Mark Cuban Does DaVE!

[theoutlaw321]

Another great show(as always.) I have a feeling you will be able to use the Flash injury in a good way(unlike the tagice demise and absurd storyline when Eddie Guerrero passed-RIP amigo.) Anyway I'm loving the Peak/Nemesis pairing. Of course I tend to mark for the heels(good ones.) Keep up the good work and get that thing done with Peak. PS-If you need some extra cash, let me know as I have this car business going strong on the side!

[Gozer]

The Old Dirty Bastards? Brooklyn Zoo? I might not have caught your German movie thing but I caught that one. Wu-Tang! How many of your workers are based off of some sort of pop culture thing? You've only confessed to two - Giedroyc and ODB (and I guess you didn't confess to that one). Are there more? Anyhow, dug the show, nice to see American Elemental on board.

[Marcel Fromage]

Great diary. Have enjoyed reading through it. Struck me that you use pictures with this diary but you don't have Cuban on the CV background. Have done one for you just in case you want to use it. [IMG]http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k225/MarcelFromage/Real%20World/MarkCuban.jpg[/IMG]

[Gozer]

HA! That picture is great, Fromage! Use it! Use it!

[Monkeypox]

[QUOTE=Marcel Fromage;209117]Great diary. Have enjoyed reading through it. Struck me that you use pictures with this diary but you don't have Cuban on the CV background. Have done one for you just in case you want to use it. [IMG]http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k225/MarcelFromage/Real%20World/MarkCuban.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] VERY nice. Consider it in regular circulation for shows (though I might keep using other pictures of Cuban in other places - there are just so many of them and so many of them are accidentally hilarious - the guy is really so totally unphotogenic it hurts!) Thanks for the contribution, Fromage! I am about the most graphics/coding incompetent person on the board, so this really helps!

[Monkeypox]

[QUOTE=theoutlaw321;209034]Another great show(as always.) I have a feeling you will be able to use the Flash injury in a good way(unlike the tagice demise and absurd storyline when Eddie Guerrero passed-RIP amigo.)[/quote] I missed the plotline - what did they do? [quote]Anyway I'm loving the Peak/Nemesis pairing. Of course I tend to mark for the heels(good ones.) Keep up the good work and get that thing done with Peak. [/QUOTE] If Peak leaves, it won't be because I didn't offer him a huge salary, benefits, a title run, my girlfriend, an endless bag of fried chicken...

[Actarus]

[QUOTE=Monkeypox;209146]I missed the plotline - what did they do? [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.wrestlecrap.com/newinduction4.html[/url] FYI, though reading the above might make you mad

[theoutlaw321]

[QUOTE=Actarus;209176][url]http://www.wrestlecrap.com/newinduction4.html[/url] FYI, though reading the above might make you mad[/QUOTE] Still makes me mad. Another reason I despise Vince. Anything to make a buck. And don't think for a minute that I blame him. Vickie and Chavo, I don't know what to say. Saddening. Pathetic. RIP amigo.

[Monkeypox]

