Posted by NPW on 9/3/2003, 9:33 pm [Canadian Rating : 14+] WARNING : THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM CONTAINS SCENES OF VIOLENCE, COARSE LANGUAGE AND ADULT SITUATIONS. PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED. [There's a surprisingly respectful cheer in the Japanese crowd for the ex-CAL World champion, even if he is just sitting behind a desk right now, looking at some paperwork with a heavy frown. Shaking his head slightly, he lifts a mug of coffee to his mouth and murmurs something before sipping it.] CARNAGE [to himself] : What the hell are you doing, Bishop.... ? VOICE OF ANGELINA BISHOP [off-camera] : Is that any way to greet someone, Samuel? [The camera turns to the form of Angelina Bishop, dressed in a professional-looking business suit that accents her "curves" nicely. On her face is a pair of fashionable black-framed glasses she probably doesn't need, and she smiles from the doorway. The Japanese crowd makes some noise - both good and bad, yet subdued.] CARNAGE [looking up] : Oh. Sorry, didn't see you there. Come in - and my name is Sam. Only my brother calls me Samuel, and I don't need someone else making it a habit, thanks. [Sam motions to the papers in front of him as Angelina comes into the room... and is followed in by identical twin sisters, who's presence makes the Tokyo crowd come alive. Looking at the two young women a moment, Sam turns his attnetion back to Angelina once more.] CARNAGE : I see you've re-hired the Kurosawa sisters. BISHOP : I never fired them. Yuki, Mariko - this is Sam Carnage, the NPW President. CARNAGE : Turner, actually. Sam Turner will do just fine, Angelina. Hello, ladies. [The Kurosawa sisters smile, but say nothing, flanking their employer.] CARNAGE : Expecting some kind of trouble, Angelina? BISHOP : You never can be too careful, Sam. NPW's a dangerous place, after all. History proves that things get a little tense when the November Pain pay-per-view begins to loom on the horizon. [Bishop points at the documents before Sam.] Of course, we've got The Commissioner's Invitational in three weeks first, haven't we? CARNAGE : So I've been reading. You must be high as a kite, what with your own pay-per-view and all. BISHOP : Being NPW Commissioner has it's advantages, yes - and this is one of the perks I like best. But I heard you speak when I was coming in... is there a problem with my outline? CARNAGE : Well, frankly, yes there is. I realize that it basically states that the Commissioner chooses not only the matches, but who actually gets invited from the roster - but this is a rather interesting interpretation of the thing, if you ask me. BISHOP : Is it? I do all the booking here anyhow. What difference does it make who comes and who doesn't? CARNAGE : You do a good job booking the matches, Angelina - I won't deny that. You've always been good at picking up on friction between competitors, and setting the matches up. But this outline? [Carnage holds it up, and flops it on the table.] Everyone you're considering inviting here are fine - but there's a lot of people you're not inviting that our fans want to see. You can't have an NPW pay-per-view without a Direwolf or a Calvin Astroth. BISHOP : I can book a pay-per-view without a Direwolf or an Astroth, actually. Or a Rob Brimstone, for that matter. This isn't a who's-friends-with-Angelina-Bishop event, Sam - it's not about who's on my side and who isn't. Give me a little credit : it's not like I've held back Direwolf, as an example, and as an individual, he's distasteful at best to me. It's about what's good for the company... and NPW can't rely on the "Alpha Males" and "Paranoid Geniuses" of the world forever, when there's much younger talent on the roster that deserves to be pushed upwards and given their due. National Pro Wrestling has headed global, and we need to offer up the next wave of talent to keep the ball rolling into the next decade. The Commissioner's Invitational reflects that move. I've levelled the playing field for everyone in this company, and given the young lions of the roster their chance. CARNAGE : Is that why you had Blatts refuse to count down McNulty, and lost the NPW championship for Rob Brimstone last week? BISHOP [smiling slightly] : I don't recall saying a word to Blatts, Sam. That being said, NPW is global now, and global positioning means a required push to ratings. A push to