Post by Hammerstein on May 28, 2017 21:07:00 GMT
Pressure.
Hammerstein's head throbbed from the pressure he felt from the wound received earlier in the night. Bouncing his head off the corner of the steel ring steps opened a gash above his left eye that took nineteen stitches to close. The remaining ten to fifteen minutes of the match (he couldn't remember which) was fuzzy. He couldn't remember who won the match, but he remembered who didn't.
I didn’t, he reminds himself unnecessarily. Two matches in one night, and I didn't win either one.
Pressure.
No sooner than the Seattle Pro Wrestling trainer had finished stitching the gash over Hammerstein’s eye, the wrestler was rushing to get on a chartered jet to fly to Glendale, Arizona to fight in the Elite Cup Tournament. Hammerstein held his own, even showing more of the aerial and higher speed offense he showed earlier in Seattle. But, weakened somewhat by the blood loss and the beating received earlier, he fell prey to his opponent's finisher. He made no excuses for the loss, conceding that he lost to the superior wrestler, but the feeling that, because he was at less than one hundred percent, he had robbed his fans, and more so his opponent, of his best effort. But Hammerstein had no time to lament over his performance.
Pressure.
A handshake to the tournament officials, a few autographs and photos with fans, then it's back to the airport and a quick flight to John Wayne Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California. Hammerstein steps off the chartered jet and into the waiting arms of his wife, Holly.
My God, Hammie, you look terrible! Holly exclaims, feigning shock.
I love you, too, baby,Hammerstein replies, giving her a soft, yet passionate kiss.
Holly takes her husband by the hand and leads him to the car that whisks them to their hotel in Los Angeles.
Pressure.
Hammerstein sits on the edge of his side of the bed.
I don't care, Holly! I know he’s yo brother, but I won't make nice wit someone who applauds someone who attacks a damn announcer. And I sho as hell ain't gonna hug it out wit a dude who cheers for a guy dat injures one of my best friends, maybe even puttin her outta da sport fo good.
Holly scoots herself across to Hammerstein's side of the bed, wrapped in a blanket. She lays her head on his shoulder.
C’mon, Hammie, Little Haruto needs his Uncle Hammie to play with and the twins will need their Uncle Hammie to give them raspberries and to give them a target for when they spit up.
With that, Holly pokes Hammerstein in the side. He's having none of it, though, as he stands up and walks over to the balcony door.
I'm not jokin round, Holly. Yo brother’s a piece a shit.
Holly get up and walks over to Hammerstein, who is holding his head in obvious pain.
Look, sweetie, I haven't said anything, because I don't want to pressure you, but seeing Haruto, and seeing Charlie just...just glowing carrying the twins, I want to start a family. I don't want us to just be known as Aunt Holly and Uncle Hammie. I want us to be called Mommy and Daddy.
Hammerstein turns to his wife, his anger melting away. He takes Holly into his arms. Holly looks into his eyes.
But, until that happens, I want us to be get as much practice as possible, and the only way that's gonna happen is if we have a closer relationship with Charlie and Haruto…..and my brother.
You'd better get some sleep, lover. You got a big Super Falcon Cup Tournament match comin up.
Pressure.
Holly takes his hand in hers.
Ya know, you don't have to go directly to sleep, though. We can work on that family we were talking about.
No pressure.
**********
Located in the Hollywood Hills, west of the famed Hollywood Bowl, Runyon Canyon Park is a great trail to run on. Hammerstein constantly searches out scenic running trails to work on building endurance and this trail has been his go-to everytime he’s in the Los Angeles area.
After about twenty-five minutes of running, Hammerstein’s body is screaming for him to stop. His calves and quadriceps burn. His lungs feel like they're being twisted inside his chest. The wound above his left eye stings from the sweat seeping between the stitches and throbs from the pounding of his heartbeat. He removes the backpack he wears for added resistance and sits down on a rock. As soon as he sits down a voice pops into his head.
You can't do this,he thinks to himself. You can't win this tournament. You're not good enough. The only reason you made it out of the first round is because Diaz made the challenge and you answered it. And even then, you didn't really beat that clown, he got counted out. How do you think you'll beat Rydell, someone with real talent? Easy answer, fatboy….you can't!
Hammerstein shakes himself from his internal demotivational speech. He pulls a bottle of water from his pack, takes a drink, then pours the rest over his head. He pulls on the backpack and, forgoing the trail, begins climbing the hill straightaway.
**********
Sunday May 28th 2017
The Labyrinth
Los Angeles, California
Hammerstein sits on the ring apron, his arms resting on the bottom rope. There's a smile on his face but focus in his eyes.
