EPISODE 109: Team Player

Saturday June 11, 2011
Pocono Raceway- Garage Area
Long Pond, Pennsylvania
11:10 PM Local Time

“Come on, Terry,’ I muttered to myself as I leaned against the wall of his paddock. Even with a windbreaker on, the night air had grown chilly, and I was anxious to get back to the warmth and comfort of our RV. But Terrence still hadn’t returned to the garage yet- he had been busy signing autographs and giving interviews in the post race activities, and I was content to simply wait for him here.

I was happy for him. Considering the disappointing finishes he had taken at Toledo, New Jersey, and Chicagoland, a twelfth place finish here at Pocono was definitely a step in the right direction. Even better, the SPEED channel had been on hand to televise the action, so people across the nation had seen Terrence lead three laps in the early going of the race. Although he had faded at the end, there was no doubt that everyone at Diamond Motorsports was happy with the outcome.

I felt something fall into my hair, and gingerly reached up and grabbed it, shuddering in disgust when I realized it was a dead moth. I glanced up, and realized I had foolishly poistioned myself under a large stadium light. A veritable cloud of the small furry insects had gathered around the lights, and every now and then, one would get too close, get itself burned to death, and fall helplessly to the ground- or an unfortunate bystander’s hair- below. Shuddering again, I flicked the dead moth onto the ground, and walked away, ducking inside the paddock.

Several of Terrence’s pit crew greeted me when I walked through the garage’s door, and I smiled softly, waving back. They were busy packing up their tools, and preparing Terrence’s car to be loaded onto the hauler, where it would return to the Diamond Motorsports facility in Nashville for any major repairs. There would be some, Terrence had collided with his teammate on the forty-second lap, and while Wesley Hamilton had certainly gotten the worst of the exchange, Terrence’s right front quarterpanel was a lot more crumpled than it had been on the first lap.

I didn’t want to get in the way of Terrence’s crew, so I walked over to a small minifridge at the back of the garage, and pulled out a bottle of Evian. Twisting it open, I stood half-watching the crew, half-watching the small television that was showing the SPEED channel’s post race footage. I took a sip of the cold, pure water, and sighed in content.

If someone had told me back in April that this arrangement would be working so well after two months, I’d have called them crazy. I was almost certain that between Terrence’s racing career, and my wrestling career, that it would ultimately prove to be too much for us. But, at least so far, the schedule had worked out to our advantage, with my events coming at least a couple days apart from Terrence’s races.

Even better, our results had been promising. Sure, Terrence was only 21st in the points now, and had just one top ten, but considering that he missed the first race of the season, it wasn’t that bad of a situation. And he was improving, he looked more confident out there tonight than I had ever seen him. Maybe- just maybe- his first win was merely a couple weeks away.

And if I had ever started in a wrestling company with a 4-0 record before, I certainly couldn’t remember it. But there I was, unblemished after two months. And it hadn’t just been against scrubs either- I had just won a tag match against three Evolution Champions!

But of course, it only got harder from here- but the rewards were going to be greater as well. I was basically three matches away from becoming the next Evolution Champion, and while it was looking like four extremely talented women- Colleen, Robbyn Helmsley, Kassandra, and Crystal Hilton- stood in my way, I certainly had more than just a outside chance.

I was distracted by my musings when I heard my husbands name. I looked over at the entrance of the garage, thinking he had returned, but no one was there. Then my head snapped back to the television, and I saw Wesley Hamilton smirking in front of the microphones in a post-race interview, his little shrew of a wife Andrea next to him.

Something inside me went cold. Wesley was Terrence’s teammate, and easily one of the most arrogant, overblown windbags I’d ever had the misfortune of meeting- saying a lot considering some of the people involved in my own line of work. Even more insufferable was that Wesley had thus far easily outperformed Terrence in races. Even after crashing out in thirty-second tonight, Wesley stood in third place in the standings, several hundred points ahead of my husband.

I could tell Hamilton was talking about the collision he and Terrence had on the track. He was smirking, but there was menace behind his eyes. “I was just trying to get around the guy, but obviously, Thompson still thinks he’s in professional wrestling, because he just piledrove me into the wall. It’s a shame, because we had a REALLY good car, but I guess when you’re used to beating on guys for a living, you think you can get away with stuff like that.”

The reporters laughed, and the feed cut away to another driver. I could tell my face was burning, and my hands were clenched so tight, I was amazed I hadn’t shattered the bottle of Evian.

