Being a rich prick that made little kids cry when he cheated them in a dribbling contest helped make Ted DiBiase one of the most memorable characters in World Wrestling Entertainment history.
Inside the ring DiBiase was one of the most hated wrestlers—buying the WWE Championship off the late Andre The Giant was one of his evil schemes to show that money could buy him anything. Outside of the ring DiBiase was almost a complete opposite. Poor most of the time and a highly touted football star who trained countless hours to attend West Texas Academy. Wrestling ran in the DiBiase family—both his stepfather and mother were professional wrestlers. School and football could only keep DiBiase away from his true passion for so long until he decided to not attend his senior year. DiBiase took a gamble on a career that did not give much back.
However, thanks to his dad’s connections and friends in the right places he excelled and retells many humorous and bizarre stories along the way. Trying to out-drink the 400-pound, 7-foot Andre the Giant had a hilarious result. This book repeats a lot of his beginnings in wrestling found in DiBiase’s first autobiography, but this time around Ted’s version of events are expanded by his family, friends and rivals who add much more to understanding the real DiBiase.
DiBiase also refrains from putting over how much God changed and saved his marriage and his life. Although DiBiase mentions he was unfaithful to his wife he refrains completely from going down the route of other wrestling novelists like Bret Hart who used explicit details with each affair. The ending of his career as a professional wrestler only opened new doors for DiBiase. He retired in 1993, but continued to play a role in wrestling all the way up to 2006. His insecurities about his abilities as WWE producer and having to put up with Vince McMahon flipping out over the Undertaker not doing a chokeslam helped mark the end of his time in the business.
Unlike many wrestling books, DiBiase is able to pull off a decent ending thanks to have his three pro wrestling sons writing their own two cents on him. Far from the longest book, but still enough wrestling and personal stories to keep fans of The Million Dollar Man satisfied.
The Million Dollar Man
Ted Dibiase with Tom Caiazzo
World Wrestling Entertainment Books
June 2008
242 pp
$16.00
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