Ya know, dere's alotta folks don't tink I should still be in dis tournament.
And, well, dey kinda have a point. I mean, Corey Cruelty did beat me, but not witout da help of dat donkeytickler Sam Washington.
Dat coulda been da end of it, except dat asshat Diaz sent in da clowns ta take out Helena Noir. After dat, Diaz lays out da challenge, and I saw a second chance.
So I took it.
And dat big ass clown whooped my ass. I knew he had me beat. I knew if he went ta pin me, dey wouldn't be no kickout.
Den Da Everday Heroes came out, and big clown dude went out ta fight dem, and got counted out.
So in one night I'm in da tournament, den out da tournament, den back in da tournament. And Corey moaned and groaned and bitches and whined cause he couldn't get rid a me. And Diaz groped and whined cause his dumb ass let me back in.
So I move on ta round dos….and I get ta go up against Kenzie Rydell. Dis gonna be my biggest challenge in dis Super Falcon Cup Tournament ting yet.
Why? ya might ask. I mean I got a half foot height advantage and a hundred pound plus weight advantage. But bein taller means I got da higher center of gravity, which also means I can get knocked down easier. Da weight advantage is a disadvantage cause, even tho I'm alot faster dan I've been since I started my career, she still gonna run circles round my chunky butt.
Dose are both big problems. But da biggest problem is dat Kenzie Rydell is a really nice person. She follow da rules and does da right ting, just like I always try ta do. See I'm at my best when I'm fightin wit a chip on my shoulder, when I got a motivation ta fight against my opponent. But against Kenzie, I'ma have ta wrestle, not fight.
So, Kenzie, here's da deal. I'ma take all da negativity dat da Corey Crueltys and da Carlos Diazes of dis sport have towards me, and I'ma ball it all up inta a chip size ting, and I'ma put it right here on my shoulder. And when we hit da ring, we gonna both go all out. I'ma fight ya, cleanly, as hard as I can. I'ma do all I can ta either pin ya, make ya tap, or just flat knock ya out, but not cause I don't like ya. Cause I do like ya, Kenzie. You one of da good guys, er girls…..you one of da good people in dis sport. I'ma go all out ta legally beat ya to prove to da Corey Crueltys and Carlos Diazes of GoL and da rest of dis sport dat if ya beat Hammerstein once, ya better not give him anudder chance.
Hammerstein's head throbbed from the pressure he felt from the wound received earlier in the night. Bouncing his head off the corner of the steel ring steps opened a gash above his left eye that took nineteen stitches to close. The remaining ten to fifteen minutes of the match (he couldn't remember which) was fuzzy. He couldn't remember who won the match, but he remembered who didn't.
I didn’t, he reminds himself unnecessarily. Two matches in one night, and I didn't win either one.
Pressure.
No sooner than the Seattle Pro Wrestling trainer had finished stitching the gash over Hammerstein’s eye, the wrestler was rushing to get on a chartered jet to fly to Glendale, Arizona to fight in the Elite Cup Tournament. Hammerstein held his own, even showing more of the aerial and higher speed offense he showed earlier in Seattle. But, weakened somewhat by the blood loss and the beating received earlier, he fell prey to his opponent's finisher. He made no excuses for the loss, conceding that he lost to the superior wrestler, but the feeling that, because he was at less than one hundred percent, he had robbed his fans, and more so his opponent, of his best effort. But Hammerstein had no time to lament over his performance.
Pressure.
A handshake to the tournament officials, a few autographs and photos with fans, then it's back to the airport and a quick flight to John Wayne Orange County Airport in Santa Ana, California. Hammerstein steps off the chartered jet and into the waiting arms of his wife, Holly.
My God, Hammie, you look terrible! Holly exclaims, feigning shock.
I love you, too, baby,Hammerstein replies, giving her a soft, yet passionate kiss.
Holly takes her husband by the hand and leads him to the car that whisks them to their hotel in Los Angeles.
Pressure.
Hammerstein sits on the edge of his side of the bed.
I don't care, Holly! I know he’s yo brother, but I won't make nice wit someone who applauds someone who attacks a damn announcer. And I sho as hell ain't gonna hug it out wit a dude who cheers for a guy dat injures one of my best friends, maybe even puttin her outta da sport fo good.
Holly scoots herself across to Hammerstein's side of the bed, wrapped in a blanket. She lays her head on his shoulder.
C’mon, Hammie, Little Haruto needs his Uncle Hammie to play with and the twins will need their Uncle Hammie to give them raspberries and to give them a target for when they spit up.
With that, Holly pokes Hammerstein in the side. He's having none of it, though, as he stands up and walks over to the balcony door.
