Muhammad Ali, who riveted the world as 'The Greatest,' dies

[DM07]

No he was not, Einstein was a genius, Newton was a genius and Shakespeare. Somebody dancing around a ring hitting people and getting brain damage in the process is not genius. He was a great boxer and self promoter, that does not make him a genius unless the word has become so diluted and over used to be almost meaningless these days.

You can't help yourself, can you!?

[boomerangutang]

Maybe not a genius, but he sure came up with a bunch of incredible one-liners, and rambles. Best of all, to me, was he was not afraid to be an original - to be his own person, and not follow the flock. A rare quality. And he was a winner, even though his boxing wins weren't always as pretty as he thought he was when looking in the mirror.

[Nasrullah]

A great sports man with a kind heart.

Refused to be called up for Vietnam... good on him, I still to this day question the USA involvement in that war.

No need to question it basil.........a fear of communism will suffice....

Now we do business with communists......hint/china

[Scott]

It seems that the Westboro Baptist Church is planning a Koran burning at his funeral.

http://www.inquisitr.com/3167350/muhammad-ali-funeral-westboro-baptist-church-muslim-quran-burning-wife-yolanda-williams-photos/

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Americans sure have a lot of geniuses and heroes

[jacksam]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

"Certainly a good boxer in his day...."

Most stupid thing I have read this year.

Good would be the understatement of the century.

Also pity more American boys didn't do same instead of stuffing up Vietnam with another stupid invasion.

Edited June 4, 2016 by jacksam

[ozyjon]

'' I am the greatest ''

No, Muhammad Ali,, you are.

R.I.P.

[Johpa]

I was never a boxing fan and I hold in ultimate disdain Louis Farrakhan, but Ali was one of the very few people from my own lifetime who became a hero in my eyes. Like others, such as the great Malcom X, Ali was originally attracted to the early charisma of Farrakhan, but soon became more enlightened and rejected Farrakhan's messages of hate and turned away from the Nation of Islam. Ali has some other flaws, he was not god-sent profit. But there are no such charismatic people allowed to matter these days. Today we only get celebrities and trending Internet sensations and the shallowness of the post-modern Millennials.

Correction: Ali was connected to Elijah Muhammed at the Nation of Islam and not Muhammed's successor Farrakhan.

Sent from my KFOT using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Nasrullah]

I was never a boxing fan and I hold in ultimate disdain Louis Farrakhan, but Ali was one of the very few people from my own lifetime who became a hero in my eyes. Like others, such as the great Malcom X, Ali was originally attracted to the early charisma of Farrakhan, but soon became more enlightened and rejected Farrakhan's messages of hate and turned away from the Nation of Islam. Ali has some other flaws, he was not god-sent profit. But there are no such charismatic people allowed to matter these days. Today we only get celebrities and trending Internet sensations and the shallowness of the post-modern Millennials.

Correction: Ali was connected to Elijah Muhammed at the Nation of Islam and not Muhammed's successor Farrakhan.

Sent from my KFOT using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Good for you pal.....let me know when you have anything of relevance to say!

[Jingthing]

Americans sure have a lot of geniuses and heroes

So true. We do.

[sir charles IV]

Greatest? Yeah right. Anyone becoming a Muslim to avoid his duty to defend his nation is a coward. Karma got him for all the bad things he did to his family, country and people around him. One less scum many more to go. Ps- he wouldn't have lasted a round against Tyson both at their best!!!

Edited June 4, 2016 by sir charles IV

[DM07]

Greatest? Yeah right. Anyone becoming a Muslim to avoid his duty to defend his nation is a coward. Karma got him for all the bad things he did to his family, country and people around him. One less scum many more to go. Ps- he wouldn't have lasted a round against Tyson both at their best!!!

Defending his country?

Yeah right!

I remember those Vietnamese fighter-planes in the sky over Washington and the many ships, at the coast of Maine.

And when they napalmed Disney-Land....boy, that was ugly!

...oh...wait...

Troll!

[stevenl]

Greatest? Yeah right. Anyone becoming a Muslim to avoid his duty to defend his nation is a coward. Karma got him for all the bad things he did to his family, country and people around him. One less scum many more to go. Ps- he wouldn't have lasted a round against Tyson both at their best!!!

Defending his country?

Yeah right!

I remember those Vietnamese fighter-planes in the sky over Washington and the many ships, at the coast of Maine.

And when they napalmed Disney-Land....boy, that was ugly!

...oh...wait...

Troll!

Agree, but don't think he is a troll. Just somebody who considers himself a patriot, and others with opposing views are not.

[tpazzi]

Was he a man dreaming he was a butterfly?

Or a butterfly dreaming it was a bee?

From the youthful clay came sculpted

the mighty and great Muhammad Ali.

