super_tigris

...The tag division must be in disarray.

Good show - I appreciate that it was fed related and not another Thoth Report reminiscing fest for former writers. I found it interesting, too.

Real Name: Mike K. (something Croatian) Characters Portrayed: Mike Cross, Ultimo Phantasmo In SWF Since: 2005/2006 Real-Life Height: 5'11'' Real-Life Weight: 180 lbs. Real-Life Age: 16 Real-Life Location: Quite literally, parts unknown (also known as Bumfuck, OH) Picture: Will have one later Education: Third year of high school. Accomplishments Outside of SWF: Not very much, aside from amateur wrestling medals earned before a pretty bad should injury. Favorite Band: Gorillaz Favorite Song: "The Show Must Go On" by Queen Favorite Movie: Die Hard Virgin? Explain: I don't want to talk about it. Fuckers. Accomplishments Within SWF: Lethal Lottery winner (as Asia Underground, with Akira), SWF Tag Team Champion (as Asia Underground, with Akira), SWF Cruiserweight Champion. Favorite SWF Moment: Probably beating Team SpYon in the Lethal Lottery finals. Favorite SWF Writer (All-Time): Meh. Favorite SWF Writer (Current): Meh (x2). Why You Joined The SWF: I like to write and I like wrestling. 2 + 2.

“Don’t worry about it,” remarks one of the crew members in the back passing by a seated Akira Kaibatsu, looking to shake loose some ends which remained untied after a difficult loss in the annual Clusterfuck on Sunday. Akira merely grimaces, managing to pick his head up only slightly as the crew member waltzes past him busily. Nonetheless, the Devine Wind continues to bind his forearms with black tape before he pauses. “Feeling blue,” sarcastically questions an unseen voice. The camera pulls back and reveals the lanky stature of one Mike Cross, looking down at his former tag team partner with a villainous smile. “Feeling blue,” he questions again, his comment again shrugged off by the Japanese cruiserweight, “Maybe you just can’t win like you’d hoped you’d be able to…yeah, that’s it.” Once again Akira manages a glance as he lazily lifts his head, relapsing back to the tape. “It’s all up here,” the comment met with a hollow sound of ‘Iron’ Mike’s knuckle tapping the forehead of the Devine Wind, “It’s all in your head, wittle Akira.” Almost immediately the Devine Wind lifts to his feet methodically – like a machine – meeting his former partner face to face. ‘Iron’ Mike manages a smile before Akira presses his index finger firmly to his chest and nudges him back. “What you know of losing,” demands the foreigner sternly, “What you know of anything – nothing! You know nothing!” Mike steps back onto his left foot, bowing his head and the smile is dropped. His shaggy hair courses his face and he wipes it from his eyes. “You’re so naïve,” says the Detroit native, “Everything I went through; I think I know a thing or two about losing. You – Akira – don’t know shit about what losing means!” “Don’t know shit,” shouts back the Devine Wind, as Cross steps forward, “I know more than you think!” “I’m not the one who lost our belts,” Mike shouts back, “But I sure as hell had more than a hand in winning them – I fought my heart out, injured and all, in one of the most dangerous matches there is! I could’ve lost my career and then you lost it for me! You know nothing of what it means to lose, because you’ve been shrugging off losses since you tapped out to JJ Johnson in our first tag title defense!” At that point, the gloves have come off and the two begin to scuffle on the ground, throwing elbows and weakly thrown punches. It’s at this point that a man steps in and pulls ‘Iron’ Mike from the ground and then pushes him back down next to his former tag partner, the two looking up at the mystery man in awe. The camera pulls back and pans to see a short, stalky, and balding Japanese man who looks down at the two like they’re children and can only bare a smile. “Mr. Kobe,” gawks Mike Cross. “Hell you doing here,” angrily spits a sour Akira Kaibatsu. “You two got a thing or two to learn about what being a tag team takes.”

Did someone say my name? Extended weekend + the lack of final exams during exam week = a really, really, really great no-show. Seriously, don't expect a cake walk.

I'll be promo'ing - Clark, let me know what you're doing.

