{The scene opens at the Tampa police department the day after the man tried to break into Roxi and Keira’s home. Roxi sits with an officer, going through her home security footage of the man. Once the footage is reviewed, the officer, an older gentleman, cleans his glasses and puts them back on his face and sighs.} Officer – Well, this is a good start, it is a good thing you have a security system set up. From this, it’s very hard to create a profile, I’ll be honest here. He’s clearly wearing a mask, and the night-vision makes it a little difficult to narrow down any features.
Roxi – Officer...
Officer – Jones.
Roxi – Right, Jones. I do have more information, as I said. I can’t describe his face, but I do know other details.
Officer Jones – Oh? What have you got?
{Officer Jones pulls out a pen and paper, and begins to write notes as Roxi talks.} Roxi – He's roughly … 5’10, 5’11” maybe. Well over 200 pounds, and he smells.
{Officer Jones raises an eyebrow at the last remark.} Roxi – No, I mean, really smells.
Officer Jones – Anything else?
Roxi – He came to my gym earlier in that day, Then, he came to an autograph session I was holding, and THEN he was following me in the park by my house.
Officer Jones – Are you sure it was the same person?
Roxi – You don’t forget the smell.
Officer Jones – Okay, I understand. But are you also insinuating this man is stalking you?
Roxi – I have to believe so. I could see him coming to the gym and to the public signing. Those are open to the public, but the fact that the same man was not only following me in me neighborhood, but then turns up trying to break into my house? That’s more than a coincidence.
Officer Jones – That's fair enough. We will send a patrol around the area for the next week or so. We’ll keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.
Roxi – No one else has come forward to report this man?
Officer Jones – I'm not sure if it’s the same man, but you came up with the most evidence of this. Things like this are a common occurrence sadly. But, if the man ends up triggering your alarm again, don’t hesitate to call us, and we will be over. You have my word.
Roxi – I just have a theory that he’s looking for me, or my family. I just figured he would have continued to try and break into houses looking for mine.
Officer Jones – It's possible he did, and it just hasn’t been reported.
Roxi – Well, if you hear anything, please let me know.
Officer Jones – We sure will.
{Roxi shakes the officer’s hand and she departs, her work seemingly done. Roxi exits the police station, but she is now paranoid, looking around and feeling watched at every moment. She finally pulls her hooded sweatshirt up, along with a completely out of place baseball cap, as she heads off, the scene fading.}
{Roxi then appears at her old friend Amy Jo Smyth’s house, but even with AJ’s house way out in the sticks, and on her own land, Roxi still feels the need to look around and check, before she knocks on AJ’s door. After a while, AJ does answer, the same slightly annoyed look on her face.} Amy Jo Smyth – Let me guess, you need me for something again?
Roxi – I need your advice. And I might need your protection.
Amy Jo Smyth – Is that the reason you’re dressed like you’re in witness protection?
Roxi – Yes.
Amy Jo Smyth – Wait... you’re serious?!
Roxi – Yes.
Amy Jo Smyth – Okay, we clearly need to talk, come in, come in.
{AJ leads Roxi into the house and the two sit down AJ’s table, where AJ pours them both cups of coffee.} Amy Jo Smyth – So, what the hell is going on?
Roxi – Keira and I have a stalker.
Amy Jo Smyth – Uh, huh, so... I mean, can’t you guys like... handle that?
Roxi – I already have two people who I fear will eventually come back on day who know where I live. But I can’t, and Keira can’t just... dress up in costume and scare somebody away. Especially not someone like this guy.
Amy Jo Smyth – Hmm... I kind of see your point, but yeah having a stalker is not good.
Roxi – I just... I’m not sure exactly how this should be handled.
Amy Jo Smyth – I will handle it.
Roxi – What? How?
Amy Jo Smyth – You got a picture of the fucker? Because I will send that in to my contacts, and you will have some nice big guys in suits around your house and you won’t even know they are there. And neither with that guy.
