The most recognized and loved athlete in World History is about to die

[Bully13]

family members are saying it's only hours away at this point.

what a hell of a fighter. those classic interviews with Howard Cosell. the combination of size and speed was way special.

sorry, I'm 53 and I grew up watching him fight. he was mean, tough and out smarted his opponents. loved foreman and frazier too, don't get me wrong. those guys were all bad asses.

but there will NEVER EVER be a Muhammad Ali. the Greatest. " I shook up the World!!!!" "I'm too Pretty too lose to somebody that ugly!!!"""

"Gonna beat the gorilla in Manilla!!"....

[Saltydog]

of religion to avoid serving his country. I respect his boxing skills but not the man.

[Bully13]

of religion to avoid serving his country. I respect his boxing skills but not the man.

can't argue with your take. it's just that I was too young to be into politics at the time and all I cared about was what memories he brought me when I was basically a child. ain't gonna let it go due to politics. dude was special and SO entertaining.

[AlmostPositive]

There are parts to Ali's past that are better left unmentioned. Overall, he was a remarkable public figure and an incredible athlete.

[msstate7]

Did all of those great fights back then take place on regular television?

[Saltydog]

heavyweight fights. Back then the heavyweight division of boxing was STACKED. You had Ali, Smoking Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, the Spinks bros. and an up and comer by the name of Larry Holmes. What we didn't get to watch live we saw on tape delay. Back then news didn't travel quite as fast as it does today. We had 3 tv channels, no 24 hour news or sports networks and no social media. Life was much simpler.

[Liverpooldawg]

Best loved, no. He was a great boxer but he was also a draft dodger.

[starkvegasdawg]

Hearing now he has died.

[Liverpooldawg]

Just broke, he has died.

[msstate7]

Well we just lost a legend. Prayers to his family

[Dawg61]

Man this sucks

[AlmostPositive]

The Greatest


2353

[RougeDawg]

And of course ESPN brings up civil rights and south in 40-60's. Never let a good crisis go to waste when you have an agenda to push. Do we have any media outlets these days that simply report the news? Seems to me every one tells what they want about a subject or topic to fit a narrative, rather than reporting the truth and facts.

[Drugs Delaney]

Cosell to Ali: I saw Sonny Liston the other day...
Ali interrupts: Aint he ugly

I loved the guy.

[PassInterference]

Watch some Ali YouTubes. What a badass. Quite the showboat trash talker too.

[BeardoMSU]

C'mon, lets lay off the draft dodging shit, and just appreciate the man for what he did....glass houses and shit....

[parabrave]

C'mon, lets lay off the draft dodging shit, and just appreciate the man for what he did....glass houses and shit....

I saw everyone of his fights. I also remember what one of our neighbors who lost his son in vietnam said after "down goes Frazier.

[bulldawg28]

C'mon, lets lay off the draft dodging shit, and just appreciate the man for what he did....glass houses and shit....

Exactly. Everyone here when it's their time to go will have plenty of items people can say they did wrong. Well again maybe not because we're not famous and no-one will care enough to look into it. Most people talking draft dodging comments thus far probably have never fought to protect the country either.

[M.Fillmore]

Yeah, lay off guys. We all know how Islam ranks equally to Amish in their commitment to non-violence. Ali was sincere to his commitment to being non-violent so he could fight in a ring.***

[BrunswickDawg]

Yeah, lay off guys. We all know how Islam ranks equally to Amish in their commitment to non-violence. Ali was sincere to his commitment to being non-violent so he could fight in a ring.***
Which he was willing to give up, in his prime, which cost him plenty (and not just in money). That is a different kind of courage that most people don't have.

[AlmostPositive]

Yeah, lay off guys. We all know how Islam ranks equally to Amish in their commitment to non-violence. Ali was sincere to his commitment to being non-violent so he could fight in a ring.***

Ali should be forgiven his early indiscretions. We all should. For the past thirty-five years or so he has lived a decent life.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

He hated the very country that adored him. He was a coward. I'm sad that he died, but he is who he is.

[Bodawg]

Ali was a great boxer, not the best athlete in the world. I will forever remember him as a draft dodger and was glad when Frazier took the title. Just like Hanoi Jane. There's somethings you just don't forget.

[shannondawg]

I enjoyed watching Leon Spinks defeat him at pay for view site in Jackson Coliseum. I couldn't get over him being a draft dodger.

Liked him a lot better after he quit fighting.

[Dawgface]

I enjoyed watching him box. May he R.I.P.

[Saltydog]

that gave him so much. Yes, he had arguably the best boxing skills of all time but I just can't respect the man. Joe Louis, on the other hand, he served this country in WWII as did Ted Williams. Hell, even Elvis served. Again, great boxer, YES. Great entertainer, YES. Great American, NO!

[DownwardDawg]

I enjoyed watching him box. May he R.I.P.

