SCOTT ANDREWS: SKILL, THRILL, SHOOT INTERVIEW
(Shoot Interview with the Scarlet Assassin. Everything in this was written for fun and is completely fiction. Some of it is a play on real 'backstage' happenings, but mostly just for fun. Enjoy.)
The camera is positioned in a generic ‘news interview’ style, as Scott Andrews sits smugly on a white sofa at his Denver residence. He is wearing a black ‘Parkway Drive’ t-shirt, and dark blue jeans. The rest of his current attire is irrelevant, as it is hidden from view. A familiar voice is heard. It is that of ACW interviewer, Kevin Anderson.Kevin: Hi, Scott. How are you today?
Scott: I’m doing well thankyou, Kevin.
Kevin: Well, I’d like to start this interview by asking you about your days in the indies.
Scott: Ok, sure.
Kevin: Okay, first off, what was it like being a part of FSW? And what was your favourite match?
Scott: FSW was overall, a good experience, and it really prepared me for the big leagues. My time there was enjoyable, and it was really great to see guys like Mark Miller (currently developmental Fallout Talent) get contracts earlier this year. But as you know, not everything in this business goes your way all the time. And unfortunately my good time in FSW came to an end when management suspended me for being late to a show. Truth is, I was double booked to fight in Ring Of Honor as well that night, and missed my FSW booking. But that Ring of Honor show may have been my way into ACW. I had an absolutely brilliant match with Jay Lethal, who I still think is one of the best independent talents around at the moment. That match caught the eye of ACW management, and they contacted me the following week and I signed a contract straight to the main shows, and skipped the ‘Fallout phase’ that most guys have to go through before they can be called up to ACW. I consider that a lucky break. They obviously saw the potential I had, and I already knew what I was capable of, so it was a good move on their part. And of course, I can’t forget I met the love of my life there (Jessie Young).
As for my favourite match in FSW? That’s hard. I’d have to say the match I had with Lance Storm in early September 2004 was an honor. He taught me so much in the short time I was around him. I have nothing but respect for him. But aside from that match I would have to say the 8 Man Battle Royal in which I captured the FSW Lightweight Title on my debut. You can’t ask for much better than that for a debut, haha.
Kevin: You certainly can’t.
Scott: There was one point in the match where I actually thought I was going to touch the floor, when Dave (Rholstein) threw me over and I landed on the apron. I slipped, but luckily I held on to the rope with one hand and managed to pull myself over. I was really nervous. It was my first match in the pros. But look how far I’ve come. I’m in the biggest promotion in the world. And I’m a two time tag team champion.
Kevin: That leads me to my next question. You and NBK weren’t actually booked as a tag team, were you?
Scott: Well what actually happened was that he and I were both quite new to ACW, and so we decided we’d travel together. We soon came to the conclusion that we’d become a tag team. We strolled up to Ginger’s door and proposed the idea to him. He liked it, and they booked us perfectly to win the titles against The Deities of War (Cernnunos/Pilko). That was a great moment for both of us. We’d spent a lot of time working towards this, and the culmination of determination and dedication brought us the tag team championships.
Kevin: So you’re speaking for Lex as well?
Scott: Well, no. I know there’s a lot of speculation about him not being that dedicated to the business, and is using it to make money and get fame. But I for one know my passion for this business knows no end. I didn’t take a bump off a ladder onto concrete floor because I wanted to. I did it to entertain the fans. That spot will go down in history as one of the most insane spots in FSW history. Even, Skitz (FSW) would agree, and he’s been through his fair share of big bumps. But don’t get me wrong about, Lex. He’s a decent worker when he wants to be. He can work the crowd, and that counts in this industry.
Kevin: I’ll admit he gets a good reaction. But the IWC may have something to do with that.
Scott: Anyone can use that as an excuse. Lex is hated by marks because he is a heel and flips them off. He is hated by
some smarks because of his supposed lack of passion for the business, but others just love his cocky attitude and of course the girls love him, haha. So no, I don’t think the IWC play a big part in his reaction.
Kevin: Well earlier in your ACW career, you worked with a lot of different superstars. Which was your favourite guy or gal to get in the ring with?
Scott: Hunter really clicked with me in the ring, as did BK London. Both of those matches were a lot of fun and were ‘on the edge of your seat’ nail biters. The World Title Match still remains my favourite match in ACW so far.
Kevin: And after that match you were accepted into the most lasting stable in ACW history, in the Senatorial Stable. How was that experience?
Scott: Being inducted into the Senatorial Stable was such an honor, and having a stellar match with Hunter right before I was accepted was a bonus. It made it that much more special. We both knew it was going to happen of course, and so we agreed to make it a performance to remember, for me in particular. He was really good about making me look strong in the ring. He helped me a lot in that match. He didn’t carry me, so to speak, but in certain places where I was just unsure he helped get the match back on track. It was really good to see someone like that in a major promotion like ACW.
