Post by Delikado/J-Noble on Sept 3, 2010 22:06:49 GMT -5
The road of my career in the Kingdom of Pride thus far has been a curved one. It’s been at both ends of the line where I face stardom, as well as failure, even at such an early point. Even one month alone in professional wrestling, as I’m learning just by watching the names of others disappear off the cards, can be enough of a factor to decide if you are meant to be.
The relentless spirits of the standing few in the Pride rings pushes through week in and week out. The man who stands opposite of me, the man named Stephen Callaway, consistently remarks to his peers and the fans that his time is now and the top spot awaits him in the future. Some people might take offense and call this arrogance out. Perhaps they feel threatened, perhaps they are amused.
Me? I don’t care if my opponent is arrogant, deranged, humble, honest, dishonest, the next big thing or a living legend. I will face them either way. His role in the status quo and what it means for my own career to defeat him OR lose to him is no big deal to me. My role in the status quo is less than interesting to me, personally.
The vicious nature of the powerful people, namely my own brother, is only tied with the aggression and opportunistic nature of my opponents in this business. Callaway is no different, and he will be treated just like the men I have faced so far. He may be better than the people I have wrestled so far. He may be worse. Regardless, I will meet Stephen Callaway in that ring come Sunday with an equal state of mind. He says he always has an angle, as the people have said and as he himself has said. I don’t know what that really means, and it is not on my “to-do” list to find out. All I know is when that bell rings, it’s time to go to work and I will do everything I can to do what I set out to do here.
For Stephen Callaway, it’s about making your mark on the company, going on to win championships, and immortalizing yourself in wrestling history.
For me, this is just another day at the office…
The relentless spirits of the standing few in the Pride rings pushes through week in and week out. The man who stands opposite of me, the man named Stephen Callaway, consistently remarks to his peers and the fans that his time is now and the top spot awaits him in the future. Some people might take offense and call this arrogance out. Perhaps they feel threatened, perhaps they are amused.
Me? I don’t care if my opponent is arrogant, deranged, humble, honest, dishonest, the next big thing or a living legend. I will face them either way. His role in the status quo and what it means for my own career to defeat him OR lose to him is no big deal to me. My role in the status quo is less than interesting to me, personally.
The vicious nature of the powerful people, namely my own brother, is only tied with the aggression and opportunistic nature of my opponents in this business. Callaway is no different, and he will be treated just like the men I have faced so far. He may be better than the people I have wrestled so far. He may be worse. Regardless, I will meet Stephen Callaway in that ring come Sunday with an equal state of mind. He says he always has an angle, as the people have said and as he himself has said. I don’t know what that really means, and it is not on my “to-do” list to find out. All I know is when that bell rings, it’s time to go to work and I will do everything I can to do what I set out to do here.
For Stephen Callaway, it’s about making your mark on the company, going on to win championships, and immortalizing yourself in wrestling history.
For me, this is just another day at the office…
What I'm All About
Day 34
Cookeville Community Center
5:35 PM
We catch up with Johnny Noble sitting backstage sitting by himself in the main locker-room lacing up his boots. He’s also wearing a muscle t-shirt and knee-length running shorts. The younger of the Noble brothers sniffs and rubs his nose like he’s getting rid of an itch when the door opens and in walks Pride’s own interviewer, Alex Avice! Johnny looks up at Avice just as he finishes tying up his boot but hardly pays attention to him minus the initial glance. Holding an microphone in hand, Avice casually walks on over to Johnny.
Avice: Johnny?
Johnny looks up and leans back against the locker he’s in front of.
Johnny: Yeah?
The interviewer stops a few feet in front of Johnny, who is taking a sip of water from a cup while Avice speaks.
Avice: You may not know me, but I’m Alex Avice, Pride’s interviewer. I was wondering if I could get your thoughts real quick.
Johnny sets the cup down and then sits silently staring at Avice. It quickly grows awkward until Johnny shrugs his shoulders like he’s been waiting on something but didn’t get it.
Johnny: On…?
Avice initially seems confused by Johnny’s single worded question. He stumbles around sheepishly at first.
Avice: Well, uh, on your career so far in Pride as well as some of your more recent actions in the company, I guess. I figured maybe you could give me a little bit of your time?
Johnny blinks and rolls his eyes in annoyance.
Johnny: I was actually on my way out for a jog.
Avice: It’ll just be a few minutes. Honest. Just in and out, that’s it.
Johnny’s eyebrow lifts at that last comment, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he rolls his eyes again and nods his head in irked surrender. Avice seems rather pleased that the brother of his boss has allowed this interview, and he looks to the camera with a smile.
Avice: Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here backstage at this time with the younger brother of Co-General Manager, Kurt Noble.
Avice doesn’t see it, but Johnny rubs his temple and mouths a few words that probably aren’t pro-Avice. The interviewer carries on totally oblivious.
Avice: He’s a young man who has made some headway in this company wrestling some truly inspiring matches with some of the greatest athletes in the sport today. His upcoming match-up is sure to be yet another chapter in the highly anticipated career of yet another Noble of professional wrestling.
Avice turns to Johnny, who has now stood up from the bench and taken a few steps toward the interviewer. Johnny carries the cup in his hand and takes another sip of water while the camera continues to roll. However, as Avice turns to Johnny, thereby attracting the camera as well, Johnny navigates his head elsewhere and avoids eye-contact with Avice just to keep his attention off the camera.
