Ted DiBiase (30 page)

When I reported it to the creative team, they concurred with my observation. The creative team was comprised of some very bright people. They were all young college graduates who had some experience in Hollywood script writing. The writers were wrestling fans and very energetic.

The wrestling industry had changed and WWE was not a wrestling company anymore. It was a sports entertainment company. The writers are needed to create the best product on the planet. You could tell that they really loved the business. A couple of them just amazed me because they knew all my matches, specific dates, and other things about my career that I had long forgotten.

However, you still need people in the business to help polish up the wrestling side. The creative script writers knew how to write and put stories
together, but they didn't know the nuts and bolts of wrestling. They had never been in the ring, and only those who had been in the ring could truly appreciate and understand a wrestling match. This is why producers are needed to help put together the matches.

I noticed that there was definitely a difference in the level of talent within the company. Besides the top guys—Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Undertaker, and Eddie Guerrero—the others didn't have the same level of believability. The success of professional wrestling is based on believability. Although the fans know it is staged, the talent still has to be able to make it seem as real as possible, to tell a story, to make people want to watch and follow the angle. The talent roster was weak.

The producers had to map out matches from bell to bell. It's not because the talent was bad, but because they hadn't been trained to be in-ring generals. Years ago, the talent would learn the craft by going from territory to territory. Today, there is nowhere for the talent to learn. To help with this shortcoming, WWE created developmental territories, one in Florida and another in Ohio. This is where wrestlers learn their craft from trainers like Steve Keirn and “Dr. Death” Steve Williams. But when they are called up to the big leagues, many are still raw and inexperienced, and the producers have to help them organize their matches.

John Cena is a talent who has dramatically improved over a short period of time. He is a product of WWE's Ohio Valley developmental territory. I give John a tremendous amount of credit. He is an excellent athlete and an overall great person. When you are the champion, Vince runs you hard. Besides doing the wrestling matches and interviews, the champ also is the company's chief spokesperson. There are media appearances, charity events, community activities—the list goes on and on. The champ is required to do whatever Vince asks of him, to help promote and market WWE.

I used to see John every day and we chatted quite frequently. “Hey, champ, how are you holding up, buddy?”

“I am doing okay.”

I continued, “Listen, you have to look at it like this: if you keep it up at this pace, you won't have to worry about anything too much longer. You will be financially set for life.”

With a big grin, John smiled and said, “Ted, that's the plan.”

I enjoyed working as a producer a lot more than being part of the creative team. Although Dusty Rhodes and Michael Hayes are good friends, and we had fun working together on the creative team, I was more comfortable being close to the in-ring action. For example, at
WrestleMania 22
in Chicago, I was in charge of the Hardcore match between Mick Foley and Edge. It isn't difficult to script a match when you are working with two great talents. I just listened to what they had to say as they laid out their match. They knew exactly what they wanted to do and it made sense. After working for a very exciting fifteen minutes, Edge defeated Mick after spearing him off the apron and through a flaming table outside the ring.

After a couple of months on the job, I knew it was something I couldn't do. The reason being that I never did it. The art of wrestling is improvising. If one is really good at what he does, he does it instinctively. It is the main reason why I eventually failed in my position as a producer.

I also failed as an advisor to the creative team. I think creative writing is a gift. Throughout my entire wrestling career, I never came up with my own gimmicks. Guys like Bill Watts and Vince McMahon gave me my character. I was the actor. If someone told me what he wanted, I could make it happen in the ring and do it instinctively. I couldn't become someone else's character and help him put together his game plan.

ARN ANDERSON:

Teddy was a great performer and he wrestled on instinct and feel. He acted, reacted, and adjusted to the situation in the ring. He was an excellent worker and an in-ring general. He was always a gentleman and very knowledgeable. He was diverse in the ring and is probably one of the top twenty-five performers of all time.

Even though Teddy performed in the ring at the highest level, it didn't necessarily mean that he could picture that and translate it to someone else. We work in a very specialized field. There are only a few people in the world who have an aptitude for this aspect of the
business. Today, we have guys in the business who need lots of guidance, preparation, and training. Teddy wasn't able to translate what he knew to the workers. It just didn't work out. I didn't consider it a failure. Rather, I think Teddy just got frustrated. Not everyone can be a producer. It doesn't demean who he is, or what he has meant to the business.

STEVE KEIRN:

When Teddy came in as a producer, I don't think he ever had any experience teaching anyone else in this business. He never taught or passed his trade on to anyone. Teddy was undoubtedly one of the greatest workers in the history of wrestling and could do anything in the ring. To turn around and explain how he did it, and how you could do what he did, was something that Teddy had never had experience in. He was put in a position where his job was to make the talent better. Teddy could see the mistakes, but he didn't have the descriptive analysis to teach people that made those mistakes how not to make them again. He fumbled with this and eventually started to feel insecure. So he was man enough to admit not only to himself but to everyone else that he just wasn't getting the job done.

MICHAEL HAYES:

Was Teddy born to be on the creative team? No. He was very creative in the ring during his career as a wrestler, but trying to communicate with kids today isn't the same as in Teddy's era. Being a producer is something that takes a lot of patience and it just didn't come easy for him. He is not alone. The position is a never-ending job and there is never a finish line. Consequently, you never have any time to enjoy the success of victory.

Teddy also has that low voice, which at times was a hindrance when communicating with the production crew and getting the
information to them in enough time. We always try to give the folks in the production truck a heads-up as to what is going to happen in the ring. We want to give them at least thirty to sixty seconds to get ready for a spot so they can have time to get their cameras in place. I think for the old-school guys like Teddy, it was hard to make the transition from the ring to calling the matches (it took me a long time to learn). In his matches and back in the old days, you just called your spots and did your moves as they happened. In today's television world, that doesn't give the camera operators and directors time to get ready for whatever is going to happen. Teddy just couldn't make the transition.

