January 16, 2025 • 28 mins
WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long joins us for a candid and insightful episode of Road Trip After Hours, where wrestling's past, present, and future collide. We kick off with an exciting discussion about the groundbreaking WWE and TNA Wrestling partnership, which opens doors for thrilling talent exchanges and fresh opportunities. Teddy shares his hopes for TNA's growth and reflects on Jeff Hardy's triumphant journey from personal struggles to becoming the TNA Tag Champion. Drawing from his own battles with addiction, Teddy offers heartfelt advice and encouragement to listeners facing similar challenges, emphasizing the power of personal responsibility in creating meaningful change.
As we journey through Teddy's storied career, we uncover tales from his time in ECW and WWE, shining a light on his adaptability and professionalism. With a captivating anecdote about Tiffany and his dynamic with Vickie Guerrero, Teddy provides a behind-the-scenes look at the contrasts between on-screen personas and real-life personalities.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Hello again, everybody, and welcome to an
all-new episode of Road TripAfter Hours.
I'm your host, mac Davis, andof course, with me is my WWE
Hall of Famer, good buddy, mrTeddy Long.
Hey, teddy, what's?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
going on there, Mr Mac Davis.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Man, it's been crazy busy and now I'm hearing that we
might get snow again next week.
Are you hearing this Bring?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
it on, I love it.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
It's pretty stuff.
We didn't get any last time thesnow came around, but this time
it sounds like maybe we got agood shot for it.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
We're good, I ain't got nowhere to go.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yeah, my grandbabies would love it, because most of
my grandkids have never seensnow, never seen snow, so it'd
be something big for them to see.
Hey, look, I saw something bigcome across.
We were a little bit later thannormal coming in here and I
read something that Bill Aptersent over to us and it was a
press release from WWE and itsays WWE and TNA Wrestling
(01:25):
announce multi-year partnership.
Nxt superstars and TNAWrestling stars are to appear
across weekly WWE and TNAprogramming, wwe premium live
events and TNA pay-per-views.
That's big news when it comesfor TNA, don't you think, teddy?
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Well, I would think so.
I just hope they do the rightthing and don't mess things up,
because opportunity don't knockbut once, and this is a big
opportunity here, and so ifthey're ever going to be big,
then this is the time for it.
So I hope those guys just keeptheir head on right and do the
right thing.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I do too.
You know, you kind of weresniffing maybe some kind of a
partnership there already,because we've seen some of the
stars from TNA come over to WWE,jordan Grace being one of those
that's crossed over, and I'mtrying to wait the Joe Henry or
Joe Hendry, something like that.
He's gotten kind of big.
I don't keep up with TNA, soI'm sorry, but it's something
(02:25):
that uh, it sounds like we mighthave to start watching uh from
here on out.
Let me bring something else up.
Jeff hardy has said that hiscurrent uh run as tna tag
champion means everything in theworld to him, given all of his
failures with drugs over theyears.
He says, quote this world titlerun means everything to me
because I came close to endingit all in the summer of 2022,
(02:50):
which is all public.
People are aware of my issuesthroughout the years with drugs
and alcohol.
But, coming out the other sideof that, I've been saying a lot
lately that all these failureshave led me to salvation.
Just to be on the other side ofthat.
I get goosebumps just thinkingabout it.
Great things to hear about JeffHardy, because he's had his
(03:11):
time and troubles and he'sbattled them, but it sounds like
maybe he's finally got control.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, I certainly hope so.
Jeff and I and Matt, we're realgood friends, man.
I love both of them and theylove me.
And Jeff and I I think we weretogether last year at a comic
con there and he looks great,fantastic man.
He's got his head on right.
His attitude is absolutelygreat.
So I hope he has, you know, gotit together and, you know, got
(03:38):
his life together, because Imean, he has a big future.
You know, I think there's a lotleft in Jeff Hardy.
I can tell you that right now.
So, jeff, congratulations toyour player, and if you need any
advice on trying to help youstay clean, you can talk to me,
because I was there, I've beenthere and done that.
I was a heron at it.
So if I was able to overcomethat then, brother, I can tell
(03:58):
you I'd overcome anything youput in your body.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Teddy, you were.
Were you in JV and then into anactual jail cell before you
from the drugs, or what happenedwhen it came to drugs?
Yeah, I went to jail.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, I was on heroin and then I went to jail.
Then I got in jail.
So you know, every time you goto jail you start praying God.
If you just let me out, I won'tdo it no more.
Well, god did let me out, okay,but I didn't keep my promise to
God.
I did it again just as soon asI got out.
So God told me OK, so that'sthe game you want to play.
So he put me right back in jail.
(04:31):
So when I went right back tojail, then that's when it hit me
.
Ok, I was tired of being tiredand I said to myself I lied to
God and so whatever you want todo to me, lord, just go ahead
and do it, because it's my fault.
Whatever you want to do to me,lord, just go ahead and do it
because it's my fault.
But he knew I was ready to stop.
So I ended up getting right outof jail and, like the next
couple of weeks, he blessed meto get out, but I never turned
(04:52):
back.
I never went back to heroinagain.
So that was it for me.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And hopefully that inspires anybody If you're
having an issue when it comes todrugs or anything else, to know
that it can change in a momentjust from something that happens
that makes you say I'm done,that's it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, you got to be tired of being tired.
Yes, okay, and that's what itwas.
And then let me say this too,because there's so many people
out there that always talk aboutwell, I wouldn't have did it,
but they gave it to me.
Well, let me explain somethingto you.
If they gave it to you and ifthey gave you a gun and told you
to blow your head off, wouldyou do that?
It's real simple.
(05:28):
This little thing here I got inmy hand is a remote.
It was a control, but it couldbe a rock of cocaine.
Well, if this was a rock ofcocaine, that's in my hand.
If I don't put it in my nose,it don't get there.
So it's nobody but me.
So stop blaming people aboutyour habits and realize that
it's you you putting that inyour body.
(05:48):
Nobody else, nobody's got a gundrawn on you, telling you they
don't kill you if you don't.
So you can stop.
All you got to do is be isbecome your own self.
You know, get, get in touchwith yourself and just say I'm
done.
And if you don't put it upthere, it don't get there.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And I have always said and you know, drug issues,
I think, affect every family.
I don't care what family youhave.
There's somebody you know inyour family that's had an issue
with that problem and I've seenthat so many times.
You know, in my family I'veseen issues with it and it's
always the same.
Reaction for me is I hope theyget better.
