Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Pure Fun: Dusty Rhodes On Commentary

Fewer were more fun behind the announcer's microphone than Big Dust
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Part of what made Dusty Rhodes special, in fact the number one thing if we're being honest with ourselves, is his boundless charisma. And for me, there are few places where that charisma, and that sheer love for everything involving pro wrestling, came out more than when he was a color commentator. It wasn't so much that he was Gordon Solie (because he really wasn't), it was that the joy and the love for what he was seeing bleeds through every word. Simply put, when Big Dust spazzes out, it's a joy. Here is the best example.

Look, this is not the place to bring up (Name Redacted). Just know that this match was a wild and crazy brawl that went from the ring ramp, through the crowd, to the men's bathroom, back through the crowd, and into the ring. It is just about everything you want a street fight to be, a big enjoyable spectacle. If it's made better by anything, it's made better by Dusty Rhodes completely losing his shit on commentary. Every little quip, the repeated utterances of "Oh My Gosh" on commentary, and the "Someone get my medicine" at the end. It's just a joy. Everything John Bradshaw Layfield wants to do on commentary, Dusty does better without seemingly trying.


44. 96-06-16 Chris Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan... by puropwgwwestuff

This isn't the only example of it, but it might be the best. I miss Dusty Rhodes for a variety of reasons. This is just one of them.