Roxi – I think that’s a bit extreme.
{AJ gives Roxi a quizzical look.} Roxi – Look, I don’t want the guy around me, or my family at all, but that’s like a big red flag that that’s exactly where we live.
Amy Jo Smyth – Fine, you want me to shoot him for you? Because I’m not about to have some weird ass dude creeping on my friends. You are just as much my family in this whole thing.
Roxi – I just... wanted some advice on how you think I should handle it.
Amy Jo Smyth - Keep all your doors and windows locked. Make sure your alarm is active. Stay in the house. Close your curtains, stay to one general area in the house.
Roxi – AJ, I don’t want to be a prisoner in my own house.
Amy Jo Smyth – Well, until this gets resolved, you can’t really ever be sure. This is just the precautions you have to take. I’m just trying to give you a heads up.
Roxi – I don’t know. I just don’t know.
Amy Jo Smyth – Look, those are the options in all reality. I can get some contacts to look into it and get some guys at your house, but otherwise, you have to lay low. If this guy is following you, and already tried your house, there’s no telling what he’s going to do.
Roxi – I suppose you’re right.
Amy Jo Smyth – Do you have a gun in your house?
Roxi – No, of course not. Not with Nate being there.
Amy Jo Smyth – Alright, fair enough, I’m just saying you should have something to protect yourselves. Tell you what, I will get a flight from Key West, and if you want, I will do my own patrol of your house.
Roxi – You don’t have to do that, AJ.
Amy Jo Smyth – The hell I don’t! You are family. You deserve the peace and protection anyone else gets.
{Roxi sighs, finally taking a drink of coffee as she ponders AJ’s offer about the whole situation.} Roxi – I would feel better if you were around. I know I filed a police report and everything, but I don’t know if I can really trust that they will be there in time.
Amy Jo Smyth – Roxi, you know that I will always do everything I can to help you, no matter what. You just have to make a choice on how you want this done. You can either tell me you want my help or you tell me how to help you. But given the situation, you can’t have both.
Roxi – I do want your help, I just don’t want you to go overboard.
Amy Jo Smyth – Do I ever?
Roxi – All the time.
Amy Jo Smyth – But it helps, right?
Roxi – … Yes. Of course, it does.
Amy Jo Smyth – Good, now you just show me the video, and we’ll get this figured out.
{Roxi pulls out her phone and she begins showing AJ the footage of the man trying to break into her house, as the scene fades.}
{The next few days come and go, and there is no sign, or messages on either Roxi or Keira’s phone regarding anyone coming near that house, at least at night. Roxi and Keira have been cooped up at home, doing as AJ asked, but obviously, there is unrest. Keira is shown pacing as Roxi sits on her phone.} Keira – I'm getting so tired of this.
Roxi - I know, but it’s the best course of action.
Keira – But the school?! The Gym!
Roxi – That's why we have Angelica and Keri working there. That’s why they are being paid.
Keira – But it’s OUR school.
Roxi – And WE have to deal with something else first.
Keira – Wait... that reminds me, did we tell Keri and Angelica about that?
Roxi – Yes. Keri was there.
Keira – Right, I’m sorry... It’s just... it’s been a lot lately.
Roxi – It's been a lot for all of us.
Keira – Only times like this do things pile on.
Roxi – It's just the way things are now.
Keira – I guess it’s just, we take this kind of stuff for granted. I mean, we spend so much time here and never really thought about the whole idea of not being able to leave.
Roxi – We can leave, it’s just getting back that the problem.
Keira – You still think he’s out there?
Roxi – I can feel it in my bones. He’s out there, probably scoping the neighborhood. Waiting to see if anyone comes out of this house.
Keira – We might be playing right into his hands then.
Roxi – I know my mom has walked out the door a couple of times. Answered the door, things like that. She went out and got the mail.
Keira – Yeah, but the mail still has OUR names on it.
Roxi – If he’s reading our mail, then he should have been here by now. Made the move.