“It wasn’t his fault, you two-faced rat.” I whispered angrily, to no one in particular. I had been listening to the radio feed at the time of the accident- Terrence had apologized for the incident, but everyone- including Hamilton himself, had brushed it off as just one of those incidents. And now he was standing on television, publicly blaming my husband for a cheap laugh?

A sharp pain in my left wrist distracted me, and I looked down. I was squeezing the Evian so tight, my knuckles had gone white. I lobbed the bottle into a nearby garbage can, shaking my hand to get some circulation back. Even though my mouth felt dry, I wasn’t thirsty anymore.

And it probably wasn’t a good idea to had an easily breakable glass bottle in my hand at the moment.

I turned and walked away from the television. Hamilton’s garage was the next one over, and from the looks of things, he had given his interview from there. I didn’t care if he was the alpha-driver of the team- he owed my husband an apology.

I didn’t get two steps, however, before a strong hand grabbed my upper arm, and restrained me. Furious, I swatted the hand away, and spun to confront my assailant. It was Jimbo McNulty, Terrence’s crew chief. The pot-bellied Tennesseean gazed at me with beady eyes from behind the a full face of salt-n-pepper facial hair. Even as he shook his head, I could see something in his face- sympathy?

Nevertheless, he was stern. “Ain’t gon’ be goin’ over there, Missy.”

“Hamilton’s an idiot!” I protested angrily. “I drive a bloody Vespa and I know you can’t pass on the outside in Turn 2! He put himself in the wall with his own impatience!”

“Did,” Jimbo nodded in agreement. “Terrence drove it clean, Wes didn’t. But no use startin’ trouble. Last thing we needin’ is feudin’ teammates.”

“THAT’S not starting trouble?” I demanded, pointing at the television. “You think Terrence is going to stand for that?”

“Yup,” was the succinct reply. “Terrence knows his place.”

“His place?!” I was incredulous

For an answer, Jimbo pointed at the #38 Taco Bell Ford sitting a couple feet away. “Twenty-First,” he muttered, then pointed in the general direction of Hamilton’s pit. “Third. Terrence ain’t winnin’ ARCA in 2011, ma’am. Wes has a shot at it, and if anyone’s gonna keep him from it, ain’t gon’ be us. Ain’t gon’ be you, either.”

The words were softly spoken in that Smokey Mountain accent, but there was a definite authority behind them. I wanted to protest further, but I had a feeling that any more would be construed as whining, and fall on deaf ears. And the last thing I needed to be doing was creating problems in office politics for my husband.

“Terrence’s here,” Jimbo grunted, pointing over my shoulder. “Night, ma’am.” With that, he turned and walked away. I turned, and forced a smile as Terrence quickly moved towards me, picking me up and spinning me around with a hug and a kiss.

“Twelfth, eh? How bout them apples!” Terrence beamed at me. “And I thought I was gonna hate Pocono!”

“Congrats, Terrence,” I replied, almost robotically. “You were great out there.”

Terrence seemed to notice my lack of enthusiasm, and he looked at me curiously. “Everything alright, hon?”

I glanced over at Jimbo, making sure he was out of earshot, then leaned forward, lowering my voice. “I was watching the post-race stuff. Hamilton’s blaming you for the accident.”

For just a second,I saw irritation on Terrence’s face, but then it was gone, replaced by a nonchalant shrug. “He’s just venting, hon. He had a car to win, and got hit by some bad luck. Sides, I probably could have given him a bit more room.”

“Terry, if you were any closer to the grass, you’d have been MOWING it,” I protested.

But my words fell on deaf ears. “We should probably get back to the RV and tuck Theresa in before she passes out.” he merely said. “Gimme a minute while I say goodbye to everyone, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, shaking my head as I walked away. Terrence would have never stood for someone disrespecting him like that. At least not while in wrestling.

A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I looked over. The Hamiltons were leaving their garage, Wesley strutting as if he had just won the race, instead of finishing third-from-last. I folded my arms over my chest and glowered at them. They looked over at me, and Wesley leaned over, and muttered something into Andrea’s ear. Something apparently amusing, because the woman burst out laughing. The way she glanced at me, I had a feeling I was the topic of the remark.

My face burning again, I looked back at Terrence, who was finishing saying goodnight to the crew. Jimbo was right- Terrence wouldn’t do anything. He’d wanted a chance like this for a long time, and he wasn’t going to let his temper screw anything up. If the company line was team unity, then Terrence would be a model good teammate.

