MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. -- It is nearly 11 p.m. on a late-August evening, and were up in the sanctuary at Victory Christian Church. The congregation that once filled the church is gone, and just four of us remain: a publicist, the pastor, myself, and the subject of the interview. I prop my camera up with a few books and DVDs that went unsold. We do a check for audio levels, and then it happens.The quiet, humble man I had met only hours earlier unleashed it. He belted out that loud, diabolical laugh that only one man could deliver.It was Ted DiBiases alter ego, the Million Dollar Man.DiBiases pro wrestling career spanned four decades, from 1974-2006, to be specific, with his most significant WWE years coming in the late 1980s and early 90s. Now, at age 62, DiBiase is deep into his second career, doing what he has done for the last 16 years.Im preaching the gospel, DiBiase says. The last thing I thought I would be doing is traveling the country and traveling the world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but God had a plan and nobody is more surprised than me. A lot of people who knew me before have been equally surprised over the years.On this warm summer night, DiBiase had just completed a one hour sermon, sharing his life story. In the speech, DiBiase was honest and vulnerable, traits contrary to his once popular heel persona. Afterward, DiBiase had an alter call, where he prayed and the congregation of 250 took an offering for him. It was the first of three sermons in three days, and DiBiase collected $3,500 for his ministry, Heart of David.He says he speaks at about 35 churches, conferences, seminars and workshops annually, with multiple days at each of those locations. He also speaks in prisons, schools and rehabilitation centers.If it hadnt been [for] what Vince McMahon did for me, I wouldnt be able to do what I do now. I wouldnt be able to go places, DiBiase says.DiBiase was raised in Wilcox, Arizona, and growing up, DiBiase says he was a Christian. His father was a professional wrestler known by the moniker Iron Mike DiBiase in the 1950s and 60s and, like his father, Ted became a superb athlete. He went to West Texas on a football scholarship, but football wasnt ultimately in Teds future; he wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps. Hed soon start training with Dory and Terry Funk, brothers and two of the most legendary competitors of the territory era. DiBiases career began in the mid-1970s in Mid South Wrestling, followed by short stints wrestling for Vince McMahon Sr. and Jim Crockett, along with some time spent in Japan.By 1987, Ted knew he needed to perform for the biggest wrestling organization in the world.WrestleMania 3 takes place, and on the front page of the newspaper, it says WrestleMania sets indoor world attendance record, and right there I said, Thats it, if I am going to stay in this business and make a living, I am going to have to work for this company in the United States, DiBiase says.DiBiase says he made it known that he wanted to work for WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahons organization, at the time known as the WWF. Soon after, McMahon invited him to come to headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, to discuss a potential character.He said I got something for you, DiBiase says. There have been so many things that have been done, but this has never been done, and just based on what I have seen from you, and your work, you can pull this off -- you are articulate. And I go, Awesome, what is it? DiBiase says. And he goes, Here is the deal -- you have got to sign a contract with me before I tell you. And [McMahon] said, Here is why. He says, If I tell you, and you dont sign, I have given away a great idea, and I cant afford to do that. Im like, Wow, and I said Okay, I got to have a little time to think about this.DiBiase flew home and discussed the opportunity with his wife Melanie, whom he had married in 1981, and his longtime friend and mentor Terry Funk. Funk said, Teddy, if Vince McMahon has an idea, and he thinks you are tailor-made for it, he said, pack your bag and dont look back. Go, DiBiase says.In the spring of 1987, DiBiase agreed to work for McMahon and the WWF without knowing what he would be doing. He called McMahon and told him he was in, but McMahon wouldnt tell him the idea over the phone, so DiBiase flew back to Connecticut to meet with his new boss. It was then he learned about McMahons idea.He said the one thing everybody hates is someone who by virtue of their wealth thinks they are better than everybody. You know, that cocky, arrogant, nose in the air, I am better than you, looks down at people [kind of guy]. People like that are stuffy and think they can buy anybody and anything. I start chuckling and say, I hate people like that myself, DiBiase says. He said, Now, we have not given this guy a name yet, and just off the cuff I said, It sounds like a million-dollar man to me, and Vince goes The Million Dollar Man he is.In order to protect the image of this character, McMahon wanted to dramatically change DiBiases life away from the ring. That meant first-class travel, flights, limo service and cash.In an effort to market this character, we are going to try to the best of our ability to make the public believe you are this Million Dollar Man, DiBiase says, recalling McMahons