Ali Aficianados listen to this...

[SPTO]

Can't believe no one did a thread for Ali's 65th birthday. Anyways PRIME TIME SPORTS on the FAN 590 here in Toronto did a special show dedicated to Ali with interviews with Bert Sugar, Bob Arum, and Don Elbaum

Here's the page. It's the first link

[TarHeelMan]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

Dan Patrick is carrying on a very interesting topic about how Ali would be viewed if he were an athlete in these times.... Should be interesting...

[The C]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

Dan Patrick is carrying on a very interesting topic about how Ali would be viewed if he were an athlete in these times.... Should be interesting...

Hated and villified just as he was to begin with.

[Money99]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

The one thing that makes me despise Ali is how he called Joe Frazier an 'uncle Tom'. He called him the white mans champion and questioned his integrity as a black man.
Meanwhile, Ali grew up in a middleclass atmosphere, had 13 white men finance his career and a team of white lawyers that prevented him from going to jail.
Frazier? He grew up on a poor dirt farm in the south, had to drop out of school at the age of 13 to help make money for his family, and worked 2 jobs while training as a pro boxer.

So who would you say the 'Uncle Tom' is here?
I know that Ali said a lot of stuff he didn't mean to get in the press and pump himself up but that wasn't right. Heck, Ali even had Brian Gumbel calling Frazier an 'Uncle Tom'. That ain't right.

[thelwig14]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

The one thing that makes me despise Ali is how he called Joe Frazier an 'uncle Tom'. He called him the white mans champion and questioned his integrity as a black man.
Meanwhile, Ali grew up in a middleclass atmosphere, had 13 white men finance his career and a team of white lawyers that prevented him from going to jail.
Frazier? He grew up on a poor dirt farm in the south, had to drop out of school at the age of 13 to help make money for his family, and worked 2 jobs while training as a pro boxer.

So who would you say the 'Uncle Tom' is here?
I know that Ali said a lot of stuff he didn't mean to get in the press and pump himself up but that wasn't right. Heck, Ali even had Brian Gumbel calling Frazier an 'Uncle Tom'. That ain't right.

You sir, are absolutely correct. I totally respect Ali, in fact I love him, but way too many people get blinded and don't realize that Ali did some really ****ty things in his career. And as you said, the way he treated Frazier was absolutely pathetic and inexcusable. I always thought that was one of the most gutless things I have ever seen in sports....

[TarHeelMan]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

That is very true.... He (Ali) said that it was just to try and pump up the fight and sell more tickets, but Frazier says it was personal, especially since he had held him down when Ali wasn't getting any money from fights... I can see how he felt disrespected after he had looked out for the cat.

[Money99]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

I totally understand saying outrageous statements to build a fight up and sell tickets, but there are some things that should never be said.
I'm not black but I can imagine how a proud man like Frazier, who pulled himself up from such humble beginnings, would feel about being called an 'Uncle Tom'.

[uncleray]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

I can't belive Bryant Gumble wrote an article calling Joe Fraizer a "Tom" WOW

[NEWYORICAN]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

The one thing that makes me despise Ali is how he called Joe Frazier an 'uncle Tom'. He called him the white mans champion and questioned his integrity as a black man.
Meanwhile, Ali grew up in a middleclass atmosphere, had 13 white men finance his career and a team of white lawyers that prevented him from going to jail.
Frazier? He grew up on a poor dirt farm in the south, had to drop out of school at the age of 13 to help make money for his family, and worked 2 jobs while training as a pro boxer.

So who would you say the 'Uncle Tom' is here?
I know that Ali said a lot of stuff he didn't mean to get in the press and pump himself up but that wasn't right. Heck, Ali even had Brian Gumbel calling Frazier an 'Uncle Tom'. That ain't right.

Well said Money99, I can't understand why Ali said that..I hope one day, Ali takes back what he said about Frazier. I consider Frazier the "Greatest" too!!

As for Gumby, he's a jerk!

Peace
Ernesto

[BezO]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

...I consider Frazier the "Greatest" too!!

If that statement is not based on personal disdain for Ali, can you give some specific reasons you feel Frazier was better than Ali? Common opponents? Record? Better competition?

[BezO]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

The one thing that makes me despise Ali is how he called Joe Frazier an 'uncle Tom'. He called him the white mans champion and questioned his integrity as a black man.
Meanwhile, Ali grew up in a middleclass atmosphere, had 13 white men finance his career and a team of white lawyers that prevented him from going to jail.
Frazier? He grew up on a poor dirt farm in the south, had to drop out of school at the age of 13 to help make money for his family, and worked 2 jobs while training as a pro boxer.

So who would you say the 'Uncle Tom' is here?

Except that "uncle tom" has nothing to do with doing business with white men. Nor does it have anything to do with growing up poor. Ali was a Black American Muslim during a time when White America's fear and hate for them was at its height. He spoke out against White America quite often. Unless he was kissing White *** behind closed doors, Ali was far from an uncle tom.

I know that Ali said a lot of stuff he didn't mean to get in the press and pump himself up but that wasn't right.

And to get underneath Frazier's skin. Who knows what he really thought, but I lean towards fight hype over personal feelings.

[JayBee74]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

Became a huge fan of Ali just before his comeback against Quarry in '70. Happy belated birthday wishes Muhammad!

[koolbubbaice]

Re: Ali Aficianados listen to this...

The one thing that makes me despise Ali is how he called Joe Frazier an 'uncle Tom'. He called him the white mans champion and questioned his integrity as a black man.
Meanwhile, Ali grew up in a middleclass atmosphere, had 13 white men finance his career and a team of white lawyers that prevented him from going to jail.
Frazier? He grew up on a poor dirt farm in the south, had to drop out of school at the age of 13 to help make money for his family, and worked 2 jobs while training as a pro boxer.

So who would you say the 'Uncle Tom' is here?
I know that Ali said a lot of stuff he didn't mean to get in the press and pump himself up but that wasn't right. Heck, Ali even had Brian Gumbel calling Frazier an 'Uncle Tom'. That ain't right.

Ali acted like an ***.. I loved how they lied during the 96 olympics... The net work, & olympic commity said Ali 'lost' his gold medal, so they gave him a new one.. Ali threw his gold medal in a lake.. He was so pissed that he won a gold medal for this country but was denied service at a restraunt for being black.. Just be honest about it..