Open Happy Birthday Thread: The Greatest

A lot of the ridiculous attitudes affected by modern sports stars originated with Ali – which is one reason I stopped watching professional sports – so don't expect me to be anything other than critical. The idea of, "good sportsmanship" is passe and nearly dead because of this man.

I had the opportunity to see him spar at Yakota AFB in Japan when he was on his way to Manilla. I passed. Already, at age 13, I knew there was something, "not right" about his schtick. Turns out he referred to the Base Commander – a full-bird colonel – as, "Sarge" throughout his stay. No class.

Now we get the political Rope-a-Dope from today's"World's Greatest" egomaniac, great

But IMO the voters of Massachusetts are about to deliver the Boy Wonder a hideous shock and reality check… one that's as desperately needed as it is long, long overdue…

http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com...

Smokin' Joe was my man. I met him at a fight when I was about 11 years old — "Irish" Jerry Quarry was on the card and was due to face Frazier a few months down the road. Frazier was there to do some scouting. He shook my hand, signed an autograph and was just the nicest guy you could imagine.

Clay/Ali is a jerk.

And from what I know, Frazier is doing very well nowadays, while Ali is suffering severely.

Karma?

Ali should have never called the great Joe Frazier an "ugly gorilla".

And many people tell me Frazier was robbed of the decision in the "Thrilla in Manila".

I don't follow boxing. Wouldn't surprise me if Mohammed Ali was a jerk in person, but he was one fine looking hunk o' man flesh in his heyday.

Check out the new version of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Barack Hussein Obama" at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber

You'll get a laugh! And don't you need one these days?

Maybe DC will take her hunting.

Citizens of (thank DrEdu!) Massaschusetts – BRING a CAMERA or VIDEO CAMERA to the polls tuesday. SEIU et al WILL BE INTIMIDATING VOTERS,

If you are obviously NOT union or a "person of color" voter these Democrat(SS) wiil be after YOU! If you're a senior citizen ask a family member to go with you to vote. These criminal unions are getting HUGE tax advantages and are STEALING your Medicare BENEFITS.

You PAID for those benefits, don't let a UNION THUG STEAL THEM!

This is for ALL the socialist marbles. Unions STAND to benefit BIG from this "Healthcare Sham" and this criminal administration.

It's "quid pro quo" now Clarese, "quid pro quo". I'd LOVE to hear the phone calls between Obama and SEIU

Here's a doozy of a story for you on Cass Sunstein

http://www.salon.com/news/cass_sunstein/index.htm...

Being a fan of boxing from my childhood years, as well as a practicioner of the "Sweet science", I would have to disagree with anyone who states simply that "Ali was/is the greatest boxer of all time"…..Uhhh, no, what Ali did to boxing and sports in general was to alienate huge droves of people because of his mouth and his highly unprofessional sportsmanship. If you watch his fights where he was actually fighting someone of high caliber(Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman), you must notice that Ali's strategy was not so much to "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", but to go into rope-a-dope mode and absorb a tremendous amount of punishment until his opponent punched himself out, then Ali would move in. No doubt, Ali had the heart of a lion, but look where it got him, he's the most punch drunk fighter in todays boxing scene. BTW, all of the aforementioned boxers, at one time or another, beat Ali, many people have a misconception of Ali being undefeated……..

Joe Frazier is twice the men Ali will ever be.George Foreman is 10 times the man Ali will ever be. I don't know about Karma, but Ali's own strategy of rope-a-dope got him to the state of confusion he lives in today.

I could be wrong, but believe Ali's health problems are more physical rather than mental impairments. His mind has been functional but the problems with movement and speech we see must be their own type of hell to live with. The last I read of someone meeting him had him enjoying the attention but was reduced to having his thoughts and answers conveyed by a loved one. This was back at the Olympic torch lighting event though.

Great men have been amog us:hands that penned
And tongues that uttered wisdom–better none
The later Sidney, Marvel, Harrington,
Young Vane, and others who called Milton friend
These moralists could act and comprehend:
They knew how genuine glory was put on;
Taught us how rightfully a nation shone
In splendour: what strength was, that would not bend
But in magnanimous meekness. France, 'tis strange,
Hath brought forth no souls as we had then.
Perpetual emptiness! unceasing change!
No single volume paramount, no code,
No master spirit, no determined road;
But equally a want of books and men

– William Wordsworth "Great Men have been among us"

Scott Brown. A good one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cumm5J7WPF8

love the kid at the end…

But no boxer has had the personality/fame/presence that Ali had, and no-one brought boxing so deep into popular culture. He had many flaws, but his showmanship has yet to be equalled. There just isn't anyone who galvanized the sport so much. Ask people around the world to name a boxer, and I'd bet Ali's name _still_ comes first. Now? it's all about mixed martial arts, and who's the top boxer? Pacquiao? Perhaps a fine athlete, but none of Ali's charisma.

