J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q

I received an advance copy of a new WWE publication entitled "Ted DiBiase, The Million Dollar Man" that is set for release to the general public soon. This soft cover, 241 page book is a quick and easy read with contributions from many familiar names within the wrestling business. I like the format, as it is Ted telling his story and other's responding to the same periods of time.

Ted holds nothing back, as he is upfront and honest about his life in the fast lane and how it almost ended his marriage. In the book, Ted says, when referring to his WWE tenure "I'd conducted myself in a very immoral and unprincipled manner. Not only was I drinking and using drugs, I was unfaithful in my marriage. Although I'd been happily married to Melanie for more than a decade, my overinflated ego led me to womanizing."

The former West Texas State football player also talks about his neck injury that ended his in ring wrestling career in great detail....wrestling for Giant Baba and what Mr. Baba meant to him....turning down a football scholarship to the University of Arizona to attend West Texas State because the Canyon, Texas school had developed so many pro wrestlers....working for The Funks, Bill Watts, in Georgia, and for Vince McMahon. These topics just touch the surface of this upfront and honest book.

Chapter 2 is entitled: "World Wrestling Federation Champion-Not really" and covers the creation of many of the famous TV vignettes that were produced to help establish the Million Dollar man persona. Bruce Prichard who produced many if not all of these vignettes contributes in the book to this period of Ted's career with unique insight.

The stories of young Ted growing up are really interesting. For example, did you know that Ted's birth father was an entertainer and singer who possessed a great bass voice and was a regular on the popular "Tennessee Ernie Ford Show"?

Of course it is well documented that Ted's stepfather Iron Mike DiBiase was the real deal inside the ring and married Ted's mom, Helen Hild, who was also an accomplished professional wrestler. Growing up in this environment was unique and a great read for me and one any wrestling fan will enjoy.

Bob Geigel, a former wrestling star and promoter in Kansas City for many years, also contributes to the book and talks of Ted's mom, young Teddy traveling on the road with her when he a little boy and teaching the future Million Dollar Man how to swim in a Tucson, Arizona hotel pool when Ted was only 3 years old.

Ted's brother John also contributes to his brother's autobiography with some unique insight of "growing up DiBiase". Really good stuff.

Other wrestling greats who are quoted and made contributions to this book include Harley Race, Terry Funk, who also wrote one of the forewords, Mike Rotundo, Arn Anderson, Shawn Michaels, Steve Keirn, Nikita Koloff, Terry Taylor, Virgil, Pat Patterson, Bobby Heenan, Steve "Dr. Death" Williams, Jim Duggan, Bill Watts and yours truly among others.

The Mid South Wrestling aspect of Ted's career, where we first met back in the day, was a great read for me personally as it brought back some great memories of the formative time in both Ted and my career.

Bill Watts is a great story teller and always has something interesting to say about virtually any subject one addresses with the "Big Cowboy" and Ted DiBiase's autobiography is certainly no different.

While reading this book a wrestling fan and students of the game can see how important the territory days were in teaching some of wrestling's biggest and longest lasting stars "the ropes".

Ted also discuses his tenure on the WWE creative team and the time he spent on the corporate side of the WWE in 2005 and how a phone call from Arn Anderson led to Ted's return. This was also a period in Ted's life that almost killed him, literally.

This book is packed with wrestling stories and history that any true fan can't afford not to read in my humble opinion. I hope that the entire roster of the WWE developmental program are required to read this publication as it not only talks in detail about the heritage of the business but also talks about life on the road, the challenges of being a pro wrestler, and the importance of God and family in one's life.

Ted talks about his faith, which I found personally refreshing but this is not a book totally or mostly about religion but about the life of a great in ring performer who was born into the business and the price he paid, personally and professionally, along his journey.

I am not in the habit of devoting an entire blog to one subject but this topic is an exception. I have read many, many books written by wrestlers or about wrestling and this is one of the best I have read to date. Ted and his co-author Tom Caiazzo did a heck of a job on this piece of business and it is a body of work that every member of the family can and will enjoy....especially us "wrestling junkies".

Bottom line...I highly recommend that you check this one out. You won't be disappointed.... I guarantee it.

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Boomer Sooner!
J.R.