Post by Seth Iser on Oct 9, 2016 17:45:04 GMT -6
“War does not determine who is right---only who is left”--Bertrand Russell
When there is differing opinions it will inevitably turn up as just that, war. As long as there are human beings and we’re capable of any kind of thought, no matter how barbaric or cruel, there will forever exist conflict, pain, and war. It is inevitable that people whether through their lust of power or the absolute desire to be remembered that many people inevitably end up altered in the context of a war. Not just the main combatants but everyone around you. Even if there are very few left living at the end of it all.
To break into and succeed in the wrestling industry it almost encourages you to be at some form of war whether it’s a Japanese style preemptive strike or the posturing and threats to do something radical that we often have here in the states from modern day lunatics who shouldn’t have control of a nuclear arms code. There are many different ways to wage war...many different styles and each have their own levels of success but the one thing they all have in common is you have to be ruthless enough to take that shot when it is your neck on the line because he who hesitates is lost forever.
In that moment it doesn’t matter who is right in the fight or wrong. Just one person is indeed left to write the moment properly.
When you think about the history of the world regardless of the topic, it’s those who have won the wars that are the ones that weave the tale. Even in the age of instant information where you can learn the other perspective it is the winner’s right to craft how everything is wrote in the end. To the victor goes the spoils they say and in every other form of sport whether it’d be football or all the way back to the ancient gladiators the winner got to dictate and write exactly how things would go.
But the one bad difference between wrestling and everything else in the world is other people write the narrative...not the winners of the sport and that is not fair.
They conveniently refer to me as inferior to the legend of Matt Slater when for over a decade in the history of our match ups I’ve proven otherwise. Instead of celebrating my accomplishments...all people ever do is try to taint them by bringing up how they may have been won by. For a guy who is approaching his fourteenth full time year in the sport with many victories under my belt including many of those in this company I feel as if I’ve earned a little more respect than what I’ve been given. The tradition of the sport says I’ve earned such a thing and yet they’ll abide by those traditions when it’s anyone else except for me.
They even took it a step beyond the usual tradition and gave JMC a championship opportunity his first night out and with how he’s carried himself(and Cali-Kate’s increasing immaturity for that matter)...I’m more thankful every day I intervened so he didn’t win because he’s part of a growing problem even if they have the audacity to think I’m part of this problem.
And those traditions are being broken in a different way in the case of young Katie...and done so in such a way that is an insult to anyone who has any sense of respect for this industry in so many ways. An ungrateful brat like her should be starving her way to pay her dues rather than have the cushy job in this company because the way she carries herself...she doesn’t deserve it. It isn’t the wrestling in professional wrestling that she has an issue with. For her age she’s a really good wrestler. The issue is the PROFESSIONAL part. A recurring theme in this company and she’s one of the biggest offenders. Now more than ever when she went out in front of the entire world and tried to taint my character and my legacy.
The start of it all is she is completely unaware of the power she has being a good professional wrestler in the sport in that she’s become such a horrible role model for young girls like my daughter. What kind of role model mopes over everything in a public way using her social media? I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth mentioning again...the way she handled the Zero Gravity situation when she lost the belt to Ace is absolutely shameful and the fact that she hates him when it should be the other way around with how she’s done nothing but disparage a man that earned the championship and then retained it against her is nothing but a damn crime.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg for you young lady because your offenses go so much deeper than you realize.
The way you and many others portray yourselfs on twitter and how you act...isn’t just a disservice to wrestling right now. No...people like you Katie and Zahara. Especially someone like Stacy for that matter: you all are taking away from the sport not just for someone like me but for my trainees. When you mope or post ridiculous pictures or make childish insults over social media when you’re trying to adhere to some level of being professional...you don’t just take away money from me or yourself...you take away from the future of this sport. And piss away anything that you’ve earned...while simultaneously pissing away anything I could earn or anyone else in the future could get. You wonder what I’m here for at thirty five you ask? It’s to continue to earn a living to the industry that saved my own damn life; and if good health willing continue until I’m a little past forty while continuing to train the next generation at the School of Tradition.
