Oklafan.com v5 Beta > Columns > Dr. Tom Prichard remembers Dusty Rhodes

Home
Columns

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.

Supplemental Information

Spotlight in History

1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title

04-30

Joe McCarthy Apr 30th Today!
Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th Today!
Billie the Kiid Apr 30th Today!
Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th Today!
Prince Maivia May 1st
Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
Barrett Brown May 2nd
Americos May 2nd
Big Bossman May 2nd
Don Fields May 2nd
Kari Wright May 2nd
Lester Welch May 3rd
Johnny Humble May 3rd
Lily McKenzie May 3rd
Jay Hazzard May 4th
Malik Mayfield May 4th
El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
Dory Funk May 4th
Bull Schmitt May 4th
Maria Brigitte May 5th
Bill Watts May 5th
Zane Morris May 5th
El Gallardo May 5th
Olivier Vegos May 5th
Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
Princess Victoria May 5th
Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
El Matador Dos May 5th
Claire Watson May 6th
Hercules May 7th
Richie Adams May 8th
Jake Danielsson May 9th
Tito Santana May 10th
Rook Tyler May 10th
Sunny War Cloud May 10th
Billy Brown May 10th
Jerry Brown May 10th
Psycho May 11th
Big J May 11th
Charming Charles May 11th
Brock Baker May 12th
Sol Yang May 12th
Bill Howard May 12th
Sensei Jamo May 12th
Dave Ryda May 13th
Little Boy Blue May 13th
Lars Manderson May 13th
Karl Krupp May 13th
Prince Mahalli May 13th
Stan Kowalski May 13th
Maggie Rae May 13th
Danny Hodge May 13th
Payton Scott May 13th
Pete Maguire May 13th

1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles

More Look Back In History

Card Results

Oklafan Quiz

When Honky Tonk Man wrestled a match in SRPW, who was his opponent?

Take the OklaQuiz!