Post by Josh Eagles on Feb 17, 2011 22:05:11 GMT -5
The air was chill and the sun peaking over the skyline of the city was bright. I took a deep breathe and missed the fresh air of the Canadian mountains but the air of the city was where I belonged now. This was Cookesville, this was the home of the Kingdom of Pride, my Kingdom. Now I stood on my hotel balcony preparing for another day of training, another day in the pursuit of becoming the Valiant Champion once again. But now my focus was different, my opponents had changed, and I had to rise to fight a new challenge. For months I had engaged in a war with Christian Kane, engaged in a war that would be remembered through the ages. I had fought, scratched, clawed, and earned my way to the top in order to win the title only to have it stolen away from me by Christian Kane and Tic Tic.
Two people had proven themselves cowards and less then men. Tic Tic attacked me and cost me the championship and then used that ability to weasel out of a match with me and with CK walking he never had to have a match against a KoP champion. Then there was Kane who did nothing but prove he couldn't stand up to me and walked when he knew I was going to take the belt back. To be truthful I felt sad on the inside, he had worked so hard to become a champion I wanted to see if he could do it. But he had proved me right.
Now as my grip tightened around the railing looked towards the future. Towards Stephen Callaway, towards Luke Haven, towards the 15 ft steel structure where I was supposed to step in a fight Christian Kane. My new opponents will provide a tougher challenge, a new challenge. I could feel the smile slide across my face. I had defeated Luke Haven two times before this and Callaway was up and coming but he wasn't ready to take this from me and I wasn't ready to let him. A knock on the door inside took my concentration away though and I pulled my robe closer around me and headed into the room.
It was 6:00 in the morning so I was unsure at who would be knocking on my door. Alex Avice wouldn't be that crazy. I approached the door my mind a riddle of who could be on the other side of it. I opened it and was surprised by the man standing in my doorway, a man who just days ago I stood beside.
"Shawn?"
That flashy smile, the swagger even when standing, there was no doubt that Shawn Stevens was standing in my hotel doorway at 6:00 in the morning smiling at me and holding a cup of coffee and a bag towards me.
"Coffee and a bagel?"
Shawn walks by me shoving the coffee and bagel into my hands, a coffee and bagel that aren't even from Tim Hortons. When I turn around he is lounging on my sofa.
"Sup Beagles, drink up while it's still hot. You like tomatoes right?"
"Jerk, it's the only thing I'm allergic to and I don't drink coffee."
"Oh right, I forgot all about that, well I'm starving anyway!"
Shawn sits up and grabs the coffee and bagel right from my hand. It was old tactics, reminded me of the BTE days. I sit down across from him still trying to puzzle out the reason he was here.
"Why are you here Shawn?"
"Well Beagles I am here for one simple reason and that is YOU. I may have retired but I still have a keen interest in doing one more thing and that is helping you win the championship."
I laughed so loudly I thought I was going to wake the neighbors. We had battled, we had been friends, and we had battled some more and now here sat Shawn Stevens telling me he wanted to help me win the Valiant Championship.
"I hope you didn't decide to retire to be a stand up comedian because funny jokes have to be partially believable."
"Well it should be believable because it's true. Why else do you think I'd stay around Cooksville for so long?"
"Clearly too torment me a little bit longer or the more likely cause is you want to see Stephen Callaway win the title."
Shawn leans back and flashes his smile and takes a big bite of the bagel as he looks to day dream about Stephan Callaway raising the championship belt.
"As much as I will celebrate the day that kid wins the championship it's not going to be this time, it can't be."
"Any why exactly is that Shawn? Why is it me winning this championship mean anything to you?"
Shawn now starts chuckling and leans back, it was smug.
"It's all about me Josh. As sad as it is my career is linked to yours, you started it, you set me apart from the crowd and then I surpassed you clearly. Now that I am retired, I want to make sure that I can repay that favor, I want to put you back on top and give back one more thing to the wrestling world."
Now I knew something was being planned, or taped. Maybe I was on punked.
"Since when do you think I am a gift to the wrestling world?"
"Well Josh as much as it doesn't come up between us I know you quite well. My brother used to employ you, I've seen you fight tooth and nail to win championships, to elevate people to the next level. When you came back to the PWH years ago you showed you wanted to be back and you've fought and you've fought to try and make a difference and then the thing you fought for was stolen for you. I guess we can call it community service."
