Post by King Richius on Mar 29, 2017 9:05:04 GMT -5
WFWF Supreme Gauntlet 17: Night 5 RP
Broken
featuring Frank Lynn
(as told by his manager, Daphne Velasquez)
Boston, MA : March 18, 2017 : Legacy Armageddon iPPV
The night has finally arrived. I can hardly believe it, Frank made the Legacy Women’s Championship match between me and Big Bertha the co-main event of Legacy: Armageddon. That’s gonna be lit. I’m not all that worried about my match. My biggest concern is will I throw my back out trying to lift that bitch for a body slam. She really should stick to the salad section of the all you can eat buffet.
I wish I could say I wasn’t worried about Frank but that is not the case. He hasn’t been the same since his loss to Ante Whitner. He had high expectations, as did I, but he lost. He let his thirst for revenge get the better of him. I tried my best to get him back on track, to focus on wrestling a technical match and pinning Ante’s shoulders for the 1-2-3 but all Frank could think about was how Ante had hurt Josh. Frank lost focus, then lost the match and with it any chance of becoming the World Heavyweight or Golden Opportunity Champion. Maybe I should have taken him literally when he asked me to slap the stupid out of him because that was what he needed.
Fact is, Frank has lost too much in the past year. His mother, Paulie, and his friends all murdered in cold blood; his tag team partner Mike Jette injured and now returned on the wrong side of the fence; and of course Josh Dean injured. That’s too long a list of personal losses to not take a toll on him. Frank held himself responsible and carried his guilt and shame around like a two ton cross on his back. It is obvious to anyone else that he couldn’t have changed anything that happened to them and if he had tried it would have made matters worse. He could have been the one getting seriously injured or worse ended up dead from a bullet to the head. But that’s not how Frank sees it.
In my nonprofessional opinion, Frank has a severe case of survivor’s guilt. He will never be able to do enough to make up for the blame he places on himself. I’m sure that’s why he couldn’t let go of the idea that he had to beat Ante Whitner to get revenge for Josh. Frank didn’t even talk to Josh to find out if that’s what Josh wanted. He just assumed the role of Josh’s avenger. Typical male, always needing to come to somebody’s rescue.
So the loss hit Frank hard, the self-imposed weight of the world on his shoulders finally becoming too much to bear. After the match, he stormed into his locker room and changed into street clothes, a process that included a lot of yelling and rearranging of furniture. Fifteen minutes later, he stormed out, stopping long enough to look at me angrily and growl F*ck this! I peeked into the locker room. Frank may not have beaten Ante but he sure kicked the sh*t out of that locker room.
The next week didn’t go much better. I couldn’t get even two words out of him. He stopped training. He would show up at the Legacy facilities disheveled and downtrodden, locking himself in the office pretending to work on the Armageddon iPPV. Nobody had any idea what he was actually doing but it wasn’t work. Anybody who tried to talk to him was met with the same response they would get from a brick wall.
When he finally showed his face again, he barely managed one sentence.
Who the f*ck is Kyle Reever?
A valid question based on the night four card announcement from WFWF.COM. The writers got his name wrong in hyping Ante Whitner’s match. Sure, it was probably a stupid typo that was quickly corrected, but the Frank Lynn I know wouldn’t see it that way. Normally something like this would set him off on a tirade but instead he had asked it in the same tone he would use to ask “What time is it?” or “Where is the bathroom?” After asking the question he went back into hiding, leaving me to guess what the hell was going on in his head.
Where was his usual over-reaction? Where was the chip on his shoulder? What happened to the man who was spitting fire at Ante Whitner before their match and tore apart a locker room after he lost? Where was any f*cking reaction at all? Who was this timid little man who spent his days hiding behind a locked door and seemingly couldn’t care less about the WFWF?
Dammit Frank, you usually wear your emotions on your sleeve for all to see. Since that loss to Ante you’ve become a closed book.
A few days later he emerged again long enough to say another sentence to me in the same disinterested monotone.
Schneider may be an assh*le kicking a guy when he’s down, but he’s right.
And with that, Frank left the Legacy Facilities for the day. I rushed to my iPad to check out WFWF.COM expecting to find another of Phillip Schneider’s insipid rants. I found one and quickly read it.
F*cking hell!
Frank was right. Schneider is an assh*le. He couldn’t be satisfied with a simple “I told you so.” He had to rip Frank apart for the whole world to read. It didn’t help matters that the comments were full of more crap about Frank from all of Schneider’s drooling sycophants.
Reading it pissed me off so much I wanted to punch a wall so I was amazed by Frank’s calmness. Then it dawned on me. Frank did react, just not the way I or anybody would have expected. He was so calm because he was giving up. What Ante had started in the ring Schneider had finished with his barbed words.
