Post by Mike Laszlo on Sept 22, 2013 13:03:46 GMT
There’s a lot of things in this world that I get, but one that can’t be overlooked, one that I just can’t ignore is stupidity. The dictionary definition of stupidity is “behavior that shows a lack of good sense or judgment.” As I look over the entire landscape of the IWF and the people I’ve come up against, I can’t help but realize that stupidity does exist, and it thrives in this business of lies. That’s why I’m done lying. Now it’s time to tell the truth, but do so in a harsh manner because simple praise of ability doesn’t seem to be enough.
Ryan Blade, IWF Man of Steel Champion.
I gave you all the praise in the world for your ability. I wanted to let you know that I think you are an incredibly skilled individual and that when you decide to finally understand it all you will be so much better. I praised your ability and didn’t mention your smarts for a reason…your smarts…don’t exist. The brain cells aren’t computing. The lights are on but nobody is home.
I’m a man who has done plenty of things in this business. I’ve been champion. I’ve been the top dog in organizations past. The whole time, no matter I held a belt or not, there was one thing that held me down, ego. Over the last few months though, and apparently it’s gone unnoticed, the ego has diminished. The attitude has changed. I have changed.
Gone are the days of the I’m better than you on pure bravado speeches, the ones you love oh so much lately. Gone are the days of dick swinging. I don’t know what to tell you if that upsets you other than get over it. The endless banter from both the men and women on this roster is so upsetting and repetitive that it almost makes me want to hit mute when an IWF promo comes on the television. I can hit mute and watch and I can see the lips moving and it makes me laugh because without hearing an audible sound I can hear what they’re saying, and I can act it out right here and right now for the world to hear.
“I’m better than you because I say so and I don’t care what you say about it.”
“I’m better than you because I have a belt and you don’t.”
Sure there’s a bunch of other words in there explaining why, but in the end, one of those two sentences is the jest of it. The problem with those lines is that there isn’t even a shred of statistical fact to prove that point. What one instance can you point at Ryan and say that you’re better than me? Huh? You won the Man of Steel title? Congratulations. As I said before, since then, you haven’t done a damn thing. Sure you’ve won your share of matches while I’ve lost, but what have you done of substance that actually matters? For you see while I’ve had my share of losses, I beat you single handedly, by myself, clean in the center of that ring. It’s something of worth. There’s meaning behind it because that win is what propelled me to this opportunity this week in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. That win is what has you on edge for you see Ryan, you’ve mentioned it more than I have. That supposed high that one single win supposedly gives me is doing the opposite to you and now the real pressure is on.
For months now you’ve been better than everybody you’ve come across. For months now you’ve gone above and beyond beating everyone in your path and doing so with great efficiency. That was for months…now we’re talking today. Today things change. Tonight in front of twenty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty two plus people, we go out into that ring and we will be putting on a main event like none seen before in this or any other company. The pressure is on like it has never been for you Ryan. If I lose this match, there’s absolutely nothing to lose. Just another black mark on my record. For you, thanks to one single win a month back, it means oh so much more. This is your shot Ryan. This is your chance to prove that my win over you was a fluke contrary to popular belief. This is your opportunity to avenge what clearly still haunts you to this very day. One loss that is in your head to the point where you are sitting there on your trip to the arena wondering to yourself, “Can I win?” That one loss has planted the seed of doubt, and Sunday Night at Extreme Endurance, the seed germinates, the plant grows, and the flower blossoms into a new Man of Steel Champion…me.
====================
Title: Helpless
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Time: 11:17 PM Local Time
Have you ever been all alone? I mean truly all alone with nobody to turn to? No way out? That’s how I felt as those ambulances pulled off. I was petrified after what had just happened, not because I haven’t seen something like that before, but because there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. A girl put her life in my hands and I did what I thought was necessary to protect her…I failed. All I did wasn’t good enough because there she goes, in the back of an ambulance, to the local hospital after having the crap kicked out of her by some guy who gets his jollies beating on women.
