Post by James Gilmore on Jul 20, 2023 4:19:03 GMT
"Fi...?"
With Luke and Leia sound asleep in their rooms, James Gilmore sat in his living room sofa as the news played softly on his TV. It was just a little after 10:0 PM with outside air temperatures still in the 90s, but even the North Texas heat couldn't dampen a sense of embarrassment on JJ's mind. It had been seven months since he found the strap-on dildo that led to his divorce from Yulia.
He was left crying on that dark, cold winter's night back in January. It was extremely out of character for him to do so, as he took great pride in his marriage even though he'd spent most of his time on the road. Fiona McFly sat down on the leather recliner, watching Dan Henry deliver another hot and sticky forecast for the next several days.
Perhaps, with the shame of his January outburst in mind, JJ decided to open up a bit.
"Have you ever sat there, in your favorite, quiet spot, and cried 'til you fell asleep...?"
Fiona nodded, closing her eyes as she recalled the events from her own past before throwing a curveball.
"Granpapa, Kimble, Jack, my parents...I cried after their funerals. I cried the night the Academy first opened, even though I figured it was just one of many pipe dreams in my mind..."
She paused and took a deep breath.
"I cried when I heard Yulia had cheated on you..."
JJ raised both brows.
"Why...?!"
"You two were inseparable -- at least, that's what I though. The dirty jokes, the wit, the friendship...it often reminded me of how things were when Jack and I were together. Yet even despite the divorce, JJ...?"
Fiona took a sip from a bottle of root beer.
"You gained more than anything you could've imagined. You learned to love someone, you learned to stay committed. You learned what it truly meant to pass on the very things you enjoy doing the most -- and it's heartbreaking to know that she wants to take all of that away from you."
JJ sighed.
"I'm ashamed about what happened that night. I just...I ain't the type of guy who likes confrontations."
The Islander alum took a sip from a bottle of Lipton green tea. With several recent departures from the Academy to Yulia's new Palace, he often found himself pondering what would happen down the line.
"I'll admit...I'm scared. Scared that I'm gonna do somethin' stupid which might lead to the collapse of the Academy. I don't think people like Caroline would look at me the same way again 'cuz I'd let her and those trainees down..."
Fiona stood up and sat down on the sofa next to JJ, wrapping a friendly arm around his neck and shoulders.
"JJ...it's a'right to acknowledge your fear -- but don't let that fear distract you from the path you've chosen by doing something stupid. Live in the moment, focus on the here and now. Be certain about what you want to do. Most important of all...trust yourself."
"Like trustin' in the Force...?!"
Fiona laughed out loud. She got the reference.
"Love...where you go, I'll follow."
As the alarm on her phone went off, Fiona stood back up and gave JJ a quick peck on the cheek. She made her exit, looking back to make sure if he would be alright by himself, before walking out the front door. James propped his feet up and closed his eyes, perhaps falling into a meditative sleep...
"Alright, Matt.
Let's cut to the crap and get down to business.
Someone, who shall be nameless yet I know very well, once pointed out that unless you're well-connected, unless you have the 'right' agenda in mind, management will think lowly of you. It's one thing to basically indict an entire roster just 'cuz they don't compete on a certain level. It's ANOTHER thing, however, to try and convince folks that we're merely 'hired help' to make a brand look good. In a world that prides itself jumpin' ahead of others by any means necessary, there's so much more to this than simply makin' a promotion the best in the world.
That requires ALL of us -- nobody is out there on their own.
Let's get this outta the way, here and now...I want to like you, Matt. I really, really do. The fact of the matter is that you've got the potential to be a Hall of Fame caliber star, that much is clear. Yet here you are, remindin' everyone of the way I used to be back in the day -- rude, arrogant. You think you know it all. You expect an entire roster of men and women, some I've known for YEARS, to just carry your bags and kiss your feet at every turn. You think bein' a champ with a flawless record in 2023 gives you the right to dogpile on those you consider lesser than yourself.
In that case?
I think it's high time you knew who you're goin' up against.
