Television Report

DEFINITION: (CK.) Career Killer. (1) cast member who may not be ready for an all out athletic competition, (2) one of may be prone to injure others in the heat of a choreographed competition, (3) potential tough enough quitter, (4) "Little" Chris.

Tough Enough began this week providing us with the definition above, we got to learn the other contestant's had created that definition and assigned it to "Little" Chris because he constantly makes mistakes, which may end one of their careers. Hence, Career Killer.

When I first heard this phrase, I was thinking marketing. And IT is an awesome gimmick! "The Career Killer" Chris (insert any last name) and you have a pretty solid foundation for a pro-wrestling character. It is an instant heel character who would enjoy injuring his opponent's. Sort of like being known as "The Crippler". The other contestant's refer to "Little" Chris as CK now.

Harvard Chris (which isn't as good of a gimmick as "Career Killer" and also reminds me of "The Mean Street Posse".) told us CK constantly messes up spots and he even messed up a leap-frog spot with him and they hit their heads because of it. He told us he calls "Little Chris", CK, because he isn't going to allow him to end his chances of becoming a WWF Superstar.

CK told us at first he was upset and didn't like the "Career Killer" tagline because he wasn't making the mistakes on purpose. But now he is cool with it.


TRAXX TRAINING

We see the contestant's training in the ring, and Mick Foley walks in. We see some of the contestant's (Josh and Nidia) saying "HOLY SHIT!" when Mick walked in un-announced.

We get the typical highlight video package of Mick Foley with his theme music and all of the contestant's shake Mick Foley's hand and welcome him to the training center.

Tazz was laying in the ring with a huge smile on his face, and started to talk about Mick Foley. He said whether you love him, or hate him, "..and most people hate him!" he came in to the business the hard way and everybody respects him because nothing he got was ever handed to him. Tazz of course was being sarcastic when he stated everybody hated Mick, and was joking with a huge smile on his face. Which is a far cry from the "most-miserable" man on the planet tagline he has been stuck with through out his entire career.

Mick agreed, "I had to room with Al Snow on the Road". Mick could not resist going for the Al Snow joke to lighten this semi-serious introduction. Foley then got serious and directed his attentions to the contestant's. Mick said he had heard Triple H came and was Tough on them. Not physically, but mentally about the business and respect for the business. Mick said he had plans on coming here today and being nice about the business to them. But it could be the most difficult business in the world. Foley told them there is absolutely nothing fun about being beaten up and slammed.

Foley informed the contestant's he remembered when he first began his career asking himself what he had gotten himself in to. And then Mick asked them all what they would do if they didn't win.

CK ("Little Chris") answered first and told Mick he would have to re-evaluate things at that point. He said "..there are a few things I have not learned yet.". To which Al Snow piped in with, "There is a whole laundry list!". Mick responded by jokingly asking, "There are only a few things you haven't learned yet?".

Mick followed that up by saying it isn't about how many moves you know in the ring. It is how you use those moves to make the match enjoyable. He said that the foundation is to have a good solid basic wrestling background in the ring however; and there are guys that know all the moves and also have to learn basic wrestling skills to get by. Unless you want your matches to be four-finger stinker's, you will have to learn the basic technical moves to get by in this industry (I was waiting for the Al Snow joke, but it never came).

Al Snow informed Mick he would get in to the ring, but wouldn't have to do anything, which Al joked he knew Foley would like. Before they got in the ring, Al Snow picked up Mick Foley's new book and said, "Mick Foley's new book, "Foley is Good" available in stores everywhere!" (it was a sarcastic hilarious cheap plug that Foley has been known for).

Nidia told us there was something comforting about Mick when you meet him.

We see the contestant's working out in the ring and Foley watching, and stepping in and giving them some pointers occasionally.

Harvard Chris said it was cool to meet Foley since he is one of the most respected guys in the industry.

Foley left. Snow continued training the contestant's after Foley vanished from the show (quick exit by Foley).

