Joe Louis: America's Hero Betrayed

[CutMeMick]

Where to start.....

I've seen a handful of documentarys. Emile Griffith, Jack Johnson, Wilfredo Gomez, SRR, George Foreman, Jack Dempsey, Robert Duran, Larry Holmes, ODLH, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali etc. etc. etc.

But last nights doc. just hit a spot with me man... Emotions filled my game room as I sat there watching it. I was happy then I was sad and knodding my head my throat dried up and I had a lump for a better part of the show

I gotta say I've been discuted worst in other doc. like in the Resto-Collins Jr. doc. but last nights doc. just did it man... Seeing all those images of Joe as an elderly man and learning soooo much about what he went thru in the after effects drugs, alcohol, paranoiah.

All because the US used him as the poster boy and squeezed the life out of him for all it was worth. Some of those promotional videos and stuff they showed on Joe was crazy to see cause Joe looked like Ivan Drago as he talked. Very robotic, I mean Joe was given scripts and he was told what to say, how to sit, how to behave, what he can and can't do.
His time, money, thoughts, life was all used up he served his country and did what he could never asked for anything other then to treat his black people equally. I've always thought Jackie Robinson was the one black man who kicked the door down. After last night I learned that in reality it was Joe who did it 1st.

Because of him blacks where 1st allowed to play in a PGA golf invitantional so there would be no Tiger Woods if not for Joe. I did not know that I learned so much last night it's insane. The whole afternoon today I've been talking to myself about some of things I picked up from the doc.

I had read several things but wasn't too sure if they were true or not after last night a lot of things were confirmed to. Braddock getting a cut from Joe earnings for the rest of his career.

One thing that seems to happen with most of these boxers docs. I've seen is alcohol, women, drugs and speding issues always seem to be the downfall. Joe was no different and made lots of mistakes...

All in all it was a great documentary and I strongly recommend it to everyone....

[CutMeMick]

IMO the hardest thing to hear/see in the doc. was the bit where Joe was inivited to be a 'special' referee for a wrestling match and the promoter came into the dressing room minutes before the event and told Joe that the IRS raided the box office and took his pay straight from there.

That shit! right hit a spot with me.... The man was just trying to live and pay the money then they went ahead and took his dignity by doing shit like that.

One thing that will forever live with me from the doc. is the following.

When asked by a friend why was he wrestling and doing side jobs he answered.

"It beats stealing" - Joe Louis
Fucken brilliant...