BLACK DAWN: IC Title Match - The Sergeant (c) vs. Troy Douglas
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CuseTroy
League Member
FADE IN...
Troy Douglas stands in front of an EPW Black Dawn backdrop, wearing jeans and a grey Syracuse University t-shirt. Troy smiles for a moment, then runs his hands through his hair and rubs his eyes quickly before adopting a more serious gaze and focusing on the camera.
TD: Sarge, the day you asked for, it's finally approaching.
You asked for this, champ. You said a few weeks ago on Aggression that I could name the time and place, and now, we are so very close to that moment. We are so very close to you finally falling into the hole you've been digging yourself from the moment you won the Intercontinental title, and I am so, so ready to be the man who tips you over the edge and lets you plummet.
I have waited four years for this moment, Sarge. Four years I've bled, I've sweated, I've worked my ass off to finally put EPW gold around my waist. Four years ago, at Madison Square Garden, at the very first Black Dawn, I ended the night as number one contender to the title you now hold.
Four years later? Well, let's just say I'm finally cashing in what's been coming to me for a long, long time. And, honestly Sarge, it's going to take a far better man than you to take away something that I have -- quite literally -- nearly died trying to reach.
Because even though you've been called the future of this company -- the future of this business, even -- you're still young, you're still overly eager, you're still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and you are still, without a doubt, ripe for the picking.
You're not unbeatable yet, Sarge. You're not invulnerable yet. You are a man with a lot of foolish pride and a gigantic "me against the world" complex. You've got to take on every challenge, and you've let your own eagerness goad you into a challenge that you will enter at a massive disadvantage.
Make no mistake, Sergeant. Even though this is a championship match, there is no champion's advantage. Sure, if you wanted to, you could try and worm your way out of this match and keep your title, but trust me when I say that if you do that, if you do something that stupid, you won't leave the Lone Star State with any control of your motor functions.
You try and screw me out of what I've earned, and your career will be in serious, serious jeopardy, son.
Not that I expect you to do that, Sarge. After all, you pinned me just a few days ago at Aggression, right? You beat me 1-2-3 in the middle of the squared circle, so you've got nothing to worry about when we lock up at Black Dawn because, if you did it once, you can surely do it again.
Nothing's going to be different this time, right? Well, except...
...
This time, Sarge, Adam Benjamin's not going to be around for a double team. This time, Dan Ryan knows that despite the fact that I think he's trying to kill one of the finest wrestling companies on the planet because of a schoolyard grudge, I'm not gonna do anything to stop him. The wolves aren't hunting me this time, Sarge.
It's just me and you, and when it's one-on-one I like the odds I'll be getting.
Troy pauses for a moment, shakes his head, smiles and returns his focus to the camera lens.
TD: I have been waiting a very, very long time for this, Sarge. Don't think I'm going to let anything, anything at all get in the way off my fulfillment of a promise I've waited four years to make real.
You're not the man to stop me, Sarge, and you're just going to have to deal with that reality come Black Dawn. Straight up, man-to-man, nothing cheap, you're not going to hang with me inside that ring.
You started setting the trap for yourself weeks and weeks ago, Sarge. You let yourself get egged into this match without me so much as even asking. You gave me carte blanche, Sarge, and what you'll get at Black Dawn is nothing more than the natural karmic response to gross stupidity.
It's been said for a long time, Sarge, that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
This time, kid, you're the fool. You're not ready for me, but you've thrown yourself headlong into the thick of things because your so ******* eager to prove yourself to the world.
You've got to be the big man, don't you? You've got to be the guy that lives up to all those expectations. You've got to prove to Dan Ryan and the critics and everyone watching that you can take out a 32-year old, beat up, broken down man who's got a worldwide reputation as the guy that can't get the job done, right?
Sadly for you, this 32-year old, beat up, broken down man who's got a worldwide reputation as the guy that can't get the job done is living in something we like to call the real world, which I'll be glad to reintroduce you to at Black Dawn. You will try, Sarge, but make no mistake, you will fail.
The expectations, the pressure, the hype, you're gonna be crushed under the sheer weight of all of them. And after four years of trying to be the Boy Scout, I'm more than happy to pick up the pieces.
I nearly lost my mind and my life to get to this point, kid. It'd take someone far, far better than you to take me down at this point. For your own sake, prepare to leave Houston fifteen pounds lighter.
See you at the end of the road.
Troy looks down, then walks out of the frame. The camera holds a shot of the Black Dawn banner for a moment, then transitions to a graphic of the EPW logo and trademark before we...
...FADE OUT
Troy Douglas stands in front of an EPW Black Dawn backdrop, wearing jeans and a grey Syracuse University t-shirt. Troy smiles for a moment, then runs his hands through his hair and rubs his eyes quickly before adopting a more serious gaze and focusing on the camera.
TD: Sarge, the day you asked for, it's finally approaching.
You asked for this, champ. You said a few weeks ago on Aggression that I could name the time and place, and now, we are so very close to that moment. We are so very close to you finally falling into the hole you've been digging yourself from the moment you won the Intercontinental title, and I am so, so ready to be the man who tips you over the edge and lets you plummet.
I have waited four years for this moment, Sarge. Four years I've bled, I've sweated, I've worked my ass off to finally put EPW gold around my waist. Four years ago, at Madison Square Garden, at the very first Black Dawn, I ended the night as number one contender to the title you now hold.
Four years later? Well, let's just say I'm finally cashing in what's been coming to me for a long, long time. And, honestly Sarge, it's going to take a far better man than you to take away something that I have -- quite literally -- nearly died trying to reach.
Because even though you've been called the future of this company -- the future of this business, even -- you're still young, you're still overly eager, you're still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and you are still, without a doubt, ripe for the picking.
You're not unbeatable yet, Sarge. You're not invulnerable yet. You are a man with a lot of foolish pride and a gigantic "me against the world" complex. You've got to take on every challenge, and you've let your own eagerness goad you into a challenge that you will enter at a massive disadvantage.
