Post by Eli Goode on Jul 31, 2022 21:27:05 GMT -5
“That was a lose I didn’t need, but it was a match that I didn’t expect. I was a little cocky, sure, but at the end of the day, it’s just another match. What really irked me was what the Stratford’s did to Amber Payne. Stephen won, but both of the Stratford’s decided to attack Amber. Amber… No, Eli, not the same Amber. Just, the Stratford’s crossed a line. When you can see one of your opponents is defeated, you have to leave the ring, but they didn’t. I couldn’t stand it. However, did I start a war? Did I start a fight I may not win?
No, Eli, don’t start casting doubt in your mind. You know better than that. You know better than to just insert yourself into a random situation. Stephen needed to know that he couldn’t push someone around. The Stratfords needed to know that someone wasn’t going to stand-by with their bullshit. But, this could all backfire. Everything that I’ve worked hard for could blow up in my face. Should I be smarter about this?
I need to get out of my own head. I need to focus on doing what is right. I just don’t know what the future will hold between me and the Stratfords, but I do know this: if they get in my way, I will not hesitate to make them wish they didn’t.”
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Off-Camera
Eli Goode sits in his living room with Katie laying her head on his shoulder. Her son, Will, sits on the floor as the three of them watch a movie together. Eli tries to keep his focus on the movie, but he constantly thinks about what the Stratfords did to Amber Payne. He tries to keep his attention on the television, but he can go back to what he did to the Stratfords. He takes a deep breath and stands up from the couch. Katie looks at him as he walks away from the living room.
He walks into the restroom and closes the door behind him. He looks in the mirror and thinks about all of the scenarios that could lead to more fights from the Stratfords. He turns on the water faucet, and he tries to focus on the water running out of the faucet. He places his hand in the sink and splashes some water in his face. He keeps seeing flashes of that moment in his head. He sees the Stratfords attacking Amber Payne.
He looks at himself in the mirror and sees a broken version of himself. He jumps back and accidentally falls down. He creates a loud thud and falls on his formerly broken arm. He picks himself up and holds his arm in slight pain. He hears footsteps grow closer as Katie quickly opens the door and stares at Eli. He sits on the edge of the bathtub while he holds his arm. She walks over to him and slightly places her hand on his arm. She looks up at him and sighs.
“Eli, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had a small tumble. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“No, I mean from earlier. I could tell you weren’t feeling great, but I didn’t realize you’d fall down. What’s going on?”
Eli looks away from her and tries to avoid the question. She looks down at the arm and tries to release any pressure from his arm. He looks away from her trying to ignore any thoughts of getting hurt from the Stratfords, but he finally relents and talks to her.
“I’ve just been thinking about what happened at EXP.”
“Your loss?”
“No, I’ve just been thinking about what I did for Amber Payne. How I tried to break up what the Stratfords were doing to her. I’ve just been thinking about what the repercussions would be for doing that. I’ve broken my arm once, and I don’t want that to happen again. Especially not in the great circumstances that I’m in now. I don’t want to break what I’m currently in.”
Katie stands up and sits next to Eli. She wraps her arm around Eli’s arm and places her head on his shoulder. The two sit for a short second and just enjoy their company with each other. Katie looks up to Eli.
“Eli, you helped Amber the best you could. Look, I don’t know what’s going through the Stratfords’ heads, but I do know that what you did was right. You were able to put your needs behind you, and you proved that you were better than both of them. I know that you’re worried about what they might do to you, but you need to know that it doesn’t matter what they do to you. What matters is that you’ll be able to prove that you have better morals than them.”
Eli looks down at his arm and smiles. He places his hand on hers and looks at her. He smiles and kisses her on her forehead. He chuckles and looks back at the mirror. The smile slowly fades away as he sees the broken reflection again. He sees his arm broken again and blood on his face. His eye is swollen and scars cover his face. He grips Katie’s hand tighter but tries to keep his fear to himself.
Katie looks up at him and sees the slight fear on his face. She looks at the mirror and only sees their reflection. She keeps her hand in his trying to reassure him that he is going to be alright but deep down, she knows that there is only so much that she can do. She hears Will slightly cry out to her. She lets go of Eli’s hand and walks out of the bathroom. She looks back at him, but she has to get to her son.
Eli continues to look at the mirror at his reflection. He takes a deep breath thinking about what his future might be if he keeps interfering in the Stratfords’ affairs. He just hopes that nothing bad happens to him.