(06:23):
But it's going to be up to themto get better.
They've got to decide they'reready to make that change.
When they do, everything goesfor the best.
It's just you've got to makethat change, you've got to want
that change.
It's real simple, teddy, let metell you about something.
I came across an article inSportster.
Uh, the sportster, which isonline and, uh, they have every
(06:48):
version of teddy long rankedworst to best.
So I'm gonna go down this list.
I'm getting your reactions fromyou.
Uh, we'll start with the worstand end up with the best, uh,
but if you have any stories orany memories from these times,
just let me know.
There's only.
Let's see, we have a total ofnine different versions of Teddy
(07:08):
, from worst to best.
So the worst on the Sportsterslist is Teddy Long and the
groom-to-be let's see.
It says in 2007,.
After a few years of being anauthority figure on SmackDown,
teddy Long was booked in thefirst romantic angle of his
(07:29):
career.
In 2007,.
After a few years of being anauthority figure on SmackDown,
teddy Long was booked in thefirst romantic angle of his
career.
After a brief courtship, longasked Crystal to be his
girlfriend and later asked herto marry him.
The romantic angle was a bit ofa departure for how Long had
previously been booked and somefans weren't very receptive of
it.
Ultimately, though, the anglewas successful and getting Long
weren't very receptive of it.
Ultimately, though, the anglewas successful in getting Long
out of his position of power.
(07:49):
As a result of his relationship, Long hired Vickie Guerrero as
his assistant, and at theirwedding, long and Crystal would
be on the verge of tying theknot before Long suffered a
heart attack and slipped into acoma.
There's no telling how far WWEwould have pushed that storyline
had Crystal not abruptly leftthe company.
(08:10):
So that's the worst on the list, your thoughts and anything
memories from that time.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
No, not really.
I thought it was a great thingwe did.
That was all Vince's idea to dothat and well, it was really
hilarious, really funny, youknow.
I mean I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I thought it was so entertaining yeah, that's how I
found it.
I thought it was veryentertaining.
It was a lot of character inthat and a wrestling show I
there are many times and I saidthis from the very first day
that I started into wrestlingthere are wrestlers, there's
entertainers and there's acombination of both in some
people, but you've got to haveit all as a part of your program
(08:52):
to make it work, and that wascharacter work.
You were working right then andit was hilarious.
Where else are you going to seeVince McMahon just doing his
head bob by the side of the ring?
Yeah, he was part of thewedding.
Yeah, man, how many times areyou going to see that?
Let's see Up.
Next on there is from worst tobest.
(09:12):
At number eight is your ECWgeneral manager days by the
summer of 2008,.
I'm sorry.
It was abundantly clear thatWWE's ECW reboot was a flop.
Instead of pulling the plug onthe dying brand, though, wwe
(09:34):
tried to flood it withrecognizable talents in hopes of
riding the ship.
Unfortunately for Teddy Long,he was one of the talents asked
to move over to ECW In June of2008,.
After a few months serving asassistant general manager on
SmackDown, long was announced asthe new GM of ECW.
Any memories of your time atECW and did you think that was
bad?
Now I will say, of all thethings that you've done in your
(09:55):
career, teddy, that is onethat's kind of a.
It's just.
I don't even remember it muchbecause it happened kind of
quick.
If it lasted long, I don'trecall it.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, well, the memories I had of it was okay.
I mean, the man wanted meeverywhere, so anywhere that he
wanted me.
Then I knew that I had to goand I had to perform, so it
didn't bother me about ECW.
The only real good part aboutit the girl that Tiffany, I
think that was her name.
I think they put her in as thebe my assistant.
You know, that's what it was,but I soon found out later, and
(10:30):
then this came from her that shewas brought in to take my job.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That must make you feel really good to go in the
office and that's what she toldme.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Wow, all right Up.
Next number seven, let me saythis too.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Let me say this while we're doing it you know you can
bring anybody, this has beenproven.
You can bring them far near totake my job, but they'll never
be.
You can't bring another TeddyLong, because yeah, you're one
of a kind.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And that's something that you know.
I've said that to.
Who were we talking to recently?
I think it was Trish Stratus.
She was one of a kind Of allthe women inside WCW.
Trish Stratus is unique anddifferent, just like you are
unique and different in the rolethat you played, not only
because you had multitudes ofdifferent positions you've
(11:19):
worked in wrestling but you alsowere a fantastic character for
television, and that is a bigdifference.
Some people make it, somepeople don't, some people have
it, some people don't, and TeddyLong has it.
It's just that simple.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I didn't even know I had it until Vince McMahon
showed me I had it.
I had no idea what I could do,but he showed me and he made me
understand exactly what myposition was and what my role
was.
And when he put me in the lightI'm like oh, oh, so this is
what you want.
I got you, man.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
You know, and it's all it really takes a lot of
times is for somebody to noticesomething that you don't notice
yourself, that they can justpush a button and go.
You need to try this.
And then you hit that button.
You're like, oh shit, yeah, Iget it.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, but now you see why there are a lot of people
that tried to stop me.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Well, let's talk about some ofthese people, because you did
bounce around a little bit.
Number seven, from Teddy Long'sWorst to Best they have you as
the assistant SmackDown generalmanager.
After you suffered a heartattack at your wedding and fell
into a coma, you returned toSmackDown on November of 2007.
But your old job wasn't waitingfor you.
(12:32):
Instead, the position of GM hadbeen filled by your former
assistant, vickie Guerrero.
You would have to settle for arole as assistant general
manager on SmackDown and youwould feud with Vickie Guerrero
until you were appointed thegeneral manager of ECW.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
That didn't happen like that.
I don't know what you'rereading.
Yeah, this is just straightfrom the website I came back.
When they brought me back, itwas God, I'm trying to figure
out what Anaheim no, not Anaheim, I'm trying to figure out.
It was in California.
I just can't remember what itwas.
But they didn't bring me backas an assistant.
(13:11):
They brought me back to take myjob.
You can remember VickieGuerrero and Dolph Ziggler.
She had made it possible forhim to be the world champion.
So him and her out there in thering, you know having a great
time.
They done screwed everything up.
I've been gone for maybe abouta month.
I think it was okay and, if youcan remember, they hid me that
night.
They didn't even bring me theTV.
(13:31):
They kept me in the hotel untiltime for me to walk out to the
ring, and that's when they cameand got me, and when I walked
out to the ring I took the jobback.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I didn't walk out to the ring to become the assistant
general manager.
When it came to working withdifferent general managers their
powers to be in the company.
