Kevin's Letters 2

Dear Wrestling,

I want to be a little clearer about why it's so important to me to save the letters and other writings Kevin Owens has given us.

First, they're part of how the story was told, and that makes them invaluable. That more than anything. The story of Kevin Steen and El Generico is my favorite story, so of course I have to make sure they're available.

Second, I'm a wannabe academic. I hate helicopter parents and meetings, or I'd probably be a real one. From that perspective, if I ever write a thesis about this stuff, I'll want these--or whoever writes that thesis will.

I tend to try to cover the depth of feeling I have for Sami and Kevin with jokes and irreverence and histrionic shouting, but that's not even a clever, believable lie. It's a "there's nothing behind you" lie, a lie that tells the truth.

In some cases, we know what we lost--the fact that we will probably never see the actual final moments between he and Generico in Ring of Honor is crushing. In others, it is somehow possible to find new/old treasures, stuff that was forgotten, never mentioned, never asked about in a shoot interview...I never knew Kevin wrote columns for his website. It turns out he did, five of them.  

Here are three more letters I found. The first two letters are from the feud with Generico. The last is to promote a match at C*4, and as a new fan of Speedball Mike Bailey, I was tickled to see him mentioned.

There's a lot here. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

(All these were pulled from the archive of steenwrestling.com. I formatted them to be readable, since what was left on the archive was a mess.)

***Part One***

************************************************************************

Dear Colt,

I’m sorry. I really am. Steve is, too. We know the last year has been hell. And we also know that you probable think we were the reason for that. But I know that deep down inside, you know the truth. You know the reason why you were put through so much. You know the reason why you had to fight like a mad man and wage vicious wars, enduring incredible mental anguish and physical pain for months and months. It’s because you chose to stick up for the wrong person.

Now, don’t be too quick to stop reading and just pass this letter off as just another mind game because it’s not. Steve gave you his word, after the I Quit match in Chicago, that it was over, and for you, it is. We’re not trying to upset you or get under your skin here. This is exactly what it looks like. An apology.

We are sorry for what we had to do to you. We are sorry for the pain we caused you because of him. Steve is sorry for carving you up with the fork. I’m sorry for putting that barbed wire bat against your face and trying to rip every inch of skin off. Steve is sorry for sticking his thumb…you know… I’m sorry for tasting the blood flowing from your head, I know that really got to you…

The bottom line here, Colt, is that we wouldn’t have done those things if you hadn’t been in his corner. I know what you must feel like now, having dedicated your entire year to making sure he was okay. Making sure we wouldn’t kill him. You put your own career on the backburner for the last 12 months to make sure his wouldn’t end and what has that gotten you? Nothing at all. Now you have to start from scratch and work your way up the ladder to get titles shots and important matches because you were too busy taking care of a nuisance that doesn’t even belong here.

I know what you feel like. I kept it inside me for three years. But you have to know, it’s normal to feel this way…it’s good. And we’re here for you.

We were good friends before all of this started. You were like a big brother to me. And now I hope that we can put all of this behind us and get back that relationship. After all, after licking your blood you’re practically a part of me. And I want to be able to call you my sweet, dear friend again.

We love you man!

Don’t forget it.

Sincerely,

Kevin and Steve

P.S. I attached a picture for you. Do you remember that day? It was your birthday, Colt, in 2006. Mine was the next day… We went to L.A. to celebrate, hung out on the beach…Great times but imagine if the third person on that picture wasn’t the waste of space we all know. Imagine if it actually had been Steve! That’s the way it should have been...

*******************************************************************

The second I heard it, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will never forget. So many things went through my mind...how could I end up in this situation? What can I do to fix it? Is it too late to change things? And most of all...how could I live without Ring of Honor?

All I wanted from the beginning of my wrestling career was to make an impact on as many people as I could and work for a company I would be proud to call home. Many promotions helped me achieve but in the past few years, my entire career was consumed by Ring of Honor. When my son was born I had to make some very tough choices and I had to reduce my schedule with wrestling companies that were very close to my heart but I chose to remain with ROH through it all, as difficult as it was, because that's where I felt I belonged.

But I made decisions over the course of those four years that greatly impacted several people. And a lot of them might never forgive me for those decisions.
I can't bring myself to list everyone I hurt and every bad choice I made. It would be counter-productive anyway. What I want to do is look to the future and make things right.

I've stayed in touch with the ROH product. I've read the results from the shows, watched the videowires. I even bought the iPPV's. And every time I'd watch, I would see exactly what I expected. The best wrestling in the world put on by the hardest working crew in the business.

But there's one thing I'd see that I did NOT expect at all. Steve Corino, standing in the ring, apologizing for his actions of the last year. A humbled Steve Corino, offering to help the up-and-coming talent. A Steve Corino desperate to make up for past mistakes, standing up for what's right.

I'll be honest, that blew me away. And what blew me away even more is the way the fans forgave him. They welcomed his new ways and accepted him with open arms. Seeing all this helped me come to a realization...I had to do the same.

I've wanted to send this letter for a long time but I never gathered the strength I needed to do it. Until now...

This past week has seen Steve Corino, my idol, ask for help from me. It has seen ROH officials declare that I am not welcome in New York City on Sunday. I really can't blame them for that.

But what I can do is ask for a chance to show them who I am now. A chance to come make things right. A chance to help my friend.

Jim, Syd, Ross...I know the last year was very hard for the both of you, with all the changes the company went through. And I know that my erratic behavior certainly didn't help. I'm well aware of the legal trouble I got the company into a few times and that I am possibly responsible for Cary Silkin's decision to sell the company. I can't deny the fact that I was out for myself and that I put myself before the company at all times. However, what you guys can't deny is that as risky and out of control as I may have been, I still created more memorable moments in 2010 than anyone else. You can't deny that I poured my heart and soul into my work. You can't deny that I gave 100% of my mind to ROH...I almost lost my mind in the process.

But these months away have done me some good and seeing Steve, and now Jimmy, act the way they do has been very eye-opening for me. I, too, am a changed man. I'm in better shape, physically and mentally. And above all else,

I miss ROH. I miss the people. I miss the fans. I miss the rush. I'm not asking for a new contract. I'm not asking for the company to commit to having me on the shows. I'm not a fool. All I want is a chance to come in Sunday, stand by my friend and show you that I can be what this company has wanted me to be this whole time. We can see where to go from there after...

One thing is certain. I will be in New York on Sunday. What remains uncertain is if I'll be in the building to support Steve, or if I'll have to support him by simply waiting by his car and hope for the best for him.

