RIP DEAN RASMUSSEN

[Swift]

Oh jeez, this was sad news to find out about after popping back in here for the first time in months. I still fondly remember Teddy Long's peanut head from the Smackdown Comix. HOLLA HOLLA

Like others have said in here, it was nice to get a thanks or an encouraging comment from him on a post, and I remember when there was briefly a Euro promotions folder here, I started a thread posting updates from the Irish scene and he posted a reply saying "This right here is why I'm glad I created this folder". I never kept up with it, but that was very nice. 

He seemed like a great guy and I can't remember him ever getting into wars of words with other posters. He just focused on the fun aspects of wrestling.

Condolences to those who knew him well.

[Andrew POE!]

Oh man.

I wasn't even aware that DEAN~! passed away.

It's crazy that his writings on the old forum was what brought me to this site while I was still in high school.

His exquisite musical taste got me turned on to a lot of bands - Roxy Music, Joy Division, The Gun Club, The Cramps, The Posies, I could go on.

One thing that struck me about Dean's writings with wrestling matches is how well they describe what happened or at least things that stick out in a match.

I'll definitely miss him.

[Lawful Metal]

fuck i just opened the mlw thread and saw a DEAN comment and now I'm blue all over again.

[Matt D]

It's been a year today. Not a day goes by where I don't miss the big guy and his presence. I don't watch a new match without wondering what his one line thought on it in a massive stream of consciousness paragraph would have been (though, I can imagine it at least because you learned to anticipate the patterns, which is its own sort of blessing). I should have my review of the Action show going up tonight on SC. I talked to my parents this morning. Took the 6 year old to swim lesson. Am reaching out to you guys now. Nothing is assured in this life. Go say hi to your loved ones today.

[The Natural]

Been thinking about DEAN on his one year anniversary today. Scary it's a year. I don't have the way with words. Just wanted to say I love and miss you, fella from Paul xxx.

[Ramsey]

Asa a long time member (late 90's) but rare poster I always looked forward to the wit and wisdom Dean brought to these forums as we talked about the best thing in the world. 

The world is a little darker place without Dean in it. May he rest in peace.

[The Natural]

Voices of Wrestling article by Chris Colvin:

The Death Valley Driver Video Review (DVDVR) is an amazing time capsule for wrestling fans. Something that started as a weekly (most of the time) update of what Dean Rasmussen had obtained through his network of tape traders and his feeling on the matches ultimately wound up as a website, newsletter, and, most important for its broad influence, a message board.

Despite being the perfect age for it, I was a late bloomer in the internet world of message boards, so I have no history at all on any of them other than lurking as a spectator. The newsletter was where it was at for me. The writings of Dean Rasmussen and friends will always be something I view as an influence in my writing first and fandom second. I lacked access to so many of the matches reviewed in each issue, so I have kept lists through the years with the goal of seeing as many of them as possible while also discovering new things in the process. The April ACTION Wrestling/Segunda Caida show, in tribute to the life of the late Dean Rasmussen, profoundly impacted me.

From the opening video tribute to Mr. Rasmussen to the passionate final words of Daniel Makabe, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Passion for something I loved. Understand I have plenty of passion for my wife and kids, but for a couple of years, I couldn’t find passion in much else and life was not fun. I will always credit that show for putting me in the position I am today with my fandom. Not only did the show itself deliver, but the ad for IVP Videos that ran during the intermission caused me to investigate their services. I can honestly say, nothing has affected my passion for pro wrestling like being able to order virtually any historically lauded match and own it on DVD. It may seem wasteful or unnecessary to most, but the physical aspect of collecting is very important to me. The existence of IVP in 2024 tells me I am not alone. I hope this project can reach some of my intended audience, people like me who love this shit but don’t have a good starting point. If I can do for one person what Dean, Phil Rippa, Phil Schneider, Rev. Dan and so many more did for me, I am all in.

It has been a lot of fun going through my Google Drive, which has every DVDVR archived. Reading the musings of the late Dean Rasmussen, Phil Rippa, Phil Schneider and the rest of the merry band of pro wrestling critics as they plied their trade for no other reason than their mutual love of pro wrestling inspires me to attempt to do the same thing. There is no better website for pro wrestling fans than Voices of Wrestling. I found VOW by accident way back in the very early days, and watching it grow into a place for all the fandom to converge has been a very cool thing. Something that has always been abundantly clear about Voices of Wrestling is that the people who contribute to the site are some of the most intelligent and well-informed in wrestling. Oddly enough, just like the guys who wrote for DVDVR. Sometimes, my imposter syndrome takes over, allowing my psyche to be convinced I have no business in the same company as the folks who write here.

But, I am fighting against it and inspired to make this project a reality.

I intend to give brief reviews or backgrounds of five matches I watched for the first time that I feel are worthy of your time. Be it work rate, uniqueness, or any other number of reasons, these should be on your radar if they are not already.

Edited August 23 by The Natural