I just wished the unity went both ways.

======================================
Thursday June 23, 2011
The Nest- Living Room
Indianapolis, Indiana
2:17 PM Local Time

[Scene opens in Wendy’s living room, with the redheaded woman sitting on her couch. Wendy is dressed a lot more casually than she normally is for an interview, wearing an Indianapolis Colts t-shirt, the vivid blue of the shirt clashing with her hair, which has been allowed to hang loosely. Wendy’s smiling, as usual, but her eyes are shining brightly with excitement.]

“Well, here we are!”

“This morning I woke up in my own bed. I ate breakfast at my own table. I went to my own gym to work out. I’m about to leave for the arena, and I don’t even have to use GoogleMap! And tonight, I have a chance to get one step closer to the Evolution title, and I get to participate in my first FFW main event! Wow! It feels...”

“It feels...”

[Wendy’s voice trails off, and she pauses for a few seconds, trying to find the word. Finally, she shrugs.]

“It feels RIGHT, actually. I- I can’t explain it, but today is one of those days I’ve always kind of dreamed of ever since I started wrestling. And I’ll be honest, I’m a bit nervous about it. There’s three of us left in the Chase for the Crown, but after tonight, one of us is going to have our dreams dashed. Obviously, I don’t want that to be me, but especially not on a night like tonight.”

“Whatever happens tonight, I have to thank my opponents in this match- Kassandra and Crystal Hilton. Whatever I may personally think about them, I can’t deny the fact that we were a great team together. Holding a unit like this together through one match is hard enough, but two, especially the last match on Velocity, was astounding. And I owe both of you my gratitude. Any one of us could have tried resorting to gamesmanship, and stabbed the others in the back at any point, but we didn’t. And I think that’s made this match even better.”

“But alas, our partnership has come to an end, and now we stand facing each other as opponents. And all three of us want the same thing- to get that Evolution Championship shot, and get a chance to dethrone the mighty Colleen.

[Wendy shrugs, and shakes her head]

“Like the first round, that goal can’t be achieved in this match. The Chase can’t be won here- only lost, and for one of us, that WILL be a reality. One of the odd things about this match is that, unlike most three-way matches, you shouldn’t have to worry about having your fall attempts broken- it ultimately doesn’t matter whether you get the fall or not. To advance is simple- not be the one who gets pinned or submits. A seemingly-simple task, but one that is significantly more difficult when you think about who you’ll have to outlast.”

“Most people know that I’ve spent a lot of my career competing in tag teams, so I like to think I know a thing or two about that style of wrestling. And I can safely say that the Danger Queens are among the best teams I’ve had the chance of seeing in action. Charlie and Kassandra- they have this chemistry between them, inside the ring and out, that just lets you know that there’s something special about that team. I’m really looking forward to watching them face The Eternal Flame at Unstoppable.”

“And Kassandra is amazing in her own right. In both of the matches we all teamed in, I don’t think its a fluke that she picked up the fall both times. She’s a heck of a submissionist, and hopefully further down the road, we may get a chance to face each other one on one.”

“But if anything- that might be Kassandra’s problem. She simply seems to get ahead of herself sometimes. The way she talked before the last Velocity, you’d think she’d already gotten her match against Colleen! We’re getting close, but there’s a lot of wrestling to be done before the Chase is decided.”

“On the flipside, there’s Crystal Hilton.”

[Wendy snorts and shakes her head]

“I always taught my daughter that if you can’t say anything nice, you shouldn’t say anything at all, and I’m really tempted to go that route here, just say Crystal’s a good wrestler, and shut off the camera.”

[Sigh]

“Part of my job is to do these interviews however, and I’ve noticed in the past that promoters kind of get a little annoyed when you cop out like that.”

[Sheepish grin]

“Crystal Hilton is... I’ll just say it wasn’t until I met her that I fully understood the meaning of the phrase ‘delusions of grandeur.’. There isn’t a person in the world that’s as perfect as Crystal Hilton thinks she is. I don’t think there’s another person in the world who even THINKS they’re as perfect as Crystal Hilton thinks she is.”

“Well, Crystal can say whatever she wants. She can mock me, mock my city, mock my fans, mock moccasins, mock a mockingbird, whatever. I’m Catholic, and I’ll just say that if I don’t believe in papal infallibility, I sure as heck don’t believe in the infallibility of some overexposed actress from California.”

