RIP DEAN RASMUSSEN

[Curt McGirt]

I decided to check up about his condition in this thread on the phone about five minutes before starting work. I saw what Rippa changed the name of the thread to. 

I had to leave work an hour later. 

Rest In Peace, big man. We love you. 

[Curt McGirt]

He was OUR FRIEND. All of us, our FUCKING FRIEND. 

I'm putting some Husker Du on the thumb drive for the car tonight. 

[RIPPA]

3 hours ago, Dog said:

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

 

[Contentious C]

3 hours ago, TimWresPowr said:

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.

Oh man.  I still have the Takayama shirt I bought from you many many moons ago, Tim.  That ugly-ass Velveeta yellow thing has been remarkably durable.

A million years ago, I didn't just meet DEAN at that fateful NWA show that Rippa and JL and I'm sure others remember (though most probably don't remember meeting me, since the typical greeting from everyone was a quick, dismissive, 'oh, hi' and then back to whatever conversation they were already having).  I took a seat a couple rows back, mostly minding my own business, and then DEAN said he was going to sit next to me, and tom-kg sat on the other side, and they basically spent the night having a conversation through me, which was fine.

What I remember as much as anything, and this will surprise some but I think actually fits, is the cynicism and sarcasm he tossed the way of wrestling promoters and bad matches.  I think I learned more in 10 minutes of listening to them to talk about the business side of things than I had in 21 years up to that point.  When something was good, they let it be known.  When something was bad, they let that be known, too.  And then there was Tim Cheek.  That's really when we should have known zombies were "done" in pop culture: late 2001, with that Tim Cheek match.

But the cynical side fits, because if there was one word you'd never use to describe DEAN, it was 'stupid'.  I think he got just as well as anyone how many things in life can seem futile; maybe that was his age (since he was closer to my current age back then than he was to my younger self), maybe that was raising kids, but it was there, and it was on display even in that conversation I barely recall now.  But what took me most of my life to figure out, and most of today to figure out how to say, is that the futility is always there.  It's the low electrical buzz of stress in everyone's life and death.

It's always there.

The good things aren't.  They are fleeting.  So, why give the futility the honor of wallowing in it, when you can let the good things flood you and let them take you for a ride?  I don't know if DEAN got that better than I did, since I only met him the once, but I think he *lived* it better than I will, and that probably counts for more anyway.

I was born about 2 years after Elvis died, so I never could have met him.  But I met DEAN, and, in retrospect, that was probably the better option of the two.

[KanadianKrusty]

Fuck, this is horrible. All the best to his family. Rest in peace DEAN~!

[GojiColin]

I was an 18 year old kid in college who watched wrestling on TV one night and got hooked all over again.  I rushed to the internet and found a sarcastic dude doing reviews (probably Scott Keith) and I remember him mocking something I'd enjoyed watching with a line like "This is something the DVDVR would like" and it immediately made me search for that term.  That was the key to a neon-drenched world of wrestling I had never heard of, with reviews from people that seemed to be endless founts of knowledge.  I lurked the forums for years and consumed every road report, every DVDVR and ever 500 list; pouring whatever spare change I had into tapes off the old Lynch Lists. Eventually I worked up the nerve to post and well now you're stuck with me.

One of my biggest dreams was to one day have content posted in the DVDVR, that was the real "You've made it" thing to me as a fan.  But the truth is, as others have said,  a like from Dean (or any of the other DVDVR writers) made you feel like you had made it.  That someone who loved the whole of wrestling gave you the nod.  To this day I do presentations at conventions on all my various  hobbies and when I get on the mic I remind everyone that there's so much to enjoy and to remember that we all enjoy it together.  Reflecting on that these past few days I think that is Dean's lasting influence on me.

As the saying goes, the DVDVR was "X Fists in the Face of Wrestling" and judging by the reactions on twitter, reddit and here its All of Our Fists in the Face of Wrestling.  I hope that brings a smile to Dean.

[BrianS81177]

1 hour ago, Teflon Turtle said:

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."

I'll agree with this as well. It always gave me a little joy whenever the big man would like one of my posts.

[COLETTI]

Well, fuck. DEAN had the most captivating writing style and he's the biggest reason I've been here for close to 25 years. I can't say much more than what everybody else has said, but the world is a little less TURGID~!! now. 

Rest in power, you goddamn wonderful human being

[Johnny Sorrow]

18 minutes ago, GojiColin said:

I was an 18 year old kid in college who watched wrestling on TV one night and got hooked all over again.  I rushed to the internet and found a sarcastic dude doing reviews (probably Scott Keith) and I remember him mocking something I'd enjoyed watching with a line like "This is something the DVDVR would like" and it immediately made me search for that term.  That was the key to a neon-drenched world of wrestling I had never heard of, with reviews from people that seemed to be endless founts of knowledge.  I lurked the forums for years and consumed every road report, every DVDVR and ever 500 list; pouring whatever spare change I had into tapes off the old Lynch Lists. Eventually I worked up the nerve to post and well now you're stuck with me.

One of my biggest dreams was to one day have content posted in the DVDVR, that was the real "You've made it" thing to me as a fan.  But the truth is, as others have said,  a like from Dean (or any of the other DVDVR writers) made you feel like you had made it.  That someone who loved the whole of wrestling gave you the nod.  To this day I do presentations at conventions on all my various  hobbies and when I get on the mic I remind everyone that there's so much to enjoy and to remember that we all enjoy it together.  Reflecting on that these past few days I think that is Dean's lasting influence on me.

