Post by Josh Eagles on Mar 26, 2011 20:45:46 GMT -5
The pain was small, but it was still there just throbbing softly enough in my lower back to remind me it was still there. My eyes are open and staring at the ceiling above my bed and they were drooping, they were hard to keep open. Sometimes I wondered if it was worth it, worth dragging myself out of my bed every day and training, going to the arena and trying to fight. But I knew my life wouldn't be the same without it and I knew I was never going to give up. After moments longer of laying there I finally throw the covers off of me and throw my feet over the edge of my bed and attempt to get to my feet but like a tilting ship I quickly found myself plummeting to the ground as my right knee gave out. I managed to catch myself on the window sill and keep myself from completely falling to the ground.
"FUCK!"
With a throbbing pain in my knee I now pull myself up to a seating position against the window and begin rubbing my knee when suddenly my door bangs open and the light flicks on and Jenny is standing in the door way looking panicked wearing just her house coat.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Clearly she had still been asleep and had just heard me yell, but I didn't want to worry her, she was worried enough as it was.
"Nothing, I just tripped is all."
She didn't buy it and I knew she didn't cause she glanced right towards my knee which one hand was resting on. This wasn't the first time this week my knee had given out and she had forced me to the doctor's who told me my knee had taken a lot of damage and was bruised up bad, he had given me a knee brace.
"It's your knee again Josh so don't lie to me. You need to wear your knee brace if you want to continue in the ring. Look I know you aren't happy about it and I know you don't want to but you can't continue like this."
She had been on top of me like mad lately about my health, but I'd dealt with it my entire life. People had always been banging me around and I had always fought back and kept on top of things.
"Jenny, I know you are concerned but I've been doing this a long time, I know my body and what it can take."
"You know your body do you? So this Sunday you're going to be fine against Stephen Callaway ... you know the man who ALMOST beat you for the belt last month? Your fine hunting down this White Rabbit character who actually cut you open? You'll be fine matching up a guy like Eddie Nash all on a bad knee?"
"People are always after me, I've dealt with it my entire career there is no reason I can't keep dealing with it!"
"Except it's been years since you've been the champion and everyone in this damn company seems to be gunning for you. You told Christian Kane you had to be ready when the target was on your back and now your ignoring the one on your back."
Was she right? I knew I didn't want to wear the brace but that's only because it becomes a glaring target for anyone to take advantage of and I couldn't afford to hyper extend my knee and stop being able to compete. Was I not living up to being a real champion, to being the best I could be for the fans.
"Josh everyone gets that you're a tough champion and that you want to fight with all you have. Not one person in this company will question your heart or what you stand for, everyone who has said you are worthless has been proven wrong. But none of that is worth gambling your health for or else you've thrown it all away, everything."
"You're right."
Jenny looked shocked, but didn't seem ready to argue with me agreeing. I couldn't risk hurting myself any further. I had to start thinking about my career no matter how much I hated it. Next thing I knew a knee brace was landing in front of me and I with much grudge slid it onto my knee to make it more stable and followed Jenny into the living room. I had to admit, walking was easier.
"Is that better?"
"Actually much, I can't feel the pain or the grinding any more."
But I could feel it was going to slow me down. I'd have to get used to this and fast or else I was going to be disadvantaged when I went against Eddie Nash in a few weeks, let alone Callaway this week.
"So what's the plan?"
"Plan? What do you mean Jen?"
"Well I've grown accustomed to realizing that you put together plans for everything. Let's look at what's going on, you've got Stephen Callaway tomorrow and there is no doubt he is going to be gunning for you hard. Then there is this White Rabbit fellow who stole your belt and you're going to have to figure that out and then focusing on what is going to come from Eddie Nash!"
I flop down on the couch and mull it over. Sometimes I felt my life was far too complicated as my mind went every which way. I knew from just a couple weeks ago that I couldn't look past Stephen Callaway, he was young, hungry, and bitter. He knew what a win over me meant. I also knew that Eddie Nash wanted to be the best and he knew I was the best and he intended to build on his career by adding the Pride Championship to his waist. Then there was the matter of this Rabbit character and how he played into everything.
"Well one thing at a time and right now that is Stephen Callaway."
"Shouldn't you be more worried about getting the title back from the Rabbit?"
"No. I've seen his type before and if the belt is on my waist or not I am still the KoP Valiant Champion and the fans know that. I have a responsibility to fight my matches and to be out there keeping my promise to the people. So right now focusing on Stephen Callaway and what he brings to the table is my focus ... the Rabbit will slip up at some point."
I knew they always did. He was going to be arrogant, he would appear, and I would take the belt back it was a simple as that.
"So then what's the plan against Callaway?"
