Post by Ryan "Rocco" O'Callaghan on Jan 4, 2017 20:29:13 GMT -5
NNaa[[Princeton College: Hoyt Dormitory[[aaNN
It felt good to close my eyes. They were so heavy and my entire body was aching. But this was normal. But I've never had another week looming over me where I had to wrestle back to back yet. The last place I was at had a show monthly… maybe. And I wasn’t invited to all of those until the latter part of my career. Going from monthly to weekly is going to be an exciting and exhausting adventure.
I dreamt of the match. Pushing Vinnie aside and hitting my finisher on Blackwood to pick up the victory was exhilarating. The crowd was overwhelmingly supportive as well. Coming from a shitty gym where the fans are used to seeing certain people I knew it was going to take an effort to earn the respect of more seasoned fans, but after my victory I believe that I at least took the first step to earning their respect.
I made it to Connecticut with time to spare after Slam. I don’t have class until like 2 on Mondays so I was able to make it. But American history is not my jam if you know what I mean. Mr. McManus had a unique way of telling history through song and poetry but at the end of the day it’s still a bunch of white dudes who were afraid of people who looked different from them and used violence and discrimination in order to advance. If the way the world is now is any indication, we haven’t changed too much. People say those who fail to understand history are doomed to repeat it. Well that’s a crock of shit, because there definitely are a bunch of people that DO understand history that are being forced to repeat it in today’s climate.
“Am I boring you, Mr. O’Callaghan?”
“What… yes… definitely.” I awoke with a stutter.
NNaa[[Princeton College: Alexander Hall HS:220 [[aaNN
So it turns out that I fell asleep in class. It wouldn’t be the first time and definitely wouldn’t be the last time. The laughter of the others in the class stirred me more than the veiled sarcasm from Professor McManus. He took my accidental insult in stride as I wiped the crust out of my eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar class. It was the only class I didn’t have with any friends in it. It felt lonely. I felt isolated from the world, but I focused and made it through the rest of class without a peep or a glance my way.
I met Jeremy after class. The gray clouds hovering ominously overhead outside didn’t dampen my day at all especially after the email I just read on my iPhone. We’re back at the Wells Fargo Arena next week… it’s amazing that the WCF can pack that place out two weeks in a row. I guess demand was just that fucking high. And even better I’m facing off against FPV and Sebastian Knight in a Television Title Match.
“What does that mean?” Jeremy asked me as he passed the cigarette filled with weed. It’s not a joint, it’s a cigarette but we cored out the first inch or so and shoved pot in there. We called it a cigaweed… but we stole that from Half Baked.
“The Television Title is defended every week. It’s a ten minute time limit and it’s the real stepping stone to the top of the card. But of course there’s the Alpha Title, but if I win this I’m removed from the Alpha Title scene. I guess that’s cool though. Because the people who have held the Television Title in the past year have been far more impressive. Since Ultimate Showdown it was won by Thomas Bates where he defended it until he won the World Title. The former World Champ then won it the next week where he defended it until he lost it to ANOTHER World Champion in FPV where he’s dominated for 8 fucking weeks.
That title is fucking impressive. It’s really just an honor to be considered for contention of the title. But consideration ain’t enough, brotha.
But I can’t help but feel a little… what’s the word? I feel like I haven’t earned it yet. I’ve been there for one fucking week. There are people who have been there for months and never gotten a shot. But it’s not my place to decide who gets in and who doesn’t. it’s my job to fucking kill it every time I step into the ring. It’s my job to bring fire and tenacity and passion every time I step between those ropes. It’s my job to show all those people who said that I was too small or too young to become a big name in the industry in order to fucking put those bitches in their place and show them that I have EVERYTHING that it takes to be successful.”
“Then you can shove that title in your father’s face!” Jeremy misguidedly added.
“Fuck that, man. You kidding me? If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am. Sure he hasn’t exactly supported me in this venture but I ain’t discounting the fact that I’ve had a place to live and food to eat for the past 20 years and I ain’t gonna do nothing to shove it in anyone’s face, bro.
You see, I’m not like Sebastian Knight. I have been given everything, but I appreciate it. And I cherish what I have. I use it to make me a better person. I don’t insult the people I defeat to claim to be better than I am. I am proud of where I am, and I use my luxuries to enhance myself on my own terms. You know what this guy said about Lester Parish, one of the most underrated guys to ever have been fortunate enough to be in this fed. He said that he didn't have a shadow of a doubt that he would win. He said the he wasn't even a challenge. I've seen that mother fucker work, and he was a challenge to beat anyone, and he damn well nearly beat Knight at One. He got lucky, but he sees it as skill."
