Smokin' Joe

I just finished an autobiography by Joe Frazier. Growing up a big Ali fan, it was interesting to see the other side of the coin of three of his great fights. First time I really saw Joe as an entity upon himself instead of an Ali opponent, although they will be forever tied together. Got to see the perspective of someone who faced Ali and the genuine hurt it caused him and his family with the way he was berated outside of the ring.
However, I found it interesting that he never referenced Ali as Ali in the book. Only as Clay. And he took no attempt to hide his distaste for him to this day. In the closing pages of the book he brings this up. Quote:
"They want me to love him, but i'll open up the graveyard and bury his ass when the Lord chooses to take him. You see what the lord did to him: He shut him down, that ungrateful scamboogah. Clay always mocked me- like I was the dummy. Gettin' hit in the head. Now look at him. He can hardly talk and he's still out there trying to make noise."
Joe almost had me on his side until the last page of the book.

Yes it hurts till this day. When Ali was holding the torch at the Olympics in Atlanta, Joe said he wished he fell in. Ali mocked him so much that Joe's children would get bullied at school. He lived that mocking and you cannot tell him to love Ali, just sad that he is that bitter but it would take a strong and forgiving man to not let those taunts get to you.

Theyve reconciled
In all honesty they were both wrong
Ali for not understanding how racially charged the atmosphere really was,and saying things that fed in to it.
Joe for letting a missunderstanding stand for 30 years before he'd get over it

Have they really forgiven one another. I doubt that. Although I hope it is true.

Yeah it was about 2 years ago

This video sums up everything you need to know about Joe Frazier:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ5xA67-4b8

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

This video sums up everything you need to know about Joe Frazier:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ5xA67-4b8

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That was great! Could of saved me a trip to the library as those kids took 3 minutes to tell me what it took Joe 200 pages.

I read his book when it first came out, and it was obvious to me joe hates Ali, he may say recently that he has forgiven Ali, but i think, that he knows he his on a looser with the press and Ali fans, if he dont make a statement, but deep down its not forgiven.

If I was Joe frazier I would probably hate Ali to.Frazier and Ali were friends before they fought aswell so It's no surprise after the things Ali said.

Must have been a great feeling when Joe spanked him in the first fight. Wonder how he felt after he put him down with that super sweet left hook.

The weird thing about Ali - Frazier beef is that if you think about other sports and the individual beefs that occur, time does heal old wounds. However, most of the wounds in those cases are physical, not psychological like in the case of Ali - Frazier. It just goes to show you that mental scars go way deeper. I would have thought that with all the warring nations and groups that have sat down and reconciled - Ali and Joe would have by now too. Below are two examples of people who would have been well within their rights to still be pissed.

Rudy Tomjanovich punched by Kermit Washington (NBA). Rudy T was literally almost killed by a punch he didn't see coming and had emergency facial reconstruction. He later said "I have to wish the best for him. I don't like to see people suffer. He made a mistake and everyone deserves another chance." (Look at 1:30 of video below)
YouTube - The Kermit Washington Story - Redemption 4 of 7

Luke Witte vs. Minnesota Gophers - I just watched this recently and this guy was really f'ed up. He was knocked down only to helped up and kneed in the balls. While down and other fights breaking out, he was kicked in the face and stomped. He received 29 stitches, a lacerated cornea and was in intensive care - because they were winning. Later he said "The forgiveness is very much part of the healing process" and refused to press charges or pursue a lawsuit, but he could have easily won.
YouTube - 1972 College Basketball Brawl - Minnesota vs Ohio Buckeyes

Did not know Basketball was that brutal.