CK lived up to his reputation quickly and almost began his career by ending Al Snow career. Al Snow quickly reacted in Stu Hart "Stretch-em-Mode" and stretched CK for his mistake. Al kept telling CK that he isn't going to take this anymore and he could be even tougher on CK. It looked painful to us at home, the position Al Snow put CK in. Snow told CK that he had anticipated the spot, and he can not anticipate the spot otherwise some one is going to get hurt, and that someone in this case was going to be Al Snow. Snow told CK when he was stretching him that if he had been hurt he would have been a lot more upset. Snow asked CK how many weeks had he been telling him not to anticipate the spot. CK said, "SIX". Al told him he hasn't been listening to him.

We get a voice over by Al Snow. Al tells us that he lost his temper, and it was because CK is obviously not listening to him and he is going to injure someone. Al suggested the person was going to injure was in fact Al himself. He said CK needed to listen better and be more aware.


BACK AT THE HOUSE

Josh is talking to his girlfriend. You know, the one who isn't going to stay at home and take care of their children while he is on the road doing his wrestling career. The one that told him he should consider leaving the competition because of these reasons, and if he won, that would be the end of their relationship. The one that put all of that pressure on him while he was involved in the most vigorous athletic competition of his entire life!

Josh misses her. And we hear him talking to her about how he misses her, it obvious that he loves her.

Maven received an e-mail from his aunt about his mother. She isn't doing very well. She is battling bone-marrow cancer. Maven told us his aunt always gives him the real truth about what is going on with his mom.

Josh asks Maven what he is going to do. Maven said part of him says he can not put his mother on the back-burner for a TV show, and part of him tells him this is a huge opportunity. He says he wishes he could leave for like a day or two and go visit her.


PERSONAL THOUGHT INTERJECTION

My thoughts at this point were the following. There was absolutely no way "Big" John was going to tell Maven on national TV that he was not allowed to go visit his sick mother, who has cancer. If he had, it would have made the show and the WWFE look incredibly horrible on national TV. They would have come across as the "heels" in this situation, and WWFE always has been "family-orientated". So it was obvious to me that if Maven did request to leave the show for a few days and go back to see his mother, he would be granted permission. It is a testament on Maven's behalf however; that he was hesitant to ask, because it shows he doesn't take the competition lightly and expect to be treated any differently by "Big" John.


BACK THE SHOW

Josh tells Maven that if he wants to leave, let him know, and he will pack his bags too and go with him right now. Maven talked to his dad about what he should do, but still didn't know what he was going to do.


TRAXX (MAVEN STEPS UP TO THE PLATE)

Maven explained to "Big" John and Al Snow what was going on with his mother and his thoughts on the entire situation. John asked Maven what he wanted to do. Maven told John he would not be able to live with himself if he was here and something happened to his mother. Al informed Maven he had the option to go home for a few days and come back, but that was his call to make.

John said the most important thing is family, and if Maven needs to take care of that, he wants Maven to go and do it. Maven said he feels like he has to be with his mother, and he is going to go see her. Maven said he is nervous because he doesn't know what she is going to look like and how she will be health-wise.


NO MORE TRAINING, IT IS ROCK CLIMBING TIME

The rest of the contestant's, minus Maven who left to visit his mother for a few days and missed out on this intense rock climbing contest by doing so, are going through a rigorous rock climbing exhibition for fun. "Big" John decided to set up another healthy competition based around the climbing. He said the first contestant to climb the wall and reach the highest levels would win the contest. Josh won the first contest. The second contest was a speed competition. The first contestant to climb the wall straight up the fastest would be the winner. Josh won that contest also.

Josh won two pairs of sneaker's at Foot Locker for his victory. We see Josh selecting his shoe's at a local Foot Locker (cheap plug!). Taylor said of Josh's rock-climbing abilities, he was like Spiderman.

Nidia said Josh's confidence is growing since he beat everybody else ass (I think she said "butt") in these contests.


MOM, I'M HOME, AUGUSTA MEDICAL CENTER, FISHERVILLE, VIRGINIA

Maven is seen lurking about the facilities and ducking in to a hospital room with his mother in it. They greet each other and hug each other. She is really happy to see that he has come home.