Along with a handful of other folks, I consider myself to be an IWF lifer. I've been with this company for seven years after bouncin' all around on the indy circuit. Seven...LONG...years...I've done nothin' but listen to the very same bullshit that ought to drive most people up the wall -- that what I was doin' wasn't a real job, that I wasn't earnin' my keep, that I'd never, EVER be one of a select few who's held the honor of bein' a Champion. Yet in those darkest of days, I often found myself havin' to take a step back and realize what it truly represents to be a part of a brand like Imperial.
So I could understand what this business actually meant.
I said this durin' my friend Fiona's Hall of Fame retrospective, but I'm gonna say it again. There was a point in IWF lore in which you literally had to fight demons, gods, or monsters just to have a SNIFF at a title down the road. There was a moment in time when ya had no choice but to put on a suit of armor and stand your ground so's not to be one of the many, MANY folks out there that just witered into the sunset. There was a certain aura around here that often brought out the worst in people, that often made people like you or me worry about what we stand to lose.
There's so much we can gain from havin' this match, this open challenge.
You wanna be respected 'cuz of your individual accolades and accomplishments.
I wanna prove that bein' a provider for my kids ain't no mistake.
Ya wanna know my honest truth, Matt?! I get that you care about your record and your resume and all that hot mess. You ain't the only one who does, though. In fact...you can go ahead and lump ME in with the rest of those folks who've called themselves Champions, some longer than others. You've had a really good run with the TV title before switchin' over to Invictus. 15-2-2 overall, 6-0-2 in 2023?! Yeah...I have a really good kinlin' on what I'm gonna get out from you -- and that's nothin' else but the absolute best.
But lemme tell ya somethin' that, frankly, you ain't gonna like hearin'.
Invictus might be Latin for 'unbreakable', but ya know somethin'?! Unbreakable don't mean that you can prance around the locker room, actin' like an asshole just 'cuz you have a better record than everyone else. Unbreakable don't mean you can sit there and treat someone like Alexandra Calaway like crap after she saved your from a beatin'. Unbreakable don't mean you're entitled to any title shot ya damn well please just 'cuz you defend your titles in some other places rather than Imperial! Unbreakable don't mean callin' another trainee of mine -- RAM -- a dependent child when he's takin' his time to get his feet wet!
Cowards do that -- and that can't be you! You're BIGGER than that!
Invictus...means you're gonna have to be ready and willin' to stand your ground.
Invictus...means that you're gonna have take more punishment than you're gonna give.
Invictus...means movin' forward after gettin' your ass knocked down.
That's how REAL winnin' is done! 'Cuz this ain't the 1980s, 1990s, or even the 2000s. Not everybody in this business gets to be like us, man. NOt everybody gets the chance to put somethin' on a wall like us. Yet look at Nick Danger -- I worked with the guy for a while now, and he finally had his breakthrough on the biggest stage of 'em all. When ya win a title for the very first time, it makes ya wanna close your eyes and realize that there's so much more to it than just that one moment.
The baby steps, the scars, the blood, the broken bones...those help you achieve a far bigger success than ANYTHING you put inside a trophy case.
Those are the 'little things' that define who you are in this gig.
I'm gonna say this to ya now...not just as a former Champion in this company, but as a father of twins. You chose to make this gamble with the Invictus title, but now...you're gonna have to learn to accept the consequences from the choices you've made. I see this as more than an opportunity to take the Invictus title from you. I see this as more than simply givin' you your first 'L' of 2023. I see this, Matt, as an opportunity to make you HUMBLE, to make you learn that you ain't no different -- or better -- than anyone else on this roster.
And if you ain't willin' to accept that...?!
Then you ain't gonna have a life that's worth celebratin' -- at least, that part that matters.
After all, a legacy ain't simply defined by what you put on a wall or what ya wear as a badge of honor. It's also about what happens to you after you're gone. In hindsight, I believe that's the reason why you started that Power Surge gym in the first place. 'Cuz twenty years from now, people who train under you are gonna do retrospectives on your life and career, and there gonna wind up askin' themselves this important question. Are they gonna remember you as a dude who loved bringin' others into the wrestlin' business, or are they gonna remember you as a dickweed who only cares about your own resume?
I really hope the former is the case, Matt.
From the bottom of my heart, I really do.