As the saying goes, the DVDVR was "X Fists in the Face of Wrestling" and judging by the reactions on twitter, reddit and here its All of Our Fists in the Face of Wrestling.  I hope that brings a smile to Dean.

That's perfect, man. Thanks for that. I have to add that the story I shared earlier? I typed it this afternoon on the TERLET~! I figured Dean would have appreciated that. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by Johnny Sorrow

[zendragon]

DEAN was a great example how good it can be to have knowledge and passion about a subject or interest can be when you can avoid gate keeping or talking down to people, Its a very attractive trait when some one can discuss their passion and make you feel like they are taking you on a ride, while not making you feel less than .I think his unbridled joy found in pro wrestling could only be surpassed by his love of his family. A good reminder to love those close to you and live your life to the fullest. Like others have said him liking your post meant you where on the right track. I once used the phrase WHOLE HOG in a response to one of his posted and couldn’t help but smile when that phrase popped up in one of his steam of consciousness reviews (that I will not miss)

Im going to a metal show tonight so I’ll be having one in his honor while BANGING THE HEAD THAT DOES NOT BANG! Good night sweet prince 

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

I hope we can all be a little more like Dean. I hope that one day I could find 1/10th of the enthusiasm for the things we love in our lives, the ability to be unashamedly open about that, and confidently articulate it in my own words and style, and draw people in to that and getting them to feel something too.

I had the weirdest memory of ninth grade religious instruction class and being asked by the teacher to name a group or club that I identified with, and being completely unprepared, blurted out Death Valley Driver, requiring a disjointed explanation of what it was that made no sense to everyone else, and felt like such an idiot for being so so so weird about it. I was totally right in hindsight.

Thank you for everything you wrote, how you made me feel about the interests we shared, and that by sharing those views, you made me enjoy my own interests so much more.

[Johnny Sorrow]

3 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

He was OUR FRIEND. All of us, our FUCKING FRIEND. 

I'm putting some Husker Du on the thumb drive for the car tonight. 

I mentioned that Dean used to request songs on that old show I did. One time he asked for the Dead's Box Of Rain from the Virginia 84 show where the Dead brought it back. They hadn't played it since 1974, and his wife was at that show, and I think was listening. 
I found it really fast, cause...of course I did, and before I played it I said something about how awesome the moment was and that it was cool she was a Dead fan.

Dean then told me that it freaked out his wife because Heads were losing their shit and some were running around naked in joy.

I'm pretty sure this was before Dean quit drinking. It'd explain why he liked my show.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Johnny Sorrow

[Casey]

Dean’s daughter is posting on Reddit if any of you have accounts there and want to say anything to her. I told her about this thread but she’s scared to come here and see DEAN’s sex jokes

[Johnny Sorrow]

57 minutes ago, Casey said:

Dean’s daughter is posting on Reddit if any of you have accounts there and want to say anything to her. I told her about this thread but she’s scared to come here and see DEAN’s sex jokes

We're worse than Reddit? Dean would be proud.

[Contentious C]

The Sleaze Thread would have been its own Reddit subforum.

[Johnny Sorrow]

7 minutes ago, Contentious C said:

The Sleaze Thread would have been its own Reddit subforum.

The Sleaze Thread created Reddit.

[Niners Fan in CT]

Hey everyone, I didn't know DEAN off the boards as many of you do but he was a great guy in all my interactions with him on here and I have loved my time posting with this community. I donated what I could at this time.  I pray for his family and everyone who has lost a dear friend/family member. 

[Dr. Mo]

Very sad to hear this news today.  I was a lurker here in the early to mid-00's and only talked with Dean a few times in various threads- but he seemed like such a solid guy and talented writer.  Many have mentioned how he shaped their opinions on movies, music, wrestling, etc.  I seem to recall a thread about Blade Runner where he talked about watching it repeatedly while living on a friend's couch and the profound impact it had him.  It led me to watch it and become one of my all-time favorites too.  A small thing for sure but for some reason it stands out in my mind.  I so glad to see the outpouring of support and it speaks to how influential DVDVR was in the early days of the internet.  Hopefully all of his words won't be lost like "tears in rain."  RIP~!

[Brian Fowler]

It also dawns on me that I'm now a few years older than Dean was when I first read his work, interacted with him, and joined in on joking about how old he was. God those days were fun.

[Dirty J.]

Horrible news. My condolences to his family and friends.

[BrianS81177]

4 hours ago, Casey said:

Dean’s daughter is posting on Reddit if any of you have accounts there and want to say anything to her. I told her about this thread but she’s scared to come here and see DEAN’s sex jokes

Do you have a link? I didn't see anything in the reddit thread linked a couple of pages back

[Cobra Commander]

28 minutes ago, BrianS81177 said:

Do you have a link? I didn't see anything in the reddit thread linked a couple of pages back

 

[BrianS81177]

Well for some reason it won't let me post in there. Oh well. Nice to see others showing the big guy some love over there.

[J.T.]

5 hours ago, Johnny Sorrow said:

The Sleaze Thread created Reddit.

I firmly believe this.

I am happy to see that the Reddit community has lifted Annabelle's spirits.  I can still see eight year old her giving me shit about my hair braiding prowess.  It was her idea for me to practice on the Barbie doll.

Edited May 6, 2023 by J.T.

[ohtani's jacket]

I don't know about anybody else, but every wrestling match I watch right now is like a salut to Dean.