"What's keeping people from saying the same thing about you?" Jeremy asked.
"Nothing. Not a goddamned thing is keeping anyone from saying anything. But you can tell a person's true colors not by the way he treats themselves or the people they care for buyt by the way they treat people the don't know or dislike. This guy has no respect and honestly. The dude is fucked up in the head. I don't even know if he knows how bad, but he's the type of douche that uses his money to fucking take steps forward that his body really isn't ready to take. It may benefit him now, but in the long run it's definitely going to fucking hurt him. He's gotta open his eyes and see the reality of the world, not the one that he's created for himself.
Shit can get hazy in the dark of night but when the light finally shines down you better put your best foot forward.”
“Shit son… yo...finish this beast off. You gotta get your shit together.”
Jeremy passes me the cigaweed as I rip another puff. Too hard this time though as the tobacco seeps through and the nasty taste of nicotine overpowers the sweet consciousness of cannabis in my lungs. The rain began to fall on my face and I could feel every drop. I loved being high in the rain.
NNaa[[Princeton College: Hoyt Dormitory[[aaNN
“Maybe I’m too plain.” I said to the poster of “Massacre” Matt Lockett after he won the World Title in Texas that I keep hung up in my dorm room. He trained me. He made me the wrestler I am today and really helped shape the man I’ve become and still continue to become. I could probably just call him, but I could recreate the conversation with him in my mind anyway.
In his quiet yet powerful voice he would say to me “Son, plain is only a word to describe bagels and how you like your woman’s pussy to taste. You are far from plain. You’re good looking and you’ve got all the makings of a superstar.”
He was too kind.
“Yea, but people here have been through shit, man. I mean, Joey Flash was abducted by Aliens. Corey Black has this weird second personality that he only brings out in serious occasions. Thomas Bates seems to have snapped and Gemini Battle I think WAS an alien or some shit. The past 4 World Champs are fucking supernatural… and don’t tell me that a 7 foot 400 pound man that can jump straight onto the apron ain’t fucking supernatural in some way.”
Insecurity is probably my biggest weakness. I have all the confidence in the world and I can come off as cocky at times but the fact of the matter is that I always feared failure. I hate it. I wish it wasn’t a possibility, but that fear drives me to avoid it and to be better than it.
“You’ve got to be better than failure, though. Right. You’ve got to overcome. It doesn’t matter what other people have done, it only matters what you’ve done. I won my first match in WCF and I’m stepping into the ring with a true talent in FPV. A former World Champion; a masterful Television Champion. A man able to defy all odds by remaining humble yet exuberant in his actions.
But watching him last week was far from impressive. When he defeated Gemini Battle for the title, and his defenses that came after that including Lester Parish and that epic match between CJ Phoenix and Jaice Wilds to name a few he looked like a man at the top of his game. Putting out match of the year candidates every time. But when he stepped into the ring with Pantheon he looked like a frail and fragile little boy.
He didn’t seem to know what to do when Holmes and Rabid fucking pounced on him and Bishop. It really showed the difference between the Brotherhood and Pantheon. It proved that the best really is that stable and the Brotherhood is still finding their footing. Holmes and Rabid aren’t even the top guys in Pantheon and they easily disposed of Frank and Bishop who cannot be argued are top of their stable.
And Frank let Bishop take the pin, knowing that it was Bishop or he and he didn’t want to relinquish that gold. Unfortunately there is nowhere to hide this week. He steps into the ring with me and fucking Knight who has a thirst for blood too. This tool is like my fucking doppelganger. He’s the Canadian version of me, except a bit older, a bit stronger and far more deceitful.”
“Don’t let yourself get overconfident, boy…” the voice of Lockett echoed in my head as it always did when my britches got too big.
“Not over confident. Just trying to pump myself up. I’m fucking excited for this opportunity, man. A title shot in my second week… Joey Flash was the last person I know of to win the title in his second week and look what he did with it and where he is now. That’s the trajectory I want to take. I want to be the top of this company one day, but I gotta start at the bottom. I gotta work my way up. I’ve got my shot. I’m young, scrappy and hungry and I’m NOT throwing away this shot!”
“The fuck dude?” Jeremy said as he ripped the steamroller Dave left in the room last night. “You still talking to the wall man?” He couldn’t control his laughter, and as I realized the contact high was taking over I laughed too. Fun and games tonight, but this Sunday the gloves are off. This Sunday I become the WCF Television Champ.