On screen, was there somebodyyou really just enjoyed working
with?
It was just like it was sosimple.
I mean, was Vicki really easyto work with better than yeah, I
love Vicki Guerrero.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I enjoy working with Vicki Guerrero and basically
some of the stuff that Vicki didto me.
I told her to do those thingsto me, so that's how good you
know that Vicki was.
And Vicki she's just asweetheart of a person you would
not believe.
When you watch her on TV andthen you meet her in real life
you would not believe that wasthe same person.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
You know I was watching something the other day
, Teddy.
It was an old show where JohnCena and Jerry Lawler were
dressing her down in the ringmaking, calling her fat and
laying fat jokes one after theother at her.
Can you imagine that takingplace today?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yeah, it'll happen right now.
They don't care.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I kept feeling for her the whole time.
I'm thinking I know she's aheel, I get it.
But man, they're just piling onthe jokes about her weight.
After a while you would thinkthat would just become a little
bit too much.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Well, maybe sometime, when they're getting on you
like that, you need to checkyour weight.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, well, that's true.
Maybe that's the reason whythat promo happened too, You've
got to understand this business.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
here, everything is done for a reason.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Hey, look here In 2014, they do have you at number
six on the worst to best, teddyLong.
After nearly 30 years in thewrestling business, you were
released from WWE to mark theend of your full-time wrestling
career.
(15:26):
However, in June of 2016, youwould come back into the fold
and appear on an episode ofMonday Night Raw and playing
your case for another run asSmackDown general manager.
Your request will be denied byStephanie McMahon.
Any memories of that night?
I remember that being a prettyfunny promo.
Actually, weren't the guys outin the ring like on ladders, and
(15:47):
I think Chris Jericho asked youwhat called you a bag of bones
and wanted to know what the hellyou were talking about, or
something like that.
So do you remember anythingfrom that night?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Well, at least I didn't have to worry about my
weight.
Yeah, do you remember thatnight?
Yeah, man, that was great.
Chris, him and I always gotalong pretty well too, so I
always enjoy working with Chris.
And so that was just reallyfunny, I didn't see.
What they don't understand isyou know they have a lot of
(16:16):
people sometime when they getreleased or go, you know they
start calling them and worryingthem.
You know about hey, you guysgot anything, anything you know
for me and all that I ain'tdoing that bless me to survive
without the WWE.
Okay, this thing, my life isgoing to go on when WWE is going
to go on, you know.
So, like I said, that was goodstuff.
(16:37):
I remember that.
Not bad at all.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
How was it working with Stephanie?
She came out and she kind ofsaid oh, you haven't been here
in a while, but she looks likeyou probably got along with her
pretty well.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Oh, I did get along with Stephanie, she's a
sweetheart with me.
We well oh, I did get alongwith Stephanie, she's a
sweetheart with me.
We always had a specialhandshake that we did Every time
we'd meet.
We had the handshake where we'dsnap the finger and stuff, but
didn't nobody do that with herbut me.
But she was always a sweetheartwith me.
Stephanie, I got along with her.
I loved working with her.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
All right, let's talk about the number five Again.
This list is the worst to bestpositions for Teddy Long over
the years, and they have you atnumber five as the WWE referee,
it says.
After a surprisingly successfulrun in WCW, teddy Long arrived
in WWE in late 1998.
(17:23):
He was immediately thrust intothe role of WWE referee.
As a referee, long became astaple of weekly WWE programming
and pay-per-views.
Long had the unfortunate dutyof working as a referee.
Long became a staple of weeklyWWE programming and
pay-per-views.
Long had the unfortunate dutyof working as a referee during
the match where D'Lo Brownaccidentally paralyzed draws.
I don't see anything, by theway, when we're talking about
(17:45):
this list worst to best I don'tsee anything that's that bad in
there.
There's only one place that wasquestionable to me, and that
was ECW.
Everything else was just a partof your damn career.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Well, there's a thing , there's something they do in
this business and it's calledlet's see if we can bury him.
Okay, so they tried a lot oftimes to bury me, but they
couldn't.
They weren't successful with itbecause I did my job.
I made people believe that Iwas the real GM.
(18:16):
I did my job.
So when you do your job, theyain't going to turn on you.
They will turn on you if youhaven't did your job, okay, if
you've just been sloppy alongthe way, because they'll go back
and remember oh yeah, Iremember when you messed that up
and they'll turn on you, butthey never turned on me Anytime
I went back after I could havebeen gone two or three years,
(18:38):
I'd walk out and got the biggestpop of the night.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
And I pointed that out to you.
Every time that you appear onTV I'll go biggest pop of the
night and I'm not joking when Isay that that is the honest to
God's truth.
When Teddy has made appearancesof all the legends and people
that show up listen to theaudience, they go absolutely
nuts for Teddy Long.
It's because your character,teddy, even though you've played
kind of a heel at times and aface, they love you as the
(19:04):
character.
Your personality is what sellsyou.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Well, I wasn't a character, I was me.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That's true.
It's so easy to play yourself.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
That's why I was successful, because I wouldn't
be in that character.
I was being me.
The first time when they askedme to be the general manager of
SmackDown, they came to me andthey told me.
They said they want you to.
One of the writers said well,we're thinking about having you
be like Don King.
Okay.
I said, what do you mean?
They said, well, you know theboxing manager, don King.
(19:33):
I said, yeah, well, we kind ofwant you to be like that.
Well, I'm not arguing with him,you know, I'm just not getting
this position.
So I'm like well, whatever.
But I just walked out on the TVand just started being me and
after I started being me, vinceliked it and he saw that that
was getting over.
I didn't have to betray nobody.
I could be my own self BecauseI used to say player to my dog.
(19:53):
I had a big Labrador Retrievernamed Boss and I used to tell
him all the time this is why Itook it to TV He'd be in the way
and I'd just walk back.
Come on, player, get out theway, player, okay.
And I just took that to TV andthe dance I started doing.
I got that from my grandson.
He was trying to learn how towalk and we put him in a walker
(20:16):
and every time we put him inthere, he just started bopping
up and down like that.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Isn't it funny how small things like that that
happen in real life become thebiggest things that people
remember.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Well, I started doing it, but I was doing it for him,
because at that time we wouldtake SmackDown and I could go
back home and watch it.
So when I'd get back home I'dpull him to the TV.
I'd say look, look, look, I'mdoing your dance.
And so one day I got ready towalk TV, I said look, look, look
, I'm doing your dance.
And so one day I got ready towalk out.
