No excuses

[SouthernBoy]

{{...FADE IN: The front of Alex Box Stadium, Baton Rouge. The camera pans over to a parking lot filled with RVs, Pop-up campers, and even a few tents. Purple and gold line the area, vehicles and fans as they BAR-B-Q in the early morning sun. CUT-TO: Shane Southern sitting in a folding chair on the back of a white Ford F-150, tailgate down. He's wearing an LSU baseball cap, a Purple and gold t-shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots. He sips on a Budweiser beer as he stares off into the distance...}}

SHANE SOUTHERN: " Alotta' guys been wonderin' where I am....been wonderin' if tha' beatins' I took at Battle of tha' Belts finally put me down....been wonderin' if tha' Intrudes finally accomplished their mission and ended Shane Southern's career. Well, as you can see, I'm still here, I'm still kickin', and now...I'm pi$$ed off. "

" First of all, I want ta' get somethin' off mah' chest. It ain't n' easy thing ta' say, but here goes anyway. Tommy boy, great freakin' match man. You showed, at least for that night, you were better than me. No excuses here. You proved me wrong. You won, you're tha' US Champ. Congratulations. But we're not done man...uh, uh...not by a LONG shot. I'll be back 'round, someday. N' you n' me'll go at it again. Enjoy tha' moment Tom, they don't come along at Shane Southern's expense that often. "

" Another word of congratulations ta' Dan Ryan. You showed yer more than what I've seen so far in yer CSWA tender. You outlasted ever'body in that battle royal, n' man...that's quite n' accomplishment. You've now got yer World Title shot, n' that's BIG man, that's BIG. Good luck to ya'. "

{{...Southern takes a long swallow off the Beer, then crushes the can in his hand and flings it into a garbage can a few feet away. He then takes off his sunglasses, and stares into the camera...}}

" Now, pleasantries are OVER. [BLEEP]in' Intruders. "

{{...Southern stands up and kicks the chair off the tailgate scattering a bunch of Tiger fans holding their plates out for their breakfast...}}

" You guys are [BLEEP]in' pathetic. Geezus CHRIST, ya know....I just don't get it. WHY tha' fascination with me? You got some kinda' GAY thing I outta' know 'bout next time I get close ta' you? I mean, 'cause this obsession just ain't healthy...in fact, you boys don't know how UN-healthy it's gonna' get. Ya' know, if I'd FAILED at mah' goals more times than you boys have FAILED ta' put down Shane Southern, I'd have killed mah'self five minutes ago. Yet somehow, ya' stand up in fronta' that camera, n' yer HAPPY?? Craig Miles' has been pinned by me more times than I can COUNT. Eddie Mayfield showed that tha' only way he can win a singles title is by pinnin' a JOURNALIST, and Guns...well Guns is just [BLEEP]in' stupid. Here's a man that's claimed he accomplished ever'thing he wanted to at B.O.B. n' yet, not only did mah' team WIN tha' tag match, not ONLY did I come within' a EYE-LASH of winnin' tha' Battle Royal,...but as you can PLAINLY see, I can [BLEEP]in' WALK. You had me...basically THREE on ONE if ya' include Guns worthless ass...n' you [BLEEP]ed it up again. But yer still cocky, yer still arrogant, your STILL worthless pieces of SCUM. Then again, I guess without those things all you'd be is a group of three fairies prancin' 'round tha' ring wondering where tha' next LOSS is comin' from. "

{{...Southern smirks at the camera, then grabs another beer from the cooler and drinks from it for a few seconds before continuing...}}

" Now I SHOULD BE Tag team champion right now by virtue of pinnin' Miles ass for tha' umpteenth time, but SOMEHOW, SOME-WAY, Merritt and his merry ban of imbeciles SCREWED it up again. N' hell...WHY not? WHY NOT give the three most worthless pieces of trash in this federation a REASON to keep themselves alive? Yeah, you still got tha' tag titles, you got tha' presidential title...but fellas, that's just tha' CONSOLATION prize. You didn't get tha' BIG ONE, you didn't come even CLOSE ta' puttin' a DENT in Shane Southern's armor and that...well, that's just what I've been sayin' ALL along. "

" So you come on out n' cut tha' same, tired ass ol' promos about me bein' a hick n' how I'm gonna' get hurled up in tha' third row. You boys play tha' clowns real well...but personally, I HATE CLOWNS....n' if ya' come NEAR me again, PARTY'S OVER, for [BLEEP]in' GOOD. "

{{...FADE OUT...}}

 

[Packschmid]

(FADEIN: GUNS in his San Antonio ranch, smiling.)

GUNS: Shane, did we hurt your feelings? You don't seem to be taking things very well. Bottom line, Shane - you brought it all on yourself. You chose to do things the hard way, and now you're paying the price. If you're upset, take a look in the mirror.

Here's the thing, Shane - I've said it a hundred times - you have what it takes to be the best there is. You showed how good you are at Battle of the Belts, Shane - you pinned Miles, you managed to throw me over the top rope in the battle royal. You were one of the final two - you almost defied the odds.

But almost doesn't get it done, Shane. You can chalk up all the moral victories you want, but at the end of the day, the Intruders walked out with more gold than they came with, and you walked home empty handed. You walked out of Battle of the Belts a loser, Shane. It didn't have to be that way. But you made your bed and now you're laying in it.

You think you're in a position to make threats, Shane? Do you think you SCARE anybody? That ponytail was pretty scary looking, but we took care of that. You're a great WRESTLER, Shane - and you've got one nasty little superkick - but you're not superhuman. Battle of the Belts was a war of attrition, Shane - and you lost. You won some battles along the way, but you lost the war.

Why have we focused so much attention on you, Shane? Because you're that GOOD. You're a shining light that the CSWA can cling to - hope for a better future - and that's something that I won't stand for. That's why I wanted you in the Intruders, Shane - and now that you've turned it on, that's why I want you beaten. Not three seconds at a time, Shane - not just beaten physically, but emotionally, mentally, psychologically, spiritually - and it's working, Shane. Look at yourself in the mirror - listen to yourself talk - Shane Southern is being destroyed a little bit each day.

I'm a patient man, Shane. Rome wasn't built in a day, but it wasn't destroyed in one either. The CSWA will fall, Shane, and you will be buried under the rubble.

It didn't have to be this way, Shane. Just remember that. So if you want someone to curse at - curse yourself.