sentiments on building a believable back story. Everywhere the public sees you they are going to see the appearance of wealth ... and then the flash cash.I said, Flash cash?He said, You know how annoying it is if you walk in a store, you just bought a pack of gum, you throw down a hundred-dollar bill, and they have to make change? I want you to do things like that. Go to a restaurant, have Virgil with you, and just get up and announce yourself, and say, Folks, it is your lucky day. I am the Million Dollar Man from WWF, and Im picking up your tab. Have Virgil get everyones ticket, throw down some hundreds, have Virgil get the receipt, bring the receipt back to the office, we replenish it. I only did that a couple times.At the height of his success, DiBiase was paid $500,000 to play the Million Dollar Man character that McMahon created. If Vince was going to put on the tights and be a character in his own show, this is who it is, you are his alter ego, DiBiase says.The Million Dollar Man was born, and in May 1987, DiBiase debuted his new character at a house show in Houston, Texas. He wore shiny, gaudy suits, with dollar signs all over the front and back. His promos became must-see TV, often culminating with the slogan Everybodys got a price for the Million Dollar Man! He would shove a hundred dollar bill in the mouth of his opponents after defeating them with a finishing move he dubbed, the Million Dollar Dream. DiBiase thrived under McMahon.I am making appearances on the Tonight Show and Regis and Kathy Lee, DiBiase says. Action figures and video games, and Learjets and limousines, and wow, and that is just it. I got all caught up in that, and the pace. We were literally like rock stars: next town, next show, next show, next party, and, you know, the all rock n roll [lifestyle] -- drugs, sex and rock n roll.It was during this period that DiBiase says he became unfaithful to his wife, Melanie. He says life on the road was lonely, and fame isnt what people perceive it to be.You go down to the bar, and you have a beer with the boys, and for some, the one turns into two-and-a-half dozen, and you get addicted to the alcohol, DiBiase says. I like to drink beer, but I never had an alcohol problem, and I didnt like pot. I did some cocaine, because cocaine would keep me awake, would keep me going, like Okay, we got to go.DiBiase says he never became an alcoholic or drug addict but did succumb to many women while he was on the road.While life on the road was, at times, chaotic and destructive, DiBiases star was quickly rising within the squared circle. His career was building to a moment that wrestling fans of the era can remember vividly: Feb. 5, 1988. It was a Friday, and on that night, the WWF aired a live show called The Main Event in prime time on NBC.DiBiase was featured prominently in the episode, and the storyline was his biggest and most high-profile opportunity with the company to date. On this night, DiBiase planned to buy the WWF world heavyweight championship, and to get the job done, he hired Andre the Giant to defeat Hulk Hogan. It would be the first clash between Andre and Hogan since their legendary meeting at WrestleMania 3.On this night, unlike most big matches of the era, Hogan was going to lose -- albeit because of some inspired trickery.The thing about that particular night, I didnt know what I was doing until I got to the building. They kept it a secret, and I didnt even know that Dave Hebner (the referee) had a brother, let alone a twin, DiBiase says. Back then, DiBiase says, the wrestlers didnt run through a formal rehearsal. Instead, they planned the matches backstage.The match between the two played out in a fairly predictable manner until, eventually, Virgil grabbed Hogans leg as he attempted to land his patented leg drop. With Dave Hebner distracted, Andre head-butted and then hip-tossed Hogan and covered him for the pin. In the confusion, among other distractions, another referee -- Daves twin brother, Earl -- jumped in the ring and counted to three while Hogans shoulder was clearly raised off the mat.Andre was declared the new heavyweight champion among the chaos, and he immediately handed DiBiase the title belt making the Million Dollar Man the new champ, for the time being.The live broadcast reportedly drew 33 million viewers -- at the time, a record for American-televised wrestling.Back through gorilla (the curtain) was excitement, like that was so good, that was so good, DiBiase says. I remember we had to do post-match interviews, and I was just hot. I was on that night. That was a proud moment for me, one of the biggest moments of my career.DiBiase got to wear the belt for a very short stint -- he says a week or so -- but then the win was nullified. The WWF championship was vacated, setting up a tournament to crown a new champion at WrestleMania 4. In one scenario, DiBiase says, it was discussed backstage that he would win that tournament and go on to feud with Hogan. While that didnt pan out, DiBiase did make the finals of the tournament, only for Hogan to return the favor and cost him the match against Macho Man Randy Savage.Rather than having DiBiase as the WWF champion, another idea was hatched -- one that rang far truer for The Million Dollar Man.Pat Patterson approached me and said, Rather than do that which is the expected thing, you dont win it at Mania. In your arrogance, you create your own