Make no mistake, Sergeant. Even though this is a championship match, there is no champion's advantage. Sure, if you wanted to, you could try and worm your way out of this match and keep your title, but trust me when I say that if you do that, if you do something that stupid, you won't leave the Lone Star State with any control of your motor functions.
You try and screw me out of what I've earned, and your career will be in serious, serious jeopardy, son.
Not that I expect you to do that, Sarge. After all, you pinned me just a few days ago at Aggression, right? You beat me 1-2-3 in the middle of the squared circle, so you've got nothing to worry about when we lock up at Black Dawn because, if you did it once, you can surely do it again.
Nothing's going to be different this time, right? Well, except...
...
This time, Sarge, Adam Benjamin's not going to be around for a double team. This time, Dan Ryan knows that despite the fact that I think he's trying to kill one of the finest wrestling companies on the planet because of a schoolyard grudge, I'm not gonna do anything to stop him. The wolves aren't hunting me this time, Sarge.
It's just me and you, and when it's one-on-one I like the odds I'll be getting.
Troy pauses for a moment, shakes his head, smiles and returns his focus to the camera lens.
TD: I have been waiting a very, very long time for this, Sarge. Don't think I'm going to let anything, anything at all get in the way off my fulfillment of a promise I've waited four years to make real.
You're not the man to stop me, Sarge, and you're just going to have to deal with that reality come Black Dawn. Straight up, man-to-man, nothing cheap, you're not going to hang with me inside that ring.
You started setting the trap for yourself weeks and weeks ago, Sarge. You let yourself get egged into this match without me so much as even asking. You gave me carte blanche, Sarge, and what you'll get at Black Dawn is nothing more than the natural karmic response to gross stupidity.
It's been said for a long time, Sarge, that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
This time, kid, you're the fool. You're not ready for me, but you've thrown yourself headlong into the thick of things because your so ******* eager to prove yourself to the world.
You've got to be the big man, don't you? You've got to be the guy that lives up to all those expectations. You've got to prove to Dan Ryan and the critics and everyone watching that you can take out a 32-year old, beat up, broken down man who's got a worldwide reputation as the guy that can't get the job done, right?
Sadly for you, this 32-year old, beat up, broken down man who's got a worldwide reputation as the guy that can't get the job done is living in something we like to call the real world, which I'll be glad to reintroduce you to at Black Dawn. You will try, Sarge, but make no mistake, you will fail.
The expectations, the pressure, the hype, you're gonna be crushed under the sheer weight of all of them. And after four years of trying to be the Boy Scout, I'm more than happy to pick up the pieces.
I nearly lost my mind and my life to get to this point, kid. It'd take someone far, far better than you to take me down at this point. For your own sake, prepare to leave Houston fifteen pounds lighter.
See you at the end of the road.
Troy looks down, then walks out of the frame. The camera holds a shot of the Black Dawn banner for a moment, then transitions to a graphic of the EPW logo and trademark before we...
...FADE OUT
Linguistic
Active member
The Sergeant is in front of the very same Black Dawn backdrop that Troy Douglas cut a promo in front of a day before. He's in a black "Combat Tested, Mother Approved!" t-shirt and desert camo cargo pants. The EPW Intercontinental Championship Belt is firmly secured around his waist. He seems relaxed, yet focused .
Sarge: Troy Douglas has finally got what he has wanted for a very long time, and I'm sure he thinks he's somehow proven superiority in the process. It's in his nature. He's right about everything, even when he's wrong. He's gone on and on in his typical fashion about how he is the mastermind behind this match and that I've somehow been tricked into this due to my overeager, rookie, green, "me against the world" mentality. It'll just be the latest in a long list of negative comments about me and my character. Like all of the others, it'll be wrong.
Make no mistake about it, I wasn't tricked into anything.
I want this match.
It's not in my nature to back out of a challenge, and that is exactly what Troy did. He challenged me and my claim to the belt I currently wear around my waist. I answered the challenge. Simple as that. If that was his plan from the beginning, then more power to him. He has another chance at this belt, and this time it's against who he perceives as less than a threat. This all reeks more of desparation than master planning.
That isn't to say that Troy isn't a worthy opponent. All of the recent craziness aside, this man is on hell of a wrestler. I'll be the first to admit that he has become better with age. Our match is going to be one for the record books, and one that I think will be talked about for some time. Neither of us is leaving anything in reserve. It's going to be a knockdown dragout affair.
He nods before pausing, then briefy scratches his head as if puzzled.
The problem with my Black Dawn opponent is that he tries to make things more complicated than they actually are in a pathetic attempt at making himself feel more important than he actually is.
I'm not contradicting myself and saying he's a less than worthy adversary. I'm saying that he's got inferiority issues.
He's been going on and on for over a month about all of these deep incites he's had into my mind and my psyche. It's ridiculous. He's even went as far as to recently haphazardly indicate that I might try to screw him out of the title.
Listen up Troy. The only way I plan on "screwing" you out of this belt, is by beating you in the center of the ring to retain it. If that is what qualifies as screwing you over, then so be it.
I've said it over and over again, the new Sarge isn't one to cheat just for the sake of cheating. You come at me with a chair, I'll take it away from you and lay you out with it. You want to cheat to gain an advantage, then I'll do the same. It's really not as complicated as you try to make the fans believe.
ANY... MEANS... NECESSARY.
That's my approach.
Sure, last week was a 3 on 2 match... but I honestly didn't expect that to be an advantage. Look at my partners! They dislike me just about as much as you and your tag partner did. I half-expected it to be four-on-one by the end of the night. You think I was giving everything I had when there was a possibility that I'd have to fight off ALL of you?
Please. Even though I finished that match by beating you, that is going to be no indication of the match we'll have at Black Dawn. Sure, the ending will be the same... but how we get there will be something else entirely.
Sarge smiles before continuing.
Sarge: You want to play up this connection with Dan Ryan that I'm supposed to have, and yet you have the audacity to accuse ME of having a "me against the world" mentality? My relationship with the boss is strictly professional. The guy gave me a shot, and I'm giving him my support when he needs it against a company that has been less than kind to me. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.
