Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast
Release Date: November 9, 2017
Guest: Ted DiBiase
Recap by: Matthew Wilkinson
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Newsworthy Items
- Ted DiBiase couldn’t believe his documentary was put into a movie theatre.
- DiBiase wishes he could’ve worked with his son.
- DiBiase thinks he could have had a good run with Virgil, if he could’ve wrestled.
- Sam thinks WWE has made Survivor Series even stronger.
- Sam is looking forward to NXT WarGames.
- Sam doesn’t think Impact should focus on Alberto El Patron’s domestic violence situation.
- Sam Roberts welcomed everyone to the podcast and said there is plenty to discuss this week, but first we have an exciting interview with Ted DiBiase ahead of his documentary release.
Ted Dibiase Interview
Sam welcomed Ted DiBiase to the show and mentioned how it’s a big week for him. The Million Dollar Man said that he never envisaged this happening.
Ted said he’s been telling this story for 17 years, he wrote a book about it, but said the director (Peter Ferriero) first got in contact with him seven years ago, for a shoot interview. His story resonated with the director, so much so he started to change things in his own life. He normally does wedding videos so this was a new project for him too.
Originally, DiBiase simply thought this documentary would be good to see on the tables at signings and he never expected it to wind up being released in the cinema. At the start, Ted DiBiase Jr. wasn’t so sure and wondered if Pete was trying to pull one on his dad, but he quickly came round to him and that’s how the idea of him telling the story of the Million Dollar Man came around.
The project had gone on for three years and Teddy used some of his movie contacts in Nashville, who do faith based movies, and they loved it and said it would be put out in Fathom Movie Theaters.
His Realization
Sam asked about Ted’s journey with faith. He said his realization came after WrestleMania 8 when his wife confronted him about his adultery and kicked him out. It was a major eye opener for him and he felt like a fool, having probably lost the most precious thing in his life just to fill this void whilst being on the road, and his stupid ego.
Sam asked if drugs and drinking were never a problem for him and if it was just women. Ted said he had done his fair share of both, but never to the point where rehab was needed. The discovery of the adultery is what brought the whole thing to light for Ted.
Ted never felt like he had the pressure of living as the Million Dollar Man all the time. A major reason for that was because the company did everything to market the character, from flying first class to limousine service on a daily basis, it did go to his head. His wife said when he would come home off the road she could see him walking through the airport she would watch his shoulders drop and relax.
Because she believed he was sorry and gave him another chance, his journey to restoration began immediately. He remembered sitting watching the boys drinking, wondering what he thinking when he was doing that.Now, Ted believes he and his wife have never been closer and they pray every morning, over facetime if he is on the road, and every evening. That is one of the major things Ted wants people to takeaway from the documentary, if you are struggling and willing to work hard you can earn anything in life.
Ted said he is asked if he is really a millionaire and he says no, but he has the love and respect of his family and he gets to watch his grand kids grow up.
His Career
Sam asked if Ted was worried heading into WrestleMania IX, headlining with Hulk Hogan that he was going back into the lion’s den. Ted said, first, he took his wife with him, but he did worry. That is why by SummerSlam ’93 he had gone to Vince and said he needs to go for a while.
Sam noted that his decision to leave was nothing to do with physical reasons and Ted agreed. He said to quit drinking he had to get out of the bar. He went back to Japan, and even before, Japan was like going on a retreat. He did his job and went back to the hotel.
After two tours in Japan he herniated two discs and was told by a doctor that he should retire. Once the surgery was done, any major bumps could lead to him being paralyzed. As he was just about to turn 40, he said his family would come before his job, he called time on his career.
Despite that, he went back when Vince asked him to do the commentary for the Royal Rumble. He liked that and Ted said if he wanted him to come back for a commentator or a mangers position then he would.
Managers at that time were just on TV, they weren’t on the road and so he could do that and it was perfect as he spent lots of time at home. That changed as he got put on the road with Stone Cold to help elevate them, but for him, being on the road was the danger zone, so he left and ended up in WCW.
WCW
Sam noted how even when he was a manager in WWF, he was a main character on the show and wondered how he felt being in a smaller role in WCW. Ted said at that point he didn’t care. He had started going out and speaking. Seeing how his story changed people’s lives was a bigger thrill than wrestling in front of 80,000 people.
Sam mentioned how lots of guys have a hard time letting go at the end of their careers. Ted said he didn’t have any problem because of the talks. Sometimes he has a hard time when he sees someone have a really good match, and somebody that springs to mind is his son, who he wished he could’ve worked with.
The Million Dollar Man Gimmick
Sam said how before the gimmick, Ted was just a great wrestler and wondered how felt about the cartoon like characters. Ted said, at first, he had that old-school mentality that it was killing the industry. However, he quickly realized he needed to be with WWF because the business was moving forward and that’s where it was going, those who didn’t see it would have been left behind.
Sam asked if he had heard the story from Bruce Prichard about the ‘everybody’s got a price’ line. The story goes that Vince asked someone on a plane to put out a cigarette and he ended up paying them $500, proving that everyone has a price. Ted said he had never heard it and said that Pat Patterson told him that if Vince was a character then it would have been the Million Dollar Man. He also mentioned that he did the famous laugh one time, Vince heard it and made sure it happened in every interview he did. That is how he is best remembered by fans.
Virgil
Sam asked how Ted felt for unleashing Virgil onto the world, but he said he can’t claim him because he didn’t know Virgil until he was introduced in the office. Ted said he had the look, and that’s all he can say about that. He isn’t a bad guy. He was on time, he didn’t drink or smoke or do drugs, but he also wasn’t the smartest book on the shelf. If he had some decent wrestling skills we could have had a heck of a run but that wasn’t in the cards.
Sam mentioned that a lot of his great moments did involve Virgil, bringing the kids out of the crowds and screwing up their days and stuff. Ted agreed and said he knew that what he did with Virgil would be short lived. He stressed he has no animosity towards him and wished he could still make appearances with him, however, if he did he would look like an idiot.
Sam wondered how Ted felt when his son was paired with Virgil. hHe seemed to understand why it was done, but said that Teddy rang him asking how he put up with this idiot.
Ted was proud of him when he decided to leave WWE because he had done the right thing by his family and not made his mistakes.
State of Wrestling – 30 for 30
Sam started with the Ric Flair 30 For 30 that was on ESPN this week, one of the things he previously mentioned was that there were moments that were incredible, specifically, people involved. Specifically, The Undertaker. To have him in the 30 For 30 was one of the coolest things you could do, The Undertaker out of character talking about how great the man was and that was the point of the 30 For 30. It was to celebrate Ric Flair as the man, to explain why. It got into his personal life and how he is very insecure and doesn’t have good self-esteem, but how the Nature Boy is what everyone wants to be.
It didn’t just relate to wrestling fans, you understood why anyone would think that he is cool and how it didn’t come easy to him, but Ric chooses not to focus on the struggles. It was terrific and if you haven’t seen it, make sure you do.