Post by The Ace on Feb 7, 2010 17:58:30 GMT -5
*The scene opens with The Ace sat in his locker-room, watching Joe's latest promo come to an end. The Ace had arrived at the arena early this morning, very few people were actually around, save a few sparse stage-hands setting up for tonight's Collision.
As Joe spoke, The Ace saw a look of determination in his eyes, something that he had not seen in himself for a long time now and that worried him, although he wasn't going to admit it for the satisfaction of this monkey who had just caught up with him for another Riot match promo...*
Joe, you think you know me so well don't you? You think you've got me all figured out, that you can simply compartmentalise me into two distinct neat little entities that you call 'the new Ace' and 'the old Ace', and that this new Ace is nothing to worry about...but I ask you, what exactly has changed about me? Is it because I no longer feel the need to take everything my opponents say about me, turn it upside down, repolish and stick it straight up their piddly ass anymore? Is that the change that warrants me suddenly being less of a threat to you? If so, let me just say this:
Just because I no longer am a parrot, doesn't mean I'll be a sitting duck.
You see Joe, you're now making the same mistakes all of your opponents have made against you throughout your career, they underestimated you, and now you underestimate me. They thought they knew all about you, and now you think you know all about me.
Nothing has changed Joe.
Least of all how I operate in that ring.
If you don't believe me, maybe you need a sledgehammer to the skull will convince you that I'm still the same man.
A man who is still out for personal glory.
A man who is still driven to be the absolute best.
But most of all, a man who is still better than every man in the back.
All that remains is for me to prove it.
And prove it I shall in but a mere week from now.
Seven days before then however, the number one man in the Riot match is also number one contender for the National Championship, and that should worry not only Joe but also the rest of you. Now, I'm not going to make the same mistake as my opponent tonight has already made and prematurely proclaim that I will be a double champion soon because even with my credentials, I know that would be an absurd statement to make and even more absurd a statement to try and live up to. Maybe Joe underestimates me tonight because I have not taken him as seriously as I might have done had there not been something greater than a chance at the National Championship just over the horizon, but the fact is that there is. Admittedly I'm much more concerned with winning the Riot match than I am with winning the National Championship right now. Sure, the National title would be a nice consolation prize to keep my waist warm should I be eliminated from the Riot, but I guess the real point is:
I still underestimate Joe.
Because he still underestimates me.
Admittedly, I'd be virtually orgasmic too if I had Joe's credentials and still managed to knock off Lance Ryan.
But the fact is I am not Everyman - I am greater.
Win or lose tonight, I will still be greater.
Because any man can beat Lance Ryan these days.
But not every man can become nCw World Heavyweight Champion.
I have been, Joe has not. He simply has the determination brought about by having that ten pounds of gold around his waist, and as soon as it is taken from him - sooner than he thinks - his determination will fade...
Whatever happens, mine will not.
I am determined to win the Riot match.
I am not so determined to win the National Championship.
That is the difference between us, Joe.
You cradle that title - you languish at second best.
You know you can do no better.
I know I can.
I know I will.
For me, its not a question of settling for second best.
It's about taking what I can.
The sooner you and the other Rioters understand this, the better.
Bates has very helpfully already given each of us our odds this week so I need not dwell on it, except to say three is one of my lucky numbers...
*The Ace smiles, the detemination slowly resurfacing within him and he warmly embraced it with every word he spoke...*
I'm glad that you and Jacobsen at least see some merit in my logic, for that at least I can respect you, but Andrew it is clear to me that you still don't understand the nature of who I am. I am a man who has built his entire career on survival and on triumphing against the odds, so really the question should be not whether I can survive eighty-four minutes, but rather what are you going to do when I do?
*The Ace raises an eyebrow*
No doubt you are determined to prove me wrong.
Just as Bates is determined to turn chaos into order.
Just as Zane is determined to make history.
Just as Ryan is determined to disprove his critics.
Just as Jason is determined to take yet another cheap shot at my wife.
Just as Everyman is determined to become a double Champion.
Just as Diamond is determined to gain my respect.
You look at all these people and all you see is determination, I look at each of them and all I see is statistics, all of their determination is misguided, misplaced and misrepresented...
Only my determination shall come to fruition.
Only my determination matters.
So what is my determination?
Simple, only I am determined to win.
All these other determinations are just distractions to cloud the miind and to hinder ability, to lose focus and to lose sight of that which really matters, and such trivial pursuits are not without penance, and you all will know that penance when it is your feet that hit the ground, and not mine...
