Post by technicalauthority on Aug 6, 2019 22:01:46 GMT -5
Halifax, Nova Scotia
May 1st, 2019
It dawned on me that I hadn't been home in over three months. In the past, the mere thought of leaving home would bring forth various forms of anxiety. I couldn't know that this crippling mindset I carried with me for years was complete fiction. In August of 2018 the course of my life would change drastically when Maritime Pro Wrestling closed it's doors for the final time. Gus had given his life to professional wrestling and Maritime Pro's swan song was Gus blowing a proverbial final kiss goodbye to his beloved. Gus' decision to leave the wrestling industry left me in a precarious position. What was I supposed to do now?
As I sat down on the dock of the Halifax harbour-front, I couldn't help but reminisce about the last eight months. I couldn't help but reminisce about how I thought my career as a professional wrestler was finished. The set of circumstances that I believed to be career ending were in actuality, career defining. I couldn't have known at the time, but Gus had made arrangements with Lars Hagen to have me compete and continue to pursue my goals as professional in his House of Strong Style promotion based in Mobile, AL. When Gus approached me with the opportunity, I reluctantly accepted.
This new opportunity was an unknown for me. I would have to become acclimated to a completely different culture, and a completely different set of wrestling ideals. There was a catch though. Lars Hagen was only interested in a package deal. Lars wanted to secure the two names that had been drawing solid houses in Atlantic Canada for the last 3 years. Lars Hagen wanted Kenneth Marshall and Alec Kirkland. Without Alec being included, there would be no contract available for me. But then came the kicker, as Gus Looked me right in the eye and asked me to do him this favour.
"It's time that you two put your differences aside."
I could hear his raspy voice in my mind offering insight into my never ending rivalry with Alec. Gus knew that pitting the two of us against each other was the reason that Maritime Pro was able to survive as long as it did. Gus also knew that the two of us had a genuine dislike for one and other inside and outside of the ring.
I paid my dues, and I devoted my life to both amateur and professional wrestling. Alec on the other hand just sort of fell into this. The fact that I don't think he ever appreciated the position he was afforded, after only being in the industry for a short time, always grated on my last nerve. Our rivalry started to become more and more personal for me as time passed. I did everything in my power to try and run him off... I tried to make his time inside of that locker room as uncomfortable as possible on a weekly basis.
And still, he always came back.
Inside of the ring, I would hit him with my best shot - the same shot that would drop bigger men, stronger men - and he would take it and 'try' to walk forward afterwards. Does this guy have a death wish I thought to myself?
But I digress. My time in H.O.S.S is where I forcibly took the ball, and ran with it. As fate would have it, Lars would put Alec and I against each other in a qualifying match for the Lars Hagen Invitational. After our 25 minute broadway, we were told we had five more minutes to secure a winner. I took advantage of the opportunity, and finished the match with a school boy roll-up for the victory. It was here that I could see Alec's demeanour really start to change. All of those years of playing second fiddle to me back home, was starting to play-out all over again in front of a new audience.
I was cordial in victory, and offered Alec my best condolence. My attempts at friendship were consistently rebuffed, as Alec had chosen to remain bitter and unfulfilled.
As luck would have it, I would go onto win the Lars Hagen Invitational on my own merits, which is still the crowning achievement in my eight year career. As Lars walked to the ring with a personal cheque and trophy in-hand, Alec would emerge from the crowd and 'accidentally' break the trophy in half.
I did my best to stay together in the moment. I looked over at Alec who was clearly hurting. I kept hearing Gus in the back of my mind encouraging me to be the better man. Don't give Alec the satisfaction of reacting to his shenanigans.
So...I didn't.
The Strong Style Summit soon followed, and this was when Alec made it his personal mission to create chaos wherever he went. Alec was starting to lose control of his emotions, and his erratic behaviour was drawing concerns from the H.O.S.S office. Due to the fact that Alec was seen as volatile and out of control - Lars had no choice but to fire him and issue a restraining that prevented Alec from being within 100 feet from the arena.
The last time I saw Alec Kirkland, he was being restrained and put into the back of a police car on his way to the county jail. This certainly couldn't have been the ending that Gus had envisioned when he agreed to send us down there. I believed that there would be enough room for us both to succeed in H.O.S.S. But the more my career seemed to elevate - the more his seemed to spiral.
As this vicious cycle continued, one thing was sure. Alec Kirkland was attempting to sabotage my wrestling career.
In the beginning, I would purposely look to create distance between us. There was just too much familiarity there. I needed a fresh start. However, whenever I looked at the marquee it seemed like our names were across from each other. I know that this was by design, as everyone wanted to see us recreate the magic we had inside of the ring.
[...]
But at what cost.
~_~
I was loading my pickup truck around three o'clock the next day when I heard footsteps walking behind me. I turned around, and there he was.
Gus Arnold: "You've been home for two days and haven't thought to reach out?"
He was right, I hadn't. I was trying to distance myself from all of the drama that comes along with the wrestling industry.
Kenneth Marshall: "I was going to..."
I turned around and kept my posture back as a tightly as I could. Gus always appreciated good posture, and believed it to be a sign of respect.
Gus Arnold: "We need to talk."
Kenneth Marshall: "About what?"
Gus Arnold: "It's about Alec."
I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks and ears. My face couldn't hide my frustration, but I did the best I could. Through gritted teeth, I gave it my best effort.
Kenneth Marshall: "What about Alec?"
Gus took a step forward invading my personal space. He looked me dead in the eye, and purposefully suggested...