They was playing my music andjust as I got to the curtain,
vince was screaming at me dothat dance, do that dance.
(20:47):
So I turn around, I'm like whatdance?
And he started doing it.
And that let me know that rightthere in the dance.
One time we had a rehearsalwhen I went in the Hall of Fame.
We had the rehearsal.
Vince was at the rehearsal.
They played my music.
When I walked out, vince wasdoing my dance.
He was already doing it.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Alright, let's see Up next on the list.
We've got four more here andthese are from worst to best.
We're getting towards his bestwork in WCW and WWE as,
according to the Sportster,Number four is Teddy Long as a
WCW referee.
It says in 1985, Teddy Long gothis break in the wrestling
(21:27):
business when he was appointed areferee in Jim Crockett
Promotions.
After starting off as an errandboy and later moving up to the
part of the ring crew, Long haddefinitely paid his dues and
earned his spot.
Long enjoyed a successful runas a referee, even officiating a
World Heavyweight Championshipmatch in February of 1989.
Do you remember what match thatwas?
(21:48):
No, it doesn't mention it inhere and I wish it had because I
remember you in many matches.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Well, it might have been the Clarence and Steamboat.
I don't remember when thathappened, but that was a
championship yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, I would tell you that.
That's one thing.
I'm not one of these historiansthat can tell you things like
that.
I watch shows and I hear guysgoing yeah, it was in the second
hour on this night whichhappened to be this day.
I'm like I don't know how youremember anything past the day
that it happened.
I couldn't tell you that.
I can't tell you what I had forbreakfast this morning.
Let's see At number three,teddy Long, manager in WWE.
(22:22):
After his refereeing careerended in 2002, teddy Long
stepped back into a familiarrole as a heel manager and you
would form the Thuggin' andBuggin' Enterprises stable,
which is a.
Different points would consistof Rodney Mack.
Different points would consistof Rodney Mack, d'lo Brown,
chris Nowinski, jazz Rosie wasin there too, I think right?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, I don't remember that.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
I don't remember if Rosie was in there or not.
Mark Henry, I know, was inthere, yeah, and so that being
another one of your highlightsof your career is becoming a
manager in WWE.
Who did you enjoy managing themost in WWE?
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Everybody that I managed, I got along with
everybody.
Well, the guys have passed on,so I'm going to let that go.
But anyway, yeah, because he'snot here to defend himself so I
don't want to talk about it.
But anyway, everybody that Imanaged, I got along with them.
I had some guys come up to meand ask me you think they'll let
you manage me?
I said you have to talk to them.
(23:21):
I don't make that decision, youknow, yeah, but I got along with
everybody and that's what mything was.
I wanted to try.
That's what I tried each andevery day of my life at work is
to get along with people youknow to be, to be nice and treat
people with respect, and so Ithink that was part of my
problem too.
I didn't want to be an asshole.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Well, hey, you turned into one eventually, so it's
okay.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Well, no, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, I'm definitely one now.
All right, now look at thisNumber two on your worst to best
.
So we're at your best.
Now you got two more, your best, best being the next one, but
this one I agree with Teddy.
Your best best being the nextone, but this one I agree with
teddy long manager time in wcw.
After a hard-earned, uhfruitful run as an nwa referee,
teddy long transitionaltransition into a new role in
(24:08):
1989 and, by all accounts, waseddie gilbert and kevin sullivan
who suggested long should be amanager.
Uh, you would go on and listjust a number of people in WCW.
The one that most people wouldprobably remember the best Doom
if you're from back at that time.
One of the best tag teams andtag team situations I can recall
(24:30):
and I don't think we've everhad tag team wrestling since
then that compared to what wegot back at that time, do you?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
agree with that?
Yeah, I certainly agree withthat.
Yeah, certainly.
Well, the times have changed,so that's our problem there?
Well, it's not a problem, it'sjust times have changed and
you've got to change with thetimes.
It's just that simple.
But we have so many guys outthere now that refuse to change
with the time.
They just want to remain oldschool.
Well, fine, that's what broughtus, got us to the dance.
(24:59):
We never forget that.
But you've got to move on fromthat because you've got to move
in a different time and era.
This is the 20th century thatwe're in.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Now, teddy, what do you think is the number one
moment of your career as far asthey're concerned?
When we go from the worst tothe best, this is the best.
What?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
do you think it's going to be?
I guess me becoming the generalmanager of SmackDown.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yes sir, yes sir, and it is number one.
It says in July of 2004, TeddyLong made history becoming the
first African-American authorityfigure in WWE history.
Long would be appointedSmackDown general manager after
Kurt Angle was fired.
After taking the role, Longwould become a baby face and
quickly endear himself to theWWE audience, and that's what we
(25:43):
were talking about a while ago.
It's endearing yourself to theaudience.
It's making the audience loveyou.
Whether they hate you or not,they still love you in the end,
right?
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Well, they hate you, but they love your job, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
They respect you for the job that you're doing.
That's the whole thing, but Iagree.
I think of everything in yourcareer, teddy, and I'm curious
though for you do you feel thatis the best moment of your
career being the general managerfor SmackDown, or do you
consider?
Speaker 2 (26:11):
something else better .
No, what else am I going to goto?
I'm not a wrestler, I ain'tgoing to never be world champion
, so where else am'm going?
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, because we saw that match between you and Eric
Bischoff and that was the shits.
Well, I agree.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
But that match was done for a reason, and I'll
leave it at that.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
I hear you, I hear you.
That's it, teddy.
We're out of time Anything.
I'm glad oh good, I am too,because I got to go to the
Waffle House.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Waffle.
You should be ashamed.
Now talk about people washingtheir weight.
Yeah, mac, please get off thewaffles.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Hey, no, I don't eat waffles now, but I do enjoy
scrambled eggs and some hashbrowns I like that breakfast
food.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I'll go with the scrambled eggs.
I don't care about the hashbrowns, I like my eggs, that I
like that yellow running.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Yeah, I like mine, just good scrambled eggs.
Give me some hash browns, niceand toasted, and then give me a
biscuit.
Maybe that would be nice, butbacon I want crispy.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, well, that's an extra 200 pounds.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Yeah, yeah, I know, teddy.
You have a good evening, myfriend, I'll talk to you again
tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
All right, no problem , man.
Thank you, and let's say thisto everybody Happy New Year.
We're getting the New Yearstarted and don't forget, like
Mac mentioned, we're going tostart going live.
We're working on that right nowgetting everything set up and
getting it ready to go.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
So we'll keep you informed on that.