Alright, folks. Lockdown is looking like a fantastic card (if only the magic wasn't stripped by the knowledge of no-shows and computer 'splotions), and this place could use some more activity. The Card (and my predictions, what can I say, I'm lazy): =============== THE MAIN EVENT - SWF WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH Michael Stephens ©© vs. "The Dean of Professional Wrestling" Jay Hawke =============== COLD FRONT CLASSIC - SECOND ROUND MATCH "The Superior One" Tom Flesher vs. "Hollywood" Spike Jenkins =============== FULL METAL MAYHEM (non-title) JJ Johnson vs. Jimmy the Doom © =============== TAG TEAM MATCH Team ZyKira (Zyon © and Akira Kaibatsu ©) vs. Team CroNson (Michael Cross and Devin Benson) =============== CRAB BATT- I MEAN, HAWK BATTLE Nighthawk vs. Trent Hawk vs. Double No Show =============== Two or three very appealing matches there, and here are some predictions: Match of the Night: Tom Flesher vs. Spike Jenkins -Tom's been kicked around lately despite being probably the best heel writer, however, Spike is constantly bragging that he's the best. Whether or not the persona has breached the writer or not, it should be interesting to see the two top heels duke this one out to keep title shot dreams alive. Writer of the Night: Jay Hawke. -Mike's undoubtedly the best writer around right now. Jay Hawke, however, has been on top of things lately, so it should be interesting. Upset predictions aside, if he shows and puts up a decent fight against Toxx, we might be looking at a new champion. Underdog of the Night: Spike Jenkins -You don't just beat Tom Flesher, you beat Tom Flesher. Spike Jenkins gets the nod, I think he can pull off a decent win and gain an upset over the master of the heel, Tom Flesher. Basicaly, I like the underdogs for Lockdown. Discuss, predict. Whatever you may.

Hm. Requesting a match against an opponent shows before they win a title...priceless. I'll defeat thee via No Show. Fear it, no kickouts unless your vitality is above 8. PM me before writing a kickout!

What's that? That's the looming shadow of 'Iron' Mike standing by, waiting to come from nowhere in a glorious effort to knock off the 2004 Cold Front winner, Landon Maddix. There's a pun to be made here, I just can't think of it.

A couple of points, just in general: 1.) I'm not disputing disqualifying him on principal, his match didn't exactly do the things I listed as acceptable in terms of eliminating people. I agree that the match didn't exactly take to advantage creative scenarios which involved eliminating more of the well regarded writers. I am disputing the idea of denying the match strictly because it does so. I think it can be made to work. 2.) I agree, his match was hindered by this. It could've been avoided, but that's besides the point. Had he effectively used some of the above suggestions I don't think it'd have mattered whether or not he eliminated the key storyline players in part due to the fact that there were still existant scenarios to be worked with as well as interactions, for example, between wrestlers like Cross and Spike. I think the bigger problem is not the hindering this did because that could've been avoided, but the misuse of what was still there. 3.) I Google searched "segway" which I knew how to spell but thought about too long and it turned up as "correct" by the search engine. It's one of those easy to make mistakes, because I'd simply let it slip my mind that there is that overly eccentric form of transportation called the "Segway".

The things I noticed in general with Akira's match weren't the larger names being thrown over early - in general, that makes sense and people should at least see that. I say this with the upmost respect for Wildchild: principal in this case lacks sense, because strategically it makes sense as a writer and within the match for the wrestlers to take out the larger names to increase their chances of making it to the top and getting their shot. Naturally, the veterans and legitimate names (writers, but I'm trying to make sense of this in terms of who is considered a big name in the federation) should be able to outlast the younger ones in a few cases. I think Toxx mentioned that earlier in the thread, that it doesn't exactly credit the writer if you automatically discount their match regardless of how they did it. The problems seem to stem from the lack of flow. For one thing, a bit more structure might do you some good - you're a solid writer, but the flow in your matches comes off as chaotic. I think that's where you lose a lot of points in the eyes of a marker/reader. Less use of "..." and other things would up your match writing in my book. Character interaction seemed dull. Naturally, Cross and Akira are at each other's throats. More use of the announcers to put relationships over inbetween spots in order to allow more time for story might help you out a lot. Anytime the announcers had input, it seemed strictly related to those two characters the match was focused on at the time, there weren't really any segways. Don't be fooled, putting over story needs to be the role of the announcer, whether you take the route of the WWE or not is up to you. Use them and more effectively add them to your matches, because this is one of those extra things that, in my book, puts a match over the top. Strictly reading match dialougue gets to be an annoyance, giving a break and adding in some light interaction and story telling is a plus. The ending felt rushed, as well. I know you're under word limits, but setting up eliminations a bit earlier may aid your case. You might assume that it's unpredictable for it to happen suddenly, but once you've used this scenario, as a reader, you're looking for it again. The end felt very rushed. Maybe setting it up earlier with foreshadowing through spots and commentary and it would've been above and beyond what's expected. That's what I noticed. It was a solid effort, and while I can't exactly sit here and critique your work having not shown in a match since around June, I think those are a few valid suggestions.