As I remained on my knees, staring off into the distance in a trance-like state, all of a sudden I felt my phone start to vibrate in my pocket. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I probably couldn’t talk to anybody even if I did want to. So I let the ring go. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I couldn’t sit here on the sidewalk. Taking a deep breath I pushed myself off the sidewalk and started walking, not toward my car but down the street as I thought maybe a brisk walk in the evening air would be enough to clear my head. Then the vibration in my pocket started again. Pulling it out, I look at the caller ID and see that its Alexis who is probably worried, so rather than make her worry more, I answer.
Mike Laszlo: Hello.
Alexis Caffrey: Mike…thank God. Why didn’t you answer earlier? You had me worried sick.
Mike Laszlo: It didn’t work.
I was still on a bad low after what had happened and the tone and strain of my voice must have indicated that through the phone.
Alexis Caffrey: What happened?
Mike Laszlo: It didn’t work. My plan to keep her safe…failed.
Alexis Caffrey: Come home. We’ll get through this.
Mike Laszlo: I’ll be there in a little bit. I took a walk and gotta get back to my car.
Alexis Caffrey: Okay, just come home. Don’t do anything you might regret.
Mike Laszlo: Fine.
Alexis Caffrey: I love you.
Mike Laszlo: I love you too.
That little bit of reinforcement was exactly what I needed to know that something could eventually be done about the situation at hand. I needed help. Heading back toward my car I got in and headed home. When I got home I slowly walked up the walkway to an already open door where Alexis was waiting. As I got to the doorstop, she leaned forward and hugged me in her effort to console me. I hugged her back and the moment lasted for a few minutes before she pulled away.
Alexis Caffrey: You did what you could Mike. You didn’t know what the guy was capable of.
Mike Laszlo: That’s the problem. I should have known.
Alexis Caffrey: How the hell were you supposed to know? This isn’t wrestling Mike. You don’t have a tape on your opponent. You can’t sit there with the remote like you do and study every aspect until you’ve perfected your strategy. This is reality, and in reality there’s always a twist of unexpected. This is that moment baby. This is that moment that you need to adapt and overcome. He made his play, counter it.
I nodded my head as she lead me inside. She was right. Her words although firm were caring and directed in the right spot. We walked inside and sat on the couch.
Alexis Caffrey: Tell me what happened when you got there.
Mike Laszlo: I watched as an innocent man, and a friend were carted off by ambulance thanks to a situation I put them in. I need to avenge that. I can’t let that fly. I can’t let this sadistic bastard win.
Alexis Caffrey: I told you, that it’s not your fault Mike. You gave her a place to win. She had to do something that really set this guy off. She put herself in this position and you were just trying to help.
Mike Laszlo: WELL THAT DIDN’T WORK SO WELL DID IT!?
My outburst startled her as I turned my head to the floor and the room went silent as she just stared at me. Realizing what I had done I looked over at her and the look of fear on her face. The firm words were gone. The reaffirmation was gone. Reaching over I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her in, comforting her as she had done me earlier.
Mike Laszlo: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap like that. I’m just pissed off at this whole situation.
Alexis Caffrey: That was scary. I’ve never seen you legitimately mad like that. It was always on TV and I thought that was just acting.
Mike Laszlo: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I didn’t mean to go off.
Alexis Caffrey: I know.
She pushed up slightly off my chest and stared into my green eyes. Her demeanor was quick to change as the look was no longer one of fear. As she stared into my eyes, not saying a word, I felt comfort. I felt the complete opposite of what I felt when those ambulances pulled away. Her look and the words to follow were inspiring.
Alexis Caffrey: I’ll help you get him. Tomorrow, we’ll go see Raven and find out exactly what happened. Then, we’ll dive deeper into the root of the issue, and find out where this guy likes to hang out.
Mike Laszlo: You mean I will do all that.
Alexis Caffrey: No, I mean we. I’m in this too.
Mike Laszlo: The hell you are. I see what he did to her and I will not put you, nor will I let you put yourself in that kind of danger.
Alexis Caffrey: You don’t have a choice. Either I’m helping you with you knowing, or I’m going to do it anyway.
Mike Laszlo: You know I appreciate your stubbornness most of the time, but now is not one of them.
Alexis Caffrey: Deal with it.
She cuddled up next to me on the couch. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, no there was this too. I sat there and thought about what was about to come as the scene fades.
