Post by James Gilmore on Jan 26, 2019 0:22:44 GMT
”THE TIDAL WAVE”
~Issue #3: “In The Beginning, Part III”~
JANUARY 25, 2019
Written by
JAMES GILMORE
=====
Written by IWF wrestler James Gilmore, The Tidal Wave is a monthly series of columns that will give a raw, real, and uncensored take on his life in and out of the ring. The first three issues of the series, under the collective title In The Beginning,” will focus on his development in the wrestling business, from his behind-the-scenes beginnings to his current IWF run. In part three, he delves into his current run in IWF, along with the lessons he learned after coming to terms with the most horrific day of his life.
Please note that the opinions expressed by Mr. Gilmore do not, in any way, reflect the views of the Imperial Wrestling Federation and its many employees.
What happened during the 4th quarter of the Rams-Saints NFC Championship Game this past Sunday was an outrage--and rightfully so.
But robbery?! I’m not too sure about that, at least from an objective standpoint.
Let’s be fair, whether it’d be pass interference or hitting a defenseless receiver, Nickell Robey-Coleman should have been called for something on that 3rd-and-10 play from the Rams’ 13. Had the zebras called him on the latter; it would’ve been a half-the-distance penalty and an automatic first down; had they made the P.I. call, Drew Brees would have had the ball down on the three with plenty of ample time to simply run down the clock and give their kicker a chance to win the game right then and there.
Rams don’t get the ball again, kick a chip shot, game over right? Not necessarily.
Saints kicker Wil Lutz could pull a Blair Walsh and miss it (or have it blocked).
That’s why you play the damn game to the very end, for the full sixty minutes. Sadly, with all this video technology at our disposal, referees are still susceptible to human error; it’s simply our nature to make mistakes--baseball umpire Jim Joyce knew that when he blew Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game in 2010. As of this writing, I’m hearing reports that the NFL, for next season, is considering reviewing penalty calls (or non-calls) from the booth upstairs during the last two minutes of each half.
But seriously, would slowing down the game further to review a call (or non-call) make a difference.
I don’t know. I just don’t know.
Anyways, onto the topic at hand. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the world of professional wrestling. I love it because it’s given me the opportunity to travel to various points around the world; on the other side, I hate it because I’ve known for years that I’d find myself surrounded by, perhaps, far superior athletes than I had previously estimated. Still, it’s this sense of balance that’s kept me alive and going for so long, mainly because even though I might not be strong or as physically buff as some of the others, I have the ability to use other means in order to survive.
Does these “other means” get me into trouble?! Sure they do, I won’t deny that!
Yet sometimes, they’re the only weapons I’ve got.
I’m an outspoken guy--always have been, always will be--it’s just part of my nature. For better or worse, nobody can ever take that away from me. That being said, if I had to use a single phrase to define my experiences in the Imperial Wrestling Federation, it would be this short, simple ditty:
”A roller-coaster ride.”
It got started when I made my debut in 2016 against Michael “Spike” Kane. It nearly went off the rails when I had the incident on my private beach in 2017. It got back on track--albeit with some hiccups along the way--last year. Now, as I enter 2019, I have no idea what to expect or what’s going to happen from this point onward, but I can honestly say that I’m not doing anything else except hoping for the best.
That’s all I can do.
The truth is, wrestling is all about the people you meet. Some of them are really cool cats that have your best interests in mind and are willing to share and discuss ideas with you. However, there are some people that--for one reason or another--will simply rub you the wrong way. I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with people from both of these categories, and to be fair...in their own way, they’ve helped me get through the darkest chapter of my life because in their own hearts and minds, they want to see me flourish not just as an entertainer, but as a role model outside the ring too.
I’ll start by acknowledging Ed Donahue, the Director of Talent Relations.
He was the first person I ran into when I first joined Imperial, and I’ll admit we went round-and-round on a few sordid things in the past. Truth is, he’s one of the coolest dudes I’ve had the pleasure of talking to; he was the one who gave me the idea of forming a tag-team with Rob Diamond, and since that day, it’s been a godsend for me. Ed wants his talents to go out there, work their butts off, and have fun...and the last bit is something I will always treasure even after I’m dead.
