Scorch
04-17-2009, 10:24 PM
In continuing with WPW's tradition of providing you insight into the minds of its stars, WPW's interview team of Jason Dohle and (possibily fictional Scottish Interviewer) Colin MacClennan have again begun to sit down with some of the great minds of WPW. In this edition, MacClennan sits down with a man who once held The WPW Championship, Dan Murph. Find out if Dan regrets his actions at the Brawl, his thoughts on coming so close, and whether he thinks people's perceptions of him effect his won-loss record, and much more.
Colin MacClennan: Dan Murph, former WPW Champion, sort of, you requested this time here, what has brought you back to WPW?
Dan: Ha, sort of...cute. What brought me back to WPW right now basically is that in the next few months I'll be having surgery to fix one of my eyes, and I just needed something to do in my spare time to stop me from going crazy and killing my neighbours.
MacClennan: You did not depart WPW the last time on the best of terms, would you care to explain the situation and do you have any regrets on how you handled yourself?
Dan: I don't think theres any real need to go into exactly why I did what I did, or rather, what I didn't do. The people who need to know what happened know. But I think with all my departures in the past theres been an element of regret, I don't really regret making the decision to step down from the staff or even at the time from rp'ing, because I was burned out and it felt like the right time to take some time for myself, but I think the actual night of the brawl, and not finishing my match and letting everyone down when I was meant to be running the show would definetly be something I regret. I let my childish side take over and I made a stupid mistake that I shouldn't have.
MacClennan: Given that you did make that mistake and its not the first time something of the sort has happened, why should people in WPW trust you this time around?
Dan: Well, I'm not in a position where anyone needs to trust me to do anything anymore. People can go and take their shots at me for what I've done in the past, I'm not angel, and I'm certainly not perfect, I'm man enough to admit when I make a mistake, and if people want to harp on about it instead of trying to get past it and moving forward with the fed, then thats up to them. Like I said I'm not in a position where people need to trust me. I don't have any authority, I'm not writing matches or putting shows together, I'm just going to be rp'ing for myself, and trying to help the fed as a rp'er.
MacClennan: How can an rper help a fed, when the fed is based upon winning rp 'battles'?
Dan: Well I'll do what I'm here to do, I'll rp for my matches, I'll try and put up my best work, and thats all I can really do as a rp'er, the rest is up to the people who are on the staff.
MacClennan: You have had many people offer you advice on your rps in your time in WPW, do you think this has helped you, and is it something you believe you can do for others now?
Dan: It's definately the biggest factor in my improvement as far as I'm concerned. I try to take in the feedback I'm given and try to implement it into my rps and make them stronger. Even the best rp'ers have to keep improving so they don't get overtaken by the guys making their way up the fed in my opinion. And as far as giving feedback? It's not something I've always been confident in, but I'll help others where I can. Even just by telling them what I think they could adjust in a rp, or even if it's just helping out with an idea here and there.
MacClennan: You were "The WPW Champion" last Summer up through When World's Collide, what was it like to be WPW Champion?
Dan: Well if you ask anyone around the fed, I wasn't. But as far as how it felt to be "at the top" I kinda have to agree with what Prom has said a few times. It's almost like the end of the road. Suddenly that thing you've been chasing for so long is finally yours and you turn around, and now you're back against a wall with everyone coming towards you. It's a very different experience. But while it was difficult, it's definetly something that I crave to do again.
MacClennan: Your win came under controversial circumstances, and it was not the first time you were involved in a major match with a controversial ending, such as the first two Brawl For It All matches, what is it like to get that close?
Dan: Frustrating. Especially with WPW's first brawl, I put everything I had into that match, and in the build up to have most of the guys in the fed predict me to win it...and then not, hurt. But I think more so the fact that the character himself didn't even come close hurt more. But getting close and not quite getting what you might think you deserve is a real hard thing to take, it also pushes you to make sure you grab the opportunity the next time.
MacClennan: Do you think your general attitude and perceptions of you, have had negative consequences for you in those matches and at other times in WPW?