But other than that are on aFacebook YouTube, it'll be on a
West West one of the Instagramor whatever those other places
are.
That's the reason why it's acouple more weeks away, because
I don't understand it all, but Igot somebody who does, so
that's the good thing.
We are out of here.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
We'll see you again next week for more Rome trip
(28:33):
after hours.
All the best, bye.
Hello again, everybody, and welcome to an
all-new episode of Road TripAfter Hours.
I'm your host, mac Davis, andof course, with me is my WWE
Hall of Famer, good buddy, mrTeddy Long.
Hey, teddy, what's?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
going on there, Mr Mac Davis.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Man, it's been crazy busy and now I'm hearing that we
might get snow again next week.
Are you hearing this Bring?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
it on, I love it.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
It's pretty stuff.
We didn't get any last time thesnow came around, but this time
it sounds like maybe we got agood shot for it.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
We're good, I ain't got nowhere to go.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yeah, my grandbabies would love it, because most of
my grandkids have never seensnow, never seen snow, so it'd
be something big for them to see.
Hey, look, I saw something bigcome across.
We were a little bit later thannormal coming in here and I
read something that Bill Aptersent over to us and it was a
press release from WWE and itsays WWE and TNA Wrestling
(01:25):
announce multi-year partnership.
Nxt superstars and TNAWrestling stars are to appear
across weekly WWE and TNAprogramming, wwe premium live
events and TNA pay-per-views.
That's big news when it comesfor TNA, don't you think, teddy?
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Well, I would think so.
I just hope they do the rightthing and don't mess things up,
because opportunity don't knockbut once, and this is a big
opportunity here, and so ifthey're ever going to be big,
then this is the time for it.
So I hope those guys just keeptheir head on right and do the
right thing.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I do too.
You know, you kind of weresniffing maybe some kind of a
partnership there already,because we've seen some of the
stars from TNA come over to WWE,jordan Grace being one of those
that's crossed over, and I'mtrying to wait the Joe Henry or
Joe Hendry, something like that.
He's gotten kind of big.
I don't keep up with TNA, soI'm sorry, but it's something
(02:25):
that uh, it sounds like we mighthave to start watching uh from
here on out.
Let me bring something else up.
Jeff hardy has said that hiscurrent uh run as tna tag
champion means everything in theworld to him, given all of his
failures with drugs over theyears.
He says, quote this world titlerun means everything to me
because I came close to endingit all in the summer of 2022,
(02:50):
which is all public.
People are aware of my issuesthroughout the years with drugs
and alcohol.
But, coming out the other sideof that, I've been saying a lot
lately that all these failureshave led me to salvation.
Just to be on the other side ofthat.
I get goosebumps just thinkingabout it.
Great things to hear about JeffHardy, because he's had his
(03:11):
time and troubles and he'sbattled them, but it sounds like
maybe he's finally got control.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Well, I certainly hope so.
Jeff and I and Matt, we're realgood friends, man.
I love both of them and theylove me.
And Jeff and I I think we weretogether last year at a comic
con there and he looks great,fantastic man.
He's got his head on right.
His attitude is absolutelygreat.
So I hope he has, you know, gotit together and, you know, got
(03:38):
his life together, because Imean, he has a big future.
You know, I think there's a lotleft in Jeff Hardy.
I can tell you that right now.
So, jeff, congratulations toyour player, and if you need any
advice on trying to help youstay clean, you can talk to me,
because I was there, I've beenthere and done that.
I was a heron at it.
So if I was able to overcomethat then, brother, I can tell
(03:58):
you I'd overcome anything youput in your body.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Teddy, you were.
Were you in JV and then into anactual jail cell before you
from the drugs, or what happenedwhen it came to drugs?
Yeah, I went to jail.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Well, I was on heroin and then I went to jail.
Then I got in jail.
So you know, every time you goto jail you start praying God.
If you just let me out, I won'tdo it no more.
Well, god did let me out, okay,but I didn't keep my promise to
God.
I did it again just as soon asI got out.
So God told me OK, so that'sthe game you want to play.
So he put me right back in jail.
(04:31):
So when I went right back tojail, then that's when it hit me
.
Ok, I was tired of being tiredand I said to myself I lied to
God and so whatever you want todo to me, lord, just go ahead
and do it, because it's my fault.
Whatever you want to do to me,lord, just go ahead and do it
because it's my fault.
But he knew I was ready to stop.
So I ended up getting right outof jail and, like the next
couple of weeks, he blessed meto get out, but I never turned
(04:52):
back.
I never went back to heroinagain.
So that was it for me.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And hopefully that inspires anybody If you're
having an issue when it comes todrugs or anything else, to know
that it can change in a momentjust from something that happens
that makes you say I'm done,that's it.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, you got to be tired of being tired.
Yes, okay, and that's what itwas.
And then let me say this too,because there's so many people
out there that always talk aboutwell, I wouldn't have did it,
but they gave it to me.
Well, let me explain somethingto you.
If they gave it to you and ifthey gave you a gun and told you
to blow your head off, wouldyou do that?
It's real simple.
(05:28):
This little thing here I got inmy hand is a remote.
It was a control, but it couldbe a rock of cocaine.
Well, if this was a rock ofcocaine, that's in my hand.
If I don't put it in my nose,it don't get there.
So it's nobody but me.
So stop blaming people aboutyour habits and realize that
it's you you putting that inyour body.
(05:48):
Nobody else, nobody's got a gundrawn on you, telling you they
don't kill you if you don't.
So you can stop.
All you got to do is be isbecome your own self.
You know, get, get in touchwith yourself and just say I'm
done.
And if you don't put it upthere, it don't get there.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
And I have always said and you know, drug issues,
I think, affect every family.
I don't care what family youhave.
There's somebody you know inyour family that's had an issue
with that problem and I've seenthat so many times.
You know, in my family I'veseen issues with it and it's
always the same.
Reaction for me is I hope theyget better.
(06:23):
But it's going to be up to themto get better.
They've got to decide they'reready to make that change.
When they do, everything goesfor the best.
It's just you've got to makethat change, you've got to want
that change.
It's real simple, teddy, let metell you about something.
I came across an article inSportster.
Uh, the sportster, which isonline and, uh, they have every
(06:48):
version of teddy long rankedworst to best.
So I'm gonna go down this list.
I'm getting your reactions fromyou.
Uh, we'll start with the worstand end up with the best, uh,
but if you have any stories orany memories from these times,
just let me know.