“Well, I suppose its up to me to crack the facade, then isn’t it? Because Crystal isn’t the only one in this match who could boast of an undefeated record. The difference is, I’m able to put it all into perspective. Crystal has five wins, I have four, but ultimately, our biggest victory both came in our last match, against the exact same people. And I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that if you’re undefeated, you just haven’t managed to face the right person yet.”

“I guess over the next couple weeks, I’ll get to see if I’m the ‘right person’ for Crystal or not.”

[Wendy shrugs, giving a lopsided smile]

“Crystal, Kassandra, everybody in FFW, welcome to Indianapolis. I hope everyone brings everything they have to Conseco Field House tonight, because this city needs... no, this city DESERVES to have the best darn Velocity possible. And it’s fitting that we’re called the Crossroads of America, because here, tonight, the Chase for the Crown reaches a crossroads of its own.”

[Pause]

“And when it’s all said and done, I fully intend to be still travelling on the correct path.”

[Fade]

EPISODE 108: Hometown Girl

The Following Article appeared in the Tuesday June 21, 2011 edition of the Indianapolis Star.

Not Just Hot Air- Briese looks to Blow Away Expectations in Homecoming
by Reba Clarkson

When Femme Fatale Wrestling opened just one year ago, there were many skeptics who questioned the feasibility of an all women’s wrestling company being promoted on a global level. Female wrestlers, while often very respected inside the industry itself, have often been considered as little more than a sideshow act by the general public- an interesting novelty at its best, and degrading T&A riddled debauchery at its worst.

FFW, however, has blown those perceptions- and most of its critics, clear out of the water, becoming not just the largest women’s wrestling company in the world by a very definite margin, but now stands at being the cusp of being the class of the wrestling industry as a whole- to the shock (and likely dismay) of so many of the male-dominated wrestling companies that litter the landscape these days. What’s most stunning about the rise of FFW, however, is that the ‘breakthrough’ business model that has seen the company rise to the top would seem hardly revolutionary at first glance- the company focuses on the athleticism of the women competing, not merely their looks. As a result, FFW’s three shows- Velocity, Breaking Point, and the rookie-orientated Future Shock, have managed to become three of the most progressive, entertaining, cutting-edge programs available on television today.

So its no surprise that when it was announced that Femme Fatale Wrestling would be coming to Conseco Fieldhouse this Thursday, the response was enormous- and immediate. The entire event- nearly 19,000 tickets, was sold out in a matter of minutes, and the atmosphere downtown has been crackling with the electricity more akin to the Big Ten Men’s Basketball tournament than a lazy late-June scorcher. More known for its roots in basketball, football, and motorsports history, it’s not often that Indy plays host to a major wrestling show, and fans across the city are excited.

However, there may be no one more excited than one Pike Township resident, who will be definitely attending Thursday Nights Velocity. That’s because Wendy Briese will be competing in the main event of the evening.

“And yes, that is my real name,” proclaims the thirty-year old with a laugh, although she did legally change her surname to Thompson following her marriage to former pro-wrestler and current ARCA Stock Car racer Terrence Thompson.

While Wendy is well aware of the inherent wordplay in her name, she claims she’s not affected by any taunts or jokes that having such a name would no doubt bring- especially in the world of professional wrestling, where insults have been known to fly more frequently than missile dropkicks. “I used to be bothered by it, but you get used to it. It’s who I am, and I’m proud of it. I actually get more irritated when people ask me if I’m related to Drew.” she finishes, referring to former Purdue quarterback and current New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees. “The spelling’s not even the same, but I get that a lot.”

Although she’s been in Femme Fatale Wrestling for less than three months, Wendy has already begun to make a name for herself, with her flame-colored hair, her optimistic attitude, and her strong advocacy of fair play and sportsmanship. Wendy was one of the first chosen for the Chase For the Crown, a six-woman tournament with the winner to receive a match for the Evolution Championship- FFW’s second highest ranked title belt. Thursday’s match will be the second round of the competition.

“It’s actually a weird match,” Briese confesses. “For starters, the three of us have actually been tag team partners the last couple times we’ve been in the ring, and we’ve worked together pretty well. Now we’re opponents, and even though we knew that was the case from the get-go, it still feels odd. And there really won’t be a winner in the match- the match ends when one of us gets eliminated, and the two remaining girls will advance to face off in the finals. I can honestly say I’ve never been in anything like this before.”

