Why does this still hurt?
Muhammad Ali battled Parkinson’s disease for over three decades. After multiple internet hoaxes over the years and public appearances where everyone’s senses grew the day would come-it still hurts to know that Muhammad Ali has died.
Allow me to throw out the obvious disclaimer here that Ali’s Golden Era was decades before I was born, but he still left such a substantial impact on my life.
I remember FUBU had Ali all over their brand. Ali shirts and promotional posters with the word “FUBU” over it. The Will Smith portrayal of Ali was released around the time I was seven and I remember my father taking me to see the film in South Carolina for an advance screening.
I remember on every visit to see my cool, slim Grandfather- he’d point out his picture of him standing behind Ali signing autographs in his prime. Ali was a man of the people. He was easily the biggest active athlete on the planet at the time and he still took the time to march with the people. He still took the time to chant his last name with the people as he exited the arena after victories. He still went to different neighborhoods and spoke to the media as I can imagine he spoke before he was the most famous living athlete in the world.
One of my favorite Christmas gifts was my “Ali Rap” book. “Ali Rap” was originally an ESPN film, describing how in his press conferences, Ali’s poems and rhymes forecasting his fights was similar to rap, before the official rap genre even began. The book is approximately 300 pages of Ali’s best quotes, which are all pure gold.
Ali was like that outgoing family member that everyone has. The family member that holds back nothing and would talk trash to a cylinder, just to hype themselves up that they have the strength to move it. The difference between Ali and your family member more than likely though, is that Ali could almost always back up his trash talk.
“This guy is done, I’ll stop him in one,” said a 12-year-old Cassius Clay in his first poetic prediction to the press.
The rhyming 12-year-old in Kentucky grew into an 18-year-old Gold medal Olympian, who grew into a 56-5 Heavyweight Champion.
56-5 while missing almost three and a half years in the middle of his prime. Ali went to jail for not joining the country’s armed forces after being drafted for the Vietnam War. Through the entire process, Ali stayed true to what he believed in, which wasn’t fighting in Vietnam. His main argument was with all the racism and injustices in America, the people of Vietnam never personally attacked him, a man of color living in America. His boxing license was suspended, his title belt was striped and Ali used the time off to speak to colleges about his beliefs, civil rights and black pride.
The only comparable athletes that come to mind in recent years that were taken away from the game in their primes are Michael Vick and Brandon Roy. Neither star athlete had near the amount of attention or fame that Ali had at the time of his hiatus and the steps he took are some that still hasn’t been reflected by an athlete over forty years later.
No other athlete or celebrity gives themselves a nickname like “The Greatest” and has little to no objection on the claim. Lebron’s “The Chosen One” gets challenged on the nightly basis, especially now as he’s facing a 2-5 career record in the Finals.
He’s an athlete that lived a lifestyle of a music genre years before the genre was actually introduced. Today rappers still use his interview clips as samples for their songs. He’s an athlete with the personality of a Harlem Globetrotter and the athleticism of a…well, the athleticism of a Muhammad Ali.
While yes, he wasn’t embraced and loved by everyone, he didn’t care about that. He was a boxer that blew kisses and smiled at the crowd that booed him in the Philippines in his third fight with Joe Frazier at “The Thrilla in Manilla.” Besides, are there any pioneers that shifted culture who were welcomed and loved by every single person in the process of shifting that culture? Some people just don’t like change, as Stephen Curry could probably tell you today, but change is a component that makes you legendary. Change makes you an icon forever.
Just like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Jim Brown, Pele and Wayne Gretzky- Muhammad Ali is someone who brought change to the world and as a result is a sportz, and human, icon like no other.
“People have died by the thousands since my case. Good people. There’s so much dying that’s been bigger than mine. Martin Luther King. The Kennedys. Poverty, disasters, murders, wars. Why should I matter so much? It’s because of what I stand for,” said Ali in the midst of his Vietnam War protest.