Keira – I wonder if Keri or Angelica have seen that guy. You know what, I’m going to call her and find out.
Roxi – Okay.
{Keira slowly walks into another room and dials on her cell phone as Nate wanders in, a smile on his face as he plays with his tablet.} Nate – Mommy, look what I did.
Roxi – That's really cool, Nate.
{Roxi picks up Nate to sit with her on the couch and kisses him on the head.} Roxi – I love you.
Nate - I love you too Mommy.
{Roxi and Nate play with Nate’s tablet as he plays some building games as Keira eventually comes back into the room, stopping herself from just blurting things out loud as she sees Nate.} Keira – Oh uh... they haven’t heard anything.
Roxi – Okay.
{Keira smiles and sits down next to Nate, also kissing him on the head.} Keira - What are you doing?
Nate – I'm building this farm.
Keira – Oh, that sounds fun.
{The three are sitting down enjoying things until Roxi’s phone goes off, and an facetime request comes in.} Roxi – Hang on, I’ll be back, I just have to take this.
{Roxi walks into the kitchen and sits down at the table, opening the request, coming from Aaron Baltasarsson.} Aron – Hello, Roxi.
Roxi – Hey, Aron.
Aron – How are things holding up?
Roxi – As good as can be expected, I guess.
Aron – Any news about your unwelcome visitor?
Roxi – Not since the attempt. It’s been quiet, almost too quiet.
Aron – I trust that they will find the guy. It sucks that this is happening to you.
Roxi – Tell me about it.
Aron – At the very least, you have your dog there, yeah?
Roxi – Well, there’s two dogs, but I don’t know if Trixie is in any shape to be getting involved. All she does really is lay around. She’s old now.
Aron – That doesn’t mean she won’t do anything if worse comes to worse.
Roxi – I know. But hopefully we never get that far.
Aron – What are you going to do about the Supercard? You can always leave Nate with Fenris and myself. We will take good care of him.
Roxi – I don’t know what I’m going to do just yet. As I said, I may end up bringing everyone to Greece, so that they are out of the house. I don’t like the idea of leaving my mother alone, or even with Nate there, if this guy isn’t caught by then.
Aron – Well, if you ever need anything from me, or my brother, you know we have your back.
Roxi – It's comforting to know that I do have so many people willing to have my back in a time of need.
Aron – Well, I’m pretty sure everyone knows you would do the same no matter who had a problem.
Roxi – I try my best.
Aron – Anyway, I don’t want to just put this guy back in your mind if you’ve had a few peaceful days.
Roxi – They're peaceful enough, but he is still out there, at least, nobody has told me anything.
Aron – Well you filed a police report, right?
Roxi – Yes, but the police can get busy, this is just an obsessed fan as much as I can tell.
{Aron seems confused by this statement.} Aron – It wasn’t just a burglar?
Roxi – No. He came to the Team Hero gym and tried to hide. And then he came to our signing, wanting a ton of things signed and taking a bunch of pictures. And then he followed me when I was walking Buster.
Aron – It sounds a lot more serious than just an obsessed fan, Roxi.
Roxi – I guess I just never imagined this happening is all.
Aron – Well, you are a superhero, right? I’m sure if he busted through that door you’d go full Batman on his ass.
{Roxi chuckles at this.} Roxi – Uh, something like that, maybe. Again, I hope it doesn’t come to that and we can get this resolved without anything happening.
Aron – Well, again, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. We can easily make arrangement for you.
Roxi – I know. I appreciate it.
Aron – Well, I don’t want to keep you, just... stay safe, and safe travels. We’ll see you when you get here. All of you if need be.
Roxi – Absolutely. Thanks Aron, I mean it. It means a lot to me.
Aron – That's what friends are for.
Roxi – I'll see you in Athens.
Aron – Take care.
