Q&A with Barbosa

[Барбоса]

Barbosa comments on WZCW

Kravinosa Barbinoff and BarboSHIT are two of the most overlooked tag teams in WZCW. In my mind, only Saxoteur come close to the level of consistent entertainment those two teams provided.

Ty Burna's year long run is well-remembered and revered but for my money it is still underrated. To reign for that much time as a face is almost miraculous.

I have long thought that Creative, and this is by no means confined to Harthan's current group, get too hung up on reflecting the decisiveness of the result of an RP vote, often sacrificing storyline development and the depiction of those involved in the match.

While it ended up being something of a benefit to the fed and the voicing of problems, I think the handling of Coco's 'shoot' was poor. He should never have been shown the door.

The pressure on Creative, passive or overt in the Discussion Thread, to get the shows out on time is completely counter-productive and needs to stop. It forces Creative to rush to get a show out when it should not. Far better to have a complete, stellar show go up late than a lacklustre and rushed one on time.

Everyone should not give so much of a crap about winning. The fun is about telling a story.

I hate what has happened to the Elite X 'division'. It has been made worse than the Mayhem belt ever was.

Personally, I have found the booking of Ricky Runn to be a massive missed opportunity. The skits, backstage promos and entrance are damn good. But then the bell rings and all of a sudden, almost Festus-like, we get a far more decisive and even dominating Ricky Runn. He gets too much offense in. The Rick-Roll-Up should be far more prominent.

Indeed, Ricky Runn should have been booked as the weakest, most chickenshit wrestler in WZCW history.

He should be a mix between the Honky-Tonk Man and Joseph Rios; protected to the hilt despite taking repeated beatings that would make Mick Foley blush. When he loses, it should be by countout as he runs away and when he wins, it should be by the most nefarious or lucky means possible. As a prime example, I would highlight the end of the Swagtastic Street Fight against Barbosa. Ricky spent his time running away from Barbosa (perhaps even this needed to be played up more) only to eventually be cornered on top of the tron. What I would have done differently here was for Ricky to poke Barbosa in the eye accidently as he raises his hands in a weak attempt to fend off Barbosa's attack. Then have him push the half-blind champion off the tron. AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE RICKY HIT THE R&R OFF THE TRON! That makes him look fearless when in fact he should be the most gutless of all, with his swag front being just that, a front.

Instead, he should have just very, very slowly made his way down the tron and then eventually, after much pondering of whether the monster Barbosa was going to rise again or not, have him pin the champ for the 1-2-3.

A Ty Burna vs Barbosa feud would have been (be?) epic, but I would personally be looking forward to Barbosa/SHIT II, particularly given the story that Miko and I had worked out.

There is probably more but they do not come to mind.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

What is it that you don't like about the Elite X division? Don't take that as a bitter reply or anything because I'm the Elite X Champion, it's just that I'm curious.

 

[Барбоса]

The rule about the champion defending every week and never against the same person has gutted it as a division and removed any idea of a feud.

 

[a0161613]

You're one of the few people whose shoot opinion I would respect in a shoot.

Did you enjoy your brief run on Creative? Had outside interests not been a problem, could you been involved in it longer?

 

[Барбоса]

As I said at the time, had I been able to be on Creative solely as a booker, I would still have been there now.

I hated the amount of reading and writing plus I had (and still have) my own writing so by the time I got to fed work and RPing, I was mentally shot.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

The only point that I have an issue with is the Elite X title.

I will argue until I'm black and blue that having 5 championships has always been (except for the time we had three full roster pages, then maybe you have an argument) completely irrelevant and took away the legitimacy of owning a championship, especially since the Eurasian & Elite X titles were one in the same, except they were "show-exclusive" and the former has much higher prestige. Something had to be done to rectify this situation and allow stronger competition for all single titles.

As a result, guys in the Upper Mid-Card have risen to the Main Event level and not stagnated around the Eurasian title in favour of a bigger World title match; guys in the Mid-Card have a chance to prove themselves and the Elite X title is purely a gimmick title, allowing/forcing someone in the Mid-Card or below a rapid acceleration to a higher level of competition.

And I'd also like to point out that Matt Tastic & SHIT have had a pretty decent feud whilst the Elite X championship was involved. I'm not saying it was stellar but for its first run under these new rules, hosting a feud was pretty good in my books. I will admit that the feud options are limited but that isn't the purpose of the belt. As I said above, this is a belt that almost forces the character to pump out some heavy RP's to keep the title, as well as forcing the competition they have to do the same. Somewhere along the line, no matter how long the champion keeps their title, their competition level will improve. I can guarantee that Fallout will jump up in rank and contendership after his Elite X title run.

There is a small problem that the championship can cause those guys in the lower mid-card to flounder around, challenging every time a new champion has been crowned because they aren't doing anything else interesting, which was a problem for the Mayhem championship. However, with most of the lower mid-carders jumping into tag teams (an excellent place for rookies to start), I'd say that isn't a problem. Anyone else who is still around isn't putting in the time or effort to improve and that cannot be solely blamed on creative and/or the Elite X title.

