Muhammad Ali

[PhatMack19]

He's on life support and it doesn't sound like he has much time left.  The Greatest of All Time!

 

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[PhatMack19]

RIP

 

 

 

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

#RIP 

[PhatMack19]

I originally posted this in the pro sports forum, but moved it down here to get some opinions.  

 

Has any athlete ever made as much of a difference socially as Ali?  

How do the older people view him?  Hero or draft dodger?

 

I'm a huge boxing fan.  I grew up after Ali, but loved watching his old videos.  I didn't know or care much about his political views growing up, but I always loved him as a boxer and performer.  To me he will always be the greatest and I miss when boxing was actually a legit sport.  

 

 

[PAMFAM10]

If it was kept on the sports side I'll just say greatest of all time ... Politically he lived in a very different world than I do today... No problem with refusing to go to Vietnam.

[PhatMack19]

"The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see"

 

 

[PhatMack19]

 

 

[BS Wildcats]

RIP

[Hagar]

To most of us who served at the time, yes,he was a draft dodger.  Only one of many at that time. That said, he had the fastest hands I ever saw on a big man.  And just as rare for a heavyweight boxer, he was very charismatic, and made boxing popular again.  His prior fight rantings, didn't come off as belligerent, but more like entertainment.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".  RIP

[JustUs]

Philanthropist-Boxer-Legend-Entertainer....RIP- CHAMP...

[Peppermint Patty]

Agree or disagree, he was a man of conviction. 

He was the first athlete that I can recall watching on TV. He would fight on Saturdays on Wide World of Sports. Without Ali, there is no ESPN.  He was an athlete and an entertainer. 

Maybe it was because of my age,maybe it was just ignorance on my part, but there was no "black" label on Ali. He was not the greatest "black" boxer, he was simply The Greatest.

I loved to watch him, listen to him, see him interact with Cosell. Just the memory of him makes me smile.

Rest in Peace. 

 

[baddog]

Ali had to face the greatest list of contenders. I can name most of them and anyone who lived back then probably can name the top 3 (Frazier, Foreman, and Norton). Larry Holmes era came next and he went undefeated, but I can't recall a big name he faced. Ali took a shot at Holmes, who was previously Ali's sparring partner, in a fight that should have been stopped. To this day I can't believe it wasn't. I believe it led to his deteriorating condition, but that's just me.

Ali WAS the greatest. He could slide (avoid) a punch better than anyone I have ever seen. From his brash fighting days, he became the world's most r cognizable face and became a fine ambassador for the US.

May he R.I.P.

[Dick Vitale]

5 hours ago, REBgp said:

To most of us who served at the time, yes,he was a draft dodger.  Only one of many at that time. That said, he had the fastest hands I ever saw on a big man.  And just as rare for a heavyweight boxer, he was very charismatic, and made boxing popular again.  His prior fight rantings, didn't come off as belligerent, but more like entertainment.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee".  RIP

Draft dodger? What GOOD reason can YOU give for killing people that did NOTHING to you? Or fighting for a country that treated you like a second class citizen? Don't worry.....I'll wait....SMH.

[baddog]

Friends I knew in high school were drafted and some of them killed in Vietnam. First class, second class, third class, it didn't matter. The draft applied to everyone.....even Elvis.

[Hagar]

2 hours ago, Dick Vitale said:

 

Draft dodger? What GOOD reason can YOU give for killing people that did NOTHING to you? Or fighting for a country that treated you like a second class citizen? Don't worry.....I'll wait....SMH.

First of all, if you can read and comprehend, and I've found few liberals who can. I was answering a query posed by PhatMack19.  He ask, how do the older people see him?  Hero or draft dodger"?  I responded with how I perceived what he did as draft dodging (he d-man sure wasn't a hero).  And added, he was only one of many.   A conscientious objector was someone who's religion forbade him from taking a life.  Ali had no problem fighting a war, only fighting it for the Christian country in which he lived.  Like most Muslims he was a scumbag.

Also, the remainder of my post was a compliment to the man.  I was being gracious.   And what gives you the right to jump on my butt?   Are you aware that this forum has rules about using words in all capitals?

The war was started by Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who won election by saying, "I'm not sending American boys 10,000 miles to fight an Asian boys war" and when elected, did just that.

What good reason?  It was the law!  Are you of the opinion that laws apply to everyone but blacks?  Hundreds of thousand black, white, brown, red, and yellow young men fought in that war.  I had six friends that died in Vietnam Nam.  What gave him the right to NOT go in the military?  

[nappyroots]

40 minutes ago, REBgp said:

First of all, if you can read and comprehend, and I've found few liberals who can. I was answering a query posed by PhatMack19.  He ask, how do the older people see him?  Hero or draft dodger"?  I responded with how I perceived what he did as draft dodging (he d-man sure wasn't a hero).  And added, he was only one of many.   A conscientious objector was someone who's religion forbade him from taking a life.  Ali had no problem fighting a war, only fighting it for the Christian country in which he lived.  Like most Muslims he was a scumbag.

Also, the remainder of my post was a compliment to the man.  I was being gracious.   And what gives you the right to jump on my butt?   Are you aware that this forum has rules about using words in all capitals?

The war was started by Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who won election by saying, "I'm not sending American boys 10,000 miles to fight an Asian boys war" and when elected, did just that.

What good reason?  It was the law!  Are you of the opinion that laws apply to everyone but blacks?  Hundreds of thousand black, white, brown, red, and yellow young men fought in that war.  I had six friends that died in Vietnam Nam.  What gave him the right to NOT go in the military?  

