Post by terras on Jun 30, 2021 20:01:36 GMT -5
Ellet High School.
The Akron, Ohio secondary school is in the final stages of demolition. When photos of the institution’s asbestos problems went viral a few years back, the writing was on the cancerous agent filled wall. Now bulldozers cart off the last evidence that future class action lawsuits might rely on. Construction workers in HAZMAT suits cut paths through the rubble to make way for a baseball diamond. The new Ellet isn’t located far from this broken husk, and for the fresh faces starting school next year – there will be no difference. A far better facility rising from the ashes – providing opportunities that those children’s parents could only dream of. Progress. Better opportunities for education, and a safer learning space for impressionable minds.
It’s not the same though.
Broken concrete pounds against industrial dumpsters, a final gasp before being thrown away like so much history.
Little of the structure still stands, and most of the work detail is on clean up. Torrential downpours of early summer have settled into a light shower. Given the intensity of the morning’s rains, it seems odd that the demo wasn’t delayed. Perhaps there are concerns that some of the toxic insolation will wind up on the evening news? So while the pooling water hampers the work, the crew soldier on.
The four walls that remain represent Ellet’s old gymnasium.
Eighty feet away, a dozen men gather to admire the structure – separated from the maelstrom of debris by a protective fence. More than one has joked that given the leaky nature of the roof – another storm would do the old gym in.
No former students have come to bid farewell to their alma mater – these mourners, all adult males – have other memories associates with Ellet. For every other weekend over the past decade, these men would congregate in that dank gymnasium with a dedication they never showed for family events or church. Bonds were made, relationships forged, and a sense of home was found. Like clockwork, every other Saturday night - three hundred people would cram into the fire hazard to set the Ohio regional wrestling world ablaze. Twelve of them are now getting water logged for a sense of closure.
Casual viewers of Wrestling From Akron will recognize audience members Sugarloaf Hat Man, Guy with Foam Hands and Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch Syndrome Dude, due to their permanent front row seats. From the builds of the crowd, only two of the gatherers appear to be professional wrestlers – Ohio Native and Redmond Fury.
Fury: I’m surprised Goldie didn’t make it.
Native: Given how many of the boys he stiffed on those farewell shows?
The Buckeye Brawler nods. He doesn’t imagine he’ll cross paths with the Akron promoter again.
WRS Dude: I was hoping to get a souvenir. At this rate there will be nothing left.
Sugarloaf: I got one of the basketball hoops last night. The one Fury gorilla pressed that Kent State Douche through. Remember that, Fury?
Native: We were ALL at that show, Ted. And you’ve only mentioned it a HUNDRED AND FIVE times today. I’ve been keeping track for the drinking game I’m fixing to play later. So if you’re not trying to kill me, change the fucking record.
About to produce his new prized possession, Sugarloaf Hat Man seems taken aback. Ohio Native has limited patience for fans on a good day. It is not a good day. Redmond attempts to keep everyone’s spirits up.
Fury: Wow, a hundred and five, Nate? And drinks are on me? I knew the Kent State Kid would have his revenge, but this is going to hurt. Thanks for saving it, Bill – I’m glad you’ll be taking it home. And Marty, don’t worry – there will definitely be some keepsakes we can pick up. After the wake, I’ll swing past and grab you something good – even if I have to dumpster dive for it.
The teenage boy who looks like an octogenarian perks up at this promise. Redmond Fury always keeps his promises. Prospects of a booze powered scavenger hunt seem to have calmed tempers.
#CRASH#
Foamy: LOOK!
Guy with foam hands points at the gymnasium... with his foam hands.
A wrecking ball takes out the north, and then west walls. Unable to support the weight of the collapsing ceiling, the south wall also starts to buckle over. Potentially toxic dust billows up in the air, as concrete smashes down on the few fond memories that the onlookers had carved out of the 2010s.
Native: Good riddance.
Fury: Thanks for coming out fellas. A lot of the boys are on the circuit right now, but it means so much that you were able to make it. To many of us, WFA was more than just a promotion...