I want to be in there though.

Steve wants it...and the fans want it too.

You have the power to let it happen.

Thank you,

See you Sunday...

Kevin

***************************************************

Hello all.

 I feel like tomorrow night's C*4 event is a new beginning for me.

I heard the sound that signified my career in ROH was over and my heart sank. Actually, it felt more like it started bleeding.

I was with ROH for over four years. I saw a lot of people come and go. And I honestly never thought that eventually some of the newer guys would see me go...

After being knocked down the ladder of the title scene by Stup's victory over me last show (congratulations by the way), I feel like I need a new goal in the company.
And I have found it.
Over the course of the last few months I have started to give wrestling seminars around the local wrestling scene here in Montreal. It's my way of giving back to the wrestling world. I help whoever comes to the training to become a better, smarter wrestler and from what I hear, everyone thinks it helps them.

Those seminars have allowed me to meet and get to know some very good, young wrestlers that have the potential to go far, if given the chance. And I would like to help them achieve that.

That's why I requested to C*4 management that this Saturday, they allow me to give two of those young wrestlers I am talking about the chance to impress the C*4 fans and make a name for themselves here. But putting them against one another, in my mind, isn't enough.

It's one thing for two guys to have a good match. It's another for them to have a good match and manage to survive when they're in the same ring as one of the most sadistic, brutal and violent man to set foot in the squared circle in recent memory...me.

What I'm talking about is a 3-Way Dance between myself and the two competitors I chose to get this chance, Johnny Jack Spade and Urban Miles.

But, as most of you probably know already, there's already a 3-Way Dance planned for this Saturday's event. So, to make sure this doesn't get repetitive, I have asked C*4 to add another competitor to this match and they have accepted.

Just like Spade and Miles, he's also a young, hungry wrestler with something to prove. The difference between him and the other two, however, is that he has never attended one of my seminars, even if he could certainly learn a thing or ten from me.

I am, of course, talking about my little pal Mike Bailey. Good ol' Speedball. Or is it Spitball? 8-ball? Whatever.

So, there you have it folks. Tomorrow night, Four Corner showdown, first wrestler to get a pin or submission wins the match. This is the chance for Spade and Miles to make a strong, lasting impression on the best wrestling fans in Canada. It's a chance for me to hurt people, which I always appreciate. And it's a chance for Basketball to finally win a match...but that's a bit of a longshot.

See you all tomorrow night!

Oh, and Bailey...You might want to bring some bandages and stuff for your chest for after the match.

Just looking out for you bud...

So apparently, we can now confirm an unexpected match-up...

Kevin Steen's Invitational Four Corner Match

"Mr. Wrestling" Kevin Steen
Vs.
"Speedball" Mike Bailey
Vs.
Urban Miles
Vs.
Johnny Jack Spade

Kevin's Letters

Dear Wrestling,

Since it just came up, the reason I work to translate Kevin and Sami's interviews from French to English is that when I first started watching wrestling, and they completely took over my heart, I did what I always do: I started doing nearly obsessive research. Which, a lot of the fun is that hunt itself. I've always loved that.

However, as I started reading @Mithgif's essays and learning more about the feud between Kevin and Generico, I learned that he had occasionally written letters and posted them to the ROH forums. Well, says I, I know a goldmine when I see one. So I started looking.

To the best of my knowledge, there were six letters. I've been able to find four. I've saved them to my hard drive and then a couple other places as well, because it took *hours* and hours of searching old forums and wayback machine pages and at this point, this isn't fun, I just want to win.

80% is a B, right? I only have a date for one, and when Mith and I open the Steenerico Museum one day, I'm going to use that status to finish this. So here they are.

***Part Two***

*****************************************************

Dear Colt,

You pushed and pushed. You couldn't just leave it alone. You couldn't just leave me alone.

Thanks to you and the wonderful ROH Video Wire crew, everyone saw what happened in LA. And after seeing it myself, I have decided to put my thoughts into words for you. I spoke out of anger and as I have been told several times in the past several weeks, that's not a good thing.

I wish I could have expressed myself in a more precise manner when we talked but your constant questioning and badgering brought me to a breaking point I had hoped I wouldn’t reach.

I know you have this intense need to understand why I did what I did to “him”. Quite frankly it seems more like it's bordering on an obsession at this point. But that’s not why I am writing this, Colt. As I mentioned during our ''chat", soon enough you will understand my actions from Final Battle quite well.

What I really want to write about is this friendship, this bond between us all that you keep mentioning.

I suppose at a certain point we really were friends, weren't we? I can remember some good, maybe even great times. But Colt, life isn't really measured by positive moments, is it? Nobody remembers good things as well as they remember wars and tragedies. It appears I am the same way. When I look back over our time as friends, the negative drastically outshines the positive.

Ever since I, as you call it, turned my back on our "friend", you have questioned my character.

But I have questions for you too. What kind of friend constantly belittles another?

Before you signed your precious contract, your nickname for me wasn't "Kev" as it has since become. I seem to clearly remember you calling me anything from "fatboy" to "moron" on a daily basis. And I know what you and everyone else will think; I did the same kind of thing to “him”.

Well, there is a big difference there. I was forced into a friendship with “him” from the start. I was pushed into having to travel, wrestle and team with “him” for 6 years. I never asked to be his friend nor did I ever want to be. I was never given a damn choice.

You, however, were. I never asked you to be my friend. It just kind of happened. But I never kidded myself. I always knew we were more "friends by default'' than anything else. You were his buddy and since he couldn't seem to function without having me around, I was always tagging along.

I know you'll deny this so I have another question for you and this is one that has been eating away at me for years.

If we were such good friends, then where were you when your good buddy Punk was screaming at me, trying to humiliate me in front of the entire locker room in Boston a few years ago?

Actually, I remember exactly where you were. You were sitting just a few feet from the whole incident, just looking on, not saying or doing a damn thing. I was just coming into ROH at that point, just hoping for an opportunity, trying not to make any waves and you could have helped me that day.

But you just sat there. And I will never forget that.

But now I have found the help I needed. You see, Steve Corino has been a friend from the very moment we met. He saw something in me and has been trying to help me reach my full potential from the beginning. He was even responsible for helping me go to Japan for the first time with Zero One, which ironically enough, he did for you as well. And look where we are now. Steve and I stand side-by-side climbing the ladder together while you take every chance you get to question our integrity while trying to cheer up your masked charity case.