Dan: Honestly, I don't know. I imagine it's a possibility, but I'd like to think that if I deserved to win a match based on my rp's that I would.
MacClennan: Do you think there should be a universal judging system for deciding match winners?
Dan: It's an idea. But then I suppose you run into the problem of having split verdicts on matches. I guess sometimes you just have to trust the assigned writer to be as unbiased as possible and give the match to the person with the best rp's. And if they feel they can't do that for whatever reason, then bring in someone else to judge.
MacClennan: When WPW first started, The Judge would occassionally step in and overall match decisions, do you think this policy is a good idea, or should the owner strictly leave things in the hands of the writer?
Dan: I would say it comes down to the particular battle and sometimes even the importance of the match in question. If it's a close battle, that could really go either way, then I think the owner should leave it up to the writer, but then again if it's a match where someone has clearly won convincingly by rp's and then not been awarded the match, then it would usually be the best thing for the fed for the owner to step in and correct the decision.
MacClennan: Do you think that if a person is a writer they are qualified to judge an rp battle?
Dan: I never felt as a writer that I was qualified to judge a rp battle. Whether that was down to my laziness or just a lack of confidence in my decision making I don't know, possibly both. But I would think a writer would know if they weren't qualified to judge a rp battle, and if so then to tell whoevers in charge at the time and see what they can do with the situation.
MacClennan: Are there other writers in WPW now or in the past you do not think are or were qualified to judge rp battles?
Dan: There's always going to be someone here or there that you don't agree with, not everyone is going to be qualified to do that sort of thing. So I suppose there probably would be one or two since WPW started.
MacClennan: Would you care to name them?
Dan: Haha, that Duff guy, can't tell a great rp from a terrible one to save his life.
MacClennan: Fair enough. What did you look for in an rp back when you wrote matches?
Dan: When writing matches? I'll be honest, because otherwise someone will call me out on this. I was guilty on more than one occasion of getting someone else to make the decision for me for whatever reason, so I didn't often (infact very rarely) made the decision myself.
MacClennan: Chris Jericho has stated before that a good promo, does not tear apart the opponent, because nobody cares if you beat a loser and if you lose to one nobody will care about you, do you think WPW promos tend to adhere to this notion or are they guilty of what one made view as 'HHH syndrome'?
Dan says: Hmmm, I don't know. I've never intentionally gone out of my way to make my opponent look bad, and even if I did, I'm not sure I could. And I know Scorch in particular has been on a campaign lately to win matches without discrediting his opponent and making them look bad, but I'm not sure if thats always doable in an efed as competitive as this one.
MacClennan: Ready for a little Word Association?
Dan: Sure, I'll give it a go.
MacClennan: Martin Cameron.
Dan: Has potential. But he has a hard test ahead of him and he needs to make sure he puts in the effort he was putting in early last year. If he does that, I think he'll be ok.
MacClennan: The Killing Joke.
Dan: The most difficult person to face, purely because of his style. I still believe I could have beaten him if I hadn't psyched myself out leading up to the match, but thats the affect his style has sometimes.
MacClennan: The Stallion.
Dan: A lot better than I've ever given him credit for. Has really stepped it up lately and is very unfortunate not to be going into Redemption as the defending Champ.
MacClennan: Duff.
Dan: Sometimes a real piece of work. Can be confrontational and very hard to work with, but as WP has shown, he gets results, and seems to be loved across the board.
MacClennan: David Nicolls
Dan: A good rp'er, possibly given a bit of a bad rep by some of the guys around the board, but rp wise deserving of his main event status while the character was around.
MacClennan: The One.
Dan: Possibly the best character in the fed for a long while. I'm not too fond of the latest storyline he's gotten himself into right now though.
MacClennan: Gunnar Brian.
Dan: The best feud of the last year, it's just a shame for him after Redemption it'll all have been for nothing.
MacClennan: Champion.
Dan: The one thing everyone aims to be, and something that I need to accomplish properly, without any doubt from anyone.
