The Shoot Club (Houston)

[Mike Powers]

Welcome to the Shoot Club.  My name is Scott Davis, I'm the financial backer for this club.  I primarily made my fortune in the the underground fight world, first as a fighter, then in promoting the fights.  I'm looking for a President that knows how to win, and do it fast.  I've been a success at everything I've ever done, and this club will be no different.  If you have the skills, and can handle a high pressure situation, then this is the job for you.


*****









My name is Rachel Davis, Scott's sister.  I've been appointed the general assistant to this club.  If you're interested in the job, please introduce yourself, and give me your resume.  I'll put you in touch with Scott.

[Stoner]

Hey there.  Name's Stoner.  I'm pretty amazing at just about everything.  The only thing I can think of that I'm not particularly amazing is is making pancakes.  Its the one skill that eludes me for some reason.  But if my penance for being so damn awesome is an inability to make pancakes then its just the burden I will have to bear.

[Mike Powers]

I'm not sure you're in the right place my man. The culinary school is down the street. Here we talk fights, and we do it like men. Now are you looking to be Rachel Ray, or do you have interests that befit someone with testicles?

[Stoner]

Whoa whoa whoa my friend.  No need to be getting the rudeness out.  We're a couple of gentlemen talking here.  That said, if you want a team of people kicking ass and ruining the days of those other, lesser potential presidents I'm your man.

Just uh, don't ask me to make a team breakfast.  Chances are I'd be ordering out that day.  'sall I'm saying.

[Mike Powers]

Am....am I being punk'd or something?

Listen Pancake Man, let me set you straight. I spent years in the ring, beating men nearly to death on 4 different continents. After I retired, I promoted fights that broke the bank, and made me rich. Long story short, I've been an unparalleled success in everything I've ever done. The Shoot Club will be no different.

Tell me why you, The Pancake Man, are a fit for me and my club?

[Stoner]

Because I've been a fan of this sport since I was a tyke.  I know how to promote to the people that will be watching this organization because I'm going to be one of those people that WANTS to watch this organization.  If the people are screaming their heads off to see two guys beat the hell out of one another I'll make sure it happens in a way that we all make a ton of cash for it.

I'll let you in on something. I can actually make amazing pancakes.  They're fucking delicious.  Blue berries and strawberries are my specialty.  Bringing them up in the first place was just me trying to start us off with a light mood.  When you lighten the mood people think they can get one over on you.  When people think they're getting one over on you, you can get what you want out of them.  I can get what I want out of people.  And in this case what I want is to make money.

So I'll put it like this.  You wanna make money?  I'm your guy.  You want people telling you "Oh I can make this show a spectacle and yada yada blah blah" whatever.  Go with one of them.  I'm not here to make a spectacle I'm here to get paid.

[Midas]

Hello Miss Davis

     My name Donnovan Midas and I am sending you this e-mail in reference to the job opening for Shoot Club. I have sent over my resume via the fax number I have and was hoping to lock down a date and time to come on in and speak Scott about filling the position of club president.

Thank you very much
Donovan Midas

P.S If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me via the contact info I disclosed in my resume.

[Mike Powers]

It seems that there is a little bit more to the Pancake Man than I first anticipated.  Let me let you in on a little secret about me.  'Light moods'?  Not really my thing, unless your a tall blonde with legs that won't quit.  So you can stop with the goofy pleasantries, and keep talking to me like a businessman, in a business meeting. 

You think you'll be good at promoting this Club?  That's wonderful.  The more people we have watching us, the more cash we get.  But promoting the fights is just a part of the job.  We need to build a WINNING club here.  Today.  Not a year from now, not six weeks from now....TO-DAY.  Tell me Pancake Man, how will you build me a winner?

[Mike Powers]

Mr. Midas, it is wonderful to hear from you.  No need for appointments here, feel free to drop by at your earliest convenience and speak with Scott.  He is holding open interviews all week.

[Midas]

Mr. Davis... (Pause)

You know what Scott... When I spoke to your sister about coming in and she said you were holding open interviews without appointments I got right on my computer and Googled you because I found it odd that someone owning a club would do that. I did tons of research and even filled out these little cue cards with points I wanted to make while talking to you and things I wanted to be sure to say...