And now we are two short days away from facing each other in a match. I never wanted it to come to this but it now appears there is no other way. The best part of it all though, is that it’s all going to take place in New York City.

I know you lived one of the greatest moments of your career in New York when you made your ROH return a little under a year ago to one of the loudest, most intense, and thrilling reactions from a crowd that I have ever seen.

And it is ironic considering it was also the stage for one the lowest points of my own career, Ladder War 2. But I don't mean losing the match. Of course I wish we had been victorious that night, and things probably would have ended up very differently if we had been.

What I’m talking about is the New York City crowd turning their backs on me and chanting Eddie Edwards' name, cheering his every move. This is the same man who went at great lengths to injure not only myself but their pathetic masked hero as well, and none of these people seemed to remember that. All they saw was how courageous little Ed-Ed was for fighting with a broken elbow.

Even now as I type this, I feel sick to my stomach remembering what I felt that night as the entire crowd cheered him to victory. With everything he and Richards had done to me and “him”, Eddie Edwards surely deserved to get his arm ripped off, let alone broken.

I should have been the hero. I should have been the one whose name they were all chanting. It should have been me. But it wasn’t.

You know, Colt, the more I think about it, the more conflicted I am about this Saturday.

On one hand, I can't wait to be able to stick it to those pathetic excuses for wrestling fans by destroying one of their most beloved favorites. I can't wait to finally shut you up and give you what you deserve for being such a bad friend to me all these years.

But on the other hand, I still care for you. I never wanted us to fight. But I guess we are past the point of no return now.

Colt, just do me one favor. Just remember one very important thing. When we face each other this Saturday, please know that I don't want to hurt you.

But I will.

I love you.

Kevin

****************************************************************

07-02-2011

The second I heard it, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will never forget.

So many things went through my mind...how could I end up in this situation? What can I do to fix it? Is it too late to change things? And most of all...how could I live without Ring Of Honor?

I heard the sound that signified my career in ROH was over and my heart sank. Actually, it felt more like it started bleeding.

You have all figured out by now that the sound I'm talking about is the referee coutning to 3 as Generico is pinning me for the victory at Final Battle. But many people thought that feeling in the pit of my stomach was regret...but as I showed everyone at the iPPV, it wasn't.

I spent 6 long months trying to get rid of that feeling...the feeling of undeniable rage and betrayal that festered inside of me ever since that phone call. Remember that call Jimmy? The one where you told me back in October that if Generico and I didn't stop this war immediately, one of us would have to go? I told you there was no way you'd have the guts to get rid of one of us and the next week, I decided to call your bluff and lay out the challenge for Final Battle.

I expected you to lose your fucking mind after I did it and I was right. You did. What I wasn't right about is the fact that you'd beg me to reconsider. I'll admit it, on that one, I was way off. I realized pretty quickly that you weren't going to be manipulated like everyone else I dealt with. You made the match official and it got quite clear quite quickly who you and every other ROH ''official'' were rooting for.

The match was 2 months away and I could already see all of you plan for ROH without Kevin Steen. It made me sick. I knew there was no way I could win this thing. Regardless of how the match went you'd just screw me over if you had to. You couldn't have me running around beating the shit out of everyone and licking people's blood when you were negociating with that nice big corporation that wanted to buy the company, which would ensure that the almighty Jim Cornette would always have a job in ROH and still matter in the wrestling world.

I really tried to let go of that anger but nothing I did helped. The closest thing to relief was when I got to compete in a PWG ring. But even that was bittersweet because after every match, people would come up to me and say ''How are you not in ROH anymore?''

Then I saw what they made Steve do...and that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Steve Corino is the best. My idol. He is an exemple for everyone that wants to leave a mark on this industry. He's one of the guys I watched as an aspiring wrestler that made me say ''I want to be like that guy!''

Of course, that was before he sold his soul for that company. That was before Steve Corino made the decision to cut his own balls off so that he could stay in ROH.

Steve Corino is a fucking legend and instead of embracing that, he turned himself into a apologetic, self-deprecating, pathetic shell of what he really is.

Steve used to come to the ring and beat the shit out of people. He used to come to the ring, bleed buckets and make people bleed. Now he comes to the ring wearing hockey jerseys and says he's sorry so that fans applaud him. He wants to help the younger generation. He tries to make buddy-buddy with a fucking lumberjack. What kind of bullshit is that?

Where's the Steve Corino that would take a fork and cut people open? Where's the Steve Corino who pushed me to get more sadistic and evil than I ever even knew I could? Where's Steve Corino, King of Old School?

I don't know whether he genuinely believes this shit or whether he's doing it to kiss ROH's ass but I'll say this, FUCK him for demeaning himself and FUCK ROH for either LETTING him or FORCING him to do it! And as far as Jimmy Jacobs is concerned, I don't know him as well as I know Steve but it seems to me he got brainwashed into ripping his own balls off too. The unfortunate part is Steve made the mistake of thinking that he could change me as well. I actually can't believe that possibility even occured to him. Maybe Jacobs put that in his head?

All I know is this: Steve, you need to understand that I don't hate you. It's quite the opposite. You are still my idol. I still respect you more than anyone I've ever met in the wrestling business. I still think of you and Colby as family.

But I will never castrate myself in order to make ROH, Cary Silkin, Jim Cornette or you, happy. I am the monster I am and I will never change. My name is Kevin Steen and I am the Antichrist of pro wrestling. I don't need to drink or do drugs to be who I am. I am here to beat the fuck out of people and create as much chaos, pain and mayhem as I can and that's always going to be my purpose.

I waited for 6 months to get a chance to come out, stand in the middle of an ROH ring and scream to the world what I've been feeling and I finally got to do it at Best In The World. But I didn't do it just for me. I did it for a lot of people. I did it for the guys that gave years of their careers to ROH and got discared with no explanation like Necro Butcher, Austin Aries and Jimmy Rave. I did it for Gabe Sapolsky. I did it for my buddy Adam Pearce who poured his soul into that company before being thrown out like grabage. But most of all I did for myself, my wife and son, and for the old Steve Corino... the one that died in December when I got kicked out of the company.

There's so much more I want to write about here but I feel this has been long enough already so let me close this off with one last thing.

Jim Cornette, please remember this:

You cannot keep me out of ROH. You can swear on your mother's grave all you want...your mother's grave doesn't mean shit to me.

I will show up in ROH again, sooner or later. And when I do, it'll be with one goal in mind...

To bring the whole fucking company down, for good.

See you soon..

