I awoke to very sad news today when I learned The Greatest of All Time had passed away after a 20 year battle from Parkinsons. I don’t think you can be a man of my generation and not have very strong views on Muhammad Ali. He was without a doubt the most polarizing athlete of my time and arguably the most polarizing person period, outside of politics. Though Ali absolutely lived his life without shying away from politics.
I don’t remember Ali pre Islam conversion really. I was a little kid and wouldn’t have understood it anyway. I do remember him getting out of jail and getting ready for the first Frazier fight. I’d never seen or heard or seen anything like him. I was living in southern Louisiana at the time and people HATED him. Like really hated him. A lot was backlash against the “white slave masters” line from when he refused to go to Vietnam (his conviction for draft dodging was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court in 1971) and a lot was just because he was a brash unapologetic black guy in the late 60s and early 70s. That shit didn’t really fly in 1970 in the south. I’m not even sure he had a lot of support with southern blacks in the Frazier fight because he wasn’t Christian. I however loved him. I don’t know what it was, whether I was mature enough to rebel against the unfairness of what had happened to him, or if I just was mesmerized by the unabashed cockiness, or loved him messing with Howard Cosell . Whatever it was,he was my guy and I didn’t mind saying so. I certainly didn’t realize it at the time, but that was likely the beginning of my comfort with having opinions not necessarily in line with my peer group. (Today I tell people I’m a white male, over 50, university educated engineer from Texas and Louisiana who generally votes democrat-I’m a party of one!). If so then thanks Champ. It was the best gift you could have given me.
Through the years of watching him, I did not agree with everything he did. He treated Frazier like crap. He could turn a blind eye to dictators (but hey,so can his government). 4 marriages. But you cannot deny that he lived his convictions and that he brought a tremendous amount of joy to the world, moreso after his boxing career. He gave of himself freely.mAdd the Parkinsons and his life seems unreal. No athlete since has used their platform to state their views while truly damning the consequences. Oh that I could live my convictions as he did. Oh that all of us could.
My name is Rick Reeves, and I have a story telling addiction (Hi Rick!). I started this because friends and family suggested it as one of my personal 12 steps. They say it's because they think I should share my stories with a wider audience, but I really think they are just hoping that I'll quit telling them the same ones over and over again. As I write this, I've been a blogger for all of 3 days. I'm followed by a few family members (not my mom, but that's just because she can't figure out how) and a couple of friends who don't know any better. My 3 kids are "enthused" (if you consider eye rolling and "nice story dad" enthusiasm) and my wife thinks she's my editor. Auspicious start.
I've always thought one of the secrets to telling a factually "based" story is to not get all that attached to the facts. I say this because I don't often remember the facts all that well. Some of the stories are from stuff that happened to me over 40 years ago and what happens (at least to me) is I remember the story way better than I remember the actual event. Gives a person a lot of latitude. I don't purposely make stuff up (honestly!!), but I know full well that the evolved story, while having a basis is fact, has morphed into something other than the literal truth, and that's perfectly fine with me. I won't make stuff up on purpose, but have no trouble doing it on accident!
So some detail crap: I'm 55, married for 27 years to a wonderful Canadian girl. American by birth, got my Canadian citizenship recently, so I'm a happy dual citizen (sidebar: being an American from Texas and a naturalized Canadian citizen gives me the right to open carry in either country, but if I shoot someone I am obligated to apologize to them, then provide free health care). 3 kids, one just graduated from University, the other two still in University. Born in Texas, raised in Louisiana, 8 years in the Navy running nuclear power plants on submarines (no, I do not glow in the dark, but I am bald...) back to University for a degree in Electrical Engineering then 20 some years for an oilfield service company, currently in sales.
I love to fish, everything outdoors, golf, read, go to music festivals and hang with family and friends. I don't sit around much, nor will my wife let me, and am massively adept at putting myself in situations that lend themselves to comedic stories. Most everything will be light hearted. Stories about family, fishing, hiking, submarines, and whatever I see that makes me laugh.
I hope you enjoy. View all posts by reevesr1
juststumblingthroughlife 