Infamy Lives On: Episode 10
Jun 10, 2018 20:48:33 GMT -5
Charlie 'The Ghost' Rossi, Bonnie Blue, and 3 more like this
Post by Spencer Adams on Jun 10, 2018 20:48:33 GMT -5
Part 1: Eyes wide shut
(6/5/18)
I wish the trip home went without a hitch, but I know that nothing does. Grief and hardship always seem inevitable and I feel forced to consume them as if they were dorm room ramen noodles. I stopped asking myself “why me” years ago, but it still hurts me to see those closest to me endure it as well. It’s great that Dan is alive, but it’s hard to be happy through it all. On one hand, I couldn’t be happier that the man gets to reunite with his children after weeks of stomach churning silence.
On the other, Dan didn’t find his way back to the world. It was someone else who did that for him and I knew who the second I saw him laid out in Erica’s driveway. I noticed how rough the cuts were. The shadowy figure that killed Dan’s friend Jimmy, that took Dan in the first place..his vision is better than I thought. After all this time, all my experience with rottenness, I still underestimated the bad in another person. He didn’t just take an interest in those two, it was rippling out to me.
Now I know that whoever it is will follow me regardless. We just can’t allow ourselves to sink down, to exist in that fear. There’s no way the next generation was going to either. I didn’t feel right about bringing Robbie with me after that night, but we all knew it was important to keep him away from the madness back in Chicago, at least for a couple of weeks. The intention wasn’t to bring him on the road as soon as I did, but we only moved plans up a week and this environment would serve as the perfect distraction for him.
With infomercials serving as background noise, this looked to become another night riddled with insomnia and empty gazing through a hotel window. We’d checked into the Stadium Hotel in Miami earlier in the day and after sightseeing, Robbie had crashed almost instantly. I hadn’t had the chance to gather with the rest of the team as we usually do that sort of thing closer to shows. As for tomorrow, the plan is Evolution’s fan access event. Not that I intend to stand around the entire afternoon and entertain the crowds, but he deserves this, what me and Erica never had.
Shit.
Robbie: Uncle Spencer?
Spencer: Yeah?
I looked over to see Robbie shoot up wide awake, his eyes directed toward the window.
Spencer: Not yet, buddy.
Robbie: Will it be soon?
Spencer: It will be if you go back to sleep.
Robbie: What about you?
Spencer: I’ll be okay.
He looked at me curiously for a minute before turning back over and drifting off.
I have to. My world demands it. I’ve had a million opportunities to feel victimized, to feel like the one taking on every disadvantage there is. Out there, in that ring, that’s where I’m strongest. Those around me know it and soon, Wade will too.
Part 2: Culture
(6/6/18)
I crashed eventually, but the recharge was short lived. I swear, as soon as light started pouring into the hotel, Robbie was right there like it was Christmas morning. Riding on only a couple of hours was gonna have to do. The plus side was that it wasn’t my first time running on fumes, kind of just comes with the territory really. Still though, the nine year old wrestling fan is gives it a run for its money. We had walked through a back entrance to the convention center and the minute we were inside, Robbie tried running off.
He spun around 180, sandwiched between a sea of wrestling geeks. I tried to tone it down a bit, looking down at the ground through my sunglasses and adjusting my hat by the bill. After a demanding wave, he wiggled his way between the fans and back by my side.
Robbie: Sorry..
Spencer: No rush, bud. We have all day.
His eyes lit up and he started tugging on my arm as we made our way past a table of 201 competitors. Among what was mostly division jobbers, there were a couple of standouts like Abbi Stein who was talking to an obese fanboy or Cereal Man who was talking to himself and chugging Muscle Milk. The tug became a bit stronger with Robbie pulling down and forward with all his weight.
Spencer: Are you sure? He’s kinda weird.
Robbie: Yeah! He’s hilarious!
Fuck..
I decided to give in, cautiously approaching AW’s resident weirdo. He looked up in our direction, a spoiled stench coming from him.
TCM: Child!
Robbie: Can I have your autograph?
TCM: What’s in it for me?
