not the TNA, "HHH 2.0" type Kurt Angle
even though he is cool.

but the Kurt Angle people were ashamed to admit they actually LIKED. the dude who was just so damn... WHITE and "patriotic" and goofy... but would whoop that ass.

I still remember that botched spot where Angle was supposed to suplex Shane McMahon through the King of the Ring glass, effed it up then he did it again.

And yeah. Rock is supposed to remind you of those times, but I just don't see it in anything he's done in this latest feud. When we used to watch him on TV and sort of stood in awe in his sheer assholia (we used to call him "The Cock" back then, because that's exactly how he acted), laughing all the while... it was like he was like a superjock given a microphone. This from a guy who was getting "Cena"-ish negative reactions everywhere he goes.

Cena himself was getting that when he first started the "rapper" gimmick in earnest, going up against Brock Lesnar. Then it turned into a "hey, you know, this guy is actually someone I'd like to watch in a match" thing. And years later, we have SuperCena.

The thing about Cena is, you KNOW he gives a fuck. He even changed his finisher for a minute because he even felt that glorified Fireman's Carry he was doing wasn't "cool" enough. I wonder if WWE ever got on his case for modifying it into that "Yebisu Drop" type move from Day of Reckoning 2.

Above you referenced that feud he had with Punk. That was cool. Punk was the perfect modern foil for Cena, in a way different than Orton (his natural foe) is. I think Cena actually shines in feuds like that, not-so-great booking aside.