[CENTER][B][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"]"The Origins of Totalitarianism"[/SIZE][/FONT][/B][/CENTER] Nemesis and Shawn Gonzales joked back and forth with each other about the Steve Flash armband stunt while I sulked into my beer and eyed them uneasily. It was clear from the "**** Cuban" tone of their conversation that one or both of them had released the Cameron Vessey E-Mail to the internet, a move that undermined Cuban only indirectly and had a far more direct negative impact on me. Even more alarming, I had heard from our main Road Agent (The Wolverine) that Shawn Gonzales had arrived at the show very late, and had turned in something of a half-assed effort in his loss to Eric Tyler earlier in the night. I was used to having to send Hector Galindo or Tank Bradley the occasional harangue about lateness and responsibility and maturity - that's a part of being a booker anywhere, and it's something you expect from the young guys. But Shawn Gonzales is a seasoned professional, a locker room leader widely regarded as a role model in the locker room. I couldn't afford not to say anything, but I didn't know what to say. The armband stunt was funny and did a good job of getting at Cuban, but it also sent him a message that Nemesis either couldn't or wouldn't control the locker room atmosphere. I knew enough about Cuban to know that his reaction was likely to take the form of a clampdown, more restrictions that would even further erode his popularity with the veterans, and further encourage the coalescing of the workers into "pro-Cuban" and "anti-Cuban" factions. I knew that Cuban would consider that sort of fracturing to be at least partially my fault. Just as importantly, I knew a lot of the workers thought of me as "Cuban's boy". They had no idea how hard I'd been working to extract the sort of concessions they wanted - more hardcore matches, more minutes for the old guys - not to mention keeping Cuban from main eventing every show as a [i]wrestler[/i]. But there was no way to express that. They wouldn't understand, if they listened at all. I didn't blame them for disliking Cuban - there were a lot about him worth disliking. He was moody, he seemed to think of DaVE as some sort of lightweight lucha fed, he didn't treat the veterans like veterans, he made arbitrary decisions and last minute changes, and, most of all, he was just some internet nerd. This was a hobby for him. For a guy like Gonzales, it was his whole life. This isn't to say Cuban didn't have some good qualities and supporters in the Fed. He was funny, he bought everyone's drinks, the food backstage had gotten a whole hell of a lot better, he'd occasionally give out tickets to Mavericks games, rides in helicopters, that sort of thing. Chris Caulfield had warmed up to him, and the guys at Adrenaline Rush seemed to be doing their best to make him feel welcome. Giedroyc, Big Cat Brandon, Acid and Art Reed probably PREFERRED Cuban. So if Nemesis and Gonzales got their way and succeeded in making Cuban feel uncomfortable and marginalized, it wasn't like they'd have the support of the backstage audience... just half of it. Just enough to make my life very complicated. And then there was me. Cuban liked me but looked at me as unable to control the backstage atmosphere. Nemesis liked me but looked at me as too close to Cuban. If either ever made a decisive move against the other, they'd assume I was on the other side. The losing side. Who needs another drink? [I]From dave.com...[/I] [QUOTE][CENTER][B][FONT="Arial Black"]NEXT WEEK ON....[/FONT][/B] [IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/ven3.jpg[/IMG] (thanks for the banner Payne!!) [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/EddiePeak.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/HellsBouncer.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] DaVE fans have been clamoring for the opportunity to see [b]Big Cat Brandon[/b] finally square off in the ring against his long time rival and current [b][i]Unified Title Holder[/i] Eddie Peak[/b], and we've listened! Be sure to catch this superpowered collision this week, as Peak teams with young powerhouse [b]Hell's Bouncer[/b] to face Brandon and ally [b]"The Bulldozer" Brandon Smith!![/b] [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/JoeyMinnesota.jpg[/IMG]-vs-[IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/ArtReed.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] The sparks flew in a match between [b]Joey Minnesota[/b] and [b]Jack Giedroyc[/b] in a match for the [b][i]DaVE Brass Knuckles Title[/b][/i] that ended indecisively on [b]DaVE: Vendetta![/b]. Joey has demanded a rematch, but he'll have to get through [b]Art Reed[/b] to get there! #1 Contendership match to decide who will face Giedroyc at the next PPV! [b]ALSO...[/b] [b]Eric Tyler makes his challenge![/b] [b]Jack Giedroyc acts crazy![/b] [b]Cameron Vessey... DEBUTS![/b] [/QUOTE]

[Actarus]

Dude, daylight savings is like a love/hate relationship. When you gain an hour, you love it; when you lose an hour, you hate it. Life goes on... Your latest post was well written as usual, and communicated several emotions successfully. I'm feeling sorry for your head booker's situation, sympathizing with him, and at the same time, you manage to instill (for me) some subtle humor: "Pro-Cuban" and "Anti-Cuban" made me laugh! I look forward to your continued writings in this very strong diary!

[mad5226]

Yep daylight savings is dumb, especially when congress decides they can put it on whatever day they feel like. I'm really liking the two factions that are forming. I personally think what Cuban is doing is good.

[Payne]

Still no update on the injury sustained by Steve Flash, although I am sure it is also detrimental to the locker room. My heart still goes out to you, Steve. In other news, Brandon and Peak colliding at an untelevised event. Great booking there, jackass. I don't know what else to say. Tyler was dead spot on with the crap he spoke about the stupid #1 Contender deal. Like wins really matter in a pro-wrestling fed. Just one more showing of how little Cuban knows about running a wrestling promotion. Rumour has it that Cuban strictly denied the heels the use of the Steve Flash armbands, but, Nemesis kaboshed the whole deal, and, my sources tell me that things may come to a head between the "Anti-Cuban's" (read: Real Dave Wrestlers) and the "Pro-Cuban's" (read: Crappy young kids who haven't put in their time). I also read that this whole Tyler/Cuban feud is a swerve to turn Tyler face, take the belt off of Peak, and drop it to Acid. Read into this what you will. It was leaked to the internet and the press that Cameron Vessey wanted to be higher up the card, based on who his father is. My reaction? Well, if Joey Poison's cousin can get a push, anyone can.