Speaking of Rob Diamond…
What can I say about the man, huh?! The dude’s been doing this gig for a long time, and has won just about everything you can imagine. He might be quite eccentric at times, but guess what?! He’s been a friend to me, but more importantly...he’s been a mentor when I truly needed it the most. The whole idea of our tag-team is inspired by one of my favorite comedy flicks of all-time, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (about the straight-laced executive and the well-meaning, boisterous salesman). Rob has been a great comic foil for me since I decided to tag with him, and hopefully...we can leave audiences around the planet shell-shocked and then some!
Then, there’s Fiona McFly…
From a purely subjective standpoint, Fiona has been one of the best friends a person can ever have. When she’s having a good day, you’ll see the end results right then and there. She’ll tell jokes, she’ll even sing a few bars upon request, but most importantly?! She’ll work her ass off in that ring even on her worst of days.
But from an objective standpoint?!
The hard truth is, I believe she really loves this business without question. She’s poured her heart and soul into it for the past four years and is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen, but for the sake of being “fair and balanced,” while I don’t know everything that’s cooking in her mind, I like to think that perhaps she is trying to find a way to properly express her love of the game. I like to think that, just maybe, she’s holding something back, something that she hasn’t come to terms with yet. I’d like to think that she’s looking for an escape route out of the mental Shawshank Prison she might be stuck inside of.
She’s a part of a much bigger family than she realizes, the Imperial family, and we need her, very badly. That’s the end goal Rob and I want to accomplish in 2019--above titles, above fancy trophies, above anything else. We want to help her as much as we can, but at the end of the day, she--and she alone--is responsible for making sure her career is on the up and up.
Just like how she guided me through my darkest hours and gave me a good kick in the butt for my complacency. I’d have been dead long ago had she not been here, had she not been in professional wrestling to begin with.
I love her as a friend. I admire her as a worker. Yet I can only pray that she finds the peace she’s searching for.
Last but not least, there was Michael “Spike” Kane.
Subjectively speaking, the guy was many things--a bastard, an evil dude, a monster. More often than not, he always blasted his own horn and wasn’t shy about doing so. Spike did what Spike wanted to do, and he didn’t give a flying flip about anyone or anything that stood in his way. I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with the man to know that you didn’t want to wind up on his bad side--that is, of course, if you don’t want to be a glutton for punishment.
But objectively?!
Spike worked his tail off, in and out of a ring. He trained people, brought them into this business. He gave me my first big break when others questioned why I was doing this stuff in the first place. Did we get along?! Of course not, however...if there was one lesson I can take from watching his matches, from seeing how he molded and shaped people into the stars they are now, it’s this one simple thing:
We not guaranteed anything in this life.
In a world that grows chaotic with each news cycle, with each human tragedy, the saddest tenet we live by is that there is no absolution, no such thing as a certainty that we’re gonna have a “tomorrow.” That’s why I always believe that you should work your butt off as hard as you can, no matter what you do, so you can bring smiles and joy to those around you; when you’re back home, away from the crowds, go hug your loved ones. Tell them just how much they mean to you and how much you love them.
I want to close out with this.
In the life I’ve lived, I’ve done a great many things--some good, some bad. Yet I never dreamed, not for a single moment, that I’d have a job where I could travel from country to country, where so many people could touch me and I could touch them, and there’s such a great, magical feeling about professional wrestling that, quite frankly, I have never seen before. Of all the people I’ve acknowledged in this writing, of all the people I’ve met in my travels, I can’t help but publicly thank my fiancee Yulia. We met on a cruise in September 2016, and I never realized just how special she truly was back then and is right now.
I wouldn’t have made it through the darkest chapter of my life if it wasn’t for her, if it wasn’t for Fiona or the Imperial family as a whole.
