OT: RIP Dusty Rhodes"American Dream"

Sad to see another wrestling legend go.  You talk about a group of people dying young - professional wrestlers have to at or near the top of the negative actuary tables for average life span.

69?  That's like 100 for a professional wrestler.

One of the greats.  We talk about people turning chicken sh*t into chicken salad; Dusty was the master of making anything thrown his way into a compelling story.  He'll be missed.  

If you weel.

R.I.P.

On phone so can't start thread, but surprised there isn't a Christopher Lee passing away thread yet.

That's hard times, Daddy.

Loved the lisp, "thith ith Duthty Rhodes".  This guy was the man when I watched wrestling as a kid.  RIP

RIP the American Dream. He was a great entertainer.

Can't believe he didn't kick out of it.

...deliverin' a clubberin' to the angels.

Here's one more for you and your grieving family.

 

Makes me so sad. He's a legend.

Bionic elbows for everyone. Rest in Peace, Dream

Was so sad to hear that. Dude bring it every night in the ring for over 30 years!

He was one of the big regional stars that was able to catapult to national level status when the territory model was basically killed by WWF and the consolidation of the NWA into the WCW. Dusty had legendary long standing feuds against Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen in the NWA / WCW era, and then even when purposefullly given a horrible gimmick by VInce McMahon during his late career WWF run became a fan favorite in that organization. In addition to using excessive Southern "common man" slang in his promos, dancing in the ring, extreme showmanship with all his moves, and being one of the first southern promoters to really push African American wrestlers, Dusty was most famous for popularizing the "Dusty Finish". This was when as the lead booker and wrestler in his NWA territory, if Dusty didn't have the title and was scheduled in the main event against a heel champ, the heel champ would win by disqualification, thereby extending the feud for another show, keeping Dusty believable as a babyface contender, and putting more heat on the heel. More recent fans to wrestling will know Dusty as father to Dustin Runnels (aka "Golddust") and Cody Rhodes (aka "Stardust"), but its important to know that Dusty was one of the giants in the 1970's / 80's wrestling scene and if you went into the South, was basically as popular as Hulk Hogan.

Some wrestling historians have commented that The Rock's inital "People's Champion" shtick in the WWE was inspired by Dusty Rhodes's character in that The Rock was essentially the evil mirror universe version of Dusty.

On the end of the lightning bolt!

Dusty was arguably the best promo guy in the history of wrestling. To the clueless who are writing some of his obit stories, he was NOT primarily known for the polka dot gimmick. He went along with that grudgingly. He really was the son of a plumber, and the feud with Ric Flair was the wrestling equivalent of the Ali-Frazier rivalry. Rest in peace, Big Dust. 

I'm sure Sapphire was there to accompany him to the pearly gates

Terrible news.  He had such an impact on wrestling even long after he retired from the ring.  I'm going to have watch some of his old matches tonight on the WWE Network.

getting funky like a monkey. You'll be missed dream.  Great on the mic and in the ring.

This alone sums him up: "I've wined and dined with kings and queens - but I've slept in alleys and dined on pork 'n' beans." Great character he was.

for a wrestler