====================
So in the end Ryan, it all comes down to this. The shows name is Extreme Endurance and the main event alludes to that title better than any other match on the card. For thirty minutes Ryan we will go to war, twisting each other into pretzels, bending limbs in directions they weren’t meant to be bent in all for the right to be called the Man of Steel. All will be done in the name of becoming known as the absolute best technical wrestler in this company.
Make no bones about it “champ”, that I feel as if that man is me. I have, as you should in yourself, the utmost confidence that I am going to walk out this Sunday as champion. If you didn’t have that confidence Ryan I would be disappointed honestly. So I’m glad that you have that bit of bravado and I’m glad that you can express how much your loss at my hands doesn’t affect you, because no matter how much you express it Ryan, the world can see right through your little charade. They see you for what you truly are, and until you prove me wrong, if you can, Sunday Night, the world will continue to believe that you have this ego driven drag net pulled in front of you to hide the fact that deep down inside you know that losing to me was only a precursor, a premonition if you will of what’s to come.
The way this match will end though Ryan is what will be different. I don’t mean the overall result because my hand getting raised is inevitable. This Sunday, I don’t just win. At Extreme Endurance I don’t just hit you with a knee in the face and pin you for a three count, because as I have shown, that would be too easy, and quite frankly, if I do it again, it would be overdone. As they say in this pop culture we live in Ryan, pinning you would be so beginning of the month. Sunday night, the way you lose your championship to me is by me forcing you to admit defeat.
For months people talked about how I wouldn’t do such a thing. I would blame losses on whoever was handy and they’re right…I did. I blamed it on worthless partner after worthless partner because it is the partner who tapped out. It was the partner who got pinned. It was the partner who was the weak link of the team. Then the world became clear to me Ryan. There are things that could have been done differently. There are things that I could have done to prevent certain events from happening, but I didn’t do them. Now things change. I prevented you from suffering a head injury at the hands of Jake Keeton because it was what is best for my cause. I preserved you long enough so that you could make it to this Sunday. I saved you so that I could get my shot at your championship. I didn’t have this opportunity handed to me, I earned it with mental prowess, gift of gab, and a physical victory over you. If I lose Sunday, it’s on me and nobody else and I can admit that fact. When you lose Sunday I want you to do the same. You may be the current Man of Steel Ryan, but everybody has a Kryptonite.
Ryan Blade, IWF Man of Steel Champion.
I gave you all the praise in the world for your ability. I wanted to let you know that I think you are an incredibly skilled individual and that when you decide to finally understand it all you will be so much better. I praised your ability and didn’t mention your smarts for a reason…your smarts…don’t exist. The brain cells aren’t computing. The lights are on but nobody is home.
I’m a man who has done plenty of things in this business. I’ve been champion. I’ve been the top dog in organizations past. The whole time, no matter I held a belt or not, there was one thing that held me down, ego. Over the last few months though, and apparently it’s gone unnoticed, the ego has diminished. The attitude has changed. I have changed.
Gone are the days of the I’m better than you on pure bravado speeches, the ones you love oh so much lately. Gone are the days of dick swinging. I don’t know what to tell you if that upsets you other than get over it. The endless banter from both the men and women on this roster is so upsetting and repetitive that it almost makes me want to hit mute when an IWF promo comes on the television. I can hit mute and watch and I can see the lips moving and it makes me laugh because without hearing an audible sound I can hear what they’re saying, and I can act it out right here and right now for the world to hear.
“I’m better than you because I say so and I don’t care what you say about it.”
“I’m better than you because I have a belt and you don’t.”
Sure there’s a bunch of other words in there explaining why, but in the end, one of those two sentences is the jest of it. The problem with those lines is that there isn’t even a shred of statistical fact to prove that point. What one instance can you point at Ryan and say that you’re better than me? Huh? You won the Man of Steel title? Congratulations. As I said before, since then, you haven’t done a damn thing. Sure you’ve won your share of matches while I’ve lost, but what have you done of substance that actually matters? For you see while I’ve had my share of losses, I beat you single handedly, by myself, clean in the center of that ring. It’s something of worth. There’s meaning behind it because that win is what propelled me to this opportunity this week in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. That win is what has you on edge for you see Ryan, you’ve mentioned it more than I have. That supposed high that one single win supposedly gives me is doing the opposite to you and now the real pressure is on.