[Gozer]

Ha! I love you, Payne. PUT IN YOUR TIME! TIME! PUT IT IN! Are all of your rumors true or is this in character? Do you have some secret pipeline that tells you these things? Like, is Tyler really gonna go face or are you just extrapolating that? And yeah, Brandon vs Peak is a big match-up for Vendetta - actually, your lineup for Vendetta this week is really strong. I was surprised too. I mean, shouldn't the Art Reed/Minnesota thing be a mainevent on a B-Show? But this is sort of a neat trend on this board (that suddenly has lots of crowd participation, I think it actually went [i]up[/i] after you were unpinned)... mad5226 makes a good point, and I'm with him. I think I'm actually [i]Pro-Cuban[/i]. I mean, Cuban is written to be sort of a dick and he is, but DaVE has gotten more exciting with guys like Acid and Giedroyc getting pushes. And I think you're a good booker, too. Not just because you do good writeups but because your ratings have actually gotten a lot better. And you've made some smart hires. So I guess I'm the anti-Payne. But that doesn't mean you aren't totally hilarious, dude. PLEASE don't stop with the snarking.

[Payne]

Gozer, I almost don't want to say this, but, everything I say is BS. It's just the character. Half the time I re-write what is already written, about a quarter of the time I take things right out of the top of my head, and the last quarter is me twisting stuff around. For example, the Tyler comment was totally made up. Much like Geidroyc being the one injured. But, it makes for good "Smark" reporting. I may even keep something like that going for a separate storyline of my own. For the record, I have no idea what Pox is doing. I get my updates just as soon as you do.

[Monkeypox]

Gozer, I wouldn't trust Payne. He knows plenty. ;)

[wrestlinggod]

great read, you know how to make the characters real. i've been reading all along, just now registered.

[Payne]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/View.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] There has been new news on the DaVE front. I have it from good authority that the contract of a major DaVE star is coming up for renewal, and this person may not be interested in renegotiating a contract. Rumour has it that this could put a major dent in the plans of a championship and major storylines. Nothing new on the Tyler/Acid/Cuban development, but I will let you know when I hear something.

[Monkeypox]