{Roxi ends the facetime and goes back into the living room, sitting down with Keira and Nate again as the scene fades.}
{Finally settling in for the night, Roxi and Keira are watching TV, with Nate struggling to stay awake, as he rests against Roxi, and she casually runs her fingers through his hair. Roxi’s mother comes into the room and she sees Nate half asleep and comes over to him.} Elizabeth – I think it’s time for you to get in bed, young man.
Nate – I'm not tired.
Elizabeth – Oh, I know, I can see you’re wide awake. Come on.
{Elizabeth picks up Nate who is nearly passed out anyway as Roxi blows him a kiss. Nate tries, but yawns, blowing kisses to Roxi and Keira.} Roxi – Goodnight, Nate.
{Nate gives a wave as Roxi and Keira wave back and Elizabeth takes Nate into his room. Roxi turns to Keira and shrugs.} Roxi – I think we might want to follow suit.
Keira – Yeah, I suppose.
Roxi – It's just been –
{Roxi is interrupted by a loud bang at the front door. Her phone immediately brings the alert.} “Someone is at your front door.”
{Roxi nor Keira need to pull up the alert to see that it is the same man outside their door, and the loud bang is him, kicking in the door for all he’s worth. Roxi quickly goes to the bed room where Elizabeth is confused, Buster is barking, and Nate looks worried.} Nate – Mommy, what’s that noise?
Roxi – It’s okay, Baby. Stay in here, lock the door, and call the police.
Nate – Mommy?
{Elizabeth nods as Roxi walks away from the doorway, and she closes the door and locks it.} Nate – Gramma, what’s the matter?
Elizabeth – It's okay, Nate. Mommy and Mama will take care of it.
{In the living room, Roxi and Keira stand ready, as the large man kicks the door and finally it goes off the hinges and falls down. The large man, in his white hoodie, is there surgical mask over his face, and is brandishing a gun.} Man – I knew it! I found you!
Roxi – You need to leave.
Keira – Before you get hurt.
Man – NO! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU REJECTED ME!
{The man fires a shot into the air, going through the ceiling, and thankfully, no one is upstairs.} Man – You are supposed to accept me! I don’t have anything but TEAM HERO! AND NOW YOU HAVE TURNED ON ME!
Roxi – Look, I don’t know who you are, but do you really think this is the best way to go about this?
Keira – You clearly need some help.
Man – I TRIED! I TRIED AND YOU REJECTED ME! YOU DIDN’T SIGN MY STUFF! YOU PUSHED ME AWAY LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE!
Keira – We were trying to be nice.
Man – YOU ARE LIARS! But now... now I have everything I need! I found you! We can be together now! We should have always been together!
Roxi – This is not okay, and you know that.
Man – This is what I have to do! This is what YOU MADE ME DO! You have to be punished!
Keira – What?! We didn’t make you do anything! You tried to hide in our gym! You tried to get more than the allowed number of pictures and signings. You can’t just break the rules!
Man – YOU. LEFT ME. YOU ABANDONED ME. MY HEROES!
Roxi – Okay, stop, stop, listen to yourself. You feel like we let you down, right? If we did, I’m sorry. But you have to know, deep down, deep down that this isn’t right. This isn’t how you should be doing this. You broke into our house and your threatening us with a gun. All this is going to do is make sure you either wind up in jail, or in a mental hospital. We... we don’t even know your name.
Man – Because I’m nobody to you.
Keira – And if you do anything crazy... you’ll still be nobody. Think about it. We have normalized not giving the bad people in life the recognition they are after. If that’s what you’re after, you’re not going to get it.
Man – No! I will be FOREVER REMEMBERED! I WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY, ALONG WITH TEAM HERO! BECAUSE TONIGHT! TONIGHT... WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!
{From the corner of her eye, Roxi can spot the police, and what looks like a swat team forming up, and Roxi continues to hold her hand up, trying to keep the man at bay.} Roxi – You don’t want to do this....
Man – YES I DO!