And all I can do, all I can say...is that I love you all.
Very, very much.
~Issue #3: “In The Beginning, Part III”~
JANUARY 25, 2019
Written by
JAMES GILMORE
=====
Written by IWF wrestler James Gilmore, The Tidal Wave is a monthly series of columns that will give a raw, real, and uncensored take on his life in and out of the ring. The first three issues of the series, under the collective title In The Beginning,” will focus on his development in the wrestling business, from his behind-the-scenes beginnings to his current IWF run. In part three, he delves into his current run in IWF, along with the lessons he learned after coming to terms with the most horrific day of his life.
Please note that the opinions expressed by Mr. Gilmore do not, in any way, reflect the views of the Imperial Wrestling Federation and its many employees.
What happened during the 4th quarter of the Rams-Saints NFC Championship Game this past Sunday was an outrage--and rightfully so.
But robbery?! I’m not too sure about that, at least from an objective standpoint.
Let’s be fair, whether it’d be pass interference or hitting a defenseless receiver, Nickell Robey-Coleman should have been called for something on that 3rd-and-10 play from the Rams’ 13. Had the zebras called him on the latter; it would’ve been a half-the-distance penalty and an automatic first down; had they made the P.I. call, Drew Brees would have had the ball down on the three with plenty of ample time to simply run down the clock and give their kicker a chance to win the game right then and there.
Rams don’t get the ball again, kick a chip shot, game over right? Not necessarily.
Saints kicker Wil Lutz could pull a Blair Walsh and miss it (or have it blocked).
That’s why you play the damn game to the very end, for the full sixty minutes. Sadly, with all this video technology at our disposal, referees are still susceptible to human error; it’s simply our nature to make mistakes--baseball umpire Jim Joyce knew that when he blew Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game in 2010. As of this writing, I’m hearing reports that the NFL, for next season, is considering reviewing penalty calls (or non-calls) from the booth upstairs during the last two minutes of each half.
But seriously, would slowing down the game further to review a call (or non-call) make a difference.
I don’t know. I just don’t know.
Anyways, onto the topic at hand. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with the world of professional wrestling. I love it because it’s given me the opportunity to travel to various points around the world; on the other side, I hate it because I’ve known for years that I’d find myself surrounded by, perhaps, far superior athletes than I had previously estimated. Still, it’s this sense of balance that’s kept me alive and going for so long, mainly because even though I might not be strong or as physically buff as some of the others, I have the ability to use other means in order to survive.
Does these “other means” get me into trouble?! Sure they do, I won’t deny that!
Yet sometimes, they’re the only weapons I’ve got.
I’m an outspoken guy--always have been, always will be--it’s just part of my nature. For better or worse, nobody can ever take that away from me. That being said, if I had to use a single phrase to define my experiences in the Imperial Wrestling Federation, it would be this short, simple ditty:
”A roller-coaster ride.”
It got started when I made my debut in 2016 against Michael “Spike” Kane. It nearly went off the rails when I had the incident on my private beach in 2017. It got back on track--albeit with some hiccups along the way--last year. Now, as I enter 2019, I have no idea what to expect or what’s going to happen from this point onward, but I can honestly say that I’m not doing anything else except hoping for the best.
That’s all I can do.
The truth is, wrestling is all about the people you meet. Some of them are really cool cats that have your best interests in mind and are willing to share and discuss ideas with you. However, there are some people that--for one reason or another--will simply rub you the wrong way. I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with people from both of these categories, and to be fair...in their own way, they’ve helped me get through the darkest chapter of my life because in their own hearts and minds, they want to see me flourish not just as an entertainer, but as a role model outside the ring too.
I’ll start by acknowledging Ed Donahue, the Director of Talent Relations.
He was the first person I ran into when I first joined Imperial, and I’ll admit we went round-and-round on a few sordid things in the past. Truth is, he’s one of the coolest dudes I’ve had the pleasure of talking to; he was the one who gave me the idea of forming a tag-team with Rob Diamond, and since that day, it’s been a godsend for me. Ed wants his talents to go out there, work their butts off, and have fun...and the last bit is something I will always treasure even after I’m dead.