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

Question: Would you change anything about the Barbosa character?

 

[Барбоса]

I can guarantee that Fallout will jump up in rank and contendership after his Elite X title run.

Or be colossally burnt out with having to churn out the heavy guns each week that he goes nowhere or has had to so condense a years worth of character development into seven matches that Fallout the gimmick is all over the place.

And has not had an extended feud in the process which detracts from the ability to invest in the character. The Elite X also promotes "win at all costs" which is not a good thing for the entertainment of the fed.

I understand the want to get rid of a title, 5 was too many, but if the aim was still to have a gimmick belt then Mayhem should have been kept at the expense of one of the others. Or had it unified into the Mayhem Elite title.

Question: Would you change anything about the Barbosa character?

Probably his name.

I have long thought that I should have gone with Gestalt or Borg.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

Or be colossally burnt out with having to churn out the heavy guns each week that he goes nowhere or has had to so condense a years worth of character development into seven matches that Fallout the gimmick is all over the place.

And has not had an extended feud in the process which detracts from the ability to invest in the character. The Elite X also promotes "win at all costs" which is not a good thing for the entertainment of the fed.

True. However, I'd argue that by the time one has reached challenging for the Elite X title and successfully wins, they are ready to conduct some heavy-hitting RP's and attempt a winning streak to get a World title opportunity. Even if they lose, they created the potential that one day they will have a chance at the World title by either impressing themselves or creative.

Also, there haven't been many champions in WZCW who didn't know how to RP. Most of us who RP are quite smart where to take the development of our characters and knowing prior to an Elite X title win the dedication it takes to steer that course, most of us would have created a series of RP's or a "personal storyline" just for the championship. So I don't believe that one would sacrifice a year's worth of storyline just to complete seven RP's.

Yes, it is draining to potentially write 8 winning RP's in one sequence (1 to win & 7 for defenses) just to gain a shot at the World title, the process leading up to the opportunity is just as beneficial.

There are always other options:

• Creative can change the amount of title defenses required to gain a World title shot
• Request to not be involved in the Elite X title scene to progress naturally
• Join a tag team
• Create a feud

I'd also argue that watching someone like SHIT going through his title defenses and counting each win was pretty entertaining. The closer he got to his target, the more I've been intrigued with SHIT. Same goes with Fallout. (NOTE: I'm not saying that either character was boring prior but I was more interested than I previously was in the character because of their progression with the Elite X title).

I understand the want to get rid of a title, 5 was too many, but if the aim was still to have a gimmick belt then Mayhem should have been kept at the expense of one of the others. Or had it unified into the Mayhem Elite title.

That was my original point.

I think what was used to switch the argument to removing the Mayhem title was the amount of Mayhem matches running around. Creative didn't want to waste their spots in these matches and instead save them for more prolific matches.

Suggestions of changing the Mayhem rules matches to something else were touched on but by that time, the argument for removing the Mayhem title was solid and everybody was for the decision.

Probably his name.

I have long thought that I should have gone with Gestalt or Borg.

A new side to Barbosa?

Although, didn't I read somewhere that Barbosa stormed out and insisted he be called Sebastian?

 

[Барбоса]

I don't actually mind the idea of a set number of matches until a mid card champion moves up but I hate that it is a gimmick established in kayfabe. If Creative kept tabs on it without actually tying it into the story would be more to my liking.

If nothing else, it is lazy booking in the same way that MITB can be and brings too much structure to the fed.

A new side to Barbosa?

Although, didn't I read somewhere that Barbosa stormed out and insisted he be called Sebastian?

Nah, Gestalt/Borg would have been the name of the entire character rather than of just another personality.

If I was certain to be staying/returning later, I would likely have taken a more hands on approach to Barbosa's end. I would rather have had him simply disappear following the outcome of MD100, my Unuscripted RP and the WZCW.com announcement.

The whole idea was that Sebastian was the normal, perhaps even original Barbosa reappearing and living a normal life with Britney, with the personalities dispatched by the tron fall.

As I have admitted to Miko, the last scene in my RP with the Smoker accepting their fate and the Manic being scared and wishing Hunt was there definitely stirred a few sad pangs in me.

 

[Miko]

Ha heres one I just thought of because it literally just happened to me

Have you ever thought of the perfect piece of material to use in a fued or team right after its finished and just kicked yourself for not seeing it earlier?

 

[Барбоса]

Nothing immediately comes to mind.

 

[Miko]

Oh, oh right . Well, let me know if you think of anything...

 

[Барбоса]

Ha heres one I just thought of because it literally just happened to me

Have you ever thought of the perfect piece of material to use in a fued or team right after its finished and just kicked yourself for not seeing it earlier?

This isn't quite answering the question but I do have a rather amusing scene written for SHIT interrogating Barbosa about his current personality problems.

