Teddy Long
Ron Simmons and JBL are out to induct Teddy Long.
They start off by joking that the biggest lesson we’ve learned tonight is that old guys don’t know the most important phrase is the business: go home. JBL says that Teddy is 108 years old, they can’t wait much longer to induct him. They say Scrooge is the second cheapest man in the world, behind Teddy Long.
JBl says it’s a good thing that he and Ron are back together tonight because they haven’t seen Teddy in a while and he owes them some money. Ron pulls out a sheet of paper, totalling Teddy’s rent-a-car, motel rooms, drive-thru’s, toll booths, equalling over $72,000! Ron says they will never see a dime of that. JBL says that before Teddy became a tag team wizard on SmackDown, and after he managed one of the best tag teams in Doom, he was the driver for the APA and The Godfather.
They say he was god awful at being a driver, getting tickets frequently. Simmons says that to Teddy’s credit, he made the mistake back then of driving while being black. JBL says Teddy failed a sobriety test, despite not drinking for a week. JBL jokes that WWE’s Ride Along couldn’t air an episode of them driving together, no TV on earth would. They say Teddy wasn’t just around for the Civil Rights Movement but also the Civil War. Ron says a couple of weeks ago he caught Teddy in an airport trying to convert Confederate money again.
.@teddyplayalong is proof that PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE pay off! @JCLayfield @WWENetwork #RonSimmons #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/V7U2aQY66E
— WWE (@WWE) April 1, 2017
In all seriousness, Ron says Teddy is one of the only guys ever to have every job imaginable int he business. JBL says those accomplishments are enough to get him into the Hall of Fame but Teddy’s real life was even greater. Teddy was born in Alabama during during the reign of Bull Connor, who actively opposed the Civil Rights Movement. Teddy grew-up watching his friends be fire-hosed and police dogs set on them for the colour of their skin. Teddy told them he remembered queuing up to a water fountain that was for “coloured only”. A bomb went off near his home, killing four young girls in a racial hate crime. He was arrested at the radio station where he worked, for the colour of his skin. And while America may have a long way to go, we’ve already realised the dream of Luther King. JBL says people today, no matter their skin colour, sexual orientation or gender, can rise because of their personal merits, and they get to do so because they stand on the shoulders of giants: Ernie Ladd, Junkyard Dog, Ron Simmons and Teddy Long.
Teddy Long is introduced and begins dancing. He jokes having a back issue, but tells JBL and Ron Simmons he is just playing around. Long wants a “HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA” from the crowd in Orlando and they oblige. He confirms what JBL and Simmons said and he is indeed cheap. Long says he’s aware of the time and won’t be long winded. He looks back at his career and helping out backstage to get his start.
Long brings up how he was forced to referee a card one night including a Texas Death match. He talks about becoming a manager in the NWA and WCW. Long credits Jim Ross for getting him work with both WCW and WWE. He recalls starting as a referee in WWE and later getting a shot as a manager. Long remembered Vince McMahon telling him he couldn’t believe he was “under his nose” all this time and wasn’t aware how talented he was.
He talks about becoming the General Manager of Smackdown for a length of nearly nine years in WWE. Long thanks WWE, the WWE Universe and especially the McMahon family. “These people gave me the opportunity of a life time.” He ends his speech joking that he wants to book Ron Simmons and JBL in a tag team match. Long adds Ron will probably give the excuse he is retired, so all that is left is JBL and he will book him in a match with The Undertaker! He closes saying he is now a HOLLA-HOLLA-Famer.
From @dlobrown75 to @TheMarkHenry to #RonSimmons, @teddyplayalong has managed some GREAT competitors! #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/Fb64MBEE2V
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 1, 2017