But, say and do whatever you have to. Whatever it takes to get you motivated... go for it.
In case you haven't noticed, the fact that this match is a one-on-one affair isn't a let down for me. I thrive on competition. I'm actually looking forward to our match. But, that's where you call me a fool.
I guess we will find out soon enough.
He reaches into a cargo pocket and pulls out a notepad.
Sarge: Let's look at the facts, though. Hopefully, you'll see a trend.
Troy was wrong about me viewing life through rose colored glasses. He had to change his view when I won this belt, and lead him to yet another incorrect statement on my character.
He was wrong in his strange assumption that I've become some rule-breaking degenerate, then tried to comically prove it in a tag team match by enlisting his partner's assistance.
Sarge chuckles.
Now he's saying that I've foolishly blundered into this trap of his through an overeager attitude, and that he's destined to win this match.
Do I really need to say out loud what I think about this? I will, just to go on the record.
Sarge pauses for a dramatic moment, with a smile on his face.
Sarge: He's wrong again.
Troy is lost in a world where he believes he has all of the answers. I'm not that delusional. Nobody has all of the answers, myself included. I try to deal logically and practically with every situation that is set before me, as is the mark of a great leader. I've suffered at the hands of every underhanded competitor that I've faced over the last two years, and my current attitude, direction, and status are a direct reflection of my dealing with this challenge.
In essence, I've admitted that I was wrong.
I've heard that admitting is the first step toward turning things around. Looking at how things have gone for me, maybe whoever said that was on to something. I turned things around when I admitted my approach to wrestling was flawed.
Maybe Mr. Douglas should give it a try.
Maybe he could turn things around for himself.
As it stands now, I still see me on EPW television the day after Black Dawn with this belt in exactly the same place it is now:
Around my waist.
At least I know you'll be giving me everything you have, Troy. You won't be holding back, and after Black Dawn there will be no excuses for either of us.
I just don't understand this obsession with ruining my character.
Sarge shakes his head, as if disappointed for some reason.
Sarge: If you wanted this match, all you had to do was ask.
Scene fades.
Sarge: Troy Douglas has finally got what he has wanted for a very long time, and I'm sure he thinks he's somehow proven superiority in the process. It's in his nature. He's right about everything, even when he's wrong. He's gone on and on in his typical fashion about how he is the mastermind behind this match and that I've somehow been tricked into this due to my overeager, rookie, green, "me against the world" mentality. It'll just be the latest in a long list of negative comments about me and my character. Like all of the others, it'll be wrong.
Make no mistake about it, I wasn't tricked into anything.
I want this match.
It's not in my nature to back out of a challenge, and that is exactly what Troy did. He challenged me and my claim to the belt I currently wear around my waist. I answered the challenge. Simple as that. If that was his plan from the beginning, then more power to him. He has another chance at this belt, and this time it's against who he perceives as less than a threat. This all reeks more of desparation than master planning.
That isn't to say that Troy isn't a worthy opponent. All of the recent craziness aside, this man is on hell of a wrestler. I'll be the first to admit that he has become better with age. Our match is going to be one for the record books, and one that I think will be talked about for some time. Neither of us is leaving anything in reserve. It's going to be a knockdown dragout affair.
He nods before pausing, then briefy scratches his head as if puzzled.
The problem with my Black Dawn opponent is that he tries to make things more complicated than they actually are in a pathetic attempt at making himself feel more important than he actually is.
I'm not contradicting myself and saying he's a less than worthy adversary. I'm saying that he's got inferiority issues.
He's been going on and on for over a month about all of these deep incites he's had into my mind and my psyche. It's ridiculous. He's even went as far as to recently haphazardly indicate that I might try to screw him out of the title.
Listen up Troy. The only way I plan on "screwing" you out of this belt, is by beating you in the center of the ring to retain it. If that is what qualifies as screwing you over, then so be it.
I've said it over and over again, the new Sarge isn't one to cheat just for the sake of cheating. You come at me with a chair, I'll take it away from you and lay you out with it. You want to cheat to gain an advantage, then I'll do the same. It's really not as complicated as you try to make the fans believe.
ANY... MEANS... NECESSARY.
That's my approach.
Sure, last week was a 3 on 2 match... but I honestly didn't expect that to be an advantage. Look at my partners! They dislike me just about as much as you and your tag partner did. I half-expected it to be four-on-one by the end of the night. You think I was giving everything I had when there was a possibility that I'd have to fight off ALL of you?
Please. Even though I finished that match by beating you, that is going to be no indication of the match we'll have at Black Dawn. Sure, the ending will be the same... but how we get there will be something else entirely.
Sarge smiles before continuing.
Sarge: You want to play up this connection with Dan Ryan that I'm supposed to have, and yet you have the audacity to accuse ME of having a "me against the world" mentality? My relationship with the boss is strictly professional. The guy gave me a shot, and I'm giving him my support when he needs it against a company that has been less than kind to me. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less.
But, say and do whatever you have to. Whatever it takes to get you motivated... go for it.
In case you haven't noticed, the fact that this match is a one-on-one affair isn't a let down for me. I thrive on competition. I'm actually looking forward to our match. But, that's where you call me a fool.
I guess we will find out soon enough.
He reaches into a cargo pocket and pulls out a notepad.
Sarge: Let's look at the facts, though. Hopefully, you'll see a trend.
Troy was wrong about me viewing life through rose colored glasses. He had to change his view when I won this belt, and lead him to yet another incorrect statement on my character.
He was wrong in his strange assumption that I've become some rule-breaking degenerate, then tried to comically prove it in a tag team match by enlisting his partner's assistance.
Sarge chuckles.
Now he's saying that I've foolishly blundered into this trap of his through an overeager attitude, and that he's destined to win this match.
Do I really need to say out loud what I think about this? I will, just to go on the record.
Sarge pauses for a dramatic moment, with a smile on his face.