Robbie: Umm…
For a second, I thought about letting TCM know who I was, but figured his tendency to shout and go off about anything and everything might ruin the “lay low strategy” I was employing. I pulled out my wallet and retrieved a twenty, sliding it toward his grubby fingers.
His eyes nearly pop out of their sockets and Cereal Man practically flies out of his seat, throwing a pre-signed picture of himself to Robbie before sprinting for the nearest exit.
Spencer: I told you.
I felt another tug and the next moment, we were off towards the entrance of a winding memorabilia display. Cases showed everything from old program booklets to attire once worn by the likes of Gravedigger and Torture. When I saw one set up for me, I knew my cover was blown.
The commotion was enough to turn a couple heads. I looked around waiting for a response, figuring the cover was blown when a clash of noise began to trail into the convention center and vibrate against the windows. A nearby event worker moved to prop open a side door and the inside became filled with the sounds of loud horns, a drumline, and a familiar voice shouting at the top of his lungs through a megaphone.
Robbie: Are you guys really friends?
Spencer: In a way, yeah.
As he rounded the corner, with a hoard of followers, I could see that Andre brought Max with him as well. Andre shoves the doors of the hall open, paying no mind to the guard keeping watch who is overwhelmed by the mob behind him.
The crowd cheers and moves in closer. Robbie tries tugging on my arm once more, but I step in front to block him.
Spencer: It might get a little rammy here, buddy.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see the a call from an unknown number. I seek out another face I recognize, senior referee Roger Baldwin. As he finishes up a conversation with an member of the AW universe, I quickly pull him to the side.
Spencer: Roger, it’s me.
RB: You want a picture or something?
Turning my back towards the crowd, I push down my sunglasses just enough to remain low key.
RB: Hey, how you doin’?!
Spencer: Brought the nephew along for a few weeks, told him I’d take to access.
RB: Why the glasses and the hat? You hidin’ or something?
Spencer: Just wanted to keep things quiet for a bit. There’s a lot on my plate right now.
RB: You need something?
Spencer: Actually, would you mind watching him for a few minutes. I gotta take a call real quick and I don’t think I’ll be able to in here.
RB: Sure thing!
Spencer: Hey, Robbie.
Robbie: Yeah?
Spencer: I have to step outside for a minute. I want you to stick by Roger here until I get back, okay?
Robbie: I don’t know him.
Spencer: He’s a referee. We know each other, it’s okay.
Robbie: Really?! An AW referee?!
Spencer: Yeah, bud. Just promise me you aren’t going to run off.
Robbie: Promise!
I smile at my nephew and make my way toward the nearest exit. Over the top of the commotion Andre’s causing, I am still able to make out Robbie’s excited babbling as I make my way outside. I lean against the building and hurry to call the number back. My mind begins to race while I think about my mom and sister back in Chicago. The phone rings a few times before I hear an answer come from the other end.
?: Hello?
Spencer: Who’s this?..
?: It’s Dan.
Spencer: Sorry, didn’t recognize the number.
Dan: An old trainer of mine came to visit, let me use his.
Spencer: How are you feeling?
Dan: Feeling okay above the waist, I guess.
Spencer: I mean, really...how are you feeling?
Dan: I’ve been better, but my family’s all here now.
Spencer: Good to hear.
Dan: Just a second, I’m gonna put you on speaker.
After a moment of silence, I hear chatter in the background increase.
Dan’s family: Hi Spencer!
Spencer: Hey, guys..
The chatter quiets back down and I hear Dan moving away from his visitors.
Spencer: All good. Erica gave you my number then?
Dan: Yeah. You’ve got some good people around you, Spencer.
Spencer: Yeah..
Dan: I’m just happy you guys found me when you did. I didn’t think I was coming back.
Spencer: Neither did I..
Dan: Anyways, I wanted to wish you good luck on Sunday.
Spencer: I appreciate it.
Dan: I don’t think you’ll need it, but we’ll be here rooting for you in Chicago.
Spencer: Thanks, man.
Dan: Don’t worry about any of that chatter down in Miami. You’re a champion!