{The man again aims his gun at Roxi and Keira prepares to step in front, but Trixie despite her age, leaps into action and bites the man on the arm. The gun drops to the floor and the SWAT team moves in, guns drawn and aimed at the man on the ground. Roxi pulls Trixie off of the man, as she softly barks. The man is surrounded and tries to make a move, but he is dog piled on and handcuffed. A SWAT person comes up to Roxi, taking off their helmet and mask as the man is lead away, revealing themselves to be... Amy Jo Smyth.} Roxi – AJ!
Amy Jo Smyth – Are you guys okay?
Keira – Yeah...
Roxi – … Thanks AJ.
Amy Jo Smyth – I told you I’d do anything I could. That was a bit of a rush, I have to say. Is anybody hurt?
Roxi – Nobody was upstairs, that was the only shot fired, thankfully.
Amy Jo Smyth – Well... they’re more than likely gonna need to question you guys about this, so just be prepared to make a statement.
Roxi – Of course. Again... thank you.
Amy Jo Smyth – Always.
{Roxi returns to the bedroom leading to Nate’s room where Buster is still loudly barking, checking on Nate and Elizabeth.} Roxi – Are you okay?
Nate – Mommy! Mama!
{Nate runs to Roxi, who hugs him tightly, Keira also right there.} Roxi – Don't worry baby, it’s over.
Elizabeth – Are you sure?
Roxi – He’s gone.
{The family share a group hug and the relief of the moment as the scene fades.}
{The next morning is a weird on, but the added stress is gone. Roxi walks outside with coffee in her hand, as Keira joins her.} Roxi – Weird, isn’t it?
Keira – Like I said, we took this for granted.
{Roxi and Keira hold each other, as Roxi’s phone goes off, Roxi looks down and sees the number. She quickly picks up.} Roxi – AJ?
Amy Jo Smyth - Just checking on you guys after last night.
Roxi – It's weird, but we’re okay.
Amy Jo Smyth – Well, I also have information after last night.
Roxi – Oh?
Amy Jo Smyth – Your stalker’s name was Nick, Nick Powers. And he is now dead.
Roxi – Wait, what?
Amy Jo Smyth – Hung himself in his cell last night. They found all the information on him and... Well... I think your alter ego needs to check it out.
Roxi – Oh?
Amy Jo Smyth – It's... something. I’ll text you the address.
Roxi – Alright.
Amy Jo Smyth – Sad story. Anyway, I don’t want to keep you. Just, when you can...
Roxi – I'll check it out.
Amy Jo Smyth – I'm just glad you’re okay.
Roxi – Thanks to you.
Keira – We owe you one.
Amy Jo Smyth – Yeah, you owe me a lot. I’m keeping score.
{AJ hangs up on that note as Roxi and Keira look at each other.} Keira – Do you even want to check this out?
Roxi – I'm not sure. Maybe it’s best left unseen.
Keira – AJ said we should, though.
Roxi – Maybe... to fully understand everything.
{Keira sighs and nods, and the two head inside to get into costume as the scene fades.}
{Later, the two arrive at the apartment of Nick Powers. There is still police caution tape up, but the apartment is all locked and the house is empty. However, the on the fire escape side, the window is open. Roxi and Keira move in and go through the window, and the smell overpowers them.} Roxi – Never want to smell that again.
Keira – You said it.
{The apartment is a total mess, with food containers and various bits of trash all over the place. Flies and roaches are everywhere, the putrid smell of rotting food and other thing mixed in. But it’s not just that, that catches Roxi and Keira’s attention.} Kiera – Look...
{Keira points to the wall in the back corner, and over the dilapidated couch, is a shrine to Team Hero. Various pictures of Roxi and Keira, some of them taken without them even noticing. Signed pictures, memorabilia, all of it there.} Keira – Good god...
{A closer inspection however reveals that Nick at some point began carving out their eyes, drawing frowny-faces on them or carving jagged lines into their faces, with the words “FAKE” and “FRAUD” and “LIAR” written on them. Roxi looks, sighing and lowering her head.} Roxi – Unreal.
