As someone who has followed Kevin's career since the first time I saw him wrestle in 2003 and even if I was privy to how his split from Jacques Rougeau's tutelage happened, it's beautiful to see that story being told from the viewpoint of a foreigner who didn't have that opportunity.
Your essays are amazing, i already knew when i discovered them a bit ago, but i didnt enjoy them as deserved. I just read was quick as i could (being english not my first language, sure i missed quite a lot). But now i´ve finished, and its time for me to start again: slow, carefully, seeing all the vids so i can have a better idea about their story. Sami was also my fave back in 2014 and i did a similar journey trying to figure out was has happened btw Kevin and him. I only had youtube and no idea where tp find anything else, being in a country when i feel almost none care about wrestling, and specially none cares as much as i do :) Anyway, im ready to start reading again, and hope you don´t mind, leave you some comments too. Hope its okay. I guess its like a diary, i couldnt share it before with anyone.
This was magnificent, as always. What a perfect example of the hermeneutic circle!
that after-match footage was so important. You could tell in the last moments than an exhausted Steen was just barely holding it together. He had wrestled against his soulmate and gave it everything he had and got exactly the same from that skinny masked man. How could he walk away, knowing the magic he could make? In the end, it just goes to show that it never pays to sell your soul.
Also, even early in Sami's career, note how much that little crowd LOVED him. Chants, cheers, hugs--El Generico was an all-time babyface.
Your line about making other people understand how they feel about you through their actions is telling in more ways than one. Sami gave Kevin everything, and Kevin knew it. Similarly, you note that you and Kevin (and Sami too, I would wager) rarely talk.
Yet you do talk. They read your critique. They respond to it, on screen. They know you care, and more importantly, they know you are the critic of record for them, understanding their art. Of course Kevin was up at 3am recording this match from a VCR onto his ipad. You have been having a conversation without words for a long time.
You inspire me as a writer and critic, JJ. Thank you.
Just a belated comment to say how wonderful this was to read - I think your essays are amazing, and looking forward to working through the whole set.
As someone who has followed Kevin's career since the first time I saw him wrestle in 2003 and even if I was privy to how his split from Jacques Rougeau's tutelage happened, it's beautiful to see that story being told from the viewpoint of a foreigner who didn't have that opportunity.
That was beautiful. Thanks for taking us along on the journey.
Your essays are amazing, i already knew when i discovered them a bit ago, but i didnt enjoy them as deserved. I just read was quick as i could (being english not my first language, sure i missed quite a lot). But now i´ve finished, and its time for me to start again: slow, carefully, seeing all the vids so i can have a better idea about their story. Sami was also my fave back in 2014 and i did a similar journey trying to figure out was has happened btw Kevin and him. I only had youtube and no idea where tp find anything else, being in a country when i feel almost none care about wrestling, and specially none cares as much as i do :) Anyway, im ready to start reading again, and hope you don´t mind, leave you some comments too. Hope its okay. I guess its like a diary, i couldnt share it before with anyone.
JJ,
This was magnificent, as always. What a perfect example of the hermeneutic circle!
that after-match footage was so important. You could tell in the last moments than an exhausted Steen was just barely holding it together. He had wrestled against his soulmate and gave it everything he had and got exactly the same from that skinny masked man. How could he walk away, knowing the magic he could make? In the end, it just goes to show that it never pays to sell your soul.
Also, even early in Sami's career, note how much that little crowd LOVED him. Chants, cheers, hugs--El Generico was an all-time babyface.
Your line about making other people understand how they feel about you through their actions is telling in more ways than one. Sami gave Kevin everything, and Kevin knew it. Similarly, you note that you and Kevin (and Sami too, I would wager) rarely talk.
Yet you do talk. They read your critique. They respond to it, on screen. They know you care, and more importantly, they know you are the critic of record for them, understanding their art. Of course Kevin was up at 3am recording this match from a VCR onto his ipad. You have been having a conversation without words for a long time.
You inspire me as a writer and critic, JJ. Thank you.
I'm really happy you went all the way to look for this. Thank you
I love everything about this story.