We'll see what you guys think - I may redo this banner, becuase I was just plain unsatisfied with how it turned out.

Well. This is a nice surprise.

OR...OR, work with me on this, SHOOTS AND LADDERS!

Should've just said, "I'm Spike-fuckin'-Jenkins, fear me, or I'll no-show!"

How does Toxxic as a non-cheating heel not make sense? I guess the concept of being strictly competitive and constantly looking down on your opponents doesn't register with some people, but to me, that's one thing I think I'd hate. A heel who won't shut up about being great, always winning, holding it over everyones head, and dodging bullet after bullet. You'd be craving for a loss, and he won't go away.

Staggering.

That's alright, in one fed I was looking at, Scott Hall was the Cruiserweight Champion. Whoops?

As far as I'm concerned, it only elevates the character as a heel. Everyone loves a heel whose idea of being an antagonist involves an expensive and lengthy flight to Japan only to punch his opponent's father in the face. That way they can safely support the other guy, knowing full well the whole fiasco was more of a burden on the antagonist than the protagonist (who - one way or another - will get the satisfaction of fighting). But who am I to evaluate anyone? My idea of being a heel is being impervious to any actual substance, often forgetting things and being totally unbound by motivation.

The odds makers in Vegas have Trent Hawk listed as a 2 to 1 favorite to be the druid man. But only because Hawke & Hawk with manager Steven Hawking would be the coolest thing ever.

I feel so honored to be squashed this week. YES~!

“There’s a reason Bruce Blank chose me,” proudly exclaims a Michigan accent as a shaking camcorder videotapes his movements inside an airport. In the background the standout figure of Bruce Blank bends over slowly, picking up a sack-like suitcase, clearly of lesser quality than a Canal Street knockoff courtesy of New York’s finest. He jumbles two ragged, thick, nylon straps together in his right hand and then goes to another suitcase, grappling with it as he slowly brings his body back to full height. “Yeah, I’ve had problems in the past. I’ve lost the matches that counted, and I’ve failed on all accounts to capitalize on opportunities that many rookies like me don’t have.” ‘Iron’ Mike Cross scratches the grizzly bear like remnants of a sloppy, airport bathroom shave. He bends down, camera following his movement as he slings a black strap over his shoulder, lifting his heavy baggage up and onto his shoulders. “But I’ve overcome that part,” reflects a now innocent sounding voice, “I’ve overcome my toughest battles. I defeated a tough upbringing…in a tough family…in a tough city, a city that is unrelenting.” After the former Tag Team and Cruiserweight Champion has finished his brief reflection of his past battles he slowly follows Bruce towards the exit. The camera follows him like a fan in first person. “I’ve given up hope,” once again the Michigan in Mike stands out in a sea voices, but only slightly, “I’ve rediscovered faith. I’ve found addiction, I’ve defeated addiction.” A group of people separate the two wrestlers, the congested crowd causing a slight stand-still in the middle of the airport baggage claim. Waiting, Mike turns to the camera. “Bruce picked me because I’m resilient.” At the thought of himself as something positive, he smirks. “This industry thrives on survival, and crashing and burning is an inevitable experience. It’s something I’m very familiar with right now.” An apparent amount of impatience seems to be forming inside the former Suicide Machine, and after a moment of foot tapping, he spreads the crowd with his elbow, busting through a wall of people. “You have to take your losses, you have to taste defeat. And for me, I seem to be trapped in one phase – loss. I’ve lost three consecutive matches now, with no end in sight.” Finally, Mike reclaims Bruce in his field of vision. The large crowd makes the walk seem more and more like a hike as he struggles to keep up, struggling to hold onto his luggage. Bruce manages to find the exit, entering the small, triangle slot inside a circular glass door. Several seconds later, Mike has managed his way into position to see Bruce attempting to track down a taxi or transport bus. Waiting to exit the confines of the airport, Mike turns his attention back to the camera. “But this is becoming more of a learning process,” exhales the tired wrestler with a slight hint of optimism, “With every loss comes the fading marks of weakness. Each loss weathers my weaknesses. Each week I learn from the father of Ultra Violence, and a loss to Jimmy – while tough – comes expected. We knew after the session the prior week with Nemesis that there was some work to be done. The loss to Jimmy solidified that. But one thing’s for sure – I was picked for a reason, and I will take shape. I’m bigger, I’m in the best shape of my life, and I’ve got the physical demands to be one of the best. Time is now on my side, and SWF is on notice – violence is and forever will be the answer.” With that concluding comment, ‘Iron’ Mike Cross heads for the circular glass door, making his way through it and hopping in the back of a dingy looking car. The car screeches off suddenly and the film fades.