That won’t be the only first for Briese on Thursday night. In her five-year career, which spanned from 2001-2005, and was revitalized again last year, Wendy has never competed in Indianapolis.

“It feels weird that I’ve been doing this for so long, and this is the first time I’ve wrestled here,” Wendy admits. “Most of my early career, I was involved in regional companies in New England, Canada, and Louisiana. And I’ve been to Chicago to the North, Louisville to the south, Cincinnati to the east, and St. Louis to the west. But never have I wrestled in Indianapolis. I don’t think I could have picked a much better time.”

Briese was actually born in New York City, the daughter of Augustus and Gayle Briese, who emigrated from Northern Ireland a couple years prior, both to further their stage acting careers, and to evade growing accusations that Agustus was involved with Irish terrorism. The young Wendy was often touted as a promising young actress herself, and was given intensive acting lessons from the moment she could walk.

“I didn’t really hate them,” Wendy reflects, “But they were demanding. You had to be perfect, in everything, or you had to do it again. The problem with that, is when you’re tired and frustrated, you make more mistakes.”

Wendy attended a boarding school for young actors with promising talent, although the school was closed when she was thirteen in the wake of a sex scandal involving several instructors and some of the older students. “Thank God I wasn’t involved in any of it,” Wendy remembers, “but it was an absolute mess. That was really the point where I started to wonder if I really wanted to live the life my parent’s had.”

“I just wasn’t happy. There isn’t another city in the world like New York, and that’s both good and bad. There’s so much to do there, and so many interesting people. But its not a city if you like peace and quiet. And it really wasn’t that nice of a place- this was before Guiliani began cleaning the city up in the late nineties. My parent’s were very social- they loved to go to parties and events like that. I really didn’t enjoy all that.”

With her father’s ties to radical Irish Nationalist organizations again gaining some attention, and their Broadway careers winding down, the Briese family was actually thinking of moving elsewhere. That elsewhere ended up being Indy.

“To be honest, I have no idea why it was here,” Wendy admits, “Although now I’m certainly glad it was.”

Wendy enrolled in Pike High School, where she graduated in 1999. Wendy admits she wasn’t the most outgoing student- her only social activities were the schools drama clubs.

“And I drove people NUTS.” Briese laughs. “The mentality I was supposed to have at my acting school stuck with me, so everything had to be absolutely perfect. And the drama club, it was mostly kids who just wanted to have fun creating something. I hate to say it, but I was *THAT* person. You know, the one who thought everything had to be done her way. I took a while for me to learn to have to let things go sometimes.”

After graduating from Pike, Wendy continued onto Butler university, which she attended for two years pursuing a degree in theater. After finishing her sophmore year, she intended to transfer to Boston College to be with her boyfriend, who moved to Massachusetts in late summer 2001.

“I had to be there for Terrence- it was really a low point in his life. He had just been banned by CISCA [The now-defunct Central Indiana Stock Car Alliance] for erratic driving, and he was undertaking a new career. Honestly I thought professional wrestling was the dumbest thing he could do, but I went along with it.”

She soon would more than go along with it- Wendy elected to not enroll in Boston College and became Terrence’s (who called himself the Twister) valet. Not long after, she surprised everyone when she joined the company herself- as a wrestler.

“I don’t know what got into me,” Briese confesses with another laugh. “Terrence had been injured, and I was upset about it. So the owner of the company tells me to pick a replacement for him in this six-man tag match. It was teaming with the tag champs, so I figured they could do most of the work, and I thought it would be kind of symbolic if I avenged my boyfriend. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

But Wendy’s partners never showed, and Wendy found herself alone- untrained, and facing three men on her own. “And they were HUGE. Like Pollaski’s size- except, you know, talented. I tried running away, but that didn’t really work. I don’t remember the next four minutes really well, except I’m sure I didn’t enjoy it.”

Luckily, Wendy would become properly trained, and it wasn’t long before she was able to hold her own in the ring. Her and Terrence formed a tag team, called the WhirlyBirdz (Wendy still proudly boasts she thought of the ‘z’ to ‘make them look cool’), and within eight months, they had captured their first world tag team championship.

“We kind of got lucky,” Wendy admits. “It was a battle royal, and we actually got thrown over the top rope. But my leg got caught in the ropes, and I never hit the ground. Everyone else eliminated each other, and suddenly, we’re the tag champs.” It was an unceremonious start to what would evolve into a Hall of Fame calibur tag team run, but Wendy remembers the night more for what happened after the match. “We’re standing there with the tag titles, and I have no idea what just happened. Then suddenly, Terrence has the microphone, is down on one knee, and proposing to me. I must have accepted, but I sure don’t remember it, because my head was just reeling.”

