Stormy Weather

[Packschmid]

(FADEIN: GUNS in his San Antonio ranch, wearing his Intruders T-shirt.)

GUNS: I'm a man who can appreciate irony - so it struck me as kind of amusing that all week leading up to Battle of the Belts, there was Eric Wright front and center talking about how I was being used by Eddie and Craig - and yet when the match came to pass, there was our favorite Jayson Blair wanna-be trotting out to take Tom Adler's place in a match filled with the CSWA's elite. Tell me, Eric, what exactly did you get out of the beating you took? Adler threw you and the Presidential title to the wolves so he could rest up and take advantage of the beating we gave Shane Southern. Adler's always been smart - he made the smart move. But, you, Eric - what did you have to gain? Not a damn thing except some bruises.

But now, Battle of the Belts is behind us, and the powers that be have put me in a match with the human bump machine himself, Nathan Storm. Storm, you want to defend your little publicist's honor? That's fine with me, because I have a perfectly good beating to dish out and I know you're more than capable of taking one. In fact, you're probably looking forward to the one-way ticket to the third row I've punched for you.

The <> X-Change is the latest group to step up and try to match what the Intruders have done. The PLR has fallen by the wayside under the questionable leadership of a drunken buffoon. The GXW "invasion" has gone away with a whimper, although Danny Ryan has broken loose as a solo act. Congratulations, Danny Boy. And now, Nathan, it's the X-Change's turn to melt under the spotlight of the Intruders. Tom Adler - yeah, he's up to the task, but you, Nathan? You've got nothing to offer - you never have, and you never will. You're a glorified stuntman, Nathan - an acrobat who can take a beating.

Just like Eric Wright at Battle of the Belts, son, you've been thrown to the wolves, and I don't intend to take any pity on you. Because you and I both know you can't beat me, so you're going to try the next best thing - you're gonna try to HURT me...so I'm going to have to beat you to the punch.

And you know I'm more than capable of it.

Nathan Storm, up until this point, you've been best known as the guy who carries Tom Adler's bags, but now you're stepping up in class. After On Time, Nathan, you won't be just another lackey - you'll be upgraded to a souvenir for some lucky fan, courtesy of Third Row, Inc.

 

[TWhitefield]

(Fade in to Eric Wright sitting in front of a monitor chuckling)

GUNS, let me ask you a question. What did you... or even the Intruders in general for that matter, actually get out of Battle Of The Belts?

The Presidential Title? Yeah, I suppose. But, beyond that, what did you really accomplish?

Pretty much NOTHING. It's pretty clear that Southern has a legal beef when it comes to the tag straps... since he PINNED one of the tag champs. And, I'm not sure you ever laid a glove on him in the battle royal.

Face it, other than giving Mayfield something he so deperately craves... yet another reason to come out and make a complete and total ass out of himself... you guys accomplished pretty much nothing out there.

Why? Simple... because WE got involved. Ya see... what Adler said out there was WRIGHT. He and Southern were never gonna get along. They knew it... and Merritt knew it when he signed the match. That's WHY he signed the match. Because, for some sick reason, the man gets stained sheets over making people miserable.

Whatever. We told you before the match, GUNS, and I'm telling you now... there are ALWAYS options for the <> X-Change. Even when you think otherwise.

Now... did I get used? Maybe. If so, it was by my own decree. You see, GUNS... I sat down with Diamond and went through all the wheres and whyfors of that contract. And, sure, Adler could have taken Mayfield's way out and simply walked away from the match. But, given Merritt's hard on for Adler at the moment, it's not likely that would have worked very well.

So I did the end run around, went to Russo, and got the legal ok to make the substitution.

Now, could it have been Storm or Bishop? Yeah, I suppose so. But, that wouldn't have been nearly as much... fun.

(smiles)

So, now we come to you versus Storm. Sure, we could come out here... flex our collective muscle... yell and scream in a roided up rage and tell you what we're gonna do to you.

Sorry, that's not our style, GUNS.

I will say this, however. Third Row? Tell me, GUNS.. do you really think that matters to a man who throws himself further than that?

I know you're thinking this match to be a cakewalk, GUNS. Your ego won't allow for much else. But, I suggest you tiptoe through the CSWA archives a bit. The last man with your status in this federation that wrestled Storm was a man by the name of Mike Randalls.

Will you win the match? Maybe. I might even go so far as to say probably. But, I assure you of one thing, GUNS... Storm won't be the only one battered and bruised by the time On Time is over.

 

[Packschmid]

Eric, if it got you excited to take a beating in the ring and pretend to be one of the boys for a night, then I'm not going to take that away from you. Like I said, for Adler - it was the smart move - he got to rest up and reap the benefits of the beating we laid on Shane Southern, got to let you lose his Presidential title for him, and got to avoid having to lose in the battle royal.

I guess I could have followed Adler's approach and sat on the sidelines, so I wouldn't have to hear pathetic nobodies like Kevin Powers gloat about how they lasted longer than me in the battle royal, and wouldn't have to come out here and admit that Shane Southern managed to eliminate me before I could eliminate him. But at the end of the day, Battle of the Belts worked out how we wanted - more belts for the Intruders, no belts for Shane Southern and Troy Windham. And, like I said, your boy reaped some of the rewards, so I don't think we need to split hairs over who accomplished what.

You got to pretend to be a wrestler, Adler swapped one piece of gold for another, and none of the three people I didn't want to win the battle royal - GUNS, Shane Southern, or Troy Windham - won it. So, everybody's happy.

Eric, I'm not thinking this is going to be a cakewalk. I know firsthand that you and your crew are always up to something, particularly in a situation like this - when you know you can't win straight up. I'm sure the wheels are already in motion for an overly elaborate plot, and I'm comfortable with that. Or, maybe you'll dumb it down and stick to a good old fashioned gang attack. I'm fine with that, too.

Bottom line is this - Nathan Storm and I should get along famously in that ring. He doesn't have any respect for his body - and I don't have any respect for it either. He likes to abuse himself - I like to dish out abuse. Seems like we're pretty compatible.

And, Eric, I will make you one guarantee. If you stick your nose in this match the way you stuck your nose in Battle of the Belts, your assurance will come true. Nathan Storm WON'T be the only one battered and bruised when I'm done. You want to be one of the boys, Eric? I'll do you one better.

Get in my way, and you'll be more than a Jayson Blair wannabe, you'll be more than one of the boys...

you'll be a souvenir for some lucky fan, courtesy of Third Row, Inc.