Post by Jack Diamond on Apr 24, 2018 19:46:42 GMT -5
Saturday, August 12th- 6:23AM
Chapter One
“A wrestler?! This is all just silly make belief. Besides, you are too small to be a wrestler…” Those words constantly echo in my head. That is the answer I got from my father when I, an excited six year old kid, told him what I wanted to be when I grew up. I’ll never forget that conversation. It was April 4th, 1993. My dad had reluctantly gotten the Wrestlemania 9 pay-per-view and I was in awe watching my childhood favorite, Shawn Michaels in the ring against Tatanka, a match that had actually caught my dad’s attention in large part because of our Native American heritage. That is where it all began for me; the love, the passion, the will to do everything that was magnificently portrayed to me on my television screen. I never once waivered in what I wanted to do, even though my dad was always the first one to try to snap me back into the reality that he thought I belonged in. That back and forth went on through my formative years up until I was seventeen and just happened to be at a convention where one of the keynote speakers was none other than Christopher Chavis, aka Tatanka, the very person I rooted against the first time I ever seen a wrestling pay-per-view and got hooked. Even when I got to meet Chris after the speech, and he slipped me the name and number to a wrestling school he instructed at, my dad was the first one to tell me I was living in a dream world. “You need to focus on school” he said, always quick to instill in me that I would never make it in the wrestling business. My father, unbeknownst to him, placed a lifetime of self-doubt in my mind. Chris taught me how to clear my mind of that. When I joined his school in the summer of 2004, I quickly learned how to ignore all of the naysayers, promote a positive attitude and let my confidence, or arrogance as some would suggest, shine through. Through the next decade or so, bouncing from small town to small town, I never once let the self-doubt creep into my mind again…
A thought trails off and a tape recorder clicks. Horns blow and motors rev by as the scene opens on a beautiful Saturday Morning in Chicago, Illinois. The ICW Champion, Jack Diamond had been walking down the sidewalk recording his thoughts for his upcoming autobiography, “Stacking the Deck.” He was so caught up in narration that he didn’t even realize he had walked all the way to the United Center, the site of this week’s Monday Night Spectacle where he would defending his world title against Sebastian Steele. He turned the recorder off when he was overtaken by a shadow as the camera pans out we see the statue out front of the greatest NBA player to ever lace up a pair of shoes. Jack notices the cameras and looks up at the masterpiece.Diamond: Michael Jordan. The hands down G.O.A.T. And wouldn’t you know, he is another North Carolina boy that made it to the top of his profession. It wasn’t always greatness for Air Jordan though. No, he once talked about all the shots he has missed, the games he has lost and he said “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”
Diamond puts the tape recorder in his pocket and opens his water bottle to take a drink. The streets are busy, the sidewalk is just starting to stir to life, but the champion is deep in thought, possibly in another time all together.
Diamond: Wise words from MJ, words I can relate to. The failures I have had in life, and in the wrestling business have shaped me over the years. The bumps, the bruises, and the injuries all take their toll on you. I never let them slow me down though. Through ever dusty gym and smoke filled rec center I fought in I always knew I was the best one in the ring and that is why I succeed.
A group of people walk by on the sidewalk, so busy with their conversation on what they intend to do today that they don’t even notice Diamond standing in the darkness of the statue.
Diamond: That is how it was when I came to Icon Championship Wrestling. I was on top of the world. I made a huge impact on my very first night and it was off to the races. Win after win any doubt that was once in my mind was long gone. I became the first world champion of this company. Life was on an all-time high man…
Jack walks over closer to the monument and tosses his bag on a bench nearby. He unzips it and fumbles around for a few moments before looking up at the camera again.
Diamond: That was, of course, until I met Sebastian Steele for the Ironman Title in June. In one night, the defensive shield that I put around me shattered as I heard the referee count the one-two-three. In that moment, all the doubt crept back in. Every warning my father once told me about how I would never make it in this business jumped back into my mind. Maybe he was right after all?
Diamond pulls his ICW World Title from the back as it glistens in the morning sunlight. The brisk morning wind whips into Jack’s face as he places stares down at the belt.
Diamond: It took a couple weeks to get my mind back on track. I had to remember that yes, Sebastian got in my way of claiming yet another title, but I was still the top dog. I was still world champ. That match was nothing but a small failure in the life of The Ace that led to even more success. I was on a roll once again, win after win, doing what I do best. Jericho Kade? Beat him. Brett Stetson? Diamond Wins. Bobby Barratt? Yes, yes, and yes. They all fell as I sat atop the throne of ICW.
