It's True, It's True!

Henry Cejudo, the 21 year-old U.S. wrestler who grabbed gold in Beijing was the hero of his event, but 12 years ago in Atlanta, Kurt Angle won gold and later made the transition to the WWF, lecturing crowd of the philosophy of his 3 i's: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence. You could see the technical finesse in the simplest of his moves. But moreover, he was undoubtedly the funniest wrestler. He would make fun of the local sports teams, especially when there was a scandal in the news: "unlike Darryl Strawberry, the only thing I'm addicted to is gold" or telling the Boston crowd if only they followed his three I's, they might actually be able to win a World Series. More broadly he would parade around ridiculing the stereotypes of wherever his visited (such as threatening calling INS to the crowd in San Diego):

• And just like so many other cities in this great nation, Greensboro, North Carolina doesn't' have the most intelligent people in the world and nor will they ever.But, just like the old song goes: two out of three ain't bad, so if you stick with the intensity and the Integrity, you'll do just fine.
• Virginia is for lovers, provided those lovers are not from the same family
• (In D.C.) Like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. The Big Show is a big waste of talent. And Like Abraham Lincoln, I'm honest almost to a fault. If the Big Show had my 3 I's, then maybe he wouldn't be such a big disappointment and like Marion Barry, actually I'm nothing like Marion Barry and shame on you for reelecting that guy.
  I'm the European Champion. But I realize down here in Texas, not a lot of people know where Europe is. But hey, hold on a second, its not your fault. Actually its your educational system here in Austin Texas. It is. But once I win that belt, not only do I promise to entertain, but I promise to educate you as well."
• I used to think the only good things to come out of Canada were maple syrup and Michael J. Fox, but I was wrong.

He often mocked his fellow wrestlers: "Down here, I see a 7 foot tall 340 pound bag of muscle who hides behind a mask and doesn't speak a word and why, because he lacks integrity and he obviously lacks intelligence. Sure he has intensity. There's no doubt about that, but that can only take you so far, Kane."..."Maybe if you spent a little less time crying over spilt milk, and a little more time drinking it like me, you'd finally be a winner"..."I just want to say to everyone that, even though I suplexed an eighty-two-year-old pregnant woman, I am still a role model for children, not to mention elderly people as well." His very best commentary very knowingly poked fun at the ridiculousness of the WWF:

• (On Scotty 2 Hotty's "worm") If your Olympic Hero were to use the Worm in the 1996 Olympic Games, it would be so embarrassing to all the other athletes - and our country, mind you - that the USA would have finished behind Guam.
• ...not to mention our former tag team champions lost their titles after my good friend Christian was hit in the genitals with a hockey stick by a midget! I mean enough is enough."
• (To "Justin Credible") You know... when one speaks your name very fast, it just sounds like just incredible
• (To "The Undertaker") Undertaker, if that is your real name..."

Life needs more Kurt Angles'...

In Scott's bedroom is a Polaroid picture of my brother (he was probably about 11 or 12 at the time), Angel's huge arm is around him. We were both fans and I - a freshman in college at the time - told him about a visit Angle was making to Trumbull mall, so Scott went, excited to meet his hero. Angle came to him when his back was turned, and the picture was taken just after Scott turned around. He looks so happy in the picture. When times were rough for him, and especially the night he died, I always wonder if he looked at the picture. I also think of the picture - the younger, happier version of himself - looking out into the room at him, silent witness to whatever misery might be going on.

But thank you for taking the picture with him, Kurt Angle. It meant - it means - a lot to me.