That was bad news for Frank’s wrestling career but turned out to be the best news possible for Legacy. The next day and each day after that, a clean shaven and well dressed Frank Lynn was everywhere. He was working with Sarah to make sure all the i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed on the contracts. He spent time with each and every wrestler on the card to make sure they were fired up and ready to have the best match of their lives. He spent time with the production staff working on the video packages and promos. He even dusted off his guitar to record an original theme song for the iPPV.
Bottom line, Frank had found a new purpose and like he always does, he dove in 110% to do the best job he possibly could. His enthusiasm infected us all. Its the God’s honest truth that if this show is a success, then Frank Lynn will be largely responsible.
There was a lingering dark cloud around Frank though. All you had to do was mention the WFWF and he would instantly shut down, then make up an excuse about some urgent task he needed to do and leave. He has a tag match coming up with a hall of famer for a partner and he isn’t training for it or even talking about it. He is going to lose. Again.
Frank is too good to go out on his back like this. I don’t know what to do. I can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
———
That brings us to the here and now. A runner has informed me it is time for the pre-show meeting so I make my way to catering. Any staff not currently doing final prep work as well as all the wrestlers and a few V.I.P.s are heading in the same direction towards the small area set up for catering.
I see a familiar face at a table near the wall and make my way towards him. I say familiar because I, like everybody else, know exactly who Joe Bishop is even though he probably doesn’t know any of us. Joe Bishop is one of the best wrestlers in the world, on the cusp of becoming the WFWF World Champ. His presence here has created a lot of buzz. It also creates a bubble around him as most people are too apprehensive to approach him so he sits quietly chatting with that reporter who follows him around like a lost puppy.
I’ve seen him in passing at WFWF shows and I know he has expressed some interest in Frank so I take the chance that he will recognize me. If Frank won’t talk to me, maybe he will talk to Joe. It’s worth a try.
Hello Mr. Bishop.
Oh hey, Daphne right?
That’s me. I know we don’t really know each other but I have ask you for a favor.
Yeah?
Can you please talk to Frank tonight, about his match and his future in the WFWF.
What about Frank’s future? Is there something I should know?
Frank took his loss to Ante really hard and Schneider’s rant didn’t help. He won’t talk to anyone about his wrestling and I think… well I don’t know for sure but I think he is giving up.
Are we talking about the same Frank Lynn? That doesn’t sound like him.
He hasn’t done anything to prepare for his tag match with the Reverend against Scarlett and Tyson. He's going to lose. His heart isn’t in it.
Damn. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.
Thank you. I can’t get through to him. Maybe he will listen to you.
I’ll try.
We are interrupted by a call for attention. Frank is standing on chair at the far end of the room, Sarah Fairchild at his side. He gives a pep rally speech that gets all of us fired up and ready to “blow the roof off the place” (his words, not mine). I have to admit , Frank was in his element running the show. He was smiling and enthusiastic. Maybe if the show goes well and Frank is in a good mood, it will make it easier for Joe to talk some sense into Frank.
———
I’m back and I have good news. I’m still the current, reigning Legacy Women’s Champion. Big Bertha put up a valiant effort but in the end she was no match for La Pantera Negra. Maybe I should look into wrestling the men and maybe one day making my own jump to the WFWF. But enough about me. You want to hear about Frank, don’t you?
I rushed through my post match shower and change into street clothes so I could catch the tail end of the final match: Legacy World Heavyweight Champion Sir Oliver “Ollie” Livingston versus Daryl Dixon, one third of the Dirty Dixon Brothers. I made my way to the curtain and peeked around to see Frank standing in the ring side by side with Ollie brandishing chairs at Daryl and his brothers, Eli and Zeke, who were prowling around outside the ring. It was a Mexican stand off.
Frank grabbed a microphone and addressed the Dixons.
Listen up boys ‘cuz I’m only going to say this once. This sh*t won’t fly in Legacy. The World Heavyweight Championship match is a one on one match and the two of you are not invited. You take one more step towards this ring and I will make your lives a living hell. This isn’t SuperBrawl where any assh*le with a bad attitude can run to the ring and f*ck things up.
I strongly suggest you drop the chairs and go back to the locker room right now before I fine or suspend your asses.
Frank is breathing fire and means every word he is saying to Eli and Zeke Dixon. They do the wise thing, dropping their chairs, giving their little brother Daryl one last pat on the back, and leaving the ring area. Frank slides out of the ring but stays at ringside still holding the chair ready to serve as an enforcer. He signals for the ref to restart the match.
The match goes for another ten minutes of good clean back and forth action until Ollie finally hits a package pile driver for the win. Frank jumps back in the ring to present Ollie with the championship belt amidst a shower of multi-colored crepe paper thrown into ring by the fans.
The show was every bit as good as Frank hoped for. The fans are slow to stop cheering and leave but finally they clear out of the building and the ring crew gets to work breaking everything down.
I mill around backstage accepting congratulations from other wrestlers, mostly the other winners as the losers aren’t in the mood to mingle, and nibbling at the last remnants of catering hoping to catch sight of Frank and Joe.