Unfortunately, Wendy’s exploits and engagement had drawn the attention of her father, who was less than amused that his daughter had forsaken an acting career for one in professional wrestling. What followed was a months long battle between Augustus and Terrence, with Wendy caught in the middle. “It was a downward slide really, and it ultimately led to the low point of my life,” Wendy says. “So much dirty laundry got aired, most notably the fact that my father had been having an affair for about twenty years.”

The turmoil ultimately ended in tragedy. Upon learning of the affair, Gayle Briese, Wendy’s mother, had planned to file for divorce. But Thanksgiving 2002 turned out to be the worst week of Wendy’s life.

“We were at a huge multi-company pay per view in Reno,” Wendy says, trying hard to keep her voice straight. “Terry and I had just defended the tag titles, and we got a call. Mother had been involved in an accident on 465.”

Gayle Briese had been struck by a semi-truck, presumably while standing on the shoulder of Interstate 465 due to car problems. She was thrown thirty feet from the impact, and suffered fractures on 85% of the bones in her body. She never woke up, and died two days later. It was later revealed that Augustus had shoved her into the path of the semi, a sin for which Wendy says he’ll never been given for.

“He can rot for all I care,” the normally amiable woman says bitterly. “First in Indiana State Pen, then in hell. Between this and what he did in Ireland, he’s wrecked too many lives.”

The trial for Gayle’s murder was a local media circus- one which Wendy notoriously avoided, only appearing at the trial to give testimony against her father. She saw the guilty verdict via satellite while preparing for a show in Ontario. “I can’t say I’m proud that I skipped the trial,” Wendy claims. “I just felt it was what I had to do. There was just too much spotlights, too many people trying to turn it into Indy’s version of OJ. I felt that if I was around it any more than I had to be, it’d kill me.”

Wendy’s done her best to move on from the tragedy. “It’s tough. I still think about it, and its sad that my daughter will never know her grandmother. But at the same time, I know she never would have wanted me to be miserable because of her. The best I can do for her is to live my life the best I can. I know she’s in a better place, watching me. And I know she’s proud of me. It’s a process, and one that will likely last my entire life. But I’ve done my best to move on.”

Wendy wrestled for three more years, retiring, along with her husband, in late 2005, getting married soon after. Settling in Indianapolis with their soon-to-be born daughter Theresa, Terrence returned to auto racing, and Wendy returned to her original passion- the theater.

“At first, I got some decent roles at a local playhouse, but then I was approached about being the director for the MCTT [the then-named Marion County Community Theater]. I really enjoyed it. I met a lot of great people there, mostly young adults who just wanted to act. I was a lot more agreeable than I was at Pike, but I was tough on them. I never expected perfection, but I certainly wasn’t satisfied with anything less than maximum effort. It led to some frustrating days, but I think we ended up doing some things that everyone involved was proud to be a part of.”

Briese resigned her position last year, citing ‘irreconcilable differences with a major donor’ as the reason for her removal. She then unexpectedly returned to wrestling alongside her husband. “[Longtime manager Daniel] Pollaski approached us about it, and I was reluctant at first, but eventually agreed. There’s really nothing like professional wrestling. Just the challenge, the feeling of walking through that curtain. You can’t get that anywhere else.”

Nowadays, Terrence is back in auto racing (Wendy jokes that they’ll reform the WhirlyBirdz next year once her husband changes his mind again), and Wendy feels she has fit in well with her new company. “Most of my career, I’ve been in regional promotions that featured intergender competition. Suddenly I’m in one of the largest wrestling companies in the world- and it’s all female. It’s been a mixed blessing- on one hand, I’m having about as much fun as I’ve ever had competing and travelling. On the other hand, most of my other companies, there were maybe one or two other females there, if any. So I kinda got to skate to recognition as ‘the girl who can beat the guys’. Here, well, we’re all girls, and I think most of us would whip any male we’re put against. But I don’t just automatically stand out here- I have to work harder to get noticed. It’s a new challenge.”

It’s a challenge Wendy hopes she’s succeeded at to some extent- at least enough to gain a solid hometown crowd backing come Thursday night. “Some people don’t care if they’re loved or hated- some even like being booed,” Wendy explains. “I’m not one of them. I love the fans, and I love it when they cheer me and get behind me. I like to think it gives me an inner-strength knowing that there’s people out there hoping I win.”