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="5"][center]"Upper Midcarders Say What?"[/center][/SIZE][/FONT] Staring at the lineup for Vendetta about seven hours before the show was scheduled to start, I found myself feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Eddie Peak versus Big Cat Brandon was by all means a main-event caliber event, but the additions of Hell's Bouncer, who couldn't go longer than 10 minutes without panting like a dog, and Bulldozer Brandon Smith, who was still a virtual unknown in this part of the country, were likely to drag down both the ratings and the match quality. Putting Bulldozer in a match of this caliber wasn't an oversight on my part - I needed to beef up his overness, and fast. He'd already made tremendous progress in a two week period, but he was still more or less an "opener", when the needs of the federation really required he make it to at least the midcard. But that [b]Art Reed/Joey Minnesota[/b] match was bothering me. Unlike Hell's Bouncer or even Bulldozer, Reed and Minnesota were virtually guaranteed to put on a good show - something crisp, violent, technically sound. The idea that I should demote the tag match to the upper midcard and run Art Reed and Joey Minnesota as the main event was a controversial one. I knew it would be likely to be received as political by Nemesis' backstage faction of veterans, who would probably perceive it as me aligning myself with Cuban and pushing the young guys at the expense of the more established, "DaVE" wrestlers... even going so far as to run a match between two upper midcarders over our two most iconic main eventers in[b] Big Cat Brandon[/b] and [b]Eddie Peak[/b]. I thought about it awhile longer, and sent off an E-Mail. [quote]To: [i]"Art Reed" (dredlock@dave.com), "Joey Minnesota" ( [email]minnesota@dave.com[/email])[/i] From: [i] "Jack" (booker@dave.com)[/i] Re: [i]The Main Event at Tonight's Vendetta[/i] Guys, after some hard thinking I've decided to promote your #1 contendership match to the main event tonight at Vendetta. This is a big opportunity for both of you, and I want you to interpret this promotion as a reflection of the very high level of confidence I have in both of you as workers and professionals, and my belief that both of you are headed to extremely big things in this promotion. Between us, I also hope you understand that this decision is by no means an uncontroversial one, and a poor performance tonight will reflect badly on me as well as you, and significantly impair my ability to push you in the future. There's no subtle way to say this, so I'm just going to say it: I'm sticking my neck out for the both of you because I think you deserve a shot. Please don't prove me wrong. Best wishes, Jack [/quote] After a long pause, I hit the send button, essentially writing the decision in stone. Lighting my ninth cigarette of the hour, I leaned back in my chair and resumed counting the cracks in the ceiling like lines in my face. [from dave.com...[/i] [quote] [CENTER][IMG]http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p44/monkeypocks/ven3.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] [FONT="Book Antiqua"]Live from "The Den" (New England) for a crowd of 1,700[/FONT] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]DARK MATCH: Jesus Chavez vs Kashmir Singh[/U][/B][/FONT][/CENTER] Result: Jesus Chavez d. Kashmir Singh w/a [b]187 Neckbreaker[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: God, they hate Chavez as much as Galindo. This was supposed to be a promo match for Chavez, especially since no one in this audience has ever seen Singh before. The audience was still booing five minutes after the match ended. They were still booing when the next match started. Cups were thrown, obscenities were shouted... I don't know what to do with Chavez and Galindo. DaVE fans hate them, and not in a way I can work with. I can't help but feel that they'd be better off somewhere else. This was the worst crowd reaction to a match in recent memory. I can only hope it doesn't set a trend for the rest of the show.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: E+[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]DARK MATCH: American Elemental vs Rudy Velasquez[/U][/B][/FONT][/CENTER] American Elemental d. Rudy Velasquez w/an [b]Inferno Splash.[/b] [i]Jack's Notes: AE didn't look as good in this one, mostly because Velasquez doesn't know how to set up his spots as well as Acid does. there's been something of a backstage debate about American Elemental lately. We need another face, sure, but I'm not positive that AE's "comic book hero" gimmick is really gritty enough for DaVE. There's been some talk of repackaging him as more of a "Batman" type character - he has the mic skills - sort of a good-guy version of Black Eagle. Tortured. Complicated. As it stands now, he's too much of a Spider-Man. Anyhow, he continues to look good in the ring, though the relative anonymity of both wrestlers kept things from getting too poppin'. Velasquez, for his part, seems exempt from the curse of booing that afflicts the other members of the [b]Latino Kings[/b], and is not nearly as close to an early forced retirement as his buddies.