Well said.

[parabrave]

Pound for pound I would take Sugar Ray Leonard any day.

[msbulldog]

Ali made me a boxing fan when I was very young, style, grace and loud mouth made boxing fun. I have pretty much lost interest now, just not the same show. RIP

[msbulldog]

heavyweight fights. Back then the heavyweight division of boxing was STACKED. You had Ali, Smoking Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, George Foreman, the Spinks bros. and an up and comer by the name of Larry Holmes. What we didn't get to watch live we saw on tape delay. Back then news didn't travel quite as fast as it does today. We had 3 tv channels, no 24 hour news or sports networks and no social media. Life was much simpler.

Man, you are so right, the great era of boxing. Great entertainment in days of not so much entertainment on TV.

[msbulldog]

He should be remembered as the first great smack talker, maybe the greatest ever.

[Mutt the Hoople]

My dad, a Vietnam vet, despised Ali.

I never though much about it, until I heard the stories of how Joe Frazier financially supported Ali during his 1967-70 exile, and repaid him by calling him a Gorilla and an Uncle Tom.

Cassius Clay, named after a strong courageous abolitionist and later took on the name of his ancestors' slave traders, was actually from a well-to-do family and grew up in a middle-class environment. On the other hand, Joe Frazier was born in a sharecroppers shack in South Carolina and picked cotton to help support his family.

Ali was an excellent boxer (definitely top 5 all-time), a mediocre mind, and an ungrateful wretch.

[sleepy dawg]

Y'all f*cking suck... Every time one of the greats dies, the thread becomes overrun with people wanting to make sure everyone knows all their shortcomings in life. There aren't many "greats" out there. When they die, can we not just honor the greatness and enjoyment they brought to the world?

[BeardoMSU]

Y'all f*cking suck... Every time one of the greats dies, the thread becomes overrun with people wanting to make sure everyone knows all their shortcomings in life. There aren't many "greats" out there. When they die, can we not just honor the greatness and enjoyment they brought to the world?

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to sleepy dawg again.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

There aren't many "greats" out there. When they die, can we not just honor the greatness and enjoyment they brought to the world?

I guess I have a hard time with people worshiping a guy who despised America and despised Christianity. Bin Laden was a great terrorist. The grand wizard of the KKK is a great organizer. I'm not really interested in honoring their "greatness". But to each his own. Ali hated America.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

And no, I am not comparing Ali's draft dodging to Bin Laden killing folks on 911, so don't make that leap.

[Saltydog]

nt

[msbulldog]

Yea I did 1955 lived through it all Viet Nam, intergration, assasinations, Nixon, riots, some shitty MSU seasons.... Ali's draft dodging (and many others, he did it legally, others just went to Canada) was pretty insignificant in those times, looking back in reflection

[starkvegasdawg]

Y'all f*cking suck... Every time one of the greats dies, the thread becomes overrun with people wanting to make sure everyone knows all their shortcomings in life. There aren't many "greats" out there. When they die, can we not just honor the greatness and enjoyment they brought to the world?

Did you honor the greatness of Paterno knowing he helped cover up the rape of children? He was a great coach after all. How about the comedic greatness of Bill Cosby when he dies?

I'm all for honoring great people when they die and overlooking minor things they may have done. Spitting on this country and turning your back on it is not minor and a deal breaker for many. Was he a great boxer? Yes. Great person? No. And to me the latter is much more important than the former.

[Dolphus Raymond]

He was truly The Greatest.
As for "draft-dodging", Rush Limbaugh, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney et al say hi.

[shoeless joe]

He was truly The Greatest.
As for "draft-dodging", Rush Limbaugh, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney et al say hi.

I won't celebrate them when they die either

[Bully13]

He was truly The Greatest.
As for "draft-dodging", Rush Limbaugh, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney et al say hi.

True dat. Don't forget bill Clinton either.

[War Machine Dawg]

And of course ESPN brings up civil rights and south in 40-60's. Never let a good crisis go to waste when you have an agenda to push. Do we have any media outlets these days that simply report the news? Seems to me every one tells what they want about a subject or topic to fit a narrative, rather than reporting the truth and facts.

Google the macguffinization of media. Once you do that, the news makes so much more sense. Your observation is spot on.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

Did you honor the greatness of Paterno knowing he helped cover up the rape of children? He was a great coach after all. How about the comedic greatness of Bill Cosby when he dies?

I'm all for honoring great people when they die and overlooking minor things they may have done. Spitting on this country and turning your back on it is not minor and a deal breaker for many. Was he a great boxer? Yes. Great person? No. And to me the latter is much more important than the former.

Agreed. And you forgot OJ. He was a great football player.

[Fred Garvin]

of religion to avoid serving his country. I respect his boxing skills but not the man.

Also the end of sportsmanship and the start of trash talking as a sport.