Love,

Kev

*********************************************************************

In less than 48 hours, I'll be looking across the ring at someone I've admired for over a decade now, as we get ready to wage war on each other. I'll be looking at someone who I always considered a friend as he gets ready to referee the most important match of my life. I'll be looking ringside at someone who, as a kid, I used to watch on TV manage my favorite wrestlers like Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart, never guessing that he'd one day try to ruin my career.

To say that the odds are against me is an understatement. But you know what? The odds have been stacked against me since the very beginning of my career. I never looked like someone who should be a wrestler. I never looked like an athlete. Yet I managed to work through those obstacles to become one of the most entertaining, unpredictable and appreciated wrestlers on the independent scene today. I have wrestled all over the world for many, many great promotions. What I am is a MUST-SEE attraction for any promotion I work for.

I thrive on being seen as an outcast and a nutcase. I thrive on having people try to sabotage my career because of how big of a threat I've become. I feed on all of that. So you can bet your ass I am absolutely thrilled about the way everything is shaping up for Final Battle.
Some of you might think, judging from my comments here and the comments I made in the last ROH Video Wire while hanging out in a kid's playground, that I am taking Friday night's battle lightly. Let me assure you, nothing is further from the truth.

''The most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose.''
- James Arthur Baldwin

I am confident. Not in my victory but in the fact that I will lay waste to several people, cause mayhem and chaos as only I can and finally bring back to ROH an aura of danger and imminent disaster that has been missing for too long now.

I do hope to walk out victorious. But I'm not going to be the guy that walks around saying ''when, not if, I win'' because the man I'm facing on Friday is Steve Fucking Corino. And until recently, I thought that man I was facing was nothing but a shell of the one I looked up to as I came up in the wrestling world. But last month in Chicago, and ever since then, I've noticed something in Steve's eye that had been missing since last year's Final Battle. I see glimmers of fear. I see glimmers of hate. I see glimmers of Evil.

Steve has been claiming that it will be the Corino of old fighting me in NYC. The one who bled buckets, sold out the Hammerstein Ballroom and fought as dirty as he could until he had nothing left to give. If that's true...if that's really the Corino that shows up in NYC -and I hope it is- then I can't be sure of my victory. But you can all be sure of one thing...

Violence is coming back to ROH in a huge way at Final Battle.

Let me end with this...

Steve, you wrote that 10 years ago, you were walking into the Hammerstein as the 27 year old ECW World Heavyweight Champion. And 10 years ago, I was sitting at home watching you do it with admiration in my eyes.

This time, however, I'm the one walking into Hammerstein at 27 years old. But I don't have a title to defend...yet. No. After everything I have been through with this company. I'm actually walking in with absolutely nothing to lose anymore.

And you know what they say about a man who's got nothing to lose...

**************************************************************

Gabe, one thing you should know about me is I don't like talking on the phone. So that ''talk'' you want to have is going to have to wait until July 26th when I get to the building.

Also, you say you spoke to some of my friends and they told you I wasn't ''in the right frame of mind.'' That in itself is comical since I only have one friend left and I highly doubt you had a chat with Franky The Mobster. As far as my frame of mind goes...people have been calling me crazy for a year and a half, yet I feel nothing but complete and absolute serenity. I am of sound mind, body and soul and pro wrestling is my therapy.

The last 6 months have been torture for me. But that all ended on June 26th when I stood in an ROH ring and told them to go fuck themselves. And Gabe, it occured to me when I read your ''invitation'' that I had so much fun the last time I was in NYC that I was due for another trip there. And what better time than exactly one month later, July 26th? And what better place than EVOLVE?

I realize that you didn't mean what you said when you invited me to the show, my friend, I do. But you should have known better. What you did put an idea in my head and now that idea has been consuming me for days and now there is no denying it. I have to do this... By showing up at EVOLVE I get to achieve two things: I get to help one of ROH's rivals make some money and get more attention. I get to piss off those lovely ROH officials by helping a promotion they never thought I'd show up in. I get to make the EVOLVE show on July 26th a MUST-SEE event!

And almost as good as all that, I get to walk up to you, Gabester, and say ''Be careful what you wish for!'' Did you really think you could call me out like you did and get away with it?! Gabe, you really should have known better bud! Now you got Kevin Steen...the Antichrist of pro wrestling.

Oh and Gabe, one last thing. You know, all of those nice rules EVOLVE has? All that stuff about terms and regulations and missions...that's really cute...but it's not really for me... See you on the 26th.

 Kevin

Kevin Owens Celebrates his 34th Birthday at RAW, His Second Home!

by Pat Laprade, original here.

May 7th is an important date for Kevin Owens. He was born on May 7, 1984. His idol Owen Hart, the inspiration behind his son's name and his wrestling name, was born on May 7th. He made his professional wrestling debut on May 7, 2000. And tonight, May 7, 2018, he will be at Monday Night Raw for the first time on his birthday.

"Every year, around May 7, something special happens," Owens said when I met him last Monday. "I won the Ring of Honor championship on May 12th. Two years later, again on May 12, I received my official offer from WWE. I made my Raw debut on May 18th. I made my first TV recording in Montreal a week before. It really looks like something is going on around that date all the time."

Kevin Owens, born Steen, had a big day last Monday during his visit to Montreal.

First, he flew more than 30 hours to and from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by the end of the week leading up to Raw in Montreal. Contrary to all the controversy surrounding this event, it is an experience he will remember for a long time for the right reasons.

"I did not feel different than when I do a show somewhere else," said Marieville's athlete. "The crowd was excited. You looked in the stands and the fans had Braun Strowman, John Cena and Roman Reigns sweaters like when you're in the States. The only difference is that ringside it was people in traditional dress of Saudi Arabia. But with the stage and the stadium it was a production worthy of WrestleMania. It's a show, the whole gang, we'll remember for a while. "

Then, after returning late Saturday night to his home in Florida and spending some time with his family, he arrived in Montreal in the early hours of the morning Monday, where his flight was three hours late. Nevertheless, after only a few hours of sleep, he was in TVA studios to do not one, not two, but five interviews. Despite all this, he took 10 minutes of his time to meet a little boy with Down syndrome whose father's friend had contacted me. A fan of wrestling and Kevin in particular, he had a replica of the Universal title and a figurine to make him sign. I will never forget the smile of this little boy when he left the studios. A magical moment that he will not forget anytime soon.

