ring and Braun forced to launch a heroic but futile offensive against the calculated New Wave attack. Guide plays with him for awhile before cutting him down with a [b]Guided Missile[/b]. Scout makes a lunge at Bradley, who spooks, jumps off of the turnbuckle and runs halfway into the crowd while New Wave laughs at him and heads up the ramp. After the match, a dazed and unsteady Braun is clearly unhappy with him. Braun limps alone up the ramp with Tank trailing disinterestedly behind him.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]The Cult of the Gray Dragon (Black Eagle and #10 Fumihiro Ota) vs JD Morgan and Nathan Coleman[/FONT][/U][/B][/CENTER] RESULT: The Cult of the Gray Dragon d. JD Morgan and Nathan Coleman when Ota d. Coleman w/a [b]Ninja Strike[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: Another headscratcher of a tag match. Just last week, we saw JDM and Coleman put on a surprisingly good show in a match against Adrenaline Rush that probably shouldn't have been stuck in the pre-show. I develop a little confidence in the guys and throw them against another premiere tag team and they lay an egg. I don't get it. JDM is mostly a technical worker, but so is Ota. I don't know why they wouldn't be BETTER together than he was with an aerialist like Sammy Bach. Part of it is that we aren't as over way out here in the boonies, but that's only part of it. It just doesn't make sense - Ota should've eaten this match for breakfast, but Black Eagle was the guy who held this all together (barely). And for all of his heavy lifting, he's definitely the lost member of the Gray Dragon as far as overness buildup is concerned. I'm sure we took something of a ratings hit operating this far out of the Tri-State area, but Ota is on the cusp of the main event. I need him to bring a little more than this.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]"The Bulldozer" Brandon Smith vs "The Devil's Right Hand" Travis Century[/FONT][/U][/B] [COLOR="BLUE"]HARDCORE MATCH[/COLOR][/CENTER] RESULT: Bulldozer Brandon Smith d. Travis Century by DQ after Eddie Peak and Nemesis interfered. [i]Jack's Notes: Anyone who follows DaVE at all was gonna have a pretty good idea how this one would play out, but that didn't stop the crowd from getting behind it. In a way, this is a dream match for Travis Century - totally brawl based, and with plenty of opportunities for him to scream to his Dark Lord for help... the best of which was one sequence where Bulldozer lifted him into an awesome military press and just held him up there... Travis was about seven feet off of the ground, screaming for the Dark Lord to scorch Dozer with his Hellfire or whatever, and Dozer actually started laughing before he slammed him to the mat. Dozer gives Century his only offense by absorbing two chairshots to the face before punching the chair back into Century, but I winced involuntarily when Dozer charged Century for his patented turnbuckle avalanche and Dozer took the corner of the turnbuckle right in the socket of his shoulder - Nemesis once dislocated his arm that way, and I knew Cuban would have my *** if Dozer hurt himself in one of those semi-forbidden hardcore matches I keep insisting we should have, being a hardcore fed and all. By the end of the match, Dozer is thoroughly in control and is signaling for the [b]Hail Mary[/b] on the prone Century, a running sit-out powerbomb finisher. It's about then that [b]Eddie Peak[/b] and [b]Nemesis[/b] hit the ring and blindside Dozer and start laying some heavy hurt into him for the DQ. [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C[/COLOR] Peak and Nemesis beat on Dozer for quite awhile and the crowd really throws their lungs into booing. Peak is just setting Dozer up for a [b]Peak of Perfection[/b] into a steel chair when [b]Big Cat Brandon[/b]'s music hits the ring. He charges with a headful of steam but by the time he reaches the ring, Peak and Nemesis are ready for him and they're on him before he can get all the way to his feet. Brandon is able to stagger both men with monstrous punches but neither Peak nor Nemesis stay staggered for very long, and Brandon quickly finds himself reeling... but the crowd is cheering! Dozer is back up! As Brandon ducks and covers, trying to hold off a very heavy dual offense, Dozer cracks Nemesis in the back of the head, sending him over the side! Peak spins around and receives the same treatment! This time, it's Dozer helping Big Cat Brandon to his feet as the crowd explodes and the evil villains retreat to their lair, vowing revenge. [COLOR="Sienna"]Angle: Big Cat Brandon saves Dozer from a nasty 2 on 1. Rating: C+ [/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Adrenaline Rush vs Steve Flash and Johnny Martin[/FONT][/U][/B] [COLOR="BLUE"]DaVE TAG TITLE MATCH[/COLOR][/CENTER] RESULT: Adrenaline Rush d. Steve Flash and Johnny Martin when Sammy Bach d. Steve Flash with a [b]Bach on your Back[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: God, the tag division can eat a ****. Sammy Bach and Steve Flash both looked great out there, and the match still didn't draw! I don't understand! Johnny Martin is a DaVE legend and the crowd loves him, Flash is one of the best pure wrestlers this federation has ever seen, and Bach and Powell are relatively popular. I just don't understand. Under the table chemistry issues? Teddy Powell's terrible beard? Maybe this is a dead, momentumless crowd. It's almost certainly that. But maybe these pairings... ALL OF THEM... just aren't working. It's the last tag team match of the night and I still don't feel any closer to unlocking the riddle of why DaVE hates the four man game. Emma did get a good laugh by comparing Steve Flash to Steve Nash, though. (they both make everyone around them better, they're both Canadian, they both have terrible hair) She stole that line from a meeting but whatever, it worked. That, unfortunately, was the highlight of the match. Bach puts Flash away with an absolutely vicious [b]Bach on your Back[/b] and the champs defend.