For months now you’ve been better than everybody you’ve come across. For months now you’ve gone above and beyond beating everyone in your path and doing so with great efficiency. That was for months…now we’re talking today. Today things change. Tonight in front of twenty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty two plus people, we go out into that ring and we will be putting on a main event like none seen before in this or any other company. The pressure is on like it has never been for you Ryan. If I lose this match, there’s absolutely nothing to lose. Just another black mark on my record. For you, thanks to one single win a month back, it means oh so much more. This is your shot Ryan. This is your chance to prove that my win over you was a fluke contrary to popular belief. This is your opportunity to avenge what clearly still haunts you to this very day. One loss that is in your head to the point where you are sitting there on your trip to the arena wondering to yourself, “Can I win?” That one loss has planted the seed of doubt, and Sunday Night at Extreme Endurance, the seed germinates, the plant grows, and the flower blossoms into a new Man of Steel Champion…me.
====================
Title: Helpless
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Time: 11:17 PM Local Time
Have you ever been all alone? I mean truly all alone with nobody to turn to? No way out? That’s how I felt as those ambulances pulled off. I was petrified after what had just happened, not because I haven’t seen something like that before, but because there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. A girl put her life in my hands and I did what I thought was necessary to protect her…I failed. All I did wasn’t good enough because there she goes, in the back of an ambulance, to the local hospital after having the crap kicked out of her by some guy who gets his jollies beating on women.
As I remained on my knees, staring off into the distance in a trance-like state, all of a sudden I felt my phone start to vibrate in my pocket. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I probably couldn’t talk to anybody even if I did want to. So I let the ring go. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I couldn’t sit here on the sidewalk. Taking a deep breath I pushed myself off the sidewalk and started walking, not toward my car but down the street as I thought maybe a brisk walk in the evening air would be enough to clear my head. Then the vibration in my pocket started again. Pulling it out, I look at the caller ID and see that its Alexis who is probably worried, so rather than make her worry more, I answer.
Mike Laszlo: Hello.
Alexis Caffrey: Mike…thank God. Why didn’t you answer earlier? You had me worried sick.
Mike Laszlo: It didn’t work.
I was still on a bad low after what had happened and the tone and strain of my voice must have indicated that through the phone.
Alexis Caffrey: What happened?
Mike Laszlo: It didn’t work. My plan to keep her safe…failed.
Alexis Caffrey: Come home. We’ll get through this.
Mike Laszlo: I’ll be there in a little bit. I took a walk and gotta get back to my car.
Alexis Caffrey: Okay, just come home. Don’t do anything you might regret.
Mike Laszlo: Fine.
Alexis Caffrey: I love you.
Mike Laszlo: I love you too.
That little bit of reinforcement was exactly what I needed to know that something could eventually be done about the situation at hand. I needed help. Heading back toward my car I got in and headed home. When I got home I slowly walked up the walkway to an already open door where Alexis was waiting. As I got to the doorstop, she leaned forward and hugged me in her effort to console me. I hugged her back and the moment lasted for a few minutes before she pulled away.
Alexis Caffrey: You did what you could Mike. You didn’t know what the guy was capable of.
Mike Laszlo: That’s the problem. I should have known.
Alexis Caffrey: How the hell were you supposed to know? This isn’t wrestling Mike. You don’t have a tape on your opponent. You can’t sit there with the remote like you do and study every aspect until you’ve perfected your strategy. This is reality, and in reality there’s always a twist of unexpected. This is that moment baby. This is that moment that you need to adapt and overcome. He made his play, counter it.
I nodded my head as she lead me inside. She was right. Her words although firm were caring and directed in the right spot. We walked inside and sat on the couch.
Alexis Caffrey: Tell me what happened when you got there.
Mike Laszlo: I watched as an innocent man, and a friend were carted off by ambulance thanks to a situation I put them in. I need to avenge that. I can’t let that fly. I can’t let this sadistic bastard win.