See ya at Bloody Assizes."
With Luke and Leia sound asleep in their rooms, James Gilmore sat in his living room sofa as the news played softly on his TV. It was just a little after 10:0 PM with outside air temperatures still in the 90s, but even the North Texas heat couldn't dampen a sense of embarrassment on JJ's mind. It had been seven months since he found the strap-on dildo that led to his divorce from Yulia.
He was left crying on that dark, cold winter's night back in January. It was extremely out of character for him to do so, as he took great pride in his marriage even though he'd spent most of his time on the road. Fiona McFly sat down on the leather recliner, watching Dan Henry deliver another hot and sticky forecast for the next several days.
Perhaps, with the shame of his January outburst in mind, JJ decided to open up a bit.
"Have you ever sat there, in your favorite, quiet spot, and cried 'til you fell asleep...?"
Fiona nodded, closing her eyes as she recalled the events from her own past before throwing a curveball.
"Granpapa, Kimble, Jack, my parents...I cried after their funerals. I cried the night the Academy first opened, even though I figured it was just one of many pipe dreams in my mind..."
She paused and took a deep breath.
"I cried when I heard Yulia had cheated on you..."
JJ raised both brows.
"Why...?!"
"You two were inseparable -- at least, that's what I though. The dirty jokes, the wit, the friendship...it often reminded me of how things were when Jack and I were together. Yet even despite the divorce, JJ...?"
Fiona took a sip from a bottle of root beer.
"You gained more than anything you could've imagined. You learned to love someone, you learned to stay committed. You learned what it truly meant to pass on the very things you enjoy doing the most -- and it's heartbreaking to know that she wants to take all of that away from you."
JJ sighed.
"I'm ashamed about what happened that night. I just...I ain't the type of guy who likes confrontations."
The Islander alum took a sip from a bottle of Lipton green tea. With several recent departures from the Academy to Yulia's new Palace, he often found himself pondering what would happen down the line.
"I'll admit...I'm scared. Scared that I'm gonna do somethin' stupid which might lead to the collapse of the Academy. I don't think people like Caroline would look at me the same way again 'cuz I'd let her and those trainees down..."
Fiona stood up and sat down on the sofa next to JJ, wrapping a friendly arm around his neck and shoulders.
"JJ...it's a'right to acknowledge your fear -- but don't let that fear distract you from the path you've chosen by doing something stupid. Live in the moment, focus on the here and now. Be certain about what you want to do. Most important of all...trust yourself."
"Like trustin' in the Force...?!"
Fiona laughed out loud. She got the reference.
"Love...where you go, I'll follow."
As the alarm on her phone went off, Fiona stood back up and gave JJ a quick peck on the cheek. She made her exit, looking back to make sure if he would be alright by himself, before walking out the front door. James propped his feet up and closed his eyes, perhaps falling into a meditative sleep...
"Alright, Matt.
Let's cut to the crap and get down to business.
Someone, who shall be nameless yet I know very well, once pointed out that unless you're well-connected, unless you have the 'right' agenda in mind, management will think lowly of you. It's one thing to basically indict an entire roster just 'cuz they don't compete on a certain level. It's ANOTHER thing, however, to try and convince folks that we're merely 'hired help' to make a brand look good. In a world that prides itself jumpin' ahead of others by any means necessary, there's so much more to this than simply makin' a promotion the best in the world.
That requires ALL of us -- nobody is out there on their own.
Let's get this outta the way, here and now...I want to like you, Matt. I really, really do. The fact of the matter is that you've got the potential to be a Hall of Fame caliber star, that much is clear. Yet here you are, remindin' everyone of the way I used to be back in the day -- rude, arrogant. You think you know it all. You expect an entire roster of men and women, some I've known for YEARS, to just carry your bags and kiss your feet at every turn. You think bein' a champ with a flawless record in 2023 gives you the right to dogpile on those you consider lesser than yourself.
In that case?
I think it's high time you knew who you're goin' up against.
