June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675170 Stunned. Where do you even begin talking about his impact? This is a tough one.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675171 man I can remember my cousins, brother, friends, etc. and I all doing our Dusty impressions while watching WCW PPVs in the mid/late 90s. Who didn't try to impersonate the Dream? Man is this devastating
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675173 For some reason, the thing that first came to mind was Naylor's beautiful story of sitting in Florida at a picnic table at lunch one day, just him and Dusty. And there being this pause where they're sitting in the sun, unwrapping their food, and Dusty starts cutting this "living on the end of a lightning bolt" style promo about eating lunch with Rob Naylor. Just for the two of them. Just to amuse themselves. I always remembered that story. Those are the great, intimate moments in any life, when people are kinder than they need to be.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675175 Dusty is literally the reason I'm a wrestling fan today. My grandparents would spend winters in Florida, and my grandfather started watching JCP on TBS because he was a fan of Dusty from watching wrestling down there. I watched shows with him and he instantly became my favorite just based on his promos since he didn't really wrestle alot on TV at the time. Everyone loves the Hard Times promo, and it struck an extra chord with me since my dad was a steelworker and that promo was basically what happened to him at his job after he spent 36 years there, I can't imagine anyone who's had a bigger impact for a longer period of time than him, he's done pretty much every role you can do in the business and the list of people he's worked with and/or helped is like a who's who of professional wrestling.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675178 Dusty was in the main event of the first show I ever went to. He was one of the greatest and will be missed.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675182 Was trying to piece together retroactively a series of rob Naylor tweets, and then it hit me, he was gone. No words. Wow. Couldn't even explain it to group of friends who are non fans. Couldn't put into words the impact nor influence. Just RIP, and thanks
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675193 Was in an all day retreat. Saw this at lunch time (heard from a friend). Haven't had time to process yet.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675194 Shocked. Got a call and took a second for it to register. RIP Dusty.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675195 Probably the single most charismatic in ring performer in the history of wrestling. Even when he was bad you still wanted to watch him, which is pretty amazing. This is cliche but no one in wrestling will ever be like Dusty again. Zero chance. Completely irreplaceable as a talent and behind the scenes contributor.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675198 Really hit me like a kick in the gut. I'm a little on the young side to have really experienced Dusty in his prime as it happened, but going back and watching some of those matches and promos has always left me in awe. RIP.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675204 Loss mentioned it on Twitter, and I agree, that him hugging Magnum in his first appearance post-accident is one of the most emotional moments in wrestling,
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675206 Just saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeting condolences, which is kind of mind blowing to see someone of that magnitude in their field. mention anything about pro wrestling. Of course he would have watched him growing up in North Carolina, but it was still amazing to see how many people Dusty had an impact on.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675215 I uploaded Jim Cornette's Fighting Spirit Magazine column on Dusty from June 2013: http://www.fightingspiritmagazine.co.uk/art/columns/489/rip-dusty-rhodes-19452015
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675232 Legend. Visionary. Must-see performer. I'm glad someone posted the bit from 94' where he asks Dustin to make him his partner. What a great promo and overall feud (Dustin vs. Stud Stable). I wrote this in a Facebook group, but I'd like to repeat it here - Dusty had many, many great feuds, great promos, great rivalries and moments, but there was something so magical and emotionally powerful whenever he was in the ring with his sons. Whether it was the build to the 91' Rumble or even the more recent Rhodes Family vs. Authority angle, these storylines and Dusty's passionate promos during them were just on a whole other level than what pro-wrestling typically achieves.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675240 This is not the news I was expecting when I landed from my plane ride. This just sucks. RIP to The American Dream.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675241 To the pay window babay. The same day Ornette Coleman passes away. Two great in one swoop.
June 11, 201510 yr comment_5675250 Dusty is one of the people I think of when I think "pro wrestler" (the others are Randy Savage, Stan Hansen, Terry Funk and Jerry Lawler). He was just so influential and talented. Great to see that he always seemed so happy in his last years. You could tell he was having a blast working with his sons in the feud with the Authority. Hard times, indeed.
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