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Dr. Tom Prichard remembers Dusty Rhodes

Posted: Jun 12th 2015 By: Tom Prichard

I told everyone in FCW they had no idea what they had. If they didn't know, they needed to do research on Dusty Rhodes and not only understand but appreciate who they had teaching, coaching and mentoring them in The American Dream...

The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes and Virgil Runnels were one in the same. Dream just turned the volume up. I grew up watching Dream in Texas. When I started wrestling we would cross paths over the years. Then when I had "an interruption of service" the first time via WWE, Sal Corrente booked me to run the backstage on a few of his shows. I didn't really know Dream that well then but he was always so cool. He helped me in more ways than even he will ever know.

When I got the gig as Head Coach for FCW in Tampa, the Dream came right on board. We had some great times, intense times and a lot of fun. We would eat watermelon in the control room before TV on Thursdays and tell stories. He was a master story teller. I asked him to tell me about the Amarillo territory with The Funks and his adventures with Dick Murdoch. He told the story about his WWF days and the match he had with Superstar Billy Graham when he won the match via DQ but took the belt and had the ringside photographers snap pictures, while Vince Sr. stood in the back glaring at him... He taught promo class and knew how to get the most out of every talent.

Andy Warhol writes about him in his book. The Dream was the guy that Ric Flair, Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan wanted to emulate, He was a colorful charismatic star who could connect with the common fan and make the casual fan want more.

In the days when wrestlers walked to the ring with no music, house lights dark and the ring had one light directly above, Dusty Rhodes was electric whether wearing an expensive robe or chaps. Dream was able to teach and demonstrate how to connect via promos and showmanship in FCW and NXT.

There will never be another Dusty Rhodes. I feel fortunate and honored to have seen The American Dream in his prime and become his friend later in my career.

For the last three years we have talked on a regular basis and it was always full of laughs and great vibes. He and my wife had an on going "rivalry" between her Crimson Tide and his Texas Longhorns.

I am going to miss my friend and I will never forget him. The wrestling world lost a huge influence. I lost a mentor and friend.

I love you Dream. RIP.