-----
On-Camera
“Life is interesting. There are many things that happen that make you question if what you’re doing is right. You could do a good thing for someone, but it just makes you question what the future will hold for you. It makes you think if you should watch your back, and that’s what I’m doing now. I’m having to watch my back. Not just because I’m the Courage Champion, but because I tried to help Amber Payne.
I know the Stratfords. I don’t know them personally, but I know people like them. I know people that are willing to do whatever they want to get what they want. At EXP 28, they thought the perfect way to get ahead was to attack Amber Payne after the match. I tried to do what was right, but now, I know that the Stratfords are going to try and send me a message. However, they’re not going to get in my head. I’m not going to let them get in my head. No, I’m going to stay calm, and I’m going to move forward.
Moving forward means I have to focus on my next opponent: Jason Ryan. Unlike Shane Donovan, I’m prepared for you Jason. I’m not going to be brash. I’m not going to lose focus. I’m going to be calm and measured. I’m going to make sure that I win this match. Look, Jason, there have been many times where I’ve questioned who I’m going up against, but I’m not doing that this time.
You wanna know why? It’s because I don’t need to question someone like you. I see someone like you, and I don’t see someone on my level. I see a man that wants to be on my level. Look, you came into LevelUp hoping to be a champion in your first few months. You came expecting people to take you seriously, but you must realize that I’m the Courage Champion. I’m someone willing to put his body on the line to win. I’m someone that can do the unbelievable to win a match.
Jason, you’re a stereotypical big man. You expect to use your size against me, but that’s not going to work. I’ve been a championship level competitor since joining LevelUp, and I’ve never given that up. Jason, I’m looking forward to seeing what you plan on doing to get the win. Because your plan is already failing. You’re going to be walking into this match underestimating me. No one should underestimate me.
Jason, I’m the Courage Champion. I’ve been fighting since 2006 to get to where I am now. I hope you’re ready for what's to come. This is going to be the biggest match you’re going to be in because no one is ever going to give you this time of day ever again. Jason, I hope you realize what this match means to you. To me, it’s just another day at the office. This is training for me. The next pay-per-view is Combat Evolved, and I need to be prepared for my title defense. I don’t know who my opponent will be, but I do know that it won’t be you.
Jason, at EXP 29, you’re going to see what wrestling a champion will be like, and you will hear the crowd chanting one phrase. It’s the phrase I’ve been living by for the longest time and it’s simple… ‘That Damn Goode.’”
No, Eli, don’t start casting doubt in your mind. You know better than that. You know better than to just insert yourself into a random situation. Stephen needed to know that he couldn’t push someone around. The Stratfords needed to know that someone wasn’t going to stand-by with their bullshit. But, this could all backfire. Everything that I’ve worked hard for could blow up in my face. Should I be smarter about this?
I need to get out of my own head. I need to focus on doing what is right. I just don’t know what the future will hold between me and the Stratfords, but I do know this: if they get in my way, I will not hesitate to make them wish they didn’t.”
-----
Off-Camera
Eli Goode sits in his living room with Katie laying her head on his shoulder. Her son, Will, sits on the floor as the three of them watch a movie together. Eli tries to keep his focus on the movie, but he constantly thinks about what the Stratfords did to Amber Payne. He tries to keep his attention on the television, but he can go back to what he did to the Stratfords. He takes a deep breath and stands up from the couch. Katie looks at him as he walks away from the living room.
He walks into the restroom and closes the door behind him. He looks in the mirror and thinks about all of the scenarios that could lead to more fights from the Stratfords. He turns on the water faucet, and he tries to focus on the water running out of the faucet. He places his hand in the sink and splashes some water in his face. He keeps seeing flashes of that moment in his head. He sees the Stratfords attacking Amber Payne.
He looks at himself in the mirror and sees a broken version of himself. He jumps back and accidentally falls down. He creates a loud thud and falls on his formerly broken arm. He picks himself up and holds his arm in slight pain. He hears footsteps grow closer as Katie quickly opens the door and stares at Eli. He sits on the edge of the bathtub while he holds his arm. She walks over to him and slightly places her hand on his arm. She looks up at him and sighs.
“Eli, are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had a small tumble. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“No, I mean from earlier. I could tell you weren’t feeling great, but I didn’t realize you’d fall down. What’s going on?”
