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This guy was so much fun to the professional wrestling world. The character of Ravishing Rick oozed charisma. "Cut the music!" The guys hated him, the women loved him. He was the wrestler who ushered-in the concept of entertaining the female fans more than anyone else in the crowd, yet still fit right in with the family-friendly sports entertainment of the 80s and 90s by mixing in humor and lots of determination to bring-down the babyface everyone cheered for. I personally enjoyed days when he wrestled in WCW in the early 90s as part of the Dangerous Alliance (with Paul E. Dangerously and Madusa) - to me, those were the best and most interesting months, although anywhere he wrestled, at any time, just sprung to life because of his entrances. And who could ever forget his vendetta with the Ultimate Warrior, and all those matches? Next to his childhood friend, Curt Hennig, Rick is next in line as my favorite wrestler of all time. I know that if he had lived longer, I would have eventually met him, too, and it would have been a memorable experience. 
It was memorable seeing him here. They always used to announce on television that he hailed from Robbinsdale. When I moved to that town in late 1994, shortly after fleeing the U of M dorms in Minneapolis, my best friend Rebecca joked that I would probably run into him somewhere. Of course, the chance was highly unlikely. But I have learned that "highly unlikely" almost always means "very likely" when it comes to my life. During the annual Robbinsdale summer get-together, Whiz Bang Days, I walked down to Lakeview Terrace Park by myself to watch people, check out rides, and maybe get some greasy and sugary stuff to munch on. It was the first time I would really get to see my neighbors after my long first winter in Minnesota. As I wandered through the park and toward the "Round Up" ride, with vendors beckoning all around me and the song "Lean On Me" filling the carnival atmosphere, I spotted Barry Darsow and Rick Rood waiting in line, with their wives and children alongside them. The funny part was that I looked around to check out any reactions from kids, and nobody seemed to notice them or approach them. It was almost as if these folks saw them everyday. I also enjoyed watching Rick ride the Round Up with his son, completely relaxed and carrying on a conversation with his boy while all the other riders were as stiff as boards and holding their breath. Barry stayed off the ride, watching them. I hung back at a distance and never approached them. I remember the next song they played was "With Every Beat Of My Heart" by Taylor Dayne, and then I crossed Highway 81 to a payphone at Montgomery Ward's and told Rebecca, "Well, guess what?" 
I was shocked and had a hard time believing he had left us at such a young age. Wrestling would never be the same. It was helpful for me to be able to meet and finally talk with the man that was with him the day I was at Lakeview Terrace - Barry Darsow - and tell this story. Barry had asked me, "Why didn't you come up to us and say 'hi'?" I told him that I didn't want to intrude or bother them. But had I known then what I know now, I probably would have, if just to let Rick know that his hard work in the wrestling world was appreciated. |
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Ravishing Rick. This was one wrestler I, unfortunately, never spoke to; but I did see him a couple of times outside of the ring. The first time was in Daytona Beach, Florida, while he was being interviewed by the local country music station before an event. The second, and last time, was in Robbinsdale, Minnesota in the summer of 1995.