And oh by the way...I’m pretty damn good at this line of work too in order to keep going at my age when the average retirement age in our industry is four years.
Back to you though, kid. Let’s tell the truth even if it cuts you to the very bone. You piss away everything I’ve ever worked for in this industry for what? A public venting area on specific matches you failed at like the damn coward you are? What am I doing at thirty five you dared to ask...what the hell are you doing at twenty one acting like a bratty teenager who is acting like that stalker psychopath who can’t get over their lost crush in their obsession?
Better yet, what the hell are YOU doing polluting the sport I make my living in?
Katie...people like you make it hard for my daughter to believe in a strong female role model when the world is surrounded by vain, selfish, interchangeable pieces of garbage like you. So again I ask you...what the hell are YOU doing in this important business damaging impressionable young ladies looking for a good female role model like my little girl?
But why Seth? Even with all of those things why would you lay on such damning language? It’s simple. I am at war. I’m at war against people like Katie; just as much as I had spent the last several years on and off at war with one man...Matt Slater. And I’m not going to let someone who disrespects wrestling the way she does write history or even give these fans a choice. Damn sure will not give someone who has harmed my little girl and who knows how many other impressionable young children with your actions. The truth of the matter is even if you shriek about injustice,you’re one of the biggest perpetrators of injustice. Those who are ignorant of what reality is will be the ones who perpetrate the biggest offenses...and yes you damaging Allison’s faith in humanity is part of it. But there’s far more on the list.
So much more...
They will not forget like I haven’t the absolute hideous moment of seeing one woman believe the propaganda that Winter brought forth against Stacy and then seeing Katie, to her mentor and lover at the time, then stupidly believe a bunch of circumstantial at best evidence to then disrespect both her lover...and her mentor in front of the entire world to expose what kind of ill minded, idiotic cretin she is to this entire sport of professional wrestling, and I will not stand to have such weak minded, judgmental fools pollute the sport out of everything that has ever made it great!
Even with every bit of ill will I have toward Stacy if she was my mentor I would’ve at least given her more respect in that moment than that. And the fact that she instantly forgave you so fast makes her just as stupid and naive to the nature of human beings as you, Katie. As much as my deceased mentor Noish and I have had our moments of butting heads...I NEVER did what you did to the person who brought you into the sport. You taint the sport, you taint your name, you taint the LGBT community, and worst of all...you’ve tainted the image of what women could be to my daughter!
That’s the biggest misjustice Katie. Not my rivalry with Slater, not the supposed screwing of the belt that Ace beat you for twice. The fact that you have the power to do so much good in the public eye and yet your actions and your friends actions forever taint the industry that got you any sort of fame with how you’ve belittled everyone that disagrees with you and then you whine and mope about it begging for sympathy from fans in an industry that at it’s best should have none for the likes of you.
In plain English Katie...the embarrassment to this company is YOU! YOU’RE the goddamn embarrassment and you’ve successfully pissed on my legacy, and English’s. You’ve disrespected Ziu with your conduct in handling that belt, someone you claim to respect. Your condescending tone to former Zero Gravity Patrick Jones also brought forth another level of disrespect as to why people like me think someone like you shouldn’t even be here and should be paying dues to learn proper appreciation of this business.
Hell, I’d even wager you have disrespected Matthew Slater with your antics. And the one thing that Matt and I have in common above all is our love for this sport and as much as we hate each other...if we could put aside our baggage...we would agree that people like you are leeching away from what the sport has become and turned it into something that is mocked by everyone on the outside. I couldn’t face anybody I associated with outside the industry after they saw the crap you allowed yourself to be a part of by being the most fickle piece of meat the world has ever seen when you did what you did to Stacy Jones.
It isn’t you being homosexual that’s a problem because I don’t care. It isn’t your ability in the ring that’s the problem because you have more than enough natural ability in the ring to get by. It isn’t your autism at all either that’s the issue, Katie. That’s never been the issue with you with people who have rational brains. It’s your heinous, two faced attitude and your hideous actions to OTHERS that is the problem. THAT is why YOU are an embarrassment and THAT is why YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN MY SPORT!
