Pro-Wrestling Ted DiBiase Page Pro-Wrestling Ted DiBiase Page
Last updated 6 June 2003
IN THIS ISSUE:
Song of Solomon
When it comes to the Old Testament book, The Song of Solomon, many pastors and teachers choose to skip right over because of it's "sensual nature". The problem with that is they are skipping one of the most important books in the bible.
Some people think The Song of Solomon is about sex - but it isn't: it's about intimate love. Nothing filthy, nothing dirty, nothing perverted - intimacy between a King and His bride. It uses explicit language to describe the way God feels about us - not a sex act. Why? Because it is hard to describe this kind of love any other way.
The book is divided into three major players: Solomon, representing Jesus; Solomon's bride, representing us - the church; and the daughters of Jerusalem representing a narrator of sorts. Solomon speaks of an intimate relationship he has with his bride - Jesus wants an intimate relationship with us. Many people are in the "holding hands" stage with Jesus, while He wants us at an intimate stage. His love for us is deep - He wants our love for Him to be deep as well. Some people say "Hey God, you're #1 on my list!". That's like a man or a woman telling his or her spouse "Gee, honey, when it comes to being my deepest love, you're #1 on my list!" Wow, "...#1 on my list!.". No man or woman wants to hear that - they want to be the ONLY one on that list - just like God wants to be the ONLY one on our lists.
There are many literal symbols in the Song of Solomon. His bride doesn't feel worthy of him, but he adorns her anyway with things that make her beautiful and sends a sweet odor for him to savor - he loves her so much that he loves adorning her just so he can sit back and enjoy her employing the gifts he gives her. He gives her everything she needs to please him. We are not worthy of God's love but He adorns us anyway so that our worship is a sweet odor for Him to savor. He loves adorning us with gifts and then sitting back and enjoying our employment of them. He gives us everything we need to please Him. And He loves to watch us use our gifts, be it teaching, prophecy, healing, tongues, etc. we are His and He yearns for that intimate relationship for us.
The Song of Solomon is a very powerful book which, when understood the way it was meant to be, allows us to see how Jesus looks at us, His bride, and the intimate relationship he wants to have with us. Don't pass over this book - read it, savor it. Get study guides to help understand it if you need them. But don't pass it over - it's too important.
"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned." -Song of Solomon 8:7
A MESSAGE FROM TED
Filling the Void
As I write this letter I do so with a heavy heart. Yesterday I found out that the lady that we all knew as Elizabeth, in the world of professional wrestling, is dead. In less than a year, three very popular stars and friends from the wrestling world have died. All of them, to some degree, as a result of drug and alcohol abuse. The British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith, Mr. Perfect, Curt Henning, and now Miss Elizabeth are all dead. I keep thinking that sooner or later many of my old friends are going to get the message. IT WILL KILL YOU! But obviously they don't. They, like so many others, keep trying to fill a void in their lives with everything but the one thing that will actually fill that void. The only thing that will fill that void, as you all know is Jesus Christ. I want to ask you all to begin to pray in earnest that God will open their eyes and let them see the truth. Pray that God would do whatever is necessary in their lives to bring them to the truth. I'm tired of losing my friends. I'm tired of Satan having his way. I'm tired of having to write about this so often.
Today I want to ask all of you to stop for a moment and answer a very important question, "What are you filling the void in your life with?" Most all of you would say Jesus, of course. But dig deeper! Is He your all in all? Is He at the center of your life? Are there any idols that need to be torn down? As I have said so many times from the pulpit, "we all worship something. What do you worship? Where do you spend most of your time and money? That, my friends is a great indicator of what you worship. Anything that comes between us and Jesus Christ, is an idol and has to be gotten rid of. Drugs and alcohol are not the only things that we try filling the void with. Television, hunting, fishing, golfing, football, basketball, baseball, computer games, movies, shopping, etc, etc. etc, are all things that can become idols in our lives if we let them. They start filling a void and become an obsession (idol) or habit in our lives that gets out of control. Is there anything in your life today that consumes all of your time or you feel you can't live without? Is there anything that has become more than a game or leisure activity in your life? All of a sudden, you have to have it, do it, or get it! These are all idols. They separate us from God. They take time we could be spending with Him away from Him. Yes, our God is a loving and forgiving God. But I must remind you, he is also a very jealous God, who demands that nothing come between us and Him, NOTHING! Examine your own heart today and ask God to reveal to you any idols that need to be cast down. I promise you, if you ask, He will show you. Then pray that He give you the strength to do whatever is necessary to get rid of whatever it is. Then, just do it! Lets all take this opportunity to make something good come from something bad. Lets all pause and make sure we aren't filling a void in our lives with something other that the person and presence of Jesus Christ.