Native: Exactly, so if I picked up a lung disease from working in that shithole, y'all had better support my kickstarter.
A silence falls over the group. They are going to miss Wrestling From Akron. For all his verbal abuse, they’ll even miss the Ohio Native. There isn’t a man present that won’t send money to that kickstarter, even though Ohio would clearly be working them. As the dust clears, it seems to finally hit the group that WFA is over.
In this quiet moment, Redmond Fury spots the camera. He raises a hand to warmly welcome the videographer, but then turns to the group, not wanting their grief to be exploited.
Fury: Hey guys, why don’t we head over to Ray’s Pub to see it off in style.
Foamy: What if they card, Marty?
Guy with foam hands laughs so hard at his own joke that he has to hold his stomach... with his foam hands. It takes a few seconds to realize that no one else is laughing.
Sugarloaf: Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch is nothing to laugh at, Foamy. Remember when Hard Rock Jardine made fun of Marty’s WRS so Fury powerbombed him through the bleachers? A move that put Jardine in a coma for seven years, so that he too could know the ravages of age without the passage of time? Remember?
Native: WE WERE ALL THERE YOU GOD DAMNED MORON! Just die already, Ted.
Wanting to change the subject so as not to draw attention to an uncomfortable WRS Dude – Fury calmly approaches the old man boy.
Fury: They won’t ask Marty, so you can if you want, but you won’t like the taste.
WRS Dude: I won’t, Mister Redmond.
Fury: Good man. Okay, so let’s meet over at Ray's in twenty. Those of you without rides, go with Nate. I’ll be the designated driver on the way back.
The WFA mourners take a few more selfies with the wreckage in the background, and then start to disperse. As the group begin to leave, Fury waves the camera over.
Fury: Nate, I have to cut a promo for the AWF, so I’ll be about five minutes late – make sure they put our group on my tab before the orders start going in.
Native: Alone with those marks? No. That’s like tagging out for a root canal.
Fury: I might get there before you guys, but just in case. Think of it this way pal, how many drinks can you down before I show up to remind you that Goldie stiffed me too.
Native: You’d better hope you get the winner’s purse at icons, Red, because I’m about to consume it.
Fury: Thanks pal.
Native: …And put in a good word with Steele for me.
Fury: He’s in the same boat, Nate.
Native: ...yeah.
Nodding at the current fortunes of their state’s regional wrestling scene, Ohio Native turns – catching up with his car pool.
Native: So do you wear that hat just to be a piece of shit to the people sitting behind you?
Sugarloaf: I don’t mean to-
Native: You know how many times my sainted mother got stuck with seats behind you? Unable to see her pride and joy steal the show because you needed to draw attention to yourself? A pillar of the community? I wish you’d been in that building when they tore it down, Ted.
The group disappears from view; sound bites of Ohio Native berating his fans soon turn to murmurs as the videographer walks up to the welcoming smile of Redmond Fury.
Fury: Ascension. I was deeply saddened to hear about the closure. I know the toll that the pandemic took on local businesses, especially in the entertainment industry. This-
The Buckeye Bruiser waves one of his impossibly large arms at the scene of destruction, eventually straightening to point directly at the last standing wall of Ellet’s gym.
Fury: This is all too common a sight. I travel up and down the Ohio circuit – resting my hat at over two dozen federations. Please do not take that as a lack of loyalty on my part, Ascension. It is not. It’s just the nature of regional wrestling. So I travel to every corner of this fair state, and enjoy plying my trade for those great Ohio fans.
As a dump truck obstructs their view of the last wall, Redmond Fury starts to stalk down the fence. The camera moves alongside to maintain the ruins in the backdrop.
Fury: So when venues are shut down, and less shows are booked. I am keenly aware of the situation. Cincinnati Pro has been my main stomping ground since I was just a greenhorn, they put up a brave fight despite barely breaking even on reduced capacity crowds – but they finally turned out the lights back in February. With vaccinations in full swing, we emerge from our isolation – but the world is very different now.