Maven tells us, all he wants to do is hug his mother and tell her that she comes first in his life. Maven's mother told him she doesn't like how his aunt tells him stuff. Maven told her she only tells him the truth and anybody can tell him she is doing fine, but he needs to know what is actually going on. He needs to know the truth.


BACK AT THE TOUGH ENOUGH HOUSEHOLD

Josh is depressed because the only person he hangs out with in the house is Maven. Josh told Nidia he is really bored since Maven left the house. Nidia agrees with Josh about being bored since Maven left. Josh said you could feel the difference in atmosphere without Maven present.

Nidia agreed with Josh again. We see all of the contestant's (mostly the female's) making card's and letter's for Maven to place on his bed for when he gets back. So he can feel all warm and nice inside about returning to the household. Actually it was pretty cool to see they actually care about him as much as they do. It shows Maven is a genuinely likeable nice guy as well as a pretty solid athletic competitor.


PERSONAL NOTE

If Maven wasn't the favorite before, now he is in my mind. He has the type of genuine personality the WWF is looking for to market. He has the mental tools needed to cope with his mother fighting bone-marrow cancer and make the decision to leave his dream behind to make sure she is okay. And he has the ability to genuinely care about people he is competing against at the same time. This is the kind of guy, even if programmed as a heel, the WWF loves to have on their roster (to send out to media outlet's and do PR work).

Plus going through the real life struggles with his mother and being able to cope with it, without collapsing and breaking down, suggests that he would also be able to cope with the stresses of the business and be sympathetic to cancer patients on the road, if sent to do Public Relations work.


BACK AT THE HOUSE, BACK TO THE SHOW

Josh said it would suck if Maven left the show because he would be all by himself at that point. He would feel bad for Maven because he wants to quit the competition for outside reasons (his girl).

CK Chris is on the phone with a friend of his and is telling him how he was stretched by Al Snow. He keeps saying how he doesn't feel he is ready and it isn't his time right now.

Josh told us the weekends are the hardest part because of his girl. He just misses hanging out with her on the weekends. He breaks down and calls her and tells her how he misses her and how he is thinking about leaving the competition. You know, this is the girl who I previously dissed and stated she damn short of ORDERED him to quit.

Now he is willing to drop his dreams and go home to be with her and prove his love for her, and she bitches at him for wanting to quit when he is only three weeks away from completing the competition. Sometimes I just do not understand how the female brain works. I guess before she was really trying to only GUILT trip him to feeling bad, and really did not want him to leave the competition. Now she is trying to get him to stay with the competition until the end.

Josh says he doesn't like being in this house anymore and he is going to come home today. His girlfriend tells him to rethink what he is saying because he is so close. Josh tells her that he is more sensitive than he'll ever admit to. NOTE TO JOSH! You do realize you are on national TV? So you just did admit the fact you are too sensitive in front of about 2 million people!!

His girlfriend told him to wait until Maven returns and that will calm him down. Probably a good point.


MAVEN PHONE'S "BIG" JOHN

Maven called "Big" John from the hospital and told him the first two days went very well, but things just got bad. They re-admitted his mother to the hospital toady. John re-emphasized that family comes first and Maven should make sure things are okay before he returns. Maven said if anything goes wrong with his mother, he would leave the competition.


BACK AT THE HOUSE

CK is telling the rest of the contestant's that he can't do this. He is not ready, it isn't his time. He thinks they are trying to train them and make them learn 13 years of experience in nine weeks of training. He thinks even if he did win, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

Josh told us again that he just wants to go home.


"BIG" JOHN FEARS HARVARD CHRIS WILL WIN BY DEFAULT

Well, he didn't say that. But he did say he realized CK and Josh were down on the competition and were thinking about leaving. So it was my own observation that since "Big" John did not know if Maven was returning or leaving himself, they potentially could lose three people on this week's show. Which would mean, Harvard Chris wins by default.