Don’t worry though...even with all of these negative things, I’m an honest and fair historian. I’ll write the good parts like you being a good wrestler and your Zero Gravity championship reign in the history books when you’re no longer left in the wrestling industry. That’s what history should be...it doesn’t give a preconceived notion on how you’re supposed to feel, just the truth. That is if you leave it written to the right folks and when the war ends, I’ll write it appropriately.
Just unlike the people you appeal to, I’m not going to sugarcoat it either. You’ll be known as one of those talented but mentally weak wrestlers who didn’t pay their dues and quite frankly doesn’t deserve the opportunity you’ve been presented to represent your sport and represent yourself. I will write every painful thing you did whenever you moped like the brat who won’t get over that one little detail when everything else was great. Or how you handled that Stacy situation for that matter because the absolute fact that people have instantly forgiven you for your transgressions on that and then give me crap for how I handled Slater in that same time frame makes me sick and shows that the infestation that degrades our sport doesn’t just go on people like you and your high school clique but to our stupid mindless fans that buy your damn shirts and enable this bullshit.
...and most of all I’m writing the final chapter for you in this war...of how you were beaten mercilessly at the righteous hands of The Deity of Destruction...yours truly...Seth Iser. And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.
The heart of Washington DC has many monuments highlighting war, suffering, struggle, and victory. One of the many monuments here enshrines Abraham Lincoln and there isn’t a person in the world except the truly heinous that would say he did a bold thing doing what he can to reunite the country in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery. Though if you look deeper in the history books part of splitting Virginia into two allowed my state to keep slavery if temporarily but alas...you have to read every part of history to understand all of the good and the bad.
“Is that Honest Abe, Dad?” I hear Allison’s voice shriek, unable to contain her excitement.
“We’re at his monument, yes…” I reply, never fully knowing how to handle a child’s excitability.
As the wind picks up on this fall afternoon, Allison is almost bouncing in place in her excitement. I glance up and see the overcast skies hoping for no rainfall. She’s wearing a long sleeved purple t-shirt and blue jeans with her brown hair going down her back. She’s eyeballing the giant Lincoln statue with great excitement even with all the steps that you’d have to climb to get there. In contrast I just have my astute eye on everything just in case anything goes wrong. The faded blue jeans I’ve often worn many times with the chain going around and a basic crimson shirt with a black dragon design along with the Japanese word for ‘War’ being my choice for attire. As I ponder things through another voice cuts through.
“Lincoln?” Moretti voice pierces through, “It’s certainly an interesting history lesson. One tends to forget all the war crimes in modern terms his generals caused in the South.”
“History has no biases if you look at it from all angles…” I repeat as I often have, “It’s not like dealing with fans who already have their opinion solidified.”
Vincent certainly knows how to dress for the occasion; it'd be a-historical if he didn't wear some sort of suit combination...the black and red this time. It’s weird how history has its own turn. Vincent had also taken up advising Rayne’s career and it’s unusual in the history between the two of us to find us on the same side once again. I’ve gotten some flak for how I’ve gotten involved but the reality of the situation is Rayne and I are both intelligent enough to realize when we’re isolated. As much clout as I have in the industry I’m only one voice. But when you’re a part of one voice among many you can move worlds. And maybe just maybe...change things for the better for this world and the wrestling industry.
I can run out many of these punk kids but I can’t run out an idea on my own.
“Lincoln certainly bridged many gaps of his own didn’t he?” Moretti shakes his head in a nonchalant manner, “Just a shame in everything in the world we’re more divided on things that should be no brainers. It should be a no brainer to not use twitter as your audition for porn to disgrace wrestling and mess with the money for everyone else.”
“It’d also be common sense to not have the current presidential choices we have now. Ones that Lincoln himself would frown upon...but the people are easily duped and easily fall into believing things that make them comfortable rather than the damn truth.” I sneer, “It isn’t a generational issue, it’s a human issue through history.”
