Bottomline
He wanted it and he got it. He knows him better than anyone else, maybe including himself. But why does he seem to struggle in knowing what to say?
A/N: I wrote this at work around two weeks before Shawn's induction into the Hall of Fame. I was thus amused at how Paul's actual speech went.
Disclaimer: I own noone.
Paul's P.O.V.
It has been thirty minutes already. Here I am in my home office, sitting on my office chair with laptop in front of me. Thirty minutes and I still have an empty screen.
Ever since Shawn was announced for the Hall of Fame this year two months ago, people already knew who was inducting him. Although it took a long time before the official announcement was made, somehow, since the very first day, it has always been understood that I would be doing the induction. There may have been many names associated with that of Shawn's—what can you expect when he's been in the business twenty-six years—but somehow, the name Triple H has been the most prominent. It may not necessarily be the first, but it certainly is the name closest to Shawn Michaels. The superstars who have worked for the company since 1995 knew it, the fans—whether Attitude Era or post-Attitude Era—knew it, the management knew it. Hell, even the four of us closest to Shawn, the Kliq knew it. And I will admit, somewhere deep down, I was not only hoping to be chosen as his inductor, but in a way, I was already expecting it. I really don't know how I would have felt if he had chosen someone else. So why do I seem to be so clueless on what to say come April 2nd? What do I say? Where do I even start?
As I think about it more and more, the more I seem to know what to write. Sixteen years is a long time to know someone. It's just impossible to not create memories with someone that would be fun to share with others, especially if that someone is your best friend. It's just weird that I know what I want to say in my head, but I can't express them well in words. It's like a storyline that looks good on paper, but came out flat when executed.
Do I tell a story, or will I leave that up to Shawn?
Who would imagine that a military kid would end up being a WWE superstar? Mind you, he's not just a regular superstar, he's probably the greatest performer of all time. Well, I can. Because there's no way that Shawn could ever follow his dad's footsteps and pass military school with how he never followed rules and always doing things his way.
He's been known to everyone as Shawn Michaels for the last twenty-six years of his life, but everything began when Michael Shawn Hickenbottom was born to Coronel Richard and Carol on July 22, 1965 in Chandler, Arizona.
Neither sounds interesting enough. As the last inductor of the night, I have to make sure I'm still talking to all of the members of the WWE Universe attending the event live and who will sell out the Phillips Arena that night, not to a bunch of people snoring off their asses. Plus, I think I'll be on the receiving end of a Sweet Chin Music when I use the latter version as an introduction. That's how much Shawn loathes his surname.
Do I tell about our friendship? Or something related to the Kliq? Or to D-Generation X?
Wrestlemania will always be important to me as it's practically every WWE superstar's dream to be a part of and if possible, main event the biggest event of the year, but personally, Wrestlemania will forever be special because that's how I first got to meet Shawn Michaels. People believed that my first Wrestlemania was Wrestlemania XII, but I was already backstage for Wrestlemania XI. I remember walking up to this guy dressed in…
But if you've picked up Shawn's book, and if you're gonna be there for Shawn's induction, then you must be a Shawn fan, and you must know that story already. So what's the use in saying it again?
Or do I just introduce him like how I did Ric Flair three years ago with all the accolades?
As a superstar, you know that you've made it far when you've accomplished one of or both of these things: 1.) an action figure of you has been made and released; and/or 2.) you've earned yourself a moniker. That's a nickname which reminds the fans of your character and helps them give you some sort of a recall. John Cena initially made an impact when he was the Doctor of Thuganomics, with the rapper gimmick. Randy Orton is the Viper, Stone Cold Steve Austin is the Rattlesnake, both venomous and ready to strike so quick you shouldn't blink. There are some lucky enough to have earned more than one. Somehow, it means you've gone just a bit farther than others. The Rock is Dwayne Johnson to Hollywood, but to the WWE Universe, he's the Great One, the Brahma Bull, the People's Champion, the most electrifying man in all of sports and entertainment. Yours truly has been lucky enough to have three of my own. But noone, in the history of our business has earned for himself SIX… six different monikers other than Shawn Michaels. He's the Icon, the Showstopper, the Headliner, the Main Event, Mr. Wrestlemania. He's the Heartbreak Kid. It only goes to show that indeed, Shawn is that great that he's ahead of everyone else, and truly belongs to a class of his own. And tonight, we add another title to that list, as Shawn becomes Mr. Hall of Fame.
It has been an hour already. Here I am in my home office, sitting on my office chair, with laptop in front of me. One hour and I still have an empty screen.
I give up. If this were an Iron Man match between writing and me, then writing wins because I quit. I'm not going to worry about thinking of what to say anymore. Hell, I can cut a promo without much preparation and much less frustration. I sure can give a speech without a scripted paper at hand. It's not like this will be the first time I'll be doing this anyway. (I won't deny though that this will be the most special.)
Because bottomline is Shawn's greatness as a performer and as a human being goes beyond what words can ever express. He let his performance and character, night in and night out, inside and outside the ring be living proof of that.
So maybe, just maybe, that's why I can't seem to find the right words to say. Maybe because, they aren't really necessary anymore.