This is the current norm. New talent will grow. New opportunities and federations will rise. Our sport will get through the devastation of the last few years. But right now? ...There are a LOT of people hurting.
In that, Ascension, you are not alone.
With the lone wall back in view, Fury again stops.
Fury: So the situation isn’t unique. But as someone who has been through a dozen of your competitors... I will say... I thought you were going to be the one left standing. I threw my stakes in with you, AWF, because I honestly believed you would be the ones to ride out this storm.
You ARE special, Ascension.
Do you see a lot of other Ohio regionals having shows in the Philippines? Or consistently having their stars top prediction threads for rumble victories against global entitles? You’ve been punching above your weight since you were founded, and consistently hitting. Ascension – you’re not just putting Bethesda on the map, you have rightly become the crown jewel of the XHF network.
I don’t care if it’s Destiny, JROK, NLW, NPW, Fireside, SWAT – or the dozens of others before them, you always asked if anyone could roll with the Bethesda Boys – and then you ploughed through them!
The only thing I regret more than your closure is how long it took me to darken your doorstep. For that I apologize.
Fury stops. Nodding to emphasize this last point. The hum of construction equipment draws his attention back to the Ellet’s future baseball diamond. A bulldozer idles a few feet away from the last standing wall, drawing out the pain. Turning his back to the camera, The Buckeye Bruiser grips the fence, waiting for the final blow.
Fury: A sign of the times. It’s safe to say with a lot less time on the road, I’ll be free to do things like devour the best of the AWF boxset. Rather than regrets for the matches that weren’t, I’ll be fondly viewing Fired Up tournaments past. Oh, as an athlete I could wish I had a shot at Sanders – but who has the time, when you’re marvelling at a series of Barratt Steele matches, or catching the classics - Maverick Dillinger, MGK Storm. As a performer I might not have a lot of history with the company, but as a fan? I know you Ascension, and I was excited to be part of you.
It will be an honour to be part of Clash of the Icons.
And the match? A five-way-dance between Ascension’s freshest blood. Some of the participants weren’t even able to make their debuts before the unfortunate news hit. I was.
I opened Prestige 71 against Xiaolong.
Hearing the crowd cheering as I traded holds with a genuine Ascension star? Electric. The AWF fans made me feel like I belonged – I have been in main events where I wasn’t half as proud. Wrestling a professional of Xiaolong’s calibre in front of such an enthusiastic, accepting and encouraging audience as the AWF faithful? Goosebumps. For all my championships, that night was one of the highlights of my careers. It’s an experience I would happily relive...
So when I see that Xiaolong is taking on Greg Adkins for the Phoenix championship? I am fairly confident that the hero will prevail. So the phoenix title shot up for grabs in the five way doesn’t represent a chance at gold on the Night of Champions – NO, for me it’s a chance to revisit my debut. A ten-minute window when the AWF was alive and well, and I had a bright future with it for the next decade if they’d have me. That was a good feeling, one I will happily revisit.
Four people stand in the way.
Sam Sawyer.
Mad Dog Smith.
Ace Sky.
...And my toughest competition, Datura.
For them, this is a chance at a contract with another XHF affiliate. More power to them. That isn't for me. The other XHF feds put on good shows, but when I’m not on Ohio soil – I tend to become a different person. I’m not going anywhere, so the stakes are slightly different for me. Perhaps it would be selfish to shoot for a victory?
All I know is that the AWF gave me a chance, and having already let them down at A Call To Arms, the least I can do is bring my A game to Clash of the Icons. So while I’m more interested in that Xiaolong rematch than the possibility of gold, I am going to make those four work DAMN hard for it. Brutalizing them with a passion that will hopefully help them shine, and get the contracts that I’m sure they richly deserve.
Gentlemen. Miss. Good luck.
The bulldozer finally moves forwards, and the last of the gym comes crumbling down.
Fury: Bethesda. It has been my pleasure.
Turning away from the wreckage, The Buckeye Bruiser heads off to celebrate another federation taken too soon.