MacClennan: 2.
Dan: Strong character, was on a roll for months, but just seemed to run out of steem at the wrong time.
MacClennan: Van Risen.
Dan: Gold. Someone who has beaten almost everyone since returning, and hopefully he can do a good job of building the Canadian division.
MacClennan: Overrated.
Dan: That's a toughy, for a long time I'd say Mike Corral, but now, I'm not really too sure if theres anyone who's too overrated. I'm gonna say Martin Cameron, and see if he can prove me wrong at Redemption.
MacClennan: Chris Cage.
Dan: Has potential, but needs to take the advice that he's given, and really show some drive and will to actually want to improve. I know he's capable of doing some damn good work, he just needs to believe it himself and work hard on it.
MacClennan: Underrated.
Dan: As strange as this is going to sound, Scorch. It seems that certain former champions think they're better than he is, but in my opinion, he's the best writer in the fed, from my past experience can rip an opponent apart and make it look effortless, and then can go an complete different route, and win matches without making his opponents look bad.
MacClennan: Jeremiah Ranks.
Dan: Not the same guy that was in PCW. I don't know if it's because of the way PCW was run, or that he lost his drive, but after losing the IOW Title he was never the same rp'er.
MacClennan: Group.
Dan: Orgy...Oh, wrestling groups? Something that I think the fed maybe better off without for a little bit, we had Royalty and Ressistance and then IOW, and I think now is probably the time to just move away from having a group be a major force in the fed so it doesn't become stale. Definetly entertaining when done right though.
MacClennan: James Moriarty Cassius.
Dan: Longest reigning champion. I'm not sure for how much longer though. One of the guys that helped make WPW, and I hope that he will stay away from the title scene atleast for a while, and let some of the other guys have a chance.
MacClennan: Scorch.
Dan: The biggest factor in the rise of Dan Murph. Someone who supported me from my comeback in early 08 and really helped me understand rp'ing a lot better than I ever have, someone I owe a great deal to for all his help.
MacClennan: Mike Adams.
Dan: The biggest pain in the arse I have ever met. No really, he's a good guy, can be very supportive and helpful, but can also be a major pain and needs to lay of the damn blind jokes!
MacClennan: Trent James.
Dan: Unlucky. He was on a major roll and looked to be headed for a championship match, when he had to take a few weeks off, hasn't really been the same guy since. Cool guy, I think maybe he needs to think about where his character is at and where he wants him to go and then work from there.
MacClennan: Team Super Awesome.
Dan:
The most annoying, stupid and pointless gimmick ever.
MacClennan: Sal Karver.
Dan: Someone I would have pegged to be challenging the guys in the main event scene by now. I was kinda shocked that he didn't go on and take the Florida Title from Gunnar at the Brawl, but I still expect big things from him in 09.
MacClennan: Best.
Dan: Something I thought I was slowly becoming for a while, before WWC knocked the wind out of me. I don't think we really have anyone right now who we can say is simply "The Best" which is exciting for the fed, because in most cases it means on any given day, anyone can beat anyone.
MacClennan: Redemption.
Dan: The best event for each of the last two calendar years. With the few matches already announced it's starting to build nicely, I have high hopes for it to be another great show.
MacClennan: Confidence.
Dan: Something I still need to get a grip on to bring me up to the next level.
MacClennan: Next.
Dan: Well I suppose that would be Gunnar Brian, after that, who knows. Maybe go for the tag titles as a nice change.
MacClennan: Thank you for playing word association, just a few more questions and we will let you go.
Dan: Good, I'm begining to get rope burn
MacClennan: There was a bit of a gap between when you decided to return to WPW and when you appeared on a show, what was the wait like?
Dan: A bit odd, as me returning was announced in the rumour mill, I didn't really expect to have anything more than a live match to return to. The return I was given was a very nice surprise though.
MacClennan: What has been your favorite win in your WPW career?
