Ali, RIP.

[G7MOF]

God rest one of the worlds finest athletes. A man who achieved total respect from the world, both within the athletic community and out.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Amen to that !.Voted the World's greatest ever sportsman a few years ago. Controversial in many things,but never ignored,
Ivan

[Roger Moss]

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
Your hands can't hit what your eyes can"t see.

[FLATROCK HILL]

And despite the egotist, bigger-than-life public persona, he was very much a kind, courteous gentleman.
I always think of him when I hear Acker Bilk's 'Stranger On The Shore'. I know he liked that one.

[Petrus]

I always assumed the big boastful ego thing was exactly that, a public persona or put-on for the benefit of the media and public. He was probably much more personable in private. I don't know that much about him and am not a boxing fan.

[CES]

"His momma named him Clay, I'm gone call him Clay!"

Just kidding, much respect for the man. Prayers are with his family.

[foldedpath]

I always assumed the big boastful ego thing was exactly that, a public persona or put-on for the benefit of the media and public. He was probably much more personable in private. I don't know that much about him and am not a boxing fan.

Not a boxing fan either, but I admired his political activism and later humanitarian efforts. And yes, a different person in private, although it's hard to tell in later years how much of that was brain injury and Parkinson's slowing him down.

I met him once, at a private business-related party in Miami back in the late 1980's. I was working as a commercial photographer, hired for a "grip 'n grin" publicity shoot of Ali meeting and shaking hands with local bigwigs. I didn't get a chance to talk with him, other than just saying hello and moving around with him as he met people. He just seemed like a warm, personable guy. Very different from the bluster in the ring, and it was also obvious he was speaking more slowly. The damage was already done at that point. Anyway, it was an honor to have met him that one brief time.

[Folkmusician.com]

I also fall in to the "not a big boxing fan" category. Yet there was something about Ali that you just couldn't ignore. It is sad to see him pass, but he will always be a legend.

Ali and Snoop Dog were at our local High School late 2014 for a football game (Ali's Grandson, and Snoop's Son playing). They were pretty much just a couple of guys enjoying a game, or as much as one could when that famous. They sat right in the bleachers like it was no big thing.

[brunello97]

The Greatest.

Mick

[Jim Bevan]

Well, as maybe the only person in this forum with a musical connection to him, I feel obliged to share my story.

I was playing (piano, with a band) at one of his press conferences. I played the intro to The Greatest Love of All as he walked up to the microphone (on a stand right in front of me). He bent down (pretty much got right in my face, which ya, was kinda terrifying), said "Sounds good, keep it up", and so I just played (solo) the song quietly the whole time he was talking.

[yankees1]

<violates forum posting guidelines>

[jim simpson]

I know I'm dating myself as I remember listening with my parents to the radio broadcast of the Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) vs Sonny Liston fight. The commentator's description of the fight painted a very graphic picture in my young mind.

[Mandoplumb]

+1 to yankees1

[MikeEdgerton]

Sometimes it's just nice to keep it civil. RIP.