04/24/24
June 04, 2016
posted by grum@work at 01:08 AM on June 04, 2016
posted by grum@work at 01:08 AM on June 04, 2016
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posted by owlhouse at 01:37 AM on June 04, 2016
He's now floating like a butterfly towards heaven.
posted by jagsnumberone at 03:52 AM on June 04, 2016
Nobody was a bigger sports legend than Ali. Was any athlete ever better suited to the enormous spotlight? I loved his sparring with Howard Cosell.
Given the decline of boxing since he retired, I think his reputation as the greatest heavyweight of all time is secure for another century.
posted by rcade at 07:45 AM on June 04, 2016
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posted by tommybiden at 09:44 AM on June 04, 2016
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Agree with all the above. Beyond the fighting he was a major force for good, raising over $100 million for Parkinson's research alone.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:40 AM on June 04, 2016
If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend "When We Were Kings", or even just watching the Rumble in the Jungle. It's right up there with the greatest sports moments in history.
posted by grum@work at 11:05 AM on June 04, 2016
Mini-doc about Ali lighting the torch in 1996.
posted by grum@work at 11:18 AM on June 04, 2016
I sometimes complain about being old but I feel blessed that I lived in Ali's era and was able to follow his career as it happened. "The greatest of all time" he was right. RIP.
posted by ic23b at 06:48 PM on June 04, 2016
I have vivid memories of listening to the Liston fights on an old AM radio as a kid. Most AM signals get wonky after dark as the stations reduce power at sunset. You had to keep your hand on the tuner dial to maintain the signal and the broadcasts were barely decipherable. It was like listening to the Voice of America in the Soviet Union.
I knew Foreman was in trouble in 1974 as soon as I saw that he had brought a police dog and a bunch of coordinated outfits to Zaire. I kept looking for the camel train and the concubines. He was displaced and uncomfortable. Ali was home.
posted by beaverboard at 08:36 PM on June 04, 2016
O o (that's Ali jabbing ya)
posted by NoMich at 10:52 PM on June 04, 2016
MSNBC usually shows "prison porn" (life for prisoners behind bars) on weekend nights, but last night it re-aired its studio coverage from the morning, then aired several documentaries - I believe one was "Rumble in the Jungle."
When Mike Tyson was in his prime, pounding opponents within a few rounds, people would think I was nuts when I'd state Ali would beat Tyson. It wouldn't necessarily be by a knockout but, if Tyson tried to overwhelm Ali early, Ali would have let him wear out (as Foreman did in Zaire). Ali's brain over Tyson's brawn probably would have resulted in a 4- or 5-point decision across the cards.
posted by jjzucal at 01:10 PM on June 05, 2016