Spencer: It’s nice to hear that coming from an outside source for once.
Dan: I’ve gotta get going..can I ask you for something though?
Spencer: Yeah. What’s up?
Dan: Do it for us, man.
Spencer: I plan to.
Dan: Not just mean and you, I mean everyone like us. Whether you show it out there on screen or not, you’re one of the good guys. Maybe my career got cut short, but you’ve still got yours and for people like me..people in this city...those around the world who have been down, you’re somebody out there lifting us up through that grind, by living your life and trying to help those around you live theirs.
Spencer: I-
Dan: Just block out all that background bullshit, man. Go to that arena on Sunday and do what you do. Go beat Wade Moor’s ass for the real little people.
Spencer: I will..
Dan: ..I’ll see you around, Spencer.
Spencer: See ya..
*CLICK*
Part 3: Strike me down
(6/10/18)
Spencer: You know, it’s funny when the perception doesn’t match reality. Sometimes, it’s something that can work out favorably and sometimes it isn’t. For me, I’ve thrived off of the perception that others seem to have about me. Here I stand, a world champion who is set to defend his title for the very first time on the biggest stage that this company has to offer and still..people have their doubts about me. Whether it’s the locker room, those in attendance, or those fucking bloggers I’ve touched on before..they all look at me as if I’m the one who is at a disadvantage here.
This is a massive matchup. I’ll go on record right now and say that Spencer Adams versus Wade Moor is the biggest match in the history of the business, the closest thing the sport will ever see to Ali versus Frazier. So, why am I talked about as a chump? We’ve got motherfuckers running around with my name in their mouth like it’s a bad thing, like I haven’t proven myself time and time again. I suppose we’re just gonna pretend I didn’t drive Adam Young face first into the bottom of a dumpster, or become one of the first to hold both WCF tag team and trios titles at the SAME time, or finish top four in one of that very company’s biggest WAR matches of all time. Really, I can go on and on.
I’ve waited this long to speak in detail on all of this simply because big matches mean big things. Did you people really think that I was going to blow my load on the warmups, that I would vent week in and week out about what was going to happen when this time came? What sort of preparation would that be? Nobody deserved that and you all should know that The Antidote isn’t that stupid. This is my moment and like always, I’m playing this my way. That’s what got me here in the first place, the thing that damn near erased both Roy Speede and Donald Deruty’s places among the top tier of Action Wrestling.
If you chose to mistake my silence for fear, you’re either forgetful or just really haven’t been following this craft very long. Backing up outspokenness with results, that’s what I do. Timing is everything and tonight is no sprint, it’s simply the beginning of the marathon. I’m going to do what I have to and that’s crushing that clout craving neckbeard, but I know this is just part one of what is likely to become a heated rivalry in Action Wrestling between a hungry challenger with a god complex and the greatest champion in modern sports history.
I see the hunger in Wade, his determination to plant his roots and let his own cult following carry him towards the status of company icon. We’re still somewhat in the infancy period with this company, so it makes sense for stars from past companies to try to do what I’ve done here, to scratch and claw their way to the throne like I have. The question you should all be asking is are those same hopefuls willing to do whatever it takes to get to this point and do what they have to in order to keep their spot?
You all can muster up your criticisms, but this gold on my shoulder right now is why I could care less. The fact that I hold this, that I dug down deep and pulled something from the Spencer Adams playbook that not one single person outside of my team expected from me, that is my counterpoint to those criticisms. My whole career was about getting to this point, about becoming the face of a company of this size. I hold this now, because I cared more. I cared more than Day and Speede and they’re stuck as my opening act just like everyone else will do between #FightSmart coronations tonight.
If I were anything less than what I am right now, I would’ve been with right there with Wade and the dozens of other competitors beating the dog shit out of each other just for the consideration, but I wasn’t. I was given a night of free scouting, because I fucking earned it. I made it happen and #FightSmart had it’s fingerprints all over the inaugural rumble match. My drive for greatness was the ultimate difference maker and means that at this very moment, Spencer Adams is better than that entire field that Wade overcame on own path than this main event.
