Teddy Long wore a lot of hats throughout his lengthy career, and while he enjoyed it all, he says being the general manager of SmackDown was his favorite job.
Long held the position, with some breaks, from 2004-2012. During this time, he became a popular character on WWE TV for booking tag team matches and making Superstars go one-on-one with The Undertaker.
Speaking with MuscleManMalcolm, Long was asked to name the favorite job he has had throughout his career. He answered by naming his run as the general manager of SmackDown, though he stated that he enjoyed everything he did.
“The favorite job I really had was being general manager of SmackDown. That was a big opportunity for me, and I just wanted to be able to show Vince McMahon that I could pull that off, that I could be the guy, and he gave me the opportunity, and that’s what I did. So being the general manager of SmackDown I think was one of the greatest jobs I had. But managing guys, Ron Simmons, Butch Reed, Rodney Mack, Mark Henry, different guys I’ve managed all my career, man, Ice Train, I had a great time with everybody, man. I enjoyed everything I did," Long said.
In another highlight, Long was asked about when he found out that he'd be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He responded by looking back on the moment, noting that Vince McMahon personally called him. The legend also described how he never thought he'd get a spot in the Hall of Fame because he thought it was reserved for wrestlers.
“Maybe a week before it happens, Vince gave me a call and talked to him, and then we joked and started laughing about it. So I was really excited, and really surprised because something like the Hall of Fame, I never thought I’d even go there. I thought that was just for wrestlers, you know, people that have abused their bodies and wrestled every night and got in the ring even though they were injured, still got out and performed. So people like that I know deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Not that none of didn’t happen to me, but I did put a lot on my body from the wear and tear from traveling for over 20 years. You know, lack of sleep, going to bed at 5 o’clock in the morning, right back up at 10 o’clock, trying to get in the gym to get a workout in so I can relieve some stress because when I get to TV, I know it’s stressful. You’re stepping into another whole world there, so you gotta always be ready. So that’s just kind of the way I had it," Long said.
WWE SmackDown has changed a lot since Long left the brand. Catch up with the latest episode with Fightful's results section.
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