I see Joe having an animated conversation with some of the Legacy wrestlers, including Brick Harrison and his trainer, Brandon Bison. Every once in a while Joe glances around the room just like me, looking for Frank to make an appearance. About five minutes pass and Frank enters the room. All eyes turn to him and he gets a round of applause from everybody for his efforts in pulling off the show.
Frank makes his way around the room shaking hands and exchanging quick greetings. I see Joe make his way towards Frank and I do the same, going slow enough that Joe gets to him first but I am within earshot. Time to be a fly on the wall.
Frank, can I steal you for a minute?
Hey Joe, sure.
Frank leads Joe down a hallway towards an office. I follow at a discreet distance. I need to hear this and jump in if necessary. Lucky for me they leave the door open. I do my best to look natural leaning against the wall with my empty glass while I eavesdrop.
I want to thank you again for coming. I’d hate for you to think every Legacy event comes with a random psycho owner attack.
No problem. I enjoyed the show.
Nice to have a wrestling show without barb wire, baseball bats, swords, and constant interference, isn’t it?
Indeed. Except for the last match.
Yeah, well I nipped that sh*t in the bud. When it comes to Legacy, I am the law.
Glad to hear it, good to see you're trying to change things.
I never intended to be this active at Legacy but the past few weeks have been great. I can make a difference here.
Yeah, you can. You can make a difference in the WFWF too.
*long pause*
No, I can’t.
Yes you can. Don’t let a few losses get you down.
C’mon Joe, open your eyes. Drakz, Trace, Brennan, Schneider… they all saw it. I’m a mistake, a failure, just some guy who can’t win. I don’t belong in the WFWF. My place is here, where I can do some good.
I agree that you can do some good here. You can make Legacy a place where young wrestlers learn how to do things the right way.
Exactly. Change doesn’t have to come from the top. I can mold the next generation so that the WFWF has no choice but to recruit the type of wrestlers who will make it a better place whether the owners want it or not.
It's important, but it's not enough. We need to lead the way. Without guys like us, proving it in a WFWF ring, these guys will never get their chance.
That only works if you set a good example. Losing over and over and over isn’t good. Every loss to a David Brennan or Trace Demon validates them and hurts your cause. I’m hurting your cause.
*short pause*
Damn. Daphne was right.
Daphne is a part of this? Maybe she should come in and join us. I know you’re out there!
Busted! At least Frank finally is willing to talk.
Um, hi…
I assume you heard everything?
Yeah. And you figured out I asked Joe to talk to you?
I smelled something fishy when I saw you follow us.
I’ve been meaning to talk to you anyway. All Daphne did was give me a heads up that you were in a bad place.
Wrong! I’m in a great place. We just put on a great show that highlighted all that is good in professional wrestling!
Yes you did. As you said, you’re doing some good here. I think you could do so much more in the WFWF.
I don’t.
So you really are giving up?
I’m accepting the truth. I would’ve quit already but Lila booked me in this random tag match and I won’t leave my partner high and dry. Win or lose, it will be my last.
NO!
What do you mean, NO? It’s my choice to make.
You’re not thinking straight. You’ve hit a rough patch. Guys like Demon, Brennan, Whitner, and Schneider sense weakness and feed on it. If you quit you’re making the choice they want.
It’s MY choice! They just happen to be right. I can accept that. Why can’t you?
Don’t do this. If you quit now, you WILL regret it later. Don’t give up. Fight back.
And what? End up in hospital with a sword stuck through my hand or an eye sliced out by a razor or worse? Did you read what Schneider said? Make an example out of me. Beat me so bad I’m permanently injured, scarred for life!
Look at me Frank. Am I missing an eye? Do I have a hole in my hand? NO. Don’t let them get in your head.
*short pause*
You just need to keep going. I mean, why do you think Ante and Schneider are ripping in to you?
I have no idea.
It's because they know you're a threat. Because they see the same potential I do, and like always they want to stamp it out so they can stay on top.
That’s right! The very best in the WFWF are afraid of what you may become so they are playing mind games to get you out of the WFWF now.
I doubt it. I’m no threat to anybody.
I look at you and I see an accomplished fighter who just needs to hit his stride. So do they. When you put it all together, you can and will be part of a better WFWF, someone I would be proud to step into the ring with.
Really?
Yes, really. You still have time to prepare for your match. Maybe you win, maybe you lose. In the long term that's not gonna make too much difference, just go out there and give it everything you've got.
Come on Frank. You don’t want to live with the regret if you give up before you gave it everything possible. I know you have more left in you, a lot more!
*short pause*
Damn! You two aren’t going to let up, are you? Okay then. I’ll give it my best shot. Afterwards, if I still feel the same way, both of you let it drop. Accept that I’m not cut out for the WFWF.
That will have to do… for now. After your match, don’t do anything rash without talking to me first.