In line with Robert, Rougeau and Bravo

After resting a bit, he did another interview before going to the Bell Center for 14h, the check-in time for wrestlers*. Even though he had been up since 6am, that's when his work day really started. He was asked for promos and interviews with business partners. He had to take notice of what he had to do that night, settle situations, give his opinion. He ran left and right for hours, took the time to eat a little and got ready for the big moment. He knew that a few minutes after 8 pm, he would cross the curtains and be welcomed as a hero by the crowd that had been waiting for this moment for three years. He had lived it during non-televised events, the reaction should be even stronger this time around.

He made the front page of the Journal de Montréal the day before, shoveled interviews on the morning of the event, he puts a lot on his shoulders.

"I feel like it's my show. Attendance has been increasing since my first time at the Bell Center. To see the crowd growing up to the point where they brought Raw and SmackDown to Montreal is special. "

And the crowd did it well. Owens had the biggest ovation of the evening. It was electrifying! For someone who saw him fight in front of less than 100 people 20 minutes from the Bell Center, I had goose bumps. I really feel that once his career is over, we will talk about him as one of the most popular wrestlers in Quebec history, in the tradition of Yvon Robert, Johnny Rougeau and Dino Bravo.

"It was really special. I had been waiting for a TV show at the Bell Center for a long time," Owens said in an interview with colleague Raymond Rougeau on Sunday behind the scenes of the Backlash event. "It was not just for me, it was for Sami too. What was even cooler was that yes, I had a fantastic reaction, and Sami too, but the crowd was fantastic for everyone. The Montreal crowd has really shown that we have the best fans in the world. I knew it already, I'm glad the WWE knows it now. "

Speaking of Backlash, we have seen once again that the relationship between Kevin and Sami is still not good. Although they had been polar opposites** since Owens' arrival at the WWE, the end of 2017 marked a change in attitude at Zayn, uniting his destiny with that of his long-time friend.

Friends. Enemies. Friends. Enemies. Raw and SmackDown. It's almost as bad as Axl and Slash***!

"It will never end!" exclaimed Owens.

"There are many people who see Sami like this for the first time, I've been seeing it for 15 years," he added, laughing. "I'm just glad the others see what I've been through all that time!"

A guy from Raw at SmackDown

At the same time last year, Owens debuted at SmackDown Live. A busy year for Owens, a year he never felt at home. The way he explains his return to Raw, it's like he's coming home.

"It's been a guy from Raw who's been to SmackDown for a year," he said. "I have never been a guy from SmackDown. I never felt at home at SmackDown. I'm happy to be back at Raw. I have a sense of belonging with Raw. When the "brand split" came, it was with Raw that I found myself so I think my feeling comes from there. I made my Raw debut with John Cena. I watched Raw when I watched wrestling as a kid****. It felt like I was out of town at SmackDown and I was never able to recover from it. There are guys we associate more with Raw or more with SmackDown. I'm with Raw. "

Owens linked to WWE for another five years

If some see his defeat in Montreal or Backlash as a sign of disavowal to the Quebecois, do not be fooled, the place of KO is very solid in the world of WWE. Of all Raw, he was one of the few chosen for a match at Sunday's pay per view, he is part of the tour in Europe and we even saw him in an advertisement for WWE action figures.

"Hopefully, I don't see why I won't finish my career with WWE," said the former World Champion. "I just recently signed a new five-year contract with them. I don't intend to go anywhere. If the WWE wants to continue, if I want to continue and my family is ready for me to continue, I do not see why it wouldn't happen. "

Married and father of two, he will be at the dawn of his forties when this contract is over. If he decided to stop his active career, Owens would have all the assets required to be a commentator or agent, he is excellent on the microphone and is one of the best wrestling minds that I've had the chance to meet. But on this day of his 34th birthday and after 18 years of career, when he takes the time to think about what he has accomplished, Owens comes out proud and happy.

"If it ends tomorrow, I would be very satisfied with the career I had as a professional wrestler."

A PPV in Montreal?

Many ask me if, with the success of the two events in Montreal last Monday and Tuesday, we can expect WWE to produce a PPV at the Bell Center.

Quite honestly, the chances are slim.

It's important to understand that while the audience of 13,500 for Raw and 8900 for SmackDown Live is larger than the average of what WWE usually does, revenue is the bottom line. And at this level, since ticket prices are not increased accordingly, the WWE, because of the exchange rate, loses about 30% when it occurs in Canada. In addition, the number of special events has reduced and until WrestleMania 35, the locations of these events are already selected.

Historically, including Sunday's, the WWE has featured 353 special events. Of these, only 14 were shown in Canada or 4% of the total. Of these 14, five were held in Toronto, three in Montreal: Survivor Series in 1997, No Way Out in 2003 and Breaking Point in 2009. Since Breaking Point, Canada has hosted only one other event of its kind. Survivor Series in Toronto in 2016. So we can still hope, but it would not be until the second half of 2019. In the meantime, it is much more likely we'll see the return of Raw to Montreal by the end of the year.

*Huzzah for non gendered English professions! This was (male) wrestlers and (female) wrestlers in the original.
**Original has antipodes, I felt this the best English rendering.
***This is admittedly a big stretch. The original reference, to an actress and a playwright/director, would be damn opaque. It basically means an on again, off again friendship, I racked my brain, and figured, eh, it's his birthday, go with the man's favorite band. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
****Joint effort with the patient and kind @FightForeverMTL!

WWE: many names to watch at the Bell Center

Original article

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) will arrive at the Bell Center next week to broadcast for the first time in Montreal two programs in as many days and it will be an opportunity for the maniacs struggle to reconnect with their favorites, some not having have not been to Quebec for a long time.

In anticipation of the RAW and SmackDown Live galas scheduled for Monday and Tuesday respectively, Agence QMI is offering a short presentation of the figures to watch in the Montreal arena. Moreover, these two evenings promise to be fertile in emotions, according to the historian of struggle and descriptor to the TVA Sports channel, Patric Laprade.

According to him, the fact that the programs precede the Backlash event, which will take place on May 6, will enhance the action between the cables. "These will be go-home shows for Backlash, the first pay TV gala jointly organized by the two WWE brands for a long time. In a way, Montreal will set the table," he said.

-Kevin Owens
The Quebecois will probably be the one to receive the most applause, especially since many of his followers have been following his exploits for many years, at the WWE and previously, on the Quebec independent wrestling scene. "This will be Kevin's first time in Montreal to participate in a live WWE event. He will have the biggest reaction of the evening, "predicted Laprade.

-Sami Zayn
Another representative of the Belle Province, Lavallois Sami Zayn, should be entitled to a good reception from the public. Present for a "RAW" Gala in 2015, however, he hopes a different outcome, because at the time, he had suffered a shoulder injury shortly before a fight against John Cena.

