It certainly was a 'night that would live in sports entertainment infamy', as JR poetically put it. He should have been happy, but he really wasn't. So he had lots to celebrate about..he was back in his old company, back in his old home. His friends were around him, and all were celebrating the biggest thing to come down in all three of the federation's histories.
Well, one friend wasn't there. It didn't really bother him until everyone was in the back, hugging and celebrating. When he was offered a spot back in ECW, he was so glad to take it. What he wasn't expecting was he'd actually miss the person he had been commentating with for quite a few months now.
Good ol' MC, the most unlikely man to ever become the best friend of some worn veteran of the wrestling buisness, was probably as shocked as everyone else was. He hadn't mentioned anything about what he had done to him. Michael Cole remained gullible to the end, just like JR was. But he knew JR didn't take it personally, JR didn't even like Paul.
He knew MC liked him. He had even presented him to his family. He really liked Cole's family, perhaps because he never really had a lot of his own. They all liked him for him, not for his cruel, harsh attackings in the ring. They trusted him.
"Come on, Tazz, have a drink! You're not suppose to be looking pissed off now!" Raven patted him on the back, but he didn't respond. Raven eyed him, a bit confused. "Whatever man.."
No one liked him for his good side. Then again, in ECW, he didn't even know he had one. He never had a chance to think about it. ECW always had that different vibe, the 'eat or get eaten' concept. In the WWF, he could relax a little.
'What am I doing here?' he thought to himself, watching all the faces smiling, celebrating. Didn't any of them know how much they probably hurt someone by doing what they did? Tazz really had changed.
He remembered being asked by Paul though, to join. Good ol' Paul Heyman, Tazz still was under his spell. Heyman had a way to twist people's minds around to his mindset. He did it all the time, and Tazz was again tricked into it. For awhile he was really thinking what he was doing was right. ECW should come back, after all. It was a federation too!
But suddenly, after he went out, he realized what he was doing. Unlike some of the wrestlers, he had actually gained something he lacked in ECW, and that was a heart. He honestly did care about Michael, and his heart was momentarily blocked by the promise of a new ECW. The truth now, it seems, that ECW really isn't new, but the same. The same people, the same lack of respect. It was back to the business of not giving a shit about others.
He went home early, without anyone really noticing. Over the next days following the night, the phone rang a few times. He didn't answer it. He all ready knew who it was. Now, he didn't really blame MC for calling..but he didn't want to talk to him right then. He didn't want to talk to anyone.
The night of Smackdown, he came walking in, head down, slouched. ECW really wasn't in him anymore, but he would dare not say anything about it. He doubted Vince would take him back if he left his new federation. Paul walked up to him and cheerfully told him that Hardcore wanted him. Hardcore was a slight friend too, and it didn't make Tazz feel better at all.
But he knew he would have to face his old commentator partner, too. You could basically call what he was doing hiding, and he couldn't hide from Cole now. He got ready for the match, even though he didn't want to go through with it. He had hurt his own friends, what did he expect..for them to forgive him? Right, like that'd happen. He figured he had better go back into his ECW mode. It was hidden deep inside of his conscience, covered in the much more slacked WWF mode of mind.
Still, even as he was just going to walk out, he felt a slight bit of guilt boil inside of him. He would not have to pretend he doesn't care about Cole. He would have to pretend that he was never happy being nice, and that he didn't care about their friendship. In all his years as ECW, WWF, and all the other steps he took..what he was going to do would be the hardest task he ever faced.
Walking out, a scowl on his face, he tried to remain in control of his emotions. He had to stay cool about it all, had to look tough. It was like gaining back a part you haven't used in 20 years, it was rusty. Walking into the ring, he couldn't help but stride over the Cole.
His cool left him. His old buddy, his pal..Cole was obviously talking about him. He only glanced at him once, and Tazz noted a look of complete hurt etched across his face. Of the whole conversation between him and JR, he heard one thing.
'Uncle Tazz...' he repeated in his head, feeling rued quickly. Of all the people in the world, Tazz loved Cole's little kids, and his nephew too. They had become a constant enjoyment to him. The kids probably were upset as their dad was..
Shaking off the urge to actually let a tear out, he tried to concentrate on the match. It didn't work too well, but he still won. He ended up hurting another friend, and Hardcore rolled out after Tazz let go of his hold. He saw the look he was shot by his now ex-friend.
Again, for some reason, he decided to approach the announce table. He gained Michael's full attention by walking up. He looked at him, angry, but he also saw the same look of hurt that he had seen before. Tajiri kept babbling, and that was when Tazz got his ECW part back.
He totally snapped, and choked him like he never choked anyone before. It was like he was in a different world, and he lost control of his body. The only thing that made him let go was MC's voice, yelling at him.
He stood up, and turned to him, his eyes glaring, his chest heaving. It was the rage he used to have, the rage that kept him alive in ECW. For the first time in his entire life, that rage subsided as he glared into his old best friend's eyes. A bit ruffled, he said nothing as Cole tried to get answers from him.