There's only.
Let's see, we have a total ofnine different versions of Teddy
(07:08):
, from worst to best.
So the worst on the Sportsterslist is Teddy Long and the
groom-to-be let's see.
It says in 2007,.
After a few years of being anauthority figure on SmackDown,
teddy Long was booked in thefirst romantic angle of his
(07:29):
career.
In 2007,.
After a few years of being anauthority figure on SmackDown,
teddy Long was booked in thefirst romantic angle of his
career.
After a brief courtship, longasked Crystal to be his
girlfriend and later asked herto marry him.
The romantic angle was a bit ofa departure for how Long had
previously been booked and somefans weren't very receptive of
it.
Ultimately, though, the anglewas successful and getting Long
weren't very receptive of it.
Ultimately, though, the anglewas successful in getting Long
out of his position of power.
(07:49):
As a result of his relationship, Long hired Vickie Guerrero as
his assistant, and at theirwedding, long and Crystal would
be on the verge of tying theknot before Long suffered a
heart attack and slipped into acoma.
There's no telling how far WWEwould have pushed that storyline
had Crystal not abruptly leftthe company.
(08:10):
So that's the worst on the list, your thoughts and anything
memories from that time.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
No, not really.
I thought it was a great thingwe did.
That was all Vince's idea to dothat and well, it was really
hilarious, really funny, youknow.
I mean I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
I thought it was so entertaining yeah, that's how I
found it.
I thought it was veryentertaining.
It was a lot of character inthat and a wrestling show I
there are many times and I saidthis from the very first day
that I started into wrestlingthere are wrestlers, there's
entertainers and there's acombination of both in some
people, but you've got to haveit all as a part of your program
(08:52):
to make it work, and that wascharacter work.
You were working right then andit was hilarious.
Where else are you going to seeVince McMahon just doing his
head bob by the side of the ring?
Yeah, he was part of thewedding.
Yeah, man, how many times areyou going to see that?
Let's see Up.
Next on there is from worst tobest.
(09:12):
At number eight is your ECWgeneral manager days by the
summer of 2008,.
I'm sorry.
It was abundantly clear thatWWE's ECW reboot was a flop.
Instead of pulling the plug onthe dying brand, though, wwe
(09:34):
tried to flood it withrecognizable talents in hopes of
riding the ship.
Unfortunately for Teddy Long,he was one of the talents asked
to move over to ECW In June of2008,.
After a few months serving asassistant general manager on
SmackDown, long was announced asthe new GM of ECW.
Any memories of your time atECW and did you think that was
bad?
Now I will say, of all thethings that you've done in your
(09:55):
career, teddy, that is onethat's kind of a.
It's just.
I don't even remember it muchbecause it happened kind of
quick.
If it lasted long, I don'trecall it.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yeah, well, the memories I had of it was okay.
I mean, the man wanted meeverywhere, so anywhere that he
wanted me.
Then I knew that I had to goand I had to perform, so it
didn't bother me about ECW.
The only real good part aboutit the girl that Tiffany, I
think that was her name.
I think they put her in as thebe my assistant.
You know, that's what it was,but I soon found out later, and
(10:30):
then this came from her that shewas brought in to take my job.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
That must make you feel really good to go in the
office and that's what she toldme.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Wow, all right Up.
Next number seven, let me saythis too.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Let me say this while we're doing it you know you can
bring anybody, this has beenproven.
You can bring them far near totake my job, but they'll never
be.
You can't bring another TeddyLong, because yeah, you're one
of a kind.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And that's something that you know.
I've said that to.
Who were we talking to recently?
I think it was Trish Stratus.
She was one of a kind Of allthe women inside WCW.
Trish Stratus is unique anddifferent, just like you are
unique and different in the rolethat you played, not only
because you had multitudes ofdifferent positions you've
(11:19):
worked in wrestling but you alsowere a fantastic character for
television, and that is a bigdifference.
Some people make it, somepeople don't, some people have
it, some people don't, and TeddyLong has it.
It's just that simple.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
I didn't even know I had it until Vince McMahon
showed me I had it.
I had no idea what I could do,but he showed me and he made me
understand exactly what myposition was and what my role
was.
And when he put me in the lightI'm like oh, oh, so this is
what you want.
I got you, man.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
You know, and it's all it really takes a lot of
times is for somebody to noticesomething that you don't notice
yourself, that they can justpush a button and go.
You need to try this.
And then you hit that button.
You're like, oh shit, yeah, Iget it.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Yeah, but now you see why there are a lot of people
that tried to stop me.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Oh yeah, yeah.
Well, let's talk about some ofthese people, because you did
bounce around a little bit.
Number seven, from Teddy Long'sWorst to Best they have you as
the assistant SmackDown generalmanager.
After you suffered a heartattack at your wedding and fell
into a coma, you returned toSmackDown on November of 2007.
But your old job wasn't waitingfor you.
(12:32):
Instead, the position of GM hadbeen filled by your former
assistant, vickie Guerrero.
You would have to settle for arole as assistant general
manager on SmackDown and youwould feud with Vickie Guerrero
until you were appointed thegeneral manager of ECW.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
That didn't happen like that.
I don't know what you'rereading.
Yeah, this is just straightfrom the website I came back.
When they brought me back, itwas God, I'm trying to figure
out what Anaheim no, not Anaheim, I'm trying to figure out.
It was in California.
I just can't remember what itwas.
But they didn't bring me backas an assistant.
(13:11):
They brought me back to take myjob.
You can remember VickieGuerrero and Dolph Ziggler.
She had made it possible forhim to be the world champion.
So him and her out there in thering, you know having a great
time.
They done screwed everything up.
I've been gone for maybe abouta month.
I think it was okay and, if youcan remember, they hid me that
night.
They didn't even bring me theTV.
(13:31):
They kept me in the hotel untiltime for me to walk out to the
ring, and that's when they cameand got me, and when I walked
out to the ring I took the jobback.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I didn't walk out to the ring to become the assistant
general manager.
When it came to working withdifferent general managers their
powers to be in the company.
On screen, was there somebodyyou really just enjoyed working
with?
It was just like it was sosimple.
I mean, was Vicki really easyto work with better than yeah, I
love Vicki Guerrero.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
I enjoy working with Vicki Guerrero and basically
some of the stuff that Vicki didto me.
I told her to do those thingsto me, so that's how good you
know that Vicki was.
And Vicki she's just asweetheart of a person you would
not believe.
