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Former Cleveland Browns player Al "Bubba" Baker, owner of Bubba's Q' World Famous Bar-B-Q & Catering in Avon, displays a package of his patented De-Boned Baby Back Rib Steak. When he appeared on ABC-TV's prime time reality show "Shark Tank," Baker won $300,000 in financial backing from investor Daymond John, founder of the FUBU clothing line, in exchange for a 30 percent stake in Queen Ann Inc., Baker's food company.

(Queen Ann Inc.)

AVON, Ohio -- Any armchair investor knows at least this much: good ideas are a dime a dozen. What matters is a good idea with wings.

Al 'Bubba' Baker's dream of taking his patented De-Boned Baby Back Rib Steaks to the next level -- to national distribution -- gained traction Friday night, when two of the wealthy investors on ABC-TV's reality show "Shark Tank" vied to back him.

The former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman turned restaurateur (Baker owns

in Avon) landed a deal with one of those "sharks." Daymond John, founder of the

known for urban street wear popular among rap artists, agreed to back Baker to the tune of $300,000. In exchange, John gets a 30 percent stake in Queen Ann Inc., the food company Baker started with his daughter, Brittani Bo Baker, and an agreement to license his patented de-boning process to a major pork producer.

"We're going to de-bone this pig together!" John declared on camera, when the deal was done.

"I’m very happy with the deal I got -- and more happy with the lessons I’ve learned," Baker said by telephone shortly after the 9 p.m. airing of "Shark Tank."

"it was the best deal for me," Baker added. "My plan has been to license my product -- and when I think about the layers it would take for me to break through, into the meat business... some small guy with shallow pockets, to buy into a place... at age 56, well, it would take so long I'm afraid I wouldn’t live to see it happen.

"I feel really good that the agreement I have, with Daymond John, is going to take me and my family a long, long way."

Changes are already underway. A completely new website, bubbasbonelessribs.com, places the emphasis on Baker's rib brand and focuses on e-commerce sales of his products: various bundles of the baby back rib steaks, bottled barbecue sauce, dry rub and his "Al 'Bubba' Baker's Southern Cookbook." In partnership with John, web designers and a major meat processor based in Missouri, where Baker is heading to oversee quality control over initial shipments.

Bubba's Q De-Boned Baby Back Rib Steaks debut nationally on the heels of the "Shark Tank" appearance -- with Internet sales beginning just in time for the holiday gift season.

The restaurant was packed with family, friends and loyal customers, all on hand to watch the show.

"It was like a football party during the Eighties. It was as close to a Super Bowl as I could imagine," Baker chuckles.

"The best part of the whole on-camera thing was, they allowed me to portray myself as the kind of man I see myself as," Baker adds.

"Tonight might be one of those nights I have to store in my mind, for when times are tough. This will be the place I go when I start feeling sorry for myself.

"And tonight I saw my wife smile. You know, we've been married for 30 years and, well, I did a lot of things... you know, boys being boys... but tonight my wife turned to me and said ‘that’s why I married you.’ "