“…when you walk behind and you’re not a leader, then the view never changes, baby! The view never changes, baby! The view never changes!”
-Dusty Rhodes
World Championship Wrestling, 1994
Many people wrote on Twitter that 140 characters just wasn’t enough to write about him. Jake “The Snake” Roberts stated on Twitter that there was nothing anyone could write about him to do the man justice, so nobody should even try.
I appreciate that, Jake, but dammit– I have to try.
I never had the pleasure to speak to him. I didn’t get the honor to learn about the wrestling industry under his teaching. I never even met him. Yet, for the vast majority of my life, he spoke to me. He taught me so much about wrestling without ever realizing it. I feel like I’ve known Dusty Rhodes my entire life.
Perhaps it was because Dusty was just “a common man.” Born the son of a plumber, the man who would gain worldwide recognition as “The American Dream” never seemed that much different than you or I when you saw him in arenas or on television. He was the neighbor you grew up living next door to your entire life. As you rushed out your front door in the early morning to hurry off to work or to school, you’d look over and see him sitting on his porch, sipping on a cup of coffee. He’d smile and nod, giving you that silent reassurance that it’s okay to slow down and enjoy the day, because everything would be just fine.
He was the guy stocking the shelves at the local grocery store. No matter the day or time you managed to stop in, you’d see him. He’d be in his own little world, ripping open a pallet full of boxes, unloading it’s contents onto the shelves. Beads of sweat would dribble down from his forehead, giving you the indication that he was the hardest working man in the building. As he’d wipe his brow, he’d look in your direction, making eye contact with you. That connection with your pupils lit up his very own, forcing him to flash a smile, bust out a joke, and offer you his assistance if you needed it. You couldn’t help but smile back.
Whether it was through the poetic words that exited his mouth, or the poetry in motion that he created in the ring, Dusty captivated everyone that saw him. He talked like a black southern preacher, looked like tubby factory worker, and moved with all the grace of Muhammad Ali. It was a combination that on paper, just defied all logic. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did.
The beautiful thing about the human spirit is that it has the ability to recognize when something is real. You can make a mold for anything and tell people that this is what sells. Eventually, though, someone comes along, breaks the mold, and shows the world that it’s okay to invest in something different, even if it’s not the typical size, shape, or color. Dusty broke that mold, and became a once in a lifetime performer that inspired generations of performers.
From Ric Flair in the 1970’s, all the way to Kevin Owens in 2015, hundreds and hundreds of wrestlers, announcers, promoters, writers, and producers became good or better at the business of wrestling by learning directly from the incredible mind of Dusty Rhodes– not to mention the millions like myself that learned from him without ever meeting him face to face. Whether it was coming up with wrestlings first big super card, Starrcade, reinventing the cage match by creating “War Games”, or unintentionally coining the phrase “The Dusty Finish,” Rhodes was a true visionary in the industry, ranking right up there with Vince McMahon himself.
His feuds with Billy Graham, Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen, Macho Man Randy Savage, and in later years with Steve Corino, were legendary, and will forever stand the test of time. His “Hard Times Blues” interview on Flair is arguably one of the best promos in wrestling history, and nobody ever screamed, “HE GOTTA BICYCLE” quite like “The Dream.”
On this day, it’s sad to think that “The American Dream” has come to an end. But when I think of Dusty Rhodes, I smile knowing that he was gracious and unselfish enough to share his “Dream” with each and every one of us. My heart and my thoughts go out to Dustin, Cody, and the rest of the Runnels’ family.
I hope this did you justice, Dusty. Thanks for everything.
#RIPDustyRhodes
-Greg