title, DiBiase says. And as soon as he said it, I was like, That is the ticket! That is going to make everybody hate my guts -- design my own belt and declare that I am a champion.Following WrestleMania 4, DiBiase says he spent the better part of 1988 traveling with his tag-team partner, Andre the Giant. DiBiase had known Andre for several decades at that point, and at the time, he says Andre was physically hurting, yet never complained.Andres health was not good, DiBiase says. There were nights when we would go to the ring, and Andre has his hand on my shoulder, and to the public it just looks like well, He is my buddy right? He is balancing. I am his crutch. He hated drugs, and so the way Andre sedated himself was the alcohol. Everybody says, Well, he drank a lot. Well, he did drink a lot, but in all the years I knew him and was around him, I never saw him stagger or stutter, and I never saw him out of control. Ever. Not one time.There are many legends of Andres incredible tolerance for drinks, and DiBiase certainly recalled a few times when he watched Andre in action. On one occasion, while DiBiase was in college at West Texas State University, he and Andre went to a local bar in Amarillo, Texas.I think it was like four cases of beer on ice, DiBiase says. That is the most I ever saw him drink.After a show in 88 in San Francisco, DiBiase recalls the duo heading back to the airport Marriott bar for an equally incredible evening.He bought ten bottles of Dom champagne. I dont know what it is now, but back then it was a hundred bucks a bottle, DiBiase says. I mean, he spent a thousand dollars on champagne! I definitely wasnt living for Jesus then.DiBiases other on-screen partner in crime at that time was Virgil, his bodyguard and personal assistant. DiBiase says Virgil (real name Mike Jones) was the polar opposite of most guys on the road at that time -- he always showed up on time, and he didnt drink, smoke or use drugs. It was a harmonious pairing while things were at their peak.In 1991, Virgil and DiBiase became on-screen rivals, with Virgil ultimately getting the best of the scenario and briefly winning the Million Dollar title from DiBiase. Virgil eventually received a WWF championship match against then-champion Bret Hart down the line, but after lingering around on the undercard for some time, he eventually made his way to WCW in 1996 at around the same time as DiBiases departure. They rarely interacted from that point on, and their relationship at this time is strained and virtually nonexistent.By 1992, DiBiase had a new tag-team partner in Irwin R. Schyster, better known as I.R.S, and together they were called Money, Inc. In April of that year, at WrestleMania 8 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the duo defended and reatained their WWF tag-team titles despite a loss by disqualification.DiBiase says that after winning the championships -- one of the highlights of his career -- he went out and partied all night. Eventually he called home to check in with his wife Melanie.In a moment, several realizations hit him all at once, as his lifestyle on the road finally caught up with him, and the real-world consequences of his decisions came home to roost.My wife hits me with what she had now discovered -- adultery in my life, and not just one or two [incidents], DiBiase says. I said to her, I want to talk about this, Ill be on the next plane home, and she said, No, you wont. You dont live here anymore ... Click. My immediate response was Oh God, oh God, help me.Ted says his infidelity nearly ended his second marriage, but with his realization and recommitment to his wife, Melanie agreed to go to marriage counseling. Ted says he confessed all of his sins to Melanie, and eventually, he says his wife forgave him and gave him a second chance.It was that moment -- that second chance, according to DiBiase -- when he recommitted his life to Jesus.I became an authentic Christian, he says.DiBiase no longer wanted to live the high life on the road. After winding down his in-ring career and largely becoming a manager, in 1996, he left the WWF for WCW.He claims those were the worst three years of his career. As he continued to play a character whose god was money, Teds was Jesus. After getting fed up with his on-screen role at WCW, DiBiase briefly became a road agent and finally left once his three-year contract expired in late 1998.In 2000, DiBiase says he spoke for the first time in a church. Paducah, Kentucky, was where his life changed; it was where he became a minister.I had never prayed for anybody, but a tall, red-headed, freckled boy buried his head in my neck just crying, DiBiase says. He said, All my life, my parents and my grandparents have tried to make me understand why I need Jesus, I didnt get it. He said, Tonight, through your story, I got it,DiBiase pauses, his eyes watering.I sat there and realized God has just used me to change this kids life. I have wrestled in front of 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium, and that is a pretty big thrill. [But] that didnt touch what this moment did in my life.DiBiase eventually returned to the WWE and worked backstage until 2006. He made sporadic appearances after that point for the company, including a return for his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. Unlike many of his in-ring colleagues from the era, DiBiase says he is in a good place now; this year, Ted will celebrate his 35th wedding anniversary with Melanie.He says his marriage is strong, that he and Melanie enjoy spending time with their sons and grandchildren. Its a drastic departure from the glittery dollar-sign suits and the bright lights of Wrestlemanias, but its exactly where he wants to be. He is no longer the Million Dollar Man. Now hes just Pastor Ted.I walked away from a lot, I could have stayed in the industry in some capacity and had a fairly cushy income, and I chose to follow God, DiBiase says. If it happened all over again, I would do that same thing.Ben Houser is a Coordinating Producer on E:60 and Outside the Lines, as well as a contributor to WWE on ESPN. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. http://www.cheapjerseysyouth.com/ . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Stitched Jerseys .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. In this space last week, I pointed out the trend of three straight Darlington races in which a driver led at least 190 laps -- and then I picked Kevin Harvick as the most likely to continue that trend.Then, on the weekend preview, I was scared off by Harvicks lackluster practice speeds and opted for Brad Keselowski from the front row.The lesson here is to trust your first instinct.Harvick led 214 laps, and even though he became the third driver in the last four Darlington races to lead more than half the race but not the final lap, he still put up 118.5 DraftKings points -- 37 more than actual race winner Martin Truex Jr.Among my other picks last week, I opted for Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson for my top upper-value picks. Keselowski and Hamlin were both among the top-five fantasy plays, but Johnson wrecked trying to come back from a pit road mishap, leading to a negative 9.5 points.Hopefully you stuck with me for my low-cost picks. Chris Buescher started 31st and finished 17th -- good for 41 points; Regan Smith was the next-best under $7,000, with 39 points for $5,300; and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., was also good for 30.5Lets look ahead to Saturday night in Richmond, which is a short track race -- just three-quarters of a mile in length. In terms of banking, its flatter than Bristol, where we raced just a few weeks ago, but higher-banked than Martinsville, where well race in a few weeks.Earlier this season at Richmond, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers finished first, second, sixth and seventh, combining to lead 232 of the races 400 laps.Last year in this race, JGRs Matt Kenseth led 352 laps in the win, with teammate Kyle Busch finishing second (with nine laps led). Denny Hamlin (sixth, 14 laps led) and Carl Edwards (11th) rounded out the JGR attack.So, yeah, Im keen on the Gibbs drivers this week, but you cant just start all four and expect to have a well-rounded roster. Lets figure out whos the cream of the crop, then, and start you on your way to a solid fantasy weekend.Remember to check back in this weekend for my final picks and fades.Im starting my team with:Kyle Busch doesnt have the gaudy laps led numbers that Kenseth, Edwards or a couple other drivers have had recently at Richmond, buut he does have three top-three finishes in his last four races there.dddddddddddd He is coming off of a solid 78 laps led and 62 fastest laps-performance in the last Richmond race for 99.5 points. He led just 81 laps in the previous eight Richmond races combined.Lets not forget a crazy fantasy stretch for Busch starting in 2005, when he won four times with 12 top-five finishes in a 15-race stretch at Richmond -- averaging 79.5 DraftKings points per race. I think thats a form he can regain.Keep an eye on these four:Matt Kenseth: While other drivers have had strong runs recently, offset by cold streaks in the two or three races leading up to those big runs, Matt Kenseth has been consistently excellent at Richmond. In seven races at the track since joining Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth has averaged 65.4 fantasy points per race, leading all drivers.Kurt Busch: Buschs value has fallen, and will likely to do so after he got involved in a wreck at Darlington. But that could make him an affordable piece of your roster. Busch has six top-15 finishes in the last seven Darlington races, and he also had a dominant day recently at Richmond, leading 291 laps in a win in the spring race in 2015.Jamie McMurray: McMurrays fighting just to make the Chase, NASCARs version of the playoffs, so expect him to make every effort to stay in the top half of the field. McMurray is a fixture in the top 15 at Richmond; in the last six races at the track, he has three fourth-place finishes, a pair of 13ths and a 16th. He often moves through the field too, with a start/finish differential of plus-29 in his last two races there.Austin Dillon: Dillon is also racing to make the Chase field, and hes done excellent work on the shorter, flatter tracks this season. At Richmond, Phoenix, New Hampshire and Martinsville, Dillon is four-for-four in top-20 finishes, with a pair of top 10s. Overall, Dillon is on a stretch of putting up more than 30 fantasy points in eight of nine races, with the one exception coming on a road course.Thats all I have for you this week, enjoy the race with a feast of your choosing. 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