#3 Dusty Rhodes gave him his first job
Dusty Rhodes was a universally respected figure in the pro-wrestling fraternity, and also recognized as having possessed a brilliant mind for the business. Back in the day when he was the booker at Jim Crockett’s NWA, Teddy Long had the job of serving tea to the people involved in the production meeting that would take place every morning before the TV tapings would commence.
And Dusty Rhodes would ask Long to stay on in those meetings and pay attention to what was going on.
Perhaps Teddy didn’t realise the significance of what was happening then, but in time to come, he understood that the insights he picked up about the industry by listening in to those meetings did end up serving him astutely in his career; a career that would see Long fulfil roles ranging from being a simple referee to the general manager of an entire show.
His experience in the industry may have turned out to be extensive, but everything began with Dusty Rhodes giving him a chance.