Keira – We didn’t...
Roxi – In his mind... we did. And sometimes... that’s all it takes.
Keira – He really was crazy...
Roxi – This is what obsession looks like. Hopefully, we never see it again.
{The two take one last look at the shrine, before they depart, and the scene fades one last time.}
“You'll never be Superman. Because you have no idea what it means to be Superman. It's not about where you were born. Or what powers you have. Or what you wear on your chest. Its about what you do...Its about action."
- Superman (Infinite Crisis Vol 1 7)
It’s tough a lot of the time to deal with someone who has lost their grip on reality, and having to tell them the truth about the situation. Because the first thing you really have to stand up and tell them is “no”. You cannot reward or give into their behavior when they begin to become defensive and point the finger back at you. “You did THIS, so therefore, I should be able to do something similar.” It’s like arguing with a child. That's what dealing with someone who is obsessed and addicted is like. My own mother was addicted to alcohol. And that tore my family apart. My parents separated. My sister and I lost contact. An addiction doesn’t care about the bonds of a family, it doesn’t care about people’s lives. And an addict takes on those characteristics.
What Myra Rivers is doing now, is the textbook definitions of addiction and obsession. When it has this the grip on you like it does Myra, you begin to rationalize everything, and everyone who is actually trying to assist you, is made the enemy. Addicts will lie, they will manipulate and deceive people. Because they are all about getting what they want, and trying to make anyone denying them what they really want into the bad guy. Once that takes hold, every little thing will be a slight against them. And then, they resort to extreme measures if they don’t get what they want. It’s a classic case Myra has here, and it shows through in every word she has said.
You see, there’s nothing that I said last time that’s a lie. I didn’t make up facts about Myra’s constant speech about getting to the world championship and winning it. Go back to after Violent Conduct, and watch those episodes of Climax Control, and count how many times Myra Rivers stood in front of a camera and talked about being the World champion. It’s a dream, it’s what she’s striving for. It is ALL she is striving for. Go back and watch. Go back and listen. It’s the same.
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Now, did I do the same thing? Yes. Once. I asked, no, let’s take it one step further, I begged for a one-on-one match, for the championship against Amber Ryan. And then, I said, okay, I will earn that match, and that was after what I felt I had rightfully earned already. I defeated every single person put in front of me for 2 months. And then? I obviously hadn’t earned that because I then had to go into a Fatal Four-way match against 3 people who did not have the number of wins I had, and then my one-on-one match, got turned into a triple threat, based on that result.
And I lost that match.
You see how I had built up the wins, and then one match changed everything? I wanted what I felt I had earned. So, I challenged anybody, everybody to fight me and it got really quiet around SCW, except for Crystal, and Kat Jones. Those two people raised their hands and said “Yes, I will fight you.” And I respect them for that. A bunch of people in the peanut gallery had a lot to say, and then suddenly they were busy. Funny how that worked.
I wasn’t going to let that one match, be the one shot I got. Because it felt unfair. Unjust. It was as simple as that. Had I not gotten anything out of that, I would have felt slighted for... a little bit, yes. Who wouldn’t? But at the end of the day, I would have had to move on, earn it all over again. I just wanted what I felt I had earned.
And, had I lost at Blaze of Glory, I would have been at least known, I’d taken my shot, and lost. Life would have gone on, but you would have heard nothing about losing from me, simply, what I have always said, and continue to say, even with this championship on my shoulder.
“I am content, not satisfied. I want to get better.”
Because I am chasing something different than championships. I’m chasing the idea of perfection. Something I cannot hope to achieve. Yes, right now, I am content, I am not satisfied, and if anyone knows me, they would understand that it is a state of mind. I could literally have every single Bombshell’s championship in my hand right now, and I would not be satisfied with it. Not because I want all the championships. But because I want to be the best I possibly can be. And that doesn’t solely include inside the ring.