If you’ll come out of hiding and work with me, I’ll make sure you’re at the top of your game.
I can do that.
Next time I can get Joe Bishop alone I’ll have to thank him. I’m not sure we got Frank all the way back to believing he can do this but at least Frank is willing to try. I’ll have to train him pretty hard. It might be time for a make-over too, maybe work on a new entrance and ring attire. Anything to get his enthusiasm back after the losses to Whitner, Brennan and Demon. He needs a win to get his confidence back. He’s too good to go out on his back.
Lousiville, KY : March 29, 2017
Once more into the breech, dear friends, once more.
I never really liked Shakespeare but I have to admit, he could turn a colorful phrase when he needed to. Why am I looking to Shakespeare for inspiration?
Well, I am heading into night five of the Supreme Gauntlet reduced to a virtual spectator watching others fight for the prize, a ship without a rudder floating where the current, or Lila Sleater, takes me. I find myself booked in some random ass tag match with Reverend Shadow versus Scarlett Quinn and Tyson Watts. Talk about throwing sh*t against the wall to see if it sticks! Given my situation, it’s best not to ask why. Better to heed the words of the Bard and go into the breech one more time.
Obviously, things have not gone well for me since I won Rookie of the Year. Loss after loss piling up destroying any credibility I gained last year. The cliche thing to say would be something about how I will pick myself up, dust myself off, and get right back on the horse that just threw me so I can ride the nag into the ground thus showing everyone who is the boss. Sorry, not really feeling it today. Let people like Trace Demon and David Brennan dish out the trash talk. As much as I dislike both of them, they’ve earned that right. I haven’t.
What I am feeling is a very strong desire to step into the ring and put my wrestling skills to a damn good test. In that regard, I’d prefer a one on one match so there is no doubt of the outcome or my part in it. If I have to be in a tag match then having Reverend Shadow for a partner isn’t the worst thing that could happen, although I can think of many other Hall of Famers I’d prefer to be partnered with.
Reverend Shadow is a mystery to me. I know next to nothing about him. Why did he come back? What is his agenda? How do I fit into it? Very interesting questions but not important at this point in time. All that matters right now is that we work together as a team. I know that when he comes to the corner for a tag I will be there to take it. Whether it is Scarlett Quinn or Tyson Watts standing opposite me, I will bring the fight to them. If the action gets a little hot and heavy, I will be there to watch his back. I will give one hundred ten per cent to get our team the win.
Can I trust the Reverend to do the same? Will he be there when I go for a tag? Will he watch my back if things get ugly? I don’t know. The man is a puzzle I don’t have the time to solve so I hope for both of our sakes that the answer is yes.
We better work as a team if we want to win. Scarlett Quinn is no joke. Granted, I know almost as little about her as I do the Reverend, but I’ve seen her former partner Penny Shannon in action and let’s just say that if Scarlett is half the woman Penny was at SuperBrawl when she brutalized Dex, then she is twice the man most professional wrestlers will ever be. Scarlett certainly has the pedigree, with the blood of champions running through her veins. I’ve heard the respect in everybody’s voice when they speak of Wayne McGurk and a good bit of that has rubbed off on Scarlett. She is no unproven girl banking on her daddy's name to open doors. She is a former champion and certified bad ass. She is an opponent who has my respect.
Scarlett may have to be at her absolute best because, to be honest, her partner Tyson Watts is a very green rookie who could drag her down in this match. He had a hard time against Brandon Bison and Reverend Shadow in singles matches. I’m sure he is hungry for his elusive first victory in the WFWF. That puts him in a similar situation to me, the unproven young gun paired off with the battle tested veteran in the hopes that some of their experience rubs off on us.
A lot of fans are going to look at Tyson and I as riding the coattails of our more accomplished partners in this match. Believe me, there is some appeal in standing on the ring apron watching Reverend Shadow take care of business so I can get a win, but that’s not me. I want to be in the ring putting my skills to the test against the best. I want to win because I earned it, not because I was carried. I expect Tyson to feel the same way so I will be just as ready for him as I am for Scarlett Quinn.
Tyson and I have to make a difference in this match. The load is on us to show that we belong in the same ring as two former champions who have returned hungrier than ever for more successes. It is incumbent on us to change the minds of all the fans who would rather see a singles match between Reverend Shadow and Scarlett Quinn than this random ass tag match. I don’t know how much of that has sunk in for Tyson but it is something I am very aware of, giving me a real sense of urgency. I have to start living up to the hype.
WFWF.COM called this tag match an experiment. I call it a proving ground, perhaps the final one for me. I will be in the same ring as two greats and a fellow top prospect. By the end of the match I will either be seen as their equal or as an afterthought. Honestly, I don’t know which I will be when the match is over but I know which one I am aiming for, which one Daphne has been training me for, which one Joshua Dean and Joe Bishop believe I am capable of.
I won’t be an afterthought. I won’t let Reverend Shadow down. I won’t let my supporters down. I won’t let myself down.