I stand corrected. I was remembering Ali before he wasrightly banned from fighting because he refused to be drafted during the Viet Nam war.

Ali was always about himself. I never understood the allure of the "Ali mystique", he was a train wreck, although not on the scale of say, Mike Tyson…..

Did De La Hoya ever get to fight Superman in his own comic book? I think not! Maybe because I was a kid in the 70's, Ali made MUCH more of an impression on pop culture than De La Hoya ever has, although De La Hoya has certainly proved to be the better businessman. Not saying there aren't good/better boxers today, but I'm saying none have affected the culture overall the way Ali did, and boxing doesn't seem to enjoy the significance it had in the public eye even ten years ago.

If Ali is the first boxer people think of, I'd bet the second would be Rocky Balboa.

Ali got to fight Superman in his own comic book? I never knew it existed, who won?;-) I'm also a 70's childhood refugee, and I realise the impact Ali had on pop culture, which is fading more and more everyday.If you go into certain segments of society you'd realise the true impact men like ODH have had on their own pop culture.ODH is idolised by many, many hispanic youths today. To say boxing dosen't enjoy the significance it had in the public eye even ten years ago I think is wrong. MMA was supposed to have pushed boxing off the national radar screen ten years ago, and hasn't made an appreciable impact on it yet. Simply look at the revenues of MMA versus boxing. IMO, MMA has over exposed itself, while boxing suffers from being underexposed. A pay-per view boxing match of top contenders FAR outsells any MMA show, anytime, time after time.
I definitely agree with your statement about Ali and pop culture though. My point is Ali was hyped and put into everyone's face, how could he not be popular? Rocky Balboa second most known boxer? Ha ha, that's excellent!! LMAO. That wouldn't surprise me one bit, to the "Average Joe"………..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_vs._Muhamma...

I have known a few Muslims from the Middle East over the years that I met before 911. I can tell you with much confidence that the "honorable Elijah Mohammed" and the Nation of Islam were looked upon by them as an example of Islam the same way we would view a cult like the Branch Davidians as an example of Christianity.

This was recognized by Malcolm X when he visitied Mecca and met Muslims who were not using their position to force underage girls into their bedroom. Of course Elijah had him shot for that. The problem e have today is that any Muslim that speak up against the Wahhabi Saudis today also gets shot. Evidence the Greens in Iran.

Too cool, thanks! …….Hanzo

"My honor student beat up France", Just sayin' Hanzo…..

Say what you want but Ali was the consummate showman. He knew promotion.
"Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee!"

So was I ! : )

By the way, the Superman vs. Ali comic will be reprint in two new editions:

http://www.popcultureshock.com/supermanali-reprin...

I've only seen the comic in a museum so this will be worth checking out.

maatkare is correct that unlike many of his peers Ali was more willing to (shamelessly?) market himself, thus garnering a more iconic public image. Even stunts like Ali fighting the Man of Steel enabled him tap into an audience outside the diehard boxing fanbase.

So, love him or hate him, Ali has had a major impact on pop culture.

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Agreed. I've read Islamic analysts who say that if the Islamic flag ever flew over America that the Black Muslims would be given the same choices as Christians: conversion, tax or extermination.

However, M X didn't have a good look at the "true" Islamics.

According to the people I am reading, Iranian clerics routinely rape and sell the women of their competitors to other Muslims outside of Iran.

Then there are men in, I believe, Yemen who force children to race camels. Those boys end up with their master's penises where the sun don't shine.

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Agreed. I've read Islamic analysts who say that if the Islamic flag ever flew over America that the Black Muslims would be given the same choices as Christians: conversion, tax or extermination.

However, M X didn't have a good look at the "true" Islamics.

According to the people I am reading, Iranian clerics routinely rape and sell the women of their political competitors to other Muslims outside of Iran.

Then there men in, I believe, Yemen who force children to race camels. Those boys end up with their masters’ penises where the sun don't shine.

Answer to the question: Indisputably Ali.

Actually, it was my daughter …………… Hanzo

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