Sarge: He's wrong again.
Troy is lost in a world where he believes he has all of the answers. I'm not that delusional. Nobody has all of the answers, myself included. I try to deal logically and practically with every situation that is set before me, as is the mark of a great leader. I've suffered at the hands of every underhanded competitor that I've faced over the last two years, and my current attitude, direction, and status are a direct reflection of my dealing with this challenge.
In essence, I've admitted that I was wrong.
I've heard that admitting is the first step toward turning things around. Looking at how things have gone for me, maybe whoever said that was on to something. I turned things around when I admitted my approach to wrestling was flawed.
Maybe Mr. Douglas should give it a try.
Maybe he could turn things around for himself.
As it stands now, I still see me on EPW television the day after Black Dawn with this belt in exactly the same place it is now:
Around my waist.
At least I know you'll be giving me everything you have, Troy. You won't be holding back, and after Black Dawn there will be no excuses for either of us.
I just don't understand this obsession with ruining my character.
Sarge shakes his head, as if disappointed for some reason.
Sarge: If you wanted this match, all you had to do was ask.
Scene fades.
CuseTroy
League Member
FADE IN...
Troy Douglas, wearing a 2003 Final Four t-shirt and jeans, again finds himself in front of an EPW Black Dawn banner. Troy scratches his chin for a moment in thought, then nods his head and focuses himself on the camera.
TD: Boy, oh boy, somebody's having a little problem getting all his facts straight, isn't he?
All I had to do was ask, Sarge? All I had to do was ASK and I would've gotten the match? Man, if it was that simple, maybe I should've just ASKED you and then maybe I would be wrestling you for the IC title at Black...
...
Wait a minute.
...
I already AM wrestling you for the Intercontinental Championship at Black Dawn. Ain't that just a swift kick in the head? And guess what, son?
I didn't even HAVE to ask. You never even gave me the opportunity. I came out and I said that what you did disrespected the legacy of the championship you currently hold, and you practically BEGGED me for the match. You told me to name the time, name the place, find Dan Ryan and get the papers signed.
I was going to ask, Sarge. It turns out it wasn't even necessary. You were stupid enough to make this match yourself in the first place.
And I'M the one who's always wrong. Gotcha.
Troy shrugs his shoulders, shakes his head and lets out a brief, barely audible scoff.
TD: Moving on, let's talk about this strange delusion you've got that I've been formulating this Really Cunning Plan to bait you into a title match for months and months now.
If I haven't said this enough already, let me beat this into your Combat Tested melon one more time, just for clarity's sake.
There's no plan, Sarge. There's no conspiracy, nothing of the sort. I want the belt, and I've made no bones about it. But any plan I've got begins and ends at Black Dawn with me planting your skull into the mat and rolling your shoulders onto the canvas for a count of three. There's my blueprint, from A to Z.
Everything else that's transpired, Sarge, it's all just me picking up the pieces that you've left dangling out there for me to take advantage of.
You see, I've learned a lot of things over eight years in this business, and a lot of what I've learned deals specifically with three words you just mentioned.
Any. Means. Necessary.
That's the essence of this business, Sarge. I didn't like the way you won your belt, and I've stated that in public, on television, on multiple occasions. But, much as you'd like to say otherwise, I understand the way the world works.
In fact, I'd go so far to say that I know it a hell of a lot better than you, kid.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, that I'm not the guy who's gonna shoot a gift horse in the mouth. You gave me exactly what I wanted, and even I'm not stupid enough to pass that up. If you're too blind and stupid to realize that you put yourself into a bad situation, don't think I won't use that to my advantage.
I'm gonna break you any way I can, son, and breaking down the mind works just as well as breaking down the body. You left a door wide open, Sarge, and all I've been doing for the last few weeks is driving right into the gap.
You wanted this match, Sarge, and I'm not disputing that. But, "wanted" is most assuredly the operative word.
Because after Black Dawn, after you leave Houston without your precious title strapped so proudly and prominently around your waist, you'll realize that what the great poet and philosopher Jagger said lo those many decades ago.
You can't always get what you want, Sarge.
You don't want a match with me -- or, at least, that's not the endgame your looking for. You want to beat me, you want to put me away and shut my tired, stupid mouth up once and for all. You want to use me the way you've seen so many others before use me -- as a stepping stone to cement your position as the future of this industry.
That's what you want, Sarge. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's not at all what your going to get inside Reliant Stadium.
I've worked too hard and too long to serve as a stepping stone for another hotshot who -- quite frankly -- can't hold a candle to me inside the ring. Now, that's about the most self-serving thing I've ever said in eight years of professional wrestling, Sarge, but trust me when I say that I am sick and tired of being passed over again and again and again. Time after time after godforsaken time I have been the gatekeeper -- the man you go through on the way to superstardom.
Right here, right now, I'm drawing the line in the sand, kid. The buck stops here, and unfortunately, the buck stops with you.
But, let's get back to that Stones song for a moment.
You won't get what you want, Sarge. Not at my expense. But you will, you most definitely WILL get what you need.
And what you need, kid, is someone to pull your head out of the clouds. You need someone to push you back down the ladder just a bit, because that's what the day to day reality of this business is. Triumph isn't the norm, kid, and at Black Dawn, you will get a lesson in humility.
Speaking of humility...
Troy again pauses, scratching the back of his neck.
TD: If you're going to throw out allegations about conspiracy theories and secret cabals that I'm inventing, maybe you should hit the rewind button once more and action pay attention to someone for once.
I don't think Dan Ryan's got you in his back pocket, kid, and I don't think you're taking orders from him. But, Dan's a businessman, and you're a rising star, a hot young commodity in professional wrestling.
It's in his best interest to have you front and center. You're not a lackey or a footstool to him, Sarge. You're the dollar signs flashing in his eyes, and don't think for a moment that he doesn't want to see the cash flow for all those "Combat Tested, Mother Approved!" t-shirts to keep flowing into his coffers.
THAT is what you mean to Dan Ryan, son.
