RIP DEAN RASMUSSEN

[Craig H]

Fuck. In addition to his family, my thoughts also go out to @J.T. above, @RIPPA, @Rev Ray, and really anyone that had an even closer personal connection to Dean. I'm so sorry for his family and for all of you. If it's lame, I apologize, but I'm giving you all virtual hugs.

[BrianS81177]

God damn I was really hoping the big guy would make a comeback. I didn't have as much direct interaction with him as a lot of you did, but DEAN seemed like a genuinely good dude. He could take a joke, he knew when to be serious, he knew when to show compassion. Life isn't fair sometimes, people get taken from us way earlier than we would have liked them to be. But it could always be worse. We could never have had them at all. RIP you crazy, rambling bastard.

[Craig H]

DEAN gave us "Defend your life" which always wound up in a staking for the few times it happened and that was always hilarious. 

His love of DAAAAAAAAAAAAK~!

Really his love for the Cowboys in general.

Pop music.

The never changing signature picture.

Being amused at and posting Chick Tracts.

Talking about Cheerwine.

Letting people ask for titles for football players and making up sexual rhymes for them (mine was "Would ply for Joseph Addai").

[J.T.]

48 minutes ago, Craig H said:

Fuck. In addition to his family, my thoughts also go out to @J.T. above, @RIPPA, @Rev Ray, and really anyone that had an even closer personal connection to Dean.

It's funny.   I don't think I would've been such a great divorced dad if it weren't for his daughters.  At the very first NERDFEST~! they let me know without a doubt just how shitty my pigtail braiding skills were and that inspired me to get better so that my daughter would not be ashamed to be seen in public. 

I used to practice on a Barbie doll at my apartment when I got home from work.  No bullshit.

Edited May 5, 2023 by J.T.

[Craig H]

1 minute ago, J.T. said:

It's funny.   I don't think I would've been such a great divorced dad if it weren't for his daughters.  At the very first NERDFEST~! they let me know without a doubt just how shitty my pigtail braiding skills were and that inspired me to get better so that my daughter would not be ashamed to be seen in public. 

I used to practice on a Barbie doll at my apartment when I got home from work.  No bullshit.

That's super sweet!

My wife taught me by letting my try to braid together 3 belts. Then when she got braver she let me try on her own hair. I eventually worked my way up to braiding my daughter's hair without it looking fucked up.

[Ryan]

RIP Dean, you'll be missed by more people than I can fathom.

[Leonidas]

Rest well Dean and thank you for everything

[Greggulator]

Here's another odd connection and how things trickled down from Dean/DVDVR.

Years ago, a guy (Brian, I can't remember his screen name) used to post on here who was also from Philly. We exchanged messages on here a few times and ended up meeting for dinner. We hit it off in person and became fast friends. 

I was just starting off in doing comedy around Philly. Brian told a story at the first comedy show I ever put together and it is, to this day, maybe the funniest thing I've ever heard in my life. It's not my story to tell and I'm forgetting the details. But because of our zany shared tastes on here, it led to that.

I ended up hosting this monthly comedy show for like 5 years or so. 

I also met one of Brian's friends named Jim. Jim taught at one of the high schools here in Philly. A bunch of his former classmates (all now in their early 20s) were forming a sketch comedy group. I gladly booked them on my show. I hit it off with those guys, too. I'm still good friends with them even though it has been a while since I've seen any of them (thanks Covid!). 

Also how it connects further: One of the regular performers at my show was Bryce Remsburg, who was in a sketch comedy group here when not reffing for Chikara. I know I chatted with him at least a little bit about DVDVR. Bryce really hit it off with a bunch of the aforementioned other people in the other group and a few of them filmed some segments or were extras in Chikara things. 

Thanks, DEAN~! Number One And The Best.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Not to soon after I started posting at DVDVR, I started experimenting with this new thing called Internet Radio. You could create your own "station" and up to a whopping 12 or 13 people could tune in at a time to listen to me bullshit and play music. I'd post the link here and eventually Dean started tuning in and making obscure song requests like "Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine.

Dean would then post that the show was NUMBER ONE AND THE BEST, and that meant the world and validated that what I was doing was worth doing. Around the same time he started doing the Comix, and he was supportive as I drew my little comix series for the DVDVR group collections . 

That led to me eventually doing the internet show WHATAMANOOVER! that got support here and contributions from Pete and Ray and others. And that's how I met Goodhelmet Will and led to us being close friends to this day who did a lot of audio together. Follow that to meeting my podcast partners from Titans Of Wrestling at PWO, who became some of my closest friends and collaborators to this day. All roads lead back to Dean and the fucking amazing man he was, and still is in all our hearts.

So long, my friend. And may all the angels be wearing tiny paunts. 