-Seth Rollins
The WWE Intercontinental Champion will defend his title on May 6 against The Miz, which he defeated in a "Triple Threat" duel at WrestleMania 34. Very athletic, Seth Rollins also kept his belt in a competitive fight at the Greatest Royal Rumble, Friday. He is a safe bet at WWE for years to come.

-Ronda Rousey
The former champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship has quickly become popular by winning her team match with Kurt Angle against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 34. And it looks like she will stay busy for several weeks.
"She's an international star and she's currently competing with Mickie James. It will continue, especially as the two are expected to fight each other in Europe soon," explained Laprade.

Kurt Angle
On the screen, Angle assumes the role of general manager of RAW, but one must not forget his qualities of wrestler. The Montreal crowd has not seen him in action since he left for TNA (now Impact! Wrestling) in 2006. The 49-year-old has returned to WWE in early 2017.

SmackDown Live

-The Miz
The American may not be a Quebecois, but he is part of the family of wrestling here, in a way." We must expect a good reaction because of his relationship with his wife Maryse Ouellet and it will change the data. In addition, he is a villain and Montreal often reacts to the opposite of crowds elsewhere," said Laprade, evoking at the same time the name of the Montreal wrestler sharing her life with The Miz.

-Daniel Bryan
Highly appreciated wherever he goes, Daniel Bryan will be in Montreal for the first time since his return to action this spring. Having obtained the required medical clearance to retake the collar in the arena after a few years of concussion-related absence, he defeated the Owens-Zayn duo with Shane McMahon's companion at WrestleMania.

-A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura
Both men are among the most agile and talented wrestlers in the federation. They know each other very well, because they have often climbed the ring together, whether in Japan or the United States. At WrestleMania 34, A.J. Styles got the upper hand, but Shinsuke Nakamura hit him below the belt after the fight and the rivalry continued. Another WWE Championship duel is scheduled at Backlash.

Samoa Joe
The Californian has already wrestled on the Montreal independent scene and people have not forgotten it, according to Laprade. Samoa Joe is intimidating and unfriendly to his opponents, which makes him quite credible to fight fans. Recently moved to SmackDown Live, the former TNA star has an appointment with Reigns on May 6th.

Other figures to watch for:

Braun Strowman
The winner of the Greatest Royal Rumble scares by his physical strength and it remains to be seen how it will manifest on Monday. The 385-pound behemoth is currently out of the backlash schedule.

Natalya
The Canadian, daughter of former wrestler Jim Neidhart and niece of Bret Hart should be welcomed at the Bell Center on Monday. Like her uncle, she uses the "Sharpshooter" as a finishing touch, which reminds the public of good memories.

Kevin Owens: The Quebecois Star

Original article at Journal de Montreal

Please enjoy my copious comments following...please, I beg you. Let something come out of this that isn't pain and strife.

When the question is asked, it usually gets a response that is limited to two names. Who is the Quebec athlete still active who is the best known around the world?

If we consider that Georges St-Pierre is still pursuing his career, he is one of two names. The other is obviously Lance Stroll.

But there's an athlete and actor from Marieville who was in St. Louis on Monday night, in Saudi Arabia Thursday, and will be tomorrow at the Bell Center, who is more famous than all the others. Two weeks ago, he was working at the New Orleans Superdome in front of 78,133 viewers and millions of viewers around the world.

His good bearded face* is sold on t-shirts, beer glasses, figurines, pennants, pillows, blankets and anything else you can imagine from merchandise.

And Kevin Owens, whose real name is Kevin Steen, born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and raised in Marieville, travels the planet while remaining faithful to the man he was 10 years ago. Before everything explodes!

And it's probably the real feat ...

The story of Obelix**

Kevin Owens is Obelix. Round and strong like the character, except that he was not born in the magic potion, he discovered it at 11 years old: "I was at RadioShack with my father. He wanted to rent a movie. But instead of choosing a movie, he rented a tape from Wrestlemania XI and we both sat down to watch it. After two hours, I fell in love with it. I knew what I wanted to do in life. Our family was of average class. We did not miss anything, but we had to count the money. The grand finale was between Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow, but the one that made me fall in love was Shawn Michael, who was fighting against Diezel. I was very small at age 11 and Shawn Michael was the smallest of the wrestlers on the tape. It encouraged me in my dream, "says Owens, lying on his bed in a St. Louis hotel room.

The kid continued to play hockey and soccer, but wrestling completely and totally took over his mind: "The moment I discovered wrestling, it was settled. I was watching wrestling shows at RDS and laying a mattress in my room to wrestle with my pillows, who were my opponents," he says.

At the age of 14, he discovered Serge Jodoin's wrestling school and learned the basics of the sport-show***.

Enter Jacques Rougeau

He was in high school during an introductory computer course when he took the next step. He could browse the internet, a privilege in 1999. He discovered at the Assumption a company, International Wrestling 2000, property of Jacques Rougeau. He asked the teacher for permission to call his mother for an emergency. She was a good sport and met Jacques Rougeau at his school. This is a new stage for the 16-year-old. He continues his apprenticeship, but above all, he participates in four or five galas a year organized by Rougeau.

But that's not enough and Owens, still calling himself Steen at the time, chooses the independent circuit of small promotions. He wrestles in church basements, in bars, in school gyms in front of 100 or 200 people. Sometimes you pay for it. Often, he is entitled to a bottle of water. But a devouring fire consumes.

When he completed his CEGEP in 2005, he found a little job**** at a gas station. The owner is a nice person who frees Kevin on weekends to fight in Philadelphia or New Jersey: "I lived with my parents, I lived with my salary at the gas station."
Already, he shares the road with his faithful friend Sami Zayn. The same Zayn with whom he worked in front of 78,000 people two weeks ago. The two kids run the little galas and end up making themselves known and respected: "Maybe because we were two and maybe because the other wrestlers felt our passion for sport, we always felt respected, "he says.

But he did not have a cent. Nothing. Nada. And [impenetrable colloquialism], he becomes madly in love with Karina: "When I met her, I had nothing, absolutely nothing. But she never stopped me from pursuing my dream. We had two kids, my 11 year old kid, Owen, in honor of Owen Hart, and Elodie. I found myself a more lucrative job at Staples, but I continued to climb the ladder in the indies. You can make a living in these wrestling circuits. Former stars come to revive their career and earn their salary. I was fighting five nights and I was coming to Karina and the children two nights. Then, I signed with bigger companies like Ring of Honor, where Paul Lévesque, known as Triple H*****, discovered me. I signed a contract with NXT, the WWE developmental brand, and moved to Orlando, Florida," says the Quebec native******.