And, you are right, Sergeant. I don't have all the answers. No one does, no one ever will. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong all the time, either. I've got opinions, just like any other free-thinking man, women or gelatinous mass with a few functioning brain cells, and sometimes, just sometimes, I stumble upon a pretty decent point.
And with you, Sarge, I'm not just speculating. I'm not just tossing wild ideas out into the universe just for the pleasure of hearing myself talk.
I'm speaking of experience, because every time I see you come on television all I can see is myself five years ago. I said you had a "me against the world" mindset because that's exactly what I had in my first few years in the big leagues.
I came out and I would take on any challenge, no matter how big. A lot of the time, it worked out. Sometimes, I got in way over my head, and it came back to bite me big time.
This time, you're in way over YOUR head, Sarge. You can come out here and deny it all you want, but when Black Dawn rolls around, the truth is going to come out.
I've been wrong before, and I'll be the FIRST to admit that, Sarge. I've made a lot of stupid decisions that got me in a lot of trouble and nearly left me without a career on a number of occasions.
But this time, kid, I'm not wrong. Only problem for you is, you won't get the chance to realize it until it's too late.
See you at the end of the road.
...FADE OUT
Troy Douglas, wearing a 2003 Final Four t-shirt and jeans, again finds himself in front of an EPW Black Dawn banner. Troy scratches his chin for a moment in thought, then nods his head and focuses himself on the camera.
TD: Boy, oh boy, somebody's having a little problem getting all his facts straight, isn't he?
All I had to do was ask, Sarge? All I had to do was ASK and I would've gotten the match? Man, if it was that simple, maybe I should've just ASKED you and then maybe I would be wrestling you for the IC title at Black...
...
Wait a minute.
...
I already AM wrestling you for the Intercontinental Championship at Black Dawn. Ain't that just a swift kick in the head? And guess what, son?
I didn't even HAVE to ask. You never even gave me the opportunity. I came out and I said that what you did disrespected the legacy of the championship you currently hold, and you practically BEGGED me for the match. You told me to name the time, name the place, find Dan Ryan and get the papers signed.
I was going to ask, Sarge. It turns out it wasn't even necessary. You were stupid enough to make this match yourself in the first place.
And I'M the one who's always wrong. Gotcha.
Troy shrugs his shoulders, shakes his head and lets out a brief, barely audible scoff.
TD: Moving on, let's talk about this strange delusion you've got that I've been formulating this Really Cunning Plan to bait you into a title match for months and months now.
If I haven't said this enough already, let me beat this into your Combat Tested melon one more time, just for clarity's sake.
There's no plan, Sarge. There's no conspiracy, nothing of the sort. I want the belt, and I've made no bones about it. But any plan I've got begins and ends at Black Dawn with me planting your skull into the mat and rolling your shoulders onto the canvas for a count of three. There's my blueprint, from A to Z.
Everything else that's transpired, Sarge, it's all just me picking up the pieces that you've left dangling out there for me to take advantage of.
You see, I've learned a lot of things over eight years in this business, and a lot of what I've learned deals specifically with three words you just mentioned.
Any. Means. Necessary.
That's the essence of this business, Sarge. I didn't like the way you won your belt, and I've stated that in public, on television, on multiple occasions. But, much as you'd like to say otherwise, I understand the way the world works.
In fact, I'd go so far to say that I know it a hell of a lot better than you, kid.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, that I'm not the guy who's gonna shoot a gift horse in the mouth. You gave me exactly what I wanted, and even I'm not stupid enough to pass that up. If you're too blind and stupid to realize that you put yourself into a bad situation, don't think I won't use that to my advantage.
I'm gonna break you any way I can, son, and breaking down the mind works just as well as breaking down the body. You left a door wide open, Sarge, and all I've been doing for the last few weeks is driving right into the gap.
You wanted this match, Sarge, and I'm not disputing that. But, "wanted" is most assuredly the operative word.
Because after Black Dawn, after you leave Houston without your precious title strapped so proudly and prominently around your waist, you'll realize that what the great poet and philosopher Jagger said lo those many decades ago.
You can't always get what you want, Sarge.
You don't want a match with me -- or, at least, that's not the endgame your looking for. You want to beat me, you want to put me away and shut my tired, stupid mouth up once and for all. You want to use me the way you've seen so many others before use me -- as a stepping stone to cement your position as the future of this industry.
That's what you want, Sarge. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that's not at all what your going to get inside Reliant Stadium.
I've worked too hard and too long to serve as a stepping stone for another hotshot who -- quite frankly -- can't hold a candle to me inside the ring. Now, that's about the most self-serving thing I've ever said in eight years of professional wrestling, Sarge, but trust me when I say that I am sick and tired of being passed over again and again and again. Time after time after godforsaken time I have been the gatekeeper -- the man you go through on the way to superstardom.
Right here, right now, I'm drawing the line in the sand, kid. The buck stops here, and unfortunately, the buck stops with you.
But, let's get back to that Stones song for a moment.
You won't get what you want, Sarge. Not at my expense. But you will, you most definitely WILL get what you need.
And what you need, kid, is someone to pull your head out of the clouds. You need someone to push you back down the ladder just a bit, because that's what the day to day reality of this business is. Triumph isn't the norm, kid, and at Black Dawn, you will get a lesson in humility.
Speaking of humility...
Troy again pauses, scratching the back of his neck.
TD: If you're going to throw out allegations about conspiracy theories and secret cabals that I'm inventing, maybe you should hit the rewind button once more and action pay attention to someone for once.
I don't think Dan Ryan's got you in his back pocket, kid, and I don't think you're taking orders from him. But, Dan's a businessman, and you're a rising star, a hot young commodity in professional wrestling.
It's in his best interest to have you front and center. You're not a lackey or a footstool to him, Sarge. You're the dollar signs flashing in his eyes, and don't think for a moment that he doesn't want to see the cash flow for all those "Combat Tested, Mother Approved!" t-shirts to keep flowing into his coffers.