But no one could deny seeing an bit of pain in Tazz's eyes as he turned his back on the person he perhaps had trusted the most in his entire life.
Well, one friend wasn't there. It didn't really bother him until everyone was in the back, hugging and celebrating. When he was offered a spot back in ECW, he was so glad to take it. What he wasn't expecting was he'd actually miss the person he had been commentating with for quite a few months now.
Good ol' MC, the most unlikely man to ever become the best friend of some worn veteran of the wrestling buisness, was probably as shocked as everyone else was. He hadn't mentioned anything about what he had done to him. Michael Cole remained gullible to the end, just like JR was. But he knew JR didn't take it personally, JR didn't even like Paul.
He knew MC liked him. He had even presented him to his family. He really liked Cole's family, perhaps because he never really had a lot of his own. They all liked him for him, not for his cruel, harsh attackings in the ring. They trusted him.
"Come on, Tazz, have a drink! You're not suppose to be looking pissed off now!" Raven patted him on the back, but he didn't respond. Raven eyed him, a bit confused. "Whatever man.."
No one liked him for his good side. Then again, in ECW, he didn't even know he had one. He never had a chance to think about it. ECW always had that different vibe, the 'eat or get eaten' concept. In the WWF, he could relax a little.
'What am I doing here?' he thought to himself, watching all the faces smiling, celebrating. Didn't any of them know how much they probably hurt someone by doing what they did? Tazz really had changed.
He remembered being asked by Paul though, to join. Good ol' Paul Heyman, Tazz still was under his spell. Heyman had a way to twist people's minds around to his mindset. He did it all the time, and Tazz was again tricked into it. For awhile he was really thinking what he was doing was right. ECW should come back, after all. It was a federation too!
But suddenly, after he went out, he realized what he was doing. Unlike some of the wrestlers, he had actually gained something he lacked in ECW, and that was a heart. He honestly did care about Michael, and his heart was momentarily blocked by the promise of a new ECW. The truth now, it seems, that ECW really isn't new, but the same. The same people, the same lack of respect. It was back to the business of not giving a shit about others.
He went home early, without anyone really noticing. Over the next days following the night, the phone rang a few times. He didn't answer it. He all ready knew who it was. Now, he didn't really blame MC for calling..but he didn't want to talk to him right then. He didn't want to talk to anyone.
The night of Smackdown, he came walking in, head down, slouched. ECW really wasn't in him anymore, but he would dare not say anything about it. He doubted Vince would take him back if he left his new federation. Paul walked up to him and cheerfully told him that Hardcore wanted him. Hardcore was a slight friend too, and it didn't make Tazz feel better at all.
But he knew he would have to face his old commentator partner, too. You could basically call what he was doing hiding, and he couldn't hide from Cole now. He got ready for the match, even though he didn't want to go through with it. He had hurt his own friends, what did he expect..for them to forgive him? Right, like that'd happen. He figured he had better go back into his ECW mode. It was hidden deep inside of his conscience, covered in the much more slacked WWF mode of mind.
Still, even as he was just going to walk out, he felt a slight bit of guilt boil inside of him. He would not have to pretend he doesn't care about Cole. He would have to pretend that he was never happy being nice, and that he didn't care about their friendship. In all his years as ECW, WWF, and all the other steps he took..what he was going to do would be the hardest task he ever faced.
Walking out, a scowl on his face, he tried to remain in control of his emotions. He had to stay cool about it all, had to look tough. It was like gaining back a part you haven't used in 20 years, it was rusty. Walking into the ring, he couldn't help but stride over the Cole.
His cool left him. His old buddy, his pal..Cole was obviously talking about him. He only glanced at him once, and Tazz noted a look of complete hurt etched across his face. Of the whole conversation between him and JR, he heard one thing.
'Uncle Tazz...' he repeated in his head, feeling rued quickly. Of all the people in the world, Tazz loved Cole's little kids, and his nephew too. They had become a constant enjoyment to him. The kids probably were upset as their dad was..
Shaking off the urge to actually let a tear out, he tried to concentrate on the match. It didn't work too well, but he still won. He ended up hurting another friend, and Hardcore rolled out after Tazz let go of his hold. He saw the look he was shot by his now ex-friend.
Again, for some reason, he decided to approach the announce table. He gained Michael's full attention by walking up. He looked at him, angry, but he also saw the same look of hurt that he had seen before. Tajiri kept babbling, and that was when Tazz got his ECW part back.
He totally snapped, and choked him like he never choked anyone before. It was like he was in a different world, and he lost control of his body. The only thing that made him let go was MC's voice, yelling at him.
He stood up, and turned to him, his eyes glaring, his chest heaving. It was the rage he used to have, the rage that kept him alive in ECW. For the first time in his entire life, that rage subsided as he glared into his old best friend's eyes. A bit ruffled, he said nothing as Cole tried to get answers from him.
But no one could deny seeing an bit of pain in Tazz's eyes as he turned his back on the person he perhaps had trusted the most in his entire life.