I don't know that Teddy was totally unsuccessful. I think he did have some victories. There is no doubt that he definitely improved from the time he got there to when he left the creative team. Teddy is used to succeeding. He never just passed at anything he had ever done. He wasn't doing A work but C work. Teddy doesn't like average. He certainly tried and gave it all he had. The job just isn't meant for everybody.

MIKE ROTUNDO (I.R.S.):

I had just started out as a producer when Ted left the company. From talking with him, I think Ted just wasn't comfortable working as a producer. It is an ever-changing and difficult job. You have to be able to translate to the talent what the creative team and production office wants.

Although Ted was uneasy in that capacity, he was probably one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the business. He also has a big heart and I really enjoyed my time being around him.

I accepted my shortcomings and tried my best. I valued the company and appreciated the opportunity and the challenge. I was so frustrated that on a flight with Vince McMahon I shared my genuine concern and feelings. Vince
listened and encouraged me to stick with it. “Ted, you remind me a lot of Ray Stevens.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ray was one of the greatest workers in the wrestling business. But when I asked him why he did what he did in the ring, he couldn't tell me.”

“Vince, you are absolutely right.”

For the next ten months, I continued serving as an advisor and producer. I had a few cameo appearances at some shows and was even part of the huge Legends Homecoming ceremony in Dallas. One day at a TV taping of
SmackDown!
, Stephanie called me into the office. I sensed by her teary eyes and tone that something was up. “Well, Ted, we gave you a chance as an advisor but things don't seem to be working out.” She lightheartedly added, “I guess you were right, Ted. This advising to the creative team isn't your forte.” We laughed. “But I spoke to Johnny and we are going to keep you on full-time as a producer.” I thanked Stephanie and deep down was quite relieved.

In December of 2005, I was stressed out. The pressure was tremendous. It had been a grueling year for me because I felt I wasn't getting the job done. I felt like a stranger in a very familiar place. But I pressed on to perform well for the company.

JIM ROSS:

I think it would be challenging and not necessarily accurate for anyone to say that Ted's tenure as a producer in WWE could be termed a “failure.” There was never a lack of effort or hard work on Ted's behalf that I ever witnessed or heard anyone speak of. I do remember talking to Ted while he was on his visit to WWE to interview for the position. I could tell that he wasn't sure that the job or role was going to fit him personally, but he seemed like he wanted to try it nonetheless. I told him that day in my office that coming back into the business full-time after such a long absence was going to be extremely challenging.

The product had changed in many ways since he was last
earning a living in wrestling and it was far from being a good old boys' club any longer. The corporate world presents many challenges to old-school guys such as Ted DiBiase and so many others I could name, including me. Ted has a wealth of knowledge regarding the business but the job simply wasn't for him. If one isn't able to make the all-important emotional investment in any role within sports entertainment, the chances of long-term success are fleeting.

Ted had all the right intentions when he first started the job with WWE. But one could tell after several weeks that his heart just wasn't in it, even after he left the creative team and returned to his roots on the road as a producer. Although Ted's stay on the road was relatively short, I would still bet a barbecue dinner that many WWE competitors learned a great deal from him. His calming demeanor was a breath of fresh air in the somewhat manic world of sports entertainment.

For that year, I neglected my health. I didn't exercise, nor watch what I was eating. My weight ballooned to over three hundred pounds. The more nervous and stressed-out I got, the more I ate. I was living four days a week at a hotel and eating out three or four times a day, sometimes very late at night.

One morning as I was getting dressed at the hotel, I started feeling very light-headed. I broke out in a cold sweat. I looked into the bathroom mirror and saw that my face was pale. I started to take deep breaths. The next thing I recall was lying on the bathroom floor with my head jacked up against the wall. I had passed out. I was really scared. The first thing I did was grab ahold of my left arm and then my chest to see if I had had a heart attack. Nothing hurt and everything seemed to be fine. I shrugged it off and sat down on the bed to gather my faculties. Everything seemed to be all right.

After getting dressed, I telephoned Dusty Rhodes. “Dream, I just passed out.”

He said, “What? Do you want me to come to your room?”

“No, I'm okay now. I'll meet you down in the restaurant in about ten minutes.”

Dusty replied, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, don't worry. I'll be right down.”

Dusty was waiting for me at the restaurant and he was very concerned. I told him that everything was okay and we went ahead and ordered breakfast. I wasn't too hungry so I only ordered coffee. From what I've been told, after taking a sip of the coffee, I looked straight up at Dusty, my eyes rolled into the back of my head, and I fell right off the chair, landing on the floor. I had passed out again.

When I came to that time, my head was in Dusty's lap. He was on the floor with me. I was very afraid and concerned. Dusty was encouraging me and said, “Don't worry about anything, brother, you are going to be okay. We are going to get you out of here and take you to the hospital.” With Dusty by my side, I was transported by the hotel van to the local hospital in Stamford.

Once I got to the emergency room, they quickly admitted me and checked my vitals. Everything appeared to be fine. I spent the rest of the day undergoing a series of tests. I was poked and prodded for what seemed like an eternity. They ran blood tests and a stress test, scanned my brain, and took X-rays. The good news was that after spending all day in the hospital, they couldn't find anything wrong. My heart and brain were fine. The doctor did have one concern: my weight. I weighed in at a whopping 326 pounds. They decided to keep me overnight. I took a fasting blood-sugar test. The results showed that my blood sugar was fluctuating, and that was why I passed out.