The Akron, Ohio secondary school is in the final stages of demolition. When photos of the institution’s asbestos problems went viral a few years back, the writing was on the cancerous agent filled wall. Now bulldozers cart off the last evidence that future class action lawsuits might rely on. Construction workers in HAZMAT suits cut paths through the rubble to make way for a baseball diamond. The new Ellet isn’t located far from this broken husk, and for the fresh faces starting school next year – there will be no difference. A far better facility rising from the ashes – providing opportunities that those children’s parents could only dream of. Progress. Better opportunities for education, and a safer learning space for impressionable minds.
It’s not the same though.
Broken concrete pounds against industrial dumpsters, a final gasp before being thrown away like so much history.
Little of the structure still stands, and most of the work detail is on clean up. Torrential downpours of early summer have settled into a light shower. Given the intensity of the morning’s rains, it seems odd that the demo wasn’t delayed. Perhaps there are concerns that some of the toxic insolation will wind up on the evening news? So while the pooling water hampers the work, the crew soldier on.
The four walls that remain represent Ellet’s old gymnasium.
Eighty feet away, a dozen men gather to admire the structure – separated from the maelstrom of debris by a protective fence. More than one has joked that given the leaky nature of the roof – another storm would do the old gym in.
No former students have come to bid farewell to their alma mater – these mourners, all adult males – have other memories associates with Ellet. For every other weekend over the past decade, these men would congregate in that dank gymnasium with a dedication they never showed for family events or church. Bonds were made, relationships forged, and a sense of home was found. Like clockwork, every other Saturday night - three hundred people would cram into the fire hazard to set the Ohio regional wrestling world ablaze. Twelve of them are now getting water logged for a sense of closure.
Casual viewers of Wrestling From Akron will recognize audience members Sugarloaf Hat Man, Guy with Foam Hands and Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch Syndrome Dude, due to their permanent front row seats. From the builds of the crowd, only two of the gatherers appear to be professional wrestlers – Ohio Native and Redmond Fury.
Fury: I’m surprised Goldie didn’t make it.
Native: Given how many of the boys he stiffed on those farewell shows?
The Buckeye Brawler nods. He doesn’t imagine he’ll cross paths with the Akron promoter again.
WRS Dude: I was hoping to get a souvenir. At this rate there will be nothing left.
Sugarloaf: I got one of the basketball hoops last night. The one Fury gorilla pressed that Kent State Douche through. Remember that, Fury?
Native: We were ALL at that show, Ted. And you’ve only mentioned it a HUNDRED AND FIVE times today. I’ve been keeping track for the drinking game I’m fixing to play later. So if you’re not trying to kill me, change the fucking record.
About to produce his new prized possession, Sugarloaf Hat Man seems taken aback. Ohio Native has limited patience for fans on a good day. It is not a good day. Redmond attempts to keep everyone’s spirits up.
Fury: Wow, a hundred and five, Nate? And drinks are on me? I knew the Kent State Kid would have his revenge, but this is going to hurt. Thanks for saving it, Bill – I’m glad you’ll be taking it home. And Marty, don’t worry – there will definitely be some keepsakes we can pick up. After the wake, I’ll swing past and grab you something good – even if I have to dumpster dive for it.
The teenage boy who looks like an octogenarian perks up at this promise. Redmond Fury always keeps his promises. Prospects of a booze powered scavenger hunt seem to have calmed tempers.
#CRASH#
Foamy: LOOK!
Guy with foam hands points at the gymnasium... with his foam hands.
A wrecking ball takes out the north, and then west walls. Unable to support the weight of the collapsing ceiling, the south wall also starts to buckle over. Potentially toxic dust billows up in the air, as concrete smashes down on the few fond memories that the onlookers had carved out of the 2010s.
Native: Good riddance.
Fury: Thanks for coming out fellas. A lot of the boys are on the circuit right now, but it means so much that you were able to make it. To many of us, WFA was more than just a promotion...