Diamond shuffles some things around in his bag and pulls out some sort of black cloth. He tosses his title back into the bag and zips it up.
Diamond: And then “The Hunter” shows back up and wins a match that puts him right back into a ring with yours truly. The doubt resurfaces its ugly, mask-covered head once again. Will I have what it takes to beat him this time? Will he walk away with my title in tow? Was my dad right that I just don’t have what it takes to be at the top of this business?
Diamond unwraps the cloth, which we now make out to be a Diamond Club T-Shirt. Wrapped up inside of the shirt is an over-sized lucha mask, very similar to ones worn by Sebastian Steele. Diamond stares down at it, with a solemn look on his face, ice in his eyes.
Diamond: The time for cute little parodies and jokes is over. This isn’t Elmer Steele that I am dealing with. This is a man with a cold, calculated malice that wants to step into MY ring and try to dethrone me. This is a man that I have tons of respect for in what he has accomplished inside a squared circle. But Sebastian Steele, I hope you are listening to me. That is where my respect for you ends. You are nothing but another cry baby who throws a tantrum when things do not go his way. You would rather drown your liver and push stuff up your nose than face the reality that maybe, just maybe, you aren’t as good as you think. That all gets exposed Monday night. There will be no doubt in my mind, your mind, or anyone else just who the best wrestler in ICW is. I WILL be the champion at Castle of Glass, and it all begins when I leave you and your mask staring up at the lights in that building right there. And that, El Cazador, is something you can bet on!
Diamond points to the front of the United Center. He walks past the camera towards the statue of Michael Jordan, shirt and mask in hand, as the camera zooms out and the scene fades to black.
Saturday, August 12th- 9:18AM
The scene opens back up inside the JW Marriott Chicago hotel room. Jack Diamond walks into the room from his morning run as Dakota Paige is sitting on the edge of the bed, drinking a cup of coffee and watching the local weekend news show on Chicago’s Fox affiliate. She motions for Jack to come over and watch, quickly. The anchor, Sylvia Perez is really fired up about something as she goes into a passion filled rant.
Perez: I can’t believe it! If there is one thing that the great people of Chicago are proud of, it’s the legacy of Michael Jordan. The fact that someone would, in my opinion, deface the statue of the Air Highness himself is despicable! I hope the catch the perp who did this. Let’s take you live on location of the United Center for more on the story.
Diamond walks over and watches, with a smirk on his face. The news station cuts to a live feed from down the street, the sights and sounds all too familiar to Diamond. The news reporter looks kind of shaken up.
Reporter: Thanks Sylvia. The scene is something that is gathering a lot of attention. As you can see behind me, the beloved statue of arguably the greatest player in NBA history has been defaced, literally. From the body hangs a T-shirt that I am told is popular amongs wrestling fans. The wrestler is ICW’s Jack Diamond, who will be in action this Monday at the United Center. The words “Diamond Club” are on the shirt but those words have been crossed out with spray paint.
Diamond, eyes wide, can’t believe the site on the television. A chill takes over his body as he looks on and listens to the young reporter.
Reporter: The face of Michael Jordan has been destroyed. There is a sledge hammer that was found nearby but those who we have asked did not see anyone or anything. The ball that was in Jordan’s hand is gone. No one can find it and it appears to not be in the rubble of the shattered face. Such an iconic statue, this is really a shame as these native Chicago people are really upset, and some a little scared. Syliva…
Perez: What kind of sick, twisted person would destroy something that the residents of this great town are so proud of? We will bring you the details as we receive. When we come back, Chocolate, why many experts say eating a couple of squares a day can save your life. Stay tuned.
As the morning news cuts to commercial, Dakota mutes the television and looks up at Jack, a hit of fear in her eyes.
Dakota: What does all that mean? Do you think Steele was trying to send a message? It has to be him right?
Diamond: I think that’s a safe bet…
Diamond can’t believe it. Less than two hours ago he was carefully draping a new Diamond Club shirt over the body of Michael Jordan and placing the over-sized lucha mask on the basketball. It was a funny site, appearing as if MJ was dunking Sebastian Steele’s head as he wore his Diamond Club shirt. A silly little idea that Jack wanted to use to promote Monday’s match. But this? Who came in and destroyed the statue after Jack left the scene. Was it Steele? And where is the mask-covered basketball? Diamond looks on as the scene comes to an end.