dimebag was a good guitar player, not a virtuoso, not even close.
i agree that he is overated, people call him the best ever, thats just stupid.
I don't listen to pantera anymore, but i remember when i was 12 years old, when vulgar display of power came out and back then that was something i never heard before (those days i listen to maiden, halloween, guns and roses and that kind of music i dont like nowadays eheh oh and metallica of course).
pantera open the doors for me, for great metal bands, first sepultura, machine head(this one is shit of course but burn my eyes was a good album) and those big names of the early 90s, then carcass, kreator and lots of death metal, thrash, the good stuff.
pantera was a important band for me because of that, i think they are average nowadays (13 years later eheh), still they have good songs, some classic songs like cemetary gates, and like it or not, they are a big name in the history of metal.
but like most big names in the history of metal, i think they are overrated.
but i respect them as band. as persons i dont care really. its a shame that he died, but its life, so move on.