Teddy Long's best role?

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Over the course of the past two decades, Teddy Long has played numerous roles in professional wrestling. My question to you is simple: which Teddy Long role has been your favorite? In case you don't know, or it's been too long, let me refresh your memories with a little history lesson...

-Teddy Long's first on-air role was as a referee in an NWA promotion who unfairly handed out victories to many heels during important title matches. It was Teddy Long that gave Ricky Steamboat the NWA World Championship.
-After his time as a referee for NWA, Long managed several iconic superstars, including One Man Gang, 2 Cold Scorpio, Jim Powers, Bobby Eaton, and even young Mark Calaway and Sid Vicious.
-In his debut with WWE, Teddy Long became a referee once again, and kept that position for close to three years.
-He was repackaged as a manager and went on to manage superstars such as D'Lo Brown, Rodney Mac (giving him the Mac Militant entrance music), Jazz, Mark Henry, and Rosey.
-Teddy Long's most iconic role was as a general manager. He replaced Kurt Angle as GM in 2004 and became one of the first face GMs the WWE had seen in years. He has played both face and heel, and booked some of the greatest matches in wrestling history. His New Talent Initiative has brought us Superstars such as Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, Jack Swagger, Bobby Lashey, and Mr. Kennedy. He orchastrated a wonderful feud between Booker T and Chris Benoit over the United States title, and so much more during his 6 year stint as GM.

Personally, while I remember his days managing the Skyscrappers fondly, I've been impressed by his GM abilities. It's nice to have a face GM, and he plays his role perfectly. His current work with Drew McIntyre has been awesome. So, what's your favorite face of Teddy Long, and what are some of your favorite T. Lo memories?

 

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

I will have to agree with you and say his role as the General Manager of Smackdown. Now, I probably wouldn't be the best person to answer this question due to the fact that I just recently started watching WWE in 2003. Meaning, I was not completely in a place to really rate his duties as a referee or early WCW days as a manager. However, when I started watching WWE, Long was managing Mark Henry... a wrestler I hated at the time. Due to him managing Henry, I started to dislike Long also.

Then he was drafted to Smackdown. I found the trade interesting (it was back when I thought the draft was legit). When Vince McMahon announced that Theodore Long was going to be the new GM of Smackdown in 2004, I admit, I was not exactly happy... at all. But, when his first actions was making a 8-man match for the vacant United States Championship... I was like, "I can get used to this." I think he has been a great GM... he has made some very great matches in his time on Smackdown and ECW and I've absolutely loved him.

 

[#1Peep]

It would have to be his role as General Manager of Smackdown. He has been so entertaining over the years that I have watched and still continues to do so. I wouldn't mind if he took over as the RAW GM.
Edit: BTW, does anyone know why I cannot start a new thread?

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

Edit: BTW, does anyone know why I cannot start a new thread?

You will be able to know, You have 10 posts!!

Anyway, on the topic, i think this thread will be filled with Teddy Long's GM abilites...he was just perfect for the role, even when he was a heel against the Undertaker siding with Punk, that was a laugh for me as he played a baby GM role when he was scared of Taker, after he appeared in his limo and said, 'Buckle up Teddy!!'...haha couldn't stop laughing...

Over the years though, he has been involved ina lot of feuds as a face GM and the role has suited him better...

As a manager, he was a mouth piece for Rodney Mack, this was in 03 i think, and Jazz was in the group aswell, he playes that role very well to, not much you can say about a referees role, because well your just a referee...

So i'm going with his role as GM...

 

[Ferbian]

It's a pretty one slide thing, Teddy will mostly be remembered for his long tenure as General Manager in WWE. I'm almost certain there's a large amount of people that didn't even know that Teddy Long had been a referee and manager.

Teddy has one of the longest periods as general manager in WWE, and has been a consistent on-screen character due to that. It is most likely also the primary thing that would get him inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame if he was ever inducted. At least it would be the thing that would be the focus of his induction.

So I would have to say that his period as General Manager is the best role Teddy Long had.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

More than likely people will be saying general manager, but manager won't be far behind.

I started watching when he was with Mark Henry back in '03, but he spent a majority of the time since then as general manager of Smackdown and ECW for a while.

As for remembering, well, for being a face general manager. Specifics...well, I hated the marriage angle for some reason. Not a good way to remember, but it's what his name brings to mind ever since.

 

[Theo Mays]

It is pretty obvious that Teddy Long will be remembered as a GM, as that is what has been fresh in our minds for over 5 years. I always think of Teddy in the sense of managing Doom, as it is all I see on some classic tapes I have of WCW and he is alongside Ron Simmons and Butch Reed. Long was a pretty good manager back in the day and it is something I'd like to see him do again, though the GM shtick is working well for him and hasn't gotten too stale yet. It seems as though Teddy is always the fallback plan when it comes to GM and they are in need of one. Teddy can just step right in and get the job done.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

Teddy long will forever be remembered as the GM of SMACKDOWN, but as Theo said, His role as manager of the tag team doom is next in line for me. I can remember him with the boxing gloves on and having got caught with a watch stuffed inside, so he could knock out the face wrestlers. I also think he might have been the last manager on the RAW brand, I don't count Ranjin Singh.

 

[Deadman_Risen]

Teddy is by far the best as a general manager.

To me he is entertaining, and even can work his way into feuds pretty well without technically being one of the "superstars".

I hope he continues to be a general manager and remain face as well.

 

[Dressler]

Not only will he be most remembered for his work as GM of Smackdown! but he will be remembered as the Best GM of any Brand in the WWE. He is the longest reigning GM of any show, be it Raw (Which changes its GM like its musical chairs) and obviously ECW. So as you've seen, the answer is simple, GM of Smackdown Teddy Long will be remembered most, he will.

 

[Captain America]

I enjoyed his time as a manager of D'lo Brown and than later Rodney Mack. I thought he was an interesting character who helped guys get over. It's a shame they didn't run with this more than they did. He was a good speaker and I think he had a lot to offer as a manager. He's not a bad gm, but in my opinion he was best suited as manager, especially in a day and age where managers are a lost art.

 

[J-Dogg]

Teddy's best role has and always be him as a GM, he's given us so many memorable moments on Smackdown and plays the role perfectly as a face, Teddy Long is the only authority figure that can own Smackdown, its his role and charisma that make Teddy iconic in fans eyes.

 

[SpoodBeest]

His best work has been his over 5 year stint as general manager as SmackDown. It has certainly been more memorable than both his brief stints as a referee and a manager. When you think of SmackDown's authority you automatically think of Long, well at least I do. He is probably the most notable general manager they have ever had even over the likes of Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon.

I have been a fan of Teddy's work with SmackDown and he is a great onscreen character to see every week. I am hoping he continues to run as general manger for the next good while because for 5 plus years there has been no one better as the onscreen authority figure of SmackDown.