I want to be the best wife, the best mother, the best friend, the best PERSON, I could possibly be. And I chase after that every single day. And I know right now, that’s never going to happen. Sometime, somewhere, I will lose friends, I will make mistakes and I will screw something up that somebody will end up hating my guts for. Yet, I still try.
If I wanted to right now, I could say, I’m done in SCW. I could walk away and go somewhere else. I have already done everything but win a Blast from the Past Tournament and mixed tag titles. I am already in the Hall of Fame. I already have the most wins, I already have or had numerous other records in SCW. And I am not satisfied as a person.
But this is what you have to do, when you are dealing with someone who does not see the forest for the trees.
But this is strangely sounding like a debate now. Actually, not a debate, a debate tactic. And I walked right into it.
Myra cannot justify anything I said, and I sat here and justified my actions. Now, all Myra is really set on doing and did, was muddy the waters enough. Enough to where she doesn’t have to win; she just has to not lose. This whole deal is now “Let’s not talk about the bad things I did, let’s instead talk about the bad things you did.” That is classic addict behavior. Turn and point the finger, get defensive. Deflect and dodge.
I’ve dealt with it before. In my own family. So, I can see it coming and I know when someone tries to use it. I’ve heard the words and the same tired argument a lot. Nobody is perfect, but when you go out of your way to sound perfect, people can see through it. And being face to face with Myra, I heard that same tone, but I heard right at those moments, Myra Rivers was telling me, what she thought were all the right things.
As the old saying goes, I was born at night, but not last night.
That is something that Myra has been really good at for long time. Telling people what she thinks they want to hear and passing it off as how she really feels. I’m not stupid, I know when someone is manipulating me, and this entire thing has been one of those times. Myra Rivers is only really looking forward to facing me because if she won the title from Seleana, then the whole thing would feel anti-climactic and she wouldn’t feel like she really won the title. You know, because Seleana isn’t a former world champion or anything. It has to be a big challenge.
In the end, it doesn’t REALLY matter to her, she just wants the Bombshell’s championship. She’s just saying these things to make the win sound like she climbed a big mountain. I have respect for anyone, who managed to win this championship, because it takes a lot, and I mean, a lot of hard work and talent to win this championship given the level of competition. But in Myra Rivers misguided attempt to be noble, she has, of course, spit on anybody else who has won the championship that isn’t me, or Amber Ryan.
Again, this is how someone thinks and speaks when they don’t fully understand what this is about, and they just guess about what makes them sound the humblest. This is what Myra Rivers believes a true champion would say. She said on right there to my face that she was glad it was me, she was honored to face me. She wants to fight the biggest and the best, right? That’s what a good wrestler says, right? It is all exactly what she thinks she should say, but at the end of the day, none of that means anything. It’s empty and hollow. That’s the same language addicts and obsessives use. It’s the same language a DESPERATE person uses.
Because at the end of all of this, that’s what Myra Rivers is. And that’s by her own doing. She will not see herself as anything but a failure if she doesn’t walk out of Athens with this championship. Period. Cut and dry.
It may seem to Myra, and maybe to other people, that I’m being harsh. That I’m trying to bring her down and make her seem like she’s doing something she’s not. I have praised Myra plenty of times, I told her from the beginning when I won the Bombshell’s title that she would be right there to challenge me, because she is a top contender. But I have to call it like I see it. I have to be objective in what I see. I can praise Myra, but I also have to call attention to what is happening currently. It may seem like I’m being too rough, but the reality is, I’m trying to help her. I’m trying to tell her the truth, because maybe I’m the only one who is willing to tell her the truth. It’s not like I haven’t been in this position before. Throughout my career, people have turned on me, decided one day to start hating me and blamed me for every issue they’ve ever had. And then, I bring them back to reality. This is what I’m doing, yet again. I am trying to open her eyes to all that’s around her, and all that she has, instead of what she doesn’t have. Her eyes are so narrow and fixed on this championship that it’s not healthy.
