If you watched professional wrestling in the 1990’s, you were probably a fan of ECW – Extreme Championship Wrestling. A small independent promotion from Philadelphia that expanded across the nation, being briefly recognized as the number three promotion in the United States – behind WWF and WCW. In “Tod is God,” former ECW owner Tod Gordon shares his life story and how he got involved in professional wrestling. Gordon launched Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1992, building his entertaining brand of wrestling around characters, many that would find future homes in the bigger promotions – such as Taz, Raven, Saturn, Sabu, and the loyal The Sandman.
This provocative story is Gordon’s experience of growing a promotion, only to be pushed out of his company by his right hand man, Paul Heyman. Gordon details exactly what transpired, and how he ultimately required Heyman’s mother’s assistance in being reimbursed for the company’s debt that had accumulated. Gordon would be reduced to a figurehead position with the group until his exit. It would later be learned that Heyman had struck a deal with WWF’s Vince McMahon for financial assistance, to keep the promotion alive.
I absolutely enjoyed the many road and hotel stories shared by Gordon. If you are a true wrestling fan, who you will love the Terry Funk, Kerry Von Erich, Mick Foley/Cactus Jack, Eddie Gilbert, Missy Hyatt, the Public Enemy, Too Cold Scorpio and Jimmy Snuka anecdotes (among others). Gordon also discusses the origins of the “Tod is God” phrase, and how his group transformed Philadelphia’s Viking Hall into the hot bed of wrestling, ECW Arena. In “Tod is God,” Gordon also explains why Shane Douglas through down the NWA title in 1994, discusses the Mass Transit incident, being accused of being the mole for WCW, wrestling deaths, and more!
“Tod is God” is a fantastic wrestling book, and Sean Oliver does a superb job providing the narration, highly recommended.
By: Tod Gordon, Sean Oliver, Terry Funk – foreword
Narrated by: Sean Oliver
Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
Release date: 08-15-23