Now for some good news! Heart of David Ministry is doing very well and moving forward rapidly. God continues to bless this ministry and open doors of opportunity. If you check the schedule on the website you will see that my calendar is booked solid for this year. Among all those bookings there are many PWA events (Power Wrestling Alliance) scheduled. The most recent one was held in Claremore Oklahoma. There were 1,800 people in attendance.
An estimated 800 raised their hands in response to the invitation to receive Christ. 4 to 5 hundred filled out decision cards and are being followed up on. Joining me in Oklahoma were the Roadwarriors, Buff Bagwell, and Harley Race and his crew. Claremore Christian Fellowship sponsored this event and did and outstanding job of it. The next big event on the calendar is the athletes conference in Phoenix Arizona in June. Last year was awesome and this year will be even better. All the wrestlers who attended last year are coming back and bringing friends. Expected to join us this year are, Cowboy Bill Watts, George the Animal Steele, Harley Race, Marty Jannetty, and possibly Kevin Nash. That's just a few names in addition to the guys who were there last year, and that's just wrestlers. In addition to that there will be many NFL, MLB, NHL, and rodeo stars. I think Chuck Norris is planning to attend again this year. It's going to be great! God moved mightily last year and many lives were changed forever. Please start praying now that many more lives will be transformed this year. I'm praying that Lex Lugar will come and that his family will be restored.
Other big news is that the Roadwarriors, Nikita Koloff, and Larry and Wendy Kerychuk (the President and founder of the Athletes International ministry) just returned from a very successful tour of our military bases in South Korea. This was totally sponsored by the US military. I was invited but unable to go this year because of prior commitments. They want us all to come back next year and I will be going
on that trip. Again, please pray that God will continue to open these doors of opportunity for us to go and minister to our people in the armed forces. It is a tremendous opportunity and one that I want to see continue to happen.
So as you can see, much is happening. I thank all of you for your prayerful support and ask that you continue to pray. We have no greater weapon than prayer. So my friends, please pray for me, my family, and the ministry and work God has laid before me. Please pray that I stand firm in my commitment to do all that God will have me do and stay humble in the process. I would also ask you to prayerfully consider contributing to Heart of David ministry on a regular basis. I can tell you right now that there are many opportunities that have had to be put on hold simply due to lack of funds. (I wish I really was "The Million Dollar Man"). Please know that anything you give goes directly to Heart of David Ministry and is used to further the cause of this ministry. Two area's of ministry God has laid on my heart to be more involved with are, prison ministry and caring for underprivileged children. Please consider supporting these two areas of ministry by supporting Heart of David ministry. I thank you in advance for your support and your prayers. So until next time I continue to be
In His grip,
Ted
INTERVIEW: GEORGE "The Animal" STEELE
How did you get into wrestling?
I got into wrestling because I needed some money. I was never a wrestling fan at all until I got involved.
How did you get involved in it?
I had two children a third one on the way I way married, I was teaching at the public school level in 1961. My pay for the year was $4,300. That was pretty average around the country at the time. With a third child on the way I was umpiring Little League, I was doing Wednesday night recreation dances - everything I could to make an extra buck but just couldn't make enough. A friend of mine suggested I call a local promoter which I did. He invited me over took one look at me said, "Beautiful!". I knew he was nuts - I'm not beautiful. He started telling me about the wrestling business - I know nothing about at all. He asked me to go into his office, I went into his office. Eventually he asked me to take my shirt off, I took my shirt off and thought "Uh oh, what's wrong with this guy?". When he saw the hair on my body he went coo coo. He explained a little bit of the business to me. I started going across the bridge, actually the tunnel to Windsor from Detroit, to work out. My wife told me I'd never make enough money to pay my way across the bridge or the tunnel it was like 25 cents each way. Virtually we did.