"Big" John told us he felt like it was time to talk to Josh and CK and the rest of the contestant's about the contest because of these problems. He told them all they have all grown from when they began the contest. He talked about how people are judged in how they react to moments of crisis in their lives and that determine's what type of person they truly are.


BACK AT TRAXX

Al Snow asked how their weekend was, and Harvard Chris said it was fine.

Everybody is dressed and ready to go, but, CK. The rest of the group was assured off by Al Snow to go get ready to start training while they got the chance to discuss things with CK.

CK told "Big" John and Al Snow what he told all of us and the rest of the contestants's the past two days. He didn't feel like he was ready and this wasn't his time.

Al, "If you have made the decision for whatever reasons that you are not tough enough to pursue this physically, mentally, and emotionally, then you have made the right decision for yourself." CK had made that decision and said his goodbye's to everybody.

Unlike others who left the competition we did not get a sense that too many people were terribly broken up about CK leaving the contest. Maybe because he was a "Career Killer".

CK talked about Shawn Michaels and how he once said he had lost his smile, and he said he doesn't know if it was for the same reasons, but he feels that way now and understands what HBK was talking about.


BACK AT THE HOSPITAL

Maven's mother told him she would be getting out of the hospital today, and the paper work has already been done. She said she could tell he was really bothered on the phone and needed to see she was doing okay. She told him it was good he did come home.

Maven told us that his mother gave him the go ahead to return and finish the competition. The problem that had her in the hospital was taken care of and he was off to the HOUSE.

When he got back to the house we see him finding the letters and reading them and getting some water from the refrigerator. He then goes outside and waits for the contestant's to return back from training.


BACK AT TRAXX

Snow showed the contestant's how to do a crucifix pinning combination. But from the stand point of the person being pinned, not the person attempting the pinfall maneuver. Snow told them not to land on their backs, for obvious reasons (let me clarify, the Crucifix Pinning combination has the offensive wrestler, one attempting the pinfall, in a prone position on the back of their opponent's. If the opponent was to fall straight back on to their back's. It would potentially injure the person attempting the crucifix. If the defensive wrestler in this case did fall back, and the offensive wrestler was prepared, it would turn in to the Samoan Back Drop. But in this case the offensive wrestler wasn't prepared and they were attempting a crucifix, so Snow explained now to land on their backs, and to land on their butts).

We saw numerous contestant's having problems with this. Harvard Chris constantly overshot Al Snow and threw Snow's balance off (which isn't a good thing). The last shot with Harvard Chris doing this, Al Snow goes down in a four point stance with Harvard Chris draped across his back and says, "Interesting".


BACK AT THE HOUSE

They return to the house and find Maven there. All the women (all two of them) rush him and give him giant hugs. They were all happy to see him.

They inform Maven what happened to CK. Harvard Chris tells us that Maven didn't understand why CK chose to leave. Maven thanked them all of their thoughts and prayers. They all told Maven how much Josh missed him.

Maven was surprised Josh missed him as much as he did. Maven finally talked to Josh about quitting the competition. Maven told him he knew he was thinking about quitting. Maven made Josh make a promise. Maven said he would not quit the competition for Josh, if Josh promised not to quit for him. They both promised.


PERSONAL THOUGHT

I think Harvard Chris is in big trouble now. Maven is going to have momentum on his side because of his mother and having seen her and her giving him her blessings to finish the competition. Right now I feel like Maven wants to win this for his mother. I know this is a terrible thought, but if his mom does succumb to the disease in the next three weeks. I think Maven will try and win the competition to dedicate it to her. The fact is right now, since he saw his mother and made peace with himself for doing the competition while she was going through the cancer problems. And She gave him her blessing, and wants him to finish, I think that is going to DRIVE Maven.

As far as Josh is concerned, If he sticks to the pact with Maven. That means the two finalists are going to be Josh and Maven in my opinion. Which leaves Harvard Chris out in the dark.


THE CONTESTANT'S

Female: Bobby Jo, Nidia, Paulina, Taylor and Victoria.

Males: Chris Ni., Chris No., Darryl, Greg, Jason, Josh, Maven, and Shadrick.