Sports "hadn't seen a star" on the level of MUHAMMAD ALI before him, and it is now "safe to proclaim there will never be another star like him," according to Jerry Brewer of the WASHINGTON POST. There will "never be an athlete talented enough to captivate with his ability while also being brave enough to remain principled and authentic enough to overcome the controversy he created by expressing his views on divisive topics such as race, war and religion" (WASHINGTON POST, 6/4). In N.Y., Mike Lupica writes Ali was "as loud a sports star as we've ever had and will ever have" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/6). In Boston, Christopher Gasper wrote while Ali "threw punches for a living, he didn’t pull any." He was "style with substance, taking political, social, and religious stances, no matter how unpopular they were with the sporting public." Ali was an athlete "with a voice and a social conscience who wasn’t afraid to use his celebrity to make a statement or take a stand." It is the lesson that today’s athletes "should take from the coverage of his death" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/5). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay writes Ali possessed "an unprecedented combination of athleticism, intelligence, bravado and social consciousness during one of the most turbulent chapters in American history." He was "controversial, to say the least, but he was an epic figure that sports will almost surely never witness again" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/6).
TRUE TO HIMSELF: HBO's Bryant Gumbel said it is "easy in hindsight to say, 'Everybody embraced him and everybody loved him.'" Gumbel: "He did a variety of things that turned off a great portion of America … so not every step he took was a magnificent one that everybody applauded. Oftentimes, it was quite the contrary" ("Today," NBC, 6/6). ESPN's John Saunders said, "There are athletes today that stand up for causes, but they stand up for causes that a lot of people are standing up for. Muhammad Ali stood up and did something that was extremely unpopular and had a good part of the country against him" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 6/5). In S.F., Al Saracevic wrote Ali "stood, unflinching, in the middle of the cultural storm, using his own moral compass to show the way." His proclamations "were legendary, mixing harsh truth with lyrical bombast to create a wholly unique persona that captivated the world" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/4). In Buffalo, Tim Graham wrote Ali will "remain a global icon and majestic figure." He "defied the establishment, confronted inequality and challenged people to think." He "rallied African-Americans." He "jostled the status quo in the streets while he pummeled opponents with his fists" (BUFFALO NEWS, 6/5). In New Jersey, Tara Sullivan wrote, "One thing that never changed was his willingness to speak his mind and belief in his right to stand his ground, to bait the court of public opinion into respecting his right to free speech, even if it didn’t agree with what he was saying" (Bergen RECORD, 6/4). CBS Sports' James Brown noted Ali was a "transcendent figure." Brown: "As far as athletes are concerned, they have the highest regard for him because he was the best in his sport. But it transcended that because of the depth of convictions of the man" ("CBS This Morning," 6/6).
A COMPLICATED MAN: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Gay wrote Ali was "handsome, charismatic and utterly complicated." He "delivered bravado and beauty that defied a brutal sport, simultaneously becoming a global celebrity, a sports hero, an activist, humanitarian, and, at times, a polarizing figure" (WSJ.com, 6/4). The GLOBE & MAIL's Cathal Kelly wrote Ali was the "first global sports star and the first public figure that transcended culture and language." He has "many imitators, but no successors" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/5). ESPN's Jeremy Schaap: "He was brash from the beginning and he liked self-promotion" ("GMA," ABC, 6/6). THE UNDEFEATED's Derrick Jackson wrote Ali was the "most successful at parlaying the power of his fists into a demand for human dignity" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 6/5). In Detroit, Drew Sharp wrote Ali "defied the rules of acceptance." He "saw what others pretended didn't exist" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/5). YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Adelson wrote Ali was a "constant reminder of injustice." He "made people see what they did not want to see" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/4).
DOUBTFUL HE WILL BE SEEN AGAIN: NBC Sports' Bob Costas said it is "doubtful" there will be an athlete activist again like Ali because "he was a remarkable individual." Costas: "There's always a confluence of the individual and the times that produces that individual. I don't know you'll ever get that combination of circumstances again" ("Today," NBC, 6/6). In Detroit, Bob Wojnowski wrote, "We won’t see anyone like him again, although we see flashes of him everywhere. We’ll never see anyone in the sports world risk so much to fight social issues." Today's athletes are "empowered and enriched and don’t have nearly the same battles to wage, and much more to lose financially" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/5). In Chicago, David Haugh wrote Ali "stood for what he believed in before it was accepted that athletes could influence the way Americans thought" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/5). In Detroit, Jerry Green wrote Ali "changed American culture" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/5).