When you watch her on TV andthen you meet her in real life
you would not believe that wasthe same person.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
You know I was watching something the other day
, Teddy.
It was an old show where JohnCena and Jerry Lawler were
dressing her down in the ringmaking, calling her fat and
laying fat jokes one after theother at her.
Can you imagine that takingplace today?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yeah, it'll happen right now.
They don't care.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I kept feeling for her the whole time.
I'm thinking I know she's aheel, I get it.
But man, they're just piling onthe jokes about her weight.
After a while you would thinkthat would just become a little
bit too much.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Well, maybe sometime, when they're getting on you
like that, you need to checkyour weight.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, well, that's true.
Maybe that's the reason whythat promo happened too, You've
got to understand this business.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
here, everything is done for a reason.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Hey, look here In 2014, they do have you at number
six on the worst to best, teddyLong.
After nearly 30 years in thewrestling business, you were
released from WWE to mark theend of your full-time wrestling
career.
(15:26):
However, in June of 2016, youwould come back into the fold
and appear on an episode ofMonday Night Raw and playing
your case for another run asSmackDown general manager.
Your request will be denied byStephanie McMahon.
Any memories of that night?
I remember that being a prettyfunny promo.
Actually, weren't the guys outin the ring like on ladders, and
(15:47):
I think Chris Jericho asked youwhat called you a bag of bones
and wanted to know what the hellyou were talking about, or
something like that.
So do you remember anythingfrom that night?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Well, at least I didn't have to worry about my
weight.
Yeah, do you remember thatnight?
Yeah, man, that was great.
Chris, him and I always gotalong pretty well too, so I
always enjoy working with Chris.
And so that was just reallyfunny, I didn't see.
What they don't understand isyou know they have a lot of
(16:16):
people sometime when they getreleased or go, you know they
start calling them and worryingthem.
You know about hey, you guysgot anything, anything you know
for me and all that I ain'tdoing that bless me to survive
without the WWE.
Okay, this thing, my life isgoing to go on when WWE is going
to go on, you know.
So, like I said, that was goodstuff.
(16:37):
I remember that.
Not bad at all.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
How was it working with Stephanie?
She came out and she kind ofsaid oh, you haven't been here
in a while, but she looks likeyou probably got along with her
pretty well.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Oh, I did get along with Stephanie, she's a
sweetheart with me.
We well oh, I did get alongwith Stephanie, she's a
sweetheart with me.
We always had a specialhandshake that we did Every time
we'd meet.
We had the handshake where we'dsnap the finger and stuff, but
didn't nobody do that with herbut me.
But she was always a sweetheartwith me.
Stephanie, I got along with her.
I loved working with her.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
All right, let's talk about the number five Again.
This list is the worst to bestpositions for Teddy Long over
the years, and they have you atnumber five as the WWE referee,
it says.
After a surprisingly successfulrun in WCW, teddy Long arrived
in WWE in late 1998.
(17:23):
He was immediately thrust intothe role of WWE referee.
As a referee, long became astaple of weekly WWE programming
and pay-per-views.
Long had the unfortunate dutyof working as a referee.
Long became a staple of weeklyWWE programming and
pay-per-views.
Long had the unfortunate dutyof working as a referee during
the match where D'Lo Brownaccidentally paralyzed draws.
I don't see anything, by theway, when we're talking about
(17:45):
this list worst to best I don'tsee anything that's that bad in
there.
There's only one place that wasquestionable to me, and that
was ECW.
Everything else was just a partof your damn career.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Well, there's a thing , there's something they do in
this business and it's calledlet's see if we can bury him.
Okay, so they tried a lot oftimes to bury me, but they
couldn't.
They weren't successful with itbecause I did my job.
I made people believe that Iwas the real GM.
(18:16):
I did my job.
So when you do your job, theyain't going to turn on you.
They will turn on you if youhaven't did your job, okay, if
you've just been sloppy alongthe way, because they'll go back
and remember oh yeah, Iremember when you messed that up
and they'll turn on you, butthey never turned on me Anytime
I went back after I could havebeen gone two or three years,
(18:38):
I'd walk out and got the biggestpop of the night.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
And I pointed that out to you.
Every time that you appear onTV I'll go biggest pop of the
night and I'm not joking when Isay that that is the honest to
God's truth.
When Teddy has made appearancesof all the legends and people
that show up listen to theaudience, they go absolutely
nuts for Teddy Long.
It's because your character,teddy, even though you've played
kind of a heel at times and aface, they love you as the
(19:04):
character.
Your personality is what sellsyou.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Well, I wasn't a character, I was me.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That's true.
It's so easy to play yourself.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
That's why I was successful, because I wouldn't
be in that character.
I was being me.
The first time when they askedme to be the general manager of
SmackDown, they came to me andthey told me.
They said they want you to.
One of the writers said well,we're thinking about having you
be like Don King.
Okay.
I said, what do you mean?
They said, well, you know theboxing manager, don King.
(19:33):
I said, yeah, well, we kind ofwant you to be like that.
Well, I'm not arguing with him,you know, I'm just not getting
this position.
So I'm like well, whatever.
But I just walked out on the TVand just started being me and
after I started being me, vinceliked it and he saw that that
was getting over.
I didn't have to betray nobody.
I could be my own self BecauseI used to say player to my dog.
(19:53):
I had a big Labrador Retrievernamed Boss and I used to tell
him all the time this is why Itook it to TV He'd be in the way
and I'd just walk back.
Come on, player, get out theway, player, okay.
And I just took that to TV andthe dance I started doing.
I got that from my grandson.
He was trying to learn how towalk and we put him in a walker
(20:16):
and every time we put him inthere, he just started bopping
up and down like that.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Isn't it funny how small things like that that
happen in real life become thebiggest things that people
remember.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Well, I started doing it, but I was doing it for him,
because at that time we wouldtake SmackDown and I could go
back home and watch it.
So when I'd get back home I'dpull him to the TV.
I'd say look, look, look, I'mdoing your dance.
And so one day I got ready towalk TV, I said look, look, look
, I'm doing your dance.
And so one day I got ready towalk out.
They was playing my music andjust as I got to the curtain,
vince was screaming at me dothat dance, do that dance.
(20:47):
So I turn around, I'm like whatdance?
And he started doing it.
And that let me know that rightthere in the dance.
One time we had a rehearsalwhen I went in the Hall of Fame.
We had the rehearsal.
Vince was at the rehearsal.
They played my music.
When I walked out, vince wasdoing my dance.
He was already doing it.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Alright, let's see Up next on the list.