Dan: Probably the Sell Your Soul match, that was without a doubt one of the biggest moments for Dan as a character as he had overcome a lot in the previous few months. Alongside that I guess you'd have to put the cashing in of the SYS contract, but that may not be considered as a "win".
MacClennan: How much of Dan Murph is just you transposing yourself onto the page, and how much is a fictional character?
Dan: When I first started, it was 100% fictional, except really the name and where he came from. In the last year he's progressed so much that now he's probably atleast 98% me, infact I think the only thing that isn't based on my own life/thoughts/feelings is his actual appearance.
MacClennan: Beyond your own match, what are you most looking forward to at Redemption?
Dan: Now I've gotten over my own problems with it, probably the main event. I personally can only see on real winner in SYS, so I'd probably have to say the main event, I really think if each guy in the match puts in 100%, it could go any way.
MacClennan: A few more questions before you can turn the tables. Whose current rps and stories interest you most?
Dan: Well the least interest I have right now is the story between the Cassius brothers, I don't know where that's going, and quiet honestly, I don't care. Most interesting right now would probably be Gunnar and Carlos, although that is now winding down towards the end of Gunnar's WPW career, it's probably the best story WPW has had for a while, and I think Gunnar has handled it very well.
MacClennan: Will you still be around after your surgery?
Dan: That's something that I haven't really decided on yet, I guess it really depends on what happens between now and then. But I'm sure if I can't be a part of WPW for whatever reason afterwards, I'll still be around to look in on the place.
MacClennan: Now is your chance to make the choice, you can turn the tables and become the temporary interviewers, or enjoy a copy of "The Best Of Blade LaVigne: A Lesson In Deja Who Wrote That Again?" Which will it be?
Dan: I think I'll ask you a question.
MacClennan: Ok, then, we will put the DVD back on the shelf.
Dan: I've probably seen most of it before anyway.
Ok now my question....can you untie me please? I really gotta pee!
MacClennan: Judging from that dark stain on the front of your pants, I am going to have to call you a liar. Besides, I never was good with knots.
Do you have any more you would like to add before we let you go?
Dan: Nope, I've said my piece.
MacClennan: Well thank you for taking the time to talk with us and best of luck to you at Redemption and with your surgery.
Dan: Thank you.
MacClennan: You're welcome.
Colin MacClennan: Dan Murph, former WPW Champion, sort of, you requested this time here, what has brought you back to WPW?
Dan: Ha, sort of...cute. What brought me back to WPW right now basically is that in the next few months I'll be having surgery to fix one of my eyes, and I just needed something to do in my spare time to stop me from going crazy and killing my neighbours.
MacClennan: You did not depart WPW the last time on the best of terms, would you care to explain the situation and do you have any regrets on how you handled yourself?
Dan: I don't think theres any real need to go into exactly why I did what I did, or rather, what I didn't do. The people who need to know what happened know. But I think with all my departures in the past theres been an element of regret, I don't really regret making the decision to step down from the staff or even at the time from rp'ing, because I was burned out and it felt like the right time to take some time for myself, but I think the actual night of the brawl, and not finishing my match and letting everyone down when I was meant to be running the show would definetly be something I regret. I let my childish side take over and I made a stupid mistake that I shouldn't have.
MacClennan: Given that you did make that mistake and its not the first time something of the sort has happened, why should people in WPW trust you this time around?
Dan: Well, I'm not in a position where anyone needs to trust me to do anything anymore. People can go and take their shots at me for what I've done in the past, I'm not angel, and I'm certainly not perfect, I'm man enough to admit when I make a mistake, and if people want to harp on about it instead of trying to get past it and moving forward with the fed, then thats up to them. Like I said I'm not in a position where people need to trust me. I don't have any authority, I'm not writing matches or putting shows together, I'm just going to be rp'ing for myself, and trying to help the fed as a rp'er.
MacClennan: How can an rper help a fed, when the fed is based upon winning rp 'battles'?