THAT is what you mean to Dan Ryan, son.
And, you are right, Sergeant. I don't have all the answers. No one does, no one ever will. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong all the time, either. I've got opinions, just like any other free-thinking man, women or gelatinous mass with a few functioning brain cells, and sometimes, just sometimes, I stumble upon a pretty decent point.
And with you, Sarge, I'm not just speculating. I'm not just tossing wild ideas out into the universe just for the pleasure of hearing myself talk.
I'm speaking of experience, because every time I see you come on television all I can see is myself five years ago. I said you had a "me against the world" mindset because that's exactly what I had in my first few years in the big leagues.
I came out and I would take on any challenge, no matter how big. A lot of the time, it worked out. Sometimes, I got in way over my head, and it came back to bite me big time.
This time, you're in way over YOUR head, Sarge. You can come out here and deny it all you want, but when Black Dawn rolls around, the truth is going to come out.
I've been wrong before, and I'll be the FIRST to admit that, Sarge. I've made a lot of stupid decisions that got me in a lot of trouble and nearly left me without a career on a number of occasions.
But this time, kid, I'm not wrong. Only problem for you is, you won't get the chance to realize it until it's too late.
See you at the end of the road.
...FADE OUT
Linguistic
Active member
The Sergeant is in his typical ring attire, black t-shirt, desert military boots, and desert camo cargo pants. The ever-present EPW Black Dawn backdrop is behind him. He wastes no time with pleasantries.ffice
ffice" /><O></O>
<O></O>
Sarge: So I guess I really am a fool then, ffice:smarttags" />lace w:st="on">Troy</ST1lace>. You were right. I was wrong. If you are me five years from now, then I should listen to you. I mean, you have life experience on me. You know what I am going to do before I do it.<O></O>
<O></O>
It's hopeless. Totally and utterly hopeless.<O></O>
<O></O>
<O></O>
Sarge puts his head in his hands and pauses for dramatic affect, seemingly enjoying the sarcastic tone he's set.<O></O>
<O></O>
<O></O>
Sarge: When was the last time you won the IC title?<O></O>
<O> </O>
Oh yeah… that’s right. Never.<O></O>
<O></O>
It seems that you aren't me five years from now after all.<O></O>
<O></O>
<O></O>
Sarge shakes the head.<O></O>
<O></O>
<O></O>
Sarge: My whole point since the very beginning is that I want to be the best, which means I have to wrestle the best. It’s not a very bad goal to have, and I’m sure even now you have the same goal. You feel you are overdue, and you think that I am the perfect young opportunity for you to get that one thing you’ve so desperately needed yet have been unable to obtain.
Success.<O></O>
<O> </O>
Seriously, it’s almost so bad that I’m expecting Dateline NBC to come barging in on you in one of your promos. Bad joke, I know. <O></O>
<O> </O>
It all comes down to this, though. You and I are about to find out what the other is made of. One on one. Fair and square. I'd prefer to meet you in the middle of an EPW ring under those two conditions but as I’ve said before, you try to take any shortcuts then I’ll be forced to do the same.<O></O>
<O></O>
That’s not to say that the urge to crack your skull open with a chair (or whatever I find handy) won’t be difficult to stave off. The way you've tackled this problem has painted you in a less than positive light and you've tried to attack my character and my wrestling ability on more than one occasion. I’m pissed off to be sure, but make no mistake about it… I will be perfectly fine when we meet.<O></O>
<O> </O>
<O> </O>
Sarge switches gears.<O></O>
<O> </O>
<O></O>
Sarge: You want to be the one who is cheered in this situation. You want to be the sentimental favorite. You desire this belt... and you need it to get over this complex you have. <O></O>
<O></O>
I get it. I totally understand. <O></O>
<O></O>
You've got the title shot. You've made a very big deal about the circumstances surrounding it. Now go out there and put your money where your mouth is. Give me everything you've got. And I don't want to hear any excuses at the end of the night if and when you lose. Just suck it up like a man. Deal with it. Go on to bigger and better things.<O></O>
<O></O>
What I think will eat at you more than anything is that even if I do in fact lose the belt at Black Dawn, I'll STILL be ahead of you in my progression toward being the best.
Really though, we’re talking in circles. I’m growing weary of it. I have always wanted my wrestling ability and my success to do the talking for me. Maybe you are satisfied with only your words.
<O> </O>
The talking stops in two short days.
<O> </O>
The fans are in for one hell of a treat when we lock up.
<O> </O>
See you there.
<O> </O>
<O> </O>
Scene fades to black.<O></O>
ffice" /><O></O><O
></O>Sarge: So I guess I really am a fool then, ffice:smarttags" />lace w:st="on">Troy</ST1
lace>. You were right. I was wrong. If you are me five years from now, then I should listen to you. I mean, you have life experience on me. You know what I am going to do before I do it.<O></O><O
></O>It's hopeless. Totally and utterly hopeless.<O
></O><O
></O><O
></O>Sarge puts his head in his hands and pauses for dramatic affect, seemingly enjoying the sarcastic tone he's set.<O
></O><O
></O><O
></O>Sarge: When was the last time you won the IC title?<O
></O><O
> </O>Oh yeah… that’s right. Never.<O
></O><O
></O>It seems that you aren't me five years from now after all.<O
></O><O
></O><O
></O>Sarge shakes the head.<O
></O><O
></O><O
></O>Sarge: My whole point since the very beginning is that I want to be the best, which means I have to wrestle the best. It’s not a very bad goal to have, and I’m sure even now you have the same goal. You feel you are overdue, and you think that I am the perfect young opportunity for you to get that one thing you’ve so desperately needed yet have been unable to obtain.