[gatling]

I only knew Dean through DVDVR and reading his writing, but his effusiveness and positive attitude about wrestling has so influenced how I view wrestling compared to the non-wrestling world, I'm sitting here crying my eyes out while typing this.  I can only imagine what those of you like J.T., Rippa, Pete and so many more that actually knew and spent time with Dean are going through.  My heart goes out to you and all of Dean's family and friends, including the extended family here.  Thank you for having such an impact on so many of us, Dean.

[J.T.]

39 minutes ago, Craig H said:

That's super sweet!

My wife taught me by letting my try to braid together 3 belts. Then when she got braver she let me try on her own hair. I eventually worked my way up to braiding my daughter's hair without it looking fucked up.

At NERDEFEST 2~!, the girls said that I showed signs of improvement... and then they commenced to take my kid's braids apart and redo them while the men folk embarked on our journey through the STOP THE MATSUNAGA~! comp Dean had just made.  

It was that time that I became a connoisseur of black girl hair care products.  Shea butter detangler and coconut oil leave-in conditioner have been my best friends ever since.

The journey through pigtails taught me that I needed to be more to my daughter than the guy that picked her up every other weekend.  I needed to be a dad that knew how to do dad shit for his kid.  I would not have learned that if it were not for Dean's family.

Edited May 5, 2023 by J.T.

[TimWresPowr]

6 minutes ago, J.T. said:

At NERDEFEST 2~!, the girls said that I showed signs of improvement... and then they commenced to take my kid's braids apart and redo them while the men folk embarked on our journey through the STOP THE MATSUNAGA~! comp Dean had just made.  

It was that time that I became a connoisseur of black girl hair care products.  Shea butter detangler and coconut oil leave-in conditioner have been my best friends ever since.

The journey through pigtails taught me that I needed to be more to my daughter than the guy that picked her up every other weekend.  I needed to be a dad that knew how to do dad shit for his kid.  I would not have learned that if it were not for Dean's family.

Hey JT, long time, no see. You are referring to DORKFESTs, or maybe he had that with us and NERDFEST with you. That might be better.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by TimWresPowr

[J.T.]

23 minutes ago, TimWresPowr said:

Hey JT, long time, no see. You are referring to DORKFEST

HANGMAN~!  It is good to hear from you.  I have missed the fellowship with the old crew..

Nope, they were all DORKFESTS~!  Thanks for trying to let me off the hook easy.  Rippa would just be like YOU'RE REMEMBERING IT WRONG, OLD MAN~!

Edited May 5, 2023 by J.T.

[NikoBaltimore]

If DVDVR is like a fun yet sometimes dysfunctional family then Dean was the cool uncle who just wanted to keep the party going.  While PWI first exposed me to non-WWF news when I joined here in '05 Dean was all like "You think that's something, check out these wacky-ass matches from *insert country here*!"  Even towards the very end he was all about posting everything he could find online and sharing with such joy.  I'm going to miss that enthusiasm so much that has kept this wacky train running.  And while there's many awesome things about the board I still love it sucks that it will never be the same without him.

I wish I could say I knew him or even spoke with him much on here.  But the odd quotes and occasional likes he'd give me were always awesome.  And if he said no when I asked for permission on creating a Discord I would...well...not have created one.  Thankfully he said go ahead.  I do wish I was cool enough to be friends with him and every time there were recaps on the Dorkfests I would sit there going "Man, that sounds amazing, I wish I was there."  Maybe when it's my turn to head up north I can join him on the couch and watch some fun shit.

With Dynamite still fresh on my mind I still can't help but smile when thinking about the main event.  Everything about that was super fun from the old school heel hijinks to when they turned it up towards the end.  I had the biggest smile on my face knowing that DEAN would have highly, highly approved of this match.  I just wish he could have seen it.  Considering he talked about years ago I might be dumb enough to have a Steel Reserve in his honor.  And if I do it'll be while going through the internet match thread and checking some of the wild variety of good shit he put up.  RIP, Dean.

[southofheavy]

Here and there on various other forms of internet, I type in all caps LIKE THIS for emphasis and I totally copped that from Dean. 

I can't remember if it was in an issue of DVDVR or what, but he once wrote something to the effect of "What you do to pay the bills is a hustle. What you do outside of that is your life." It is hard to remember that at times, but it's something that I've carried with me ever since I read it. 

Getting a like on a post from Dean always made me feel good. Like pretty much everyone here, this place has had a massive impact on my love of pro wrestling, and just knowing that one of the founders thought that something I wrote was right on was pretty damn cool. 

Rest in power, Dean. Hi five Jay for us. 

[Dog]

Alvarez just sent his condolences and promoted the GoFundMe on WOL, and admitted the "~!" in the logo is stolen from Dean.