I was the one who got to sit back and watch the madness unfold. Now, what gets me excited is that it wasn’t just a fight for that title, it was a fight for The Antidote himself. Wade and everyone else knew what they were signed up for and that was first shot at the company’s biggest target. That’s what I’ve been from the moment #FightSmart formed and became the most important stable and movement in the whole fucking industry. I know that I only made it bigger when I received the Kyle Kemp assist.
That’s what I call champion’s advantage. Wade Moor, a man whose own movement I’ve gone to war with time and time again back in its heyday...has his eye on me and my people. Don’t any of you let the record leading up to this deceive you, Wade has spent weeks doing exactly what I’ve wanted him to do, to chase that target. That silent strategy, all of this is that strategy in effect. I let Wade be the offense just like I allowed all of you to do the same. Wade and the world that gravitates towards him have taken their shots up to this point and when that bell rings is when I really start to take mine.
Again and again, Wade and the doubters try to call this reign a falsehood. I know that Mr. Moor is dead set on ridding the the throne of this perceived controversy, free Action Wrestling what everyone thinks is a bullshit champion. I just want to know..if what I’ve done to get here is so dirty and sinful, if I’m the one who is so goddamn undeserving of anything except for hit piece blogs..then why am I yet to be struck down? By all this dumb fucking logic, I should’ve gotten my just deserts a month ago. Where was Godnilla to send me to the bottom of Challenger Deep?
Wade Moor is a creature of heart and passion..Wade Moor has Godnilla mentality flowing through every inch of his body and soul at all times, right? A man like that should have ended me the second the world heard the words “AND NEW”, but he just fucking didn’t. I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed that I wasn’t laying there next to Day and Speede with my body broken and my career ended, because my expectations were met when I walked out of Clash 10 with my physical health still intact. Is it a testament to my perseverance or Wade’s eye opening hesitation?
As I remain in good health and spirit, Wade Moor has his name passed around as being something more than he himself is. Am I facing the best in the world? Shit, I don’t even know if I’m facing the best from #BeachKrew. It was Jared Holmes who put me on the shelf a few years back and it’s Wade Moor who has pretty much just let me get to this point, let me remain in my prime. By not truly living up to the standard of wicked and forceful nature created by him and BK back in the day, he’s set me up to come in and yam one home while continuing to escort #FightSmart to the promised land as I split him apart like Moses Adams.
What I feel right now is clarity and what I see is proof that this God is just a regular nilla. Those judgements that have come from his mouth and the mouths of others in this world, they have no effect without real action. I’ve yet to feel physical consequence, only unparalleled success. Wade Moor had his chance to make me feel his judgement, but I’m afraid it’s too late for that now. He made choice and that was to do nothing. Am I supposed to believe that now is the time that he smites me? Wade Moor is about to feel more disappointment than WCF fans felt that time something big was supposed to be happening at Slam tapings only to find out that Adam Young became their world champion.
Wade will be forced to feel real disappointment in his own shortcomings as he falls to me when it really counts for something. We all know it isn’t the first time it’s happened given that I’ve already taken a championship opportunity from him. The doubters can tell me that I owe that one to FPV, that Wade and Jared had an off day after a rough night out, but I call bullshit. I’ve proven his mortality before and I’ll prove it again and again until that glorified egomaniac has no choice but to call out uncle and let me go on about my business like the good little 1A that he’s supposed to be.
Luckily, the fate of AW is currently in much better hands than those of a person like that “1 SIIICK BASTURD”. I’ve had a full month of proper plotting and I come ready to stamp my name in the history books once again. Wade Moor may have just gotten done clearing the field like Lebron did the East, but The Warden of Wavy is now set to meet his own brick wall with no seatbelt and a will that’s bound to break. Wade, you’re fucking great, but you’re no GOAT. You know damn well there can be only one of those and I’m it. I am the Golden State to your latest sprint towards the finish line. AW is about my glory, not yours. Tonight, I make you starting looking for the answer and I advise looking elsewhere. Tread lightly, Mr. Moor. These waters are getting choppy.