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D6 The Pantagraph Thursday, May 14, 2009 www.pantagraph.com GOIBack WRESTLER FROM Dl All in the family With Ted DiBiase the acorn didn't fall too far from the tree. In fact, it dropped, sprouted roots and is threatening to overtake the immediate forest. Here's the lineage: 'Iron' Mike DiBiase (1923-1969), grandfather: Notorious as one of the rare wrestlers to die on the mat, suffering a fatal heart attack on July 2, 1969, while battling Man Mountain Mike. He was only 45. I Helen Hild, grandmother (1926-1984): Pioneering female wrestler, who fell into depression and alcoholism following "Iron" Mike's premature death.

She was only 57 when she died. 'Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase (1954 -), father: Superstar wrestler from the mid-'70s through the '90s, especially the '80s-early '90s, when his WWF star shined brightest; today, he's a born-again Christian minister. I Mike DiBiase (1978 -), big brother: Debuted in 2006; formed tag team with Ted Jr. for the WLW. I Brett DiBiase (1987 -) kid brother: Debuted summer 2008; wrestles for the WWE's FCW Liga.

"It was something I was going through at the college time of my life," he says. "I was going around speaking to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and I just enjoyed being in front of people and sharing my beliefs." For the time being, though, Ted Jr. is mainly sharing his body-pum-meling prowess with tag-team partner Cody Rhodes as they prepare to whomp their nemeses, The Colons, to a pulp Saturday night. Backstage, with a dozen-odd hulks like himself, Rhodes, Cena and Orton milling about, he says it will be "pretty much CHAOS!" (all caps his). To put it another way: "Let's just say that if you were back there with us and saw us coming down the hall, you'd probably need to hug the wall or else." Though he's only three years into his pro wrestling tenure, Ted Jr.

says the math needs to be worked in pro-wrestler terms, which are like canine terms. "I guess the easiest way is to compare wrestler years to doggie years," he says, referring to the one-equals-seven formula. So, to be accurate, Ted Jr. is a well-worn veteran of some 21 years of big mat attacks, which have left him with, in no particular order, a broken finger, a bruised sternum, some separated ribs, a fractured knee and bone spurs in his elbow and a nasty case of good old-fashioned sciatica. "On the average, if you're lucky, you can probably go on for 10 years.

Then there are the really special ones, like my dad, who went 20 to 25 years." through a lot." Enough, in fact, to fill two books. Ted Jr. has nothing but respect for his dad. "Back then, he was like a superhero to me. I'd turn on the TV, and there he was.

It was great so cool. But he was subjected to a lot of things normal people don't see the many temptations of fame, whether it's the women or, back then, the drugs. It almost cost him his family. It was a hard time for him and mom." Though it may seem a strange combination to some, the flamboyant world of pro wrestling does mix with Christianity, witness The Million Dollar Man's current status as a preacher with the Heart of David Ministry. Indeed, Ted Jr.

entertained notions of becoming a minister himself when he was in college. Meet the man for whom wrestling is all in the family: "The Marine 2" himself, Ted DiBiase Jr. Looking up the family tree, we see that grandfather "Iron Mike," grandmother Helen Hild, dad Dollar Man" Ted and brothers Brett and Mike have all been lords (and a lady) of the ring. For his Coliseum debut, DiBiase will team with partner Cody Rhodes in a Unified Tag Team Championship Match against siblings Carlito and Pri-mo Colon (aka The Colons). Other superstar names on the card include Randy Orton, Batista, Jeff Hardy, Edge, The Big Show, Jack Swagger, and Christian.

bumps," Ted Jr. notes, especially as he looks today at the old man, who, after all, is not all that old. "It's hard for him to get around now he's had two reconstructive knee surgeries. He went Ted aka, The Million Dollar Man, is 54 today, with around 22 of that total spent pummeling or being pummeled. "Back then, they worked seven days a week, year 'round, and that's a lot of Stars gather for opening of Cannes Film Festival 1 3 WE'LL GET YOU AID ym SMARTPHONE OFF TO A GOOD START.

Associated PressLIONEL CIRONNEAU Actress Robin Wright Penn arrives for the opening ceremony of the 62nd International film festival in Cannes, France on Wednesday. ciallyopen. Organizers were hoping "Up" would provide a buoyant start before the festival plunges into 12 days of movies that take in passion, murder, Korean vampires and a band of Nazi-hunters led by Brad Pitt. Members of the jury, led by French actress Isabelle Huppert, will be wrangling over which auteurs from a slate that includes Pedro Almodovar, Ang Lee, Quentin Tarantino and Ken Loach should receive Cannes' coveted prizes. By Jill Lawless ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNES, France The evening gowns glittered, the red carpet was un furled and the 3-D glasses were at hand as the 62nd Cannes Film Festival opened Wednesday with the soaring animated adventure "Up." "Up's" delighted filmmakers from Pixar Animation joined the crowd of stars and cineastes on the red carpet in this French Riviera resort and said being invited to Cannes was a dream come true.

"We're just a bunch of animation geeks from northern California on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival," said a beaming John Lasseter, Pixar 's creative maestro. Edward Asner, who voices "Up's" main character, did not come to Cannes. But his counterpart in the French-language version, crooner Charles Aznavour, was there. Lacking star power from the "Up" voice cast, the biggest name on the red carpet was Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton. Inside, Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry serenaded the crowd with a version of Aznavour 's "She," before Aznavour declared the festival offi- i ti 4 1 I OS- Our variety of Smartphones helps you stay in close touch with customers, vendors and employees at all times.

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