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: D+ (inexplicable, indefensible, especially with Flash in the ring)[/COLOR] The crowd gets really excited when Jack Giedroyc comes to the ring. He's really gained a lot of momentum lately, and I could tell that the crowd was sort of gagging for one of DaVE's really big-name guys. Giedroyc, wearing his ever-present dopey looking helmet, raises a hand to silence the crowd, and they immediately comply. Jack: Ladies and gentlemen, I am the Wrath of God. (pop) I have been told... by God... that my opponent tonight is the young Joey Minnesota. (boos, but the crowd is excited about what should be an excellent match) I can see into the soul of young Mr. Minnesota, I have that power. And because you are all my children and I embrace you to the divine warmth of my wrathful bosoms, I will share with you the insight of my celestial perception. (raises a "wrathful" finger, points it cryptically towards the backstage area) Jack: Joey Minnesota, I know you. Growing up, you were hated by your peers. You were not a bookish child or a nerdy child... no, you were far worse. You were a child who did not understand what should and should not be taken seriously. You were the child who would treat every game of dodgeball like a deathmatch, who never understood that sometimes it is better to win gracefully... that it can be better to win by one point than to win by twenty. In high school, no one on the wrestling team would spar with you, so hellbent were you on destroying them completely, humiliating them, demonstrating your superiority... and superior you were, at everything you did. Proud, vicious, lonely... totally alone. I see you sitting backstage at your old job at NYCW while the other wrestlers joked, wondering if every whisper was about you. Jack: That's why you finally left, wasn't it? The whispers in the halls, the whispers in your head? The terrible price of excellence? Never fear, lonely Minnesota. I will lock you in my Wrathful Embrace and you will have the repose you crave. I know your mind is full of terrors, of doubts. Jack: I will silence these thoughts for you, by knocking you the **** out. (HUGE pop as Minnesota's music hits the jumbotron and the match begins) [COLOR="Sienna"]Angle: Giedroyc taunts Minnesota. Rating: B-[/COLOR] [CENTER][B][U][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]#6 Jack Giedroyc vs #7 Joey Minnesota[/FONT][/U][/B] [COLOR="BLUE"]TABLE MATCH FOR THE DaVE BRASS KNUCKLES TITLE[/COLOR][/CENTER] RESULT: Jack Giedroyc drew with Joey Minnesota to retain the title after both men went through the table together. [i]Jack's Notes: Apparently, having the Brass Knuckles Title means that you have to defend the thing seven or eight times a week. To Giedroyc's credit, he hasn't complained of fatigue despite being put through the ringer on a weekly basis. This was as good of a match as I hoped it would be, with both men rising to the challenge and Giedroyc facing his strongest competition in a long time. Joey almost put Giedroyc through with a drop toe hold and Giedroyc (who was supposed to fall short) unexpectedly hit his chin on the edge of the table, sending shivers down my spine for the second time tonight as a big-name prospect yet again takes a nasty hit in a hardcore match. This was a nasty, fast-paced match. Minnesota continues to use a nasty, shoot-wrestling posture with lots of elbow strikes and one truly epic double-knee lift. When the end comes, it's unexpected but solid. Minnesota is dazed on the ropes and Giedroyc flies into the air for a cross-body press. Minnesota catches him but the impact sends both men over the turnbuckle and through a table... both men are motionless amidst the rubble as the show goes down.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C+[/COLOR] [B]SHOW RATING: C[/B] [/quote] [i]Wow... considering that I gave most of the main eventers either soft-pitch dark matches or no work at all and let a whole bunch of underperforming tag teamers more or less dominate the first half of the show, this turned out okay. Giedroyc demonstrates his ability to carry a show on his own by turning out a very solid main event in an area where we aren't particularly popular, and Dozer provides a merit-worthy undercard against Travis Century. I gotta give Century some credit, honestly. For a guy who just received a lot of very personal bad news, he carried himself like a professional. I'll need to have Nemesis thank him for me... for what was not at all the first time this week, I feel a strong twinge of regret... not necessarily that we're letting Century walk - he really did want too much money - but that we didn't handle the separation better, that we've created so many hard feelings. That's something I can worry about tomorrow. For now, it's time to find the bar... any place called "The Den" has to have one, and feel good about booking a reasonably solid show. I'm only halfway through my first beer when I get the call. There's been an injury and it's serious. Very serious. I slap a tenner on the bar and drive 75 all the way to the hospital. By the time I get there, Nemesis and a lot of the guys are already there, sitting in a waiting room, silent, eyes on the floor. Their faces tell me everything. Nemesis steps up, crosses the waiting room, places a huge hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear. I feel something inside me give out as I hear the news.[/i]