I know that it's just Drea being Drea, but that kind of shit is exactly why I no-showed my shot at the Hardcore Title. You're still lovable, but a bitch to write in the situation I'm in (i.e. not really wanting to write at all).

I feel like the ideal card for a "Wrestlemania" quality PPV for Bound for Glory really needs to be the following: NWA World Title Match (Career vs. Title) Sting vs. Jeff Jarrett © -No sense in dropping this match at this point, despite the fact that the entire feud has been complete garbage. The sad thing in this one is that I could've easily seen Hogan playing out the Sting role back when they were looking to bring him in. Number One Contendership Match Samoa Joe vs. Christian -This is the big upper-midcard match. Samoa Joe is very over, with a series of promos accusing TNA of purposely keeping him out of the title picture for fear of losing 'top name talent to his brute power' and then have Christian step up as the heel, doing some of the same things he'd done to Rhyno the month prior. This match, to me, is a big selling point. I like Christian's heel turn, I like Samoa Joe's face appeal. It's a very solid main-event quality match despite the fact that I billed it as an upper-midcard match. NWA Tag Team Championship Match (Double-Elimination Match) America's Most Wanted vs. The Naturals vs. AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels vs. LAX © -I like this idea. We don't need two or three tag matches on the card and I love the direction of the tag division. First of all, the Naturals have been one of the most interesting aspects of the current booking - I love what they're doing with them, I love them putting Shane Douglas to use. A couple of big wins over AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels and America's Most Wanted lead to them being granted a match. America's Most Wanted is willing to put their friendship on the line for one last shot at glory. LAX plays the desperate heel team attempting to avoid loss by any means possible. And finally AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels are try to settle a little unfinished business. This is flat out a big match, I'd like to see it happen. TNA X-Division Title Match Alex Shelley w/ Kevin Nash vs. Low Ki © -It's a nice mid-show break. Fast paced action leading into the final big three matches of the night. Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley declare their X-Division Dominance leading to a Low Ki explosion that catches the eye of Big Daddy Cool. Monster's Ball Match Bobby Rhoode vs. Abyss vs. Rhyno vs. Raven -Makes sense. TNA likes the big-man hardcore gimmick matches. In the process you sport some old wounds between old enemies while putting on a nice match. You can also use this to elevate Rhoode to the next level to challenge Samoa Joe as his perfect foil (which is stupid, but becaust TNA is booking in that direction I might as well too). Bobby Rhoode picks up the win, setting him up for advancement up the card down the line. If TNA puts together a card like that, I could be talked into buying it. That's not to toot my own horn, but really, that's really the biggest possible card they could have. There's a lot of big matches in the making that're there, so long as TNA sees them they can put together a nice card building up to the main event. The big matches are at the top of that card, I think the Tag Match is probably the biggest, though I don't know that they want to sacrifice that many guys simply for the sake of that card. Thoughts?

Off the top of my head, Landon is the only one that comes to mind who got the best of me. Of course, I had matches against writers like Tom, but in the end, I wasn't showing those matches. I'd lost to JJ of course, but Landon is a loss that stung me early on, being my first singles loss as well as my first loss in a gimmick match in a main event. So, I had problems early on writing his character, what with the existance of Cucaracha Int. and that whole aspect of his character not being spotty when I really only knew how to write that way.