"What kind of plan do you want me to have Jenny? The plan is to wrestle. I know Callaway well, I've watched the kid since he entered the scene and I've battled him multiple times, I know what he brings to the table and he knows what I bring to the table. But to be honest I am in Callaway's head and he is lacking in the fire he used to have."
"Fire? What do you mean?"
"Callaway used to have this passion that you couldn't deny. He was driven and he wanted something, but losing his chance at the title took the wings out of his sail. He needs to make a big statement and I intend to show him just that ... but the man tried to cheat to win and I can't forgive that even if he did end up losing. I've sung nothing but Callaway's praises and said he is going to have a bright future, but now I'm going to make him EARN that praise and EARN that future."
Through my career I was always told that I made people better wrestlers, they learned a lot in the ring with me. I felt Phoenix was ample proof of that and I honestly did want to see what the future held for Stephen Callaway but not at my expense.
"Look the fact is simple, Callaway has the talent but he hasn't shown the true drive yet. He is the man who just keeps hitting that glass ceiling and isn't willing to put forth that extra effort to take him over the hump and I'm not going to lower my game when I need it sharper then ever. So tomorrow I'm going to bring it to Callaway, I'm going to exploit his mistakes, I'm going to exploit the holes in his games and I'm going to up my game. It's time that I stop laying back and taking the beatings and show why I was once the most feared technical wrestler in the game."
"Where is that aggression coming from?"
"It's not aggression, it's need. I'm starting to feel it as is evidence by the knee brace. My heart can't bring me to the game forever, I can't just hold on and take beatings any longer. I am one of the best technical wrestlers to ever step into the ring and I've got to start using that. I've got to use the fact that I'm a veteran and I've gotta take it to some of these young bucks. People like Callaway are gunning for me, they want to make a statement. I can't sit back on my heels and expect to survive against Eddie Nash if I don't start pushing back inside of the ring.
I know that I've been winning since coming to the KoP but it feels more like surviving. I've made the impact I was looking to make here, I've become something and I mean something now I want to accomplish something. I want to be known as the most fighting champion in KoP history. I want the fans to remember me as a fighter, someone who never game up, I want my opponents to know they are in for a helluva an encounter when they step into the ring with me. I want people to understand these cheap games like stealing my belt isn't going to throw me off my game or slow me down. I'm motivated to be the champion here and I'm not going to give up, I'm not going to stop fighting and I am going to show that by bringing it to Callaway!"
For the first time in a long time I was truly feeling the weight of my health, the years of wrestling, but I was also feeling the rush of being the champion. I was ready to make an impact, I was ready for my career to mean something and I was ready to lead the Kingdom forward. Now it was time to show that to my critics and to the fans. Josh Eagles was here to stay.
"FUCK!"
With a throbbing pain in my knee I now pull myself up to a seating position against the window and begin rubbing my knee when suddenly my door bangs open and the light flicks on and Jenny is standing in the door way looking panicked wearing just her house coat.
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Clearly she had still been asleep and had just heard me yell, but I didn't want to worry her, she was worried enough as it was.
"Nothing, I just tripped is all."
She didn't buy it and I knew she didn't cause she glanced right towards my knee which one hand was resting on. This wasn't the first time this week my knee had given out and she had forced me to the doctor's who told me my knee had taken a lot of damage and was bruised up bad, he had given me a knee brace.
"It's your knee again Josh so don't lie to me. You need to wear your knee brace if you want to continue in the ring. Look I know you aren't happy about it and I know you don't want to but you can't continue like this."
She had been on top of me like mad lately about my health, but I'd dealt with it my entire life. People had always been banging me around and I had always fought back and kept on top of things.
"Jenny, I know you are concerned but I've been doing this a long time, I know my body and what it can take."
"You know your body do you? So this Sunday you're going to be fine against Stephen Callaway ... you know the man who ALMOST beat you for the belt last month? Your fine hunting down this White Rabbit character who actually cut you open? You'll be fine matching up a guy like Eddie Nash all on a bad knee?"
"People are always after me, I've dealt with it my entire career there is no reason I can't keep dealing with it!"
"Except it's been years since you've been the champion and everyone in this damn company seems to be gunning for you. You told Christian Kane you had to be ready when the target was on your back and now your ignoring the one on your back."
Was she right? I knew I didn't want to wear the brace but that's only because it becomes a glaring target for anyone to take advantage of and I couldn't afford to hyper extend my knee and stop being able to compete. Was I not living up to being a real champion, to being the best I could be for the fans.
"Josh everyone gets that you're a tough champion and that you want to fight with all you have. Not one person in this company will question your heart or what you stand for, everyone who has said you are worthless has been proven wrong. But none of that is worth gambling your health for or else you've thrown it all away, everything."
