So sad

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whats that called?

parkansins, I totally screwed the spelling

I am so sick of them trotting him out every year. What did the guy do that was so respectable? Besides draft dodging.

Parkinson's disease, brought on or aggravated by getting pounded in the head for so many years. I agree. He looked like he was on deaths door and didn't really know what was going on. I know he was known as the Louisville Lip, but parading a guy like that out there is pretty sad.

Gig'em<BR>Outrigger<BR>

I don't think he dodged the draft but instead simply refused to fight.

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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 1/2/2007 7:40p).]

Pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome

Poor guy looked scared to death out there.

who was the other guy out there with him? the one wearing the wake forest jersey?

Looked like Arnold Palmer but I only got a quick look.

As I recall, he claimed "concentious objector" status to avoid the draft on the basis of his conversion to Islam. He was named Cassius Clay before becoming a Muslim.

Seems kind of bogus in today's world, eh?

[This message has been edited by agent-maroon (edited 1/2/2007 7:45p).]

I watched my grandmother with Parkinson's for several years. Not a fun disease to have. Its hard to watch Ali with it as well.

The other guy WAS Arnold Palmer. He is a Wake Forest grad. They used to have some powerhouse golf teams.

Gig'em<BR>Outrigger<BR>

think curtis strange played golf there too...ali looked worse than dick clark.

AggieLumberjack
posted 7:34p, 1/2/2007



I am so sick of them trotting him out every year. What did the guy do that was so respectable? Besides draft dodging.




are you friekin serious???? besides being the greatest boxer of all time? besides standing up for black people all over the US? besides having the audacity to say no to the government? his boxing career was taken away in his prime. imagine tiger woods being banned for the next ten years. nope, he hasnt done much.

Seriously, lumberjack, what are you gonna say next that he's a terrorist because his name is Muhammad?

Give me a break.

ali is a huge hypocrit. this puke was more than willing to represent his country when fame and a gold medal were the outcome. when his country asked for his service he flipped the country off.

the jfk line of ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country must not have applied to him.

OK I'll chime in too...

Ali's draft issue played out in Houston. That is where he was to report and where he claimed the objector status. In fact I work in the same federal building that he refused to be sworn in at in downtown Houston. Also, on another note with the Ali rap movie or whatever it is coming out that got me to thinking. He did start the athelete as a in your face, look at me individual. He was not in a team sport so I never thought much about it before but I am not so sure his legacy is such a positive one as obviously the vast majority feels it is.
I am still more impressed by the Earl Campbells of the world the the TOs. I guess I am just old school!

It wasn't about "standing up for black people" or saying "no" to the government on principle. It was about protecting his boxing gig and the $$$.

That being said, he was one of the greatest boxers of all time. All that abuse he took with the "rope a dope" is likely what led to the Parkinson's Dz. That and he fought way, way too many fights when he was past his prime...

ali paid the price for his sacrifice. he lost income for three years in his prime. he stood up for his beliefs.

quote:

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I am so sick of them trotting him out every year. What did the guy do that was so respectable? Besides draft dodging.

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Probably didn't accomplish as much as you - the government worker from Lufkin, Tx. You my friend, are a living legend.

quote:

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It wasn't about "standing up for black people" or saying "no" to the government on principle. It was about protecting his boxing gig and the $$$.

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That is completely ridiculous.

First of all, he didn't protect his boxing gig. He was stipped of his title and suspended for years.

Even to this day he is a very, very religious and the basis for him not fighting was because of his religious beliefs.

"Rope-a-dope" didn't affect his head. When he was on the ropes he protected his head and forced his opponents to throw body shots until they wore out.

Fighting too long, well after his prime, with too little time between fights in the late-70s and early-80s was a more likely reason for his current state. Essentially after his rematch with Frazier in Manilla. He fought 5 times in a 15 month span following that fight then retired after 3 more fights and then unretired for two fights in the early-80s that he got clobbered in (two of his five career losses).



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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 1/2/2007 9:46p).]

Arnie is my hero. Cassius Clay is not.

quote:

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besides being the greatest boxer of all time?

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hmm, no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Marciano

quote:

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Marciano remains the only undefeated/untied heavyweight champion in history.

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Imagine how much money he would have made and what records Ted Williams would have set had he not given up years of his prime during WWII.

Sgt. York was a Quaker during the first World War, and back then those hillbillies had little connection to the U.S. government or receive any government services other than the U.S. mail.

I'm sick as hell of people hero worshipping ali for his refusal to be inducted. I don't care if it was on a religious basis...yeah those Muslims are a peace loving and compassionate bunch...or worse for economic reasons. ali is not someone I'd trade two turds for. Karma is a b*tch and I hope he lives to 112.

[This message has been edited by navyag86 (edited 1/2/2007 9:47p).]

"ali is a huge hypocrit. this puke was more than willing to represent his country when fame and a gold medal were the outcome. when his country asked for his service he flipped the country off.

the jfk line of ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country must not have applied to him."

As one of the posters stated earlier:

"he claimed "concentious objector" status to avoid the draft on the basis of his conversion to Islam. He was named Cassius Clay before becoming a Muslim."

He was still Cassius(sp)Clay at the time when the olympics took place. Either way, were Gold medals being handed out or did they earn them? The guy is one of the greatest athletes of all-time.

If I had done what he did they would have put me in Leavenworth. He should have had to spend at least two years in the pen.

Let's get this straight. Ali did not join the army because of his belief's. The main reason he saw no reason to go fight and free other people when black people at the time had no rights in our own country. ( civil rights and god given rights)Not only was he a great boxer he is a great human being for putting it all on the line....

[This message has been edited by ssolari94 (edited 1/2/2007 10:03p).]

I have to agree with Solari, some of you are way off base. Would you want to represent a country that didn't give you the same rights as others? Probably not.

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
-John Wooden

[This message has been edited by aggie_accountant (edited 1/2/2007 10:01p).]

I stand corrected.

I really thought that I had seen a clip of him speaking about the war and Islam.

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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 1/2/2007 10:06p).]

Some of the folks on this board simply amaze me.

Someone said that him dodging the draft was all about $$$, well, if I am correct, David Robinson and Roger Staubach both served their country after graduation and came back to great professional careers and lots of $$$. In fact, Elvis did the same thing!

for all you jerks out there.. ali is a national treasure. Instead of towing the company line he stood up for what he believed in. That there was a war and it was unjust.This isn't an islam thing or a racial thing this was about self determination and doing what you think is right.

I thought David Robinson never served. He was too tall if I remember correctly.

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it."
-John Wooden

[This message has been edited by 86 Tex Ag (edited 1/2/2007 10:18p).]

David Robinson

"In a mildly controversial, yet understandable move, the Navy excused him from three years of the normal five years of his military commitment following graduation from the Naval Academy because his height prohibited his deployment in many roles (e.g. aviation, the submarine corps, and many ships). Nonetheless, Robinson continued to serve in a reserve role with the Navy and was regularly featured in recruiting materials for the service. Despite the nickname "Admiral", Robinson's actual rank upon fulfilling his service commitment was Lieutenant Junior Grade."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Robinson_(basketball)