Cue the Bard one more time:
Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!
Broken
featuring Frank Lynn
(as told by his manager, Daphne Velasquez)
Boston, MA : March 18, 2017 : Legacy Armageddon iPPV
The night has finally arrived. I can hardly believe it, Frank made the Legacy Women’s Championship match between me and Big Bertha the co-main event of Legacy: Armageddon. That’s gonna be lit. I’m not all that worried about my match. My biggest concern is will I throw my back out trying to lift that bitch for a body slam. She really should stick to the salad section of the all you can eat buffet.
I wish I could say I wasn’t worried about Frank but that is not the case. He hasn’t been the same since his loss to Ante Whitner. He had high expectations, as did I, but he lost. He let his thirst for revenge get the better of him. I tried my best to get him back on track, to focus on wrestling a technical match and pinning Ante’s shoulders for the 1-2-3 but all Frank could think about was how Ante had hurt Josh. Frank lost focus, then lost the match and with it any chance of becoming the World Heavyweight or Golden Opportunity Champion. Maybe I should have taken him literally when he asked me to slap the stupid out of him because that was what he needed.
Fact is, Frank has lost too much in the past year. His mother, Paulie, and his friends all murdered in cold blood; his tag team partner Mike Jette injured and now returned on the wrong side of the fence; and of course Josh Dean injured. That’s too long a list of personal losses to not take a toll on him. Frank held himself responsible and carried his guilt and shame around like a two ton cross on his back. It is obvious to anyone else that he couldn’t have changed anything that happened to them and if he had tried it would have made matters worse. He could have been the one getting seriously injured or worse ended up dead from a bullet to the head. But that’s not how Frank sees it.
In my nonprofessional opinion, Frank has a severe case of survivor’s guilt. He will never be able to do enough to make up for the blame he places on himself. I’m sure that’s why he couldn’t let go of the idea that he had to beat Ante Whitner to get revenge for Josh. Frank didn’t even talk to Josh to find out if that’s what Josh wanted. He just assumed the role of Josh’s avenger. Typical male, always needing to come to somebody’s rescue.
So the loss hit Frank hard, the self-imposed weight of the world on his shoulders finally becoming too much to bear. After the match, he stormed into his locker room and changed into street clothes, a process that included a lot of yelling and rearranging of furniture. Fifteen minutes later, he stormed out, stopping long enough to look at me angrily and growl F*ck this! I peeked into the locker room. Frank may not have beaten Ante but he sure kicked the sh*t out of that locker room.
The next week didn’t go much better. I couldn’t get even two words out of him. He stopped training. He would show up at the Legacy facilities disheveled and downtrodden, locking himself in the office pretending to work on the Armageddon iPPV. Nobody had any idea what he was actually doing but it wasn’t work. Anybody who tried to talk to him was met with the same response they would get from a brick wall.
When he finally showed his face again, he barely managed one sentence.
Who the f*ck is Kyle Reever?
A valid question based on the night four card announcement from WFWF.COM. The writers got his name wrong in hyping Ante Whitner’s match. Sure, it was probably a stupid typo that was quickly corrected, but the Frank Lynn I know wouldn’t see it that way. Normally something like this would set him off on a tirade but instead he had asked it in the same tone he would use to ask “What time is it?” or “Where is the bathroom?” After asking the question he went back into hiding, leaving me to guess what the hell was going on in his head.
Where was his usual over-reaction? Where was the chip on his shoulder? What happened to the man who was spitting fire at Ante Whitner before their match and tore apart a locker room after he lost? Where was any f*cking reaction at all? Who was this timid little man who spent his days hiding behind a locked door and seemingly couldn’t care less about the WFWF?
Dammit Frank, you usually wear your emotions on your sleeve for all to see. Since that loss to Ante you’ve become a closed book.
A few days later he emerged again long enough to say another sentence to me in the same disinterested monotone.
Schneider may be an assh*le kicking a guy when he’s down, but he’s right.
And with that, Frank left the Legacy Facilities for the day. I rushed to my iPad to check out WFWF.COM expecting to find another of Phillip Schneider’s insipid rants. I found one and quickly read it.
F*cking hell!
Frank was right. Schneider is an assh*le. He couldn’t be satisfied with a simple “I told you so.” He had to rip Frank apart for the whole world to read. It didn’t help matters that the comments were full of more crap about Frank from all of Schneider’s drooling sycophants.
Reading it pissed me off so much I wanted to punch a wall so I was amazed by Frank’s calmness. Then it dawned on me. Frank did react, just not the way I or anybody would have expected. He was so calm because he was giving up. What Ante had started in the ring Schneider had finished with his barbed words.
That was bad news for Frank’s wrestling career but turned out to be the best news possible for Legacy. The next day and each day after that, a clean shaven and well dressed Frank Lynn was everywhere. He was working with Sarah to make sure all the i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed on the contracts. He spent time with each and every wrestler on the card to make sure they were fired up and ready to have the best match of their lives. He spent time with the production staff working on the video packages and promos. He even dusted off his guitar to record an original theme song for the iPPV.
