RIP to James Van Der Beek, 90’s/Early 2000’s legend.

This one took the air out of my fellow 90’s kids yesterday. James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2024, and he passed at just 48 years old yesterday.

First things first: I think the recommended age to start to get checked for colon cancer is 45, I’m about to turn 42 in June, and I will be asking my doctor about this in a few months. From everything I’ve read about Van Der Beek’s diagnosis, he was in seemingly perfect health when he noticed a slight change in bowel movements, decided to get it checked, and found out he was already Stage 3. It seems like one of those cancers that doesn’t reveal itself until it’s progressed down the line. Just heartbreaking.

Second things second: I know a TON of people who are instantly going to associate Van Der Beek with the legendary 90’s WB show, Dawson’s Creek. I’ll be honest, I think I’ve maybe seen two full episodes of the show. Most of what I know about the show comes from this gif:

(tremendous hair)

And the fact that people are bulls— that Joey picked Pacey/Charlie Conway in the end.

But while I don’t have an instant reaction to that show, I do LOVE LOVE LOVE Varsity Blues. An instant tune-in anytime it’s on TV. Van Der Beek was incredible as Mox. And I’d go so far as to say this: If I needed one fictional quarterback to lead my team down the field, late in the 4th quarter, Mox is my guy.

Who would round out the Top 5 Fictional QB Power Rankings? I’m glad you asked:

5) Matthew Saracen, Friday Night Lights

Unconventional demeanor for a quarterback born and raised in East Dillon, Texas. Much like Mox, he was thinker, he was emotional. As Mark Murphy would famously say about Aaron Rodgers, “he’s a complicated fella.” But as long as he’s studying the playbook in-between shifts at the Alamo Freeze, he’s on my list.

4) Willie Beaman, Any Given Sunday

Dual threat QB, can hurt you in a variety of ways, killer music video, easy Top 5 selection.

3) Uncle Rico, Napoleon Dynamite

Can throw a football over dem mountains, easily would have led his high school team to State had he not gotten hurt. Also, killer precision with an overcooked steak:

2) Shane Falco, The Replacements

If I were to power rank these by the actual actor I would pick to be my QB in a game I needed to win, I think Keanu is it. By all reports he was absolutely SLINGING it on the set. And that’s no shock when you consider that former Packer legend, TJ Rubley, was his coach that got him prepared for the movie. Just had to get over that mental hurdle of his failure at the Sugar Bowl and free his mind.

1) Jonathan Mox, Varsity Blues

Obvious arm strength, intelligent, and kept his composure when Darcy came out in that whip cream bikini. You can’t teach that type poise. Also kind of passed on a once in a lifetime opportunity with late 90’s Ali Larter, so also sort of dumb, but that might be another topic for another day.

There it is. RIP Mox. Can’t believe three primary cast members of that movie have passed.

PS: I did not know that Van Der Beek was a huge Packer fan until yesterday.

Apparently he wore #4 in Varsity Blues as a nod to Brett Favre?? Crazy. Feel even more connected to him now that I know he was right there with us getting his heart broken every single year since 2010.

Double PS: One of my favorite parts of Varsity Blues is the fact that the book that Mox was reading on the sideline was Slaughterhouse Five. The late 90’s/early 2000’s go-to book for a guy trying to cosplay as an intellectual. I did it to some (very little) critical acclaim for most of 2003.