Life is short. Very short sometimes. I’ve always been told by people that were older and wiser than me to live every day like it is your last.
Remembering Bobby Rhine
Case and point to today with the news of former FC Dallas midfielder and broadcaster Bobby Rhine passing away due to a heart attack late last night.
Anyone who has met Rhine knows exactly the type of person was. A few adjectives quickly come to mind when thinking of him like genuine, caring, and friend.
I wasn’t best friends or even very close to him but I’m proud to say I knew him. Rhine always treated people, including myself, with the utmost respect. All season long I had the privilege of at least getting to talk to Bobby for two or three minutes before or during each FC Dallas home game. Then there was also times that he’d put in a request to have me send in questions for his podcast, Total Soccer.
Even when Rhine was busy he was always willing to stop and chat. I'll never forget the time that FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Galaxy were in the middle of a lengthy rain delay this season back in May when Rhine came out of his broadcast booth to talk to folks in the media area at Pizza Hut Park. He like the rest of the media was waiting out the delay and he came up to talk to me for a few minutes. Rarely do you ever meet someone who genuinely cares about what you are doing and openly appreciates what you do.
Rhine did that on that evening with me by complimenting my work over the years and encouraging me to keep at it. I’ve had other former players and current players do that before but sometimes you can tell when it is actually genuine statements coming from the person saying it.
Rhine did so much more than just play the game here in Dallas and become a broadcaster after he hung his boots up. He was a member of the community and was actively doing whatever he could to grow the sport in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
His love of the game was only overshadowed for his love for his family and friends.
He will truly be missed.
FC Dallas is in the process of finalizing its plans to pay tribute to Rhine this season. An announcement regarding a memorial service for Bobby will be made once details are finalized. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the FC Dallas Foundation. For more information on contributing to the Foundation in Bobby’s honor, please visit https://www.fcdallas.com/form/donations
For more on this story and other FC Dallas stories be sure to check out Big D Soccer.
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