It would have begun with SHIT using a dictaphone of Britney's voice to get 'Sebastian' to walk into a trap, and despite Depressive recognising it as such, it works and SHIT unleashes a Barbosa Neutraliser - and overhand chop.

I wasn't entirely sure where the interrogation would go but SHIT would have been convinced that it was helping Barbosa and would declare that this was a belated Christmas present.

 

[Miko]

Sounds good. Just so's you know, my question wasn't limited to BarboSHIT interactions, but throughout your entire stint with just about anybody.

 

[Kermit]

Sorry it took me awhile to see this. I was away for the weekend.

Cheers, mate.

Always glad to know that I was not the only one having fun with the adventures of the Barbosas.

Now that your here though, I feel the need to air something about Chris KO. Nothing bad just that it was a real shame that about how the whole end of the AoC played out and specifically how it affected Chris KO himself. No one's fault but a real missed opportunity for a monstrous storyline.

I also think that White Knight Chris KO could actually have been the best version of your character so far. Whilst it may not have been planned and not gotten off to the best start, it was a perfect storm of a character - a complete prick who thought the world owed him something for saving WZCW, when all he had really done was stab his mentor in the back.

Yeah, I think the problem was the crossover to how I portrayed him in my RPs to how he was showing up on the "tv". There was actually very much an internal struggle (inside of Chris) with "Project White Wash" that looked to turn Chris K.O. into the next super-face. However, the way he was written just made him seem like he was this self-entitled jerk.

After nearly the entire fed turned on the face aspect of the gimmick it set up for a beautiful hero complex.

On this topic, I recall you once saying that you wished more would have came out of Chris winning control of WZCW from Ty. I often wonder what would have happened if we had expanded on this. Honestly, I blame a miscommunication at the time for why it was so quickly passed off. I had just beat Ty and I PMed someone on the team to ask them what that meant since I had won control. I was basically told that it didn't mean my character owned anything and that it would be written where Bateman/Myles/Dave regained control. So, I wrote an RP that had Chris sell it back. Then, a cycle later, I joined Creative and looked back to see some confusion in the voting thread about why I just sold the company back in my RP.

What would you have liked to see happen in a perfect world with Chris winning control temporarily?

 

[Барбоса]

I would not have had him win control at all. Just force Ty to give it up.

However, once Chris KO had won control of the company, I would have had it become a major plot point but only gradually. Have a moratorium of some sort placed on the selling of the company leaving Face KO in control against his wishes whilst he continues his career as a wrestler. Then have him feud with another former member of the AoC, preferably one portrayed as being upset at the break up of the faction. Bowen might have fit the bill well.

Then as KO moved up to the world title picture or a more high profile he would become increasingly frustrated with his inability to gain respect/world title and begins to be corrupted by his power, eventually becoming the White Knight and the same kind of Tyrant that he had fought so hard to get rid of.

Then, if the timing was right, we have Ty Burna reappear for a return match with the roles reversed and the company reverting to the control of the board and GMs.

 

[red ass skull muhfukkah]

No question. Just wanted to say that Barbosa has always been my favorite character and I'm truly gutted to see you go, man.

 

[Барбоса]

Maybe some time, 'Sebastian' will have use of Alhazred's hacking skills to get him a passport or medical history

 

[Барбоса]

Various Creative groups did a great job in booking Barbosa to look like a monster even in defeat - two LL appearances, the tag gauntlet, the triple threat against Dragon and Showtime and perhaps most importantly, the title match against Ty and Gordito.

Speaking of which, that second triple threat is a great example of Creative not resorting to reflecting the decisiveness of the RP vote. The champion won that vote decisively but not the match, with both his opponents looking credible.

 

[Miko]

I feel it is kind of telling that I made both of our characters in WWE14 and enjoyed playing as yours so much more that I actually deleted mine. You swine!

 

[Барбоса]

You should use my one idea for the All-Stars round

An entire stable of Barbosas.

And call them BarbosA, BarbosB, BarbosC and BarbosD

 

[Miko]

That does bear a kind of similarity with the All Stars idea I'll probably go with this year, should I participate. Might even get along term character out of that.

Having created your character on WWE14 I completely get why you were booked strongly the way you were, as you alluded to in your last comment, its just impossible not to want to wreck everything in sight when playing as him, I imagine its the same with writing him.

 

[Барбоса]

That does bear a kind of similarity with the All Stars idea I'll probably go with this year, should I participate. Might even get along term character out of that.

SHIT as a Russian Doll?

Having created your character on WWE14 I completely get why you were booked strongly the way you were, as you alluded to in your last comment, its just impossible not to want to wreck everything in sight when playing as him, I imagine its the same with writing him.

What is there not to get fired up about with a conniving, depressed, hyper, stupid, angry sex pest?

 

[Bernkastel]

Can I get a signed copy of your book, but from the perspective of Barbosa?

 

[Барбоса]

We don't... er... I don't plan on rewriting it any time soon...

As for a signed copy of the current version? Sure. Just send your copy of it to me.