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: D+[/COLOR] [CENTER][B]***MAIN SHOW***[/B][/CENTER] This segment happens every week, and it never gets old. Cuban comes out to the center of the ring to his usual lusty mix of cheers and boos and starts talking. Today, he's talking about the two tag matches that will determine the Triple Threat match at the upcoming PPV - DaVE: RAISING HELL. But we all know he could be talking about puppies, or dragons, or anything else, and it would end the same way - with an Eric Tyler interruption. The crowd goes nuts when Tyler hits the ramp with a mic, greeting him with the same ratio of cheers and boos that Cuban received in reverse. Tyler: Hey, peckersnatch! I'm not sure if you noticed, but I kicked the hell out of Gonzales and those pansies and I got this bull**** [b]#1 Contendership[/b] thing. Remind me... I can challenge anyone with this thing, right? Anybody? To any kind of match? Is that what I'm hearing from you, bookworm? Cuban: (nods, terrified even though Tyler is way up at the top of the ramp) Tyler: Great. Okay, I'm gonna go think this over, crack a brew and get back to you in a few. Don't you go anywhere and don't you even think about tryin' to slip out the backdoor, peckersnatch. I got my boys watchin the doors, and believe me when I say you [i]don't[/i] want them boys to find you tryin to weasel off. They ain't quite as gentle as I am. (laughing, and mockingly polishing his new #1 Contendership belt, Tyler returns backstage, leaving Cuban open-mouthed and silent in the ring) [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C+[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]The Old Dirty Bastards vs The New Jersey Devils[/U][/B][/FONT][/CENTER] Result: The ODB d. The New Jersey Devils after Braun gets abandoned again. [i]Jack's Notes: Typical tag match - everyone looked good but Tank Bradley, as per the usual, but he was enough to drag the match quality down substantially, even with three reliable workers and a "protect" note. Tank continues to extend his weird "Valtrex the Unruly/World of Warcraft" fixation, actually [b]bringing a laptop to the ring[/b] and continuing to play during the match, which ends when JD Morgan takes the laptop away and cracks him over the head with it. Braun, again isolated in a 2 on 1, puts on a valiant struggle but is overwhelmed. The Old Dirty Bastards, looking greasy and thuggish, will face [b]Adrenaline Rush[/b] and another team for the belts at the PPV.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: D[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]#3 Acid vs Johnny Martin[/U][/B][/FONT][/CENTER] Result: Acid d. Johnny Martin w/a [b]Acid Rain Bomb[/b]. [i]Jack's Notes: Johnny Martin seems to have inherited the not entirely enviable role of being the A-List jobber for all of our best guys. And you know, he does a good job. He's lost a step or three since his days as DaVE's resident heroic icon, but he still puts on a good show and the crowd responds. Still, despite the sporadic heroics from the hometown goodguy, this one was never really in doubt. Acid is on a tear lately, looking extremely dangerous both on the mat and in the air, keeping Johnny on his heels and looking nearly unphased by the sporadic offense mounted by the beleaguered 90 year old good guy. (he isn't that old, but he's old) Johnny puts on a late-game rally, enough to get the crowd salivating for the upset, but Acid stops him with a swinging DDT and takes to the top for the Acid Rain Bomb and the win. A pretty showcase for Acid and a solid selling job by Martin.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C+[/COLOR] Acid has not but consolidated the threecount when Tyler hits the ramp. Acid is on his feet in a microsecond, eyes dead behind his mask, impassionate but ready for the scary bald guy headed down the ramp. Tyler raises a hand. "Cool it, freakshow, I'm just here to talk. Don't go with that steam crap and bail out on me." He turns to the back, halfway down the ramp. "CUBAN, get yer lilywhite self out here. I wanna talk to you." Cuban's music (still bad indie rock) hits the speakers a second later, and a somewhat harried looking Cuban hits the ramp, staying as far away from Tyler as possible. Tyler smiles. "Okay, peckerwood, I've given this some thought, and I'm ready to make my challenge." Tyler turns to Acid, still standing in the ring, his face a mask of hatred. "Alright, you masked freak. You've been hiding from me, running from me, throwing up steam and disappearing on me, and I've had it. I