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Sunday Bloody Sunday
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Static..
Fade in PWR logo...
Fade up..
Nothing more than darkness and the rustling sounds of leaves.
Shane Douglas : .. oh ho.. it's been far too long...
The darkness is removed, as if the lens cap being taken off the camera and Shane Douglas is visible. He stares into the camera, bandage still over his forehead from ECW's last show. He grins and the camera pulls back to show he's outside, the middle of a fairly rich looking city. He tilts his head to one side and his grin gets bigger.
Shane Douglas : Welcome home Rob.. welcome home to Battle Creek. The place that you were born and bred.. a place full of rich snobs and arrogant jackasses. It's quite obvious to me that this was the perfect place for you. Either that.. or you were just so pathetic that it took you in and made you one of their own.
Douglas rubs his chin as he continues gazing into the camera.
Shane Douglas : Ya know Rob.. it's been a long time comin'.. this match between you and I. Hardly ever in the same place at the same time.. yet I can't stand you and you can't stand me. But Rob, i'm not looking at this as a chance for revenge. Because quite frankly, you've really never done me any wrong. I mean, aside from basically mimicking The Franchise in every way possible, but no.. no wrong has ever been committed against me. Here's the thing Robby.. you, you've been on top. Longest ECW Television Champion EVER, I applaude you.. I applaude what you've done. What I don't applaude is you not realizing that your time is up.
Douglas laughs.
Shane Douglas : You've had your moment.. you've had your "fifteen minutes", hell you had more than that every Friday Night.. wasting everyone's time with your pointless rants. Rob, there comes a time in every man's life when he needs to realize that his time was up five years ago. There comes a time when that man needs to move aside, needs to step back and say, "Hey, this other guy's going places. I should let him shine." BUT I NEVER GOT THAT!! And because I didn't get my time to shine, I had to go to the lower league, I had to go to ECW and TAKE my time. I had to embarrass myself and claim to be the best at the same time. Because of people like you.. like Shawn Michaels.. like Ric Flair.
The once cocky smile of Douglas is now a very stern stare into the camera.
Shane Douglas : Gone are the days of people taking up half the show with a fuckin' promo. Gone are the days of people taking up half the show, crying about not getting their way. The sport of professional wrestling died when Vince McMahon buried ECW.. it died when competition ended. And you, there you stoof at the forefront, soaking in the cheers of fans who the day before, didn't even know who the fuck you were.
Douglas rolls up the sleeves of his expensive looking dress shirt and tucks his necklace in.
Shane Douglas : The Network is about REVIVING the sport. The Network is about bringing back the importance of straight up competition. The Network is about bringing the death of sports-entertainment to the world. We weren't chosen.. we weren't asked.. we are the only men that took the initiative to do take on such a high task. Rhino,Perry,John, and myself are the only men that CAN accomplish such a feat. With the state that wrestling has been in.. with the same people on top that were on top five years ago. NOTHING'S CHANGED!!.. It's still Rob Van Dam.. it's still Raven.. it's the same names that brought down the business. The same names that people were sick of seeing with the title.
The smirk returns as he lets out a chuckle.
Shane Douglas : Ya know it's amazing.. here I am, The Franchise Shane Douglas, older than you Rob.. yet I never got my time. I never got to hold the big one in the big leagues. I was always the biggest fish in the smallest pond. And everyday of my life.. from the closing of ECW 'til that day in Extreme Championship Entertainment.. everyone would stop me on the street and say, "Hey Franchise, when ya gonna get a shot?".. "Yo Shane, I can't believe they're holding you down again."..
The wind gusts as Shane's smirk once again disappears.
Shane Douglas : You can call me an old man.. you can call me a hypocrite. But you better just recognize that I speak the truth. More than the world title.. more than the hatred I have for you, is the disgust I hold for the way this business is portrayed. Since no one else will... no one else has the balls to step up. The Franchise has taken it upon himself to TAKE BACK the business. And if I have to win the world title again, then so be it. If I have to go through you, so be it. Rob you're getting The Franchise at his best. You're getting The Franchise is a more clear state of mind than perhaps ever before.
Shane cracks his knuckles, his eyes still haven't moved from the camera.
Shane Douglas : Don't get me wrong Rob, i'll give credit where credit's due. But you lack one important thing. And it's the one thing you've been seeking since your tv title.
The camera suddenly zooms in on Shane's face.
Shane Douglas : ...acceptance.
What the hell? The camera pulls back as Douglas laughs.
Shane Douglas : You heard me. You want acceptance. From your peers.. from the fans... from the internet.. from everywhere and after that twenty-three month reign.. after countless "classics".. you STILL don't have it. Ten years from now, you want people to remember RVD as a top performer.. as one of the greatest champions ever.. but as of right now, you know they won't. They'll mention guys like Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero before they say your name. Ya know why? Ya know why that is Rob?.. Because you did it to yourself. Because THEY won the big one.
Douglas scoffs.
Shane Douglas : But I guess.. I guess I wish I was like you. I guess I do wish that I took the easy way. Instead of busting my ass for years and years like I did.. just think.. I could've been like Triple H and slept with Stephanie McMahon.. and Dean Douglas would've been runnin' wild over the World Wrestling Federation.
Douglas rubs his head, the stitches still there and perhaps getting a little irritating.
Shane Douglas : But here's the thing Rob.. while you're goin' on and on about Raven.. while you're wasting your breath on Muhammad Hassan.. you're forgetting about The Franchise. And yes, I know ya been in all these crazyass matches a bunch've times.. whip de doo. But were you ever close to ending a man's LIFE?
What the hell is Shane on about now?
Shane Douglas : Ask Gary Wolfe about me Rob... ask him what I can do. Ask Sabu.. ask Terry Funk... ask Raven.. some of the most "hardcore" of names... and they'll all tell ya the same thing. They'll all yell ya that The Franchise is as good as he says he is.. and maybe, just maybe even a little better.
The air gets colder and Shane just smiles. He looks around, RVD's hometown, so quiet and peaceful, not a soul outside.
Shane Douglas : Bring your best Rob...And everyoneelse in this battleroyal.. bring every last ounce of strength you've got.. bring every last ounce of hunger for your job. Because unlike the twenty-three month title reign.. this match.. haha... this match has one hell of a roadblock in front.. and that's THE FRANCHISE!!...
The wind blows harder as Douglas turns and begins walking away. The scene slowly begins to fade as Douglas' laughter can be heard.
Fade out picture...
Fade up ECE logo..
Static...
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