Bottom line, Frank had found a new purpose and like he always does, he dove in 110% to do the best job he possibly could. His enthusiasm infected us all. Its the God’s honest truth that if this show is a success, then Frank Lynn will be largely responsible.
There was a lingering dark cloud around Frank though. All you had to do was mention the WFWF and he would instantly shut down, then make up an excuse about some urgent task he needed to do and leave. He has a tag match coming up with a hall of famer for a partner and he isn’t training for it or even talking about it. He is going to lose. Again.
Frank is too good to go out on his back like this. I don’t know what to do. I can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.
———
That brings us to the here and now. A runner has informed me it is time for the pre-show meeting so I make my way to catering. Any staff not currently doing final prep work as well as all the wrestlers and a few V.I.P.s are heading in the same direction towards the small area set up for catering.
I see a familiar face at a table near the wall and make my way towards him. I say familiar because I, like everybody else, know exactly who Joe Bishop is even though he probably doesn’t know any of us. Joe Bishop is one of the best wrestlers in the world, on the cusp of becoming the WFWF World Champ. His presence here has created a lot of buzz. It also creates a bubble around him as most people are too apprehensive to approach him so he sits quietly chatting with that reporter who follows him around like a lost puppy.
I’ve seen him in passing at WFWF shows and I know he has expressed some interest in Frank so I take the chance that he will recognize me. If Frank won’t talk to me, maybe he will talk to Joe. It’s worth a try.
Hello Mr. Bishop.
Oh hey, Daphne right?
That’s me. I know we don’t really know each other but I have ask you for a favor.
Yeah?
Can you please talk to Frank tonight, about his match and his future in the WFWF.
What about Frank’s future? Is there something I should know?
Frank took his loss to Ante really hard and Schneider’s rant didn’t help. He won’t talk to anyone about his wrestling and I think… well I don’t know for sure but I think he is giving up.
Are we talking about the same Frank Lynn? That doesn’t sound like him.
He hasn’t done anything to prepare for his tag match with the Reverend against Scarlett and Tyson. He's going to lose. His heart isn’t in it.
Damn. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.
Thank you. I can’t get through to him. Maybe he will listen to you.
I’ll try.
We are interrupted by a call for attention. Frank is standing on chair at the far end of the room, Sarah Fairchild at his side. He gives a pep rally speech that gets all of us fired up and ready to “blow the roof off the place” (his words, not mine). I have to admit , Frank was in his element running the show. He was smiling and enthusiastic. Maybe if the show goes well and Frank is in a good mood, it will make it easier for Joe to talk some sense into Frank.
———
I’m back and I have good news. I’m still the current, reigning Legacy Women’s Champion. Big Bertha put up a valiant effort but in the end she was no match for La Pantera Negra. Maybe I should look into wrestling the men and maybe one day making my own jump to the WFWF. But enough about me. You want to hear about Frank, don’t you?
I rushed through my post match shower and change into street clothes so I could catch the tail end of the final match: Legacy World Heavyweight Champion Sir Oliver “Ollie” Livingston versus Daryl Dixon, one third of the Dirty Dixon Brothers. I made my way to the curtain and peeked around to see Frank standing in the ring side by side with Ollie brandishing chairs at Daryl and his brothers, Eli and Zeke, who were prowling around outside the ring. It was a Mexican stand off.
Frank grabbed a microphone and addressed the Dixons.
Listen up boys ‘cuz I’m only going to say this once. This sh*t won’t fly in Legacy. The World Heavyweight Championship match is a one on one match and the two of you are not invited. You take one more step towards this ring and I will make your lives a living hell. This isn’t SuperBrawl where any assh*le with a bad attitude can run to the ring and f*ck things up.
I strongly suggest you drop the chairs and go back to the locker room right now before I fine or suspend your asses.
Frank is breathing fire and means every word he is saying to Eli and Zeke Dixon. They do the wise thing, dropping their chairs, giving their little brother Daryl one last pat on the back, and leaving the ring area. Frank slides out of the ring but stays at ringside still holding the chair ready to serve as an enforcer. He signals for the ref to restart the match.
The match goes for another ten minutes of good clean back and forth action until Ollie finally hits a package pile driver for the win. Frank jumps back in the ring to present Ollie with the championship belt amidst a shower of multi-colored crepe paper thrown into ring by the fans.
The show was every bit as good as Frank hoped for. The fans are slow to stop cheering and leave but finally they clear out of the building and the ring crew gets to work breaking everything down.
I mill around backstage accepting congratulations from other wrestlers, mostly the other winners as the losers aren’t in the mood to mingle, and nibbling at the last remnants of catering hoping to catch sight of Frank and Joe.