Alexis Caffrey: I told you, that it’s not your fault Mike. You gave her a place to win. She had to do something that really set this guy off. She put herself in this position and you were just trying to help.
Mike Laszlo: WELL THAT DIDN’T WORK SO WELL DID IT!?
My outburst startled her as I turned my head to the floor and the room went silent as she just stared at me. Realizing what I had done I looked over at her and the look of fear on her face. The firm words were gone. The reaffirmation was gone. Reaching over I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her in, comforting her as she had done me earlier.
Mike Laszlo: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap like that. I’m just pissed off at this whole situation.
Alexis Caffrey: That was scary. I’ve never seen you legitimately mad like that. It was always on TV and I thought that was just acting.
Mike Laszlo: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I didn’t mean to go off.
Alexis Caffrey: I know.
She pushed up slightly off my chest and stared into my green eyes. Her demeanor was quick to change as the look was no longer one of fear. As she stared into my eyes, not saying a word, I felt comfort. I felt the complete opposite of what I felt when those ambulances pulled away. Her look and the words to follow were inspiring.
Alexis Caffrey: I’ll help you get him. Tomorrow, we’ll go see Raven and find out exactly what happened. Then, we’ll dive deeper into the root of the issue, and find out where this guy likes to hang out.
Mike Laszlo: You mean I will do all that.
Alexis Caffrey: No, I mean we. I’m in this too.
Mike Laszlo: The hell you are. I see what he did to her and I will not put you, nor will I let you put yourself in that kind of danger.
Alexis Caffrey: You don’t have a choice. Either I’m helping you with you knowing, or I’m going to do it anyway.
Mike Laszlo: You know I appreciate your stubbornness most of the time, but now is not one of them.
Alexis Caffrey: Deal with it.
She cuddled up next to me on the couch. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, no there was this too. I sat there and thought about what was about to come as the scene fades.
====================
So in the end Ryan, it all comes down to this. The shows name is Extreme Endurance and the main event alludes to that title better than any other match on the card. For thirty minutes Ryan we will go to war, twisting each other into pretzels, bending limbs in directions they weren’t meant to be bent in all for the right to be called the Man of Steel. All will be done in the name of becoming known as the absolute best technical wrestler in this company.
Make no bones about it “champ”, that I feel as if that man is me. I have, as you should in yourself, the utmost confidence that I am going to walk out this Sunday as champion. If you didn’t have that confidence Ryan I would be disappointed honestly. So I’m glad that you have that bit of bravado and I’m glad that you can express how much your loss at my hands doesn’t affect you, because no matter how much you express it Ryan, the world can see right through your little charade. They see you for what you truly are, and until you prove me wrong, if you can, Sunday Night, the world will continue to believe that you have this ego driven drag net pulled in front of you to hide the fact that deep down inside you know that losing to me was only a precursor, a premonition if you will of what’s to come.
The way this match will end though Ryan is what will be different. I don’t mean the overall result because my hand getting raised is inevitable. This Sunday, I don’t just win. At Extreme Endurance I don’t just hit you with a knee in the face and pin you for a three count, because as I have shown, that would be too easy, and quite frankly, if I do it again, it would be overdone. As they say in this pop culture we live in Ryan, pinning you would be so beginning of the month. Sunday night, the way you lose your championship to me is by me forcing you to admit defeat.
For months people talked about how I wouldn’t do such a thing. I would blame losses on whoever was handy and they’re right…I did. I blamed it on worthless partner after worthless partner because it is the partner who tapped out. It was the partner who got pinned. It was the partner who was the weak link of the team. Then the world became clear to me Ryan. There are things that could have been done differently. There are things that I could have done to prevent certain events from happening, but I didn’t do them. Now things change. I prevented you from suffering a head injury at the hands of Jake Keeton because it was what is best for my cause. I preserved you long enough so that you could make it to this Sunday. I saved you so that I could get my shot at your championship. I didn’t have this opportunity handed to me, I earned it with mental prowess, gift of gab, and a physical victory over you. If I lose Sunday, it’s on me and nobody else and I can admit that fact. When you lose Sunday I want you to do the same. You may be the current Man of Steel Ryan, but everybody has a Kryptonite.
Well howdy there pardner.