The dream was waiting for him.

The big time with John Cena

I pass quickly on the nights spent rolling from one city to another, ordinary pay and shared meals to save on the food. I arrive in Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 31, 2015. That evening, a big bearcub******* from Marieville faces WWE star John Cena. Win or lose, it does not matter, you all know that professional wrestlers do not fight each other, they fight each other to ignite the crowd and give a show.******** They are athletes-actors. In Corpus Christi, Kevin Owens fought for 30 minutes with John Cena. Starting from Marieville, where he was fighting in church basements, he found himself on the biggest stage of the wrestling world. He remembers with emotion: "John Cena is a great professional. We were able to work for thirty minutes, giving us a good background*********. It happened a few nights in a row that I work with him. When I took the elevator when I arrived in another city, around 2 am, I looked at myself in the elevator mirror and felt very funny. I could not realize what was happening to me, I was asking myself: what am I doing here?' he recalls.

A new wealth

It's a fabulous and exciting life. But very hard. He leaves Karina and the house on Thursday evening or Friday morning and leaves to fight everywhere in America until Wednesday morning, when it's not Japan, Europe or the Middle East. But he explains that the working conditions are very good and that the "Company", as he constantly calls the WWE, treats its wrestlers well. There are 86 under contract. The basic agreement guarantees a very generous salary for the best of the group. Often in the millions: "In addition, I get percentages on derivatives and there are even more than you can imagine. We get paid when we sign autographs or promote the Company in a city and if we have special obligations, we get bonuses," he says.

The life of the wrestlers is a star's life. They are more famous than the hockey players in America. And the temptations on the road are numerous. Cases of alcoholism, dope or violence are numerous. The dramas are heartbreaking: "I'm so obsessed with wrestling that it helps me stay normal. I do not have temptations. In fact, my biggest temptation is pizza. I have a woman I love and two beautiful children. When I'm home in Orlando, we go to Disney or Universal Studios, we live with family. On the road, after my fight, I go to my hotel, I call my wife, I watch my show or my movie on Netflix and I fall asleep. I try to train at the gym a couple of times a week and take care of myself. I know that at age 33, my body will wear out from beating and falling. I already have back pain even if it goes down, "he says.

The Undertaker, Vince McMahon and the company ...

There would be pages and pages of stories to tell. How is it facing The Undertaker? And who are the best wrestlers to work with? Those who know how to play the game: "John Cena, he's so good that sometimes fans do not realize it and are upset. I think Roman Reigns is the next John Cena. I worked with him at least 100 times and he is really very good. I do not want to forget Sami Zayn, who is a great wrestler. We are discovering his true value. We have worked together since our beginnings. There is Kurt Angle, my boss, Randy Orton, a highly respected veteran. And there's Vince McMahon... ", continued Owens.

Ah, Vince McMahon! The big boss, the billionaire who boosted WWE. Kevin Owens speaks about him with respect and almost affection. He rubs shoulders with him every week and it is with him that he negotiated his contracts. He has the right to life and death over his wrestlers. A few weeks ago, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn made a mistake in a fight in London. They apologized after the evening in the locker room, citing a misunderstanding. No pardon, the two Quebecois****** were sent home, where they dried for a week: "When I met Mr. McMahon a week later, I wanted to explain myself. He gave me his hand saying it was forgotten and to continue my good work. He is not resentful, I had the proof."

Since then, the dream continues. With, in ten days, another tour in Europe ...

Marieville will never have traveled so much.


*Look. One does one's best. Google wanted 'mullet', here.

**I have significant irritation with this comparison--irritation Kevin himself would probably not share, I imagine. It's lazy, it's reductive as hell, and it adds nothing to the conversation. To write this way about Kevin Owens, to look at this man and say, "Well, he's large, I guess. That stands out", is emblematic of the shortsightedness I associate with media from the privileged. In my not remotely humble opinion, the wrong person was chosen for this job. Not to mention the fact that only deep comics nerds still/have ever read Asterix. It's the most superficial, shallow--Reseda help me, I'm losing it. For more information, see this article on Obelix

***...I'll allow it this once, but I'd like to see you after class.

****Sic. I would never in my right mind pretend like a job at a gas station deserves a diminutive, are you kidding me?!?

*****You're here, you know who Haitch is.

******I refuse to use 'Quebecker'. It's hideous, Québécois is lovely, end of discussion.

*******Yes, he wrote bearcub. About a man who at the time was 31 years old with two children.

********Forget seeing me after class, we need to meet during office hours and have a frank discussion about your motivations in working in journalism, and why precisely you chose to make no effort to examine why so many find wrestling entrancing. Your smugness is showing, in other words--and I know, I was like that myself once, which is also how I know one can in fact change and do better.

*********I tried, I'm sorry. I'm...I'm so tired, at this point.

Here's to all the new fans who'll come after me: if it's up to me, you'll never have to go scouring ancient ROH forums to find that damn letter. Cheers.

The Responsibility of the Audience

Dear Wrestling,

I think a lot about my job as a wrestling fan. One of the things I love about wrestling is that it only works when everyone does their bit. A theatre audience can be mostly bored or unmoved, and the cast may still create magic for one person who is paying attention. That's nearly impossible in wrestling. The audience is vital to the performance in a way that is utterly unlike any other artform.

That very phrase, paying attention, acknowledges the relationship that must exist between a performer and the audience. Live performance is never TV, never a movie. To me, wrestling is the epitome of how intense that relationship can be.

Sunday evening I was at a PWX show. I've gone nearly every month this year, usually by myself. There was a delay getting people in, and from the start, the vibe was...strange. Just a little weird. I couldn't put my finger on it, and given that I walk around with at least a little anxiety at all times, I thought maybe that was all it was. And given that I chose front row seats for the first time, that seemed pretty likely. The sudden realization that I was going to be visible on High Spots in a day or two was paralyzingly alarming.

As the show got underway though, it was clear that the crowd was too quiet. That may sound judgmental, but again, there's a relationship here: a certain amount of noise is necessary for everything to work.

My heroes as a child were people like Batman, Wolverine, Cyrano, Athos. I swear to you this is true: as young as 8, I thought a lot about what my duty was. What do I owe, to whom, in what circumstances.