I started to understand a little bit more. After everything we've been through together Shawn wanted to help define my career, but I don't think he had realized how much he had already elevated my career. I had always felt Stevens had what I deserved and now I had fought to get back into it.
"Well that is sure noble and all but I don't think there is really anything you can do Shawn. The match is just a couple days off and I've never felt more ready."
"Really? Well Josh I'd be willing to bet my credit card that your still hung up on the fact that you aren't facing Christian Kane and are instead facing Stephan Callaway and Luke Haven."
Huh. That could be a good point, it was public record that I wanted Christian Kane bad, but the title was vacant and Kane didn't work for the company anymore.
"Even if you were right and I did want to face CK I am not dumb enough to realize that Callaway and Haven are hungry and standing right in front of me and trying to gain the belt for themselves."
"Well I'm not naive enough to think you don't see them, I just don't think you are in the right frame of mind to handle them. I see you handled the whole Tala thing, not talking to yourself anymore which is a positive sign. But now you need to know and realize what exactly it is you are facing."
This was ridiculous, a long time friend, a long time rival was treating me like a rookie, like I didn't know what was in front of me.
"I know what I am facing Shawn. Stephan Callaway has been busting his ass off in this circle for the past couple years, he's a guy you can respect no matter what happens he keeps coming back. The truth is I've watched him all along, even admired him a little bit for the way he won't give up. I've faced him, I've beat him and he's a tough customer. I remember him in the PWF, I remember him on the starters, I've watched his UWL matches and I've seen his compete here in the Kingdom. He is a man who believes 2011 could be his year and he is driven to prove it and he'll try and push hard through me to prove that.
Haven is almost a personal interest now. He opened his career against me and in less then a month he took me to a level he wasn't even remotely close to before. But in the end I beat him twice, but now I know that every time he gets in the ring the guy gets good and that means he's going to be better, he's going to be stronger, and he's going to be more talented. Two hungry young studs in my match the one I signed a contract to be in. A 15 foot steel cage that the only thing you can do to win is escape. I'm not blind."
I watch as Shawn watches without blinking and finishes his coffee.
"That's a great thing to know Josh, I had no doubt that you knew the talent that you were going to be stepping into the ring with. I also know that you knew that because of the style of match you don't even have to be truly beat to lose. But what you are missing is that these are the final hurdles in becoming champion once more."
It hit me like lightning. It was true during all this time I never even considered what these two represented to me, the reason I needed to fight in this match. This was my match.
"That was something you never lost sight of when you started your career. In the UWL you were focused every time you won a belt. You saw an obstacle and you trained to beat and remove that obstacle. You started doing that once again in the PWF and you have spent all your time here doing just that. I know people are excited to see Callaway get that shot or even Haven, but I remember that you've been fighting for nearly four years to truly represent a company once again.
I tend to not believe that you have chosen to fight for all of these years in order to lose now. I remember the battles with Reck Maverick, with Adam Abel, with Jack Benevolance, hell with all of the Collective. You've never let anything stand in your way you have fought and fought. I think you need to realize that once again it's that time."
Stevens was right. I was looking at this all the wrong way, I was looking at two great opponents I had to face and not what they meant to me. Callaway and Haven represented the final paces of getting back on top of the company and on top of my game. I spent so much time focusing on CK putting him off his game and showing him what it meant to be a champion that I had started to forget what it was like to be a competitor.
"You're right as shocking as that is. I've been looking at this the wrong way and you know as well as I do that I want this and I want it bad. I haven't spent my whole life and dedicated my whole life trying to fight my way back into this. I'm a champion through and through and I want to represent this company and I am going to."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to bring that passion to the game, I'm going to bring that fire and energy. For Luke Haven the four walls going up won't be a haven but a hell and I can tell you that for Callaway he is still searching for the angle that works. These are talented kids, filled with passion, but I am filled with passion and I have the experience to back it up."
"I've heard your experience and lime light speech a million times, get some new material man."
"I've got new material Shawn. Each and every time I step into that ring I bring new material with me and I beat a new opponent. Sure I think Callaway and Haven are tough kids but they don't have what it takes to bring it at the top yet. When they can start winning the big matches then I'll begin to believe it because these two are the brightest future this company has. But 2011 is going to be the year of me again Shawn. It's been a long time since I truly sat on top, I was there once and I'll be back there again."
Shawn leans back and puts his arms up behind his head.
"Well you've certainly got the attitude."
"I'll walk the walk don't you worry. In a few days time I will be Valiant Champion once again."
"Good then let's hit the gym and see what you got because if I am backing a horse I want to make sure that he's at least a healthy horse."
