Theodore Long

Theodore R. Long, also referred to as Teddy Long, (born September 15, 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a sports entertainer, working on World Wrestling Entertainment's SmackDown! brand as its General Manager.

Career

NWA/WCW

Long started out as an errand boy for wrestlers Tommy Rich and Abdullah the Butcher. He eventually became a member of the ringcrew and was promoted to referee in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985 as Teddy Long. He was a good referee until 1989 when he started to bend the rules for the heels. At the NWA Chitown Rumble event, Teddy Long ran in and counted three, making Ricky Steamboat the NWA World Champion. On April 2, 1989 at the Clash of Champions in New Orleans, Long blatantly made a fast count allowing Mike Rotunda & "Dr. Death" Steve Williams to defeat the Road Warriors for the NWA World Tag Team Championship. After this match, the National Wrestling Alliance relieved Long of his refereeing duties.

Long became the manager of Doom (Ron Simmons and Butch Reed) and led them to the World Tag Team Titles. He also managed Johnny B. Badd, One Man Gang, Norman the Lunatic, "The Skyscrapers" (Sid Vicious, Dan Spivey & Mark Callous), Marcus Bagwell, 2 Cold Scorpio, Joey Maggs, Craig Pittman, Jim Powers, Ice Train and Bobby Walker while in Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW.

WWF/WWE

Long came to the WWF/WWE in a refereeing position, until September 2002 when he was taken off the road.

Perhaps his most notable managing stint came when managing D'Lo Brown, Rodney Mack, Christopher Nowinski, Mark Henry and Jazz at different times, telling fans to get "Down wit' da Brown" and to "Back da Mack." He played a sort-of stereotypical "held-down" minority, using ebonics (such as, "Don't be drinkin' that Hate-orade." and "You know I'd look good on the dolla dolla bill." When he drafted to SmackDown!, he managed his second white wrestler, then heel, Mark Jindrak.

After Kurt Angle was fired from the General Managing position in mid-2004, Long became the new General Manager of SmackDown! His new position saw him as a face, giving the fans what they wanted and making matches that put heels at disadvantages, notably John "Bradshaw" Layfield. At first, he continued use of his "Hate-orade" talk, only not in stereotypical fashion. One example was when he stripped heel Booker T of the US Championship for "drinkin' Hate-orade."

As part of the RAW vs. SmackDown! feud, he defeated then RAW GM Eric Bischoff at Survivor Series 2005 with the help of The Boogeyman.

Long appeared on the March 6, 2006 edition of RAW to announce that the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 22 would be an interpromotional match, including Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair and Shelton Benjamin. He then announced that he would hold qualifying matches on SmackDown! to decide which three of his superstars would compete. The three people who competed were Matt Hardy, Finlay and Bobby Lashley. However, SmackDown! fell short of winning. It was announced at Backlash that this year the contract was flexible and would allow him to challenge either the Raw or SmackDown champion.