Along with a handful of other folks, I consider myself to be an IWF lifer. I've been with this company for seven years after bouncin' all around on the indy circuit. Seven...LONG...years...I've done nothin' but listen to the very same bullshit that ought to drive most people up the wall -- that what I was doin' wasn't a real job, that I wasn't earnin' my keep, that I'd never, EVER be one of a select few who's held the honor of bein' a Champion. Yet in those darkest of days, I often found myself havin' to take a step back and realize what it truly represents to be a part of a brand like Imperial.
So I could understand what this business actually meant.
I said this durin' my friend Fiona's Hall of Fame retrospective, but I'm gonna say it again. There was a point in IWF lore in which you literally had to fight demons, gods, or monsters just to have a SNIFF at a title down the road. There was a moment in time when ya had no choice but to put on a suit of armor and stand your ground so's not to be one of the many, MANY folks out there that just witered into the sunset. There was a certain aura around here that often brought out the worst in people, that often made people like you or me worry about what we stand to lose.
There's so much we can gain from havin' this match, this open challenge.
You wanna be respected 'cuz of your individual accolades and accomplishments.
I wanna prove that bein' a provider for my kids ain't no mistake.
Ya wanna know my honest truth, Matt?! I get that you care about your record and your resume and all that hot mess. You ain't the only one who does, though. In fact...you can go ahead and lump ME in with the rest of those folks who've called themselves Champions, some longer than others. You've had a really good run with the TV title before switchin' over to Invictus. 15-2-2 overall, 6-0-2 in 2023?! Yeah...I have a really good kinlin' on what I'm gonna get out from you -- and that's nothin' else but the absolute best.
But lemme tell ya somethin' that, frankly, you ain't gonna like hearin'.
Invictus might be Latin for 'unbreakable', but ya know somethin'?! Unbreakable don't mean that you can prance around the locker room, actin' like an asshole just 'cuz you have a better record than everyone else. Unbreakable don't mean you can sit there and treat someone like Alexandra Calaway like crap after she saved your from a beatin'. Unbreakable don't mean you're entitled to any title shot ya damn well please just 'cuz you defend your titles in some other places rather than Imperial! Unbreakable don't mean callin' another trainee of mine -- RAM -- a dependent child when he's takin' his time to get his feet wet!
Cowards do that -- and that can't be you! You're BIGGER than that!
Invictus...means you're gonna have to be ready and willin' to stand your ground.
Invictus...means that you're gonna have take more punishment than you're gonna give.
Invictus...means movin' forward after gettin' your ass knocked down.
That's how REAL winnin' is done! 'Cuz this ain't the 1980s, 1990s, or even the 2000s. Not everybody in this business gets to be like us, man. NOt everybody gets the chance to put somethin' on a wall like us. Yet look at Nick Danger -- I worked with the guy for a while now, and he finally had his breakthrough on the biggest stage of 'em all. When ya win a title for the very first time, it makes ya wanna close your eyes and realize that there's so much more to it than just that one moment.
The baby steps, the scars, the blood, the broken bones...those help you achieve a far bigger success than ANYTHING you put inside a trophy case.
Those are the 'little things' that define who you are in this gig.
I'm gonna say this to ya now...not just as a former Champion in this company, but as a father of twins. You chose to make this gamble with the Invictus title, but now...you're gonna have to learn to accept the consequences from the choices you've made. I see this as more than an opportunity to take the Invictus title from you. I see this as more than simply givin' you your first 'L' of 2023. I see this, Matt, as an opportunity to make you HUMBLE, to make you learn that you ain't no different -- or better -- than anyone else on this roster.
And if you ain't willin' to accept that...?!
Then you ain't gonna have a life that's worth celebratin' -- at least, that part that matters.
After all, a legacy ain't simply defined by what you put on a wall or what ya wear as a badge of honor. It's also about what happens to you after you're gone. In hindsight, I believe that's the reason why you started that Power Surge gym in the first place. 'Cuz twenty years from now, people who train under you are gonna do retrospectives on your life and career, and there gonna wind up askin' themselves this important question. Are they gonna remember you as a dude who loved bringin' others into the wrestlin' business, or are they gonna remember you as a dickweed who only cares about your own resume?
I really hope the former is the case, Matt.
From the bottom of my heart, I really do.
See ya at Bloody Assizes."