O Champion! our Champion!

your frightful fights are done,

Your gloves are weathered from every punch,

the belts you sought are won,

In your corner dear, the final bell we now hear,

as if Cosell's reporting,

While minds' eyes recall your shuffling feet,

and those punches straight and stinging;

O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on life's canvas our Champion lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Champion! our Champion!

Rise up, for one final bell is ringing ;

Rise up—for you heaven's gates open flung

—for you the chariot is low swinging,

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths

—for you the street a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass,

their eager faces turning;

Rest Champion! dear brother!

And we, now mournful, tread,

We walk life's canvas where our Champion lies,

Fallen cold and dead.



RIP Muhammad

(and with apologies to Walt Whitman)

[thai3]

Americans sure have a lot of geniuses and heroes

Many created by their liberal media, it's a pity few of them have any integrity or are of any real substance these days. If Kim Kardashian died next week fools would be calling her and icon and a genius no doubt. Pity that the modern world idolizes sports people, music artists, and lately 'celebrities' who are famous for being famous so much, and sad that the hero worshipers cannot abide those who do not fall for all the hype.

[ddavidovsky]

Ali was an arrogant loud-mouth. As a kid he was the very opposite of a hero and a role model for me. His egotistical self-aggrandisement wasn't amusing but was quite crass. I wanted him to lose every fight. I had much more admiration for Henry Cooper, who was quiet and modest.

[DM07]

Ali was an arrogant loud-mouth. As a kid he was the very opposite of a hero and a role model for me. His egotistical self-aggrandisement wasn't amusing but was quite crass. I wanted him to lose every fight. I had much more admiration for Henry Cooper, who was quiet and modest.

Fine, so come back when Cooper dies!

[Berkshire]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

Now if only we had a 'hate', 'dislike' or 'lower than a dog' button on here.

I don't like racists myself and Ali certainly was one:

: "We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man"

If he was white, everybody would be calling him a racist. But he wasn't so in most people's eyes he was not. Sad world.

If he was white, he never would have been the victim of vicious racism the way Ali was. Can't you set aside your bigotry for just a moment? Ali was a great man and a great American.

[morrobay]

The serious brain damage he got ( more so than many of his opponents) was a result of his boxing style. In particular the " rope a dope ' and "peek a boo "

Both of which involved just getting hit alot to head. Of course that left hook Frazier hit him with in Manilla did not help.

Edited June 5, 2016 by morrobay

[kingalfred]

The Donald trump brigade are out in force..pathetic bunch

[thai3]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

If he was white, he never would have been the victim of vicious racism the way Ali was. Can't you set aside your bigotry for just a moment? Ali was a great man and a great American.

No he was a great boxer, great men don't cheat on their wives and leave their sons in poverty. Great men are not loud mouthed arrogant show offs, great sportsmen treat their opponents with respect and great men do not follow the Prophet Mohammad.

Edited June 5, 2016 by thai3

[DM07]

I just hope nobody calls him a genius, he was certainly a good boxer in his day but not a patriotic American, and hardly a modest man, nor a good husband or father. He was a serial adulterer and misogynist. Many of his early views were very racist. Certainly an icon of the 60's who had some good qualities despite his faults.

If he was white, he never would have been the victim of vicious racism the way Ali was. Can't you set aside your bigotry for just a moment? Ali was a great man and a great American.

No he was a great boxer, great men don't cheat on their wives and leave their sons in poverty. Great men are not loud mouthed arrogant show offs, great sportsmen treat their opponents with respect and great men do not follow the Prophet Mohammad.

...and intelligent men know, when to shut up, so I guess, we're gonna hear a lot more from you!

[pgrahmm]

Ali was as much a campaigner for black equality as he was a champion in the ring, where he won 56 of his 61 fights.

Asked how he would like to be remembered, he once said: "As a man who never sold out his people. But if that's too much, then just a good boxer.

"I won't even mind if you don't mention how pretty I was."

Thought this was apt.....

[ddavidovsky]

Ali was an arrogant loud-mouth. As a kid he was the very opposite of a hero and a role model for me. His egotistical self-aggrandisement wasn't amusing but was quite crass. I wanted him to lose every fight. I had much more admiration for Henry Cooper, who was quiet and modest.

Fine, so come back when Cooper dies!

Is this thread only for those saying nice things? Perhaps the mods should set up two threads in future whenever anyone dies - one for the fans who can whitewash their heros to their heart's delight, and one for those who want to have a proper discussion of the subject's merits.

