10 Things You Didn't Know About Teddy Long
3. The Darkest Day
There can't be many people who have suffered the regrettable fate of returning to work immediately following the passing of a friend and colleague, but Teddy Long can be counted alongside that tragic few.
Refereeing a Attitude Era comedy bout between Jeff Jarrett, Debra, Val Venis and Nicole Bass, Long was the first person in the ring following the clearance of medical staff, company officials, and Owen himself, as Vince McMahon made the regrettable call to keep May 1999's 'Over The Edge' show on the air following the youngest Hart's fatal plunge in the prior match.
Ill-fitting on most shows, let alone one in which fans had just witnessed the grisly death of a performer, the trite comedy between the amazonian Bass and the ribald Jerry Lawler's favourite dog-owner Debra, was horribly misplaced.
Despite that, Teddy performed his duties admirably in the circumstances, and made sure to add legitimacy to the contest that began and ended with Jarrett and Debra virtually in tears at the presumed loss of their on and off-screen companion.