Success.<O
></O><O
> </O>Seriously, it’s almost so bad that I’m expecting Dateline NBC to come barging in on you in one of your promos. Bad joke, I know. <O
></O><O
> </O>It all comes down to this, though. You and I are about to find out what the other is made of. One on one. Fair and square. I'd prefer to meet you in the middle of an EPW ring under those two conditions but as I’ve said before, you try to take any shortcuts then I’ll be forced to do the same.<O
></O><O
></O>That’s not to say that the urge to crack your skull open with a chair (or whatever I find handy) won’t be difficult to stave off. The way you've tackled this problem has painted you in a less than positive light and you've tried to attack my character and my wrestling ability on more than one occasion. I’m pissed off to be sure, but make no mistake about it… I will be perfectly fine when we meet.<O
></O><O
> </O><O
> </O>Sarge switches gears.<O
></O><O
> </O><O
></O>Sarge: You want to be the one who is cheered in this situation. You want to be the sentimental favorite. You desire this belt... and you need it to get over this complex you have. <O
></O><O
></O>I get it. I totally understand. <O
></O><O
></O>You've got the title shot. You've made a very big deal about the circumstances surrounding it. Now go out there and put your money where your mouth is. Give me everything you've got. And I don't want to hear any excuses at the end of the night if and when you lose. Just suck it up like a man. Deal with it. Go on to bigger and better things.<O
></O><O
></O>What I think will eat at you more than anything is that even if I do in fact lose the belt at Black Dawn, I'll STILL be ahead of you in my progression toward being the best.
Really though, we’re talking in circles. I’m growing weary of it. I have always wanted my wrestling ability and my success to do the talking for me. Maybe you are satisfied with only your words.
<O
> </O>The talking stops in two short days.
<O
> </O>The fans are in for one hell of a treat when we lock up.
<O
> </O>See you there.
<O
> </O><O
> </O>Scene fades to black.<O
></O>
CuseTroy
League Member
FADE IN...
Troy Douglas, wearing a grey t-shirt under an unbuttoned Craig Biggio Houston Astros jersey circa 1993 and a pair of jeans, stands in front of an EPW Black Dawn banner.
TD: Oh, goodie. I get to talk about the past today.
You want to know where I was five years ago, Sarge? You want to know what makes me think you and I are so similar?
Listen up, kid. Maybe you'll learn a lesson or two along the way.
Five years ago, I was considered the one of the true rising stars in the wrestling industry -- much like you are today, Sarge.
Five years ago, I held championship gold -- much like you do right now, Sarge.
Five years ago, and let's not forget this fact, Sarge, I was wrestling night after night around the entire planet a year before Dan Ryan even had the idea to start this company.
So, the fact that I haven't held the EPW Intercontinental Title ...
...
Yet...
...
That pretty much means jack squat for the little point you were trying to prove, kid.
Like it or not, five years ago I was in the exact same stage of my career that you are right now, so I'd like you to trust me when I say that I really do know just a little bit about how the way the world goes round and round, okay?
I'm not saying you'll end up the way I did, Sarge. I've had a lot of **** happen to me that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies, and you're far from even being on that list, kid.
What I am saying, is that I know what being in your position feels like, so I'd say I have at least an idea about what's going through your mind at the moment.
I'm no clairvoyant and I'm no mind-reader, Sarge. I don't know what you'll do before you even think of doing it, but yes, Sarge, I have used my own experiences to get myself ready for this match.
I know what mistakes I made, I know what flaws I had, and if I can get you to make the same errors, to expose the same imperfections, then why the hell shouldn't I try?
This is about those 15 pounds of gold and leather that you carry so proudly around your waist, Sarge, and about the fact that in the four year existence of this company I've never had the chance to hold that kind of trophy. So you can be damn sure I'm going to do whatever it takes to finally justify a period in my life that a lot of people think I should've given up on a long time ago.
But I'm still standing, Sarge. After all the bull****, after all the injuries, after all of my trials and tribulations, I'm standing here a better man than I was five years ago.
I may never have won all those world titles I prophesized in the past -- heck, I've never strapped a single piece of EPW gold around my waist -- but I am in a far better position to do so than I was five years ago. I'm older, but I am wiser, Sarge, and I'm in the best shape I've been in since I blew out my back nearly a decade ago.
If I don't seize the brass ring now, Sarge, then it may never happen. So I don't care what you say about any "complex" that I have, any obsessions that might be driving me, any need that I have to be loved and adored and thought of as a sympathetic figure, because I know as well as anyone that once the bell rings, that doesn't matter.
Would I like to be cheered by the thousands upon thousands of people who lay down good money to come to shows or buy pay per views? Sure. I've been an athlete my whole life, Sarge, and I don't know a single athlete who doesn't feed on the energy of the crowd.
But, if no one showed up and no one was watching, or if everyone in the building thought I was the next incarnation of the friggin' Antichrist or if each and every one of those fans didn't give a damn if I dropped off the face of the Earth and never appeared again, I'd still be out there doing what I've done for eight years.
Because this isn't about them, Sarge. This is about me and this is about you, and damn everything else.
This isn't about who can say the biggest words or come up with the snazziest insults, Sarge. This is about me, you and a referee on a canvas mat surrounded by three ropes.
It's about the three seconds in this business that make up the difference between victory and defeat, and about what I'm willing to do to make sure those three seconds end up in my favor.
I'll put my money where my mouth is, son. By the end of the night, you will never be able to forget the time you spent in the ring with me, Sarge. Win or lose, you won't leave Houston the same man.
And maybe, you will leave Black Dawn still ahead of my progression. Frankly, I don't care. In fact, considering how similar you and I really are, I'd be glad to see someone like you go on to bigger and better things.
But, you're not gonna be alone, Sarge. If things go my way, I'm going to take your title at Black Dawn, kid, and that's not the end. I will make the best of what time I have left, and that starts in front of 70,000-plus screaming nutcases inside of Reliant Stadium.
I don't need the title to get over some complex, Sarge. I need it because its one more step up the ladder, and like I said before, I will not -- not for one, solitary second -- hesitate to trample over you like a stampeding herd in order to make my way to the top.
You're all hell of a wrestler, Sarge, and I haven't made a single damn judgment about your character, regardless of what you want to say. All I want is you and me in the center of that ring, and at the end of the night we'll know exactly who the better man really is.