I see Joe having an animated conversation with some of the Legacy wrestlers, including Brick Harrison and his trainer, Brandon Bison. Every once in a while Joe glances around the room just like me, looking for Frank to make an appearance. About five minutes pass and Frank enters the room. All eyes turn to him and he gets a round of applause from everybody for his efforts in pulling off the show.
Frank makes his way around the room shaking hands and exchanging quick greetings. I see Joe make his way towards Frank and I do the same, going slow enough that Joe gets to him first but I am within earshot. Time to be a fly on the wall.
Frank, can I steal you for a minute?
Hey Joe, sure.
Frank leads Joe down a hallway towards an office. I follow at a discreet distance. I need to hear this and jump in if necessary. Lucky for me they leave the door open. I do my best to look natural leaning against the wall with my empty glass while I eavesdrop.
I want to thank you again for coming. I’d hate for you to think every Legacy event comes with a random psycho owner attack.
No problem. I enjoyed the show.
Nice to have a wrestling show without barb wire, baseball bats, swords, and constant interference, isn’t it?
Indeed. Except for the last match.
Yeah, well I nipped that sh*t in the bud. When it comes to Legacy, I am the law.
Glad to hear it, good to see you're trying to change things.
I never intended to be this active at Legacy but the past few weeks have been great. I can make a difference here.
Yeah, you can. You can make a difference in the WFWF too.
*long pause*
No, I can’t.
Yes you can. Don’t let a few losses get you down.
C’mon Joe, open your eyes. Drakz, Trace, Brennan, Schneider… they all saw it. I’m a mistake, a failure, just some guy who can’t win. I don’t belong in the WFWF. My place is here, where I can do some good.
I agree that you can do some good here. You can make Legacy a place where young wrestlers learn how to do things the right way.
Exactly. Change doesn’t have to come from the top. I can mold the next generation so that the WFWF has no choice but to recruit the type of wrestlers who will make it a better place whether the owners want it or not.
It's important, but it's not enough. We need to lead the way. Without guys like us, proving it in a WFWF ring, these guys will never get their chance.
That only works if you set a good example. Losing over and over and over isn’t good. Every loss to a David Brennan or Trace Demon validates them and hurts your cause. I’m hurting your cause.
*short pause*
Damn. Daphne was right.
Daphne is a part of this? Maybe she should come in and join us. I know you’re out there!
Busted! At least Frank finally is willing to talk.
Um, hi…
I assume you heard everything?
Yeah. And you figured out I asked Joe to talk to you?
I smelled something fishy when I saw you follow us.
I’ve been meaning to talk to you anyway. All Daphne did was give me a heads up that you were in a bad place.
Wrong! I’m in a great place. We just put on a great show that highlighted all that is good in professional wrestling!
Yes you did. As you said, you’re doing some good here. I think you could do so much more in the WFWF.
I don’t.
So you really are giving up?
I’m accepting the truth. I would’ve quit already but Lila booked me in this random tag match and I won’t leave my partner high and dry. Win or lose, it will be my last.
NO!
What do you mean, NO? It’s my choice to make.
You’re not thinking straight. You’ve hit a rough patch. Guys like Demon, Brennan, Whitner, and Schneider sense weakness and feed on it. If you quit you’re making the choice they want.
It’s MY choice! They just happen to be right. I can accept that. Why can’t you?
Don’t do this. If you quit now, you WILL regret it later. Don’t give up. Fight back.
And what? End up in hospital with a sword stuck through my hand or an eye sliced out by a razor or worse? Did you read what Schneider said? Make an example out of me. Beat me so bad I’m permanently injured, scarred for life!
Look at me Frank. Am I missing an eye? Do I have a hole in my hand? NO. Don’t let them get in your head.
*short pause*
You just need to keep going. I mean, why do you think Ante and Schneider are ripping in to you?
I have no idea.
It's because they know you're a threat. Because they see the same potential I do, and like always they want to stamp it out so they can stay on top.
That’s right! The very best in the WFWF are afraid of what you may become so they are playing mind games to get you out of the WFWF now.
I doubt it. I’m no threat to anybody.
I look at you and I see an accomplished fighter who just needs to hit his stride. So do they. When you put it all together, you can and will be part of a better WFWF, someone I would be proud to step into the ring with.
Really?
Yes, really. You still have time to prepare for your match. Maybe you win, maybe you lose. In the long term that's not gonna make too much difference, just go out there and give it everything you've got.
Come on Frank. You don’t want to live with the regret if you give up before you gave it everything possible. I know you have more left in you, a lot more!
*short pause*
Damn! You two aren’t going to let up, are you? Okay then. I’ll give it my best shot. Afterwards, if I still feel the same way, both of you let it drop. Accept that I’m not cut out for the WFWF.
That will have to do… for now. After your match, don’t do anything rash without talking to me first.
If you’ll come out of hiding and work with me, I’ll make sure you’re at the top of your game.
I can do that.