Gus Arnold: "He needs your help."
[...]
[...]
Fade.
May 1st, 2019
It dawned on me that I hadn't been home in over three months. In the past, the mere thought of leaving home would bring forth various forms of anxiety. I couldn't know that this crippling mindset I carried with me for years was complete fiction. In August of 2018 the course of my life would change drastically when Maritime Pro Wrestling closed it's doors for the final time. Gus had given his life to professional wrestling and Maritime Pro's swan song was Gus blowing a proverbial final kiss goodbye to his beloved. Gus' decision to leave the wrestling industry left me in a precarious position. What was I supposed to do now?
As I sat down on the dock of the Halifax harbour-front, I couldn't help but reminisce about the last eight months. I couldn't help but reminisce about how I thought my career as a professional wrestler was finished. The set of circumstances that I believed to be career ending were in actuality, career defining. I couldn't have known at the time, but Gus had made arrangements with Lars Hagen to have me compete and continue to pursue my goals as professional in his House of Strong Style promotion based in Mobile, AL. When Gus approached me with the opportunity, I reluctantly accepted.
This new opportunity was an unknown for me. I would have to become acclimated to a completely different culture, and a completely different set of wrestling ideals. There was a catch though. Lars Hagen was only interested in a package deal. Lars wanted to secure the two names that had been drawing solid houses in Atlantic Canada for the last 3 years. Lars Hagen wanted Kenneth Marshall and Alec Kirkland. Without Alec being included, there would be no contract available for me. But then came the kicker, as Gus Looked me right in the eye and asked me to do him this favour.
"It's time that you two put your differences aside."
I could hear his raspy voice in my mind offering insight into my never ending rivalry with Alec. Gus knew that pitting the two of us against each other was the reason that Maritime Pro was able to survive as long as it did. Gus also knew that the two of us had a genuine dislike for one and other inside and outside of the ring.
I paid my dues, and I devoted my life to both amateur and professional wrestling. Alec on the other hand just sort of fell into this. The fact that I don't think he ever appreciated the position he was afforded, after only being in the industry for a short time, always grated on my last nerve. Our rivalry started to become more and more personal for me as time passed. I did everything in my power to try and run him off... I tried to make his time inside of that locker room as uncomfortable as possible on a weekly basis.
And still, he always came back.
Inside of the ring, I would hit him with my best shot - the same shot that would drop bigger men, stronger men - and he would take it and 'try' to walk forward afterwards. Does this guy have a death wish I thought to myself?
But I digress. My time in H.O.S.S is where I forcibly took the ball, and ran with it. As fate would have it, Lars would put Alec and I against each other in a qualifying match for the Lars Hagen Invitational. After our 25 minute broadway, we were told we had five more minutes to secure a winner. I took advantage of the opportunity, and finished the match with a school boy roll-up for the victory. It was here that I could see Alec's demeanour really start to change. All of those years of playing second fiddle to me back home, was starting to play-out all over again in front of a new audience.
I was cordial in victory, and offered Alec my best condolence. My attempts at friendship were consistently rebuffed, as Alec had chosen to remain bitter and unfulfilled.
As luck would have it, I would go onto win the Lars Hagen Invitational on my own merits, which is still the crowning achievement in my eight year career. As Lars walked to the ring with a personal cheque and trophy in-hand, Alec would emerge from the crowd and 'accidentally' break the trophy in half.
I did my best to stay together in the moment. I looked over at Alec who was clearly hurting. I kept hearing Gus in the back of my mind encouraging me to be the better man. Don't give Alec the satisfaction of reacting to his shenanigans.
So...I didn't.
The Strong Style Summit soon followed, and this was when Alec made it his personal mission to create chaos wherever he went. Alec was starting to lose control of his emotions, and his erratic behaviour was drawing concerns from the H.O.S.S office. Due to the fact that Alec was seen as volatile and out of control - Lars had no choice but to fire him and issue a restraining that prevented Alec from being within 100 feet from the arena.
The last time I saw Alec Kirkland, he was being restrained and put into the back of a police car on his way to the county jail. This certainly couldn't have been the ending that Gus had envisioned when he agreed to send us down there. I believed that there would be enough room for us both to succeed in H.O.S.S. But the more my career seemed to elevate - the more his seemed to spiral.
As this vicious cycle continued, one thing was sure. Alec Kirkland was attempting to sabotage my wrestling career.
In the beginning, I would purposely look to create distance between us. There was just too much familiarity there. I needed a fresh start. However, whenever I looked at the marquee it seemed like our names were across from each other. I know that this was by design, as everyone wanted to see us recreate the magic we had inside of the ring.
[...]
But at what cost.
~_~
I was loading my pickup truck around three o'clock the next day when I heard footsteps walking behind me. I turned around, and there he was.
Gus Arnold: "You've been home for two days and haven't thought to reach out?"
He was right, I hadn't. I was trying to distance myself from all of the drama that comes along with the wrestling industry.
Kenneth Marshall: "I was going to..."
I turned around and kept my posture back as a tightly as I could. Gus always appreciated good posture, and believed it to be a sign of respect.
Gus Arnold: "We need to talk."
Kenneth Marshall: "About what?"
Gus Arnold: "It's about Alec."
I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks and ears. My face couldn't hide my frustration, but I did the best I could. Through gritted teeth, I gave it my best effort.
Kenneth Marshall: "What about Alec?"
Gus took a step forward invading my personal space. He looked me dead in the eye, and purposefully suggested...
Gus Arnold: "He needs your help."
[...]
[...]
Fade.