Over twenty years and a Religious Studies degree later, I have many fewer answers there than I used to, but one thing I am certain of is this: I owe these people my applause. I owe them my energy and my love and my fury. I owe them clapping when my hands hurt and my arms are tired because they are up there killing themselves for me.

That would be plenty, but this isn't a relationship with a vengeful, jealous god. It's a beautiful sublime act of creation between avatars of justice and cruelty and ambition, and us. We're mere mortals, sure, but we're also everything. We are the star stuff that the gods use to create--it's their story and their choices, but we, our emotions, are what they construct that story from and for.

We'd be nothing without them--and that goes in both directions. It's a mighty ouroboros of creation and pain and delight and madness and daring.

Which means, muffins all, that you gotta goddamn CLAP.

Love,

Autumn

And Any Other Related Task

Written by Patrick Lagacé, originally posted at https://bit.ly/2vkvf1U

In loving memory of EG Web Translate


That day, Mathieu Fauchon wore a t-shirt of Randy Savage, aka Macho Man. Who is Randy Savage? Know it for your next installment of Trivial Pursuit: Randy Macho Man Savage is one of WWE's greatest wrestlers of the 1980s.

Who is Mathieu Fauchon? The answer will not help you in any board game, but Mathieu is a special education technician at De Ramezay School (Crevier Pavilion) in Marieville, Montérégie.

That day, around the beginning of 2017-2018, Mathieu wore his t-shirt with the likeness of an old WWE wrestling glory from another time, a time that the under-12s cannot know*, to paraphrase the poet.

Except Jacob.

Jacob knows Macho Man Randy Savage because Jacob, 12 years old, is mad** for everything that touches wrestling, that of yesterday and today. No wonder he stuck to Mathieu as soon as he discovered that his T.E.S., as they say in the jargon, knew even more than him about this sport-show that is the WWE.

This is how the link between Jacob and Mathieu was created: by wrestling. They became close. Jacob was talking about Monsieur Mathieu all the time, at home. They have a special handshake. This link was useful for times when T.E.S. had to supervise Jacob, in the 6th class of Manon Métivier.

***

Excuse me, what is a T.E.S. ?

Yes, that is the name of special education workers in our schools. T.E.S. act as backup in classrooms, supporting teachers and professionals such as psychologists and remedial teachers. Like many people in schools, the T.E.S. excel in "any other related task".

There are hundreds who do work like T.E.S. in Quebec schools, in support of teachers. One example among a thousand: when a turbulent student disrupts a class, it is the T.E.S. who runs to take the student in charge ...

When there is a T.E.S. in school, of course.

Not all schools have T.E.S. Or have them full time.

Yet they are essential members of a school team. They do a thousand things, including "any other related task". In the case of Mathieu Fauchon, for example, he laid the foundations for a partnership between the De Ramezay school and the Marieville Pro-Health clinic.

What, a partnership between a school and a medical clinic? Yes, precisely because several students nurtured by Mathieu take medication. Medications whose dose must be adjusted periodically, depending on the child's reactions and the observations of the teachers.

This is not easy in a context where many families do not have a doctor, you bet it's a problem: no family doctor, no medication, no dosage monitoring, etc.

Mathieu therefore negotiated for months that the clinic Pro-Health Marieville allows Dr. Milad Beglari - Mathieu's family doctor and one of his high school friends - to see school students in a hurry, without an appointment according to their needs.

Mathieu takes care of all the paperwork, bridges the gap between the parents, the teachers and the doctor. A terribly effective arrangement, but atypical.

We have great success stories thanks to this excellent interdisciplinary collaboration that is rather unique. Mathieu Fauchon is committed, proactive, full of conviction. He uses these qualities for the well-being of his students with extraordinary vigor and dedication. "

- Dr. Milad Beglari

***

Jacob, then.

Jacob is a bright and cultured boy. But school has always been a kind of obstacle course for him because Jacob had undiagnosed ADHD. I say "had" because at the insistence of Mathieu and Madame Manon, Jacob was finally evaluated by a specialist this year.

Verdict: attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. Jacob would probably find it easier to work in the classroom with medication.

There are thousands like Jacob, but Jacob has taken this diagnosis badly. It was in February. He was going through a bad patch. Motivation to zero. He did not say it, but Jacob was afraid of being judged, with this diagnosis of ADHD. His mother, Roxanne Arpin, will tell me later: "He did not want to be classified as 'different'. It was his big fear."

Mathieu capitalized on this link he had created with Jacob since the beginning of the school year. He reassured him, he told him about his own ordeals, he put a little of himself and his guts on the table to explain to Jacob that life is not limited to obstacles, but to efforts to get around them ...

Then, Mathieu had a flash.

Jacob is crazy about** WWE wrestling.

One of the current WWE stars is Kevin Owens, whose real name is Kevin Steen.

Kevin Owens is a Quebecker from Marieville. Jacob's town. He even attended De Ramezay school.

On Twitter, Mathieu sent a message to Kevin Owens asking the wrestler if he could not make a video to wish Jacob a happy birthday ...

Mathieu has 116 subscribers. Kevin has 1.6 million.

No answer.

But Mathieu insisted, insisted, sent other messages ...

"I can't stand the word 'no,'" says Mathieu.

And so a few days later, Mathieu entered Ms. Manon's classroom with a USB stick "that he had just found in the snow". He inserted the key into a computer and there, a bearded face appeared in the screen.

Jacob stood up. He did not believe it. Is ... No, it's not him ...

"THAT'S KEVIN OWENS?! "

Not only was it Kevin Owens, but Kevin Owens started the video with these words: "Hi, Jacob, it's Kevin Owens, I'm told it's your birthday today ..."

A small message of 49 seconds, a little message of happy birthday for a 12-year-old boy who was going through a bad pass, a little message that Kevin Owens may have already classified in a corner of his cortex much sought***. But for Jacob, this message was something like the happiest day of his life.

That's what he said, in any case, throwing himself into Mathieu's arms, in front of the whole class.

And that day, the day Kevin Owens spoke to Jacob, something happened. A click ? It must be like that. In any case, Jacob is better. He accepts his condition. We do not laugh at him, as he feared, because he is identified as ADHD. It's going well in class. He does not run out of a bad cotton.*** anymore.

It is said that children need models. So they have posters of ballerinas, hockey players, singers, tennis players. And sometimes, these models, we find them in a ring of the WWE.

The children also have heroes that we do not make posters, heroes who do 8 to 4 in our schools.



*reference to La Boheme
**I took a chance with this idiom, I hope this gets the idea across!
***I really tried, but I got nowhere with this phrase, I'm very sorry.