Who came up with the moniker "The Animal"? Was it you or your promoter?
It was the fans. It was strictly George Steele when I first came to New York. When I first started I was a student under a mask. A New York entourage came to Detroit with Bruno Sammartino to worked with Bulldog Brower. They spotted me under the mask and invited me to Pittsburg to wrestle. My real name is Jim Meyers. The didn't want a masked man and I didn't want to use my real name because I was teaching and coaching. They suggested that Pittsburg was a steel city why don't we call him Jim Steele. I said that don't sound right. Someone else said "George...", I said "...that's a winner". I was wrestling as George Steele when I first went to New York to wrestle Bruno for the WWWF championship at that time. We did some wild things on TV. My character was a brawler at that time not the cartoon I was later on in my career. The people started calling me an animal and when I was doing interviews - by the way I did my own interviews I didn't have a manager. I went from being a pretty articulate speaker on TV to "bluhhh!!" not being able to anything. In wrestling in you were redundant you didn't last very long they were changing my character all the time. I would only go to the east in the summertime. I was teaching school, I taught for 25 years. I retired from teaching - before I went to full time wrestling.
What was the best turnbuckle you every ate?
The sautéed ones.
Are there any special matches in particular that stands out?
All the matches with Bruno at that time. They talk about blowing the roof off now with crowd excitement we didn't go all over the country. We were in the northeast. When your in the middle of the ring and people are throwing things at you and screaming, and waiting for the door to open for Bruno to come out the riff would go off. Hulk had the same effect but not quite as much. This is just for the Madison Square Gardens. We were in there every three weeks. Now their in there maybe four times a year. It's just a total different business. I'm not knocking the business at all I think it's fantastic. It's just not the same business.
What do you think of today's wrestling?
I don't watch it that much. I was just in Raw Magazine the company sent me 3 or 4 copies of it - actually about 10 copies of it - and we took one look at it and my wife said "Boy, we can't let our grandchildren see that...".
What was your reaction to Miss Elizabeth? They had an angle with you chasing her at one time.
I was very active on a website call Kayfabe Memories. And when that happened I made a statement - and I really enjoy the website by the way - I made a statement that people have to quit believing in the characters the portray in wrestling. They have to look at life in the real way and maybe they need to change their lifestyle and start looking for God. And with that, they put an "X" on my statement and thought that I was bring religion onto the website - I didn't think the word "God" did that but it seems to be that it is now with everything. You can't even pray in school. All that said and done, I just told them goodbye to the website if they couldn't appreciate what I was saying. Then I just didn't belong there. From that there was a whole turmoil of people agreeing with me. And then they came and invited me back on the website and then they opened up my statement which I think they should have done, but I refused to go back. Principals are principals - with me they've always been that way, it's that way in the ring, that way in business, it's that way in my life.
Tell us about your website... (georgesteele.com)
It deals with... a lot of my story's about health... I moved to Florida and almost died actually, I did pass on the table at Cape Canaveral Hospital. So that, and my health challenges - everything happens for a good reason, just gotta figure it out - we did. My website more about health and those kinds of things. I do have a business that I run, a home based business that's turning out to be very lucrative. I deal with a lot of fund raisers and so on and so forth... I coached for 25 years, I coached football and wrestling. As a coach you have to be really good at fund raising if you run a great program. I did a lot of fun raising, I hated it, you're selling everything from candy bars to whatever people don't want. I ended up doing Lift-a-thons, that were very lucrative and wasn't giving people products that they didn't necessarily want. Now I set it up where I have residual income from fund raisers by working with the A.R.C.: Association of Retarded Citizens. It's adults who haven't been Blessed with the amount of normal things we have. Here in Merritt County they're big time right now. My goal within a year and a half is to have a $5000 per month residual income.
You no longer wrestle then?
Not at all.
Do you make any appearances?
Appearances, occasionally. I'm very selective about where I go. I did a few in places where I didn't belong in... a different life style than what I didn't believe in. So I'm very selective where I go. I don't do it out of need, I do it because I enjoy it.
When you were wrestling did you do any tag teaming?