We've got four more here andthese are from worst to best.
We're getting towards his bestwork in WCW and WWE as,
according to the Sportster,Number four is Teddy Long as a
WCW referee.
It says in 1985, Teddy Long gothis break in the wrestling
(21:27):
business when he was appointed areferee in Jim Crockett
Promotions.
After starting off as an errandboy and later moving up to the
part of the ring crew, Long haddefinitely paid his dues and
earned his spot.
Long enjoyed a successful runas a referee, even officiating a
World Heavyweight Championshipmatch in February of 1989.
Do you remember what match thatwas?
(21:48):
No, it doesn't mention it inhere and I wish it had because I
remember you in many matches.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Well, it might have been the Clarence and Steamboat.
I don't remember when thathappened, but that was a
championship yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Yeah, I would tell you that.
That's one thing.
I'm not one of these historiansthat can tell you things like
that.
I watch shows and I hear guysgoing yeah, it was in the second
hour on this night whichhappened to be this day.
I'm like I don't know how youremember anything past the day
that it happened.
I couldn't tell you that.
I can't tell you what I had forbreakfast this morning.
Let's see At number three,teddy Long, manager in WWE.
(22:22):
After his refereeing careerended in 2002, teddy Long
stepped back into a familiarrole as a heel manager and you
would form the Thuggin' andBuggin' Enterprises stable,
which is a.
Different points would consistof Rodney Mack.
Different points would consistof Rodney Mack, d'lo Brown,
chris Nowinski, jazz Rosie wasin there too, I think right?
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, I don't remember that.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
I don't remember if Rosie was in there or not.
Mark Henry, I know, was inthere, yeah, and so that being
another one of your highlightsof your career is becoming a
manager in WWE.
Who did you enjoy managing themost in WWE?
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Everybody that I managed, I got along with
everybody.
Well, the guys have passed on,so I'm going to let that go.
But anyway, yeah, because he'snot here to defend himself so I
don't want to talk about it.
But anyway, everybody that Imanaged, I got along with them.
I had some guys come up to meand ask me you think they'll let
you manage me?
I said you have to talk to them.
(23:21):
I don't make that decision, youknow, yeah, but I got along with
everybody and that's what mything was.
I wanted to try.
That's what I tried each andevery day of my life at work is
to get along with people youknow to be, to be nice and treat
people with respect, and so Ithink that was part of my
problem too.
I didn't want to be an asshole.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Well, hey, you turned into one eventually, so it's
okay.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Well, no, I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, I'm definitely one now.
All right, now look at thisNumber two on your worst to best
.
So we're at your best.
Now you got two more, your best, best being the next one, but
this one I agree with Teddy.
Your best best being the nextone, but this one I agree with
teddy long manager time in wcw.
After a hard-earned, uhfruitful run as an nwa referee,
teddy long transitionaltransition into a new role in
(24:08):
1989 and, by all accounts, waseddie gilbert and kevin sullivan
who suggested long should be amanager.
Uh, you would go on and listjust a number of people in WCW.
The one that most people wouldprobably remember the best Doom
if you're from back at that time.
One of the best tag teams andtag team situations I can recall
(24:30):
and I don't think we've everhad tag team wrestling since
then that compared to what wegot back at that time, do you?
Speaker 2 (24:37):
agree with that?
Yeah, I certainly agree withthat.
Yeah, certainly.
Well, the times have changed,so that's our problem there?
Well, it's not a problem, it'sjust times have changed and
you've got to change with thetimes.
It's just that simple.
But we have so many guys outthere now that refuse to change
with the time.
They just want to remain oldschool.
Well, fine, that's what broughtus, got us to the dance.
(24:59):
We never forget that.
But you've got to move on fromthat because you've got to move
in a different time and era.
This is the 20th century thatwe're in.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Now, teddy, what do you think is the number one
moment of your career as far asthey're concerned?
When we go from the worst tothe best, this is the best.
What?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
do you think it's going to be?
I guess me becoming the generalmanager of SmackDown.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yes sir, yes sir, and it is number one.
It says in July of 2004, TeddyLong made history becoming the
first African-American authorityfigure in WWE history.
Long would be appointedSmackDown general manager after
Kurt Angle was fired.
After taking the role, Longwould become a baby face and
quickly endear himself to theWWE audience, and that's what we
(25:43):
were talking about a while ago.
It's endearing yourself to theaudience.
It's making the audience loveyou.
Whether they hate you or not,they still love you in the end,
right?
Speaker 2 (25:51):
Well, they hate you, but they love your job, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
They respect you for the job that you're doing.
That's the whole thing, but Iagree.
I think of everything in yourcareer, teddy, and I'm curious
though for you do you feel thatis the best moment of your
career being the general managerfor SmackDown, or do you
consider?
Speaker 2 (26:11):
something else better .
No, what else am I going to goto?
I'm not a wrestler, I ain'tgoing to never be world champion
, so where else am'm going?
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Yeah, because we saw that match between you and Eric
Bischoff and that was the shits.
Well, I agree.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
But that match was done for a reason, and I'll
leave it at that.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
I hear you, I hear you.
That's it, teddy.
We're out of time Anything.
I'm glad oh good, I am too,because I got to go to the
Waffle House.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Waffle.
You should be ashamed.
Now talk about people washingtheir weight.
Yeah, mac, please get off thewaffles.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Hey, no, I don't eat waffles now, but I do enjoy
scrambled eggs and some hashbrowns I like that breakfast
food.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I'll go with the scrambled eggs.
I don't care about the hashbrowns, I like my eggs, that I
like that yellow running.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
Yeah, I like mine, just good scrambled eggs.
Give me some hash browns, niceand toasted, and then give me a
biscuit.
Maybe that would be nice, butbacon I want crispy.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, well, that's an extra 200 pounds.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Yeah, yeah, I know, teddy.
You have a good evening, myfriend, I'll talk to you again
tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
All right, no problem , man.
Thank you, and let's say thisto everybody Happy New Year.
We're getting the New Yearstarted and don't forget, like
Mac mentioned, we're going tostart going live.
We're working on that right nowgetting everything set up and
getting it ready to go.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
So we'll keep you informed on that.
But other than that are on aFacebook YouTube, it'll be on a
West West one of the Instagramor whatever those other places
are.
That's the reason why it's acouple more weeks away, because
I don't understand it all, but Igot somebody who does, so
that's the good thing.
We are out of here.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
We'll see you again next week for more Rome trip
(28:33):
after hours.
All the best, bye.
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