*The Ace stands up and looks at the replicas of nCw titles he had held over the last two years, framed upon his locker-room wall, for a moment he catches his reflection in the glass of the nCw World Heavyweight title and saw the sparkle of determination return to his own eyes. Not only the determination of a man who would tonight be one step closer to the dream of a grandslam, but also the determination of a man who knew that whatever happened out there tonight, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain going into the Riot match in seven short, short days. The scene fades to black...*
As Joe spoke, The Ace saw a look of determination in his eyes, something that he had not seen in himself for a long time now and that worried him, although he wasn't going to admit it for the satisfaction of this monkey who had just caught up with him for another Riot match promo...*
Joe, you think you know me so well don't you? You think you've got me all figured out, that you can simply compartmentalise me into two distinct neat little entities that you call 'the new Ace' and 'the old Ace', and that this new Ace is nothing to worry about...but I ask you, what exactly has changed about me? Is it because I no longer feel the need to take everything my opponents say about me, turn it upside down, repolish and stick it straight up their piddly ass anymore? Is that the change that warrants me suddenly being less of a threat to you? If so, let me just say this:
Just because I no longer am a parrot, doesn't mean I'll be a sitting duck.
You see Joe, you're now making the same mistakes all of your opponents have made against you throughout your career, they underestimated you, and now you underestimate me. They thought they knew all about you, and now you think you know all about me.
Nothing has changed Joe.
Least of all how I operate in that ring.
If you don't believe me, maybe you need a sledgehammer to the skull will convince you that I'm still the same man.
A man who is still out for personal glory.
A man who is still driven to be the absolute best.
But most of all, a man who is still better than every man in the back.
All that remains is for me to prove it.
And prove it I shall in but a mere week from now.
Seven days before then however, the number one man in the Riot match is also number one contender for the National Championship, and that should worry not only Joe but also the rest of you. Now, I'm not going to make the same mistake as my opponent tonight has already made and prematurely proclaim that I will be a double champion soon because even with my credentials, I know that would be an absurd statement to make and even more absurd a statement to try and live up to. Maybe Joe underestimates me tonight because I have not taken him as seriously as I might have done had there not been something greater than a chance at the National Championship just over the horizon, but the fact is that there is. Admittedly I'm much more concerned with winning the Riot match than I am with winning the National Championship right now. Sure, the National title would be a nice consolation prize to keep my waist warm should I be eliminated from the Riot, but I guess the real point is:
I still underestimate Joe.
Because he still underestimates me.
Admittedly, I'd be virtually orgasmic too if I had Joe's credentials and still managed to knock off Lance Ryan.
But the fact is I am not Everyman - I am greater.
Win or lose tonight, I will still be greater.
Because any man can beat Lance Ryan these days.
But not every man can become nCw World Heavyweight Champion.
I have been, Joe has not. He simply has the determination brought about by having that ten pounds of gold around his waist, and as soon as it is taken from him - sooner than he thinks - his determination will fade...
Whatever happens, mine will not.
I am determined to win the Riot match.
I am not so determined to win the National Championship.
That is the difference between us, Joe.
You cradle that title - you languish at second best.
You know you can do no better.
I know I can.
I know I will.
For me, its not a question of settling for second best.
It's about taking what I can.
The sooner you and the other Rioters understand this, the better.
Bates has very helpfully already given each of us our odds this week so I need not dwell on it, except to say three is one of my lucky numbers...
*The Ace smiles, the detemination slowly resurfacing within him and he warmly embraced it with every word he spoke...*
I'm glad that you and Jacobsen at least see some merit in my logic, for that at least I can respect you, but Andrew it is clear to me that you still don't understand the nature of who I am. I am a man who has built his entire career on survival and on triumphing against the odds, so really the question should be not whether I can survive eighty-four minutes, but rather what are you going to do when I do?
*The Ace raises an eyebrow*
No doubt you are determined to prove me wrong.
Just as Bates is determined to turn chaos into order.
Just as Zane is determined to make history.
Just as Ryan is determined to disprove his critics.
Just as Jason is determined to take yet another cheap shot at my wife.
Just as Everyman is determined to become a double Champion.
Just as Diamond is determined to gain my respect.
You look at all these people and all you see is determination, I look at each of them and all I see is statistics, all of their determination is misguided, misplaced and misrepresented...
Only my determination shall come to fruition.
Only my determination matters.
So what is my determination?
Simple, only I am determined to win.
All these other determinations are just distractions to cloud the miind and to hinder ability, to lose focus and to lose sight of that which really matters, and such trivial pursuits are not without penance, and you all will know that penance when it is your feet that hit the ground, and not mine...
*The Ace stands up and looks at the replicas of nCw titles he had held over the last two years, framed upon his locker-room wall, for a moment he catches his reflection in the glass of the nCw World Heavyweight title and saw the sparkle of determination return to his own eyes. Not only the determination of a man who would tonight be one step closer to the dream of a grandslam, but also the determination of a man who knew that whatever happened out there tonight, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain going into the Riot match in seven short, short days. The scene fades to black...*