So now that she’s finally gotten a match in Indianapolis, does Wendy feel her career is complete? “It’s another piece in the puzzle- a big piece, really. But no. As long as I’m wrestling, I want to feel like there’s something else out there for me to accomplish. After all, if there’s no goals for me to shoot for, why would I risk my body to do this? But that’s a long way away- I’ve got plenty of things to shoot for in FFW, and I’ve got at least five good years left in me. That’s a long time in this business.”

But for now, Wendy is content to get out there, and enjoy the moment. “I’d love to say I’m going to go out and give my absolute best Thursday night for my city, but I try to do that every time I compete, no matter where I am. But I’m hoping that once its done, and the fans see me out there, Indianapolis will be proud to call me one of their own.”

Wendy doesn’t likely need to worry about fan support- she’s gotten it elsewhere, she’ll likely get it here. But its something that you can tell is important to her. “I know its cheesy, but that song, ‘Back Home Again In Indiana?’ I hum it every time we cross the Wabash or the Ohio and enter back into the state. No matter where I go, I’m proud to say I’m from Indianapolis, and I’m proud to call myself a Hoosier.”

“But its certainly going to feel good to be home.”

EPISODE 107: Step Up

Monday June 20, 2011
The RV- Main Cabin
Edmonton, Alberta
9:47 PM Local Time

[We cut to a now-familiar scene to X3 fans- the WhirlyBirdz RV, with Wendy Briese sitting on the couch. Given that the last time she had been seen on X3 Television, Wendy was a blood spattered mess coming out of the Fatal Attraction Cage Match, the thirty year-old redhead actually looks pretty good. It’s obvious that Wendy used much of her time off to rest herself up, and the cut she had been nursing on her forehead has completely healed up. Wendy smiles softly at the camera through the fade-in, before beginning to speak.]

“I suppose it would be an understatement to say that I’m fairly happy with the way Fatal Attraction turned out.”

[Wendy breaks into a small grin, then continues]

“In a single night, every single tendril of the Powers that Be that had a grasp on X3W was lopped off. Despite the victories scored by Madelyne McTaggert and Johnny Rotten, despite all the threats against those of us who refused to play along, the moment Brydon Talinsdale reappeared and sauntered down that ramp, everything was made moot. The company is back in the hands of the man it belongs to, the man it never should have been wrested from in the first place, and there’s not a darn thing Maddie, or Mike Powers, or Jason Riviera, or ANYONE can do about it!

“And then, of course, there was the main event. Looking back at it, even now, two weeks removed, I still have mixed feelings about it. I’m not proud of what I had to do in there. I’m not proud that I tore up Kevin Flynn’s chest like that. I’m not proud of the blood I spilled, or the scars I created. I didn’t want that match, nor do I ever want to be placed in a match like that again, but a champion has to be able to defend even in circumstances they find uncomfortable.”

“But that’s what I’m proud of. No matter how much I hated it, no matter how much pain, frustration, and yes, even fear I felt in that cage, I ultimately was able to shove it all aside and do what needed to be done. I walked into a match that many thought I wouldn’t even be able to survive, and I walked out the victor. I walked out a champion. The World Champion.”

[Wendy looks away for a long second, biting her lower lip, as if something just came to her. For several seconds, she sits pensive, looking off to the side, before turning back to the camera, her voice quiet]

“You know, I honestly think this is the first time in my career I’ve ever felt that way. I know, I’ve had this belt for over four months now, but in a way, I’ve always kind of felt like I was Carrie at the prom. Sure I was Queen, but it almost felt unreal, like the honor I had was really some sick joke designed to exploit all my flaws. I spent the last four months waiting for the blood to be dumped over my head.”

“Well, that deluge came, and it failed to budge the crown on my head so much as an inch! And now, I sit here, still the queen, with absolutely NOTHING hanging over my head. No kidnapped friends. No psychotic Satanic stalkers. No power-struggle amongst the executives. No electrified razor-wire cage match of doom. There’s just me. And my crown.”

“So I guess there’s just one question that needs to be asked.”

[Wendy reaches to her side, and hoists up something that was sitting next to her. The X3W title- which she sets over her shoulder patting the faceplate as she does so. She smiles at the camera- not one of open cockiness, but there is a definite level of confidence behind it.]