I walked in here and shook your hand and the truth is that none of it makes sense now that I met you... My mind just could not get over the fact that you don't schedule appointments and I realize now that there is a reason for that... You have no time for bullshit!

Time is money and I can sit here and dazzle you with bullshit, projections and plans but anyone can do that... Then I thought "Stick out from the rest of the people Midas" and with that I was thinking about challenging you to a fight in the parking lot for the job but came to my senses when I realized that you would probably destroy me...

So lets make this short and sweet... You want to win? You want to win fast? Give me the job and the resources and I give you the championship!

If you are looking for a yes man to do your bidding and not give you an opinion then hire someone else because if you hire me odds are we are going to be at each others throat often and will butt heads many times over but in the end we will win and that is all that really matters!

[Stoner]

Build you a good club?  That's easy.  You said it yourself, you have history in this business.  People will WANT to fight under your banner, because they know you've got the brand that puts their names out there.  Lets say you're hungry and want something to eat.  Do you choose to go to IHOP, or put your trust in Flapjacks a' Plenty?  You head to the place you KNOW is going to give you what you want.

These guys are going to want to fight for you because they know you wont settle for anything less than the best.  And I'll get the best.  Because anything else, quite frankly, isn't worth it.

[Mike Powers]

Mr. Midas, I have to say that you seem to understand where I am coming from.  Bullshit doesn't fly too well with me, that much is a fact.  I must say.....if you had had the stones to come in here and challenge me to a fight then I may have said 'screw the rules' and hired you on the spot, because you'd remind me of me.  But, the fact that the thought even crossed your mind is a big indicator to me of your character.

You said, short and sweet, if I want to win I need to hire you.  Well, I don't just WANT to win.  I NEED to win.  I WILL win.  Winning is all that I do.  Tell me what you would do to build The Shoot Club into TCW's first ever Champion.


*****


Despite your odd fixation on breakfast food, you've made a good point Pancake Man.  Greatness does attract greatness, so I'm sure that there will be no shortage of talent that wants to make the Shoot Club their home.  What I want to know is, what sort of talent are you looking to cultivate?  Are you looking for a bunch of brawlers to beat their way into victory?  Or someone with slick technical skills, to wrap the competition in knots?  Or something different entirely?  What's your vision, should you be hired?

[Stoner]

Technique is a good factor to consider.  You want someone who knows what they are doing in there.  But before than that I'm gonna be trying to get a guy who can get in there and just brutalize the opposition.  I want our first pick to be a guy that just inspires fear directly into the hearts of everyone who knows they have to fight him.  A guy that creates that sinking feeling in the pit of your gut, who makes you contemplate skipping that Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity because that's the kind of breakfast that only tastes good going down.

As far as the rest of the club, I'm going to have to look at whats available at that point.  Priority number one is going to be the ability to fight.  Then I suppose technique.  We'll get into specifics and whatnot when I know what I have to work with in front of me.

In any case, you're not going to have anyone come in here that knows what they're doing better than I do.  I worked with one of the greats in Jack Hondo, who ran Rough Kut Wrestling during its best years and learned from him what it takes to do this and do this right. 

So if you're going to hire me, hire me.  Don't wait for these other shmoes that are trying to get a job with anyone offering them a buck.  Ask around, I'm not trying to get hired with anyone else.  And if you send me out that door then that will be my bit here in Team Combat Wrestling, at least until a new organization springs up in the future that looks worthy of my time.  But you hire me and you got a guy committed to this club before it was even put together on paper.

[Mike Powers]

Alright Pancakes, last question.  Where would you want to build our Club?  Bright lights and big city, a quiet area out in the sticks, or someplace in between?

[Stoner]

With the kinds of guys we're looking to bring in, we're going to want to go big.  There's no room for pansy crepe eaters in my mind.  We're talking Paul Bunyan types, who require their pancakes to be cooked in skillets the size of Texas itself. 

So the way I see it we put this team right in the middle of Houston.  Don't no one like to fight like a Texan.  We'd be about a four hour drive away from all the major cities in Texas too.  And when the guys need to relax because shit's too real they're about an hour away from some fairly nice beaches.  Can go check out the ladies, or even hop on a boat and go catch a shark or two.  Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like hauling one of those engines of destruction onto the deck of a boat.