Classic Forums Opinion on Muhammad Ali as a boxer, and a person.

Fair call. I too want the source for Ali being a paedo. HUGE claims that need to be supported by something better than say, third hand info.

 

Definitely. I mean, Holmes said "he'd **** anything that moved" is not to be taken too literally. But apparently it has. :huh

 

How many men in these positions wouldn't fukk anything that moved? Legal i mean. Hell, look at the stories about the Rock and Movie stars. These guys live in a different world to us, a hard one to comprehend if you hadn't been there i reckon.

 

Of course. But Russell will soon learn there's more to have a dick than just pissing through it. :good


Even yesterday a similar phrase came up. Her folks came for xmas dinner and her dad's a proper Scouser, who grew up in the same area as Paul McCartney, who was locally known as the 'town bull'. Even last night he again said the old "he'd have anything in a skirt he would" comment. I knew what he meant. Of course, when you're a rock star you can be balls-deep 24 hours a day if you choose, some fighters also enjoyed this kind of status and they made the most of it. Lucky *******s. :yep

 

I'm hearing ya mate hahaha

 

I never understand the new piety so many younger guys seem to profess. It could be I came of age during the exact right or wrong time, depending on your point of view, (after the pill, but before AIDS), but when I was in full swing, (so to speak), how many desirable women/girls we hit was one of the measures by which we judged our manhood, (that, and how well we could play ball, handle ourselves on the street and of course how tough we were). Let me quote a guy I like but know many don't, Bill Maher who asked rhetorically, "Since when did this country become Utah?"

 

I have got myself into as much trouble in this regard as my non celebrity status permits so I wont judge.

 

Ted Spoons thoughts:

Muhammad Ali; often contradictory, but often tongue in cheek.

If pushing our buttons means pushing the wrong one a few times then so be it.

There are too few original characters.

 

I think that the hateful Black Muslim-rhetoric that Ali continued to spout in his 30's showed the worst side of him, more so because I don't think he truly believed it. To act as nothing but a megaphone for Elijah Muhammed's ranting is a sign of embarrassing weakness of character, as was his shamelful treatment of Malcolm X.

But this also makes him more interesting, as it stands in contrast to many other things he did.

His treatment of Frazier is hardly flattering for him as a person either, but I think it perhaps has been a bit overexaggerated afterwards. How much true malice there was in it is hard to gauge exactly. He also said very insulting things to Liston, Patterson, Chuvalo, Foreman etc, without probably meaning too much of it (of course, this doesn't necissarily make it better).

I also think his attacks against Frazier in part have to be seen against the back-drop of his dealings with the authorities. He, of course, felt deep resentment for being stripped of his titles, a resentment that, however unfairly, probably spilled over towards Frazier. Frazier could after all be seen as the main benificary of of Ali being stripped of the title, even though he had played no part in it himself.

 

How many of our lives would stand up if put under a magnifying glass?

 

How many of us have the nickname "the greatest", are idolized by millions, and are treating like a living myth?

The magnifying glass comes with the territory.

 

The Evidence Suggests, there is minimal chance of a god, and less chance of atheism being correct. In fact, unless your ass, or the asses of any scientists who think they know, have died, and come back, you all have less evidence than the corns of my ****, thanks for playing, see you next time, on "Discussing Religion with Jack Presscot"

That being said, Ali as a boxer was an incredible machine. The Ali/Clay who beat the **** out of the invincible Sonny Liston was not of Earth. He had the defensive skills of Willie Pep, the handspeed and footwork of Ray Robinson, the ring savvy of Jack Johnson, and the heart of a Giant. He was unbeatable as a Fighter that night, for all time. Louis, Tyson or Holmes in their primes would not have been able to beat him.

Ali as an Icon, a Spokesman for Boxing, an Ambassador of the Sport? Wow. He was everything. To all people. I remember my grandmother speaking reverently of Ali. He was to people then, what Barack Obama is to the World now. Had Ali decided in his 40's and 50's to go into Politics, he would have done what Obama did. But he had his own path to follow. Today, he has, because of his affliction, put Parkinson's Syndrome on the map. He remains a devout Muslim, still spreading the Word of his God.

I remember the stories. Ali, after defeating the also invincible monster Foreman in Zaire, after the fight, showing little children magic tricks, uninterested in the press. Ali, before the fight, running in the streets of Zaire, with the little kids following him, like they did in Rocky II to rocky. Speaking to the peasants. BSing with them, though they didnt speak the same tongue, Ali could still communicate with them. The People of Zaire accepted Ali as their People's Champion. Who could forget the Iconic images? Ali with Elvis? The Beatles? Ali with Geraldine on the Flip Wilson Show, Ali being roasted on Dean Martin's show. Ali's commercial for his doll on Saturday AM cartoons? Ali vs. Superman on the cover of a comic book? Ali, the Black Superman, the song? The D-Con Commercials. Ali's movie, starring Ali as himself!!!

I was in Vegas in 2007 for the DLH-PBF fight. We were in the MGM the night of the fight, and Vitali Klitschko walked by us, nobody particularly noticing his unimportant ass. HAD THAT BEEN ALI even today, with the tremors, and having to use a cane, Ali would have been ****ing mobbed. People would have been trying to see him or touch him, and chanting ALI-ALI like it was 1974 all over again, baby. When Ali dies, it will be like when a President dies, with all the coverage. He is the most important name in the Sport. :bartfire

 

He's still a man, and like anybody else he is flawed. Phenomenal success, in any field doesn't make you flawless. Check it and see, if you know anybody who was/is ridiculously successful, maybe wealthy, maybe even famous you know this is true. Looking for perfection in icons is pure projection. Guess what, it doesn't exist.

Boxers, like famous musicians, actors, and I have known many, are just like the rest of us. When they're sweethearts it's only a coincidence, and they would have been the same sweethearts if they'd ended up bus drivers or teachers or anything else. You can dissect their personal lives if you wish, but I see no reason to hold them to a higher personal standard then you would anybody else. It's not fair. That does not, should not, come with the territory. All they owe you is what they do inside the ropes. Don't these guys already give enough? Isn't boxing already a tougher business than most? Now they're supposed to be stellar human beings on top of it? Bet the ones that you think do live up to it, if you knew everything about their personal lives you'd be disappointed,. And some of the guys you think are scumbags might pleasantly surprise you.

If Ali is called the greatest, it's not a reference to his character. It was a tag he laid on himself by the way, and it was done purely to sell tickets. He was "The Greatest", fight promoter that is ... "of all times..."

 

Great post mate.

 

:good