Eli looks away from her and tries to avoid the question. She looks down at the arm and tries to release any pressure from his arm. He looks away from her trying to ignore any thoughts of getting hurt from the Stratfords, but he finally relents and talks to her.
“I’ve just been thinking about what happened at EXP.”
“Your loss?”
“No, I’ve just been thinking about what I did for Amber Payne. How I tried to break up what the Stratfords were doing to her. I’ve just been thinking about what the repercussions would be for doing that. I’ve broken my arm once, and I don’t want that to happen again. Especially not in the great circumstances that I’m in now. I don’t want to break what I’m currently in.”
Katie stands up and sits next to Eli. She wraps her arm around Eli’s arm and places her head on his shoulder. The two sit for a short second and just enjoy their company with each other. Katie looks up to Eli.
“Eli, you helped Amber the best you could. Look, I don’t know what’s going through the Stratfords’ heads, but I do know that what you did was right. You were able to put your needs behind you, and you proved that you were better than both of them. I know that you’re worried about what they might do to you, but you need to know that it doesn’t matter what they do to you. What matters is that you’ll be able to prove that you have better morals than them.”
Eli looks down at his arm and smiles. He places his hand on hers and looks at her. He smiles and kisses her on her forehead. He chuckles and looks back at the mirror. The smile slowly fades away as he sees the broken reflection again. He sees his arm broken again and blood on his face. His eye is swollen and scars cover his face. He grips Katie’s hand tighter but tries to keep his fear to himself.
Katie looks up at him and sees the slight fear on his face. She looks at the mirror and only sees their reflection. She keeps her hand in his trying to reassure him that he is going to be alright but deep down, she knows that there is only so much that she can do. She hears Will slightly cry out to her. She lets go of Eli’s hand and walks out of the bathroom. She looks back at him, but she has to get to her son.
Eli continues to look at the mirror at his reflection. He takes a deep breath thinking about what his future might be if he keeps interfering in the Stratfords’ affairs. He just hopes that nothing bad happens to him.
-----
On-Camera
“Life is interesting. There are many things that happen that make you question if what you’re doing is right. You could do a good thing for someone, but it just makes you question what the future will hold for you. It makes you think if you should watch your back, and that’s what I’m doing now. I’m having to watch my back. Not just because I’m the Courage Champion, but because I tried to help Amber Payne.
I know the Stratfords. I don’t know them personally, but I know people like them. I know people that are willing to do whatever they want to get what they want. At EXP 28, they thought the perfect way to get ahead was to attack Amber Payne after the match. I tried to do what was right, but now, I know that the Stratfords are going to try and send me a message. However, they’re not going to get in my head. I’m not going to let them get in my head. No, I’m going to stay calm, and I’m going to move forward.
Moving forward means I have to focus on my next opponent: Jason Ryan. Unlike Shane Donovan, I’m prepared for you Jason. I’m not going to be brash. I’m not going to lose focus. I’m going to be calm and measured. I’m going to make sure that I win this match. Look, Jason, there have been many times where I’ve questioned who I’m going up against, but I’m not doing that this time.
You wanna know why? It’s because I don’t need to question someone like you. I see someone like you, and I don’t see someone on my level. I see a man that wants to be on my level. Look, you came into LevelUp hoping to be a champion in your first few months. You came expecting people to take you seriously, but you must realize that I’m the Courage Champion. I’m someone willing to put his body on the line to win. I’m someone that can do the unbelievable to win a match.
Jason, you’re a stereotypical big man. You expect to use your size against me, but that’s not going to work. I’ve been a championship level competitor since joining LevelUp, and I’ve never given that up. Jason, I’m looking forward to seeing what you plan on doing to get the win. Because your plan is already failing. You’re going to be walking into this match underestimating me. No one should underestimate me.
Jason, I’m the Courage Champion. I’ve been fighting since 2006 to get to where I am now. I hope you’re ready for what's to come. This is going to be the biggest match you’re going to be in because no one is ever going to give you this time of day ever again. Jason, I hope you realize what this match means to you. To me, it’s just another day at the office. This is training for me. The next pay-per-view is Combat Evolved, and I need to be prepared for my title defense. I don’t know who my opponent will be, but I do know that it won’t be you.
Jason, at EXP 29, you’re going to see what wrestling a champion will be like, and you will hear the crowd chanting one phrase. It’s the phrase I’ve been living by for the longest time and it’s simple… ‘That Damn Goode.’”
