Post by Patrick Jones on Jun 16, 2014 23:00:13 GMT -6
Some things get better with age. Wine, memories, and “the good ol’ days” all improve as time passes. Cars and other objects from days gone by become classics. Great athletes become legends. Other things, like milk, need to be replaced quite often. However, lots of questions revolve around replacing other things involving shorter time-frames. How long into his career does an athlete become too old and need to retire? How much time should an employee stay with one company if he or she is not being given due opportunities for advancement? How long until a wrestler needs to find a new trick to put away opponents?
That last question had become personal. My favorite kick had started to lose its luster. More opponents were ready for it. It had not been connecting as much as I would like. It still had the same impact when it would land…normally. Thought had been made about what new way I could put people away. Finally, Zoned Out had been put to its limit. The rather inexperienced Blue Suede Bruce had finally broken the Zoned Out code enough for me.
Unfortunately for him, I had already been prepared to use a plan B. My suplex repertoire has included a gutwrench suplex for a long time, so it had only been a small tweak to convert that to a very effective piledriver. Bruce had learned that as I picked up a debut win in VOW. Debuting a new move in my VOW debut had felt right.
However, just as I had last week, my opponent this week is trying to make a first impact in VOW. Like Bruce last week, I am trying to keep my own momentum rolling. Hopefully, I can avoid failing in that endeavor though. My own experiences should help with that attempt, especially with Jenny staying around with me lately. As it pertains to experience, Jenny seems to be having problems understanding my opponent’s level of experience.
“Forty-four? You’re almost half his age!”
All I can do in response is shrug my shoulders. Lots of guys wrestle into their forties. Some do quite well for themselves. Others are busy stretching a career too far. Like with Zoned Out last week, if you go to the well too many times with your career, you can get hurt. There is no problem with admitting it is not working and to do something new. Becoming an announcer or analyst or starting your own wrestling company is not admitting defeat. Stefan Frei embraced that idea and is doing well so far.
“And just as dangerous. That’s a lot of times around the block. Unlike Bruce, Scorpion will have seen more than just a superkick during his career. I’ve seen a lot in my career. Just think about how much more a guy with that much time in the ring has seen.”
The two of us had a nice lunch earlier in the day, but the afternoon had been a lazy one just watching television while I relax before the match tomorrow night. Jenny had been kind of antsy all afternoon though. The week had been pretty packed for me with training. The new move had certainly needed some more perfecting, even though I had been working on it for weeks. It could also use a name, but that part had eluded me so far.
“Yeah…I guess so, but why is he joining VOW? I do know that guys his age are normally entrenched somewhere.”
It is a question I had asked myself. No answer had been readily available. He seemed to have just come out of nowhere. Sadly, that meant I had not managed to get much on him visually. Plenty of fan-videos and a few matches were up on Youtube, but he was strangely a mystery. Most importantly, the reason for his nickname was perplexing.
“No clue. Things happen sometimes though. All that matters is that he will be across from me tomorrow night.”
Smiling, Jen laughs a bit.
“Well, Mr. Calm, what’s your big plan for today? There was that picnic last week.”
Is she serious? It is June 16, 2014. Every American in the country should have one plan for today. The United States has their first World Cup match. I had never played before, and soccer is not a passion of mine. It is hard not to enjoy the World Cup though. The passion of the fans and players who represent their countries is infectious. The atmosphere is almost like a wrestling match.
Although, to be fair, those guys need to stop pretending they have been punched or beaten to try and get fouls called. It is quite sad. My job is to go out and fight for real, while they go about faking like they have been assaulted.
“Jen, I know England lost to Italy, but MY country has a game to win tonight.”
She gives me a glare while shaking her head.
“Maybe you can watch it alone then.”
“Nah, there will be other people at the bar. I made sure to figure out where the Outlaws would be. It’ll be fun. Come on. I even got you something.”
Getting up, I move around the sofa and into my bedroom of our suite. On the bed, a jersey with the number 10 on the front is flanked by a women’s cut t-shirt with an 8 over the left breast. The jersey is mine, and I quickly replace the t-shirt I was wearing with it. Walking back out, I am greeted with a smirk.
“Way to go. He didn’t even make the team.”
Turning around, I reveal the name on the back is not the typical USA number 10 of Landon Donovan. The name on the back reads “Diskerud”. The young central midfielder has been given the prolific scorers number. He had already scored with the number in his first appearance wearing it.
Like me, he had a new trick, even if it was just a number. My new trick actually has a real effect on my performance. It frees me up, and it can even make Zoned Out more devastating as opponents look for this new gutwrench piledriver.
Jenny sighs at the fact her joke has fallen flat. Her reward is a t-shirt to the face. Swiping it down, she looks at it.
“Really? I’m not wearing this?”
“Then have fun by yourself. I’m going out to watch the game, and to come with me, you’re gonna be the colors of my country.”
As I start for the door, she hesitates. It is obvious she does not want to put on another country’s colors, but she finally gives in and joins me. The game itself is a bit disappointing, but the result is not. Like me, the USA finds a new attacking option. Wow…maybe this team is more like me than I thought. We both win our first games with big, new offensive weapons. I guess that means I better take care of the Blue Scorpion, or the USA might have some bad luck.