Speaking of Rob Diamond…
What can I say about the man, huh?! The dude’s been doing this gig for a long time, and has won just about everything you can imagine. He might be quite eccentric at times, but guess what?! He’s been a friend to me, but more importantly...he’s been a mentor when I truly needed it the most. The whole idea of our tag-team is inspired by one of my favorite comedy flicks of all-time, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (about the straight-laced executive and the well-meaning, boisterous salesman). Rob has been a great comic foil for me since I decided to tag with him, and hopefully...we can leave audiences around the planet shell-shocked and then some!
Then, there’s Fiona McFly…
From a purely subjective standpoint, Fiona has been one of the best friends a person can ever have. When she’s having a good day, you’ll see the end results right then and there. She’ll tell jokes, she’ll even sing a few bars upon request, but most importantly?! She’ll work her ass off in that ring even on her worst of days.
But from an objective standpoint?!
The hard truth is, I believe she really loves this business without question. She’s poured her heart and soul into it for the past four years and is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen, but for the sake of being “fair and balanced,” while I don’t know everything that’s cooking in her mind, I like to think that perhaps she is trying to find a way to properly express her love of the game. I like to think that, just maybe, she’s holding something back, something that she hasn’t come to terms with yet. I’d like to think that she’s looking for an escape route out of the mental Shawshank Prison she might be stuck inside of.
She’s a part of a much bigger family than she realizes, the Imperial family, and we need her, very badly. That’s the end goal Rob and I want to accomplish in 2019--above titles, above fancy trophies, above anything else. We want to help her as much as we can, but at the end of the day, she--and she alone--is responsible for making sure her career is on the up and up.
Just like how she guided me through my darkest hours and gave me a good kick in the butt for my complacency. I’d have been dead long ago had she not been here, had she not been in professional wrestling to begin with.
I love her as a friend. I admire her as a worker. Yet I can only pray that she finds the peace she’s searching for.
Last but not least, there was Michael “Spike” Kane.
Subjectively speaking, the guy was many things--a bastard, an evil dude, a monster. More often than not, he always blasted his own horn and wasn’t shy about doing so. Spike did what Spike wanted to do, and he didn’t give a flying flip about anyone or anything that stood in his way. I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with the man to know that you didn’t want to wind up on his bad side--that is, of course, if you don’t want to be a glutton for punishment.
But objectively?!
Spike worked his tail off, in and out of a ring. He trained people, brought them into this business. He gave me my first big break when others questioned why I was doing this stuff in the first place. Did we get along?! Of course not, however...if there was one lesson I can take from watching his matches, from seeing how he molded and shaped people into the stars they are now, it’s this one simple thing:
We not guaranteed anything in this life.
In a world that grows chaotic with each news cycle, with each human tragedy, the saddest tenet we live by is that there is no absolution, no such thing as a certainty that we’re gonna have a “tomorrow.” That’s why I always believe that you should work your butt off as hard as you can, no matter what you do, so you can bring smiles and joy to those around you; when you’re back home, away from the crowds, go hug your loved ones. Tell them just how much they mean to you and how much you love them.
I want to close out with this.
In the life I’ve lived, I’ve done a great many things--some good, some bad. Yet I never dreamed, not for a single moment, that I’d have a job where I could travel from country to country, where so many people could touch me and I could touch them, and there’s such a great, magical feeling about professional wrestling that, quite frankly, I have never seen before. Of all the people I’ve acknowledged in this writing, of all the people I’ve met in my travels, I can’t help but publicly thank my fiancee Yulia. We met on a cruise in September 2016, and I never realized just how special she truly was back then and is right now.
I wouldn’t have made it through the darkest chapter of my life if it wasn’t for her, if it wasn’t for Fiona or the Imperial family as a whole.
And all I can do, all I can say...is that I love you all.
Very, very much.
Well howdy there pardner.