want you in the ring, and I'm going to have you. So I challenge you.... [b]MARK CUBAN[/b]!!!!" Cuban's jaw goes totally slack. With a trembling hand, he raises the mic to his lips. "I don't... but... what about... I mean... I thought... I ... uhm... (his voice rises to an impressive falsetto as he finishes) WHAT ABOUT ACID?" Tyler laughs. "Yeah, I was thinking about Acid, and thinking about DaVE, and thinking about how the hell this wrestling thing really works." Tyler turns, looking over his shoulder at Acid. "Hey! Freakshow! I want your ass in a cage at [b]Raising Hell[/b]! What do you say?" Acid is still for a long second, and then, almost imperceptibly, he nods. Tyler laughs. "Good, that's taken care of. Now, back to business. Like I was saying, I challenge you, Cubano. And that's not all... as you know, I get to pick the match, right? Remember that part?" Tyler leans in, baring his teeth. "And I've made my mind up on that part too. Next week, Cubano, I'm taking you to the ring for a STRAP MATCH. You hear me, peckerwood? [b]I'M GONNA WHIP YOU WITH A STRAP!!!![/b]" Cuban shakes his head, mouth wide open, looking like he's about to faint. Tyler takes a long step forward, pats him on the head, and slaps him loudly on the ass. Cuban jumps a foot in the air as Tyler heads backstage, still laughing. [i](Emma: I can't believe it! Cuban has a strap-match with Tyler next week on Danger Zone! This can't be happening!)[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C+[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]The Gray Dragon vs The New Wave[/U][/B][/FONT][/CENTER] Result: The New Wave d. The Gray Dragon by DQ. [i]Jack's Notes: I don't get it. I liked this match. Guide was his usual dynamic self, mixing scary turnbuckle legdrop lariats with razorsharp matwork, Scout shows his usual technical wizardry, Black Eagle bounces around like an evil pogostick, Ota is... well... ninjariffic... but the audience is still not behind it. I don't know if they just see it differently than me, if I'm wearing tag-colored glasses, if I've lost my edge, but to me, this looked like a good wrestling match. The tag division limps blindly toward the light, no one cheers. Interesting end to this one, at least. Guide has Black Eagle in the center of the ring and is having his brutal way, slapping the masked assassin from here to Sunday and back, when Ota, in clear view of the ref, whips out the blowgun and leaves a dart in Guide's neck. The ref starts to signal for the DQ and Ota does it again, this time darting the REFEREE! [i](Emma: The Gray Dragon doesn't even care about winning! They're just here to hurt people! They don't respect the rules at all!)[/i] Both Guide and ref slump to the ground, Scout charges in to catch both a [b]Ninja Strike[/b] and a [b]New Jersey Turnpike[/b], and an unconscious and beaten [b]New Wave[/b] advance to the triple threat match at [b]Raising Hell![/b][/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C-[/COLOR] Backstage, Nemesis is prepping Hell's Bouncer and Eddie Peak for their match against the Brandons. Nemesis: There is a threat rising. This... Brandon Smith, the one who calls himself the Bulldozer... he is becoming a problem. We need to end this problem. Tonight. I do not want him defeated - I want him destroyed. Go, my minions, and taste the blood of the Midwest. [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: B-[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]"The Brandons" vs Menace (Eddie Peak and Hell's Bouncer w/ Nemesis)[/U][/B][/FONT] [COLOR="Blue"]HARDCORE MATCH[/COLOR][/CENTER] Result: The Brandons d. Eddie Peak and Hell's Bouncer after Travis Century mistimes an interference. [i]Jack's Notes: Well, Peak looked like a god out there. And it hurt to hand him a loss, though he had very little to do with the actual mechanics of it - Travis Century tries to interfere with a chair, but a quick-thinking Bulldozer ducks and Hell's Bouncer catches one in the forehead, leading to the [b]Bo Jackson[/b] and a pin. Peak and Brandon share the ring for a few electrifying minutes in the middle of the match, and I salivate at the idea that these two will actually meet in the ring soon - I see ratings beyond ratings for the eventual championship match. Bulldozer carries his weight, but is held back a bit by being almost a total unknown in this part of the country. I can hear the audience wondering outloud as to the origins of this ruddy-faced brickwall of a man. Hell's Bouncer is gasping by the fifth minute of the match, even with strict orders to everyone to do everything possible to hide his weaknesses... but when the weakness comes in the form of a total inability to bring your A-Game for more than 45 seconds, there's not much you can do. It makes me feel for his girlfriend. Anyhow, if nothing else, I'm glad I slotted this one out of the main event. It wasn't bad, but it's certainly not anything that could carry the show. The pressure is on for Reed vs Minnesota.