Rarely. There was a period of time just to get two characters on TV in a 3 minute period. Vincent me and the Junk Yard Dog together - for television, but I think we did it, maybe twice in our whole career, wrestled for a house show. It was just a way to two characters on TV.
How do you know Jesus Christ?
I found Jesus Christ probably after some very serious health challenges. Looking around at what was going on in my life, and seeing other wrestlers die under 55 with life style choices. Pat and I ended up happy... My wife, we decided to go church shopping. I was brought up as a Baptist very early in my Christian life. As a youth I saw a lot of holes in it. We had a small church with lay ministers. I was 8 or 9 years old and they told me I was like God and God built earth in 6 days and He rested on the 7th and I was just like Him. I just looked around and I thought well I couldn't do that... I didn't understand they didn't make that real clear. And they had also said that if you did anything wrong you would burn in Hell... I had already done a number things and I knew I was going to Hell, so I just blew that off.
Later on in life, after health challenges, we started going church shopping. The first church that we went to was a Baptist church. We did that probably with the intent of writing it off. There was probably 2... maybe 3000 people at church that day, and a lot of them were young - and I had taught school. It was the First Baptist Church of Merritt Island. With all this youth on the right side, I'm telling you, this was maybe the right place for us. Then I found out there was a singer - she gave her testimony that day - from Australia, a gospel singer that's why the kids were there. And then the following Tuesday was 9/11. So we went back to the same church, again we were church shopping in Merritt Island. And Coco Beach, where I live, is Patrick Air Force Base and also Cape Canaveral Space Center, so we're surrounded by military. So I went to this church and all these people were in uniform and some not in uniform but it was military people in the church. Everybody in the church were on their knees, many crying, many praying. I quit watching television, oh, basically about 8 years ago, when my health challenges fell bad, and I knew there was a lot of evil coming out of there: I just wasn't comfortable with it. When that happened I turned the TV on just like the rest of the nation, sat there and cried about 5 or 6 months. I finally turned that off and said "enough". Meanwhile the minister of the church that I go to was opening up his church, he was to totally different concept. From a very conservative Baptist , he was going to a spiritual free will type of ministry. So we have both in our church we're working on developing both... A lot of the hardcore people that wanted to be dressed in suits and the whole bit, had a little bit of a problem with that but we do have a place for them also. Everything fell in place for me there so I didn't go shopping any farther. Found some great friends. Because of my health challenges, my website, and my business, I ran into some other people. I ran into a gal who we'll be taking to Sunday school with us this coming Sunday. Who was in a wheelchair for 5 years. While she was limited to a wheelchair she is a very spiritual woman, home schooled 5 children. It's about four months now she was at church and they did a healing with her and she got up and ran around the church. I thought well that can happen spiritually, but she's going to end up back in the wheelchair. This is a different church. She became a very dear friend, and she's the most energetic person I know and she hasn't gone back the wheelchair. Got a great testimony and she's become a part of our life. Along with a bunch of others. So, I think from the time I had my serious health challenge, actually checked out on the table, God didn't want, me I wasn't ready yet, the devil didn't want me - nobody knew what to do with me. He kept me here and has shown me a lot of real positive things I would have missed had I died. That's kind of it. I'm still learning to be a Christian, I'm still having battles of the mind. Were is the Holy Spirit - is he going to knock me down? I want that. As a whole I learned to let go and let God handle it.
If a person wants to know Jesus what would you say to him?
Don't go the route that I did. You don't have to die to find Him. It's very simple... To me it's so simple once I got it. It took me a long time to get it. I have some hours beyond my masters towards my doctorate degree, and I bought into the evolution program. It was taught in colleges. And then just set back, with all that education and background, sit back and just use common sense. Could two amoebas meet at the perfect time in time, with the sun shining on them right, with the right heat, after the sun broke a piece off and earth just happened to stop by here. And all this happened, with the intricate part of our bodies the way they are, could that have just happen? Or would it have taken a Creator? If people look at that and can't get it, their not going to get it. It's that simple I think.
Any messages to Mr. DiBiase?