"Yeah, sure let me just throw some actual clothes on."
It was time, it was time to push back and for myself. I was within inches of becoming the Valiant Champion once again and all I had to do was beat two more guys, two more guys in one more match and I could realize my dream. People may think that people like Callaway deserve it but I've been fighting longer and harder and it was time to make people see that.
Two people had proven themselves cowards and less then men. Tic Tic attacked me and cost me the championship and then used that ability to weasel out of a match with me and with CK walking he never had to have a match against a KoP champion. Then there was Kane who did nothing but prove he couldn't stand up to me and walked when he knew I was going to take the belt back. To be truthful I felt sad on the inside, he had worked so hard to become a champion I wanted to see if he could do it. But he had proved me right.
Now as my grip tightened around the railing looked towards the future. Towards Stephen Callaway, towards Luke Haven, towards the 15 ft steel structure where I was supposed to step in a fight Christian Kane. My new opponents will provide a tougher challenge, a new challenge. I could feel the smile slide across my face. I had defeated Luke Haven two times before this and Callaway was up and coming but he wasn't ready to take this from me and I wasn't ready to let him. A knock on the door inside took my concentration away though and I pulled my robe closer around me and headed into the room.
It was 6:00 in the morning so I was unsure at who would be knocking on my door. Alex Avice wouldn't be that crazy. I approached the door my mind a riddle of who could be on the other side of it. I opened it and was surprised by the man standing in my doorway, a man who just days ago I stood beside.
"Shawn?"
That flashy smile, the swagger even when standing, there was no doubt that Shawn Stevens was standing in my hotel doorway at 6:00 in the morning smiling at me and holding a cup of coffee and a bag towards me.
"Coffee and a bagel?"
Shawn walks by me shoving the coffee and bagel into my hands, a coffee and bagel that aren't even from Tim Hortons. When I turn around he is lounging on my sofa.
"Sup Beagles, drink up while it's still hot. You like tomatoes right?"
"Jerk, it's the only thing I'm allergic to and I don't drink coffee."
"Oh right, I forgot all about that, well I'm starving anyway!"
Shawn sits up and grabs the coffee and bagel right from my hand. It was old tactics, reminded me of the BTE days. I sit down across from him still trying to puzzle out the reason he was here.
"Why are you here Shawn?"
"Well Beagles I am here for one simple reason and that is YOU. I may have retired but I still have a keen interest in doing one more thing and that is helping you win the championship."
I laughed so loudly I thought I was going to wake the neighbors. We had battled, we had been friends, and we had battled some more and now here sat Shawn Stevens telling me he wanted to help me win the Valiant Championship.
"I hope you didn't decide to retire to be a stand up comedian because funny jokes have to be partially believable."
"Well it should be believable because it's true. Why else do you think I'd stay around Cooksville for so long?"
"Clearly too torment me a little bit longer or the more likely cause is you want to see Stephen Callaway win the title."
Shawn leans back and flashes his smile and takes a big bite of the bagel as he looks to day dream about Stephan Callaway raising the championship belt.
"As much as I will celebrate the day that kid wins the championship it's not going to be this time, it can't be."
"Any why exactly is that Shawn? Why is it me winning this championship mean anything to you?"
Shawn now starts chuckling and leans back, it was smug.
"It's all about me Josh. As sad as it is my career is linked to yours, you started it, you set me apart from the crowd and then I surpassed you clearly. Now that I am retired, I want to make sure that I can repay that favor, I want to put you back on top and give back one more thing to the wrestling world."
Now I knew something was being planned, or taped. Maybe I was on punked.
"Since when do you think I am a gift to the wrestling world?"
"Well Josh as much as it doesn't come up between us I know you quite well. My brother used to employ you, I've seen you fight tooth and nail to win championships, to elevate people to the next level. When you came back to the PWH years ago you showed you wanted to be back and you've fought and you've fought to try and make a difference and then the thing you fought for was stolen for you. I guess we can call it community service."
I started to understand a little bit more. After everything we've been through together Shawn wanted to help define my career, but I don't think he had realized how much he had already elevated my career. I had always felt Stevens had what I deserved and now I had fought to get back into it.
"Well that is sure noble and all but I don't think there is really anything you can do Shawn. The match is just a couple days off and I've never felt more ready."
"Really? Well Josh I'd be willing to bet my credit card that your still hung up on the fact that you aren't facing Christian Kane and are instead facing Stephan Callaway and Luke Haven."