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: C[/COLOR] Giedroyc hits the ring and starts to tear down Art Reed. Giedroyc: Art Reed! I am the Wrath of God! And as the Wrath of God, I can see under your dredlocks, under your prison tattoos, under your training, and to the heart - the darkness under the darkness, the doubt under the doubt. And it is so that I see - (Reed hits the ramp) Reed: Dude, SHUT UP. Seriously. Wrath of God. Whatever. See, I've been scouting you pretty close... and some of your **** is startin' to look real shaky. You do the same junk every week, man... you get in the ring and start talking a whole bunch of psychobabble nonsense, and you get under some stupid dude's skin, and they get angry and they get sloppy and they all but hand you the match. Reed: I ain't gonna do that. You can say what you want, Wrath of God, but I got you scouted. You ain't talkin' to God, you ain't talkin' to nobody. You're a con-artist, straight up. And after I beat Minnesota, I'm takin' your belt. I'll leave you your damn bible, but I ain't even beginning to think you ever read it. Wrath of God my ass. Giedroyc: (shrugs) If you won't hear my benediction, I'll tattoo it on your ass. Try to save a man from the unrelenting flame of Hell, and what do you get? Mouth. There's more than one way to receive The Word, my friend. I'll be sure to write it on my boot before I use it to separate your teeth from your mouth. (Reed shakes his head, waves his hands at Giedroyc dismissively. He never sees Minnesota coming) [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: B-[/COLOR] [CENTER][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][B][U]#7 Joey Minnesota vs #9 Art Reed[/U][/B][/FONT] [COLOR="Blue"]SHOOT FIGHT - #1 CONTENDER MATCH[/COLOR][/CENTER] Result: Art Reed drew w/ Joey Minnesota following the expiration of time (25 minutes). [i]Jack's Notes: Well, here we go. I didn't quite put my career on the line for this one, but I definitely ante'd up more than a little in the way of credibility. It takes a few minutes to get it going, with Minnesota blindsiding Reed on the ramp and hurling him in the direction of the hexagon shaped ring, sans ropes, designed for this "shoot fight" main event. Once the men are squared off in the ring, Minnesota wastes no time, nailing Reed with a spinning heel kick and a sharp side suplex. For a few minutes, it looks like it'll be a short one, but Reed counters a second suplex attempt with a judothrow into an armbar, and treats the match like a true technician, keeping Minnesota pinned against the chain mesh and concentrating exclusively on the right leg (after taking a few sharp kicks to the chin). By the tenth minute, Minnesota's mobility has been seriously impacted, and he's limping visibly, but he does a good job of changing up his arsenal of attacks, relying more on arm-based rest-holds and some nasty irish whips to the fencing that leave Reed split open and dazed. By the fifteenth minute, Reed is slowing and Minnesota is gaining momentum, hitting a gasp-inducing snap suplex on Reed straight into the mesh that leads to a near fall. The match swings back and forth for the next few minutes, with a high degree of technical proficiency on display and a couple close calls off of small package/sunset flip style reversals. The crowd is into it, and so am I. Minnesota finally scores with a flip dropkick and a reverse jawbreaker, and Reed hits the ground in a heap at the twenty-four minute mark. Minnesota lines up the [b]Empire Salute[/b]... Reed dodges! He sweeps the leg, rolls through... [b]DREDLOCK![/b] Minnesota is trapped in the center of the ring, locked into the most feared submission move in all of DaVE, a variation of the legendary [b]Proton Lock[/b]... thiirty seconds... ten... five... one... MINNESOTA TAPS AS TIME EXPIRES! There's a long pause as the ref confers with the time keeper, and the match is ruled a draw! A clearly incensed Reed is fuming as he storms backstage, but Minnesota spent nearly forty-five seconds in the Dredlock, and is unable to stand. The announcers wonder allowed whether he has anything left for the PPV as the match ends inconclusively and the cameras go down. But the match was brilliant - clean technique, wonderful storytelling... probably the best match we've seen since... well, since Art Reed lost to Acid on Danger Zone. Both men justify the push I've given them and the youth movement takes another hearty step forward with this successful main event... but somewhere in the back of my mind, I see Nemesis, invisible backstage, standing with Gonzales, Braun and the others, hating every minute of this. Plotting. Suddenly, I can't relax.[/i] [COLOR="Sienna"]Rating: B[/COLOR] [B][U]Show Rating: B-[/U][/B] [i]Astronomical for this part of the country...[/i] [/quote]