I'm not jokin round, Holly. Yo brother’s a piece a shit.
Holly get up and walks over to Hammerstein, who is holding his head in obvious pain.
Look, sweetie, I haven't said anything, because I don't want to pressure you, but seeing Haruto, and seeing Charlie just...just glowing carrying the twins, I want to start a family. I don't want us to just be known as Aunt Holly and Uncle Hammie. I want us to be called Mommy and Daddy.
Hammerstein turns to his wife, his anger melting away. He takes Holly into his arms. Holly looks into his eyes.
But, until that happens, I want us to be get as much practice as possible, and the only way that's gonna happen is if we have a closer relationship with Charlie and Haruto…..and my brother.
You'd better get some sleep, lover. You got a big Super Falcon Cup Tournament match comin up.
Pressure.
Holly takes his hand in hers.
Ya know, you don't have to go directly to sleep, though. We can work on that family we were talking about.
No pressure.
**********
Located in the Hollywood Hills, west of the famed Hollywood Bowl, Runyon Canyon Park is a great trail to run on. Hammerstein constantly searches out scenic running trails to work on building endurance and this trail has been his go-to everytime he’s in the Los Angeles area.
After about twenty-five minutes of running, Hammerstein’s body is screaming for him to stop. His calves and quadriceps burn. His lungs feel like they're being twisted inside his chest. The wound above his left eye stings from the sweat seeping between the stitches and throbs from the pounding of his heartbeat. He removes the backpack he wears for added resistance and sits down on a rock. As soon as he sits down a voice pops into his head.
You can't do this,he thinks to himself. You can't win this tournament. You're not good enough. The only reason you made it out of the first round is because Diaz made the challenge and you answered it. And even then, you didn't really beat that clown, he got counted out. How do you think you'll beat Rydell, someone with real talent? Easy answer, fatboy….you can't!
Hammerstein shakes himself from his internal demotivational speech. He pulls a bottle of water from his pack, takes a drink, then pours the rest over his head. He pulls on the backpack and, forgoing the trail, begins climbing the hill straightaway.
**********
Sunday May 28th 2017
The Labyrinth
Los Angeles, California
Hammerstein sits on the ring apron, his arms resting on the bottom rope. There's a smile on his face but focus in his eyes.
Ya know, dere's alotta folks don't tink I should still be in dis tournament.
And, well, dey kinda have a point. I mean, Corey Cruelty did beat me, but not witout da help of dat donkeytickler Sam Washington.
Dat coulda been da end of it, except dat asshat Diaz sent in da clowns ta take out Helena Noir. After dat, Diaz lays out da challenge, and I saw a second chance.
So I took it.
And dat big ass clown whooped my ass. I knew he had me beat. I knew if he went ta pin me, dey wouldn't be no kickout.
Den Da Everday Heroes came out, and big clown dude went out ta fight dem, and got counted out.
So in one night I'm in da tournament, den out da tournament, den back in da tournament. And Corey moaned and groaned and bitches and whined cause he couldn't get rid a me. And Diaz groped and whined cause his dumb ass let me back in.
So I move on ta round dos….and I get ta go up against Kenzie Rydell. Dis gonna be my biggest challenge in dis Super Falcon Cup Tournament ting yet.
Why? ya might ask. I mean I got a half foot height advantage and a hundred pound plus weight advantage. But bein taller means I got da higher center of gravity, which also means I can get knocked down easier. Da weight advantage is a disadvantage cause, even tho I'm alot faster dan I've been since I started my career, she still gonna run circles round my chunky butt.
Dose are both big problems. But da biggest problem is dat Kenzie Rydell is a really nice person. She follow da rules and does da right ting, just like I always try ta do. See I'm at my best when I'm fightin wit a chip on my shoulder, when I got a motivation ta fight against my opponent. But against Kenzie, I'ma have ta wrestle, not fight.
So, Kenzie, here's da deal. I'ma take all da negativity dat da Corey Crueltys and da Carlos Diazes of dis sport have towards me, and I'ma ball it all up inta a chip size ting, and I'ma put it right here on my shoulder. And when we hit da ring, we gonna both go all out. I'ma fight ya, cleanly, as hard as I can. I'ma do all I can ta either pin ya, make ya tap, or just flat knock ya out, but not cause I don't like ya. Cause I do like ya, Kenzie. You one of da good guys, er girls…..you one of da good people in dis sport. I'ma go all out ta legally beat ya to prove to da Corey Crueltys and Carlos Diazes of GoL and da rest of dis sport dat if ya beat Hammerstein once, ya better not give him anudder chance.