Native: Exactly, so if I picked up a lung disease from working in that shithole, y'all had better support my kickstarter.
A silence falls over the group. They are going to miss Wrestling From Akron. For all his verbal abuse, they’ll even miss the Ohio Native. There isn’t a man present that won’t send money to that kickstarter, even though Ohio would clearly be working them. As the dust clears, it seems to finally hit the group that WFA is over.
In this quiet moment, Redmond Fury spots the camera. He raises a hand to warmly welcome the videographer, but then turns to the group, not wanting their grief to be exploited.
Fury: Hey guys, why don’t we head over to Ray’s Pub to see it off in style.
Foamy: What if they card, Marty?
Guy with foam hands laughs so hard at his own joke that he has to hold his stomach... with his foam hands. It takes a few seconds to realize that no one else is laughing.
Sugarloaf: Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch is nothing to laugh at, Foamy. Remember when Hard Rock Jardine made fun of Marty’s WRS so Fury powerbombed him through the bleachers? A move that put Jardine in a coma for seven years, so that he too could know the ravages of age without the passage of time? Remember?
Native: WE WERE ALL THERE YOU GOD DAMNED MORON! Just die already, Ted.
Wanting to change the subject so as not to draw attention to an uncomfortable WRS Dude – Fury calmly approaches the old man boy.
Fury: They won’t ask Marty, so you can if you want, but you won’t like the taste.
WRS Dude: I won’t, Mister Redmond.
Fury: Good man. Okay, so let’s meet over at Ray's in twenty. Those of you without rides, go with Nate. I’ll be the designated driver on the way back.
The WFA mourners take a few more selfies with the wreckage in the background, and then start to disperse. As the group begin to leave, Fury waves the camera over.
Fury: Nate, I have to cut a promo for the AWF, so I’ll be about five minutes late – make sure they put our group on my tab before the orders start going in.
Native: Alone with those marks? No. That’s like tagging out for a root canal.
Fury: I might get there before you guys, but just in case. Think of it this way pal, how many drinks can you down before I show up to remind you that Goldie stiffed me too.
Native: You’d better hope you get the winner’s purse at icons, Red, because I’m about to consume it.
Fury: Thanks pal.
Native: …And put in a good word with Steele for me.
Fury: He’s in the same boat, Nate.
Native: ...yeah.
Nodding at the current fortunes of their state’s regional wrestling scene, Ohio Native turns – catching up with his car pool.
Native: So do you wear that hat just to be a piece of shit to the people sitting behind you?
Sugarloaf: I don’t mean to-
Native: You know how many times my sainted mother got stuck with seats behind you? Unable to see her pride and joy steal the show because you needed to draw attention to yourself? A pillar of the community? I wish you’d been in that building when they tore it down, Ted.
The group disappears from view; sound bites of Ohio Native berating his fans soon turn to murmurs as the videographer walks up to the welcoming smile of Redmond Fury.
Fury: Ascension. I was deeply saddened to hear about the closure. I know the toll that the pandemic took on local businesses, especially in the entertainment industry. This-
The Buckeye Bruiser waves one of his impossibly large arms at the scene of destruction, eventually straightening to point directly at the last standing wall of Ellet’s gym.
Fury: This is all too common a sight. I travel up and down the Ohio circuit – resting my hat at over two dozen federations. Please do not take that as a lack of loyalty on my part, Ascension. It is not. It’s just the nature of regional wrestling. So I travel to every corner of this fair state, and enjoy plying my trade for those great Ohio fans.
As a dump truck obstructs their view of the last wall, Redmond Fury starts to stalk down the fence. The camera moves alongside to maintain the ruins in the backdrop.
Fury: So when venues are shut down, and less shows are booked. I am keenly aware of the situation. Cincinnati Pro has been my main stomping ground since I was just a greenhorn, they put up a brave fight despite barely breaking even on reduced capacity crowds – but they finally turned out the lights back in February. With vaccinations in full swing, we emerge from our isolation – but the world is very different now.