In 1967 blacks didn't have equal rights, he said that he would have fought if he was fighting for his freedom. Blacks didn't even have equal rights in the armed forces back then. (through no fault of todays generation of whites). But whites in 1967 were kind of terroristic towards blacks. I believe that we need to get off this democrat and republican thing, politicians are laughing all the way to the bank....Hillary and Donald will be alright no matter who wins, will we? The answer to the above question....he dodged the draft. In boxing he's was a champion!

[baddog]

Elvis Presley was Indian and he went.

[Dick Vitale]

1 hour ago, REBgp said:

First of all, if you can read and comprehend, and I've found few liberals who can. I was answering a query posed by PhatMack19.  He ask, how do the older people see him?  Hero or draft dodger"?  I responded with how I perceived what he did as draft dodging (he d-man sure wasn't a hero).  And added, he was only one of many.   A conscientious objector was someone who's religion forbade him from taking a life.  Ali had no problem fighting a war, only fighting it for the Christian country in which he lived.  Like most Muslims he was a scumbag.

Also, the remainder of my post was a compliment to the man.  I was being gracious.   And what gives you the right to jump on my butt?   Are you aware that this forum has rules about using words in all capitals?

The war was started by Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who won election by saying, "I'm not sending American boys 10,000 miles to fight an Asian boys war" and when elected, did just that.

What good reason?  It was the law!  Are you of the opinion that laws apply to everyone but blacks?  Hundreds of thousand black, white, brown, red, and yellow young men fought in that war.  I had six friends that died in Vietnam Nam.  What gave him the right to NOT go in the military?  

I read and comprehend better than most. MY point was why does anyone have to fight for a country that WAS NOT FIGHTING FOR THEM? And second, yes, his religious belief also came into play, but his conscious mind led him to not want to harm anyone that was not harming HIM...That's FAIR...Hey REBgp....I bet you still have a confederate flag hanging from your double wide trailer door, huh? SMH

[PAMFAM10]

Elvis Presley was not hated and discriminated on because of his skin and religion. Can you imagine not just being black but a black Muslim around those times. To live in what's supposed to be a free country yet feel so far from free. Your country telling you your not good enough for basic  god giving rights but you can go die in this pointless war.

[Hagar]

8 minutes ago, Dick Vitale said:

I read and comprehend better than most. MY point was why does anyone have to fight for a country that WAS NOT FIGHTING FOR THEM? And second, yes, his religious belief also came into play, but his conscious mind led him to not want to harm anyone that was not harming HIM...That's FAIR...Hey REBgp....I bet you still have a confederate flag hanging from your double wide trailer door, huh? SMH

No Dick, I don't own a confederate flag or a double wide trailer.  I'll tell you something else, I'm not a racist, but your comments indicate you are.

Ali refused to be drafted, which was the law, based on a reason that was not valid. And of the millions called, I'd bet not one single other person was allowed CO status, ergo, he's a draft dodger.

One other thing, have you served in the military?   No?  I thought not.

[baddog]

Wow, someone calls Ali a draft dodger, which he was, he got off light with the stripping of his title and he couldn't box for a few years, and here we are making it a race issue. Thanks Dickie and Pam, this is all you are about which means you have nothing. How sad.

[Dick Vitale]

2 minutes ago, REBgp said:

No Dick, I don't own a confederate flag or a double wide trailer.  I'll tell you something else, I'm not a racist, but your comments indicate you are.

Ali refused to be drafted, which was the law, based on a reason that was not valid. And of the millions called, I'd bet not one single other person was allowed CO status, ergo, he's a draft dodger.

One other thing, have you served in the military?   No?  I thought not.

Racist? me? No way! I just call it like I see it...It was a guess based on feel and context clues that's all...Me, serve in the military? HA! No way, man! I qualified academically and also earned a full basketball scholarship, so there was no need...Although I was recruited to attend West Point, I declined the offer as well. Bottom line is, Muhammed Ali had EVERY right to tell those people NO. I would have done the EXACT same thing.

[Dick Vitale]

4 minutes ago, baddog said:

Wow, someone calls Ali a draft dodger, which he was, he got off light with the stripping of his title and he couldn't box for a few years, and here we are making it a race issue. Thanks Dickie and Pam, this is all you are about which means you have nothing. How sad.

Got off light? They took this man's livelihood, just because he refused to KILL FOR THEM FOR NO GOOD REASON...Are you serious?

[baddog]

Draft dodging could mean jail time.

[PAMFAM10]

1 hour ago, REBgp said:

First of all, if you can read and comprehend, and I've found few liberals who can. I was answering a query posed by PhatMack19.  He ask, how do the older people see him?  Hero or draft dodger"?  I responded with how I perceived what he did as draft dodging (he d-man sure wasn't a hero).  And added, he was only one of many.   A conscientious objector was someone who's religion forbade him from taking a life.  Ali had no problem fighting a war, only fighting it for the Christian country in which he lived.  Like most Muslims he was a scumbag.

Also, the remainder of my post was a compliment to the man.  I was being gracious.   And what gives you the right to jump on my butt?   Are you aware that this forum has rules about using words in all capitals?

The war was started by Democrat Lyndon Johnson, who won election by saying, "I'm not sending American boys 10,000 miles to fight an Asian boys war" and when elected, did just that.

What good reason?  It was the law!  Are you of the opinion that laws apply to everyone but blacks?  Hundreds of thousand black, white, brown, red, and yellow young men fought in that war.  I had six friends that died in Vietnam Nam.  What gave him the right to NOT go in the military?  

Draft dodging: is part of what makes Ali a hero to a lot. support for the war was very low he wasn't running he just refused to go fight a fight that wasn't his to fight. "You my opposer when I want justice  your my opposer when I want freedom.... You want me to go somewhere to fight but you won't even stand up for me right here at home."  

It was law: new transgender law? Not all laws are right.

what gave him the right: everyone had the right to go or go to jail he chose not to go.