11/05/24
December 25, 2005
Leon Spinks is down, not out.: The man who dethroned Muhammad Ali on a February night in 1978 in one of the greatest upsets in boxing history puts on his gloves -- not the red Everlast boxing gloves, but the orange Rubbermaid cleaning gloves. ... Now he cleans the local YMCA for $5.15 an hour on weekends, sometimes unloads trucks at McDonald's, and volunteers to help the homeless. ... "It ain't what you do," said the custodian. "It's how you do it.
posted by worldcup2002 to boxing at 08:29 PM - 12 comments
Hat's off to Spinks. Sad he drank his life away, but to get up and work for peanuts and be happy is more than many people can say. An honest job, nothing wrong with that! Good-day to Spinks.
posted by T$PORT4lawschool at 10:46 PM on December 25, 2005
This is not the place for a soapbox. It's way better to be a has-been than a never-was. I'm glad Leon Spinks has some peace.
posted by chicobangs at 10:52 PM on December 25, 2005
RIGHT ON LEON. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. WISH MORE PEOPLE HAD YOUR ATTITUDE AND THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.TO MANY LAZY PEOPLE OUT THERE. YOU MAY HAVE MADE BAD FINANCIAL DECISIONS BUT SO HAS GM, ENRON, MCI, ETC. DIFFERENCE IS THEY RIP YOU OFF AND LIE ABOUT IT. YOU ON THE OTHER HAND "LEON" TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BAD DECISION MAKING AND CONTINUE TO HAVE INTEGRITY. GOD BLESS YOU LEON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!STAY TOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by CORVETTE at 12:42 AM on December 26, 2005
It ain't what you do," said the custodian. "It's how you do it. This should read, It ain't what you do said the CHAMP. It's how you do it. It didnt read, "said the truck unloader", or "said the "volunteer". Its well known that He was not an educated man, but how many of us can say "I beat Ali" and then my son beat Larry Holmes. 1 of the best father/son teams in sports. Keep your head up CHAMP. Remember that there is never honor in what we do, The honor is in how we do it! God bless you and yours this Christmas.
posted by RZA at 04:08 AM on December 26, 2005
PEOPLE CAN STOP.....THINK ONE MOMENT WE HAVE A MAN ON TOP OF THE WORLD ,OR AT LEAST IN THE EYES OF US (REGULAR FOLK) THAT HAS NO SENSE OF STABILITY WHEN IF YOU WERE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND IMAGINE HOW YOU THOUGHT THE EX-CHAMP WAS LIVING YOU WOULD PROBABLY COME UP WITH OUR MODERN DAY HOLLYWOOD PERCEPTION, WICH LEAVES ME WITH MY POINT EXACTLY, WE ARE SOLD ALL OF THESE GLITTERING IMAGES ALL OF THESE LIFESTYLE AND RICHES STORIES WHEN WE HAVE LOST THE MAIN IMPORTANCE OF OUR ULTIMANT OUTCOME OUR ULTIMANT PURPOSE AND THE FACT THAT NO ONE IS SAFE FROM ONES OWN DISTRUCTION ONES OWN CONTENTMENT,LEON SPIMKS REALLY ISN'T IN GOOD SPIRITS HE JUST REALIZES HOW MUCH TRUE VALUE IN LIFE THAT HE HAS LOST DREAMING IN OUR IMAGINATIVE REALLITY SOCIETY HAS OF LIVING WITH A SOUR SENSE OF THE TRUTH
posted by ROCKINRUSSROBB at 09:27 AM on December 26, 2005
TO BE 40+ IN THE NFL AND STILL BRINGING A SENSE OF FASHION CONSCIENCENESS TO THE TABLE ...PLEASE DON'T TRY TO DEFY THE CONTINUOUS RISE AND CONSTANT SURPRISE TO EVEN ONES WHOM DESPISE OUR ONE AND ONLY TRUE ALL AROUND ATHLETE...THE ONE THE ONLY "PRIMETIME" DON'T HATE ON A GREAT.
posted by ROCKINRUSSROBB at 09:33 AM on December 26, 2005
Corvette, Rockinrussrobb I noticed both of you just joined today. Why don't you read the guidelines before you take it upon yourselves to use Caps in your entire comments. Get your own F**king Blogs, instead of disrespecting everyone here that came before you, no ones respects a loud mouth or will take anything you say seriously. If you just want to behave like children go away.
posted by skydivedad at 09:48 AM on December 26, 2005
Hi,I remember the night Leon won the Title over an undertrained Ali.I was too young to appreciate the manners of Spinks at the time.I look back and realise that Spinks truely respected Ali and was all most appolegetic in his post fight statements.When he lost the rematch he acted as if he was just a chapter in the book of a great legend.You do not see that type of prescience these days.I don't even know that it was a conscience act,but it left an impression on me and the way I view sports figures.I think Leons story would make a good sports movie.I believe he has a certain "class" about him.
Everybody. Shhhhh. This isn't Yahoo News. You're indoors now. No need to yell, we can hear you fine. It's true that Leon's win was a unique moment, although Buster Douglas seemed hyper-aware after knocking out Mike Tyson that he wasn't exactly Joe Louis, and he should enjoy the top of the mountain while he could, because his stay there was only going to last one or two fights.
posted by chicobangs at 10:30 AM on December 26, 2005
You may be interested to know (or not) that Leon Spinks was huge in Indonesia. Mainly because Ali was/is huge,and anyone who beats the greatest... Maybe someone could arrange a promotional tour or something.
posted by owlhouse at 02:45 PM on December 26, 2005
Leon Spinks seems to be making the best out of his situation, but it's sad that so many old boxers find themselves in situations like this later in their lives...
posted by Punkrockrat at 07:38 PM on December 26, 2005
So be it, with as many people who Do NOT want to work, or complain about work, screw them, at least the man has the same courage as he showed in the ring outside of it. If one can be a good boxer, so be it, ditto for rubbish man and so forth. There is honor in facing hardship and showing up to work each and everyday, regardless of the prestige attached to the task at hand.