This is the current norm. New talent will grow. New opportunities and federations will rise. Our sport will get through the devastation of the last few years. But right now? ...There are a LOT of people hurting.
In that, Ascension, you are not alone.
With the lone wall back in view, Fury again stops.
Fury: So the situation isn’t unique. But as someone who has been through a dozen of your competitors... I will say... I thought you were going to be the one left standing. I threw my stakes in with you, AWF, because I honestly believed you would be the ones to ride out this storm.
You ARE special, Ascension.
Do you see a lot of other Ohio regionals having shows in the Philippines? Or consistently having their stars top prediction threads for rumble victories against global entitles? You’ve been punching above your weight since you were founded, and consistently hitting. Ascension – you’re not just putting Bethesda on the map, you have rightly become the crown jewel of the XHF network.
I don’t care if it’s Destiny, JROK, NLW, NPW, Fireside, SWAT – or the dozens of others before them, you always asked if anyone could roll with the Bethesda Boys – and then you ploughed through them!
The only thing I regret more than your closure is how long it took me to darken your doorstep. For that I apologize.
Fury stops. Nodding to emphasize this last point. The hum of construction equipment draws his attention back to the Ellet’s future baseball diamond. A bulldozer idles a few feet away from the last standing wall, drawing out the pain. Turning his back to the camera, The Buckeye Bruiser grips the fence, waiting for the final blow.
Fury: A sign of the times. It’s safe to say with a lot less time on the road, I’ll be free to do things like devour the best of the AWF boxset. Rather than regrets for the matches that weren’t, I’ll be fondly viewing Fired Up tournaments past. Oh, as an athlete I could wish I had a shot at Sanders – but who has the time, when you’re marvelling at a series of Barratt Steele matches, or catching the classics - Maverick Dillinger, MGK Storm. As a performer I might not have a lot of history with the company, but as a fan? I know you Ascension, and I was excited to be part of you.
It will be an honour to be part of Clash of the Icons.
And the match? A five-way-dance between Ascension’s freshest blood. Some of the participants weren’t even able to make their debuts before the unfortunate news hit. I was.
I opened Prestige 71 against Xiaolong.
Hearing the crowd cheering as I traded holds with a genuine Ascension star? Electric. The AWF fans made me feel like I belonged – I have been in main events where I wasn’t half as proud. Wrestling a professional of Xiaolong’s calibre in front of such an enthusiastic, accepting and encouraging audience as the AWF faithful? Goosebumps. For all my championships, that night was one of the highlights of my careers. It’s an experience I would happily relive...
So when I see that Xiaolong is taking on Greg Adkins for the Phoenix championship? I am fairly confident that the hero will prevail. So the phoenix title shot up for grabs in the five way doesn’t represent a chance at gold on the Night of Champions – NO, for me it’s a chance to revisit my debut. A ten-minute window when the AWF was alive and well, and I had a bright future with it for the next decade if they’d have me. That was a good feeling, one I will happily revisit.
Four people stand in the way.
Sam Sawyer.
Mad Dog Smith.
Ace Sky.
...And my toughest competition, Datura.
For them, this is a chance at a contract with another XHF affiliate. More power to them. That isn't for me. The other XHF feds put on good shows, but when I’m not on Ohio soil – I tend to become a different person. I’m not going anywhere, so the stakes are slightly different for me. Perhaps it would be selfish to shoot for a victory?
All I know is that the AWF gave me a chance, and having already let them down at A Call To Arms, the least I can do is bring my A game to Clash of the Icons. So while I’m more interested in that Xiaolong rematch than the possibility of gold, I am going to make those four work DAMN hard for it. Brutalizing them with a passion that will hopefully help them shine, and get the contracts that I’m sure they richly deserve.
Gentlemen. Miss. Good luck.
The bulldozer finally moves forwards, and the last of the gym comes crumbling down.
Fury: Bethesda. It has been my pleasure.
Turning away from the wreckage, The Buckeye Bruiser heads off to celebrate another federation taken too soon.