Well....
I think you are correct. But I used the word "crazy" meaning "impossible".
Of course they were at cruise, initially, but once they lost control, their perception undoubtedly altered, with unusual cues, one blank panel, etc.
"Crazy speed" is a clue to what I perceived to be a very confusing set of sensory inputs....
They likely never knew the AoA was that high, though it was accurate? How would they know, they had no instruments to tell them AoA. But Pitch at 10-15 degrees they experienced at least once per launch, right?
We weren't there. But they endured four minutes of "Pitch" that was "ridiculous" all the while trying to arrest a descent by pulling up......
At the last: "Pull, Pull, Pull....."
Give them a break?