Dan: Well I'll do what I'm here to do, I'll rp for my matches, I'll try and put up my best work, and thats all I can really do as a rp'er, the rest is up to the people who are on the staff.
MacClennan: You have had many people offer you advice on your rps in your time in WPW, do you think this has helped you, and is it something you believe you can do for others now?
Dan: It's definately the biggest factor in my improvement as far as I'm concerned. I try to take in the feedback I'm given and try to implement it into my rps and make them stronger. Even the best rp'ers have to keep improving so they don't get overtaken by the guys making their way up the fed in my opinion. And as far as giving feedback? It's not something I've always been confident in, but I'll help others where I can. Even just by telling them what I think they could adjust in a rp, or even if it's just helping out with an idea here and there.
MacClennan: You were "The WPW Champion" last Summer up through When World's Collide, what was it like to be WPW Champion?
Dan: Well if you ask anyone around the fed, I wasn't. But as far as how it felt to be "at the top" I kinda have to agree with what Prom has said a few times. It's almost like the end of the road. Suddenly that thing you've been chasing for so long is finally yours and you turn around, and now you're back against a wall with everyone coming towards you. It's a very different experience. But while it was difficult, it's definetly something that I crave to do again.
MacClennan: Your win came under controversial circumstances, and it was not the first time you were involved in a major match with a controversial ending, such as the first two Brawl For It All matches, what is it like to get that close?
Dan: Frustrating. Especially with WPW's first brawl, I put everything I had into that match, and in the build up to have most of the guys in the fed predict me to win it...and then not, hurt. But I think more so the fact that the character himself didn't even come close hurt more. But getting close and not quite getting what you might think you deserve is a real hard thing to take, it also pushes you to make sure you grab the opportunity the next time.
MacClennan: Do you think your general attitude and perceptions of you, have had negative consequences for you in those matches and at other times in WPW?
Dan: Honestly, I don't know. I imagine it's a possibility, but I'd like to think that if I deserved to win a match based on my rp's that I would.
MacClennan: Do you think there should be a universal judging system for deciding match winners?
Dan: It's an idea. But then I suppose you run into the problem of having split verdicts on matches. I guess sometimes you just have to trust the assigned writer to be as unbiased as possible and give the match to the person with the best rp's. And if they feel they can't do that for whatever reason, then bring in someone else to judge.
MacClennan: When WPW first started, The Judge would occassionally step in and overall match decisions, do you think this policy is a good idea, or should the owner strictly leave things in the hands of the writer?
Dan: I would say it comes down to the particular battle and sometimes even the importance of the match in question. If it's a close battle, that could really go either way, then I think the owner should leave it up to the writer, but then again if it's a match where someone has clearly won convincingly by rp's and then not been awarded the match, then it would usually be the best thing for the fed for the owner to step in and correct the decision.
MacClennan: Do you think that if a person is a writer they are qualified to judge an rp battle?
Dan: I never felt as a writer that I was qualified to judge a rp battle. Whether that was down to my laziness or just a lack of confidence in my decision making I don't know, possibly both. But I would think a writer would know if they weren't qualified to judge a rp battle, and if so then to tell whoevers in charge at the time and see what they can do with the situation.
MacClennan: Are there other writers in WPW now or in the past you do not think are or were qualified to judge rp battles?
Dan: There's always going to be someone here or there that you don't agree with, not everyone is going to be qualified to do that sort of thing. So I suppose there probably would be one or two since WPW started.
MacClennan: Would you care to name them?
Dan: Haha, that Duff guy, can't tell a great rp from a terrible one to save his life.
MacClennan: Fair enough. What did you look for in an rp back when you wrote matches?
Dan: When writing matches? I'll be honest, because otherwise someone will call me out on this. I was guilty on more than one occasion of getting someone else to make the decision for me for whatever reason, so I didn't often (infact very rarely) made the decision myself.
MacClennan: Chris Jericho has stated before that a good promo, does not tear apart the opponent, because nobody cares if you beat a loser and if you lose to one nobody will care about you, do you think WPW promos tend to adhere to this notion or are they guilty of what one made view as 'HHH syndrome'?