I was there when Ted went through his down time. I was there in England with him when he got a call from his wife when he was on the ropes, I saw him at his lowest. I saw his life style at the highest. I saw him in the limousines, I saw him in the Learjet's, I was there with him sometime. I saw his life style, I saw the women, I saw the drugs, I saw the booze, I saw it all. Everything he says is absolutely true. And he was living the life of a jerk. And enjoying it big time. Later on I was an agent, which means I was kinda running the shows, some of the live events, and Ted was one of our best draws. He was a super, super, superstar and we paid for him to play the roll of the "Million Dollar Man and he played it to hilt. And it almost took him down. In fact it did take him down. I had to die on the table, he had to die with a marriage almost, that he really cared about and loved. With all that facing him the only thing he could expire to was the Lord. That's what saved him, I was there and saw it. At first I thought, is this really true? A complete turnaround. I think everyone in our industry, the wrestling industry, their always skeptical of everything because of the nature of our business. I was very skeptical of Ted at first. And I'm sure there are people very skeptical of me because they know me from what I was. Ted's been a part of my blessing.
Any parting messages for him?
Just looking forward to seeing him in Arizona. (At the A.I.M. Conference.)
Down Memory Lane
This issue is going to start out with me discussing the current popularity of Piper's Pit! I said for years that if Vince would just bring Piper back to do a Pit here and there, that ratings would go up. I love Piper! He is my favorite wrestler of all time. Say what you want about him, but he definitely made an impact in wrestling, and continues to do to this day. With the returning of Piper's Pit, I decided to write about who Piper himself credits the success of wrestling too in the 80's.
Everywhere I go... all over the country... when wrestling is brought up, almost immediately the person discusses "the glory of days" of wrestling. The times of Andre the Giant, Wendi, Hulk, Piper, Lou Albano, the Iron Sheik, and yes, Cyndi Lauper!!! Everyone remembers her well. I know many people that have told me that their love for wrestling came from Cyndi's involvement in the sport.
Back in the mid 80's, wrestling was looked upon as both legit and non legit...it was at this point when the critics started to question the validity of the sport. (And it is a sport). Back then, the WWF was just starting to become this huge entity of popularity. On the road of major success with huge payoffs, Vince McMahon Jr. (The owner, then and now) had a vision. He wanted to take wrestling out of the dull lights and into the big time, thus creating sports entertainment on a grand scale. The involvement with Cyndi, Mr. T, Liberace, Aretha Franklin, Billy Martin,, Danny DeVitto, Joe Piscapo, and many others made the WWF one of the biggest success stories of it's time. Unlike today, you had wrestlers that were called "faces" and others called "heels". (Good guys and bad guys). This is where Cyndi played a very important role.......
If your not clear about her involvement then read on. Cyndi and Lou Albano were in a heated argument about Cyndi's popularity. Albano claimed that he got her to where she was at that time. Cyndi then started to defend herself on WWF shows as well as on MTV (Piper's Pit and MTV Programs). This "issue" or "angle" then prompted the music world and the wrestling world to get involved. Artists like, Tina Turner, Little Richard, Stevie Wonder, Twisted Sister, and others started to appear on WWF programs. Then the wrestlers started to appear on MTV. Due to this incredible story that was developing, the entire nation was captivated by the scenario. This little snowball became huge and the WWF and Cyn reaped a lot of benefits from it. As stated earlier, actors, political figures (Geraldine Ferrara), and artists (Andy Warhol) all became involved with the popularity of this drama.
Eventually, Lou and Cyndi patched things up on TV and started to work together on the MS Charities. Millions of dollars were raised for this charity, and I believe it was largely part to Cyndi's involvement with Titan (WWF). Now for those of you still a little confused as to Cyndi's role, read on.
Cyndi played a few different roles with the WWF. Her most important role to date, which she alone is responsible for...which still pertains to today, was that she created what was called the "Rock and Wrestling Connection". To date, the WWF has had 8 musical albums out and their success (went to #1 overseas) is due to Cyndi. Even now, in the new millennium, the WWF is starting their own record company. With out her, Rock and Wrestling would not of been formed. Secondly, Cyndi played a role as a face manager for Wendi Richter. I remember seeing arena's sold out primarily for Wendi and Cyndi vs. Moolah and Lou Albano. At many arenas, I would see dozens of girls dressed up as Cyn, while "GJWHF" blarred over the sound system. Posters, and banners were everywhere praising Cyn.