I just plan on proving a point, is all. Regardless of where I was five years ago or where you and I will be five years from now, right here, right now, one-on-one, I am the better man.
Lucky for me, you and I get the chance to make that point at Black Dawn.
I don't think this is the end of the road for you, Sarge. In all likelihood, it's just the beginning. It is, however, time for you to pass the baton that we all like to call the IC title.
Or, rather, your reign will come to a crashing halt when I jar it loose, Sarge. Like you said, by ANY. MEANS. NECESSARY.
I've always let my wrestling ability speak for me too, Sarge. And at Black Dawn, I think my fists and my feet would very much like to scream to the rafters with great fury.
Actions speak louder than words, Sarge. At Black Dawn, my actions will be off the decibel charts.
Better bring some ear plugs.
...FADE OUT
Troy Douglas, wearing a grey t-shirt under an unbuttoned Craig Biggio Houston Astros jersey circa 1993 and a pair of jeans, stands in front of an EPW Black Dawn banner.
TD: Oh, goodie. I get to talk about the past today.
You want to know where I was five years ago, Sarge? You want to know what makes me think you and I are so similar?
Listen up, kid. Maybe you'll learn a lesson or two along the way.
Five years ago, I was considered the one of the true rising stars in the wrestling industry -- much like you are today, Sarge.
Five years ago, I held championship gold -- much like you do right now, Sarge.
Five years ago, and let's not forget this fact, Sarge, I was wrestling night after night around the entire planet a year before Dan Ryan even had the idea to start this company.
So, the fact that I haven't held the EPW Intercontinental Title ...
...
Yet...
...
That pretty much means jack squat for the little point you were trying to prove, kid.
Like it or not, five years ago I was in the exact same stage of my career that you are right now, so I'd like you to trust me when I say that I really do know just a little bit about how the way the world goes round and round, okay?
I'm not saying you'll end up the way I did, Sarge. I've had a lot of **** happen to me that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies, and you're far from even being on that list, kid.
What I am saying, is that I know what being in your position feels like, so I'd say I have at least an idea about what's going through your mind at the moment.
I'm no clairvoyant and I'm no mind-reader, Sarge. I don't know what you'll do before you even think of doing it, but yes, Sarge, I have used my own experiences to get myself ready for this match.
I know what mistakes I made, I know what flaws I had, and if I can get you to make the same errors, to expose the same imperfections, then why the hell shouldn't I try?
This is about those 15 pounds of gold and leather that you carry so proudly around your waist, Sarge, and about the fact that in the four year existence of this company I've never had the chance to hold that kind of trophy. So you can be damn sure I'm going to do whatever it takes to finally justify a period in my life that a lot of people think I should've given up on a long time ago.
But I'm still standing, Sarge. After all the bull****, after all the injuries, after all of my trials and tribulations, I'm standing here a better man than I was five years ago.
I may never have won all those world titles I prophesized in the past -- heck, I've never strapped a single piece of EPW gold around my waist -- but I am in a far better position to do so than I was five years ago. I'm older, but I am wiser, Sarge, and I'm in the best shape I've been in since I blew out my back nearly a decade ago.
If I don't seize the brass ring now, Sarge, then it may never happen. So I don't care what you say about any "complex" that I have, any obsessions that might be driving me, any need that I have to be loved and adored and thought of as a sympathetic figure, because I know as well as anyone that once the bell rings, that doesn't matter.
Would I like to be cheered by the thousands upon thousands of people who lay down good money to come to shows or buy pay per views? Sure. I've been an athlete my whole life, Sarge, and I don't know a single athlete who doesn't feed on the energy of the crowd.
But, if no one showed up and no one was watching, or if everyone in the building thought I was the next incarnation of the friggin' Antichrist or if each and every one of those fans didn't give a damn if I dropped off the face of the Earth and never appeared again, I'd still be out there doing what I've done for eight years.
Because this isn't about them, Sarge. This is about me and this is about you, and damn everything else.
This isn't about who can say the biggest words or come up with the snazziest insults, Sarge. This is about me, you and a referee on a canvas mat surrounded by three ropes.
It's about the three seconds in this business that make up the difference between victory and defeat, and about what I'm willing to do to make sure those three seconds end up in my favor.
I'll put my money where my mouth is, son. By the end of the night, you will never be able to forget the time you spent in the ring with me, Sarge. Win or lose, you won't leave Houston the same man.
And maybe, you will leave Black Dawn still ahead of my progression. Frankly, I don't care. In fact, considering how similar you and I really are, I'd be glad to see someone like you go on to bigger and better things.
But, you're not gonna be alone, Sarge. If things go my way, I'm going to take your title at Black Dawn, kid, and that's not the end. I will make the best of what time I have left, and that starts in front of 70,000-plus screaming nutcases inside of Reliant Stadium.
I don't need the title to get over some complex, Sarge. I need it because its one more step up the ladder, and like I said before, I will not -- not for one, solitary second -- hesitate to trample over you like a stampeding herd in order to make my way to the top.
You're all hell of a wrestler, Sarge, and I haven't made a single damn judgment about your character, regardless of what you want to say. All I want is you and me in the center of that ring, and at the end of the night we'll know exactly who the better man really is.
I just plan on proving a point, is all. Regardless of where I was five years ago or where you and I will be five years from now, right here, right now, one-on-one, I am the better man.
Lucky for me, you and I get the chance to make that point at Black Dawn.
I don't think this is the end of the road for you, Sarge. In all likelihood, it's just the beginning. It is, however, time for you to pass the baton that we all like to call the IC title.
Or, rather, your reign will come to a crashing halt when I jar it loose, Sarge. Like you said, by ANY. MEANS. NECESSARY.
I've always let my wrestling ability speak for me too, Sarge. And at Black Dawn, I think my fists and my feet would very much like to scream to the rafters with great fury.
Actions speak louder than words, Sarge. At Black Dawn, my actions will be off the decibel charts.
Better bring some ear plugs.
...FADE OUT