"You're right."
Jenny looked shocked, but didn't seem ready to argue with me agreeing. I couldn't risk hurting myself any further. I had to start thinking about my career no matter how much I hated it. Next thing I knew a knee brace was landing in front of me and I with much grudge slid it onto my knee to make it more stable and followed Jenny into the living room. I had to admit, walking was easier.
"Is that better?"
"Actually much, I can't feel the pain or the grinding any more."
But I could feel it was going to slow me down. I'd have to get used to this and fast or else I was going to be disadvantaged when I went against Eddie Nash in a few weeks, let alone Callaway this week.
"So what's the plan?"
"Plan? What do you mean Jen?"
"Well I've grown accustomed to realizing that you put together plans for everything. Let's look at what's going on, you've got Stephen Callaway tomorrow and there is no doubt he is going to be gunning for you hard. Then there is this White Rabbit fellow who stole your belt and you're going to have to figure that out and then focusing on what is going to come from Eddie Nash!"
I flop down on the couch and mull it over. Sometimes I felt my life was far too complicated as my mind went every which way. I knew from just a couple weeks ago that I couldn't look past Stephen Callaway, he was young, hungry, and bitter. He knew what a win over me meant. I also knew that Eddie Nash wanted to be the best and he knew I was the best and he intended to build on his career by adding the Pride Championship to his waist. Then there was the matter of this Rabbit character and how he played into everything.
"Well one thing at a time and right now that is Stephen Callaway."
"Shouldn't you be more worried about getting the title back from the Rabbit?"
"No. I've seen his type before and if the belt is on my waist or not I am still the KoP Valiant Champion and the fans know that. I have a responsibility to fight my matches and to be out there keeping my promise to the people. So right now focusing on Stephen Callaway and what he brings to the table is my focus ... the Rabbit will slip up at some point."
I knew they always did. He was going to be arrogant, he would appear, and I would take the belt back it was a simple as that.
"So then what's the plan against Callaway?"
"What kind of plan do you want me to have Jenny? The plan is to wrestle. I know Callaway well, I've watched the kid since he entered the scene and I've battled him multiple times, I know what he brings to the table and he knows what I bring to the table. But to be honest I am in Callaway's head and he is lacking in the fire he used to have."
"Fire? What do you mean?"
"Callaway used to have this passion that you couldn't deny. He was driven and he wanted something, but losing his chance at the title took the wings out of his sail. He needs to make a big statement and I intend to show him just that ... but the man tried to cheat to win and I can't forgive that even if he did end up losing. I've sung nothing but Callaway's praises and said he is going to have a bright future, but now I'm going to make him EARN that praise and EARN that future."
Through my career I was always told that I made people better wrestlers, they learned a lot in the ring with me. I felt Phoenix was ample proof of that and I honestly did want to see what the future held for Stephen Callaway but not at my expense.
"Look the fact is simple, Callaway has the talent but he hasn't shown the true drive yet. He is the man who just keeps hitting that glass ceiling and isn't willing to put forth that extra effort to take him over the hump and I'm not going to lower my game when I need it sharper then ever. So tomorrow I'm going to bring it to Callaway, I'm going to exploit his mistakes, I'm going to exploit the holes in his games and I'm going to up my game. It's time that I stop laying back and taking the beatings and show why I was once the most feared technical wrestler in the game."
"Where is that aggression coming from?"
"It's not aggression, it's need. I'm starting to feel it as is evidence by the knee brace. My heart can't bring me to the game forever, I can't just hold on and take beatings any longer. I am one of the best technical wrestlers to ever step into the ring and I've got to start using that. I've got to use the fact that I'm a veteran and I've gotta take it to some of these young bucks. People like Callaway are gunning for me, they want to make a statement. I can't sit back on my heels and expect to survive against Eddie Nash if I don't start pushing back inside of the ring.
I know that I've been winning since coming to the KoP but it feels more like surviving. I've made the impact I was looking to make here, I've become something and I mean something now I want to accomplish something. I want to be known as the most fighting champion in KoP history. I want the fans to remember me as a fighter, someone who never game up, I want my opponents to know they are in for a helluva an encounter when they step into the ring with me. I want people to understand these cheap games like stealing my belt isn't going to throw me off my game or slow me down. I'm motivated to be the champion here and I'm not going to give up, I'm not going to stop fighting and I am going to show that by bringing it to Callaway!"
For the first time in a long time I was truly feeling the weight of my health, the years of wrestling, but I was also feeling the rush of being the champion. I was ready to make an impact, I was ready for my career to mean something and I was ready to lead the Kingdom forward. Now it was time to show that to my critics and to the fans. Josh Eagles was here to stay.