Avice: Now, Johnny, in a few nights, you wrestle Stephen Callaway, the man who always has an angle and someone who has become one of the most outspoken figures in Pride’s new life. In fact, his desire to make a place for himself as one of the all-time greats has become so persistent, he actually netted him a Kingdom of Pride Syndicate title shot at Autumn Annihilation against Kid Flanagan. However, your match with him this Sunday will not do anything to affect your chances at getting a title shot or being incorporated into the Syndicate title match at Autumn Annihilation.
Johnny nods his head and sighs, already fully-aware and not all that interested in hearing it again.
Avice: So I guess I’ll ask this first, Johnny: how do you feel going into a match with the man who could very well be the first Syndicate Champion here in Pride? With a possible win over him on your shoulder, do you believe it is more of a likelihood for you to get a Syndicate title shot if he becomes champion?
Avice leans the microphone toward Johnny, who closes his eyes for a few moments and when he reopens them, he glances at the camera. This is only a momentary glance before he’s moved on to the questions themselves.
Johnny: First of all, Avice---it’s Avice, right?
Avice nods and smiles.
Avice: Mhmm.
Johnny cocks an eyebrow as he mutters.
Johnny: Huh. What kind of name is Avice, anyway?
Avice loses some of his smile and sheepishly lowers his eyes to the ground as Johnny looks genuinely baffled at the name. He doesn’t focus on it but for a few seconds, though.
Johnny: Whatever. But, uh, yeah, those are some really, really, really smart questions, buddy…so much so, I don’t feel I have a genuine answer for them.
Avice looks surprised by this revelation from Noble.
Avice: R-really?
Johnny shrugs his shoulders.
Johnny: Yeah, I don’t. Whaddaya know? Now, uh…
He waves a good-bye hand as he starts to focus his attention elsewhere.
Johnny: See you around, Avice.
The cheeky little grin on Johnny’s face is missed by Avice, who remains confused by the turn the interview took. Nonetheless, Alex Avice knows he isn’t the type of man who gives up no matter what. Hell, he continued to ask Delikado for interviews for years even when they provided terrible results for many people. He walks toward Johnny, who has opened his locker and started going through it.
Avice: John, I get the feeling you’re just trying to avoid me all together by responding how you did with my questions.
Johnny ignores him and keeps on going through his locker. Avice scoffs and approaches the busy younger Noble.
Avice: So you’d rather just stay back here by yourself and go for a jog when I’m giving you the chance to get out there in the world and make a name for yourself? I mean, man, I know getting interviewed isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but most people give me something, even if it’s just to fill their quota or make an extra buck or any of the other one hundred reasons I’ve heard over the years.
Johnny stops digging around in his locker and briefly turns his head back toward Avice, who shakes his head.
Avice: You face Callaway, a guy who needs no introduction or anything; a guy who, despite his track record, can make you or break you in this business, a guy who, hell, could be a champion and the man you could hold a victory over if you put your mind to it. There’s no need to be a sourpuss and all just because being the brother of Kurt hasn’t gotten you title shots or anything. Instead, you should just realize what an opportunity it is for you here against Stephen Callaway.
Johnny now turns his complete attention to Avice and clicks his teeth together. However, he doesn’t looks angry, and he doesn’t looks amused, the two basic emotions most men would have right now. Instead, Johnny is just facing Avice with a plain as day face of normality. Avice holds the microphone toward Johnny, not truly expecting a response but doing it anyway. However, he does in fact get a statement from Johnny.
Johnny: Nice little character study, Avice. It’s a lot better than the general questionnaire that can be applied to everyone in the company, I’ll give you that.
Johnny abruptly reaches out and rips the microphone from Avice’s hand, but that’s all the amount of anger the interviewer gets out of Johnny, who remains calm and collected.
Johnny: But here’s the real truth, here’s the facts: I don’t care about getting or not getting Syndicate title shots, I don’t care about Stephen Callaway and his angles or outspoken nature, and I don’t care about making a name for myself because people like you think I should as a Noble.
Johnny holds up his free hand in front of Avice and holds up all five fingers. He lifts the microphone back up to his mouth afterwards.
Johnny: To be perfectly honest, there’s only a hand’s worth of things I actually care about in this company, and even THAT’S pushing it, Avice.
Johnny shoves the microphone into Avice’s chest and stands there, grabbing his cup of water off the bench and taking a sip.
Avice: I see…
Johnny sniffs and chuckles at Avice’s bewilderment.
Johnny: No matter what is or is not on the line every week in that ring, champion or not, title or not, whatever people wanna add to the stipulations…I don't care. I don't give a damn. I just want to go out there and kick Stephen Callaway’s ass.
Johnny slowly twirls the cup of water in his hand as he looks Avice plainly in the eyes. The cool and collected thoughts of Johnny have been made known, and it’s perhaps that fact alone that makes Avice somewhat hesitant to speak further.
Johnny: Are we getting the same message here, Avice? Hmm?
Avice’s jaw drops and he fumbles around with his choice of words for a few seconds before speaking.
Avice: I-I-I guess. Honestly, I-
Johnny splashes the rest of his water on Avice’s face, catching the interviewer off guard completely. He gasps in shock as Johnny takes the microphone from his hand again.
Johnny: Wake up and realize what I’m really all about in the Kingdom of Pride.
And with that, Johnny places the microphone in Avice’s shirt pocket and tosses his plastic cup aside before walking out of the locker-room to go for his jog. Avice grimaces and sighs as he wipes the water off his face and looks around with embarrassment. The scene fades out…
What I'm All About