Lastly, Cyndi became a wrestling ICON.. and I know that's what bothers many Cyndi fans, but she really did! Former fans of wrestling, or even casual fans of wrestling always remember the days of Cyndi Lauper.. that was their favorite time.
(That was my favorite time). I still work with the stars of today, and Lou Albano is a very dear friend of mine, but the fact that wrestling hurt Cyndi's career is true to a point....
She got more exposure from the WWF than any other celebrity they had in the past.. she got paid from the WWF, her name will always be up there when talking about the good old days, and she had "fun". What caused so many people to not like her involvement with the industry was the fact that it is entertainment.. and the media frowns on it. However, wrestling today is the #1 rated show on cable each and every week, and it's not so much down played as it used to be. being part of the WWF is pretty much accepted and liked now by most people. Do you realize that Cyndi was honored at MSG at a wrestling event for her accomplishments? Dick Clark gave her the award. Did you know that Dave Wolffe and Cyndi helped produce the WWF's first wrestling album entitled....:The Wrestling Album"? She even sang on it...but as Mona Flambe'. Plus, Cyndi always had her musical fans, but she reached even more fans by entering the world of wrestling. If anything, we should be proud that Cyndi was such an important part of the growth of pro wrestling....whether you like the sport or not. I choose to ignore what the media says...they always had it in for wrestling because wrestling can topple their ratings. Look at it today, in May of 2003..the wrestling stars are Hollywood stars. they are the most sought out athletes in the world today for promotional purposes, endorsements, and TV ratings for non wrestling shows. They have had 3 movies in the theaters about wrestling, and hundreds of wrestling specials that aired within the last 4 years about its success. Cyndi Lauper was seen in every show, and was often dubbed, "wrestling's Prom Queen". I spoke to Cyndi personally about all this in Orlando back in July of 1999. She simply said, "It was fun at that time. We had a lot of fun". I know she doesn't care for it anymore, but the influence that she had is still documented today...in websites, magazines, documentaries, and most recently in Roddy Piper's Book, "In the Pit With Piper". Two weeks ago on WWE.com, Piper was asked, "Who is responsible for the success of WWE – for catapulting it into the national and international spotlight the way it is today?"
Piper: First of all, Cyndi Lauper and her manager Dave Wolff, who was the liaison between McMahon and MTV. At the same time, he was managing me, which made me much more trustable in their camp, as I was asked to kick Cyndi in the head. When a manager is asking if I'll kick the female entertainer of the year in the head at Madison Square Garden, and if I will take care of her, that's a rather serious responsibility, especially when there's six cops, Dick Clark and Hogan and Mr. T. So who's responsible for it? I know where you're coming from. The bad guy draws the money. That's what you're looking for, I think."
So there you have it. Most wrestling fans look to Hogan, Vince, and Piper...and they certainly had their place. However, as good as the storyline was, as cover as it became, if it wasn't for Cyndi's popularity and mainstream magnetism, the WWE would not have been as big as it was back in the 80's. If this angle was a flop, I can almost guarantee you that a lot of the PPV's, merchandise, and licensing deals would not have come into existence. I know this was a bit different from the norm, but needed for the hour wrestling is currently in....and by the way, for those of you that remember, don't you wish we could return to this era? Good vs. Evil. The little things that got issues over, not current day shock value! Thanks for reading.
Bobby Riedel.
Ringside Evangelism
Testimony of Independent Wrestler SAGE
I was saved in middle school, baptized in the church my family had raised me in. However, in college, I first ran into major trouble.
Temptation abounded, and I was weak. My grades suffered, as I cared less and less about my future and my faith, and more and more about parties and drinking. I was able to pull myself together and graduate, but things just still weren't quite right. I was only living for myself, and not Him.
After college, I started training at the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy, then began my life as an independent wrestler. Although I had opportunities to work for the WWF (at the time) and WCW, things still didn't set right for me. Finally, I found a Christian wrestling ministry where guys were using both their faith, and their wrestling ability to minister to others. Finally, things made sense.
Today, I continue to wrestle all over the country, both in independent shows, and for Christian ministries. I am now doing what I love, but doing for Him, which makes everything I accomplish, all that much sweeter.