Let me give a recent example of what I’ve been talking about.
And let me say all this before Myra stands in front of all you at Into the Void and offers a rebuttal to every single thing I say. Because I’ve seen that before too. I’m already going to give Myra the last word on this, so if she could spare all of us the monologue about how I am wrong for this reason or for that reason, it would be much appreciated.
Anyway...
You know, the NFL draft was just two weeks ago. And if you know anything about football, you know that you can be a low draft pick, or even undrafted, and still be able to play in the NFL and do well, and on the flip side, you can be a high draft pick and flame out. That’s just what happens. Sometimes the highly drafted guys pan out and do great, lots of times they don’t. But do you know what all of those kids have in common right now?
They get to play at the highest level.
They get to play against great players, hall of fame level players. You are playing at the professional level and you get the opportunity to shine on some really, really bright stages. It’s something I am sure every single person who ever got to that level, treasures. It’s an accomplishment in itself. Because I did the research and there’s pretty much 1900 players in the NFL on teams, at any given time. Think about for a second, how many players are TRYING to play in the NFL, and there’s only 1900 that can do it. That’s an elite group of people. That’s a special group of people.
And a lot of them, are in an out of the NFL in 3 years. That’s the average length of an NFL career. And with all that, someone like Myra Rivers comes along and says, it you don’t make it to the Super bowl and win, you must not be very good. Because that is what she has equated her career to. It’s been long, it’s been very successful. But rather than enjoying it, rather than seeing her career for what it is, she is now convinced that not winning this championship means she was never at the professional level. Not world title material.
And that, is not only ridiculous, it’s borderline offensive.
Not everybody gets to the where I am, or Myra Rivers is. It’s not a right, it’s a privilege to get to do what we do at the level we get to do it at, and that’s why my biggest battles are with myself, striving to get better. The number of championships I have won are a testament to my work. But there’s many championships I never won, and things I never accomplished. That’s where you come to a choice you have to make. Are you going to let those things you didn’t do, be your legacy? Or will your legacy be about what you did do?
Myra has obviously chosen the former. She has defined herself as the woman who “can’t win the big one.” No one else is saying that about her. So, for her, there is invisible group of naysayers. And so, this is about one thing, and one thing only. Win or go home.
And it puts me in the position to send Myra home empty handed. Not because I take pleasure in seeing her fail. Not because I’m trying to ruin her legacy. But because I earned this championship, and I’m not about to let someone come in and take it from me, because they feel like they have no other option. I want to feel bad for Myra, having come so close and be it bad luck or something else, it doesn’t happen. But I really can’t when it’s all I have heard about for close to a year. Do you think any pro athlete wants to hear all the time that they didn’t win the big one? Do you think that anyone wants to be reminded of their failures? And vice-versa, would any of you want to hear from any pro athlete you hear speaking that didn’t win a championship, is that they didn’t win a championship? That’s all I heard about from Myra Rivers, and at this point, I cannot feel bad, because it’s what Myra has used to define her own career.
There’s a lot of other accomplishments Myra can feel great about. She has won a lot more matches than pretty much half the roster in the Bombshell’s division for the past year. She’s won multiple championships. She has a lot to be very proud of. But instead, she focuses on the negatives.
At Into the Void, I’m going to beat Myra Rivers, and retain this championship, and Myra can hopefully actually be proud of this accomplishment. Hopefully, we can have a great match, one that she can show people and say “I did that.” But I refuse to let this be Myra’s crowning moment, just because she thinks she deserves it for coming up short before.
Myra told me to my face she’d be okay with that result.
At Into the Void, we’re going to put it to the test. I am tired of having smoke blown up my ass, I’m tired of the walking back of ridiculous notions and I’m tired of the excuses. There will be no excuses when I beat Myra Rivers at Into the Void.
Only, that she was beaten by a better wrestler. Period.
And I will do my damnedest to cure this obsession.
I will see you all there,
And I will see you there as well, Myra.