"Moral Victories Don't Put Titles Around Your Waist."
Jan 21, 2021 21:51:03 GMT -5
SWAT Team, Adrien, and 3 more like this
Post by Joseph Mack on Jan 21, 2021 21:51:03 GMT -5
"Mack! A quick word?"
The camera picks up on Joseph Mack, carrying his bag as he makes his way for the door. The show is long over, the Montrealer moving a bit slower than usual, a combination of tiredness from a long day and, well, being battered as hell after a hard match. He turns to face the reporter, offering a nod before setting his bag down.
"You came within half a second of becoming North American Double Crown champion tonight-"
"No I didn't."
The reporter pauses, clearly not expecting that from the grappler standing before him.
"In any straight up, one on one situation, yeah that would've been half a second from a win. Maybe more than that; Dane sure as hell wasn't moving on his own when Jamester pulled me outta the ring after I hit the R2, but who's to say he wouldn't have been able to roll that shoulder at the last second, right? Straight up match, I might be champ. But I knew going in this wasn't going to be a straight up match. I should've taken a second, cleared Jamester and Steel again before looking for a pin, or I should've looked to just keep pounding on Dane, hit him with like three more of those R2's, just do that til the ref stopped the match. But I slipped up, left myself vulnerable and it cost me."
"Well, it's not like you lost, the official decision-"
"Do I have the title around my waist?"
Mack looks sternly down at the reporter; not a glare, but certainly a man trying to marshal his last bit of patience.
"One of the things that Eric Dane and I are liable to agree on, moral victories don't put titles around your waist. Yeah, I can say that this is twice now I've had the Syndicate say they're gonna take me out, maim me, end my career before it can really start, and both times they haven't been successful in that. I'm still standing and I'll be ready for more when the next match rolls around. And yeah, one of my goals tonight was to demonstrate that I can hang just fine with even the very goddamn best, and Eric Dane with Jesse Jamester and Scott Steel at his side, you can argue he's one of the very best. And I hung. I took some pain and I dished out plenty, and only Eric Dane knows if he could've kicked out of that R2 Driver, and he's gonna have to carry that around in the back of his head."
"But?"
"But as much as establishing myself was a goal here tonight, the main goal was winning the belt and that didn't happen. So no, I ain't smiling tonight, even if I am walking out in one piece."
"One last question... any words for Adrien Cochrane?"
Mack opens his mouth, as if about to speak, before pausing and rethinking. Finally he speaks again.
"Adrien, thanks. Next time I see you I'm gonna have a bottle of something for you, so if anyone knows what he likes to drink, let me know."
With that Mack nods to the reporter before picking his bag back up, turning and continuing towards the door again as the shot fades out.
The camera picks up on Joseph Mack, carrying his bag as he makes his way for the door. The show is long over, the Montrealer moving a bit slower than usual, a combination of tiredness from a long day and, well, being battered as hell after a hard match. He turns to face the reporter, offering a nod before setting his bag down.
"You came within half a second of becoming North American Double Crown champion tonight-"
"No I didn't."
The reporter pauses, clearly not expecting that from the grappler standing before him.
"In any straight up, one on one situation, yeah that would've been half a second from a win. Maybe more than that; Dane sure as hell wasn't moving on his own when Jamester pulled me outta the ring after I hit the R2, but who's to say he wouldn't have been able to roll that shoulder at the last second, right? Straight up match, I might be champ. But I knew going in this wasn't going to be a straight up match. I should've taken a second, cleared Jamester and Steel again before looking for a pin, or I should've looked to just keep pounding on Dane, hit him with like three more of those R2's, just do that til the ref stopped the match. But I slipped up, left myself vulnerable and it cost me."
"Well, it's not like you lost, the official decision-"
"Do I have the title around my waist?"
Mack looks sternly down at the reporter; not a glare, but certainly a man trying to marshal his last bit of patience.
"One of the things that Eric Dane and I are liable to agree on, moral victories don't put titles around your waist. Yeah, I can say that this is twice now I've had the Syndicate say they're gonna take me out, maim me, end my career before it can really start, and both times they haven't been successful in that. I'm still standing and I'll be ready for more when the next match rolls around. And yeah, one of my goals tonight was to demonstrate that I can hang just fine with even the very goddamn best, and Eric Dane with Jesse Jamester and Scott Steel at his side, you can argue he's one of the very best. And I hung. I took some pain and I dished out plenty, and only Eric Dane knows if he could've kicked out of that R2 Driver, and he's gonna have to carry that around in the back of his head."
"But?"
"But as much as establishing myself was a goal here tonight, the main goal was winning the belt and that didn't happen. So no, I ain't smiling tonight, even if I am walking out in one piece."
"One last question... any words for Adrien Cochrane?"
Mack opens his mouth, as if about to speak, before pausing and rethinking. Finally he speaks again.
"Adrien, thanks. Next time I see you I'm gonna have a bottle of something for you, so if anyone knows what he likes to drink, let me know."
With that Mack nods to the reporter before picking his bag back up, turning and continuing towards the door again as the shot fades out.