It deserves to be mentioned that before his turn for the worse, while he was losing toes in hospital beds, Dean was still trying to watch as much wrestling as possible and give his thoughts on it, to the point of feeling bad when he wasn't able to do so.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Dog

[VSG]

This was such sad news to hear. I never met DEAN in person, just a few interactions on this board way back in the day. I loved his recaps, and through his writing, I got exposed to so many great matches and shows that I never would have come across on my own. His positivity about wrestling was infectious and kept me watching wrestling during a real low period of personal interest in the product. 

Condolences to his family. RIP DEAN~!

[Gorman]

Checking the WWF book to see if I included DEAN's favorite punctuation:

Inferno match: Undertaker vs. Kane

This was quite a spectacle, even though someone was obviously pressing the "FLAMES~!" button.

Marty Jannetty vs. IC champion Shawn Michaels

The backstage brawl after the match (featuring a mysterious FLYING ORANGE~!) ...

Okay, I know it's in the upcoming WCW book:

Kevin Sullivan disposed of his brother at SuperBrawl and Brutus here, so he was free to answer the call of his FATHAH~! to form the Dungeon of Doom and attempt to destroy Hulkamania.

Wrath decided to FINISH HIM~! with the Meltdown.

SWERVE~! (9 times in the Vince Russo era)

Edited May 5, 2023 by Gorman

[Peck]

This screenshot makes me smile.

As a couple of you mentioned earlier, it truly was a badge of honor to have DEAN like one of your posts on here. I never strive for anyone's approval but it sure was nice to grab his from time to time.

Sail on, Mr. Rasmussen

Edited May 5, 2023 by Peck

[jaedmc]

There is only one place that I hang out at on the internet. I don't twitter. I don't facebook. Discord is okay, but a little too ephemeral and fleeting to feel communal.

DVDVR is the only place where I really hang out. There are users here that I talk about the same way I talk about my IRL friends. It's a message board so it's gonna have its ups and downs, but at the heart of this place was Love - love for wrestling. And I think we have Dean Rasmussen to thank for that.

Dean was an exciting and passionate writer, and one of the most sterling examples of fandom that wrestling could've had(or deserved, some may say.) But I think one of the greatest gifts he gave this planet, is a place where people can share that passion with one another. Dean didn't just write hilarious reviews. He brought human beings together in what has to be one of the most positive forums for any fandom. As @Greggulator has pointed out - who knows what may or may not even exist without this place and the work he's done.

Anyone who has the ability to bring people together the way Dean has in his life, has done a great good in this world and I will remember him fondly for it.

Sunday's won't be the same without him increasing his font size to 72 and yelling for DAK~!

[TimLivingston]

I’m in awe at the list of donations.

Not just Tony K, but Bill Barnwell, who talked football on here and did the site with Phil et all (EDIT: Veteran Presence!) before Football Outsiders snagged him. And a decade later he’s the biggest football writer ESPN has. Lance. Bryan. 
 

That’s why I can’t dwell on “influence.” Dean just built this place to give folks a chance to voice opinions and talk about what they love. Or in Lance’s case, argue. And look at what writing on a website and starting a message board as a way to reach out to folks did! All that terminology just sells him short. He just did something and hoped other folks would like it like he did. And they absolutely did. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by TimLivingston

[Ultimo Necro]

RIP Dean.  Thoughts with everyone. Horrible news.

[Travis Sheldon]

Ten bell salute.

R.I.P. DEAN

[Craig H]

Thought I’d share the outpouring of support from Reddit:

 

[Teflon Turtle]

I was debating about writing anything, then I saw these two statements:

12 hours ago, Technico Support said:

Dammit.  I think it was @Greggulator who said something like, “when Dean liked your post, you felt like you’d done something right.”  

19 hours ago, Casey said:

but I really would smile when I’d get a notification here that he liked or responded to something I had posted.

DEAN RULES THE FUCKING WORLD.

As someone who has lurked here for 20+ years now, but only really flitted around the edges of the forum when it came to posting, I cannot stress enough how true this is. I did not interact with DEAN in real life or have any conversations with him privately, but there was such an "I made it!" feeling to him acknowledging a post here. It's a testament to his standing on the board and wrestling fandom/criticism at large. I was surprised to see him like some of my posts in AEW threads since I post so sparingly, but it always encouraged me to post more. The same as you both above - "if DEAN of all people likes what I'm writing, I must be perceiving wrestling on something approaching the correct level."

Like many of the rest of you, there were various points in my life where I mooched "~!" and "KING SIZED" for my own personal use. When I followed AEW more closely, I very much looked forward to DEAN reliably posting his block o' text about the show seemingly as soon as he could, then seeing his banter with more established forum members about their awful puns. An influential and irreplaceable wrestling fan, writer, and personality, for certain.

My condolences to his family, and all of his friends here who've shared their thoughts. I hope we can all keep this community going as a positive and enthusiastic space in his honor, and equally, following his example that he shared with all of us for so long.

~!

Edited May 5, 2023 by Teflon Turtle