Dan says: Hmmm, I don't know. I've never intentionally gone out of my way to make my opponent look bad, and even if I did, I'm not sure I could. And I know Scorch in particular has been on a campaign lately to win matches without discrediting his opponent and making them look bad, but I'm not sure if thats always doable in an efed as competitive as this one.
MacClennan: Ready for a little Word Association?
Dan: Sure, I'll give it a go.
MacClennan: Martin Cameron.
Dan: Has potential. But he has a hard test ahead of him and he needs to make sure he puts in the effort he was putting in early last year. If he does that, I think he'll be ok.
MacClennan: The Killing Joke.
Dan: The most difficult person to face, purely because of his style. I still believe I could have beaten him if I hadn't psyched myself out leading up to the match, but thats the affect his style has sometimes.
MacClennan: The Stallion.
Dan: A lot better than I've ever given him credit for. Has really stepped it up lately and is very unfortunate not to be going into Redemption as the defending Champ.
MacClennan: Duff.
Dan: Sometimes a real piece of work. Can be confrontational and very hard to work with, but as WP has shown, he gets results, and seems to be loved across the board.
MacClennan: David Nicolls
Dan: A good rp'er, possibly given a bit of a bad rep by some of the guys around the board, but rp wise deserving of his main event status while the character was around.
MacClennan: The One.
Dan: Possibly the best character in the fed for a long while. I'm not too fond of the latest storyline he's gotten himself into right now though.
MacClennan: Gunnar Brian.
Dan: The best feud of the last year, it's just a shame for him after Redemption it'll all have been for nothing.
MacClennan: Champion.
Dan: The one thing everyone aims to be, and something that I need to accomplish properly, without any doubt from anyone.
MacClennan: 2.
Dan: Strong character, was on a roll for months, but just seemed to run out of steem at the wrong time.
MacClennan: Van Risen.
Dan: Gold. Someone who has beaten almost everyone since returning, and hopefully he can do a good job of building the Canadian division.
MacClennan: Overrated.
Dan: That's a toughy, for a long time I'd say Mike Corral, but now, I'm not really too sure if theres anyone who's too overrated. I'm gonna say Martin Cameron, and see if he can prove me wrong at Redemption.
MacClennan: Chris Cage.
Dan: Has potential, but needs to take the advice that he's given, and really show some drive and will to actually want to improve. I know he's capable of doing some damn good work, he just needs to believe it himself and work hard on it.
MacClennan: Underrated.
Dan: As strange as this is going to sound, Scorch. It seems that certain former champions think they're better than he is, but in my opinion, he's the best writer in the fed, from my past experience can rip an opponent apart and make it look effortless, and then can go an complete different route, and win matches without making his opponents look bad.
MacClennan: Jeremiah Ranks.
Dan: Not the same guy that was in PCW. I don't know if it's because of the way PCW was run, or that he lost his drive, but after losing the IOW Title he was never the same rp'er.
MacClennan: Group.
Dan: Orgy...Oh, wrestling groups? Something that I think the fed maybe better off without for a little bit, we had Royalty and Ressistance and then IOW, and I think now is probably the time to just move away from having a group be a major force in the fed so it doesn't become stale. Definetly entertaining when done right though.
MacClennan: James Moriarty Cassius.
Dan: Longest reigning champion. I'm not sure for how much longer though. One of the guys that helped make WPW, and I hope that he will stay away from the title scene atleast for a while, and let some of the other guys have a chance.
MacClennan: Scorch.
Dan: The biggest factor in the rise of Dan Murph. Someone who supported me from my comeback in early 08 and really helped me understand rp'ing a lot better than I ever have, someone I owe a great deal to for all his help.
MacClennan: Mike Adams.
Dan: The biggest pain in the arse I have ever met. No really, he's a good guy, can be very supportive and helpful, but can also be a major pain and needs to lay of the damn blind jokes!
MacClennan: Trent James.