[Pampero Firpo]

Another good show -- I love the blend of old school (I'm totally marking out for Tyler, Peak and Nemesis) and new (Acid, Minnesota and Reed are looking great). But I've got one problem -- you promised us a combination of Vessey and ass-kicking but the little daddy's boy still has all his internal organs intact. I want to hear him whimper as he looks into the soulless vacuum behind Eddie Peak's eyes. I want to hear him squeal as Eddie rips out his liver and puts it in a FedEx box to send to Larry in Japan. You've got to show Vessey that this is DaVE and that nobody gives a damn who his father is. I want Danger! I want Violence! I want Extreme! I want Eddie Peak to disembowel Cameron Vessey!

[Gozer]

[B][U][SIZE="4"]WHIP YOU WITH A STRAP![/SIZE][/U][/B] Dude! Tyler versus CUBAN in a STRAP MATCH! This is a dream come true! Seriously - didn't see that one coming, LOVED the bit where Tyler fakes like he's gonna use his challenge on Acid and then uses it on poor Cuban. We've been waiting for this one. Pampero's right, though... you promised us Vessey! What gives! And good to see the youth movement take another big step forward with tonight's main event. Good show... again... of course.

[Gozer]

Oh... and still marking out for the blowgun. :D

[Jehovah]

[QUOTE=Gozer;211489][B][U][SIZE="4"]WHIP YOU WITH A STRAP![/SIZE][/U][/B][/QUOTE]Seconded. It's becoming easier and easier to picture Tyler as a big-time face. I don't have the game in front of me, so I don't know if it's contrary to his natural alignment, but he could easily excel in the Stone Cold mold of "I hate everybody" freshened up with the "defender of the old guard" angle. But yeah, I'd mark so hard for a face turn by him laying out Guide and Scout. Or even him stumbling into a Cheeto-smelling basement where Tank and his nerdy friends are rocking the D&D, grimacing, slapping a revolver down on the table and telling them to play Russian Roulette "like non-q***rbaits".

[Payne]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/View.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] So, we have a couple of matches lined up, and a PPV to prepare for. Raising Hell has started off with a bang, having Eric Tyler finally getting his hands on golden boy Acid in a cage. With the PPV still a ways away, things could turn interesting. Also, on either a Danger Zone TV, or an upcoming Vendetta, Eric Tyler has challenged Mark Cuban to a strap match. There are different way a strap match can go, with either a pinfall/submission, or the old "touching the fourposts". With the way Cuban has booked Tyler lately, it will probably be in a Chuck E. Cheese, anyway, and the point will be to toss your opponent into the ball room. I hope this isn't giving anyone ideas. Kind of undecided on putting the Main Eventers before the #1 contenders match, although I get it in terms of ratings. Apparently, it was a hell of a match. Mind you, with a line up like that, I think it should have been on Danger Zone, instead of a glorified house show. But, maybe soon it will be, and they were just testing the waters. DaVE has actually improved over the last couple of weeks, and even I haven't had much to complain about. The New Guard is still running rampant over the Old Guard, and I still don't like Cuban, but, at least the shows have been watchable. Hell's Bouncer still sucks, though. On the news of someone high up leaving DaVE, it is still spoken through tight circles that the number has risen to 3 people may no longer be in the company over the next month. No specific names have officially been released, but the names Eddie Peak, Jack Geidroyc, Nemesis, and Acid have been tossed about as people who may not re-sign. Also, it has been rumoured that Nemesis is starting up an unofficial campaign, with other Non-Cuban supporters, and may even start up their own company. The people who come to mind would be Eddie Peak, Nemesis, Big Cat Brandon and Eric Tyler. Mind you, if Eric Tyler is planning to be Mark's Right Hand Man, then this really wouldn't be worth the cyberspace it's written on. That's the view from here, see into what you will.

[Payne]

[CENTER][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/View.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] It is being reported across North America, and in other regions of the world, that the booker of DaVE, a man who calls himself Jack Avatar, is missing. Some claim that he has has been abducted by aliens, while others claim to have seen him and female companion skiing the Alps. There have even been claims that Jack Geidroyc's gimmick of being the Wrath of God is not a gimmick at all, and God has struck Mr. Avatar down. Don't forget to buy your Jack Geidroyc T-Shirt: [[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/WrathFront-1.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/Wrathback-1.jpg[/IMG]

[Beeker]

[QUOTE=Payne;212650][Don't forget to buy your Jack Geidroyc T-Shirt: [[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/WrathFront-1.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/Payne666/Wrathback-1.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Payne, I dig your t-shirt making skills. But I can't imagine any wrestling promotion, not even hardcore DaVE putting out a shirt in the states (or anywhere in the world really) with the words 'Wrath of God' emblazoned across the front. Wrath of Geidroyc perhaps, but not of God. Then to put the angry fist juxtaposed with the angelic avatar. I mean... it doesn't work as a wrestling shirt on so many levels, but I love it because it is unique. And is it Giedroyc or Geidroyc? And 'pox, you need to start the Se7en Deadly Sins stable... Wrath is covered, just add Sloth (Bruce the Giant), Gluttony (Land Mass)... One thing about the diary itself, I find your face/heel divide to be almost... anti-kayfabe. Since your heels seem to be far more cheerable than your faces. Tyler/Cuban. New Wave (heels who didn't cheat) vs. Cult of the Grey Dragon (faces with a blowgun). It's all so topsy-turvy