"Plans DO change, Spike, that's for sure."
(Fadein, Cameron Cruise sitting on a park bench, dressed in black slacks and a black sports coat with a blue undershirt and matching "Anarchy"-style shades. Cruise sits with his right foot resting on his left knee, his right arm resting on the park bench, the other one cradling a box of chocolates.)
CRUISE: In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that I've had the career that only MILLIONS can wish for, I might've done things differently.
Something not many people know, is that fifteen years ago, I probably would've wanted to be a a bit TALLER.
Back then, some construed people under six feet tall to be TOO SHORT to succeed in this business, which was hard because in
my early training, I always knew I had the talent and ability to do what I do well in now, fifteen years later.
But if I couldn't, I'd wanted to be a "Baller".
I excelled back in school and College, Spike, not just in wrestling but in Basketball, it's true. My favorite player in the sport back then was Michael Jordan, even when he was retiring before Brett Favre made retiring cool.
However, I know it's hard to believe now-a-days, with the popularity I have now, the success that Jared Wells and I have with the "Dangle Brothers Bar & Grill" Restaurant, I wasn't exactly fighting girls off with a stick with getting a date or even a girlfriend, so looking good, having one would mean that I could CALL HER.
But things change, Spike. I got my big break in what would become the one thing I do best and I haven't looked back since.
You on the other hand, are pathetic.
The Ultratitle Tournament is the BIGGEST challenge in the business going, and while I told you that it's understandable that you had to leave for a family emergency, the fact that you allowed people that have absolutely no reason at all to appear on camera and speak for you when you SHOULD be responsible enough to do it yourself is downright APPALLING, even at forty-three years old.
You're not going to make a pen-pal out of me by playing the role of "Dennis Mitchell's Father" when your 'kids' come piling on through my neighborhood and ruining my "lawn". In fact, by trying to apologize for your failures and explain their faults and atrocious behaviors and hobbies only makes it WORSE.
You're not fooling me at all, Spike, not with this "Kill-me-with-kindness"-slash-"Gentle-Giant"-spiel, or anything else for that matter.
I don't give a damn what "Dyslexia" does for a living, she's not coming to ringside and shouldn't have any reason to be. As far as the other dingleberry??
I'm pretty sure he's got about as much reflection and inspiration on you as two-way mirror.
Who gives a **** if he's got bad knees and he's retired?? I told you, if he was willing enough to come out of Retirement and compete, he wouldn't have let you enter it yourself, would he??
Probably not, even if you ARE bigger than he is...health isn't exactly an issue, here.
Why??
Not to grind in your one-foot-taller, sixty-pound-heavier carcass anymore than I have to...but a perfect example of that supposedly waits for one of us in the next round, and he's had bad knees for what's probably going on twenty-years in his own right.
"Two-Plus-Two" still equals "four", Spike, which means you're not telling me anything anything I don't already know; Sixteen men remain in this competition, Spike, and clearly you're the BIGGER man among us remaining, no pun intended.
Moreover, you're over SEVEN-feet-tall and OVER three-hundred pounds, and being that you're the next person slated to stand across from me in that squared circle, you ARE my biggest obstacle yet, which means that you should be FURIOUS that such child-like antics be made behind your back.
(Cruise takes the top off the box of chocolates and smiles.)
And that brings forth to you a distraction, and again, no pun intended, a GIANT distraction it is.
I told you from the start that this is a competition that derives your complete-and-solitary focus and attention, otherwise you might as well take the easy way out and QUIT. I know the typical person your size would matters down a different road, but you see Spike, I don't have time for bullshit anymore, especially when it concerns the one trophy that ELEVATES YOU higher than anyone else in this business.
Of the sixteen men remaining in this tournament, I'm the ONE TRUE underdog LEFT, which means, if I win...I'm not only better than you, but I'm better than Dan Ryan, Troy Windham, Sean Stevens, Eli Flair and everyone else that was given an opportunity to shine.
I couldn't be more focused in my entire LIFE on taking you down, Spike, in fact at least as far as the Ultra title is concerned, everything else just sounds like pure GIBBERISH.
You wanna come at me with full force, Spike??
I TRIPLE-DOG-DARE-YOU, big man.
Anything less than that is only going to sound like an excuse, and I'll be damned if I'm going to have people pestering me with statements like "Do you know Spike Saunders wasn't trying??" or "Do you know Spike says he slipped and hit his head??"
You're a viable SEQUOIA TREE, Spike, so I know this isn't going to be as quick as it was when I beat Douglas, but that doesn't mean that I won't quit trying.
Ya know...it's funny, the simplest of cliches still holds true...that whole "Life is like a box of chocolates", kind of thing.
Everybody likes chocolate Spike, yourself included, and I like to think that that same scenario applies to the Ultratitle tournament; I didn't know that I'd be facing a GIANT in the Ultratitle tournament, hell, in all honesty, outside of defeating Troy Douglas...each time I win a match and advance...
(Cruise sets the chocolate aside on the bench)
I surprise MYSELF.
(Cruise reaches up instead behind him and pulls down an apple from a tree, shining it up.)
But what you REALLY need to know Spike, is that before this camera showed up, I did some digging. Literal DIGGING (Cruise points to a section located with plenty of sun.), behind this bench.
And I planted some beans, but they're not just any kind of beans Spike, they're MAGIC beans.
(Cruise looks up at the sky, taking a bite out of his apple.)
You've heard of 'em, they're the types that grow REALLY HIGH, but REALLY FAST, ya know, and once they're done, I'm going to climb up that proverbial beanstalk, and come back down with treasure.
But instead of Gold or silver or anything like that any other typical Giant would likely have...I'm going up there for something different.
But you'll know it better as "The Elite Eight", which when I'm through is going to be a REALITY CHECK...and it's going to be one you just...won't like.
FADEOUT