Dan: Unlucky. He was on a major roll and looked to be headed for a championship match, when he had to take a few weeks off, hasn't really been the same guy since. Cool guy, I think maybe he needs to think about where his character is at and where he wants him to go and then work from there.
MacClennan: Team Super Awesome.
Dan:
The most annoying, stupid and pointless gimmick ever.
MacClennan: Sal Karver.
Dan: Someone I would have pegged to be challenging the guys in the main event scene by now. I was kinda shocked that he didn't go on and take the Florida Title from Gunnar at the Brawl, but I still expect big things from him in 09.
MacClennan: Best.
Dan: Something I thought I was slowly becoming for a while, before WWC knocked the wind out of me. I don't think we really have anyone right now who we can say is simply "The Best" which is exciting for the fed, because in most cases it means on any given day, anyone can beat anyone.
MacClennan: Redemption.
Dan: The best event for each of the last two calendar years. With the few matches already announced it's starting to build nicely, I have high hopes for it to be another great show.
MacClennan: Confidence.
Dan: Something I still need to get a grip on to bring me up to the next level.
MacClennan: Next.
Dan: Well I suppose that would be Gunnar Brian, after that, who knows. Maybe go for the tag titles as a nice change.
MacClennan: Thank you for playing word association, just a few more questions and we will let you go.
Dan: Good, I'm begining to get rope burn
MacClennan: There was a bit of a gap between when you decided to return to WPW and when you appeared on a show, what was the wait like?
Dan: A bit odd, as me returning was announced in the rumour mill, I didn't really expect to have anything more than a live match to return to. The return I was given was a very nice surprise though.
MacClennan: What has been your favorite win in your WPW career?
Dan: Probably the Sell Your Soul match, that was without a doubt one of the biggest moments for Dan as a character as he had overcome a lot in the previous few months. Alongside that I guess you'd have to put the cashing in of the SYS contract, but that may not be considered as a "win".
MacClennan: How much of Dan Murph is just you transposing yourself onto the page, and how much is a fictional character?
Dan: When I first started, it was 100% fictional, except really the name and where he came from. In the last year he's progressed so much that now he's probably atleast 98% me, infact I think the only thing that isn't based on my own life/thoughts/feelings is his actual appearance.
MacClennan: Beyond your own match, what are you most looking forward to at Redemption?
Dan: Now I've gotten over my own problems with it, probably the main event. I personally can only see on real winner in SYS, so I'd probably have to say the main event, I really think if each guy in the match puts in 100%, it could go any way.
MacClennan: A few more questions before you can turn the tables. Whose current rps and stories interest you most?
Dan: Well the least interest I have right now is the story between the Cassius brothers, I don't know where that's going, and quiet honestly, I don't care. Most interesting right now would probably be Gunnar and Carlos, although that is now winding down towards the end of Gunnar's WPW career, it's probably the best story WPW has had for a while, and I think Gunnar has handled it very well.
MacClennan: Will you still be around after your surgery?
Dan: That's something that I haven't really decided on yet, I guess it really depends on what happens between now and then. But I'm sure if I can't be a part of WPW for whatever reason afterwards, I'll still be around to look in on the place.
MacClennan: Now is your chance to make the choice, you can turn the tables and become the temporary interviewers, or enjoy a copy of "The Best Of Blade LaVigne: A Lesson In Deja Who Wrote That Again?" Which will it be?
Dan: I think I'll ask you a question.
MacClennan: Ok, then, we will put the DVD back on the shelf.
Dan: I've probably seen most of it before anyway.
Ok now my question....can you untie me please? I really gotta pee!
MacClennan: Judging from that dark stain on the front of your pants, I am going to have to call you a liar. Besides, I never was good with knots.
Do you have any more you would like to add before we let you go?
Dan: Nope, I've said my piece.
MacClennan: Well thank you for taking the time to talk with us and best of luck to you at Redemption and with your surgery.
Dan: Thank you.
MacClennan: You're welcome.