Austin can't heap enough superlatives on Angle in his introduction, and I almost get goosebumps because Angle is worth every accolade. They dig right into Kurt's training regimen, starting in high school: it speaks to his unique brand of tenacity, and will exhaust you just to hear it. He gives a detailed account of the wrestling move that broke his neck, and how he miraculously mustered through to winning an Olympic gold medal. But here's what I love about Kurt, as accomplished as he is: "I've learned more from taking second than from anything I've done from winning." That humility and reflection permeates the rest of his life stories. Kurt offers an informed opinion on the current state of Olympic wrestling, and the priceless story of his stutter-start in WWE. You will LOVE it, as you will love being a proverbial fly on the wall for their uncensored thoughts on working with each other. I'm often moved by how openly emotional pro wrestlers are in their books and interviews; having two such elite talents sharing their memories like this speaks to why they were/are so very good at emoting in the ring. You can't channel a good character/story/match if you don't have something compelling at your core, and Angle has IT. Austin always takes an interest in his subjects' injuries, asking probing questions that allow fans an insight into what these guys go through on a continuous basis. Given that he and Kurt shared similar neck injuries but took different approaches to therapy, that conversation - including the impact of Kurt's injury on his tenure at WWE - illustrates how injury can change a career. Likewise, Kurt explains some of his recent mis-steps on the road back to good health, and predicts how many years he's got left in the ring. This is a guy who couldn't help but recently take offence to a "You still got it!" chant, because inarguably, Kurt Angle has never lost it.
Follow me @kickyhick :) I hold a degree in English Rhetoric & Professional Writing from the University of Waterloo in Canada. I've done technical writing, executive presentations, and recruiting materials for BlackBerry, and I write for non-profit organizations. My favourite project so far has been combining my passion for writing with being a die-hard wrestling fan. It's a pleasure to write here for WhatCulture, and also for TJRwrestling.com.