“Come on, Dad!” Allison orders impatiently.
“Oh…” I blink twice before snapping back into it, “Coming.”
The hasty lass had started up the first few steps to the statue. She’s never been to DC so I can’t fault her entirely for being overly excited; If you’re a wrestler and wrestled here so many times...you’re almost numb to what potential excitement and adventure there could be. I’m chasing after her, making sure I’m not too far behind on these historical stairs while Moretti is at a full sprint being a touch out of shape compared to his wrestling days. The sounds of the fountains in the background try to bring peace to what’s been a turbulent few days in Washington DC. I finally am able to catch my energetic daughter and wipe a moment of sweat from my forehead.
“Don’t dash ahead…” I let out a sigh, “I understand you’re excited but bad things CAN happen if we’re separated.”
“Sorry,” she lets out a sigh, a little distraught.
“Jeez…” Moretti wheezes, “Give me a minute. I haven’t run that hard in a while…”
“Oh?” I turn to my manager for a second while instinctively holding Allison’s hand, “I get you enjoy retirement but…”
“Oh blah blah blah Seth...you have to have SOME fun in your life…” Vincent growls, “Not to the extent other people do but lighten up just a little bit…”
“Many of the greats didn’t take days off entirely…” I pause, “But there are some things more important than work, yes. This is one of them…”
With that I put my arm over my daughter and the frown she had at being scolded goes away instantly and I just have the biggest sigh of relief internally. No longer with her head down she just beams a smile again. Moretti even raises his eyebrow when he sees my face lighten up ever so slightly. After a few more steps the Lincoln statue is in proper sight. The memorial for one of the most influential men in the history of our country. Moretti takes a moment to look through his cell phone and there is a grim look etched on his face.
“Damn Ryan Omega…” he mutters coldly.
“What did he do this time?” I raise my eyebrow
“Undue stress on my other client.” Vincent replies, “You didn’t see what I saw earlier and even after it happened...with what might be going on through the phones and the legal battles, there’s more bullshit about to happen.”
“That’s not a shock…Rayne’s in a turbulent situation as are the children. Being liberated from one prison piece by piece while slowly having to endure another. Even more so when Ryan is as spiteful as any human being would be going through the eventual divorce proceedings.” I shake my head, “But what other shocks will her road take? I can’t predict that. Just like nobody could’ve predicted how things fractured in our country time and time again. And the kind of strength and resolve it takes to stand firm for your convictions to get everybody in the right direction again…makes this particular president and people like Martin Luther King Jr all the more powerful and respected. They stood by their conventions even if it cost them their life.”
I just blink twice and shutter at the memory of what a turbulent marriage can do just in regard to my own parents. The real victim of bad marriages are the children and when raw emotion clouds your judgment to that extent...there’s no positive result for them. With the heavy thoughts in my mind, I end up climbing up the last few steps on auto pilot. The one good thing is it seems my daughter is in no way paying attention to the conversation Vincent and I are having.
“Wow…” Allison says awestruck at the giant statue before turning to me, “Have you ever seen this before?”
“Well…” I tap my chin in thought for a second, “It’s been several years since I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Huh…” she digests the information for a minute similar to how I might.
“Want a picture?” I raise my eyebrow to change the topic for the time being.
Allison’s eyes light up at the guess and I let out a momentary sigh of relief yet again. Being a professional wrestler to me is child’s play compared to being a parent. I reach into my left jean pocket to grab my cell phone to commemorate this moment as she sprints over in front of the statue and she’s absolutely bursting with excitement. It isn’t easy being the kid of a wrestler either...not seeing your parent much nor can you really travel that often with them to work. But Washington DC isn’t that particularly far of a drive plus if a girl gets straight As on her school work...the least you can do is give a reward. With that thought in mind she lets out a grin and a peace sign for some reason in front of the giant Lincoln statue and with everything in frame as best as it can be on the phone, I take the picture.
“Is it a good one!?” she replies a couple of seconds after the flash of the phone.
“Give me a second. I just took the picture…have a touch of patience kiddo,” I order.