“Who wants it?”

“The best thing I’ve always loved about X3W is that the opportunities are abundant to those who are willing to step up and reach for the dangling carrot. Fourteen wrestlers were given a chance to become the first champion in a tournament- which I won. Then, five wrestlers competed in a round robin tournament to determine who would be my first contender. Kevin Flynn emerged from that.”

“So now that a battle royal is to determine my next challenger, who’s willing to make that leap? Who’s willing to step up to the plate, and knock the proverbial ball out of the park?”

[Wendy smiles for a second at her analogy, then shrugs]

“Obviously, the name Madman Szalinski comes to mind. There’s no coincidence that he was the runner-up in both of the previous tournaments I mentioned. Jeremy may not have grabbed the brass ring yet, but he’s made some swipes that have come darn close. And this isn’t the self-pitying, angry-at-the-world Szalinski we saw at Revelations. This isn’t the broken down, lost Szalinski that still managed to runner-up the round robin tournament. Jeremy’s said he’s not sure what he wants right now, but if he decides it’s my title, you can be sure that I’m already well on notice.”

“And of course, you can’t rule out Flynn. Let’s be honest- two weeks ago, I beat Kevin Flynn at his own game. I walked into a match that was right up his alley, and I walked out the winner. That’s a blow to one’s ego, and I think we can all safely say that Flynn’s the kind of guy who doesn’t like his ego bruised. I know the rivalry between us isn’t over- it’s probably barely even started. If Flynn didn’t like me before Fatal Attraction, I’m sure he likes me even less now, and he wants another shot at me. And we’ve all seen it, Flynn is exactly the kind of guy who steps up when things are on the line.”

“If I were a betting woman, those would be the two names I’d put my chips on. But, in truth, I can only speculate as to what Flynn and Szalinski are after. There’s one person in X3 who’s made no secret what she wants.”

[Wendy pauses, grimacing slightly.]

“You have to give Victoria Wolf credit- the woman knows how to make an impact. Returning at Fatal Attraction with her two... friends. And the last thing those who purchased that pay-per-view saw was her calling both Flynn and myself out. I’m sure it made for great television, and ended the show on a rather expectant note.”

“But there’s a lot more to gaining a shot at the champion than pointing at her and doing your best Aaron Rodgers imitation. Victoria probably wasn’t excpecting the time to back up her actions was going to come so soon. And we really have yet to see what Victoria is capable of in that ring. Her physique is impressive, but all we’ve ever seen of her in action was her debut against Ariel, and that mess of a jailcell match at Revelations. Her enthusiasm is admirable- but Victoria’s got a lot to prove this week.”

“As for the rest of the locker room?”

[Wendy shrugs, a lopsided smile on her face]

“Well, what are they waiting for? X3W may be the land of opportunity, but that hardly means you can afford to pass any of them up! Think about this- t doesn’t matter what your win-loss record is- your height, your weight, your age, your gender, which number you draw, you could be the number one contender to the X3W World Championship by the time Tuesday is over. Every single person in this company has a shot at what can take YEARS for people to get. Shatterpoint 19 can be the launching pad to a magnificent career to the one who’s most willing to step up.”

“Or, I suppose you could get eliminated, and then hope I win and pick you as my challenger.”

[Wendy flashes another grin, one that clearly indicates she’s joking.]

“It’s almost surreal, really, being entered in a battle royal to determine your next challenger. I can safely say *THIS* wasn’t my idea. But I will be wrestling, and I’ll definitely be wrestling to win. Not because I want to pick my next challenger- in honesty, I don’t really care who I defend against, so long as their shot is well deserved. If I do end up winning, I’ll just choose the person who I felt worked the hardest to earn it.”

“But I want to win myself, because ultimately, while I’m proud of what I’ve done so far, I’m hardly satisfied. It doesn’t matter how many matches I’ve won, what accolades I’ve been awarded, or how many belts I wear- I can always improve. It doesn’t matter if you’re the highest one on the ladder or not, there’s always another rung, and I want to keep climbing.”

“So get ready, everyone! Tomorrow night, let’s show Edmonton why X3W is so special, and give the fans a match that they’ll remember for a long time. I’m honestly looking forward to seeing who really wants to face me for the title, and who’s willing to step up their efforts to do so. I don’t care if you’re Kevin Flynn, Miss Denni, or Ariel Shadows. The time has come for you to realize your potential.”

[Wendy begins to get up, and the scene fades]