Day after day, we observe the coverage of this Terrell Owens saga unfold. The once reveled star has now worn out his welcome in San Francisco and Philadelphia, not to mention infuriating players in Baltimore without ever being on the official roster. From speculating that his old 49er quarterback Jeff Garcia was homosexual to publicly agreeing that his Eagle team would be better off with Brett Favre rather than Donovan McNabb, Owens has used his words to dig himself into a cavernous hole. The hole seems as though it could only, even partially, be covered up if he refrains from chattering for the rest of his career'??an essentially impossible task.
The words of Owens, simply irritating at first, struck me in a different light when something came to my attention. Rumors started to spread across the Internet last week that Muhammad Ali, who was diagnosed with pugilistic Parkinson's syndrome in 1982, was near death. He had gone into the hospital for muscle pains, so the story went, and it was deemed that he only had months to live. The rumor was quickly quelled, with his wife, Lonnie, telling a notable boxing website, 'there is no truth to the gossip, which is very hurtful to Muhammad, his family and friends, about a sudden decline in Muhammad's health.'
In light of what had ensued with Owens, I began to think about Ali's use of the spoken word. Though I never got to witness the greatness of Ali firsthand, he has become an object of my fascination. Ali wobbled on that line between sports star and political figure. There were those that adored the man dubbed Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated in 1999 and there were those that despised him. Either way, people always tuned in to see what 'The Greatest' would say next.
Throughout his life, Ali has had a knack for humor, poking fun at the most notable of figures. 'I figure I'll be champ for about ten years and then let my brother take over,' Ali said. 'Like the Kennedys down in Washington.' However, he also poked fun at his opponents, often mocking rival Joe Frazier. 'Frazier is so ugly,' Ali noted, 'that he should donate his face to the U.S. Bureau of Wildlife.'
If Ali simply used his words to intimidate and scoff at, his legend would not have been so brilliant. Over time, Ali became acquainted with the Nation of Islam, and in 1966 changed his name to Muhammed Ali from Cassius Clay. Very few journalists and opponents recognized this change, angering the heavyweight. In 1967, when Ali faced Ernie Terrell in Madison Square Garden, Terrell refused to acknowledge Ali's new name. Though it was not a knockout, the fight was very one-sided, with Ali winning every round with vicious blows to his opponent's weakened frame. But it wasn't simply his violent blows that did the talking. After every jab, after every uppercut and after every hook Ali landed on Terrell, he was heard (on old replays of the fight) screaming, 'What's my name? What's my name'? With his stern words of anger, the public now new Ali was not simply a prize-fighting comic.
Ali's famous words of, 'I got nothing against no Viet Cong,' displayed his anger toward American government for attempting to force him to serve in the Vietnam War, a war that many Americans did not think just. Ali would appear with Islamic leaders such as Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad to fight the pressure to join the troops, sparking extreme reactions.
Flashing back to today, though he is stricken with disease, Ali is living strong. Meanwhile, Owens has been suspended from the Eagles, with little hope that any fans will admire him any time soon. I have no problem with Owens waving his pompoms or storing a Sharpie in his sock, the same way I have no problem with Ali trash-talking his opponents. Poking fun at your opponent is not the problem. The problem is that when Ali opened his mouth after the game, it was to fight injustices, not to criticize anyone in his corner. When Owens opens his mouth, it is only to bash his organization and his teammates.
As Ali said, 'Old age is just a record of one's life.' At this pace, Owens' record isn't looking too favorable.