“Hah!” Moretti snorts, “An order of patience coming from you with some of the things you’ve done.”
“It could be so much worse. It isn’t like I’m touting honesty like Hillary Clinton…” I turn to Vincent with a glare, “Or better yet, be half of the damn heroes the sport of wrestling seems to idolize these days and act like a bunch of damn oversexed morons with no respect for what the sport actually is.”
“Is it there now? Can I see?” Allison asks in rapid fire succession in her haste breaking my train of thought.
I take a moment to glance at the phone as Allison sprints toward me almost on cloud nine. She peers over at the photo with her grinning at the monument for a minute and she seems happy. It’s a keeper. Definitely one that’ll go up on the wall. Vincent smirks over in his own approval seeing the joy here. In that moment there are a couple of other tourists finally showing up here and I just scowl down and shake my head in disapproval. It feels as if learning history in some ways.
“How about one of the two of us?” Allison asks.
“Hm…alright.” I answer, “Vincent, don’t mug for the camera and do the job.”
“I haven’t thought of doing that until just this moment,” Vincent grins before he lets out another laugh.
I let out a sigh as my daughter and I walk up to the statue that truly does represent so much good in our history. Truthfully I’m glad that Allison gravitates toward the historical figures rather than whatever crazy MTV show they have on or even our sport of wrestling for heroes every single day now. It’d been awhile since I’ve seen her smile this much. Maybe when she gets older she can read up on the fight for women’s suffrage in DC if she is ever worried about how powerful females can be in society. But alas...I can’t overload the educational part too much and there’s just too much information to cover.
I’d rather she just enjoy the day.
“Ready?” Vincent calls?
“Oh…” as I go to the left side of the monument and Allison goes to the right instinctively, “Sure.”
“Mug for the camera and don’t be a grump like papa Iser!” Vincent teases.
Allison lets out a laugh of her own. I twitch my right hand resisting the urge to give Moretti the finger but there are things more important in life than ruining a picture or a moment in my child’s life. After a couple of seconds I put on my best smile that I can given the situation before I see the phone go off to indicate the picture has been taken. Allison looks at me for a second and I shrug hoping I somehow didn’t blink and force to take it again. One of the things I’ve always hated was when I was younger I had those meet and greets with fans and some of them wanted pictures and the flashbulbs go off in that respect. It’s the same negative thrill in those as I get the positive thrill when they go off when I’m dissecting someone in the wrestling ring. But with this moment of privacy without Moretti eavesdropping she turns very serious.
“Dad?” Allison asks in a quieter tone so only I can hear her?
“Yes?” I raise my eyebrow.
“Why did Zahara and Katie suddenly turn mean?” she questions in a wounded tone, “And Stacy too?”
I let out a sigh and rub my temple nervously to try to find a way to put it so my little girl can understand without losing my temper about the same topic. But I’m not going to lie to her either because I know how lying to your child goes. They’ll find out the truth anyway. We all do. But it’s at this moment...with her seriousness here that I figure out how much Stacy making her twitter private and how Zahara’s pictures and then standoff attitude and Katie’s moping have affected her. Even more than I’d imagined and I thought I prepared for the worst…
I guess I should be thankful that she waited until she did get a moment of quiet to do this since Moretti arrived at the house and we drove all the way to DC after he met with Rayne.
“They weren’t really nice to begin with.” I reply as calm as I can, “They lied to you and people like you.”
“But why?” she asks, wanting to understand fully.
“I wish I knew, Allison.” I answer calmly, “I wish I knew…”
It’s at that moment where the two of us have a quick hug and I see Moretti’s grin at the embrace. But it makes what I have to do at Armed and Dangerous all the more important. It’s bigger than me and the Orphanage. It’s about my family and the entire wrestling industry that I need to give Katie the single worst beating of her miserable life. It’s my right to assemble this and my right to bear arms with the best punch in wrestling. And out of context they’ll call the beating an injustice when she’s unable to go back to the sport of wrestling but when they read the history files…
It was justified…because Katie...this wrestling match is war.