[BB24]

Americans sure have a lot of geniuses and heroes

Many created by their liberal media, it's a pity few of them have any integrity or are of any real substance these days. If Kim Kardashian died next week fools would be calling her and icon and a genius no doubt. Pity that the modern world idolizes sports people, music artists, and lately 'celebrities' who are famous for being famous so much, and sad that the hero worshipers cannot abide those who do not fall for all the hype.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments about the Liberal media and the Kardashians - your negative and innapropriate comments about Ali are 'wrong'. What I cant understand is that despite several early 'wise' comments from posters suggesting you should be quiet, you ignored them and are now in a battle trying to defend your own ignorance. It is people like you that give us Trump supporters a bad name. Now sit down and shut up - this is (like) a funeral and no one wants to hear your complaints and criticisms - save them for another day/time.

Ali - as far as boxing is concerned he was the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) - end of - any professional boxing expert/judge will tell you that. And he knew how good he was - and he had something to say - and he said it and in doing so he helped change a Nation for the better. As far as I am concerned that is a pretty good legacy - us mere mortals could only hope to ever be half as good as a great man. Did I say perfect - NO.

Go and watch 'When We Were Kings' and there are many other shows/vids about how great Ali was - as a boxer and a person. Now shut up and keep your opinions to yourself at this time.

RIP Ali - the world will never forget you (unlike some others).

[BB24]

Ali was an arrogant loud-mouth. As a kid he was the very opposite of a hero and a role model for me. His egotistical self-aggrandisement wasn't amusing but was quite crass. I wanted him to lose every fight. I had much more admiration for Henry Cooper, who was quiet and modest.

Fine, so come back when Cooper dies!

Is this thread only for those saying nice things? Perhaps the mods should set up two threads in future whenever anyone dies - one for the fans who can whitewash their heros to their heart's delight, and one for those who want to have a proper discussion of the subject's merits.

DITTO.

Come back some time later - leave a little time for other people to show respect.

[coma]

If he was white, he never would have been the victim of vicious racism the way Ali was. Can't you set aside your bigotry for just a moment? Ali was a great man and a great American.

No he was a great boxer, great men don't cheat on their wives and leave their sons in poverty. Great men are not loud mouthed arrogant show offs, great sportsmen treat their opponents with respect and great men do not follow the Prophet Mohammad.

Right. He was a great boxer. Maybe he was a great American. I don't know [ if dodging the draft is great by American standards then maybe he was]. But calling him a great man is a laugh. People call actors great people too. When all they do their entire lives is act out in fantasy. Who's the bigot.

[freedom4life]

He was a legend in his own mind...

[Confuscious]

Greatest? Yeah right. Anyone becoming a Muslim to avoid his duty to defend his nation is a coward. Karma got him for all the bad things he did to his family, country and people around him. One less scum many more to go. Ps- he wouldn't have lasted a round against Tyson both at their best!!!

Defending HIS country?

What are you smoking?

First, he was a Black skinned race person.

Someone who was brought as a slave to work for the English Mayflower tugs with a death sentence who were chased out of England.

Second, he used his rights according to American constitution that allowed him freedom to not follow another English criminal named L.B. Johnson.

Third, the descendants of the English criminals that lives in the United Stated have TOTALLY NO RIGHTS to call America their country.

They took America from the Indians by a genocide that nearly extinct the ORIGINAL PEOPLE of America.

Crawl back under your barstool and boast to the hookers around you about the "great USA that is <deleted> up the whole world for oil."

[arunsakda]

If he was white, he never would have been the victim of vicious racism the way Ali was. Can't you set aside your bigotry for just a moment? Ali was a great man and a great American.

No he was a great boxer, great men don't cheat on their wives and leave their sons in poverty. Great men are not loud mouthed arrogant show offs, great sportsmen treat their opponents with respect and great men do not follow the Prophet Mohammad.

Right. He was a great boxer. Maybe he was a great American. I don't know [ if dodging the draft is great by American standards then maybe he was]. But calling him a great man is a laugh. People call actors great people too. When all they do their entire lives is act out in fantasy. Who's the bigot.

He did not Dodge the draft. He refused to serve at great personal expense, when all he had to do was keep mouth shut. He would have had a cushy tour like many Celebrities before him who are now called "Heroes" by all the brain dead right-wingers trashing Ali now on multiple fora. By the way his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court as far as I recall.

Trump got 4 student deferrals, how many did Chickenhawk Cheney get? George W. Bush got special treatment thanks to his family and was leapfrogged to a coveted Air Guard Jet Fighter slot he did not deserve. He enjoyed a nice tour defending Texas from all the threats and dangers emanating from the Gulf of Mexico . Before he went AWOL after he got tired of it. Double standards, stupidity, and hypocrisy. How about the Domino theory now? The commies are still there, we will be selling VN weapons now and HCMC is just another place to buy an iPad and stay at a Sheraton. 55,000 Americans, plus allied forces, and millions of Vietnamese died for nothing. Get over it, it was a mistake.

And we still have to suffer people rubbishing Jane Fonda as well!

Edited June 6, 2016 by arunsakda