The stable members are a lot of fun. Senator was a great help at training time. He taught me a lot of move variation to expand my in ring performance and helped me tone my technique. I thank him a lot for that. Bre (McKey) is a real character. She and I goof around a lot backstage. She’s the funniest girl I’ve ever met, besides my lovely girlfriend, haha. And guys, Aleister isn’t that much of an asshole off screen, haha.
Kevin: What do you have to say in response to recent claims of you having a relationship with ACW’s Sarin Rossi?
Scott: We’re good friends, for sure. We never went past that. I’ve got a loving girlfriend that I totally adore, so why waste that for an affair? I think of Scarlet as a good friend. She’s there when I need to talk about things I can’t talk about with Jessie or anyone else. She’s helped me a lot with my relationship as well. And I thank her for that. But Jessie is the only women in my life.
Kevin: So do you and Sarin travel together?
Scott: Most of the time. It’s usually Sarin, NBK, and myself nowadays, but we shuffle around a lot. A lot of it has to do with what feuds are going on at the time.
Kevin: Do you have any stories from the road?
Scott: Well there was this funny incident earlier in my career. I was travelling with Bre Double T, Lex, and Rena (Matheson). We were on our way to a Meltdown taping and I was driving. We stopped off at a mall at Rena’s request. Bre and Lex were kinda’ pissed that we stopped off at a mall, but it turned out pretty well. Rena went off to buy some shoes, and us three guys went off to the gaming store. When we walked around the corner we could see display signs of the ‘Omega Effect’ game. We thought to ourselves “let’s check it out”. So we walked in, to the amazement of many of the shoppers who were obviously ACW fans. The store owner was gob smacked! He paid us really well to sign copies of the game, which we did. Us being there drew such a crowd for his store, he gave us a free copy of the game. I still play it, haha. Rena eventually had to text us to find out where we were, haha. She had been waiting for over half an hour by the car for us to finish “going to the toilet”. We got to the tapings in time though, with a little extra in our pockets. Management still has no idea.
Kevin: Well they do now.
Scott: I guess they do.
Kevin: My next question is about the industries stance on drug usage. What do you think about the whole thing?
Scott: I’ve been clean my whole life. Well, you know, except during high school where I experimented with marijuana, but that was a long time ago. I haven’t done any since I was 15. I’ve tried really hard to keep in shape without the help of substances, and thus far I’ve been successful. It takes real dedication. But I’ve got that, so it’s not a problem for me to get up everyday and go to the gym, or go for a run.
Kevin: And what are your thoughts on the death of Eddie Guerrero, due to a weakened heart?
Scotts eyes begin to glaze over with tears, but he manages to hold them in. His voice also sounds a lot less cheerful.Scott: Uh…when I uh, heard about Eddies passing I was really upset…I uh,…excuse me…
Scott wipes a tear from his eye and sniffs. He puts his hands over his eyes and puts his head in his lap, his emotions getting the better of him. It takes a little while for him to come around.Scott: Sorry.
Kevin: It’s ok.
Scott: Eddie was one of those guys you felt attached to. Even if you’d never met him or seen him in person, you felt like he was close to you. He had passion for this business, as much if not more than I do. And that’s the thing that hit me more than anything. When he died that was the first time I had cried that much since I was 10 or 11 when my grandpa died of cancer. It really was a tragedy. I feel for his family, I know how hard it is to deal with grief. My heart goes out to Vickie (Guerrero) and her daughters. They have been so strong throughout this whole ordeal. I really wish them the best. Eddies heart was weak due to former drug use, and that’s when I realised that no matter how much temptation toyed with me, I wouldn’t touch any drug to enhance performance or stop pain. I didn’t want my family to go through that, and I certainly didn’t want Jessie to have to deal with that. Eddie was, and always will be loved and be in all our hearts forever more.
Scott wipes another tear from his eye. This side of Scott has never been seen before, and people watching this interview are impressed with his genuine emotion and selflessness. In real life, Scott is a good man, if not a great man. His moral standards are good and he is a great role model out of the ring. But don’t let your kids watch his in ring antics, or you might change your mind.Kevin: You ok?
Scott: Yeah, just a little emotional…
Kevin: Understandable. It’s a touchy subject with a lot of workers. But moving on from the subject of death, and on to the subject of the future, what lies ahead for Scott Andrews?
Scott: Well in ACW, it’s really up to management. I mean in the indies you have a lot more control over your character and so on, but uh, I really don’t know how they’re gonna use me in the future. I’d like to break away on my own for a while and just go in singles competition and test the waters there. I think it’d do me some good. I’ve enjoyed and still enjoy being in a tag team with Lex, but I think I need to move on in the near future. I think I can definitely handle the spotlight. All they have to do is hand me the torch and let me run with it.
Kevin: Well thanks for your time, Scott. I wish you all the best in the future.
Scott: Thanks, Kevin.
The shot fades out.