Next time I can get Joe Bishop alone I’ll have to thank him. I’m not sure we got Frank all the way back to believing he can do this but at least Frank is willing to try. I’ll have to train him pretty hard. It might be time for a make-over too, maybe work on a new entrance and ring attire. Anything to get his enthusiasm back after the losses to Whitner, Brennan and Demon. He needs a win to get his confidence back. He’s too good to go out on his back.
Lousiville, KY : March 29, 2017
Once more into the breech, dear friends, once more.
I never really liked Shakespeare but I have to admit, he could turn a colorful phrase when he needed to. Why am I looking to Shakespeare for inspiration?
Well, I am heading into night five of the Supreme Gauntlet reduced to a virtual spectator watching others fight for the prize, a ship without a rudder floating where the current, or Lila Sleater, takes me. I find myself booked in some random ass tag match with Reverend Shadow versus Scarlett Quinn and Tyson Watts. Talk about throwing sh*t against the wall to see if it sticks! Given my situation, it’s best not to ask why. Better to heed the words of the Bard and go into the breech one more time.
Obviously, things have not gone well for me since I won Rookie of the Year. Loss after loss piling up destroying any credibility I gained last year. The cliche thing to say would be something about how I will pick myself up, dust myself off, and get right back on the horse that just threw me so I can ride the nag into the ground thus showing everyone who is the boss. Sorry, not really feeling it today. Let people like Trace Demon and David Brennan dish out the trash talk. As much as I dislike both of them, they’ve earned that right. I haven’t.
What I am feeling is a very strong desire to step into the ring and put my wrestling skills to a damn good test. In that regard, I’d prefer a one on one match so there is no doubt of the outcome or my part in it. If I have to be in a tag match then having Reverend Shadow for a partner isn’t the worst thing that could happen, although I can think of many other Hall of Famers I’d prefer to be partnered with.
Reverend Shadow is a mystery to me. I know next to nothing about him. Why did he come back? What is his agenda? How do I fit into it? Very interesting questions but not important at this point in time. All that matters right now is that we work together as a team. I know that when he comes to the corner for a tag I will be there to take it. Whether it is Scarlett Quinn or Tyson Watts standing opposite me, I will bring the fight to them. If the action gets a little hot and heavy, I will be there to watch his back. I will give one hundred ten per cent to get our team the win.
Can I trust the Reverend to do the same? Will he be there when I go for a tag? Will he watch my back if things get ugly? I don’t know. The man is a puzzle I don’t have the time to solve so I hope for both of our sakes that the answer is yes.
We better work as a team if we want to win. Scarlett Quinn is no joke. Granted, I know almost as little about her as I do the Reverend, but I’ve seen her former partner Penny Shannon in action and let’s just say that if Scarlett is half the woman Penny was at SuperBrawl when she brutalized Dex, then she is twice the man most professional wrestlers will ever be. Scarlett certainly has the pedigree, with the blood of champions running through her veins. I’ve heard the respect in everybody’s voice when they speak of Wayne McGurk and a good bit of that has rubbed off on Scarlett. She is no unproven girl banking on her daddy's name to open doors. She is a former champion and certified bad ass. She is an opponent who has my respect.
Scarlett may have to be at her absolute best because, to be honest, her partner Tyson Watts is a very green rookie who could drag her down in this match. He had a hard time against Brandon Bison and Reverend Shadow in singles matches. I’m sure he is hungry for his elusive first victory in the WFWF. That puts him in a similar situation to me, the unproven young gun paired off with the battle tested veteran in the hopes that some of their experience rubs off on us.
A lot of fans are going to look at Tyson and I as riding the coattails of our more accomplished partners in this match. Believe me, there is some appeal in standing on the ring apron watching Reverend Shadow take care of business so I can get a win, but that’s not me. I want to be in the ring putting my skills to the test against the best. I want to win because I earned it, not because I was carried. I expect Tyson to feel the same way so I will be just as ready for him as I am for Scarlett Quinn.
Tyson and I have to make a difference in this match. The load is on us to show that we belong in the same ring as two former champions who have returned hungrier than ever for more successes. It is incumbent on us to change the minds of all the fans who would rather see a singles match between Reverend Shadow and Scarlett Quinn than this random ass tag match. I don’t know how much of that has sunk in for Tyson but it is something I am very aware of, giving me a real sense of urgency. I have to start living up to the hype.
WFWF.COM called this tag match an experiment. I call it a proving ground, perhaps the final one for me. I will be in the same ring as two greats and a fellow top prospect. By the end of the match I will either be seen as their equal or as an afterthought. Honestly, I don’t know which I will be when the match is over but I know which one I am aiming for, which one Daphne has been training me for, which one Joshua Dean and Joe Bishop believe I am capable of.
I won’t be an afterthought. I won’t let Reverend Shadow down. I won’t let my supporters down. I won’t let myself down.
Cue the Bard one more time:
Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!