Huh. That could be a good point, it was public record that I wanted Christian Kane bad, but the title was vacant and Kane didn't work for the company anymore.
"Even if you were right and I did want to face CK I am not dumb enough to realize that Callaway and Haven are hungry and standing right in front of me and trying to gain the belt for themselves."
"Well I'm not naive enough to think you don't see them, I just don't think you are in the right frame of mind to handle them. I see you handled the whole Tala thing, not talking to yourself anymore which is a positive sign. But now you need to know and realize what exactly it is you are facing."
This was ridiculous, a long time friend, a long time rival was treating me like a rookie, like I didn't know what was in front of me.
"I know what I am facing Shawn. Stephan Callaway has been busting his ass off in this circle for the past couple years, he's a guy you can respect no matter what happens he keeps coming back. The truth is I've watched him all along, even admired him a little bit for the way he won't give up. I've faced him, I've beat him and he's a tough customer. I remember him in the PWF, I remember him on the starters, I've watched his UWL matches and I've seen his compete here in the Kingdom. He is a man who believes 2011 could be his year and he is driven to prove it and he'll try and push hard through me to prove that.
Haven is almost a personal interest now. He opened his career against me and in less then a month he took me to a level he wasn't even remotely close to before. But in the end I beat him twice, but now I know that every time he gets in the ring the guy gets good and that means he's going to be better, he's going to be stronger, and he's going to be more talented. Two hungry young studs in my match the one I signed a contract to be in. A 15 foot steel cage that the only thing you can do to win is escape. I'm not blind."
I watch as Shawn watches without blinking and finishes his coffee.
"That's a great thing to know Josh, I had no doubt that you knew the talent that you were going to be stepping into the ring with. I also know that you knew that because of the style of match you don't even have to be truly beat to lose. But what you are missing is that these are the final hurdles in becoming champion once more."
It hit me like lightning. It was true during all this time I never even considered what these two represented to me, the reason I needed to fight in this match. This was my match.
"That was something you never lost sight of when you started your career. In the UWL you were focused every time you won a belt. You saw an obstacle and you trained to beat and remove that obstacle. You started doing that once again in the PWF and you have spent all your time here doing just that. I know people are excited to see Callaway get that shot or even Haven, but I remember that you've been fighting for nearly four years to truly represent a company once again.
I tend to not believe that you have chosen to fight for all of these years in order to lose now. I remember the battles with Reck Maverick, with Adam Abel, with Jack Benevolance, hell with all of the Collective. You've never let anything stand in your way you have fought and fought. I think you need to realize that once again it's that time."
Stevens was right. I was looking at this all the wrong way, I was looking at two great opponents I had to face and not what they meant to me. Callaway and Haven represented the final paces of getting back on top of the company and on top of my game. I spent so much time focusing on CK putting him off his game and showing him what it meant to be a champion that I had started to forget what it was like to be a competitor.
"You're right as shocking as that is. I've been looking at this the wrong way and you know as well as I do that I want this and I want it bad. I haven't spent my whole life and dedicated my whole life trying to fight my way back into this. I'm a champion through and through and I want to represent this company and I am going to."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to bring that passion to the game, I'm going to bring that fire and energy. For Luke Haven the four walls going up won't be a haven but a hell and I can tell you that for Callaway he is still searching for the angle that works. These are talented kids, filled with passion, but I am filled with passion and I have the experience to back it up."
"I've heard your experience and lime light speech a million times, get some new material man."
"I've got new material Shawn. Each and every time I step into that ring I bring new material with me and I beat a new opponent. Sure I think Callaway and Haven are tough kids but they don't have what it takes to bring it at the top yet. When they can start winning the big matches then I'll begin to believe it because these two are the brightest future this company has. But 2011 is going to be the year of me again Shawn. It's been a long time since I truly sat on top, I was there once and I'll be back there again."
Shawn leans back and puts his arms up behind his head.
"Well you've certainly got the attitude."
"I'll walk the walk don't you worry. In a few days time I will be Valiant Champion once again."
"Good then let's hit the gym and see what you got because if I am backing a horse I want to make sure that he's at least a healthy horse."
"Yeah, sure let me just throw some actual clothes on."
It was time, it was time to push back and for myself. I was within inches of becoming the Valiant Champion once again and all I had to do was beat two more guys, two more guys in one more match and I could realize my dream. People may think that people like Callaway deserve it but I've been fighting longer and harder and it was time to make people see that.