ratings means talent the people want to see - and Rob Brimstone doesn't fit that mold as NPW champion. CARNAGE [with great distaste] : You're talking about sports entertainment. And you're talking about it to the wrong guy. BISHOP [sitting on the edge of his desk] : I realize that you were a wrestler, Sam, and a very good one, at that. But there's something you've never been able to adjust to, and that's the behind-the-curtains aspect of this business. It's changing - it's always changing. And what people want is more flash, more glam, more story, and more pinache : they want wrestling to be the next big thing worldwide in sports. And that means marketing it the way they want to see it - as an entertainment first, and a sport second. As a wrestler, it's in your nature to be opposed to it... and I'm sorry to say that while your diligent work and dedication has made our "World Tour" possible, wrestling as an industry has passed you by. Being "old school" isn't as cool as it sounds - especially when sweeping changes are afoot. CARNAGE : There's our fundamental difference, Angelina - you want entertainment first and sports second, when it should always be the other way around. And while I'm all for highlighting our younger, less-spotlighted talent, let's not forget that Robert Brigmon is still in his mid-twenties - and that you can't run NPW without using your "old-school" talent. Direwolf, Astroth, Brimstone... these guys built this place, and every one of them can still get the job done night after night. Don't try and throw the baby out with the bathwater when your "sweeping changes" come into play, because I'm not going to let that happen. [Carnage pauses.] You know, Direwolf's right about you, in a lot of ways. No matter how much you do for this company, it's still a lot about you, isn't it? BISHOP : Direwolf says a lot of things, Sam, and most of them are outdated cock jokes these days. And is it about me in some ways? Well... of course it is, Sam. Are you saying that when you were wrestling, it wasn't about you? Are you telling me that the famed "Iceman" Sam Carnage wasn't a glory hound in his own right? That John "Direwolf" Pintha isn't one? CARNAGE [smiling slightly] : Touche. There's a difference though, you know. BISHOP : Is there? Do tell. CARNAGE : Direwolf is a wrestler. It's supposed to be about him. BISHOP [sighing] : I'll remember that - that it's about the talent, and not anyone else who doesn't get in the ring - the next time we meet with Regan Mace. I'm not sure she'll agree with you, considering her own time managing the Untouchables. CARNAGE : Well. We'll see next week, I think. I'm calling a meeting for the three of us : if this company's going to put the glitz before the product, then there's something wrong - and Regan's going to have to set one of us straight. I don't know if I can continue to lead the financial direction of a company I don't believe in. BISHOP : I remain unabashed in my position that a large wrestling promotion must be marketed correctly, Sam... and if that makes me the "bad guy" people always want to make me out as, then so be it. I believe in NPW's future - and you're stuck in it's past. [Angelina rises from the edge of the desk, smoothing her suit.] BISHOP : Well, until next week, Sam - we can go over the outline for my pay-per-view then. CARNAGE : Sure. [He watches Angelina move to the door with her two bodyguards in tow.] Angelina? BISHOP [turning] : Yes? CARNAGE : I don't think this is all going to end very well. [Bishop nods, her smile fading into one that seems a little sad.] BISHOP : I imagine not. But take comfort, Sam - even if it doesn't end well... it's still great entertainment. [Bishop turns, leaving Carnage in his wake as the door closes. A moment later, Carnage - who somehow seems diminished in his role backstage - sighs deeply and returns to his work.] [The scene fades....]
64.231.207.63
[Click.]
[Backstage : the office of Sam Carnage, NPW President.]
[The old NPW logo comes slowly up from black. After a moment, it begins to crumble - before falling to dust. In the silence, a flame shoots to life from the ashes - and the cry of a bird of prey screeches out, as a phoenix rises. The "new" NPW logo lifts up underneath it as it spreads it's fiery wings, the mythical bird screeching again, and the words NATIONAL PRO WRESTLING fill the screen beneath it... as the new Firefight theme begins!]
