I Am The Greatest Of All Time

In my hotel last night I watched a few minutes
of a show on Muhammed Ali, who often said
many, many years ago, "I am the greatest! or
I am the greatest of all time!"

Ali doesn't talk much these days, he just
smiles and nods his head, but in his prime in
the 60's and 70's he really was the greatest.

This message was driven home to me in 1974
in a big way. I was a young man traveling Europe,
and when Ali fought Big George Foreman in the
African jungle, I happened to be in Ireland. The
Irish are huge boxing fans, and I was asked who
I thought would win the fight.

I answered that I thought Big George would win.

That was the wrong answer, and I nearly was
tossed out of the pub I was in. There were
grandmothers telling me I was a knave and fool.
And later, when the fight was concluded, and Ali
the winner, a celebration went on that made St
Paddy's Day look small.

The next morning the front page of the Dublin paper
was a large color photo of Ali with the headline,
"Ali Wins." Then a day or two later the city went
electric with the news that Ali was going to make
a stop in Dublin on his way home.

I couldn't stay for that, but I had a friend who took
pictures as Ali rode down the streets, and you would
have thought he was a Kennedy, or the Pope himself.

This same friend of mine visited Ali in his training
camp the year before. He had no appointment, he
didn't call ahead, he just walked several miles to the
camp in Pennsylvania. Ali's bodyguards conferred with
the Champ, and he spent the entire day with Ali, talking,
taking photos, and even getting in the ring, where Ali
showed him a combination or two.

During the time they spent together Ali said "I am
the greatest!" too many times to count.

He wasn't just saying it to be saying it. He really
believed he was the greatest. He proved it in Ali-Frazier III,
and he probably has never been the same since.

"I had two choices," he said. "I could get up and
beat Joe Frazier, or I could die." He got up and beat
Joe Frazier.

Everyone has a chance to be great. We may not all
be cut out to be the heavyweight champion of the world,
but opportunities are in front of us all the time.

Just reach out and sieze one.

From the big saddle,

Jim Whelan

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